Rodney board rejects NAG referendum

Efforts by the Northern Action Group (NAG) to exit Auckland have not been supported by the Rodney Local Board, but the group’s chairman Bill Townson has vowed to fight on.

Board member Tracey Martin, under notice of motion, put forward two recommendations, which were both lost by five votes to four.

The recommendations called on the governing body of Auckland Council to undertake an independent review of service delivery in north Rodney and, after the findings of the review, undertake a referendum which, if supported, would pave the way for north Rodney to separate from Auckland.

Board members Martin, Brenda Steele, June Turner and Steven Garner supported the recommendations; members Bob Howard, Warren Flaunty, Thomas Grace, John McLean and James Rolfe voted against.

Although Mr Townson acknowledged that there weren’t many options left over the current term of Council, he said NAG would be free of any legislative embargoes when a new Council took office in 2013.

“Our ultimate goal remains for north Rodney to form a new Council with Kaipara,” he said. “But at the very least, we want this issue handled democratically.”

Published October 2011