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Waitākere Ranges Local Board
18 June 2020
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DRAFT LOCAL BOARD PLAN
2020 FOR CONSULTATION
TEMPLATE
Cover Page
[Cover photo has now been
confirmed with each board. Studio will add this.]
Te Rohe
ā-Poari o Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Waitākere Ranges Local Board
area
The first thing you see when you
approach west Auckland is the Waitākere Ranges, which form a natural
backdrop to the western skyline and are protected by the Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area Act 2008.
This local board area, full of
natural and cultural features, yet close to metropolitan Auckland and subject
to pressure from the urban environment, is unique in New Zealand.
Te Kawerau a Maki and Ngāti
Whātua are mana whenua in the Waitākere Ranges. Hoani Waititi Marae
is a local urban marae.
Our largest and only town centre is
Glen Eden, surrounded by the suburban areas of Glen Eden, Kaurilands, Parrs
Park and Sunnyvale. Laingholm, Oratia and Waitākere are located in very
different settings, and long-established rural communities are clustered around
Huia, Parau, Piha, Karekare and Bethells Beach.
Titirangi and Swanson are established
small villages with strong local characteristics. Titirangi hosts Te Uru Waitākere
Contemporary Gallery and
is an established centre for the arts. Swanson is a small village which is
expanding quickly.
In the 2018 census 52,095 people were
living in this area, a 9 per cent increase from 2013. Of these, 13% identify as
Māori.
The Auckland Prosperity
Index shows that Waitākere Ranges has the highest self-employment rate in
Auckland. The area has high levels of home ownership, relatively affordable
rentals and low unemployment, although though there are significant differences between more and
less affluent areas. Healthcare, education and
construction services are the main employment sectors.
While Hoani
Waititi kura has a small number of secondary students, there are no large
secondary schools in this area.
Residents have access to council
libraries at Titirangi and Glen Eden, two community houses, venues for hire at
Ceramco Park and Titirangi Hall, a variety of halls run by community groups,
and sports fields such as those at Parrs Park.
The map will not be
available for the draft.
Mihi
E nga pītau whakarei o te
waka,
e nga rau tītapu o te iwi, e
aku hei māpuna,
e taku iti e taku
rahi, koutou kua mahue mai nei
hei toka piringa mōku i te
ora,
hei ruruhau i nga hau āwhio o
te wā.
E aku whakakai pounamu, e aku
māpihi maurea,
kia oho te mauri, kia māriri o
koutou wairua,
kia hora te marino,
tēnā koutou katoa.
Tēnei au te noho
atu nei i te tihi o Te Pae o te Rangi,
i tīhorea ai te whenua kia
kī ake au,
e koe e te hau o te
uru te wawā rā, me te kī mai,
e kore au e ora i
ngā hau kōtiu, i āia ai te pūpūtara ki uta.
Nāu nei te tono
kia piki ake au i ngā tai whakatū a Kupe
ki te Waonui a Tiriwhā me te Pae o te Rangi,
Kia titiro whakaroto ahau ki te
maunga o Puketōtara,
kei raro
e rere ana ko te awa o Waitākere
kei
tētahi taha ko Puke Whakataratara, kei tua ko Te Whau.
Koinei
rā te rohe kāinga o Te Au o Te Whenua me te Kawerau a Maki,
ko
rātou nei te whāriki i āhei ai te nohoa o
tēnei moka o te rohe
e tini whāioio
kua whakakāinga ma.
Kua kōhatu nei
nga paparahi ki te whenua,
i tangata whenuatia ai tātou
katoa.
I whaikiko ai te kōrero,
“Ko te
hapori te tauawhi i te taiao, he mea motuhake, rerenga kē.”
Kia hiwa rā, kia hiwa rā.
To all those who adorn the prow of this canoe,
to the revered leaders of the people, to my treasured
heirlooms,
the lesser and the greater parts of me,
you who are my refuge in life,
my shelter from the storms of time.
My objects of affection,
let your very being flourish, let your spirit be at peace,
let the calm be widespread, I send greetings to you all.
