Proposed political party with Northland links fails to get enough members

Bruce Rogan was thinking of standing as a candidate for BETTA Council Party but it failed to muster enough numbers to be registered as a political party. Photo / John Stone

A group has failed to muster enough numbers to create a political party and convince a prominent local government critic in Northland to contest a seat.

Spearheaded by self-employed registered architect Stephen Pattinson of Upper Hutt, BETTA Council Party's focus was meant to be on local government issues at the upcoming general election.

Pattinson asked Bruce Rogan, chairman of the Mangawhai Ratepayers and Residents Association and his members, for help in setting up the new party which did not get 500 paid-up members to be registered as a political party by deadline for filing.

Rogan was mulling over the possibility of standing in the Northland constituency, saying the formation of a local government-focused political party may be the best chance ever to rein in the conduct of local councils.

Rogan said he was happy to lend his support to the new political party because he has been convinced for a long time that the fundamental problem with local government was the attitude of central government towards it.

One of the aims of the new party was to thoroughly review the current local and regional authority model and performance.

It also called for the setting up of a new government-funded independent body that will hold councils to account, similar to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption.