Future for Local Government – Draft Report Recommendations and Questions
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Chapter 2 (pg. 40-61) - REVITALISING CITIZEN-LED DEMOCRACY 1. That local government adopts greater use of deliberative and
Councils could do this now subject to resourcing – which to do
participatory democracy in local decision-making.
well could be significant
This is best suited to big complex issues/ decisions and so is
unlikely to be for the many less complex and significant decisions
councils make on a regular basis.
It could be challenging to incorporate Māori/ mana whenua
participation appropriately. Processes are likely to emerge that
are unique to Aotearoa/ New Zealand to achieve this.
Need to avoid the usual suspects dominating participation.
Plenty of examples/ lessons learned from New Zealand and
around the world using a variety of mechanisms addressing a
variety of issues
Would central government agencies partner with councils in
deliberative and participatory decision-making processes where
central government will participate in and resource resulting
initiatives?
2. That local government, supported by central government, reviews
The legislation is already less prescriptive than it was and
the legislative provisions relating to engagement, consultation, and
councils can largely decide for themselves how they engage with
decision-making to ensure they provide a comprehensive,
their communities.
meaningful, and flexible platform for revitalising community
Councils need to better use their Significance and Engagement
participation and engagement.
Policy to provide better opportunities for innovative/ effective
engagement
Any change to legislation would need to integrate seamlessly
with deliberative democracy imperatives referred to above.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
But do residents real y want to participate in decision-making
(more)? Or are they happy leaving councils to make decisions and
“get on with it”?
3. That central government leads a comprehensive review of
Not sure how applicable this would be in reality?
requirements for engaging with Māori across local government
Need local solutions developed locally
related legislation, considering opportunities to streamline or align
those requirements.
4. That councils develop and invest in their internal systems for
Most councils would agree this is important
managing and promoting good quality engagement with Māori.
Councils could do this now subject to resourcing – which to do
well could be significant
Requires central government funding to resource both councils
and iwi/ hapū to build mutual understanding and effective
relationships
5. That central government provides a statutory obligation for councils
Most councils will agree this is important
to give due consideration to an agreed, local expression of tikanga
Statutory requirements would provide direction and clarity for
whakahaere in their standing orders and engagement practices, and
councils
for chief executives to be required to promote the incorporation of
How to monitor and evaluate any requirements on chief
tikanga in organisational systems.
executives?
Might requirements be better made of councils themselves?
Q. What might we do more of to increase community understanding
Councils need to find ways to better engage with hard to reach
about the role of local government, and therefore lead to greater civic
communities. This will inevitably make community engagement
participation?
more complex and increase the resources required so it will be
important to co-design engagement with the target communities
to maximise efficiencies and value for money.
Councils need to continue to improve at telling our stories. There
has been significant improvement in recent years but we are still
not having communities consistently understand the value
proposition of the work councils do.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Central government must stop using councils as a whipping boy
and should instead show genuine trust and respect towards
councils. Too often councils get the blame from central
government for wicked issues. For example, central government
has blamed the housing crisis entirely on council planning rules
and (lack of) infrastructure provision. This grossly simplifies a
complex issue. While there was clearly value for central
government in shifting perception of the cause from central to
local government on this particularly issue it has significant
longer term impacts in that it perpetuates a view in the
community of council incompetence and ambivalence – why
would the community want to engage?
If central government had instead openly worked with local
government to collaboratively find solutions it would have had a
vastly different impact on community perceptions and on
residents’ willingness to engage with both local and central
government on a broad range of issues.
Our residents need to see us as being worthy of their investment
in participation in decision-making.
Chapter 3 (pg. 62-98) - TIRITI-BASED PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN MĀORI AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
6. That central government leads an inclusive process to develop a new
Agree that a legislative framework is likely to be useful to provide
legislative framework for Tiriti-related provisions in the Local
direction and impetus to the ongoing development and
Government Act that drives a genuine partnership in the exercise of
maintenance of relationships between local government and
kāwanatanga and rangatiratanga in a local context and explicitly
Māori.
recognises te ao Māori values and conceptions of wellbeing.
