Auckland Council’s largest ever capital expenditure programme, $31.8 billion, will keep the city running and help build for the future, Franklin ward councillor and Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore says.
“We have had to face the problems COVID-19 has left us with and to maintain investment we have used four levers, a 5 per cent average rates rise, higher short-term debt, surplus asset sales, and savings.
“Calls for council to live within its means have been listened to but without the rate increase hundreds of millions of dollars of capital expenditure would have had to be deferred.”
A supporter of finding savings and operating efficiently, he says the budget balances continued investment in critical areas, funding core services and developing infrastructure with keeping things as affordable as possible for ratepayers.
“Aucklanders should be confident we did our part to cut costs at a challenging time and come up with a budget that is about keeping Auckland moving while maintaining a focus on savings and efficiency.”
In adopting the budget, the council had been able to retain a commitment to climate improvement, walking and cycling investment, public transport, planting programmes and reducing waste to help cut emissions.
“The 10-year Budget provides more than $150 million for actions that include native forest planting in our regional parks, thousands more street trees, electric or hydrogen-powered buses, and increasing zero-waste efforts,” says Cashmore.
At a local level, the budget delivers $2.8 million to help upgrade sports amenities, including lighting and fields at Bledisloe and Te Puru parks, Growers Stadium and Colin Lawrie Reserve.
Franklin Local Board chair Andy Baker says it's essential capacity is added to sports fields and that planning for new amenities takes place to cope with a growing population.
Franklin Local Board chair Andy Baker says it’s critical in an area experiencing such rapid growth to increase playing capacity.
“As a board we want to see our people enjoying top class facilities that can help them stay fit, active and engaged with their local communities.
“For that to happen, there have to be good facilities within easy reach, and the improvements planned at those facilities alone will make hundreds of extra hours of available for leisure pursuits.”
There is also $2.6 million for renewal and refurbishment funding for the Franklin Pool and Leisure Centre, and Jubilee and Whiteside pools.
“In the community space there’s $700,000 for Clevedon public open space and amenity improvements, including upgrading the North Road park amenities, Clevedon Hall, and the village public toilets.
“Local parks and halls are a crucial part of life in more rural communities across Auckland, so it’s good there is money that will also see work at Pukekohe, Bombay, Waiuku, Glenbrook and Beachlands’ halls, and for development of Waiuku, Hunua and Pohutukawa Coast’s trail networks.”
Cashmore says regional funding of more than $7 million will see coastal asset renewal work at Glenbrook, Big, Sunkist and Kawakawa bays, and at Tamakae Reserve’s wharf.
“Championing the environment drew a huge number of submissions during consultation on the plan, so it’s great to see the water quality and natural environment targeted rates introduced in 2018 remaining in place to 2031, something that will allow us to bring major projects forward.
“The extra $256 million water rate will fund litter trap projects across the region and deliver improvements for the Manukau Harbour, while an additional $107 million environment rate will help maintaining programmes protecting native species, fund kauri dieback work and predator and weed control programmes.”
For more about the overall investment package adopted as part of the 10-year Recovery Budget.
