Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Local Government Act 2002

Governance and management of local authorities and community boards - Local authorities - Governance and management

39: Governance principles

You could also call this:

“Rules for how your local council should work and make decisions”

Your local council must follow some important rules when it comes to how they run things. These rules are called governance principles.

You should know what your elected council members are supposed to do and how they should behave. The council needs to make sure both the members and the community understand this.

The council should set up ways to make decisions that are clear and open for everyone to see. They shouldn’t keep secrets about how they do things.

When the council makes rules (like for building or dogs), they should try to keep that separate from other decisions they make. This helps make sure everything is fair.

The council should be a good boss to the people who work for them.

Lastly, the council members who were voted in and the people who manage the day-to-day work of the council need to get along well and understand each other’s jobs.

These rules help make sure your local council works properly and fairly for everyone in your community.

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View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM171855.

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Part 4 Governance and management of local authorities and community boards
Local authorities: Governance and management

39Governance principles

  1. A local authority must act in accordance with the following principles in relation to its governance:

  2. a local authority should ensure that the role of democratic governance of the community, and the expected conduct of elected members, is clear and understood by elected members and the community; and
    1. a local authority should ensure that the governance structures and processes are effective, open, and transparent; and
      1. a local authority should ensure that, so far as is practicable, responsibility and processes for decision-making in relation to regulatory responsibilities is separated from responsibility and processes for decision-making for non-regulatory responsibilities; and
        1. a local authority should be a good employer; and
          1. a local authority should ensure that the relationship between elected members and management of the local authority is effective and understood.