Otago Regional councillors will meet tomorrow to further discuss how they intend to submit on proposed local government reforms.

The ORC has until February 20 to prepare a whole-of-council submission on the Government’s reforms, which is threatening their roles as elected members.

The Government’s Simplifying Local Government proposal will see all elected regional councillors replaced by a Combined Territories Board (CTB), made up of mayors and/or Crown Commissioners.

There have been ongoing discussions with mayors and chairs across Otago, to share submission points in understanding how each council operates.

Chief executive Richard Saunders told the last ORC meeting in December, it would be difficult to get a joint formal submission signed off with other councils before the February 20 deadline.

As a result, the ORC would be submitting its own submission, and those points will be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting, and then put forward for resolution at its first official meeting of the year in mid February.

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) has been asking for reform and a review of the system for years, and the proposals announced late last year will affect local democracy across New Zealand.

ORC chair Hilary Calvert believes it is not the job of mayors in the region to take on new roles on the Combined Territories Board, because they would become conflicted.

Dunstan ward councillor Gary Kelliher said the reforms have come about because of the poor decisions made by the ORC in recent years - and in its defiance of Government direction.

“Central Government and ratepayers were very clear they are fed up with regional councils complicating everything unnecessarily, and at huge cost.

“If current councillors are to play a part in the signalled transition then they need to be all about efficiency, savings and removal of red tape. Finally we might see progress killing ideology gone from future resources’ management,” he said.

Fellow Dunstan ward councillor Michael Laws is in favour of unitary authorities, saying that regional councils have run their course.

More to follow post meeting.

Have a story to share or comment to make? Contact [email protected]