March 2006

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Merger: 'Business as usual'

The city's newest residents on Banks Peninsula should not notice any major changes when contacting their council following this weekend's merger with the city.

Banks Peninsula District becomes part of Christchurch City from 6 March and the two councils have agreed to adopt a "business as usual" approach.

"For your normal kind of day-to-day concerns about council activities, just do what you've done in the past," says Customer Services Manager David Dally. "Call the normal numbers. You'll be talking to the same people and they'll be able to help you, or able to quickly find the person who can."

The agreement between the councils says the new, merged organisation will make a priority of minimising disruption to services and the community. The aim is to bring together the best elements of each organisation.

The City Council has said it is very important to deliver services "in a manner appropriate to each community and which recognises that one size does not fit all".

Mr Dally says, however, that joining two organisations will never be completely seamless. "We will have to work some issues out as we go and a few wobbles are inevitable, but we'll deal with them as they arise.

"If you are having trouble with some aspect of Council operations, we want you to call us so we can learn about it," Mr Dally says. "Customer Services will pass your comments on to the staff concerned and follow up to ensure we are working on a solution."

The agreement says that over time the intention is to align the city and peninsula services. Where there are differences between the areas, the Council intends to work with peninsula communities to develop mutually acceptable and practical outcomes.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the councils says that service levels will be maintained for five years. Customer services will continue to be delivered at Akaroa, Lyttelton and Little River.

It says the area's city councillor and community boards will play a key role in ensuring the voice and needs of the smaller-scale peninsula communities, and those of its rural folk, are presented effectively to the City Council. There also is recognition of the value of peninsula volunteer groups and a wish to continue these valuable relationships.

• The Memorandum of Understanding between the Banks Peninsula District and Christchurch City councils, and other information about the merger process, is on the website, at http://www.ccc.govt.nz/BanksPeninsula/