Local Board Survey: Orakei

The New Zealand Herald has surveyed the 21 local boards to see how they are getting on after six months of the Super City.

The Herald asked the chairs of the local boards six questions and to score the first four questions out of 10. Not all boards gave a score.

Here are the responses from Desley Simpson, chairwoman of the Orakei board.

1. After six months, how well is the local board model working for your community?

Score: 9/10

The feedback has been encouraging. We meet regularly with business and residents' associations, hold public consultation meetings and open public forums at Board meetings. We have met with dozens of stakeholders on specific issues, and have participated in a wide range of local events.

It certainly helps having an experienced board that both understands the new framework, and has broad community networks. But here is what our community say....

* "As was the case with the previous Community Board, we have built a very strong relationship with the new Orakei Board. We have had the Chair and a local representative from the Board attend our monthly meetings since last November and have attended their monthly meetings. We have been updated and consulted on Ward issues and communicated outside these meetings on any issues affecting our community. We are being well informed, have been listened to and our issues are being followed up/addressed promptly by these elected representatives." Keith Savory Chair, St Heliers/Glendowie Residents Assn Inc

* "The Remuera Business Association is delighted with the way our relationship with the new Orakei Local Board is developing We thoroughly enjoy working with our representatives and consider Remuera fortunate to be part of the Orakei Local Board." Scott Dargaville Chair Remuera Business Association

2. How are things going between your local board and the Auckland Council governing body)?

Score: 4/10

Local Boards are of course part of the Auckland Council acting in co-governance. If your question is how is this co-governance working from our perspective? We'd say so far, there is a LOT of room for improvement. This co governance is a new and a unique model and is taking time to evolve and to understand, particularly by the members of the governing body. Only at the recent Annual plan hearings for the Orakei Ward did we first see this co-governance in operation. Our Board is committed to ensuring we address the GB and its committees on issues relative to our ward, but we do so because we have identified the opportunity not because it's offered from an officer perspective, some officers who have been part of the old structure seem to be struggling with understanding how the change should work. Some just revert to old ways when this struggle proves too difficult. Those we work regularly with are good.

3. How are things going between your local board and the CCOs?

Score: 5/10

With the unelected CCO boards it is early days. Performance is varied. We have worked on the CCOs' draft Statements of Intent and sent our submissions to the governing body with some initial success. Auckland Transport seem to be liaising well. Some of the CCO officers are very good but there have been a number of staff resignations in Transport. It has been a struggle to get regular information from some CCO's. Will reserve judgement until the Annual Plan is finalised.

4. Do you think local boards are living up to the promise of empowering communities?

Score: 5/10

Do we think the intent of the legislation is being fulfilled by the governing body in empowering communities through local boards? The answer to this is "no, not yet". This could take one to two terms to become actual reality. While there are interminable briefings on a range of topics, the recent paper on statutory delegations is a good example of the opportunity that remains. A committee of the governing body has already drawn up policy on RMA matters, which will further empower officers to appoint independent commissioners to deal with local RMA matters; the same paper seems to want to restrict local boards. In spite of a so-called co-governance model, it is still a hierarchical arrangement; the governing body has the finance and the power to give/withhold delegations. The GB response to annual plans and the local board agreement will be the real test however in this first year. We are working hard to make sure our communities views are heard though.

5. What improvements would you like to see made to the local board model? (No score required)

* Greater and clearer delegation of powers and financial resources in keeping with the overarching principle - local matters are dealt with locally by local boards.

* Greater participation with the members/committees of the governing body much earlier when developing policy which will impact on local board areas. Too frequently we receive a briefing paper to comment on when the key direction has been established. The Governing Body have a great deal of internal workshops which if they impact on local communities issues need to involve Local Board representation.

* Currently there are too many officers still trying to add up and/or analyse data from the eight legacy councils. We are now 6 months old and should be more action focussed.

6. Please feel free to comment on any other issues about the local board model.

The concept of a Super City is a grand idea but could take many years to achieve the efficiencies and benefits planned because the Transition Agency did not achieve more. Unfortunately, the major benefits probably relate to having fewer staff, which could be achieved through a greater use of technology and a reduction in the number of levels of management so that people closer to the action can make and implement decisions.

The OLB is committed to making the best of what we have and working hard to get the best outcome for our communities. We want to ensure the local stays firmly in local government and are constantly inputting ideas to assist with that.