Tag: Auckland Council

I Love Committees

·

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

·

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”

Rates Movement

·

Which Way Are Your Rates Due to Move

 

Yesterday buried at the bottom of my Annual Plan post I had a chart on rates movements for the 2013/2014 Council financial year per Local Board area. I thought I might repost it here along with the percentages of the movements on rates increases and decreased spread over the Auckland Area to see how many got an increase, and how many got a decrease – so lets take a look:

 

Rates Movement by Local Board – 2013/2014

 

By percentage

 

I’ll let you figure out if the majority are facing increases or decreases – and by how much 😉

 

 

Annual Plan Submissions Due

·

Have Your Say on the Auckland Council Draft 2013/2014 Annual Plan

 

Auckland Council have called for submissions to the Draft 2013/2014 Annual Plan – the main budgetary document for Auckland Council for the next 12 months. All revenue and expected expenses (including capital outlay for proposed capital projects) over this twelve month period are laid out in the Annual Plan documents which I shall link and embed below.

 

I am still working through the Draft Annual Plan at the moment before compiling a submission (submissions close 4pm – 25 February 2013) but will upload my submission to BR:AKL as soon as it is done.

 

Amendment to the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan

It is of note that Council has asked for our feedback via the submissions on the “Regional Facilities Auckland grant towards development of the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre” – which is building this White Water Rafting Facility at a cost to the ratepayer of $32m as well as taking on some financial risk if the project fails. In order for this development to happen (and as stated in the Draft Annual Plan) there will have to be an amendment to the 2012-2022 Long Term Plan which is already in operation. This would be because this particular development is calling on for extra funds made outside what has been allocated already in the existing and current Long Term Plan.

As a result I will be submitting in strong opposition to this as it creates precedent for every other Tom, Dick and Harry project with dubious actual economic merit to come before Council and thus allowing an existing LTP to be butchered to cater for it – when if needed, it should be kicked over to the next Long Term Plan which is the 2015-2025 LTP.

This is not how we budget for things anywhere – and I expect Council to follow the same standard. Besides I can think of better used to go and sink $32m such as cleaning up Otara Creek which is a toxic site or to our struggling Local Boards to fund local community facilities or events.

 

However I will run further commentary on this as I draw up my submission

 

In the mean time some links and documents

 

Web Links to Council Annual Plan

Draft annual plan 2013/2014 – Home Page

Draft annual plan 2013/2014 – Documents

Draft annual plan 2013/2014 – Key topics and events

Draft annual plan 2013/2014 – Draft Annual Plan 2013/2014: Have your say

 

The Annual Plan Documents

VolumeOne of the Draft Annual Plan

Volume Two of the Draft Annual Plan

Volume Three of the Draft Annual Plan

 

And the movements in Rates per Local Board Areas:

(Yep another rates decrease coming my way)

 

Alcohol and Local Community

·

Auckland Council Begins Work on Alcohol Control Measures

 

Central Government last year passed the Sale and Supply Alcohol Act which gives Council and Local Board increased authority and delegation on how alcohol (a demerit good) is sold and supplied in local communities.

Councillor George Wood has been made chairman of a working party (as noted in his Facebook status below) of members Auckland Council and Local Board to begin the slow and long process in getting ready to set up a Local Alcohol Policy or LAP:

George Wood shared a link.
Auckland Council starts long process to prepare local alcohol policy. I’m chairman of the working party along w/ 7 Crs and 7 LB members.

 

George also Scribd‘ed a fact sheet on Part One in developing such a LAP:

 

So as alluded to Part One is developing a Draft Local Alcohol Policy before step two kicks off which is: consultation

 

BR:AKL will keep an eye on Councillor Wood’s working party as it begins drawing up a Draft LAP and see where this new direction in alcohol policy goes for Auckland and its Local Boards

 

 

 

An Auckland Housing Redux

·

Battle on Housing Goes On

 

BR:AKL Has Viable Alternative Urban Land Use “Policy” Already

 

 

And I bet we are all sick of the Housing Affordability Debate swinging from one extreme to the other and back again; both at central and local government levels, both by the centre-left (social authoritarian section) and centre-right (neo-conservatism). The conservatives from both sides of the political spectrum are basically bashing each over the heads trying to score “up-man” points on one another with housing, yet really don’t offer what WE really want in housing (it is what THEY want in housing and telling US how and where to live). Interestingly Social Liberals (from the left), Neo Liberals (centre right) and even the libertarians (down the bottom of the political compass) have gone extremely quiet on housing and urban land use policy.

 

This is rather a shame as the liberals could very well offer some viable alternatives that we (the residents and businesses) could be very well-looking for. You know “US” making our own choices and working in a collaborative  manner and shape OUR CITY, OUR WAY (not the Government (Local and Central’s) way). Now before I post the “redux” on a social liberal‘s view for “housing” just a quick differentiation between how a social liberal and neo liberal would achieve similar goals.

 

What Social and Neo Libs share the same in housing:

  • Planning: Liberalising the planning rules and requirements (like ditching minimum parking requirements, setbacks, landscaping, etc. – basically getting planners out of the road)
  • No monopolies on construction goods (Fletchers would be “broken”)
  • Zoning: basically zone and let the people and developers do the rest (apart from Master Plans)

 

What Social and Neo Libs do not share the same in housing:

  • Provision of social housing provided by The State (not councils). Social Libs would allow it, Neo Libs not
  • Community Master Plans. Social Libs would allow a strict prescription based plan and development to occur in some areas (Town Centres), Neo Libs would still do the zone and let the people and developer do the rest right across the board

 

As for the “Redux” here it is; my social liberal (and well read) Submission to the (then) Draft Auckland Plan where extensive mention of land use was made out:

 

Unfortunately though despite the hearings and constant lobbying, this extensive submission gathers (digital and actual) dust sitting in the draw. So while the conservatives bludgeon each other and boring us with no actual solutions, this liberal document waits for some brave political soul to bring it into the light and see it through in execution.