Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is promising the dramatic move to place Auckland Transport’s planning and policy decisions in the hands of Auckland Council will make it more responsive to residents’ needs, but the Waiheke Local Board has expressed fears it will do the exact opposite for an island that often feels ignored by the council.
On Tuesday Mayor Brown and Transport Minister Simeon Brown announced governance reforms they say will bring Auckland Council into line with other regions around the country. The council will take on the role of the region’s road-controlling authority with decision-making shared between the governing body and the city’s 21 local boards, leaving Auckland Transport to focus solely on delivering transport projects and services. A new statutory committee focused on strategic transport planning, known as the Auckland Regional Transport Committee, will be formed to develop a 30-year Integrated Transport Plan for Auckland.
“This change ensures that transport policies have democratic legitimacy and democratic accountability – something that has been sorely lacking,” Simeon Brown says.
• Paul Mitchell and Julie Hill
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