LGNZ Membership . . . So Is It VfM for Ratepayers or ISN'T It?

So, as a ratepayer of Masterton District Council (MDC), I wrote and asked the Mayor, Gary Caffell, what ROI (Return on Investment) we, the district's ratepayers, are getting for the chunk of our rates that go towards MDC's participation in this (to me) questionable organisation. See my earlier articles here and here.

After an initial "we see value in our membership" (and that was it) type of response, I asked for a bit more detail:

"Thanks, Mr Mayor, but would you kindly provide a (bullet point) list of the specific benefits to ratepayers (i.e. to ratepayers, specifically), with detailed elaboration on each of the bullet pointed benefits."

I have now received this further response:

"Examples of where Local Government New Zealand provides value to Masterton District Council include:

· Their (LGNZ) advocating for local government on issues with Central Government:

o An example of our (MDC's) recently using this includes recent discussion on the Fast Track bill.

· Accessing research they have commissioned for local government purposes:

o An example of our recently using this includes the rates information they recently released.

· Using them to amplify our local views as part of their ongoing relationship with the government ministers:

o An example of our recently using this includes the meeting they run for elected members around local zones (e.g. Rural & Provincial / Wellington Zone 4).

· Using networking opportunities they provide us with other local authorities and with central government:

o An example of our recently using this includes those meeting (sic) mentioned above, the LGNZ conference, and subject-specific webinars.

· The Mayors' Task Force for Jobs, an initiative we have seen success with to help boost employment and training opportunities for young people across our district:

o This is an annual program, which saw us recently recognising the achievements of 58 local young people and 32 businesses in July.

· Accessing professional development programs they have created for local government organisations:

o An example of our recently using this includes the Good Governance Guide for newly elected members.

· Using LGNZ templates and guides:

o An example of our recently using this includes their standing order and code of conduct templates.

"A full overview of the services they provide is available at their website here: https://www.lgnz.co.nz/

"Last year’s membership cost was $42,686.

"For future reference, as a journalist it may be useful for you to direct any future queries through to our team on media@mstn,govt.nz."

My response:

Thanks, Mr Mayor. I appreciate that you have responded.

However:

1) I had also asked for the following disclosure, as this type of expense category often substantially exceeds an organisation's annual membership fee, and certainly, combined, presents the need for an ROI evaluation that takes the full picture of costs into account. NB: I had asked, "Would you also kindly disclose both the hard costs and all associated soft costs e.g. the travel etc costs of Councilors, Council management and other staff traveling to attend events)?" After all, many ratepayers are struggling just to heat their homes and keep food on the table right now, so we want to be assured that we're not funding junkets.

2) I note that you have a media team. Really? A Council administering to a Local Government Area the size of ours justifies the expense of media liaison personnel?

3) I must decline your offer to liaise through your media team. Yes, I'm a journalist. But, in this case and as regards any MDC-related request for information and disclosure, I am first and foremost a ratepayer of your Council.

4) Further to all of the above, if I take the time to produce an article or series thereof, I intend for them to be quality productions . . . not that to which I would be limited if I were to use the inch-deep, sanitised and controlled, "one set of supplied questions only" option of working through media gatekeepers performing the role of an information release filtration system to a Council that has an obligation to be forthcoming and fully transparent with its ratepayers.

For an example of the difference, I refer you to this very worthwhile interview with your Councillor colleague, Cr Tim Nelson, and to the forthcoming series with a specific Parliamentarian, with whom I will be conducting deep, probing and high-value interviews over forthcoming weeks.

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