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Transport and
Infrastructure Committee
17 August 2023
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Approval of Auckland Transport's
Statement of Intent 2023-2026
File No.: CP2023/07763
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To approve the 2023-2026 Statement of Intent
(SOI) for Auckland Transport.
Whakarāpopototanga matua
Executive summary
2. SOIs set out the objectives and activities of
each Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) for the next three years. They
serve as a basis for accountability to the council, and provide an opportunity
for the council to influence each organisation’s direction. SOIs should align to statutory requirements, the annual letter of expectation,
group strategy and policy and the final 2023/24 annual budget.
3. Staff
have reviewed Auckland Transport’s final SOI and reconciled it against
the shareholder comments provided to Auckland Transport in May 2023. The
shareholder comments were focused on better alignment with group strategy, more
meaningful performance measures, responding more directly to the passenger
transport challenge and improving communications and connecting to communities.
4. Auckland
Transport has made significant efforts to respond to the shareholder feedback
and has addressed or responded to most of the matters raised.
5. Staff
from Auckland Transport and council have worked together to refine the key
performance indicators and outcomes expected. A summary of all the measures is
provided on page 29, and notably Appendix 2 provides an explanation of each
measure and the rationale for targets. The targets included for a number of the
measures have been revised down to reflect budget and priorities. Auckland
Transport has focussed on what is achievable as opposed to setting stretch
targets.
6. Council
staff have been working with Auckland Transport on the passenger transport
recovery plan as requested. Other notable changes from the draft include more
detail on Māori outcomes, Auckland Transport’s response to managing
disruptive events, more detail on timeframes for work programmes in the road
corridor and a strengthened focus on improving customer communications
with them.
7. Auckland
Transport has noted that it will work with the new water entity on stormwater
management. Auckland Transport has been working with council on the ‘make
space for water’ initiative and is planning to report to the board later
in the year on stormwater matters. Council could ask Auckland Transport to
elaborate on its processes and commitment at a Transport and Infrastructure
Committee following their board discussions.
8. Staff consider that no major modifications are
required to the final SOI and that the Transport and Infrastructure Committee
should approve the 2023-2026 SOI for Auckland Transport.
Ngā tūtohunga
Recommendation
That the Transport and
Infrastructure Committee:
a) whakaae/approve Auckland Transport’s Statement of
Intent 2023-2026.
Horopaki
Context
9. The
requirements for SOIs are set out in Schedule 8 of the Local Government Act
(LGA) 2002. SOIs establish the objectives and activities for a CCO for the next
three years. They serve as a basis for accountability to the council, and
provide an opportunity for the council to influence the organisation’s
direction.
10. SOIs are one element of council’s overall strategic, planning,
reporting and accountability documentation. Other documents include the
statement of expectations, CCO accountability policy, long-term plan and annual
report.
11. Under the LGA
the council has the ability to modify a SOI to ensure it adequately reflects
the council’s strategic priorities if it considers that is necessary.
12. Each SOI follows a template, as recommended by the CCO review, which
has the following sections:
· Part
1: Strategic Overview – which focuses on the three-year horizon and sets
out strategic objectives, nature and scope, how it will deliver on
council’s outcomes and the 10-year budget (long-term plan) performance
measures.
· Part
2: Statement of performance expectations. It provides an annual work programme,
financial information and responses to specific requests by the shareholder. It
is updated and submitted annually.
13. At the 15
December 2022 Governing Body meeting a one-month extension of
statutory deadlines for the 2023-2026 SOIs, as provided
for in the LGA Schedule 8, section 4 was approved. (GB/2022/137).
14. Key steps in the SOI process were:
· a
letter of expectation was provided to Auckland Transport in December 2022 based on decisions made at the 15 December 2022 Governing Body
meeting (GB/2022/137).
· Auckland
Transport provided its draft SOI to council by the deadline of 1 April 2023
· the
Transport and Infrastructure Committee approved shareholder comments on 18 May
2023 (TICCC/2023/61)
· Auckland
Transport considered the shareholder comments at a public board meeting (27 May
2023)
· the
final SOI was received by 31 July 2023.
15. Staff
have reviewed Auckland Transport’s SOI and reconciled it against the
shareholder comments provided in May 2023. The shareholder comments
focused on:
· better
alignment with group strategy and policy and the draft 2023/24 annual budget
· meaningful
performance measures and more information on how these are defined and
calculated.