Here I sit on the ridgeline of Te Pae o te Rangi,
where the land had been laid bare,
and the roaring wind of the west whispers,
that I would not survive the blast of the northerly wind,
that would drive the paper nautilus to shore.
It was you who commanded me to ascend from the raised seas of
Kupe,
to the forest of Tiriwha, and Te Pae o te Rangi.
So I look inland to Puketotara,
at the foot of which runs the Waitākere river
on one side stands Massey and on the other - Te Whau.
Home of Te Au o te Whenua and Te Kawerau a Maki,
the original settlers, they laid the way for later travellers
to make a home here.
They cast their footprints in stone upon these precincts of
the region,
and so made settlers of us all.
Which gives substance to the adage,
“Communities connected to their natural environment are
unique and diverse.” Let us grow with vigour.
Ngā upoko kōrero
Contents
Waitākere Ranges Local Board
area
Mihi
Contents
From the Chair
About local boards
About local board plans
Working with Māori
Developing our plan
Carrying out our plan
Outcomes
Outcome
title
Outcome
title
Financial information
Your Waitākere Ranges Local
Board members
Appendix A: Advocacy initiatives
[Comms will complete this
once the plan is finished.]
He kōrero mai i te
Heamana
From the Chair
A mate atu he tētē kura,
whakaeke mai te tētē kura / A fern frond dies, but another frond
rises to take its place
We live in very interesting times.
This is the most difficult and
complex three year plan that the board has had to prepare.
This draft plan was largely developed
prior to the COVID-19 situation, and its key themes and priorities were
developed based on feedback and advice that does not take into account the
current or potential impacts of the pandemic on our communities. We now have
another opportunity to hear your views, and we will use this feedback to ensure
that the final plan reflects the current and future reality for the communities
of the Waitākere Ranges.
Having strong and resilient
communities and looking after each other are never going to be more important.
This is why the local board wishes in this plan to emphasise the importance of
manaakitanga, of hospitality, kindness, generosity, and support and care for
others.
Glen Eden will continue to receive
our attention, but we will have to change our plans. Last term we were
successful in obtaining funding approval to buy 202-208 West Coast Road for the
purpose of a town square with pedestrian access through to the train station. We had hoped to have received
additional funds for this redevelopment by the time that this draft plan was
finalised. However, changes highlighted in the Auckland Council emergency
budget mean that this project will probably be deferred, at least for now. With
no confirmed funding at this stage, we can give you no timeline for what may
happen. It remains a priority for us.
We are still facing the threat posed
by climate change, which we have to start addressing now. The temporary
setbacks caused by COVID 19 should not stop us from acting now to respond to
climate change. Kaitiakitanga, the care and stewardship of our environment,
will be very important.
The continued fostering of our art
sector will also be critical. Our arts sector is very vibrant and
something for us to be proud of, and something we will need to get us through.
Although we are facing cuts to our
local budgets, we want to make sure that our parks and facilities are
maintained to a good standard, that our social programmes reach across the
local board area, and that we are effective with the resources that we have.
This term we intend to use our discretionary capital budgets on projects which
our communities want to see.
Strengthening our working
relationships and fostering collaboration with other local boards, community
partners, with mataawaka and mana whenua will also be essential. We will need
to change the way we interact with local communities and keep you in the loop.
The local board has an important role to play and we will perform that job
better with your guidance.
Lastly, we are the local custodians
of the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area. The Act urges Council to
sustainably manage the area’s ecosystems and protect and enhance
indigenous habitat values, landscape values, and amenity values. It requires us
to recognise that people live and work in the area in distinct communities, and
that they should be enabled to provide for their social, economic,
environmental, and cultural well-being. This is something that we will strive
to achieve for all of our rohe.
Greg Presland
Chairperson,
Waitākere Ranges 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
· the 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 comprises
aspirational outcomes, objectives 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 is 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 and aspirations 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 Waitākere Ranges in this plan, we are
sharing this draft document for your feedback. These may be subject to change
depending on the rules and requirements around 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 boards
support for them.
