Local democracy could take a big leap forward – or be set back for generations – as council reform comes to the Coromandel.
Peninsula residents will soon face two very different options – to establish a smaller council reflecting our district and its unique rural and coastal eastern Waikato community of interests …or have our council absorbed into a supercity, all-Waikato regional authority based in Hamilton.
Government has mandated an end to the current two-tier, regional and district council system by 2028. Councils have until August 9 to submit their proposals for unitary councils that will combine the functions of both regions and districts. In Thames-Coromandel District, as all across New Zealand, the status quo council system will not be a choice.
With close neighbours and common interests in Hauraki District and down the coast, there are sensible options tor new council borders and community board catchments. However, the critical question is whether the Coromandel will be an outlying clip-on – and financial milking shed – for New Zealand’s fourth largest city; or whether these distinctive eastern towns and settlements will choose to manage their own affairs in line with their own priorities.
THE SUPERCITY OPTION: A DEMOCRACY DISASTER
Reaction to the local government directive has been generally positive across the political spectrum. Some commentators call it the end of regional councils, and people from Bluff to North Cape do look forward to the end of two different rates bills. But one possible Waikato outcome now on the table could sharply reduce local democracy, participation and self-determination.
Waikato Regional Council was quick off the blocks just two days after the ministerial announcement. Without a thought to consulting the public, opening discussion, or considering the range of logical geographic groupings, WRC instead announced it “favours a single unitary authority” for the entire Waikato. End of discussion – before any discussion even started.
WRC Chair Warren Maher laced his press release with mention of “discussing options”, “respecting different perspectives” and a seeking a “range of views”. However, the bottom line was his very first sentence; – WRC intends not only to maintain regional government, but to expand it and absorb district council functions into a sprawling supercity unitary council instead. As it has done in Auckland, an all-Waikato supercity would relegate Thames-Coromandel District Council to local board status and render its current community boards virtually powerless – if they would exist at all.
With a Waikato population of 532,100 and Thames-Coromandel District population of 32,200, and with supercity decision-making based on proportional representation (like Auckland), the Coromandel would have just one single vote on a hypothetical Waikato governing board of 16 members. The Hamilton statistical “urban area” of 241,200 by contrast would have seven members. These would be the people who approve annual and long-term plans, rates, budgets, infrastructure priorities, regional policies, contracts for services, hiring, investments, bylaws, enforcement and more. Meanwhile back home, the Coromandel Local Board in this scenario would handle parking, Christmas decorations and reserves, all the while sending hopeful recommendations for spending and minor grants up the corporate ladder.
Backers of the supercity model profess a commitment to maintaining a voice for local communities. The Coromandel would no doubt be assured a voice. But it would be a voice in the wilderness with little or no influence on issues of substance.
As for costs, regional supercity proponents are quick to claim potential efficiencies of scale. However, bigger has often proven no better, as the unitary Auckland Council has demonstrated.
AN EASTERN WAIKATO UNITARY: THE DEMOCRACY OPTION
There is another option, however. It has been a viable and attractive possibility for years. And Coromandel residents have asked for it.
In January 2012, residents from Thames, Whitianga, Whangamatā, and Colville-Coromandel launched a public campaign for single-tier local government for the Coromandel and Hauraki Plains. Campaigners proposed that an eastern Waikato unitary council would not only simplify planning and eliminate council overlap but would ensure that all council activity reflected the needs and aspirations of its local communities. Regional rates dollars, council jobs and spending would revert from distant Hamilton to local communities for local benefit. Regional responsibility for environmental and coastal management, public transportation and civil defense would be better met by locally based representatives who live with the decisions they make, and where those decisions land. Bringing that work back where it belongs would not only preserve local autonomy and democracy, but would increase it and expand its scope.
At Council’s November meeting, the Campaign for a Unitary Coromandel Council presented 1,000 petition signatures, with local addresses, from residents and ratepayers. Within three months, another 500 signatures were delivered.
The issues then were the same ones facing residents and Council now. The only differences are updated statistics and some hopeful new community faces. Discussions with elected officials at both TCDC and Hauraki point to several possibilities for council groupings and boundaries reflecting natural geographic, economic, and social communities of interest. Two-council or three-council splits for the Waikato have both been raised as sensible possibilities.
SUB-REGIONAL COUNCILS: ALREADY ON THE TABLE
In Wellington Region, the three Wairarapa district councils – Masterton, Carterton and South Wairarapa – are again considering a combined unitary council appropriate to their distinct rural economy, geography and culture across the Tararuas from Wellington City.
In Taranaki, iwi have voiced support for two sub-regional unitary councils as proposed by the mayors of Stratford and South Taranaki districts. The split would reflect a natural urban-rural and north-south regional division from urban New Plymouth District.
Closer to home in the Waikato, Waitomo and Ōtorohanga district, councils are exploring plans for a unitary King Country council that would best meet the needs of the two rural areas. Waitomo Mayor John Robertson has publicly rejected the WRC regional supercity proposal. Robertson told NZME, “Rural representation would be lost with a Hamilton-centric supercity absorbing our district. Such a structure would be urban-focused, with minimal understanding of the infrastructure needs of our rural areas. I agree that some council amalgamation is needed, but not the Auckland supercity model.”
TCDC Mayor Peter Revell will be seeking public input soon on future options for the Coromandel. Previous efforts to streamline, simplify and improve local government here give our communities and Council a valuable and timely head start. Will leadership put a stake in the ground for our district’s future health, growth and success? The choice is fast approaching.
Geoffrey Robinson covered local body reform efforts for the Hamilton News and other Waikato publications from 2011 to 2014.
