Kaipara District Council has not joined the regionally generated programme to make the Government’s Simplifying Local Government plans happen.
Kaipara District Council has not joined the regionally generated programme to make the Government’s Simplifying Local Government plans happen.
Local Government Minister Simon Watts has directed officials to work with Kaipara District Council as it considers joining a regional local government reform programme.
The programme is intended to support the Government’s Simplifying Local Government agenda, which seeks to streamline council structures, functions and governance.
The council has not yetdecided whether to sign up, citing concerns about weakening ratepayer representation and its performance in areas like roading, rates and building consents.
Watts confirmed he had asked his officials to work with the council on its intentions for simplifying local government.
“I have met with Northland’s local government leaders, including Kaipara District Council, on more than one occasion this year and I have emphasised the desirability of regions working together on this reform,” he said.
The Government has signalled it would step in where regions fail to produce their own plan outlining how their councils will work together as part of major reforms.
Kaipara Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth said the council had not yet decided whether to join the plan and gave no timeframe for a decision.
Kaipara Deputy Mayor Gordon Lambeth. Photo / Susan Botting
He said the council was concerned Simplifying Local Government could reduce ratepayer representation, and that its positive position on roading, rates and the processing of building consents would be lost in a single Northland alternative after regional restructuring.
According to Northland’s three-year transition timeline, the region’s new local government governance structure would be in place for the October 2028 local election.
Councils expect the transition to cost ratepayers more than $1 million to set up.
They have jointly earmarked $1.25m of ratepayer money to progress the programme between now and June next year.
Lambeth said Kaipara District Council could not justify the costs to its ratepayers.
The Simplifying Local Government changes would be Northland’s biggest local government shift since 1989, when 14 councils merged into four.
At a recent business meeting, Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper signalled the likelihood of one or two unitary authorities for Northland as a result of the Government’s plans.
Northland's local government reform steering group chairman, Whangārei Mayor Ken Couper.
A new Northland inter-council, local government reform steering group is holding its first meeting behind closed doors today.
Couper, the steering group chairman, said how KDC approached restructuring was a matter for the council to work through directly with the Government.
KDC had been invited to attend today’s meeting as an observer, a position welcomed by Watts.
The 13-member steering group includes Couper, Far North Mayor Moko Tepania, NRC chairman Pita Tipene and councillors Crichton Christie (WDC), Jack Craw (NRC), Geoff Crawford (NRC), Brad Flower (WDC), Felicity Foy (FNDC) and Kelly Stratford (FNDC).
A Department of Internal Affairs representative will also join the group.
A four-member external advisory group has been set up as part of the councils’ transition plan.
Watts said no decisions had been made on next steps, with the Government still considering feedback from Northland’s SLG consultation process.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
