July 2002: In this report, the key aspect that we examined was how elected members and their chief executive manage their relationship in the grey area between governance and administration. Difficulties in managing that part of the relationship appear to be a common cause of problems between councils and their chief executive. We suggest ways in which this situation might be improved...
May 2002: This report records the perspective of David Macdonald on the changes in local government administration during his term as Auditor-General, and offers his views on future challenges...
April 2002: This report presents the results of an inquiry we undertook concerning the Taupo District Council’s funding of two entities – The Interim Establishment Board and the Lake Taupo Development Trust. These entities were created in connection with a proposal to establish a university and technology park in Taupo...
July 2001: This report contains our findings regarding a complaint made by the Concerned Citizens of the Coromandel Peninsula about certain actions of the Thames Coromandel District Council. Although the complaint raised over 50 issues, our report addresses only those issues that we considered to be most significant...
June 2001.
June 2001: We believe that other local authorities will find the discussion of the issues dealt with in this report helpful when faced with making similar decisions...
March 2001: This report has a broad scope and looks at the challenges, risks and lessons for local government in current and emerging governance issues. It also includes case studies on three governance structures established to address particular needs – Watercare Services Limited, Infrastructure Auckland and the Canterbury landfill joint venture project...
February 2001: The purpose of our review was to see what messages for good practice we could find from looking at one large-scale project. While much is known about the circumstances of the breach of the Opuha Dam, the lessons for public authorities that might be involved in such projects have not hitherto been explored...
October 2000: This report looks at the experience of "the early nine" local authorities in undertaking the first three-yearly review of their Long-term Financial Strategy and Funding Policy. Our intention in examining their experience was to share it, along with our suggestions and advice, with the majority of local authorities that are reviewing their Long-term Financial Strategy and Funding Policy now...
September 2000: During 1998, Opotiki District Council asked us for assurance about the quality of its Long-term Financial Strategy (LTFS). The Council wanted to improve the reliability of its forecasting. Improving reliability is significantly dependent on the quality and robustness of the underlying assumptions used to develop models and scenarios in the LTFS...
June 2000.
November 1999: In July 1998 the Queenstown Lakes District Council became one of the first local authorities to contract out most of its regulatory functions to a private contractor. The first part of this report is a good practice guide. The second part looks at Queenstown's experience...
June 1999.
January 1999: The Britomart project has been, and continues to be, controversial - the nature, scale, cost and risks associated with the development are all the subject of considerable debate. In September 1997, the Audit Office and the Council agreed that the Audit Office would conduct a review of the project...
May 1998.
December 1998: Some local authorities are having trouble interpreting and applying the legal requirements concerning consultation, and there may be different expectations and understandings of what consultation requires. (Consultation under the Resource Management Act 1991 and consultation with iwi are not covered because they have been comprehensively addressed by other agencies.)...
April 1998: Franchise agreements can be a viable option for the delivery of local authority services. However, there are inherent risks. Our audit has identified a number of these risks and we hope that other authorities will benefit from a greater awareness of the processes which need to be followed...
June 1997, ISBN 0 477 02849 7.
1996, article from the B.29 report.
July 1994, ISBN 0 477 02845 4.
June 1994, ISBN 0 477 02844 6.
March 1994, ISBN 0 477 02843 8.
December 1993, ISBN 0 477 02841 1.
August 1992, ISBN 0 477 02833 0.
May 1992, ISBN 0 477 02831 4.
October 1991, ISBN 0 477 02826 8.
June 1991, ISBN 0 477 02823 3.
1991.
1991.
Managing the Relationship Between a Local Authority's Elected Members and its Chief Executive