Ngā kōrero mō tēnei pukapuka -...

TAHUA A-TAU ANNUAL BUDGET CONSULTATION DOCUMENT Help guide Auckland’s direction for 2016/2017

Ngā kōrero mō tēnei pukapuka About this documentOnce every three years, councils are required to adopt a long-term plan (10-year budget),

and in the intervening years an annual plan, otherwise known as an annual budget. Each

year our budget sets rates for the year and includes a Local Board Agreement for each of our

21 local boards.

This consultation document seeks your input to help us develop our annual budget for

2016/2017, which will cover the second year of the current 10-year budget.

Parts 1 and 2 of this document provide information about our plans for 2016/2017 as set out

in our 10-year budget. Parts 3, 4 and 5 seek your feedback on some potential changes to our

plans. Part 6 lets you know how and when you can have your say on these changes.

We would like your feedback on:

1. Some possible changes to our rating policies and therefore your rates. These policies don’t

determine the total amount of rates we need to collect, but rather, how rates are shared

across different groups of ratepayers.

2. A range of issues relating to your local area.

Whakapuakina ō whakaaro

Have your sayConsultation on our annual budget 2016/2017 closes at 4pm, 24 March 2016.

For more information, including the supporting information for this consultation document,

you can:

visit shapeauckland.co.nz

phone 09 301 0101 or

visit your local board office, service centre or library.

Final decisions will be made by June 2016 and will be available on shapeauckland.co.nz in

July.

Rārangi Kōrero

ContentsPart 1: Introduction

Background

Part 2: Our budget for 2016/2017

Responding to growth

Our planned investment

Paying for this investment

Day-to-day service delivery

Part 3: Your rates

Part 4: Priorities in your local area

Part 5: What else is going on?

Part 6: Having your say

How to have your say

Feedback form

Wāhanga 1: Kupu Whakataki

Part 1: Introduction

Background

Auckland is the fastest growing region in New Zealand. The population is expected to reach

2.2 million in the next three decades.

More people want to live and work here than anywhere else in the country. Our economy is

booming – GDP grew at 3.7 per cent in 2014 and 37,000 new jobs were created. To manage

that growth, we have to ensure our services, infrastructure and facilities can cope with the

added demand.

Managing our finances

Following feedback from more than 27,000 Aucklanders, last year we settled on our 10-year

budget that will see the biggest investment in Auckland over the next ten years than in any

previous decade: $18.7 billion. This includes investment in local community projects such as

upgrading libraries and sports fields, along with major roading and public transport upgrades

to help get the whole region moving.

Our 10-year budget is about balancing the need for investment with affordability. We have

kept rates increases to a minimum by containing our core costs and achieving over $200

million per annum of efficiency gains so far.

Our strong credit ratings of AA from Standard & Poor’s and Aa2 from Moody’s Investors

Service have both been recently confirmed.

Fixing Auckland’s Transport

The feedback on our 10-year budget indicated that a majority of Aucklanders wanted to see

more progress with transport. Discussions with central government are now well underway

on the long-term solution to Auckland’s transport problems. In the meantime, to address our

most urgent transport priorities, we introduced an Interim Transport Levy for three years,

which now enables us to invest an additional $523 million in transport over that period across

Auckland.

We decided that the simplest and fairest way to charge this interim levy was as a fixed

charge of $114 a year for all households and $183 a year for all businesses. This has

enabled us to get on with delivering initiatives such as:

52 kilometres of cycleways

45 additional kilometres of bus lanes

six new, replaced or extended park and rides

route protection/enabling works for the North Western Busway

earlier delivery of local and arterial road improvements

earlier delivery of bus-rail interchanges.

Making the most of our assets

When we decided on our 10-year budget, we wanted to ensure that ratepayers are getting

the best value from the large portfolio of council-owned assets. We engaged EY (Ernst &

Young) and Cameron Partners to look at all the assets and identify opportunities to enhance

this value.

These reports are now available to view here.

We are already progressing work on some of the more operation-focused opportunities, while

the discussion on our assets is just beginning. We do not currently have any proposals to

change our ownership or control of Ports of Auckland or our shares in Auckland Airport, and

we will undertake full public consultation on any proposed changes before making decisions.

