Banks Peninsula Community Board presentation to the Christchurch City Council on Governance Partnership Agreement.
The Chair of the Banks Peninsula Community Board raised concerns regarding the Governance Partnership Agreement between the Community Boards and the Christchurch City Council. While the agreement is intended to foster collaboration, shared decision making, and meaningful engagement, the Chair noted that several recent decisions affecting Banks Peninsula had been made by the Council without the Board’s prior knowledge, consultation, or opportunity to provide input.
The Chair expressed concern that this approach undermines both the intent and the spirit of the Governance Partnership Agreement. As the elected representatives with the closest understanding of local communities, the Community Board plays a critical role in ensuring that local perspectives, priorities, and community aspirations are reflected in Council decisions. When decisions are made without the Board’s involvement, there is a risk that local knowledge is overlooked and that community confidence in the governance process is weakened.
The Chair emphasised the importance of strengthening communication and engagement between the Council and the Community Board, particularly on matters with significant implications for Banks Peninsula. The Board reaffirmed its expectation that the Governance Partnership Agreement should be consistently applied to ensure timely information sharing, meaningful consultation, and genuine collaboration before decisions are made on issues affecting the Peninsula.
Community members are encouraged to watch the YouTube recording of the Council discussion, particularly the section between 17:05 and 20:00, which highlights the concerns raised regarding the governance partnership. As your Community Board representative, I welcome your thoughts and feedback on the issues discussed. Your views are important and will help inform future discussions at the Board. Please share any comments or concerns you may have so that I can bring them to the Board for consideration and discussion at the appropriate time.
Watch the presentation below.