Ko wai mātou Who we are

Te Mana Kāwanatanga ā Rohe | The Local Government Commission is an independent body established under the Local Government Act 2002. Its members are appointed by the Minister of Local Government. The Commission's roles and functions are also set out in legislation.

The main roles of the Commission are to:

• Provide information about local government
• Provide good practice relating to a local authority or local government agency
• Consider:
  • Appeals and objections against final local authority representation review proposals and also proposals that are non-compliant with the statutory fair representation requirements (the '+/- 10% rule')
  • Initiatives or requests for an investigation relating to reorganisation of local government
  • Requests by a district council to become a city council
  • Appeals against a territorial authority decision not to constitute communities and community boards
  • Disputes between local boards and governing bodies of unitary authorities about the allocation of decision-making responsibilities to local boards and decisions relating to local board bylaw proposals.

Commission decisions do not require the Minister of Local Government's approval before being implemented, but some may require Orders in Council to be implemented (see Reorganisations). Commission decisions can be appealed to the High Court on a point of law, and the Commission's work may be subject to judicial review.

The Commission has the powers of the district court in conducting and maintaining order at any meeting or hearing it presides over. It also has the powers of a commission of inquiry.

The Commission is subject to the Official Information Act 1982. However, information relating to particular Commission work and investigations is not official information for the purposes of the Act until that work or investigation is complete. The Commission is also a public office for the purposes of the Public Records Act 2005.