While we continue work on these longer-term issues, we also need to get on with delivering

our current plans. For 2016/2017, this means delivering year two of our 10-year budget. That

is the focus of this document.

Wāhanga 2: Tā mātou tahua mō 2016/2017

Part 2: Our budget for 2016/2017

Responding to growth

Responding to Auckland’s rapidly growing population is the biggest driver of our investment

plans and financial projections for 2016/2017.

Figure 1 shows that more people create the need for more houses and infrastructure assets

such as public transport, roads, parks and wastewater. More infrastructure assets in turn

mean higher council debt and rising ownership costs such as interest and maintenance.

Combined with the additional cost of providing day-to-day services for more people, these

rising ownership pressures are increasing the council’s total operating costs faster than the

rate of inflation. While efficiency gains and higher growth-related revenue are helping, rates

increases higher than the rate of inflation are necessary if Auckland is to continue to invest in

response to this rapid growth.

Our investment

Our planned investment for 2016/2017 builds on our significant investment in new assets for

Auckland over the past five years, including:

almost a billion dollars on roads and footpaths, including Tiverton Road and Wolverton

Street in New Lynn, Albany Highway, Te Atatū Road, and continued investment in the

Auckland Manukau Eastern Transport Initiative (AMETI)

$1.1 billion on public transport, including the rollout of 57 electric trains, the new rail

station and transport hub at Manukau, upgraded stations and bus interchanges across

the network, and new ferry facilities and services to Hobsonville and Beach Haven

$220 million on land for new parks, including local parks in new developments

$190 million expanding and improving our stormwater network

$900 million on water and wastewater infrastructure, including the upgrade of the

Waikato Water Treatment Plant, expanding networks to support urban growth, and

wastewater solutions to protect our harbours

$50 million on new or upgraded libraries including Ōtāhuhu, Ranui, Devonport,

Wellsford and Waiheke.

For 2016/2017, our 10-year budget sets out a further $1.2 billion of investment in new assets

as well as $700 million to look after existing ones. Aucklanders will see this investment occur

across the region and in a wide range of council services. This investment will also range

from large projects spanning multiple years, such as the City Rail Link and the AMETI,

through to local projects such as upgrades to community centres, libraries and sports fields.

Figure 2 lists some of the investment highlights for 2016/2017.

Albany Stadium Pool

We are building a new recreational swimming pool near QBE Stadium to cater for the

growing population in north Auckland. With a focus on fun and recreation, this facility will

have something for all ages. A zero-depth splash pad will provide toddlers with their first

aquatic experience with exciting splash and spray water toys, while the shallow pools will

include slides, water cannons and a large play structure for children to develop confidence in

the water. For more confident children and adults the leisure pool can be set up for an array

of water activities and structured lane swimming, and will have a permanent climbing wall in

the deep end.

Ōtāhuhu Bus-Train Interchange

We are building a new bus-train interchange at the Ōtāhuhu railway station to provide better

connected and more frequent public transport services. This modern, high-quality facility will

feature architecture reflecting the local and historical context. Separate paths for buses,

trains, pedestrians, cyclists and other vehicles will improve safety, while covered bus

platforms, cycle storage racks and dedicated passenger drop-off zone will make using public

transport easier and more enjoyable.

City Rail Link

Work has now begun on the City Rail Link (CRL), which will include a new underground rail

line and two new underground train stations in the city centre. By connecting up the existing

rail lines we will be able to provide more frequent trains with more direct services to the city

centre. It will enable trains to run every 10 minutes at peak times for most stations, carrying

up to 30,000 people an hour.

The CRL has transport benefits for large parts of Auckland, including road users, as making

public transport (as one network) a better travel choice will ease pressure on roads for those

who need to use them.

Without the CRL, the bus network will be over capacity, creating major traffic problems. For

example, more than 250 buses an hour will be needed on Symonds Street, and traffic speeds

in the city centre would drop to 7km/h by 2021, 5km/h by 2041. Rail users will see:

a train about every 7 to 10 minutes at peak for most Auckland stations

faster, more frequent public transport services with increased rail feeder buses freeing up city

centre arterial bus services

getting to other parts of the city using public transport from areas such as New Lynn will be

much quicker e.g. New Lynn to Aotea Square will be under 30 minutes.

