With few opportunities to meet their community face to face this year, Upper Harbour Local Board relished the chance hear from locals at its recent community forum in Whenuapai.
“We have a large area stretching across the north-west from Albany to Whenuapai and Hobsonville so it is really important for us to get out and engage with the different communities in our area,” said Upper Harbour Local Board chair Margaret Miles.
COVID-19 has meant most of the board’s business meetings this year had to be online and when it could be in person, it took a cautious approach and held the forums at the board office in Albany.
“We were really pleased to be able to get out in our community and are looking forward to doing that more often next year, our first being at Hobsonville Point in March,” says Margaret.
During the 3 December forum at Whenuapai Village Hall, board members were given an update from the Hobsonville Point Marine Sports Recreation Centre Charitable Trust about the Upper Harbour Marine Centre planned for Hobsonville Point.
They also heard from a local resident concerned by the impacts of higher density housing in the area and that community facilities and infrastructure need to progress at the same pace to support these developments.
The board also resolved on its feedback on the Mayor’s proposal for the Long-term Plan 2021-2031.
Among those who attended the forum were representatives of the Whenuapai Residents & Ratepayers Association and other local residents.
Attend forum or business meeting
The following dates and venues for the first part of 2021:
- Thursday, 4 February at 6.30pm, to be held at the local board office, 30 Kell Drive, Albany village
- Thursday, 4 March at 6.30pm, to be held at the Catalina Room, Headquarters Building, 214 Buckley Avenue, Hobsonville Point
- Thursday, 1 April at 6.30pm, to be held at the local board office.
The community forums are held every month and a chance to for the board to hear from their community in an informal setting. Unlike its monthly business meetings, the forum is not usually a place where formal decisions are made.
Anyone is welcome at a community forum or business meeting to listen and those that want to speak at a meeting should in the first instance contact the board by emailing upperharbourlocalboard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Information on board meetings can be found on Auckland Council’s website
