Clutha District Mayor Bryan Cadogan

This has proven to be a very complex task, and we appreciate that most New Zealanders are over this subject. But this issue needs to be resolved because maintaining present structures is no longer viable, and change is inevitable.

There are some fundamentals that have remained constant throughout deliberations to date that you need to consider:

  • Going alone consigns communities to further financial hardship.
  • The almost decade long chops and changes to these reforms have only weakened councils and cost ratepayers. It’s imperative that this matter is brought to a head.
  • Every council has their own strengths and weaknesses.
  • With every additional council joining in the discussions, we have found a reduction in the risk profile, and savings from critical mass.
  • If you are not prepared to concede that the advantages will vary between councils, then collaborative talks are pointless.
  • Long term intangibles are hard to define but require consideration.

Complicating matters is the Central Government’s ‘Local Water Done Well’ directive for councils to formulate their own collaborative arrangements, has not been embraced to the extent many hoped, and we now find ourselves tasked with implementing the necessary changes while having a less-than optimal number of councils in discussions.

That said the collaborative work undertaken by Central Otago, Gore, Waitaki and Clutha District Councils gives our ratepayers a viable option, that is preferred by all four councils.

In conclusion while the collaborative option will not entirely solve our collective dilemma there are advantages that need to be balanced against the alternatives. This is the task we face, and we thank you for your assistance, and look forward to your feedback.

Bryan Cadogan
Clutha District Mayor

Southern Water Done Well graphic banner

What we're consulting on

Read more about each option, then have your say.

After investigating various options to deliver water services, we have narrowed it down to:

Option 1 - A jointly owned Council Controlled Organisation
(our preferred option)
Option 2 - A stand-alone Council Controlled Organisation
(a CCO set up solely by Clutha District Council)
Option 3 - An in-house business unit
(similar to what we do now, but with significant changes to meet legislative requirements)