Waitākere Ranges Local Board

 

OPEN MINUTES

 

 

 

Minutes of an extraordinary meeting of the Waitākere Ranges Local Board held on Thursday, 11 May 2023 at 9.33am online via Microsoft Teams.

 

Te Hunga kua Tae mai | present

 

Chairperson

Greg Presland

(In person)

Deputy Chairperson

Michelle Clayton

(In person)

Members

Mark Allen

(Online)

 

Sandra Coney, QSO

(Online)

 

Liz Manley

(Online)

 

Linda Potauaine

(Online)

 

Te Hunga Āpiti kua Tae mai | ALSO PRESENT

 

Councillors

Ken Turner

Until 9.48am

 

 

Shane Henderson

Until 9.48am

 

 

 

 

 

 


Waitākere Ranges Local Board

11 May 2023

 

 

 

1          Nau mai | Welcome

 

Chairperson Greg Presland opened the meeting with a karakia and welcomed those present.

 

 

2          Ngā Tamōtanga | Apologies

 

There were no apologies.

 

 

3          Te Whakapuaki i te Whai Pānga | Declaration of Interest

 

Members are reminded of the need to be vigilant to stand aside from decision making when a conflict arises between their role as a member and any private or other external interest they might have.

 

Specifically, members are asked to identify any new interests they have not previously disclosed, an interest that might be considered as a conflict of interest with a matter on the agenda.

The following are declared interests of the Waitākere Ranges Local Board:

 

Board Member

Organisation/Position

Mark Allen

-   Community Waitākere – Executive Officer

-   Bethells Valley Fire – Life Member

-   Waitākere Licensing Trust – Trustee

-   West Auckland Trusts Services - Director

Michelle Clayton

-   Glen Eden Residents’ Association – Member

-   The Personal Advocacy and Safeguarding Adults Trust – Trustee

-   Glen Eden Returned Services Association (RSA) – Member

-   Glen Eden Railway Trust – Member

-   Te Wahi Ora Charitable Trust – Member

-   Glen Eden Community House - Member

Sandra Coney

-   Cartwright Collective – Member

-   Women’s Health Action Trust – Patron

-   New Zealand Society of Genealogists – Member

-   New Zealand Military Defence Society – Member

-   Pest Free Piha – Partner is the Coordinator

-   Piha Tennis Club – Patron and Partner is the President

-   Piha Wetland Trust – Partner is a Trustee

-   Waitākere Ranges Pest Free Alliance – Partner is the Co-Chair of this group

Greg Presland

-   Whau Coastal Walkway Environmental Trust – Trustee

-   Glen Eden BID – Member

-   Titirangi Ratepayers and Residents Association – Member

-   Waitākere Ranges Protection Society - Member

-   Titirangi RSA - Member

Liz Manley

-   Consumer Experiences Council, Te Toka Tumai Auckland, Te Whatu Ora - Co-chair

-   Clinical Ethics Advisory Group, Te Toka Tumai Auckland, Te Whatu Ora - Member

-   Titirangi Community Arts Council Board – Member

-   Titirangi Ratepayers and Residents Association – Member

-   Laingholm District Citizens Association – Member

Linda Potauaine

-   Visionwest Community Trust – Employee

-   New Lynn Rotary – President

-   Archtists Limited. - Director

 

            Member appointments

            Board members are appointed to the following bodies. In these appointments the board members represent Auckland Council:

External organisation

Lead

Alternate

Glen Eden Business Improvement District (Glen Eden Business Association)

Michelle Clayton

Greg Presland

Aircraft Noise Community Consultative Group

Mark Allen

Liz Manley

Ark in the Park

Mark Allen

Liz Manley

Friends of Arataki and Waitākere Regional Parkland Incorporated

Michelle Clayton

Sandra Coney

Glen Eden Playhouse Theatre Trust

Mark Allen

Linda Potauaine

Te Uru Waitākere Contemporary Gallery

Linda Potauaine

Mark Allen

Glen Eden Community and Recreation Centre Incorporated

Michelle Clayton

Mark Allen

LGNZ Auckland Zone representative

Linda Potauaine

Michelle Clayton

 


 

4

Local board consultation feedback and input into the Annual Budget 2023/2024

 

Resolution number WTK/2023/47

MOVED by Chairperson G Presland, seconded by Member L Manley:  

