Howick Santa Parade 2024!

Merry Christmas! The 71st Howick Santa Parade was another huge success, filling the main street of Howick with festive cheer.

Massive thank you to all the organisers and volunteers who make this happen, by the community, for the community.

The Howick Local Board is proud to provide support via our Event Partnership Fund. And this year our float was summer holiday themed

Government announces plans to reform Auckland Transport

This afternoon Hon Simeon Brown MP and Mayor Wayne Brown announced changes for Auckland Transport to bring greater democratic oversight.

"The existing transport governance model in Auckland is falling short of meeting the expectations of the Government, Auckland Council, and, most importantly, Aucklanders themselves. By returning decision-making power to elected representatives, we are enabling Aucklanders to directly influence the transport policies that affect their daily lives,” Simeon Brown says.

Read more here: https://www.beehive.govt.nz/release/democracy-restored-transport-auckland

I'm pleased to see progress being made on addressing the legislative mess that is the Auckland Council Act. Transport is critical to environmental, economic, housing, and social outcomes.

While there is more details to come, more democratic oversight is welcomed (although I acknowledge this brings new challenges).

Should we continue to rely on postal voting?

It's no secret that the turnout for local government elections is low and continues to drop. With a heavy reliance on postal services (which are declining), we must do something to address the gaps.

Local Government New Zealand has released an interesting discussion paper with the challenges and some suggestions on what we could do to address them. This includes:
👥 How well the public understands local government and why it matters
👤 Understanding the candidates and their policies
✅ Voting methods
📣How elections are run and promoted
4️⃣ The possibility of moving to four-year terms (including how this would work)

Feedback on the issues paper will help shape the group’s position paper. You can have your say until Sunday 19 January 2025.

Check out their website for more information: https://www.lgnz.co.nz/policy-advocacy/key-issues-for-councils/local-electoral-reform/

Howick Local Board business meeting report for November 2024

On Thursday 21 November, the Howick Local Board held our business meeting for the month. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and recordings of our meetings.

• Acknowledgement for Morrin Cooper

• Deputations from Ormiston Senior College Students, and East Skate Club.

• Feedback on Open Space, Sport and Recreation Strategy, LGNZ electoral reform discussion paper, draft Mayoral Proposal for annual budget.

• Approval of the Local Board Emergency Readiness and Response Plan, Quarter One performance report.

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we confirmed our formal acknowledgement for the month.

We recognised the upcoming 90th birthday of Morrin Cooper, the last Mayor of Howick Borough Council from 1974 to 1989 before it became part of the former City of Manukau.

We received a deputation from Ormiston Senior College Students on Salford Park. A group of Year 11, 12 and 13 students proposed a range of ideas to improve their local park including environmental, safety, and transport challenges. The Board was very impressed by the content and delivery of their presentation, and we asked staff for advice on how we could implement the proposals.

We then received a deputation from Aaron Martin of East Skate Club. Aaron raised concerns about slow progress on providing more skate and wheeled play options in East Auckland. He encouraged the Board to make sure that skate and wheeled play remained a priority and provide more sites across the Local Board area.

Every month we allocate a slot for our Ward Councillors to provide an update. Unfortunately, due to scheduling clashes, they are usually unable to attend. To accommodate this, they agreed to provide a written report when there are board-specific updates to share. No report was received for this meeting.

I presented my Chairpersons Report for the month, detailing what we had been focused on since the last meeting. It noted the progress on Eastern Busway, Bellingham Road, and return of rubbish bins to Bucklands Beach. Also, that there had been no objections to the representation review for our area, reflecting the strong public support during consultation.

We adopted the Howick Local Board Emergency Readiness and Response Plan, providing a formalised document that lays out what Auckland Council and the community should do to prepare an respond to emergencies. We thanked Auckland Emergency Management for their efforts in developing the plan – they’ve worked hard to achieve this priority for us.

We provided feedback on the draft Open Space, Sport and Recreation Strategy, requesting that the strategy better considers the impact on local boards and our increased decision-making. Otherwise, we generally supported the draft which brings together five regional strategies, policies and plans.

