Celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with the Botany Chinese Association

It was wonderful to spend Saturday afternoon celebrating Mid-Autumn Festival with the Botany Chinese Association.

Fellow Howick Local Board members Adele White, Mike Turinsky and I enjoyed a range of performances including dance, singing and musical pieces.

We're so fortunate to have an incredibly diverse population, enabling us to share in so many cultures from across the world, in our own community.

Construction on The Parade Safety Improvements Project begins

🚧 Construction on The Parade Safety Improvements Project begins Monday 2 September 2024.

Last year the Howick Local Board and Auckland Transport consulted on a proposal to improve safety along The Parade. This was in response to local residents asking for something to be done to make this area safer.

Auckland Transport updated the proposal based on the public feedback, and again after a technical review to deliver the most cost effective changes, while achieving the required safety outcomes.

This work will involve:
− A full road closure and detours, although resident access will be maintained.
− Installing a concrete raised pedestrian near the Laings Road intersection (where there is the highest pedestrian volumes)
− Installing 3 speed humps between Laings Road and Whitcombe Road (to reduce unsafe speeds)
− Line marking, new streetlighting and signage

There will be some disruption as the roadworks progress and the contractor will do what they can to minimise this. This work is being done now to avoid the busier Summer period and will take approximately four weeks to deliver.

There were more issues raised during public consultation so there will be a Stage 2 out for further consultation later this year to address those issues, with a focus on the northern end of The Parade (aka Big Bucklands Beach)

You can see more about the various designs, public consultation and changes made here: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/have-your-say/east-auckland-consultations/bucklands-beach-safety-improvements

Celebrating 20 years of the Polish Heritage Trust Museum

It was wonderful to spend time at the Polish Heritage Trust Museum yesterday as they celebrated 20 years.

The Polish Heritage Trust was established in the late 1990’s by Mr John Roy-Wojciechowski and the museum in Howick opened in July 2004. He and his family are still involved.

The museum continues to offer educational resources about Poland, its history, arts and culture, the history of the 733 children and 102 adults who arrived as refugees from Europe in 1944 (known as the ‘Children of Pahiatua’).

We're fortunate to have this amazing collection in Howick, providing opportunities to learn more about Polish history and culture.

New provider for Kauri Kids Howick secured!

“We know this has been a challenging and uncertain time for the tamariki, whānau and kaimahi of Howick Kauri Kids. Thank you for your patience while we worked through this important process where our focus has been on finding a practical solution to continue this amazing service. This decision enables this to happen, and we look forward to the Ministry of Education progressing the licence.”

To protect the commercially sensitive information contained in the report, discussion and minutes, this item had to be done under confidentiality. However, It's great to be able to reveal that we have selected a new provider for Howick Kauri Kids, who will take over the operation (pending a transfer of licence via the Ministry of Education).

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2023/07/howick-kauri-kids-provider-secured/

Estuary Art and Ecological Awards putting the spotlight on Tāmaki

On Saturday 6 July we opened the Tāmaki Estuary Art and Ecological Awards at UXBRIDGE Arts & Culture.

The Howick Local Board is proud to fund UXBRIDGE to deliver a wide range of arts and cultural activities, including these awards. Creativity, culture and the arts make Auckland a vibrant and dynamic city. We also know that participating in arts and cultural initiatives enables Aucklanders to express our unique cultures and see ourselves reflected in public places.

This exhibition is not just art, it’s also about the environment. In fact we believe it’s the only art award in the country dedicated to ecological themes.

The Tāmaki is also known as Te Wai o Taiki, meaning "The Waters of Taiki". Taiki being a shortened form of Taikehu, an ancestor of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki. It was a key transport route, providing a link through the shortest land connection between the Waitematā and Manukau Harbours.

The estuary extends around 17 km inland, with total shoreline length of approximately 40 km. These intertidal sand and mudflats feature numerous native habitats and ecosystems that are regionally important. Much of the surrounding catchment is intensively developed with a long history of commercial and industrial use which have cumulatively had a negative impact on sediment quality.

We cannot resolve these issues quickly or alone so we partner with local organisations and volunteers to take action to protect and restore the mauri (lifeforce) of our awa (waterways).

We recently approved our new budget, with a commitment to continuing our pest removal, stream restoration and pollution prevention programmes, as well as extra funding for Pakuranga and Botany Creeks, both which feed into the Tāmaki.

