ARC says the region has outgrown its local governance structure

Wednesday 25 June 2008

The Chairman of the Auckland Regional Council says the Auckland region has outgrown its current structure of local government.

Speaking today to Royal Commissioners hearing submissions on the future of Auckland governance, Michael Lee said the Council’s proposal to abolish itself along with the region’s seven territorial councils is a radical cure to solve the persistent Auckland ‘disease’ of fractiousness, disunity and cost duplication.

“Local government in Auckland has become somewhat alienated from the general public. There is an unacceptable level of public dissatisfaction and frustration and that is after all why we have a Royal Commission of Inquiry.

“Auckland has outgrown numerically, economically and socially the present three-tier, eight council governance model. It’s time for something much more efficient and cost effective and this is what the ARC is proposing – a single unitary authority comprising two levels,” he said. “We are part of the problem and have to get out of the road.”

“Our proposal to establish a new Greater Auckland Authority supported by up to 30 effective Community Councils is designed to address the paradox of how best to achieve regional unity and cohesion while promoting local democracy and putting the local back into local government,” said Mr Lee.

ENDS

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