Time for Canterbury to have full elections

The Government has announced:

Environment Minister Dr Nick Smith and Associate Local Government Minister Louise Upston have today announced the Government’s proposal for a mixed-model governance structure for Environment Canterbury (ECan).

“We are proposing a mixed governance model for Environment Canterbury with seven members elected across Canterbury at the local elections in October 2016 and six appointed by Government. This proposal enables a majority of elected representatives while ensuring continued momentum on the Canterbury Water Management Strategy and earthquake recovery work,” Dr Smith says.

“We believe the mixed governance model is right for Environment Canterbury at this time. It has provided a successful model for district health boards. It enables a local democratic say while also ensuring stability and the specialist skills to deal with the very challenging issues, including water and earthquake recovery,” Ms Upston says.

“The commissioners have done an outstanding job in addressing the acute governance problems identified in the independent review of Environment Canterbury in 2010. While Canterbury had no water plan then, it now has the most comprehensive of any region in New Zealand. The commissioners have successfully rebuilt good working relationships with all 10 councils and with Ngāi Tahu. Where Canterbury had the worst record of any council in 2010 with 71 per cent of consents exceeding statutory timeframes, this is now down to just five per cent. It speaks volumes that Environment Canterbury in 2014 received the Institute of Public Administration’s top Excellence in Regulatory Systems award,” Dr Smith says.

There is no doubt that ECan today is performing extremely well, and is greatly transformed from the old council that basically got sacked for incompetence. Consenting 71% of consents late was beyond unacceptable and the former councillors who allowed this t happen should be ashamed.

However that doesn’t mean that ECan should continue with appointed Councillors. I think it is time to go back to full elections. There’s been two election cycles with appointed councillors, and waiting until 2019 for full elections is too long.

The Government should have gone with this hybrid model in 2013, and then have full elections in 2016. I suspect many of the appoimted Commissioners would be easily elected to ECan, given the opportunity. That would retain the stability.

Now you can make the case that mixed models of elected and appointed reps are suitable, as the Minister has. We have them for DHBs. Now we can have that argument – but that should apply to all regional councils – not just Canterbury.

The Government did the right thing in sacking the Council in 2010. But waiting until 2019 for full elections is too long.

If the Government does stick with this model for 2016, then perhaps reduce the number of appointed Councillors to four (more than enough for continuity) and have nine elected.