· responding
more directly to the passenger transport challenge
· improving
communications to the public, listening to and connecting to the communities
they serve
· providing more
specific milestones for improvements in the roading corridor
· detailing how
Auckland Transport addresses stormwater management and maintenance.
Tātaritanga me ngā
tohutohu
Analysis and advice
16. The SOI is
provided in Attachment A. Staff have
reconciled shareholder comments against the final SOIs and this reconciliation
is provided in Attachment B.
17. Auckland
Transport has made significant efforts to respond to the shareholder feedback
and has addressed or responded to most of the matters raised and there are no
issues for modification.
18. Staff from
Auckland Transport and council have worked together to refine the key
performance indicators and outcomes expected. A summary of all the measures is
provided on page 29, and notably Appendix 2 provides an explanation of each
measure and the rationale for targets. For several measures Auckland Transport
has revised down the targets to reflect funding and priorities (e.g. arterial
productivity, road maintenance, passenger transport boardings and cycling
counts). Of note:
· Auckland Transport has
introduced a number of measures that council requested to be consistent with other CCOs and to enable Auckland Transport’s performance
to be assessed (e.g. customer complaints, resource consent adherence, road
maintenance, financial and passenger transport metrics, Māori business
procurement).
· The passenger
transport boardings target for this year is set at 83.4 million reflecting the
impact of the rail network rebuild and existing challenges in staffing,
particularly for ferries. Auckland Transport notes in the SOI that it has an
additional aspirational stretch target to reach 100 million boardings by the
end of June 2024 and they are reporting monthly on their progress.
· The new
performance measure and its targets ‘critical assets in poor
condition’ notes a managed decline in asset conditions. Auckland
Transport note elsewhere in the SOI that this is linked to budget constraints
at the national and regional level.
· The deaths and serious injuries have also been revised down
from the previous trajectory to reflect the lower funding availability. The
measure has been aligned with financial year.
· Cycle
counts baseline has been reset to 3.043 million and targets have been reset to
an annual increase of 2.5 per cent. This reflects budget reductions.
· Auckland
Transport will continue to monitor estimated greenhouse gas emissions and this
will be reported regularly to council.
19. Staff from
Auckland Transport and council have been working together to advance a
passenger transport recovery plan. This is reflected in Section 2.2 (page 19)
on getting the basics right.
20. Changes to
the final SOI of note include:
· More
detail on Auckland Transport’s response to Māori outcomes, the
Independent Māori Statutory Board’s Schedule of Issue of
Significance and Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau. This includes a sustainable
procurement measure of spend with Māori businesses.
· More
detail on the processes Auckland Transport is undertaking to improve how it
manages and responds to disruptive events in the Climate and Sustainability
section.
· Auckland
Transport has included milestones for each project/programme in ‘Section
2.2 Getting the basics right’. The emphasis is on managing and
maintaining the infrastructure we currently have and improving transport
services. More commentary on how Auckland Transport will minimise the impact of
disruption on the road corridor and reduce road cones.
· Stronger
links to council’s strategic objectives have been reflected in the final
SOI in three places - Section 1.3 ‘Strategic alignment’; Section
2.2 ‘Getting the basics right’ – where a new section
‘Work towards the Transport Emissions Reduction Plan’ is provided;
and Section 2.4 ‘Collaboration and improving relationships’ on
collaborating on the Regional Land Transport Strategy.
· Auckland
Transport has strengthened the focus on the customer and improving
communication with them throughout the SOI.
· More
references to innovating are included in the section ‘Getting the basics
right’.
· Auckland
Transport has noted that it will work with the new water entity on stormwater
management. In the paper to the board seeking approval of the final SOI,
Auckland Transport noted it has been working with council on the ‘make
space for water’ initiative and is planning to report to the board later
in the year on stormwater matters. Council could ask Auckland Transport to
elaborate on its processes and commitment at a Transport and Infrastructure
Committee later this year following its board discussions.
21. Auckland
Transport has, as requested, included a summary of the 2023/24 capital programme.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
āhuarangi
Climate impact statement
22. The final SOI
supports the implementation of actions identified in Te
Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri, within the constraints of funding.
