Auckland Council Immersion Session

Auckland Council
Immersion Session
Insight and understanding to inform
Colenso BBDO’s pitch to the Auckland Council

THE PROJECTS | AUCKLAND
.
collaborative projects | concept- brand- execution

What we’ll cover
1. Getting to know the machine
2. The changing role of local government and the
possibilities for the new Auckland Council
3. The Big Society and what it could mean for Auckland
4. The revolution will be digitalised - starting the citizen
renaissance online
5. Introduction to The Projects | Auckland

.

1.
Getting to know the machine
understanding what local government in Auckland was,
the latest reforms, and what it might become

.

Before we were a Super City
A city of many diverse and different
local identities, represented by a
diverse range of different Councils
waitakere

manukau north shore auckland city

rodney franklin papakura

Before we were a Super City
A city known for being dysfunctional
and divided, as much as for its beauty
and diversity

Fractured governance on
show for all to see
Our failure to come together
and make regional decisions
was highlighted in 2006 with
the proposal for a waterfront
stadium.

The nations leaders decided
Auckland could no longer fail to
live up to its potential.

Something had to be done...

However this was nothing new
Dove-Myer Robinson (Mayor of
Auckland 1959-1980) proposed a
major reform of greater Auckland’s
seperate city, borough and county
Councils.
• He wanted a regional authority
that could alone decide issues of
metropolitan importance.
• He advocated rapid rail for Auckland,
but the expensive scheme was voted
out when Labour reneged on its
election pledge to pay for it.
• Isolated on the issue, he lost the
opportunity to implement a long-
term solution to Auckland’s growing
transport needs

But this time there was a key
strategic reason for change
Internationally the discussion was
around the emergence of Mega
Regions governed as one, many
communities coming together with
one strategic voice; the new engines
of economic growth internationally.

In short, the government was
starting to realise that NZ’s key
to competing internationally was
through a focus on the thing it
loves to hate: Auckland.

In 2002 the World Bank had initiated
its metropolitan governance project
“metropolitan governance was fast
emerging as the governance issue of the
millennium. It refers to the management,
leadership and organizational arrangements
in large cities, spread over multiple
jurisdictions covering urban, peri-urban
and rural areas. Metropolitan issues have
hovered partially or completely unattended
in urban public sector reform for decade”

NZ was about to take the lead in
this discussion, designing the most
radical governance reforms of any
country yet...

A new model for Auckland
In 2007 the Royal Commission on
Auckland Governance was established
and undertook an 18 month process of
intensive investigation and consultation
to design an effective model for
Auckland’s local government.

“The Commission has recognised that there
is much in Auckland local government
that works, and should be retained. There
is much to be commended in the way
territorial authorities deliver core services
and represent their communities, and these
strengths will remain at the heart of local
government in Auckland.”
http://auckland.royalcommission.govt.nz/rccms.nsf/CONTENTPAGES/$first?open

The commission delivered its
recommendations to Rodney Hide
who in three days tore it apart
and came up with his own
model that didn’t consider
the strengths in the existing
organisations as fit foundations
for the new system.

His actions begged the
question; who runs Auckland?
Auckland or Wellington?

Aucklanders make their
voices heard
The Central Government were so
focused on making Auckland into an
economic powerhouse that they lost
sight of what the people who live in
Auckland want.

Unfortunately for them, the ‘local’ in local
government was stronger in some parts
of Auckland than they has counted on,
and in many parts of Auckland Councils
and communities united to defend
against Hide’s model which threatened
to destroy the partnerships they had
worked so hard for.

Aucklanders make their
voices heard
“We are not opposed to the idea of being part of
a ‘super-city’ and recognise that if it’s done well it
will bring some benefits. But change has to work
for all the people of Auckland, not just for Rodney
Hide and the interests of big business.”
- Tony Mayow
“The Royal Commission’s proposal took 18 months
to prepare, cost millions of dollars and drew on
the wisdom of both ordinary Aucklanders and
governance experts. The report wasn’t perfect but
it was a damn good start. Rodney Hide’s sham
version that he’s forcing on Auckland was thrown
together in just three days. Make no mistake, the
people of Auckland are waking up to exactly what
this means and they don’t like it”
- Penny Hulse

Despite this, the changes have
happened and we are now one city
before
MAP: Local Boards

1 Regional Council
Rodney

Great Barrier

GREAT BARRIER ISLAND INSET

Hibiscus and Bays
4 City Councils
Devonport -
Takapuna 3 District Councils
30 Community Boards
Kaipatiki
Upper Harbour