Westhaven Marine Village

We are building a hub for businesses in the marine industry, right in the heart of the country’s

biggest marina. The Westhaven Marine Village will provide purpose-built accommodation for

marine businesses such as chandlers, brokerages, and other specialist services. The total

development will encompass 9400 square metres of space that will include shop fronts, office

space, and versatile areas to suit practical industry requirements, as well as further dining

options. It will be fronted by the Westhaven Promenade, also making it a place to stop, rest,

and enjoy a cold drink or bite to eat.

Westgate Town Centre

Auckland Council and New Zealand Retail Property Group are building the new Westgate

regional town centre in the western part of Auckland. This new centre's civic heart will include

a new 3500m2 library featuring a unique children's reading and storytelling 'cocoon' space,

community rooms, a café and Citizens' Advice Bureau. The large civic space will be a

pedestrian-friendly, slow-speed zone or shared space. It will also be a place for people to

gather and relax with family and friends.

Sports field redevelopment

Auckland sportspeople can spend more time playing, thanks to Auckland Council’s $43

million investment in developing the region’s sports fields over the last three years. By

developing new fields, improving drainage, installing floodlights, sand carpets and artificial

turf we have increased capacity by 773 playing hours a week.

But there is still work to do. Over the next three years we will be upgrading toilets and

changing rooms at 10 sports parks, creating three new hockey turfs and several new or

upgraded netball courts. We will add a further 526 playing hours a week to our sports field

network by providing for:

44 fields to be floodlit

39 fields to be sand carpeted

4 fields to be developed as fibre-reinforced sand carpet fields plus floodlights

3 fields to be developed as artificial turf fields plus floodlights.

Paying for this investmentTo pay for continued investment in Auckland (including the $1.2 billion investment in new

assets for 2016/2017) our current plan would see us:

retaining the three-year Interim Transport Levy of $114 per year for residential properties and

$183 for business properties

increasing overall average general rates by 3.2 per cent (an average increase of $1.50 per

week for residential properties)

increasing water and wastewater charges by 2.5 per cent (an average increase of $0.40 per

week for residential properties)

increasing council debt from $8 billion to $8.85 billion, while ensuring that interest costs do

not exceed 12 per cent of our revenue (see Figure 3).

We consider this increase in debt to be appropriate on the basis that it is primarily driven by

investment in new assets with long, useful lives. The benefits from this expenditure will be

spread over time, and using debt financing means that costs will be shared with those people

who will benefit from the assets in the future.

Our financial strategy sets limits on the council’s borrowing, to maintain debt at a sustainable

level. While total group debt is projected to reach $11.6 billion by 2025, it will still remain at a

prudent level in comparison to our income. This prudent approach to debt is a key reason

why we have a AA Standard & Poor’s credit rating – the highest in New Zealand apart from

central government. None of the issues we are seeking feedback on in this document have

any implications for our financial strategy.

Day-to-day service deliveryFor 2016/2017, our 10-year budget sets out an operating budget of $3.7 billion. This supports

our investment programme and pays for a wide range of day-to-day services such as

maintaining roads, collecting rubbish and running libraries. While this is a large budget, it

reflects the high cost of running the largest council in Australasia, and providing all the

services that Aucklanders expect and value.

Some key examples of these costs include:

maintaining more than 7000km of road, 7000km of footpaths, 41 rail stations, 21

wharves, 14 ferry facilities and six busway stations costs over $110 million per annum

over $110 million per annum to assist the funding of public transport trips

mowing our 241 sports parks and 3000 local parks costs $17 million per annum

maintaining and operating parks, sport and recreation facilities (including 927

playgrounds and 43 aquatic and recreation centres) costs over $65 million per annum

running 54 local libraries along with the central library is $50 million per annum

Watercare run water and wastewater services at a cost of over $200 million per

annum

it costs $90 million per annum to provide rubbish collection, recycling and inorganic

collections

providing funding assistance to major facilities such as Auckland War Memorial

Museum $29 million, MOTAT $12 million, Auckland Zoo $8 million, Auckland Art

Gallery $11 million

grants of $60 million support a range of regional and local community, arts and cultural

groups and facilities e.g. Auckland Theatre Company, Auckland Arts Festival,

Auckland Philharmonia, Howick Historic Village, Te Tuhi, Lopdell House, Q Theatre,

North Shore Theatre and Arts Trust

working in partnership with others to leverage our $18 million investment next year on

major and regional events including the NRL 9s, the V8s in Pukekohe, the Pasifika

Festival and preparation for the World Masters Games.

