Most importantly, Auckland faces massive demands from high growth and lack of government support. If Mayor Goff can persuade the new government to help, then the Super City must be judged a success.
Franklin - Angela Fulljames
Local democracy has got a lot better.
The former Franklin area has benefited from the Super City enabling substantial infrastructure to be invested, including the $116 million upgrade of water services and around $500m in new sewage plants.
The ex Manukau areas have benefited less so in the short term but are able to access better public transport, manage their own halls and access larger community grants for local projects.
Being one council provides a stronger case to attract major events such as the Supercars in Pukekohe, to develop a working relationship with government for infrastructure support such as accelerating the motorway three-lane build, rail electrification to Pukekohe and the build of Mill Rd. A single Unitary Plan and consistent bylaws also makes it easier for all.
Great Barrier - Izzy Fordham
In my opinion local democracy under the Super City has improved a little.
The Super City has performed quite well for our community but we do struggle with this "one size fits all" mantra - when it doesn't.
Continued staff restructuring, decreased funding to departments and impacts on the level of service that we as local boards expect, as do our communities, have had an impact.
In a machine the size of the Super City relationships are important and continuing restructuring compromises those relationships.
Overall, I'm not totally convinced this structure is the right structure for Auckland. It's big and big is not always better.
Henderson-Massey - Shane Henderson
We feel that the Super City has produced economies of scale in many areas. For example, Auckland is now an events destination, and transport on a large scale has improved with this model. The local board model is largely working well.
However, continued success, for all Auckland, requires more work. Our local town centres and suburban communities like Henderson need investment and growth. The only way for Auckland to progress is to support this need. We applaud the work of Panuku Development Auckland in activating local centres, but resources are crucial for success.
Hibiscus and Bay - Julia Parfitt
"While it has the potential to deliver better local democracy this hasn't happened for a variety of reasons".
The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board has continued to deliver very significant projects for our area but this has relied heavily on our combined experience and our excellent relationships with local community groups, charitable trusts, plus staff in various council entities and our own proactive local board staff to make it happen.
What has made it difficult is the fractionated structure of Auckland Council with its labyrinth of organisations [some council-controlled but not managed] that we must consult and work with, if we are to deliver projects in a timely and cost effective way.
We have also found that our unique shared governance arrangement can be frustrating as our local budgets have been affected by the governing body decisions to drop service or delivery standards in our key areas like parks, environmental programmes and libraries with little or no consultation. These are areas that our residents love and value and often the supposed savings are negligible or non-existent.
Our people tell us they would like more say in where cuts should happen. In a recent consultative process our community clearly said their priorities were better transport and more focus on parks, libraries, local events and ensuring excellent local service standards but not on costly administration. While they supported the liveable wage they were concerned about the extremely high salaries many receive. We must listen to what our people say when we consult them.
For local boards to deliver better local democracy we must have more certainty and ensure local decisions are able to be made at a local level. To do this we require the relevant delegations and the resourcing and staffing to allow this to happen.
Kaipatiki - Danielle Grant
I am very supportive of the Super City model and believe that the opportunities for the North Shore's Kaipatiki area will continue to improve. We are receiving significant investment in both our waste and stormwater infrastructure. We are also looking to see an outstanding transformation in the Northcote town centre.
I am particularly concerned with the constant restructuring of staff and the impact this has on the delivery of projects. We are being told that we don't have enough funds for all our asset renewals, and again, this impacts on what our community dearly love in Kaipatiki, our pools, our bush tracks and our sports facilities.
Mangere-Otahuhu - Lydia Sosene
Māngere-Ōtāhuhu is one of the local board areas that has certainly benefited from amalgamation. In Ōtāhuhu, there is the Tōia Recreation precinct - with a great library and aquatic centre alongside the recreation centre, the new train and bus station and upcoming upgrade of the town centre.
In Māngere the Te Ara - Future Streets project is complete, bus shelters on Bader Drive have been upgraded and a new bus station added.
Another bonus is the working relationship mana whenua.
After seven years, Aucklanders are still grappling to understand what Auckland Council and Local Boards do. That's evident in the low voter turnout for local body elections in our area and across the city.
The council has also had to deal with a lot of internal change with multiple restructures in an effort to improve service levels and efficiencies. While well-intentioned, these have had a detrimental impact on local boards' and the governing body's ability to deliver on key outcomes and performance measures.
We remain committed to strong advocacy on matters important to our diverse local communities.
