Source: Porirua City Council
Porirua City Council today voted to submit an amalgamation proposal based on a single unitary council, supported by strong community councils, but said a referendum should be included in the next steps.
The proposal was developed by councils in the Wellington region as part of Government’s Head Start process, as part of its Simplifying Local Government reforms.
At its meeting today, Porirua City Council added an amendment that a referendum should be held before the detailed design is submitted to Cabinet for decision.
The two-level model follows the principle that regional decisions would be made at unitary level, and local decisions by the community councils. It also includes mana whenua partnership arrangements at governance level, and Māori wards at both levels.
Porirua Mayor Anita Baker said her council believed this model would deliver the best outcomes for the city and the region.
“We support establishment of a single regional unitary council for the Wellington region, because it is the governance model best able to deliver long-term, affordable and sustainable services and outcomes for the communities, businesses and the environment of Porirua city and the wider region.
“The social, economic and environmental opportunities and challenges our city and region will face in the future (including the impacts of climate change), will require us to operate at an integrated, regional scale, and to strengthen the voice and participation of our local communities.”
The community councils would provide an important role in maintaining local voice and representation. Local service centres would be maintained in each community council area, with staff providing services out of these.
Importantly, submitting a proposal gave Porirua the opportunity to influence the shape of what happens next, Mayor Baker said.
“If we don’t submit a proposal, it essentially means the Government will decide our future through their backstop process and we have no influence. They might come up with a solution that doesn’t reflect our unique context, and local voice and representation could be lost.
“That would see other regions moving ahead while ours is left behind.
“I’m proud that our council has stayed at the table and stayed open. Having our iwi at the table is a non-negotiable – they were here before us and they’ll be here after us.”
Proposals from around the country are due to be submitted to the Government in the coming days, and Cabinet will then determine which of them move forward to detailed design phase. If successful, next steps will include refining the preferred governance option, further financial analysis, community consultation and engagement, and transition planning.
Mayor Baker said the next stage was the most important, and working together was key.
“If our proposal is selected, we are committed to working in partnership with mana whenua, our communities, other councils and the Government in the detailed design phase of Head Start.”