Local government will be required to shed its commercial activity, thereby eliminating the need to separate regulatory and commercial functions between local and regional councils
Roads and piped water will be supplied on a fully commercial basis
Require councils to focus on their core functions
Promote contracting out of many council services
Review the two-tier structure of local government

Local government to be given the mandate, powers, funding mechanisms to be a facilitator of local sustainable development.
Guaranteed Tangata Whenua participation in local governance.

Not
set out
on
their
website.

Involve local government in the preparation of a 20-year national infrastructure plan to set clear directions for vital infrastructure investment, including high-priority areas
Develop a common investment framework for infrastructure that spans central and local government
Review the legislation that central government imposes on local government
Maintain the Rates Rebate Scheme, while making it easier for people to get their rebate
Implement the new Waste Minimisation Act with local government and industry and ensure it does not cut across successful waste programmes

Conduct a nationwide study into the inter-relationship between regional and local councils and community boards, exploring both their functions and relevance
Encourage communities of interest to explore the feasibility of merging some local body entities
Reduce the layers of bureaucracy which have increasingly been superimposed onto local government
Explore options to reduce the rates encumbrance on seniors with a fixed income
Fine tune the local government role in the Resource Management Act process

Review the funding and purpose of Local Government
Reduce the financial pressure on local authorities by increasing the central government's Financial Assistance Rate for the maintenance and construction of local roads up to 80% of their total cost
Investigate alternative local body funding arrangements with the aim of abolishing rates on domestic and commercial properties
Ensure an emphasis is placed on increasing shared services for Local Authorities
Initiate a programme of citizenship and civics education in schools and communities to address low voter participation