Super City agencies upset leaders

Auckland civic leaders are rebelling against plans to have core Super City functions, including transport, run by non-elected agencies.

They say the new-look city council could be straitjacketed in attempts to beat traffic congestion and other big-ticket items.

Auckland City mayor John Banks has accused the Government of micromanaging the council's creation, and regional council leader Mike Lee says it risks creating powerful bureaucracies which may not act cohesively.

"In effect the Auckland council will not be as super as has been painted, and it won't have the control over events that Auckland has been led to expect," says Mr Lee.

Manukau mayor Len Brown, rival to Mr Banks for the Super City mayoralty, says plans to put transport in the hands of a non-elected board go too far.

"They've powered up the mayor's role, they've put us all together on the basis that we need to be united on infrastructural delivery, and then basically de-powered the council to deliver its vision," says Mr Brown.

"I just worry whether this is again Wellington dictating to us through the back door."

The row is over the establishment of council-controlled organisations - agencies run by appointed boards of directors rather than under direct control of elected councillors.

The Government has confirmed plans to have transport and water services run at arms length by such boards, while agencies are being considered for services ranging from economic and waterfront development to social services and arts and entertainment.

The transport agency of six to eight members will be appointed by the council but will have no more than two elected councillors. An additional Government appointee will sit on the board in an advisory role, but without voting powers.

The structural arrangements are to be included in a third piece of legislation to form the Super City, due to reach Parliament in November.

Arms-length agencies were always expected for commercially driven services such as water and wastewater and the port, but control of transport is fiercely opposed.

"If people are looking for one thing it is the delivery of a vision in transportation," says Mr Brown.

"My preference is not to be in a situation where I'm constantly in a head-to-head discussion with independent directors on it."

Local Government Minister Rodney Hide says agencies will be required to follow the council's strategic and funding policies.