SUBMISSION

to the: - Local Government and Environmental Select Committee

on the:- Local Government Bill

from:- NZ Federation of Graduate Women, Hutt Valley Branch

Introduction and Summary

New Zealand Federation of Graduate Women( formerly University) has approximately 1500 members. Hutt Valley is one of the smaller of the Federation s fifteen nationwide Branches. The NZFGW is affiliated to to the International Federation of University Women, based in Geneva, which strongly encourages members to participate in decision making and contribute to public issues at all levels. Hutt Valley Branch s Public Affairs Group involves over 30% of the Branch and has for several years actively contributed to consultation opportunities provided by local authorities. Many of our members are active in Resident s Associations. We made a submission to the Review of the Local Government Act Policy Review 2001, with additional involvement from a member who is a City Councillor. This submission follows up on specific points which we made to that Review, as interested ratepayers.

If possible, we would be pleased to appear before the Committee to speak to our submission. Contact persons are: - Jennifer Coote, 569-8092, Branch Public Affairs Convenor, Annette O Sullivan - 566-9226, Branch President.

General Summary

Hutt Valley Branch, NZFGW

• warmly supports the general provisions of the Bill, in relation to the four key Government objectives
• strongly supports the emphasis on local authorities responsibility for the sustainable development of their communities social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being.
• applauds the special efforts to clarify the relationship and responsibility of local authorities to their Maori communities, though we do not consider ourselves competent to comment on this specifically
• strongly supports the measures to clarify the principles for governance and management of local authorities, with emphasis not only on efficiency and fiscal responsibility but also on the conduct of business in an open, transparent and democratically accountable manner. We are particularly pleased with the provision governing the establishment and role of Community Boards.

Specific Comments

Part 5, Clause 69. Summary of Information &

Clause 75. Long-term Council Community Plan (LTCCP)

The consultation process generally currently operated, Clauses 66- 72, of which Clause 69 is a part, have, in our experience been satisfactory where the local authority proposals have related to current issues. Our experience with longer-term planning has been mixed, especially with regard to provision of information, Cl 66,(1), a, b. and clause 69.

For long term issues, it is necessary to have both a wide range of trend monitoring information, past, current and projected, about the district covered by the plan, and also a scan of likely trends, issues and events, particularly external ones, which could strongly impact on the district covered by the local authority and the progress of the LTCCP. ( Environmental scanning - is the technical term used.) Many local authorities are doing this well, providing very useful information for their communities along their planning proposals. Our experience has found that some local authorities are lagging badly at this, with minimal published information to guide the responses from the community, especially with regard to long-term developments. The information may be available in depth from their local authority offices or in community workshops.

We do not consider that this is sufficient for the fostering of a better informed community input into the consultation process. Therefore we strongly urge that a digest of the scanning and monitoring be included in the draft LTCC, even if it is of two pages. The provisions under the clauses mentioned above should cover the requirement we propose, but best practice guidelines are urgently needed to bring lagging local authorities up to standard.

Part 7, Subpart 2. Specific Restrictions

We strongly support measures to define the powers of local authorities to dispose of significant assets or to remove to arm s length in various creative ways, responsibility for services for which they have fiduciary responsibility. We would like to have a general clause inserted in these detailed provisions which emphasises the principle that whatever entities are created by territorial authorities to manage assets and services for which those authorities have fiduciary responsibility, that such entities should be subject to the same constraints which govern the territorial authorities themselves . This could preserve communities from some of the unforseen, less desirable results of territorial authority creativity.

Schedule 5, Part 1, Clause 14. Code of Conduct

As a women s organisation which has long promoted the role of women in local government as well as in other decision-making areas, we heartily endorse the need for this provision. However, we note that there is no process provided for appropriate consequences to be applied when the Code, once established, is breached. We do not consider it appropriate, in fact it could be invidious, for territorial authorities to apply such consequences themselves. Given that breaches may be diverse in character, the processes could include recourse to professional conflict resolution, arbitration, The Ombudsman or the Auditor-General.

Schedule 5, Part 1, Clause 32 (e), Employment of Staff

If the CEO is required to maintain appropriate standards of conduct and integrity among employees etc etc, should this also apply to the CEO personally? We are concerned that there should be provision for declarations of conflict of interest, especially when these may be of a significant nature.

Clause 33, (2) Terms of Appointment

We suggest that there should be provision for a territorial authority to roll over, for a limited period, the term of appointment for a CEO if that person is near to retirement and the authority concerned is satisfied with the CEO s performance.

Overall , we are pleased with the direction of the Local Government Bill.