Auckland Council welcomes the 600 delegates from councils around the country to the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) conference being hosted in Auckland this week.
Mayor Phil Goff extends a warm welcome to the elected representatives and council managers to the LGNZ’s annual conference.
“This conference is Local Government New Zealand’s largest ever and a unique opportunity for us to advocate for the issues important to our regions, towns and cities and for us to strengthen local government’s role in our democracy.
“This year’s conference is focused on ‘Creating pathways to 2050: liveable spaces and loveable places’.
“During the conference, we have the opportunity to discuss and debate the challenges and the issues we confront in our local communities,” he says.
Mayor Goff says there is an overwhelming case for close and better collaboration between central and local government.
“While working in different spheres, we serve a common electorate and that electorate quite properly expects all of its elected representatives to work together for the common good.
“Over the years, central government has devolved more responsibilities to local government and many of us think that we also need devolved to us a broader revenue base and greater revenue sharing to enable us to meet those responsibilities.
“This conference is the opportunity to share ideas on how best to meet the central challenges that face us,” he says.
Representing Auckland Council, the conference will receive presentations from Gael Surgenor, Director of Community Engagement and Social Innovation, The Southern Initiative on ‘Community faces: how people are shaping the future’ and from Sir Bob Harvey, Champion for Auckland and Ludo Campbell-Reid, Design Champion and General Manager, Auckland Design Office on ‘Sustainable development 2050: inspired action to build great communities’.