Mayor Bob Parker Promises to Increase Transparency Around Decision Making

Monday, 30 August 2010 00:00

Following the results of The Press survey, Mayor Bob Parker recognises that the issue of transparency needs a clear and strong response. Subsequently he has outlined a communication and consultation policy he will implement if re-elected.

Parker says, “I have heard the people of Christchurch – they want their council to be more transparent around important decisions – particularly around commercially sensitive ones.

“People need to know that I get it. I get that we have not taken everyone with us on important issues and at times people have felt that their input did not carry much weight.

“Our city has a great future and it can be even better when our community knows it can have more say over the direction we are heading.

“I acknowledge that on some issues I have not explained well enough the reason behind our decisions. If re-elected my main focus will be implementing a new communication and consultation policy, putting the same energy into this as I did into solving the boy racer issue.

“I can’t see any reason why by the end of the next term we can’t be known as the most open and transparent council in New Zealand.

“Some key actions I will take include:

  1. Obtain an independent audit of our current decision making processes around sensitive community issues especially involving commercial partners. This review would be carried out by the Auditor-General’s office. The report would be publically available and any recommendations placed in front of the new Council.
  2. Recommend to the new council that we create a councillor sub-committee to review any requests by staff for agenda items to be placed in the public excluded portion of the agenda. The sub-committee will make recommendations to Council on whether items should be publically excluded or not.
  3. Recommend to the new council that all workshops are to be advertised and open to the community and the media.
  4. Make it a priority to ensure that the staff culture of CCC is one of openness and support for our citizens.


“Some other initiatives I propose to ensure transparency and to listen to the community include:

  • Ask our citizens how they would like us to communicate with them to fulfil the goal of Christchurch becoming the most accessible council.
  • Make more use of new media for gauging residents’ opinion. For example we could run online surveys and use Facebook to solicit immediate feedback on issues.
  • Live streaming of Council and community board meetings on the internet, along with an easy to find area where information such as contracts up for tender and agenda items for Council meetings would be displayed. The use of Facebook and Twitter will ensure that all our decisions are immediately available. Invest in and build a much more user friendly Council website
  • Regularly take Council meetings and workshops out into our community service centres, particularly when issues relate to that geographic area.

Bob Parker says, “I will continue to hold meetings at Christchurch libraries where people can drop in to chat about issues – these have proved popular over the past three years. I will also continue to attend the hundreds of community events each year I am asked to, as well briefing resident groups on key issues– this is an important part of the Mayor’s job.

“I look forward to working with the new council to determine the best ways we can work together to ensure the council is more transparent.

“I want to lead a city where everyone feels they can have a say and know that they will be listened to,” says Mayor Bob Parker.