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Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown has stirred controversy by releasing his Draft Mayoral Proposal for the Council’s 2025-26 Annual Plan publicly before it was discussed with councillors and local boards.
Brown’s proposal outlines changes that include absorbing Auckland Transport’s back office duties such as communications, disestablishing Eke Panuku, and consolidating the economic development, destination marketing and major events of Tātaki Auckland Unlimited into the council. Notably, Watercare is not included in any planned changes.
Council was already working on increasing the number of shared services between it and its Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs), and chief executive Phil Wilson said he had specifically not included communications.
“I won’t play the card of ‘you stick to governance and I will stick to the operational design’ but there is a separation there and some of the detailed working through that needs to happen – is ultimately what I’m charged with,” Wilson said.
Councillors raised concerns about the lack of clarity in Brown’s proposal, as well as the public release of the proposal before it had been properly discussed with councillors.
The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board also raised issue with the short consultation window, noting that they were provided the draft proposal shortly before 10am on November 19, and required to digest it for feedback on the same day. The proposal appears to be just a 20-page document, but the staff advice that accompanies it runs to more than 300 pages.
Significantly, the board included a disclaimer in their official feedback stating, “the local board has not had sufficient time to analyse and consider the implications of the proposals”. They did provide feedback on the proposal though with key concerns noted about some of the CCO reform.
The board supported absorption of Auckland Transport back-office functions by Council but noted concern with the risks of having the Council hold all responsibility for transport policy and planning.
The board noted concerns about Council’s capability to deliver on major events at the same level as Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, especially given the proposal to cut most major events.
The board stated in its feedback that it did not see benefits in disestablishing Eke Panuku and expressed interest in seeing the CCO’s role expanded to further support local boards to make decisions around centre planning in their communities.
The proposal covered a wide range of topics from compliance wardens through to wider use of targeted rates. Board chair Alexis Poppelbaum said they reserved the right to provide further feedback on the rates. She also said that it was important to hold public consultation and ensure ratepayers had the opportunity to provide feedback.
Brown said that discussion about CCO reform had been ongoing for two years and the proposal should not come as a surprise. It comes on the back of Brown’s campaign promise to address issues with the CCO model. He said the changes were about putting the responsibility back onto elected people.
“The public sees us as responsible for everything and I am not all that happy to have to apologise for things over which I’ve had no input whatsoever. I am fed up with having to say it wasn’t us because the public think we are responsible. We might as well be responsible and accept that responsibility and live up to it,” Brown said.
