Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Gordon Campbell | Parliament TV | Parliament Today | News Video | Crime | Employers | Housing | Immigration | Legal | Local Govt. | Maori | Welfare | Unions | Youth | Search

 

More councils to take CouncilMARK™ opportunity

23 November 2017

More councils to take CouncilMARK™ opportunity in programme’s second year

Following a successful first year of the CouncilMARK™ local government excellence programme further councils have already signed up to begin the process.

The inaugural CouncilMARK™ year had 18 Foundations Councils sign up, with 15 reports released so far. Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wairoa District Council and Upper Hutt City Council in the process of completing the programme.

Councils signed up to the programme in 2018 are Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Dunedin City Council, Hauraki District Council, Mackenzie District Council, Manawatu District Council, Tararua District Council and Taupo District Council.

A number of other councils have indicated their intention to participate pending full council support.

LGNZ president Dave Cull says CouncilMARK™ is an important component towards an ongoing goal of lifting the perceptions and performance of local government.

“The CouncilMARK™ process has proved to be a valuable tool, with a number of councils reporting they are using the findings to help them make improvements and to provide a benchmark for their current level of performance. It is great to see more councils getting on board and I urge other councils to consider when they join the programme,” Mr Cull says.

“CouncilMARK™ provides incredibly valuable information that can help councils with how they operate, what they’re getting right and areas for improvement. And it gives communities the same information, allowing them an independent view of the work their local councils are doing.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

“As a sector we understand we need to constantly show and grow our performance, and CouncilMARK™ offers an excellent opportunity to work towards that. I congratulate all those councils to have already completed the programme and those about to embark on the journey.”

There is capacity for more councils to participate in CouncilMARK™ and LGNZ will be making further calls for expressions of interest in 2018.

*Ends*

For more information contact LGNZ’s Deputy Chief Executive Advocacy, Helen Mexted on 029 924 1221 or helen.mexted@lgnz.co.nz

About CouncilMARK™
CouncilMARK™ is a system designed by the local government sector to show and grow the value of local government in New Zealand.

Established in response to reputation research which showed an opportunity for local government improvement, CouncilMARK measures indicators across leadership, finance, service delivery and community engagement to highlight both the good and the areas for progress, and chart a way forward for local government improvement. Participating councils are assessed by independent experts every three years, given an overall rating from triple AAA to C, and the results publicised.

For more information visit www.councilmark.co.nz

About LGNZ and local government in New Zealand
Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is the peak body representing New Zealand's 78 local, regional and unitary authorities. LGNZ advocates for local democracy, develops local government policy, and promotes best practice and excellence in leadership, governance and service delivery. Through its work strengthening sector capability, LGNZ contributes to the economic success and vibrancy of communities and the nation.

The local government sector plays an important role. In addition to giving citizens a say in how their communities are run, councils own a broad range of community assets worth more than $120 billion. These include 90 per cent of New Zealand's road network, the bulk of the country's water and waste water networks, and libraries, recreation and community facilities. Council expenditure is approximately $8.5 billion dollars, representing approximately 4 per cent of Gross Domestic Product and 11 per cent of all public expenditure.

For more information visit www.lgnz.co.nz

ends

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines


Gordon Campbell: On The US Opposition To Mortgage Interest Deductibility For Landlords


Should landlords be able to deduct the interest on the loans they take out to bankroll their property speculation? The US Senate Budget Committee and Bloomberg News don't think this is a good idea, for reasons set out below. Regardless, our coalition government has been burning through a ton of political capital by giving landlords a huge $2.9 billion tax break via interest deductibility, while still preaching the need for austerity to the disabled, and to everyone else...
More


 
 

Government: Concerns Conveyed To China Over Cyber Activity
Foreign Minister Winston Peters has confirmed New Zealand’s concerns about cyber activity have been conveyed directly to the Chinese Government. “The Prime Minister and Minister Collins have expressed concerns today about malicious cyber activity... More

ALSO:


Government: GDP Decline Reinforces Government’s Fiscal Plan

Declining GDP for the December quarter reinforces the importance of restoring fiscal discipline to public spending and driving more economic growth, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says... More

ALSO:


Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.