Local govt reform

Press, 23 March 1988, Page 8

Local govt reform

By

PETER LUKE,

political reporter | The ability of local ■ authorities or residents To ■ frustrate local government reform would, (be • curbed under the Local Government Amendment I Bill introduced in Parlia-j I ment last evening. | ‘ The I i bill would i strengthen! the powers {of i the Local Government ; Commission to , impose ’ ( binding solutions on localj authorities. The existing?], i system of conciliation pro- J '■ cedures. surveys and bb- : jections would disappear. I But the commission I would have to give every i local ; authority affected I the chance to express' its I views.- ' { | The bill is the first part

of a two-step ; legislative process outlined by the Minister of Local Government, Dr Bassett, on December. 17,1 when he announced a I wholesale review of local government reform. | The second step, to follow later 'this year, would put into law the terms of reference to be followed by the commis- ■ sion. Opposition spokesmen last i evening condemned the bill, describing it as a totalitarian measure. Dr Bassett defended the need for reform and said that three options had been available if the reform process was to be in place by the; 1989 local elections. (

I The first was to' leave the existing procedures and “hope for the best.” The second option;;also rejected, 1 was to have legislated for reform, with no chance of local input. Instead, the Government hail opted to streamline ttiej existing commission procedures, leaving local authorities the opportunity to have input while the terms of reference .were set. said' Dr Bassett. The 1 bill would also bring fiye types of ad hoc bodies {within the Local Government Act: area health { boards, district road councils, education boards,!’ hospital boards, and maritime planning authorities.