Christchurch City Council has proposed increasing the number of councillors from 13 to 16 and reducing the number of community boards.
The city is divided into six wards with two councillors each, plus one councillor representing Banks Peninsula. Under the proposal, there would be 16 wards with one councillor each.
Banks Peninsula would be merged with Sumner and Heathcote to form a new ward.
The three additional councillors would cost $300,000.
The council also proposes to reducing the number of community boards from eight to seven, saying it wants to make the system more representative.
Verbal submissions on the proposals are being heard.
