Agenda of Rodney Local Board

Rodney Local Board

17 June 2020

Warkworth Showgrounds to Kowhai Park Reserve walkway

File No.: CP2020/07190

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek approval to proceed with the detailed design of a shared path through the former Atlas site linking Warkworth Showgrounds with Kowhai Park Reserve, Warkworth, and to progress with community engagement, consenting, procurement and construction.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Rodney Local Board has a work programme item in financial year 2019/2020 to develop a new walkway/cycleway that links Warkworth Showgrounds with Kowhai Park Reserve.

3. At the 20 June 2019 Rodney Local Board meeting, the local board approved the design and construction of concept four, consisting of a walkway/cycleway through the former Atlas site, linking Warkworth Showgrounds and Kowhai Park Reserve. (Resolution number RD/2019/67)

4. The former Atlas Site has been identified for the development of a Park and Ride car park and a concept design has been completed by Auckland Transport.

5. The concept design for the shared path has been developed in collaboration with Auckland Transport to ensure the designs for both the Park and Ride facility and the shared path are complementary.

6. Cost estimates completed in May 2020 indicate that the cost of constructing the shared path exceeds the available budget. Options to stage the construction of the path over future years have been investigated.

7. It is anticipated that the initial stage of the path construction will be completed in conjunction with the Park and Ride development works, and procurement efficiencies will be achieved through completing the works through one contract led by Auckland Transport.

8. This report seeks approval to progress with the detailed design, community engagement and consenting of a shared path, through the former Atlas site (concept four), and the staging of construction.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board:

a) approve the developed design of a shared path through the former Atlas site, linking Warkworth Showgrounds and Kowhai Park Reserve

b) approve staging the construction over future years in an order that aligns with available funding.

Horopaki

Context

Background

9. Reserve management plans for Warkworth Showgrounds Park and the adjoining Kowhai Park Reserve include objectives to provide for public pedestrian and cycle access from Warkworth and within the reserves. Linkages to the Warkworth township through the Atlas site and to the Melwood subdivision (of which Heritage Lane is a part of) were specifically highlighted.

10. The Rodney Greenways – Paths and Trails Plan, Puhoi to Pakiri, was completed in May 2017 following public consultation, and the Warkworth Showgrounds to Kowhai Park Reserve route was identified as a priority for the area.

11. In 2016 the walkway connection was identified by the Rodney Local Board as a priority project within the Rodney Recreational Walkways and Bike Trails programme of work. The aim is to provide improved access to both parks, to increase recreational walking and fitness activities and to provide for possible future commuter requirements in the area.

12. Local park volunteers support the idea of a walkway and in 2017 met with council staff and consultant engineers on site to discuss possible route locations. Options were challenging due to the steep bush-clad terrain and the desire for the route to be accessible for as many different park users as possible within the constraints of the site.

13. The preferred and most direct route was identified in a location that proposed crossing a parcel of land jointly owned by Auckland Council and three private landowners. The land has a Queen Elizabeth II Trust covenant on it. Initial discussions with the private landowners indicated openness to council investigating this route.

14. A feasibility investigation was completed to help provide solutions for the walkway/cycleway, reflecting buildability, cost of construction and value for money. Concept plans and options were presented at a Rodney Local Board workshop in August 2017.

15. The preferred option, identified at the workshop, was a seventy-metre long suspension bridge linking the council reserves and spanning across the jointly owned covenanted land. A suspension bridge was favoured by all landowners as the preferred option; the construction of the bridge would have the least impact on the jointly owned covenanted bush area and would span the covenanted land. Supporting foundations would be located within the reserve land at either end of the bridge.

16. Contact was made with the Queen Elizabeth II Trust in September 2017 to seek approval for the walkway to cross the covenanted land, and for covenant deed discussions to begin. The trust indicated support for the bridge and the location of it provided all landowners were in favour of the proposal. Staff and local board members sought support from all landowners in 2018 but were unable to obtain this formally.

17. Alternative routes that avoid crossing the jointly owned land were investigated in February 2019 and presented at a local board workshop in May 2019 for feedback. Local board members indicated support for concept four, a route through the former Atlas site. The route was approved by the local board at a meeting on 20 June 2019. (Resolution number RD/2019/67)

18. In April 2020 concept design drawings and route options through the proposed Park and Ride facility (planned for the former Atlas site) were distributed to local board members for consideration via email, in the absence of a local board workshop due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Links to the local board plan

19. The project aligns with the following Rodney Local Board Plan 2017 outcomes and objectives -

Outcome	Objective
We can get around easily and safely	Our communities are well connected by safe and healthy walkways, cycleways, and bridleways
Parks and sports facilities that everyone can enjoy	Our local parks and sports facilities cater to a wide range of sporting and recreational interests. They are easily accessible, connecting our towns, villages, and growth areas.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

The concept design

20. The concept design that has been developed is for a two and a half metre wide shared concrete pathway with sections of boardwalk and a bridge. The route passes through the former Atlas site on the northern perimeter of the Park and Ride development reducing the risk of conflict between the different users of the walkway and vehicles. It provides a safe route option for recreational park users including school children accessing the sports fields from Heritage Lane. The concept design is attached as Attachment A and a visualisation of the boardwalk design as Attachment B to the agenda report.

21. Cost estimates completed in May 2020 indicate that that the cost of constructing the shared path exceeds the available budget. The requirement to design a boardwalk structure and bridge within Kowhai Park Reserve to span floodplain areas has increased the cost. In addition, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the construction sector is unknown and has been factored into the cost estimate.

Staging options

22. Options to stage the construction of the path over future years as funding allows, have been investigated and are outlined in the table below -

Stage	Description	Construction cost estimate (including 20% contingency)
1	Heritage Lane to the Park and Ride car park	$630,930
2	Warkworth Showgrounds to the Park and Ride car park	$215,100
3	Park and Ride northern perimeter link	$79,800
	Total estimated cost	$925,830

23. The construction of stages 1 and 2 allows for access to the Park and Ride facility. The paths would connect to a central walkway included within the design of the Park and Ride car park. The central walkway would be constructed as part of the Park and Ride project.

24. A further section of path (stage 3) is designed to bypass the Park and Ride car park around the northern perimeter, and connect to stage 1 linking to Heritage Lane, and stage 2 to Warkworth Showgrounds.

25. The total funding currently available for the shared path is $630,000, for detailed design, consenting, project and construction management and construction.

26. Due to the current COVID-19 situation, council is currently reprioritising work programmes and funding allocations. This may mean that additional funding to complete the entire path is not available until future years.

27. A staged approach to the construction is recommended with stage 1 achievable for close to the available budget. Completing this stage first would provide access for the community from the Heritage Lane area and Warkworth township to the Park and Ride facility through Kowhai Park Reserve. The path would connect to the Park and Ride central path. If the tender cost to complete this section is more than the available budget, minor changes to the design will be investigated to achieve cost savings.

28. If the cost for construction of stage 1 is less than estimated, there is an opportunity to also connect with the Warkworth Showgrounds through constructing a more basic link as part of the initial construction phase. This would involve repositioning the boardwalk structure to the west of the Park and Ride to provide a link between the central Park and Ride path and the informal gravel road within the Warkworth Showgrounds. (refer to Figure 1)

Possible alternative boardwalk location

Approximate location of Park and Ride central path

Figure 1: Alternative connection to the Park and Ride facility

29. Alternatively, stage 2 could be completed first to prioritise a connection between the Warkworth Showgrounds and the Park and Ride facility. This section is less expensive to construct.

30. As future funding becomes available further stages could be completed.

Recommended option

31. With the current financial uncertainty across council and the construction industry, a flexible approach to construction is recommended. It is proposed to work with Auckland Transport and tender the construction of the path as part of the Park and Ride construction contract. Prices will be obtained for stages 1 to 3 and the first phase of construction will be prioritised on the stage/s able to be achieved for the available funding.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

32. The construction of the path, bridge and boardwalks is not expected to have an adverse effect on the local environment. The additional impermeable surface area is relatively minor and surface water will be shed to adjacent grassed reserve areas or captured in drains with managed outfalls to a nearby stream. Most materials can be locally sourced.

33. Part of the shared path will be constructed within an area that contains debris and waste material discarded from the former Atlas site. There is an opportunity to clean up the reserve along the shared path route to improve the environment.

34. Planting of areas underneath the boardwalk and adjacent to the shared path is proposed to mitigate the impacts of construction on natural water courses and reduce the visual impact of the structure. A social procurement approach will be explored to encourage community and park volunteer involvement in the project and with planting. The supply of plants may be able to be linked with other council programmes and initiatives.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

35. Council staff from within the Community Services team have been working with Auckland Transport staff on a combined approach to development within the park. This includes the ground preparation works within the former Atlas site and demolition of the existing buildings, through to ensuring the designs of both the shared path and the Park and Ride facility are aligned. Opportunities to collaborate throughout future phases of both projects have been identified, including community and iwi engagement, procurement and construction.

