Community boards join protest

Labour MP Phil Twyford addresses yesterday's protest outside the Quality Hotel Barrycourt, Parnell. Photo / Natalie Slade

Community boards across Auckland are joining a growing chorus for the Government to ditch a "corporate" model for the Super City and provide a greater voice for democracy.

Many boards are cynical about the roles and functions of local boards in the Super City being delegated from on high and opposed to transport matters as trivial as mending a pothole being handled by an unelected business unit.

Western Bays community board member Kate Stanton said the Government had been told again and again that its Super City plans were full of holes, not properly thought through, anti-democratic and unlikely to achieve the stated aims.

These were One Auckland, strong regional governance, integrated decision making, greater community involvement and improved value for money, she said.

Her message to the Auckland governance select committee which is considering the third and final piece of Super City legislation was similar to the voices of 19 of the region's 30 community boards that made submissions yesterday.

A strong message from Auckland mayors on Monday called on the Government to shelve or make big changes to the mega-business approach to oversee transport for the Super City.

Last week, lawyer Douglas Allan told MPs the third bill "creates a corporate city, rather than a democratic city".

Outside the hearings, about 150 protesters gathered at lunchtime waving placards reading, "This is our city. You are stealing our voice".

The protesters represented a wide variety of groups, including National-friendly voters from northern Rodney opposed to being included in the Super City.

The protest was organised by Labour's Auckland issues spokesman, Phil Twyford, who accused the Government of blocking it ears to cries for a different kind of Super City.

The Labour MP for Mangere, Su'a William Sio, a member of the select committee, said the process was a farce because all the decisions had already been made in secret.

The Auckland hearings wrap-up today. After hearings in Wellington on Friday, the select committee will table in Parliament on May 4 a report containing any recommended changes.

Yesterday, several boards urged the committee to enshrine at least some of the roles and functions of local boards in legislation.

Despite overwhelming submissions last year for meaningful powers to be set out in the second Super City bill, the Government opted for the principle that "decisions are best made at the local level unless there is good reason not to".

Pakuranga community board chairman Ross Warren said a discussion paper on the likely powers of local boards used the words "input" 37 times, "advocacy" 15 times, but "decision" appeared only as a heading.

Eastern Bays community board chairman Colin Davis said given the experience of community boards, what was proposed for local boards could easily be removed, changed and rewritten by the Super Auckland Council.

"We do not see this pattern changing unless there are some legislative safeguards," he said.

Mr Davis said nothing in the bill set out how CCOs would work with local boards.

CCOs did not have to delegate any functions, listen to communities, hold public meetings or front up to dispute resolution when things went wrong.

Western Bay community board chairman Bruce Kilminster said: "CCOs are not accountable to the community in any way."

What they say:

* "Enshrine in legislation that local boards have the power to make all significant local decisions" - Christine O'Brien, Tamaki community board deputy chairwoman

* "On Waiheke Island we are the council as far as the local community is concerned" - Tony Sears, Waiheke community board chairman

* "Council-controlled organisations are not accountable to the community in any way" - Bruce Kilminster, Western Bays community board chairman

* If we keep things local, I think we are going to be successful" - Jim Donald, Howick community board chairman

* "A lot of phone calls community board members get come under roading, such as missing manhole covers, broken footpaths, bus stops and pedestrian crossings" - Colin Davis, eastern bays community board chairman

* "Enshrined powers for local boards will give us true responsibility for a place-shaping role" - Dyann Calverley, Botany community board chairwoman

* "The new Howick-Pakuranga-Botany local board will have a population similar to Dunedin City which has six community boards" - Ross Warren, Pakuranga community board chairman