Kaikōura merger? Weigh in, Marlborough!
Governance Manager Tiffany Wise, left, notes direction from Chief Executive John Boswell and Mayor Nadine Taylor during Council's extraordinary meeting of 2 July. Photo: Evan Tuchinsky
With Kaikōura fast-tracking its decision on which council or councils to merge with, Marlborough is fast-tracking a survey to hear from Marlburians on priority issues to assess.
Marlborough councillors approved, in an extraordinary meeting on Thursday morning, a two-part process for community engagement.
Council is conducting this consultation via the Have Your Say portal.
The initial goes live at noon and runs through 8 July, when Kaikōura's council will choose its preferred partnership.
Should Kaikōura express interest in aligning with Marlborough, a second survey will gauge Marlburians' interest in an amalgamation of districts.
Central Government's Head Start legislation set a deadline of 9 August for councils to submit proposals.
Mayor Nadine Taylor, Deputy Mayor David Croad and Chief Executive John Boswell met with their Kaikōura counterparts for "exploratory" conversation which Marlborough councillors authorised during the regular meeting the previous Thursday (25 June).
The mayor inserted a progress update with the proposed survey into a meeting originally scheduled to conduct public-excluded interviews of candidates for Marlborough Waters Ltd director positions.
Check the 8 July issue of Marlborough Weekly for further coverage.