We received our Quarter One performance report which detailed the progress up to the end of September 2024. Most of our projects are on time and on budget (95%), with two being managed, two with significant issues (Ostrich Farm, and Flat Bush Community Centre and Library both awaiting funding ) and two on hold (Hawthornden Reserve lease awaiting renewal, Flat Bush walkway and cycleway paths awaiting developer). Our operating revenue ($1.2M) was lower than budgeted largely due to the planned maintenance of Lloyd Elsmore Pool and Leisure Centre, while our operating expenditure was higher than budgeted as our teams work to get ahead of the repairs and maintenance.

Next we considered a grant application that had been deferred from the previous meeting as we’d asked for more information. The request was for $3k towards a community mural on a private building that borders on a public reserve. Some of the Board was concerned about the potential impact on the reserve, which is managed through a separate mural review process. Deputy Burns and I proposed we approve the funding, but the majority of the Board voted to defer the decision again to provide time for staff to provide more information.

Next we appointed members to provide feedback on stormwater activities. As the guardians of local reserves, Local Boards normally have authority to approve (or decline) requests to use greenspaces. However, staff recently clarified that (according to legal opinion) Healthy Waters doesn’t need to ask permission which we disagreed with (see April 2024). Instead, we have a delegated member to provide feedback which will be myself, with Member Kendall as backup. We won’t have any decision-making power and would have to take objections through the Planning and Policy Committee which isn’t ideal.

Next we provided our feedback on Local Government NZ’s discussion paper regarding possible electoral reform for councils across the country. With the decline in postal services and dropping turnout, something needs to be done to address the challenges so it was good to have the opportunity to provide our feedback. We supported greater education, more information for and about candidates (including mandatory training like in Queensland), more voting options, and shifting responsibility for local elections to the Electoral Commission.

Finally we responded to the draft Mayoral Proposal which had been released earlier that week. We broadly supported the proposed reform of the CCOs, except Eke Panuku as we felt that urban regeneration benefited from being independent. Bringing strategy, policy, and planning into council should result in a more integrated approach and we asked that Local Boards are provided more oversight and decision making over what happens in their area. We opposed the suggested increase in animal management fees, with concern that rising costs would lead to less dog adoptions (when the kennels are already overflowing). We also advocated for the Flat Bush Community Centre and Library, Flat Bush Aquatic & Leisure Centre, Coastal Erosion Fund, and a regional response to the Tāmaki Estuary.

We noted our workshop records and forward governance work calendar before closing the meeting at 2:58pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here: https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/11/20241121_HW_MIN_11587_WEB.htm

along with related attachments like presentations here:

https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/11/20241121_HW_ATT_11587_WEB.htm

A recording of the meeting will be available shortly, along with previous meetings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 12 December 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).

Howick Local Board Emergency Readiness and Response Plan

“We’re pleased to present the new Howick Local Board Emergency Readiness and Response Plan. Getting this ready has been a priority for us to ensure that we’re all ready for emergencies. We know from recent experiences that we need to build community resilience, and this plan provides the platform to help achieve this.”

Thank you to Auckland Emergency Management for their mahi on developing and delivering this plan for us.

“Having a plan helps make any emergency much less stressful for everyone. The best time to be prepared is before you need it, so please get your household or business plan in place now. It’s also a great way to connect with your neighbours, friends, and communities to share and discuss your plan. If an emergency happens, it’s vital that we look after each other.

“We know from experience that in times of need our communities of Howick, Pakūranga, Botany, Flat Bush and East Tāmaki, come together to help each other. We’re grateful for the amazing individuals and organisations who have stepped up in the past and have volunteered to be involved again.”

Read more about it here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/11/new-tool-to-help-prepare-for-emergencies-agreed/

Stockade Hill Christmas Tree is lit!

Last night the Howick community gathered for the belated lighting of the Stockade Hill Christmas Tree.

Our original event was cancelled due to poor weather, but Santa came to the rescue. In a wonderfully informal yet magical experience, Santa led us in song before the lights went on.

Merry Christmas from the Howick Local Board!

