Engagementworks
Phone: +64 22 198 5043
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Our Services
    • Audit & Review Services
    • Community engagement checklist
    • Significance & Engagement Resource Kit
    • Resources and Links
  • Buy Community Engagement Basics Online
  • Community Engagement Basics Online
    • Introduction
    • Session 1
    • Session 2
    • Session 3
    • Session 4
    • Session 5
    • Session 6
    • Session 7
    • Session 8
    • Session 9
    • Bonuses
  • Our Training >
    • Short Courses >
      • Governance & leadership (LS-010)
      • Engagement overview (LS-020)
      • Social media for leaders (LS-030)
      • Preparing an engagement strategy (PS-010)
      • Preparing an engagement plan (PS-020)
      • How to use the engagement toolbox (PS-030)
      • How to use engagement planning templates (PS-040)
      • Understanding & planning internal engagement (PS-050)
      • Understanding & using online engagement tools & social media (PS-060)
      • Engagement tips & tricks (PS-070)
      • Engagement case studies (PS-080)
      • Dealing with engagement conflict (PS-090)
    • Practitioner Workshop Series >
      • Community Engagement 101
      • Community Engagement Basics (Local Government)
    • Governance Workshop
    • Training Photo Gallery
  • Our Free Stuff
  • Our Blog
  • Case Studies >
    • Invercargill City's Caravan
    • Sport Bay of Plenty's GO4it Programme
    • Wellington region local government reform
    • Newcastle's fig trees
    • Sport Waitakere's 8M8s
  • Our Newsletters
  • Contact Us

One size does not fit all local governments

16/2/2014

1 Comment

 
Picture
Recently notified reorganisation schemes for Northland and Hawke’s Bay regions appear to clearly indicate a one-size-fits-all approach by the Local Government Commission to local government structure in New Zealand.

The Commission’s model is almost like turning the clock back to the mid-1800s and the provincial government models that applied at that time. While that model for local government may have been appropriate then, circumstances are very different today, requiring a greater focus on local needs and circumstances.

This approach replicates local government changes to a single council in greater Auckland which are as yet unproven as a model suitable for the rest of the country. Changes to Auckland local government were initiated by central government from a sense of frustration at the inability or unwillingness of Auckland’s councils to work together in the interests of greater Auckland. That situation, while relevant to Auckland, does not exist in other parts of New Zealand and therefore is not a reason to impose an Auckland model anywhere else.

When local government went through the major changes of 1989, four unitary councils were created and appear to have operated successfully since then. Unitary councils combine the responsibilities of city or district councils with those of regional councils. Those four councils are Gisborne, Marlborough, Tasman and Nelson. This unitary council model could be applied in other regions, if deemed suitable by the effected communities. Auckland Council has its own enabling legislation, which differs from that used for these four unitary councils.

That aside, the key to successful local government must be the delivery of local services that local communities consider necessary and appropriate in their districts for which they are prepared to pay. What this means is that before considering structure, there needs to be a community-led process to determine what type of community people actually want and can afford. Structure then follows as the means of delivering the infrastructure and services the community desires.

In both Northland and Hawke’s Bay consideration is currently being given to the Commission’s proposals. In both cases this needs to involve informed and engaged communities being given full opportunity to determine what local government should look like in their area. Simply making in-house decisions and giving residents limited options to consider is no way to meaningfully engage with a community and is unlikely to result in the best possible outcome.

1 Comment
moh ali fais link
30/6/2022 06:05:10 pm

good information

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Picture

    Authors

    Brett & Don share their thoughts. Engagement isn't always the only thing that excites them!

    Archives

    December 2015
    November 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    April 2014
    February 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013

    Categories

    All
    Advice
    Ideas
    Opinion
    Tools

    RSS Feed

Picture
Engagementworks
© 2023