July 2021

Following last month’s breakdown of the feedback we received from both our local boards and the wider community on what was still a “proposed” budget, I would like to spend this month’s column focusing on some of the much wanted and needed investment now secured over the next three years for projects and programmes in our ward.

 Parks: Colin Maiden Park will receive nearly $3 million to upgrade sports fields, add lighting, paths and other amenities to improve its use. Secure funding will also support the development of a third sports field and lighting at Shore Road Reserve, and Thomas Bloodworth Reserve will also receive funding for an upgrade.

 Transport: The north-south links to the Glen Innes to Tamaki Dr Shared Path (wanted since 2012) are finally funded and will improve road safety and reduce congestion by providing off-road access to schools and commuters and connect multiple communities across the Pourewa Valley. I am thrilled this has been included in Auckland Transport’s budget allocation for this 10-year budget as it has been in the Ōrākei Local Board’s top ‘three most wanted projects’ by the community for every 10-year plan since Auckland Council began.

The seaward side footpath on Tamaki Dr alongside the new separated cycleway on the causeway will be funded allowing this project to be fully realised (don’t ask why it wasn’t part of the road raising/separated cycleway project in the first place!).

But often, the most wanted transport improvements are smaller things — new bus shelters or shelters where none currently exist, safety improvements around pedestrian crossings and footpath improvements. Our two local boards will receive just under $6m in the next three years to deliver what you want in the transport space.

 Environment and climate: Funding from the natural environment targeted rate will go towards restoring and enhancing the natural environment of the Pourewa Valley, including St Johns Bush, Kepa Bush, Selwyn Bush and Tahapa Reserve.

Tamaki Dr work will receive funding towards climate mitigation which will include the implementation of temporary flood barriers along the sea wall, as well as installation of the non-return valves on existing stormwater outlets through the sea wall to also assist with rising sea levels and flooding.

As I have expanded on previously, the reserves alongside Portland Rd will also receive funding for work to restore and enhance their wetlands this year, finishing with the road raising component – both reducing the impacts of flooding.

Community: The Meadowbank Community Centre will also receive funding to deliver a major rebuild. Again, this has been on the ‘most wanted’ list for over nine years but now it will happen.

Regional grants have been reinstated and are now available to support incredible work done by the various groups dedicated to positive community outcomes. A key example of region-wide grants for our area includes the funding of our Eastern Bays Songbird Project, which has significantly reduced pests and tangibly brought back more birdlife to our area.

As a result of more funding for both our local boards, grant funding will also be available for community groups to deliver further local valuable investment where needed.

 Water: Thanks to overwhelming community support, significant investment into the beaches of Parnell to Glendowie (in the first instance focused on Hobson Bay), Newmarket and the Tāmaki Estuary, will be enabled six years earlier than planned through the increase in the water quality targeted rate (WQTR). This project is being called the Eastern Isthmus Programme.

As Watercare deliver new wastewater infrastructure projects such as the Newmarket gully tunnel, we will optimise that investment by undertaking stormwater upgrades and stormwater separation. In fact, the one-off 5 per cent rates rise also delivers 50 per cent of below the ground infrastructure for us in central Auckland.

We have a long way to go in terms of improving the quality of our water to acceptable health standards, however, the level of investment provided through the WQTR is a big step in the right direction. The rate will enable an additional $255.9m of investment.

While I appreciate not everyone was supportive of this budget, I want to reassure you that I am focused on

providing you all value for money and continuing to build on our record level of savings and efficiencies ($90m is baked into the budget for savings in year one).

June 2021

One of the biggest decisions at the moment is the Auckland Council budget for the next 10 years. The Ōrākei ward comprises of a mix of communities from two local board areas, Ōrākei and Waitematā. Responses are catalogued by board area, not by ward, so it’s always a bit challenging to know what my wider ward feedback says. To help, each local board considers feedback from their area and officially resolves in a public meeting their advocacy for councilors to support.

So, what did the local board feedback say? On general rates, both the Waitematā and Ōrākei local boards supported a one-off 5 per cent and then 3.5 per cent for the remainder of the budget. Why? Because this higher investment in year one will enable a greater investment into the Ōrākei ward over the next three years.

Climate change: both boards supported investment into initiatives that will help mitigate the impact of climate change.

Water quality investment — both boards supported an increase and extension to the water quality targeted rate, which directly invests in water quality enhancements in line with the general rates rise. The key reason behind this was the ability for this money to be directly spent on Hobson Bay and improvements to beaches from Parnell to Glendowie. The increase also allows this work to be brought forward six years, and started next year.