36. Consultation with Healthy Waters will occur if required, as the shared path design is progressed.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

37. The opportunity to provide a new shared path and linkages through the reserves as well as to the Park and Ride facility are of significant benefit to the community. Off-street access from the surrounding residential areas through to the facilities at Warkworth Showgrounds will be improved.

38. The views of the private landowners who have a joint share in the adjacent covenanted land were taken into consideration by local board members when considering route and concept options at a workshop in May 2019.

39. The construction of a suspension bridge in the vicinity of Heritage Lane could be considered again in the future if landowner approval is able to be obtained. This would provide additional linkages within the reserve and a circular route.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

40. Engagement with mana whenua on the Rodney Greenways – Paths and Trails Plan, Puhoi to Pakiri (2017) was undertaken as part of the consultation process.

41. Further engagement with iwi on the future development of a Warkworth Showgrounds to Kowhai Park Reserve greenway route was discussed with iwi at the Mana Whenua North West Forum in October 2017. Mana whenua will be engaged with on the developed design of the shared path following local board approval of the design.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

42. Cost estimates completed in May 2020 indicate that the cost to complete the construction of the shared path in its entirety is not achievable for the available budget. Staging the construction over future years as funding allows is the recommended approach.

43. The Rodney Recreational Walkways – Kowhai Park Reserve – develop walkway/cycleway project has a budget of $730,000 allocated to it. Long-term Plan Capex funding enabled the initial site investigation work and concept design work to be completed. Funding for the detailed design and construction of the walkway has been included within the region-wide Growth programme.

Funding source

Financial Year

2018/19 and prior

Financial Year

2019/20

Financial Year

2020/21

Funding allocated

Long-term Plan (LTP) Capex

$62,747

Growth

$270,000

$397,253

$667,253

44. The construction funding available is $630,000. Route options analysis, site investigations, design and project management of the shared path to date has cost $98,000.

45. Cost savings will be investigated through the detailed design and procurement phases in collaboration with Auckland Transport.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

46. There is a risk that the funding sought through the Growth programme will be deferred to future years or reallocated to other projects within the Auckland region as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 situation on Auckland Council.

47. Engagement with the community will be undertaken as part of the design and consenting phase. There is a risk that individuals within the community may not be in support. This may delay the project and result in additional costs through the resource consent and engagement stages. There are no residential houses near the proposed shared path route so the likelihood of the community not supporting the proposed development is low. Sports clubrooms and other community group buildings associated with Warkworth Showgrounds are also located further away from the proposed path.

48. Resource consent is required, and the preparation and processing of the consent may have an impact on the time frame for construction.

49. An area within the Atlas site has been identified as contaminated due to past activities associated with businesses previously occupying the site. Site works are currently underway to remediate the site as part of the site preparation work for the Park and Ride. This will mitigate the risk associated with constructing the shared path through this area.

50. Development of the Park and Ride facility and the timing of this is to be confirmed. The shared path may be dependent on the car park development occurring first.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

51. Approval is sought from the Rodney Local Board to progress with community engagement, detailed design, consenting and staged construction for the shared path, linking Warkworth Showgrounds and Kowhai Park Reserve. Local board members have previously approved locating the shared path through the former Atlas site.

52. Following approval, engagement with mana whenua will recommence and community engagement will be undertaken with the local community, Warkworth Showgrounds sports clubs, and local community groups. It is anticipated that this will be undertaken in conjunction with Auckland Transport as a joint engagement process, providing the opportunity for the community to view the planned overall development of the area.

53. Feedback from the engagement process will be shared with the local board through a workshop forum prior to finalising the shared path design. This will enable any design changes to be considered and incorporated prior to commencing the consenting and tendering phases.

54. Procurement for the construction of the shared path will be led by Auckland Transport and included within the Auckland Transport Park and Ride tender. Initial discussions with procurement teams within Auckland Council and Auckland Transport indicate support for this approach and a funding agreement between the two organisations can enable this.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Kowhai Park Shared Pathway – Developed Design	15
b ⇩	Kowhai Park Bridge and Boardwalk Design – visualisation	23

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Angela Levet – Senior Project Manager

Authorisers

Rod Sheridan - General Manager Community Facilities

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board

17 June 2020

Auckland Transport update to the Rodney Local Board June 2020

File No.: CP2020/07709

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide an update to Rodney Local Board members on transport related matters in their area, including the Local Board Transport Capital Fund and Auckland Transport’s Community Safety Fund.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. This report covers:

· a summary of Auckland Transport projects and operations in the local board area

· a summary of the board’s Transport Capital Fund and Community Safety Fund projects

· a summary of general information items.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board:

a) receive the Auckland Transport update to the Rodney Local Board June 2020.

Horopaki

Context

3. Auckland Transport (AT) is responsible for all of Auckland’s transport services, excluding state highways. We report on a monthly basis to local boards, as set out in our Local Board Engagement Plan. This monthly reporting commitment acknowledges the important engagement role local boards play in the governance of Auckland on behalf of their local communities.

4. This report updates the local board on AT projects and operations in the Rodney Local Board area, it summarises consultations and Traffic Control Committee decisions, and includes information on the status of the Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF) and Community Safety Fund (CSF).

5. The LBTCF is a capital budget provided to all local boards by the Governing Body and delivered by Auckland Transport. Local boards can use this fund to deliver transport infrastructure projects that they believe are important but are not part of Auckland Transport’s work programme.

6. The CSF is a capital budget established by Auckland Transport for use by local boards to fund local road safety initiatives. The purpose of this fund is to allow elected members to address long-standing local road safety issues that are not regional priorities and are therefore not being addressed by the Auckland Transport programme.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Auckland Transport projects and operations in the local board area

7. The table below has a general summary of projects and activities of interest to the local board with their current status. Please note that all timings are indicative and are subject to change:

Item	Update
Dairy Flat Highway, Durey Road Intersection – safety improvements	Works are programmed to start in early June 2020 for expected completion by mid-June 2020.
Dairy Flat Highway, Green Rd and Goodland Drive intersections – safety improvements	Works are programmed to start in early June 2020 for expected completion by late September 2020.
Matakana Road, intersection with Anderson and Rosemont Roads - metal safety crash barriers	The project is currently in its detailed design phase and installation will take place once the designs have been finalised, but no later than December 2020.
Matakana Link Road - a 1.35km link between State Highway One and Matakana Road	Preparatory actions are underway. The main constructions works are expected to start in October 2020.
Sandspit Road/Sharp Road/Mahurangi East Road, Sandspit - intersection improvements	Public consultation is underway, feedback closed on the 9 June 2020.

Local Board Transport Capital Fund

8. The total remaining funds in the current electoral term available to the Rodney Local Board is $1,030,559.

Rodney
Total funds available in current political term		5,243,785
Amount committed to date on projects approved for design and/or construction	4,213,226
Remaining budget left	1,030,559

9. Table below is a list of projects updates.

Project	Update
Alice Street, Riverhead - footpath along entire road.	Rough order of cost provided of $474,000. Approved to progress to detailed design and firm estimate of cost.
Blue Gum Drive, Warkworth (full length) and Arthur Street, Riverhead – footpaths.	Construction is complete.
Coatesville-Riverhed Highway - piping and covering culvert alongside Coatesville Reserve.	Rough order of cost has been completed and can be brought back to the next available workshop.
Dairy Flat Highway outside Dairy Flat School - footpath and indented parking, local speed threshold improvements, reduction of the existing variable school zone speed from 60 km/h to 40 km/h.	Rough order of cost provided of $470,000. Approved to progress to detailed design and firm estimate of cost.
Falls Road, Warkworth between Hudson Road and Mansel Drive - contribution towards developers construction of Footpath.	The footpath was expected to be constructed by a developer during the 2019/2020 financial year but construction has been delayed, with the proposed footpath in the strip of Falls Road subject to the outcome of resource consents being approved for the adjacent land.
Footpath at Omaha Drive, Omaha – from Broadlands Drive to the Omaha Golf Club.	It is noted that the project will be handed over to AT once resource consent and landowner approvals have been secured, and that construction of the footpath will be tendered out to AT’s preferred supplier panel. The design and cost estimate is now complete and can be brought back to the next available workshop.
Hudson Road between State Highway 1 and Albert Road, Warkworth – footpaths.	The local board allocated $623,000 to this project. The project is currently in the tender phase and ready to award but in on hold until AC confirms budgets for 2020/21.
Leigh Road, Whangateau - footpath between 570 Leigh Road to Ashton Road.	Rough order of cost provided of $363,000. Approved to progress to detailed design and firm estimate of cost.
Newton Road, Riverhead - footpath from Cobblers Lane to Coatesville-Riverhead Highway.	Rough order of cost provided of $763,000. Approved to progress to detailed design and firm estimate of cost.
School Road, Wellsford - footpath on the southern side between the school entrance opposite 50 School Road and the existing footpath in Watson Place, Wellsford.	Approved for construction at $257,000

Community Safety Fund

10. AT’s Community Safety Fund (CSF) comprises $20 million in total allocated across all 21 local boards, to allow local communities to address long-standing road safety issues that have yet to become regional priorities and therefore have not been addressed by AT. The Rodney Local Board’s share of the total was $2,061,165.

