DRAFT LOCAL BOARD PLAN COUNCIL’S PROPOSED BUDGET for Next 3 years.
Oratia gets a bit (Yah!), Glen Eden gets some (Cool). The environmental trusts (get 1.4 Million +) and arts in Titirangi (almost 2 million) are the big winners again for the next three years. Where our Environmental money is going ($1.3 million)-is still not 100% clear and Council did not respond to an Official Information Request two months ago seeking more clarity. (As a note: our local board is responsible for the Heritage Area but the weeding and environment of the Ranges themselves comes from Council Parks). We need more information on on previous environmental spending before we should commit $1.3 more. Read the budget, Attend a meeting, Make a submission. Brief budget highlights and issues after the link.
The council is preparing it’s Objectives and Budget -in the Draft Local Board Plan 2014?
Highlights or points of interest from the budget: Opinions and Editors questions in red.
– Oratia Masterplan is funded 2015/16 phases 1 and 2 only – $200,00 Woohooo! Exciting stuff. Oratia really needs a community gathering place and some investment.
– Oratia Masterplan stages 3-5 not funded. $793,000 Not funded Ok
– Glen Eden gets a minor makeover with Art for Library and Planting in towncenter. $260,000 Woohoo! Much needed.
– Glen Eden Makeover ($2.9m) is not funded. Still advocating. (Money needs to be found in this budget to start the makeover)
– Changing Rooms Parrs Park $1.2m funded (Good)
– $82,000 to Charity Community Waitakere to support community networks (What does that mean? More info needed, Conflict of Interest for Steve Tollestrup Local Board Member)
– $87,000 Ecomatters and Keep Waitakere Beautiful. Partnering with Community Organisations. Hmmm Ecomatters had $1.3 in Income last year. Is $87k all they got from our local board last year also? ( Council will not respond to my Official Information Request so it’s hard to know. And what makes up the rest of the $1.4 million in this proposed budget if those two only get $87k? More info needed – will update when info is supplied. ) (Conflict of Interest for Denise Yates , and Neil Henderson (employee/founder) and Greg Presland who resigned at the end of 2013)
– Titirangi will be receiving most of the Arts budget (Nearly 2 million)
– The environment trusts are taking about $1.4 milion per year. – (Where has it gone – we await feedback from our official information request? Environmental Services is apparently reviewing itself as they can’t explain where the Sustainable Nieghbourhoods budget went. )
– Local Governance (policies and plans and the Like over $1.3 million) –
– -Economic Development $256,000
Feel Free to attend a public workshop . (See Below)
Or just make a quick submission online and have your say?
Public Workshops re Draft Local Board Plan
Tuesday 8 July 2014, 6pm-7.30pm, Lopdell House (Seminar Room), 418 Titirangi Road
Saturday 12 July 2014, 2pm-3.30pm, Barnett Hall, 2 North Piha Road, Piha
Monday 14 July 2014, 6pm-7.30pm, Waitakere Ranges Local Board office, 39 Glenmall Place, Glen Eden
Tuesday 15 July 2014, 6.30pm-8pm, Huia Hall, 1253 Huia Road
Thursday 17 July 2014, 6pm-7.30pm, Waitākere Hall, 37 Township Road, Waitākere
Opinion: A council budget is like your household budget. Investing in assets in your community adds to your longterm wealth and wellbeing . Festivals, events and report writing are expenses. They are fun at the time and sometimes even necessary but do not add to long term wealth. Have we got the balance right? Have we got a budget that improves the long term outcomes across our community.
We have 3 big ones. Governance, Arts (mainly in Titirangi) and Environment. I’d certainly like to see the costs for 1.3 million in governance to come right down (report writing and the like) , $300 k for festivals come right down, art coming down or at least shared around to more suburbs, environment being streamlined to focusing on the environmental restoration not environmental marketing – council need to be able to tell us where the last environment money was spent before more money goes into this un- accounted for financial black hole.
I’d like to see the budget reworked for Glen Eden – they should not wait another 3 years They could also implement Oratia’s stage 3 -5. Invest in our streetscape is would provide long term wealth and well being for these communities. The tragic events in Henderson show us that our urban environments are having serious problems. We need to upgrade Glen Eden Village.
If you would like to see the accounts for the charities that receive our local funding , who is on the boards and how it was spent you can view them on charities.govt.nz