In 2016/2017, the council must also cover the costs of holding an election with 1,054,619

registered voters, and putting in place the Auckland Unitary Plan – the single rulebook for

development in Auckland.

To minimise the impact of rising operating costs on rates, we have been working hard over

the past five years to contain core costs and achieve efficiency gains of over $200 million per

annum so far. Over the same period we added a city the size of Tauranga to our population.

Figure 4 shows that the council’s core operating costs from 2010 to 2015 (as reported in our

audited accounts) on a per capita basis are still well below the level of 2009 – immediately

prior to amalgamation.

Figure 5 shows further information about our budget for next year.

Wāhanga 3: Ō rēti

Part 3: Your rates

Calculating your rates

Rates support our investment in Auckland and also help pay for the hundreds of essential

day-to-day services the council provides. These include things like park maintenance, civil

defence, animal management, upkeep of sports fields, cleaning up graffiti, pollution

response, pest management and much more.

The 2016/2017 overall rates increase of 3.2 per cent set out in our 10-year Budget (LTP) was

determined by the council’s proposed spending levels and projected non-rates revenue for

the year. If council spending is reduced (or non-rates revenue increased) then this overall

rates increase can be lowered.

Calculating the share of rates that each household and business property pays involves a

number of factors. The factors that make the most difference are property value and

ratepayer category – e.g. residential, business or farm/lifestyle. The council’s rating policies

can change how rates are spread across individual properties. While we try hard to make

these policies as fair as possible, rating systems are not perfect and there are a wide range

of views about which policies are the fairest.

In recent years property revaluation and the transition to a single rating system across

Auckland have led to wide variations in the rates increases that individual businesses and

households pay. If we made no changes to our rating policy for 2016/2017, then for the first

time since amalgamation all ratepayers would have the same rates increases. Specifically, all

households would have a 3.5 per cent rates increase and all businesses would have a 2.5

per cent rates increase11.

1 There would be some exceptions for Franklin business ratepayers who are still transitioning

to a new rating policy, properties with new additions or extensions, and any specific

properties affected by a new or changed targeted rate. The council is also reducing the

proportion of rates collected from businesses in equal steps from 32.7 per cent to 25.8 per

cent by 2036/2037. This means that residential and farm/lifestyle ratepayers will have slightly

Have your say

We consider that the single rating system now in place for Auckland is fair and appropriate.

However, given the range of differing views about which polices are the fairest, we are

interested in hearing your views about whether we should change some of our policies.

The key rating issues we want your feedback on this year relate to:

1. The fixed charge portion of rates, known as the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC).

2. The Interim Transport Levy amount paid by businesses versus the amount paid by all

other ratepayers and the amount businesses pay for the Interim Transport Levy in relation

to their property value.

3. The rates paid by farm/lifestyle properties over 50 hectares.

4. Reducing the rates collected from Māori land in Auckland to reflect restrictions on its use.

higher rates increases each year.

1. Fixed charge (Uniform Annual General

Charge or UAGC)

Last year we received over 14,000 feedback points in response to a question on the level of

the UAGC. The highest amount of feedback (49 per cent) supported our current rating policy,

with a fixed charge of $397 in 2016/2017.

This year we are seeking your views on whether or not it would be fairer to change this fixed

charge within the range of $350 to $650. Figure 6 shows the total general rates for different

valued properties for different fixed charge options. For example, for a $500,000 property,

decreasing the fixed charge would reduce the general rates for that property, while increasing

the fixed charge would increase that property’s rates. The opposite applies for a $1million

property.

If the UAGC stays at $397 then all residential ratepayers will have the same rates increase. If

it is raised to $650 then around 84,000 ratepayers with higher value properties will have rates

decreases and around 135,000 lower value properties will have increases of more than 10

per cent.

If you want to see how the different options would affect the rates you pay for your property,

check out our online rates calculator at shapeauckland.co.nz. For more information on this

issue please see section 2.1 of the supporting information for this consultation document.

