KEY POINTS:
Keeping the local in local government is the most difficult task facing the Royal Commission of Inquiry on Auckland Governance, says chairman Peter Salmon, QC.
The retired High Court judge was speaking after submissions closed at 4pm yesterday. More than 3000 views from individuals and groups were still being counted last night.
The commission has indicated it will accept late submissions.
Mr Salmon said anything between 2000 and 3000 submissions was a good response, particularly because most people doing so had given it some thought.
There was a good range of ideas with two main themes emerging, he said. A considerable majority of people and organisations believed a regional body with greater powers than the Auckland Regional Council was desirable.
The other theme was the importance of keeping the local in local government.
"People see that being done in quite a variety of ways and that will be our most difficult task, I think."
Mr Salmon and the other two commissioners, retired public servant Dame Margaret Bazley and David Shand, who headed the inquiry into rates, will read the submissions before holding public hearings in May, June and July.
At the same time the submissions will be analysed.
Once the hearings are completed and the submissions analysed, the commission will decide what further research it needs before sitting down to devise recommendations on reshaping local government in Auckland for the next 50 years.
Mr Salmon said the commission would do its best to meet the deadline of December 1 for finishing its report for the Government.
* Tomorrow: The Herald begins a snapshot on the different views and ideas contained in the submissions.
