Community will lose out under Super City: mayor

Manukau City Mayor Len Brown. Photo / Richard Robinson

Manukau City Council says local communities will lose their voices under the Auckland Super City scheme.

In its submission on the Local Government (Auckland Law Reform) Bill, the council said local community interests should be reflected in the new governance structure and Mayor Len Brown said it was vital for local boards to have meaningful powers, funding and support.

"We are not confident, as the legislation is currently framed, that local boards will be adequately empowered to respond to their communities," said Mr Brown.

He said the legislation should allocate powers and functions of local boards and for Auckland Council to work with the boards.

He said uniquely Manukau programmes, such as the City of Manukau Education Trust and the John Walker Find Your Field of Dreams, needed the space to continue their successful work.

The council was also concerned that the bill provided for council-controlled organisations (CCOs) to be established or disestablished outside the normal democratic processes.

"The establishment of CCOs should be left to the Auckland Council, to allow for public consultation and input."

Mr Brown said the council needed to know in the final form of the legislation that the council, local boards, advisory boards and CCOs would be closely linked and be working towards the same goals.