Feedback Question:

What is your opinion on the fixed charge portion of rates, known as the Uniform Annual

General Charge (UAGC)?

If changed, what should the fixed charge be, within the range of $350 to $650?

See question 1a and 1b on the feedback form.

2. Interim Transport Levy

Through the 10-year budget process, we received strong feedback telling us that

Aucklanders want to see urgent action on transport issues to help get the region moving. To

enable this, the council agreed to an accelerated transport programme that includes extra

investment of $523 million for three years. This would be funded through a combination of

New Zealand Transport Agency funding, council debt and a three-year Interim Transport

Levy (ITL).

We want your views on two aspects on how we charge the ITL for the next two years:

what is a fair share of the ITL to be paid by businesses?

what is the fairest way to charge the ITL to individual businesses?

What is a fair share of the ITL to be paid by businesses?

In 2014, 88 per cent of Auckland businesses employed five or less people. Currently all

business properties will pay an ITL of $183 each year for the next two years. After adjusting

for tax, this is equivalent to the $114 that all residential ratepayers will pay. This is a different

approach to that used for charging general rates. With general rates, business properties pay

higher charges for the same value property even after adjusting for tax. This is in part

because they place more demand on transport services than other properties.

The council is seeking feedback on an option to increase the share of ITL revenue raised

from business in line with the proportion of general rates collected from business. This would

mean that the business ITL charge would increase to $407, and the residential and

farm/lifestyle charge would decrease to $90.

What is the fairest way to charge the ITL to individual businesses?

Currently all business properties pay the same fixed ITL amount. This means that each

business makes an equal contribution to funding the transport programme regardless of its

size and scale.

The council is considering an option of charging the ITL to businesses based on the total

capital value of their property22. This would better align the ITL charge with the demand that

businesses generate on the transport network. Large businesses, such as office blocks and

factories, tend to generate more vehicle trips and heavy vehicle movements, placing more

stress on the transport network than small businesses. Charging the ITL on property values

would mean that businesses with higher property values will pay more than ones with lower

property values.

How businesses are charged the ITL will not affect residential or farm/lifestyle ratepayers, or

generate more money for the council, it will just change the share of the ITL that individual

businesses pay.

2 Rural businesses would be charged 90 per cent of the urban business rate for properties that have the same value. This is the same approach used for general rates.

Interim Transport Levy options

The impact on business ratepayers of moving to an ITL charged on property value would

depend on the share of total ITL revenue collected from business (as discussed above).

Taking these two issues together, there are four possible scenarios for the business ITL, as

outlined in the table below.

Figure 8 shows the business ITL for properties of different values under each of the four

scenarios.

Please visit our online rates calculator at shapeauckland.co.nz to see how changes to the ITL

would affect the rates you pay for your business property. For more information on this issue

please see section 2.2 of the supporting information for this consultation document.

Feedback Question:

What is your opinion on the Interim Transport Levy amount paid by businesses versus the

amount paid by all other ratepayers?

What is your opinion on the amount businesses pay for the Interim Transport Levy in relation

to their property value?

See questions 2a and 2b on the feedback form.

3. Farm and lifestyle ratesThe council is seeking feedback on an option of reducing rates on large farm/lifestyle

properties. Currently all farm/lifestyle properties (regardless of size) pay a general rate that is

80 per cent of the general rate charged to urban residential properties of the same capital

value.

We are seeking feedback on an option to reduce this to 60 per cent for farm/lifestyle

properties over 50 hectares. This would reduce rates for these properties by an average of

about $1200 each year and increase the rates for all other non-business ratepayers by $3.70

per year.

Farm/lifestyle properties over 50 hectares usually only have one household and are often

located far from council services and facilities. Their high property values mean that they pay

on average more than twice the rates of the average urban household. On the other hand,

these properties typically support large businesses that are able to:

pay more rates than the average household

claim back the GST from their rates

treat rates as an expense for tax purposes.

Some large farms and lifestyle properties are used as a single property but are technically

comprised of multiple properties. The council is therefore also considering an option to

introduce a rates remission scheme that will enable these properties to pay rates based on

the combined size of the property. This could increase the rates for all other non-business

ratepayers by less than 30 cents per year.

For more information on this issue please see section 2.3 of the supporting information for

this consultation document.

