Scrap the CCOs

The need for an external review of the Health and Safety issues relating to the Port of Auckland is disturbing. It appears there are systemic difficulties in governance and management.

The Auckland Council CCO structures were put in place by Mark Ford’s team in 2010 and there are several instances of deficiency, e.g. the Watercare board blaming the CEO for the water shortage.

The port board includes individuals with impressive resumes which should have allowed objective decisions on shortcomings. This is within the scope of their appointment.

It is time to review the board structures at the CCOs. I believe the Government should take a hard look at the Supervisory Board structure that is in place in German organisations, where senior managers can be appointed to a board who effectively run the organisation and report to the ultimate owners. In the Auckland situation, this would be Auckland Council, thus eliminating the present boards that have proved to be largely ineffective and a costly bureaucracy.

After 10 years there is not enough evidence to justify the continuation of this failed governance experiment.

Peter Burn, Gulf Harbour.