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The Northern Action Group (NAG) is seeking donations to further its campaign to separate North Rodney from the Auckland Supercity.
NAG has filed a notice of appeal with the High Court seeking to overturn a Local Government Commission (LGC) decision last month to keep North Rodney within Auckland.
A meeting between the LGC, NAG and a High Court judge is scheduled for March to thrash out the Terms of Reference for the appeal.
NAG chair Bill Townson anticipates the legal costs of mounting the appeal will be considerable and hopes members of the public will financially contribute to the cause.
He says the cost of securing legal representation for the appeal will likely be around $100,000.
However, he hopes NAG will be permitted to represent itself at the appeal, at considerably reduced cost.
Permission for NAG to represent itself would be at the discretion of the judge.
Mr Townson says if the judge refuses permission that will likely be the end of the NAG appeal, as he doubts NAG will be able to raise the necessary cash.
In a letter to supporters, Mr Townson highlighted four main points where he believes the LGC has failed in its duties and the points form the basis for the appeal.
They are:
1. Failure to engage the community in a meaningful way
2. Failure to properly investigate practical options for reorganisation
3. Failure to improve Local Government in North Rodney
4. Having a bias toward maintaining the status quo
Meanwhile, Mr Townson continues to press NZ First to make good on an election promise for a binding referendum on the Supercity question.
He says while NZ First continues to support a referendum, it would require the support of one of the other major political parties to become a reality.
NAG is currently lobbying both National and Labour in an effort to secure that support.
The LGC decision to keep North Rodney within the Supercity was announced at a meeting in the Old Masonic Hall in Warkworth in December.
Lead commissioner for Auckland reorganisation Geoff Dangerfield said the commission took the view that an independent North Rodney was not a viable option and did not meet the requirements of the Local Government Act.
