In February, the Southland District Council approached the Local Government Commission (LGC) proposing the amalgamation of the councils.
After consulting Environment Southland, the Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council, Southland District Council and Te Ao Mārama Inc on behalf of Ngāi Tahu ki Murihiku, the commission agreed to investigate a potential reorganisation.
In August, councils had the chance to give feedback on the first draft of the plan to investigate the reorganisation.
At yesterday’s full council meeting, Invercargill councillors received the LGC’s final plan for investigating the reorganisation.
In the plan a three-phase investigation is proposed which is scheduled to be completed by August 2027.
"The investigation is focused on identifying the structure that will best promote good local government in Southland, by enabling and facilitating improvements to local governance", the plan said.
However, at phase 1 and 2 there is provision to end the investigation if the information gathered warrants it.
If the investigation reaches phase 3 a draft reorganisation plan will be released and a public poll taken on whether the reorganisation should go ahead.
More than 40 stakeholders, including those from the government, Māori entities and business, community and education sectors, have been identified and will be consulted.
During the discussion of the plan, Mayor Tom Campbell said he hoped the four councils would be able to find a common position.
"I think as we go through the process, there will be some effort to try to test whether that’s possible ... because that would be the strongest, I think, argument to make to the commission."
