Auckland council have put out a series of proposals which you have until the 11th Sept to provide feedback on.
Proposal three suggests moving the internal boundary of the local Rodney board elections for our local ward. It suggests shifting the Wellsford boundary southwards, to Makarau. This may impact you in some way so it could be worth reading and providing feedback on their proposed plan.
Who isn’t sick of unsealed roads? – HAVE YOUR SAY on our solution…
Your Local Board wants to bring forward spending on transport infrastructure such as road sealing.
There are over 678km’s of unsealed road in Rodney and this will cost over $350 million to seal, or put another way, $16,000 per property based on 22,000 rateable properties in Rodney. We got $10 million extra for road sealing (three roads) but that money is finished and if we’re not going back to a million a year we need to come up with a way of funding this
* If the Local Board gets a targeted rate and chips in some money I believe there is a good chance we could get a top up from Auckland Transport.
We are proposing a Rodney Ward only Targeted Rate
** that will contribute towards more road sealing. The targeted rate would also be used to contribute towards a Train to Huapai and Park’n’Rides in Rodney.
If you want to support speeding up road sealing please take a few minutes to complete an online feedback form, if we don’t get the support it won’t happen!
http://shapeauckland.co.nz/consultations/draft-rodney-local-board-plan-2017/
You have until THIS THURSDAY to make a submission, so don’t delay!
*Franklin had a targeted rate and now most of their roads are sealed, we need to do the same thing because doing nothing won’t see any significant progress. A local targeted rate would make a strong political argument for a funding top up from Auckland Transport. It won’t be a quick solution because of the scale of the problem but it would be better than hoping we will get funding every three years.
** The targeted rate would be used to provide part funding for three major initiatives across Rodney, Trains to Huapai, Park’n’Rides and Road Sealing. By putting in place a long term targeted rate we can share the cost burden across the limited rating base (22,000 properties in Rodney).
You are currently paying a targeted transport rate for the City Rail Link that finishes in 2018, we would look to continue this over but just have the money spent in Rodney. If this initiative is supported we would come back to the public in 2018 will detailed proposals on what the money would be spent on, for how long and how much for further consultation. If this initiative isn’t supported we won’t take this further and these projects will have to wait for funding to become available and at this point that is five to ten years away.
Originally posted by Phelan Pirrie on Facebook.
The following is an update provided by Glen Ashton, his contact details are at the bottom of this post:
Hi all
Because you live in Rodney I thought you might be interested in a significant Local body event. Northern Action Group (NAG) has had a longtime fight with the Local Government Commission over breaking away from the Super City and forming a Northern Rodney Local Body. This year NAG won a high court appeal to force the Local Government Commission to consider the matter.
Last night there was a resident consultation meeting at Warkworth run by LGC. This is one of several meetings scheduled through northern Rodney. About 70 people attended. There were about 4 people who wanted to remain in the Super City, about 4 undecided and the overwhelming majority wanting to split away.
The public feedback was very disgruntled towards the Super City, loss of local control, lack of rates money spent in Rodney, local transport issues, unsealed roads and Hill St intersection, no contracts for local business, no consultation, no consideration for Rodney. There was one good point where a Matakana business got tourists directed from Auckland tourism office.
The public brought up the fact that we were undemocratically forced into the Super City at the eleventh hour.
LGC said they will gather all the feedback from the meetings (throughout Rodney) and submissions (thru web site), gather the financials from NAG and Auckland City and decide if there is a viable option other than the status quo (remain in the Super City).
Should there be more viable options then they will be presented back to the public showing the financials, effect on rates, pros and cons of each option.
Apparently the LGC have the power to bring changes to Local Government Act and could give more power and financial control to the local Rodney Board but remaining in the Super City.
It could also include merging northern Rodney with Kiapara or realigning the southern Rodney boundary.
I think from there on in it would be more public consultation and some sort of democratic process to select an option.
So interesting times.
I have attached a written submission that I sent to LGC. – Link to Document provided by Glen (Ahuroa_Super_City.docx)
It is easy to have your say on the Local Government Commission web site and complete the online survey.
Now is a good time to stand up and be heard, it is a great conduit to get our message across to the Super City.
Whatever happens, it is going to be good for Rodney.
I am not affiliated with NAG but I do have issues the Super City and how Rodney rural rate payers are treated.
Also the local elections are imminent and Greg Sayers has been a longtime advocate for getting the roads sealed. But that is a personal choice.
Glen Ashton – [email protected]
0274 906 889