The future of our city will be determined by the decisions Auckland Council will make on its proposed Long Term Plan 2024-2025 (LTP) the 10 Year Budget, including the budget of Auckland’s 21 Local Boards. The draft LTP is out for consultation until 28 March. Auckland Councillors and Local Board members currently have a range of views on the vital issues involved and are very keen to hear what you think. City Vision will be putting out a submission guide shortly (and sharing other guides).
In the meantime have a read about what it means for the Puketāpapa Local Board area (greater Roskill area) Jon Turner and Bobby Shen, our City Vision representatives on the Puketāpapa Local Board have provided some commentary for your consideration.
The Long Term Plan consultation documents offer three broad alternatives for the next 10 years, somewhat misleadingly labelled “Do More”, “Central”, or “Do Less”. The Central option involves a redistribution of funds to make the city more resilient. This means the sale of $300m worth of Council community facilities and pools.
The Puketāpapa Local Board area was hit hard by the storms of 2023, and the “Do More” option will see the Make Space for Water plan brought forward and implemented in our area in a much quicker time frame, providing peace of mind for residents.
The “Central” option sees a 300 million dollar target for asset sales, and includes a focus on “moving from an asset based programme to a service based programme” – this is “council speak” for selling facilities and offering digital services in their place. Our constituents overwhelmingly talk about the need for more facilities – only the “Do More” proposal will do this.
The “Do More” proposal will see more investment into Environmental Protection programmes, including near full delivery of the Regional Pest Management Plan. An example in the local board area which would benefit from this is our treasured natural spaces such as the Waikōwhai Coast, having work be done to remove the high level of weeds and animal pests in this area will make them even better.
One initiative to be cherished is the introduction of a 50 dollar a week cap for public transport. With the massive cost pressures on our people, keeping travel costs to a minimum is a welcome initiative.
We support resuming the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) and Water Quality Targeted Rate (WQTR), as well as discontinuing the Long Term Differential Strategy to ensure businesses pay their share to support the city.
The “Do less” programme would see Tāmaki Makaurau go backwards – massive cuts to transport, environment programmes, infrastructure like underground pipes and stormwater, programmes to fix storm damage like the massive damage in the currently closed Waikōwhai Coast boardwalk and tracks, reduction in opening hours of council facilities, and the selling off of libraries and pools. We need to fight for Roskill’s fair share; historically our area has not had the investment seen in other areas so we need more investment, not less, especially in the face of rapid growth over the next 10 years.
The feedback deadline is March 28th, submit at https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/
Details of LTP events and opportunities to find out more here