Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says Tauranga's commission will remain in place until July, when local elections are held.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says Tauranga's commission will remain in place until July, when local elections are held.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown says he has no plans to limit the powers of Tauranga’s Government-appointed commission, despite growing calls to demote it to a “caretaker” role ahead of the city’s unusual election in July.
The commission’s term was later extended until July 2024 to provide stability and deliver complex projects - preventing the city’s participation in the 2022 local body elections.
Last week, the Mount Maunganui Ratepayers, Residents and Retailers Association, the Pāpāmoa Ratepayers and Residents Association, the Grace Rd and Neighbourhood Residents Association, the Sustainable Bay of Plenty and Lobby for Good issued a joint statement urging Brown to direct the city’s commission to act in a “caretaker” role until July.
Lobby for Good director of public affairs Erika Harvey, who last year stood as the New Zealand First candidate for Tauranga, said she believed it was critical for a newly elected council to contribute to the city’s Long-Term Plan 2024-34, especially given changes post-public consultation.
Initially, the capital expenditure estimate included in the draft Long-Term Plan was $2.2 billion. However, this rose to $4.75b when the projected costs associated with changes to the Government’s Three Waters reforms were included after consultation. The council has said it abided by the law and its approach, including consultation, was approved by Audit New Zealand.
The Long-Term Plan is still being finalised and is due to be adopted this month.
Harvey said without intervention from the minister, there was a risk the council might commit to long-term contracts.
In her view: “Such actions could significantly constrain the future council’s capacity to fund vital infrastructure projects. This scenario poses a substantial financial risk.”
Glen Crowther, from Sustainable Bay of Plenty, said in his opinion the commission had decided to effectively use operating revenue - rates - to directly fund essential Three Waters capital infrastructure so it could “lock in... expensive non-essential projects”.
Crowther was concerned big financial decisions were being made without enough community support or input and without “the final say-so of an elected council”.
Tauranga City commissioners (from left) Shadrach Rolleston, Bill Wasley, Stephen Selwood and Anne Tolley.
He called on the Government to signal it was listening by Brown instructing the commission to take on a caretaker role and ensure the new councillors could review and approve the Long-Term Plan.
Crowther said this was “crucial” for effective financial management and to “rebuild trust” between the city’s citizens and leaders.
“This isn’t just about following rules; it’s about making sure our city’s governance is transparent, inclusive and truly representative of those who live here.”
Sustainable Bay of Plenty's Glen Crowther. Photo / John Borren
Brown told the Bay of Plenty Times he would not amend the commission’s role.
“Democracy will be restored to Tauranga with elections in July this year. At that point, the people will elect a council and the commission will end,” Brown said.
“I do not have any intention of changing the commission’s powers before the end of its term.”
Nominations for Tauranga’s election open on April 26. The election will be held on July 20.
The council and Tolley were approached for comment.
‘No community mandate’
In January, Brownless, who was mayor from 2016 to 2019, said he believed the commission could entrench decisions and contracts “for which they have no community mandate and which will unfairly bind a new council”.
Tolley said in response at the time that the commission’s terms of reference specifically tasked it with making good decisions on behalf of the community and with the development and adoption of the council’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan.
“In essence, we’ve been asked to redress the failings of past councils, with a focus on addressing a longstanding under-investment in infrastructure and community facilities,” Tolley said.
“That’s exactly what we are doing, and all of the key decisions we have and will make have involved full community consultation via LTP [Long-Term Plan] and LTP amendment processes.”
Kiri Gillespie is an assistant news director and a senior journalist for the Bay of Plenty Times and Rotorua Daily Post, specialising in local politics and city issues. She was a finalist for the Voyager Media Awards Regional Journalist of the Year in 2021.
