Earlier this month in our Finance and Performance Committee meeting, I moved a resolution noting council had reached a record $119 million of savings in just 9 months, $1 million short of our Emergency Budget savings target of $120 million. It’s sometimes hard to articulate how big that achievement actually is, so for context I’ll tell you that this figure is larger than the total rates income from 16 of our 21 local boards, and higher than the residential income from three more – no mean feat let me tell you. As we continue to search for more savings and more efficiencies, I will continue to push the council to deliver cost efficiency while ensuring that we focus on improving essential services that Aucklanders rely on. Good council news isn’t always easy to find, but I’m sure you’ll agree this is definitely one.
On a slightly different tack, yesterday you might have read about the High Court action against Auckland Council to stop the ongoing Queen Street pedestrian trial. Last year, a decision for the City Centre Masterplan refresh came to council’s Planning Committee. The report outlined the future of the central city and council’s approach to placemaking. While much of the plan had merit, one of its key changes was no east-west connection. As the mayor put it, central Auckland would now be a place to go to, not through.
Vehicles wanting to go east-west would need to travel an ‘around’ route via The Strand (which is a state highway designation) to the motorway and back off on the western side. My concerns voiced at the meeting covered three key points:
1. Before we adopted any new plan, we needed to know the practicalities of how this would work, along with the associated traffic modelling. Auckland Transport commented (quite rightly in my opinion) they would need at least a year to figure this out and I believed we should see that work first.
2. No east-west connection. Many of you have contacted me voicing dismay at this change. Concern from me was further enhanced due to the re-routing option that would only work if Waka Kotahi- NZ Transport Agency (central government) prioritised infrastructure for this – which has yet to happen despite this plan dating back to 2012. Hasn’t the central city enough cones and disruption already? Why don’t we wait until the CRL and other key works are completed before embarking on even more disruption?
3. The cost. Transport infrastructure is expensive, we have many competing demands from all parts of Auckland, and we have already spent considerable millions on the central city. We need to be mindful to spend equitably.
So, while I believed in some of the long-term outcomes presented, I was nervous about the practical implications of pushing forward with that work without knowing details around implications.
So did not vote for the refreshed City Centre Masterplan but was considerably outnumbered!
Fast track from last year to this year. East /west route is now limited to one lane on Quay street and busses are taking up almost all of Customs Street. Victoria street is a chicane for west/east vehicles in and out of bus lanes (kachink for $150 driving in bus lane fines) and Queen Street is, well,……I’m struggling for words here….let’s just say it’s not working well for most people. As for the inclusion of that around the city off ramp? Still not in any plans.
So, what we now see today is a group of people totally frustrated as to their lack of ability to be heard re their concerns and looking at the courts to resolve.
Sad this could not be settled in another way as the cost of legal support for both sides comes at a financially challenging time for all. My understanding is that the court hearing will take place next week - will keep you posted
Finally, we are currently in the final stages of the process to determine our 10-year budget. In the next weeks, I will provide further detail about the steps to get us to the final decision, including unpacking the feedback we received from our local communities. What we know to date includes the response from the Colmar Brunton feedback. This was an independent piece of research speaking to more than 4000 Aucklanders from every local board area and found that 46 per cent of respondents supported the proposed 10-year budget, with 37 per cent of respondents opposed.
Enjoy your weekend and remember school is back next week.