This event is a wonderful intersection of these priorities – where environment meets art. Contemporary art has a unique way of sparking the public interest and these awards are a great example of using creativity to promote the ecological value of this vital awa (waterway) and encourage action against its pollution.

Each year we see artworks that inspire, educate, and inform – there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We’re proud to continue to support these awards and the creatives who respond to them.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this exhibition, I’m always impressed by the bravery of artists who are willing to share their ideas and art with us.

Also thank you to this year’s guest judge, Annette Lees. Ecologist, and author of numerous acclaimed non-fiction books, facing perhaps her greatest challenge to judge these incredible works.

And you can join in on the judging - the People's Choice Award is open until 31 August! So get along to UXBRDIGE, enjoy these beautiful artworks, and cast your vote for your favourite.

Howick Local Board business meeting report for June 2024

On Thursday 27 June, the Howick Local Board held our business meeting for June. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and a recording of this (and previous) meetings.

🏆 Acknowledgements for Howick Little Theatre, Polish Heritage Trust Museum, Venerable Abbess Manshin MNZM, Ian Godfrey MNZM, and John Bray KSM.
🗣Deputations from Howick Historical Village, East Auckland Tourism, and Auckland Brit & Euro Classic Car Show, public forum from Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Ratepayers and Residents Association, and Bucklands Beach Yacht Club.
🗑 Notice of Motion on Rubbish Bin reinstatement
🔇 Confidential Item on Early Childhood Education
✅ Approval of our Work Programmes for the year, lease renewal, new playspaces for Pakuranga, and Community Grants
📑 Feedback on Draft Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan, Plan Change 96, Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we confirmed five acknowledgements.

We congratulated the Howick Little Theatre on their 70th anniversary. Formed on 29 June 1954 by Alma Woods, this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the group moving into the purpose-built facility in Lloyd Elsmore Park. We’re proud to support them in delivering plays and classes throughout the year.

We congratulated the Polish Heritage Trust Museum on their 20th anniversary. Opened in July 2004, the museum continues to offer educational resources about Poland, its history, arts and culture, the history of the 733 children and 102 adults who arrived as refugees from Europe in 1944.

We congratulated Flat Bush resident Venerable Abbess Manshin MNZM on her appointment as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for services to the community. As the leader and founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple in Auckland and Christchurch she has led numerous community events and activities.

We congratulated Farm Cove resident Ian Godfrey MNZM on his appointment as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for services to surf lifesaving and water safety education. His efforts have been recognised as significantly reducing drownings, especially for children under five.

We congratulated Mellons Bay resident John Bray KSM on being awarded The King’s Service Medal (KSM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for services to rugby league. He has contributed to the sport for over 75 years as a player and director.

We then had three deputations from groups that we’ve supported over the last year, starting with Howick Historical Village. General Manager Lexie Palmer spoke about the various initiatives that they have underway to bring in more visitors which was paying off with an estimated 31,000 for this financial year (well up on pre-COVID levels). The Howick Local Board provides an operational grant to help keep the living museum running and we were grateful for their transparency around the financial challenges they face.

Next we heard from East Auckland Tourism, with Chairperson Andrew Laing speaking about the work his not-for-profit organisation is doing to increase tourism and economic outcomes in the area. It was good to hear about the new East Auckland Tourism Board members and understand the strengths that they bring. We provide operational funding for this group, as Tātaki Auckland Unlimited has stepped away from local economic development (due to budget cuts).

And finally Brit & Euro Classic Car Show, one of the largest events in East Auckland. It’s always good to see how well they engage local volunteers and service clubs, ensuring the event continues to be “by the community, for the community”. It was a shame about the weather this year, but those who did attend still enjoyed themselves and the cars looked amazing. We support this event through our Event Partnership Fund.

We then had two public forum items on an item that was discussed later – firstly we had Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Ratepayers and Residents Association with Derek speaking in support of the Notice of Motion to reinstate rubbish bins along Bucklands Beach.

This was Followed by Nick from Bucklands Beach Yacht Club who also supported the Notice of Motion and asked for another bin to be reinstated near the Half Moon Bay marina.

