The current Local Governance Review process provides an opportunity to think beyond current Council structures and mechanics. It’s an invitation to explore new roles and opportunities for joining up to make the most of everyone’s contributions to their local place.

Some questions:

  • What’s the role of active citizenship? How do we move on from Councils decision making processes being more than just effective engagement to citizens and communities becoming wellbeing partners with Council?
  • How can the principle of decentralisation also be embedded into the framing and approach of local government? It’s not just about power moving out of Wellington!
  • What new roles for local government in strategic convening and facilitation?

Where are bright spots in collaborative local governance happening now? What are we learning so far? How can we spark more experimentation to see what else might work?

Megan Courtney of Inspiring Communities wrote about the ‘How not the Who’ when contributing to this journal article written 3 years ago. While this was well before the present Local Government review got underway the HOW remains very relevant, and if we could be so bold, contains valuable insights into the present debate – well worth a read.