At time of writing the final call has not been made but I am hopeful the mayor will amend his proposal noting the feedback, especially as it applies to extra water quality investment which wasn’t part of his original proposal. I will update details of the final decisions, which will be made later this month, in my newsletters and on my website (desleysimpson.co.nz)

If you live near to the Waitaramoa Reserve on Shore and Portland roads, you may be aware of the Waitaramoa Wetland Enhancement project. This is a year-long environmental project which will clear sediment from the streams in the reserve and remove blockages in order to reduce flooding events. I have long been an advocate for action on the longstanding issue of flooding on Portland Rd following heavy rain, and am extremely pleased to see progress.

While there have been some frustrating Covid-related delays, things are now finally underway. The project went out for tender in early May. The first step in the process, to commence in August, is vegetation removal. That will include the removal of 2000m2 of mangroves from the stream, 10 large crack willow trees and three Brazilian pepper trees, whose roots are restricting stream flow.

The waterway desilting stage of the project will commence in October, and is expected to continue for eight months. 7000m³ of silt will be removed from the stream and be reused to build a landform, or mound, on the Hobson Bay side of Waitaramoa Reserve. This mound will represent future flood levels over the next 100 years. At the same time, walking tracks and footbridges will be upgraded to enhance access and enjoyment of the area.

Each tree that will be removed will be replaced by two native specimen trees. These won’t be small trees either, we are talking pūriri, kōwhai and pōhutukawa, which will grow to be 4 to 6m high. In total, 15,000 native trees and shrubs will be planted, significantly more than what’s there now. Planting work will greatly enhance the ecological features of the area and will take place towards the end of the project, which is expected to be next March. The final part of flooding mitigation involves raising the bottom section of Portland Rd. This will be managed by Auckland Transport (who I thank most sincerely for putting up with my nagging about this and finally supporting delivery).

Ever since I was a child, we have seen rubbish bins floating down the road and frequent flooding, causing major safety concerns for the users of lower Portland Rd, a major transport route for local residents and the four neighbouring schools. Construction associated with this will take place next year. To those of you who are impacted by the Waitaramoa Reserve works or have an interest, I would urge you to reach out to our Healthy Waters staff via HWcustomerandcommunity@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. They can answer any questions and continue to update you on the project.

May 2021

On May 9, many of us will celebrate our mothers, those who have acted as our mothers and those of us who are mothers ourselves will hope to be ‘treated’ for the day.

For some people, Mother’s Day can also be a painful time. I recognise that many have not been able to see their mothers since the pre-pandemic era and have had to embrace new ways to stay connected. Some no longer have their mothers.

However, the role that mothers, grandmothers and if one is fortunate, great-grandmothers, play in supporting children to reach their full potential can never be understated. My mother and her family were instrumental in encouraging me to be the best I could be. In particular, her support of my political career was immense, and I feel incredibly grateful to continue to benefit from her guidance today.

I’d also like to make special mention of working mothers everywhere. I know from experience that it’s not easy to balance the demands of motherhood and employment. I do wonder however whether council should continue to own and manage childcare facilities. Is this core council business? I’m not saying those childcare services shouldn’t remain, but should the ratepayer be funding them? That is being reviewed as part of our latest operating model assessment, which includes evaluating over 130 services the council currently provides and, where appropriate, considering if there’s still a need for them or if there’s a different way of delivering them.

We will also shortly commemorate ANZAC Day, which for me is always a special time for reflection and remembrance. This year’s theme of ‘Women in Service – Service and Sacrifice’ is of particular significance as it recognises the often overlooked contribution of New Zealand’s women to the war effort.

While women in 1915 did not have the opportunity to be at the forefront of conflicts, they were involved in many other ways.

Women working in medical professions made vital contributions and often witnessed similar traumas to those on the front lines.

Last year’s ANZAC Day fell in the midst of the nationwide alert level four lockdown and we were forced to adapt to ensure the safety of those taking part. Along with my family, I proudly stood at my gate at dawn to remember those who had been lost. This year, I’m grateful that while things aren’t completely ‘back to normal’, we are able to gather safely. There is something particularly moving about being part of a crowd of fellow New Zealanders connected by our solidarity and shared loss. I plan to attend the dawn service at the Museum and later speak and lay a wreath at the ANZAC event in Newmarket.

