Regional councillor Ian Mackenzie would be happy to say goodbye to the local body he has served on for six years.
Environment Canterbury is on the chopping block after the government proposed last week to do away with regional councils.
The changes would essentially see mayors represent their district on a Combined Territorial Board, operating in place of a regional council.
Mackenzie, now in his third term, said he found serving on the regional council to be frustrating.
‘‘I think they have made so many mistakes, I think they need to go, I think we need a complete reset,’’ Mackenzie said.
He hoped the new system would be the reset required, and at this stage he was looking forward to receiving more detail.
‘‘Taking a whole layer of government out in a country as small as New Zealand, I think it makes a lot of sense.’’
He acknowledged the changes would put him out of his job as a regional councillor.
‘‘Yes, I hope so,’’ he said.
‘‘If the community is better served without a regional council, and without me as a regional councillor, then I’m 100 per cent in favour of that.’’
He saw his role on the regional council as representing Ashburton and Selwyn communities, otherwise ‘‘small political groups from Christchurch’’ would run the whole region.
Examples of issues he was frustrated with included Lake Hood not receiving enough water from the Ashburton River to keep it healthy and clean, consent applicants facing high costs despite a lack of environmental outcomes, and wastage of ratepayers’ money.
On the latter, he said the regional council had last year squandered about $9 million on planning and public consultation around a regional policy statement, despite government earlier signalling the statement would be scrapped.
‘‘That was a complete waste of ratepayers’ money; there’s too many poor decisions being made at the regional council.’’
However, members of the nationwide non-profit charity Environmental Defence Society are concerned about the proposal.
Chief executive Gary Taylor said in a statement removing a layer of elected governance could lead to a reduction in environmental priorities.
‘‘How it would work in practice is very unclear from the thin discussion paper that has been released,’’ Taylor said.
However, the society did believe local government reform was needed.
The changes are now out for consultation, which remains open until February 20. The resulting legislation is expected to be introduced mid-next year and passed in 2027.
– To make a submission, go to consultations.digital.govt.nz/simplifying-local-government/ proposal by February 20.
