🇳🇿 Election Impact on Local Councils Join Maree Buscke & Kathryn Ennis-Carter for a timely discussion exploring the growing intersection between local government and the national political landscape. 📅 Wednesday 30 September 🕗 8:00pm NZT What could the next election mean for New Zealand’s local councils — and what should voters be watching? 🔹 Amalgamation: What does the government’s stalling mean for council costs and planning ahead of the 2026 elections? 🔹 Last-minute legislation: What changes could be pushed through before the election? 🔹 Local to national: Which councillors could be l

👁 Eyes in the skies – WDC switches on CCTV 👀 Hmmm 🤔 what could go wrong here❓❓❓ https://franklintimes.co.nz/eyes-in-the-skies-wdc-switches-on-cctv/ It’s been years in the making, but Waikato District Council (WDC) has switched on its CCTV network, providing police with a new weapon for fighting crime. Initiated in 2022, the District-wide CCTV Safer Communities Project required ‘an extensive consultation process [with] elected members, community representatives, iwi and police,’ a council statement confirms. The network is an important tool, WDC’s senior infrastructure project manager, Asa

🎉 A BIG WIN FOR AUCKLAND RATEPAYERS! The Government has announced that only democratically elected Auckland councillors will be able to vote on Auckland Council committees. That means the Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB) will no longer have voting rights on council decisions involving rates, spending, planning, borrowing and other matters. 👏 This is a significant win for democratic accountability. Auckland was originally going to be the exception ... but the Auckland Ratepayers’ Alliance challenged the loophole, obtained independent legal advice and pushed the Government to apply t