11. Progress on these projects is now subject to the outcome of Auckland Council’s Emergency Budget 2020/2021 review

12. The lastest update to the local board is outlined below for the local boards information:

13. The local board recommended the following list of projects for funding from Auckland Transport’s Community Safety Fund (RODTP/2019/22):

Priority	Project
1	Motutara Road – Crossing
2	Motutara Road - footpath extension
3	Coatesville – speed calming
4	Matakana Road – signalised mid-block
5	Matua / Tapu Road – intersection improvements
6	Matua / Oraha Road – intersection improvements
7	Rata Street - pedestrian crossing
8	Kaipara College - pedestrian crossing
9	Waitoki School – speed calming
10	Whangateau - speed warning signs
11	Kumeu – signalised mid bloc crossing
12	Woodcocks Road – crossing

Speed Limits Bylaw

14. To make our roads safer and to reduce deaths and serious injuries, the new Speed Limits Bylaw will come into force 30 June 2020 onwards.

15. As previously advised, in the Rodney Local Board area there are roads that will have new speed limits and these are detailed in attachment A to the agenda report.

16. While the new speed limits will be live on 30th June the work of installing the new signage will be taking place across Auckland from now on, with the new signs being unveiled on the 30th June.

17. AT will be looking for local boards to support us in the delivery of vital road safety interventions and making sure our transformational changes meet local community needs.

June Off-Peak Fare offer

18. During June 2020 Auckland Transport is introducing a special 30 per cent off fare offer on buses and trains during off-peak periods.

19. This means that people tagging on with their AT HOP cards after 9am and before 3pm will receive 30 per cent off the normal adult AT HOP fare. The same applies for travel after 6pm until the end of service. Students travelling with Tertiary Concessions will receive an additional 10 per cent off their normal 20 per cent concession.

20. This special offer is for June only and doesn’t apply on ferries or on Skybus services.

Contract signed for Matakana Link Road

21. A contract has been signed for the building of a new road link in the Warkworth area. Auckland Transport (AT) has signed a contract with Wharehine Construction. The Wharehine Group is a privately owned civil contracting and primary resources company which is based in Wellsford and operates in the Auckland/Northland region.

22. Matakana Link Road has capacity for four lanes and will provide a 1.35km link between State Highway One and Matakana Road. This route will provide an alternative around the frequently congested Hill Street intersection for traffic heading to Leigh, Omaha, Sandspit and Snells Beach.

23. The new road is important for growth in the Warkworth area, which is expected to see a population increase of 20,000 over the next 30 years.

24. Preparatory works have already started, including lizard trapping and relocation, bat monitoring tree felling.

25. For more information: https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/matakana-link-road/

Traffic Control Committee Decisions

26. AT's resolution and approval process ensures the most appropriate controls and restrictions are put in place and can be legally enforced.

27. No decisions were made by AT’s Traffic Control Committee (TCC) in relation to regulatory processes relevant to the Rodney Local Board during May 2020.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

28. Auckland Transport engages closely with council on developing strategy, actions and measures to support the outcomes sought by the Auckland Plan 2050, the Auckland Climate Action Plan and council’s priorities.

29. Auckland Transport’s core role is in providing attractive alternatives to private vehicle travel, reducing the carbon footprint of its own operations and, to the extent feasible, that of the contracted public transport network.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

30. The impact of information (or decisions) in this report are confined to AT and does not impact on other parts of the council group.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

31. The proposed decision of receiving the report has no local, sub-regional or regional impacts.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

32. The proposed decision of receiving the report has no impacts or opportunities for Māori. Any engagement with Māori, or consideration of impacts and opportunities, will be carried out on an individual project basis.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

33. There are no financial implications in receiving this report.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

34. Auckland Council is currently consulting on its Emergency Budget 2020/2021. Until this review and a new budget is adopted in July, AT will not be able to report with certainty on our programme.

35. However, under both proposed revisions to the budget AT’s capital and operating budgets will be reduced. Therefore, we can expect that some projects we had planned for 2020/2021 may not be able to be delivered and we expect this will be disappointing to communities that we had already engaged with.

36. Both the Community Safety Fund and the Local Board Transport Capital Fund may be impacted by these budget reductions. The only way to mitigate this risk is to clearly communicate the board’s priorities so staff supporting it may plan and to make the best use of any available funds.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

37. Auckland Transport will provide a further report to the Rodney Local Board at its next meeting.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Rodney area speed limit changes	33

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Ben Halliwell – Elected Member Relationship Manager

Authorisers

Jonathan Anyon – Elected Member Relationship Team Manager

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board

17 June 2020

Draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020

File No.: CP2020/06655

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To approve the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 and statement of proposal for public consultation.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 requires that each local board complete a local board plan for adoption by 31 October of the year following election and uses the special consultative procedure to engage with their communities.

3. The consultation period for the special consultative procedure will take place from 13 July to 13 August 2020.

4. The draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 has been developed using feedback obtained before COVID-19. There is a risk in approving the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 for public consultation while the full social and economic effects of COVID-19 on the community are not yet determined.

5. The consultation process will seek the views and aspirations of the public to inform the final plan.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board:

a) approve the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 in Attachment A to the agenda report and the statement of proposal in Attachment B to the agenda report for public consultation using the special consultative procedure

b) delegate authority to the chairperson and/or other nominated member(s) of the Rodney Local Board to approve final changes to the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 and statement of proposal

c) delegate authority to the chairperson and/or other nominated member(s) to approve the type of engagement events to take place, the number of events and the dates of the engagement events

d) delegate to the following elected members and staff the power and responsibility to hear from the public through ‘spoken’ (or New Zealand sign language) interaction, at the council’s public engagement events, during the consultation period for the local board plan:

i) local board members and chairperson

ii) General Manager Local Board Services, Local Board Relationship Manager, Local Board Senior Advisor, Local Board Advisor, Local Board Engagement Advisor

iii) any additional staff approved by the General Manager Local Board Services or the Group Chief Financial Officer

e) approve holding an extraordinary meeting of the local board on Wednesday 4 November 2020 to adopt the Rodney Local Board Plan 2020.

Horopaki

Context

6. The Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 states that each local board must:

· adopt their local board plan by 31 October of the year following an election

· use the special consultative procedure (SCP) to engage with their communities.

7. Local board plans are strategic documents developed every three years. They set a direction for local boards and reflect community priorities and preferences. They provide a guide for local board activity, funding and investment decisions. They also influence local board input into regional strategies and plans, including annual budgets.

8. The plans inform the development of the council’s 10-year budget. They also form the basis for development of the annual local board agreement for the following three financial years and subsequent work programmes.

Timeframes

9. The consultation period for the local board plans was due to be held in June and July 2020. The implementation of COVID-19 alert levels 3 and 4 required a change in the direction of the draft plans to ensure they responded to the effects of COVID-19. Restrictions on public gatherings also required a shift in planning how engagement events could occur. Planning for these took time, which has forced the consultation period to be moved to July and August 2020.

10. Section 83 of the Local Government Act 2002 requires the consultation period to be a minimum of one month. The COVID-19 Response (Further Management Measures) Legislation Act 2020, which came into force on 16 May 2020, permits a council to modify its SCP and conduct a shorter period of consultation than one month (but no less than 7 days).

11. The threshold for a council being able to modify its consultation period under this Act is high. According to the Act, a council can only take a modified approach to “the extent that it is satisfied to do is necessary or desirable to support measures taken to contain or mitigate the outbreak of COVID-19 or its effects, including, without limitation, by addressing the impacts and consequences of the outbreak for any aspect of the well-being of the community”.

12. While it may be possible to shorten the consultation period, it is important that the community is given a reasonable time to provide feedback on the draft plan in which to indicate their priorities and aspirations.

13. Whilst every effort will be made to adopt the Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 in October 2020, the unavoidable change to the dates of the consultation period may require a small extension of time. This is to ensure the local board has sufficient time to consider the submissions received.

14. It is recommended that provision be made for an extraordinary meeting to adopt the final plan during the weeks of 26 October to 13 November 2020, should it be required. Adoption of the final plan will be no later than 30 November 2020.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

15. The draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 (refer Attachment A) has been developed by considering:

· previous community engagement, including engagement on the 2017 Local Board Plan, 2018-2028 Long-term Plan and prior annual plans

· the uncertainty of the impact of COVID-19 on Auckland Council’s budget and service levels

· subject matter expert advice from council and other council organisations

· mana whenua and mataawaka views through ongoing conversations with Ngā Maunga Whakahii o Kaipara, Te Uri o hau, and Ngāti Manuhiri. However, planned engagements with mataawaka were cancelled due to COVID-19.