Māori engagement in local government decision-making has
often been focused on matters affecting water and land. With
Three Waters reform decision-making regarding water and
waterways largely shifts from councils to WSEs. This doesn’t seem
to be acknowledged or addressed in the Report. WSEs will need
to be key players in future local governance. Councils will lose
Recommendations and Questions
Response
most of their expertise and interest in water-related matters and
associated decision-making. How will the co-governance
partnership between councils and Māori function in practice
given councils will no longer be responsible for water and water
bodies.
Similarly decisions regarding land use will shift from councils to
regional planning and spatial planning committees. These
committees will also be key players in future local governance.
In future Council – Māori relationships will need to be based on
matters that have until now have been peripheral to existing
relationships. What will those be?
Iwi/ hapū may see their relationships with WSEs and regional
planning committees as a higher priority than their relationships
with councils.
7. That councils develop with hapū/iwi and significant Māori
Many councils will already have something like this though
organisations within a local authority area, a partnership framework
perhaps few will be considered successful by all parties.
that complements existing co-governance arrangements by
Agree these initiatives need to be given a high priority
ensuring all groups in a council area are involved in local governance
Agree there needs to be a greater level of direction and
in a meaningful way.
accountability within local government- Māori relationships.
Again, effective relationship building and maintenance is
resource intensive. Would be a significant help if government
funding was available for all parties.
Need local solutions developed locally. CCC has worked with Ngai
Tahu rūnanga to establish Te Hononga, a mana whenua- Council
committee. This enables the Council and Papatipu rūnanga to
work together to establish shared understanding of issues
important to all.
8. That central government introduces a statutory requirement for
This could promote a more consistent level of understanding and
local government chief executives to develop and maintain the
engagement across all councils but may be challenging to express
capacity and capability of council staff to grow understanding and
appropriately through statutory requirement.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
knowledge of Te Tiriti, the whakapapa of local government, and te
There may also be issues around establishing whether a statutory
ao Māori values.
requirement is or isn’t being given effect to and what response is
required where it is not being appropriately progressed by a chief
executive.
9. That central government explores a stronger statutory requirement
Agree that stronger statutory requirements are needed to ensure
on councils to foster Māori capacity to participate in local
meaningful participation at a consistent level
government.
Needs to be developed in partnership with Iwi/ mana whenua
Needs to be adequately resourced – which is likely to require
central government funding
Needs to be flexible enough for local priorities to be addressed
and for local flavour/ nuances to be included
10. That local government leads the development of coordinated
This is essential for genuine change to be effected.
organisational and workforce development plans to enhance the
This probably needs to align with any statutory requirement for
capability of local government to partner and engage with Māori.
chief executives to develop and maintain the capacity and
capability of staff around Te Tiriti, the whakapapa of local
government, and te ao Māori values.
11. That central government provides a transitional fund to subsidise
Significant additional resourcing will be required for both Māori
the cost of building both Māori and council capability and capacity
and councils so this would greatly help to bring about change
for a Tiriti-based partnership in local governance.
Could be a generic national base programme on which local
knowledge and requirements can be built
Likely to need to be more than a transitional fund if this work is to
be ongoing. We understand that at some point it will hopefully be
simply BAU but that could take some time and ongoing
investment.
Chapter 4 (pg. 102-114) - ALLOCATING ROLES AND FUNCTIONS IN A WAY THAT ENHANCES WELLBEING
12. That central and local government note that the allocation of the
Agree – there will be a range of approaches involving different
roles and functions is not a binary decision between being delivered
types of partnership/ collaboration and aligned work
centrally or locally.
programmes that will evolve to meet the needs of specific
situations.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
These arrangements will take time to develop as organisations
will need to gain a shared understanding of situations and
priorities.
The challenge is like to be how to maintain collaborative over
time as governments and councils change and key people
involved come and go.
