Clutha and Central Otago are being raised as possible bedfellows for the Gore district as discussions continue around the reorganisation of local government.
Last week the government announced it was imposing a three-month window for councils to put forward reorganisation proposals or face those decisions being made on their behalf.
The Gore district is no stranger to reorganisation debates, following the Southland District Council’s push for an amalgamation of the four main entities in Southland — Gore District Council, Southland District Council, Environment Southland and Invercargill City Council — to two, although opinions have been mixed.
Gore District Mayor Ben Bell has voiced scepticism over this reorganisation in the past and said this week the new push from government was a good, but difficult, conversation to have.
"Three months is a very short timeframe purely because these are once-in-a-generation decisions you have to make.
"[We] have to figure out what is going to be of benefit to ratepayers we serve, so a guesstimate is quite difficult.
"It’s also the conversation of who you partner up with and how all that is going to work as well."
The expedited process to kick local government into gear and start having these conversations was great, he said.
"My fear is that you jump into an amalgamation that costs the ratepayers more, not less.
"But I think it’s worth having these conversations and thinking about doing something different."
Mr Bell said his phone had been red hot since the announcement and he had been meeting and chatting informally with other councillors over what the future might look like.
Mr Bell said they had heard "loud and clear" through the Local Government Commission proceedings around a possible Southland amalgamation, the community would like them to explore the Southland, Gore and Clutha combination.
This point was echoed by councillor Andy Fraser, who said this was a chance to look beyond just Southland towards Clutha and Central Otago’s councils, who were notably joined with Gore in a water council-controlled organisation alongside Waitaki.
Mr Fraser said around the table there was an open-mindedness, but still major concerns yet to be addressed, with a looming deadline.
"My only fear is that we become a very quiet voice around the table, which may have a large urban contingent ... where the rural voice is watered down.
"That’s my biggest fear," he said.
• Who do you think Gore should amalgamate with? Let us know at info@theensign.co.nz
