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Henderson-Massey
Local Board
10 May 2022
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Local
board consultation feedback and input into the Annual Budget 2022/2023
File No.: CP2022/05003
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To
receive consultation feedback from the Henderson-Massey Local Board area on:
· proposed
priorities and activities for the Henderson-Massey Local Board Agreement
2022/2023
· regional
topics for the Annual Budget 2022/2023.
2. To
recommend any local matters to the Governing Body, that it will need to
consider or make decisions on in the Annual Budget 2022/2023 process.
3. To
provide input on the proposed regional topics in the Annual Budget 2022/2023.
Whakarāpopototanga matua
Executive summary
4. Local
board agreements set out annual funding priorities, activities, budgets, levels
of service, performance measures and initiatives for each local board area.
Local board agreements for 2022/2023 will be included in the Council’s
Annual Budget 2022/2023.
5. Auckland Council publicly consulted from 28 February to 28 March
2022 to seek community views on the proposed Annual Budget 2022/2023.
This included consultation on the Henderson-Massey Local Board’s proposed
priorities for 2022/2023 to be included in its local board
agreement.
6. Auckland Council received 11,550 pieces of feedback in total across
the region including 698 pieces
of feedback from the Henderson-Massey local board area.
7. Three people, representing Bike Henderson, EmpowerMe Consulting and
the Waitakere Indian Association, as well as one individual, attended an online
formal Have Your Say event for the Henderson Massey Local Board on 15 March
2022. The individuals and community organisations had the opportunity to hear
from elected members and could ask questions and provide comments about local
and regional issues. The key themes from this session included safe walking and
cycling updates and active transport initiatives, the local climate action plan
and Te Atatu Coastal Walkway upgrades.
8. The predominant themes in the comments from the Henderson-Massey local board area were support for community services and community
organisations and improving and maintaining parks and recreation facilities
(including wanting more walking and cycling opportunities). The other large
proportion of comments related to future planning and ranged from concerns
about growth in Westgate and intensification in general to wanting better
public transport options and better walking and cycling and concern about lack
of parking in new developments. There was support for the Urban Ngahere
Strategy and tree planting in general, along with support for environmental
initiatives. Some comments requested that the Te Atatū Peninsula walkway
be completed, and that the Te Atatū South Plan be progressed.
9. In the Annual Budget process there are financial matters where local
boards provide recommendations to the Governing Body, for consideration or
decision-making. This includes:
· proposed
locally driven initiative capital projects outside local boards’
decision-making responsibility
· release
of local board specific reserve funds
· any
local board advocacy initiatives.
10. The
Governing Body will consider these items as part of the Annual Budget decision-making
process in June 2022.
11. Local boards have a statutory responsibility to provide input into
regional strategies, policies, plans, and bylaws. This report provides an
opportunity for the local board to provide input on council’s proposed
Annual Budget 2022/2023.
Ngā tūtohunga
Recommendation/s
That the Henderson-Massey Local
Board:
a) receive consultation feedback on the
proposed Henderson-Massey Local Board priorities and
activities for 2022/2023.
b) receive consultation feedback on regional topics in the Annual
Budget 2022/2023 from people and organisations based in the Henderson-Massey local board area.
c) recommend that the Governing Body approves any proposed locally
driven initiative (LDI) capital projects, which are outside local boards
allocated decision-making responsibility.
d) recommend the release of local board specific reserve funds to the
Governing Body.
e) provide input on regional topics in the proposed Annual Budget
2022/2023 to the Governing Body.
f) provide its advocacy initiatives for the Annual Budget 2022/2023 to the Governing Body.
Horopaki
Context
12. Each
financial year Auckland Council must have a local board agreement (as agreed
between the Governing Body and the local board) for each local board area. The
Henderson-Massey Local Board Agreement sets out how the Council will reflect
the priorities in the Henderson-Massey Local Board Plan 2020 in respect to the
local activities to be provided in the Henderson-Massey local board area and
includes information relating to budgets, levels of service, and performance
measures.
