Hide faces flak from 'forgotten' Devonport

Residents are keen to preserve Devonport's special character. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide stepped into a hotbed of discontent over his Auckland governance reforms at a public meeting of 120 in Devonport this week.

He was challenged for replacing the 21-year-old system of community boards with local boards and was told that a "Republic of Devonport" group had been formed to stop politicians forgetting the village now that it was lumped in with city-sized Takapuna.

After only six months, it was too early to judge local boards' performance, Mr Hide said at Tuesday's meeting of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board.

"But I have no doubt they will succeed. I've seen a big commitment from local boards."

The minister also agreed that his Epsom electors would judge him on the results of the reforms in the November general election.

"I'm very proud of it, because it was talked about for 50 years and we had the courage to take it on. When I look at it, I'm pleased to see things like water rates getting down.

"The council is going to be tremendous but it will take a while to bed in," he said.

However, he was taken aback when resident Sarah Bloomfield waved a newspaper public notice of the council's intention to spray weeds with herbicides.

"For 20 years we have had no herbicide spray on the streets of Devonport," she said, asking whether local preferences had been lost in the drive to have standard policies across the Auckland region.

Mr Hide said he was concerned to preserve institutional knowledge, rules and procedures in the Super City setup.

"I'm happy to look into it for you as minister."

He said the boards were to conserve and enhance the unique heritage of communities.

But Devonport Heritage chairwoman Margot McRae said if he were serious about protecting Devonport's unique environment, he must ensure that resource consents were decided by people who had knowledge about it and were accountable to the local community.

Former community board members once were involved but decisions were now delegated to anonymous planners and commissioners.

Mr Hide said local boards were a new entity for New Zealand and had a clear statutory mandate as the local decision-maker, ensuring communities retained a say in local issues.

However, board member Dianne Hale said members had little or no input from the council on day-to-day running of the area.

"Residents are coming to us and we can't answer their questions."

Mr Hide replied: "Boards are to play a pivotal role. I would be disappointed if you felt you are being left in the dark."

Businessman Mike Sheehy said that engagement with the council waspoor.

Board members were not even allowed to ask questions of council officers in person.

"It's wrong," he said.

Mr Hide encouraged people to talk to local board members about any concerns and ideas.

"It is important that you participate in this local grassroots democracy if it's to thrive."

Roger Brittenden, who helped to form the Republic of Devonport group, asked how the Super City had added value to grassroots democracy in Devonport.

He said the reforms had resulted in "communities of conflict, not of interest".

"At grassroots level we are suddenly out in the cold, and particularly in Devonport we are being forgotten."