Local projects to benefit from $20 million Fix and Finish Fund

Thirteen local board projects across Auckland and Manukau will be fixed or finished thanks to a $20 million Fix and Finish funding boost championed by Mayor Wayne Brown through his Mayoral Proposal.

Auckland Council’s Governing Body today approved the allocation of the $20 million fund, to help projects that needed to be fixed or finished but did not have full funding.

The projects ranged from sports fields, town centre streetscapes, equipment, facility refurbishment and infrastructure upgrades. It also identified opportunities to combine funding with local boards and third-party partners to maximise value. 

Mayor Brown says the fund delivers on what he promised.

“The fund was intended to help projects in the legacy Auckland City and Manukau areas that needed to be fixed or finished, but did not have full funding, and was only ever a one-off,” says Mayor Brown.

“It was enabled by the early establishment of the Auckland Future Fund (AFF) and the increased return the council received from investing in the AFF, which will benefit many generations of Aucklanders.

“The Fix and Finish fund would simply not have happened if council had not agreed to sell its shareholding in Auckland Airport.” 

Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson, who chaired the meeting, says the funding allocation achieves a good outcome for multiple projects that would otherwise not be progressed.

“We all wish there was more money available for more projects, however, what we’ve been able to do is ensure a distribution with secured funding to all local board areas within the old Auckland City Council and Manukau City so projects within those board areas can progress,” says Cr Simpson.

“Staff have gone through each project with a fine-tooth comb, using a robust criteria set by the council and using the Better Value Projects principles to ensure appropriate spending of ratepayer money.”

The Fix and Finish fund, established in the 2024–2034 LTP, supports partially funded community capital projects.

Fourteen projects totalling $57.3m were submitted by local boards and assessed against criteria including being a local priority for renewal work or heading into the delivery phase. Approved projects will be integrated into departmental programmes, with quarterly reporting to local boards and the Governing Body. 

Additional background

The Fix and Finish Fund was created by the [$20m] increased return from the early establishment of the Auckland Future Fund, initially capitalised from the sale of council’s remaining Auckland International Airport shares. The AFF returned more than the airport shares were forecast to return in the council’s budget.

The Fix and Finish Fund was not funded from the capital of the share sale, which remains protected in the Auckland Future Fund for future generations of Aucklanders. 
For more information on Auckland Future Fund, go to: aucklandfuturefund.co.nz

Approved projects