Ngā whakaaweawe me
ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera
Council group impacts and views
23. Auckland Transport’s SOI reflects feedback
from council staff and considers the impacts on the group.
Ngā whakaaweawe
ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe
Local impacts and local board views
24. The reconciliation exercise between the final
SOI and the shareholder comments ensured that issues relating to local boards
were addressed as required in the shareholder comments. Section 2.4
Collaboration and improving relationships addresses local board matters.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
Māori
Māori impact statement
25. The final SOI addresses the issues raised by the
Independent Māori Statutory Board and Ngā Mātārae in
shareholder feedback. The performance of Auckland Transport on its
commitments to Māori outcomes is reported on each quarter as part of
quarterly performance reporting.
Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea
Financial implications
26. Financial information in the SOI has been
reviewed by Financial Strategy and Planning and the 2023/2024 budgets are
consistent with final Auckland Council 2023/24 annual budget decisions.
27. Forecasts provided for 2024/2025 and 2025/2026
are indicative only. The associated council operating funding projection is
notably higher than the funding level assumed in the current Long-term Plan
2021-2031 or the adjusted Long-term Plan with approved changes from the
2022/2023 and 2023/2024 Annual Plans.
28. While these forecast numbers provide an initial
outlook, they are subject to change and the budget approval for these years will be part of the Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 process.
Ngā raru tūpono me
ngā whakamaurutanga
Risks and mitigations
29. There are no major risks associated with
approving Auckland Transport’s SOI.
Ngā koringa ā-muri
Next steps
30. If the committee approves the SOI, Auckland
Transport will report on performance every quarter.
Ngā tāpirihanga
Attachments
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No.
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Title
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Page
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a⇨
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AT Final SOI 2023-2026
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b⇨
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AT Reconciliation table final SOI with shareholder
comments
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Ngā kaihaina
Signatories
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Author
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Claire Gomas - Principal Advisor
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Authorisers
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Alastair Cameron - Manager - CCO Governance &
External Partnerships
Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and
Environmental Services
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Transport and
Infrastructure Committee
17 August 2023
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Options to Reform Legislation Governing
Transport in Auckland
File No.: CP2023/11423
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To approve in principle support for legislative
change that would provide for:
· Auckland Council and the Crown to jointly make integrated decisions
about planning the Auckland transport system; and
· Auckland Council to have a greater role in making regional decisions
about the Auckland transport system, including approving the Regional Land
Transport Plan and setting fines.
Whakarāpopototanga matua
Executive summary
2. Auckland Council is the only council in New
Zealand that does not have a direct formal role in preparing and approving the
strategic direction for transport and the allocation of funding in support of
that direction. Changes to the Land Transport Management Act (LTMA) in 2013
transferred the primary responsibility from Auckland Council primarily to
Auckland Transport and its Board. The Independent CCO Review panel in 2020
noted that this change was “wrong in principle and at odds with the
intent of Auckland’s local government reforms”.
3. Since 2013, the transport system in Auckland has
grown in complexity, with new agencies being established (e.g. City Rail Link
Limited and Auckland Light Rail). The National Land Transport Fund has become
increasingly constrained and core government funding is increasingly being used
to fund transport initiatives.
4. Wider government reforms are also impacting on
governance, policy and decision making; this exacerbates issues with alignment
and coordination challenges.
5. The Auckland Transport Board noted that the
transport governance and funding arrangements for Auckland are no longer
working and is seeking that council give serious consideration to how a
more simplified, transparent, and robust planning and funding framework for
Auckland can be created.
6. In discussions with the Minister of Transport,
the mayor has indicated that a fundamental shift is needed to put Aucklanders
back in charge of Auckland’s transport system, noting that Auckland
Council plans to invest $30 billion into transport in the current 10-year plan.
7. A workshop was held with the Transport and
Infrastructure Committee on 9 August 2023 to discuss four broad options for
addressing these challenges. These options could be progressed either by way of
a government bill to amend existing public acts (the Local Government (Auckland
Council) Act and the Land Transport Management Act) or through an Auckland
Council developed promoted local bill. Or the council could choose to progress
both options in parallel.
8. This report summarises these options and
recommends that the committee supports the need for legislative change to
enable Auckland Council to have a formal role in preparing and approving the
strategic direction for transport and the allocation of funding to achieve it.
