Time to reorganise but not amalgamate: Hicks
No to amalgamation but yes to a reorganisation, says a former Gore mayor, who believes it is time for the regions to start making a bit more sense.
Southland District Council Mayor Rob Scott has been pushing for the amalgamation of the four Southland districts into two unitary authorities.
This year, Mr Scott and the Southland District Council submitted their proposal "Southland Local Government. Together, for our Future" to the Local Government Commission.
Former Gore district mayor Tracy Hicks said he had a different view.
"I hate the name 'amalgamation'. I think there's lot of opportunities for reorganisation, but amalgamation has a bad track record.
"I'd challenge anyone to point to amalgamations that have saved money and kept services at a similar level, or improved services," he said.
However Mr Hicks believed there was room for a reorganisation of districts to better suit the region's geography.
"Let's work in units where we naturally fit, as opposed to trying to force communities together that don't have a lot in common with each other."
"If you overlay that with a unitary authority, it would be good. You could have two in Southland, plus the city council," he said.
Mr Hicks said his experience in the retail sector had led him to believe the Gore District should be expanded out to all who would seek out services in Gore.
"The people who came to shop at The Warehouse were from Lumsden, Browns in the west, Clinton, Wyndham, and as far down as the coast.
"That's the natural catchment for a district council based in this part of the world and I think it would work really well," he said.
The state of rural districts and their various catchments did not make much sense to Mr Hicks, and he said it was worth looking at.
"At the moment we have Waikaia administered by Southland District Council based in Invercargill. It's a long way away.
"The likes of Tapanui, most of the business people do, if they can't do it there, they'll come to Gore. They won't go to Balclutha, yet they're a part of Clutha," he said.
Mr Hicks was complimentary about the Southland District Council's proposal, but said it required more scrutiny and more options.
"I think the time is right. I'm just not sure the scale of what's been talked about so far is one that would deliver value for the community," he said.
On the promised savings for the district, Mr Hicks said he was sceptical of the amounts promised, and it should not just be around saving money.
"Could you promise cost savings? I don't think there would be anything like what people believe there might be.
"If you're only doing it to save money, I think we'll all be sadly disappointed with what we get," he said.
It was about finding the best fit for communities moving forward, and Mr Hicks said he wanted more common sense for a district's geography.
When Gore first amalgamated to include Mataura, Mr Hicks was a staunch opponent, but now believed there were benefits to be had with councils joining and reorganising.
But Mr Hicks said it was about exploring the issue and finding the best possible solutions, not just the first one to be put forward.
"I'm very in favour of having the debate, having the discussion. But let's not rush to one option first."
gerrit.doppenberg@alliedpress.co.nz
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