Newsletter - 1 May

Can you believe we are already halfway through this political term?

As both the Deputy Mayor and the Councillor for Orakei I believe it’s important to communicate achievements for both Auckland and the Orakei Ward that I have been part of and/or lead.  The first 18 months of this term have definitely had their challenges, storm events and cost of living challenges to name just two. However, even with all we have faced, there have also been successes.

Auckland wide

The storm events of 2023 will go down in history as being the worst in our region’s history. Over and above leading much of the communication with Aucklanders during the events, I have where possible and logical, pushed for Council to look after those Aucklanders affected by the storms as generously as possible. This has included successfully advocating for rates relief, engaging with local affected groups across the city, meeting with the Insurance Council and Bankers Association, visiting property owners across Auckland, listening to the concerns raised and feeding back to council colleagues. This work remains ongoing.

Arts and Culture: I have been given a specific role to lead the political working group to reform governance of Auckland’s major cultural institutions. These include the likes of the Auckland War Memorial Museum (AWMM), Stardome and MOTAT.  Did you know our very old legislation dictates that Auckland Council could have to contribute up to $200 million per year to AWMM, yet has no governance role or input into their strategic direction? After six months of negotiation, Auckland War Memorial Museum and Auckland Council signed a three-year funding agreement giving greater financial certainty for both parties through to financial year 26/27 and Council a greater say in their strategic direction (Also, significantly less funding than the law dictates). I am working closely with Minister Goldsmith on further work in this space.

I was appointed as the Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) lead councillor (Sept 2023).  This means I’m the key liaison point between governing body and Tātaki, particularly in supporting the Chair as she improves TAU’s performance and results. This has already seen a savings target of $35m and a staff reduction of 200 achieved while continuing to deliver high quality cultural, entertainment and venue services to Auckland.   For every dollar Tātaki invested in a major cultural or sporting event on behalf of Auckland Council, Auckland received almost $10 dollars in return. Tātaki invested $1,237,500 in major events between December 2023 and March 2024, which in turn have generated $12.2m and 85,000 visitor nights for the regional economy. Just for clarity the role of TAU is to deliver a coordinated region wide programme to maximise cultural, social and economic benefits for our residents and visitors.

Finances: as I’ve reported previously the mayor’s first budget changed significantly from what was consulted on based on feedback from Aucklanders. As we work through the current Long-term plan (ten year budget) I have visited all 21 Local Boards (from Ōrākei to Great Barrier Island, from Rodney to Franklin) as part of Long-term Plan engagement (March 2024). I’ve been told this hasn’t ever happened before. Too early to say what this budget will look like, but I’ll update on that in a few weeks.   Savings wise, as Council we set staff a tough target in the 2023/24 Annual Budget - $32.8m on top of the existing $17.2m which hadn’t quite been achieved out of the $90m target for 2022/23.  Of this $50m target, by December 2023 Council had achieved 87 per cent of this ($43.7m).  This was through detailed budget reviews, staff vacancies, and improved commercial terms through contracts – plus agreed initiatives (stopping activities).  Our next update is on 2 May 2024, and I look forward to more good news on the savings front.

I’m always asked what LOCAL investment or return do we get for our money?

The Ōrākei ward has had many projects delivered in the past 18 months, a number of which have been requested strongly by our community for many years.   

I am fortunate to have the Auckland Domain in my ward. As chair of the Domain Committee, I have overseen:

·         Futureproofing the Domain Wintergarden glasshouses. Structural strengthening and restoration of these two heritages listed buildings has ensured this important part of the city’s architectural heritage will be around for many decades to come. They were even awarded an Enduring Architecture award by by Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects. Finished in March 2023, they were delivered on time and on budget

·         The repainting in original heritage colours of the Auckland Domain's iconic band rotunda, a grand 111-year-old landmark which hosts many music events

·         The heritage grandstand building at the Auckland Domain - works on the roof and high gable end areas, timber repairs, plumbing improvements and painting plus repairing the stone wall and asphalt in front of the building. This was completed in April 2023.

Watercare has had a ‘busy’ time in the Ōrākei Ward in the last 18 months and I’ve stayed close to them to emphasise the need for ongoing investment, swift action to remedy faults, and ensuring the community is kept well-informed of what’s going on.  We have seen the following investment from Watercare in the ward.

·         Prompt reaction to the St Georges Bay road sinkhole which saw one of New Zealand’s largest pump stations built in a record 20 days.  This temporary pump station (as big as some of our permanent pump stations) consists of around 400 metres of pipe and six large pumps being put underground to direct sewage away from the broken section in Parnell. It can handle flows of up to 600 litres per second!

·         St Heliers watermain renewals began on 20 February 2024 on Rarangi Road. These works are part of Watercare’s renewals programme to upgrade aging watermains that are susceptible to breaks and to ensure the security of the water supply in St Heliers

·         Rehabilitation work undertaken by Watercare in the areas bordering Ayr Street and Cathedral Place in Parnell – included rehabilitation of 87 manholes and relining of 1,396 metres of wastewater pipes

·         Watercare’s Board approved $26.1 million to cover the cost of repairing the damage to the old sewer pipe ( St Georges Bay road) and relining an additional 600 metres of the century-old Ōrākei Main Sewer. The $26m bill includes $5.8m in operational costs to stabilise the sinkhole, construct the bypass, pumping, environmental, monitoring, and other costs related to responding to the incident

·         $86.74million investment to upgrade the Ōrākei Main sewer post Parnell sinkhole. Watercare are planning to reline about 1.6 kilometres of the sewer – from close to the Parnell Train Station to the end of Logan Terrace – in the next few years. This investment will significantly reduce the risk of future sewer collapses in Parnell.

Transport is a key area which Council makes investment decisions about. Some larger local projects include:

·         Delivering the often requested pedestrian walkway upgrade along Tamaki Drive (raising the footpath, adding seating, artworks and a new railing) between Ports and Ngāpipi intersection

·         Ngāpipi Bridge - new pedestrian bridge leaving the old one for cyclists - both this and the one above have been strongly advocated for by our community for many years

·         Kepa Road – new footpath / and retaining wall to prevent future slips. Part of the road, beside Ōrākei Basin, is in a slip zone. The site is located along Kepa Road and is situated approximately 200m west of Brenton Place on the westbound side of the road

·         Parnell station pedestrian underpass from the station to Lower Domain Drive officially opened.

·         Last year I advocated for getting school buses sorted on the Panmure to Selwyn College route once it was brought to my attention re. buses not turning up/ overcrowded. AT did action some changes

·         This year alerting Auckland Transport that the school buses were still overcrowded/ leaving children behind along some routes. AT are also making changes to prevent this from happening.

Some of the other highlights relate to community assets and infrastructure.  These include:

·         Reopening of the Parnell Baths - After the floods in January 2023 the whole cliff face by the Baths was classified as unstable requiring major works to make it safe. The water in the baths was deemed unsafe to swim in after the weather events as well, and it took a major amount of work by our stormwater teams to get it to a state where it was reopened in December 2023

·         The James Turkington mural at Parnell baths is currently being restored after it was damaged by graffiti and should be back by the end of this year

·         St Heliers Library heritage/ seismic works completed and the library reopened in August 2023 after a year of the library operating from temporary site across the road

·         The Portland Road environmental works in Remuera––an incredible local walk of native plants and walkways. Over 6000m3 of silt from the stream removed to improve water flow. This allows water to flow unobstructed when tidal gates are open and created a land feature out of the silt. By repurposing the silt, we prevented it filling up our landfills, it has kept trucks off our road network and saved over $800k in tipping and transport fees.

·         Alongside Ōrākei Local Board members and volunteers we planted 1500 new trees at Waiatarua reserve in Remuera

·         The Planning, Environment and Parks Committee on 7 September 2023 agreed to $250,000 of funding for new indoor/outdoor replacement lights for the Auckland Netball Centre.

As you can see a lot has happened. This is by no means an exhaustive list but highlights some of the positive changes we have witnessed in just 18 months, halfway through this term.