16. Targeted consultation was also undertaken in January to April 2020 through various activities with local community groups.

17. The draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 has been developed while the impacts of COVID-19 are not yet fully determined. It is possible that some of the aspirations and desires may need to change as a result.

Key features

18. Key features of the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 include:

· delivery of five outcomes for the Rodney community

· advocacy initiatives that support further community benefits

· a strong focus on doing fewer things well

· balancing affordability with aspiration, particularly in this current climate where budgets are being reduced.

Statement of proposal

19. The use of the SCP requires the local board to approve an accompanying statement of proposal (refer Attachment B). This document provides financial context and an outline of how the public can provide input through the SCP.

Engagement plan for the special consultative procedure

20. The consultation period will run from 13 July to 13 August 2020.

21. The engagement approach focuses on engagement through digital and online platforms.

22. The COVID-19 alert system has certain restrictions on public gatherings, which has varying implications for consultation under the SCP. Due to the uncertainty of knowing which COVID-19 alert level Aucklanders will be under at the time of the consultation, the engagement plan will need to reflect the requirements of the alert level at the time of consultation.

Consultation documentation

23. To support Aucklanders to be able to provide feedback in a way that suits them, information will be provided online and in hard copy.

24. Hard copies and feedback forms will be available at libraries, service centres and local board offices subject to being open, or on request by calling 09 301 0101.

25. The draft local board plan will be available to view online at akhaveyoursay.nz.

Methods for obtaining feedback

26. Feedback will be gathered through the events described below. These may be subject to change depending on the rules and requirements for COVID-19 alert levels:

· Have Your Say face-to-face engagement events (spoken interaction)

· online submission via akhaveyoursay.nz

· written submissions, for example pro formas and letters received by post or email

· verbal submission through telephone by calling 09 301 0101

· social media comments which are in scope of the engagement, although people will be encouraged to go to the online form to make a formal submission

· conversations with community partners to obtain feedback from our diverse communities.

Processing feedback

27. Feedback will be analysed and collated for local board members to consider prior to making decisions on the final local board plan.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

28. The draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 reflects the impacts of predicted climate change. It considers such impacts as increasing temperatures and rising sea levels and on the local board area.

29. Specific initiatives are outlined under each outcome. These include:

· improving water quality in our waterways and mitigating the effects of climate change by restoring freshwater ecosystems and sediment reduction

· supporting the community, and community resource recovery and recycling centres, to minimise waste, turn waste into resources, and to promote education on waste reduction

· ensuring council compliance and regulatory requirements are being properly exercised to protect our environment

· delivering marine and coastal facilities in Rodney’s coastal areas that take into account predicted sea level rises and climate change

· developing our town centres, parks and facilities so they are fit for the future while protecting our natural environment as we grow

· advocating to Auckland Emergency Management to ensure emergency and natural hazard plans consider Rodney’s unique rural, agricultural, and coastal character.

30. The impact on the climate from the process of engagement has been considered. Digital feedback will be encouraged where possible, and printing of hard copies will be limited. The ability to provide feedback from any location reduces the need to travel to a specific location.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

31. The approval of the Rodney draft local board plan 2020 for public consultation will provide the local board with feedback on communities’ aspirations on the direction the local board intends to take. Planning and operational areas of the council have taken part in developing and reviewing the draft plan.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

32. The local board’s views have informed the development of the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 through a series of workshops from November 2019 to May 2020.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

33. In January 2020 a letter was sent to all iwi authorities inviting participation in local board discussions to ensure key feedback was captured early in the planning process.

34. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, hui and planned engagements were cancelled with mana whenua and mataawaka. Priority will be given to engage with mana whenua and mataawaka either before or during the SCP.

35. The local board has also considered existing feedback on several matters from mana whenua and mataawaka. Aspirations and priorities include:

· healthy harbours and waterways

· environment

· social communities.

36. These views have been incorporated into the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

37. Budget to implement initiatives and projects is confirmed through the annual plan budgeting process. Local board plans inform this process.

38. The total engagement budget is $12,000 per local board, which is provided for in the Local Board Services group budget.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

39. There is a risk in approving the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 for public consultation while the full social and economic effects of COVID-19 on the community are not yet determined. The consultation process will seek the views and aspirations of the public to inform the final plan.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

40. Following approval, the draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 and statement of proposal will be available for public consultation from 13 July to 13 August 2020.

41. Details of specific engagement events will be finalised as part of this process.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020	49
b ⇩	Statement of Proposal	85

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Anwen Robinson – Senior Local Board Advisor, Rodney

Authorisers

Louise Mason - GM Local Board Services

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board

17 June 2020

DRAFT RODNEY LOCAL BOARD PLAN 2020

FOR CONSULTATION

Mihi

Tēnā, ngā mihi te tukuna atu nei ki a koutou

e nga manawhenua

e kapekape tonu nei

i ngā ahikā roa e horapa mai nā

ki te taha whakararo o te tipua tāone nei

o Tāmaki Makaurau.

Kia pāorooro tēnei karere

mā runga i ō maunga whakahī.

Kia tīmata ake au i te Kumeū,

ka rere whakawaho ki te one tapu o Muriwai.

Kia hoki ake ki uta, ko Tauwhare ki te rāwhiti,

a Tarawera ki te raki,

ki te taha whakaroto

ko Tuhirangi rāua ko Te Atuanui

Kia kauhoe ngā mihi mā te moana

ki te Araparera

ko koe tēnā e Taranaki,

ka kapi ngā pou tauawhi i a te Kaipara

i hua ai te kōrero,

“E tupu i wīwī, i wāwā, tūria i te wera,

piri ki te rito o te rengarenga,

waiho me whakapakari ki te hua o te kawariki.”

Ināianei me māwhiti aku kupu ki Kaiwaka,

ki Pukekaroro ki te raraunga o te tini i mate,

te aroha tonutia i muri nei.

Kia tahuri iho rā ia ki Matakana,

ko Tamahunga tērā e tū mai rā i te pae.

Ka hīkoi aku mihi mā ngā kāhiwi

kia heke iho ki te awa o Pūhoi

kia rere aku mihi ki te tuawhenua

i nohoa e te iti me te rahi.

Kia ū mai anō taku haere ki Huapai,

ā-tangata, ā-whenua.

Nō rātou te whiwhi, nō mātou te whiwhi,

kia kī ake ai tātou katoa,

“He rohenga tangata,

he iwi tōpuni,

mōwai tonu te whenua e takoto nei e.”

Our greetings and salutations to you

the mana whenua

who continue to tend

the historical fires that encompass

this great city

of Auckland.

May this message echo

across your noble mountains.

Let me begin at Kumeū

then turn outwards to the sacred sands of Muriwai.

I hook inward again where eastward is Tauwhare,

to the north is Tarawera,

and inland stands

Tuhirangi and Atuanui.

Let this greeting travel the inland sea

to Araparera

where Taranaki

completes the guardians of the Kaipara,

who inspired the proclamation,

“People will grow here and there, upright in the heat,

hiding like the shoots of the rengarenga,

and maturing like the fruit of the kawariki.”

Now let my words cross to Kaiwaka

and Pukekaroro, the scene of past losses

that are still mourned today.

Turning then to Matakana,

where stands Tamahunga on the horizon.

Let this greeting follow the ridgeline

down to the Pūhoi River

where it can return inland to the valleys

where the original settlers came.

Our journey ends at Huapai,

of people, and land.

Their good fortune is our shared providence,

so, the axiom,

“The community

are people in communion,

and a calm lies over the land.”

Te Rohe ā-Poari o Rodney Local Board

Rodney Local Board area

The Rodney Local Board area makes up 46 per cent of the Auckland region’s land mass and has 1500km of coastline.

We have 37 towns and villages dispersed throughout our board area and a population of 66,417 (2018 Census), which is about four per cent of the region’s population. This is expected to grow to 85,900 by 2033.

We are home to more than 350 local parks, five libraries and 23 council-owned community halls.

Ngā upoko kōrero

Contents

Rodney Local Board area

Mihi

Contents

From the Chairperson

About local boards

About local board plans

Working with Māori

Developing our plan

Carrying out our plan

Outcomes

Outcome title

Financial information

Your Rodney Local Board members

Appendix A: Advocacy initiatives

He kōrero mai i te Heamana

From the Chairperson

It is my privilege to present our draft Rodney Local Board Plan 2020 for consultation. This plan is a strategic document that will guide the local board’s work for the next three years. It will inform our investment and partnerships, ensure we are advocating for what matters to you, and will serve to harness the skills and knowledge needed to drive progress in our community.