Waiheke
Henderson -
Massey Waitemata

after
Orakei
Waitakere Ranges Maungakiekie
- Tamaki

Albert - Eden
Howick

Wards
Whau
Puketapapa
Otara -
Papatoetoe
1 Auckland Council
Rodney
Albany
North Shore
Waitakere
Manurewa 7 CCOs
21 Local Boards
Mangere - Papakura
Waitemata and Gulf Otahuhu
Albert-Eden-Roskill
Whau
Orakei
Maungakiekie-Tamaki
Howick Franklin
Manukau
Manurewa-Papakura
Franklin

Is bigger really better though?
Seduced by the potential for efficency in centralised operations,
the Central Government’s model for Auckland’s governance has left
worrisome gaps between the Council and its people. Just look at
the numbers:

20 Councillors + 1 Mayor serving a population of 1.4 million
= a representative to constituent ratio of 1:70 000

Even the local boards, intended to be flagships of local democracy,
have a representation ratio of 1:10 000

In a world where internationally jurisdictions start to worrying
when ratios tip the 1:1000 mark....

Peter McKinlay blog, local government consultant. MDL

It’s no wonder that public apathy
abounds...
“The whole super city is
turning into a big fat mess.
There will be in fighting
between the government
and the Council because
each will be trying to put
their views forward. Who
wins? Well I guess time will
tell and the people will
have to put up with it as
usual because they are too
disempowered”

Response to NZ Herald Article
‘Hide Plans Liveable City for Trucks’

At a time when Auckland is
centralising and disenfranchising,
the rest of the world is talking
about localising and engaging
“Perhaps its time for New Zealand’s politicians to have a hard
look at what is happening internationally and why. First they
would find that representation is generally regarded not as a
cost to be minimised, but as an essential element in the key role
of local government, the delivery of local democracy.

- Peter McKinley
Local Government Expert

It is our assertion that
The new Auckland Council
was designed with little
thought to the key role of
local government, and that
there is a massive job still to
come in designing, defining
and communicating that
role if Auckland is going to
become the city we all want
it to be.

2.
The changing role of local
government and the possibilities for
the new Auckland Council

.

list of concerns that has plagued
local government in NZ and
contributed to an ‘identity crisis’
• Historically viewed as the ‘poor relation’ of the public sector
• Major decisions made for them not by them – local government
not always afforded the opportunity to think for itself
• Local government is usually dealing with the day to day – the
urgent crowds out the important
• What does local government aim to achieve? No one knows

Councils have long-term plans, but the local government
sector does not have a strategic long-term direction for
implementing them

Many of the key issues faced by the
sector are role related
This is certainly going
to be the case as the
new Auckland Council
attempts to position
itself next to its creator
– central government

It has been standard
in countries such as
New Zealand, Australia
and England to regard
local government as
primarily a service
delivery organization.

It’s the difference between what
paying your rates gets you – and
what your vote should get you
Service in a local government
context should go far beyond the
housekeeping function of providing
local infrastructure and services to
property.

It encompasses representation,
advocacy and above all leadership
both locally and externally – it should
be seen primarily from a governance
perspective rather than simply a
functional one.

The ‘functional’ service perspective
of local government misses the
point about the nature of the
services it delivers
Services matter, but the overarching
business of local government in the
world we now live in is governance
– providing community leadership
and working with its communities
to determine their preferred futures
and how best to realise those.

This is where it can find true
relevance again.

In an ideal world...
“Local government is not distinguished by the services
it provides, important though they are to its working.
Other bodies can, and in some cases do, provide
those services. It is distinguished by its basis in local
democracy and this is where it gains legitimacy”.
- Prof John Stewart, Birmingham University

This might sound idealistic but one of New Zealand’s
biggest civic success stories transformed itself this
way…

Attaining true democracy

Waitakere City gained international recognition from its
insight that public services should reflect a democratic
understanding and mandate.

In the case of the Waitakere City Council it was to live up to
the sustainability principles of Agenda 21 the leaders had
been elected on, with the mandate to act as an Eco City.

Not just about the environment
The Eco City vision was about
collboratively working together to
find the best possible solutions in
the best interest of the community

“It’s never been about tree-hugging.
It’s been about smart, sustainable,
thinking and being focussed on the
outcome and delivery. No council in
New Zealand has a stronger social
agenda than us and I’m very proud
of that. “
- Bob Harvey
Former Mayor of Waitakere City

Ditching the top-down approach
to unlock ‘people power’
I have often said that New
Zealanders will do anything
if you ask them but nothing
if you tell them. So it has
been important that every
step of the way we have
consulted and taken the
community with us.”

