Manukau City Council is calling for stronger community councils as part of Auckland's new super city local government structure.
In its submission to a select committee today, Manukau Mayor Len Brown said he and the council supported the proposed change to one unitary authority with one mayor.
But he said changes were needed to ensure communities still felt they had a voice.
Mr Brown was speaking at the select committee into the Government's plan to replace Auckland's current councils with one region-wide council and more than 20 local boards with limited powers.
He said there should be 12 to 17 boards, renamed community councils, which had some real power and resources to implement local policy, provided that they aligned with agreed regional plans.
"They also need sufficient budget and resources to allow them to be effective decision makers and deliver on the capital and operational needs of our communities," he said.
"We believe if you want strong buy-in from our communities this is what you can do for them, so they feel they are not losing their local voice and have a sense of going forward with the new structure."
Mr Brown said Manukau City Council would prefer to see all general councillors elected on a ward basis, rather than eight at large and 12 in wards as the Government is supporting.
Manukau also supported direct Maori representation, a proposal from the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance that was scrapped by the current Government.
Mr Brown also said the issue of water and wastewater should be addressed by splitting the wholesale and retail water businesses.
"We think the split between wholesale and retail will ensure a degree of tension and transparency in decision making and enhance customer service."
