Should Northland local government become a unitary authority?

Abstract

This report explores local government reform within Northland. A mayoral forum in 2009/2010 recognised issues of dysfunctionality and inefficiencies in the current system and began a process of targeting the formation of a single unitary authority within Northland. To date this process has failed to effect any significant structural or procedural change. In researching for this report, I have spent time reading and analysing consultants' reports, council papers, trolling website documents and speaking to councillors and management; all of which have given me an insight to some of the issues. With the acknowledgement of these issues by and within my research sources, there is also agreement that if the organisations and the people within them worked together better, the people of Northland would get better service, more opportunities would emerge for Northland and the growth of Northland and its communities would continue to improve.