It recommends that staff undertake further work on options and report back to
this committee in September. The report also recommends the mayor has the
support of council to advocate to the incoming Government that this is a
priority.
Ngā tūtohunga
Recommendation/s
That the Transport and
Infrastructure Committee:
a) whakaae
/ agree to support legislative change that, at a high level, provides for:
i) joint
decision-making between Auckland Council and the Crown on a long-term
integrated transport plan for Auckland, and on the funding and implementation
of that plan
ii) Auckland
Council to have the lead role in preparing and approving the Regional Land Transport Plan, which sets the
strategic direction for transport and the allocation of funding in support of
that direction
iii) Auckland
Council to be able to make other key regulatory decisions about the Auckland
transport system, including setting parking fines
b) tono /
request the Mayor to advocate for legislative change giving effect to the
principles above to be a priority for the incoming Government
c) tono /
request staff to draft a local bill consistent with clause a) above and to
engage with the Office of the Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel Office on the
possibility of Auckland Council proceeding with the promotion of the local
bill, and to report back to the Governing Body with a draft local bill and
further advice on next steps in September.
Horopaki
Context
Transport planning in Auckland is different to other councils in
New Zealand
9. Transport accounts for more than 30 per cent of
Auckland Council’s budget (more than $30 billion of overall investment in
Auckland over 10 years). Despite this, Auckland Council is the only council in
New Zealand that does not have a formal role in preparing and approving the
strategic direction for transport and the allocation of funding in support of
that direction.
Functions and responsibilities of Auckland Transport
10. The
functions and responsibilities of Auckland Transport have evolved from those
originally intended at its outset. Subsequent amendments have resulted in a
governance framework that is not fit for purpose.
11. The
Royal Commission on Auckland Governance recommendations for Auckland Transport
were to bring all elements of transport under the management of one body
– a Regional Transport Authority (RTA), with Auckland Council remaining
responsible for high-level policy. The RTA would prepare the regional transport
plan. Auckland Council would approve this plan. The rationale for the RTA was
to provide a greater single focus on transport, more continuity in investment
and a wider pool of expertise.
12. Cabinet
agreed to these recommendations and agreed to the following additional
functions for the RTA:
· acting as an
approved organisation for NZ Transport Agency[1]
funding
· being the Road
Controlling Authority
· undertaking public
transport planning, regulation and contracting
13. The Royal Commission also recommended that there
should be a joint management structure with the NZ Transport Agency for
national land transport funding and state highways. It should involve a formal agreement covering scope of
activities and governance arrangements (possibly including a joint management
board). Cabinet, however, chose to maintain the current structural relationship
between national and regional functions for roads and rail. It did agree that a
representative of the NZ Transport Agency would be formally appointed as an
advisor to the RTA Board.
Changes to the Land Transport Management Act 2003
14. In
2013, the government reformed the Land Transport Management Act 2003. It
combined the Regional Land Transport Strategy, which was Auckland
Council’s responsibility, with the Regional Land Transport Programme
(which was Auckland Transport’s responsibility) into one Regional Land
Transport Plan.
15. Developing
and approving this new plan became the sole responsibility of Auckland
Transport. This had the effect of removing the Auckland Council’s role in
setting transport strategy and weakened the links between regional transport
strategy and other council plans and strategic outcomes. The Council’s role, compared to other unitary authorities[2]
is significantly diminished. Community frustration is often
directed at elected members who have limited democratic oversight of the
processes.
16. The
council made a strong submission against this to the Select Committee.
Independent CCO Review 2020
17. In their 2020 report, the CCO Review panel was
critical of the amendments to the Land Transport Management Act, concluding
that they were “wrong in principle and at odds with the intent of
Auckland’s local government reforms”. The panel suggested a non-legislative
approach to try and achieve a “single source of truth” about
Auckland’s transport future.
Recent government reviews are further adding to the complexity
of delivering transport outcomes in Auckland
18. Government
reforms like the Resource Management Act reform and the reform of the water
sector are adding to the complexity of planning for and funding transport
within Auckland. They highlight the need for greater coordination between
central and local government.
