Local Council
Mayor vows cheaper redo after $105m pool project halted
Mahé Drysdale is "disappointed" $4.7m was spent on "ridiculous" plans to overhaul the Memorial Park aquatic centre, which his council has abandoned.
Mayoral shakeup in line for New Plymouth in elections
New Plymouth's mayoral race is wide open - RNZ's Robin Martin tells us who's up for the job Audio
Reflecting on the term of Tory Whanau
The Wellington mayor gave her valedictory address earlier today. The Spinoff's Wellington editor Joel Macmanus looks back at an evenful term. Audio
Whanau lays into councillors over 'defamatory' rumours
"Politics at the moment has become quite an ugly place," Wellington's mayor says in her valedictory speech. Audio
Queenstown council spent over $2m on wastewater plant repairs and legal bills
The council racked up almost $600,000 in legal bills over compliance failures.
Waitaki District Council's standalone water services plan rejected by DIA
Department of Internal Affairs officials have ordered the council to carry out a full review of the district's water assets or face ministerial intervention.
Work to restore Wellington's Begonia House to start next month
The popular 1960s glasshouse won a reprieve from the wrecking ball when the council voted to save it.
Motueka still without local pool despite decades of fundraising
Some Motueka residents are wondering if they'll ever get to take a dip in the pool they've been raising money for since the 1990s. Samantha Gee has more. Audio
Motueka set big target to get swimming pool finally built
There have been feasibility studies, a referendum and decades of fundraising for an indoor heated pool in the town.
'Now that's an idea' podcast on Tai Rawhiti local politics
Podcaster Jack Marshall has been talking politics with candidates around Tai Rawhiti Audio
What's missing from new earthquake plans
One expert says the government's changes on earthquake-prone buildings are more about saving money than lives - but there's some sensible stuff in there Audio
The city that could elect one of New Zealand's longest standing mayors
Five candidates are taking on Upper Hutt Mayor Wayne Guppy, who is running for his ninth term in office. Audio
Māori Ward councillors campaigning hard to retain Māori wards
Nelson's incumbent Māori Ward councillor Kahu Paki Paki said despite running unopposed, this election has "been harder than you could probably ever imagine".
Which Southland mayor spent the most this term?
Total spending for Southland's mayors during the current term has topped more than $192,000 - not including one of the region's largest councils.
Not voting in local elections is rational: voters need better reasons to engage
On the available evidence, more than half of New Zealand voters think the effort to vote in local elections is unlikely to be worth the return.
Race for Upper Hutt mayor heating up
With local elections days away, the race for Upper Hutt's top job is intensifying. Ellen O'Dwyer reports. Audio
Local elections: what Aucklanders are voting for
You've only got a few more days to vote in this year's local body elections, reporter Ke-Xin Li asks what issues are motivating voters. Audio
Tauranga City Council ditches pricey plan for aquatic centre
Tauranga's scrapped a new aquatic centre having already spent millions on the plan, LDR's Alisha Evans has the story Audio
Residents' group challenges decision to fast-track marina
The project was not one of the 149 included in the original list accompanying the Fast Track Approvals Bill.
Auckland's Moana festival looks to new government events fund
"I think MBIE have done a really smart thing here and they're going to see the benefits within the one year window of investing in major event and event content."
