Tag: Auckland Council

Submission to Annual Plan

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Submission Sent for 2013/2014 Annual Plan

 

I have just sent my submission through the online portal to Auckland Council for the 2013/2014 Annual Plan. I used the online portal for such submissions as an “express mode” of sending the basics of my idea through to the Councillors and bureaucrats with the main thrust of my arguments subsequently made at a hearing where I can talk to Councillors and bureaucrats (with more success) face to face.

In saying that there are times with submissions where I will go “knit a flag” and do the 55 page spiel where I think the topic is critical. This was both The Auckland Plan and Long Term Plan submissions I did as well a 25 page spiel for the Auckland Transport Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP). In all three cases I fronted up to hearings or forum panels to make my points emphasised to the councillors and bureaucrats.

 

As this is an open democracy (and where I expect people to disagree as well) – and the fact my submission is public anyhow, I am going to paste my express online submission here below before going to work in the Hearings presentation:

Express Online Submission to 2013/2014 Annual Plan

 

The Supporting Documents can be found by clicking the links below

Extract From BR on AP in Regards to Stations PDF Mode  (THE RAIL EFFICIENCY PROGRAM #5A)

Extract From BR for AP Submission PDF Mode  (BACK FROM HEARING PANEL)

 

As I said above I will front the Annual Plan Hearings to emphasis the points made in the online submission when the time comes up to do so.

 

But the basic principle of Council Living Within Its Means and Open Governance apply and again will be emphasised in the hearings and beyond.

 

Now I await for the phone call to make the time slot for the hearing which should be… nuts I might be in Australia when this occurs <_<  – will have to wait and see then.

 

In the mean time you have until February to make your Annual Plan Submission. You can find the Annual Plan homepage here: Draft annual plan 2013/2014, which also includes the link to the Online submission portal.

 

Southern Auckland’s Future

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Coming Soon on BR:AKL

 

South and Counties Auckland – Development to and for the Future

 

 

I am going to be writing up a series of posts looking at one way South and Counties Auckland (so Southern Auckland) could evolve urban and transport fabric wise through the life of the Auckland Plan

It’s Sim City meets Auckland Planner

Here at BR:AKL

 

 

Southern Auckland and the lower Eastern Suburbs – my home and all under the watchful gaze of BR:AKL.

 

The entire area I will try to “simulate” out a planning exercise showing that evolution of the urban and transport fabric wise through the life of the Auckland Plan here in Southern Auckland – my and for some YOUR home (and/or business).

 

Let’s see what I can come up with while the Auckland Council Unitary Plan is further refined – AND STILL THICKER THAN A BIBLE!

 

Who Will Stand Against Len

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No Alternative Candidate to Run Against Incumbent Mayor?

 

[Note from Admin: More to this debate has been added since I wrote the original post this morning. As a result rather than writing a new post I will add to the bottom on the debate as of 14:45 this afternoon]

 

After DPF’s Kiwiblog ran a piece on “Len’s gaggle of spin doctors” he asked this question at the bottom: “Talking of the election, isn’t it time also for C&R and their friends in Auckland to get their shit together and select a Mayoral candidate. Otherwise Len and his six spin doctors will have too easy a time of it”

That opens the question:” WHO IS THAT ALTERNATIVE TO RUN AND STAND A REMOTE CHANCE OF WINNING AGAINST THE INCUMBENT MAYOR – LEN BROWN”

 

Orakei Local Board Chair Desley Simpson picked up on DPF’s blog post and had this to say on Facebook (it was made under the Public section):