13. That local and central government, in a Tiriti-consistent manner,
Agree
review the future al ocations of roles and functions by applying the
This needs to be sufficiently fluid so as to support changes in
proposed approach, which includes three core principles:
priorities and service delivery mechanisms and expectations.
the concept of subsidiarity
local government’s capacity to influence the conditions for
wellbeing is recognised and supported
te ao Māori values underpin decision-making.
Q: What process would need to be created to support and agree on the
Local or regional wellbeing forums/ councils could be formed to
allocation of roles and functions across central government, local
enable all partners to work together to identify priorities and
government, and communities?
responses and allocate roles and functions.
Forums may need to specialise – e.g. social forum, environmental
forum, economic forum, cultural forum. Could be a number of
ways of doing this.
The framework proposed in the Report would provide the ability
for decisions to be made on roles and functions
The forums could decide to establish bespoke approaches to
service delivery. E.g. it could be decided that a single service
provider is used across a region for the collection and disposal of
waste while local service providers/ solutions are used for
recycling.
Could have a local wellbeing plan that brings all this together
Q: What conditions will need to be in place to ensure the flexibility of the
A transparent decision-making framework for allocating roles and
approach proposed does not create confusion or unnecessary
responsibilities will go a long way towards mitigating this risk.
uncertainty?
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Q: What additional principles, if any, need to be considered?
Efficiency/ value for money. There may be situations where the
cost associated with service delivery that supports the other
principles outweighs the benefits. While this shouldn’t be the
overriding consideration it should be a principle underpinning
decision-making.
Chapter 5 (pg 115-132) LOCAL GOVERNMENT AS CHAMPION AND ACTIVATOR OF WELLBEING
14. That local government, in partnership with central government,
Draft report has little recognition of the work all councils already
explores funding and resources that enable and encourage councils
do in the wel being space. The report tends to present good
to:
examples as exceptions rather than the rule which probably
a. lead, facilitate, and support innovation and
undersel s the extent of existing local government initiatives.
experimentation in achieving greater social, economic,
Councils are already partnering with NGOs and in some cases
cultural, and environmental wel being outcomes
with central government.
b. build relational, partnering, innovation, and co-design
CCC has a procurement policy with community value
capability and capacity across their whole organisation
procurement at its heart. Weighting is given to community value
c. embed social/progressive procurement and supplier
wellbeing outcomes.
diversity as standard practice in local government with
CCC requires contractors to pay the Living Wage and to have a CC
nationally supported organisational infrastructure and
policy.
capability and capacity building
Councils mostly act as anchor institutions but scope to
d. review their levers and assets from an equity and
significantly increase this.
wellbeing perspective and identify opportunities for
strategic and transformational initiatives
e. take on the anchor institution role, initially through
demonstration initiatives with targeted resources and
peer support
f. share the learning and emerging practice from innovation
and experimentation of their enhanced wel being role.
Q. What feedback do you have on the roles councils can play to enhance
It depends on what local government’s roles and functions end
intergenerational wellbeing?
up being.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Councils have strong knowledge and relationships with their
communities. This is vital to efficiently and effectively identify
what issues and opportunities are important to particular
communities and to identify who is best placed to be part of any
response.
If central government decides councils should focus on roads,
rubbish, regulation and parks then their local knowledge and
relationships won’t be optimally utilised.
Councils will lose a lot of their support functions horsepower
(comms, engagement, policy, legal etc) as a result of Three Water
Reform and Resource Management Reform. In some respects
there wil need to be some immediate refocusing of work to try to
retain skilled staff.
Q. What changes would support councils to utilise their existing assets,
More positive relationships with central government
enablers, and levers to generate more local wel being?
representatives and agencies based on mutual trust and respect.
New sources of funding to supplement rates revenue to fund new
services.
Whole of community collaboration in identifying and responding
to issues and priorities.
Building increased capacity and capability in councils to enable
them to take more of a community leadership role as place-
maker, networker and coordinator and as anchor institutions.
