North Canterbury's councils want the new government to listen to their communities

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

By local democracy reporter David Hill:

"Listen to our communities" is the message from North Canterbury’s council leaders to the incoming government.

The councils are united in their call for the Government, which is elected after October 14, to engage with and listen to local government.

Councils have been bombarded by a number of reforms from central government, including the affordable water and Resource Management Act reforms, and the future for local government review.

Hurunui District Council chief executive Hamish Dobbie said if the incoming Government is prepared to listen, "we are in business".

"But if they want to centralise and regionalise everything it will complicate things and make it difficult for communities to be heard."

Hurunui mayor Marie Black said her council was waiting on the outcome of the election to see what direction the proposed reforms will take.

"We are just waiting for October 14 to know what’s going to happen with all the reform.

"We are definitely waiting for some clear policy direction."

Black said she wanted the incoming government to put more resourcing into rural health.

Kaikōura mayor Craig Mackle said engaging with Canterbury councils "should be easy".

He said the Canterbury Mayoral Forum worked together well and presented a united voice.

"You expect being a wee voice, you are not going to be heard - I’m going to be stomped on, but there seems to be an understanding that what’s good us is good for them."

The reforms needed cross-party support, otherwise tax dollars were wasted by the next government unravelling the previous government’s legislation, he said.

Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon said he wanted "a commitment to localism" and a review of the funding model to support local government.

He also wanted water infrastructure to remain in local ownership and control.

The ongoing reforms created "an environment of uncertainty", he said.

"These reforms all affect the very core of what we do as councils.

"It is important the successful Government is transparent and inclusive of local government in its review and decisions around these changes.

"We support local decision making as opposed to centralised services that are at arms-length from communities."

As a growth district, the Waimakariri District Council looked forward to projects like the Woodend Bypass, a replacement of Skew Bridge in west Kaiapoi, and the proposed Rangiora eastern link road, Gordon said.

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