Manukau Mayor says Local Boards powers should be legislated

Manukau Mayor Len Brown welcomes the Auckland Transition Agency’s discussion document setting out guidance around the role and responsibilities of local boards in the new Auckland Council but says they should be established in legislation.

“The Manukau City Council’s overriding responsibility is to ensure that our communities’ needs are understood in the future. Local boards will be best placed to understand the specific needs of the communities they serve. To do so, the boards need meaningful powers, funding and support, and they should be provided for in legislation,” says Mr Brown.

“The discussion document has provided some reassurance around the types of decisions local boards will make but what we really need to see is stronger legislation that enshrines the powers of local boards and gives them a true place shaping role.

“Local boards must have regulatory responsibilities. Local boards need to make decisions around liquor laws and other important issues that are specific to their communities. They also need adequate resources to get things done.

“While the discussion document is a start, we still have a long way to go. The council is still advocating for the role and powers of local boards to be strengthened in legislation and we plan to talk to the select committee about that on Monday.

“Local boards should be responsible for local decisions on local roads, footpaths, crime prevention (where CCTV cameras should be sited, for example), beautification schemes, building consents, animal control, environmental health, local parks, recreation and sports facilities, libraries and pools, community houses and advisory services, town centre promotion, galleries and museums, beaches, camping grounds, liquor licensing, and more.”

Mr Brown will speak to the council’s submission on Monday, which includes:

Local Boards

o The need to strengthen in legislation the principles for allocation of powers and functions of local boards.
o The ability of local boards to general additional revenue leading to inequalities in service delivery.
o The impractical timing for local board plans, with the adoption of Local Board Plans by 30 April following the triennial elections resulting in rushed consideration of board and community preferences. The council recommends a change to 30 September for adoption of plan, to allow the local board time to consult adequately with its local communities and other interested parties, and to assess if the existing local board plan needs amending.
Council controlled organisations

o The establishment of CCOs without political input or public consultation.
o The appointments to CCO board being made by Ministers. The council proposes that the legislation should allow for the relevant Ministers to appoint interim boards for CCOs for set time period only.
o The lack of requirement for integration with the Auckland Council’s strategic goals. One of the reasons stated for establishing the Auckland Council is to have the region working towards one strategic direction. The council proposes that the legislation should require CCOs to give effect to the strategic direction of the Auckland Council and reference the four well-beings.
o The potential disestablishment of existing highly successful CCOs without proper consideration of their potential benefit to the new Auckland Council.
Spatial Plan

o The lack of direct reference to sustainable development and the four well-beings in the Bill. The council proposes the Bill reflects the four well-beings of sustainable development.
Maori Advisory Board

o The lack of detail on the role and powers of the Maori advisory board.
Pacific and Ethnic Advisory Boards

o The discrepancies in the appointment process for these panels.
o The unnecessary requirement to disestablish the panels by 1 November 2013.

The council’s submission is available on the council’s website, www.manukau.govt.nz.

ENDS

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