It has been the elephant in the room for months. A looming presence discussed nervously only behind closed doors.
But the possibility of council amalgamation on the West Coast — otherwise known as local government reform — surfaced publicly this week at a West Coast Regional Council meeting.
But the council believes reform will be needed, if the Coast is to mount a successful bid for one of the government’s new "regional deals".
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown has announced a framework for co-funding agreements to boost regional economies, with a focus on critical infrastructure and housing.
The benefits could include access to new mining royalties, and a share of tourism levies.
But the deals will be by invitation only; provinces will have to show they are committed to a 30-year spatial plan and only five will be chosen for the first round.
Regional council adviser Freya Love told the meeting the process would be highly competitive, with the government making the decision on which regions were ready to engage.
West Coast Regional Council chief executive Darryl Lew said the Coast was better placed than many regions to show it could lift its GDP with a regional deal but would need to do some "corrective" work to position itself first.
Ms Love said for a successful bid, West Coast councils would need to show consensus and pitch a coherent framework to the government.
"They talk about the quality of governance in the region and they’re looking for a unified voice."
Buller councillor Frank Dooley said ratepayers were concerned about the sustainability of the current local government model on the West Coast.
The region, with a population of about 31,000, has three district councils, in Buller, Grey and Westland, as well as the Regional Council.
"I think we have to be proactive and signal to the government we’re ready to go and we need to progress this very quickly. We have to front-foot it."
Council chairman Peter Haddock said he would like the approval of councillors to raise the options for reforms that would result in savings for ratepayers, at a meeting next week of Coast mayors and chairmen.
Councillor Peter Ewen said the regional council had first raised the idea of more collaboration between councils 12 months ago.
In the future there was going to be one regional body, and if councils did not reform themselves, the government would do it for them, Cr Ewen said.
The West Coast was too small in numbers to be split in three, and the regional council now had the capability and staff to lead discussions on reform.
Cr Brett Cummings said there had to be a unified bid for a regional deal
"We need to drag the other councils along — kicking and squealing — if we want to be part of this. A lot of what holds us is infrastructure, bridges."
Cr Frank Dooley came up with a series of recommendations: that the regional council engage with the government on the regional deal process, acknowledge the concerns of ratepayers about costs and commit to local government reform.
Councils and iwi together should come up with an acceptable model for local government for the region, Cr Dooley recommended.
The motion was passed unanimously.
Mr Haddock said the community wanted to see progress to reduce the burden on ratepayers
"But let’s not predetermine what that should look like."
By Lois Williams
