For candidates, it's step in the dark

Local boards of six to nine elected members will represent areas of between 50,000 and 90,000 people.

With 149 seats up for grabs, they are expected to attract many current councillors as well as community board stalwarts.

But with just 10 weeks until nominations open, most prospective candidates have little idea of what responsibilities boards will have, how much funding boards can expect, how time-consuming their roles will be and how much they will be paid.

"We really don't have much of a clue about what local boards will be doing and how active they will be," says Rodney councillor Suzanne Weld.

"Delegations are fine but what kind of things [will they do]? Will it be the really trivial stuff?

"I would hope local representatives would actually have a role to play in how things are planned and governed in the local area."

With a background in strategic planning and project management, Weld worked in local government in Christchurch and Rodney for 15 years before standing for a western ward seat in Rodney.

The Helensville resident is not seeking a council or board seat. "I just think this is going to end up in a huge mess for a couple of years."

She says the reforms have the potential to improve linkages between council and community. "But what concerns me is that the connection back into the Auckland council just won't be there in a meaningful way."

Weld says the Government has imposed CCOs on the new structure rather than letting the new council decide its needs. "I would be more comfortable if there was a vision for Auckland that people were consulted on and a strategic plan developed, then allow the Auckland council to determine what CCOs are necessary to achieve that vision."

She's worried that local boards will have no relationship with the CCOs and will come to see their role as "pretty ineffective". "There's nothing in the legislation which says the CCOs have to be accountable to local boards at all, or to each other. I think it's very concerning that the Government will be appointing directors to these CCOs, particularly transport and water, and they will be up and running as the Auckland council comes into being."

The new structure will need good lines of communication to avoid fragmented planning and decision-making, she says.

Others, however, are optimistic about the opportunities for boards to take on meaningful roles.

With the council set to focus on regional issues, it should be keen to devolve local matters to the boards, says Bruce Kilmister, who chairs the Western Bays community board in Auckland City.

But how much comes through, and with what funding, is unclear, he says.

Kilmister also wonders about how the Transport CCO will work with local boards. "I would have thought responsibility for things like traffic-calming, street furniture or tree-planting could be delegated to local boards with appropriate budgets - but we've no idea.

"If the CCO is holding the purse strings, we would be wanting to talk to them about what's allocated for us but we've got no idea what protocols or procedures will be in place. We will need to sort out a dialogue."

Alan Johnson, a Manurewa community board member, believes there is scope for improvement. "People say the new council won't listen to them
like in the good old days, but the good old council hasn't been listening to them anyway."

He says there will be scope for boards to become quite proactive, though there's the risk that they will end up in competition.

Because the new council will have its hands full on regional issues it won't have time to spend on local issues, says Johnson, who is an advocate for the reforms. "There is the prospect that the council will again marginalise the boards but I don't think that will happen. "

Like others who have met the transition agency, Rodney deputy mayor John Kirikiri expects the council to devolve significant functions to local boards.

"With that comes appropriate funding. No one knows what it is yet," says Kirikiri, who now represents the Hibiscus Coast area but is undecided about continuing in local government.

"One of the problems is the details haven't been filled in - I'm hoping that will come from the third bill. At the moment there are no mechanisms for CCOs to work with boards. They're pushing this nirvana that the CCOs will do what councils tell them to do but it's a wait-and-see approach - they will have to get the right people in. We do need some political interference in the CCOs to report back to people."

North Shore City councillor Diane Hale says the council will face a huge task to merge policies. She's worried that CCOs will hold "ultimate decision-making power" and says local board input will be crucial.

She is concerned about the future of community agencies which rely on council funding in areas like social housing and youth services.

Long-serving New Lynn community board member Pim van der Voort hopes the third law reform bill will spell out board responsibilities.

"We're quite concerned about what roles will be delegated to the boards."

LOCAL BOARDS IN ACTION

Scenario: The board wants a new library for the ward.

* The board seeks council funding

* Consults with community on location and design

* Approves final cost, lets contract and monitors construction

BOARDS AND CCOS

Scenario 1: Sports stadium upgrade.

The Regional Facilities CCO is upgrading one of its sports stadiums, with the Transport CCO improving road and footpath access. The local board could:

* Discuss effects on local area with both CCOs

* Co-ordinate public input, e.g convene a public meeting

* Use discretionary funding to add improvements such as a mural

Scenario 2: Mainstreet upgrade

The board wants improved footpath paving, new benches, rubbish bins and street lighting for a town centre road. (Auckland Transport is responsible for road maintenance and general road improvements).

* Board seeks council funding

* Board could also set a local targeted rate

* Board reaches agreement with Auckland Transport to proceed

Source: Auckland Transition Agency