National dialogue on local governance: overview and

discussionPresentation to the Taupo strategic

planners network by

Peter McKinlay

Research associate, Institute for Governance and Policy Studies

Executive Director, McKinlay Douglas Ltd

What’s the dialogue?

A research informed regionally-based series of discussions about local governance and the place of local government.

Based around a series of six ‘regional hosts’ with others joining in as they choose.

A long term strategic focus.

A sharp distinction between government and governance.

Why the dialogue?

Concern at the poor quality of public debate as demonstrated, for example, by

recent amalgamation initiatives.

Determination to improve the knowledge base of international

experience and its relevance.

Commitment to raising awareness of and capability to address long-term trends

affecting communities.

How the public thinks about local government?

How local government thinks about the public?

Let’s turn this into a discussion

The following slides will cover a number of the different themes coming through the dialogue.

They range from the changing nature of governance, to the role of local government, to how different governance tools can shape communities.

Let’s discuss them as we go

Local governance is not just local government

local governance is about who shapes the local decisions which affect the futures of communities. It may or may not include local or central government.

The emergence of non-traditional participants in governance – energy and community trusts, community banking.

The implications of the productivity commission report on more effective social services.

Some of the major trends/shifts

Demographic change.

The impact of technology on employment – the age of job free growth?

Globalisation.

Fiscal austerity.

Rethinking local government

The difference between ‘provision’ and ‘production’.

Centres of excellence, strategic commissioning, co-design and co-

production.

Does anyone know a Council which complies with section 17 A?

Scale, scope and subsidiarity

Amalgamation necessarily implies that the same scale and scope suits every local government activity.

Think subsidiarity - decisions are taken at the lowest level which encompasses the impact.

This could range from supra-regional to neighbourhood or street level.

From ‘top down’ to ‘bottom up’

Our local government legislation and much of our practice reflect a top down approach.

In today’s world that’s increasingly dysfunctional. Governments (central and local) need the knowledge, networks and support communities can provide.

The future role of local government may be first and foremost enabling and facilitating community governance, supported by a shift to place making and place-based management.

Understand governance and the performance characteristics of different structures

‘fit for purpose’ governance means choosing structures - working arrangements – that best fit

the characteristics of the activity.

CCOs as an example. Generally councils and commercial directors seriously underestimate

the significant differences between listed companies, SOEs and CCOs. The community is

the loser.

Some reflections from the dialogue so far

Few councils have the resource or capability for longer term strategic thinking.

At the same time most councils recognise this as a serious and growing risk.

Muc

h

Council activity is s

ha

pe

d (a

nd

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by a

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nd a

n

over e

mphasis

on c

omplia

nce.

Some aspirations

Facilitating real participatory democracy as opposed to token projects.

Developing best practice networks amongst New Zealand local government and more widely – Europe and North America.

Bringing the ‘long-term’ into decision-making coupled with greater collaboration across sectors.

A possible outcome?

Under

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on at t

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mome

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ome c

ouncils is creati

ng a c

ost-effective

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o fill t

he strategic t

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One

possi

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maller scale)

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nks.