Finally, an update on Waitaramoa Hobson Bay. Council’s Safe Networks investigative team have been continuing to identify incorrectly connected drainage - cross-connections and other issues which cause wastewater contamination of dry weather stormwater flows into the bay.

I was able to secure funding to ensure a dedicated investigative team has been focused on Hobson Bay since March. Watercare are also assigning a full-time Hobson Bay project manager to work closely with the investigative team, and best direct their resources. While this is great news, it’s important we keep the momentum going until we have resolved, via our 10-Year Recovery Budget, the more serious issues of water quality in our community.

APRIL 2021

Orange cones, orange cones, orange cones, reduced traffic lanes, cycle challenges! If you use Tamaki Dr you’ll be well used to the disruption, particularly along the stretch from the Ngapipi Rd bridge to the port entrance. We’ve all been impacted heavily over the last few years and it’s not over yet. While these have been challenging times of a different sort, I know that this work — whether raising the road to help prevent future flooding or widening Ngapipi bridge to improve safety at one of the worst intersections — is necessary and eventually will be worth it in the long-term.

With the orange cones gone from the north construction side, what looked like the completion of the Ngāpipi bridge to Solent St cycleway should have been a cause for celebration. It was to be a safe separated cycleway constructed in such a way as to not compromise vehicle traffic or pedestrians. The reality was, within days of what felt like a soft opening just before Christmas, both Twitter and my inbox were flooded with feedback from justifiably angry members of the public. Keen cyclists had tried out the brand new $14 million cycleway, only to find it unpleasant to ride on, unreasonably bumpy and therefore not really as safe as it should have been. After all this time and money spent, was this really the best Auckland Transport could deliver?

I sought an explanation, and almost more importantly an assurance that mistakes would be rectified without further ratepayer spend. Auckland Transport staff explained firstly that this was never a finished product – AT had yet to carry out their quality assessment and sign off on the project. Secondly, they explained that owing to the narrow width of the cycleway, the contractors had opted to lay the tarmac by hand rather than by machine, as they’d done successfully elsewhere. Other sections along the cycleway including the section approaching Mission Bay were agreed to have been completed satisfactorily, with a smooth riding surface.

AT has worked closely with cycle stakeholders such as Bike Tamaki Drive and Bike Auckland to identify the areas which need fixing. The good news: because the project has not yet been signed off, and the work was not considered up to the required standard, the cost of correcting the problem will be met entirely by the contractor.

It was agreed that where connections were poorly completed the asphalt will be repaired to provide a smoother surface. In areas where there are serious bumps, the tarmac will be fully replaced and resealed. This work is scheduled for completion no later than the end of April meaning the whole path will be ready for the Easter break. It wouldn’t have been possible to make these improvements sooner without requiring a new traffic management plan which would have been more inconvenience, something we can all agree was to be avoided!

It’s simply not good enough that mistakes were made which further delay completion of this vital piece of infrastructure and return Tamaki Dr to its full capacity for road vehicles (more on vehicle lane widths to come). However, I am pleased that Auckland Transport didn’t just leave the job as it was, but listened and responded to the feedback received and worked in collaboration with elected members and stakeholders to ensure the right outcome. Crucially, I’m satisfied with a result where the problem is fixed at absolutely no cost to the ratepayer.

Finally, a big thank you to everyone who took the time to participate in our Long-term Plan 2021-31 Recovery Budget consultation. The week-long move to alert level three on Sunday February 28 meant that unfortunately not all ‘in person’ events were able to go ahead as planned. Our engagement team were prepared for this eventuality and had planned a programme of online regional webinars along with some on specific topics such as ‘rates’ and ‘water quality’. Additionally, I know many of you took the time to submit your feedback online or via a phone interview. I really appreciate reading your insights and ideas and always ensure they are central to my decision making process, so thank you.

March 2021

With the summer holidays now a distant memory, I’m right into the next challenge facing our city’s decision makers – our 10-year budget for 2021-31, which sets the financial scene for the next decade. Getting the right equilibrium of necessary investment in infrastructure while retaining a strong financial position is no easy task at the best of times, but it’s especially difficult now.

While it feels like New Zealand has got through the worst of Covid-19, its financial impacts are likely to be felt for many years to come. Auckland Council will experience an estimated shortfall of $540 million over the next three years and that’s in addition to the initial $450m loss addressed by last year’s Emergency Budget.

