"I think it was really great that we commissioned this and asked what the community wanted. It was about us saying 'What's really important to us about local leadership?' And leadership needs to be supported by the people, so we needed to know people's views."
Nearly 80 per cent of respondents said it was important to elect their own mayor and council because they look after the needs of Rotorua and would be based in the region and be accessible to the people.
"I find [these results] very affirming. They're more affirming than I imagined. We always work on a 80-20 rule but this is bigger than that, 91.4 per cent, they want to elect their mayor and council, that matters to them," Mrs Chadwick said.
Residents were also asked if the district was distinctive and different from other communities.
"The other bits that I really loved was our community is very clear on who we are, very clear on tourism, lakes, we're culturally different, unique and they also understood very much living in this geothermal area. It's very affirming about what drives our community," she said.
Council chief executive Geoff Williams said the results showed a positive direction Rotorua was heading in. "I think they're really fantastic, because what they talk [about] is really a level of alignment in the community to the achievements that we're trying to make. There will always be disagreements about what is being done but I think you are seeing an alignment on what is trying to be achieved in Rotorua," Mr Williams said. "Ninety-one per cent of people in Rotorua will be taking [amalgamation] it off the table, that's Rotorua's position."
Mrs Chadwick agreed: "We have learnt that bigger isn't better but we have to find out what is better. It's off the table for us, that's a strong remark, 91 per cent [have said], it's off the table."
The survey results will be presented at the Strategy, Policy and Finance Committee meeting at the Rotorua Lakes Council Chamber on Wednesday. A recommendation will be made to adopt the position that the Rotorua district has a unique identity and sufficient scale to justify having its own mayor and council.
Council leaves door open to sharing
While the door is all but closed on amalgamation, the Rotorua Lakes Council is still open to working with other districts with a possibility of sharing some services.
In the Amalgamation Survey results by APR Consultants, 61 per cent of respondents supported the council looking at those opportunities.
A chance to collaborate with other councils for an improved service delivery for water and waste water services will be discussed at the strategy, policy and finance committee meeting next week.
"What we're putting up from a staff point of view is asking should we be working with the Waikato in a broader approach in the management of waste water, water supply services," Rotorua Lakes Council chief executive Geoff Williams said.
A paper will be presented to the council on Wednesday, proposing working with other councils to research the formation of a council controlled organisation (CCO) established by multiple councils to gain more efficient and effective service for the ratepayers of each council.
The amalgamation survey results also showed an overwhelming support, 91 per cent, of residents choosing their own mayor and council.
"Behind this, one of the things important for me is clearly the community saying to us from a governance, leadership point of view, we've got things right," Mr Williams said.
"But my view, and they're also giving us this feedback, [is] that we need to as an organisation continually ask the question, are we managing things in the right way?
"Are there better ways of working that will achieve better results more effectively or more cost effectively?"
Amalgamation Survey:
- 400 respondents surveyed online and by phone.
- 72 per cent were New Zealand European/Pakeha, 24 per cent Maori.
- 91 per cent of residents want to elect their own mayor and council.
- 61 per cent were happy for Rotorua Lakes Council to look at sharing services with councils.