In my role as deputy mayor, I have supported the mayor with a large amount of media interviews, opening of events, speaking engagements and international delegations. There is never a dull moment and some  ‘fun’ examples include opening of the first Padel Court in NZ,  welcoming esteemed  guests at the official opening event at Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Marae for the New Zealand Fashion week- Kahuria, attending the Auckland Property Council Award ceremony where several council buildings won awards,  welcoming international delegations, promoting and representing  Auckland Council at the incredible  Women’s FIFA World Cup matches and welcoming guests from across the world at the Pan Pacific Barber shop competition.  I have also walked deep underground in the City Rail Link Tunnel and the Central Interceptor tunnel to see the progress. I have climbed up to the roof tops of some of the tallest new buildings in the city to be there at the topping out ceremonies, highlighting the changing landscape. I have walked across the sand flats at Whau River undertaking marine ecology monitoring. I have even visited the council’s library automated sorter out in Otahuhu, which is an amazing piece of technology! Arts, culture, community, transport, infrastructure, the environment:  all these components are vital for a city. 

Of course, not everything is positive. Sometimes my role has been focused on responding to problems, such as the two broken sewers (Judges Bay Road and St George’s Bay Road), several major water leaks in Remuera, congestion on St Johns Road, and the Eastern Line being down for nine months! However, I do believe in highlighting the positives. The projects mentioned have been delivered by a wide range of different parts of Council, so I’d like to thank the hard work of the various teams and their committed staff along with my colleagues who I’ve worked with to get projects ‘over the line’. There is no “I” in Local Government. We always need other elected members to support what we want to achieve.

And now we are in the second half of our term, and my commitment is to keep you posted on Council progress. As always, I am available should you wish you contact me, desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Desley

Newsletter - 15 March

It’s the last few weeks of daylight saving, March madness is here with increased traffic and busy public transport and lots going on for you to know about and share you views on.

Let’s start with an update on the Parnell sinkhole. The big question asked was why/how did this happen?  Last week the independent report by external experts on the “how” and “why” was released.  Interestingly the report is not conclusive and does not identify one main root cause but highlights a multitude of factors that contributed to the collapse of the pipe. The three key causes noted were:

1.  The immense amount of rain we had in 2023

2. 100-year-old pipes

3.  Inspection CCTV images of Ōrākei Main Sewer from 2019, not as clear as they would be today due to technology advances. (even though Watercare led the way with CCTV footage at the time).

I am pleased that Watercare have yet again, apologised to Aucklanders and are taking onboard the report’s recommendations and will put these into action.

Looking after our wastewater network is a priority for Watercare who have allocated $1.9b over the next 20 years for pipe renewals. Included in that figure is an $86.74million investment to upgrade the Ōrākei Main sewer.

I also feel it’s worth noting that well before this incident, (in 2019), works to futureproof Auckland central’s aging water infrastructure began with the start of the Central Interceptor project, due to be complete in 2026 and ultimately designed to free up extra capacity and take some of the pressure off the Ōrākei main sewer.

Watercare responded rapidly to the Parnell sinkhole incident. A temporary pump station (one of New Zealand’s largest) was designed and built at record speed in Parnell to stop the wastewater overflows. However, we cannot ignore the disruption caused to local residents and businesses or the wider environmental effects of having wastewater overflowing into the Waitemata for a prolonged period of time. The impact of the Ōrākei main sewer collapse is ongoing, the whiff in the air is not pleasant but to end on a positive I am reassured that the funded investment on the Ōrākei Main Sewer will considerably reduce the risk of future sewer collapses in Parnell. 

The report is publicly available and you can find it on the Watercare website here.

Staying in Parnell with another sewer pipe break in Judges Bay. Remember this was also a  result of the unprecedented weather we had in 2023, in March last year, which saw a wastewater transmission sewer line break 25 metres below ground under the Parnell Rose Gardens. A temporary bypass has been in place for 12 months which has not been ideal in the least for nearby residents. Watercare, have now confirmed that they have completed the preliminary design of a permanent solution. It Is not viable to replace like for like, so the solution consists of installing a small wastewater pumping station. Construction of this design is a while away but as I receive more information, I will keep you posted. In the meantime, temporary holding tanks and site fencings have been installed. The tanks provide additional wastewater storage capacity, will keep the network operational and help reduce wet weather overflows. The fencing was installed to protect the septic tank and dampen noise.

How to have your say.

You have until 28 March to have your say regarding the Long-term Plan (10-year budget) which includes proposed options for rates rises and a new Future Fund.  A video from the mayor and two webinars are on the council website for you to watch if you missed the local drop-in sessions. You can find them here.  Please have your say, if you haven’t already!

There is a second consultation equally as important which also closes on 28 March. It is a mouthful to say but the Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024 and sets council direction and work to manage and reduce waste (rubbish) in Auckland. The consultation, asks Aucklanders whether they support or not the below options:

Option 1: full implementation of the Waste Management and Minimisation plan, 2018. In simple terms this is what we do now (status quo) – However the consultation notes this would not achieve the required pace to achieve the aspirational goal of zero waste by 2040.

Option 2: Deliver the waste plan 2018 and extend activities into new priority waste areas. This provides scope to achieve significant reductions in waste to landfill and is the staff preferred option.

For context, in Auckland, around 1.5 million tonnes of waste is sent to mixed waste landfills each year. That’s enough to fill Eden Park every week.

The draft plan includes proposals to:

-           focus on rethinking how products are designed and extending their life span, and options to re-use, repair or repurpose items

-           target construction and demolition waste and focus on organic, plastics, packaging and textile waste, and biosolids (organic materials resulting from the treatment of wastewater)

-           move from weekly to FORNIGHTLY kerbside rubbish collections from 2026.

-           speed up efforts to minimise operational waste from the Auckland Council Group (Auckland Council and its council-controlled organisations)

-           address litter and illegal dumping to protect public health and the environment.

The devil is in the detail, and this directly impacts you. For example, the proposal to introduce fortnightly general waste collection from 2026 (currently the red lid bin is collected weekly) may well impact you and your family. Anecdotally I have heard that the introduction of food waste bins has seen a decrease in the rubbish put in your red bin. I have also heard that with the introduction of government’s nationwide recycling rules last month (meaning Aucklanders can recycle less than before) there is little choice but to put more in the bin! Each household has different requirements when it comes to waste collection, so please visit the website, read the consultation papers and have your say.

https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/waste-management-and-minimisation-plan-2024-2030

Last but not least local news.

As part of Ecofest, a celebration of our unique environment and sustainable living across Auckland. On Saturday (16 March 9am – 12pm) you can Recycle your e-waste correctly at the community e-Waste Collection in Newmarket for FREE.  The e-waste collection will be located in the Green Basement Carpark of Westfield Newmarket (the building with Farmers in it if you are coming by foot, by car head down Mortimer Pass; take the second entry on the right-hand side down to the Basement Carpark. Look for signs in the valet parking area)

This is a chance for residents and businesses to divert unwanted electronic items, so they don’t end up in our landfills.

These items can all be recycled:

TVs and Monitors,Tablets & Phones, Laptops & Computers, Printers, Toner & Ink, Cables & Wiring,Whiteware,Home Appliances,Modems & Routers,Batteries,Digital Storage Media -

https://ecofest.org.nz/event/newmarket-ewaste-collection/

Splash Landing – As part of Moana Auckland - New Zealand’s Ocean festival we have an amazing FREE event in our ward.  Hosted by the Ōrākei Local Board and Akarana Marine Sports Charitable Trust at The Landing, 8 Tāmaki Drive, there will be 2 days of fun 11am-6pm, 16-17 March. Enjoy markets, food trucks, games and entertainment on the shore, or have a go on a waka-ama, sailboat, or kayak. Waterworld Waterparks will be bringing their inflatable water park. This part of the festival is ticketed.

Ngāpipi Bridge – I have heard a whisper that the separated walking /cycling path over Ngāpipi bridge will  finally open on 25 March. The temporary traffic lights will stay in place for a short while after until cyclists and walkers get used to new bridge and I’ll keep you informed when they plan to be removed.

Thanks for keeping in touch and as you know, I’m always available on desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or 021971786

Newsletter - 1 March

So much has happened in the past few weeks, so this newsletter is a bit longer than usual. Sadly, it’s not all good news.  Ōrākei ward residents have experienced some poor customer experience, especially through the first few weeks of the school term with overcrowded school buses, reports of students being left at bus stops, ferries being disrupted and a significant water outage due to three broken water pipes in quick succession on Remuera Road leaving many residents in the surrounding area without water for 24 hours!

So, what am I doing about it?

