Local voices have to be heard in decision-making that affects the people, Waitematā Local Board chair Genevieve Sage says.
“For that to happen, we need to hear from residents.”
The way Auckland Council is structured means not all local outcomes are decided by the local board, with some reached by the Governing Body, and others by council-controlled organisations such as Auckland Transport, or by central government.
But when that happens, the board makes sure local views are put in front of key decision-makers.
“The city centre and central suburbs always have a lot of projects on the go with many different stakeholders. We try to make sure that the local voice is heard,” says Waitematā Local Board chair Genevieve Sage.
“When major projects are beyond our funding or authority to make decisions on, our role is to advocate to others to make sure they are aware of the community's views and of our support.”
One of the advocacy points listed in the draft Local Board Plan, which sets out the board’s strategy for the next three years, is to advocate to the Governing Body for age and child-friendly policies, so that the voices, needs, priorities and rights of all ages are part of decision-making.
“Making sure we are listening and engaging with our youth is something we are putting a lot of work into,” says Genevieve.
“We are working with local business associations around creating more spaces for youth. We want our younger generation to feel that they are a part of our community, that their voice matters and that they have a sense of belonging.”
The board ran a youth panel discussion in July, taking ideas and feedback to help shape decisions related to young people going forward.
Safety is also an issue, with the draft plan including advocating to ensure regional funding of city centre projects focusses on improving safety, and seeking a higher police presence and visibility in the city centre, including an accessible station.
Read the draft Local Board Plan for a full list of advocacy items, and let us know what you think before 14 August at akhaveyoursay.co.nz/localboardplans