13. The local
board agreements 2022/2023 will form part of the Auckland Council’s
Annual Budget 2022/2023.
14. Auckland Council publicly consulted from 28 February to 28 March
2022 to seek community views on the proposed Annual Budget 2022/2023, as
well as local board priorities and proposed activities to be
included in the local board agreement 2022/2023.
15. Due to the impacts of the ongoing COVID-19 global pandemic,
significant pressure has been placed upon the council’s financial
position. This has created significant flow on effects for the council’s
proposed Annual Budget 2022/2023.
Tātaritanga me ngā
tohutohu
Analysis and advice
16. This report includes analysis of consultation feedback, any local
matters to be recommended to the Governing Body and seeks input on regional
topics in the proposed Annual Budget 2022/2023.
Consultation
feedback overview
17. As part of
the public consultation Auckland Council used a variety of methods and channels
to reach and engage a broad cross section of Aucklanders to gain their feedback
and input into regional and local topics.
18. In
total, Auckland Council received feedback from 11,550 people in the
consultation period. This feedback was received through:
· written
feedback – 9,464 online or hard copy forms, emails or letters
· in
person – 2,086 pieces of feedback through online Have Your Say events, or
independently managed phone interviews. All events (except one which
didn’t have any attendees) were moved to an online platform or cancelled
due to the red Covid-19 traffic light setting.
Feedback received on the
Henderson-Massey Local Board’s priorities for 2022/2023
19. The Henderson-Massey Local Board consulted on the
following priorities for 2022/2023:
· focus on supporting community organisations and
initiatives that strengthen Covid-19 pandemic resilience and recovery
· implement Henderson-Massey’s Ngahere Action Plan
(the local response to Auckland's Urban Ngahere Strategy) by prioritising sites
from the action plan and preparing for tree planting
· develop a Local Parks Management Plan for the development
and protection of parks, reserves and other open space in the area. This will
lower planning costs, by giving a consistent approach, and be more responsive
to changing community needs
· develop a Sport and Active Recreation Facility Plan, to
respond to local needs and issues and prioritise future development and
investment
· upgrade sections of the Te Atatū coastal walkway
that can be delivered quickly at a relatively low cost.
20. 396 submissions were received on Henderson-Massey Local
Board’s priorities for 2022/2023.
21. The majority of local respondents supported all or some
of the priorities.
22. Consultation feedback on local board priorities will be
considered by the local board when approving its local board agreement between
21-23 June 2022.
Information on submitters
23. The tables and graphs below indicate the demographic categories people
identified with. This information only relates to those submitters who provided
demographic information.
Key themes
24. Key themes of note across the feedback received (through
written, in-person and social media channels) included:
· support
for community services and community organisations
· support
for improving and maintaining parks and recreation facilities
· concerns
about growth in Westgate and intensification in general
· wanting
better public transport and walking and cycling options
· support
for environmental and climate initiatives, the Urban Ngahere Strategy and tree
planting in general.
Requests for local funding
25. Requests for local funding through the Annual Budget
2022/2023 consultation included a request from Whau Coastal Walkway
Environmental Trust, to support administration and operations of the trust.
Overview of
feedback received on regional topics in the Annual Budget 2022/2023 from the
Henderson-Massey Local Board area
26. The proposed Annual Budget 2022/2023 sets out Auckland
Council’s priorities and how to pay for them. Consultation on the
proposed Annual Budget asked submitters to respond to four key questions on:
1. Climate
2. Budget
Pressures
3. Operating
Spending Prioritisation
4. Waste
Service Standardisation.
27. The submissions received from the Henderson-Massey local
board area on these key issues are summarised below, along with an overview of
any other areas of feedback on regional proposals with a local impact.
