Council Buildings At End Of Life: Amalgamation Review Could Change Everything

Southern Mayors and councils have a big decision to make now that the Future For Local Government Review has been released.

Invercargill Mayor Nobby Clark believes the scariest thing about the amalgamation of councils is that along with four Southland councils becoming one unitary council, it will then have to become a co-partner of the ‘Treaty of Waitangi.’

“And you could imagine where that leads us,” he said referring to the Waitangi Tribunal – a permanent commission of inquiry that makes recommendations on claims brought by Māori relating to Crown actions.

Mayor Clark spoke about the impending amalgamation in the Finance and Committee meeting last week, when staff at the Invercargill City Council stressed urgency in its building repairs.

The ICC building was at the end of its life, but council agreed last year to drop the $8 million rebuild off the long term plan, until the Future For Local Government Review was finalised.

Mayor Clark said they now needed to look at how to make the building useful for the next 50 years of its life, and also investigate alternatives, such as partnering with another organisation.

But that was still three years away and council staff said the money alone in keeping the current building maintained was “just exasperating.”

The local government review has recommended a unitary model where all councils within each region combine within the next three years.

That means the Invercargill City, Southland District, Environment Southland and Gore District councils will eventually unite under one organisation.

The Future for Local Government Final Report has been received by the Minister and Local Government New Zealand.