19. The recent Review into the Future of Local
Government proposes a future system where investment planning between councils and with central government is
shared. The Review puts the onus on local
government to “own and drive the change to make it fit for the
future”. The panel believes that local government needs to show
leadership, providing a strong signal to central government of the need to work
together on reform. To prioritise and deliver on wellbeing, Recommendation 13
proposes that central government makes a greater investment in local government
through “significant funding to support local priorities, place-based
agreements and devolution of roles”.
Tātaritanga me ngā
tohutohu
Analysis and advice
Auckland Council’s current levers are not working
20. In Auckland, direction setting, planning,
investment and delivery for transport is the responsibility of several players
(refer Figure A). The result is an overly complex transport ecosystem,
where Auckland has multiple sets of published transport
priorities that do not align and lack democratic oversight. There is a lack of
clarity on the core outcomes desired and the level of investment that the
transport system requires.
21. Auckland
Transport is substantially funded by both the Crown, through Waka Kotahi and
the National Land Transport Fund (NLTF), and Auckland Council. Increasing
funding constraints for both the Crown and council, has led to a range
of parallel and bespoke planning and funding processes, and new agencies like
Auckland Light Rail Ltd being created. With these changes, the operating
environment has become more complex.
22. Within this
complex operating environment, the directors of Auckland Transport have asked
the council to “give serious consideration to how it can also lead to a
more simplified, transparent, and robust planning and funding framework for
Auckland”.
Figure A:
Auckland’s complex transport ecosystem
23. Under the current set of
governance arrangements, crucial decisions that shape the transport system
reside in the Regional Land Transport Plan process, which council has limited
input into or oversight of. Council does not make decisions on:
· The
allocation of large programmes (such as safety, renewals, network optimisation)
to more specific investments
· project
sequencing – investments planned for delivery in the first three years of
the RLTP have a higher degree of certainty than those included in years four
and beyond
· the
development and application of the process by which potential investments are
prioritised against each other and the way in which some projects (especially
larger projects) are designed and planned for delivery – both of these
matters are crucial to determining the extent to which the outcomes council
seeks are delivered upon in a cost effective manner.
24. Auckland is
also bound by legislation that is out of date and not fit for purpose in the
Auckland context. In particular, council’s current mechanisms for
collecting revenue under existing legislation and allocating its funding are
not fit for purpose. An example is the council’s inability to set parking
fines appropriate to the Auckland context
Non legislative approaches to improve Auckland Council’s
role in setting the strategic direction for transport have had limited success
25. A
number of non-legislative approaches have been undertaken to try and address
the issues identified above. These have all been work arounds to the current
legislative constraints and have so far failed to improve matters. They
include:
i) Auckland
Transport Alignment Plan (ATAP) – initiated in 2015, it is a cross
-agency partnership that has developed a three-yearly indicative package of
transport investments for Auckland
ii) more
recent Integrated Transport Plan being led by the Mayor and the Minister of
Transport
iii) Independent
CCO Review recommendations
iv) appointment
of two councillors onto the board of Auckland Transport.
Auckland Transport
Alignment Project (ATAP)
26. While
ATAP has effectively facilitated agreement between council and government on
shared transport priorities, there are enduring problems:
· it has no statutory
basis and no prescribed relationship with statutory documents like the RLTP and
council’s Long-term Plan. This can lead to inconsistencies in application
· it is a time
constrained process that lacks opportunities for public and stakeholder input
· agreed investment priorities in ATAP
can be relitigated through subsequent processes (e.g. Waka Kotahi business case
assessment). This results in a lack of funding certainty for implementing
agencies and an inability to deliver on ATAP.
· there is a lack of certainty in the
overall transport funding envelope – funding constraints mean that
despite commitments there is not often the necessary funding to implement
agreed projects/programmes
· programmes
are identified and provided for at a high level (e.g. safety, renewals, network
optimisation, cycling). How these programme funds are then allocated to
specific investments is determined through the RLTP process which is developed
and approved by Auckland Transport, not Auckland Council.
27. There is general agreement that ATAP has served an important
purpose. However, to address the above issues, a legislatively prescribed
process for agreeing joint transport priorities for Auckland is needed
Auckland
Integrated Transport Plan (AITP) – in development
28. The
AITP partially addresses some of the above issues with AITP. The intended focus
of the AITP is to develop a long-term, strategic integrated transport plan for
Auckland.
