Decision to dump councillors from transport board deferred

File photo / NZ Herald

An Auckland Council committee has deferred a decision on dumping councillors from the board of Auckland Transport.

A plan to stop councillors serving on Auckland Transport was due to be decided at the council controlled organisations (CCOs) governance and monitoring committee this morning.

But the controversial issue was deferred because of a time constraint. The meeting was scheduled to finish at 11am for councillors to attend a two-day planning meeting at The Cloud on Queens Wharf.

The proposal to stop councillors sitting on the transport body was included in a report on a governance review for the seven CCOs.

The committee approved several changes to CCO board appointment and remuneration processes, but voted for greater political oversight than what was recommended by officers.

Committee chairwoman and deputy mayor Penny Hulse recommended the controversial issue of political appointments on Auckland Transport be deferred when it became apparent there was not enough time to fully debate the issue.

Mayor Len Brown said it was important constitutionally for the structure of the Super City be be politically led.

He supports councillors continuing to serve on Auckland Transport to ensure elected oversight of Auckland "most important" issue.

The Government prohibited councillors sitting on CCO boards when it set up the Super City, but made an exception for Auckland Transport because of its size and importance.

The two seats on Auckland Transport for councillors have been filled by Mike Lee and Christine Fletcher since 2010.

The issue is expected to come back to the next meeting on the CCO governance and monitoring committee.