Paula Thompson BOP Regional Councillor www.envbop.govt.nz

The government has announced a framework for its local government reform intentions.

Whilst there is lots of detail to come – some of which won't be until later this year – the broad intentions are clear: Cap cost and debt, better enable amalgamations, focus on infrastructure costs and provision, decrease duplication and complexity across the regulatory area.
I welcome the need to reduce the regulatory complexity and the attention that will now be paid to the cost of infrastructure and national standards compliance costs. Providing long-life infrastructure and services that meet extremely high standards, especially around environmental standards, is the elephant in the room. We need to be drawing on every possible bit of research and innovative thinking to arrive at solutions that are effective and affordable.
The government and local government need also to take a breath, and responsibility for the complex regulatory framework. I am convinced we can reduce complexity without abandoning the values on which the legislation was based – sustainable management of our natural resources.
What saddens me about the changes proposed is the implicit message to local government that it has strayed beyond its brief. Replacing the words relating to the four wellbeings of economic, environmental, social and cultural with the words public services no doubts signals the clear conviction that local government has crossed boundaries otherwise the domain of central government or the non-profit sector.
Anyone involved in local government knows the debates and discussions around the meaning of the former words. I see exactly the same discussion occurring around the meaning of public services. Some will see it as an opportunity to refocus local government back to core infrastructure, others will see more grey.
The debates and discussions will be driven by cost drivers. What I see is enormous opportunity for all organisations with ‘public wealth' to come together to see how best communities can be served and that means understanding what is really important to communities. Do we have a really clear idea of what is fundamentally important to the Tauranga community? At the end of it all, the performance of local government is dependent on the capability of its councillors and staff. You can't legislate for that.