Key
Question 1: Climate
28. Aucklanders were asked about a proposed climate action
package which will be funded by a targeted rate. The climate action package
includes investments in low-carbon public transport, active walking and cycling
networks; and urban ngahere (forest) canopy cover.
29. This
is proposed to be funded through $574 million from a targeted rate over the
next 10 years as well additional funding from government co-funding.
30. The graphs below give an overview of the responses from
the Henderson-Massey local board area.
Key Question 2: Budget Pressures
31. Aucklanders were asked about a range of levers proposed
to manage on-going budget pressures. Council is forecasting a budget shortfall
of $85 million for 2022/2023 compared to what was budgeted for in the 10-year
Budget 2021-2031. This is due to on-going impacts of COVID-19 on revenue and
growing inflationary pressure.
32. A range of levers are proposed to manage the budget
pressures including:
- using
the Government’s Better Off support package funding
- changing
the timing of some capital spending
- implementing
cost reductions in the form of efficiency savings and a potential reduction in
some services
- keeping
the previously agreed general rates increase of 3.5 per cent for 2022/2023 and
continuing work on the sale or
long-term lease of non-strategic assets as required.
33. The graphs below give an overview of the responses from
the Henderson-Massey Local Board area.
33. Since consultation, further reduction
in revenue caused by the COVID-19 omicron outbreak and rising interest and
inflation costs has compounded budget pressures.
34. Local Board Chairs attended a Finance and Performance
Committee workshop outlining the increased pressures and a briefing was held
for all local board members.
Key Question 3: Operating Spending Prioritisation
34. Aucklanders were asked to provide feedback on a
proposal that would see council prioritise
operating spending to help manage on-going budget pressures. A set of criteria
to be used when making decisions about cost reductions, including those that
could reduce, stop or change some services, was proposed.
35. The proposal involves implementing $15
million of additional permanent cost reductions in the form of efficiency
saving and low-priority service reductions across the group in 2023/2024,
growing to $30 million per annum from 2024/2025 onwards.
36. The graphs below give an overview of the responses from
the Henderson-Massey Local Board area.
Key Question 4: Waste Service Standardisation
37. Aucklanders were asked about a proposal to standardise waste services and charges
across Auckland. The proposal would involve a move to a region-wide rates
funded refuse collection service and see a choice of three bin sizes (with
different pricing for each) to accommodate different household needs.
38. Auckland Council is also proposing to
include standardising which properties can opt-out of waste management services
and charges across Auckland.
39. The graphs below give an overview of the responses from
the Henderson-Massey local board area.
Standardising
waste management
Standardise
the opt-out rules for residential multi-unit developments (10 or more units)
Standardise
the opt-out rules for residential and lifestyle properties with between two and
nine units
Standardise
the opt-out rules for non-residential properties
Apply
a minimum base charge to every separately used or inhabited part of a property
Other feedback
40. Aucklanders were asked what is important to them and if
they had any feedback on any other issues. The most comments from the
Henderson-Massey Local Bord area (110) were transport related.
Recommendations on local matters
41. This report allows the local board to recommend local
matters to the Governing Body for consideration as part of the Annual Budget
process, in June 2022. This includes:
· proposed
locally driven initiative capital projects outside local boards’
decision-making responsibility
· release
of local board specific reserve funds.
· local
advocacy initiatives.
Funding for Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI)
42. Local boards are allocated funding for locally driven
initiatives (LDI) annually, to spend on local projects or programmes that are
important to their communities. Local boards have decision-making over the LDI
funds but need approval from the Governing Body where:
· operational
LDI funding is to be converted into capital LDI funding.
· the
release of local board specific reserve funds is requested, which are being
held by the council for a specific purpose
· a
LDI capital project exceeds $1 million.
43. These conditions do not apply to the Henderson-Massey
Local Board for the 2022/2023 financial year.
Local board advocacy
44. Local boards are requested to provide approved advocacy
initiatives which considers the consultation feedback above. This allows the
Finance and Performance Committee to consider these advocacy items when making
recommendations on the Annual Budget 2022/2023 to the Governing Body in June.
