Finance Committee Continues Support

Today the Auckland Council Finance and Performance Committee chaired by Deputy Chair Councillor Bill Cashmore of Franklin moved to bring forward the allocated budgets for further progress on the City Rail Link.

I will link the webcast of that aspect of the Committee when it becomes available but in summary from Auckland Council this is what happened:

Item C1: CRL – bringing forward capital expenditure

The committee heard a request to bring forward existing capital funding for the City Rail Link (CRL) to support faster progress with land purchases and additional investigation and design work to prepare for enabling works to begin in late 2015.

This is a procedural request for a total of $17.7 million of existing funding to be brought forward to the 2014-15 financial year. All funding is within the CRL existing budget.

The CRL is making faster progress than was anticipated at the start of the financial year with  negotiations with property owners providing opportunities to purchase nine properties, obtain three lease interests and acquisition of a KiwiRail property required for the CRL in 2014/15 rather than 2015/16 as planned.

The funding will also allow for investigations, design and consenting work to support progress with enabling works due to begin in late 2015.  The committee approved bringing forward capital expenditure.

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Source: Auckland Council

It is good the Councillors continue with work on the City Rail Link with high support for more investment into public transport improvements INCLUDING the City Rail Link despite what ideologues on the Right think….