More changes for Pakūranga as Eastern Busway continues at pace

Construction on the Eastern Busway continues at pace, with more road changes coming over the next few months as the project prepares to finish and connect the new Rā Hihi flyover.

The Reeves Road connection to Aylesbury Street will be open from December 2024 to late January 2025.

In Pakūranga Plaza there will be utility upgrades and car park improvements. Footpaths outside Countdown have been completed and work near Pakūranga Library due to finish soon.

The South Eastern Highway and Tī Rākau Drive will have periodic overnight road layout changes and detours in place

Upgrades of the Mattson Road, William Roberts Road and Tī Rākau Drive intersection continue. The new intersection is due to open in early 2025 and it will enable to traffic to turn into and out of it from all directions.

Access to William Roberts Road from its connecting roads will change in two stages, converting it into two cul-de-sacs in early 2025. William Roberts Road will be accessible from Ayr Road only following the changes.

Greater access to public transport

Great news for public transport!

From Sunday 17 November you can pay for Auckland Transport buses, ferries, and trains with your contactless debit or credit card, smartphone or device.

Auckland Transport accepts contactless debit cards, Visa, Mastercard, American Express or UnionPay cards. We also accept Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay in the digital wallet of your smart device.

You will pay standard adult HOP fares when using credit and debit cards, or mobile devices. There are no transaction fees for New Zealand issued cards. For discounts (like students), make sure you still use your AT HOP cards!

Separate the card from your wallets/phone or have your device ready before tagging on and off. This ensures you are paying with the correct card.

Tag on and off with the same card or device for each trip throughout your journey. This ensures you pay the correct fare.

Some great information is on at.govt.nz/waystopay

Botany Bus Station re-opened!

The new interim Botany Bus Station was officially opened today, delivered three years earlier than planned thanks to the Eastern Busway.

Not even the rain could stop us, with AT organising a bus for the blessing and speeches to take place on.

It was great to have Minister for Transport, Hon Simeon Brown MP cut the ribbon and formally open the station. Also present were representatives from mana whenua, NZTA, Auckland Transport, Botany Town Centre, local businesses, and community leaders.

AT’s Group Manager Strategic Development Programmes and Property, Jane Small says the station will be a great asset for the community, now and into the future. "We've re-built the footpaths, improved the curbs, upgraded the bus shelters and enhanced the road infrastructure, making sure the station is ready for frequent buses that will carry 18,000 passengers along the Eastern Busway each day between Botany and Panmure Train Station.”

The station will enable buses to use the existing route via Tī Rākau Drive and Te Irirangi Drive to connect with the Eastern Busway in Burswood. It will serve as an interim link when the Eastern Busway opens in 2027 until funding is confirmed for Stage 4 of the project.

Bus services will start using this station from Sunday 17 November.

Read more here: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/news-events/media-centre/2024-media-releases/eastern-busway-station-opens-three-years-early

Toitū te Tiriti. Honour the Treaty.

Ko tangata tiriti te iwi. I am a person of the Treaty.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi enabled my ancestors to come to this country, to make it their home. Some fled racial and religious intolerance, others were seeking an opportunity for a new start. Generations later I believe they would still want us to strive for the freedoms and opportunities they came here for.

For their sake and future generations, we must honour the Treaty.

We can do that by understanding it better, by acknowledging failures to uphold it, and doing what we can to realise the vision it promises.

Some of this is hard, requiring us to acknowledge that we (directly or indirectly) have not lived up to the promises made in 1840. We can't change the past, but we can (and must) learn from it.

I'm not an expert and continue to learn everyday. Sometimes it's uncomfortable, but it's always rewarding.

What I do know is that Te Tiriti o Waitangi (written in Te Reo Māori) was the version that most (although not all) iwi and hapū signed. Some of the concepts and words used don't easily translate into English, which some people find confusing and difficult to understand. It also means the English version has some significant differences, especially in regard to Māori sovereignty (tino rangatiratanga). In my experience, the best way to resolve differences in understanding is to first listen, with empathy and respect.

