City chief leaves social legacy for the people

Colin Dale

Colin Dale's 47 years' work in Manukau has taken him from being health inspector for a semi-rural county to running the country's third-biggest city.

For all that time, his challenge has been to develop stronger and healthier communities against a flood tide of social and population change.

Methods he used in community development roles, while familiar practice now, were innovative several decades ago.

They also fuelled critics of council activities straying from roads and drains into social issues, which they deemed to be the Government's responsibility.

In his last week before retiring after 20 years as city manager, the tall, genial Mangere Bridge resident recalls the 1960-70s days of "instant communities" thrown up in the fields and market gardens of Manukau by the Government's state housing programme.

Many of the new residents were poor families and recently arrived in the country.

"The Government had no social policy whatsoever - residential development was taking place without any supporting community services or facilities. So the council had to act on its own initiative."

Mr Dale, who came from Liverpool in 1960, had an empathy with immigrant communities struggling in an unfamiliar environment and instinctively saw the need to link welfare, health, recreation and education.

His appointment in 1979 as community development manager was a first for New Zealand local bodies.

Mr Dale said the council, drawn from the widely spread city's affluent and poor suburbs, supported initiatives in youth work, health education and care of the elderly.

Former farm homesteads were turned into community houses for advice and companionship, and sports and recreation centres, parks, libraries and swimming pools sprouted across the city.

Helping to pay for the facilities were profits from the council's astute land acquisition and property development ventures.

Today, half of the city's families have incomes of less than $25,000.

Mr Dale said a lot of work was being done in the community to manage Manukau's social problems.

But colleagues say much progress was because of Mr Dale's gift for forging networks of useful allies from all levels in the community, Government agencies and business.

He holds monthly meetings of all heads of Government agencies to consider joint projects and priorities and co-ordinate efforts.

The council's plan for wellbeing and prosperity, "Tomorrow's Manukau", has a commitment from more than 90 agencies.


The Dale years

During Colin Dale's reign as Manukau City manager from 1985 to 2006:
* Population of 180,000 grew 83 per cent to 330,000.
* Council spending rose from $70 million to $350 million.
* Staff grew from 700 to 1200.
* City merged with Howick Borough and Papatoetoe City.
* Citizens represent 160 ethnic groups.