The cathedral has been sitting derelict in the city centre for over six years.

Christchurch city councillors will meet behind closed doors to consider funding for the restoration of the Christ Church Cathedral.

Christchurch Mayor Lianne Dalziel on Thursday said councillors would meet in private on Friday to consider council funding options for cathedral restoration.

Any funding decision from the meeting would be subject to consultation, she said.

"We always contribute to heritage buildings so that wouldn't be a surprise. We did previously contribute to the visitor experience.

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"This is outside the timeframe of the long term plan, so it would all have to be consulted on. We would make an in principle decision and then consult on that."

Dalziel said she felt council should contribute to the $104 million restoration cost of the cathedral.

"Personally, yes. We have contributed as a city to the heritage fabric of many buildings, whether it is private, public or church."

The funding decision was urgent because the Anglican Synod, a 225-member governing body for Canterbury Anglicans including elected lay members and priests, will vote on the future of the cathedral in September, she said.

"The church will be talking to the component parts of the synod in the next few months, so it is quite urgent."

Dalziel said restoration of the cathedral would provide certainty for the city.

"This is to send a signal to the synod how important it is that we have certainty.

"There is only one word that matters and that word is certainty. That is really my driver in all this.

"If the decision is made by the synod not to restore the cathedral, it isn't a decision to complete a new [cathedral] it is a decision to go to court for a long time."

The council's draft annual plan includes $2.4m in funding for heritage protection for 2017/18, $9.3m for 2018/19 and $13.7m for 2019/20.

Cr Sara Templeton posted on her Facebook page that the meeting will "consider advice on the recommendations from the Cathedral Working Group report and possible funding implications and will be held in a public excluded session".

A government offer to help restore the cathedral involves the majority of the $104 million construction cost of restoration being funded by the Anglican's $42m insurance payout, a $10m government grant, a $15m government loan and a $15m funding pledge from campaign group the Great Christchurch Buildings Trust (GCBT).

Any council funding would be in addition to the current offer.

A spokeswoman for Greater Christchurch Regeneration Minister Nicky Wagner did not comment directly on the council funding proposal.

"She continues to work with everyone involved to get a proposal for the Synod's consideration," she wrote in an email.

The Cathedral Working Group report, delivered to government in November, recommends restoration for the heritage building. It also proposes a capital contribution for restoration from council.

Labour's Canterbury Issues spokesperson Megan Woods said further taxpayer or ratepayer funds should not be committed to the cathedral until an assessment is made of the goods and services that could be donated to the restoration project.

Great Christchurch Buildings Trust co-chairman Philip Burdon said the council meeting was part of an effort to bring the synod round to restoration.

"We are all trying very hard to see if we can satisfy the church's concerns," he said.

Heritage advocate Anna Crighton said restoring the cathedral was a priority.

"It has come to the point where the city council has to show leadership because this is holding up so much of the regeneration of the city centre," Crighton said.

"Other heritage building may have to get back in the pecking order [for heritage funding], but as long as those buildings are not threatened with demolition because of this then it is a win win."

A spokeswoman for the Church Property Trustees had not provided an immediate response.