ARC says the region has outgrown its local governance structure
Wednesday 25 June 2008
The Chairman of the Auckland Regional Council says the Auckland region has outgrown its current structure of local
government.
Speaking today to Royal Commissioners hearing submissions on the future of Auckland governance, Michael Lee said the
Council’s proposal to abolish itself along with the region’s seven territorial councils is a radical cure to solve the
persistent Auckland ‘disease’ of fractiousness, disunity and cost duplication.
“Local government in Auckland has become somewhat alienated from the general public. There is an unacceptable level of
public dissatisfaction and frustration and that is after all why we have a Royal Commission of Inquiry.
“Auckland has outgrown numerically, economically and socially the present three-tier, eight council governance model.
It’s time for something much more efficient and cost effective and this is what the ARC is proposing – a single unitary
authority comprising two levels,” he said. “We are part of the problem and have to get out of the road.”
“Our proposal to establish a new Greater Auckland Authority supported by up to 30 effective Community Councils is
designed to address the paradox of how best to achieve regional unity and cohesion while promoting local democracy and
putting the local back into local government,” said Mr Lee.
ENDS