Two local boards held their inaugural meetings at the weekend. Herald reporters report on local govt history in the making
Waiheke Island
During a colourful meeting which attracted the biggest public turnout of all the Super City local board meetings, Super City mayor Len Brown urged two political rivals to work together.
Faye Storer was named as the new board's first chair at the meeting on Waiheke on Saturday. Some of the 300-strong crowd walked out as this was announced; others cheered and shouted.
Ms Storer and fellow board member Denise Roche have a tense history after Ms Roche beat Ms Storer in a close race for the Gulf Island seat on the old Auckland City Council in 2007.
Several in the crowd were holding placards or wearing T-shirts revealing their views, many feeling Ms Roche should have been elected chairwoman because she won the most votes on the island - 2239, 394 more than Ms Storer.
Mr Brown made some jokes and acknowledged how lucky the island was to have two such passionate women representing it. But he said the pair needed to work together for the benefit of the community.
Ms Storer and Ms Roche shook hands after the announcement, before Ms Storer spoke of the challenges of being a part of the larger Auckland community and how it was important to maintain the island's voice and local decision-making.
The other board members are Jim Hannan, Jo Holmes and Don McKenzie.
- Beck Vass
Great Barrier
The Great Barrier Local Board has already come up with a cost-saving measure for its masters in Queen St - not to spend $60,000 refurbishing the old council building.
Paul Downie, who was elected chairman of the five-strong board on Saturday, told Mayor Len Brown and chief executive Doug McKay the building could be tarted up for a fraction of that amount and the rest allocated to more worthy community projects.
Great Barrier is the most remote of the 21 local boards. Its 1000 or so residents live 90km northeast of Auckland and have no reticulated electricity or water.
Mr Brown and Mr McKay, who attended the inaugural meeting at the Great Barrier Island Sports and Social Club, were treated to a lesson in the ways of the community.
Mr Downie said the Auckland Council planned to standardise bylaws across the region. "A bylaw that makes perfectly good sense in the city may be completely nonsensical out here.
"Our community's interests are very much centred around such topics as alternative energy options and concerns about the amount of storage left in our water tanks."
But in spite of these differences, Mr Downie said, residents were pragmatic and intelligent enough to understand that the island's social and economic connections were primarily with Auckland - ferry and two airline services went there, and Auckland Grammar and Epsom Girls Grammar are the schools of choice for Great Barrier children.
Mr Downie said it remained to be seen if the island would be better off under the Super City because the board was still unsure about its powers, delegated responsibilities and levels of funding.
Scott Mabey was elected deputy chairman. The other board members are Susan Daly, Izzy Fordham and Richard Somerville-Ryan.
- Bernard Orsman
