INCIVILITY IN LOCAL BODY GOVERNANCE

Jan from Ebdentown

His Worship the Mayor is an elected representative who I believe doesn’t want to represent, he wants only to preside. Who’s only concerns, in my experience and opinion, centre around his Mayoral alter-ego and around cost cutting core services by stealth, he also probably wants to be NZs longest serving Mayor, perhaps a Knighthood, and probably doesn’t have a clue what he would do with his life if he was not Mayor of Upper Hutt.

I have learned that the majority of the Councillors, seem to think their job is to protect each other and the Mayor and not do their actual job which is to represent ratepayer interests and access to democracy by representing ratepayers to council.

None of them seem to be particularly interested in administering city services or engageing with ratepayers. We have uncivil governance in Upper Hutt by people who don't encourge public participation, oversight or sharing with the people who elect them to office and then pay their wages.

A modern healthy civilised community promotes literacy through public libraries, physical health and wellbeing through children’s play grounds, sports ground and parks, healthy mind through all of those pursuits and the Arts and other cultural activities.

We also live in an enlightened age, one where we have a moral and actual responsiblity for the waste we produce. Personal and corporate responsibility for safe, efficient, hygenic. Disposal and/or/recycling. These are also central and local governance issues that need to be solved immediately.

That said these services is what our rates for! They are a ratepayer funded service, not a commercial enterprise, that needs to proves a cost to benefit fiscal bottom line, or immediate outcomes, instead it is a longterm investment in the base health of our citzens, our city!

Local Government Act 2002
Public Act 2002 No 84
Date of assent 24 December 2002
2014 (2014 No 55).
Part 2
Purpose of local government, and role and powers of local
Authorities.