Rodney says ARC interfering and should go

Rodney District Council is calling for the abolition of the Auckland Regional Council, which it says is hampering its growth by interfering in land use matters.

Mayor Penny Webster says the council wants to tell the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland that the ARC smothers its every attempt to make progress with ideologically driven restrictions on land use.

"For example, we desperately need business land but as we decide to change zoning we come up against the ARC opposing what we try to do. Ratepayers' money is paid to lawyers to argue in court for and against some of the decisions we try to make for our District Plan because of the ARC.

"A lot of people realise the ARC has grown from environmental protection to getting involved in a myriad other things. It's the only one in the country that does.

"Northland Regional Council stays right out of land use."

Mayor Webster said she was concerned that blocking the creation of new business and commercial sites was reducing the number of local employment opportunities.

"In a sustainable future, who wants to see the community clocking up work miles and high costs to their personal budgets for unnecessary travel?" she said.

The council also wants its series of community meetings next week to consider removing responsibility for roads and water from local councils in favour of a commercially run utility company for at least the Auckland region.

ARC chairman Mike Lee said: "Her council is a party to a regional growth strategy and really the ARC is doing only what people would expect it to do."