Peninsula joins city
Christchurch City Council welcomes the trust shown it by the people of Banks Peninsula, says Christchurch Mayor Garry Moore.
"Christchurch is very fortunate to have this opportunity to embrace the peninsula and we at the Council are determined to live up to the faith of the district's people," he says.
This weekend, Christchurch City grows by about 116,000ha (1160 sq km) in area and by about 9000 in population, with the extension of its boundaries to take in the Banks Peninsula District.
The peninsula's status as a separate territorial local authority had been under discussion for several years. The latest chapter began in November 2003 when a group of about 1000 peninsula electors put a proposal to the Local Government Commission (LGC) to investigate becoming part of the city. That ultimately resulted in a scheme which was supported by a vote in November.
The final stage has just ended the election of Bob Parker as the 13th Christchurch City Councillor and of two community boards to represent the Peninsula (see story, p3).
Late last month the district and city councils signed an agreement outlining how they intend to manage the change.
"Essentially the understanding is that this is business as usual," Mr Moore says. "We aim to have as little disruption as possible to services and we want to bring together the best elements of both organisations.
"The City Council's including in its spending plans all the works that were detailed as being needed in the lead-up to the vote about whether to join with the city," Mr Moore says. "It will take time for the two areas to become one but I'm confident that this will happen quickly as there is enormous goodwill to make the integration succeed."
Bob Parker says the change means the peninsula is now part of New Zealand's best-resourced and most-respected council. Together, he says, it makes for the best unit of local government in New Zealand.
"It seems like an endless road to get to this point, but at last I can get down to the most important thing of all -- ensuring that Banks Peninsula remains the best possible place it can be to live, recreate and do business in," he says.
"We now have access to the technical and admistrative resources we need to have a positive future for our communities.
"As a ratepayer I feel confident that our district, now ward, will receive the investment in the infrastructure such as roads, water and wastewater that it needs. In effect the merger has enabled double the investment in these areas over the next 10 years.
"The memorandum of understanding, the retention of our own District Plan, the access to the additional social and the cultural opportunities that come with Christchurch will strengthen our communities, not dilute them.
"Around a third of the current city councillors are already ratepayers on the peninsula," Mr Parker says. "This will ensure our issues will be well understood and supported around the Council table. Our future is secure, sustainable and exciting."
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