KEY POINTS:
Higher water bills, more politicians and more bureaucracy are among suggestions in the latest report to streamline local government in Auckland.
Amending water legislation to enable the region's water wholesaler, Watercare, to pay a dividend to fund stormwater projects will go to councils for consideration this month.
The report said the Watercare dividend would divert money the Auckland Regional Council spent on stormwater for spending on transport.
By law, Watercare is not allowed to pay a dividend - although its council owners have "negotiated a price discount" worth $25 million in recent years.
Local Government commentator David Thornton said Watercare would need to raise water prices to pay the councils a dividend.
The latest report by central and local government officials has more information on a December proposal for a Greater Auckland Council (GAC) and a regional sustainable development forum to develop "one plan" for Auckland.
It is envisaged the GAC would be a beefed up ARC with responsibility for tourism promotion, economic development, running events and funding and owning regional facilities such as Auckland Zoo and various museums.
The report is unsure whether the GAC should have 14 elected members like the ARC or more politicians, possibly elected according to parliamentary boundaries. Most councils supported the leader of the GAC being elected by members - although the option remains for a regionally elected leader.
The other big issue on the table is the establishment of a regional sustainable development forum as a standing committee of the GAC made up of council and central government representatives. The exact nature of membership, voting rights and who will chair the committee are up in the air.
Papakura Mayor John Robertson, who chairs the political reference group overseeing the reform process, said the report contained no recommendations, just options fleshing out the December proposal for councils to discuss this month. A final report will go to Cabinet for consideration in July.
The December proposal followed a radical plan by the four big city mayors last September to cut the number of councils and replace the ARC with a GAC.
