Timaru District Council narrows amalgamation to a four-council mix
Friday, 3 July 2026
A four-council merger is the preferred starting point for the Head Start amalgamation process for the Timaru District.
The district council decided on Tuesday to enter Central Government’s Head Start process, and begin an 18-day consultation period for public feedback on the options ahead.
All four options preferred by the council involved the Timaru, Waimate, Mackenzie and Ashburton district councils.
The main difference on each of Timaru’s preferred options related to the boundaries and whether the Rakaia and Waitaki catchment areas were included. They were currently part of the Selwyn and Waitaki District councils.
Other options were included for consultation, including entering the Back Start process in which the Government would decide how any amalgamations would work.
The council would consider the public submissions and make a final decision on July 31, with its official proposal to be with the Department of Internal Affairs by August 9.
Councillor Michelle Pye said she struggled with the value of asking the community what they thought as council did not have all the information from central government and ECan.
“It’s part of the timeline for the decision to be made, and if council doesn’t want to make the decision there is the Back Stop available,” Stephen Doran, council’s general manager, corporate said.
“We are compelled to ask the public. Again, we acknowledge this is a limited opportunity for the public to have their say.
“I’m afraid a lot of this stuff will be found, discovered, worked out during the detailed design part … you are being asked to make a decision without the full set of facts in front of you.”
Mayor Nigel Bowen said the process was not going to be perfect.
“I think when we go to the community, we just have to be open and honest and say there are things we don’t know yet but we’re keen to answer them.”
Bowen hoped “better detail” would be available by the end of the month.
Brendan Madley, a senior council policy adviser, said that every council “was in this boat” and they were aware that further options would remain available as more information came to light over the next three months.
Cr Pye asked what kind of questions the community was going to be asked.
“What we’re going to do is ask the public to rank things of importance to them,” Doran said.
“So we’ll give them whatever options you come up with today … and then we’ll ask them to rank what matters for them in local government.
“We will put what we consider matters for them, and allow them to rank things like keeping local identity, fair treatment of assets and debt, infrastructure planning, stuff like that.”
Bowen asked councillors whether they wanted to reveal their preferred option, “bearing in mind we still have lots of unknowns”.
Cr Graeme Wilson said he was against revealing the council’s preference, saying the public would say “oh well, you’ve already made up your mind”.
Cr Scott Shannon preferred publicising council’s preference “as it just feels more honest and that and let’s be honest, we do have a preferred option”.
Bowen said he was happy to say his preferred option revolved around the four councils.
“I think the community are intelligent. They will give us the feedback that we require through this process.”
The four preferred options
Timaru + Waimate + Mackenzie + Ashburton District Councils.
Timaru + Waimate + Mackenzie + Ashburton District Councils + Rakaia catchment.
Timaru + Waimate + Mackenzie + Ashburton District Councils + Waitaki catchment.
Timaru + Waimate + Mackenzie + Ashburton District Councils + Rakaia and Waitaki catchments.