Working at a level and a scale that enables even small
communities to receive quality services – which is likely to require
council amalgamations and/ or shared service delivery.
Chapter 6 (pg. 134-158) A STRONGER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CENTRAL AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Q. To create a collaborative relationship between central and local
a. the conditions for success and the barriers that are preventing
government that builds on current strengths and resources, what are:
strong relationships?
Recommendations and Questions
Response
a. the conditions for success and the barriers that are
Needs to be mutual trust and respect, particularly from central
preventing strong relationships?
government
b. the factors in place now that support genuine
Need to identify opportunities to work together based on shared
partnership?
issues and the likelihood a collaborative response wil be useful
c. the elements needed to build and support a new system?
We don’t see any interest in pursuing this type of approach from
d. the best options to get there?
central government. The Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) Act 2022
e. potential pathways to move in that direction and where
requires Health New Zealand to consult local authorities affected
to start?
by the locality plan but doesn’t require our involvement in co-
f. the opportunities to trial and innovate now?
designing services or initiatives or even in working in partnership
with Health New Zealand to promote community wel being.
The Government recently produced a Social Sector
Commissioning 2022–2028 Action Plan, the purpose of which is
“Transforming the way social supports and services are
commissioned so that they best support people, families and
whanau to live the lives they value” . The document details how
the Government will work with iwi/ whanau, NGOs and
communities to deliver better social services and outcomes. The
document references local government just once with “local
council” as being an “other party”. In the context of this review
this is alarming. The final report needs to call out the persistent
ignoring of local government as a key community partner and
promote a more collaborative and trusting model of local
governance.
These are, in our view, ongoing opportunities lost. This practical
failure to recognise, understand, acknowledge, promote, pursue
and resource councils as essential partners in the locality-based
health reforms urgently needs to change.
Clarity and certainty from the Government that there is a future
based on localism and collaboration is needed for councils to
invest in relationship building and partnering. There hasn’t been
any indication of this in the Review process to date. The standard
Recommendations and Questions
Response
response has been “this is local government’s review process”.
Not helpful and not good enough.
b.
The factors in place now that support genuine partnership?
Established relationships and shared work programmes in place
with a range of government agencies including Waka Kotahi,
Kāinga Ora, Ministry of Housing and Urban Development, Te
Whatu Ora
Multidisciplinary collaboration via the Greater Christchurch
Urban Growth Partnership
Regional strategic planning and delivery via Canterbury Mayoral
Forum and specialised subsidiary fora including strategic
planning, resource management, information and
communications technology.
c. The elements needed to build and support a new system?
The collective/ interdependent model proposed in the Report
offers an excellent starting point for thinking about how local and
central govern and hapū/ iwi can work together.
d.
The best options to get there?
While central government has a preference for engaging at the
regional level (as this is seen as efficient) this risks losing the
benefits councils bring in their knowledge of the specific needs of
communities.
Local wellbeing plans may be needed to capture the issues and
opportunities at a local level which can then be aggregated to
regional wellbeing plans with commonalities identified and
responded to at a regional or sub-regional level and specifics
responded to at a local level often in partnership with local
communities.
e.
Potential pathways to move in that direction and where to start?
See above
f. The opportunities to trial and innovate now?
Recommendations and Questions
Response
There are already many examples around the country where
these approaches are being used as the basis for partnership and
to address wellbeing in communities.
It may be a case of extending programmes already in place to
expand the scope of services provided or the geographic reach of
existing services including through councils working together to
do this.
Further opportunities will inevitably require further resourcing to
realise them. Central government funding is likely to be key to
expanding on what already works well.
Q. How can central and local government explore options that empower
Local or regional wellbeing forums/ councils could be formed to
and enable a role for hapū/iwi in local governance in partnership with
enable all partners to work together to identify priorities and
local and central government? These options should recognise the
responses and allocate roles and functions.
contribution of hapū/iwi rangatiratanga, kaitiakitanga, and other roles.
Treaty Relations team thoughts?
