‘The One and the Many’

Auckland Regional Council Votes for Greater Auckland Authority

Mike Lee, Chairman, Auckland Regional Council 

Occasionally the elected members of the Auckland Regional Council have the opportunity to make decisions that are likely to have profound consequences for the future of the region. The adoption of the ARC submission to the Royal Commission into Auckland governance on 17 April was one of those occasions. The ARC, by an overwhelming majority, has recommended a simple, transparent, cohesive and democratic model as its best option to meet the challenges faced by the region over the next 50 to 100 years: A unitary authority, the Greater Auckland Authority supported by a number of Community Councils.

The Auckland region currently encompasses seven local authorities and one regional council together governing an area encompassing three large harbours, 1,600 kilometres of coastline, extensive and numerous beaches, a high energy west coast marine environment and more temperate east coast Hauraki Gulf, a globally significant volcanic landscape and an extensive network of regional parks, all of which are strong attractions for domestic and international visitors. 

The region is home to almost 1.4 million people. That’s 32% of the nation’s population living within 2% (500,000 hectares) of the nation’s total land mass. Current regional growth estimates expect the region’s population will reach two million before 2034.

The present three tier system of regional and local government in Auckland is expensive, cumbersome and sub-optimal in efficiency, is expensive and increasingly fails to deliver what the residents and ratepayers of the region want and need.  This in turn has led to a significant degree of public disaffection and dissatisfaction. 

Within each local authority there are great examples of good work and successful projects and it is very clear that each Council is doing the best it can with the resources that it has to deliver for its community.  However, when the sum total of that work is considered it becomes clear that those efforts have not delivered sufficient progress on transport issues.  Neither have they delivered quality urban design, or adequately protected the region’s heritage, or delivered simple and effective regulatory systems that people can understand.  It is equally clear that the current system of local government has delivered rapid and unaffordable rates increases as councils have struggled to make the very significant investments that are required to make progress.

ARC councillors have been actively involved in the process of preparing a submission to the Royal Commission since February of this year. We have worked closely with staff to explore a number of potential governance options, making our conclusions through a methodical process of elimination.
The ARC is recommending a single unitary authority, the Greater Auckland Authority, supported by some 30 effective Community Councils be established to deliver the functions and services currently administered by the region’s seven city and district councils and the regional council.

A single Greater Auckland Authority would provide a ‘one-stop-local-government-shop’ with one rating bill, one common building consent, one resource consent standard and one set of rules. Many community voices would together contribute to one regional voice – ‘the One and the Many’.

The Greater Auckland Authority would be responsible for preparing the Regional Policy Statement (RPS), regional plans and all district plans, and for issuing all consents under these plans.  A unitary authority with respect to responsibilities under the RMA, it would have all the responsibilities of both a regional council and a territorial authority including transport, economic development, water management, building and environmental protection and major regional assets. The Greater Auckland Authority would also provide Central Government, ratepayers and other parties like iwi with a clear partner.

Community Councils would be responsible for local roads, local community facilities, local parks and reserves, local urban renewal and improvement programmes, community development, environmental enhancement programmes, community safety and law and order concerns. They would provide the focus for local democracy and community development and identity within individually prepared Community Plans outlining local visions, projects and projected budgets.

While the Greater Auckland Authority would be empowered to delegate additional responsibilities to Community Councils they would not have the power to disestablish or to reduce their role or responsibilities below those set out in statute.  Community Councils would be considerably more powerful and influential than current community boards

We propose a Greater Auckland Authority governed by councillors elected from 21 existing parliamentary constituencies (of around 60,000 residents each) plus three Mäori constituencies. The elected members could then elect a Chair.  Candidates would be able to stand for both the Greater Auckland Authority and a Community Council, but could only serve on one or the other. Community Councils would be based on existing Community Board areas and in other communities of interest in areas such as Rodney where there are no Community Boards.

If Auckland is to progress we need a new governance model that’s more efficient and effective, reduces duplication, is transparent, encourages faster and timely decision-making, and gives the people of Auckland a greater opportunity to be involved. Less bureaucracy, more democracy!  Positive, region wide progress has been held back for too long by fractiousness and rivalry between multiple councils over roles, responsibilities and mandates. It’s the Auckland disease.

The future of Auckland is more important than preserving any one institution. We believe the model we have recommended to the Royal Commission would be cost-effective and easy for communities to understand and interact with. It addresses both the critical need for regional unity and coherence and tackles the problem of restoring genuine local government to local communities. 

Any change to Auckland governance needs to get to the root of the problem rather than just address the symptoms, be flexible and provide the platform for long term responses to complex challenges. Any change must also improve and enhance the ability of local communities to address the challenges that they face.  This is about a sense of local identity, the ability to build a sense of community, the provision of local services that address the needs of particular local communities and the ability to engage with people on a scale that is personal and manageable. We believe modifying the status quo won’t do. A bold step is needed.