Issue 65 - Monday, 6 April 2009

In this update:
Drugs summit | Super-city recommendations

Drugs summit_
On Friday we held the second drugs summit in Manukau. In particular we've asked the young people of the city to participate and contribute to how we as a community respond to this important issue.

We want to put in place an action plan to rid our community of this drugs business and to help those suffering from addiction to confront it and find a pathway to a new, clean life.

This issue is a huge challenge for the young people of Manukau as it is for young people in many parts of the country.

As mayor of our city, I've made a commitment as have the police to get rid of drugs out of Manukau and to shut down the P-labs and drug houses.

This will require commitment and determination by all of us, and maturity beyond the years of the young leaders working within the schools and community to rid us of this problem – and, in particularly the most insidious drug of them all – Methamphetamine or "P".

We had leaders from the community and schools at today's summit and the young people have given us strong direction and advice through their experiences.

Super-city recommendations_
We are all taking stock following the release of the Royal Commission's report delivered to region's leadership at the end of March.

As a council we've had an opportunity to consider the report and provide feedback to the Prime Minister and his Cabinet for their reflection at a Cabinet meeting on Monday. We're also working diligently across the region as councils to find points of commonality, particular in the issues of representation and local council make-up.

What is yet to be worked through is how this proposed structure will relate to our communities. Our community boards particularly in Manukau play a vital role in connecting our community to the council and vice versa. More importantly, they have played a strong role in delivering on the issue of ownership within communities.

In our response, the boards are critical to the process of cohesion and community building. I think it's very evident from the model that has been presented so far that we're not there in terms of delivering the 'local' in local government.

There's still work to do and there's no lack of enthusiasm in our city and the region to deliver on that aspiration.

Have a good week.

Len Brown
Mayor of Manukau

ENDS

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