Welcome

The Local Governance Think Tank acts as a gateway linking New Zealand to think tanks, networks, practitioners and others internationally who are leading the revolution in local governance ensuring that communities have ‘voice, choice and control over decisions that affect their place’.

It’s an increasingly strong and purpose driven approach to taking back control at a time when central governments are becoming increasingly assertive, acting on the principle that knowledge resides primarily in the centre rather than in the communities the centre serves. Current government policy in relation to local government demonstrates just how urgent it is to restore the voice of communities in the design, targeting and delivery of policies which shape their future.

2025 is something of a tipping point year. Without change, it is likely to end with local government (especially territorial local government) being little more than an instrument of government policy. With change, local government, working with its communities, can become the pivotal level of governance.

New Zealand councils and their communities are not alone in the challenges posed by increasing government intervention, load shedding and persistent underfunding. Internationally the response to increasing intervention has been one of asserting the need to rebalance the emphasis on centralised top-down governance in favour of a much more decentralised bottom-up approach.

The think tank links councils and others interested in strong local governance to a wide range of think tanks, practitioners and others globally who are reshaping the place of their communities in governance. Our emphasis is very much on practical solutions which add value for communities, social cohesion and strengthen the social licence of councils.