Rodney’s expansive geography is unique. Compared to other local boards, we have a low population, yet the largest geographical area, representing 46 per cent of Auckland. But we are rapidly growing – our population growth was 21 per cent between 2013 and 2018 – the second fastest across Auckland’s local boards. This brings both opportunities and challenges.

· How do we grow in a way that is sustainable and provides an appropriate level of community amenities such as parks, playgrounds, footpaths, and transport services, now and in the future?

· How do we ensure the physical and digital infrastructure that is needed to cope with this growth?

· How do we preserve and protect our natural environment, including the harbours we fish and boat in, and the rivers that feed them, while expanding our urban areas?

· How do we balance our funding across Rodney in a way that is both strategic and responsive, and delivers a core range of services and facilities cost effectively?

Our local board plan is about how we can achieve this as a community in the best possible way. We must strike the right balance between affordability and aspiration.

This draft local plan sees us continue to focus on road safety and improved transport, with a heightened focus on road sealing, advocacy for improvements to state highways 1 and 16, and improving bus services across Rodney.

We remain committed to the environment by concentrating on protecting ecosystems and improving the water quality in our streams, rivers and harbours, which are an integral part of our lives.

We are focused on advocating for facilities and infrastructure that cater to Rodney’s growth, while maintaining the character and vibrancy of our communities, and strong sense of pride.

Building resilient communities where you feel supported and protected is also a key focus. We understand your need for more sport and recreation facilities across Rodney that cater to all ages and abilities, and promote healthy, active lifestyles.

The COVID-19 pandemic has tested our resilience as a community, a nation, and as a global community. It brought sudden, widespread and devastating impact to families and businesses. The local board will need to be agile in its work programme to ensure that we are not only responding to the needs of our community to support a strong recovery, but also positioned to identify and capitalise on the unique opportunities brought about by such adversity. The pandemic will also demand heightened rigour over our prioritisation, particularly where the initiatives we are proposing are dependent on funding.

Over the years you have shared with us what you think our priorities should be, and in developing this draft plan, we have also considered the Auckland Plan, which guides the longer-term vision for the region. Your continued feedback and insights are important to help us understand the changing needs of our communities, and to ensure we are aligned in our priorities for Rodney.

We look forward to receiving your feedback. By working together, we can achieve great things for Rodney.

Phelan Pirrie

Chairperson, Rodney Local Board

He kōrero mō ngā poari ā-rohe

About local boards

Auckland Council has a unique model of local government in New Zealand, made up of the Governing Body (the mayor and 20 Governing Body members) and 21 local boards. The Governing Body focuses on Auckland-wide issues while local boards are responsible for decision-making on local matters, activities and services and provide input into regional strategies, policies and plans.

Local boards make decisions on local matters such as:

· supporting local arts, culture, events and sport and recreation

· providing grants and partnering with local organisations to deliver community services

· maintaining and upgrading town centres and facilities including parks, libraries and halls

· caring for the environment and preserving heritage.

Local boards also have a role in representing the view of their communities on issues of local importance.

About local board plans

Local board plans are strategic three-year plans that are developed in consultation with the community. They set out the direction for the local area that reflects community aspirations and priorities. The plans guide the local boards in:

· decisions on local activities, projects, and facilities

· input into the council's regional strategies and plans, including the Auckland Plan

· how local boards will work with other agencies, including community groups, central government agencies and council-controlled organisations that play key roles in the area

· funding and investment decisions.

Local board plans are inclusive and connected; they don’t operate in isolation. They support the following:

· the Auckland Plan 2050 – the 30-year vision for Auckland

· council’s 10-year budget (Long-term Plan) – planned spending and future investment priorities over the longer term, including local boards

· the council’s annual budget (annual plan) – funding for the coming financial year of the 10-year budget, including local boards.

Local board agreements form the basis for each local board to develop its annual work programme and set out local funding priorities and budgets, levels of service, performance measures and targets by activity for each financial year.

Working with Māori

Māori culture and identity is celebrated by Aucklanders and is our point of difference in the world.

Te Tiriti o Waitangi recognises the rangatiratanga of Auckland's hapū and iwi, and the inseparable bond between Tāmaki Makaurau the people and Tāmaki Makaurau the place.

Local boards play a vital role in representing the interests of all Aucklanders. We are committed to our treaty-based obligations and to Māori participation and development.

We have worked with Māori to develop initiatives that respond to Māori aspirations.

Te whakawhanake i tā mātou mahere

Developing our plan

Our plan sets out what we want to achieve and some of the key initiatives we will carry out to achieve them.

We have identified these by considering what we know about our community, having worked closely with you and heard your views on a wide range of things. Our plan was also developed using feedback received from public engagement carried out between January and April 2020.

We have yet to fully determine the social and economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on our communities, and it may mean some of our plans may need to change as a result. Our response will be delivered via the annual budgeting process but the decisions we make will focus on ensuring the benefits for our community.

It is predicted that our levels of service may change as part of the council’s response to COVID-19, but we do not currently know the extent of those changes. We will have some more information once the council’s Annual Budget is adopted in late July 2020. The local board budgets and levels of service for the 2020/2021 financial year will be updated following that. To ensure we reflect your current needs and desires for Rodney in this plan, we are sharing this draft document for your feedback. We will engage with our community through online events and conversations in person to hear your thoughts. These may be subject to change depending on the rules and requirements of the COVID-19 alert levels, as the safety of our community and staff is paramount.

We will make an effort to hear from the groups that are often hardest to reach, to ensure their voices are heard and considered.

The issues and priorities you raise with us through these interactions will help inform the final version of this plan.

Te whakatutuki i tā mātou mahere

Carrying out our plan

Turning plans into reality takes many people working together – the community, the local board and the wider council family such as Auckland Transport.

To deliver against the outcomes in the local board plans, we will:

· prioritise budget to focus on the initiatives in the plans

· make the best use of local assets such as community centres and parks

· set direction for the council staff who deliver the projects and services

· work with various community groups and partners, to deliver projects and services.

Sometimes, important projects in local areas are beyond the funding available to local boards or our authority to make decisions. In those cases, the role of local boards is to advocate to decision-makers to ensure they are aware of community views and the local board’s support for them.

Whakaotinga tahi: Kei te tūhono ngā kōwhiringa ikiiki haumaru, pai ake i ō tātou hapori

Outcome one: Safe, improved transport options connect our communities

Our transport infrastructure keeps pace with the needs of our communities, and public transport is accessible. People can access walkways, cycleways and bridleways close to where they live. Our roads are safe and well maintained.

When it comes to transport, Rodney is different to most other areas in Auckland. Our local board covers 46 per cent of Auckland’s land area, much of it rural.

Public transport options are limited. We don’t have passenger trains, and bus services are limited. Many of our communities lack adequate footpaths or safe places to walk beside roads.

This means residents must often rely on private vehicles. More than 650km of our roads are unsealed. Not only are unsealed roads hard on vehicles, they are often unsafe, prone to dust and sediment run-off, and in winter, potholes are a constant issue.

Residents also face congestion across Rodney, including in fast-growing areas.

The geography of Rodney and the competing demands of transport needs across Auckland mean that transport funding is never enough to meet demand.

To help address our transport issues, we consulted on a transport targeted rate just for Rodney in our last local board plan. A significant number of our community supported it, and that funding is now delivering on key transport initiatives.

With this funding, plus the other transport budgets available to us, we have made real progress, including establishing three new bus routes that are well patronised, beginning work on park-and-rides, and building new footpaths. The expectation is that Auckland Transport will take over the running of ongoing bus services that targeted rate funding has initiated.

Over the next three years, we will push for improved bus services across Rodney. We will complete the planned park-and-rides in Kumeū and Warkworth.

We will advocate strongly for better road maintenance, particularly on unsealed roads. We are looking for new ways to extend the $121m road sealing budget to improve the safety and integrity of our unsealed roads.

Central government controls and funds state highways 1 and 16, so we will continue to advocate and work with the NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) to increase the safety and capacity of our state highways.

We will continue to implement our greenways plans, by creating walkways, cycleways and bridleways to connect our communities.

With the highest rates of deaths and serious injuries in Auckland, we will work to improve the safety of our transport network. We want roads and footpaths in our villages and towns to be safer for pedestrians, cyclists and people using personal mobility devices. Better signage, crossings, road markings and surface treatments are some of the tools we can use. We can also increase pedestrian safety by constructing more footpaths, particularly where they complete circuits or are near schools.

Opportunities

· We can use the funding and advocacy options available to us to fund much-needed transport projects. These options include the $121 million seal extension programme (part of the Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan), our Rodney Local Board Targeted Transport Rate, and our Local Board Transport Capital Fund.

· The Rodney Local Board has initiated new bus routes and progressed development of park-and-rides with targeted rate funding. The local board is well placed to continue expanding transport provision for Rodney by building on their experience and successes so far.

Challenges

· Rodney has more than 650km of unsealed roads. They are susceptible to erosion, dust and sediment run-off, and are hard on road users.

