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Annual Plan
Hearings - Whau
25 March 2014
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Summary
of public submissions on the draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 – Whau Local Board
File No.:
CP2014/03796
Purpose
1. This report
provides a high-level analysis of key themes contained in submissions on the
Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 relevant to the Whau Local Board. The report also
provides high-level analysis of the regional submissions on the Draft Annual
Plan 2014/2015.
Executive
Summary
2. 1,967 submissions were received on the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015,
87 of which were received after the submission deadline. The Draft Annual Plan includes the Whau
Draft Local Board Agreement.
3. Legislation requires that submitters to the Draft Annual Plan be
given reasonable opportunity to be heard.
4. Submissions that cover both regional and local content will be heard
at local board hearings, with at least the ward councilor(s) present to hear
regional content. For the Whau Local Board, there were a total of 66 submissions, with 15 submitters requesting
to be heard.
5. The Whau Local
Board proposed two budget changes. While the majority of submitters from the
Whau Local Board area did not respond to these questions, of the submitters
that did respond, most were supportive of both proposed budget changes.
6. Local issues
arising from the submissions include a relatively low level of general support
and/or advocacy for street environment and town centre initiatives, and also
for parks improvements.
7. The most significant regional issues arising from the submissions
were in regards to the consultation questions, i.e. the stadium strategy and
Arts Festival proposals.
8. A total of 1,069 submitters
(54.4% of all submitters) provided
an opinion on the proposed stadium strategy. Of these, 230 (21.5%) supported the proposal, while 501 (46.9%) did not support it, and 338
(31.6%) were unsure. The most notable opposition was
attributed to moving the speedway, with 362 submitters expressing a desire to
keep the speedway at Western Springs.
9. 985 submitters (50.1% of all submitters) provided
an opinion on the Arts Festival proposal. Of these, 503 (51.1%)
supported the proposal, while 226 (22.9%) did not support it, and 256 (26.0%) were unsure.
10. The most notable other topic was opposition to fluoridation of the
water supply. 237 submitters raised this point, with 217 of them coming in the
form of a pro forma.
11. The submissions relevant to the Whau Local Board area are attached
to this report.
12. The Whau Local Board will consider all submissions relevant to the
local board area at discussion workshops on the Draft Annual Plan and Whau
Draft Local Board Agreement on 9 April 2014.
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Recommendation/s
That the Annual Plan Hearings - Whau:
a) Receives
submissions on the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015, including the Whau Draft Local
Board Agreement, relevant to the Whau Local Board
b) Hears the
relevant submissions on the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015
c) Thanks
submitters for their verbal presentations
d) Considers any potential amendments to the Draft Annual Plan
2014/2015, including the Whau Draft Local Board Agreement.
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Discussion
Context
13. The Local
Government Act 2002 and Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 require
Council to use the special consultative procedure in adopting the Draft Annual
Plan 2014/2015. This includes ensuring any person submitting on the Draft
Annual Plan is given reasonable opportunity to be heard.
14. The governing
body agreed at the meeting on 19 December 2013, that submissions containing
both regional and local content would be heard at local hearings.
15. This report
provides statistics on submissions received regionally and locally, and a brief
high-level analysis of key themes and topics.
16. More detailed
analysis of submissions will be provided to the local board workshop on 9 April
2014.
17. The consultation
period for the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015, incorporating the Whau Draft Local
Board Agreement, was held from 23 January 2014 to 4pm 24 February 2014.
Submissions
18. Council received
and processed 1,967 submissions. Of these submissions, 66 are relevant to the
Whau Local Board area with 15 submitters requesting to be heard.
19. Copies of
submissions for the Whau Local Board area are provided in Attachment A to this
report.
Overview of feedback from
submissions relevant to the Whau Local Board area
20. The submission form asked for
views on local board budget changes for 2014/2015. The Whau
Local Board proposed two budget changes. Table 1 below shows whether
respondents agreed, disagreed or were unsure about the proposed budget changes.
Table 1 - Whau proposed budget
changes
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Proposed budget
change
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Support
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Do not support
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Unsure
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No response
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No.
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%
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No.
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%
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No.
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%
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No.
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%
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Community environment programmes
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16
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24.2%
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2
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3.0%
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0
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0.0%
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48
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72.7%
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Local library events and programmes
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13
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19.7%
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1
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1.5%
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0
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0.0%
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52
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78.8%
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21. While the
majority of submitters from the Whau Local Board area did not respond to these
questions, of the submitters that did respond, most were supportive of both
proposed budget changes.
22. The local themes or topics that
received the most significant number of comments from submissions to the Whau
Local Board are outlined below:
· 9
submitters raised the issue of local street environment and town centres, with
most supportive of and/or advocating for improvements in this area.
· 8
submitters raised the issue of local parks, with most supportive of and/or
advocating for local parks initiatives.