Feedback question:

What is your opinion on the rates paid by farm/lifestyle properties over 50 hectares?

See question 3 on the feedback form.

4. Māori land ratesThe council is proposing some amendments to its rates remission and postponement policies

to better reflect the limitations on the use and sale of Māori land. These changes would

reduce the total rates collected from Māori land in Auckland and increase the rates for all

other ratepayers by less than 25 cents per year.

Auckland Council recognises that Māori land has significant barriers to development and use

such as:

legal limitations on the sale of land

large numbers (tens or hundreds to thousands) of owners with a high threshold of

consensus required for decisions to be agreed

owners who are deceased and it is unclear who has inherited the land

difficulties in obtaining finance as land can’t be used as security for loans.

The Valuer-General allows a small adjustment to the value of Māori freehold land for rating

purposes, to reflect some of these impediments.

The council considers that this adjustment may not fully capture the differences between

these properties and general land.

For more information on this proposal please see section 2.4 of the supporting information for


Feedback question:

What is your opinion on reducing the rates collected from Māori land in Auckland to reflect

restrictions on its use? See question 4 on the feedback form.

Other potential changes to rates

Business Improvement District rates

The council is proposing five changes to Business Improvement District (BID) targeted rates

at the request of the following business associations:

Henderson-Lincoln: introduce a BID rate

Warkworth: introduce a BID rate

Browns Bay: extend the boundaries of the BID rate area

North Harbour: extend the boundaries of the BID rate area

Glen Eden: extend the boundaries of the BID rate area

BIDs support improvements to local business areas and help attract new business and

customers.

For full details of all the proposed BID targeted rates for 2016/2017 please see section 2.5 of

the supporting information for this consultation document.

Financing septic tank replacements and upgrades

The council is proposing to run a small pilot programme to encourage homeowners around

west coast lagoons (Piha, Te Henga and Karekare) and Little Oneroa (Waiheke Island) to

replace or upgrade their onsite wastewater systems (eg septic tanks). The scheme will

provide financial assistance repaid by a targeted rate charged to participating homeowners.



Rural Franklin waste management recycling targeted rate

The council is proposing to introduce a fortnightly kerbside fully commingled recycling

collection in rural Franklin from 1 November 2016. This will be funded by a new targeted rate

of $48.54 per service

This brings forward the timing for introduction of the service by eight months as the previous

transfer station drop off arrangements are no longer available.



Wāhanga 4: Ngā kaupapamatua kei tō rohe

Part 4: Priorities in your local areaThis section sets out the key local priorities for each local board area and any changes we

are thinking of making for 2016/2017. We are seeking your feedback on whether we have got

these priorities right.

For more information about the priorities for your local area, please see section 4 of the

supporting information for this consultation document.

Local Board Key priorities for 2016/2017

Albert-Eden Renew existing assets including local and sports parks ($1.8

million)

Continue to deliver SH20 Waterview Connection mitigation

works, (substantially funded by NZTA)

o Improvements to Waterview reserves

o State Highway 16/20 park restoration

o Development of Phyllis reserve

Continue the development of the western end of Chamberlain

Park for recreational purposes

Complete the upgrade of the Mt Albert Town Centre by bringing

forward $1.5 million of funding

Increase our local community grants fund from $45,000 to

$75,000

Devonport-Takapuna Renew existing assets, including significant renewal of coastal

assets

Greenway and walkway development

Development of Barry's Point Reserve


Becroft park sand carpet renewal

Franklin Work collaboratively with the community to develop a

greenways plan

Advocate strongly for coastal erosion to be addressed as a

regional issue

Support volunteers who wish to work on projects in our local

parks and reserves

Great Barrier Commence the development of a cemeteries in the north and

south of the island

Financial support for the purchase and management of Glenfern

Sanctuary

Reduce herbicide use and move to mechanical management

methods

Henderson-Massey Develop a multi-purpose facility (community centre and library

combined) in Westgate

Develop the SH16/20 local park (Westgate skate park)