I’ve met with the new Auckland Transport Board chair, and he is requesting staff to look at the school bus situation, I have also requested from AT’s Public Transport manager details around solutions from AT particularly an increase in the size of buses on key school routes including Selwyn College.

It’s imperative we get school buses sorted or else parents/ students will find a more reliable way to get to school and that may result in more congestion on our roads.

On the train delays/cancellations. When we first heard of heat issues, I contacted KiwiRail CEO and called for urgent confirmation this would be sorted. Following that, the Mayor called in the three agencies responsible for trains in Auckland. Yes, there are three of them. KiwiRail owns and maintains Auckland’s railway tracks and track infrastructure, including power lines, points and switches. Auckland Transport is a customer of KiwiRail, paying access fees so we can use KiwiRail’s network to run our passenger train services, and owns the fleet of trains used on passenger services.  Auckland One Rail is the operator – it runs the services and manages our stations. In my opinion the 3 agencies could do better working together and I’m seeing that now happen.

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday last week had 100, 59 and 54 failed punctuality results due to network speed reductions.

Our last update from KiwiRail said there would be a new 25kph temporary speed restriction on the Eastern Line near Glen Innes due to a defect with a piece of rail and that they are working on a remediation plan (yes, I know the Eastern Line has been closed for months for an upgrade!). I’m keeping locals regularly updated on progress via Facebook.

Now to the positives news.  We have seen some great events in our area lately. The Auckland Domain hosted Synthony which saw 35,000 people dance the day and night away. Mission Bay hosted a jam packed Chinese New Year beach party, the Bean Rock Ocean swim and the Barfoot and Thompson triathlon, and last but not least close to 2000 families came to Glover Park to watch the free Movie in the Parks screening of Barbie.

We have also seen a number of students who live in our ward receive BEST IN THE WORLD results in the Cambridge International exams. Huge congratulations to them all, we certainly have a lot of exceptional kids in our neighbourhood.

Talking about the younger generation, the other big news is Auckland Council’s Long-term Plan (10-year Budget) 2024/34 consultation document was adopted by the Budget Committee on 20 February. 

The public consultation will run from 28 February to 28 March. The feedback will be considered in April, and all decisions will be made in May, with the final Long-term Plan adopted by the Governing Body in June. This plan will impact all Aucklanders.

I encourage you all to read the consultation document as it looks different this time around. 

First, some context.  The budget must grapple with four big challenges on Council finances: 

1.      Ongoing impact of inflation and high-interest rates which impacts the cost of projects, operations and debt servicing.

2.      Cost of last year’s storms and building resilience for the next one.

3.      Government’s recent decision to abandon the Three Waters proposal means we still have to find a solution for the burden Watercare’s debt places on the council balance sheet.  While Council a fan of the Three Waters solution, we do need help from government with our long-term water infrastructure needs, both for existing pipes and to cope with new growth in population.

4.      Removal of the regional fuel tax.  While I never originally supported it, it did allow many valuable projects to proceed – new or improved roads, big public transport projects, electric buses, and cycling projects.  I’ve written to the Minister urging him to continue projects like Gowing Drive cycle link that were approved and ready to move to consents and construction – and to find a replacement funding tool for Council.

So, the LTP includes some big strategic changes suggested including a proposal by the Mayor to lease Auckland’s Port operations for 35 years, get an upfront payment (rather than waiting for the dividends to come in year on year) and invest the potential multi-billion dollar proceeds into a council-owned diversified regional wealth fund.  There are also some choices around the spend to get Auckland moving, strengthening Auckland’s resilience to flooding and making do with what we have while spending where it is needed most. Decisions on cultural, community services and water infrastructure are included too. In short, we want Aucklanders to have their say if they want council to do less and spend less or do more and spend more.

These choices will have a direct impact on what rates increases you will pay and therefore service levels provided.  There at 3 rates options. A central proposal recommends average rate increases of 7.5% in year one ($271 more a year, or $5.21 a week), 3.5% in year two, and 8% in year three (almost exclusively the result of the cost of operating the newly completed the City Rail Link).  There is also a “pay more, get more” option ($506 more a year, almost $10 a week), and a “pay less, get less” option ($199 a year, or $3.83 a week).   

Of course, that’s the city-wide average.

For Ōrākei Local Board area the likely increase for the average residential ratepayers is higher because property values are relatively higher in Ōrākei than other areas.  The central proposal would mean around $428 a year more ($8.23 a week). 

For Waitematā Local Board area the likely increase for the average residential ratepayer would be much lower - $262 a year in the central proposal ($5.03 a week).

In a nutshell what we need your views on centre on these key issues:

·         Transport: feedback on the proposed transport plan, including funding road renewals, the introduction of a $50 weekly cap for public transport, and options to 'spend more’ or 'spend less’.

·         North Harbour Stadium: options to keep the stadium as is, change management, or redevelop the site.

·         Major investments: options to establish an Auckland Future Fund, using the council’s shareholding in Auckland International Airport; and either lease the port operations to another party or continue to operate the Port of Auckland ourselves, investing the proceeds from either in the proposed fund.

·         Use of port land: in all cases, the port’s land and strategic assets will remain in Council ownership. Options to transfer prime waterfront land from the Port of Auckland Ltd. to Auckland Council within 2–5 years (Captain Cook Wharf and Marsden Wharf) and 15 years (Bledisloe Terminal).

·         Changes to other rates, fees, and charges: feedback on targeted rates, the Long-term Differential Strategy, recycling charges for schools, and refuse collection.

·         Local boards: feedback on the priorities for your local board and the proposed ‘fairer funding’ model.

As you can see there are big decisions to be made, and the cost benefit balance will not be an easy one.  I will be expecting robust conversations around the Town Hall table!

There are several ways you can leave feedback or find out more information. The consultation documents and ways to share your views can be found on the council website akhaveyoursay.nz

Online events - Monday 4 March and 12 March, Long term Plan information session webinar via zoom - https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/online-events

In person events - Thursday 7 March 2024, 4pm-5.30pm - at St Heliers Library, 32 St Heliers Bay Road, to ask questions or leave feedback about our proposed long-term plan. You must register to attend this event.   If you would like to go along, please email and let them know orakeilocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Tuesday 12 March 2024, 4pm-5.30pm you can meet the Waitematā Local Board team at the Town Hall Council Chambers, Ground Floor, Town Hall, 301-303 Queen Street, Auckland CBD. Register to attend waitematalocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Tell us what you think!

Moving on to what is happening locally.  We have had good news, bad news and some delay in news.

Good news – St Heliers watermain renewals began on 20 Feb on Rarangi Road (these works, and the associated disruption will be ongoing for around 5 weeks). These works are part of Watercare’s renewals programme to upgrade aging watermains that are susceptible to breaks and to ensure the security of your water supply in St Heliers.

Bad news- Remuera road burst water pipes earlier this month for the umpteenth time! Although the Remuera water pipe is in bad condition it is not by the far the worst in Auckland, therefore a permanent solution (rather than continual patch ups) won’t come anytime soon. Each year Watercare allocate close to $20 million for reactive watermain renewals. The current area on Remuera Road was assessed as of medium priority for replacement.

Delay in news – Ngāpipi Bridge- Auckland Transport originally said this work would be complete by December last year, and now the new estimated completion date is March 2024. I enquired about the delay and Auckland Transport have said that “the contractor was instructed to undertake some additional work on the new Ngāpipi pedestrian footbridge, to ensure the 36m section of the 98m footbridge is ready for use. This work ensures better ease of travel by foot, cycle traffic, and boat users. Pedestrian access will be fully opened, and traffic management restored to its normal layout once finished. In the meantime, the temporary traffic lights will have to stay in place until the bridge is complete. This is to ensure safe pedestrian and cyclist access while we still have an active construction site”. We can read between the lines! Hopefully the “additional work” has been ironed out and we can tick this off the to do list.

Watch this space - Many local residents have raised their concerns about the new Gull petrol station being built on St Johns Road and the predicted increase in traffic along this already busy road. I have asked council about the process that has been gone through and I’m following this up.

Thanks for keeping in touch and as you know, I’m always available on desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or 021971786

Newsletter - 1 February

Happy New Year! Here we are early February and January has gone already.

I’m sure we were all pleased to see some summer weather over the holiday period. January 22nd saw one of the hottest days on record in 4 years, and as I write this the temperatures are in the high 20’s and the humidity is up there too.