Chapter 7 (pg 161-184) REPLENISHING AND BUILDING ON REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY
15. That the Electoral Commission be responsible for overseeing the
We support an increased role for the Electoral Commission, but
administration of local body elections.
note that further consideration and research needs to be
undertaken on whether all aspects of local elections should be
run by the Commission. We have concerns that a single approach
to all aspects of a local election would remove local and/or
regional aspects of an election – one size does not fit all. There
needs to be consideration of the different representation
arrangements across local government and an understanding of
the broad breadth of local government roles across the country.
We are also concerned that the cost to councils for the Electoral
Commission to run an election is unknown. This risk could be
mitigated by central government funding local elections.
We also need to better understand the value of the Electoral
Commission taking responsibility for local elections, as well as
Recommendations and Questions
Response
what functions the Commission would take over and what would
be left for the councils to do.
Legislation needs to al ow for opportunities to modernise voting
and remove barriers to voting. Enrolled electors currently receive
their voting documents by post; this this is not an enduring or
reliable way of providing voting documents. Postal delivery
services are not daily and are often subject to external factors
that have a significant impact on reliability, including but not
limited to weather, mail theft and staff availability.
16. That central government undertakes a review of the legislation to:
All seem intuitively reasonable/ positive but the draft report
a. adopt Single Transferrable Vote as the voting method for
doesn’t present evidence that would make the recommended
council elections
changes compel ing
b. lower the eligible voting age in local body elections to the
The Council supports consideration of lowering of the voting age
age of 16
to 16, for New Zealand elections. However this must be supported
c. provide for a 4-year local electoral term
by an increased national focus on civic awareness and education
d. amend the employment provisions of chief executives to
that increases understanding of the roles of both local and
match those in the wider public sector and include
national government.
mechanisms to assist in managing the employment
Local and central government electoral terms should be aligned.
relationship.
Initial thoughts of this council were to support a four year term
but limited support for STV and lowering the voting age. If there
are compelling reasons to do the latter two then a stronger case
needs to be made.
17. That central and local government, in conjunction with the
This Council has, in the past, submitted on the need to move
Remuneration Authority, review the criteria for setting elected
away from the population-based funding formula for setting
member remuneration to recognise the increasing complexity of the
Community Board remuneration. The members of our Banks
role and enable a more diverse range of people to consider standing
Peninsula community board are currently paid significantly less
for election.
than members from other boards despite needing the same skills
and putting in the same time to the role.
The same applies to the remuneration of councillors at smaller
councils up closer to those in larger councils. The issues are often
Recommendations and Questions
Response
very similar as is the time commitment required from elected
members.
18. That local government develops a mandatory professional
LGNZ provides training for elected members
development and support programme for elected members; and
Council induction programmes are, by necessity, often
local and central government develop a shared executive
comprehensive and time consuming.
professional development and secondment programme to achieve
There should be opportunities for professional development on
greater integration across the two sectors.
top of these but some thought would need to be given as to
whether they should be mandatory.
Many new elected members have had time on community boards
and in other governance roles so have some understanding of the
requirements and expectations.
19. That central and local government:
Agree councils should be supported and encouraged to
a. support and enable councils to undertake regular health
undertake regular health checks of their democratic
checks of their democratic performance
performance. We note the CouncilMark programme provides this
b. develop guidance and mechanisms to support councils
Agree the LG Commission could develop guidance and
resolving complaints under their code of conduct and
mechanisms to resolve some issues.
explore a specific option for local government to refer
The Ombudsman’s findings are usually a useful guide and prompt
complaints to an independent investigation process,
for councils with respect to openness and transparency. It is not
conducted and led by a national organisation
clear that amending LGOIMA would necessarily have the same
c. subject to the findings of current relevant ombudsman’s
effect.
investigations, assess whether the provisions of the Local
Councils need to have the ability to exclude the public in
Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987,
accordance with the current provisions of LGOIMA but there are
and how it is being applied, support high standards of
inevitably many grey areas and the Ombudsman’s work helps
openness and transparency.
clarify those.