Manurewa - Angela Dalton
The continuous regional one-size-fits-all approach to policy and service levels simply does not serve well an economically and socially diverse city. As long as the Governing Body chooses to retain their choices of decision-making allocation and not devolve them to local boards as legislation allows, communities like Manurewa will continue to miss out on opportunities local boards could leverage on their behalf.
Cost savings resulting in frontline staff cuts are directly impacting services to communities leaving local boards isolated in delivering on their commitments. Meanwhile the salary budget continues to blow out as senior managers don't experience the same deficit.
We are being left behind while the city centre appears to be receiving silver service treatment. As predicted. Democracy has got much worse.
Orakei - Colin Davis
I don't believe under the "Super City", after seven years, there has been any real improvement for local communities; the promised benefits have not yet been fully delivered.
The size of the organisation is too large. Because of the size of the bureaucracy there is emphasis on uniformity and conformity; a one-size-fits-all approach.
There is a lack of understanding that communities and local board areas can be and are different. There is no noticeable improvement in service level. Responses are slow to my board's decisions and members' requests.
Promised economies of scale have not really happened and rates continue to rise without the commensurate level of investment or service, for the facilities provided in my board's area. Local boards are constantly being reminded to reduce costs and to restrict funding requests. Yet the Council's and CCOs' salaries budgets continue to increase.
After seven years there is still lack of knowledge and confusion in the local communities about the "new" local government structure. What has not helped is the lack of knowledge or acceptance by governing body members over the last seven years, of Auckland Council's legislated model of shared governance.
Puketapapa - Harry Doig
Local democracy has got a lot better.
Like many Aucklanders, I viewed the introduction of the Super City in 2010 with some scepticism. However, during the first term I observed the difference, through two members in particular, the local board was making in the Puketapapa area. Their work impressed on me the value of the new structure and encouraged me to stand for the board in 2013 and again in 2016.
Being the most culturally diverse board in the council brings particular consultation issues however the board is making considerable progress in engaging with different ethnic, as well as age and socioeconomic groups in our community.
I would like to cite one specific consultation example - the Walmsley/Underwood flood reduction and stream restoration project. The community has engaged enthusiastically and benefits accrue both ways: a high level of community understanding; local employment; improved design; and less vandalism.
Upper Harbour - Lisa Whyte
We had high service levels historically, and the levelling across the region is noticeable here.
Amalgamation resulted in more evidence-based decision-making for infrastructure prioritisation, and in coming years we have hundreds of millions of dollars' spend planned in the water, wastewater and transport space relating to our exponential growth.
Lack of democratic accountability of CCOs is a major issue for us.
Perhaps we are better asset managers, and over time will deliver better value for money for our fast-growing communities, but are they happy - the last survey suggests not. Perhaps our communities prefer the more personal touch but that may come at a higher cost which isn't what they want either.
We will continue to do the best we can with the resources we have. Local democracy has slipped a little.
Waitemata - Pippa Coom
The Super City has improved democracy for Waitemata's communities by empowering local decision-makers with budget to deliver projects and initiatives. Consultation happens far more directly with board members who live in the community. We've also been able to prioritise investment. The upgrade of Ellen Melville Hall as a community centre is a good example.
However, seven years in, the Super City is still a work in progress. For example, local boards should have far more control over renewal budgets. Local boards are often overlooked in the push for regional strategies. Local democracy is undermined due to the decision-making handed over to Council-Controlled Organisations.
Whau - Tracy Mulholland
As a first-time-elected member and chairperson of the Whau Local Board, I stood for the board to encapsulate the meaning and value of democracy for the Whau. Democracy and efficiency savings and lower rates are, after all, what our community has said it wanted from a Super City. That representation of elected members, officers, contractors and associated parties collectively form a significant organisation, meaning an opportunity to uniformly address what is best for all Aucklanders.
My experience at year one is positive. The Super City is working; there have been efficiency savings for Aucklanders. Inevitably there have been, and will be, some change issues. However, under good leadership this will continue to improve.
Waitakere Ranges - Greg Presland
I am afraid that out west local democracy has slipped a little. Before there was a strong and abiding sense of partnership between ecocity Waitakere City and the local community but now that relationship is not as strong.
The Westie network still exists but councillors have too many constituents to deal with properly and local boards do not have enough power to make really meaningful change.
The promised financial efficiencies have not materialised. Council has developed into a top-down organisation concentrated in the centre. And decision-making is still too complex, information too difficult to find and ratepayers' ability to influence decisions is too weak.