Gore District backs both Southland proposals

Gore District backs both Southland proposals

Gore District Council has confirmed its support for both Head Start reform proposals affecting the district, the two-unitary Greater Southland proposal developed by Southland District Council, and the single-unitary One Southland proposal led by Invercargill City Council.

Council wrote to the Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT)

yesterday to record that support, on the Government’s 9 August deadline.

The confirmation follows changes that both Invercargill City Council and Southland District Council made to their proposals at Gore’s request. Council has confirmed it is satisfied that the priorities Gore District set out are now reflected in both.

Those priorities include a guaranteed minimum level of representation for Gore and Mataura, retention of the district’s roading funding arrangement, ring-fencing of historic debt to the communities that hold it, a preference to remain in the Southern Waters model. Both proposals now reserve the right for Gore District to withdraw upon future modelling especially if that showed a negative rating impact for Gore ratepayers.

Mayor Ben Bell thanked residents for the feedback that shaped the Council’s position.

“The concerns people raised about paying for other Councils’ assets, and a reduced rural voice have now been protected within both proposals, with both Councils willing to make changes for the Gore District.”

“We have listened to what people asked for in supporting the two-unitary proposal, while also protecting Gore from the concerns raised about the one-Southland option.”

Councillor Nicky Coats, said Gore’s own process, was what moved the two proposals.

“By debating and voting on the minimum conditions our ratepayers would need before supporting any Head Start document, we have shifted both proposals in our favour. If we hadn’t, I believe Invercargill and Southland would have lodged their original drafts without any inclusion of our concerns.”

Councillor Coats also thanked the neighbouring councils for taking Gore’s concerns on board within a tight timeframe.

“Both Councils moved quickly and in good faith and we’re grateful for that. We now look forward to hearing from the Minister in the coming days.”

Council also thanked the community for the part it played. The feedback residents gave went directly into both proposals and into Council’s decision to support them on that basis.

“None of this happens without the people who took the time to tell us what mattered to them,” Mayor Bell said. “Their feedback is the reason Gore’s interests are written into both proposals.”

Council will next meet on 18 August.