The response is to propose a Recovery Budget, containing a host of further cost-saving initiatives to ensure we can maintain the services and facilities our city depends on, while keeping the cost to the ratepayer as low as possible.

In addition to savings, and after receiving advice from our credit rating agencies, we are proposing temporarily increasing our borrowing above our old debt to revenue limit.

Given that 40 per cent of council revenue comes from rates and our continued lack of ‘other’ revenue, it’s impossible for us to navigate these difficult times without considering how important rates are as a funding mechanism. The mayoral proposal suggests retaining our current commitment to an ongoing average 3.5 per cent rates rise per year, with a one-off increase of 5 per cent in the first year to help mitigate the ongoing impacts of Covid.

While we are preparing a budget for a 10-year period, it is the first three years that matter (as they are reflected by the current political term). While the plan is for 3.5 per cent rates increases each year, why has 5 per cent in year one been suggested? The proposed increase will allow $900m of investment in the first three years that would otherwise have been pushed out. This will mean more investment, sooner, in our local areas requested by our communities.

In Ōrākei, that includes multiple environmental programmes, planning for the improvement of fields at Bloodworth Park and Shore Rd Reserve and improving community safety in the bays, along with initiatives like the building of the north-south connection to the Glen Innes to Tamaki Dr shared path.

For the Waitematā ward, it includes projects such as the restoration of Newmarket Stream, improved biodiversity of the Hauraki Gulf and the restoration of the Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki heritage building. More generally, it supports a move to a more proactive approach to renewing our below-ground infrastructure with a significant increase in pipe renewals focused on central Auckland.

Speaking of below ground, one thing we can all agree on is that we need to clean up the water quality at Auckland’s beaches, many of which are currently unsafe for swimming. In a couple of months we will have completed the Ōkahu Bay stormwater and wastewater separation project which will, amongst other things, reduce wastewater overflows in Ōkahu Bay. However, there are still huge problems in Hobson Bay and our beaches, from Parnell to Glendowie. Our eastern isthmus area suffers one of the highest rates of sewer overflows in Auckland. The mayoral proposal committed to addressing this in year six of the 10-year plan. I think we should address this sooner, so I put up an amendment to offer the public an option to bring forward that work to start next year.

The Eastern Isthmus Programme focuses on network separation and wastewater overflow reduction in combined network areas in Newmarket, Parnell, Hobson Bay through to St Heliers. This project would drastically turn the tide on our water quality issues, including addressing the alarming level of E. coli traces in Hobson Bay.

Because this work is funded by the water quality targeted rate, and current levels are already committed, we can only fast track this work if that rate is increased by 5 per cent, or $3.30 per annum for the average Auckland homeowner, next year.

But none of this is a given. We are asking all Aucklanders to have their say on all aspects of our Long Term Plan because meaningful engagement with the public is always at the heart of good decision making. There are many ways you can let us know what is most important to you, and crucially, how it should be paid for.

Public consultation opened in February and you can submit your views online until Monday March 22, on council’s website (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz). Additionally, there are a variety of events happening across the region from drop-in sessions at your local library; stalls at popular events; and community forums. I will be at all local events and always available to discuss any questions you may have. We will also be holding another series of webinars which anyone can take part in online. Details of all events can be found at www.akhaveyoursay.nz/recoverybudget. Please have your say!

January / February 2021

Summer is finally upon us after what has been a difficult year for so many of you, in ways we could not have imagined. I know that many of you will be disappointed to miss out on international trips, especially those with family living overseas. Despite the frustration, we can feel incredibly lucky to be in New Zealand and be able to enjoy our summer while remaining alert, cautious and aware that the pandemic continues elsewhere.

You may be aware of recent media regarding proposed retirement village developments in Kohimarama, St Heliers and Parnell. Ryman Healthcare have applied to build on Kohimarama Rd next door to Selwyn College; Oceania Healthcare have begun earthworks on a site in Waimarie St in St Heliers; and Summerset Group are planning to build on Cheshire St in Parnell.

Local residents have voiced concerns to me about these developments and the impact they could have on the area. Are the buildings a good ‘fit’ for the neighbourhood, and will they have an adverse effect on viewshafts of the ‘feel’ of the area are two common questions I receive.

At first glance, it appears that the heights of these structures would be in breach of the Auckland Unitary Plan, which determines what can be built, and where, in order for the region to meet its economic and housing needs. The plan sets out ‘permitted’ standards whereby

in each specific area, the effects of a particular aspect of a development, such as height, have already been considered to be acceptable.

