Calls to split the local board echo through NAG submissions

There have been growing calls to split the Rodney Local Board in two as submissions on the Northern Action Group’s application were made public this month.A total of 38 alternative applications were received, with a large number supporting having two local boards in Rodney – with one for the west and one for the east – including residents and ratepayers groups from Kumeu-Huapai, Helensville-Parakai and Taupaki, Federated Farmers, Warkworth business association One Warkworth and Mahurangi Action.

The overwhelming theme was that the Supercity experiment has been characterised by poor levels of representation and transparency, and high costs.

The role of Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs), such as Auckland Transport and Watercare, also came under fire, with submitters repeatedly stating that the organisations had become unaccountable and needed to be brought under Auckland Council’s control.

The Kumeu-Huapai Residents and Ratepayers Association, mayoral candidate Mark Thomas, Waitemata and Gulf Ward Councillor Mike Lee and a number of other submitters all called for greater democratic control of CCOs.

This runs counter to the Government’s proposed amendments to the Local Government Act (see story next page) which moves to make it easier for the Local Government Commission to create CCOs without consultation with the community or affected councils.A former Regional Councillor, Watercare chairman of directors and North Shore City Councillor, whose name was redacted, said the CCOs lack democratic control.

“The argument that such assets and facilities are better kept at ‘arms length’ and away from the elected arm is facile in my view and destructive of democratic determination and disclosure, and undermines citizens’ influence through their elected members,” the submission said. “These are, after all, publicly-owned assets. The public have paid for them, they own them, and they need to see the direct benefits that they are entitled to.

Furthermore, the corporate model of a skewed local government, is not only inappropriate in a democracy, the separation into companies readies them more likely for sale to private enterprise, which brings more and more pressure from big and usually powerful multi-nationals, which inhabit this world. I saw some of this in my brief time as chair of Watercare.”Former Alliance MP and Devonport/Takapuna Local Board member Grant Gillon’s submission called for greater power to local boards and bringing the CCOs under Council control.

He made revealing comments about the closed-door decision-making made by local boards.

“Most decision-making is really done in ‘briefings’ out of the public eye. This is when the debate is had, de facto decisions made and officers’ reports presented … the decision-making meeting in public is in most cases a rubber stamp. The public are unaware of the background debate or the various members’ individual views.”

Mr Gillon said CCOs frequently ignore the views of local boards and had become unaccountable.