Editorial: Let councils decide the work they do  The Auckland
Council sent 36 members at a cost of more then $93,000 down to
Queenstown. Photo / Brett Phibbs  Elected members of local
bodies around the country spent two days this week at a
conference in Queenstown where they agreed - unanimously - that
they do not need their wings clipped by a bill the Government is
putting through Parliament.  The size of some of the delegations
did not help their argument. The Auckland Council sent 36
members at a cost of more than $93,000. Waikato's 12 councils
sent the same number in total at a slightly lower cost, $81,597.
That extravagance aside, they have a point.  National's bill
essentially replaces the legislation given to local bodies by
the Labour Government 10 years ago. Labour broadened their role
to "provide for the social, economic, cultural and environmental
wellbeing of their communities." National's legislation orders
them to concentrate on providing "good quality local
infrastructure, public services and r