However, it’s important to remember that these standards are not maximum limits that cannot be broken – this is a common misconception. Instead, they are used to determine whether a resource consent is required for that particular aspect of an activity. Unless a proposed activity is expressly prohibited by the Unitary Plan, the council is obliged to accept, assess, and determine all applications for resource consents.

Kohimarama is zoned Mixed Housing Urban, which allows buildings up to 11m in height to be built without the need to obtain a resource consent for a height infringement. This doesn’t mean buildings over 11m are not prohibited by the Unitary Plan, but that they require a resource consent for an infringement of the height standard. If applications such as Ryman’s come in for height limits above the Unitary Plan rule, council needs to undertake an assessment of the effects caused by the height of the buildings proposed.

Similarly, several of the buildings in the integrated residential development proposed for St Heliers exceed the zone’s height limit of 8m. After considering evidence, expert advice and submissions provided, specifically the character of the development, the hearing panel made up of independent commissioners (who are required to hold a specific qualification from central government and are independent of council) determined that the consent be granted.

It's also worth mentioning that there is significant demand for this type of retirement style housing in Ōrākei. The ward has a large population of people in the over-65 bracket, many of whom want the option of staying in the area and like the security housing of this nature provides.

In all these cases, the developers are within their rights to proceed with these projects. This doesn’t mean however, that your views are not important. It’s absolutely possible for residents, local representatives and developers to work together to ensure an outcome that works for everyone.

What you can do is reach out to your residents’ associations and local representatives to voice your concerns. Sometimes the best approach is a friendly meeting with developers to discuss the issues to find common ground and I am always happy to facilitate these discussions.

Local boards are charged with decision-making at a local level, and similarly have a role to play in communicating community views on these kinds of issues. Local boards have input into the decision on public notification of a resource consent application and can also comment on

the substantive matters of the application. This is not treated as a submission for the purposes of the Resource Management Act, but it is given weight by a hearings panel or commissioner according to the merit of the arguments made. So please keep in touch with them too.

Finally, as a result of all our efforts in saving 7 billion litres of water this year (the equivalent to 150,000 swimming pools), the mayor and councillors unanimously agreed to relax the water restrictions to allow the use of outdoor hoses provided they are handheld and have a trigger nozzle. I’ve advocated for this for some time and finally achieved the vote necessary. Timing couldn’t have been better allowing for us to tidy up our homes and maintain our gardens over summer.

As it’s the holiday season I wish you all a wonderful summer and hope that you are able to enjoy a break from your busy schedules to spend some quality time with your friends and family.

December 2020

One of the many lessons I’ve learned from a decade in local government is the importance for Auckland Council of cultivating a strong relationship with central government. This holds true regardless of personal views and who is currently sitting on the parliamentary benches.

Why? Because to a large degree their decisions can save us money, cost us money, deliver infrastructure benefits, delay projects or speed up projects. In the Ōrākei ward, a shared path project from Glen Innes to Tamaki Dr has been underway for some time. This project was first started under the Key government and after a strong start, initially stalled when the government changed ‘colour’. However with careful negotiation, this project, which is co-funded by both central government and Auckland Council, is now back on track.

Central government has stepped up to fund all of the most expensive section as council finances recover from the impact of Covid-19. On the other hand, during the election the government promised to fund Skypath, a walking and cycling link across the Harbour Bridge, which they own. Regardless of whether you support this project or not, that announcement means Auckland Council now has to fast-track the consenting and associated money to ensure the end to end work is done to meet the deadlines imposed by central government and to make the project viable.

I work closely with a number of central government MPs in my role as Ōrākei ward councillor: David Seymour (ACT) MP for Epsom; Simon O’Connor (National) MP for Tāmaki and Paul Goldsmith (National List MP) who lives in Remuera. We often collaborate on local issues where our responsibilities overlap and through that co-operation and joint advocacy we can achieve positive outcomes for our constituents.

So, what are the differences in the roles of central and local government representatives?

Central government takes care of the ‘big stuff’ which affects all of New Zealand such as health, education, justice, foreign policy. Unsurprisingly, local government focuses on local matters such as roading and water infrastructure, waste, public transport and libraries. There is inevitable overlap between projects, which is why good communication and partnerships are key.