Whakaotinga
tahi:
Whakaotinga
1: Kei te tiakina, kei te whakahaumakotia te Waitākere Ranges Heritage
Area, e whakapakaritia ana ngā hononga ki ngā hapori karapoti
Outcome 1: The Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area is protected and enhanced and connections with surrounding
communities are strengthened
Together with iwi and our communities,
we act as stewards over the Waitākere Ranges. We focus on protecting and
enhancing the heritage features of the local board area.
The Waitākere
Ranges heritage area (WRHA) was established by the Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area Act 2008 (WRHAA) to promote the protection and enhancement of its
heritage features for present and future generations.
The WRHA monitoring report (2018) found
the objectives of WRHAA were generally being met. Managing the ecological
threat of kauri dieback and pest plants and animals are significant issues.
Much of the Waitākere Ranges Regional Park and some local park tracks have
been closed to protect against the spread of kauri dieback. We need to look at
how recreation is provided for while protecting our precious taonga.
The impact of COVID-19 on Council’s overall
programme of activities in this area is not yet clear. Responding to challenges
within our areas of responsibility will continue to be a priority for the local
board.
Kaitiakitanga and stewardship are
important concepts. The Council family, through the local board, the governing
body, and council controlled organisations have a critical role to play in
maintaining the area’s heritage features. As mana whenua, Te Kawerau a
Maki and Ngati Whatua have a unique and special relationship with the Waitākere
Ranges area and a significant role as kaitaiki.
Community stewardship of the area can be
seen by the level of volunteer activity, and interest in how parks and places
are looked after. We want to support our distinctive local communities to be
resilient and sustainable. Local area plans set out long term objectives for
five areas: Bethells/Te
Henga, Waiatarua, Oratia, Henderson Valley/Opanuku, and Muddy Creeks. We will
continue to focus on carrying out actions and policies related to these.
Challenges
· The heritage area's
size as a proportion of the local board area.
Our commitment
We are committed to
carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these goals and will
continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
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Outcome: The Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area is protected and enhanced and connections with surrounding
communities are strengthened
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Objective
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Key
initiatives
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Deliver a range of local activities across all
Local Board Plan Outcomes that help deliver on the objectives of the WRHAA.
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Enhanced relationships with mana
whenua.
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Local programmes for
stream and coastal erosion, water quality, weed and pest management,
environmental programmes, education, and biodiversity initiatives.
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Support local programmes for community
development, local economic development, local events, community facilities,
and community initiatives.
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Research to improve our
understanding and promote the area’s natural and cultural heritage.
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Protect and enhance the
area’s heritage features
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Promote dark sky viewing as a low
impact recreational, cultural and economic activity, and progress an
application for parts of the area to become a dark sky reserve.
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Promote the sustainable
management of the land and landscape in the eastern foothills.
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Support, deliver and advocate for
restoration programmes in ecological areas that will improve public places
and help private landowners.
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Whakaotinga
2: Kei te mahi ngātahi tātou ki ngā mātāwaka, ki
ngā hoa mana whenua hoki
Outcome 2: We work closely with mataawaka and
mana whenua partners
While the impact of
COVID-19 on our Māori communities is not yet fully understood, responding
to any specific challenges for Māori in the Waitākere Ranges will be a priority for
the local board as it develops and finalises this draft plan.
We acknowledge the particular
historical, traditional, cultural, and spiritual relationship of mana whenua
with this local board area, namely Ngati Whatua and Te Kawerau a Maki, with
whom we share many common aspirations, particularly within the Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area.
We continue to support transfer of
land at Te Henga from Auckland Council to Te Kawerau a Maki to build a marae
for their people.
We will continue to work with Hoani Waititi Marae as a centre for
Māori language, culture and practice, on areas of mutual interest. We will
advocate for
Waitangi at Hoani Waititi to be recognised with regional funding.
Our annual work programmes will consider Māori wellbeing and
identity.
We look forward to regular hui with our
partners and will support whakawhanaungatanga* (developing relationships)
through regular hui with the wider Māori community.
