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Orewa 19th March 2008.

Today the Rodney District Council kicked of its consultation on the future governance of Auckland by calling for the abolition of the ARC.

“Over the next few weeks we will be talking and listening to our communities,” says Rodney’s Mayor Penny Webster.

“To start the debate a council working party has put together a strategy which I hope will lead to much better outcomes for our many communities.”

In a statement issued today Penny Webster identified the ARC as hampering growth in Rodney with ideologically driven restrictions on land use, particularly in the area of business and commercial land. And as a result of that limitation reducing the number of local employment opportunities.

“In a sustainable future who wants to see the community clocking up “work miles” and high costs to their personal budgets for unnecessary travel’ says Mayor Webster.

The Rodney council is further suggesting infrastructure such as water and main arterial roads be removed from local councils and transformed into a commercially run utility company for at least the region.

Mayor Penny Webster says community meetings scheduled for next week would allow the Council an opportunity to put its ideas to the public.

ENDS

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