Christchurch City Council

History

The original Christchurch City Council was formed in 1862 to serve as the local municipality for Christchurch city. The jurisdiction of the original council was quite small, covering what is today just the central core of the city. By the mid-1920s the city had grown by amalgamating with some of the surrounding boroughs to include Beckenham, St Martins, Linwood, Opawa and Papanui.

As a result of the 1989 local government reforms, the original council was disestablished, and on 1 November 1989 the new Christchurch City Council took over the functions of the former Christchurch City Council as well as the Heathcote County Council, Riccarton Borough Council, Waimairi District Council, part of Paparua County Council, and the Christchurch Drainage Board. On 6 March 2006, Banks Peninsula District Council merged with Christchurch City Council.

Councillor Yani Johanson campaigned since 2010 to live-stream council meetings for more transparency. Whilst the technology had been installed well before the 2013 local elections, it has only been used since the change to Lianne Dalziel as mayor.

In mid-June 2024, the Christchurch City Council announced it would be withdrawing from Local Government New Zealand after the local government bodies association raised its annual membership costs by more than NZ$20,000. Mayor Phil Mauger welcomed the withdrawal, saying that it would allow the Council to directly advocate for issues important to Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.

Elections

The council is elected every three years using the first-past-the-post voting system. The vote is conducted by postal ballot. The 2016 elections had a turnout of 38.3% down from 42.9% and 52.2% in 2013 and 2010 respectively.

Prior to the 2004 local elections, there were 24 councillors in Christchurch. At that election, the number of councillors halved to 12. For electoral purposes, Christchurch was divided into six wards from 2004, and seven wards after the amalgamation with Banks Peninsula in 2006. The six metropolitan wards each elected two councillors, with the remaining councillor elected for the sparsely populated Banks Peninsula ward. The 2016 representation review by the Local Government Commission has resulted in 16 wards, with each ward electing one councillor, i.e. an increase in three councillors.

Political groupings represented on the council are the centre-right Independent Citizens and the centre-left The People's Choice (formerly Christchurch 2021). Party politics are less influential in elections to the council than is the case for the House of Representatives, with 10 councillors elected on tickets and 7 elected as independents in 2019, including the mayor.

Organisation

Mayor, council and committees

Under most circumstances, the council is presided over by the mayor. At its first meeting after a local election, the council elects from among its members a Deputy Mayor, who acts as mayor in the absence and with the consent, or in the incapacity, of the mayor. The Deputy Mayor also presides at meetings if the mayor is not present. The Deputy Mayor is recommended by the mayor and is either confirmed or replaced in a vote of the first council meeting.

Councillors also serve on a number of committees. , there is one Standing Committee, eight Standing Subcommittees, seven Joint Standing Committees and Working Parties (so called because they involve members of other local authorities), and 14 ad hoc subcommittees and working parties. The council can delegate certain powers to these committees, or alternatively they can consider matters in more detail and make recommendations to the full council.

Community boards

The council has established six community boards. These community boards deal with matters delegated to them by the council, act as representatives and advocates for their communities, and interact with community organisations and interest groups. General tasks typically delegated to local community boards are the locations of council rubbish bins, traffic lights, stop signs and pedestrian crossings; Also rubbish collection, local disturbance review and relaying information to the main council from their Ward area through the Councillor who has a right to sit on the board within their ward.

Some community boards, like the council, have created committees for specific purposes.

As of the 2022 local elections, the members of the community boards are:

Organisational support

The day-to-day administration of the City of Christchurch is carried out by a large team of Council staff. Indeed, in everyday usage, the term the council is extended to include not just the Mayor and Councillors, but the entire local civil service. The professional head of the civil service is the chief executive, who is appointed by the council under contract for up to five years. The chief executive is assisted by a team of general managers, who each have an individualised portfolio.

In early July 2013, CEO Tony Marryatt was put on indefinite leave on full pay over the council losing its accreditation with International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) to issue building consents, one of council's core functions. General manager Jane Parfitt was appointed acting CEO. Karleen Edwards was chief executive from June 2014 to June 2019. In July 2019, she was succeeded by Dawn Baxendale. Baxendale resigned in November 2023, and was replaced by Mary Richardson on an interim basis.

List of chief executives

Elected members

Main article: Christchurch City Councillors

The current elected members were chosen at the 2025 New Zealand local elections. Since then, two by-elections have been held to fill vacancies on community boards — one in the Innes ward and another in the Lyttelton subdivision of Banks Peninsula. In addition, one vacancy was filled by appointment under section 117(3)(a) of the Local Electoral Act 2001.

Wards

The 16 councillors are each individually elected from one of 16 electoral wards.

