Mayor & Councillors Welcome Future for Local Government Final Report

Kaikōura Mayor & Councillors Welcome Future for Local Government Panel’s Final Report

Kaikōura District Council’s Mayor and Councillors met recently to review and form their initial opinion on the Future for Local Government Final Report which was published on 20 June.

The Future for Local Government independent review was announced in April 2021. Since then an independent panel has been reviewing how our system of local democracy and governance needs to evolve over the next 30 years to improve the wellbeing of New Zealand communities, the environment, and actively embody Te Tiriti.

While it will take more time to review the detail behind the 17 recommendations made by the report, Kaikōura District’s Mayor and Councillors felt the report was a positive step in the right direction. They also welcomed the report’s recognition that increased funding and stronger collaborative relationships between central government and local government are needed to address the bigger issues and to ensure communities thrive.

“Trust in local government and the local voice is going to be crucial if we are to confront the bigger challenges and lift the wellbeing of our community across generations. Conversations on the future of Councils should be led by Councils with their communities. Central Government needs to trust the local voice more.”

Mayor Craig Mackle commented, “A highlight for me is the focus on local government and how it interacts with central government. For a long time, councils have had additional un-funded mandates forced on us. Central legislation without the funding to make it happen which puts the sector into a tight spot.”

The Mayor and Councillors look forward to seeing progress on the recommendations, but emphasised that any change will be considered on how it will help the Kaikōura District’s community to thrive. For that reason it may not be a one size fits all.

Kaikōura District Council welcomes the opportunity for the sector to move forwards and hopes momentum is not lost given the timing of the report publication just before a General Election. “There is a lot of scope and promise in this report but until the funding side of it is settled it will remain irrelevant.”

You can read about the review and its recommendations by visiting the Government Reforms 2023 Webpage.