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The Matakana Community Group has had a busy year with involvement in issues as wide ranging as tree planting and bridge construction to Council consents and funding applications.
The frustrations of working with Auckland Council on community projects was aired at the annual meeting of the Matakana Community Group on November 5.Chair Simon Barclay said it was hard to stand by and watch Council mis-manage projects, getting a “terrible bang for their buck, using our bucks raised through rates”.
“It would be fair to say that if we were simply given our fair share of funds by the Council, and permission to get on with it, the Matakana group would be able to sort out most of the major and long-standing issues within the village and surrounding area,” he said.
He criticised Council’s inability and unwillingness to let the community control defined projects or to use its own preferred contractors. On a brighter note, Simon believed there was a sea change in Council attitudes, which was being encouraged by Rodney Local Board members and Council’s chief executive Stephen Town.
He said some of the year’s highlights included:
- Stronger relationships between the group and Local Board, the Matakana Trails Trust, and the chairs of the Point Wells and Omaha community groups
- The willingness of local contractors and businesses to be involved, when allowed, in community projects
- The completion of the walkway where the group was able to control the project, which was completed slightly under budget
- The allocation by the Local Board of $350,000 for the renovation of the tennis courts in Jubilee Park
- Completion of the playground by the wharf
- Completion of the first stage of the tree planting project
- Village events commemorating the centenary of Gallipoli
Officers elected at the annual meeting were: Chair Simon Barclay, deputy chair Neville Johnson, secretary Fiona Sowten, treasurer Eric Henry, website and publicity Rob Anderson and Jenni Francis.
The Matakana Community Group meets in the meeting room beside the Matakana Hall, on the first Thursday of the month, starting at 7.30pm. All welcome.
