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Waitākere
Ranges Local Board
14 September
2023
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Submissions
and feedback on the draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023
File No.: CP2023/13171
Te take mō te
pūrongo
Purpose of the report
1. To
provide an overview of feedback and submissions received from public
consultation on the draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023.
Whakarāpopototanga matua
Executive summary
2. The
Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 requires that each local board
adopt a local board plan by 31 October of the year following election and uses
the special consultative procedure (SCP) to engage with its communities.
3. In
June 2023, the local board approved a draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Plan 2023 for public consultation. The consultation period ran from 13 July to
14 August 2023.
4. A
total of 160 pieces of stakeholder and community feedback was received for Waitākere
Ranges Local Board, including 99 submissions through the online survey tool,
email, and hard copy submissions and 61 pieces of feedback through Have Your
Say events.
5. Mana
whenua feedback was received from Te Kawerau ā Maki, in addition to
feedback from a west Auckland mataawaka hui hosted by Hoani Waititi Marae.
6. Staff
have prepared a Summary of Feedback report (Attachment A) summarising the
results of the consultation. This will be made available for the public to view
on the AK Have your say website.
7. All
feedback submissions will also be available on the Auckland Council website at:
https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/local-board-plans-2023-feedback.
8. Submitters
were asked for their overall view of the plan. Just over three-quarters of
those who stated said they supported the plan (25 percent) or supported it in
part (51 percent). Sixteen percent said they did not support it. Eight percent
said they ‘did not know’.
9. The Waitākere Ranges Local Board should
consider the submissions and feedback prior to adopting the final local board
plan in October 2023. Any changes and/or responses to feedback will be detailed
in the report to adopt the plan.
Ngā tūtohunga
Recommendation/s
That the Waitākere Ranges
Local Board:
a) whiwhi /
receive submissions and feedback on the draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Plan 2023.
b) kohuki /
consider feedback when finalising the Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan
2023.
Horopaki
Context
10. The Local
Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 requires that each local board must:
· adopt
its local board plan by 31 October of the year following an election
· use
the special consultative procedure (SCP) to engage with their communities.
11. On 22 June
2023, the Waitākere Ranges Local Board approved the draft Waitākere
Ranges Local Board Plan 2023 for public consultation.
12. Early
engagement with the community helped inform the draft local board plan as did
feedback from the Annual Budget consultation.
13. The key
features of the draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023 were:
· Māori
Outcomes – focused on strengthening relationships with local mana whenua,
Te Kawerau ā Maki, and mataawaka partners, such as Hoani Waititi
Marae. Initiatives include progressing a Deed of Acknowledgement;
advocating for marae development; supporting events and activities that promote
Māori culture and identity; and supporting marae hosted citizenship
ceremonies to welcome new residents.
· Climate
Action – focused on recovery from the impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle and
the Auckland Anniversary storm and reducing transport emissions. Initiatives
include developing and implementing a local climate action plan, supporting
community resilience, improving sustainable transport options, and advocating
for our roads and other infrastructure to be “built back better”
for future severe weather events.
· Waitākere
Ranges Heritage Area - focused on making sure the nationally
significant area is looked after for current and future generations.
· Our
People – focused on enhancing the health, wellbeing, and resilience of
local communities. Initiatives include promoting and supporting kai
sovereignty,
· Our
Environment – focused on protecting and enhancing our
significant ecological areas, restoring our waterways, and supporting people to
connect with and care for the environment. This includes initiatives to
undertake restoration work, pest plant and animal control, and support
community volunteers.
· Our
Community - focused on providing parks, facilities and
services that are accessible and meet the needs of our diverse urban and rural
communities; making arts, culture and creativity a celebrated part of living in
the West. Initiatives include continuing to support a network of community
places; ensuring parks and places are well-looked after; investigating
relocation of Bethells Beach surf club; continue to fund and support our art
galleries and arts and culture events.
· Our
Places - focused on making our town and village centres
thrive; advocating for a reliable resilient and sustainable transport network;
protecting and restoring the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area for current
and future generations; and. Initiatives include celebrating and supporting
historic and cultural heritage through events, interpretation, and research;
small, staged improvements to walking and cycling; and placemaking activities
in Glen Eden.
· Our Economy - focused
on supporting our main town centre and business area to be successful;
sustainable local economic activity; fostering home-based businesses and
working from home, as well as rural economic activities in the foothills.
Initiatives include working with the Glen Eden business association on priorities
to improve the town centre, continuing to support filming activity, established
markets and events, and seeking to become a dark sky location.
How we consulted
14. The
consultation was held between 13 July and 14 August 2023. A communications
campaign encouraged people to “Help Shape the Future’ of the Waitākere
Ranges Local Board area and to “Tell us what’s important”.