While I appreciate that there is a desire to clarify the principles, the Government's bill isn't the way forward. It's an expensive, doomed process that is causing more hurt.

Despite the challenges (real or perceived), Te Tiriti o Waitangi is the founding document of our nation and must be respected.

Toitū te Tiriti. Honour the Treaty.

Howick Local Board office closes to save money

At the end of this month, the Howick Local Board will be exiting our office in Pakūranga.

“While decisions around office space are made by Auckland Council staff, the Howick Local Board is supportive of this cost effective and pragmatic approach. We’re very conscious of ensuring that public funds are wisely spent and we’re open to trying a new way of working.”

While our office is closing, your access to your elected representatives won't change - we'll continue to be available by phone email or appointment.

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/11/howick-local-board-relocating/

Have your say on the future of our playgrounds

We have 70 playgrounds in the Howick Local Board area, but is that enough? Or too many? Do they provide the play opportunities that your family enjoys? What are there gaps?

We have a growing population with different needs but we can't afford to keep building new playgrounds. With a limited budget and rising costs, we're struggling to maintain what we already have. And we know we need more accessible, inclusive, and interesting play options across Howick, Pakūranga, Botany, and Flat Bush.

We're seeking your feedback on what's important to you and your whānau to help us build a strategy that will tackle these challenges.

Join the conversation on the future of playgrounds in our area, happening now through to Thursday, 9 February 2025 https://tinyurl.com/ynr3sd96

Howick Local Board business meeting report for October 2024

On Thursday 17 October, the Howick Local Board held our business meeting for the month. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and recordings of our meetings.

📰 Acknowledgements for Howick College Netball, Pakūranga United Rugby Club
🗣 Deputations from Beautification Trust and NZ Thread Exchange, plus public forum with Professional Dog Walkers Association
📑 Feedback on draft dog policy and bylaw, time of use charging, Biosecurity Act
✅ Approval of community grants, adoption of Public Toilet Provision Assessment

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we confirmed our formal acknowledgements for the month.

We congratulated Howick College Netball on their recent success at the National Secondary Schools Netball Championship in Christchurch.

We congratulated Pakuranga United Rugby Club on their recent success at the National Men’s Under-85kg Championship in Wellington. As the curtain-raiser match to the All Black’s second Bledisloe Cup test match against Australia, the win was reported in local and national news coverage.

We then received a deputation from Daniel Barthow (CEO) and Sterling Ruwhiu (Community Programs Manager) of The Beautification Trust on their work over the past year. It was great to see their work on graffiti removal (40% increase in HLB area since last year), working with students, and operating their community recycling centre in Manurewa.

We received a deputation from Jenny Carter (Managing Director) from NZ Thread Exchange, explaining their aim to minimise clothes going into landfill by processing them for re-use. Great example of an innovative social enterprise!

In the public forum, we had Professional Dog Walkers Association, (PDWA) with Ben Spick (Chairperson) and Caleb Hendry. They discussed their views on the proposal to limit walking of multiple dogs which was due to be discussed later in the meeting. Their input was very helpful, with Members taking time to ask plenty of questions to clarify their understanding of the potential impact on the industry.

Given the strong interest in the item and the fact we still had Ben and Caleb with us, I moved up the item on the draft changes to the dog policy and bylaw. We had drafted some feedback prior to the meeting, but we altered it based on the public forum input. There was a strong discussion about the need to keep dogs under control (regardless if on or off leash) and more enforcement. After some debate, we altered our feedback to suggest greater consideration of the potential impact on commercial dog walkers and encourage further engagement with professional dog walking associations including potential regulations, but at this stage did not support a limit. This feedback will be considered before it goes for public consultation early in 2025.

Every month we allocate a slot for our Ward Councillors to provide an update. Unfortunately, due to scheduling clashes, they are usually unable to attend. To accommodate this, they agreed to provide a written report when there are board-specific updates to share. No report was received for this meeting.

However, we were fortunate to have Councillor Julie Fairey who is the ward councillor for Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa. She’s also the Chair of Joint Governance Working Party who recently managed the representation review, so it was good to have the opportunity to seek her insight over the process and next steps.

