Those who will pay more if a new regional council is established in the central South Island will have a say on whether it should be formed.
Waitaki Mayor Alex Familton gave the assurance this week when the Waitaki District Council's strategy committee recommended the formation of a new regional council be taken to the next stage.
That involves further investigations to advance the concept.
The proposal is to establish a regional council which would cover part of the Waitaki district in the Waitaki Valley, the Waimate, Mackenzie, Timaru and Ashburton districts.
That would reduce the area covered by the Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury), but would not affect the Otago Regional Council.
All local authorities are keen to continue the investigations, which could cost up to $100,000.
Some ratepayers had asked the district councils to investigate the concept of a new regional council.
A report indicated rates paid to a new regional council would be 5% to 7% higher than those paid to Environment Canterbury.
But Cr Struan Munro said governance was a bigger concern than rates.
"Environment Canterbury is so remote and removed from us."
