A News Post on something that has happened
Auckland Transport gives a fly through of the project Note from Admin: I have updated this post again and subsequently “reblogged it” with the new information out. Auckland … Continue reading Auckland Transport Fly Through – Redout/Mill Roads – UPDATED x2
From Auckland Council
Appointments to the Disability Advisory Panel have been approved by Auckland Council’s governing body.
The 10 members of the panel will meet for the first time on 24 November 2014 to consider a work programme for the next couple of years, providing advice to councillors on how council plans, policies and strategies can impact on people with disabilities.
The council received 34 applications. Successful candidates were selected for having good knowledge of their communities, experience with governance and advisory roles, and an understanding of council’s future direction as envisioned in the Auckland Plan.
“We’re delighted to have such a high-calibre team in place,” said Councillor Sharon Stewart, liaison councillor for the panel. “I look forward to a constructive relationship with the panel and hearing ideas of how the council can engage more effectively with people with disabilities.”
The panel’s term will end a month before the next council elections in 2016.
The members are:
Clive Lansink – Clive Lansink was a member of the previous Disability Strategic Advisory Panel. He is blind. He is director of the company Accessible Information and Communications Ltd. He has held governance roles on a number of boards and committees in the disability sector. Mr Lansink has a degree in law, and has been involved with Disability Law, a Ministry of Justice community service that provides free legal advice on disability issues.
Colleen Brown – Colleen Brown served as deputy chair on the previous Disability Strategic Advisory Panel and was a Manurewa Local Board Member in the first term of Auckland Council. Ms Brown was also a Manukau City councillor. She has direct experience of living with a disability as she has a son with an intellectual disability. She has been involved in the disability sector for a long period of time and has served on a number of groups, government agencies and committees.
Dan Buckingham – Dan Buckingham has used a wheelchair since the age of 18. He has been involved in wheelchair rugby as a player, and was the president for the New Zealand Wheelchair Rugby Association. He has mentored people in disability sport. He is currently chair of Attitude Trust which provides media initiatives, such as the television programme “Attitude”, to connect people with disabilities.
David Hughes – David Hughes was a member of the previous Disability Strategic Advisory Panel. Mr Hughes is on the governance group of CCS Disability Action and has lived with a disability for over 50 years. He is currently serving on seven committees in the disability sector. He has a strong focus on facilitating access to services including housing and health for people with a disability. He is also on the steering group of the Auckland Disability Law Incorporation.
Don McKenzie – Don McKenzie was a member of the previous Disability Strategic Advisory Panel. He is blind. He was a member of the Waiheke Local Board for the first term of Auckland Council. He is a well-known member of the Waiheke community has been the president of the local Rotary branch. Mr McKenzie has numerous governance roles, and has served as a ministerial appointee and as a delegate to international conferences. He has now retired yet continues to assist with and prepare submissions on behalf of the disability community.
Dr Huhana Hickey – Dr Huhana Hickey was the previous chair of the Disability Strategic Advisory Panel. She is a post-doctoral fellow at the Taupua Waiora Māori Health Research Unit at the Auckland University of Technology. Dr Huhana is hearing impaired and is a wheelchair user. She identifies as being of Māori, Aboriginal, Native American and Sami descent. She is involved in a number of community groups and is the current kaituitui for the Disabled Persons Assembly.
Jade Farrar – Mr Farrar brings youth and Pasifika experience to the panel. He is strongly connected to Pasifika disability networks in Auckland. He is the social media and network manager for PHAB, a support organisation for disabled youth. He is a member of the Enabling Good Lives Leadership Group (part of the Office for Disability Issues), which provides advice to ministers on disability Issues. Mr Farrar has cerebral palsy and uses a wheel chair.
John Herring – John Herring has served on the executive board of the Cerebral Palsy Society and has a child with cerebral palsy. Mr Herring was also one of the founders of the Glow Kids Trust, which provides intensive therapy and education for children with neurological motor disorders. Mr Herring is a civil engineer and is very familiar with Resource Management and Building Act issues with regard to access.
Nicola Keyworth – Nicola Keyworth has ten years’ experience working in the disability sector, particularly with families that live with young people with disabilities. She has experience helping people with disabilities in various countries. Ms Keyworth works for Recreate NZ, which provides programmes including camps, getaways and school holiday programmes for families and young people with disabilities.
Susan Sherrard – Ms Susan Sherrard was a member of the previous Disability Strategic Advisory Panel. She has over 25 years’ experience in leadership roles within the disability community. She is involved in the Election Forum which provides advice to disabled people on their right to vote and ensure that they are able to vote. Ms Sherrard has served on committees including the Waitemata DHB Disability Strategic Advisory Committee and the Whangarei Accessible Housing Trust.
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Will it go ahead? Two years ago Talking Auckland reported on a large social housing development (500 houses) was to take place in Papakura not far from where I … Continue reading Social Housing Development Stalled
Literally
From Auckland Council
Acting CFO Kevin Ramsay says website issues have meant some people had difficulty accessing new values online when they were made available on Monday 10 November 2014.
“Early in the week we had unprecedented demand on our website, which meant there was intermittent service for users trying to access new values.”
“We were able to help many people over the phone to find out their value and we are still encouraging people to call 0508 000 021 for assistance”.
By now most property owners should have received their new values in the mail.
