November will mark 10 years since Auckland Council was formed, uniting the region under one local authority.
Mayor Phil Goff says 2020 has been the most challenging year for Auckland since the council’s formation.
“As Aucklanders, we have faced the threat of COVID-19 and have twice stopped the virus from devastating our city as it has other parts of the world,” he said.
“But that has come at a great cost to jobs, business and the economy. Auckland Council has also faced a $450 million reduction in income from the effects of the pandemic.
“Our focus is now on economic recovery, and council will contribute to that by spending $2.6 billion this year on much-needed infrastructure for the city — which will also stimulate the economy and create jobs. This includes building transport and housing infrastructure and work to sustain and protect our environment.
“Faced with two years of record droughts in our city, we are also investing $224 million to bring forward the construction of new water treatment plants to improve Auckland’s water supply resilience.
“While we are focusing on meeting these two major financial challenges, we are not losing sight of our vision to build a world-class city which is inclusive, innovative, prosperous, vibrant and exciting.
“With new projects such as the City Rail Link, which will double the capacity of our rail network, the Central Interceptor, which will dramatically reduce wastewater going into our harbours, and the rebuilding of our city and town centres, Auckland is making significant progress.
“The investment we are making today will create a lasting legacy for our children and for generations to come.”
From 1 November, we will be sharing 10-year anniversary stories and photographs on OurAuckland and our social media pages.
