Unitary Authority

Submitted by Vince on Sun, 19/09/2010 - 1:00am

When this was first mentioned, I was very interested.  There were many things to go through, and as a WDC we were having loads of issues with the NRC.

On investigations, I can say that our government will want this to happen in the long run, but they have clearly stated that they are not interested until Auckland is completely sorted.  How long will Auckland take to be done?  Well that is still yet to be decided.

So where should we head now?  My suggestion is that the Councils need to get their heads together and find a solution that will benefit all the community.  Whangarei, Kaipara and Far North.  Presently Whangarei has a planning and an engineering department, but Kaipara does not.  So lets get the councils combining services so that the overall cost to the community is lowered.

The ultimate rational for a unitary authority is to get cheap costs for the community, so lets start by communicating.

Comments

WD

Sun, 19/09/2010 - 5:28am

I like your comment "How long will Auckland take to be done" ....like a dinner, perhaps?

And "we were having loads of issues with NRC". Give me a break - who was it that was having the issues?

The way this was initiated was a disgrace. There was zero public consultation, it did not appear in any council plan and the consultant was hired on an urgent motion at a meeting convened to hear submissions on the sale of 'Old Boys' land with no public notification whatsoever.

And Vince, I heard no objection from you at the time. You were a willing party to this unprincipled sham!

For what it is worth, here is my view.

http://iaw.us2you.org/views/view0029.html

Wayne

Vince

Thu, 23/09/2010 - 8:02pm

Thanks Wayne,

Initially I admit I liked the idea of combining the councils, as did the NRC, and all the other councils, as the business community were having issues with consents.

Now, as I have already stated, I am favouring shared services.  As so are the other councils.  The WDC and NRC presently have one computer firm looking after them (no that is not me), and one Data-Centre.  This is just one of the many ways that Council can share services and reduce the costs to the public.

Your comments have been noted and I appreciate your honest feed back.

Vince

WD

Fri, 24/09/2010 - 1:35am

Thanks Vince

I just wanted to impress upon you that there are ways and means of doing things - some are democratic and some autocratic. This council are highly specialised in the latter and totally bereft of any idea about the former.

Frankly, I couldn't care whether there is a unitary authority or not. But I do care about the lack of transparency in the process.

It's very simple; and I hope that as mayor you would follow the first path.

1. Define the issue/problem
2. Consult with the public and stakeholders to reach an 'agreed' position (as far as this is possible)
3. Engage consultants or whatever.

This council leaves out 1 and 2 and then just drops in a 'sham' consulation at step 4 after all decisions have been made.

Vince

Tue, 28/09/2010 - 8:48am

Thanks again Wayne,

It is very easy for me right now to say yes I will follow this path, and I will do everything that I can to do that.  Also in today’s society with technology as it is I would expect everyone of the public, to say something to me if I didn’t.

A couple of months ago, one of the members, of the Northland Club, asked if I would still come to the Northland club even after I was mayor, I said yes.  For me being approachable is all about being mayor, so why wouldn't I still pop in and check on how businesses in the CBD and Ruakaka are going.

Wayne I hope you like the surveys that I've been adding on my website, this is really a very cheap and easy way of gauging what the public thinks about certain things.