• Banks Peninsula ward – Covers the whole of Banks Peninsula, including the subdivisions of Akaroa, Lyttelton, Wairewa, and Mount Herbert.
• Burwood ward – Covers the suburbs of Aranui, Wainoni, Bexley, Burwood, Avondale, Dallington, Shirley East, Ōtākaro Avon River Corridor, Prestons, Waitikiri, Marshlands and Travis Wetlands.
• Cashmere ward – Covers the suburbs of Westmorland, Cracroft, Somerfield, Cashmere, Beckenham, Huntsbury, and St Martins.
• Central ward – Apart from the central city, it covers the suburbs of Richmond, Linwood Village, Avon Loop, Phillipstown and Charleston.
• Coastal ward – Covers the suburbs of the suburbs of Brooklands, Spencerville, Kāinga, Ouruhia, Queenspark, Parklands, Waimairi Beach, North New Brighton, New Brighton, South New Brighton, and Southshore.
• Fendalton ward – Covers the suburbs of Fendalton, Merivale, Strowan and Bryndwr as well as parts of Ilam, Burnside and St Albans.
• Halswell ward – Covers the suburbs of Halswell, Wigram, Aidanfield and Kennedys Bush.
• Harewood ward – Covers the suburbs of Bishopdale, Harewood, Northwood and Belfast and parts of Casebrook and Yaldhurst.
• Heathcote ward – Covers the suburbs of Sydenham, Waltham, Opawa, Murray Aynsley, Heathcote Valley, Ferrymead, Saint Andrews Hill, Mt Pleasant, Moncks Spur, Redcliffs, Sumner, Scarborough and Onepoto Taylors Mistake.
• Hornby ward – Covers the suburbs of Hornby, Hei Hei, Islington and Yaldhurst, as well as parts of Wigram and Sockburn.
• Innes ward – Covers the suburbs of Edgeware, Mairehau, Shirley, and St Albans.
• Linwood ward – Covers the suburbs of Linwood, Woolston, and Bromley.
• Papanui ward – Covers the suburbs of Papanui, Redwood, Northcote and Sawyers Arms.
• Riccarton ward – Covers the suburbs of Riccarton, Ilam, Sockburn and Upper Riccarton.
• Spreydon ward – Covers the suburbs of Addington, Hillmorton, Hoon Hay and Spreydon.
• Waimairi ward – Covers the suburbs of Russley, Avonhead and Burnside as well as parts of Ilam.

Responsibilities and services

The council is vested with a power of "general competence" for the social, economic and cultural well-being of Christchurch. In particular, the Council has responsibility for a range of local services, including roads (except State Highways), water, sewerage, waste collection, parks and reserves, and libraries. Urban development is managed through the maintenance of a city plan and associated zoning regulations, together with building and resource consents. The council has been given extra powers to regulate certain types of business operations, notably suppliers of alcohol and brothels.

Building consents

One of the core functions of the council is to check and approve building consents. In July 2013, Christchurch City Council lost its accreditation for issuing building consents, in the middle of a rebuild period following the devastating February 2011 Christchurch earthquake. A Crown manager, Doug Martin, was installed to reform the council's building consent department. The Council successfully obtained reaccreditation in December 2014.

Kerbside waste collection

Christchurch has a wheelie bin kerbside collection system, which replaced their previous system. The previous system required the resident to put a black rubbish bag out every week to the kerbside, along with a green recycling crate. With the current system, residents are given three wheelie bins: One 240 litre bin (recycling), One 140 litre bin (rubbish), and one 80 litre bin (organics). Each week, residents can put two of the three bins out. The 80 litre organics bin goes out every week and the 240 litre recycling and the 140 litre rubbish alternate.

Christchurch City Libraries

The Shuttle

Whilst public transport is the responsibility of regional councils, the Christchurch City Council provided a free central city service. The Shuttle operated from December 1998 to February 2011 and came to an end with the February 22 earthquake.

Offices

;1862–1887 The Christchurch Municipal Council, as it was originally called, was using the Christchurch Land Office, the first public building erected in Christchurch in 1851.

;1887–1924 On the same site, the council had the so far only purpose-built Municipal chambers constructed, designed by Samuel Hurst Seager in a Queen Anne style. Many years after the council moved out in 1920 the building became known as Our City and is registered as a Category I heritage building with Heritage New Zealand (NZHPT).

;1924–1980 Council purchased the burned out shell of the former Canterbury Hall and built new Municipal offices in Manchester Street. Later it became known as The Civic, after the name of the Restaurant and bar of the same name. The building was registered as a Category II heritage building with the NZHPT, and was demolished after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

;1980–2010 Council bought the former Miller's Department Store and moved to 163 Tuam Street in 1980. This gave rise to the occasional metonymic use of Tuam Street to refer to the municipal government. The building was registered as a Category II heritage building with the NZHPT, and was demolished after the 2011 Christchurch earthquake.

