Mayor forecasts changes in direction and greater efficiencies

This is the new council’s first real opportunity to implement operational changes and to concentrate on improving service delivery, increasing customer satisfaction and reducing bureaucracy, Far North Mayor Wayne Brown says in an introduction to the council's draft Annual Plan for 2008/09.


"To some degree we have been confined by long term commitments and contracts, but where possible improvements will be made in keeping with last year’s strong electoral mandate to turn this Council into a results-focused organization," he says.


"The key message for the next 12 months is that this Council intends to take a more businesslike and open approach in which the top priority will be achieving higher levels of efficiency. I have made no secret of the fact that I am disappointed with a number of the outcomes from last year’s Annual Plan, such as the Mangonui waterfront redevelopment. A determined effort will be made this year to set matters right and effect a change in approach and culture," Mayor Brown says.


"Moves have already been made to improve customer contact and improve response levels. An example of this is the proposal to move building and planning staff to Kerikeri and Kaitaia to bring services closer to the areas of highest demand. This is expected to be completed in late May.


"Following the severe storms of 2007 we are joining with the government and Northland Regional Council (NRC) to address short and longer term mitigation needs in Kaeo and Kaitaia. We will focus particularly on stormwater, roading and building-related issues, but will also be encouraging the river works which the NRC is proposing.


"Governance overheads have already been reduced with less committees, fewer meetings, simplified agenda, improved communications and extra responsibilities for community boards. We will also be withdrawing from non-productive involvement in external organizations. Savings achieved in this streamlining process will be re-directed into priority spending areas to accelerate capital works programmes," he says.


As already signaled the council would be reviewing its involvement in areas such as pensioner housing, initiating a new open spaces policy with an emphasis on coastal access and rationalizing the extent and use of land held in reserve for various purposes.


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"We will be moving progressively over the next few months to change the basis on which rates are calculated, we will be reviewing Maori rating policies, and we are already well advanced on a review of our commercial trading arm, Far North Holdings Ltd, to achieve a better return on investment," he says.


"We will continue to press Government and key agencies for support in improving our district. As an example, opportunities to provide more footpaths on state highways will be pursued with Land Transport New Zealand and Transit New Zealand.


"Community involvement will be enlisted to accommodate some of the new directions proposed, including a review of the development contributions policy, dropping the rates discount, introducing a targeted rate to address economic development, co-locating the Kaeo, Rawene and Kawakawa service centres with other agencies, and a proposal to assist progress the Te Ahu Centre at Kaitaia.


"I make no apologies for the speed of change and in fact a number of the issues identified at the time of the elections would have been progressed even faster but for the limitations imposed by legislation.


"As a result of these changes the council anticipates we will hold rates this year to an average increase reflecting approximately the rate of inflation. However it is anticipated there will be close to a further $2 million freed up for investment in capital projects without further recourse to the ratepayer, simply as a result of greater efficiencies and reductions in operating expenditure," he says.