What does the future look like for local government?
Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) came together to discuss principles for future local government structures in Canterbury.
Council Chair's perspective
Council Chair Craig Pauling said although recent media commentary relating to ‘scrapping regional government’ was unhelpful, a conversation was needed and should involve all levels of government and iwi partners.
“Significant local government and resource management reform has been on Government agendas for some time. As a Council we agree that the current structure and funding for local government needs work.
“Instead of waiting for the Government to make changes, we’ve proactively been doing work at our Council to understand how the reforms might impact Canterbury, and what we can do to ensure good outcomes for our natural resources, our communities as well as our economy.”
Chair Pauling said the workshop gave Councillors an opportunity to discuss representation, local voice, and what services and regulatory functions could be best delivered at a national, regional or local level.
“We didn’t land on a specific structure, or proposed future-state today. Today's workshop gave us the opportunity to discuss the whole ecosystem of local government decision making, and to test some ideas with each other.”
Craig Pauling, Chair, Environment Canterbury
Deputy Chair's insights
Deputy Chair Dr Deon Swiggs said the workshop built on the momentum from the May Council meeting, where Councillors reached shared positions on key issues for the region.
“Canterbury’s scale, diverse landscapes, and active economies present both opportunities and responsibilities. We’re a region shaped by a unique environment and strong local industries, and require tailored approaches to our place.
“The work we’re doing now reflects our commitment to shaping the future, not waiting for it. By thinking ahead, Canterbury Regional Council is well placed to contribute constructively to national conversations and ensure the needs of our people, environment, and economy are reflected in whatever reforms come next,” said Deputy Swiggs.
Discussion highlights and future steps
Following the workshop, Chair Pauling said he was pleased with the good-spirited and open-minded discussion had by Councillors about different options for Canterbury.
“Although we have more work to do, it was clear that there are some different ways to do this and some promising options for the future.”
“This is an important conversation to have openly across the region, and we plan to share our thinking with our partners, the community, TAs and the Government.”
The workshop was streamed live on the Canterbury Regional Council YouTube channel.