Auckland Anniversary weekend was full of activities with the International Buskers festival, the Auckland Anniversary Regatta, and the Red Bull Cliff Dive finals. However, whilst we have been basking in sunshine, I do think it’s important to remember and acknowledge this time last year.

January 2023 saw half of Auckland’s typical average annual rainfall fall across Auckland in just one month. Most of this was over the Auckland Anniversary weekend, including a huge deluge in only a few hours on 27 January 2023.

The resulting destruction was rapid and widespread. This was compounded further by Cyclone Gabrielle and then three further severe weather events. Hundreds of people have been working tirelessly to repair and redesign roads, clear slips and blockages, build new local water infrastructure, fix up community facilities - and assess thousands of affected properties for future flooding risk.

A year on there is still much to do. But, in remembering, we should acknowledge the severity of the numbers:

·         7,000 plus placards issued at properties in the aftermath

·         4,500 households required some sort of assistance

·         2,000 plus issues reported across the Auckland Transport network

·         Almost 1460 parks and community facility repair projects

·         And loss of life.

I would once again like to acknowledge those who lost their lives during those events . In the Ōrākei Ward, Dave Lennard who lived on Shore Road tragically died after his home was hit by a landslip.

As Council, we are in the recovery journey. Currently, affected properties are undergoing the risk categorisation process, and before Christmas the first buyouts took place.  Unfortunately, the complexity of Auckland’s geography and the assessment of future risk means that it is taking a long time to get clear answers for some homeowners.  For many Aucklanders, their reality is that they still haven't been given certainty, so they can either return to their homes, or move on, and that worries us all. But we do need to get it right to protect communities as much as we can against future weather events. 

Our roads, pipes, and infrastructure still require extensive repairs despite works already completed. We have secured almost $2 billion worth of investment in Auckland’s storm recovery and resilience programme in a cost share agreement between Government and Auckland Council, yet that’s nowhere near enough.

Looking forward, we have now implemented fair and equitable polices for affected homeowners, balancing that against ensuring the financial commitments to support them are affordable for all Aucklanders. People are navigating this process at different paces as each property must be assessed. The council, central government, insurers, and others, all have a role to play to deliver clarity, fairness, and equity for those affected. Visiting areas, listening to your harrowing experiences, and seeing the devastation the weather events caused and is still causing is truly heartbreaking. You have my assurance, that my advocacy remains focused on supporting affected communities across our region.

During the summer holiday season some of you may have missed the media relating to changes to recycling. As of 1 February, a central government directive to all councils means we need to change what can be recycled. Auckland Council collects approximately 132,000 tonnes every year from kerbside household recycling bins. However, because of these new changes we all now need to brush up on our recycling etiquette. Everyone across the country will follow the same guidelines. You now cannot put small lids from the likes of soft drink bottles in your blue bin and only plastic graded 1, 2 and 5. I hope your eyesight is good because the grade of plastic containers can be deduced from a small (often very small) triangle symbol with a number in the middle that will be on the container. No longer can you put juice or milk cartons, biscuit packaging, or bread bags in your blue recycling bin. For a full explanation, further information can be found here.

As mentioned in my November 2023 newsletter, over the next few months I will update you on the Long-term Plan (10 – year budget) process.  This budget sets out what we plan to achieve in Auckland over the next 10 years and how we will fund it. Currently the consultation papers are being drafted and it looks like they will be available for all to view at the end of this month – 28 February.  I know I am labouring the point, but it is so important that Aucklanders have their say, engage with the consultation process, and take the opportunity to be involved in the decision-making process. Investment in local facilities like libraries, pool and parks, flood mitigation, protecting our natural environment and our transport system are all points that will be discussed, challenged, and prioritised.

Moving on to local news and ending with some positives.

·         It has been a LONG wait, but Stage 2 of the Rail Network Rebuild is complete by KiwiRail. After nine months of work upgrading the track foundation and drainage the Eastern Line has now reopened- meaning Ōrākei, Meadowbank, and other Eastern Line stations are back in action (I know many local residents are relieved the rail replacement buses are gone).  Eastern Line trains will run between Manukau and Waitematā (Britomart) via Panmure. Trains will run every 10 minutes during peak hours, every 20 minutes inter-peak and every 30 minutes in the evenings and weekends.

·         Parnell station pedestrian underpass is officially open. The works were undertaken by Auckland Transport to makes it safer, quicker, and easier to navigate the platforms.

·         In yet another wonderful nod to history, Auckland Domain's iconic band rotunda, a grand 111-year-old landmark, has undergone a meticulous restoration. Originally gifted to the city by former Auckland Councillor James Mennie in 1913, the rotunda now stands as a beacon of historical accuracy, reverting to its original Edwardian colours that evoke the charm of the era in which it was constructed.

·         Just so you are aware Synthony in the Domain, a one-day music festival featuring electronic dance music, a live orchestra, DJ’s, internationally acclaimed performers and spectacular visuals will be back on Saturday 10 February (the event will go ahead rain or shine and ends at 11.30pm).

Finally, I hope you all have a great 2024. Thanks for keeping in touch and as you know, I’m always available on desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or 021971786

Newsletter - 15 December

It’s December, its summer, and we are only now a few weeks away from 2024.

Saying 2023 started badly is an understatement, however we have ended the year in a somewhat brighter position. Summer is finally here; schools have or will soon close for the holidays and hopefully you have booked some time off for some rest and relaxation. We all need time to reset.

I will be taking a break in January so won’t be as accessible as I usually am. I am sure you will be fine, but not to leave you in the lurch my team will be checking my emails in my absence as will I.  However, here are a few key contacts to have to hand if you want to raise any issues with the council or would like to be pointed to some useful resources.

The weather forecast is predicting El Niño– extreme heat and potential drought so here are some useful resources.

Slip, slop, slap and wrap – excessive sun exposure isn’t good for anyone, please protect your skin, wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen, slap on a hat and wrap on a pair of sunglasses. Also remember your pets too. SPCA have  some tips to keep your pets cool in hot weather. 

If you are having a staycation and want to explore what is in our backyard, take a look at the Discover Auckland website for inspiration. The best Auckland walks have reopened so you may like to take the opportunity to try something new.

Heading to the beach? – We would all like to think our beaches are safe to swim in, but accidents do happen. Safeswim.org.nz is the best source of up-to-date information about water quality and other potential hazards at Auckland’s beaches.  Here, you will be able to find which beaches are lifeguarded (where you and can safely swim between the flags) as well as   information about water quality before you head out. If you see a black pin, it isn’t safe to swim.

Camping? You can find and book accommodation in our regional and holiday parks, however these are popular so you do need to check availability.

If Freedom camping is more your thing, remember you can only stay for two nights in the same road or off-road parking area. Please check out the rules.

Don’t be a statistic- DRIVE SAFELY. Those travelling by car locally or further afield, please take breaks, watch your speed, and don’t drink and drive.  Over Christmas and New Year last year 21 people were killed in crashes on New Zealand roads. This is not a statistic that NZ should be proud of.

Deter burglars – I have heard that petty theft has begun in the ward with the stealing of resident’s brass door and letterbox numbers. To keep your home safe and appear to be lived in whilst you are away, here are some good tips from the police .

And finally, some practical council housekeeping information.

Bin collection days will change due to the public holidays – you can check  when your collection dates are on this link

We have had more than our fair share of issues related to Watercare like faults, outages, broken sewer pipes. If you experience any issues, please report to Watercare immediately.

Up to date council news and events is provided in a newsletter called Our Auckland which you can sign up to and is a great resource. https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Auckland Council will be operating with skeleton staff over the holiday period. To report something that is causing an immediate risk to the safety of a person, people or property.  You can phone 093010101 or contact them online 24/7.

Local news

As always, I like to end on a good note. In the Ōrākei ward we have faced many challenges including those from the aftermath of the severe weather events. However, we have also had several things happen to be proud of. The completion of the raised and upgraded western Tāmaki Drive footpath, Kepa road stabilisation works are completed, St Helier’s library strengthening works, Remuera Library improvements, Domain Wintergarden upgrades, new sports fields as a result of the investment from the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023, Portland road environmental upgrade, upgraded Mission Bay playground, a new Padel Court, deep clean of the Mission Bay fountain, new artwork at Judges Bay, upgraded seating in Kohimarama, new heritage signage in Newmarket, a huge amount of new planting in Waiatarua, Remuera and Pourewa and after some false starts the  reopening of Parnell Baths!