Local authorities raise much of our own funds, although central government does provide funding and subsidies towards particular activities such as roading and public transport. This is a good example of where the relationship is key. Our city’s bus network, and the roads they run on, are the responsibility of the Auckland Council family through Auckland Transport (AT); whereas our motorways are administered and maintained by Waka Kotahi New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA), a central government entity.

In addition to sharing the tasks of government, local government provides effective accountability through greater engagement and opportunities for citizen participation.

Councils’ varying policies recognise that preferences differ between New Zealand’s diverse communities on issues where a one-size-fits-all approach may not be appropriate.

With Christmas fast approaching, I’m sure many of you will breathe a sigh of relief as 2020 draws to a close. It’s been a rollercoaster year with Covid-19 being the major disrupter. Challenges have also included lockdown-associated economic woes; the worst drought on record; and a crash requiring partial closure of the Harbour Bridge to name but a few.

With limitations on overseas travel many of us will look to staycations or holidays within New Zealand.

We are incredibly lucky here in New Zealand where some of the best things to see and do are actually right in our own backyard - have you visited the gun emplacements next to the

Michael Joseph Savage Memorial? Or seen the very impressive, large, and old pōhutukawa in Dove-Myer Robinson Park?

Without the usual hordes of overseas tourists, now’s the time if you’ve always wanted to try some of our great walks or some of the spectacular off-road cycle routes – check out doc.govt.nz and nzcycletrail.com for more details. Keep safe these summer holidays, enjoy any time off you might have and look after yourselves. Bring on 2021!

November 2020

This month Auckland Council is 10 years old. Yes, it’s been that long since amalgamation saw Auckland Regional Council join with seven territorial authorities to form the so-called Super City. Unprecedented in terms of scale in New Zealand, it was hoped that the new Auckland Council with one mayor, 20 councillors, 21 local boards and what was then six big council-controlled organisations (CCOs) would unite the region, be more efficient and deliver value for the then-approximately 1.4 million ratepayers.

A decade on, albeit in the midst of a global public health and financial crisis, I thought I would reflect on some of the highlights. While the Super City’s first decade has not been without its setbacks and controversies, there have certainly been some significant achievements.

I’ll start with the obvious one. Has the Super City model actually saved ratepayers any money? I’m pleased to be able to report, yes. Each year since the formation of Auckland Council, we have set savings targets. Up to the end of June, we have actually saved $1.89 billion of cumulative savings. With this being the tenth year, I’m confident that figure will exceed $2b. In essence, even though we have gone from about 1.4 million people in 2010 to about 1.7 million people in 2020, we are operating with approximately $2b less than we would if we had not focused on saving ratepayers’ money. This year alone, our Emergency Budget has a savings target of $120m. Three months into the year we have found $69m of that.

They do however tell me that finding cash savings is a bit like weight loss — it starts out being easy but the last few pounds are the hardest. I give you my absolute assurance however, we will meet that $120m target!

But what benefits have we seen locally? I’ve loved championing and delivering investment in our ward as both your local board chair previously, and now councillor. When I look back over the 10 years, highlights for me have included a number of new and upgraded sports fields (17 of them 2014-16), a number of new playgrounds and some significant environmental projects, such as improvements to Waiatarua Reserve, New Zealand’s largest urban wetland project.

Some of the bigger projects I’ve advocated for and delivered include the Ōrākei Basin perimeter walkway and the Hobson Bay walkway, both well used and loved by a huge number of recreational walkers and runners.

I haven’t always seen eye to eye with Auckland Transport, but an absolute highlight for me was one of our smaller transport investments, the installation of a roundabout at Shore Rd and Victoria Avenue. This took a lot of lobbying but has made a huge difference to traffic flow at that intersection, in fact it’s hard to remember how difficult it used to be to turn out of Victoria Ave against the traffic. And while I’m on intersections, the Tamaki Dr/Ngapipi Rd signalised intersection has also proved a success managing some 33,000 car movements each day. The raising of Tamaki Dr up to half a metre in places where it has flooded so badly in the past finally got the green light. It is currently in construction and a welcome addition having been incorporated into the new separated cyclepath project on the causeway between Ngapipi Rd and Solent St.

Whilst I’m sure cyclists will be very pleased once this is completed, the question I’m asked most often about those works on Tamaki Dr is will there still be four vehicle lanes once that project is complete? I’m pleased to be able to report yes (I’ve even heard AT’s CEO confirm that at a community meeting).

