10 August 2016

Council moves Unitary Plan decision-making directly to Governing Body

Auckland Council's Auckland Development Committee (ADC) has voted to move decision-making on the Unitary Plan directly to the council’s Governing Body.

The ADC (a committee of all councillors) was expected make recommendations to the Governing Body for final decisions, after considering the recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel (IHP) and a report from council officers. This will now go directly to the Governing Body, which will convene at 12.30pm today.

The decision, supported by the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB), will remove any potential conflicts of interest arising from submissions to the IHP by the IMSB.

While IMSB members sit on council committees, including the Auckland Development Committee, they are not members of the Governing Body and so will no longer be involved in the process leading up to final decisions.

The delay will not impact on the overall timetable for decision-making, with the final plan to be notified on 19 August.

Commenting on the decision, committee Chair and Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse said:

“Today the IMSB provided leadership and clarity to a difficult stage in the process. Their contribution and support over the past four years has been vital to shaping a Unitary Plan that will deliver a better future for all Aucklanders, and they have brought mana, partnership and sound advice to this process from day one.”

ENDS

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