Partnership and
participation
We recognise the
importance of Te Tiriti o Waitangi. We will embed Māori insight and
participation into the democratic process and will engage with the Māori community
in meaningful ways. We
now have a Kaiwhakaawe
(Māori Broker) working across West Auckland to identify opportunities to empower Māori leaders in the community to build
on the findings of Waitākere ki Tua and Toitū Waitākere and
expand this work
Māori culture and
identity
We will ensure that all
locally delivered Council initiatives demonstrate an awareness of Matauranga
Māori. We want our communities to see Māori cultural identity
throughout Waitākere Ranges and te reo Māori to be seen, spoken and heard locally and will celebrate
Māori cultural heritage through local arts, events and programming in our
local facilities.
Opportunities
· Māori have
kaitiakitanga, historical knowledge and awareness.
· Strong local Māori organisations to
work with.
Challenges
· Historically low Māori
participation in consultation.
· Māori consistently say they find
it difficult to engage with the council as an organisation.
· The ‘big’ issues for mana
whenua will be addressed by, or alongside, the governing body.
Our commitment
We are committed to
carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these goals and will
continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
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Outcome: We
work closely with mataawaka and mana whenua partners
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Objective
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Key
initiatives
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Access to a range of projects and opportunities for
collaboration with Māori.
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Develop relationships
and agree shared goals with mana whenua and mataawaka, key Māori
organisations, and local residents.
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Support local projects
and activities which contribute towards Māori educational, cultural,
leadership, and employment outcomes.
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An operational maintenance
contribution to Hoani Waititi Marae.
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Practical support for
mana whenua and mataawaka to engage with Council.
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Consider the impact on Māori
of local board projects and activities.
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Whakaotinga
3: Kei te mahi mātou ki te whakaute, ki te tiaki, ki te haumanu i te taiao
Outcome 3: We work to respect, protect and restore the
environment
We want Aucklanders to preserve, protect and care for the
environment in our unique area, and work together to increase and enhance
indigenous biodiversity.
During the COVID-19 Alert
Level Four lockdown, people responded positively to anecdotal evidence of
increased biodiversity and reduced levels of pollution. We see an opportunity
to gain learnings from the lockdown experience and encourage a stronger focus
on wider public participation in environmental initiatives during the recovery
period.
We will continue to support a range of projects, including getting rid of
weeds, protecting indigenous plants and animals, making sure our waterway and
streams are healthy, and coastal and marine conservation along the Manukau
Harbour and West Coast.
We will use our resources to fund targeted environmental programmes, and
community driven activities including those which support community action and
behaviour change.
The Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area
This area faces a wide range of environmental challenges. It contains many unique
habitats and is surrounded by a fragile marine and coastal environment, and the
Auckland metropolitan area.
Our local parks, the Regional Park, and privately owned land are very close.
They can have special needs in relation to the right kind of planting and weed
and pest control.
It is really important for everyone to work together.There are around 70 environmentally
focused volunteer groups operating in the WRHA, alongside council, and local
people have told us that they want to see better co-ordination for
environmental projects and activities. We have a community environmental
coordinator working in the WRHA through the Pest Free Waitākere Alliance.
Mana whenua, mataawaka, industry, and other stakeholders such as Auckland
Transport and Watercare also need to understand and be involved with council in
developing local solutions.
Urban Environments
Urban environments are important, and
we will support local volunteer programmes and local initiatives, for example,
tree planting, and restoring stream banks and native vegetation in our local
parks.
Coastal and Marine Environments:
Manukau Harbour and West Coast
We will continue work from within the Manuaku Harbour
Forum to improve the health and profile of the Manukau Harbour within Auckland.
The Big Blue Waitākere Marine and Coastal Environment Report 2018
highlights coastal and marine needs. This is what we will use to help us decide
which areas of work we should prioritise in the future.
Kauri dieback
Kauri dieback is still a threat. Some local parks are now closed or have
restricted access as part of the part of the response to this disease. We
recognise that this has an impact on the ability of people to enjoy their local
environment. We
will re-open these when we receive advice that it is safe to do so after
upgrades.
Opportunities
· Strong legacy of kaitiakitanga and
environmental awareness.
· Environmentally aware local
communities are committed to action.
· The Environmental Targeted Rate and
Water Quality Targeted Rate can boost local funding.