Desley Simpson

6 hours ago near Parnell ·
I wonder if I told the ratepayers of Orakei that I used their rates money for ….
  • 1. A media and communications manager AND
  • 2. A propaganda manager AND
  • 3.A press Sectetary AND
  • 4. A Comms manager AND
  • 5 . A media consultant AND
  • 6. A speech writer 
ALL just for me
Whether they would approve and vote for me again ? I am of course not the mayor however –  Our mayor Len Brown has employed all 6 people  ( probably all funded by Orakei rates) 
And – if its true that the 6th ( propaganda manager ) has just been hired 6 months before official election starts one could say Orakei ratepayers are funding the Mayors election campaign ? 
Cameron Brewer are you happy about this? 
    • Aaron Bhatnagar Maybe we need a mayor who is confident enough in what they say that they don’t need a half dozen hangers-on to prevent them from not slapping their heads feverishly or breaking out into rap
    • Lani French Agree…. Aaron Bhatnagar one would have to wonder if someone cant do the job without that much “protection” then can they do the job at all?
    • Angie Cassidy Here’s hoping the ‘singer mayor’ will be singing for his supper soon enough…. what. a. joke.
    • Ben Ross “The Last Supper”
    • Ron Hamilton Is there no mechanism of conducting a “value for money” review in both the existing mayor’s office and the concept of an executive mayor? Can the Audit office be invited to undertake such a review, for example? Talk about profligacy!
    • Rosina Hauiti You forgot the Kia ora consultant Desley……
    • Desley Simpson Oh glory Rosina Hauiti 7 ??????
    • Christopher Fidoe With over 1000 employees earning over $100k no wonder there is a sense of entitlement to those on this ratepayer funded gravy train
    • Len Ward OK so just who is going to be an electable alternative for us to vote for to get rid of this incumbent? Cameron Brewer perhaps Aaron Bhatnagar maybe? Desley Simpson? – now there’s a candidate worth voting for

      • Ron Hamilton All good people but candidates need to be known outside their immediate patch. I admit to bias but we would hate to lose any of the three people from their Eastern Bays focus!
      • Len Ward Good point Ron – but have you any better suggestions? Alex Swney perhaps?
      • Ron Hamilton Worth considering – candidates need to have a wide public image by now and he does have one.
      • Ben Ross Wait didn’t Swney who did have a high profile image get beaten by Brewer or Lee (which ever Ward Swney stood in) in the last elections?
      • Len Ward So does Rodney Hide – but is he electable versus Mr Mayor Brown?
      • Ron Hamilton Personally like Rodney but isn’t he responsible for the nonsens of an executive mayor? But I bet he is still disliked by the wider electorate?
      • Len Ward So, the answer to my question seems to be – there is NO suitable and electable candidiate for whom we can vote to unseat the incumbent (is he Lord yet?) Mayor should we wish to do so?
      • Ben Ross Correct
      • Len Ward So the debate about replacing Len Brown seems to be somewhat academic !
      • Ben Ross Yep. Time to focus on Councillor replacements and Local Boards
      • Millie Liang Agree Ben….Put the broom through the whole place and take the mayor out that way…and whatever happens with the new lot make sure the mayor doesn’t divide and rule them by offering them positions of grandeur to stroke their egos
    • Aaron Bhatnagar Not available.
    • Millie Liang someone ring Sir Bob Jones and tell him to check his rate bills on his Auckland properties and work out how more his tenants can absorb before they leave the buildings… might just get him motivated enough
    • Wayne Davis Communications people there to make everyone rosey, and happy. Should be working with Santa ,on some of the snow jobs they create through dis-content of Ratepayers
      • Stan Blanch Wayne of course you will remember Taylor?…Makes Rasputin look like a boy scout.
    • Rosina Hauiti I’d vote for you Desley….and I’d work on your campaign.
    • Rosina Hauiti I think all the media type roles could and should be deal with by one person who is multi skilled, ie proficient across a number of disciplines within media and politics.
    • Cameron Brewer No. Not happy. I have been amassing the Mayoral Office’s full second year costs and assessing his proposed budget for this coming financial year… and it’s not looking for the poor old ratepayer, but will be a big boost to his re-election. Watch this space!
      • Ron Hamilton Nothing in there that could be referred to the AO re public monies potentially being used for electoral purposes?
      • Millie Liang Hi Ron, I would have thought this section that the mayor signed up to would be good enough to lay a complaint and the resulting world wide publicity into the investigation would keep the mayors pr dept gainfully employed  ….. Also what is the total number of paid council spin doctors/secretaries for all the other Councillors compared to what the mayor has on hand.
        Article 9
        Mayors shall be open to public scrutiny of their official actions and those of their staff, including their relationships, contractual and otherwise, with vendors, consultants, and business associates. Mayors shall report any improper actions they witness, such as bribes, kickbacks, and gift offers.
        http://www.worldmayor.com/contest_2010/code-of-ethics.html