We then discussed the Notice of Motion from Member Bruce Kendall – a notice of motion is a way for elected members to get something onto the meeting agenda that isn’t driven by staff. The motion requested that staff reinstate three bins and add signage to encourage people to take their litter home. As a result of the public forum items, Members Kendall and Spiller amended their motion to be five bins and signage. There was a discussion about the potential costs and I moved an amendment to seek advice (including costs) which was passed. Member Collings moved an amendment to clarify that the wording for the signage was only a suggestion, leaving staff to make a recommendation.

Next we moved into a confidential session to allow us to discuss Early Childhood Education Services. Because the report, discussion and resolution contains commercially sensitive information, we can’t yet reveal the details of this section.

When we returned to the public session, we noted that there was no update from our Ward Councillors (who were themselves meeting at the same time) and then I tabled my Chairpersons Report.

We then discussed and debated our work programme for the coming financial year (July 2024 to June 2025). After our public consultation earlier in the year, staff provided us advice on how we could deliver our objectives in our strategic Howick Local Board Plan 2023.

We considered Movies in the Park which didn’t happen last year due to budget constraints. The proposal to have one this coming year failed to get sufficient support. We then considered Celebrating Cultures, which had a low turnout in March 2024 due to poor weather. I proposed that we continued to run it, as our only event in the Botany/Flat Bush area, providing an opportunity for our diverse communities to celebrate together. In the end, the majority of the Board (6-2) voted to not run the event in 2025, taking the time to reconsider how we can more effectively deliver the outcomes we wanted.

The rest of our draft work programme passed with the full support of the Board, with the additional funding from the Movies and Celebrating Cultures moved into our Community Grants fund. We also provided feedback to council to speed up the delivery of the Flat Bush Community Centre and Library, which was being pushed back to start in 2029. We’re actively exploring asset optimisation and partnership opportunities, and asked staff to investigate a targeted rate to accelerate the delivery.

Next we approved our Environmental Work Programme, which continues our pest removal, stream restoration, educational and pollution prevention programmes. We’ve added some additional funding to target stream restoration in the Botany and Pakuranga Creeks. We also approved our Plans and Places, and Business Associations Work Programmes.

The lease for Bucklands Beach Football Club was up for renewal. Auckland Council has adopted a guideline that suggests that groups should pay something towards the administration of the lease, with the recommendation of $1,300 per year. Members Collings and Kendall suggested we stay with $1 if required (often referred to as a peppercorn rental) but the majority of the Board agreed to increase it slowly over time at $500, $900 then $1,300 per year.

As part of the Eastern Busway Project, Auckland Transport has asked permission to build a new playground at Tī Rākau Park and the Pakūranga Community Grounds (next to Te Tuhi). After some discussion, the Board voted to approve the application (although this wasn’t unanimous).

Auckland Council had logged a request to rezone land under Plan Change 96: Open Space and Other Rezoning Matters. There were two parcels of land next to Barry Curtis Park in Flat Bush which were zoned as Open Space – Sport and Active Recreation Zone but were proposed to be rezoned as Residential – Terrace Housing and Apartment Building Zone. The proposal had received strong opposition from local residents and as a result the Board agreed to oppose the rezoning.

Next we approved our final grant round for the financial year, with $22,909.81 provided to local community groups.

We provided our feedback on the Draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024-2034, supporting local residents who wanted improvements that make public transport faster, more accessible, and more reliable.

We provided feedback on the draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024, again supporting local residents, this time opposing the move to fortnightly rubbish collections. We supported the increased focus on product stewardship, advocacy for more tools to deal with litter and illegal dumping of rubbish, and more resource recovery centres (including one locally).

We deferred our feedback on the funding options for Auckland Citizens Advice Bureaux, encouraging engagement with the local Citizens CAB’s before arriving at the final decision.

We noted our Workshop Records and Governance Forward Work Calendar, and the meeting closed at 5:21pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/06/20240627_HW_MIN_12507_WEB.htm

along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/06/20240627_HW_ATT_12507_WEB.htm

And a recording of the meeting is available here (in two parts)
https://youtu.be/UoYnS7BYgMI?si=02n_pyLUNcue8ju6
https://youtu.be/V7c8J_DtnrE?si=KFaDRMlX9Olnq8uL

and previous meetings can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 18 July at 12noon at the Pakuranga Library building in Aylesbury Street.

These are open to the public to attend and observe, although you need to request a slot if you would like to speak (so we can make sure we provide time).

Transparency on our attendance

As part of providing transparency, Auckland Council publishes the attendance for elected members. Here is the Howick Local Board result for April to June 2024.