Consultation questions
23. Consultation Question 1: Stadium Strategy – A total of 1,069 submitters
(54.4% of all submitters) provided
an opinion on the proposed stadium strategy. Of these, 230 (21.5%) supported the proposal, while 501 (46.9%) did not support it, and 338
(31.6%) were unsure. The most notable opposition was
attributed to moving the speedway, with 362 submitters expressing a desire to
keep the speedway at Western Springs. Similarly, 53.2% of the 47 submitters
from the Whau Local Board also do not support the stadium strategy. This is
outlined in figure 1 below.
Figure 1 – Stadium Strategy proposal
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Overall
(1,069 submissions)
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Whau Local Board
submitters
(47 submissions)
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24. 985 submitters (50.1% of all submitters) provided
an opinion on the Arts Festival proposal. Of these, 503 (51.1%)
supported the proposal, while 226 (22.9%) did not support it, and 256 (26.0%) were unsure. Similarly,
47.7% of the 44 submitters from the Whau Local Board were also supportive an
annual Arts Festival. This is outlined in figure 2
below.
Figure 2 – Arts Festival proposal
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Overall
(985 submissions)
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Whau Local Board
submitters
(44 submissions)
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Regional overview
25. There were 165 regional
submissions, with 44 requesting to be heard.
High-level information on the regional submissions is provided below. Of those
requesting to be heard at a regional hearing, 8 were
from individual submitters, 22 from special interest
groups, 11 from businesses or business associations,
and a further 3 from Maori organisations.
26. The topics listed below in table
2 indicate the most commonly raised submission points relating to regional
activities (not including the consultation questions), with a summary of the
most significant issues below.
Table 2 - Regional topics
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Topic
Description
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Number of submissions commenting on topic
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% of total submissions
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Watercare
– Water Supply
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247
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12.6%
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Regional
arts & culture initiatives
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54
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2.7%
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Social
housing proposal – Do not support
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51
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2.6%
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Expenditure
– too high
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38
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1.9%
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Transport
strategy
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35
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1.8%
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Request
for funding
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31
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1.6%
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Auckland
Transport – Public transport
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29
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1.5%
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General
comments about the plan
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29
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1.5%
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Auckland
Transport – Roads
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27
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1.4%
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Rates –
too high
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24
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1.2%
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Environmental
strategy, policies & programmes
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23
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1.2%
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27. Watercare
Services – Water supply – 226 of the 236
submissions regarding water supply were opposing fluoridation of the water
supply. Of those submissions, 206 came via a pro forma. The points raised
outline a believed violation of human rights in that ratepayers have no choice
as to whether their water is treated to include fluoride chemicals. The form
also outlines a perceived health risk and that fluoride should be obtained
through toothpaste only.
28. Regional
arts & culture initiatives – of the 54
submitters that commented on this topic, 48 are requests for Council to
consider Massive Theatre Company for annual investment and assistance to find a
home. While most of which are from members/supports, the Theatre does also
make an official submission requesting funding itself.
29. Social
Housing proposal – 51 submitters outlined their reasons for
not supporting the proposal to increase social housing rental charges by 5%.
Just over half of these submitters outlined the major reason being the increase
was not affordable.
Next steps
30. Decisions on the
final Whau Local Board Agreement will be made at the decision-making meeting on
Wednesday 16 April 2014. Members may require additional information to support
their decision-making. Officers’ responses to requests for information will be
tabled at the deliberation meeting.
Consideration
Local
Board Views
31. The Whau Local
Board will consider all submissions relevant to the local board area at the
workshop on the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 and Whau Draft Local Board
Agreement on 9 April 2014.
Maori
Impact Statement
32. The
implementation of the Annual Plan 2014/2015 has the potential for positive
outcomes for Māori. Notwithstanding the projects already identified in
the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 that contribute to Māori the impact will
be clearer when consideration and decisions are made by the Whau Local Board
and the Governing Body, at their respective decision-making meetings, on the
Draft Annual Plan and the Whau Draft Local Board Agreement.
33. Mana Whenua
authorities were sent a letter about the consultation process. Maatawaka
received information via standard communications processes that Auckland
Council use to disseminate Annual Plan information.
34. Te Reo
Māori regional summaries and submission forms were available, as well as
translators for submissions received in, and/or submitters wishing to address
the hearing in Te Reo Māori.
Implementation
Issues
35. Implementation issues on the various matters raised in submissions
will be considered when making decisions at
decision-making meetings on the Draft Annual Plan 2014/2015 and Whau Draft
Local Board Agreement on 16 April 2014.
Attachments
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No.
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Title
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Page
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aView
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Draft Annual Plan 2014-2015 - Whau
Local Board Submissions (Under Separate Cover)
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Signatories
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Authors
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Dean McIntosh - Governance Analyst - Governance
Project Team
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Authorisers
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Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey,
Waitakere Ranges, Whau
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