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Resolution
number WTM/2021/136
MOVED by Chairperson R Northey, seconded by Member J
Sandilands:
That
the Waitematā Local Board:
a)
provide feedback below for consideration by the Joint Governance
Working Party on the funding and decision-making proposals set out in the Equity
of Service Levels and Funding Proposals – Draft Report:
I)
support
the principle of local boards having decision-making responsibility over its
local services, service levels and service assets
II)
request that
the Governing Body consider the actions listed in Table 1 of the draft
report, these actions are required to deliver this greater decision-making
responsibility to local board and the internal capability to support those
responsibilities
III)
strongly support
the principle of local community service funding based on equity rather than
assets. We believe this is necessary to address disparity and to ensure that
communities living in conditions of high deprivation are not further
compromised through council’s services
IV)
strongly support
the proposed changes to the funding model, as we believe the changes would
ensure fair and balanced distribution of funding
V)
support the scope of decision-making responsibility being proposed as we
believe this delegation is appropriate
VI)
support giving local boards the
responsibility for developing local area plans within their local board areas
with Governing Body consultation and input into the scope of the area plan
and then into its content
VII)
support measures that result in
giving local boards responsibilities and necessary resources to deliver
tailored services to local community priorities
VIII)
support the scope
of funding being allocated
based on equity drivers, not based on the asset portfolio
IX)
support and agree with the proposed
allocation weightings, including the five per cent allocation based on land
value
X)
strongly advocate that a higher
weighting be given to deprivation, preferably 25%
XI)
note that land
values vary widely across the region and it is only fair that this high
proportionate component of providing assets is considered
XII)
note that the
average land value per square metre in the Waitematā Local Board area
(as demonstrated by the charts in the draft report) is more than five times
the median land value across the region and failure to tale it into account
would make the cost of providing new assets in Waitematā in response to
densification prohibitive
XIII)
note that higher
land value often correlates to higher density accommodation where apartment
dwellers lack gardens and family space and therefore have a high need for
community facilities
XIV)
recommend that land
value is taken into account to enable more resources to be retained by other
local boards such as Ōrākei and Devonport-Takapuna local boards
that would be negatively impacted if deprivation was to be a more important
criterion for resourcing
XV)
support the transition towards an
equitable funding system over no more than a ten-year period, and believe
that inequitable funding allocations should not persist over any longer a
period than necessary
XVI)
note that the
shared governance structure of Auckland Council has matured over the past ten
years, and that the role of local boards in terms of decision making on local
issues, activities and services is constrained by the little budget on which
local boards have direct control over
XVII)
support the
introduction of a visitor services factor for local boards that have
significantly more visitors than residents. This would be particularly fair
for Waiheke
XVIII) support the proposed minimum service levels including
asset condition as health and safety service levels
XIX)
support the
proposed criteria for identifying multi-board services. Noting that the full
cost of service criterion will need to be inflation adjusted over time
XX)
support the
allocation of funding for multi-board services under the ‘Hybrid’
approach
XXI)
support the
proposed approach of host local boards continuing to make the decision
but consulting three yearly with other local boards with a significant user
base with each local board plan and for any major decisions at any other time
XXII)
recommend that the
process for multi board service funding be relatively simple to administer
XXIII)
strongly prefer a
substantially increased and increasing allocation to local boards for these
services over a ten-year transition period at such a funding level that
no local board loses funding. This would also have the benefit that the
negative impacts of the long-term plan’s lower priority for community
service assets are reduced and that every area gets adequate services
XXIV)
In the first years
of the increased allocation, it should go to those boards that will be
catching up most under the new criteria, particularly the increased
deprivation level funding. In subsequent years within the ten-year transition
period as those particularly disadvantaged boards’ level of required
adjustment comes down to that other boards would join in receiving the
increased allocation they are entitled to until the equity formula is fully
in force in ten years.
CARRIED
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