Absences may be due to leave, illness, bereavement or attending other council business. I was online for one workshop as I was sick - virtual attendance is allowed under the legislation, although it's not recorded differently here.

You can see more (including previous reports, other local boards and councillors) on the Auckland Council website.

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/performance-transparency/Pages/attendance-governing-body-meetings.aspx

Eastern Busway gifted te reo Māori names by mana whenua

"Auckland Transport (AT) is honoured to have been gifted te reo Māori names by mana whenua for the new bus stations and structures being built for the Eastern Busway.

The Eastern Busway will bring rapid public transport to East Auckland and as part of this, four new bus stations and three new structures are being built. These have been gifted te reo Māori names by local mana whenua Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki and Ngaati Whanaunga.

Zaelene Maxwell-Butler of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki says “our partnership with AT has enabled us to revive ancient stories and restore the cultural identity to the local landscape through te reo Māori naming and mahi toi (artwork) design”."

The busway will deliver four new stations:
📌 Pakūranga (in the town centre): from the name Te Pakūranga Rā Hihi which means ‘The Battle of the Sun's Rays’.
📌 Te Taha Wai (near Edgewater College): the name represents the water’s edge, the riverbanks of Te Wai o Taiki (Tāmaki River) and the origin of the English name Edgewater
📌 Koata (by Riverhills Park): speaks to the heart of Tī Rākau, the New Zealand native cabbage tree
📌 Pōhatu (in Burswood): stone or rocks, referencing the outcrop of rocks in the Tāmaki estuary which Ngāi Tai legend acknowledges as the perished tūrehu and patupaiarehe peoples.

And three new structures:
📌 Rā Hihi (sun’s rays) will be the name of the flyover being built above Reeves Road. It will improve traffic flow and reduce congestion, playing a crucial role in the Eastern Busway’s success in providing quick and reliable travel, and is planned to open in 2026.

📌 Tī Rākau will be the name of the new bridge that will sit next to Tī Rākau Drive. Rākau (tree) is also a traditional Māori stick game.

📌 Taupaepae (to meet or escort your visitors) will be the name of the bridge joining Tī Rākau Drive and Burswood. It represents the manaakitanga of Auckland Transport safely guiding and transporting the community along the bridge. Paepae is the horizon.

Check out the article by Times Online for more information on the announcement: https://www.times.co.nz/news/te-reo-maori-names-gifted-to-eastern-busway/

And head to https://easternbusway.nz/ for more information on the project itself.

Have your say on fair and effective representation for 2025

📢 Make sure you have your say on how you're represented!

Auckland Council holds local elections every three years. To ensure we have fair and effective representation at these elections, we must review our representation arrangements every six years.

A representation review looks at:
• how many councillors we should have
• how councillors should be elected
• if councillors should be elected from their wards or across the whole of Auckland
• the names and boundaries of wards and local boards.

A representation review makes sure that each councillor/local board member represents a similar number of people, known as the 'fairness of representation rule' or the '+/- 10 per cent rule.' We can decide not to follow this rule if it would:
• split communities of interest (people with shared interests)
• join dissimilar communities (people who have very different interests or needs from those of neighbouring communities).

You can learn more about representation reviews on the Local Government Commission website: https://www.lgc.govt.nz/our-work/representation-reviews/

Due to the significant population growth in the Flat Bush area, the Botany subdivision for the Howick Local Board has too many people for the three members. While there are 14,667 and 14,367 residents per member for Howick and Pakuranga (respectively), Botany has 23,500. This exceeds the 'fairness of representation rule' and needs to be addressed.

After advice from staff and a short public consultation on the various options, the Howick Local Board has recommended that Auckland Council reduces the size of the Botany subdivision to 2 members and create a new subdivision for Flat Bush with 3 members. You can see the agenda report and our resolution here: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/91754/widgets/440669/documents/289693

It’s vital that local residents have their say on how they are represented.

Public consultation is open from 12pm Monday 8 July to 4pm Thursday 8 August 2024.

There will be a drop-in session at the Howick Village Market on Saturday 13 July and an online information session on Thursday 18 July. We’ve also asked staff to look at something in Flat Bush / Ormiston.

There is more information on the proposal and how you can have your say at: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/auckland-council-representation-project

Howick Local Board delivering crime prevention

"No one should feel unsafe in their own community and, while crime prevention is a central government responsibility, we’re grateful for the funding and opportunity to target local areas of concern. We’ve prioritised practical initiatives that will help address the challenges facing our residents and business owners.”

