The Regional Service Commissions will be governed by communities and act as service delivery agents to ensure the communities receive the services they pay for. Commissions will not be another level or tier of government. The decisions taken on financial and service matters will be made by the communities themselves through representatives on the Commission Boards. The Commission will not have the authority to tax for services, but will invoice for the services provided.
The new Regional Service Commissions will be established in legislation, administered by the provincial department responsible for Local Government. This legislation will set out the requirements for the Commissions, including mandate, structure and key operating guidelines.
The Minister responsible for Local Government will not govern the day-to-day activities or decision-making of the new Commissions, but will be responsible to ensure that the Commissions are reporting to the people of New Brunswick on their activities.
Each Regional Service Commission Board will be accountable to their member Municipal and Rural Community councils. Those councils are in turn, accountable to their taxpayers. For Local Service Districts, the Commission will be accountable to the Province which, as administrator of services in LSDs, is accountable to LSD taxpayers.
Each Regional Service Commission will have a Board of community representation which sets direction and makes decisions for the overall Commission.
Day-to-day decisions and responsibilities will be carried out by those employed by the Commission to manage services, either directly, or through external service-providers.