So now, it’s time now for me to sign off until 2024.

Thank you for your support, have a fabulous break yourselves, enjoy time with your friends and family and see you in the New Year

Desley

Newsletter - 20 November

I have had the privilege of being deputy mayor of Auckland for over a year now. The past 365 days and counting have been a whirlwind to say the least. Rain, rain, more rain, floods, landslips, shootings, sinkholes, broken sewage pipes, budget shortfalls and everything in between.

However, throughout all the ‘chaos’, it is you - Aucklanders, that have kept me going.  You have kept me on my toes, kept the council accountable and shared some of your most personal stories and experiences. Your contribution to public consultations has informed the decision-making process and influenced the final votes. As a city we have gone through a lot, and I thank you.

It is easy to only focus on the negatives, but I have seen many positives.  Namely, how communities have come together and made their voices heard in relation to the storm recovery process. How resilient we have been with the unpredictable weather. How staff have worked above and beyond to keep the city ticking along, be it through incredible engineering solutions (Parnell sewage bypass), amazing unifying free events (Diwali), working to solve the bus driver shortage (Auckland Transport) and the spectacle of the first FIFA Women’s World Cup held in the Southern Hemisphere.

If you follow me on Facebook, you will have seen my almost 400 posts ranging from public notices, glimpses into my working week and the promotion of local and Auckland wide events. Checking my diary, I have had over 70 speaking engagements, attended a further 100 events and participated in 150 council workshops. Experiences have seen me climbing up and down water treatment plants, walking through tunnels under the city (City Rail Link) and clambering up ladders to roof top gardens (central library).  I have hosted delegations from around the world to showcase Auckland, welcomed one of our sister city mayors and met with High Commissioners. The past year has been fulfilling in so many ways, but it is the people that have been at the heart of it.

Ensuring I have been able to give Orakei ward residents my attention through the good and the more challenging parts of the year has been a key focus too.   I don’t think any area in New Zealand will come out of 2023 unscathed.  But looking locally, I have loved watching the great talent at the Selwyn Community Arts Theatre productions, supporting the Eastern Bays Community Patrol, sharing your anger about the recurrent ramraids local businesses have faced and your frustration with Auckland Transport, which pushed them to reconsider the Gowing Drive connection to the Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive shared path, presenting  at resident group meetings, cutting ribbons for new community facilities, and participating in a wide range of events, school festivals, environmental plantings to name but a few examples has been humbling.  SO many things have happened in the Ōrākei ward.

We all want Auckland to be a healthy, thriving, and vibrant city.  Just last week I was on the radio talking about the vision for - Te Ara Tukutuku (you may know it as the old Wynyard Point). The aspirational vision for what will be the first city centre open space of scale in 100 years. Five of the ten hectares will become a thriving foreshore for the land to reconnect to the sea. Take a look at the consultation which is currently open until 26 November and share your thoughts: akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/te-ara-tukutuku

Talking about vison, leads me to share where we are at in the council diary. The next ten-year budget or as it’s known the long-term plan, is the priority for councillors and the mayor leading up to Christmas. Whilst our annual budget sets the activities, services and investments for the following year and details how we might pay for them, every three years, a 10-year budget (long term plan) is published.

Last term, Auckland Council’s Governing Body formally adopted the 10-year Budget 2021-2031 on 25 May 2021, locking in a record $31.8 billion investment package to support the city’s recovery from COVID-19 and deliver the infrastructure Aucklanders need. This term’s long term plan won’t be finalised until 2024.However we have started. We’ve been through the briefing phase, and the direction setting phase, which included advice on ‘where we’re at’ financially. We are now into discussions on trade-offs between different investment options – including what we might need to stop doing, given the financial situation. This phase includes initial local board input. The next big milestone is the mayor’s proposal being presented to Governing Body on 29 November.  The shape of what we will consult on will be decided in December, and staff will spend the new year period preparing consultation materials to go to the public in late February.  Public consultation will run until the end of March.

But in the middle of all that is a continuing priority of storm recovery.  In the last newsletter I explained the agreed Category 3 buyout process . Since then, the council have made key Category 2P decisions. Category 2P properties are those where mitigations on the property can protect a home from future flooding or landslides. To understand the scale and complexity of the issue there are around 700 further properties that we are yet to categorise with the Recovery Office currently categorising 30-40 properties a week. You’ll be aware I have been advocating for all storm affected property owners across Auckland since the January floods. This includes working alongside flood and slip affected residents on Shore Road to ensure their concerns are being met by council.

As always, I like to end the newsletter with some local news.

Rehabilitation work to improve water quality in the areas bordering Ayr Street and Cathedral Place in Parnell is nearing completion and includes rehabilitation of 87 manholes and relining of 1,396 metres of wastewater pipes.

Auckland Transport are resealing Patterson Avenue, Colenso Place, and a section of Kepa Road starting 21 November.

After 7 months the Kepa road works to stabilise and prevent possible damage caused by landslides on the road by building a palisade retaining wall and reconstructing the footpath will be completed by the end of November (as I write, just waiting for the asphalt team to come free to complete that and the associated road markings)

Now the new Tamaki Drive footpath is finished the contractor has indicated that the temporary signalised crossing on the causeway section of Tamaki Drive is expected to be removed by mid-December.

Finally, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei have lifted the Waitematā rāhui, confirming that the Parnell sewage bypass is working, and our water is free to swim and fish in again. We expect the saltwater Parnell Baths will now open for the summer season on December 4.

Desley

Newsletter - 26 October

Who would have thought that since the last time I wrote to you, a hole the size of a tennis court would have appeared in Parnell. That lead to a 25-metre-long blockage in the Ōrākei Main Sewer and resulted in millions of litres of wastewater overflow (sewage) flowing into the Waitematā harbour!

In this newsletter, I will talk about the broken sewer, what happened, and what is being done to fix it. I will also explain the unanimous decision that was made a few weeks ago in relation to storm recovery and Category 3 buyout.

So, let’s start with the broken Ōrākei Main sewer.

Since the floods, we have had a number of ‘tomo’ or sinkholes.   A tomo is an “area of underground erosion (not always visible) caused by the scouring action of water, often around a fixed object such as a pipe or manhole. A tomo may also be caused by soil entering a crack in a pipe and slowly forming a void.”

Now we know the definition, what happened in Parnell?    A hole (tomo) appeared in a carpark on lower St Georges Bay Road and rapidly grew 20 metres wide and 13 metres deep. A part of the Ōrākei Main sewer pipe is directly underneath this hole. The pipe is from the 1920s, where the bottom is made of cast iron and the top of it bricked in an arched shape. The sewer pipe became blocked when the land above it caved in. The Ōrākei Main Sewer is a major artery of Auckland’s sewerage network that services parts of central and west Auckland and when the sewage could not pass through the pipe, it backed up causing millions of litres of wastewater overflow(sewage) to spill into the harbour (noting if it didn’t overflow there it would back up into homes, businesses, parks and streets).

This is as serious as it gets for Watercare- it’s called a level 3 issue. The highest concern. Stopping the overflow, clearing the blockage, and repairing the pipe has been an absolute priority. There have been daily updates with elected members, multiple organisations and teams working together to fix this huge and complex issue. The team have worked around the clock and completed a temporary bypass on  17 October. Basically, directing the sewage from the manhole before the blockage to the manhole after the blockage. However, clearing the blockage itself could take several weeks and the pipe’s long-term repair is likely to still be several months away. This means the temporary wastewater bypass solution may be in place for quite some time. The bypass is a HUGE engineering project that would usually take weeks/ months to plan and even longer to deliver.  The bypass consists of around 400 metres of pipe being laid and six pumps being put in an eight-metre-deep hole to direct sewage away from the broken section.

Watercare have signalled that there will be an independent review about the “how” and the “why” this happened so let’s wait and see whether this was in fact due to a long spell of terrible weather, under investment in infrastructure or both.

Throughout this process, my concern has been about the impact the sewage overflows have had on water quality. The overflows entered the harbour at a location at the western end of Wynyard Basin, and at two locations near the ports at Mechanics Bay. Depending on the level of contamination and physical conditions - tides, winds, currents, sunlight – water quality at some beaches may return to normal faster than others.

