BY GEOFFREY ROBINSON
Closed-door meetings and “workshops” continue at Thames-Coromandel District Council¬, despite widespread public concern and the reform efforts of Deputy Mayor Terry Walker.
A formal Notice of Motion (NOM) from Walker requesting the council’s controversial policy be put on the agenda for last week’s full Council meeting was turned back by Chief Executive Aileen Lawrie. Legal advice taken by Lawrie held that council standing orders require a NOM on this issue to bear the signatures of at least four councillors, which it did not. Walker is undeterred and continuing to push for an agenda slot next month.
Last June 27, councillors voted 4-3 to reject strong recommendations on transparency and open meetings from the Chief Ombudsman, as well as the council’s own governance manager, Ariana Hay. Two council members, including the mayor, were absent and one abstained.
While most district and regional councils across New Zealand altered or reaffirmed their meetings procedures within weeks, or a few months, to align with the Ombudsman’s guidance on transparency, TCDC has continued to hold out against change.
In December, veteran Councillor Walker met with each community board in the district to gauge support for open meetings as the council’s default setting. He reported overwhelming backing for a policy change and brought his findings to Council colleagues.
Following the summer holidays, it looked likely the issue would make it onto the Council agenda for its February 18 meeting – or last week at the latest. But the wait continues. Walker has expressed confidence he has the required support to finally get the council’s lack of transparency on the agenda for its next meeting on April 8 – almost a year after the original embarrassing secrecy decision.
Prying open the closed doors of TCDC workshops will require six votes. Councillors Martin Rodley, Peter Revell, and Gary Gotlieb have joined in support. Mercury Bay Councillors John Grant, Deli Connell, and Rekha Giri-Percival originally joined Cr John Morrissey in rejecting transparency reform. Thames Cr Robyn Sinclair abstained. Connell has indicated openness to reconsidering her earlier vote.
There has been no public statement or engagement on the issue by Mayor Len Salt since last winter.
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OMBUDSMAN ASKS FOR TRANSPARENCY
Peter Boshier, the Chief Ombudsman for New Zealand, has consistently highlighted the need for vigilance in this area (of transparency). His report, Open For Business, investigated the use of local council meetings and workshops. In that report, Mr Boshier called for increased transparency in decision-making.
EXCERPTS
“This investigation has highlighted to me the important role that workshops play in the decision making process for councils. Provided an actual and effective decision is not made, deliberative discussion may take place in a workshop. Workshops can be an efficient use of time … preventing time and energy being wasted on options that aren’t realistic.”
“The principles of openness and good administrative practice apply to workshops as much as any other aspect of council business. Transparency promotes trust which is at the core of the relationship.”
“I expect all councils to make sure their policies and practices meet my expectations of good workshop practice. Crucially, this includes opening workshops to the public by default; closing them only where good reason exists between the public and its elected representatives.”