Another big project happening in the ward is the Glen Innes to Tamaki Dr shared path. We have finally (and that’s a big finally) achieved funding for the last two sections. Stage three is in construction and will join up to the existing section that runs along the rail line next to the Ōrākei Basin. Stage four will begin next year.

But not all our regional investment can be seen. More recently we have begun a large project to improve the water quality of Okahu Bay. This includes the upgrade and

separation of old combined waste/stomwater pipes improving our below the ground infrastructure and ensuring sewage doesn’t flow into the harbour.

But having briefly looked back, now we look forward. Currently we are working on planning for the second decade of Auckland Council. It’s going to be tough, as we juggle the financial constraints Covid-19 continues to challenge us with. Having said that, I’m committed to continue to push for regional investment into our ward. This will include tackling the expensive, but in my opinion necessary, water quality issues that plague Hobson Bay and also working with both the Waitematā and Ōrākei local boards on funding plans that deliver more localised investment.

October 2020

When the Super City, or Auckland Council as it’s officially known, was formed almost 10 years ago, a model was established to separate the council ‘parent’ from the council-controlled organisations or CCOs. This model allowed for approximately two-thirds of our services to the public, two thirds of our assets and therefore about half our operational budget spend to be overseen by non-elected independent boards of directors or trustees.

Some of these organisations will be well known to you, like Auckland Transport and Watercare but you may be less familiar with Panuku, our development arm; Regional Facilities Auckland – who run venues like our award-winning zoo, our stadiums and our art gallery; and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED) – our economic growth agency.

While CCOs were set up to be independent, each of them was supposed to be accountable to the mayor and councillors. It was this group of publicly elected governors who were required to monitor their performance, set their strategic direction and approve their statement of intent. In essence, they are publicly owned entities that exist to provide services to those who partly or wholly fund them, and that is the people of Auckland. However, the model did not provide for the mayor and councillors to control the recruitment process for their staff, including their chief executives and the remuneration they receive.

Over the ten years since CCOs have been operational, there have been examples of great things happening but also examples highlighting significant room for improvement.

In my first term as your Ōrākei ward councillor I frequently found myself frustrated with some of the limitations of the system and this term I was determined to seek a review of the model to ensure it truly delivered the best value for ratepayers.

I am therefore pleased to advise we have done exactly that. Last December, we appointed an independent panel of experts, chaired by Miriam Dean, to lead a review into the effectiveness of the CCO model, the accountability mechanisms between CCOs and council, and the culture of the CCOs. The panel’s remit was to identify what was working well, what wasn’t working and almost most importantly how we could improve outcomes for Aucklanders. After a period of engagement with the public, over 100 stakeholders and the CCOs themselves, the panel recently presented their findings to the mayor and councillors during a series of workshops.

Following that, my fellow councillors and I met publicly to consider the review’s report and its 64 recommendations before voting unanimously to progress them all. Some can be actioned immediately, with others requiring further analysis or input from local boards. Within three months, a detailed work programme for implementing the recommendations will be reported to the council’s CCO Oversight Committee (of which I’m a member) and through that committee we will continue to monitor progress.

So, what did the review say?

The review supported the CCO model in general but found room for improvement. Recommendations include developing ‘statements of expectation’ for CCOs, with reference to chief executive remuneration; establishing a common set of council-CCO key performance indicators, including customer complaint resolution; developing a group policy to identify areas where services can be shared by the council and CCOs; and strengthening the CCO-local board relationship.

Most significantly, the proposals included a merger between ATEED and Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) which will save ratepayers up to $67 million over the next decade. ATEED and RFA will now begin working through the details of how this will be implemented and how the combined agency, which will undertake all the current functions and activities of ATEED and RFA, will be able to deliver great outcomes for Auckland. As well as the cost-saving benefits, it was agreed that ATEED and RFA share similar goals and their social, economic and cultural functions are intrinsically linked, meaning their amalgamation will result in a co-ordinated region wide approach to cultural, arts, sports and business events.

Changes for other CCOs include Auckland Transport (AT) urgently reviewing how it designs, consults on, funds and implements minor capital works and forming a working group to clearly delineate their by-law making powers.

Additionally, council will formulate a three-waters strategy and will reach an agreement with Watercare and AT on clear, measurable minimum performance levels. The full report and list of recommendations are available on council’s website.

CCOs need to operate effectively and efficiently to provide a good return on your ratepayer dollars. As organisations, they are responsible for delivering numerous projects across the region and we should have high expectations their work will provide better outcomes for all Aucklanders. While I think great things has been achieved to date, I strongly support these recommendations that suggest we can always do things better.