CCO
Review recommendation (and subsequent Governing Body resolution) that Auckland
Council co-develop and endorse RLTP
29. The
recommendation by the Independent CCO Review for the council and Auckland
Transport to use existing accountability mechanisms (letters of expectation and
approval of statement of intent) to co-develop the last RLTP was not
successful. Reasons for this include: the legislative obligations for
AT’s directors, information asymmetry, a lack of council capacity and
resource and timing constraints.
Appointment
of two councillors to the AT Board
30. The
current council has appointed two councillors to the Board of Auckland
Transport. Councillors appointed to the board of Auckland Transport have the
same role as other directors on the board, including the same responsibilities
and expectations. This is different to their roles and responsibilities as an
elected member.
Options identified for improving strategic direction and the
allocation of funding for transport in Auckland
31. There are four options to address these matters by improving the
mechanisms through which council and government collaborate to shape
Auckland’s transport system. The
proposals seek to provide for greater elected member oversight of and input
into these matters without compromising an appropriate role for technical
expertise from both Auckland Council and Auckland Transport staff.
32. The
complexity of Auckland’s transport system and the scale of the funding
deficit require changes to the current legislative framework for transport
planning in Auckland.
Options for legislative change
33. There
are two options for legislative change:
A)
Government led reform - to amend existing
public acts to either:
i) amend the LTMA
to assign statutory responsibility for the RLTP in its entirety to Auckland
Council and allow Auckland Council to appoint the regional transport committee,
with subsequent amendments to LGACA Part 4.
ii) amend the LTMA to
return to the pre-2013 arrangement whereby Auckland Council is responsible for
the strategic elements of the RLTP and Auckland Transport is responsible for
the investment programme to deliver on that strategy
iii) review Part 4 of the Local
Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 (LGACA).
B) Auckland Council to develop and promote a local bill[3] - to
establish a Joint Transport Committee between the Crown and Auckland Council
and a new Auckland Regional Transport Committee to provide for more integrated
and efficient strategic and funding decisions relating to transport in
Auckland.
34. While there
appears to be government support to amend the public Acts noted in Option A, it
is not clear it would be a priority for any new government.
35. Initial
engagement with the Office of the Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel Office have indicated that variations of these options could potentially be
given effect to via a local bill promoted by Auckland Council as long as any
proposed amendments to public Acts (e.g. LTMA and LGACA) are consequential to
what is set out in the Bill.
36. There is merit in pursuing both Government-led reform and a local
bill, as these efforts should reinforce each other.
37. Pursuing a local bill has the advantage of enabling Auckland Council
to take the initiative on solving the issues we have identified and to propose
a legislative fix, rather than defaulting to asking the Government to do so. If
done correctly, it could also encourage the Government to take up the effort.
Purpose of local bill
38. There is a recognised need for a degree of consensus between
Auckland Council, the government and transport agencies on Auckland’s
transport priorities.
39. Potential
elements of a local bill were workshopped with the Transport and Infrastructure
Committee on the 9 August 2023.
40. The purpose of the proposed local bill would be
to –
a) facilitate
integrated long-term transport planning and decision-making for the Auckland
region
b) enable
joint decision-making between Auckland Council and the Crown for the delivery
of transport priorities that give effect to agreed strategic outcomes, and
c) establish
a two-tiered governance structure for transport planning and management in
Auckland.
41. The bill could consist of two key governance
arrangements - a new joint transport committee and a new bespoke Auckland
Regional Transport Committee (refer Figure B).
Figure B: Proposed governance structure to be
set out in local bill
Joint
Committee for Auckland
42. The
objectives of the joint committee could be to:
· take a long-term, integrated view of Auckland’s transport
planning and funding
· provide for joint decision-making between the Crown and Auckland
Council
· monitor and report on progress against key transport priorities in
the Integrated Transport Plan for Auckland
43. There
are several options for determining Committee membership which would need to be
explored. However, it is likely that the establishment of the Joint Transport
Committee would require central and local government agencies to cede some of
their current responsibilities in the interests of a more integrated approach to
transport planning in Auckland.
New
Auckland Transport Committee
44. The
function of this Committee would be similar to other Regional Transport
Committees in New Zealand, but it would reflect the different governance
structures in Auckland and the proposed Joint Transport Committee.
