Waikato super-city?

Auckland's "super city" plan should be extended to the Waikato with one council formed in time for next year's local body elections in October, according to a high-powered Waikato lobby group.

The group, led by former Hamilton mayor Margaret Evans, unveiled the proposal in Auckland today to the select committee hearing submissions on the Government plan to amalgamate Auckland's councils.

It cited "bureaucratic creep" and increasing costs for ratepayers from the nine Waikato councils and called on the Government to include a Waikato reorganisation proposal with Auckland's reforms next year.

The "super" Waikato council would replace Environment Waikato, Hamilton City Council and Waikato, Waipa, Otorohanga, Waitomo, Matamata-Piako, South Waikato and Taupo District Councils.

Thames Coromandel would not be included and the group proposes a separate council could be formed in the Bay of Plenty.

According to the group's submission, one mayor and 14 councillors would replace the current eight mayors, one Environment Waikato chairman and 92 councillors across the region. An estimated 20 community boards with 100 members would be set up to represent towns.

The group behind the submission comprises former Hamilton city councillors John Gallagher and Mavora Hamilton, Employers and Manufacturers Association chairman Jack Ninnes, former Property Council president Ian Patton and businessman Bill McArthur. Former mayors John Hewitt (Waipa), Eric Tait (Otorohanga) and Angus Macdonald (Waikato) are also backing the plan.

The submission called for "a good shakeup to restore some credibility to local government and to replace widespread disenchantment".

"Benefits for residents include coherent and consistent planning, with one long-term plan, one annual budget and one district plan, along with the cost savings that would result."

Uniting the councils into a single Waikato body had the potential to bring significant savings and reduced staff requirements.

The group has produced figures showing that on a population basis, Waikato has a significantly larger local government sector than Auckland. It says in 2007, Waikato had one council staff member to every 181 people while Auckland had one for every 224 people.

"Overall staff costs have climbed from $116 million to more than $154 million projected this year, with the average salary of $62,000."

The submission says the nine Waikato councils plan to collect more than $350 million in rates this year, a 26 per cent increase on $282 million in 2007 which showed little sign of restraint to match the economic times.

"The general failure of councils to respond to the current recession provides added reason to proceed with change without delay."

The group also pointed to the planning complexity of so many councils which between them produced nearly 3000 pages of documents in their draft long term plans. The submission argues that a change in the Waikato as well as Auckland is timely now because the Local Government Act is presently being reviewed and Minister Rodney Hide has called for better transparency, accountability and fiscal management of local government. The Auckland "super city" plan would see Auckland's new southern boundary cut into Environment Waikato's territory and parts of Franklin and Waikato districts.

"This opens the door and the opportunity to consider the entire Waikato region within the Auckland restructuring timetable."

The Local Government (Auckland Council) Bill is expected to be enacted by September 24.

The lobby group's proposals were sent to the nine Waikato councils today.

There are also moves in Wellington to form a super city, while in Nelson today a councillor launched a petition to force local government amalgamation there.

- © Fairfax NZ News