'Go big or go home': Gore's concerns about merger proposal

“This will be a once in a generation decision and needs to be done correctly. From where we are sitting, it’s a case of go big or go home. Why waste money tinkering around the edges."

Gore Mayor Ben Bell.

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The Gore District Council has poured cold water on a proposed amalgamation of Southland councils in a letter sent to the Local Government Commission.

Gore Mayor Ben Bell believes a much larger amalgamation plan would be needed to justify the considerable cost that an amalgamation would require.

Bell also noted Gore was the only Southland council willing to work with others on Local Water Done Well, and the amalgamation conversation was a distraction at the moment.

“We have spent countless hours reading thousands of pages on the best options for delivering water. In comparison, only 41 pages have been produced on amalgamation with no indication of the cost to ratepayers.” Bell said.

Southland District Mayor Rob Scott has been the driver for a proposal to reorganise local government in the wider Southland region.

Scott has suggested the creation of one urban-focused authority (Invercargill City Council) and one district-focused authority (incorporating Gore and Southland District Councils).

The two councils would become unitary authorities, and Environment Southland would no longer exist as a separate council.

There was some initial interest in the concept from the Gore District Council.

However, last month, the Gore council sent a letter to Local Government Commission Chief Executive Penny Langley raising concerns.

It doubted the scale of improvements that could be achieved by the proposal, in its current form, and whether it would lead to a financially viable unit that would have significant benefits for Gore ratepayers.

The letter also noted a potential loss of local voice, saying the Gore community is accustomed to expressing their opinion and expects its service to listen and be responsive.

The current setup of Community Boards in Southland would not adequately give Gore ratepayers local control, the letter says.

Mayor Bell fully supported the letter.

“This will be a once in a generation decision and needs to be done correctly. From where we are sitting, it’s a case of go big or go home. Why waste money tinkering around the edges,” he said.

“The Gore District serves much more than just Southland, with many residents from the Clutha district and further using our services. An amalgamation of this size would only solve half the perceived problem.”

The letter highlighted potential duplication of cost, existing cross-boundary relationships with some Otago councils, including the proposed joint council-controlled organisation, and Gore services, including swimming pools and libraries that are used by communities outside the Southland District.

“Given the low population densities in Southland, the population requirements to achieve financial scale, and the existing collaborations beyond Southland, we propose that a much larger amalgamation would be required to justify the considerable cost that an amalgamation would require, noting that the burden of this cost rests with the ratepayers,” the letters says.

Additionally, it says the Gore District Council did not have any additional capacity to contribute staff resource to an investigation, with staff already under pressure as they work through the shared waters entity transition.

“Our finances are already stretched. We account for every single dollar in our budgets, and likewise with our staffing capacity. There are no miscellaneous consultancy budgets we can draw on to assist with undertaking this work.”

The letter is to be tabled at an upcoming council meeting for further discussion.