Last updated 8th of September 2019.
Local Government Elections :12th of October 2019
Click here to see the timeline )
Head over to www.policylocal.nz to view candidates profiles and to The Spinoff for analysis and comment.
www.ratepayersreport.nz to sign in to get the latest (September 2019) statistics for your Council
Questions for Candidates - from Transparency International :
Download these questions as a handy reference.
We'd like to hear your suggestions for questions for Candidates - with a special focus on what they intend to do to ensure transparency, accountability, adherence to due process and general principles of good governance.
Your suggestions can be e-mailed to us at : ratepayersandresidents@gmail.com if you'd like to make them available to others through this site or you can post them on the Ratepayers and Residents of New Zealand Group on Facebook.
Robbie Nicol - White Man Behind a Desk on why young people should vote ( Sept 2016 )
Listen to Simon Wilson ( NZ Herald ) on Radio NZ National 2019-01-31 )
20190705
Important points for ratepayer representatives' to focus on during the upcoming Local Government Elections.
(from G.O in Nelson )
Predictably, questions to candidates are most frequently about single issue items, e.g rates are to high, not enough money for this or that organisation, much like submissions to the Annual & Long Term plans, with candidates aligning themselves with what they think will gain them the most votes.
It is essential that we concentrate on solving the underlying issues that allow bias and self-serving decisions to get through the democratic process without proper scrutiny from the public, or at least those that take an interest.
Examples of undemocratic behavior by Councils.
( A drop down list of the following issues has been created under the title 'Maladministration' - where we're hoping to post some suggestions for solutions ) .
Some useful reading for candidates standing for election on the 12th of October 2019.
Candidates could be asked how they think they'd perform when presented with some of the following.
Maladministration is the actions of a government body which can be seen as causing an injustice.
The definition of maladministration is wide and can include:
" Very few candidates have had any experience with the actual business of council for the 3 years prior to standing for election.
Some have little to no idea how local councils operate or the boundaries between the elected arm and the administrative arms."
" If we were able to force more transparency and fair process a lot of the issues we eventually become aware of and then have very little chance of having our concerns addressed or even voicing them, would be questioned earlier and Councillors would not feel so comfortable with progressing with that which they know people would not be happy about if they knew."
The following list provides some examples of the techniques by which democratic processes can and are being manipulated :
Abuse of “Public Excluded”
Abuse of ‘privacy’ in non-disclosure of information requested under Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.
Abuse of ‘charging policy’ as excuse for not providing information requested under LGOIMA
Workshops.
Administration staff with the help of key elected representatives can manipulate information and present it in any way that suits the agreed agenda with little to no public oversight.
Late publication of Agenda Items – and constant default appears to be supplementary papers circulated in the meeting (with limited copies available for public watchdogs in the gallery) that offer some option or corrections to the published agenda papers
Last Agenda items.
the use of these and the barely legal way they are put forward undermines the whole democratic process not only for the people but for Councillors who are put on the spot to make decisions usually under intense pressure from key elected representatives and administration.
Extra Ordinary Meetings.
These, as with the Late Agenda items are used all to often to get through some pet project or controversial changes that may have significant effect on the residents.
The arbitrary and inconsistent interpretation of the Resource Management Act by different councils is a major concern.
The power held by the Chief Executive Officer and administration with little to no ability to hold them to account for advice given.
Chief Executive Officer being legally entitled to withhold legal advice from elected Councillors.
Codes of Conduct are often used to undermine transparency and democratic process by silencing any dissent that the Chair and Chief Executive Officer have agreed upon and are useless in actually dealing with real issues with the conduct of Councillors.
Councils' meetings and workshops must be videoed and made available to the public.
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
Local Government Rating Act 2002
20190904
Latest OIA, and first set of LGOIMA data, released by the Ombudsman
2010
Chief Ombudsman , Beverley Wakeham's speech to Residents NZ Conference
A consequence of your Council refusing to comply with some of these Acts is that retrospective legislation may be passed to validate their maladministration.
e.g. Kaipara District Council (Validation of Rates and Other Matters ) Act 2013
Any advice on how we might address these issues from those who've had experience in working within councils would be useful for intending candidates and can be reproduced ( anonymously ) herein.
Any comments or suggestions you'd like to make can be uploaded to this page ( send to : ratepayersandresidents@gmail.com )