Challenges
· Measures to address kauri dieback have
a big impact on access to some local parks.
· Council, Watercare and Auckland
Transport all need to work together to deliver on their responsibilities under
the Regional Pest Management Plan.
· Limited focus within Council on our
local marine environment.
Our commitment
We are committed to
carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these goals and will
continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
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Outcome: We work to
respect, protect and restore the environment
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Objective
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Key
initiatives
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Communities and Council
work together and we see improvements.
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Support, fund and deliver a wide
range of environmental programmes and community initiatives with a
positive impact.
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Support, fund and
deliver coordination of community and Council programmes and activities.
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Support tree planting.
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Support communities to apply
for greater protection for scheduled and notable trees.
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Whakaotinga
4: He aumangea, he kaha ō tātou hapori
Outcome 4: Our communities are
resilient and strong
‘Resilience’
is the ability to recover from or adjust easily
to misfortune or change, and post COVID-19 feels even more important at a local
level. We want to support our communities in making this a key characteristic
of this area. Local
communities and the Council can work together to foster collaboration and
cooperation in our local board area, and regionally, to achieve this.
Climate change
Council has recently recognised that
Auckland is in a climate change emergency. We know that Aucklander’s want
us to have a role in delivering actions under the Climate Action Plan, which
responds to impact that climate change is expected to have on the future of
Auckland. They typically view this as a partnership with others.
Emergency Management
Being able to respond to emergency
situations is very important in our area due to the relative remoteness of some
communities, along with some urban neighbourhoods who already face economic and
social challenges. We will work with our communities to help them become
resilient and emergency-ready at household and neighbourhood levels.
Practical
actions
Living in a resilient way has an impact on our
immediate community and environment. Knowing your neighbours, having
connections and resources that you can draw on in times of need, being able to grow your own food, make things from
recycled materials, shop for what we need and reduce food and packing waste, avoiding
single occupant car journeys, zero waste initiatives, and planting trees
are all things that will contribute to the success of this. We will support practical activities
and initiatives that everyone can participate in, particularly in urban areas
where communities have indicated that they would like to access education and
guidance around living in a prosperous yet sustainable way,
Our work programme will support sustainable
choices, and the decisions we make though the next three years will seek to
reduce local factors that contribute to climate change.
Opportunities
· Good relationships with
strong community organisations focused on sustainability and resilience.
· Strong and connected local
communities in coastal and bush areas.
· Strong community interest
in what whanau can achieve.
· New technology and ways of thinking are
creating new approaches to waste reduction, alternative energy and pollution
prevention.
Challenges
· Not everyone is equally able to
change the way they do things or get involved in local community initiatives.
· Communities who
don’t know about local boards or existing services.
Our commitment
We are committed to
carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these goals and will
continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
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Outcome: Our communities are resilient
and strong
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Objective
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Key
initiatives
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Communities take action to improve
their resilience
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Support community access to
specialised skills, knowledge, resources and positive choices which support
behaviour change and reduction of their environmental and carbon footprints.
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Support
community-led food initiatives such community gardens, learning to grow or
prepare food, reducing packaging and food waste and sharing produce.
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Empower communities to prepare for
disasters, particularly remote coastal and bush communities.
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Make small grants to
local groups for projects or actions which will have a positive impact on
community resilience.
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Support community led household
budgeting and financial literacy actions.
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Consider and evaluate
the impact of all local board projects and activities on climate
change.
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Consider and evaluate the impact of
projects and activities on the WRHA.
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Whakaotinga
5: Kei te rongo ō tātou hapori i te oranga, i te whai wāhitanga
me te whakaurunga
Outcome 5:
Our communities experience wellbeing,
belonging and participation
It is important for us to support and encourage community wellbeing.
It is clear that COVID-19
has had, and will continue to have, a particular impact on some of our most
vulnerable citizens. We want local people to be confident, willing and able to
engage with Council and influence what happens in their neighbourhoods. Our urban communities are very
different from our rural and coastal communities in the WRHA, and we have to
make our intentions relevant to all.