We then received and accepted my Chairpersons Report for October, detailing what we had been focused on since the last meeting.

We then considered our first grant allocations for this financial year, with applications exceeding $345k. We deferred one as we needed more information on the approvals required to deliver a mural bordering a public reserve. There were a couple were the Board debated the amount to provide and the total funds approved was $160,472.90.

Next we adopted the recently completed Public Toilet Provision Assessment. This document detailed the recent audit of all 30 public toilets, including the condition and opportunities for improvement. It was identified that 8 were fully accessible, 17 were partly accessible and the remaining 5 were not accessible at all. There are some gaps in the network including Mangemangeroa, Riverhills, Burswood, Greenmount, and Point View Reserve. We’ll use this information to plan future investment.

Auckland Transport is considering how they might implement time of use charging (sometimes referred to as congestion charging). While there is still a way to go (including Parliament passing legislation to enable it), we were asked for our input into how a scheme could work. We provided our feedback, with a strong focus on ensuring any scheme was easy to use and effective, with measures in place to confirm it worked as intended. We made it clear that practical alternatives would need to be place before implementing any changes.

We were asked for input into proposed changes to the Biosecurity Act. Because I work for a company that delivers work in this area, I declared potential conflict of interest and stepped aside. With Deputy Burns departing early due to illness, the Board elected a new Chair (David Collings) for the item. The Board supported increased fines for breaches, greater investment into scientific research and securing the border.

I returned to the Chair to finalise the meeting. We noted our workshop records and forward governance work calendar before closing the meeting at 3:24pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here: https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/10/20241017_HW_MIN_11586_WEB.htm
along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/10/20241017_HW_ATT_11586_WEB.htm

A recording of the meeting will be available shortly, along with previous meetings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 21 November 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).

Bellingham Road in Ormiston is open!

Before the sun was up this morning, mana whenua led a moving karakia, physically walking the length of the new road and underneath to view the mahi toi (artwork) on the bridge.

Despite the early start, we had solid representation from the community, businesses, developers, and Auckland Transport. It was a privilege speak on behalf of the Howick Local Board, standing alongside fellow Botany representatives Mike Turinsky and Peter Young.

It's been a long road to get to this point, longer than anyone had hoped for and we know it's been frustrating for the community. But we're finally here and the road is open. It connects Stancombe Road to the Ormiston Town Centre, supporting residential, employment and economic growth. At the northern end, it passes by Barry Curtis Park including our soon-to-be upgraded destination playground.

As we left the cones and barriers were removed, making the road available from this morning. Looking forward to seeing the community enjoy this great piece of infrastructure.

Tour of Rā Hihi

Recently the Howick Local Board was fortunate to have the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Rā Hihi flyover that is being built over Reeves Road as part of the Eastern Busway project.

While we receive regular updates and monthly briefings from the project team, it was great to see the progress first hand. Maps and diagrams are really helpful, but nothing compared to standing on the top of the flyer.

Rā Hihi will carry vehicles (not buses) over Tī Rākau Drive, allowing the busway to travel underneath and avoid congestion. The flyover is due to be finished mid-2026 with the whole Eastern Busway operational from 2027.

Thank you Howick Primary School

Thank you to Howick Primary School for hosting the Pest Free Howick Ward pestival earlier this week.

Students explained what they had learned and done. It's always inspired by the amazing environmental action that our local tamariki (children) are taking. It was a privilege to congratulate the latest cadets through the Pest Free Howick programme.

Great to hear from David on his work leading local volunteers helping protect and restore local reserves in Mellons Bay.

Happy Diwali

On Friday evening we celebrated the festival of light with the South East Auckland Senior Citizens' Association Inc. - Seasca.

An evening of wonderful performances and beautiful food, shared with amazing locals and special guests. It was my pleasure to speak on behalf of the Howick Local Board, supported by fellow member Adele White.

Open workshops mean better transparency

“In our representative democracy it’s vital that the public have trust in those making the decisions on their behalf. Transparency is a crucial part of this and that’s why we’re opening our workshops to the public from the start of next year."

