PWC Report Gives Options for Regional Governance

Porirua Mayor Nick Leggett says a PricewaterhouseCoopers report on regional governance options, released yesterday, will be very helpful in guiding local councils on the best way forward for the region.

"The PwC review has not been written to direct the region into one line of thinking, but rather to provide a menu of options from the status quo through to full-scale amalgamation. The Wellington region has shown its maturity by confronting the need to get better regional decision making and service sharing. It won't be in anyone's interest if the Government decides to 'super city' Wellington. The region must be in control of its own destiny and this report puts us on the road to doing that."

Mayor Leggett says he's aware of a range of views on the issue across the region's eight councils.

"This is the very start of the process and the Porirua City Council welcomes the chance to workshop the review and discuss community opinions and feedback before a wider regional discussion commences."

The independent governance review was commissioned by the Wellington Mayoral Forum to help ensure the effective and efficient running of the region.

"It's vital that Porirua is an active and open participant in these discussions. Ongoing discussions about sharing services and creating greater efficiencies between councils will not stop as a result of the governance review," Mayor Leggett says.

The mayoral forum will design a formal process to work through the review with all councils involved. That will commence in March 2011.

To view the report go to www.pcc.govt.nz and search "Wellington Region Governance".

ENDS

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