- By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
In our representative democracy it’s vital that the public have trust in those making the decisions on their behalf.
Transparency is a crucial part of this and that’s why we’re opening our workshops to the public from the start of next year.
Each month the Howick Local Board meets formally in our business meeting to discuss, debate, and make decisions on behalf of our community.
These meetings are public, recorded for watching later, and documented in official minutes.
We provide opportunities for members of the public to speak to us about issues or ideas, providing direct input into our decision-making process.
With so much advice to receive and information to process, and 21 local boards across Auckland meeting every month, it’s not practical for us to get detailed briefings for every item on the agenda during these meetings.
Workshops throughout the month give staff a less formal setting to provide information and advice, with more time for questions and discussion.
No decisions are made until a business meeting, and we publish a list of workshops and attendance.
By opening these workshops up to the public and publishing the materials, you’ll see and hear the same advice we get, demystifying the process and increasing our accountability to you.
This follows on from a report from the Ombudsman that recommended that workshops be open by default, with closures justified on a case-by-case basis.
While there is no legal requirement for them to be open for the public, we’re taking this extra step to provide greater transparency.
It’s important to note that, while the public will be welcome to attend these workshops to observe, there won’t be an opportunity for public input or questions.
And there may be cases where we need to close individual workshop items to protect sensitive information, and we’ll notify the public when this happens.
These changes will take effect from the beginning of 2025, allowing time for staff to make the necessary arrangements.
We’ll provide more information on these changes soon.
Find out more and stay in touch – www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/howick
