Bogged down by trivia

Press, Volume CXVI, Issue 34097, 8 March 1976, Page 2

Bogged down by trivia

'X z Press Assot ration) off if more councils formalised and expanded it. ■NEW PLYMOUTH, Mar. 7. Adequate safeguards.

Trivia are bogging down many of New Zealand’s local-body representatives, j resulting in frustration, disenchantment, and a paucity of candidates for public office, reports New Plymouth's Deputy Town ; Clerk (iVlr K. N. Sampson) who has completed a New Zealand study tour examining the delegation of council powers and duties. The Liquor Industry Council sponsored him to carry out the investigation for the Institute of Town Clerks. Many of the onerous jobs at present burdening local-body representatives could and should be delegated to council committees and senior officers, says Mr Sampson, in a 46page report. ft would free councillors to consider important, long-term policy matters and eliminate some of the delays in dealing with applications from the public. Mr Sampson says that while his comments apply to most municipalities in New Zealand, some, such as the Wellington CityCouncil, were already “going into delegation” in a big way. The law provided for such delegation, and the community would be better

such as the public’s right ot appeal against a committee or officer's decision, and certain provisions of the Ombudsmen Act, 1975. would ensure that democracy was preserved. Mr Sampson says he found many local bodies I breaking the law by allowing their committees or officers to take court proceedings without first getting full council approval, but to do so would mean a further clogging of administrative machinery. Mr Sampson urges the institute and the Municipal Association to study the law involved to see if it needs amending. For some time, he says, he has been concerned about the time wasted by ; elected representatives and senior council staff in considering trivia at council . and committee meetings. “Far too much time has 1 been spent discussing mat- i ters of little long-term im- I portance, reaching decisions that were inevitable, and thereby leaving little time to discuss important matters of policy,” Mr j Sampson says. Long drawn-out meetings , of little consequence led I to disenchantment among councillors, which in turn | had a detrimental effect on the quality of future , candidates for public office.