About us

The Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee emerged from the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy Implementation Committee (UDSIC) which was formally established in 2007 to oversee the implementation of the Greater Christchurch Urban Development Strategy (UDS).

Subsequently, the UDSIC also provided a forum to advance earthquake recovery and resilience planning, developing and adopting strategies including the UDS Update (2016) and the Resilient Greater Christchurch Plan (2016), Our Space 2018-2048 (2019) as the future development strategy for Greater Christchurch, and Greater Christchurch Mode Shift Plan (2020).

In 2020, the Greater Christchurch 2050 project was established to set a vision and plan for Greater Christchurch to achieve intergenerational wellbeing that also responds to climate change and moves towards a zero-carbon economy.

In early 2022, the Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee and the Crown formed an urban growth partnership for Greater Christchurch – the Whakawhanake Kāinga Committee, to work together to advance shared urban growth objectives relating to housing, infrastructure and land use within the context of the urban growth agenda. Urban growth partnerships aim to improve housing, land use and infrastructure planning coordination and alignment between central and local government and mana whenua in New Zealand’s high-growth urban areas.

The Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee operates alongside the Whakawhanake Kāinga Komiti to advance its wider strategic objectives in the context of intergenerational wellbeing where a collaborative approach amongst local partners is beneficial for current and future communities.

This partnership includes Local Government: Environment Canterbury, Christchurch City Council, Selwyn District Council, Waimakariri District Council; Mana Whenua; and Central Government: Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, Te Whatu Ora - Health New Zealand, Te Tūāpapa Kura Kāinga - Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Kāinga Ora, Te Tari Taiwhenua - Department of Internal Affairs.

Greater Christchurch is found at the meeting point of the Canterbury Plains, the Pacific Ocean, and the volcanic remnants of Whakaraupō / Lyttelton and Te Pātaka a Rākaihautū / Banks Peninsula.

It extends from Rangiora in the north to Lincoln in the south, and from Rolleston in the west to Sumner in the east. It includes the flat lands and Port Hill areas of Ōtautahi Christchurch.

Greater Christchurch is part of a cultural landscape that holds significant historic and contemporary cultural importance for Ngāi Tahu whānui.

Greater Christchurch traverses the takiwā of three Papatipu Rūnanga: Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri, Taumutu and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke (Rāpaki), with the marae of Te Ngāi Tūāhuriri and Te Hapū o Ngāti Wheke being located within the Greater Christchurch area.

The Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee leads and coordinates the work of the partnership. The partners are:

• Environment Canterbury
• Mana whenua
• Christchurch City Council
• Selwyn District Council
• Waimakariri District Council
• Te Whatu Ora - Waitaha
• Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency

The Whakawhanake Kāinga Komiti is made up of the Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee members and the Crown. The Crown is represented on the committee by two Ministers of the Crown. 

The Greater Christchurch Partnership is supported by the Secretariat:

• Director, John Bartels
• Programme and Relationship Advisor, Jenny Wilkinson

The Greater Christchurch Partnership and Whakawhanake Kāinga Komiti are joint committees established by Memorandum of Agreements (found below) under the Local Government Act 2002, to govern and lead the Partnership with the support of their Chief Executives, who sit on a Chief Executives Advisory Group.

Partnership activity is coordinated at governance, executive and managerial levels [PDF, 615 KB], supported by an Independent Chair and secretariat which includes programme management and strategic advisory functions.

Staff from partner organisations deliver the Partnership’s work programme through cross-agency project teams which report to a steering group of senior managers from the partner organisations.

• Greater Christchurch Partnership Memorandum of Agreement [PDF, 1.1 MB]
• Whakawhanake Kāinga Committee Memorandum of Agreement  [PDF, 8.1 MB]

Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee

Mayor Phil Mauger Christchurch City Council
Councillor Sara Templeton Christchurch City Council
Councillor Victoria Henstock Christchurch City Council
Mayor Dan Gordon Waimakariri District Council
Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson Waimakariri District Council
Councillor Niki Mealings Waimakariri District Council
Mayor Sam Broughton Selwyn District Council
Councillor Nicole Reid Selwyn District Council
Councillor Lydia Gliddon Selwyn District Council
Chair Craig Pauling Environment Canterbury
Councillor Vicky Southworth Environment Canterbury
Councillor Grant Edge Environment Canterbury
Dr Te Maire Tau Mana Whenua
Jane Huria Mana Whenua
Gail Gordon Mana Whenua
Dr Anna Stevenson Health New Zealand - Te Whatu Ora
James Caygill New Zealand Transport Agency (Director Regional Relationships) (Non-voting member)

Whakawhanake Kāinga Committee

Above members of the Greater Christchurch Partnership Committee, plus two members appointed by central government.