- Bob Harvey
Former Mayor of Waitakere City

The flagship Eco City initiative
Project Twin Streams

Project Twin Streams is a 9-year initiative designed to tackle stormwater
problems of flooding and pollution in streams in Waitakere City. It is
radically different from any other such initiative because of its large
scale and unique approach to restoring our streams.
Instead of a top down model putting in regulations and hiring contractors
to replant the streambanks, Project Twin Streams contracted 4 community
organisations to deliver the project by engaging neighbourhoods in their
area. Since 2003, close to a million native trees and shrubs have been
planted by over 30,000 volunteer attendances.

At the heart of Project Twin Streams
is an approach that puts local people
at the centre of thinking and action.

“Twin Streams isn’t just an environmental project,
it’s about bringing communities together and
neighbourhoods taking ownership of their
surroundings.“

Harry O’Rourke
Former CEO, Waitakere City Council

A world leader
In 2007 Project Twin Streams came
runner-up in the International
Theiss Riverprize Awards - widely
recognised as the most prestigious
environmental awards in the world.
Since then it has won six national
awards for its innovative approach.
Critical success has come from
engaging local community
organisations to deliver the
programme in their area; removing
the distinction between community
and council in delivering positive
outcomes for local residents.

In the new Auckland, governance
should come in two forms
Firstly, the inherently local function of
governing communities at a relatively
micro level, ensuring strong local
identities continue to prosper without
a dedicated local Council

Secondly, the reason we amalgamated
in the first place, for strong civic
leadership at a metropolitan level
- a vital but much neglected local
government ‘service’

These are both massive challenges
for the Auckland Council
However forces are combining to promote a new understanding
of the potential of local government to succeed at both these
levels:

1. A growing awareness of the problems with ‘top down’
design and delivery of social services
Services are designed and delivered too far from the communities whose
needs they are intended to meet, and so are inadequately informed by the
local knowledge and networks needed to be truly effective.

2. The global financial crisis and resulting fiscal environment
this has provided the incentive to look more closely at how major services
are designed and delivered, and the importance of working collaboratively
in ‘local clusters’ with local government playing the critical pivotal role, and
on the unique knowledge and networks (business and community) it is
best placed to access.

In England this thinking has seen
a number of major new initiatives
emerge
Total Place - a policy initiative
intended to break down the silo
approach of departmental control in
favour of local collaboration
http://www.google.co.nz/search?sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&q=total+place

The Cooperative Council – which
proposes a shift in the way the council
and its communities relate to each
other in the delivery of its services

http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/Services/CouncilDemocracy/MakingADifference/
TheCooperativeCouncil/SharingPowerNewSettlementCitizensState.htm

This shift in the role of local government is
a huge opportunity for the new Auckland
Council to give itself relevance in the eyes
of both the public and central government
A successful Auckland Council should be known for its
collaborative leadership, whether at the level of the local
neighborhood or the metropolitan community.

It is a role based on local governments unique potential to bring
together different interests and stakeholders, and the unique
knowledge and networks they possess. Providing genuine
leadership to its communities, often in collaboration with others
who also play a governance role – not just with the public sector
but the private sector too.

The current leadership has already
started on this quest

A ‘Collaborative Council’ is really
the only solution
To deliver both community outcomes and metropolitan progress
Auckland requires collaboration on an unprecedented level.

Active citizen participation $$$ from new types on
and engagement for investment including
community resilience Public Private Partnerships

Its about evolving for local government to be what it needs to be:
INDEPENDENTLY CONSULTATIVELY COOPERATIVELY COLLABORATIVELY

To conclude, a perspective from a UK
think-piece ‘The Engagement Ethic’
gives weight to why this approach to
local government is so important now
“Public services have learned a great deal from approaches imported
from Big Business, to the benefit of service users. In particular, the
focus on citizens as consumers and on the performance of service units
has improved outcomes. However, these approaches are subject to
diminishing returns. And the credit crunch and fiscal crisis has freed
our political imagination that this is the only game in town.
Today, the biggest challenge public services face is the challenge
of engaging citizens and service users and harnessing their energy
and creativity. This is at the heart of challenges of services’ cost
effectiveness and legitimacy.”

Fortunately we can look to what’s happening internationally...

2.
The Big Society and what it could
mean for Auckland

.

David Cameron’s Big Society
“The Big Society is about a
huge culture change, where
people, in their everyday
lives, in their homes, in their
neighbourhoods, in their
workplace, don’t always turn
to officials, local authorities
or central government for
answers to the problems they
face but instead feel both free
and powerful enough to help
themselves and their own
communities.”

“We need to create communities with oomph – neighbourhoods who
are in charge of their own destiny, who feel if they club together and get
involved they can shape the world around them.”

