Government needs to referee Auckland's Magna Carta

Manukau Mayor Len Brown is writing to the Local Government Minister Rodney Hide asking the government to step in and define roles and functions of the new Auckland local community boards.

“The Minister says he wants the Auckland Transition Authority to develop the delegations establishing the respective functions of the local boards and the new council. But this is one issue which the Minister and government need to set clear roles and responsibilities.

“Auckland needs strong local democracy and strong local participation. This can be provided for in the legislation. Leaving this to the ATA and the new Auckland Council is fraught with potential problems. It is like asking the monarch to draft the Magna Carta.

“The last thing we need is for the new Council to be bogged down in constant negotiation and conflict with local communities about what they require in their area. The Council should be totally focused on the issues facing the region and leave the local boards to serve and develop their communities.

“The government could avoid a lot of unnecessary delays and discussions by acting on the submissions it has received from councils in Auckland which set out what the appropriate roles and functions of the local boards should be. There is strong alignment around the region on this issue.

“We need to keep the local in local democracy. Our council will be making a submission on the bill that will, among other issues, focus on the delegations of the local boards and how we believe they should relate to the new council.