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MOVED by Chairperson M Watson, seconded by Member G Easte:
That the Albert-Eden Local Board:
a) receive
the consultation feedback on regional proposals in the Emergency Budget
2020/2021 from people or organisations based in the Albert-Eden Local Board
area.
b) thank
the 3,011 people or organisations based in the Albert-Eden Local Board area
who provided a submission on the Emergency Budget 2020/2021 proposals.orga
c) request
that the following approaches are used, in this priority order, to achieve
the required savings targets:
i.
an increase in
borrowing/debt;
ii.
a reduction in operational
spending (council services);
iii.
a reduction in capital spending;
iv.
the sale of assets that forgoes future
income for current funding.
d) support
a 3.5 per cent average general rates increase for 2020/2021 financial year,
for the following reasons:
i.
55.3 per cent of submissions
from people or organisations based in the Albert-Eden
Local Board area were in support of a 3.5 per cent average general
rates increase, in contrast to 31.1 per cent support for a 2.5 per cent average
general rates increase, in response to Question 1 of Auckland Council’s
formal Emergency Budget 2020/2021 consultation.
ii. the
cumulative impacts of any average general rates increase lower than 3.5 per
cent would have significant negative impacts on environmental projects, transport
safety projects, libraries, community services and the ability of Auckland
Council to support community-led organisations.
e) support the COVID-19 Rates
Postponement Scheme, noting that 71.6 per cent of submissions from
people or organisations based in the Albert-Eden Local Board area
were in support of the proposal, but request that:
i.
the scheme is open for
ratepayers to opt in to for the entire 2020/2021 financial
year, rather than the proposed date of prior to 31 December 2020.
ii.
the interest and administration
fees charged over the postponement time period
are reconsidered and minimised, to ensure the intention of the scheme
to provide compassion for ratepayers is achieved.
f) support
suspending the Accommodation Provider Targeted Rate (APTR) until 31 March
2021, noting that 69.8 per cent of submissions from people or organisations
based in the Albert-Eden Local Board area were in support of the proposal.
g) provide
the following feedback on other regional issues arising from the special
consultative procedure on the Emergency Budget 2020/2021:
i.
water quality and natural
environment targeted rates funding should not be deferred
and should be used during 2020/2021 for the purpose for which they
were raised.
ii.
funding raised by the regional
fuel tax and earmarked for road safety projects should
not be deferred and should be used during 2020/2021 for road safety projects,
and note the strong support for addressing road safety received through
Albert-Eden submissions (95 per cent positive sentiment from those submitters
who provided comments on this topic).
iii. note
the strong support for climate change, cycleway initiatives and public transport
received through Albert-Eden submissions (98 per cent, 89 per cent and
80 per cent positive sentiment, respectively, from those submitters who provided
comments on these topics).
iv. do
not support the sale of 2 Wiremu Street, Balmoral as part of the asset recycling
proposal, and note:
I) the
local board’s desire to use this property for a future community centre/hub
or for a future civic square to cater for the intensification planned
for the Balmoral area given the lack of community infrastructure.
II)
the previous resolutions of the
Albert-Eden Local Board (AE/2015/58 and
AE/2016/71) in support of retention of this property and requesting
its transferal to the local board for use as a community facility.
III) the
previous resolutions of the Finance and Performance Committee (FIN/2016/89
and FIN/2016/90) requesting to initiate a review to determine
the need for and possible location of a suitable community hub
for senior and other community groups, and that the decision on the
future of 2 Wiremu Street, Balmoral be deferred until the end of 2016.
IV)
no review has been completed and no further
decisions have been made.
h) given
the unique circumstances, request that the remaining $591,088 of external
funding allocated to the Albert-Eden Local Board via the Waka Kotahi New
Zealand Transport Agency’s SH16/SH20 Waterview Project as mitigation,
lease and sale payments be ring-fenced and retained in full for unrestricted
and immediate use by the Albert-Eden Local Board without impact on the
availability of funds to the local board from Auckland Council budgets.
i) note
the feedback provided to Auckland Council by mana whenua and request due
consideration is given to their comments to reflect their unique and
significant kaitiaki and leadership role in Tāmaki Makaurau.
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