Month: November 2014

Council Summary of Today’s Budget Committee

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Full Podcast tomorrow

 

From Auckland Council

Decisions on draft 10-year budget

 

Auckland Council’s Budget Committee today made decisions for its draft Long-term Plan (LTP) 2015-2025, the council’s next 10-year budget.

The Budget Committee has agreed to consult with Aucklanders on a 3.5 per cent average rates increase for each year of the Long-term Plan 2015-2025. This compares to the 2.5 per cent average rise in 2015/16 and 2016/17 and 3.5 per cent for each year thereafter that the Mayor had proposed.

The Budget Committee agreed 16 votes to 7 that keeping average rates at 2.5 per cent in the first two years was too constrained for the council’s overall budget, particularly for the area of Parks, Community and Lifestyle which was facing significant capital expenditure reductions compared to what was previously planned.

 

A 3.5 percent average rates rise, along with inflationary increases in development charges and more sales of non-strategic surplus assets, means Parks, Community and Lifestyle will now be able to invest $800 million more in projects over the ten-year plan than was outlined in the  Mayoral proposal.

Mayor Len Brown says: “I supported the increase to 3.5 per cent today because I was getting the message I was being too tough with the 2.5 per cent target.

“Unfortunately, we haven’t yet been able to find a way to match people’s expectations for investments in their communities with an average increase of just 2.5 per cent. As I have always said, if Aucklanders thought I was being too tough with that target, I would listen.

 

“This process still has eight months to run, and I am convinced that we can get the 3.5 per cent figure lower. I, for one, will be working as hard as I can to drive further efficiencies in budgets to get keep rates as low as possible for Aucklanders.”

 

A 3.5 per cent average rise remains less than forecast in the previous Long-term Plan 2012-2022, which would have seen average annual rates increases of 4.9 per cent.

The proposed 3.5 per cent increase would equal about $2-3 extra per household each week.

 

The budget committee has also agreed to a $6.8 billion basic transport programme to be included in the draft budget. This is a 33 per cent reduction in capital expenditure on transport compared to the council’s previous Long-term Plan.

This basic transport package includes funding for major projects such as the City Rail Link, the East-West connections and SH1 intersection improvements at Warkworth. It does not however stretch to the majority of projects included in the fully-integrated Auckland Plan transport network including new park-and-ride facilities, planned cycleways, the north-western busway, road improvements, Penlink and rail electrification to Pukekohe.

 

The committee also decided to consult with Aucklanders on whether they are comfortable with the basic transport programme or whether they want to invest more to get the fully-integrated Auckland Plan network. It was also agreed consultation will include both alternative funding options announced by the Independent Advisory Body last week. The funding options include a motorway user charge or rates and fuel increases.

The decisions made today and tomorrow are a starting point to include in the draft budget. The plan can, and will change following consultation with Aucklanders early next year.

 

Further Information

Summary of key decisions:

  • Average rates increase by 3.5 percent for each year of the Long-term Plan 2015-2025
  • The overall level of development contributions charges increase annually in line with inflation from FY 2015/16
  • A $20 million per annum increase in the targets for the sale of non-strategic surplus assets
  • Forecast net group debt of $11 billion by 2025, resulting in a $2.7 billion reduction in growth of council debt
  • A $6.8 billion basic transport programme to be included in the draft budget
  • Consult with Aucklanders on two transport budgets – the basic and the full Auckland Plan – and if they choose the Auckland Plan network, what alternative funding option they would prefer to pay for it

 

Next steps:

  • Decisions made November 5 and 6 form the draft of the LTP 2015-2025
  • Draft LTP is developed for adoption on December 18
  • Aucklanders have their say from late January – mid-March
  • Amendments made to the draft LTP
  • Final LTP is due for adoption in June 2015

——–ends——— 

 

The Transport Proposed Budget (remembering Basic Transport Package is currently defaulted)

 

Full analysis via podcast tomorrow

 

Summary of the Budget Committee Thus Far

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CRL and Rating Motions worked through thus far

 

Electric Train at Britomart Source: pic.twitter.com/vjQZfMUeex
Electric Train at Britomart
Source: pic.twitter.com/vjQZfMUeex

A quick look at where we have gotten so far in the first of the two day slog that of the Budget Committee.

BREAKING: Main City Rail Link motion passes to continue the CRL start date for 2016. More tonight.

 

Budget Committee Prelude – Context

Budget Committee Discusses THE BUDGET

 

The 10 Questions – Answered by Mayor Len Brown

The Mayor Replies To My 10 Questions On Transport

 

More in tonight and tomorrow’s podcast analysis

Building Consent Performance Impresses

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International Audit Body Impressed

 

From Auckland Council:

Building consent performance impresses assessment body

 

Auditors from International Accreditation New Zealand (IANZ) have been impressed by the ‘huge steps’ Auckland Council’s Building Control team has taken over the past two years to improving its service.

The auditors were acting for the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

By law, council has to achieve and maintain accreditation for certain functions these include consenting, inspection and certification.

IANZ has recommended that Auckland Council continued to be accredited as a registered Building Consent Authority (BCA) without any corrective action requests being raised. This is an uncommon result for a BCA let alone one that operates full services out of more than one office.

The auditors noted much improved processes, systems and record keeping.

