Hide: Super city needs work

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says chunks of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance report are not crisp and simple and hinted at changes to the super city model.

Mr Hide yesterday said there was a headline that said one city, one mayor, one plan, one set of rates for Auckland.

But below that the issue of elections, local councils and what happened at the community level was not crisp and simple, "and I'm a great fan of crisp and simple", he said.

The royal commission has recommended a super city to look after regional issues and six local councils to look after local issues. Community boards would be abolished, with the exception of Waiheke and Great Barrier Island and a new community board for the city centre and waterfront.

The super Auckland Council would have an elected mayor and 23 councillors, comprising eight from urban wards, two from rural wards, 10 elected at large, two from the Maori roll and one appointed by a Mana Whenua Forum (local iwi).

Mr Hide told the Herald there could be changes to this mixed bag of ward-based, elected at large and Maori councillors.

A meeting attended by six Auckland mayors and about 20 councillors at North Shore City Council yesterday felt strongly about the need for members of the Auckland Council to be elected from wards, not at large.

Waitakere Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse, who chaired the meeting, said: "People need to have confidence that the system of representation is fair and equitable and covers the diversity in the Auckland region."

Changes could also occur at the local council and community board level where concerns have been expressed about grassroots democracy.

Mr Hide, who has had the royal commission report containing more than 100 recommendations for eight days, has until Monday to take a paper to Cabinet to crystallise the Government's response. A public announcement is expected a few days later.

He has held several meetings with the three commissioners, headed by retired High Court judge Peter Salmon, QC, and sought feedback from local political and community leaders.

Mike Cohen, the New Zealand Communities' Board chairman, was encouraged following a meeting with Mr Hide at Devonport yesterday.

Mr Cohen said that in an endeavour to address the regional issues, which had wide support, the royal commission's proposals gave ordinary citizens less ability to influence what happened in their streets, neighbourhoods and communities.

Penny Hulse said another concern at the North Shore meeting was the cost of reform - predicated to cost between $120 million and $240 million.

"Around the room was a group of people concerned about the well-being of their communities and concerned about the implications of the royal commission, but willing to work with the Government on how to solve some of the problems that, if not dealt with properly, could demolish the gains of local government over the past 20 years," she said.