Media release Wellington Mayoral Forum

Friday, 23 March 2012

Wellington Mayoral Forum unifies in approach to regional governance

UPPER HUTT, Wellington NZ, 23 MAR 2012 - Wellington region Mayors agreed today to begin dialogue with their communities on how the region should be governed at a local level.

Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy, the Chair of the Forum, says all councils in the region have now agreed to look into how governance in the region could be shaped going forward.
In particular it is agreed that each council will adopt its own approach to the subject in consultation with their respective communities.

Mayor Guppy says this is highlighted in the approaches and progress already taken by Wellington City Council which has already decided it will consult with the people of Wellington City impartially with a number of options, and Wairarapa councils which have collaborated to investigate the options of how their region might be governed. Greater Wellington’s approach is also a worthwhile exercise.

“We recognise all these approaches as legitimate,” said Mayor Guppy following today’s Forum meeting. “But as whole we have agreed to bring the results from our respective processes together in order for discussion prior to any presentation to the Local Government Commission.”

While the discussion on regional governance continues, the Mayors have also agreed to continue to focus on further areas of cooperation that contribute to positive progress for the region. This includes already existing shared services and cooperation around “the three waters” (water supply, wastewater, and stormwater), regional economic development, the proposed regional amenities fund, and the decision, this morning, to approve a new structure and strategy for regional Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

ends

© Scoop Media