Auckland City Council
Media release

6 March 2008

Council asks for your thoughts on how to take Auckland into the future

Auckland City Council is asking the city’s residents and ratepayers what they think the key elements for Auckland’s successful future will be.

The council is currently preparing a submission to the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance looking at how the current local and regional arrangements could be improved to make the city and the region work better.

“We believe change must result in more effective and efficient governance for Auckland, which means reducing costs and improving regional governance while respecting and preserving local democracy,” says Deputy Mayor David Hay, chairperson of the Regional Governance Committee.

“Maintaining the status quo or tinkering around the edges will not achieve the sort of outcome Auckland and New Zealand need to be desirable places to work, live, visit and compete in the global marketplace.

“We want our submission to the Royal Commission to focus on giving Aucklanders the best foundations for the future. We want to make progressive, positive change in the city.

“We want to know what you, the residents and ratepayers of Auckland city, think about our plans by sending us your feedback.

“Your views will contribute towards the development of the council’s submission to the Royal Commission which will be submitted on 22 April.”

To develop its submission, the council is looking at best practice from around the world, including the recent restructuring of local governance in Brisbane, London, Toronto and Melbourne.

The council is also working with key stakeholders across the city - including business organisations, the arts sector, Maori leaders and community boards, as well as residents and ratepayers of Auckland - for feasible solutions to six key issues.

“There have been a considerable number of reviews and reports since the last major local government reform on regional issues in 1989,” says Mr Hay.

“The experience of all this work indicates that there are six key areas behind the success and failure of local government decision making.

“In Auckland’s case, these areas are creating the need for change and will form the basis of our submission.

“I encourage residents and ratepayers of Auckland city to send us their thoughts and feedback on these six areas and the rest of our plans. By working together we will see Auckland reach its full potential.”

For more details on the work being done on regional governance by Auckland City Council and to get a feedback form, go to www.aucklandcity.govt.nzfrom 5pm, Friday 7 March or read a copy of this weekend’s City Scene where you will find Taking Auckland into the future, outlining the process we are going through to develop our submission, more details about the Royal Commission and a feedback form for your views.

Feedback closes at 5pm on Tuesday, 25 March 2008.

Members of the public can also submit their views directly to the Royal Commission until 22 April. Further details are available at www.royalcommission.govt.nz and in local libraries.

Ends

Council.

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