The population in and around Glen Eden and
Swanson is becoming more diverse. We are seeing intensification in and around
Glen Eden town centre and we want to see this new population supported and
included in planning and community activity as we seek to revitalise this area.
We will seek to understand and support the needs and
aspirations of local people, for example though regular engagement with local
ethnic associations and interest groups, and look for new ways to make it
easier for people to be part of the local democratic process and influence what
happens in and around their neighbourhood.
While Hoani
Waititi kura has a small number of secondary students, there are no large
secondary schools in our area and we know many people travel out of the area to
work. We will look for opportunities to support our youth as they prepare for a
future in adulthood and the workforce. We work alongside the Western
Initiative, Glen Eden Business Association, Hoani Waititi Marae and other
agencies to uplift the economic health and quality of life for everyone in the
Waitākere Ranges.
Through our
local grants fund, the board will also support community projects which enhance
the places where people live.
Opportunities
· Good relationships with
strong community organisations.
· Strong community focus on
whanau, tamariki and rangatahi.
· Increasingly diverse
community can broaden our perspectives.
Challenges
· Some communities who
don’t know about local boards or feel they have no role in decision
making.
· Household incomes vary
widely over geographic areas.
Our commitment
We are committed to
carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these goals and will
continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
|
Outcome: Our
communities experience wellbeing, belonging and participation
|
|
Objective
|
Key
initiatives
|
|
Support for projects and activities which realise the
aspirations of local people for the benefit of their communities.
|
Assist local communities
to grow their organisational skills and capacity with neighbourhood
development expertise, community based training programmes, and placemaking
resources.
|
|
Support a breadth of
projects and activities to ensure funding allocations reflect our wide range
of communities, including Māori, Pasifika, and other social and ethnic
groups.
|
|
Explore new ways for
people to connect with us and each other, such as neighbourhood forums or
promoting use of social media.
|
|
Support rangatahi to
benefit their communities with educational, creative, leadership
opportunities that will help lead to employment.
|
|
Support communities to
positively transform Glen Eden and recognise it as a great place to live and
do business.
|
|
Work with
Henderson-Massey and Whau Local Boards to increase our understanding of
homelessness and housing vulnerability in the area, and of our role in
supporting initiatives to address these issues.
|
Whakaotinga
6: Kei te whai āheinga whānui te hunga ki ngā toi, ki te ahurea,
ki ngā taonga tuku iho
Outcome 6: People
have a range of opportunities to experience arts, culture and heritage
Outcome description:
We recognise the ability of arts, culture, and our history to
bring people together, celebrate our differences as strengths, and improve
wellbeing.
We want an accessible programme of events and activities where
people can recognise expressions of their culture. We will work with the community to
develop celebrations that which involve and cater for
the range of cultures, interests and age groups that represent our
community’s make-up.
There are
there are a number of skilled and enthusiastic groups with whom we can partner
to bring arts, events and heritage to the Waitākere Ranges.
Titirangi
hosts Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery as part of the Lopdell
Precinct and is already an established centre for the arts.
Protecting and celebrating heritage is also a way
to identify what is unique about our area, and to inform what happens to it in
the future.The impact of Covd-19 on local budgets may affect our spending in
this, as in other areas.
Opportunities
· A wide range of established arts
partners operate in this area.
· New technology and new ways of
thinking are creating new approaches to the arts and events and where and how
we experience them.
· There is a strong film industry in
this area, which employs many local people with creative backgrounds.
· Good relationships with
local heritage organisations.
Challenges
· Less known about arts groups
operating outside Titirangi and established areas.
· Changing populations want to see
themselves reflected in local arts and cultural opportunities.
· Over the short to medium-term large
gatherings of people may not be possible.
· Restoration and
maintenance of facilities is expensive.
