The Dunedin City Council is poised to put forward a case for the southern region to keep control of its Three Waters assets.
Dilution of local decision-making power expected to result from the Government’s continued pursuit of its reform programme appears to be at the heart of deep concern.
The council looks set to argue establishment of four large water entities to take over activities from councils should be "paused" while alternative models are considered.
If the Government is determined to push on with its favoured model, a smaller regional entity should be considered for Otago and Southland, it is suggested in council documentation.
A draft submission from the council to the Government about the Water Services Entities Bill, which would set up the planned entities, is to be discussed by councillors next week.
"A fundamental issue with the Government’s proposed model is entity ownership does not equal representation in the governance arrangements," a council report said.
"This will result in a dilution of a local voice in the new system."
An Otago-Southland entity would better ensure local representation and would also be better placed to manage land-use planning in a considered and meaningful way for local communities, it is argued in the draft submission.
The extent to which the council should express dissatisfaction with elements of reform has been one of the most contentious issues this term.
Dunedin Mayor Aaron Hawkins has been a critic of some aspects, but he has argued the council should be constructive.
Cr Carmen Houlahan is one councillor who has argued the mayor’s response has been "weak".
A decision by the council to join a Three Waters protest collective was followed by a U-turn, after fallout involving mana whenua, who had suspended participation in a governance working party.
The council’s reversal pleased runanga representatives, but proposed co-governance arrangements that include iwi have been a sore point for some reform critics nationally.
The New Zealand Taxpayers’ Union said the Government’s economic case for reform did not stack up and the union predicted the Bill "could well hit 100,000 public submissions".
The Government has argued councils are not well placed to invest sufficiently in substantial and necessary infrastructure upgrades and that efficiency would be achieved through economies of scale.
Some aspects of the reform programme, such as changes to water regulations, are apparently accepted by most councillors.
"However, the council fundamentally opposes the service delivery model proposed under this Bill, the haste with which the Bill is being progressed through Parliament and the current lack of detail in the Bill," the draft submission said.
"In the council’s view, there are better ways to achieve the desired outcomes than to have wholesale change involving such large and complex entities where local voices are distanced from the decision-makers."
Under the Government’s model, most territorial authorities within the proposed Southern Water Services Entity would not have a representative on a regional representative group.
The council has previously expressed concern its ability to plan for future land use could be compromised.
The Bill provided no clarity on how competing developments from various areas would be prioritised, the draft submission said.
Momentum for reform sprang out of a water contamination scandal in Havelock North in 2016.
Dunedin city councillor Jim O’Malley has been among those arguing reform is needed, but not in the manner driven by the Government.