The Howick Local Board has allocated its share of the Crime Prevention Safety Initiatives fund to several partner organisations, to address specific safety concerns in the area. 

As part of the $2 million one-off Local Crime Fund made available by the Government announced in 2022, the funding supports and enhances current community-led partnerships that aim to prevent youth crime, as well as town centre and retail crime.

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/07/howick-steps-up-in-the-battle-against-crime/

Howick Youth Council goes from strength to strength

Another early start, but well worth it to attend the Howick Youth Council Principals Breakfast for 2024, where the new council introduced their teams and plan for the year to local school principals.

Made up of local school and university students, the Howick Youth Council determines and delivers their own programme for the year. It was great to see a range of new events and activities as well as the return of some highly successful ones from last year. This shows that they're continuing to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of their community, as well as utilising the strength and passion of their new members.

The Howick Local Board is proud to provide funding and support for these amazing rangatahi and has done so for more than a decade. Every year they continue to impress, with great succession planning ensuring they're setup for success.

I thanked the principals for helping guide these amazing young leaders and also for enabling them to be involved in HYC.

Welcoming new New Zealanders!

"We do not want you to forget your country of birth, nor that your children lose their heritage and cultural roots.

By merging our cultures, histories, and ideas, we forge new friendships and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and each other.

We are all stronger for this."

On 5 March I had the privilege of officiating the citizenship ceremony for over 300 new New Zealanders.

Together with Adele White (Howick Local Board), Anne Candy QSO JP, Heather Andrew and Andrew Lesa JP (Manurewa Local Board), we celebrated the newest citizens from 38 countries of origin. Singing the national anthem together has special meaning with new citizens.

Howick Local Board Business Meeting for February 2024

On Thursday 15 February, the Howick Local Board held our first business meeting for the new year. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and a recording of this (and previous) meetings.

❤️ Acknowledgements for two dedicated local residents;
🗣 Deputations on Disc Golf and Howick Pakuranga Baseball Club;
📄 Chairpersons report;
📊 Quarter Two Performance Report;
📑 Confidential Decision released into the public.

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we acknowledged two locals who have had a significant impact on our community. Firstly Willemien Thom (known to most of us as Willie), who recently retired as Personal Assistant and Office Manager for the Howick Local Board. We’re very grateful for the passion and dedication that she has shown over her 19 years at Auckland Council and wish her all the best in her retirement.

We also acknowledged Emeritus Professor Edith Marion Jones ONZM who was appointed as an Office of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Years Honours 2024 for services to education. A resident of Northpark, Professor Jones has contributed to education in New Zealand and internationally for four decades including 19 years at Auckland University of Technology.

Moving into deputations, we had Steve Harding present a proposal to introduce Disc Golf into Lloyd Elsmore Park. He talked about a similar course that had been created in Hendersen which had proved popular. We asked staff to investigate options for incorporating Disc Golf into our local parks.

Next we had Mike Bongiovanni and Paul Wansbone from Howick Pakuranga Baseball Club. They thanked staff for their work on improving the dugouts and backstops and spoke about their upcoming events (including hosting nationals and internationals). They also asked for improvements to the drainage which was preventing them from playing and creating other issues with mowing. We asked staff to investigate drainage issues as part of the Local Board work programme which we’re discussing soon.

I tabled my Chairpersons Report for the month, which noted all the meetings and events that we’d attended since the last meeting. We celebrated the end of the year, including the 70th Howick Santa Parade (which we help fund) and were celebrating Lunar New Year across the community. I noted the feedback from the community regarding the reduction in public litter bins and we’re continuing to work with staff to understand what actions are available. We’re looking forward to the pending opening of the Youth Space in Botany as well as our signature annual event Celebrating Cultures.

We received the Quarter Two performance report for the Howick Local Board, which showed that (as of 31 December) most of our funded work programme items were on track. Seven items were shown in amber status (“some risk or issues, being managed”) which were the Howick Domain facilities renewal (more significant than expected and due shortly); Te Kete Rukuruku (dual naming of parks which is on hold awaiting Board decision, due soon); and some lease renewals, including Howick Domain (awaiting outcome of the above).

