MEDIA RELEASE
Paul Bruce

24th May 2012

Local body Review Panel selected

The Greater Wellington Regional Council has selected an Independent Review Panel to investigate options for the local government reform in the Wellington region, along with agreed terms of reference for that Panel. The Panel will deliver a report which the Council's could use as a basis for a reform proposal to the Local Government Commission.

Cr Paul Bruce voted against the proposal, questioning whether the Panel as constituted would be seen as sufficiently representative, and have sufficient time and willingness to engage all communities of concern.

The Panel is one response to the Release of the Better Local Government reform Programme released by the National Government earlier this year.

Cr Bruce went on to say, "A key question in any proposals for a sustainable reform package must be the principles of subsidiarity (where an authority only performs those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more intermediate or local level). This means neighbourhood groups working on local employment issues, community share schemes, community gardens and orchards along with care for local streams and the environment.

"At the same time, there is a need for a catchment based regional council that utilises spatial plans to give geographical expression to the economic social, cultural and ecological policies of society. Regional Councils perform this function through provision of water supply, flood control, workable transport networks between urban islands, pest control, emergency management, and regional economic development."

"Decisions on social welfare, education, health and economic development need to be made at all levels from the national to the local. And in order to have better forms of engagement, we need a commitment to a deliberative democracy."

Cr Bruce concluded that he was now encouraging engagement with the Panel. "This may be the best shot for us at having an in depth analysis of the Governance of Wellington Region. We do need to find better forms of Governance in the face of declining resources, limits to growth and a post carbon economy. The reform proposal needs to be debated widely with engagement to be deliberative at every level, with multiple forms of consultation utilised."

The panel has till the end of October to deliver a report recommending what they conclude is an appropriate set of organisational arrangements for local government in the region. The report can then be used as the basis of a submission to the Local Government Commission.

The four person panel is The Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer, Ms Sue Driver, Sir Wira Gardiner, and Mr Bryan Jackson.
ends

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