Community partnership contracts, including governance work

with community groups

Hibiscus & Bays Develop Greenways Plans

Commence implementation of the Mairangi Bay Reserves

Management Plan

Plan for enhancement of 36 Hibiscus Coast Highway as a

reserve

Plan and deliver a new toilet at Sherwood Reserve

Playground and local park development, paths, landscaping,

seating and signage at Long Bay Reserves and Metropark West

Plan for park development, paths, landscaping, seating and

signage at Beechwood Drive, Hatfields Beach

Implement key actions from Silverdale, Orewa and Browns Bay


Town Centre Plans

Howick Develop the master plan for Barry Curtis Park

Greenways, walkway and cycleway paths

Undertake a stock take of all community facilities in the area

Continue to support local services and infrastructure in Flat

Bush such as roads, footpaths, stormwater, parks and facilities,

to align with growth in this area

Continue coastal erosion and sand replenishment of our

beaches and advocate for a regional fund for coastal erosion

Kaipātiki Implement the Kaipatiki Connections Network Plan

Provide seed funding to our local community, arts and sports

groups to help them improve their facilities

Enhance the replacement of assets due for renewal, so that they

may be improved to best meet the community’s needs

Develop a pest free Kaipatiki strategy in partnership with our

community environmental groups

Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Renew existing assets including renewals to local and sports

parks

Toilets and changing room renewals e.g. Miami Street Park

Develop priority greenways, or safe networks of cycleways and

walkways

Volunteers in parks

CCTV and town centre safety initiatives

Manurewa Progress the Manurewa Town Centre revitalisation project

Invest in Nathan Homestead as a heritage community arts

facility

Maintain and improve our community and sports facilities


Maungakiekie-Tāmaki

Partnership funding to enable community groups to achieve

community outcomes

An initiative to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags

A public art support and promotion initiative

Advocate for a review of levels of service of community centres

and halls

Advocate to ensure that the Tamaki Redevelopment Company

offers a range of quality housing options and improvements to

parks, open spaces and community facilities in the area

Orākei Advocate for funds to be brought forward to 2016/2017 for the

Meadowbank Community Centre upgrade as it is at capacity

and no longer fit for purpose

Advocate for the harbourside shared walkway project, identified

in the Tamaki Drive Masterplan to improve the overall safety for

vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians

Advocate for the completion of detailed design and consent

work for the proposed Pourewa/Selwyn train station to provide

better rail access for local residents

Advocate for the retention of lease income at The Landing,

Okahu Bay for reinvestment into the site to benefit all users.

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Advocate strongly for limits on alcohol outlets in residential

areas and near schools

Develop and improve the local area's sports facilities and parks

Complete the earthworks, car-parks and driveways at Colin Dale

Motorsport Park

Papakura Continue the development of our greenways and walkways

Construction of changing sheds at Opaheke Fields

Streetscape improvements in the town centre

Commence mangrove removal in the Conifer Grove area

Puketāpapa Advocate for the funding of the Pah Homestead marquee project


(which is not proceeding) to assist with restoration of the historic

Whare in Monte Cecilia Park (as an alternative community

facility).

Empower the community to deliver events and projects aligned

with both diverse community needs and Local Board Plan

priorities, shifting focus from sub-regional grants to local

strategic partnerships

Plan, consult and deliver phase two of the Waikōwhai Coastal

boardwalk

Give priority to the construction of the Sandringham Road Cycle

Route: SH20 overbridge to Wesley Community Centre

Review Sunday opening hours at Mt Roskill Library.

Rodney Transport projects including constructing footpaths

Upgrades to the Warkworth Showgrounds

Recreational walkways and bike trails

Environmental projects including support for community-led

environmental initiatives and ecological restoration

Introduce a new Business Improvement District (BID) for the

Warkworth area to advocate collectively for business and grow

the local economy.

Upper Harbour Building a community hub in Albany

Completing the Albany Stadium Pool

Sportsfield development in Hobsonville Point

Waiheke Progress developing a community swimming pool

Establish marine reserves and other protected areas

Develop a Matiatia master plan in partnership with our

community

Support an integrated approach to ecological restoration across

the island


Development of pensioner and community housing

Waitākere Ranges Continued delivery of the Waitākere Ranges Strategic Weed

Management Plan

Household information on living in the Waitākere Ranges

Heritage Area.

