Districtisation remains a hot topic around community board tables as representatives prepare to attend a workshop on the matter at the Central Otago District Council (CODC) this week. 

Maniototo Community Board members are among those who have had lengthy discussions on the topic, ensuring they understood what it would mean if it went ahead.

The board continued those discussions when it met last Thursday, with chair Robert Hazlett asking CODC chief executive Peter Kelly what the feeling was among other boards.

“I would say it’s relatively neutral. No one has spoken out against it, or strongly in favour,” Peter said.

He said at this stage people appeared to be keeping their options open.

A report from council showed that over the past 20 years, CODC had engaged in consultation with the community to rate certain activities across the district, rather than by ward level.

This was because it was particularly challenging in the less populated wards to maintain services given the fewer ratepayers in those areas to spread the cost across.

Chairs of community boards or their representatives have been invited to attend this week’s workshop, providing them with an opportunity to tell council what their community boards thoughts are.

The aim is to ensure funding of assets is fair and equitable.

“The only thing we have to be cautious of . . . over the next 10 years is significant cost,” Peter said.

The upcoming workshop will showcase where the priority of effort should go, with realistic expectations.

“If someone says we want to build Disneyland out the back here, we’d say well there’s no scope for that, there’s no money for that.”

The community board agreed to provide informal feedback at the workshop on Wednesday, June 26 and formal feedback by Monday, July 8.