Our Council
A note from North Shore City Council Chief Executive John Brockies
Welcome to our second fortnightly update on the changing face of local government in Auckland.

When I am out and about, I am often asked just how we will be able to transfer the myriad of functions and relationships of the existing North Shore City Council to the new Auckland Council. For example, will our council’s relationships with businesses and the community be retained in the new structure? And how will the work that our council carries out be continued beyond November 2010?

My response is that the Auckland Transition Agency (ATA), which was set up by the Government to drive the transition process, is working with all eight councils to ensure that the transition is as comprehensive and smooth as possible. Under the guidance of the ATA, we have compiled a detailed dossier of what we do and how we do it - and how much it all costs. This information has been passed on to the transition agency, which will assess it before beginning in earnest to plan the structure of the new organisation.

To take just one example, all eight of the councils which are due to be amalgamated are providing comparable information on their parks and how they are managed. From that information, the common practice will be established, and key deliverables for day one of the new council will be outlined. Consideration will be given to improvements over time.

The ATA has asked all eight councils for a huge range of information, not only about how we do our work. There are also questions about how we relate to our community groups and how we assist them with grants and otherwise, and about our commercial suppliers and business relationships.

Obviously, such a major change as we are now entering into will result in a shift in the way things are done, and some of these changes may mean new ways of working. However I can assure you that we are working every day to ensure that we can carry over to the new organisation all the things that are important to you, our North Shore residents.

We will endeavour to keep you updated via this newsletter. You may also wish to check our council website.

If you wish to discuss anything in this newsletter, please get in touch with our staff via Actionline, or phone (09) 486 8600. Alternatively, contact any of our councillors or community board members.

John Brockies
Chief Executive