Ian McCormick, Auckland Council’s Manager of Building Control was pleased with the IANZ comments.

“Maintaining the status as a registered Building Consent Authority is a strategic imperative for council. We will continue to build on this success, working with the local development community to deliver systems that are more efficient and therefore more affordable for the industry,” he said.

 

One of the significant challenges the team faced was upskilling many technical staff to match new ministry requirements for tertiary level technical qualifications.

“This achievement is the result of a great team effort, with people working hard to support their colleagues, leading training sessions and staff studying after hours to obtain the qualifications required,” said Mr McCormick.

In recent years, the department has managed a 13 per cent increase in residential building consent applications, as well as providing support to the Christchurch recovery effort.

The council first achieved accreditation upon amalgamation in 2010. Such audits are scheduled every two years.

 

Further Information

The BCA accreditation and registration scheme is designed to help improve the control of, and encourage better practice and performance in, building design, regulatory building control and building construction.

 

It requires that any territorial authority or regional authority (council) carrying out building consent, inspection and approval work be accredited by a building consent accreditation body against the standards and criteria in the Building (Accreditation of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2006. The council must then be registered by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment against the standards and criteria in theBuilding (Registration of Building Consent Authorities) Regulations 2007.

 

The accreditation and registration of BCAs will:

  • help assure the public of the quality of building controls
  • help promote consistent, standardised and ongoing good quality practice in building control
  • help identify good building control practice and provide mechanisms for sharing this information throughout the sector and with other interested parties
  • help foster continuous improvement in building controls at national and local level
  • help ensure better technical capabilities and resourcing of building controls
  • provide an impetus for much closer and more formal relationships among BCAs, and between BCAs and technical consultants/contractors
  • provide incentives for improving performance and raising standards in building control.

—–ends—–

 

Go to know when it comes to building my house down the track

 

A Home for Life?

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English and National are thinking in 1 Dimensional terms again which is pretty easy to level against the Right Wing. Probably because they see the world in black and white rather than the full spectrum of colours it really is.

The Left Wing arguably can think in three dimensional terms thus non black and white type of thinking.

I agree with what John has put here for the State Housing situation insofar as this is what National should be doing. That is thinking in three dimensional terms……
Something that is not very hard to do (although that will lead me to a STEAM vs STEM debate – for another time)

Professor Mayhem's avatarSlightly Left of Centre

When there are thousands of people on a waiting list for a state house, should we be allowing people who have taken the hand up provided by the state, made something of themselves to occupy state houses permanently?

Yes, we should.

Should those houses remain state houses once the tenants are able to pay market rent/mortgage repayments?

No they shouldn’t.

We’re the Government to implement a programme whereby tenants who could afford to buy their home, either directly, or as a rent to buy scheme (without the fish hooks in private r2bs) then we should be giving them that opportunity. Thus giving the tenant the opportunity to become a homeowner.

If this was to be done it would allow the government to balance its social responsibility to provide welfare housing, while allowing it to release capital to be reinvested in higher priority housing areas.

What is lacking in Bill English’s…

View original post 107 more words

Fireworks Clarification

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Council Clarifies on Fireworks

 

From Auckland Council

Clarifying use and sale of fireworks

 

Guy Fawkes has already started off with a bang and Auckland Council wishes to remind people of the dos and don’ts of buying and using fireworks.

Under government legislation, fireworks are available for only four days prior to Guy Fawkes, so sales will end this Wednesday evening, 5 November. The Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has strict retail requirements and retailers cannot sell to anyone under the age of 18. Additionally, Auckland Council does not permit fireworks sales in public places unless the seller holds a Street Trading licence.

There are rules in the Auckland region under the council’s Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw regarding the setting off of fireworks in public places. People are not allowed to light fireworks in public places unless they have written approval from the council.

Anyone setting off fireworks – whether at home or at a public display – should take extra care not to endanger people, pets or property around them and:

  • read instructions carefully
  • make sure that pets are indoors and out of harm’s way
  • think of your neighbours and don’t let fireworks off at unreasonable times, such as late at night.

 

If you wish to start up the BBQ or brazier, remember to use only dry, untreated wood so smoke is not a nuisance for neighbours.

Residents should contact council if they are concerned about the use of fireworks in public places or late night noise from fireworks. Council staff and Police are also patrolling beach/foreshore areas where there have been issues with the setting off of fireworks in previous years.

 

Further Information

  • For complaints regarding the sale of fireworks, contact the EPA during working hours:http://www.epa.govt.nz/hazardous-substances/pop_hs_topics/Pages/Fireworks—know-the-rules.aspx
  • For complaints regarding noise or the setting off of fireworks in public places, please contact Auckland Council at any time on 09 301 0101.
  • Complaints can be made directly to the Police where fireworks are being set off/thrown in a manner that is endangering people, as the Police have enforcement powers in relation to fireworks endangering people under the Summary Offences Act.

—-ends—-

 

I also note the Parliament is considering a full ban on sale (and use) of private fireworks. Thus I have the following to say:

This is where self regulation against your fellow peers is important. If they are doing something illegal or dumb then KICK THEM IN THE ARSE. It is either that or a total ban next year. Choice is simple, ball is in our court

So then will we have fireworks next year.?