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Collaboration blossoming in Canterbury
Hon Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga
Minister of Local Government
2 May 2016
Collaboration blossoming in Canterbury
The Local Government Minister Peseta Sam Lotu-Iiga has welcomed a commitment from the Canterbury Mayoral Forum to develop more shared services aimed at positioning the region for long-term, sustainable economic and social development.
The Minister met with Mayors and Chief Executives from Christchurch City Council and 9 district councils from Waitaki to Kaikoura and Environment Canterbury on Friday.
The Canterbury Mayoral Forum presented the range of collaborative commitments for the 2013 – 16 Triennium and proposals for the future.
The Forum welcomed the announcement of the Better Local Services package announced by Minister Lotu-Iiga last month. It acknowledged the more flexible approach to Council Controlled Organisations will provide more opportunities for councils to develop their shared services.
“We have been talking about the management of the big infrastructure activities, like water supply and public transport, and how they can be run effectively and efficiently across regions. Those activities impact on the region's growth and development,” Mr. Lotu-Iiga says.
“A more collaborative approach to shared services will provide the benefits of scale and economy and will mean better value for ratepayers.”
“I am pleased to see Councils from Waitaki to Kaikoura working together on such things as liquor licensing, civil defence, economic development, waste disposal and IT services. But it is the large, costly infrastructure services such as transport that can inhibit the region’s growth”, he says.
Minister Lotu-Iiga is currently engaging with councils and iwi around New Zealand. The Canterbury visit capped off a week in the South Island for Minister Lotu-Iiga who has also visited Southland and the West Coast.
The Local Government Commission was in Canterbury at the same time as the Minister as part of its Regional Conversations programme.
The programme is the Commission’s new approach to engaging with councils, focusing on collaboration and facilitation to come up with solutions to issues regions might face.
The Minister and the Commission have already visited other centres in the North Island and have other visits scheduled over the next few weeks.
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