· Vehicle congestion is a significant problem across Rodney, including in fast-growing areas.

· Many Rodney people live rurally and often in remote areas that have limited transport options.

Our commitment

We are committed to carrying out the following key initiatives, and will continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.

Outcome: Safe, improved transport options connect our communities

Objective

Key initiatives

Our roads are safe and well-maintained and have the capacity to meet the demand of users.

1. Advocate for improved road safety and maintenance, particularly on unsealed roads. Explore ways of making the $121m road sealing budget extend to more roads by using techniques that have been shown to improve our unsealed road network.

2. Make roads and footpaths through villages and towns safer for non-vehicle users with tools such as electronic speed-indication signs and safer road crossings.

3. Advocate to NZTA to enhance safety, and address congestion, on state highways.

Public transport is a viable option for getting around.

4. Advocate for or fund further improvements and expansion of Rodney bus services, including park-and-rides, additional routes and stops, weekend services on busier routes, and higher frequency on busy routes.

5. Advocate for good public transport provision for new development areas.

Our communities are well connected by safe and accessible footpaths, cycleways, trails and bridleways.

6. Improve pedestrian safety by constructing footpaths, particularly where they finish incomplete circuits, or are near schools.

7. Prioritise joining the new and old parts of our towns with footpaths, to provide safe walking options.

8. Support the implementation of walkways, trails and bridleways, as guided by our greenways plans, to better connect our rural areas with local villages, and to increase safety – ensuring that any new developments and subdivisions are also connected to this network.

Whakaotinga rua: Kei te hauora tō tātou taiao, ā, kei te tiakina

Outcome two: Our natural environment is healthy and protected

Our coast, waterways and natural environment are our taonga (treasure). They are healthy and clean, with thriving biodiverse ecosystems. Communities look after our environment by eradicating pests, carrying out restoration work, and minimising waste. They are active in reducing their carbon emissions and living sustainably to combat climate change.

Rodney offers a beautiful and diverse landscape. We have the wild west coast and stunning east coast on the Hauraki Gulf, the Kaipara Harbour, forests, farming and lifestyle blocks, rural and remote communities as well as coastal settlements. This geography, coupled with our 1500km of coastline, makes our area vulnerable to climate change. We need to ensure our activities reduce our impact on the environment.

We are working with farmers and landowners to address the impact on our waterways of nutrient and sediment runoff, and forestry and building activities. We will continue to partner with landowners, central government, agencies and iwi through our Rodney Healthy Harbours Riparian Restoration Fund and through other initiatives to improve water quality by enabling riparian fencing and planting, and by reducing sediment.

Our stormwater and wastewater infrastructure needs to improve. We will continue advocating for better maintenance and water supply capacity to mitigate environmental effects, including working with council departments and property owners using septic tanks and private sewerage treatment schemes, to ensure these do not negatively affect the environment.

Rodney is home to many vulnerable flora and fauna species that need protection. At the same time, plant and animal pests, and pathogens are causing damage to our environment. They need to be reduced to enable and maintain plantings and other environmental restoration. We will continue to support local volunteer groups that are doing this valuable work. We will work to encourage council departments to ensure that planning and regulatory processes improve environmental outcomes.

We will also advocate for funding that becomes available as a result of growth to be used for offset mitigation projects. For example, we will advocate for growth funding to be used for plantings in Green Road in Dairy Flat to offset the effects of development in other areas of Rodney.

We will support the community resource recovery and recycling centres in our area, bringing local employment and volunteer opportunities. We will also ensure any local board-funded and permitted events minimise their waste.

Opportunities

· We have committed and skilled environmental groups tackling issues like pests, pathogens, environmental restoration and waste minimisation.

· Rodney has more than 350 local parks, nearly 4000 hectares of regional park land and more than 1500km of coastline that stand to benefit from renewal, to better function as native wildlife habitats and corridors.

· We have a partnership established with local iwi Te Uri o Hau to grow native plants for our Rodney Healthy Harbours Riparian Restoration Fund.

Challenges

· The climate emergency is causing water shortages as well as extreme storms with heavy wind and rain.

· Rodney’s rural character, with an extensive coastline, farming and remote communities makes our area vulnerable to the effects of climate change, such as adapting to rising sea levels and flooding.

· With more than 650km of unsealed roads, sediment runoff from new developments, forestry activity and livestock in waterways, the water quality of many of our waterways and harbours is suffering.

· Pest plants and animals, and pathogens damage our native ecosystem and need to be reduced to enable restoration work.

Our commitment

We are committed to carrying out the following key initiatives, and will continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.

Outcome: Our natural environment is healthy and protected
Objective	Key initiatives
We have good water quality in our streams, rivers and harbours.	1. Improve water quality in our waterways and mitigate the effects of climate change by restoring freshwater ecosystems (to provide benefits such as flood mitigation, habitat for native biodiversity, and carbon sequestration) through riparian fencing and planting, and sediment reduction. 2. Advocate to improve stormwater and wastewater infrastructure.
Our natural environment is clean and healthy with thriving ecosystems.	3. Improve our local biodiversity and natural environment by working with and supporting community groups, schools and mana whenua, and by advocating for regional and national funding to eradicate pest plants and animals, and pathogens and to carry out restoration work. 4. Support the community, and community resource recovery and recycling centres, to minimise waste, turn waste into resources, and to promote education on waste reduction. 5. We will advocate for growth funding to be used for projects to offset the effects of development, for example, plantings in Green Road. 6. Ensure any local board-funded and permitted events are managed to minimise waste. 7. Ensure council compliance and regulatory requirements are being properly exercised to protect our environment.

Whakaotinga toru: Ka ea ngā hiahia a ō tātou hapori tipu haere i ngā hanganga me te whanaketanga

Outcome three: Infrastructure and development meets the needs of our growing communities

Our towns and villages are vibrant and attract people to shop and work locally. People are proud or their local area and its unique character. New development is planned carefully to consider current communities and meet future needs.

The Rodney Local Board area experienced the second-highest growth rate of any local board between 2013 and 2018, growing 21 per cent. This was significantly higher than the Auckland-wide rate of 11 per cent. Rapid growth will continue in Rodney over the coming decades.

Well-planned growth can bring many community benefits including improved facilities, infrastructure and transport. Our focus is on continuing to ensure that we plan for appropriate development as the Rodney area grows and changes, and that our residents have a voice in this process.

We are focusing on ensuring that developments meet the needs of current and future residents and businesses, while balancing the impact of development on the natural environment, our rural character and vibrancy of our communities.

Many areas have fallen behind in terms of infrastructure provision, such as recreation facilities and transport. This needs to be addressed urgently.

Part of achieving this involves continuing to work with Auckland Council’s Governing Body to ensure that Rodney gets its fair share of regional spending, including development contributions.

Communities, particularly those in growth areas, for example Kumeū-Huapai, Wainui, Warkworth and Riverhead, continue to ask for their areas to be well planned when accommodating growth. We will give our communities a voice, advocating for facilities and infrastructure that cater for Rodney’s growth.

We have developed plans such as our greenway and town centre plans. We will continue this work as well as delivering existing plans. We need the community to be involved in creating town centres, parks and facilities that are fit for the future, that create a sense of pride, and that encourage people to buy local food, goods and services. This will be particularly important as we recover from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic to build community cohesion and resilience.

Our town centres and villages have seen little improvement for over a decade. We will partner with agencies such as NZ Transport Agency, Auckland Transport and Panuku Development Auckland to improve our town centres and villages, and to optimise opportunities with public land to create better, more usable and attractive public spaces that become focal points for our communities.

Opportunities

· A lot of the growth for Rodney is already planned, which will enable appropriate development as Rodney’s needs grow and change.

· There is significant ongoing investment in State Highway 1 (Puhoi to Warkworth). This work will enable Warkworth to become a destination rather than a transit area, providing a boost for local businesses.

Challenges

· Areas in Rodney have developed and grown beyond the capacity of local infrastructure and facilities.

· COVID-19 has caused significant hardship for many businesses throughout Rodney.

· Empty shops, buildings and streetscapes in disrepair, and the lack of local jobs, contributes to community disconnectedness and poor economic prospects in some rural villages.

Our commitment

We are committed to carrying out the following key initiatives, and will continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.