        www.worldmayor.com

        World Mayor Code of Ethics
    • Millie Liang Good on you Cameron. The growing number of concerned ratepayers I’m sure like me, are counting on you to show what is really going on and ratepayers have had enough and aren’t the smiling compliant Muppets he treats us all as with his pr spin and smoke and mirrors.. Just my thoughts
    • Ron Hamilton It will require someone to take ownership of the issue. Seek the information officially (OIA) and then put together a formal complaint. I suggest that it should not be an elected person – presentationally could look bad.
      • Ben Ross Right what are we LGOIMA-ing here please?
      • Millie Liang You just won yourself another job Ben… Pay non existent… all for the cause Ben) but think of all the national and international media attention and the mayor and his evangelists running to the nearest tv screen where ever they maybe to catch the 6pm news and ohhh the nation glued to Campbell Live not believing what you are exposing…. You can’t buy that sort of publicity as the big league boys know.
    • Rosina Hauiti Yeah ka pai, except you guys sound like a bunch of right wing fundies…which is better fundie right or fundie left. I want fair and centre centre, and I think Desley and Cameron are a good fit.
    • Ron Hamilton What I want is cost-effective Council management and funds used for infrastracture purposes. Touchie-feelie stuff is fine for organisations which have unlimited funds. It is certainly not appropriate for self aggrandisement for any elected official. Or for management’s hobby-horses. Such as white water rafting.
    • Millie Liang Ron can I add…equestrian centre at Dury or the bike/walk way strapped onto the bridge which the council will get to own in 20yrs time when the bridge life span is only 15-20yrs.. Mind you the walkway has a fifty yr life span so could possibly be dismantled at ratepayers expense and rebuilt at Motat (once again at rate payers cost for future generations to view..Surely that beats (at ratepayers expense) chopping it up and shipping it off to china as scrap metal.
    • Ron Hamilton I wish there is some way of copying and pasting this exchange, The new Residents Association is to meet with the Council early next month and this is grist!

 

 

-Ends as of 14:45 hours-

 

I really honestly thought that kind of question would have been asked and answered last year with the alternative candidate now in full swing to building their profile before the elections at the end of the year. Obviously not which means Len is in for a second term…

 

So who do you think should run AND be mayor – and why?

Spinning The Spin

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Mayor’s Office has Six Spin Doctors?

 

I kid you not in the fact that the Mayor’s Office with an annual budget of over $3.2 million (of our ratepayers’ dollars) just hired a sixth spin doctor according to Kiwiblog:

From DPF’s Kiwiblog:

Len’s gaggle of spin doctors

February 16th, 2013 at 3:00 pm by David Farrar

Len Brown has just hired his sixth spin doctor. That’s six spin doctors, all funded by the ratepayer, working in Len’s private office. That isn’t six spin doctors for the entire Auckland Council. That is six spin doctors just for Len.

Started this month is Dan Lambert as Len’s propaganda manager. He comes from the United Kingdom.

Dan joins Glyn Jones who was the chief spin doctor, and who is now called Media Communications Manager.

Len also has a senior press secretary, a communications advisor, former Clark spin doctor David Lewis as a media consultant and a speech writer on top of that.

Len has more spin doctors than the entire Parliamentary Labour Party (they have five). The previous Mayor of Auckland had just one – Cameron Brewer.

Should Auckland ratepayers be funding Len’s reelection campaign?

Talking of the election, isn’t it time also for C&R and their friends in Auckland to get their shit together and select a Mayoral candidate. Otherwise Len and his six spin doctors will have too easy a time of it

 

Well the question in red-bold is a prudent point as the “opposition” has either been slow or quiet (not going to say inept) in getting their alternative forward.

 

However while Len spins the spin with his six spin doctors at least Blogs can counter the spin and attempt to hold the Mayor’s Office to account – with this blog doing its part in countering the spin.

 

Also the last look on Facebook on this Hot Button topic showed that this issue of Len’s Spinners have stirred up the ratepayers quite a bit on two fronts:

  1. The amount of money being spent on Spin Doctors (where former Mayor John Banks just has one spin doctor – Cameron Brewer) 
  2. No alternative candidate has come forward – leaving it extremely late!

