Government backs single Auckland council

Tuesday 7th April 2009

Auckland City will get a single council after the government endorsed the main recommendation of the Royal Commission while scrapping the tier of local councils that had been proposed to operate under its umbrella.

Auckland Council will have a mayor presiding over 20 councillors. Beneath the council will be 20-30 local boards, with up to 150 members. The boards are to be given more powers than existing community boards but won't be able to raise revenue or hire staff, according to the government statement, entitled 'Making Auckland Greater.'

"Auckland's current governance arrangements are weak, fragmented and don't enable or encourage effective regional decision-making," the government statement said

The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance reported back on its 18-month review of New Zealand's biggest urban centre in March, calling for "bold change" if the city of 1.4 million people is to hold its own against regional centres such as Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane or even Singapore.

The Key administration agreed in principle to the establishment of a single new regional transport authority and one water and waste water provider, but is holding off on details. BusinessWire understands the government wants more work done to simplify ownership structures for the new RTA and water authority.

"This is the beginning of a process that will lead to better connections across the region, better value from rates and central government funding, and community control of what matters in our neighbourhoods," Prime Minister John Key said in his forward to the report.

By Jonathan Underhill

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