- David Cameron, UK Prime Minister

But what is the Big Society really?
It might look like ideologically
driven cost cutting strategy, at its
heart though its research informed
belief in the need to rebalance the
relationship between government,
local government and the
community.

It aims to:
1. Give communities more powers (localism and devolution)
2. Encourage people (and corporate citizens) to take an active role in their communities
(volunteerism)
3. Support co-ops, mutuals, charities and social enterprises
4. Publish government data and involve citizen in decision making (open/transparent
government)

The rhetoric has been backed with action:
1. Transfering power from central to local government (localism bill)
2. The establishment of the Big Society Bank, which will help finance social enterprises,
charities and voluntary groups; the training of community organisers; and the creation
of a National Citizen Service program.

The Big Society Network projects
The Big Lunch is an annual one-day
get together in your local area with
your neighbourhood.
http://thebigsociety.co.uk/big-society-in-action/the-big-lunch/

Your Square Mile will be a mutual and
on/offline platform to enable local
action.
http://thebigsociety.co.uk/big-society-in-action/ysm/

The Big Society Network is working
with NESTA and the PB Unit to
promote local engagement on
council budgets.
http://thebigsociety.co.uk/big-society-in-action/ylb/

Starting with a small group of
volunteers, Abundance has
pioneered urban fruit harvesting
around the UK.
http://thebigsociety.co.uk/big-society-in-action/abundance/

With it being Manifestation time (an
election year) in NZ the Big Society
model should look mighty tempting
to our politicians looking for a vision...
Local government in Auckland has the
opportunity to take the lead in this
discussion and define their role and
show their relevance in the process.
There is a real hunger for this new way
from the grassroots; a way which is
intimately understood by the current
Mayor and Deputy Mayor

http://www.ced.org.nz/?page_id=887

It is a vision no one can argue with,
however it is about bringing about
major cultural and systemic change
whereby mainstream society does
think of themselves as citizens again
– and ask that of their leaders too

2.
The revolution will be digitalised
- starting the citizen renaissance
online

.

The digital revolution which fuels
the digital democracy
provides a fundamental change
to the brainscape and brandscape
within which we all navigate.
This revolution interlinks with
sustainability challenges and
culture shift in a fascinating and
world-changing way.

“The Digital revolution allows
Citizens to re-calibrate how they
view the world”

Digital Democracy and The Rise Of
Accountability and Transparency
citizen renaissance.com

Transaction vs Interaction
Central government and big
business actions that target
change do so within an ongoing
central command and control
structure – they do not share
the passion for grassroots
involvement.

Conversely the genius of web 2.0
style social productions systems,
highly relevant to sustainability,
recognise the solution lies in
each and everyone of us working
together
- John Grant
Co-opportunity

Democratic digital engagement as
a blueprint for Local Government
How local democracy can be made more engaging, exciting and
meaningful to local people:
• Using social media to make a bridge between the formal world of local
politics and the real world of real people
• Making clear that local government is not just about services – distinct
and democratic role with local councilors at the heart
• Social media is changing the way the world works and can be a potent
tool for increased and more productive engagement
• Building on the traditional ways of doing things and using online tools to
make them work better and reach more people

Digital democracy is good for
everyone
It can create the ideal
scenario where bottom up
and top down meet in the
middle constructively.
It recognises that we are no
longer passive viewers but
collaborative generators and
users of information. In this
way social media can be an
efficient information channel
for citizens, staff and elected
representatives.

How it can be realised as a tool for
local government
1. Online Councillors 2. Direct Democracy
Councillors are the human element of local As traditional political parties are seen
democratic process and are the elected link as out of touch with the real world,
between the council and the people who independent candidates are pushing the
elected them. envelope - crowd sourcing every vote
with people in their constituency.

3. Social Council Meetings 4. Local Democratic Networks
This means making agendas, minutes Places where people can nominate
and reports palatable to citizens - the concerns they want addressed by elected
arcane language of council won’t work on representatives, which are then ranked
facebook. The information needs to easy to and voted on to decide top priorities.
engage with and real-time.

http://www.digitaldemocracy.org.uk/

Themes of local digital democracy
• Connectability
• Customizability
• Sociability
• Accessibility
• Openness
But what about ACTIONABILITY?

collaborative projects | concept- brand- execution .
As ‘The Projects” it is our belief that finding compelling and
captivating common projects is key to kick starting civic
participation and meaningful collaboration – using online to
create tribes of action…

“A good polity is one in which all citizens believe they are
bound together in a common project”

- Richard Sennett, The Culture of New Capitalism

“If we want to create new forms
of civic value, we need to improve
the ability of small groups to try
radical things”
- Clay Shirky
Cognitive Surplus

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10675403

Auckland Council Immersion Session

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