Unitary authority idea dumped

 

The Local Government Commission is abandoning its 19-month-old draft proposal for a single Northland unitary council.

The commission revealed it had decided not to proceed with its draft proposal, but would instead return to Northland and work with its communities to try to develop other options to address the challenges the region is facing.

After the idea of a unitary authority was first presented by the Far North District Council in 2012, most submitters were opposed to the idea, compelling the commission to now scrap the idea.

The decision was not unexpected by Kaipara commissioners, Whangarei District Council and the Far North District Council, who knew there was little public support for the idea of a unitary authority.

The announcement has been welcomed by Northland Regional Council chairman Bill Shepherd.

"We told the Local Government Commission during its reform hearings in March last year that we couldn't support its draft proposal as it stood at that time; we asked it to do more work and then issue a fresh draft. The ball has been in its court since then."

"But at the end of the day, we've now got some certainty going forward, as well as an acknowledgement that some local government change is necessary to ensure regions like ours can be more effective and efficient in future."

However, despite the decision, issues still remain and all parties involved say they look forward to collaborating for reform, though legislative assistance might be needed to translate that into action.

Workers faced uncertainty

The Public Service Association (PSA) says workers at the three Northland councils under threat from amalgamation are pleased that the Local Government Commission will not be going ahead with the proposal.

Nearly 200 workers at the Councils affected by possible change are members of the PSA, the national union for local government workers.

“Staff working for the three councils will no longer be fearful for the immediate future of their jobs,“ says PSA Northland organizer Mark Furey.

“Our members work hard to deliver services to Northland residents and had real concerns for these services under an amalgamated council.”

Regional and rural services risked being reduced in an amalgamated council said Mr Furey, so it is pleasing that this will not go ahead.

“It is great that the Commission listened to the overwhelming majority of submitters who opposed the proposal.”