Following on from a report from the Ombudsman, the Howick Local Board has agreed to open our workshops to the public (with exceptions where required).

Workshops are informal meetings where staff provide us information and advice, but no decisions are made (this must come to a public business meeting). By opening these workshops up to the public and publishing the materials, the public can see and hear the same advice we get, demystifying the process and increasing our accountability to our community.

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/10/howick-workshops-open-up-in-2025/

Transparency on attendance

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

Absences may be due to leave, illness, bereavement or attending other council business. I missed one workshop on 26 September as I was at the Auckland Council meeting regarding representation review.

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

Howick Local Board business meeting report for September 2024

On Thursday 19 September, the Howick Local Board held our business meeting for the month. 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 Kīngi Tūheitia, Howick Sports Awards, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club 75th Anniversary, Howick College 50th Anniversary, and Botany Citizens Advice Bureau 15th Anniversary
🗣 Deputations from Young Life NZ Trust, and local resident on Bucklands Beach safety improvements
📊 Approval for open workshops, our Annual Report, and additional meetings
📑 Feedback on traffic bylaw review, and Thriving Rangitahi
✅ Approval of street names, local transport projects, lease for Highbrook Watersports, Friends of Mangemangeroa, and new playground for Barry Curtis Park

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we confirmed our formal acknowledgements for the month.

We acknowledged the passing of Kīngi Tūheitia on 30 August with a special karakia. We also noted that he had been succeeded by his daughter Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō on the day of his funeral.

We acknowledged the nominees, finalists, and winners of the recent Howick Sports Awards. In its 11th year, these annual awards celebrate the region’s local talents and the coaches, staff, officials and volunteers who make their success possible. We also thanked the Pakuranga United Rugby Club for organising and running the awards.

We congratulated the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club on their 75th anniversary. Formed in 1949 in a small shed stored behind the post office, the club is recognised as one of the most respected and successful yacht clubs.

We congratulated Howick College on their 50th anniversary. Established in Cockle Bay in February 1974 they have educated over 20,000 students across the five decades.

We congratulated the Botany Citizens Advice Bureau on their 15th anniversary. The agency began in 2009 in the Botany Town Centre and has gone on to serve thousands of local residents, providing independent advice on a wide range of issues thanks to the tireless efforts of their volunteers.

We then received two deputations, firstly we had Lyall Carter who is the CEO of Young Life New Zealand Trust. They were grateful for the financial support that the Board has provided through our community grants programme and explained the work they are doing to support local young people.

Next we had a deputation from local resident Chris O’Loughlin regarding the Bucklands Beach Safety Improvements project. He raised concerns about the consultation and communication process so we asked staff to provide advice on the consultation and whether our duties under the Local Government Act 2002 were met in regard to this matter.

Because we had an Auckland Transport representative in the room, I shifted the relevant agenda items up earlier than scheduled. Firstly, we received a report on our Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF) projects which we had asked Auckland Transport to consult with the public on. These were the Valderama Road raised pedestrian crossing (100% support), Paparoa Road raised pedestrian crossing (69% support), and Michael Jones Drive speed calming (53% support). Based on the public support for them all, we approved them for construction.

Auckland Transport also asked us to provide feedback on their Gills Road pedestrian crossing project. We noted the strong public support (86% support) especially from the local school and provided our support. We acknowledged the concerns in the feedback around the costs and encouraged Auckland Transport to continue to explore more innovative and cost-effective solutions for future projects.

We received our first Quarterly Report on our Auckland Transport Kōkiri / Local Board Transport Agreement (approved last month). This is a new process which formalises how Auckland Transport works with Local Boards, ensuring that we get an opportunity to be involved in projects in our area. It was good to see that most projects were on target and due to be delivered by June 2025. Safety improvements planned for the intersection of Flat Bush School and Hikuawa Roads had not passed the cost/benefit test so had been removed from the programme. We’ve also been advocating for the completion of missing footpaths (especially in Flat Bush) but with no funding available they’re unlikely to proceed.