Outcome: Infrastructure and development meets the needs of our growing communities
Objective	Key initiatives
Our villages and towns retain their individual character and heritage aspects, and development is sympathetic to the natural and existing built environment.	1. Support enhancement projects for growth areas, including Dairy Flat, Helensville, Kumeū-Huapai, Warkworth and Wellsford. 2. Deliver village centre improvements for rural villages such as Matakana, Puhoi, Riverhead and Kaukapakapa. 3. Develop a centre plan for Warkworth.
Our business communities are resilient, and have a positive outlook, having withstood the economic impact of COVID-19.	4. Support the establishment of a business improvement district (BID) in Wellsford to meet the challenges of the SH1 extension to Te Hana. 5. Encourage businesses to increase environmentally sustainable practices, such as minimising waste and reducing energy consumption.
Our facilities and infrastructure meet the needs of our growing communities.	6. Investigate options for library services and programmes to meet the needs of a changing and growing population. 7. Taking into account predicted sea level rises and climate change, deliver marine and coastal facilities in Rodney’s coastal areas. 8. Develop our town centres, parks and facilities so they are fit for the future while protecting the natural environment as we grow. 9. Work with agencies such as NZTA, Auckland Transport and Panuku to continue to optimise public spaces to create focal points for our community.

Whakaotinga whā: He aumangea ō tātou hapori, ā, ka taea te pā atu ki tō rātou e hiahia ana

Outcome four: Our communities are resilient and have access to what they need

Our communities are resilient, supportive of each other and prepared for emergencies. They take a lead in organising events and activities. Our facilities and programmes meet the needs of our growing and changing communities.

Many residents live in remote areas, with limited facilities and activities nearby. This, along with rapid growth in some parts of the local board area, brings challenges and is one of the many reasons that the work of our local communities is so important.

Our extensive coastline, isolated communities, often with limited or difficult access to broadband and shops, makes us more vulnerable to a number of challenges. The climate emergency is our greatest challenge and is contributing to our water shortage, coastal erosion, poor water quality due to sediment run-off, flooding and extreme heat causing hardship for farmers. We also face hazards such as tsunamis, volcanoes, flooding, and severe wind and storms, and have been responding to the COVID-19 global pandemic.

While emergency and civil defence is planned and coordinated at a regional and national level, as a largely rural local board, we need to ensure that our unique challenges are understood. We also want to enable strong local systems and community preparedness to help mitigate the effects of hardship. We will advocate for Auckland Emergency Management teams to understand our vulnerable communities better so that their needs are addressed. We also want council facilities and services that are resilient and meet the needs of our community in times of disaster and difficulty.

Our facilities are the hubs of our communities. Our network of rural halls, libraries and arts centres are well used and cared for by our communities. They enable important social interaction in widely dispersed communities, the exchange of ideas and knowledge, and artistic and cultural pursuits.

We fully support community facilities, the dedicated volunteers who run them, and the people and groups that use them. We will continue to work with communities to develop multi-purpose community facilities that are well used and can cater for diverse groups.

Opportunities

· Our rural hall committees are active and committed to providing welcoming environments for community groups and residents.

· Our volunteer libraries provide a valuable service to their communities.

· Some of our communities have already developed community visions and plans.

Challenges

· The COVID-19 pandemic will present economic challenges for some time, particularly for small businesses and those who have lost jobs or have reduced incomes.

· Many of our communities are remote with limited facilities and activities nearby, or poor digital connectivity, making it a challenge for them to participate and connect with others.

· Not all communities in Rodney have the skills, capacity and resources to initiate their own projects or participate fully in local decision-making processes.

· There is not always funding or other resources available to provide for all the programmes and activities that communities might want.

· Our unique landscape with isolated communities and extensive coastline makes us more vulnerable to hazards and emergencies.

Our commitment

We are committed to carrying out the following key initiatives, and will continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.

Outcome: Our communities are resilient and can access what they need locally
Objective	Key initiatives
Our communities are strong and resilient.	1. Support communities to deliver community projects and events, and to work collaboratively with council and other key stakeholders. 2. Develop partnerships and projects with Māori that respond to and further their aspirations. 3. Support community initiatives that will increase self-sufficiency skills and encourage sharing of resources at the local level. 4. Ensure strategically located halls and community centres can be used by our communities in times of difficulty. 5. Advocate for reliable, fast and affordable broadband connections for all our communities. 6. Advocate to Auckland Emergency Management, the council group and central government to ensure emergency and natural hazard plans consider Rodney’s unique rural, agricultural, and coastal character. 7. Advocate to Auckland Emergency Management to work closely with our local rural communities on the best ways to support them in an emergency.
Council facilities cater to local needs and are well used by their communities.	8. Support libraries to promote community connectedness through targeted programmes. 9. Provide our rural hall committees with governance and organisational support to enhance rural halls as gathering places for our rural communities. 10. Support our arts centres to ensure a flourishing local arts scene.

Whakaotinga rima: Ka ea ngā hiahia o tō tātou hapori tipu haere i ō tātou pāka hapori me ngā ratonga ā-rēhia

Outcome five: Our local parks and recreation facilities meet the needs of our growing community

Our local parks, sport and recreation facilities cater to a wide range of interests and abilities. They are enjoyable places to visit, and relax or be active in. They are easily accessible and meet the demands of our current and future generations.

Rodney is lucky to have more than 350 local parks and almost 4000 hectares of regional park land for our enjoyment. However, development and population growth are outstripping the capacity of some of our local parks and recreation facilities. In some cases, no local facilities exist for certain activities, or if the facilities exist, they require long journeys to access them.

We want our parks and sports facilities to be accessible and to cater sustainably for growth. We want to enable people to get out and enjoy local open spaces. We will push for new developments to have enough open space to cater for growing communities, as well as paths and other connections to link them together.

We will continue to support the delivery of the Kumeū-Huapai indoor courts facility and a multi-sport facility in Warkworth.

We have done a lot of work renewing and improving our sports parks and reserves to make them suitable for use all year round. Some of our reserves and open spaces still need work to make them more useable with projects like perimeter paths and sports field lighting for our established reserves. For our new spaces we want to understand the community’s sports and recreation needs and to implement park master plans, including for Wellsford Centennial Park and Green Road in Dairy Flat.

Growth in Rodney also means we need additional and improved playgrounds. We intend to build or renew playgrounds, focusing on shade, shelter and play for all abilities and ages. By revitalising some of the older, tired play equipment into something modern and exciting, we can increase its use and encourage everyone to become more active, more often.

Our residents and visitors enjoy using our beaches and coastline for sport and leisure. We want to help provide good infrastructure to enable this, including boat ramps, toilets and sea walls that protect our coastal settlements. In doing this we need to factor in predicted sea level rises and climate change, which will make some decisions challenging.

Opportunities

· We have an extensive coastline and parks network accessible to our communities.

· Our population growth and positive relationships with developers helps ensure there is enough open space to serve residents’ needs.

· As our playgrounds require upgrades, we can enhance them to cater for all abilities and local needs.

Challenges

· Many of our communities are remote with limited facilities and activities nearby, making it a challenge for people to access them.

· Our sports fields are in high demand making it difficult to meet the needs of all users including those wanting all-weather, year-round sports fields.

· We need to manage the ongoing costs when maintaining and enhancing our assets and services, as our investment in parks, sport and recreation is by far the largest of our budgets.

· We need to consider the impacts of climate change including sea level rise and adverse weather events on our coastal assets and infrastructure.

Our commitment

We are committed to carrying out the following key initiatives, and will continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.

Outcome: Our local parks and recreation facilities meet the needs of our growing community
Objective	Key initiatives
Our communities have great local options for indoor and outdoor sport and recreation, that provide opportunities for all ages and abilities.	1. Support the delivery of the Kumeū-Huapai indoor courts facility and a multi-sport facility in Warkworth. 2. Continue to develop and deliver plans for key parks such as Wellsford Centennial Park and Green Road in Dairy Flat. 3. Implement the outcomes identified in the Green Road master plan. 4. Build playgrounds, particularly in growing areas, focusing on shade, shelter and play for all abilities.
Our regional parks provide great recreation opportunities and meet the needs of our communities and visitors.	5. Advocate for more investment into regional parks in our local board area to meet the pressures of growth and tourism.
The environment and ecology of our parks is well cared for.	6. Continue to support volunteers working in parks, reserves and public land on weed and pest control and other restoration work.

He kōrero take pūtea

Financial information

The local board funding policy sets out how local boards are funded to meet the costs of providing local activities and administration support.

Local board funding is approved through the council’s budget-setting process. This involves the council’s Governing Body adopting a 10-year budget (Long-term Plan) every three years and an annual budget every year. Local board agreements make up part of the annual budget.

The council’s budget-setting process involves allocating funding gathered through revenue sources such as rates and user charges.

Draft financial and levels of service statements included for draft local board plan consultation were provided in March 2020 based on information included in the 2018-28 Long-term Plan. It is predicted that these will change due to budget and level of service revisions as part of the Auckland Council response to COVID-19. At the time of consultation, we do not know the extent of these changes so have included the previously adopted information for reference.

As the 2020/2021 annual budget will now be adopted in late July 2020, these financial statements and levels of service will be updated for final local board plans once information is available.

Local activities and levels of service

The budget-setting process sets levels of service for local activities and corresponding performance targets. The table below describes the local activities and level of service statements.

