Local government in Aotearoa New Zealand is facing its biggest challenges in decades: sweeping reform, rising costs, and growing pressure on rates. MartinJenkins has prepared a series of reports, including several in partnership with Local Government New Zealand, to help councils work through these challenges.
Each report offers practical analysis and guidance for elected members and council leaders – from financial sustainability and planning for the triennium, to the case for structural change.
Local government financial sustainability: How to get to 4%
There is no single route to staying within a 4% cap on annual rates increases. This report sets out three tools councils can combine: cost discipline, service-level choices, and revenue. It also covers practical steps elected members can take to put these tools into action.
Head Start: Building the platform for your region's future
This looks at the Head Start pathway for council reorganisation and how it fits with the long-term financial sustainability of local government. The report sets out the criteria that proposals are assessed against and the steps councils can take.
Local government financial sustainability: Preparing your plan for the new triennium
Without a clear way to prioritise, councils risk falling into the "mere-urgency effect": focussing on what's urgent rather than on what matters most in the long term. This report offers a practical framework to help councils prioritise and make a plan.
Local government financial sustainability: A helicopter view of the sector
This looks at the financial pressures facing councils, from policy reform to rising costs and limited revenue. The report identifies four areas that councils can focus on to improve financial sustainability.
Autonomy and authority: Considering the case for structural change
This presents a framework to help local-government leaders think through structural change and shape the change they want for their communities.