We then provided our feedback on an upcoming traffic bylaw review, supporting the intention to simplify the rules to make them easier to understand and enforce. This is due to come for public consultation in the near future.

Every month we allocate a slot for our Ward Councillors to provide an update. Unfortunately, due to scheduling clashes, they are usually unable to attend. To accommodate this, they agreed to provide a written report when there are board-specific updates to share. No report was received for this meeting.

I tabled my amended Chairpersons Report for the month (correcting a couple of minor mistakes) detailing what we had been focused on since the last meeting. My report noted the shocking theft of plaques across Howick and the disrespect this showed the community. I also noted the positive public feedback on the proposed Representation Review.

We then received a report from staff in response to Ombudsman's recommendation for open workshops by default. Workshops are informal, non-decision-making meetings used for discussions and refining options before formal board decisions in our public business meetings. In October 2023, the Ombudsman released a report which found no evidence of decision-making occurring in workshops but noted practices that could undermine transparency. The Ombudsman recommended that workshops should be open by default, with any closures justified on a case-by-case basis.
There was a good debate on the risks of opening our workshops for the public such as the potential negative impact on free and frank discussion, confusion from the public about whether a decision is being made, and potential disruption to the meeting. We also debated the benefits, such as improving transparency, enabling community to see the process, and improving our accountability.

The vote was tied (4-4) so I used my chairperson’s casting vote, in favour of the motion. This is the first time I’ve used this and I did so based on the recommendation and in line with my vote. The motion passed and staff will work through the process to establish these in time for our first workshop in 2025.

Next up, we voted to confirm a change to the landowner approval and lease for the Highbrook Watersports Centre, to enable them to build a temporary building while the larger project is completed.
We then voted to confirm a retrospective landowner approval for the Friends of Mangemangeroa, formalising their ability to keep their planter and watering units onsite. This provides them with some certainty while the discussions around the future development of Mangemangeroa Reserve continue.

We received a report requesting approval of the designs for the Barry Curtis Playground which we were pleased to approve. This is one of our destination playgrounds, intended to provide for longer visits. In line with public feedback, the new playground will include a wider range of play opportunities and cater for a wider range of tamariki (children). The new design will include accessible, inclusive and sensory play opportunities. Shade sails will provide shelter from the sun, while careful tree planting will act as a wind buffer as well as supporting exploration and nature play. We’ve increased the amount of fencing around the playground, while still ensuring the playground remains accessible and safe. Now these have been approved, staff will work on detailed design, consenting and construction. Physical works are expected to occur between February and June 2025, with an official opening once it’s completed.

We approved our Annual Report for 2023/2024, noting the performance over the past year. The report highlighted some of our key deliverables, including Te Taiwhanga Taiohi East Auckland Youth Space that we opened in April 2024. It shows that we were successful in delivering our arts and cultural outcomes, but there is more work to be done on safety, and the quality of our local parks and facilities. Our operational expenditure was just under budget ($36.4M vs $36.6M) while our capital expenditure was slightly above budget ($3.8M vs $3.6M) which is generally positive.

We approved two new road names for the Highbrook Business Park, East Tamaki. There was a bit of a discussion about one of the names which was intended to recognise the contributions of Sir Noel Robinson. Auckland Council guidelines suggest avoiding the name of a living person or their title, although we noted the road wasn’t far from Sir Woof Fisher Drive.

We approved our engagement plan with Eke Panuku, noting the key projects in our area - 65 Haddington Drive, Ormiston (former site for the pool), Eastern Busway Urban Regeneration Programme (maximising return on residual land), Ormiston Development sites, and 56 Brookview Drive (planned for development but awaiting Plan Change 96).

We endorsed Thriving Rangatahi (council’s commitment and plan to support the wellbeing of children and young people), and approved two additional meetings for next year (to accommodate the Annual Budget timeframes).

We then noted our workshop records and forward governance work calendar before closing the meeting at 2:42pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/09/20240919_HW_MIN_11585_WEB.htm
along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/09/20240919_HW_ATT_11585_WEB.htm

A recording of the meeting will be available shortly, along with previous meetings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 17 October 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).