Using our voice for important issues

In a city as complex as Auckland, not every decision lands in the hands of local boards – but that doesn’t stop Ōrākei Local Board from stepping up and making its voice heard.

Even when it’s not the final decision-maker, the board plays a crucial role in advocating for the needs and values of its community.

Shared pathways, heritage, water quality and community spaces are some of the projects that the board has been championing on behalf of the community.

Over a number of years, the board worked hard to successfully reinstate Tagalad Reserve as a community space, returning it to the people of Mission Bay to use and enjoy last year.

“Publicly accessible, green open space is hard to find and expensive in our area,” says board chair Scott Milne.

“Tagalad Reserve is a fantastic public asset, and the community told us it was important to them. We managed to get it back into local board control after an eight-year battle.”

The board has also actively encouraged Auckland Transport and Waka Kotahi to carry on with Stage 4 of Te Ara Ki Uta Ki Tai – Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive shared path.

Work has now begun on this project, and once completed, the path will be 7km long. Cyclists, runners and keen walkers will be able to get from the eastern suburbs to the Waitematā Harbour.

Advocacy for Te Ara Ki Uta Ki Tai continues, to ensure the final piece of the puzzle – the Gowing Drive connection to the shared path – is also completed.

Another important issue for the board is water quality. It has been pushing for action on multiple projects which would improve the health of our beaches, estuaries, wetlands and Ōrākei Basin.

Meanwhile, with changes proposed to the Resource Management Act at central government level, the board is advocating for better urban planning outcomes and retaining unique character in our neighbourhoods.

The full list of Ōrākei Local Board’s current advocacy initiatives is as follows:

• Increased regional investment to waterways and water quality including improved capacity for Engineered Overflow Points, investment into the Waiatarua Reserve stormwater tunnel, the Newmarket Gully project, and more resource into separation from wastewater and stormwater infrastructures.

• Progression of the Meadowbank Community Centre project, including investigation of multiple business models.

• Accountability from finance on providing better and clearer information towards future budgets and allocations. Local boards cannot have certainty in making long-term decisions without reliable advice from staff, including Annual Budget and Fairer Funding.

• Urge the Governing Body to emphasize the need to central government for more discretion over planning and developing bespoke plans for the Auckland region and local board areas.

• Urge the Governing Body to increase the UAGC to address an inequity that has developed as the overall rates take has increased and intensification has increased the number of people putting pressure on basic council services.

• Continue to progress the Gowing Drive connection to Te Ara Ki Uta Ki Tai – the Glen Innes to Tāmaki Drive Shared Path, noting that this item is in the Regional Land Transport Plan.

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