Council property valuations – key facts
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Good News Indeed But it does not excuse Auckland Transport for not answering their communications when they have been sent around the Otahuhu Interchange project. I was not the … Continue reading Otahuhu Interchange Proceeds
Budget Committee opts for no transition arrangement, some do face a 40% rates rise as a result And so while I was getting my main PC fixed today the … Continue reading Budget Committee on Rates Transition
Note the changes to Southern and Eastern Line Services Auckland Transport have quietly released the new rail timetable which starts December 8. Please note the changes to the Southern … Continue reading New Rail Timetables Out
This is what happens when Auckland Transport Comms (yes you Wally) either mixes a message up or the managers responsible in overseeing a project do not reply to emails on a given project: ABSOLUTE CONFUSION.
I was updated earlier today that rather than Otahuhu Transport Interchange being delayed it has in fact being brought forward to start construction on Wednesday as noted below:
From Auckland Transport
Auckland Transport plans to build a new bus train interchange next to the existing Otahuhu Railway Station to contribute to a better connected and more frequent service.
Project status: Design
Project zone: South
Helping to serve as a catalyst for growth for Otāhuhu, the new interchange is also expected to attract more people to live and work in the area.
August 2014 – Public open days.
September 2014 – Completion of detailed design.
November 2014 – Construction begins.
July 2015 – Completion of the bus interchange and concourse (stage one).
December 2015 – Completion of the train platform canopies and upgrade (stage two).
The new bus interchange will be located next to the existing Otāhuhu Rail Station with construction expected to get underway in December 2014.
………
Source: https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/otahuhu-bus-train-interchange/
So the update that went up from Auckland Transport this morning (thanks for the Presser – not) illustrates phase one starts this week.
This now raises a few more questions around the entire mess owing to Auckland Transport’s comm’s not being the best I can think of across the wider Council organisation.
Of course questions around AT comm’s is one thing but when having a search through the Tender/Procurement page of the Auckland Transport website to see what might be going on something went amiss.
Let’s start with the Forward Work Program which I can an eye on to see where things are going, and most likely where Councillor Wood started looking last week.
The Forward Working Document
So the Forward Working Document (August) states the Tender should be out and closing at the end of the month. Now with construction starting ahead of time I still checked the ‘Current Tender’ page which showed nothing, and finally the Contracts Awarded page which also shows nothing for a $20m approximate project. Granted the contract could have been awarded this month and the PDF not updated as of yet (last updated 31 October).
The Award Contracts Page
So I am at a total loss here and am wondering what is going on with:
At least the Interchange is going ahead. Now to see what is going with Manukau.
I saw on Twitter earlier today that Auckland Transport were to discontinue the Early Bird parking fee for their three City Centre Parking parking buildings.
This from the AT website:
Casual parking $3 per hour*
Early bird parking discontinued
From 1 December 2014, early bird parking is being discontinued in Auckland Transport’s Downtown, Civic and Victoria Street car park buildings. Our daily rate of $17 will apply to all day parkers.
Fees
| MONDAY – FRIDAY 6AM – 5PM | |
|---|---|
| 0-1 hours | $3 |
| 1-2 hours | $6 |
| 2-3 hours | $9 |
| 3-4 hours | $12 |
| 4-5 hours | $15 |
| 5+ maximum fee | $17 |
…….
Source: https://at.govt.nz/driving-parking/parking-in-auckland/downtown-car-park/
Yesterday amongst other things the Auckland Development Committee heard the annual update on how well (or badly) the Auckland Plan is being implemented. The update will be up on the Council website soon and I will link it back when it is up.
In the mean time from Auckland Council:
Auckland is delivering on key Auckland Plan targets including a reduction in water consumption, an increase in access to sports fields and growth in the city’s GDP.
The Auckland Development Committee today (Thursday) received the third annual Auckland Plan progress update which tracks the progress of the plan’s actions and achievements over the past year.
Although the implementation of the plan has just begun, areas that still need improvement to reach set targets include levels of alcohol or drug impaired driving, low home ownership levels and lower than average export growth.
Auckland Development Committee Chair Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse says the report is encouraging, however as expected some areas need improvement.
“This report shows many positive developments and progress we should be proud of as a region,” she says.
“We have launched the new electric train services, completed the roll-out of the AT HOP card system, and we heard last month how Aucklanders are now making 12 million train journeys each year, overtaking Wellington for the first time.
“The report notes that since the opening of the Panmure Station in January there has been a 57 per cent increase in passenger numbers with an average of 1,116 passengers a day compared to 100 in 2002.
“More children are enrolled in early childhood education and there is an increase in people gaining post-secondary qualifications which is really important as we strive to become the world’s most liveable city.”
The report says the council can look to events like the NRL Nines, which delivered $9.35 million in GDP to Auckland, to highlight the economic strength of the city and help boost visitor numbers.
“However it is not acceptable for us to still have so many people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or that the levels of homelessness are still high in Auckland,” says Ms Hulse.
“These challenges cannot be solved by council alone so we must continue to work with all Aucklanders and our key partners as envisaged by the Auckland Plan.
“The key is that we are aware of these challenges, and can adjust where we need to and improve our efforts in the right areas.”
Further Information
The Auckland Plan measures progress against seven outcomes:
—Ends—
The Auckland Plan also is measured against thirteen strategic directions for which four have been missed looking at the updates in the Agenda document below (see towards the end of the document):
Talking Southern Auckland 