We noted a confidential decision that we made in March 2023 regarding a Transit Orientated Development, that was now released into the public. Eke Panuku Development Auckland is working with Auckland Transport to maximise the return on investment on the Eastern Busway. We were asked to endorse their proposal to use utilise leftover land (known as residual land) for Stage 3 of the busway project. This stage goes through Burswood and the Board has previously opposed the route (HW/2022/23 on 21 February 2022) so not all members of the Board supported endorsing Eke Panuku’s proposal.

We noted our Workshop Records and Governance Forward Work Calendar, then I closed the meeting at 12:53pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/02/20240215_HW_MIN_11578_WEB.htm
along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/02/20240215_HW_MAT_11578_WEB.htm

And a recording of the meeting is available here:
https://youtu.be/MrTfWR8Yd1Y?si=4MTdd_7dcQiee31s
and previous meetings can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 21 March at 12noon at the Pakuranga Library building in Aylesbury Street.

These are open to the public to attend and observe, although you need to request a slot if you would like to speak (so we can make sure we provide time).

Reeves Road to be closed for flyover construction

A significant milestone is about to be reached, with the closure of Reeves Road in Pakūranga. A section will close for about two years from Monday 18 March 2024 while the flyover is built above it.

The partial closure will extend from the William Roberts Road intersection to Tī Rākau Drive. The alternative routes to use are Gossamer Drive or Pakūranga Road or the new William Roberts Road link to turn left onto Tī Rākau Drive (see diagram).

Once complete, the flyover will enable vehicles to travel to/from Pakūranga Road onto the Waipuna Bridge. The Eastern Busway Alliance have released some facts about the flyover (see graphic).

For the latest and greatest on this critical transport project, check out www.easternbusway.nz

Fair and effective representation for Botany and Flat Bush

Based on recent population growth, the Howick Local Board needs more elected members to ensure we maintain fair and effective representation. Local authorities are required by the Local Electoral Act 2001 to review their representation arrangements at least once every six years.

Howick Local Board is currently made up of 3 subdivisions: Pakuranga, Howick and Botany, with 3 elected members from each subdivision. However, due to the exponential growth of the Flat Bush area, the representation of the Botany subdivision needs a total of 5 elected members, bringing the overall total of 11 elected members for the Howick Local Board.

There are some options on how this could be achieved:

1. 1. Leave Botany with 3 members and create a new subdivision for Flat Bush of 2 members;

2. 2. Reduce Botany to 2 members and create a new subdivision for Flat Bush of 3 members; or

3. 3. Increase Botany to 5 members.

No decisions have been made and it’s still very early in the process. However, given the significant increase in the population in Flat Bush, it’s unlikely that no change would be an acceptable outcome.

There is also the option of changing the local board’s name (currently Howick Local Board) to better reflect the areas that it covers. We only get the option of doing this once every 6 years so we’re interested in what your views on this are as well as any suggestions.

The Howick Local Board has been asked to provide its feedback on the options in March. There will then be a formal public notification process later in the year before coming into effect for the 2025 elections.

Before we provide our view, we want to hear from the community on how you would like to be represented. Consultation boards are up in the Botany Library and we’ll be at local events to get some feedback.

We’re also co-hosting a meeting with the Flat Bush Ratepayers and Residents Association on Saturday 9 March at 2pm at the Ormiston Junior College. Come along to hear more about the options, ask questions and provide your feedback.

Questions to consider:

1. 1. Which option for Botany / Flat Bush do you think best serves the community?

2. 2. Would you support a name change?

3. 3. If so, do you have any suggestions for a new name?

Email your thoughts to HowickLocalBoard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz before Thursday 14 March 2024.

Lantern Festival is back! And closer than ever!

Fantastic to see the Lantern Festival return to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland! Even better than it's now in our backyard at the Manukau Sports Bowl, making it even easier to enjoy.

I had the privilege of attending the official opening on Thursday evening, with speeches from special guests including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson.

Then I returned on Sunday night with my partner to enjoy the last night of the festival. Amazing turnout with lots of people enjoying the event, which included food, performances and rides as well as many beautiful lanterns.

Shoreline Adaptation Plans open for consultation

Auckland Council is preparing shoreline adaptation plans (SAP) across the region in partnership with mana whenua and local communities.

Shoreline adaptation plans look at how we can adapt Auckland Council-owned land and assets to respond to coastal hazards and climate change over the next 100 years. They also promote the preservation and restoration of the coastal environment for future generations.

