KEY POINTS:
The Auckland region should cut back layers of governance and have just one mayor, says Dr Lindo Ferguson.
When the 84-year-old became involved in local government in Auckland there were 27 mayors. Today there are seven - and Dr Ferguson says that's still too many.
He believes one figurehead would be better to represent Greater Auckland and the region's interests.
"As long as we are seen as lots of people who cannot make their minds up we will get squat from Wellington.
"It's very important for Auckland to have one voice, otherwise we will get nowhere."
The seven Auckland cities and the regional council are at present jostling to come up with an agreement for a single Greater Auckland Council, with one Lord Mayor.
Dr Ferguson, who sat on the city council and also the old Auckland Regional Authority through the 1960s, 70s and 80s, said the sooner the better.
The huge number of elected members, disagreeing among themselves and interfering with the work of council officials, was "a huge frustration to me then and is alive and well today".
"The ideal is one mayor, with community boards looking after localised interest matters."
During Dr Ferguson's time there were "an awful lot of good people" who left the authority because of interference from councillors. One of the biggest problems was elected members "wearing two hats" and combining their roles with political ambition.
"That still seems to be a problem now."
