Oppose reform boundaries

adequately represented at that level are not good.’’

The lack of certainty around representation was unacceptable, given how important Three Waters would be for the regional environment, health, economy and the general community, Leggett said.

Along with boundary issues, the Marlborough District Council was also concerned about a loss of local democratic influence and control, and a loss of responsiveness and flexibility.

If the council had to quickly revise capital programmes so a residential subdivision could go ahead, for example, the reform’s ‘‘rigid set of funding and planning controls’’ could significantly reduce how quickly the council could do that, Leggett said.

The council also feared the reform would not align with the Resource Management Reform and the Future of Local Government review, and that there had been inadequate consideration of alternative options.

Leggett said he accepted that changes were needed for the country’s Three Waters sector, but the proposed ‘‘onesize-fits-all’’ reform was not the right solution, he said.

‘‘We do not accept that a one-size-fitsall, mega-entity structure will deliver results for our community.’’

The council was a member of the Communities 4 Local Democracy group, which comprised 31 councils representing 1.3 million people, who strongly opposed the proposal and engaged consultants Castalia to develop alternatives.

‘‘We strongly endorse the C4LD submission and the alternative models it proposes,’’ Leggett said.

‘‘We believe these alternative models better achieve the reform objectives without the hugely significant loss of local democratic voice.’’

Leggett wrote an open letter earlier this month encouraging people to make submissions. Councillor Gerald Hope said the council had received hundreds of emails on the reforms.

Nelson City Council said its survey of more than 100 residents found 87% were opposed to the reform and 13% in favour.

The council’s submission was in favour of the bill, but wanted the region to sit entirely in one entity. The eight iwi also supported the bill, but also wanted the boundaries to be changed.