Lets show them
Waiheke – Paul Walden, chairman
The good… Difficult to find.
The bad
Auckland Council has lost comprehension of the its own legislation and the section 17 principles of subsidiarity. This budget has ignored specific requests of our Local Board around decision making for all local activities with funding for our community art gallery, theatre, recreation centre and other activities proposed to fall under an asset based budget set by the governing body. Control of strategic Council properties such as at Matiatia where direction, planning and infrastructure development is paralysed as property there is controlled by various council-controlled organisations unable to integrate.
No budget for footpaths or cycling infrastructure.
The ugly
Council procurement issues not being addressed. Fed up with seeing expensive city contractors doing non tendered contracting work on the Gulf Islands.The budget at the discretion of the local board is $6.6 million over 10 years. This reflects about 15 per cent of increased revenue from the island and less than 2 per cent what council says Waiheke costs.
No capital projects aside from a very scaled back completion of the Onetangi Sports Park Pavillion.Significant increases to refuse collection for gulf islands with increases to Rakino and Great Barrier residents between $1500 to $2000 annually as council moves to user pays.
Cut backs to our maintenance budget will see some of our coastal walking trails to be closed and maintenance standards reduced.
Our community is being bled for money and is losing through this process any sense of self determination.
This article appeared in the NZ Herald
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