 

Meanwhile it’s back to transit and urban planning issues with South and Counties Auckland to be the hotbed on those issues (seeming we are bearing the brunt of it)…

 

Transport Committee Proceedings

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Resolutions and Drawn Out Debate

 

Only to Send Two Matters To:

 

Another Committee

 

From 2pm until around just after 5pm I was at and observing the Auckland Council Transport Committee which met today. The public gallery was full for the most part for about two-thirds of the meeting – which is ironic as two-thirds of the meeting were tied up solely on the Auckland Sky Path project which I mentioned in my “AUCKLAND HARBOUR BRIDGE – SKY PATH” post this morning.

 

For two and a half hours presentations by the public, Local Boards and various associations; as well as constant debate on the merits and demerits of the AHB Sky-Path between Committee members occurred which meant two things to me:

  1. A numb-bloody backside for listening to all of this
  2. The fact I had a numb backside was made worse by Committee members being extremely inefficient in their debate today on the Sky Path as pretty much 99% of their questions and concerns belonged to the Strategy and Finance Committee (which the Sky Path proposal and recommendations finally got kicked to after that 2:30 hours) rather than the Transport Committee

 

Again you can get the details and information thus far on and from Page Nine of the February 2013 Transport Committee Agenda by clicking on the respective blue link.

However the resolutions in the Transport Committee passed and the matter is now finally off to the Strategy and Finance Committee where the entire AHB Sky-Path Proposal can be fleshed out and either one of these results will happen with the :

  • Rejected outright – project basically dead in the water until after the Local Government Elections in September/October this year
  • Rejected and sent back to Auckland Transport and the project people for more information
  • Rejected but deferred until the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan is operational (this is owing to that there is no budget line for the Sky Path project in the current 2012-2022 LTP)
  • Accepted as is and away we go subject most likely to Annual Plan considerations

 

From the resolutions passed on to me this evening I am going to take a punt that one or both of these is going to happen with the AHB Sky-Path:

  • Rejected and sent back to Auckland Transport and the project people for more information
  • Rejected but deferred until the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan is operational (this is owing to that there is no budget line for the Sky Path project in the current 2012-2022 LTP)

 

These were the resolutions passed this afternoon – please note the following first:

The reports contained within this agenda are for consideration and should not be constructed as Council Policy unless and until adopted

 

The resolutions

Secretarial Note: The motion was taken part by part. 

Resolution number TRAN/2013/9 
MOVED by Cr M Lee, seconded Cr CE Fletcher:

That the Transport Committee:

  1. a) Receives this report on the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway (‘SkyPath’)Project Update. CARRIED
  2. That the Transport Committee notes the project sits within the LTP as an unfunded item. CARRIED
  3. Supports in principle the provision of a shared walk and cycle way across the Harbour Bridge rather than wait for provision once an Additional Waitemata Harbour crossing is in place subject to financial feasibility analysis. CARRIED
  4. d) Acknowledges the significant transport benefits (as well as recreational and tourism benefits) the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway would bring to the Auckland region in terms of completing a missing link in the Auckland Cycle Network and walking network, which would be further enhanced by the completion of the Northern Linkage/Shoal Bay. CARRIED
  5. e) Acknowledges the timing of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway, in the short term, would take advantage of Waterfront Auckland’s planned waterfront cycleway and walkway from Westhaven Marina to Daldy Street, and planned improvements by Auckland Transport to the local streets in Northcote as part of its Safe Schools Programme. CARRIED
  6. f) Requests the New Zealand Transport Agency and Auckland Transport to consider the Shoal Bay proposal as part of the investigation of the Northern Link between Northcote and Akoranga to provide improved walking and cycling connections to the northern end of the proposed Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway. CARRIED
  7. g) Recommends that any construction and operation of the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway facility should be subject to an open and competitive price process. CARRIED
  8. h) Recommends that a report should be prepared with further information for the Strategy and Finance Committee to consider funding sources and the Council’s contributions (in the form of part underwrite and assumption of obligations at the end of the public private partnership period) to the Auckland Harbour Bridge Pathway. This further information would include:
    • – Procurement arrangements: fully contested or the proposed negotiated public private partnership;
    • – Detailed risk assessment;
    • – Comparison of a public private partnership arrangement with traditional procurement process or other processes to determine best value for money; and
    • – Assessment of the project against the Council’s Significance and Public Private Partnership Policies;

CARRIED
Cr Hartley left the meeting at 3.30pm. 