The Waitematā Harbour is treasured by all Aucklanders.

Healthy Waters, a council department, has been testing the water quality on a daily basis, alongside an independent scientist.  An array of bacteria that could cause ill health are being tested for and monitored. That is why the advice has been to stay off the beach, out the water and not do any recreational activities on the water.  If the water is contaminated, then it is not safe to swim in and a beach is black flagged.  Beaches are not physically closed, so please look out for the signage, and check on safeswim.org.nz. This website has the most up to date information about the water quality and a colour coded pin system for beaches.

Until this issue is resolved, I have some key messages:

1. Temporary pipes are not as strong as permanent pipes. Please only put the 3 P’s down your toilet. Pee, Poo and (toilet) paper

2. Please DO NOT fish or gather shellfish  in the inner harbour until public health advises it is safe ( you can check this on the Auckland Regional Public Health service website https://www.arphs.health.nz/news/sewage-in-the-waitemata-harbour-public-health-advice/)

3. Check the Safeswim website before you swim and if your beach has a black flag please DO NOT go in the water

4. If you have been in the water and you have sickness symptoms, please call Healthline on 0800 611 116.

It is great to end this newsletter with some better news.

Friday 6 October was a critical junction in Auckland’s storm recovery process. It was a moment many storm affected property owners were waiting for, as the Governing Body meeting was about whether the council would accept the $2 billion cost sharing deal with the Crown in relation to category 3 buyouts and storm recovery.  I am happy to report that a unanimous decision was made. After taking on board public consultation feedback (83% of consultees supported the deal) and having a free and frank discussion about setting the policy levers in relation to the buyout, everyone around the town hall table were in agreement that where we landed was as fair and equitable as possible.

The definition of Category 3 is “areas in the high-risk category are not safe to live in because of the unacceptable risk of future flooding and loss of life. Homes in these areas should not be rebuilt on their current sites”. In this category we estimate that there are around 700 properties in Auckland. Some of these properties were severely damaged in the floods/ land slips and others have been identified due to the “future risk” of flooding. 

As part of this decision, Governing Body agreed to five key areas of policy settings that will influence how Category 3 buyout offers will work.

1.      Valuation methodology

2.      Maximum buyout cap

3.      Homeowner contribution

4.      Insurance status

5.      Secondary properties

What was agreed. In layman terms: A pre-weather event market valuation will determine the starting point for the buyout offer. This was considered the most accurate and fair approach for all storm affected property owners.

Under the details of the agreed approach, insured Category 3 homeowners will be offered 95% of the pre-flood market value of their property. The remaining 5% of the property value will operate like an insurance excess.

Uninsured Category 3 property owners will be offered at least 80% of the pre-flood market value of their property, which may be increased up to a maximum of 95% subject to considering the special circumstances of those property owners.

Special circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Broadly, ‘special circumstances’ refers to an extraordinary situation that led to the homeowner not being able to have insurance cover.

The Governing Body agreed in principle to a dispute process that has both an internal and external review component. The council’s legal team will be developing this dispute process further and will present it to councillors for endorsement.

It was really important that we could work at pace in regard to buy outs. Therefore, the council expect to begin conversations with Category 3 homeowners at the end of October. This is the timeline we have been signalling for some time.

I have met with storm affected property owners and groups representing storm affected property owners from Remuera to Ranui and Mt Eden to Muriwai and I understand that the decision that was made may provide some assurance, but there are many hurdles with insurance companies and EQC that they are having to face. Just so you are aware the Recovery Office has recruited some new positions to make this process smoother. There will be navigators – this role came about from the Christchurch earthquakes. The navigator will be able to advise, and connect property owners to the right organisation, and people whether it is about insurance, temporary housing or rates relief, by way of example. Currently there are 17 in post, with the aim of recruiting 10 more people (of the 37 posts, 24 are funded via central government).

Lastly, a local piece of positive news:

·         Gowing Drive connection to the Meadowbank section of the Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive cycleway.  A few weeks ago, Auckland Transport told us that this connection was unfunded and unlikely to progress. However, after many conversations with AT about the importance of the connection for my ward, AT have confirmed that the project will go to the AT board before the end of 2023 for funding confirmation. The new intended timeline for these works – an underpass will be installed Christmas 2024. I know this is later that we all had hoped but still very welcome news.

Desley

Newsletter - 13 September

Well, it has been another hectic few weeks with a mix of business as usual, big council decisions being made and random issues cropping up.  Since I last wrote to you we have had  a number of issues including a  major gas leak in the city centre, we have had Fashion Week, the council sold a portion of their airport shares, the council in principle agreed to a $2 billion cost sharing agreement in relation to funding Auckland’s storm recovery and resilience (more on that below) and  there was a joint announcement with central government about community safety hubs in the city centre

On top of all this, the mayor was away for two weeks so I was Acting Mayor. I recently spoke at an event for the Parnell Probus Club titled “Life around the Town Hall Table” and it gave me time to reflect on the pace, intensity, and magnitude of decisions that I am involved in on a daily basis. Never a dull moment! 😊

There are two really important council consultations that are currently open that I wanted to bring to your attention and give you the opportunity to have your say.  Both these consultations close on 24 September so if you haven’t already, please click the links below, read the documentation and have your say.

1.     Funding Auckland's Storm Recovery and Resilience

2.     Deciding whether to introduce Māori seats for 2025

First, let’s talk about storm recovery.  As you are aware at the beginning of the year Auckland had several devastating weather events including Cyclone Gabrielle. The sheer scale of the disruption and damage the weather caused has led us to where we are now.  The recovery phase.  The council and central government have been negotiating for the past few months about how recovery of Auckland should be funded. On 24 August, the council in principle agreed to a $2 billion cost sharing package to aid Auckland’s recovery as well as invest in resilience projects to prevent this level of destruction happening again.

The deal includes: $820 million to fund projects that will help build resilience against future flood events (we call this Making Space for Water). These initiatives include increased maintenance, stream rehabilitation, culvert and bridge upgrades, overland flow path management, and the roll out of “blue-green” networks in critical flood-risk areas (which are stormwater solutions that enhance parkland and open space).

$390 million towards the recovery costs of the transport network directly impacted by the storms.

Category 3 buyouts: $774 million to purchase an estimated 700 residential properties where there is an intolerable risk to life, and it is not feasible to mitigate this risk.

The cost share agreement secures $1.076 billion of Government funding for these projects. This includes 62% of the estimated capital cost of the Making Space for Water projects ($380 million), 79% of the transport recovery costs ($110 million Crown funding and an expected $199 million from the National Land Transport Fund via Waka Kotahi), and 50% of the cost of Category 3 buy-outs ($387 million).

As this is such a big decision, we wanted Aucklanders to have their say before any final decisions were made. There are several reasons for this. One, this is a cost sharing agreement and as part of that the council will have to find sum $900 million and that’s a considerable sum.  Two, whilst the government has agreed to provide considerable funding, the details about, for example how we define a category 3 home and how we value properties all still needs to be ironed out. Your views are crucial in trying to get this balance right. And, finally, this cost sharing agreement is broader than just buying out the approximate 700 category 3 homes. It involves not only repairing roads/ bridges that were damaged in the January/February floods but thinking about our cities long term resilience against weather events and what preventative measures need to be prioritised. Ultimately, we want to know what you think about the proposed package.

The second important consultation is asking you whether or not Auckland Council should have elected Māori seats.

As many of you will know, Parliament granted all councils the ability to establish Māori seats or wards similar to what central government have. This would mean people could join a Māori Roll and vote for a Māori elected representative or representatives at the local government elections just like they can vote for a councillor. Rather than decide that ourselves, Auckland Council decided to ask Aucklanders through public consultation what they thought before making a decision.

The slightly complicating factor is that unlike other councils in New Zealand, Auckland council has by legislation an Independent Māori Statutory Board (IMSB). Their role is to advance the interests of Māori in Auckland by helping Auckland council make decisions, perform functions, and exercise powers that improve outcomes for Māori and to promote cultural, economic, environmental, and social issues of significance to Māori. IMSB representatives   sit around the Town Hall table with up to two members with full voting rights on all council committees except the one the mayor chairs.

If we were to vote for Māori seats, they would be in addition to the appointed IMSB seats Māori have on our committees.

