Recommendation 7

We support the calls by the National Audit Office and Public Accounts Committee that the Government must provide cross-government reform to ensure that the entire system of local government is sustainable. The Ministry must collaborate with other departments on this and there must be clear lines of accountability. We also recommend that, for each mandatory service delivered by local government, a single Minister should have both the responsibility for delivering that service and the authority to coordinate work across all relevant departments. The power and responsibility for decision-making should be held by the same person so that effective action can be taken across departmental boundaries. (Recommendation, Paragraph 39)