20. That central government retain the Māori wards and constituencies
Agree – consistent with Ecan/ Ngāi Tahu approach.
mechanism (subject to amendment in current policy processes), but
Any comments from Treaty Relations team?
consider additional options that provide for a Tiriti-based
partnership at the council table
Q. How can local government enhance its capability to undertake
The LG Commission already provide a significant amount of
representation reviews and, in particular, should the Local Government
guidance with respect to representation reviews. As part of our
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Commission play a more proactive role in leading or advising councils
Council’s 2022 representation review the LG Commission
about representation reviews?
provided a number of recommendations for Council to consider
at the next representation review.
The Commission needs the capability to advise councils on the
variety of options possible for Māori/ Mana Whenua seats/
representation
If changes like moving to STV voting or having Māori seats are
seen as compelling in terms of promoting democratic
participation and accountability then these should be legislated
for rather than changed through representation reviews. Need to
be careful that Commission advice isn’t seen as a way to
encourage councils to make the “right” choices about their
representation arrangements.
Q. To support a differentiated liberal citizenship, what are the essential
Allow all councils to coat-tail on the Canterbury Regional Council
key steps, parameters, and considerations that would enable both Tiriti
(Ngāi Tahu Representation) Act 2022 to introduce appointed
and capability-based appointments to be made to supplement elected
mana whenua seats. It is not efficient for each individual council
members?
wanting to establish appointed mana whenua seats to seek
bespoke legislation.
Councils use expert advice in their deliberations all the time. It is
hard to see that capability-based appointments would
necessarily improve decision-making.
Chapter 8 (pg187-204) EQUITABLE FUNDING AND FINANCE
21. That central government expands its regulatory impact statement
Agree – this should always have been happening
assessments to include the impacts on local government; and that it
The example whereby the Director General of Health can require
undertakes an assessment of regulation currently in force that is
councils to fluoridate water supplies at the councils’ cost with the
likely to have significant future funding impacts for local
key beneficiary being the Ministry of Health (and some individual
government and makes funding provision to reflect the national
residents) highlights the issue of unfunded mandates clearly.
public-good benefits that accrue from those regulations.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
22. That central and local government agree on arrangements and
Agree that if partnership/ collaborative work is to be increasingly
mechanisms for them to co-invest to meet community wellbeing
used then mechanisms will need to evolve to better enable this.
priorities, and that central government makes funding provisions
Councils and central government currently have different
accordingly.
timelines for budget preparation and this makes so-funding
difficult. Councils have had issues with budgeting for transport
programmes when Waka Kotahi funding isn’t confirmed in time
for LTP adoption.
23. That central government develops an intergenerational fund for
Agree
climate change, with the application of the fund requiring
Could be similar to EQC funding
appropriate regional and local decision-making input.
Likely to be a run on the funding at some point. How would this
be funding be allocated if there wasn’t sufficient funding to
address all claims that arise in a short period of time – say a major
ice melt causing significant and rapid sea level rise?
Note that this type of funding is unlikely to be appropriate for LG.
24. That central government reviews relevant legislation to:
Agree with this recommendation
a. enable councils to introduce new funding mechanisms
Suggest changing relevant legislation to enable councils to set
b. retain rating as the principal mechanism for funding local
new rates such as road tolls, bed tax, congestion tax
government, while redesigning long-term planning and
Suggest changing section 8 of the LG (Rating) Act to make
rating provisions to allow a more simplified and
councils responsible for deciding which land, if any is non-
streamlined process.
rateable. Obviously this would also require the removal of
Schedule 1 of the Act.
Rates are a relatively simple and streamlined funding mechanism.
25. That central government agencies pay local government rates and
Agree. There is no rationale for the Crown and its agencies not to
charges on all properties.
pay rates.
Also all charges e.g. development contributions
Q: What is the most appropriate basis and process for allocating central
This is a complex issue that needs to be worked through and
government funding to meet community priorities?
needs to remain flexible enough to respond to changing
circumstances and priorities.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Needs to recognise population and specific need based on
deprivation, growth, and other specific needs. Will never be
perfect so wil need periodic review.
