Christchurch City Council and Dunedin City Council chief executives Mary Richardson (L) and Sandy Graham (R). Photo: Adam Burns / Dunedin City Council
The Dunedin City Council and Christchurch City Council are considering teaming up for Three Waters work.
Dunedin councillors will consider whether to sign a Memorandum of Understanding to explore a potential shared services partnership at a meeting next week.
Councillors will also decide on their preferred water services delivery model and other options to go out for consultation.
If the Memorandum is approved, a joint working group will be set up to investigate the potential partnership and how any shared services could be extended to involve other territorial authorities and engage with mana whenua.
Chief executive Sandy Graham said it was a real opportunity for the council to create a new way of working that improved customer service and drove significant cost savings for ratepayers.
"Individually, both councils have a wealth of expertise and working together will give us the ability to attract new talent, as well as the scale needed to truly make a difference," she said.
"No decisions have been made yet, but at the forefront of our thinking is the desire to deliver the best possible service for our communities while ensuring we leave no stone unturned in our search for efficiency."
In council agenda, report author and Chief In-House Legal Counsel Karilyn Canton said the shared services would not affect the underlying ownership of each council's existing water assets as services would be managed using contracts.
Staff recommended investigating the idea further as it could reduce costs and enhance the delivery of water services, she said.
"Based on the current drafting of the Local Government (Water Services) Bill, Council may need to undertake separate consultation prior to signing any contracts for shared services. This is because the current drafting of the Bill treats shared services as a "change proposal" which means the Council would need to consult on three options, being the existing approach, the proposed approach and at least one further reasonably practicable option, if available."
The government's Local Water Done Well requires councils to consider new water service delivery options, which Graham said the proposal aligned with.
Earlier this month, Christchurch City Council opted to keep water services under total council control rather than spend millions of dollars on an independent entity.
Council chief executive Mary Richardson said the two councils had come together to look for ways to collaborate in light of the government's water reforms.
"While the Councils are not considering a joint entity, this strategic partnership is focused on the potential benefits of new ways of working, shared expertise and streamlined processes," she said.
"By working together, we aim to reduce costs and enhance our services, ultimately delivering the best outcomes for our communities as we navigate the government's Local Water Done Well changes.
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