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Case Studies

 We believe that the best way to improve people's trust in our democratic system is to educate, or at least provide information for individuals to make their own decisions. On this page there are links to just one case study at the moment - more will be added as time goes by.

 The Council Watch team will produce further case studies every six months. These will initially be posted on the password-protected part of this site to enable journalists the first opportunity to publish the content. Eventually all our case studies will find their way to this page.

Wellington Region: Wellington City Council

Selling the Family Silver: The Sale of Wellington Airport A Case Study in Local Government Decision Making

We say: This is an ideal case that exposes the practices of decision-making used by local bodies.

Any person who reads this case study will get a better idea of the behind-door discussions that take place and the highly political activities of (supposedly neutral) Council officers, put best by then-Mayor Blumsky:

"Without a doubt the Council officers were as big a fan of exiting the airport company as my group on Council. So without a doubt we strategised with officers to deliver the result as best as we could."

Laking, R., (2005), Local Futures

This paper was prepared by Rob Laking, working with Local Futures researchers. The intention was to make it one of a small number of accounts of actual significant strategic decisions in local government, so the researchers would have an understanding of the political and institutional environment in which Councillors and Council managers make decisions.

The evidence for the case study is drawn from the files of the Wellington City Council, media reports, and interviews with a small number of the key players including Mark Blumsky, Kerry Prendergast Andy Foster and Garry Poole (WCC Chief Executive).