Local Government New Zealand facts for kids
Local Government New Zealand Te Kahui Kaunihera ō Aotearoa (LGNZ) is an association for local councils in New Zealand. It works to support and represent the interests of many regional, city, and district councils across the country.
Contents
History of LGNZ
How LGNZ Started
LGNZ was formed in 1988. Before that, there were two separate groups: the Municipal Association and the Counties Association. They decided to join together because big changes were coming for local governments. In 1990, another group, the New Zealand Regional Government Association, also joined. By 1996, the combined group officially became known as Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ).
Councils Leaving LGNZ
Over the past few years, some councils have decided to leave LGNZ. Here's a timeline of some of those decisions:
- On March 23, 2023, the Auckland Council voted to leave LGNZ. The Mayor of Auckland, Wayne Brown, used his special vote to break a tie. He said leaving would save Auckland Council money and that they could talk directly with the New Zealand Government.
- On May 10, 2023, the West Coast Regional Council also voted to leave. They felt the yearly membership fee of NZ$41,828 was too high.
- In late May 2023, the Kaipara District Council decided to withdraw. Their Mayor, Craig Jepson, believed LGNZ was representing the government's views to councils, rather than the councils' views to the government.
- On May 15, 2024, the Grey District Council announced it was leaving. The Mayor, Tania Gibson, disagreed with LGNZ's support for the previous government's Three Waters reform program.
- On June 19, 2024, the Christchurch City Council decided to leave. This happened after LGNZ increased its annual membership costs by more than NZ$20,000.
- On March 20, 2025, the Western Bay of Plenty District Council voted to leave LGNZ. Some councillors mentioned concerns about professionalism and LGNZ's policies on climate change.
By March 2025, seven councils had left LGNZ. These included Auckland, Kaipara District, Christchurch City, West Coast Regional, Grey District, Westland District, and Western Bay of Plenty District councils. The Waikato Regional Council also left.
About Local Government New Zealand
What LGNZ Does
Local Government New Zealand does many important things. It speaks up for local democracy, which means making sure local people have a say in how their communities are run. It also helps councils do their best work in managing local services.
Local councils in New Zealand are responsible for a lot. They own most of the roads, water and wastewater systems, and community places like parks, sports fields, and libraries. LGNZ also works on policies, like those related to the Resource Management Act 1991. They have different committees for things like economic development, community issues, environment, and transport.
How LGNZ is Organized
LGNZ is a group that councils can choose to join. Most of New Zealand's 78 local councils are members. The Timaru District Council left in September 2021, followed by the councils mentioned earlier.
The main decisions and plans for LGNZ are made by the National Council. This council is made up of mayors, senior councillors, and regional council chairs who are elected by local authorities. This ensures that different types of councils from both the North and South Islands are represented.
There are also six geographical zones and four special groups (metropolitan, provincial, rural, and regional). These groups elect members to the National Council and meet regularly to discuss important policy issues.
Leadership and Support
The National Council has 15 members, including a president who is directly elected. These members serve for three years. There is also a Māori Advisory Committee called Te Maruata, made up of Māori elected members. Another group is the Community Board Executive Committee, which represents smaller elected bodies within cities and districts.
The National Council hires a chief executive who leads a team. This team advises the council, helps prepare official statements on new laws, promotes good practices, and provides training for elected members. LGNZ mainly gets its money from yearly membership fees.
LGNZ has one main office in Wellington, the capital city. Since 2010, LGNZ and the New Zealand Government have held regular meetings. These meetings are co-chaired by the Prime Minister and the LGNZ president. They discuss important issues that affect both central and local governments.
Key Ideas LGNZ Promotes
LGNZ promotes several key ideas in its work:
- Local Choices: Councils should have enough freedom to make decisions that fit their community's needs.
- Local Differences: New Zealand is diverse, so decisions should be made locally whenever possible, as one solution doesn't fit all.
- Local Rules: The government should consider how new rules affect councils and their citizens, and involve local government when making these rules.
- Local Money: Councils need more ways to get funding to pay for services.
- Local Infrastructure: The important role of local government in providing things like roads and water systems should be recognized in national plans.
- Local Democracy: Local government allows citizens to choose how their needs are met and is open and accountable to them.
- Local Partnerships: Councils can work with different government groups to solve local and regional problems together.
LGNZ Excellence Awards
The LGNZ Excellence Awards are annual awards that started in 2014. They celebrate great projects done by local councils in their communities. In 2014, LGNZ President Lawrence Yule said these awards show how much local projects can help communities, infrastructure, and economic growth.
There are four award categories: Environmental Well-being, Economic Well-being, Social Well-being, and Cultural Well-being. Councils submit applications for their projects. In 2021, the awards were judged by important people like Dame Kerry Prendergast, Sir Maarten Wevers, and Dr. Oliver Hartwich.
See also
- Local Government Commission
- Territorial authorities of New Zealand
