Good financial management means Manurewa Local Board has been able to spend savings on other work.
Te Matariki Clendon Library has had $300,000 allocated to its renewals budget line from an upgrade project that did not go ahead at Weymouth Community Hall.
Another $50,000 from that project was reallocated to general renewals of community centre and open space buildings in the area.
Manurewa Local Board chair Matt Winiata says while those savings were from a cancelled project, good financial management saw savings in other areas.
“There is an old saying about looking after the cents so that the dollars look after themselves. What that means is that we expect good management in all our projects, small or large, so our dollars go as far as possible.
“We are in charge of public money, and we are elected to ensure it is spent wisely.”
Underspends were almost $84,000 and ranged from about $1,000 at Jazz at Nathan Homestead to more than $33,000 in a budget line to pay for park bins and their servicing.
Winiata says it might seem like small sums of money considering the board’s budget, but it has a direct impact on the community.
“Our grants line has been allocated more than $36,000 of those savings, money that can go back to community groups that deliver fantastic work for our people.”
Other reallocations included $2,700 to deliver a Safer Plates programme with the New Zealand Police, and $3,000 towards a community clean-up at Beatty Avenue alongside the Department of Corrections. Those funds will be held by Manurewa Marae.
Outstanding young kayaker Kacey Ngataki received $4,000 towards representing New Zealand at the 2024 U23 World Kayak championships in Bulgaria, $25,200 went to Manurewa Waste Minimisation to deliver a NeatStreets event in Rata Vine, $3,000 to Pest Free South Auckland to deliver a cat desexing programme through 9 Lives, and $7,000 to Pest Free South Auckland to support the Totara Heights Bush Guardians.
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