Our commitment
We are committed to
carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these goals and will
continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
|
|
|
Objective
|
Key
initiatives
|
|
Access to a range of
arts experiences.
|
Fund community-led programmes,
events and facilities which showcase a variety of local arts and culture and
offer opportunities for everyone to experience them.
|
|
Expand the local arts
experience into the wider Glen Eden and Swanson area.
|
|
Support development opportunities
for local artists and the local creative economy.
|
|
Support Te Uru
Contemporary Gallery to operate as a sub-regional facility.
|
|
Access to a
range of community activities and events.
|
Work with local people
to develop and fund a
programme of community-led events that include and reflect the diversity of
our area.
|
|
Deliver an annual event
celebrating the diversity of our communities.
|
|
Fund and celebrate
events of significance in the Māori calendar, including Matariki, and Te Tiriti o Waitangi on Waitangi Day.
|
|
Recognition
of local historic and cultural heritage.
|
Install Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area gateway artworks celebrating the area as a place of
significance.
|
|
Fund activities and events that
celebrate our distinct cultural and historic heritage(s).
|
|
Support Local
Citizenship Ceremonies and ANZAC commemorations.
|
|
Support the operation of
sites with local historic and artistic significance, such as McCahon House and
Shadbolt House.
|
|
Support
ongoing research which can be used to protect key sites and to inform the upcoming
2023 Heritage Area Monitoring Report.
|
|
Recognise sites of importance and
tell local stories, i.e. through cultural and historic heritage interpretation.
|
|
Install Waitākere Ranges
Heritage Area gateway artworks celebrating the area as a place of
significance.
|
|
Fund activities and events that
celebrate our distinct cultural and historic heritage(s).
|
Whakaotinga 7: Kei a
tātou te hanganga me ngā ratonga e tautoko ana, e whakamarohi ana i
ō tātou takiwā noho, pokapū tāone hoki
Outcome 7: We have infrastructure and
facilities which support and enhance our neighbourhoods and town centres
We want to see successful and welcoming
town and neighbourhoods, which reflect local pride, prosperity and heritage. Access to local and sports parks, quality gathering and
resting spaces, and good transport, walking and cycling connections are vital
for good urban living. We want people to have access to green space, and
connections between suburbs that support freedom of movement without the car.
The
quality of our infrastructure can enhance the way people see these things.
Well
maintained road and public infrastructure is important. It is our expectation
that this is given priority within road and roadside maintenance contracts.
Within the WRHA there are enhanced needs around, for example, weed management
in the road corridor.
The economic impact of
Covd-19 will likely affect our ability to deliver as much as we would have
hoped, in the short term at least. Constrained budgets will require careful
prioritisation of major spending, but there is also an opportunity to identify
new ways to utilise existing assets and find innovative solutions to ensure
that our communities’ needs are met.
Changes to Glen Eden
Our largest town centre is Glen Eden, surrounded by the suburban areas of
Glen Eden, Kaurilands, Parrs Park and Sunnyvale. On the rail line, and the most
substantial town centre in this area, the local population in this area is
changing and growing. Physical improvements will improve pedestrian access
through the Glenmall shopping area in the town centre across to the train
station. They won’t be the entire solution, but a key component.
Following the 2017 Local Board Plan 202-208 West Coast Road
was bought for the purpose of an attractive town square, with pedestrian access
through to the train station. By the time this plan is finalised we had hoped
to have confirmation of the remaining budget for this project and a timeline
for completion.
It is clear following the release of
the recent Emergency Budget that this is now unrealistic, which means that we
have no choice but to accept that this project will likely be deferred, in the
short term at least. It is an important project for Glen Eden and one for which
the community has waited a long time. Securing funding will continue to
be a priority for us.
Local transport
During the COVID-19 Alert Level Four lockdown period, there
was an unmistakable change to peoples’ transport choices, with few cars
on the road and a big uptake in walking and cycling. We do not manage or
control public transport or the road network, but we can make some impact on
how people get around our area.
Our Capital Transport Fund will be used to deliver small
improvements to the local transport network. The Waitākere Ranges
Greenways Plan 2019 sets out a long-term vision for a local walking and cycling
network, and we will use this to target discretionary capital budgets to where
they can be most effective.
We will advocate alongside Whau and Waitākere Local
Boards to progress the rail corridor cycleway, and work with Auckland transport
to identify priority areas for footpath improvement and renewals.
