The future of a coalition of councils opposing the previous government’s Three Waters reforms will be a talking point when they next meet.

Communities 4 Local Democracy (C4LD) was formed in December 2021 when councils around the country decided on a united front to the then Labour Government’s Three Waters plan.

The Ashburton District Council was among the initial 22 councils to join, which all supported alternative ideas on how the reforms should be shaped.

A change in government resulted in the Three Waters legislation being repealed in February.

The new version being worked through Parliament is much more in line with what the C4LD group, with a now 30-council membership, was asking for.

C4LD co-chairs Manawatu District Mayor Helen Worboys and Waimakariri District Mayor Dan Gordon said the intention is to discuss with the member councils the group’s future “now that its core mission has been achieved”.

“The core objective of C4LD was to overturn the previous government’s approach to three waters reform. This has been achieved,” they said.

“Right now the sector is focusing on the Coalition Government’s water and other reforms.”

Where to next for the group “is a member discussion which is yet to occur”.

There is no set date for the group to meet, but it has been signalled that a meeting is needed in due course, they said.

As part of its advocacy work, C4LD developed a detailed alternative plan for reform they believed would deliver the necessary infrastructure investment while respecting community property rights.

Worboys and Gordon said the Government’s new approach “closely aligns” with C4LD’s preferred model.

The government is developing new water reform policy, Local Water Done Well, which will allow neighbouring councils to band together to form council-controlled organisations (CCOs).

CCOs could borrow more than individual councils are able to on their own.

Ashburton council chief executive Hamish Riach said C4LD was formed by councils, like Ashburton, concerned with the structure of the previous government’s three waters reform programme, “united by its desire for a different outcome for council water services”.

“It had no other mandate or work programme.

“The new government has largely based its reform of water services on the alternative proposals promulgated by C4LD, and it seems fair and accurate to claim that its core mission has been achieved.”

Until the councils meet again it is too early to know what the group’s future is, he said.

“Council hasn’t thus far discussed its ongoing membership of C4LD, but no doubt will do so after the next meeting of member councils.”

By Jonathan Leask