Let Super City decide local powers - Banks

Auckland City Mayor John Banks wants the power to decide what communities can and cannot do under the Super City.

Mr Banks, the first declared candidate for the Super City mayoralty, is opposed to spelling out the powers and functions of local boards in legislation.

Instead, he wants the Super Auckland Council to ultimately determine and delegate the powers of local boards based on the principle that they should decide local issues.

Mr Banks yesterday became the first city leader to urge centralising the power of local councils in the hands of the Super City and its bureaucrats.

But North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams expressed a view held by other councils that the powers and functions of local boards should be unambiguous and enshrined in legislation.

His council has produced a detailed list of functions, duties and powers of community councils to include in the Super City bill now being considered by the Auckland governance legislation select committee.

Auckland City's position caused National MP Nikki Kaye to seek clarification three times, on her understanding that the Auckland Council would decide what was a local matter.

Council chief executive David Rankin said that was correct, saying it would not be a successful formula to try to put local boards' powers in legislation.

Deputy Mayor David Hay said what constituted a "local issue" would vary from one area to another. For example, a town centre redevelopment on Waiheke would be local, but a redevelopment of Newmarket would have Auckland-wide implications.

Auckland City's submission on the bill said: "Ultimately, responsibility must rest with the Auckland Council to determine, on a case-by-case basis, which matters it should retain responsibility for and which matters can be delegated to local boards."

Mr Williams said Auckland City had virtually disembowelled its community boards and it would be a mistake to leave local boards - the term for community boards in the Super City structure - at the whim of the Auckland Council.

This term, Mr Banks' council has slashed pay to community board members and stopped them sitting on planning meetings and acting as spokespeople on trees.