45. The
objectives of the Auckland Transport Committee would be to:
· to prepare and approve the Auckland Regional Land Transport
Programme - a 10-year investment programme to respond to and give effect to the
Auckland Integrated Transport Plan
· approve
expenditure and allocate funding for projects specified in ITP and RLTP up to a
specified level without recourse to Waka Kotahi
board’s decision-making processes
· provide the Joint Transport Committee or any of the partner agencies
with advice and assistance as requested
· determine level of parking fines for Auckland.
46. There
are several options for determining Committee membership which would need to be
explored. Elsewhere in New Zealand, unitary authorities appoint four members to
their Regional Transport Committee. In Auckland, the Regional Transport
Committee is the Auckland Transport Board. A new bespoke arrangement is
required that would see an Auckland Transport Committee (ATC) established that
has elected member representation from the Auckland Council.
47. Further
work is required to determine the exact functions and appropriate committee
membership.
Advantages and limitations of legislative reform options
48. The advantages and limitations of the options
for legislative reform are summarised in the table below.
|
Criteria
|
Guide strategy
|
Account-ability
|
Achievability
|
Policy /
Planning Alignment
|
Greater funding certainty
|
|
Status Quo
|
L
|
L
|
H
|
L
|
L
|
|
Option A – Govt led reform and amendments to public Acts
|
H
|
H
|
L
|
M
|
L
|
|
Option B – Local bill
|
H
|
H
|
M
|
H
|
H
|
49. The development of a local bill would bring
Auckland Council’s responsibilities in line with other unitary councils
and could provide agencies with a transport interest in Auckland with greater
funding certainty.
50. Providing
for a more appropriate distribution of functions between Auckland Transport and
Auckland Council will go part way to creating a more effective set of transport
governance arrangements in Auckland. However, more fundamental reform is
required to address other issues with the current transport system,
particularly those relating to securing appropriate transport funding and
revenue.
In summary
51. A two-pronged
approach is recommended that:
· directs
the Mayor to advocate for legislative change giving effect to the principles
above to be a priority for the incoming Government
· direct
staff to draft a local bill consistent with the principles above and to engage
with the Office of the Clerk and Parliamentary Counsel Office on the possibility
of Auckland Council proceeding with the promotion of the local bill, and to
report back to the Governing Body with a draft local bill and further advice by
the end of September.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
āhuarangi
Climate impact statement
52. There are no climate impacts as a result of this
report.
Ngā whakaaweawe me
ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera
Council group impacts and views
53. Council staff have advised Auckland Transport on
the content of this report and met with the Board Chair and Chief Executive to
discuss.
Ngā whakaaweawe
ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe
Local impacts and local board views
54. If the recommendations in this report are agreed, staff will engage
with local boards as they commence work on legislative reform.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
Māori
Māori impact statement
55. If the recommendations in this report are agreed, staff will engage
with iwi as they commence work on legislative reform.
Ngā ritenga
ā-pūtea
Financial implications
56. There are no immediate financial implications in
undertaking the proposed work.
57. Any future financial decisions can be considered
through the appropriate Long-term Plan and Annual Plan decision making process.
Ngā raru tūpono me
ngā whakamaurutanga
Risks and mitigations
58. There is a risk that this will not be a priority
for the new government or that the government may consider that given the
issues with transport in Auckland, it could look at options broader than those
proposed. These risks are partially mitigated by the proposal for a local bill
which provides for a joint transport committee where both
Council and Government cede some powers and responsibility for transport in
Auckland.
59. There
is a risk that the scope of the legislative change will be considered too broad
for a local bill or that the Government will seek to forgo this change in favor
of some broader, future review. These risks are mitigated by pursuing the
two-pronged strategy of seeking Government-led change as well as a local
initiative. If the local bill is ultimately considered to be too broad, then
our work is not wasted and will be useful to our advocacy.
60. It
is likely that the legislative process will result in changes to the proposed
legislation. This could improve the legislation in response to public
submissions and scrutiny. Auckland Council would engage actively in the process
to influence changes so they reflect the council’s intent.
Ngā koringa ā-muri
Next steps
61. If approved, staff will start the process for
drafting a local bill and engaging with the Office of the Clerk and
Parliamentary Counsel Office. Staff will report back to the Governing Body by
the end of September.
Ngā tāpirihanga
Attachments
There are no attachments for
this report.
Ngā kaihaina
Signatories
