Auckland Councils Become Local Branch Offices to Lord Mayor

The Green Party today voiced support for one Auckland Council to be given powers to develop environmental and transport policy, as well as one district plan, one rates system and one rates bill.

“This should lead to better environmental management and transport planning, and greater efficiencies,” said Sue Kedgley, Green Party Local Government Spokesperson

Sue Kedgley’s comments came after the release this afternoon of the report of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance.

“However, we are alarmed at the enormous concentration of power in an Executive Mayor. The Mayor would have the power to propose the Auckland super-city budget, formulate all major policy, and appoint the Deputy Chair and all Council Chairpersons of committees.

“This is an astonishing centralisation of power in a Mayor, and it greatly reduces the power and influence of elected Councillors who are not part of the Mayor’s self appointed inner cabal.”

“We are also concerned that the recommendations, if implemented, would strip away the powers of the existing Councils, and relegate them to the role of local branch offices.

“It is unclear what role the 77 ward representatives and their Chairs will be other than to complain about what the mayor is doing. In our view these democratically elected representatives should have more influence than just pleading for their local constituencies,” Sue Kedgley said.

Meanwhile, Sue Bradford, Auckland Issues Spokesperson, said that “While we applaud the idea of these Councils achieving better engagement with communities, and ways of connecting with people, we believe their size will make this very difficult to achieve”.

“We are extremely disappointed that the Royal Commission has rejected the proposal to empower Community Councils, and have effectively opted for the status quo, but with much restricted powers.

“It is less democratic and the Green party will vigorously oppose this recommendation.

“We are equally concerned at the recommendation that a single chief executive will employ all local government staff in the Auckland region. This will inevitably result in a super bureaucracy and that much power concentrated in the hands of the Chief Executive is frankly alarming,” said Sue Bradford.