Future changes spark council debate

Tauranga City Councillors are debating spending $143,000 to join another regional government club today.

Participating councils in The Local Government Futures Project include those with all or part of their territory in the Bay of Plenty region.

Councillors will meet today to discuss the spend.

They include Opotiki, Kawerau, Whakatane, Rotorua, Taupo and Western Bay District Councils, Tauranga City Council and the Bay of Plenty Regional Council - along with the South Waikato District Council.

It's being done in anticipation of further local body reorganisation by the government.

Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby says there are a number of reasons for local authorities to have the information. Local body re-organisation can be launched by other parties besides governments and there is a very short lead time to prepare responses.

In July this year the Bay of Plenty Regional Council prosed to do the research work themselves, says Stuart.

'It's very much a participatory issue,” he says. 'Either you are in it or you are not in it. If we don't take part, BOPRC have said they will do their own thing.”

Agreement to start the research project was made at the BOP triennial meeting in December 2013. The mayors and the regional council chair approved a project brief for consideration and endorsement by their respective councils alongside approval of the proposed funding.

In August this year it went a step further, when regional leaders agreed to work together on a project led by the chief executives and governed by the mayors and chair of the region.

The project is in two phases. Phase one, expected to be delivered by June 2015, will produce an evidence-based report as a resource for any local government reorganisation proposal or response that affects the region.

Phase two is expected to use phase one's evidence base to assess and compare options for the future form and function of local government in the Bay of Plenty area.

The total cost is not expected to exceed $500,000. Based on the funding split agreed by the region's mayors and the regional council's chair, council's share is expected to be a maximum of $143,486.

Councillors are being asked to vote for the project and approve the population-based costs sharing.

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4 comments

Old boys club?

Posted on 10-11-2014 09:28 | By YOGI BEAR

Looks like Stuart wants another perch to climb onto at ratepayers cost. Surely the BOPLASS thing is already there and does it, just use that.


Agree Fully

Posted on 10-11-2014 12:49 | By Jitter

YOGI BEAR is 100% correct.Crosby wants to be the king of the BOP. God help us all.


Rastus

Posted on 10-11-2014 17:02 | By rastus

And agenda 21 just keeps on rolling on - open your eyes


Amalgamation will happen

Posted on 10-11-2014 19:45 | By Pamaxx

This reality has been the "elephant in the room" for some time and in any business, management's first priority is to do the research. Initiating this (combined) funding is a smart and prudent move by council. Max Lewis, Mt Maunganui


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