Mayor Andrew Tripe voted against his own motion during the meeting. Photo / NZME
Mayor Andrew Tripe voted against his own motion during the meeting. Photo / NZME
Whanganui District Council will remain in membership organisation Local Government NZ following a heated debate among elected members.
The move comes with a $61,000 membership fee for 2025/26.
Mayor Andrew Tripe brought a motion to leave Local Government NZ (LGNZ) to a meeting last week but eventually voted against it.
The rationale for the proposed exit said LGNZ had not been able to bridge the disconnect between central and local government and had lost the ear of the coalition Government.
Previously, it “pandered” to the Labour-led government against local government wishes, the report said.
“LGNZ signed an agreement on the Government’s three waters reform, rather than oppose, which was the majority consensus at the time.”
The rationale also cited the need to save money and the opportunity for direct access to Government ministers and MPs - “a more constructive approach from an advocacy perspective”.
Bay of Plenty regional councillor and Te Maruata representative Toi Iti spoke via Zoom at the council meeting.
Iti said maintaining LGNZ membership and engaging with Te Maruata would strengthen the Whanganui council’s governance capability, improve service delivery and raise the capacity to foster genuine relationships with iwi and hapū.
Iti congratulated the council on establishing Māori wards, which were not about virtue signalling but a “smart, practical decision that will deliver measurable decisions to your ratepayers”.
Selwyn Mayor and LGNZ president Sam Broughton told councillors the organisation was not aligned to any political party and worked with “the government of the day”.
He said he met with the Prime Minister four times a year.
“It’s important that all of Parliament understands the work of local government.”
Earlier this month, the Western Bay of Plenty Council voted 6-5 in favour of leaving LGNZ, with councillors saying the organisation had “swung so far left” and “become extremely political”.
Other councils to leave LGNZ include Christchurch City, Auckland and Kaipara.
At the Whanganui council meeting, LGNZ deputy chief executive Scott Necklen said the $61,000 membership fee gave the council access to $1.2 million in learning assets.
Local Government New Zealand president Sam Broughton says he meets with the Prime Minister four times a year.
He said the council used LGNZ’s standing orders template, which was reviewed regularly.
“To do that on your own would be $50,000 to $60,000. That’s your membership just there.”
Following the presentations from LGNZ representatives and the debate, Tripe joined 11 councillors in voting against the motion, with only councillor Michael Law voting in favour of it.
Law said he was upset about spending $65,000 on something that had little to no benefit to the district’s residents.
Before receiving LGNZ’s Elected Members’ Governance Handbook at the start of his first term, he had “no idea” what the organisation was.
“I’m sure if you asked 100 people, they probably also don’t know who it is,” Law said.
“[LGNZ] are for [councillors’] benefit, they are for us.”
Councillor Glenda Brown said elected members being quickly integrated into the council and “ready to make valuable contributions” on behalf of ratepayers provided value.
“Professional development costs money whichever way you look at it,” she said.
“If it’s not through LGNZ’s fees, then it will be through our own budgets.”
Broughton said a mayor told him LGNZ membership was like a gym membership.
“You get about as much out of it as you put into it.
“You won’t know what machines are in the gym if you haven’t turned up and been there.”
Tripe said there was “some emotion in the room” and while he was there to listen to the community, he also needed to listen to elected members.
Before the meeting, feedback from councillors was that LGNZ did not provide value and that was why he brought the motion to the table, he said.
“You know who you are, you’ve changed your mind, and that’s great. [It is] not a criticism at all.
“I’ve changed my view as well.
“My provocation is that you utilise LGNZ services if you aren’t or haven’t been.”
Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
