Councils to go it alone in City veto

The National strongholds of Franklin and Papakura have had enough of being ignored by the Government over the Auckland Super City - and want out.

The two district councils have written separately to Local Government Minister Rodney Hide asking to become a unitary authority outside the Super City.

Papakura Mayor Calum Penrose yesterday said the council's opposition to the Super City had been widely supported by the community.

However, he said the Government had a set agenda and abandoned any pretence at the democratic process.

"To retain the unique identity of this district and our community, we have come to the conclusion that we have no alternative but to seek to become a unitary authority," he said.

Following a packed public meeting in Pukekohe last month denouncing the lack of democracy to split Franklin between Auckland and Waikato, the council resolved to ask Mr Hide for it to become a unitary authority.

In a letter to him last week, Mayor Mark Ball said: "It is our view natural justice has not been served during the process of reorganising Auckland's governance arrangements.

"There is clearly strong community support for Franklin District to become a stand-alone unitary authority and not to be included in the new Auckland Council."

A unitary authority would fulfil the functions of a territorial local authority and regional council.

Mr Penrose said that while the minimum population base for a unitary authority was 50,000 people, and Papakura had a population of 46,500, growth predictions showed it would quickly exceed the minimum.

The community action group, Save Papakura, said the Super City was "unwanted and deeply flawed".

The Local Government Commission, which is drawing up the boundaries for the Super City, has proposed making Franklin a single-member ward on the Super Auckland Council with its own local board.

Papakura would have a local board and be a two-member Auckland Council ward with Manuwera.