Local Govt transparency move welcomed

BusinessNZ says LGNZ’s Excellence Programme is a step in the right direction.

BusinessNZ Chief Executive Kirk Hope says the programme, aimed at improving and measuring the performance of local authorities, focuses on a number of areas of concern.

"For example the Excellence Programme will audit councils’ land use and infrastructure planning decisions, and this may help avoid future over-restrictive planning causing land supply problems.

"However, other key concerns are not represented in the Excellence Programme such as unaffordable rates rises or differential rating, where small businesses are required to pay higher rates than household ratepayers."

"Business welcomes councils’ moves to greater transparency under the Excellence Programme.

"We would like to see this transparency applied to councils’ rating decisions."

ENDS

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