One year on since election 2019, I am pleased to report on investment into the Orakei Ward resulting from my role and advocacy as your ward councillor.
Water
Funding confirmed and construction well underway for the Ōkahu Bay stormwater network separation project. This is a $15.5 million collaboration between Auckland Council, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, and Watercare. The work will separate stormwater from the combined system, stop huge volumes of sewage into the harbour and to improve the water quality of the Waitemata -especially in Okahu Bay.
46 manholes have been installed and 1439m of public stormwater pipes have been constructed as part of the Ngake Walkway upgrade of our stormwater infrastructure funded regionally by the Water Quality Targeted Rate.
Safe Networks investigations to identify contaminants in our water network took place this year in Meadowbank, Mission Bay, St Heliers, Kohimarama, Okahu Bay, Judges Bay, Hobson Bay, and Newmarket Stream. When issues are identified we can then look at options for management and control of our stormwater infrastructure. This work has been funded by the Water Quality Targeted Rate and as a result will help give evidence to support further funding in the Long Term Plan.
Stream restoration projects in McArthur Avenue and Newmarket Stream took place and involve getting rid of invasive weeds and replanting the stream banks with native plants. These act as natural filtration and assist in enhancing native biodiversity. Again, this funding came from our regional Water Quality pot.
Waiatarua Reserve silt trap sediment removal occurred after years of delay This was part of a plan to enhance the important wetlands and wider reserve area at NZ’s largest urban wetland in St Johns. Funded by us regionally this has been well overdue, a very pleasing achievement which impacts not just Waiatarua but its network through to Orakei Basin and ultimately the Waitemata Harbour.
Heritage
One of the things I was able to achieve as a member of our Planning Committee was Plan Change 31. This identified and approved sites of heritage value that should receive heritage recognition as part of the Unitary Plan:
1. Remuera Post Office, 358-364 Remuera Road
2. Remuera Primary School War Memorial Gates, 25 Dromorne Road
3. Upland Road Village Shops (area)
Environment
New and expanded pest plant control was undertaken in Dingle Dell Reserve, Kepa Bush Reserve, Macpherson Reserve, Martyn Wilson Fields and Sonia Reserve, Orakei Basin, Roberta Reserve, Tahuna Torea Nature Reserve, Waitaramoa Reserve and Wharua Reserve as a result of funding from the Natural Environment Targeted Rate.
Hauraki Gulf Controlled Area Biosecurity Management Plan was adopted and will provide greater prevention of the spread of pests across the Hauraki Gulf and neighbouring coastlines of which the Orakei Ward is part of.
Again, thanks to the Natural Environment Targeted Rate we approved a regional workstream which included Kauri Dieback control within our ward. This took place with the upgrade of tracks in Dingle Dell Reserve in St Heliers.
Enhancing our area’s natural environment in general, we were able to provide approximately 2,200 new plantings in Waiatarua Reserve, Tahuna Torea Nature Reserve, Churchill Park, Kepa Bush, Dingle Dell Reserve, and Wharua Reserve. Again, this was delivered through our Natural Environment Targeted Rate.
Funding and completion of Pourewa Nursery (on Kepa Rd) provides a fit for purpose hub focused on restoration of natives, education, and research on the environment.
Auckland Domain of which I am the chair, received regional funding for sports field renewals, pathway connections, Winter Gardens renewal, major events like ASB Classic and Music in the Park, pest control, improving operations for our glasshouses, and a new carpark on Kiosk Rd.
Transport
The Tamaki Drive (Plumer St to Ngapipi Rd) route connecting Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive shared path and Quay Street cycle route received a committed $14.4m in funding and is in construction with a completion date of the end of 2022. This will safely separate cyclists from pedestrians and vehicles as well as raising of the road up to half a metre to prevent flooding.
Funding was approved for the design phase of the Tamaki Dr / Ngapipi bridge widening project to add separated pedestrian ‘clip-on’ walkways without the need to narrow the road corridor.
We committed $37m funding to walking and cycling paths from Tamaki Drive to Glen Innes.
A further $108 million was dedicated to the Glen Innes to Tamaki Drive Scheme shared path which is an off-road cycle highway from Glen Innes Rail Station to Tamaki Drive. Stage three is in construction after years of delays.
Parnell East received a residential parking zone to the east of St Stephens Avenue at the same time as safety improvements were made to improve visibility on the street. Many residents have been advocating for this for a long time.
Government Advocacy
With Covid challenging us financially, successful advocacy to central government has resulted in the government committing to almost fully funding the most expensive third section of the GI-TD shared path.
Community Grants
Eastern Bays Songbird Project, dedicated to the restoration of the natural ecosystems of the Eastern Bays, received approximately $65,000 of regional funding to go towards their work making the northern suburbs of the Orakei Ward pest free and improving our bird corridors.
Auckland Netball received a Sport and Recreation Investment Fund of $190,000 to progress a site investigation and business case for future indoor/covered court development at the Netball Centre next to Stonefields.
A further $150,000 was given to fund community access to the facilities at Auckland Netball Centre in Ngahue Reserve.
$90,000 given to fund community access to the facility at Barfoot and Thompson Stadium in Kohimarama.
Financial
Securing a separate Value for Money Committee resulted in a programme that has delivered over $270 million in benefits and savings to date.
Auckland Council parent identified and delivered on a further $23 million efficiency target for 2019/2020 financial year through a greater control of discretionary expenditure and the removal of duplication from across our business.
This result was after accounting for a $79 million net negative impact of COVID-19 on group revenue during the period.
Auckland Council is now operating $312m less per year than the former Unitary Authority and former councils did prior to amalgamation
We remained with our prudential debt limits, with debt to revenue at 264% compared to our 270% policy limit.
Both of our credit rating agencies have reaffirmed our ratings with stable outlook:
o S&P Global rating of AA reaffirmed September 2020
o Moody’s Investor Services rating of Aa2 reaffirmed April 2020
Group investment of $2.6 billion in our city’s asset’s including $1.1 billion in transport infrastructure and $748 million in water infrastructure.
We do not expect our ratepayers to fund all our expenditure, in fact only 36% of our revenue came from rates while 64% comes from other revenue sources.
Community
Completed the project to upgrade the Orakei Community Centre – Citizens Advice Bureau which included 2 new CAB rooms, a new CAB office, new kitchen to serve the venue for hire facility and a repaint of the main hall.
Refurbished the sluice gates in the Orakei Basin – responsible for flushing the water of the Basin
So that’s the regional funding I secured to invest back into the Orakei Ward. This is of course over and above the Local Board budgets and workstreams (Orakei and Waitemata).