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Councils to Investigate Sharing Services


Councils to Investigate Sharing Services


Over the next few months the chief executives from Otago’s local authorities will seek the support of their elected members for an investigation of opportunities for efficiency.

As part of the Local Government Act reforms, all councils are now required to periodically review the cost-effectiveness of public services and regulatory functions and potential collaboration with other councils.

The Mayors and Chair of the Otago local authorities (Central Otago District Council, Clutha District Council, Dunedin City Council, Queenstown Lakes District Council, Waitaki District Council and Otago Regional Council) have agreed to collaboratively promote reviews of existing services.

Spokesperson for the councils on this issue, Queenstown Lakes District Council Mayor Vanessa van Uden, says that as a result of that agreement Otago’s chief executives are expected to submit a report to their respective councils seeking support for an investigation into opportunities for efficiency including the sharing of some services between councils in the region.

“These will not only enable resources to be shared to make sure the reviews themselves are cost-effective, it will also help ensure that options for delivering local government services include a whole of Otago perspective.

“The councils in Otago have always worked in a constructive manner to ensure that our residents and ratepayers get the best possible service for the least possible cost. These reviews will provide us with an opportunity to see whether there are ways to make our services more cost effective and to better align our regulatory activities across Otago, while also learning from each other ways in which those services can be improved.”

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Ms van Uden says that under the Local Government Act (section 17A) a local authority must now review the cost effectiveness of infrastructure, public services and regulatory functions within two years of the expiry of contracts relating to infrastructure, service or regulatory functions or on a six yearly basis.

“But I want to emphasise that this is just the beginning of the process, that we are only looking at what options may be possible”.

The Otago councils will work towards a programme for delivering efficiencies by 2017, with a six yearly programme for review thereafter.

ENDS

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