Month: August 2014

Council Cutting the Spin

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Well reductions in the Communications, PR and Marketing Department

 

In the continued drive for efficiencies and cost control (despite an OPEX surplus at $212 million on the last set of audited figures) the Marketing Department is next up on the blocks (after Planning) for the “review.”

From Radio NZ and Todd Niall

Auckland Council cuts marketing budget

Updated at 6:56 am today

 

The council has cut 38 jobs and brought more work in-house to save $4.3 million this year, and slightly more after that.

The spending on communications and marketing will fall to nearly $8.5 million.

The council said work has been centralised, and around $1.5 million saved through less outsourcing.

The re-structuring of communications and marketing is the largest cut from a series of reviews that have been underway. It has made 109 other staff redundant over the past year.

A larger review is nearly complete in the chief planning officer’s department which employs 538 staff.

Auckland Council has gone on the front foot, announcing the cuts in communications and marketing, 10 days before it unveils the first version of its proposed 10 year budget.

While there is no direct link between the two, the council is keen to portray itself as being rigorous with internal spending, before beginning debate on how much should be spent around the city.

The council has lifted its target for efficiency savings to $240 million a year, as it begins the task of setting the 10-year budget, called the Long Term Plan.

That may bring new charges for Aucklanders and a multi-billion dollar cut over the next decade, to the previously-forecast level of spending on new assets.

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Source: http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/252342/auckland-council-cuts-marketing-budget

 

You can hear report Todd Niall’s take on here:

 

I will be interesting to see what has happened to the Planning Department after their review. We shall know the results next month.

 

Electric Trains Start on the Manukau Line – Monday [updated]

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A delay but there

 

It seems Monday the 18th the Electric Trains will start running on the Manukau Line in the off-peak periods as part of that limited roll out. They were meant to start plying the Manukau Line on the 13th but that never happened.

 

September/October is when the Electric Train fleet should be fully replacing the diesels on the Manukau Line both peak and off-peak. Or will they?

 

With the Long Term Plan 2015-2025 budget cuts from Auckland Council delaying the purchase of more Electric Trains (beyond the 57 already on order) to beyond 2025 will we see our diesels still plying the network post 2015 when the Electrics are fully rolled out? Something yet to be seen as the LTP debates continue.

 

[Update from Auckland Transport]

A second rail line going electric

15/08/2014 04:18 p.m.

The roll-out of electric trains in Auckland steps up next week with the introduction of the new trains on the Manukau Line.

Initially electric trains will run on some off-peak services, they will be introduced to all services over the next month.

Auckland Transport’s Chief Operations Officer Greg Edmonds says the new trains have been very popular since their introduction on the Onehunga Line in April but with any transition we should be prepared for “teething problems.”

“We want to ensure our customers who use the trains to Manukau are getting a reliable service so we will be gradually increasing the number of electric trains over the next month.”

Meanwhile, testing continues across the rail network following an intermittent power fault which saw some Onehunga services affected. Mr Edmonds stresses there are no safety issues associated with the fault.

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Source: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/a-second-rail-line-going-electric/

 

 

On bloggers, corruption and honour

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Quoting:
On Bloggers and Journalists

Please be aware, though, that not all bloggers and journalists are of the same grimy stripe: Some are honest and honourable.

You may not agree with what we write, but we are genuine and up front about what we believe and why.

We do not always get things right, but we own up when we are wrong.

You can disagree with us without fearing retaliation, because we believe in honest discussion and debate.

And we believe it is not too much to expect others, including our government, to uphold those same standards.

Talking Auckland has gotten it wrong before. When that I happened I both made those personal apologies up front and sure that I wouldnt repeat the mistake that got me in strife in the first place.

Yes I can be controversial and hard, but I also give praise and credit where it is due. Just ask Auckland Transport 😉
But at the end of the day I try to uphold to my high standards when blogging. A pity certain other compatriots can not thus we all get tarred

Save Our Schools NZ's avatarSave Our Schools NZ

no to corruption

I’m glad that at last there is a focus on the low-level, hateful, dishonest work of Cameron Slater.  He is an embarrassment to bloggers and journalists everywhere.

I am glad the focus has turned to him allegedly being paid to share ghost-written blog posts done by others such as the tobacco lobbyists where he just add his name to the end and pretends they are by him.  

For money.  

Lots of money.

I am glad people are finally being forced to consider just how far and how deep his spiderweb goes into government.

I am glad the mainstream media has been forced, in some cases at least, to confront the reality that bloggers and journalists of this ilk are unreliable at best and, at worst, dangerous to democracy and free speech.

The irony is immense

This is not just whimsical pondering from me.  I was “oiled” myself.  Thousands of the “Whale…

View original post 493 more words

Dirty Politics Summary

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Whatever your politics and style what we are seeing here is a rather interesting chill on our democracy.

I know when the Len Brown saga broke the amount of sleaze being fired across with beyond it by all means. The consequences went far above and beyond what the Mayor did, it went as far as acting as a paralysing force against the Council something only just recently the City has rid of (we are back to normal Council) politics.

Having been approached by opponent Palino last May to assist writing South Auckland policy (before walking away (I voted for Len by the way)) the aftermath of the election sent chills through me.

Chills insofar as the muck being fires from that pocket of the Centre Right in a game of win at all cost (usually this ends as MAD).

However, the City had a saving grace through the fact we were damn well lucky we had a Deputy Mayor who led the City through those dark periods something the opposition failed to realise then and still now. However, that opposition so to say will be served their beans in due time and their allies sullied by Association charges. Meaning the Centre Right have effectively neutered themselves in the 2016 elections.

Of note I have noticed Carrack Graham paying a bit more attention into Auckland Council affairs. This is something to watch carefully and closely.

Slater and Graham’s politics are not wanted in the Super City a 21st Century progressive and inclusive City

Auckland Development Committee – August 2014

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The Agenda

 

Today at 9:30am the Auckland Development Committee will meet. The agenda can be seen below

 

As normal I will be running my live Tweeting ( @BenRoss_AKL ) through the Committee as well as the Budget Committee and Governing Body that both follow right after the Auckland Development Committee.

 

The Auckland Development Committee will be endorsing Plan Changes amongst other discussions. One of the Plan Changes is the Drury South Plan Change that would allow the creation of the heavy industry complex in southern Drury over time.

The report back on the amount of industrial and commercial land might stir a debate within the Committee and will be one to watch to see if the Councillors can grasp rather long or super long-term planning in regards to land being available for large-scale employment centres. Remember I have said before that Council is good at zoning residential but rather slow in grasping the requirements to allow zoning and the subsequent establishment of commercial and industrial zones that would give rise to employment centres that is needed for Auckland’s long-term prosperity.

The Housing update will definitely cause a stir especially if affordable housing gets mentioned. However, I wonder if the debate will rehash the same old stuff as seen over the last four years?

The debate I would have like to have seen thought is the Special Housing Area Tranche Four item which is behind closed doors. The SHA’s previously have caused quite a bit of teeth gnashing and no doubt this fourth set will do the same. That said the Tranche’s usually go through the Governing Body for final “ratification” so we might see a glimpse of a debate there. Also in light of the SHA troubles that we are seeing (Special Housing Areas Already in Trouble?) I wonder if a Councillor will be brave enough to raise it before going behind closed doors to discuss the Fourth Tranche.

 

All today and all at Town Hall