More information on local board budgets can be found in the Rodney Local Board Agreement 2019/2020 and Auckland Council’s local board funding policy, which are available on the council website.

Local activities	Levels of service statements
Local community services This is a broad activity area, which includes: · supporting local arts, culture, events, sport and recreation · providing grants and partnering with local organisations to deliver community services · maintaining facilities, including local parks, libraries and halls.	We provide library services and programmes that support Aucklanders with reading and literacy, and opportunities to participate in community and civic life. We fund, enable and deliver community events and experiences that enhance identity and connect people. We fund, enable and deliver arts and culture experiences that enhance identity and connect people. Utilising the Empowered Communities Approach we support Aucklanders to create thriving, connected and inclusive communities. Provide safe, reliable and accessible social infrastructure for Aucklanders that contributes to placemaking and thriving communities. We provide art facilities, community centres and hire venues that enable Aucklanders to run locally responsive activities, promoting participation, inclusion and connection. We provide recreation programmes, opportunities and facilities to get Aucklanders more active, more often. We provide safe and accessible parks, reserves and beaches. We showcase Auckland’s Māori identity and vibrant Māori culture.
Local planning and development This group of activities covers improvements to town centres, the local street environment as well as local environment and heritage protection. These activities also include working with business and community associations to improve local economic development and employment initiatives.	We help attract investment, businesses and a skilled workforce to Auckland.
Local environmental management Local boards work in partnership with local communities and iwi to deliver projects and programmes to improve local environments. Our focus is on indigenous biodiversity, healthy waterways and sustainable living. These activities include stream restoration, waste minimisation programmes, supporting environmental volunteers and partnering with schools to provide a range of environmental initiatives.	We manage Auckland’s natural environment.
Local governance Activities in this group support our 21 local boards to engage with and represent their communities, and make decisions on local activities. This support includes providing strategic advice, leadership of the preparation of local board plans, support in developing the local board agreements, community engagement, including relationships with mana whenua and Māori communities, and democracy and administrative support.	The measures for this group of activities are covered under the Regional Governance group of activities in the Long-term Plan 2018-2028 which determine participation with Auckland Council decision-making in general. This includes local decision-making.

Local activities

Levels of service statements

Local community services

This is a broad activity area, which includes:

· supporting local arts, culture, events, sport and recreation

· providing grants and partnering with local organisations to deliver community services

· maintaining facilities, including local parks, libraries and halls.

We provide library services and programmes that support Aucklanders with reading and literacy, and opportunities to participate in community and civic life.

We fund, enable and deliver community events and experiences that enhance identity and connect people.

We fund, enable and deliver arts and culture experiences that enhance identity and connect people.

Utilising the Empowered Communities Approach we support Aucklanders to create thriving, connected and inclusive communities.

Provide safe, reliable and accessible social infrastructure for Aucklanders that contributes to placemaking and thriving communities.

We provide art facilities, community centres and hire venues that enable Aucklanders to run locally responsive activities, promoting participation, inclusion and connection.

We provide recreation programmes, opportunities and facilities to get Aucklanders more active, more often.

We provide safe and accessible parks, reserves and beaches.

We showcase Auckland’s Māori identity and vibrant Māori culture.

Local planning and development

This group of activities covers improvements to town centres, the local street environment as well as local environment and heritage protection. These activities also include working with business and community associations to improve local economic development and employment initiatives.

We help attract investment, businesses and a skilled workforce to Auckland.

Local environmental management

Local boards work in partnership with local communities and iwi to deliver projects and programmes to improve local environments. Our focus is on indigenous biodiversity, healthy waterways and sustainable living.

These activities include stream restoration, waste minimisation programmes, supporting environmental volunteers and partnering with schools to provide a range of environmental initiatives.

We manage Auckland’s natural environment.

Local governance

Activities in this group support our 21 local boards to engage with and represent their communities, and make decisions on local activities. This support includes providing strategic advice, leadership of the preparation of local board plans, support in developing the local board agreements, community engagement, including relationships with mana whenua and Māori communities, and democracy and administrative support.

The measures for this group of activities are covered under the Regional Governance group of activities in the Long-term Plan 2018-2028 which determine participation with Auckland Council decision-making in general. This includes local decision-making.

Financial overview

Revenue, expenditure and capital investment by local activities for the Rodney Local Board for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021. These will change due to budget revisions as part of the council’s response to COVID-19 and will be updated for final local board plans once the information is available.

Annual Budget financials			2020/21 ($000)
Operating revenue
Local community services			747
Local planning and development			-
Local environmental services			-
Local governance			-
Total operating revenue			747
Operating expenditure
Local community services			13,522
Local planning and development			180
Local environmental services			419
Local governance			1,034
Total operating expenditure			15,155
Net operating expenditure			14,408
Capital expenditure
Local community services			6,585
Local planning and development			-
Local environmental services			-
Local governance			-
Total capital expenditure			6.585

Ngā Mema o tō Poari ā-Rohe o Rodney Local Board

Your Rodney Local Board members

	Members’ details
	Phelan Pirrie – Chairperson Phone: 021 837 167 phelan.pirrie@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Beth Houlbrooke – Deputy Chairperson Phone: 021 839 413 beth.houlbrooke@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Brent Bailey Phone: 021 730 892 brent.bailey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Steven Garner Phone: 021 198 1582 steven.garner@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Danielle Hancock Phone: 021 195 9826 danielle.hancock@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Tim Holdgate Phone: 021 195 6366 tim.holdgate@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Louise Johnston Phone: 021 729 739 louise.johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Vicki Kenny Phone: 027 670 9968 vicki.kenny@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
	Colin Smith Phone: 021 731 051 colin.smith@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Appendix A: Advocacy initiatives

A key role of the local board is to advocate for initiatives that will benefit the local community but where it may not have decision-making responsibilities or funding available, but it recognises the value certain advocacy will add to the local community.

Key advocacy areas for Rodney Local Board include:

Initiative	Description	Advocating to
Safe well-maintained roads	Advocate for improved road safety and maintenance, particularly on unsealed roads.	Auckland Transport
Improvements to safety and congestion on state highways	Advocate to enhance safety, and address congestion on state highways.	NZ Transport Agency
Public transport provision	Advocate for further improvements and expansion of Rodney bus services, including park-and-rides, additional routes and stops, weekend services on busier routes, and higher frequency on busy routes.	Auckland Transport
Public transport provision	Advocate for good public transport provision for new development areas.	Auckland Transport
Improved stormwater and wastewater infrastructure	Advocate to improve stormwater and wastewater infrastructure.	Auckland Council Watercare
Pest eradication and restoration	Advocate for regional and national funding to eradicate pest plants and animals, and pathogens and to carry out restoration work.	Auckland Council Central Government
Use of growth funding	Advocate for growth funding to be used for projects to offset the effects of development, for example, by carrying out planting in Green Road.	Auckland Council
Optimise public spaces	Work with agencies to continue to optimise public spaces to create focal points for our community.	Auckland Transport NZ Transport Agency Panuku Development Auckland
Improved broadband	Advocate for reliable, fast and affordable broadband connections for all our communities.	Central Government
Consider Rodney’s unique challenges in emergency and natural hazard plans	Advocate to ensure emergency and natural hazard plans consider Rodney’s unique rural, agricultural, and coastal character.	Auckland Emergency Management
Emergency management support	Advocate to work closely with our local rural communities on the best ways to support them in an emergency.	Auckland Emergency Management
Regional parks investment	Advocate for more investment into regional parks in our local board area to meet the pressures of growth and tourism.	Auckland Council

Board Member	Organisation	Position
Brent Bailey	Royal NZ Yacht Squadron	Member
Steven Garner	Warkworth Tennis and Squash Club Sandspit Yacht Club Warkworth Gamefish Club	President Member Member
Louise Johnston	Blackbridge Environmental Protection Society	Treasurer
Vicki Kenny	International Working Holidays Ltd Nannies Abroad Ltd Waitemata Riding Club National Party Helensville Electorate	Director/Owner/CEO Director/Owner/CEO Member Treasurer
Danielle Hancock	Kaukapakapa Residents and Ratepayers Association Pest Free Kaukapakapa New Zealand Biosecurity Services Limited	Member Pest Free Coordinator Operations Manager
Tim Holdgate	Landowners Contractors Protection Association	Vice Chairman
Beth Houlbrooke	Kawau Island Boat Club ACT New Zealand	Member Deputy Leader Contractor
Phelan Pirrie	Muriwai Volunteer Fire Brigade Grow West Ltd North West Country Incorporated	Officer in Charge Director Manager
Colin Smith

Chairperson	Phelan Pirrie
Deputy Chairperson	Beth Houlbrooke
Members	Brent Bailey
	Steve Garner
	Danielle Hancock
	Tim Holdgate
	Louise Johnston
	Vicki Kenny
	Colin Smith

Authors	Robyn Joynes - Democracy Advisor - Rodney
Authoriser	Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager