Local democracy swept aside
If amalgamation weakened accountability and drove costs up in 1989, is there any reason to believe that even more heavy-handed mergers can deliver the opposite...
Tag : Local Government Act 2002
Democracy or autocracy?
As the Government mulls over the proposals for how councils propose to reorganise themselves under the Head Start pathway of Simplifying Local Government, we must...
Right to know – withholding information
Image: Birmingham City Council House. In our local government system, local authorities are served by two separate yet equally important groups: the elected councillors who...
Governance review – Tauranga City Council
Jeremy Sole explains how, in the new world of CCOs, the Tauranga City Council’s recent bi-annual CCO board review was provided by a framework based...
Exploring value capture taxation
There seems to be a unanimous view that New Zealand needs more and improved infrastructure. From roads to three waters, every council has a wish...
Community boards and the future for local government
As councils reflect on the recommendations in the Future for Local Government report, and as some begin their next representation review, Gavin Beattie, a former...
Whipping up interest in the 2022 elections
By Dr Jean Drage, local government sector expert. Time is running out for councils to finalise their approach to this year’s local elections on 8...
Understanding your code of conduct
Patrick Corish from Franks Ogilvie looks at the value of the local government Code of Conduct in the light of increased discussion in the media...
Another look at the perils of council decision-making
Another look at the perils of council decision-making By Linda O’Reilly, Brookfields. Since its enactment, the constraints on the power of general competence provided by...
Fixing local government: get the basics right
By Monique Poirier, campaigns manager, Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance. The case for local government boils down to the belief that a local community has a better...