This is after Mayor Gives Reassurances

Short story:

1. Two Advisory Panel Members quit
2. Mayor has meeting and says all excellent
3. Third Advisory Panel Member quits soon after

Long Story:

Today a presser from the Mayoral Office went out reassuring Auckland that the Mayor has met with the leaders of the different Advisory Panels and all is excellent.

From the Office of the Mayor

Outcome of meeting with advisory panels chairs

Mayor Len Brown says Auckland Council’s advisory panels have an important contribution to make to Auckland.

The Mayor met with the chairs of the council’s advisory panels today, along with the councillors who serve as liaison between the council and the panels.

“I support the work of the panels, which are all doing excellent work on behalf of their communities.

“After talking with the chairs and liaison councillors today, we have identified a few operational improvements which could be made, and our staff will work to make those happen promptly.”

“One of the fundamental improvements is making sure that the council closes the feedback loop for panels, that we give them better information on what has happened with their advice.”

“I am satisfied that the panels are well-positioned to continue to play an important role in Auckland governance,” says Len Brown.

The start of this council term saw the focus of the panels tightened and the development of annual work programmes.

“I encourage any panel members in future who have concerns about the effectiveness and the role of the panels to get in touch with my office or council staff, so we can discuss them.”

Advisory panels identify and communicate the interests and preferences of the their communities to the council, committees and council departments.

—-ends—–

Well soon as that presser came out this from Auckland Now came out:

Huhana Hickey received a NZ order of merit at the New Years Honours.

A disability advocate recognised in the New Years Honours list has quit an Auckland Council panel, saying it’s no longer independent.

Huhana Hickey is the third member of the council’s community advisory panels to step down over concerns they are ineffectual.

Feroz Ali, chair of the Ethnic Peoples Advisory Panel, resigned last week saying the panel lacked legitimacy and was a waster of ratepayers’ money.

Panel member Kafeba Mundele then also stepped down.

Auckland Council has a group of panels advising on community matters, including heritage, youth, rural and seniors.

Mayor Len Brown met with some of the chairs on Wednesday to discuss the issues.

The rules on how the panels operated were changed late last year and their independence had been significantly watered down, Hickey said.

“I joined up (thinking) that we were going to be kind of, like, the conscience in the ear.

“It’s quite frustrating when you’re trying to make a difference to be only allowed to make a difference if it suits council.”

The AUT Maori health expert said an example was that the panels were no longer allowed to make external submissions.

………

Source: http://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/67506962/third-auckland-council-panel-member-quits

And yes I have heard the quips of the ‘wheels falling off the bus’ numerous times before this post went to publication already.

But it does show that something is not right. Coupled with the South Auckland Community Empowerment Workshop on Tuesday night being deeply suspicious of any thing meaningful to happen and we have a serious issue – of community empowerment.

And that suspicion will not go away quickly when Auckland Transport was singled out as the worst offender in not endeavouring to be part of the community empowerment approach.

So what next?