In the WRHA we remain acutely aware of the desire for better
public transport, such as a shuttle service, and will continue to press
Auckland Transport to deliver this.
Community facilities
In this area there are over over 285 local parks, sports fields, buildings, and
facilities. We want these to be in good condition, open for use when needed,
and good places for Aucklanders to run locally responsive activities.
The local board area is well serviced with community managed
halls in most villages.
Library facilities in Glen Eden and Titirangi have high
levels of community use and satisfaction and they offer local programme
activities that also draws on regional resources and expertise.
Support local sports and recreation through community leases for clubs,
and ongoing maintenance of sports fields and supporting infrastructure.
Opportunities
· Established path and
cycleway sections in the Greenways network to build on.
· Work is already underway
for walking and cycling improvements and road safety upgrades in parts of
Waitākere Ranges.
· Plans and research on community
places and spaces already underway
· People are keen to
contribute to initiatives that enhance and celebrate their neighbourhoods and
cultures.
Challenges
· The board has less of a
decision-making role in wider transport matters.
· Infrastructure is very expensive and can cause
ongoing disruption when being built.
· Change in and around Glen
Eden puts pressure on providing suitable community infrastructure and support.
Our commitment
We
are committed to carrying out the following key initiatives to achieve these
goals and will continue to look for other opportunities as they arise.
|
We have infrastructure and facilities which support and
enhance our neighbourhoods and town centres
|
|
Objective
|
Key
initiatives
|
|
Improvements to the
transport network.
|
Investigate
and deliver targeted greenways routes and connections over time, including
working with other agencies and advocating for routes which are outside the
limits of our funding.
|
|
Deliver small road-related
improvements where likelihood of regional funding is low.
|
|
Support
pedestrian safety and accessibility projects around Glen Eden town centre and
the train station.
|
|
Well maintained,
accessible parks, facilities and public spaces.
|
Deliver a targeted
programme of improvements to local parks to encourage people to spend time
outdoors.
|
|
Increase natural and
artificial shade in parks and playgrounds.
|
|
Support the introduction
and use of quick and easy lease renewal processes for those facilities where
are existing rights of renewal and community outcomes plans are being
delivered against.
|
|
Incorporate Māori design principles into
playgrounds and other park features, where possible.
|
|
Provide
access to year-round affordable or free activities in local parks and
facilities.
|
|
Work with volunteers to connect
communities with their local park, through environmental, social, or other
activities.
|
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 2010/21 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 Waitākere Ranges 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.
There are no significant changes to the measures or targets for 2019/2020.
|
Financial
overview
Revenue, expenditure and
capital investment by local activities for the Waitākere Ranges 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 information is available.
|
Revenue,
expenditure and capital investment by local activities for the Waitākere
Ranges Local Board for the period 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.
|
|
Annual
Budget financials
|
2020/21
|
|
|
$(000)
|
|
Operating
Revenue
|
|
|
Local
community services
|
774
|
|
Local planning
and development
|
-
|
|
Local
environmental services
|
-
|
|
Local
governance
|
-
|
|
Total
Operating Revenue
|
774
|
|
|
|
|
Operating
Expenditure
|
|
|
Local
community services
|
8,457
|
|
Local planning
and economic development
|
282
|
|
Local environmental
services
|
973
|
|
Local
governance
|
836
|
|
Total
Operating Expenditure
|
10,548
|
|
|
|
|
Net
Operating Expenditure
|
9,774
|
|
|
|
|
Capital
Expenditure
|
|
|
Local community
services
|
2,398
|
|
Local planning
and development
|
-
|
|
Local
environmental services
|
-
|
|
Local
governance
|
-
|
|
Total
Capital Expenditure
|
2,398
|
|
|
|
Ngā Mema o tō Poari ā-Rohe o Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Your Waitākere Ranges Local
Board members
Appendix A: Advocacy
initiatives
·
A key role of the
local board is to advocate for initiatives that the local board may not have
decision-making responsibilities or funding for in this draft local board plan,
but recognise the value it will add to the local community.
·
Key advocacy
areas for xxx Local Board include:
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Initiative
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Description
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Advocating
to
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