Joint Press Release

Manukau City Councillors Michael Williams, Jami-Lee Ross, Dick Quax, David Collings

18 April 2008

Manukau Divided on Three City Model

Manukau City Councillors were divided yesterday on whether to support a three-city governance model for Auckland. The submission Manukau City Council proposes is that Papakura and Franklin be merged with Manukau City to form a new Counties-Manukau City.

A group of Councillors from the city’s eastern wards strongly advocated for a two tier structure as the most effective governance model to take Auckland into the future. The councillors’ proposal consists of a Greater Auckland Council complemented by strong Community Councils.

The opposing councillors do not believe that the three-city model serves Greater Auckland’s interests in terms of fixing the regions infrastructure or addressing Auckland’s representation and leadership issues. They believe the Manukau City Council’s submission merely serves to protect the positions of local politicians and officials.

In contrast to the Manukau submission, the alternative proposal would see local decisions being made locally by Community Councils empowered to make these decisions. The councillors believe that effective local decision must be made a key priority by the Royal Commission.

The current problem of regional power struggles would also be solved by having all regional decisions made by a single regional council. Responsibility for regional planning and projects is presently divided amongst the ARC and seven territorial authorities where regional unity is lacking.

The group of councillors have suggested that Botany, Clevedon, Howick and Pakuranga would be an appropriate area to form a Community Council. They believe that East Auckland has a culture as unique as those of West Auckland, South Auckland and the North Shore and with a population of 140,000 (the size of Whangarei and Rotorua put together) deserves to make its own decisions locally.

The Council voted 9:6 in favour of a three city model with Councillors Collings, Quax, Ross, Stewart, Taylor and Williams dissenting. It is intended that an alternative Manukau submission will be lodged with the Royal Commission to contrast the different views held by councillors on this issue.

ENDS

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Moved Cr Williams; Seconded Cr Ross

That Manukau City Council lodges a submission with the Royal Commission as follows:

1. That a Greater Auckland Council be established with a regionally elected Mayor and 20-25 Ward Councillors.

2. That Community Councils be established (each with 8-10 Members), including:
a. A Botany / Clevedon, Howick, Pakuranga Community Council
b. A Manurewa, Papatoetoe, Mangere, Otara Community Council

3. That the roles and responsibilities of the two tiers be clearly delineated

4. That the Greater Auckland Council wards follow as closely as possible the boundaries of the Community Councils, but so as to provide near equal representation across the region.

5. That the following functions be carried out at Greater Auckland Council Level:
a. State Highways & Regional Roading
b. Public Transport including all Rail Assets
c. Regional water, wastewater and stormwater services
d. Rubbish Collection & Disposal
e. Regional Parks
f. Auckland Zoo
g. Central Art Gallery
h. Central & Reference Library Provision
i. Regional Events
j. Funding of Museums including Howick Historical Village
k. Economic Development but not Community Development
l. Planning & Land Use
m. Building & Environmental Compliance and Enforcement
n. Resource Consent Administration (delivered locally)
o. Advocacy for the Region
p. Rating administration including community rate
q. Receive Bulk Transport Funding from Central Government
r. Rate-setting (Regional Residential and Business Rates)
s. Distributing part of the Business Rate to Community Councils (on a population basis)

6. That the following functions be carried out by Community Councils:
a. Local roading
b. Shareholding in Manukau Memorial Gardens CCO
c. Community Development but not Economic Development
d. Planning Consultation with the Community and Advocacy to the GAC
e. Community Safety & Graffiti
f. Resource Consent Hearings
g. Maintaining Local Parks and Streetscapes
h. Community, art, cultural & sporting facilities incl. swimming pools
i. Local Library Provision
j. Local Events
k. Advocacy for Communities
l. Rate-setting (Residential Community Council Rate)

ENDS

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