Review of councils has mayors guarded

The role of city, district and regional councils is up for review in the wake of the Government’s three waters reforms which are likely to see some core functions stripped away.

Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta has announced an independent review of what local government will do in the future, how it will do it, and how it will pay for it.

‘‘They are now facing a wave of reforms that will significantly affect their traditional roles and functions.’’

She said it was time to consider what local democracy should look like for the next 30 years.

Manawatu¯ mayor Helen Worboys and Rangitı¯kei mayor Andy Watson said they agreed on the need for review, but were dubious about the timing as the Government had already made so many decisions that affected them.

Possibly the most critical change was the proposal to take responsibility for water, wastewater and stormwater management and infrastructure away from councils and put it in the hands of publicly-owned regional entities.

Along with reforms to resource management, the scope of local councils’ roles was already changing.

Worboys said the Government had established a track record of changing legislation, telling councils to take on more roles, and not providing the resources to carry them out.

‘‘The reality is that what has been happening with central government and local government is not working.’’

Changes to legislation about earthquake-prone buildings was a classic example, she said.

‘‘Let’s talk before decisions are made.’’

Mahuta has given the review panel two years to talk to councils, draft recommendations, hold public consultation and come back with its final report.

At the same time, councils have to decide by the end of the year whether to opt out of the three waters reforms.

‘‘We need a conversation with our communities about that,’’ said Worboys.

‘‘For those of us who have invested in our infrastructure, do we get penalised and end up subsidising others?’’ she said.

Watson also felt the review was out of step with the speed of the three waters reforms.

‘‘The question about what is the role of local government is as important as ever.

‘‘It is based on the presumption the three waters do not continue to be delivered by councils, but I’m yet to be convinced that people have enough information to make the biggest decision in local government ever.’’

Tararua mayor Tracey Collis said the review offered opportunities for councils to consider how best they could meet the needs of their communities and help them to thrive.

’’This is more about people and how we can focus on improving lives.

‘‘It’s a chance to look at what are the possibilities.’’

Massey University local government commentator Andy Asquith said the review was ‘‘about time’’.

He said for too long councils had been focused on traditional roles of roads, rats and rubbish, when there was so much more they could do.

Asquith said he had heard some council representatives questioning what they would have left after the three waters were taken away, ‘‘which is nonsense’’.

He said since 2002 councils had

‘‘. . . what has been happening with central government and local government is not working.’’

Helen Worboys Manawatu¯ mayor

had power to do almost anything, but not the funding to match.

Asquith hoped the review would put some focus on the need to have high-calibre people elected to councils, to have them well-trained in their roles, and able to reclaim powers that had tipped too far into the hands of chief executives.

He said councils would be able to do much more than look after libraries and parks, and he was particularly impressed the Palmerston North City Council was continuing to build social housing.

‘‘A concern I do have ... is how committed the Government will be to implementing the recommendations.’’

Palmerston North mayor Grant Smith said the day before the review was announced there was a mix of views in local government about the need for change.

‘‘It is not a united sector. Some just don’t want change, some only to a certain extent, and some want to rewrite the (Local Government) Act,’’ he said.