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Resolution number OP/2014/44
MOVED
by Chairperson E Collins, seconded by Member JR McCracken:
That the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board:
a)
Notes that council has moved towards a
single rating system resulting in the region being rated on an equal basis.
However, equity in asset and service provision has not yet been addressed.
b)
Notes that locally driven initiatives
and local asset based services account for approximately one and ten percent,
respectively, of council’s total operating costs, and recommend that further
work is undertaken to determine whether 11 percent of Auckland Council’s
budget is an appropriate share for local activities.
c)
Supports the 20 February 2014 Finance
and Performance Committee resolution directing staff to consider service
level equity issues for local asset based services as part of the development
of the Long Term Plan and asset management plans and engage with local boards
on this and report back on a timetable.
d)
Requests that the engagement process
and the work programme to address service level equity issues and asset provision
is agreed with the local boards.
e)
Endorses the process and timelines for
the Local Boards Funding Policy, provided that the work on service level
equity issues and asset provision is progressed in parallel to the local
boards funding policy.
f)
Requests that the work programme to
address service level equity issues and asset provision includes a staging of
the key deliverables, with prioritised asset classes and service levels for
review be presented to the Local Boards Funding Policy Political Working Party
on 6 May 2014.
g)
Recommends that clarity on the
treatment of both the Waiheke and Great Barrier local boards, and
understanding the implications for the other local boards is required prior
to the adoption of the policy.
h)
Requests that work be undertaken to:
i.
determine whether more activities and
the corresponding funding should sit in the locally driven initiatives
category
ii.
understand which council business units
have corporate overheads, activity and programming budgets that have a direct
relationship with the role of local boards and their decision-making (in
particular budgets held by the Community Development, Arts and Culture
department), with a view to shift these budgets to local boards, or increase
their ability to influence and change budgets to deliver services that
reflect their communities.
i)
Supports work to determine the
appropriate amount of budget for local boards to successfully deliver upon
their role, noting the current allocation is based on legacy council budgets.
j)
Notes that current locally driven
initiative allocations allow for minimal discretion for most local boards and
any reduction will impact on existing service levels.
k)
Notes that each of the general rate
reallocation scenarios (scenarios A, B and F) will lead to funding increases
and decreases across the local boards.
l)
Recommends that general rate allocation
scenarios are developed where no local board receives any reduction in
funding for consideration.
m) Notes a targeted rate is available to enhance service levels above
an agreed standard service level, once standard service levels are
established, and that the Board wishes to ensure that this option is
maintained.
n)
Recommends that:
i.
asset based service levels are funded
by the general rate
ii.
locally driven initiatives are funded
via the general rate as local initiatives are core council activities,
essential to cohesive communities and Auckland being the world’s most
liveable city.
o)
Notes that local rates can lead to
inequity and affordability issues and can lock in legacy council funding
models.
p)
Recommends that with respect to the
allocation method for locally driven initiatives under general rate funding,
agree that population should be the main factor, as population tends to be a
key driver of the demand for services:
i.
and that an adjustment for deprivation
should also be applied, as areas of deprivation have characteristics that may
indicate a greater dependency on local services
ii.
and that an adjustment for geographic
isolation should also be applied.
q)
Forward these resolutions to the Local
Boards Funding Policy Political Working Party and the Finance and Performance
Committee for their consideration
CARRIED
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