If there's something strange in your neighbourhood - Who ya gonna call?

Local government was established to enable local communities to develop along the lines they considered best for their residents. It is hard to see how the proposed Auckland Council arrangement allows adequate local input into the real issues that affect suburbs and neighbourhoods. Who will someone go to with their noise problems, rubbish, pothole, dog control or other local issue when the new Council is boxed into solely a policy setting role? Especially, when the normal council functions have been delegated into business units with call centres in far away places. With an emasculated new Auckland super council, no wonder the local boards have not been given statutory powers, there are few for the new council to wield let alone delegate to local boards.

Most Aucklanders are rightly concerned about the Government’s plans to relax the current restrictions on the privatisation of Auckland’s water supply. But, how many realise that the government plans to parcel almost all the functions of the new city into commercialised ‘Council Controlled Organisations’ (CCOs). Up to eight of these business units seem to be planned to cover areas such as transport, rubbish (solid waste) water, stadiums, swimming pools, land development, community facilities and economic development.

The Bill already outlines the creation of three of these entities: Auckland Waterfront Development Agency, Auckland Transport, and an Auckland Water Organisation (Cabinet has already approved an Economic Development, Tourism and Events Agency, a Property Holdings and Development Agency, a Major Regional Facilities Agency, and a Council Investments Agency).

Many previous submissions to the new structure argued that community facilities should be grouped with the Council’s parks and recreation facilities. This proposal was rejected by ATA and there are fears that our community houses, leisure centres, swimming pools, libraries and such facilities are to be incorporated into another commercial entity. If the boards of these new entities are modelled along the lines of the Auckland Transport then they will comprise mainly unelected directors (one is appointed by the government) with little accountability back to our communities.

The Auckland Transport Agency is to be established under the new legislation and although the strategic direction is to be generally set by the Auckland Council its core functions are to be determined by this Government. These central government decisions include normal local government basics such as delivering local roading and public transport. Each agency will have a CEO, CFO, CIO, COO and a multitude of other acronyms. So much for cost saving! And, the new Auckland Council will be prohibited from undertaking any normal “transport-related power or function conferred on a local authority” (section 43).

As Aucklanders grapple with the pressing holiday concerns, decision-making closer to home is being snatched out from under their noses. Public submissions on Rodney Hide’s ‘Third Bill for Auckland’ are due a bare few weeks after many holiday makers return to work. This Bill is devoid of entrenching the powers of the local boards. But it does provide power for the unelected and unaccountable Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) to establish council-controlled companies and appoint unelected commercial directors to oversee many normal council activities.

Local people know what works best and what the priorities are in their neighbourhoods. Many community decisions are based on complex factors and are not just commercial decisions. These local decisions must be made locally. But, local democratic decision-making is under threat in the Auckland region. It is important for local communities to submit on this new Bill to ensure that the proposed structure works for all Auckland’s people; the alternative is unthinkable.