45. The advocacy initiatives approved by the local board will
be included as an appendix to the 2022/2023 Local Board Agreement
Local board input on regional topics in
the Annual Budget 2022-2023
46. Local boards have a statutory responsibility for identifying and
communicating the interests and preferences of the people in its local board
area in relation to Auckland Council’s strategies, policies, plans, and
bylaws, and any proposed changes to be made to them. This report provides
an opportunity for the local board to provide input on council’s proposed
Annual Budget 2022/2023.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
āhuarangi
Climate impact statement
47. The decisions recommended in this report are part of the
Annual Budget 2022/2023 and local board agreement process to approve funding
and expenditure over the next year.
48. Projects allocated funding through this Annual Budget process will
all have varying levels of potential climate impact associated with them. The
climate impacts of projects Auckland Council chooses to progress, are all
assessed carefully as part of council’s rigorous reporting requirements.
Ngā whakaaweawe me
ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera
Council group impacts and views
49. The Annual Budget 2022/2023 is an Auckland Council Group
document and will include budgets at a consolidated group level. Consultation
items and updates to budgets to reflect decisions and new information may
include items from across the group.
Ngā whakaaweawe
ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe
Local impacts and local board views
50. The local board’s decisions and feedback are being
sought in this report. The local board has a statutory role in providing its
feedback on regional plans.
51. Local boards play an important role in the development of the
council’s Annual Budget. Local board agreements form part of the Annual
Budget. Local board nominees have also attended Finance and Performance
Committee workshops on the Annual Budget.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
Māori
Māori impact statement
52. Many local board decisions are of importance to and
impact on Māori. Local board agreements and the Annual Budget are
important tools that enable and can demonstrate the council’s
responsiveness to Māori.
53. Local board plans, developed in 2020 through engagement
with the community including Māori, form the basis of local board area
priorities. There is a need to continue to build relationships between local
boards and iwi, and the wider Māori community.
54. Analysis provided of consultation feedback received on
the proposed Annual Budget includes submissions made by mana whenua and the
wider Māori community who have interests in the rohe/local board area.
55. Ongoing conversations between local boards and Māori
will assist to understand each other’s priorities and issues. This in
turn can influence and encourage Māori participation in the
council’s decision-making processes.
56. Some projects approved for funding could have discernible impacts on
Māori. The potential impacts on Māori, as part of any project
progressed by Auckland Council, will be assessed appropriately and accordingly
as part of relevant reporting requirements.
Ngā ritenga
ā-pūtea
Financial implications
57. This report is seeking the local board’s decisions
on financial matters in the local board agreement that must then be considered
by the Governing Body.
58. The local board also provides input to regional plans and proposals.
There is information in the council’s consultation material for each plan
or proposal with the financial implications of each option outlined for
consideration.
Ngā raru tūpono me
ngā whakamaurutanga
Risks and mitigations
59. The council must adopt its Annual Budget, which includes
local board agreements, by 30 June 2022. The local board is required to make
recommendations on these local matters for the Annual Budget by mid May 2022
and present to the Finance and Performance Committee on 25 May, to enable and
support the Governing Body to make decisions on key items to be included in the
Annual Budget on 7 June 2022.
Ngā koringa ā-muri
Next steps
60. The local board will approve its local board agreement
and corresponding work programmes in June 2022.
61. Recommendations and feedback from the local board will be
provided to the Finance and Performance committee for consideration ahead of
that Committee making recommendations to the Governing Body for decision.
62. The final Annual Budget 2022/2023 (including local board agreements)
will be adopted by the Governing Body on 29 June 2022.
Ngā tāpirihanga
Attachments
There are no attachments for
this report.
Ngā kaihaina
Signatories
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Authors
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Wendy Kjestrup - Senior Local Board Advisor
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Authorisers
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Adam Milina - Local Area Manager
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