;2010 to present In August 2010, the Council's new offices were officially opened in a refurbishment of the former Christchurch Mail Sorting Centre, designed by the Ministry of Works in 1974. The redevelopment was supervised by Wellington-based architect Ian Athfield.

The council also maintains service centres in the suburbs of Fendalton, Hornby, Linwood, Papanui, Riccarton, Shirley, and in the towns of Lyttelton, Little River and Akaroa.

Notes

References

References

1. (14 October 2022). "2022 Triennial Elections, Declaration of Result". Christchurch City Council.
2. Wilson, John. "Christchurch City Contextual History Overview: Theme V: Government and Administration".
3. (March 2006). "City Scene — Merger: 'Business as usual'".
4. Anderson, Charles. (29 October 2013). "City council meetings coming to you live". [[The Press]].
5. (19 June 2024). "Christchurch councillors decide to exit LGNZ". [[RNZ]].
6. "Final Voter Turnout 2016".
7. Gamble, Warren. (3 December 2011). "Winston's men ready to rumble". [[The Press]].
8. (19 April 2016). "Battle lines drawn for seats ". [[The Press]].
9. Independent Citizens Association: http://www.independentcitizens.org.nz {{Webarchive. link. (1 April 2010)
10. The People's Choice: http://www.thepeopleschoice.org.nz {{Webarchive. link. (2 December 2016)
11. "Community Boards". Christchurch City Council.
12. "2022 Triennial Elections {{!}} DECLARATION OF RESULT". Christchurch City Council.
13. "CCC Organisation Chart".
14. (4 July 2013). "Mayor withdraws support for Marryatt". [[The Press]].
15. (4 July 2013). "Parfitt steps up to fill council's 'hot seat'". [[The Press]].
16. (12 July 2019). "Pay hike for new boss". [[The Press]].
17. (19 November 2023). "Christchurch City Council chief executive Dawn Baxendale resigns". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
18. Hay, Hamish. (1989). "Hay Days". Caxton Press.
19. "1973". [[Christchurch City Libraries]].
20. (12 February 2003). "Lesley McTurk is new Christchurch city manager". [[The New Zealand Herald]].
21. (10 May 2014). "New CEO aware of challenges". [[The Press]].
22. "Agenda of Waipuna Halswell-Hornby-Riccarton Community Board – Thursday, 1 May 2025".
23. Daly, Jo. (20 February 2024). "2024 Lyttelton Community Subdivision By-election – Declaration of Result". Christchurch City Council.
24. (5 July 2023). "Davidson resigns as community board chair". [[Otago Daily Times]].
25. "Moving on… – Neighbourly Ilam, Christchurch".
26. (9 May 2024). "Pride and distrust as troubled community board elects new leader". [[The Press]].
27. (12 April 2024). "Community board chairperson resigns (again) from 'dysfunctional' board". [[The Press]].
28. (9 May 2024). "Pride and distrust as troubled community board elects new leader". The Press.
29. (3 March 2025). "Imam Gamal Fouda leaving Al Noor Mosque". [[RNZ]].
30. Daly, Jo. (21 February 2023). "2023 Innes ward Community Board By-election – Declaration of Results". Christchurch City Council.
31. Walton, Steven. (3 November 2022). "Resignation triggers $75,000 by-election". [[The Press]].
32. "Deputy Mayor and Councillors". Christchurch City Council.
33. "Ward and Community Boards map". Christchurch City Council.
34. "TE PĀTAKA O RĀKAIHAUTŪ BANKS PENINSULA WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
35. "BURWOOD WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
36. "CASHMERE WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
37. "CENTRAL WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
38. "COASTAL WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
39. "FENDALTON WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
40. "HALSWELL WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
41. "HAREWOOD WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
42. "HEATHCOTE WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
43. "HORNBY WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
44. "INNES WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
45. "LINWOOD WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
46. "PAPANUI WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
47. "RICCARTON WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
48. "SPREYDON WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
49. "WAIMAIRI WARD PROFILE". Christchurch City Council.
50. (1 July 2013). "Council to be banned from issuing consents". [[The Press]].
51. (5 September 2013). "'Major challenges' ahead ". [[The Press]].
52. "Archived copy".
53. (16 October 2017). "CBD shuttle trail (sic) would have to be funded by council or by cutting other services". [[Stuff (website).
54. "Remembering our former homes as we move to the Council's new Home on Hereford". Christchurch City Council.
55. {{NZHPT. 1844. Our City. 22 April 2011
56. {{NZHPT. 1870. Civic. 22 April 2011
57. {{NZHPT. 1856. Civic Offices, Tuam Street. 22 April 2011