The solution for Auckland must be workable - LGNZ

Media Release
The solution for Auckland must be workable
For immediate release on 5 June 2009

“We support Peter Salmon’s call for the Government to revisit its thinking on the second-tier governance arrangements in Auckland to provide appropriate representation for citizens,” says Lawrence Yule, President of Local Government New Zealand.

“Mr Salmon chaired the extensive work of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance. The Commission’s view was to retain six local councils alongside the Auckland Council. The Government changed this proposal to between 20 and 30 local boards, with yet undefined responsibilities.”

“In providing the best solution for Auckland, the Government has to consider all options. Its challenge is to provide opportunities for community engagement while at the same time not distracting the new Auckland Council onto detailed operational matters. The Auckland Council needs to concentrate on the big strategic issues that are challenging the city and achieving what the Government is calling “making Auckland greater”.

“The local councils need sufficient discretionary powers and control over their budgets to preserve the identity of local communities and manage local assets in the best local interest. To achieve this requires us to factor in economies of scale.

“The real risk is that if the local governance structure is too fragmented and some of the local boards are too small, the Auckland Council will be drawn down into what are purely local operational matters. Appropriate devolution of tasks and responsibilities may not be able to occur. What’s more, the new proposed model may cost more, be more complex, and be more difficult to understand than the current arrangements. The proposed solution must offer significant benefits for Auckland citizens.”

“We will be making these points in our submission to the Special Parliamentary Committee on the proposed Bill later this month,” said Mr Yule.

ENDS