New Zealand: Far-Right government to slash local government function

Local government represents the opportunity for citiizens to be involved in local democracy; it also represents the last opportunity for local communities to respond to collapse as it progresses.

There is a problem (as everywhere) with burgeoning local government debt - but to counterbalance that local govenment expenditure is very small compared to other countries.

Local government has very little power in this country and such power as it has can be taken away by central government who can (and has) replaced elected officials with nominated commissioners.

This could be seen as a response to a debt crisis by a government that is borrowing money “hand-over-fist’ and delivering the country to the banks; it is also an ideological position of the Far-Right to amalgamate councils, privatise and take away the rights of local government  to determine social, economic, cultural and environmental policy and “focus on core services”


Make no mistake - this is part of a fascist onslaught on the rights of communities right to self-determination

Shake-up set for local government

Local government agencies will have their functions slashed in order to save money, under proposed reforms outlined today.

Stuff, 

19 March, 2012

Local Government Minister Nick Smith today released his "Better Local Government" plan which he said would provide clarity around the role of councils and improve efficiency.

A major focus of the plan is to refocus the attention of local government agencies.

The Local Government Act gives them power over the covering social, economic, cultural, environment wellbeing of a community which created "false expectations" the report said.

Under the proposed changes councils would be charged with providing "good quality local infrastructure, public services and regulatory functions at the least possible cost to households and business".

"To clarify that, councils should not try to replace services provided by the private sector."

New financial responsibilities would also be introduced.

The aim was to limit expenditure growth to make it no faster than inflation and population growth, except in extraordinary events such as disaster recovery expenditure.

"The rapid rise in council expenditure and borrowing over the past decade has seen some councils reach unsustainable levels of debt."

Benchmarks will be set for income, expenditure and debt levels in consultation with Local Government New Zealand.

The changes would also see elected representatives able to set a council's employment and remuneration policy, including limits on the number of staff members.

A local government efficiency taskforce would also be established.

Dr Smith said the reforms would help keep rates affordable following a rise of 7 per cent a year since 2002.

Half of the changes would be introduced in May and were expected to be passed by September.

"These reforms are part of the Government's broader programme for building a more productive, competitive economy and better public services."

And the response from the Labour Party

Local Government Reform Plan: "National Gets In On ACT’s Act"

Scoop,
19 March, 2012

Nick Smith’s so-called local government ‘reforms’ regurgitate the once loathed ideas of Rodney Hide, Labour’s Local Government spokesperson Annette King says.

“ACT’s former leader was a proponent of restricting Councils to core services. Provisions in his amendment to the Local Government Act 2002 were watered down - requiring Councils to have ‘particular regard to’ core services - by the very same bunch of people now telling local Councils to do exactly the opposite