Remember consultation closes on both these topics on 24 September so please have your say.

Lastly, two local pieces of positive news:

1.     Our much-loved Parnell Baths are on schedule to be reopened at the beginning of November this year.  After the floods in January the whole cliff face by the Baths was classified as unstable requiring major works to make it safe. Stability works are currently being carried out and whilst I can’t give you a definitive date yet, I have had it confirmed the pools will open in early November.

2.      Users of the Auckland Netball Centre will be pleased to know that last week at the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee on 7 September, we agreed to $250,000 of funding for new indoor/outdoor replacement lights.

As always, I’m happy to assist in any way. Please contact me desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz or 021971786

Newsletter - 3 August

Over the last month Auckland has been front and centre in the news for many reasons, good and not so good.  Let’s start with the not so good news. There is no doubt that the shooting that happened on Quay Street in July was horrific.  My deepest condolences remain with the families and friends of the men who died. Police and First Responders deserve every accolade as they were on site and contained the incident very quickly. A week after the event, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei held a karakia (attended by over 200 people) and blessed the site, enabling us to remember the men who lost their lives as well as clearing and resetting the space for normal use.

For more positive news, Auckland remains most definitely on the world stage co-hosting the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023. The sheer scale of this event is incredible for Auckland. It is estimated 2 billion people will watch the tournament from around the globe. Eden Park has had record breaking attendance at the six out of nine matches that have been played so far in Auckland.  We have seen the biggest crowds in New Zealand’s football history (that’s men AND women’s football). Nearly 43,000 for the USA V Portugal match and 42,137 for the opening Football Ferns match. Already this tournament has been an immense boost for our economy, our tourism, our restaurants, and businesses. FIFA fever has rippled throughout Auckland, but it’s not just hype and visitors, we have seen tangible improvements to our facilities. For example, the practice grounds that eight teams based in Auckland have used have had fantastic upgrades.  Our closest one is Michaels Avenue Reserve in Ellerslie which had training field investment from FIFA and some extra funding enabling us to bring forward work already planned to coincide with the tournament and host the Argentinean team.

We have also seen over 30,000 fans (local and international) visit the FIFA Fan Festival at The Cloud on Quay Street. It has been a popular place to watch the games, buy FIFA merchandise and just get into the exciting atmosphere of the tournament. Hosting FIFA representatives has been a big part of my deputy mayor role. It is pleasing to see that as visitors to Auckland, they have given positive feedback so far in regard to our city, hospitality and visitor attractions.

The Matariki Festival also broke attendance records. There were over 100 events in Auckland, held up by three signature events. Two of those based in the Ōrākei ward. Over 2000 people, the biggest crowd yet, attended the Umu Kohukohu Whetū (Dawn service) at Takaparawhau/ Bastion Point.  Nearly 4000 attended the family favourite, Manu Aute Kite Day at Bastion Point to fly their kites, or watch the giant kites fill the skies. In the city, 8000 people visited the Town Hall to take part in the Matariki Festival activities. Thank you to the organisers, volunteers and everyone that made the celebrations so special. I have to say seeing the artwork by school children from Stonefields, Ōrākei and Kohimarama primary schools displayed at Orakei Bay Village was a highlight for me.

Just last week I was in my gumboots out with the Ōrākei Local Board members and volunteers planting 1500 new ‘trees’ at Waiatarua reserve in Remuera. For over 10 years I’ve been planting here, and it is great to see how big the plants have grown from past years contributing to a better environment and planet.

Talking about the planet, you would have seen green food waste bins being delivered to your homes. The council are collecting foods scraps as part of reaching its aim for zero waste by 2040. Keeping our food scraps out of the rubbish is a great way we all can help. The council expects to collect nearly 40,000 tonnes of food scraps in the first year – equal to taking 10,000 medium-sized cars off the road! Also, the food scraps collection service is turning waste into renewable energy and liquid fertiliser.

What do you need to know?

•         Food scraps collection is weekly - remember to put your green food scraps bin out on the same day your red lid bin is collected.

•         All food including meat, bones, eggshells, citrus, coffee grounds can be added.

•         Inside the green food scraps bin is a smaller caddy that you can keep in your kitchen

•         More information can be found on the council website here.

Many people have said, I have an insinkerator or a compost bin so don’t need this bin. I voted to try and make this system optional but lost that vote with the majority of councillors voting for it to be compulsory, so that’s why it is.

Storm recovery

It has now been more than 6 months since the January floods and there are still nearly 2000 placarded properties across Auckland as a result of the January floods and Cyclone Gabrielle:

•              324 properties with a red placard 

•              1641 properties with a yellow placard

•              4 White properties with a white placard

Of the nearly 2000 properties, our two local Board areas still have a number unresolved. As of 20 July, in the Orakei Local Board area there were 7 red placarded properties, 33 yellow placarded properties and no white placarded properties.  For the Waitemata Local Board area there were 9 red placards, just over 110 yellow and no remaining white placards.

Recovery from the floods is taking time. The council is aware of urgency and the certainty people want, but need to balance this with ensuring we get the next steps right for Aucklanders. There are larger scale plans which the Mayor has outlined in his Making Space for Water Proposal and it’s expensive. Current estimations of costs for this programme could be as high as $1.65 billion over 6 years, bringing the potential costs associated with the flooding and cyclone events (including recovery, potential buyouts and further resilience) to as high as $4 billion- yes that’s B for billion.

Risk categorisation.

The council and central government are still in discussions to iron out the details of the potential buy out process of Risk Category 3 homes. What we do know is that some current homes will need to be removed from specific areas of land in Auckland due to the high risk of flooding.

However, at this stage it is important that the council participates in a robust negotiation process with the government. An important consideration is how the buyout and risk assessment process will be funded. The government initially indicated that details for buyouts and valuations should be completed by June 2023, obviously that date is well passed but discussions continue.

What I would like to emphasise, is that if your property is confirmed to be in Risk Category 3 following a detailed risk assessment, you will be contacted about the property buyout programme. This means that you will get to decide whether to accept any buyout offer that may be made. 

Recent Committee decision digest

All council reports and minutes can be viewed on the council website:  infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Governing Body also receives performance reports from the Chief Executive and Chief financial officer monthly. Here are the key decisions from our recent public meetings.

Open council consultations -Have your say

It is important that you contribute to consultations and have you say. It is a way that we can hear your views and use your feedback to make sure it reflects what you want. I have highlighted a few below; however, all consultations are listed on the council website.

Local Board Plans (Closes 14 Aug)

https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/hub-page/local-board-plans-2023

Storm Recovery and Resilience (Closes 31 Aug)

https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/storm-recovery

Auckland Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan (Closes 31 Aug)

https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/cdem-group-plan

On top of my full Council meeting schedule, I have attended events, given speeches and been out and about checking in on the local community. Earlier this week I welcomed a new Japanese Consul General to Auckland (based in Glendowie). 

Like the last newsletter, I thought it would be a great idea to end on acknowledging some wins.

·        As you know one of my favourite places in Auckland is the Domain and I am so proud to be included in this part of its history.  Check out the new Winter Garden plaque when you visit. It is the attention to detail that makes this renovation incredible, down to the original design and font of the plaque matching the one on the terrace from 1928.

·         The Eastern line has temporarily reopened (only on the days of the nine FIFA Women’s World Cup games) helping transport fans to where they need to be.

·         Judges bay works – Watercare redirected the interim sewage pipe under the road and removed the temporary speed bump on Gladstone Road.

Work still in progress:

·         Tamaki Drive walkway- Auckland Transport are still on schedule for the pathway, seating, fencing to be completed by the end of August (may even be earlier)

·         Intersection of Remuera Road and Upland Road traffic lights – After receiving several complaints that pedestrians hit their heads on the very low traffic lights there, I contacted Auckland Transport to find a solution. Have a look by Four Square and you will see what I mean. Auckland Transport will address this issue by relocating the pole to a new position, allowing them to install a standard height pole.

·         Judges Bay road - there is a generator powering pumping around the damaged section of sewage pipe, however Watercare are planning to replace this with an electric pump. A Vector power supply has been installed and is now waiting on meter and power box installation. Once this has taken place the power supply can be connected, the generator removed and hopefully the noise disruption one and all.