Resolution number TRAN/2013/10

MOVED by Cr C Casey, seconded Cr W Walker:

  1. i) continue to investigate how some or all users can have free access. CARRIED

Resolution number TRAN/2013/11 
MOVED by Cr GS Wood, seconded Cr W Walker: 
That the Health and Safety aspect of the project be reported upon. CARRIED

 

Not all points passed with a unanimous vote

 

So off to the Strategy and Finance Committee the Auckland Harbour Bridge Sky Path goes – just a bugger and a numb backside later it took 2:30 hours to get it to that committee.

Oh and One News were covering the beginning of the proceedings today with an article on the Sky-Path on their website.

 

Next post: Developments on the Manukau Duplicate North Link :-\

I Love Committees

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Off to the Transport Committee

 

(Again)

 

I must be a sucker for punishment rocking up to Committees regularly – especially Government ones. However need to keep the networks going, keep an eye on proceedings, and undertake some of that “dreaded” lobbying to advance projects for the benefit of others (Manukau South Link, or AT-HOP fares anyone?).

 

Next Wednesday (13 February) at 2pm (heck that is a late one) is the first Auckland Council Transport Committee meeting which is chaired by Councillor Mike Lee. You can see the agenda (part one and two) by clicking on the links in blue below:

 

 

I am heading to the Transport Committee meeting on Wednesday for various reasons – they include:

  • Observing proceedings on the following:
    • The latest public transport patronage statistics for November 2012 where rail patronage slipped again for the fourth straight month (since August 2012) with levels now at the equivalent to August 2011 levels. Rail has slipped on by 17.2% for in comparison to November 2011 or 3.1% for the Year To Date that started in July 2012.
    • Comment on AT-HOP and its progression thus far
    • Reaction to Auckland Transport‘s rejection by the powerful Strategy and Finance Committee for funding reallocation to build the duplicate Manukau North Link. At the same time with me making enough noise as it is I might keep an ear to the ground for any noised on the South Link too
    • Any developments on the City Rail Link
    • Any developments on Pukekohe Electrification
  • Continued Lobbying of the Manukau South Link and possibly start lobbying for the Glenora Road Station down in Takanini (hey I am being honest and transparent on my actions in lobbying here folks – part of What I Believe In for a Better Auckland)
  • Reaction on the Mainzeal collapse that has stalled work on the MIT building over the Manukau Station. As the MIT works also included a bus interchange and ticket office, that work has stalled as well and could do for a while putting a nasty spanner in things. What I want to know does Council have a back-up plan to get things moving quickly!

 

Any reaction to the Mainzeal collapse would be interesting as Council has gone more dead silent than a Soviet Missile Submarine off the American Atlantic Coast… This is especially as a public transport project that the Regional Public Transport Plan depends on (wrongly as it stands (another post – another day)) – the Manukau Interchange has stalled entirely.

 

 

Will keep you posted from the events of the Transport Committee meeting next Wednesday.

 

Work Halted on Shed 10, and MIT Building

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Mainzeal Failure Halts Work in Two Crucial Projects

 

Just in from TVNZ:

Sub-contractors attempt to reclaim from Mainzeal site

Published: 11:01AM Saturday February 09, 2013 Source: ONE News

 

…

Main receiver Colin McClow told Newstalk ZB that he could not comment on the situation at this stage.

Work has also halted at Shed 10, and Manukau Institute of Technology‘s new building.

The construction firm, one of New Zealand‘s largest, was placed into receivership on Thursday.

 

If I read that right both work on Shed 10 (the new Cruise Ship Terminal) and on the new MIT building (which is over the Manukau Station) has just come to a shuddering halt due to Mainzeal (the construction firm) going into receivership on Thursday.

 

Oh Crap is the first phrase that enters into mind and someone at Auckland Council is not going to be particularly happy with this development.

 

Stalled work over at the MIT site means the following:

  • An even later date on completion of the MIT building which was to include a Ticket Office for buses and trains
  • The site which is above the Manukau Station remains a construction zone
  • The new bus interchange next to MIT and outside the station stalls as it is part of the MIT construction site

 

Hopefully work can resume on the MIT building with another construction firm ASAP as that is the last thing we need down at Manukau right now – a stalled building site

 

In the mean time – “Oh Crap”