Christchurch councillor Sam MacDonald suggests tolling Selwyn and Waimakariri

6:45 am today

[xh ]Councillor's plan to toll neighbouring districts if amalgamation deal fails

Christchurch City councillor Sam MacDonald.

Photo: Supplied / Christchurch City Council

A Christchurch City councillor is defending a tolling warning shot to neighbouring districts if merger plans are refused, saying other councils need to pay their fair share.

The suggestion has ramped up tensions with leaders in other parts of the Canterbury region as councils urgently consider options in the face of the biggest local government overhaul in nearly 40 years.

The government has given councils an ultimatum to offer their own reform proposals by August or risk having them imposed.

Local Government Minister Simon Watts and RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop announced the move last month, setting out a three-month deadline for reorganisation plans to be delivered.

Christchurch city councillors explored how integrating with the neighbouring Selwyn and Waimakariri district councils could look during a workshop this week.

Councillor Sam MacDonald queried staff about what options were available should fellow Canterbury councils push back on amalgamation.

"How we're going to get agreement. If the other councils aren't, how are we going to work through that. Do we put toll roads on and sort of insist that they can't come in without finally paying their fair share?" he asked during the meeting.

MacDonald told RNZ with a cost-effective proposal on the table, neighbouring districts needed to stump up.

"The point I was simply making was that we have a value proposition that benefits both Selwyn and Waimakariri. And one council would ensure that everyone is contributing fairly to that," he said.

"But at the moment, that isn't necessarily the case."

If the councils were to break away from a merger, then an upfront discussion was needed about what the fiscal implications would be, MacDonald said.

He said Selwyn and Waimakariri residents had benefited from Christchurch's services and infrastructure, which had largely been bankrolled by central government and local ratepayers.

"I don't think it would be fair if the government had given us an opportunity to do this once and do it right, that actually somehow those neighbouring districts get off the hook."

Cabinet Minister and Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey said the idea of tolling Waimakariri and Selwyn commuters was "very Trumpian".

"We're not here to build walls. In fact we need to do the opposite, remove outdated borders which will reduce rates and make things more affordable to ratepayers," he said.

Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey.

Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii

In a social media post, Selwyn councillor Samuel Wilshire said Christchurch residents would be "hungry, sober and naked" without Selwyn and Waimakariri.

MacDonald said the personalised nature of some of the criticism was unfortunate.

Selwyn district mayor Lydia Gliddon said she was keen to gauge community feedback on amalgamation, but admitted she was not a fan of tolling.

Gliddon argued Selwyn residents were already financially contributing towards Christchurch.

"Some of these facilities have been co-funded by the Crown, and the Crown is funded by the taxpayer. They are the same people.

"So everybody is contributing. I know there's been a big rebuild from the earthquake and everybody's been really happy to see the city rebuilt. It's fantastic to have world-class facilities on our doorstep.

"But we're also happy to contribute through the use of those as well."

Selwyn mayor Lydia Gliddon.

Photo: RNZ / ANNA SAREGNT

The Waimakariri District Council was consulting on three options in response to the local council reform.

Alongside both the status quo and the greater Christchurch proposal, it was asking for feedback on a North Canterbury unitary council which would see a merger with the Hurunui and Kaikoura district councils.

Mayor Dan Gordon said it was important the community was "involved in the conversation".

"This isn't something that we have chosen, but it is something we have to work through and the best way to do that is to be open and transparent in our thinking and make sure we ask what our residents think as well.

"As we see it there are three possible options available to us, and we want to seek community input before we make our submission."

Waimakariri mayor Dan Gordon.

Photo: Supplied / Waimakariri District Council

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