Terry Kingston: Inter-council co-operation a better option

Terry Kingston

The vote on amalgamation is fast approaching and it is vital that each and everyone vote on this issue. I also urge you to vote no to amalgamation, as I firmly believe it is the only sensible choice given the Local Government Commission proposal to amalgamate all councils in Hawke's Bay.

Why no? Local government is about local decision making, not having someone in Napier or Hastings deciding what is best for CHB.

What is the answer without amalgamating? It is committed inter-council co-operation, which includes shared services. Inter-council co-operation that helps retain local needs and identity. Inter-council co-operation without empire building. Keep the local in local government.

Inter-council co-operation that works together, that drives together (while retaining local community representation) purpose, influence and growth in achieving local needs. Such co-operation will achieve social, economic development and growth.

The Hawke's Bay Regional Transport Committee (HBRTC) is a good example of councils working together. This committee comprises elected members of all councils as well as police, NZ Transport Agency and iwiand works for the interests of all of our region.

The HBRTC is a classic example of what can and does work for all in the Bay. Council members and staff ensure community needs are realised, community views are taken on board, public consultation and submissions heard, in draft and final documents such as HB Regional Transport Plan, public transport, plans and strategies and numerous other policies, plans and strategies.

Amalgamation will lead to loss of identity and community awareness. The bigger amalgamated council will, in my opinion, lose focus on smaller community needs.

The ability of the amalgamated council to be as aware of the values and aspirations of rural communities would be lessened. The ability of these communities to influence decision making would be limited by the dramatic loss of representation. In Central Hawke's Bay this will mean only having two representatives on the proposed new 18-member council.

The 14 members on this new council representing Napier and Hastings will do what is best for Napier and Hastings: Central Hawke's Bay and Wairoa will get forgotten. The loss of local elected representatives, who diligently work for the wellbeing, good, development, safety and servicing of our community will be disastrous for CHB.

Should we compare the Auckland amalgamation to what is being proposed in Hawke's Bay? The pro-amalgamation club will say "No, you cannot compare Hawke's Bay to Auckland, our issues are different to theirs". I say "Yes, we have to". Anybody who knows about the Auckland amalgamation or has been involved with company mergers knows there are no long-term savings, that the cost of amalgamating/merging two or more councils or companies together costs way more that the bean counters estimate - and, over time, staff numbers or the use of consultants add up to more than the individual organisations costs.

A simple real-life example for us is the cost of amalgamating the five council computer systems: it is estimated at between $15 million and $20 million but look at some of the recent central government examples, where new IT systems have cost double or triple the original estimates.

The outcomes of the Auckland amalgamation have demonstrated so many downsides it can't be ignored: some decreased services, the cost of redundancy, losing local staff knowledge, the hiring of more consultants, the extra tiers in administration, a greater "one size fits all" bureaucracy, the creation of council-controlled organisations that add more costs. In its first year of Auckland's total debt rose by 43 per cent and continues to climb. All key decisions are made in the CBD by the main council.

No wonder the pro-amalgamation club doesn't want these Auckland facts raised. "Keep Auckland out of the debate," they say. They don't want these truths about Auckland to influence the voters in Hawke's Bay.

The numerous amalgamations in Australia are now proving not to be working for the smaller communities but are relevant to Central Hawke's Bay, as some of these Australian councils are in the process of reversing amalgamations.

-Terry Kingston is an elected member of the CHB District Council, the HBDHB Consumer Council and over many years has been an active worker for CHB and the province in numerous fields.