Further pedestrian improvements and connections between

Oratia, Parrs Park and Sunnyvale

Increased emphasis on the marine environment

Waitemata Improve the pathways through Western Park and upgrade the Pt

Resolution steps to concrete

Increase spend on low carbon initiatives including the

installation of photovoltaics at Grey Lynn Community Centre

Investigate establishing a youth hub in the city centre

Install a solar heating solution at Parnell Baths

Whau Seek funding to build a new destination playground in Kelston

Neighbourhood developments

Parks and community environmental programmes and services

Feedback question:

In your opinion, have we got our priorities right for your local board area in 2016/2017? What

do you think we should change?

See question 5a and 5b on the feedback form.

Wāhanga 5: He aha atu kei te haere?

Part 5: What else is going on?

Budget review

We are not proposing any major new projects, or changes to services we provide compared

to what we set out for 2016/2017 in our recently adopted 10-year budget. We will however

continue to review our budgets to ensure we continue to deliver the best value for money for

ratepayers. This includes reviewing our cost and revenue projections, reviewing assumptions

about interest and inflation rates, and reviewing the latest information about the timing of our

large construction projects and planned land acquisitions.

This review is likely to result in some budget changes when our final budgets for 2016/2017

are agreed by June. We are aiming to reduce the 3.2 per cent overall average rates increase

for 2016/2017, if it is possible to do so while continuing to deliver all our planned services and

investments. For more information about our budget review process, see section 1 of the

supporting information for this consultation document.

Management of volcanic cones

The Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau Collective Redress Act 2014 (the Act) came into

effect on 29 August 2014. The Act vested the Crown-owned land in 14 Tūpuna Maunga

(ancestral mountains/volcanic cones) in 13 iwi/hapū groups with interests in Auckland (Ngā

Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau). The Act also established the Tupuna Maunga o Tāmaki

Makaurau Authority (a co-governance body between the council and Ngā Mana Whenua) to

administer the Tūpuna Maunga.

The Act requires that the Tūpuna Maunga Authority prepare an Annual Operational Plan to

provide a framework in which the council will carry out the routine management of the 14

Tūpuna Maunga, under the direction of the Maunga Authority. This must be prepared and

adopted concurrently with the council’s annual budget and included in summary form. A

summary of the draft Operational Plan 2016/2017 can be found in section 3 of the supporting

information for this consultation document.

Other consultation processes

The council regularly seeks public feedback on a wide range of projects, plans and

strategies, separate to consultation on its annual budget. Please visit shapeauckland.co.nz to

find out about other consultations that may be of interest to you.

One upcoming consultation process relates to potential changes to how we manage our 1412

rental units for older Aucklanders. While we are firmly committed to maintaining this number

of units and to the ongoing support of all existing tenants, there are also opportunities to

partner with other organisations to deliver better housing outcomes without additional cost to

ratepayers.

Wāhanga 6: Hei whakapuaki i ō whakaaro

Part 6: Having your say

How to have your say

We want to hear your views on our annual budget, so we encourage you to take the time to

get involved. The public consultation runs from 15 February to 24 March.

There are a number of ways you can give feedback, depending on what suits you. These

include:

Written feedback:

You can contribute feedback online at shapeauckland.co.nz or fill out the attached feedback

form and send to the freepost address provided, or email to:

[email protected]

In person:

Come and talk to us at one of our Have Your Say events. This is an opportunity for you to

give feedback in person and be heard by council’s decision-makers.

We first ran Have Your Say events as part of the 10-year budget (LTP) consultation in early

2015.

there’s no need to register or pre-book: people can just turn up – but we need to know

if you require an NZSL interpreter

there’s no need to make a submission ahead of the event

people have the chance to hear the views of others, as well as saying their own

note-takers capture feedback

subject matter experts are available to answer questions

elected members will be present; their role is to listen to the conversation and ask

questions to seek understanding.

Events held across the region – all local boards will be having at least one event. To find your

nearest event, visit shapeauckland.co.nz or call 09 301 0101.

Social media:

Comments made through the following channels will be considered written feedback:

Twitter: comments using @aklcouncil and #aklbudget

Facebook: posts on facebook.com/aklcouncil – using #aklbudget

Where to find more information

You can find everything you need to know at shapeauckland.co.nz including the supporting

information, an online feedback form and a schedule for Have Your Say events.

Ngā kōrero mō tēnei pukapuka -...

Documents

Transcript of Ngā kōrero mō tēnei pukapuka -...