District council leaders are processing the potential impacts of a Government proposal announced on Tuesday to replace elected regional councillors with interim governing bodies, comprising the region’s mayors.
"I’m working through what this looks like for Selwyn," she said.
"Right now, my focus is simple - that local voice must not be diluted, people’s needs must stay front and centre, and any new model must genuinely improve outcomes, not just restructure for the sake of it."
She said the big questions will be how councils look to share the regional functions - such as emergency management, river management, public transport and resource consenting - to find efficiency and what the potential cost implications will be.
Ashburton Mayor Liz McMillan said there "is a lot of information to digest" in the Government proposal.
"We’re going to take time to understand the proposed changes and what they mean for our district," McMillan said.
"I’m looking forward to catching up with other Canterbury mayors to hear their views and discuss the best way ahead.
"We already have a good regional relationship with them through the Canterbury Mayoral Forum."
The forum is set to meet for the first time in the new council term this week, and the Government’s proposed shake-up will now be the big topic.
Environment Canterbury chairperson Dr Deon Swiggs said the proposed changes will reshape how Canterbury manages its environment, economy, and community resilience for decades to come.
With the Government signalling changes, ECan has been working on different governance models.
What the Government has proposed is "not unlike some of the options we had put forward, but this is not the way we would have gone about (it)".
Swiggs believes "regional decisions need regional accountability".
"They work best when made by people elected by and accountable to the whole region, not committees primarily representing individual districts.
"I'm committed to working constructively with Government on reforms that deliver better outcomes."
ECan will take the time to understand what the proposals mean, assessing the impact on their communities and Treaty partners, Swiggs said.
They expect to outline their position in the coming weeks while keeping their focus on delivery, he said.
"My concern is what happens to the services and functions of the regional council in the interim?"
There were no plans to change staffing levels at ECan in the meantime, as "the work our staff do still needs to be done".
"Local government reform is definitely needed, but we need this reform to come from working with those who have the experience and knowledge, not throwing the baby out with the bathwater.
"Ultimately, the proposal seems undercooked and shows a Government desperate to get things done before the next election.
"Removing the decision-making from regional councils risks losing region-wide perspectives on how we best manage our unique environment and natural resources.
"There is also a significant risk of losing specific skills and knowledge that the regional councils currently hold.
"Mayors are elected to focus on their own district's issues, rather than taking a region-wide perspective."
Pauling believes the announcement has created uncertainty and "shows disrespect for local democracy, and all of the important work that is being done on the ground across the country".
"Getting clarity around the important roles of community and manawhenua, adequate funding, as well as the regulation of environmental standards and protections, are essential to tackle the wicked challenges being faced, including those relating to climate change, water quality and indigenous biodiversity."
- Consultation on the proposed restructure closes on February 20. A final proposal will be confirmed by March so legislation can be drafted.
By Jonathan Leask, local democracy reporter, and Allied Media
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
