The Politics behind the issue or of the day
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Negative Views on Westgate/North-West Mall Continue Manukau no longer ugly duckling but an example of ironically what to do The arguments over the new North-West Mall over at the … Continue reading DEBATE POINT: Westgate and How Manukau Could Have Saved the Grief #AKLPols
Adjournment until December 21 From Auckland Council: Auckland Council continues action to recover rates from Penny Bright Auckland Council is today continuing action to recover outstanding rates and penalties … Continue reading Council vs Penny Bright Continues #AKLPols
Does the opening of the North West Mall in Westgate have wider implications ? The recent opening of DNZ’s new North West Mall in Westgate (north-west Auckland) has attracted … Continue reading DEBATE POINT: Wesgate-North West Mall and Any Implications to Wider Auckland Planning #AKLPols
There is a real sense of irony between this snippet of South Park and how policy is created at Council or Central Government Level.
Enjoy:
Budget finally set but designs not out yet for public feedback The Manukau Interchange has been nothing short of a disaster since the plans were first approved by Council … Continue reading Information for Manukau Interchange Trickling Out #AKLPols
After the PLEASE EXPLAIN: Council Chief Operating Officer Confronted Over Attempt to Break Up Regional Park Network which picked up on the Herald’s piece about Auckland Council Chief Operating Officer being apparently confronted about the Auckland Regional Parks network being split up, Council (more specifically the COO) has replied to the earlier story.
From Auckland Council:
Auckland Council is making changes to its Operations division as it gears up to respond to the challenge of Auckland’s rapid growth.
“Auckland is expected to grow by roughly the population of Hamilton every five years, so we need to maintain our focus on responding to that growth,” says Chief Operating Officer Dean Kimpton.
The Operations division makes up the largest group within Auckland Council, with more than 5000 staff delivering critical frontline services to Aucklanders, such as libraries, infrastructure and environmental services, parks and reserves networks, licencing and compliance services, and more.
Changes to the Operations division focus on providing better service delivery for Aucklanders, faster and more cost effectively. We will achieve this by bringing activities together so that communities experience services in a more streamlined way. This can already be seen in Te Atatu and Mangere-Otahuhu, where community centres and libraries have now been integrated. We will also provide improved processes for customers such as integrated online booking and consenting services.
A number of changes are underway including a new Development Programme Office will launch early next year. It will bring together the Housing Project Office and City Transformation Projects units to coordinate the council’s response to major development and infrastructure programmes, including large housing developments.
Another change is the reshape of the council’s Community Services, which includes the regional parks network, and Community Facilities.
“Auckland Council values the regional park network and has no intention of breaking it up,” says Dean Kimpton. “Our focus remains on enhancing how we look after these assets in the context of increased visitation and Auckland’s continuing growth, and we will continue to work with the Friends of Regional Parks and volunteer networks.”
“Top of mind is the 50-year history of regional parks in the Auckland region and that all of our parks and open spaces are well loved and are used by thousands of Aucklanders and visitors every year. We know that there is 98 per cent visitor satisfaction across our network of regional parks. We certainly want to maintain this. We also know that visitation across our regional park network has increased by 20 per cent over the past seven years and will continue to rise.”
“Regional park asset and management decisions will continue to be considered in a whole-of-network way, and there will be a continued focus on ensuring that all regional parks are effectively resourced.”
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Your thoughts?
From the Herald:
A plan by council management to break up the regional park network has been stamped out after a showdown with councillors and a senior mayoral aide.
Politicians were tipped off about breaking up the network of 26 regional parks last week and confronted chief operating officer Dean Kimpton and senior park staff late on Thursday.
Parks committee chairwoman Christine Fletcher, councillor Mike Lee and mayoral chief of staff Barry Ebert convinced Mr Kimpton to keep the regional parks under one umbrella.
It is understood a plan was well advanced to bundle the regional parks into three geographical units alongside local parks to create operational and cost efficiencies.
The parks, recreation and sport committee knew nothing about the plan, nor did Mayor Len Brown.
The plan has come under fire from the Friends of Regional Parks, whose chairman Bill Burrill wrote to Mr Brown saying it would cause irreparable damage to the parks network.
“Local priorities for already squeezed budgets will end up with parks not getting the resources they need and these incredible regional assets will be degraded,” he said.
“Having a regional policy unit making decisions for the network as a whole ensures that all the parks get the resources they need, when they need them.”
The regional park network is much loved and treasured by the people of Auckland and visitors alike, said Sandra Coney, chairwoman of the Waitakere Ranges Local Board.
Kit Howden, a regional park volunteer, has written to Mr Brown and council chief executive Stephen Town urging them not to separate the public from their parks.
Mr Kimpton in a statement said the council values the regional park network and has no intention of breaking it up.
“Our focus remains on enhancing how we look after these assets in the context of increased visitation and Auckland’s continuing growth, and we will continue to work with the Friends of Regional Parks and volunteer networks.”
…….
Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11522305
I have asked the Council for a please explain earlier this morning on how this entire saga mentioned above came even to the point that the Chief Operating Officer was confronted by Councillors and a staff member from the Mayor’s Office.
To put the mind of the public at ease a full independent and public investigation of this saga needs to occur immediately. If the COO was found to be doing what he was confronted over and setting in motion plans to break up the Regional Park network then I am inclined for a full public rebuking and censuring by the CEO at the next available Governing Body meeting to serve as a reminder to others.
We await a more formal reply from Council on the matter.
Is it so hard not to drive in a bus lane? It seems we have a wee problem with people being pinged for driving in bus lanes. The opinion … Continue reading Counter Opinion: Do Not Drive in a Bus Lane and You Wont Be Pinged $150
I present this without comment from Auckland Council:
Auckland Council has applied to have Penny Bright’s defamation proceedings struck out, with the matter to be heard by the High Court at a hearing on 5 November.
The council is seeking to recover unpaid rates of $38,372.22 from Ms Bright which date back eight years.
Separately, Ms Bright has initiated defamation proceedings in relation to comments concerning her unpaid rates made by the council in a press statement last year, which the council is defending against.
Ms Bright has refused repeated offers from council to resolve the outstanding rates, in a manner which would avoid her incurring financial hardship or the sale of her house.
Auckland Council’s General Manager Finance Kevin Ramsay says: “Auckland Council did not initiate these defamation proceedings but clearly we need to respond to the claims Ms Bright has made. As we have said previously, we believe the views expressed about Ms Bright were fair and accurate, and we completely reject the accusations she has made.
“We have given Ms Bright every opportunity to resolve her outstanding rates bill in a way that would avoid financial hardship, including the option of deferment. That option remains open to her.”
“Ms Bright’s offer to settle the defamation case with an apology and a payment to her of $10,000 was unacceptable from our perspective. It is open to Ms Bright to stop the court action at any time without further unnecessary costs to ratepayers.”
The courts have discretion, but routinely award costs to successful parties. Costs will be sought if the application succeeds.
Further Information: Background to Defamation proceedings
The proceedings were brought by Ms Bright following this statement, issued by Auckland Council, in October last year.
The statement followed comments made by her in this Herald interview and other media reports prior to 10 October.
Background to Ms Bright’s outstanding rates
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Talking Southern Auckland 