Chapter 9 (pg. 206-220) - SYSTEM DESIGN
26. That central and local government explore and agree to a new Tiriti-
Agree that central and local government should invest in a
consistent structural and system design that will give effect to the
programme to develop a consistent framework to enable Tiriti-
design principles.
consistent structural and system design with advice from iwi/
hapū.
To the extent possible the framework needs to empower councils
and their communities to make decisions regarding structural
and system design rather than having central government or a
prescriptive framework override local decision-making.
27. That local government, supported by central government, invests in
Agree that there needs to be impetus given to increasing the
a programme that identifies and implements the opportunities for
investment in seeking opportunities for efficiencies and service
greater shared services collaboration.
improvements via shared services collaboration.
Development of shared services needs to explore opportunities
for nationally consistent approaches that further provide
economies of scale beyond that possible by regional approaches
only.
It could be that a national review framework is developed that
requires all councils to participate in assessing shared service
opportunities. There has been far too little investment made to
date in regions and it seems clear that an element of compulsion
is required.
Could be undertaken by or commissioned by LGNZ and LG
contribution funded as a surcharge on LGNZ membership
Central Government should contribute at least 50% of cost
Recommendations and Questions
Response
28. That local government establishes a Local Government Digital
Agree that a digital partnership is likely to produce efficiencies.
Partnership to develop a digital transformation roadmap for local
However, it could also stifle innovation and investment in new
government.
technologies if change needs to occur at a national level. Any
Digital Partnership would need to include investment in
innovation and trialling of new software and hardware options
among member councils.
Q. What other design principles, if any, need to be considered?
Communities of interest. It is challenging forcing some communities to
work together as part of a redesigned local government system. Some
towns and districts still haven’t resolved issues arising from the 1989 local
government reorganisation. Where possible any reorganisation needs to
be coalitions of the willing though there may need to be some coercion
required.
Q. What feedback have you got on the structural examples presented in
Example 2 – local and regional councils (status quo with tweaks) – seems
the report?
unlikely to enable the economies of scope and scale likely to be
necessary for efficient local government service delivery with three
waters, resource management and possibly building regulation shifted
out of local authorities.
Example 1 – essentially an Auckland Council model – and Example 3 -
Local councils and a combined council with shared representation –
appear better models to deliver economies of scope and scale.
What is a region? There also needs to be thought given to what a region
is. There seems no logical reason why it can only be regions as we
currently have them. Again, councils need the ability to decide what a
region might be under a new structure. A nationally consistent
assessment and decision-making as referred to above and appropriate
community engagement should ensure decisions on structure are
appropriate to the communities concerned.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
What is a district or locality? There is also no logical reason why a
district or locality follows current district council boundaries. Again, the
assessment and decision-making framework needs to allow for this.
Rohe also need to be considered. Iwi/ hapū rohe or takiwā need to be
built in to the assessment and decision-making framework. These are
traditional and not generally open to reframing so there will need to be
space for compromise to resolve possible inconsistencies within the
assessment and decision-making framework.
Form and function. The old saying that form follows function may
require an iterative process in this situation. To some extent who does
what could be determined by the structure. Where will the capacity and
capability to get things done be concentrated?