For the Howick Local Board area, there will be two plans that include our coastline (see maps):
1) the Tāmaki River inlet shoreline
2) the Bucklands Beach to Pine Harbour shoreline.

At this stage, we want to know how you use, and what you value about these coasts. This will help us to:
🏘 identify areas of importance to the community
🌊 understand community values and connections to the coast
📄 make suitable plans to help manage the changing shorelines.

You can have your say from 1 February 2024 until 2 April 2024.

Find out more, including how to have your say, online:
https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/shoreline-adaptation-plans-tamaki-river-inlet-and-bucklands-beach-to-pine-harbour

There's also information on other shoreline adaptation plans that have already been developed such as the neighbouring Kahawairahi ki Whakatiwai / Beachlands and East Shoreline Adaptation Plan.

Botany Chinese Association Lantern Festival

On Wednesday 14 February, the Botany Chinese Association hosted a Lantern Festival to celebrate Chinese New Year.

It was a joyous occasion, filled with a diverse range of performances. Together with fellow Howick Local Board Member Adele White and many special guests, we were entertained with dance, song, and musical performances.

It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy so many cultures and experiences in our local community. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making it happen. For sharing your culture, your history and your art with us.

We wish you all a successful and prosperous year of the Dragon.

Plan Change 96 impacts Flat Bush

Under the Auckland Unity Plan (AUP), changes to zoning are managed through Plan Changes.

Auckland Council is currently proposing some changes through Plan Change 96 to “rezone land to correct zoning errors and anomalies”. This includes two areas near Barry Curtis Park – 66 Flat Bush School Road and 56 Brookview Drive. The request was made by Eke Panuku as Auckland Council had erroneously zoned the two sites for open space (under Plan Change 60).

Both are zoned as Open Space – Sport and Active Recreation Zone and proposed to be changed to Residential – Terraced Housing and Apartment Building Zone.

The Howick Local Board will get an opportunity to provide our feedback on the proposal, although this comes after the public submissions have closed. Because we're part of Auckland Council our feedback is handled slightly differently.

We would strongly encourage residents to submit their own feedback before it closes on Friday 23 February 2024.

You can find out more, including how to submit at https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/our-plans-strategies/unitary-plan/auckland-unitary-plan-modifications/Pages/details.aspx?UnitaryPlanId=251

Apologies for the late notification - the Howick Local Board wasn’t made aware of this proposal until after the public consultation had begun which isn’t ideal.

Back to work for 2024

I can’t believe we’re almost through the first month of 2024! I hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Years.

I enjoyed Christmas with my whānau, with my sister up from the South Island. It’s always good fun, especially with the nephews and nieces. Managed to sneak in a visit to the Zoo with one of my brothers, my sister, brother-in-law and their children which was fun.

Got through some of the tasks I’d set myself, including tackling our front garden at home which had become a mess. Still a work in progress, but definitely looking a lot better!

I also managed to coordinate a week off with my partner last week, taking the opportunity to enjoy the beautiful summer weather in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland while we can. Lunch at Mission Bay followed by an afternoon exploring the nearby beaches and bays.

Unfortunately I did have a mishap with an e-scooter and injured myself in the process. Nothing overly serious, although it did force us to change some of our plans (no swimming for example). Good reminder to take care when using these!

Despite this, we got away to Rotorua, taking the opportunity to visit Hobbiton on the way through. As a massive Lord of Rings fan, it was an awesome experience. Last December they opened Bagshot Row so you can go inside two of the Hobbit-holes which were beautifully decorated by people involved with the movies - well worth a visit!

We had a nice relaxing time in Rotorua. And you can’t go and not visit the iconic Luge! There were some activities that we didn’t manage to do in our short stay so we’re already planning a return trip.

I’m back to work from Monday 15 January, meeting with staff, local residents and planning for the next few months. 

We’ve got a big year ahead of us, with the Long Term Plan (10 year strategy and budget) consultation looming. Our main focus for this will be ensuring that the Flat Bush Community Centre and Library is delivered sooner.

We’re also looking forward to the opening of the Youth Space in Botany, progressing the options for Howick Kauri Kids, and implementing a local readiness and response plan.

In July our new Local Board Plan officially kicks in, and we’re already working through potential budgets and priorities to deliver on this aspirational yet practical strategy. We’ll be consulting with the public in February and March to understand what locals want us to focus on over the coming year.