Viewpoint – New Year brings opportunities and risks

It’s a new year, and I’ve been thinking. Here we are in a situation where the local board is going to be allocated more responsibilities and powers. But do we have the tools and funding to allow better decisions to be made at a local level? I am focused on looking for solutions.

As a first term member, it has become seriously apparent that a key issue is that our Auckland Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) are not good at talking to one another.

Local boards need to be properly resourced to make the best decisions. There’s no point having extra powers if you don’t have enough of the supporting advice and information. We have to think about how we can do things better.

On the Hibiscus Coast, we are experiencing some of Auckland’s highest growth and yet have never sat down with town planners to discuss integrated future planning. Our current funding model is not even fully determined by the current census data, which means that the true population of our area is not receiving equitable funding. Essentially, we are missing out.

We are fortunate on our local board to have excellent staff who provide quality advice, but as local board powers increase, we will likely be in a situation where council staff are stretched too thin to meet expectations.

How did we get into a position where the central government is fast tracking a 1200 home development into Ōrewa and yet Watercare is saying there are no future wastewater connections until 2031?

We are in a dire situation. It’s not just the Army Bay pump station needing to be upgraded, it’s the entire local sewerage network and it’s going to require massive investment. The existing pipe network already cannot cope. If central government is going to fast track more communities into our area, then they must fast track and fund the needed infrastructure improvements. There is a great opportunity here for central and local government to partner on delivering the basics.

My grandfather, who was a former Mayor of Rodney, once offered a solution of applying business concepts like doing a time and motion study, to improve local investment efficiency. We’ve got to be allowed to be more entrepreneurial.

I want to hear from you about what you think in terms of the direction of local government.

We need meaningful ways for people to have a direct impact on local decisions.

If you have any thoughts or comments or would just like to talk to one of your local representatives, please email me at jake.law@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz I look forward to hearing from you.