from Concerned Ratepayers Kapiti
At a recent meeting in Kapiti, Shane Jones stated that NZ First’s preference was for each region to come to a conclusion that worked for the majority of people in a region. His stated preference was to replicate the approach used in the late 1980s when Brian Elwood chaired an independent Local Government Commission that worked through what amalgamations should take place and made recommendations to Government.
He said that was a better approach than a top-down, central Government imposed solution. He said that NZ First would not force Councils to merge but then immediately qualified that by saying that if local government did not sort out its problems, its ‘dysfunctionalisms’, then someone else would do it for them. Although he did not state this, this would presumably mean a forced amalgamation if central government deemed it necessary.
We weren’t able to ask Shane Jones about the NZ First position on rates capping, or why we have to wait until 2029, but we have asked local NZ First candidate Penny Gaylor that question in an e-mail, but we are still awaiting her reply [don’t hold your breath —Eds]
DISCLAIMER: CRK is not aligned to any political party. Our focus is on how Central Government decisions affect local government — and ultimately, the rates we all pay. We’ll continue asking the questions and reporting back on what the political parties are actually proposing.
Long overdue for a bit of lateral thinking, and a total restructure, I reckon.
Of course, it never will.
Resource replication.
Each council has it’s own IT systems, for example, to do exactly the same job.
Over the last couple of decades, most key services are contracted out – yet staff numbers keep climbing.
It a cushy number working for a council, and sadly, it is not attracting people with talent and a true sense of public service.
The good people they employ, get very frustrated with incompetence and obvious inefficiency and soon leave. (from my own experience)
Without any 3 waters nonsense, isn’t water supply a basic right for all households in NZ?
Water and electricity are vital services for all of us, that surely, should be managed at a national level – no, not government run, but a single organisation that is accountable to both government and it’s customers in an open and transparent manner.
We’ve had enough of ‘divide and rule’ and mushrooms theories (keep them in the dark and feed them bullshit)
As retirees, we cannot belt tighten any more.
Councils just plough ahead, year on year, with their ‘cost plus’ gravy train.
They wouldn’t survive a year, financially, if they were in a truly competitive, private enterprise situation.
Enough’s enough – the peasants are not revolting anywhere near enough.
Ameni
It is obvious that NZ should have just one super-council run for the benefit and enrichment of Maori.
What else is left to say?
If the Left bloc gains power then that’s what will probably happen.
I do believe it is going to get very bad. Four nutcase parties coming together to really screw us all.