Finally, I’m keen for your feedback on this newsletter. This time I’ve included a lot more information. Let me know if you feel it’s too much or not enough. There is so much to report on. Remember I update you almost daily on my Facebook page, so I am trying to get the balance right.

I saw a daffodil out on my local walk recently so hopefully this cold wet weather will pass soon. Thanks for keeping in touch and as you know I’m always available on desley.simpson@aucklandcouncil.govt

Desley

Newsletter – 19 June

Apologies that I haven’t written to you since I became Deputy Mayor of Auckland. The last 8 months have felt like 8 years as so much has happened.

Let’ s do a recap. Last October were the council elections, which resulted in a new Mayor for Auckland Wayne Brown. Mayor Brown received 181,810 votes, to date the most votes any Auckland Council Mayor has received. I’d like to thank the people of the Orakei Ward for resoundingly voting me back as the Orakei Ward councillor.  Following the elections and time needed for any recounts we then had a formal swearing in ceremony at the Auckland Town Hall in November. It was at that event I had the privilege of being formally made Deputy Mayor.

One of the first things the Mayor needed to do was put forward a budget for the 2023/2024 year. This draft budget was made public in December along with the Mayor’s decisions for the types of committees he wanted for the term and those councillors he wanted to chair them.

January traditionally has no formal meetings, so I took time to take a well-deserved break and arrived back in New Zealand on 26 January the day before the 27 January flooding event. Since then, Auckland has been faced with a cyclone, landslides, further severe weather events and a budget being passed!

So let me start with the budget. This year has been an unusual year as no one knew whether any version of mayor’s proposal would pass. After 29 workshops with staff and over 80 hours to discuss the details of the budget it did not surprise me that it took two days to debate the budget, in which we also considered alternative approaches. On 9 June the Governing Body (20 councillors + the Mayor) voted in favour of an amended Mayor’s proposal for the Annual Budget 2023/2024 by 14 votes to 6. The final budget was a compromise for everyone, myself included.

What does the finalised budget mean for Auckland?

One of my biggest concerns with this budget was the impact on ratepayers (business and residential) and those who use our services at a time when Aucklanders face high cost of living, increases to public transport, and increases in mortgage rates to name but a few.

However, we also had an operating deficit of $325 million (plus $40 million of storm costs) so the challenges were great for Council too.

When balancing the budget, we have only four tools in the toolbox, rates, debt, cuts, and asset sales. We spent a lot of time poring over the feedback we received from Aucklanders, but it was fair to say it was not a clear picture – there were those who wanted higher rates or use of debt, and to reduce the level of cuts. But others preferred to see us make those cuts and hold our use of rates and debt. In many ways the budget rested in the debate whether to sell all the airport shares and those who wanted to sell only some or none.

In summary, we ended up with the following:

•          Average residential rates rise of 7.7 per cent (additional $253 a year for the average residential Auckland ratepayer.

•          Partial sale of shares in Auckland International Airport (AIAL) to pay down around $865 million of debt, with a net funding benefit of $115 million over the next eight years. 

•          $83 million of operating spending reductions (down from $125million in the budget consultation).  I.e., Fewer cuts and keeping the likes of funding for the Citizens Advice Bureau, arts and culture and only a $2million cut ( as opposed to the original $16m cut) to the regional local board budget

•          $105 million of debt (up from $75million in the budget consultation). 

•          $40 million for storm recovery activity.

•          We still maintain $2.8 billion of capital investment in transport, parks, and community facilities, Watercare assets, local developments, urban regeneration and cultural development, and environmental management.

It has been an exhaustive and arduous process, but I believe we have reached a balanced position which is credible, prudent, sustainable, and implementable.

Everyone had to compromise to come to a consensus. In some ways you could say, the final budget was a triumph for democracy.

Flood recovery.

To give you an idea of scale of the weather events we have had this year, an entire years’ worth of rain drenched Auckland in less than 5 months.

The Ōrākei ward was seriously affected too. It took the life of a local resident Dave Lennard in Remuera. Tāmaki Drive and the beach areas experienced flooding and high waves. Parnell and Remuera were seriously affected by land slips.

Immediately after the events, properties in Auckland were red, yellow or white stickered. These stickers indicated immediate risk, red being the highest risk- non habitable. 7000 building assessments were undertaken;  679 red stickers, 2359 yellow and 4326 white stickers were placed on properties by the end of March. Over $2 million of Emergency Fund payments were made and $1.3 million in Rates Relief.

We recruited a specialist manager (Mat Tucker) to lead our recovery. Mat had worked in Christchurch post the earthquakes.  His role is not only to lead the recovery of Auckland from the storms in January and February but to come up with solutions that mitigate risks. He is looking to collaborate and engage with communities and look at what we can do differently or better.

That new piece of work has been called Making Space for Water and is planned to be delivered over the next 6 years. It includes:

·        Storm water solutions like stream widening

·        Identifying high risk properties

·        Investment in planning and modelling tools to enhance council decision making - gaining flooding intelligence

·        Community led flood resilience – advice for property owners in high risk area

·        Increased maintenance.

To add another level of complexity, in May, central government came up with three new risk categories for assessment of affected properties post cyclone and flooding. We are currently transitioning the red, yellow and white stickered properties to the new categories and including all potential properties that may fall within this framework. Just because your house may have been “stickered” after the floods does not necessarily mean it will fall into a risk category.   Indicative estimates are that around 400 homes in Auckland should not be rebuilt.  This is out of 700 nationwide – so almost 60 per cent. To categorise at-risk properties with certainty, a site-by-site assessment and hazard identification is required. For Auckland, this exercise may take six months or more given the scale, challenges of accessing private property and industry capacity.  To accelerate this process, Auckland Council has begun contacting those property owners that are more likely to be a Category 2 or Category 3 and asking them to provide us with more information so that risk assessments can be completed.

I want to end with a list of achievements. 2023 has been testing so far, but there have been few “wins” that should be appreciated. So in no particular order:

·        Getting school buses sorted on the Panmure to Selwyn College route. It was brought to my attention that this school bus was either not turning up, overcrowded, or arriving late resulting in school children being late for school. I worked with Auckland Transport to find a workable solution and I have heard that this improvement has been well received.

·        The Portland Road environmental works in Remuera– the area is now open for the public to explore – it is an incredible local walk of native plants and walkways. We removed over 6000m3 of silt from the stream to improve water flow. This allows water to flow unobstructed when tidal gates are open. We then created a land feature out of the silt. By repurposing the silt, we prevented it filling up our landfills, it has kept trucks off our road network and saved over $800k in tipping and transport fees. We are so lucky to have a natural wetland in an urban city.

·        Futureproofing the Domain Wintergarden glasshouses.  Recent structural strengthening and restoration of the two buildings has ensured this important part of the city’s architectural heritage will be around for many decades to come. This heritage building is an outstanding example of twentieth century design and recently won the Auckland Architecture Award for Enduring Architecture.

Work still in progress:

·        Tāmaki Drive works – the new walkway along Tamaki Drive is due to be opened in August this year.

·        Ngāpipi pedestrian bridge – Better walking and cycling facilities on Ngāpipi Bridge are a key part of the wider programme of improvements in the Ōrākei area, including the works on Tāmaki Drive and Kepa Road. Auckland Transport are widening the bridge which will expand the area available for people on foot and cyclists as well as allowing the existing 4 traffic lanes to remain the same. It will provide the connection between the Tāmaki Drive Cycle Route and the Ngāpipi intersection, which connects to the Glen Innes - Tāmaki Drive Shared Path.

·        Ongoing Kepa road works. Kepa road retaining wall is a resilience project. It is designed to manage the risk of a significant slip that undermines the road, which would result in the complete loss of traffic access for several months. Kepa Road is a district arterial road carrying over 23,000 vehicles per day and is also a bus route. Part of the road, beside Ōrākei Basin, is in a slip zone. Between April -November 2023, Auckland Transport are undertaking works to stabilise and prevent possible damage caused by landslides on the road by building a palisade retaining wall and reconstructing the footpath.

The first 8 months of my term as Deputy mayor has whizzed by. However, I am committed to ensuring that I also represent my local ward and stand for things that you value the most. I have attended resident association meetings, handed out awards to local children for community work and scholarships; spoken at local ANZAC events; watched local productions at Selwyn Community Arts Theatre and supported residents and local business.

As always, I remain available to you should you have any questions or concerns.