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Waitākere
Ranges Local Board
12 May 2022
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Local
Board Consultation Feedback and Input into the Annual Budget 2022/2023
File No.: CP2022/05614
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To
receive consultation feedback from the Waitākere Ranges local board area
on:
· proposed
priorities and activities for the Waitākere Ranges 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 Waitākere Ranges 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 740 pieces
of feedback from the Waitākere Ranges local board area.
7. 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.
8. The
Governing Body will consider these items as part of the Annual Budget
decision-making process in June 2022.
9. 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 Waitākere Ranges
Local Board:
a) receive consultation feedback on the
proposed Waitākere Ranges 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 Waitākere
Ranges 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
10. 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
Waitākere Ranges Local Board Agreement sets out how the Council will
reflect the priorities in the Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2020 in
respect to the local activities to be provided in the Waitākere Ranges
Local Board area and includes information relating to budgets, levels of
service, and performance measures.
11. The local
board agreements 2022/2023 will form part of the Auckland Council’s
Annual Budget 2022/2023.
12. 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.
13. 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
14. 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
15. 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.
16. 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 did not
have any attendees) were moved to an online platform or cancelled due to the
red Covid-19 traffic light setting.
· Submissions, including those from residents of the Waitākere
Ranges local board area, can be read online through Auckland Council’s
“Have your Say” site: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/admin/projects/submissions-annual-budget-2022-2023
Mana
whenua feedback
17. Auckland
Council as a whole received feedback from eight (8) mana whenua groups. Of
these, one related directly to the Waitākere Ranges Local Board: Te
Kawerau a Maki. Other feedback, submitted by Ngaati Whanaunga, related to the
Waitākere Ranges local board area and all local board areas as an area of
interest.
18. Key
messages from Te Kawerau a Maki included:
· in-principal
support for the annual budget, particularly around tackling climate change,
Māori land rating and environmental spend;
· fostering a
more Treaty-compliant model of partnership with Council; and
· focusing on
progressing some key aspirations including the following relating to
Waitākere Ranges local board area;
o deed of acknowledgement over the
Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area,
o the development of a marae and
papakāinga at Te Henga, and
o the development of a Waitākere
Ranges Forum and Plan.
19. The only
request for funding through the Annual Budget 2022/2023 consultation came on
behalf of mana whenua Te Kawerau a Maki through Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust.
They sought funding for several initiatives targeted more broadly to Council as
a whole, including some within the local board area, such as Waitākere
Ranges Kaitiaki Rangers and the development of Te Henga Marae and Papakainga.
Have Your Say event
20. Two
(2) people, representing Pest Free Waitākere Ranges and Titirangi
Community House, attended an online formal Have Your Say event with
Waitākere Ranges Local Board members and Governing Body representatives
(councillors) on 24 March 2022, where individuals and community organisations
had the opportunity to hear from elected members and could ask questions and
provide comments about local and regional issues.
21. Discussion
in this session ranged from transport connecting remote areas, allowing for
better accessibility across the region, waste management and incentives to
minimise waste across the region, and interest in the development of the former
Waitākere Quarry (now renamed as Waitipu).
Feedback received on the Waitākere
Ranges Local Board’s priorities for 2022/2023
22. The Waitākere Ranges Local Board consulted on the
following proposed top priorities for 2022/2023:
· Strengthening our governance partnerships with mataawaka
and mana whenua partners.
· Working with local communities to design and implement
year two of a robust Climate Action Plan.
· Supporting communities across our rohe to prepare for
extreme weather events, particularly remote coastal and bush communities.
· Supporting a digital upcycling project, which is being
run in partnership between The Western Initiative and Prospect School. It
promotes active participation of rangatahi in the economy.
· Continuing to develop quality parks, playgrounds,
libraries, community and recreation facilities such as Waitākere Quarry.
23. 376 individual and five (5) organisational submissions
(from Literacy Waitakere, Piha Ratepayers and Residents Association Inc., The
Stone Paper Company Limited, Titirangi Residents & Ratepayers Association
and Protect Piha Heritage Society), were received on Waitākere Ranges
Local Board’s priorities for 2022/2023.
24. Most of the individual local respondents supported all
and/ or most of the local priorities as reflected by the graph below.
25. The following table outlines the breakdown of how
individuals and organisations supported the local board priorities.