Some thoughts on the examples provided
Example 1 – Unitary council for the region with local/ community
boards (Auckland Council model)
Would work for regions where communities are relatively
homogeneous and strongly identify as a region – e.g. Hawkes Bay,
Greater Wel ington, Northland, Southland, Manawatu
Could also work at a sub-regional level where a similar sense of
community exists and there is sufficient scale – e.g. Greater
Christchurch, Tauranga/ Western BoP, Hamilton/ Northern
Waikato
Potential y some outliers where there is less community of
interest or residual difficulties or scale insufficient– e.g. South
Waikato/ Taupo/ Waitomo, Central Otago, Nelson/ Marlborough/
Tasman, Dunedin, South Canterbury, Mid/ North Canterbury,
Rotorua/ Southern BoP, West Coast, Taranaki,
Could provide economies of scope and economies of scale
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Easier engagement for central government
Could have Tiriti-based appointments at both local and regional
level though regional appointments in particular may be
challenging for iwi to work through in some areas
If councils are to move into new areas of service delivery and to
partner with central government, iwi and community
organisations then this model may provide the organisational
capacity and capability to do that successfully
Example 2 – local and regional councils (status quo with tweaks)
May be favoured by councils not keen on change
Would require significant shared service delivery to achieve
economies of scope and economies of scale – councils have
struggled to embrace this approach under current models
Community boards tend not to have much decision-making
ability/ power
Would require regional engagement with central government and
significant collaboration – again, councils have struggled to
embrace this approach under current models
If councils are to move into new areas of service delivery and to
partner with central government, iwi and community
organisations then it’s hard to see this model driving the change
required
Example 3 - Local councils and a combined council with shared
representation
Could be applied to regions as they currently stand perhaps with
some local council amalgamations
Less likely to have some of the community of interest issues
associated with Example 1 due to retention of local councils
largely as people already understand them
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Achieves some economies of scale and scope through some
regional service delivery
Could be a stepping stone between Example 2 and Example 1 if
there was value in ultimately moving to the Example 1 model
Danger the combined council would be too much like the current
regional councils and never fully adapt to its new functions
Could have Tiriti-based appointments at both local and regional
level though regional appointments in particular may be
challenging for iwi to work through in some areas
Can see it working well and being easily adapted to in Greater
Manchester, Auckland, Wel ington and others like Hawkes Bay.
Perhaps less so for some other regions.
Allows for mix and match approaches to service delivery between
local, regional and shared local levels.
Chapter 10 (pg. 227-233) SYSTEM STEWARDSHIP AND SUPPORT
29. That central and local government considers the best model of
stewardship and which entities are best placed to play system
stewardship roles in a revised system of local government.
Q. How can system stewardship be reimagined so that it is led across
Bring central government responsibility for local government out
local government, hapū/iwi, and central government?
of DIA and have a standalone entity responsible that has reach
right across central government
Resource the LGC so it can provide more advisory and training
services to promote good local government
LGNZ and Taituara need to be sufficiently resourced to provide
the advice and support local government (and central
government) will require through any change process. Much of
the change will require levels of consensus among councils on
thorny issues associated with the future of local government.
Recommendations and Questions
Response
Some brave decisions will need to be made that will require our
peak organisations to help councils to navigate. The alternative is
to simply wait for central government to dictate what change will
look like.
LGNZ and Taituara will inevitably be required to negotiate with
and work with central government on change. They need to have
the resources and the wil to do this in ways that are supported by
councils who are fully aware of the options, trade-offs and
processes involved.
Given the level of dissatisfaction among councils with LGNZ’s
advocacy on Three Waters Reform they will need to show councils
they are up to playing a pivotal role in the future of local
government.
Q. How do we embed Te Tiriti in local government system stewardship?
Clarify roles and responsibilities via legislative change.
Resource councils and iwi/ hapū to work together to identify
appropriate pathways to embedding Te Tiriti at all levels of local
government.
Resource Te Maruata so it can provide advice and support to
councils and Māori elected members regarding Te Tiriti-based
partnership as part of a broad programme to embed te Tiriti.
Q. How should the roles and responsibilities of ‘stewardship’
All need to be significantly better resourced they currently are to
organisations (including the Secretary of Local Government (Department
provide the breadth of analysis and advice needed to make a
of Internal Affairs), the Local Government Commission, LGNZ, and
fundamental difference.
Taituarā) evolve and change?
Chapter 11 (pg. 236) THE PATHWAY FORWARD
What is missing from the report?
• Measuring wellbeing outcomes
• Cost implications of reforms
Next steps
Recommendations and Questions
Response
