About 40 people attended a meeting in Gore on Monday to hear more about the proposed amalgamation or the potential reorganisation of Southland District Council, Gore District Council, Invercargill City Council and Environment Southland.
It is one of a series of meetings taking place this month, following the application last year from the Southland District Council for council reorganisation in the region.
This triggered the statutory process the commission is now following.
Local Government Commission chairwoman Sue Bidrose told the meeting the process was not just going to be run through "bureaucrats" as was suggested, but would instead cast a wide net over the affected communities, people and businesses, to reflect the needs of the community.
One audience member did not hide his dissatisfaction with some processes, suggesting he "did not trust the council, the mayor, some of the executive staff", and said there was no communication of the meeting being held through council communication services.
Dr Bidrose said she and the commission would be working with local councils to try get the word out.
Those at the meeting were asked to note down what they wanted out of local government, what they considered valuable, and what the council was and was not doing well.
Common themes were a desire for transparency, fiscal responsibility, and open communication from local government. One note congratulated the district on its well-preserved facilities, but asked "at what cost?".
Dr Bidrose said it was important Gore residents filled out the online survey on the Local Government Commission website so the commission could have a "grounded" idea of concerns and values in Southland.
Following the region-wide community engagement process, the commission will collate and analyse feedback and then decide whether to proceed to phase 2, which involves investigating alternative council structures for Southland.
This will include assessment of options for council structures, and further community engagement.
At the end of this phase, the commission will decide whether to release a preferred council structure.
Phase 3 will involve formal consultation with Southland communities on the preferred structure.
A binding poll of electors would then decide whether the preferred council structure for Southland goes ahead.