That the Waitākere Ranges Local Board:

a)          whiwhi / receive consultation feedback on the proposed Waitākere Ranges Local Board priorities and activities for 2023/2024 including proposed local activities to discontinue, reduce spending on, or increase fees, to meet the reduction in local board funding proposed by the Governing Body.

b)         whiwhi / receive consultation feedback on regional topics in the Annual Budget 2023/2024 and related policies from people and organisations based in the Waitākere Ranges local board area.

c)          whakamihi / acknowledge our community's hardship and financial pressures and do not make these resolutions lightly. We would like every effort to be made to provide rates relief for those who might need rates support.

d)         whakarite / provide the following input on regional topics in the proposed Annual Budget 2023/2024 and related policies to the Governing Body:

i)           note that in feedback provided, local respondents emphasised climate change mitigation, environmental services, community resilience, culture and the arts and a need for improved infrastructure, including cycling and walking infrastructure and public transport, as some of the most important areas requiring support, action and investment

ii)         support the Te Kawerau ā Maki submission and requests the Governing Body gives strong consideration to the advancement of the Deed of Acknowledgement under the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area Act and supports funding for Te Henga Marae

iii)        opposes the proposal to maintain the currently reduced number of public transport services (as of December 2022) for 2023/2024 to save $21 million due to the need to urgently address climate change and tackle traffic congestion

iv)        opposes the proposal to reduce funding to Tātaki Auckland Unlimited to save a further $27.5 million because of the adverse effect this will have on economic development in the city and events which contribute tremendously to the region

v)         opposes reducing regional services to save $20 million and particularly opposes the proposed cuts to Citizens Advice Bureau, Arataki Visitor Centre, Arts and Culture, Marae funding and youth programmes

vi)        strenuously opposes the proposal to reduce local board-funded activities across all boards to save $16 million. Such a large reduction will have a dramatic effect on the board’s attempts to address environmental threats to our area, to foster and support Arts and Culture and to support community organisations that achieve a great deal of good in the area

vii)      opposes the proposal to reduce regional contestable grants to save $3 million due to the adverse effects this will also have on the environment, Arts, Culture and Community

viii)     opposes the proposal to reduce the Natural Environment and Water Quality Targeted Rates. It considers that current environmental threats require the rationale behind the original proposals to be honoured and current reserves should be used for the originally intended purpose

ix)        opposes the proposal to sell Auckland Council’s shares in Auckland International Airport Limited on account of the airport's strategic significance for the region and the potential for long-term benefits from the dividend income flow and increase in the value of the shares

x)         support a greater than 4.66 per cent rates increase and invites Auckland Council to consider greater rates increase up to the rate of inflation to prevent cuts to important services

xi)        support a larger debt increase than the proposed $75 million and support debt to revenue ratio of up to 290 per cent due to the urgency of addressing the effects of climate change and the need to build a resilient city. Just as COVID-19 prompted a change to the council's long-term borrowing policy, the effects of climate change and the need to address them provide sufficient justification for such a change

xii)      support increasing rates by an additional 1 per cent to fund a storm response fund, but seeks detail on how it will be spent, noting the area's urgent need for improved infrastructure. Its preference is that this funding is secured by borrowing given the multi-generational effect of this spending.

e)          whakarite / provide the following advocacy on local initiatives for the Annual Budget 2023/2024 to the Governing Body:

i)           urge the council to increase funding for the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area and note the council’s obligation to have particular regard to the purpose of the Act and the objectives when making decisions that affect the Heritage Area. Furthermore, noting the fragile nature of the area as has been shown by the recent storms, and that likely cuts to Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) will otherwise require the local board to make significant cuts to programs to address weeds and pests which already threaten the integrity and infrastructure of the Heritage Area

ii)         support increased funding for surf lifesaving services out West

iii)        request adequate funding is secured in the 2023/2024 budgets to ensure the bylaw and consent compliance teams are able to respond to all requests and complaints.

CARRIED

 

Note: Under Standing Order 1.9.7, Member L Potauaine requested her dissenting vote be recorded.

 

 

10.40am                                             The Chairperson thanked Members for their attendance and attention to business and declared the meeting closed.

 

CONFIRMED AS A TRUE AND CORRECT RECORD AT A MEETING OF THE Waitākere Ranges Local Board HELD ON

 

 

 

DATE:.........................................................................

 

 

 

CHAIRPERSON:.......................................................