When it comes to public spaces, everybody wants progress, nobody likes change.
So says media manager and engagement strategist Mark Ames. Kathleen Kinney reports on the soft skills needed to handle people’s emotional attachment to places.
There’s no question that undertaking public realm projects – whatever their scale – can...
Local authorities need to do more to gather information on their most important assets. Andrea Reeves, assistant auditor-general, Local Government, Office of the Auditor-General.
Before Christmas each year, I reflect on the year that has been. And I’ve realised that every year I come to the same conclusion – it was a challenging...
In one of the most sophisticated cities in the world, the simplest form of community engagement is grafting together communities from the ground up. New York Restoration Project.
Plant by plant, tree by tree, for the past 22 years a charitable organisation has been helping transform some of the least loved parts of New York City. The...
Hastings District Council has accessed external funding to significantly increase its investment in the Hawke’s Bay Opera House. Here’s how.
Councils face complex challenges when trying to finance good community infrastructure. There are only so many ratepayers and, without rates rises, the ratepayer dollar will only go so far....
Community engagement will remain centre-stage as the Local Government Commission continues to work through options for local government reorganisation.
Dr Suzanne Doig, Chief Executive, Local Government Commission
My first week in the role as chief executive officer of the Local Government Commission in late September last year...
A new report, commissioned by the Committee for Auckland, provides a good summary of pluses and minuses half a decade after Auckland was amalgamated into a unitary council. The Governance of Auckland: 5 years on asks whether the new structure has delivered on the aims of the reforms.
The report focuses on the structure of the Auckland...
Former City of Melbourne CE Kathy Alexander shares her thoughts on how to turn around a ‘donut’ city. Thirty years ago the City of Melbourne had a hole in the middle with all the people and action on the outside of it after five o’clock at night.
Kathy, who is now a board director and consultant, says Melbourne has now gained an...
