Thu, 30 Sep 2004

New agreement will improve collection of fines

The Ministry of Justice and Auckland, Waitakere, North Shore and Manukau city councils are to work more closely together to improve the processing and collection of infringement fines.

A formal agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the closer relationship has been signed today by the councils' chief executives and a representative of the Ministry of Justice. The MOU follows eighteen months of increased co-operation at a local level between Manukau City Council and Ministry of Justice staff.

Manukau City Council's City Manager Colin Dale is pleased with this new working relationship: "Staff from both organisations have worked hard over the last year and a half to improve the quality of data being sent to court and this has led to an improvement in fine recovery time and revenue."

Revenue collection for March to August this year is double the figure over the same period a year ago. This year's total was $1,605,470, up from $802,936 in 2003.

"The signing of this memorandum provides a framework that will enable all four Auckland local authorities to continue working closer together with the Ministry of Justice in the collection and processing of fines," says Mr Dale.

The Ministry of Justice's Deputy Secretary of Operations, Liz Sinclair, says the agreement will mean open channels of communication and more sharing of ideas. "It's another example of the "whole of government" approach, with state sector organisations working closely together to provide the public with better services."

Signatories to the Memorandum of Understanding are:

Liz Sinclair - Deputy Secretary Operations, Ministry of Justice Colin Dale - City Manager, Manukau City Council Bryan Taylor - Chief Executive Officer, Auckland City Council John Brockies - Chief Executive Officer, North Shore City Council John Dragicevich - Director of City Service (Acting for Harry O'Rourke, CEO) The signing ceremony for the Memorandum of Understanding was held in the Puhinui Room at the Manukau City Council's Civic Centre earlier today.

ENDS

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