I want to acknowledge the difficult and unprecedented times we are facing with regards to Covid-19. Each day brings with it new information and new challenges for us all. While we rightly focus on the health and wellbeing of our communities, I want to give you confidence that council is handling this changeable environment professionally, competently and appropriately. We are unified in our focus – the best outcomes for Auckland, its residents and communities. At an individual level, please make sure you continue to follow the guidelines established by the Ministry of Health on social distancing, hygiene (wash your hands regularly) and travel restrictions. Councillors are getting almost daily updates and Local Boards regular communications too. I have been impressed with the many community groups that are reaching out to neighbours and friends to check in on their wellbeing. If you know somebody who needs extra support, please let me know as there are options out there to assist.
Covid- 19 will impact our next Budget. As Chair of Council’s Finance and Performance Committee, ensuring our Annual Budget is appropriate and prudent is a key component of my role. That’s become more challenging within recent days. That said, we have been open for consultation and feedback since 21 February on an annual budget scoped out well before Covid-19. To assist in promoting what’s in that budget, I have been using my facebook page to highlight various components for the 20/21 year that will have a direct financial impact on ratepayers.
Social media is a wonderful tool to engage people with and I have enjoyed receiving informal feedback. When you separate out the issues we are consulting on, you get a better picture of how any proposed changes might impact you personally.
Below, are some of the messages I put out on my personal social media page:
1. After nearly 10 years in operation, an independent panel has been established to review councils five Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs) Auckland Transport (AT), Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED), Panuku Development Auckland, (Panuku), Regional Facilities Auckland (RFA) and Watercare. The panel want to know what you think is working well, not so well or any improvements you think could be made. Have you say by heading to our website.
2. Auckland Transport is arguably the most familiar of the CCOs but did you know that they oversee 7,550km of roads, 7,137, km of footpaths, bus and cycleways, and manage over 100 million public transport journeys every year. ATEED promote Auckland as a great place to live, work, invest or visit. Last year their major events contributed $493.9 million to regional GDP. Finally, for today, Panuku is council’s redevelopment agency focused on creating vibrant, liveable place with high quality housing. They also manage council’s $3billion property portfolio. How do you think they are all doing? Have you say by heading to our website.
3. Developing our arts, culture, heritage and sport, RFA manages some jewels in the Auckland crown. Auckland Zoo, The Civic theatre, Mt Smart Stadium and Auckland Art Gallery are just a few of the 13 recognisable landmark facilities they oversee. In 2019 RFA’s facilities attracted 3.36million visitors. During the last eight years, RFA has generated $422.3 million in commercial revenue while also producing free or subsidised events attended by over 12 million people. The final CCO is Watercare. A familiar name to most of us, they provide high quality, safe water to homes and businesses in our region. Looking after 9,000km of pipes, they also treat and dispose of around 396 million litres of our wastewater every day.
The independent panel that has been established to review all five CCOs I’ve talked about this week and are interested in what you think is being done well, what’s not going so great and what improvements you think can be made. Have you say by heading to our website.
4. Every year, Auckland Council picks up around 135,000 tonnes of recycling from households and some businesses. Unfortunately, around 12% of this is either non-recyclable items or containers that are too contaminated to recycle because they are still filled with food or liquid. These items are separated and need to be sent straight to landfill adding to the cost of our recycling service. Certain types of hazardous liquids like paint or motor oil can contaminate a full truckload of recyclables, meaning the whole load needs to be sent to landfill- that's expensive both financially and environmentally.
So how much is 135,000 tonnes of recycling every year? – I’m told it’s equivalent to approx.19,286 male African elephants! Use Auckland Council’s online recycling search tool to check if an item can be recycled or not. Not recycling correctly is costing us more.
5. To help Council cover rising recycling costs (remember in 2018 China banned the importation of recyclable materials) we’re proposing an $19.97 increase to the base service for those who receive the service. The option of simply sending recyclables to landfill would end up costing ratepayers more and an environmentally unsound decision. Option B, is to increase general rates (on top of proposed 3.5%) by a further 0.6% for everyone, even if they don't receive the service.
6. Have a swimming pool? All pool owners are required to have an inspection once every three years to ensure that their fences meet pool safety standards.
In the annual plan we are proposing to replace the current $130 first inspection fee with an annual targeted rate of $44 for all pool owners. This would save us approx. $74,000 in admin costs -or we raise the first inspection fee to $135.
7. Council is delivering a $2.7billion plan of investment to improve Auckland. That means more sports fields, better parks, and better infrastructure such as the upgrade of Tamaki Drive and the flood mitigation work around Kohimarama. From 1 July, we want to implement one of the lowest average general rates increase – 3.5% - of any major urban council across New Zealand. Did you know, Tauranga is talking about 12.6% increase and Dunedin reported to be around 6.5%?
8. As I mentioned yesterday, we are continuing to grow to record levels the level of investment we make in our facilities and infrastructure
This spend is also a major driver of our rates requirement as we need to fund the maintenance and operating costs of this growing asset base and to provide for their future renewals. This is all part of being good stewards of Auckland’s infrastructure and ensuring that it provides the services we rely on.
9. In the last term, we have seen a doubling of transport funding for the Orakei Local Board rising from $1mil to $2mil, to distribute into local projects. In addition, we are in our second year of an $800,000 investment programme of further safety initiatives. We’re also investing in raising Tamaki Drive to mitigate flooding, as well as providing alternative transport routes with a new cycle way. Further flooding mitigation works at Kohimarama and cleaning up our water at Okahu Bay. There’s a lot going on in our area. Have you say by heading to our website.
10. There are different pickups of rubbish currently operating across the Auckland region. In Orakei, we remain on a standard general fee for weekly rubbish collections as opposed to a pay as you throw model (which currently costs about 25% more for same weekly service per year).
The one point I raised in almost every post was my keenness to hear from you and the link to the relevant sections of the online information (which I took out for the purposes of this newsletter).
To that end, you still have time to let me know what you think of the proposals from the Mayor, with submissions closing on March 22 (that’s this coming Sunday). So please, head along to our website here and let me know your feedback: I am here to represent your views
Thank you for those who have responded and thank you in advance to those of you who will. I will report back on the Orakei Ward feedback when it’s received and analysed and before the final vote.
Stay safe out there.
Desley
