Christchurch's business community hopes the transition to a new city council chief executive, won't come at the expense of delivering core services

Dawn Baxendale has resigned, four years into her five year contract -- her final day coinciding with the end of annual leave.

Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce's, Leeann Watson says with business confidence in decline, many are keen to avoid uncertainty at a local government level.

She says they'll continue to advocate for a council that better understands how to enable, rather than defaulting to an enforcer position.