Christchurch Mayor Phil Mauger says he is pleased the council has now resolved concerns over its support for Canterbury’s 175th anniversary celebration, after its initial refusal to endorse the milestone sparked a significant public backlash.

Speaking to Chris Lynch Media, Mauger said his priority was ensuring the right outcome was reached.

“I’m very glad that I’ve got a fantastic relationship with the CEO and that we were able to get the team together to get a good result,” he said.

The council’s original decision, which cited colonial concerns, was met with frustration from residents who believed the milestone should be properly recognised.

Mauger said the overwhelming response to a Chris Lynch Media poll—where 81% (5,432 votes) supported a council-funded civic celebration—sent a clear message about how passionate Christchurch residents were about honouring the city’s history.

The Christchurch Star first ran a poll, which attracted a similar result.

“The public reaction just reinforced how much people care about this city and its heritage,” he said.

Mauger described the 175th anniversary as an important moment for Christchurch and said it was only right that it be formally acknowledged.

“It’s our birthday. Everything we have today started from that point, and I think it’s great that we can now move forward with recognising it properly,” he said.

When asked about concerns that unelected staff were making decisions based on personal ideology rather than public sentiment, Mauger declined to discuss council employees directly but acknowledged the strong public response.

Meanwhile, Christchurch residents are being asked to provide feedback on how the city’s water services should be managed.  The council is consulting the public on whether to keep water services in-house, move to a council-owned organisation, or opt for another governance model.

Mauger said the council preferred to keep water management under local control and warned that other options could result in significant borrowing.

“If we keep it in-house, borrowing is capped at 280% of revenue, but with a CCO option, they can borrow up to 500% of revenue,” he said. “Sometimes if you say to people they can borrow money, they’ll go and do it, and I don’t want to see that happen unnecessarily.”

Mauger said Christchurch had been managing its water infrastructure well despite challenges posed by government intervention.

“We’ve been working within those constraints, and we’re in good shape,” he said.

Mauger said he was delighted with the response following his announcement on standing for mayor again.

“I love this job. I have some fantastic people around me, and there’s still a lot to do,” he said.

He also recently met with the Minister for the South Island during a visit to Wellington, where he inspected a wastewater treatment plant in Lower Hutt.

“I wanted to see how their system worked because it has zero to minimal odour, and that’s something we need to consider,” he said.

Public consultation on Christchurch’s water services is now open, with residents encouraged to share their views before a final decision is made.