26. 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
27. The tables and graphs below indicate the demographic categories people
identified with. This information only relates to those submitters who provided
demographic information. The following tables
show the ethnicity, gender and age range shared by submitters.
28. The following
graphs reflect the ethnicity, gender and age range shared by submitters.
Key themes
29. Key themes of note across the free-form feedback
received, through written, and in-person (there was no social media feedback) included:
· Confusion around what governance
partnerships with mataawaka and mana whenua partners means for communities
· Confusion
around the climate action plan including the role of the Local Board and
communities
· Support
for prioritising the environment generally and supporting more environmental
initiatives
· Support
for strengthening community resilience generally including infrastructure and
housing
· Support
for community projects generally that have wider-reaching benefits across a
broader range of communities
· Support
for continuing to develop and fund, parks, sport and recreation facilities
including more spaces for youth.
Feedback on other local topics
30. Key themes across the free-form feedback received on
other local topics included:
· Support for improving or renewing town centres or
community hubs
· Support
for more public and active transport, as well as developing safer path and
cycleways with a better and safer connected network
· Support
for opening more walking tracks.
31. The table below breaks down the overall comments into the
following themes:
Requests for local funding
32. No requests were made for local funding through the
Annual Budget 2022/2023 consultation.
Overview of feedback received on
regional topics in the Annual Budget 2022/2023 from the Waitākere Ranges
Local Board area
33. 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
34. The submissions received from the Waitākere Ranges
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
35. 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.
36. 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.
37. The graph below gives an overview of the responses from
the Waitākere Ranges local board area.
Key themes
38. Key themes of note across the free-form feedback received
included:
· Support
for further investment in public transport, including new routes and
infrastructure, especially in underserviced areas, as an important component of
climate action
· Support
for electric transport fleets
· Support
for climate action across the Auckland region generally
· Some
concern an additional rate will add a further burden to cost-of-living
pressures.
Key Question 2: Budget Pressures
39. 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.
40. 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
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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.
41. The graph below gives an overview of the responses from
the Waitākere Ranges local board area.
Key themes
42. Key themes of note across the free-form feedback received
included:
· Some
concern on how cutting spending will impact communities including what Council
deems low priority services
· Some
concern this question was too ambiguous to be able to genuinely answer.
43. Since consultation, further reduction
in revenue caused by the COVID-19 omicron outbreak and rising interest and
inflation costs has compounded budget pressures.
44. 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
45. 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.
46. 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.
47. The graph below gives an overview of the responses from
the Waitākere Ranges local board area.
Key themes
48. A key theme of note across the free-form feedback
received included:
· Some
concern on how priorities are applied within the framework and uncertainty
around what services will be impacted.
Key Question 4: Waste Service Standardisation
49. 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.
50. Auckland Council is also proposing to
include standardising which properties can opt-out of waste management services
and charges across Auckland.
51. The graphs below (4A, 4B(1), 4B(2), 4B(3), and 4B(4))
give an overview of the responses from the Waitākere
Ranges local board area.
Key themes
52. Key themes of note across the free-from feedback received
included:
· A
rates-based system would not encourage or incentivise waste minimisation; it
would be costly to those who already endeavour to reduce their waste; and may
have the opposite effect of increasing waste
· Support
for a food scraps bin and system.
Other feedback
53. Aucklanders were asked what is important to them and if
they had any feedback on any other issues.
54. Looking at
the respondents from the Waitākere Ranges local board area, the most
commented theme for regional issues was public transport followed by, walking
and cycling, roads, and footpaths as well as environmental services.
Recommendations on local matters
55. 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)
56. 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.
57. These conditions do not apply to the Waitākere
Ranges Local Board for the 2022/2023 financial year.
Local board advocacy
58. 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.
59. 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
60. 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
61. 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.
62. 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
63. 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
64. 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.
65. 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
66. 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.
67. 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.
68. 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.
69. 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.
70. 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
71. 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.
72. 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
73. 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
74. The local board will approve its local board agreement
and corresponding work programmes in June 2022.
75. 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.
76. 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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Zenovia Pappapetros - Local Board Engagement Advisor
Raewyn Curran - Senior Local Board Advisor
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Authorisers
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Adam Milina - Local Area Manager
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