It’s been a lengthy process but an important one – a good opportunity to make improvements before we head into developing our 10-year budget. To those of you who provided feedback as a part of this review, I thank you for your extremely valued input, helping to reshape the future of these organisations.

September 2020

Considering the fallout from Covid-19, why couldn’t Auckland Council deliver a zero rate increase?

Fair question and one I asked, more than once.   As much as I was aware of the difficulties council faced losing half a billion dollars of income on top of the need to deliver a second version of our annual plan – the Emergency Budget — I was also acutely aware of the financial difficulties many Aucklanders found themselves in. Jobs had been lost; businesses were hurting and across the city, families were struggling. Surely, we could just cut our costs and give ratepayers a break? At this stage, I was firmly in the zero per cent rates increase camp.

However, as our financial advisers took me through the numbers, absorbing such a huge loss of revenue, I began to appreciate the gravity of council’s predicament. Despite an initial loss of 600 staff (and more to come); a savings target 12 times the original aspiration; increased debt and deferred spending; there was no viable way the organisation could continue delivering critical services that we are legally obliged to deliver and that communities rely on, with rates set at anything less than a 2.5 per cent increase.

Every single councillor came to the same realisation and unanimously supported consulting with communities on 2.5 or 3.5 per cent rates increase. Both options required significantly different levels of cuts to our services because of our revenue loss.

It was clear from the 34,915 submissions received that Aucklanders understood the importance of our Emergency Budget and had a lot to say. Sadly, what we didn’t communicate well was why we couldn’t do zero.

Feedback showed a real split between those believing we should keep rates as low as possible, and those advocating for higher rates to protect the community services they love. The results indicated public support for the 2.5 per cent option. Based on the feedback, I too was sitting in that camp.

Then two important things happened.

All 21 local boards representing the diverse communities of Auckland supported the 3.5 per cent option after considering the impacts of the two options for their communities, analysing local feedback and deliberating in emergency board meetings. Never in the history of Auckland Council has every single local board had the same view on rates increases — never.

Secondly, the impacts of our worst drought on record came to a head. Remember it was winter and water restrictions were (and still are) in force and the MetService is predicting another dry spring and summer. Watercare told us they would likely not be able to avoid severe water restrictions without a confirmed increase in supply.

The ‘good’ news was, with some nifty negotiation, we secured extra water supply from the Waikato. The ‘bad’ news was it came with a $239 million price tag needed to deliver essential new infrastructure to cope with that extra supply, increasing the council group’s shortfall to some $700m! I then looked closely at the revised cash impact of 2.5 and 3.5 per cent for the average Auckland ratepayer. There was $24.62 difference between the two. Knowing the Ōrākei ward was well above ‘average’, I looked at the average annual increase for the two local board areas my ward spans. Waitematā Local Board average increase at 3.5 per cent was $125.48 up on last year. The Ōrākei Local Board average increase at 3.5 per cent was $187.50 extra. These were inclusive of all the extra add-ons such as the increased costs for recycling and rubbish collection.

So, after poring over your feedback; comparing multiple scenarios with our finance team; and considering the short and long-term impacts of this decision, I reluctantly accepted that only under 3.5 per cent (or for ‘us’ less than $190 extra a year), would we be able to keep beloved services open such as libraries, leisure centres and community halls; continue to maintain our parks and public spaces; retain the public transport concessions people rely on like our seniors’ SuperGold card; continue to invest in transport and stormwater infrastructure across the region and solve our water crisis. In short, keep our city running but still invest in infrastructure to help rebuild our economy.

There is a saying you shouldn’t ‘waste a crisis’. We have shaved tens of millions and in some cases hundreds of millions of dollars from our CCO budgets. Our acting chief executive is restructuring our organisation, promising it will be much leaner as a result. We are saving a record $200m, actively looking at other ways to increase our revenue, and while temporarily raising our debt level we are confident we will maintain our credit rating, avoiding a downgrade which would cost us tens of millions more in interest payments. We also have three rates assistance options for those who need it.

Covid-19 hasn’t just impacted Auckland. Other councils have confirmed their rates increases for this year. Wellington has gone for a 5.1 per cent increase, Tauranga 4.7, Dunedin 4.1 and Christchurch 3.8. All higher than Auckland.

But regardless, it will be a tough year for us all. I’m not at all convinced the Covid-19 impact will be a short one.