This was promoted through libraries and council facilities, media channels, and
social media.
15. A range of engagement
activities were undertaken to encourage the public to have their say, with a
focus on digital and online platforms:
· Public
submissions: These were hard copy and online collected via email, post, and
through libraries, service centres, local board offices, People’s Panel
members and the online engagement platform akhaveyoursay/localboardplans.
· Have
Your Say: nine face-to-face engagement events (spoken interaction) were
held, including a hearing held on 3 August 2023.
· Translations:
the summary of the draft plan was translated into Samoan and Chinese. Some
information was also available in Te Reo Māori and New Zealand Sign
Language through the Ak Have Your Say website.
16. The following
community partners held events to support the consultation:
· Hoani
Waititi Marae
17. In response,
the local board received the following feedback:
· 82
submissions through the online survey tool
· 3
hard copy submissions
· 13
pieces of feedback via Have Your Say events.
Tātaritanga me ngā
tohutohu
Analysis and advice
Summary of consultation feedback
18. The results
and analysis of the public consultation should be considered by the local board
when developing the final local board plan.
19. Staff have
prepared a Summary of Feedback report (Attachment A) summarising the results of
the consultation. The key messages of the report are described in Table 1
below.
Table 1
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Consultation
question
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Themed
feedback
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Funding
challenges and community investment
Keeping in
mind council’s financial challenges, what can we do differently in the
local area to achieve better outcomes?
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· repair
roads
· core
services, efficiency and cost effectiveness
· storm
recovery
· managing
stormwater
· track
closures
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Overall
view
Do you think
the draft Waitākere Range Local Board Plan 2023 reflects the needs and aspirations
of you and your community over the next three years?
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25 percent
‘supported’; 51 percent ‘supported in part’, 16
percent ‘did not support’, 8 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· generally
support areas of focus
· sensitive to uniqueness of area
· increase
focus on outer areas
· repair
and maintain roads and other infrastructure
· transport
· cycling
infrastructure
· plan too vague / actions should
be more specific
· track
closures
· negative
sentiment about focus on Māori outcomes
· general scepticism / negativity
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Climate action
We aim to
support community resilience, understand the issues and challenges, advocate
for our roads and other infrastructure to be “built back better”
for future severe weather events, and improve sustainable transport options.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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47 percent
‘supported’; 32 percent ‘supported in part’, 13
percent ‘did not support’, 9 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· support
climate action
· community
resilience / community gardens
· repair
and maintain roads and other infrastructure
· transport
· increase
focus on outer areas
· shoreline
adaptation
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Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area
We aim to
make sure the nationally significant area is looked after for current and
future generations.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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49 percent
‘supported’; 33 percent ‘supported in part’, 13 percent
‘did not support’, 5 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· supporting
volunteer work
· weed
and pest control
· protect
and maintain ecological areas
· land
slips
· repair
and maintain roads and other infrastructure
· visitor
management
· kauri
dieback / track closures
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Our People
We will
focus on supporting our distinctive and diverse communities to be thriving,
resilient and adaptable so people feel connected and work together to support
wellbeing.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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38 percent
‘supported’; 30 percent ‘supported in part’, 17
percent ‘did not support’, 14 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· engage
with the community
· focus
on Pasifika
· plan too vague / actions
should be more specific
· community
empowerment and wellbeing
· need
to represent the whole community
· negative
sentiment about focus on Māori outcomes
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Our Environment
We will
focus on protecting and enhancing our significant ecological areas, restoring
our waterways, and supporting people to connect with and care for the
environment.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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60 percent
‘supported’; 23 percent ‘supported in part’, 14
percent ‘did not support’, 3 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· generally support direction
· tree protection
· increase weed and pest control
· volunteer co-ordination
· harbour, stream and lagoon water quality
· wetland restoration
· kauri dieback / track closures
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Our Community
We will
focus on providing parks, facilities and services that are accessible and
meet the needs of our diverse urban and rural communities; making arts,
culture and creativity a celebrated part of living in the west; promoting
Māori culture and identity so it is visible and valued.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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45 percent
‘supported’; 28 percent ‘supported in part’, 20
percent ‘did not support’, 7 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· Increase focus on sport, recreation and play
· parks and facilities
· access to swimming pools
· community empowerment
· need to represent the whole community
· Māori outcomes
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Our Places
We will
focus on making our town and village centres thrive; advocating for a
reliable resilient and sustainable transport network; protecting and
restoring the Waitākere Ranges Heritage Area for current and future generations;
and acknowledging the relationship of Te Kawerau ā Maki and Ngāti
Whātua to the area.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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35 percent
‘supported’; 39 percent ‘supported in part’, 19
percent ‘did not support’, 7 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· Glen Eden
· Sustainable transport, including cycleways and bike
parking
· More focus on Swanson, Titirangi and Piha
· Track
closures
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Our Economy
We will
focus on supporting: our main town centre and business area to be successful;
sustainable local economic activity; fostering home-based businesses and
working from home, as well as rural economic activities in the foothills.
Have we got
it right, and what is your view on how these things are addressed in the
plan?
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48 percent
‘supported’; 26 percent ‘supported in part’, 10
percent ‘did not support’, 16 percent ‘did not know’.
Of those who commented
themes were:
· Glen Eden town centre
· level rail crossings
· dark sky
· rural land use
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Publishing the results of public
consultation
20. To conclude
the consultation phase of the local board plan development, staff recommend
that the local board receive the submissions and feedback for consideration.
21. All feedback
is available on the Auckland Council website at: https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/local-board-plans-2023-feedback.
22. The Summary
of Feedback (Attachment A) report will also be available on the AK Have your
say website following approval of this report.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
āhuarangi
Climate impact statement
23. Receiving the submissions and feedback has a neutral climate impact.
The submissions are available online to reduce the printing of hard
copies.
24. The draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Plan 2023 contained a specific Climate Action section, focusing on the scope of
challenges posed by climate change. It considered such impacts as increasing
temperatures, rising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns in the local board
area.
25. The climate impact of any initiatives the Waitākere Ranges Local Board chooses to progress will be assessed as part of
the relevant reporting requirements and project management processes.
Ngā whakaaweawe me
ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera
Council group impacts and views
26. Workshops
were held with the board and the board had the opportunity to attend briefings
on a range of topics including community investment, Māori outcomes, local
economy and climate action. Written advice was also provided to the board on a
number of topics including strategic context and environmental services.
27. Subject
matter experts from across the council, Auckland Transport and Tātaki
Auckland Unlimited were also given the opportunity to peer review the draft
local board plan and provide advice.
28. Staff will
work closely with the local board in the development of the final plan.
Ngā whakaaweawe
ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe
Local impacts and local board views
29. The Waitākere Ranges Local Board should consider all submissions and
feedback to the draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board
Plan 2023 prior to adopting the final local board plan in October 2023. Any changes and/or responses to feedback will be detailed in the
report to adopt the plan.
30. Feedback
received from community in the Annual Budget consultation was used to shape the
draft plan.
Tauākī whakaaweawe
Māori
Māori impact statement
31. The
draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023 was
developed with consideration given to existing feedback from local mana whenua,
Te Kawerau ā Maki, and mataawaka. It included feedback
received through the pre-engagement phase of local board plan development.
32. On
8 and 13 June 2023, two online information sessions were held to inform mana
whenua across Tāmaki Makaurau about the purpose of local board plans, how
their perspectives could be incorporated into the plans, as well as the
feedback process, and timelines.
33. Mana
whenua were invited to share their views on any of the 21 draft local board
plans they wanted to review through tailored feedback forms.
34. In
Hikurangi/ West Auckland, mana whenua and mataawaka expressed a preference to
provide feedback through hui.
35. The
three West Local Boards, Henderson-Massey, Waitākere Ranges and Whau, met
with mataawaka collectively and discussed local board plans at Hoani Waititi
Marae on 9 August 2023.
36. The
three West Local Boards, Henderson-Massey, Waitākere Ranges and Whau, together
with ward councillors, met with mana whenua, Te Kawerau ā Maki,
collectively and discussed local board plans during a Rangatira ki te
Rangatira/ governance hui at Te Ipu Kura a Maki (Henderson Civic) on 18 August
2023.
37. In
terms of formal submissions, seven were received from those respondents who
selected that they whakapapa Māori. This comprised 7 percent of written
submissions for Waitākere Ranges, [submission numbers 17, 25, 30, 31, 53,
67 and 76].
Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea
Financial implications
38. There are no
direct financial implications associated with receiving the submissions and
feedback.
39. The budget to
implement initiatives and projects is confirmed through the annual plan
budgeting process.
Ngā raru tūpono me
ngā whakamaurutanga
Risks and mitigations
40. The local
board will consider all submissions and feedback before making changes to the
draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023.
Ngā koringa ā-muri
Next steps
41. The
submissions and feedback are available on the Auckland Council AK Have Your Say
website.
42. The Waitākere Ranges Local Board will adopt the Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023 on 26 October 2023.
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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Draft Waitākere Ranges Local Board Plan 2023 - Summary
of Feedback report (to be tabled) (Under Separate Cover)
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Ngā kaihaina
Signatories
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Authors
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Brett Lane - Local Board Advisor
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Authorisers
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Adam Milina - Local Area Manager
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