Viewpoint – Assessing performance

With this year being election year for the Auckland mayoralty, councillors and local board members, a fair question to ask is whether our area is better off than it was three years ago. I have been out knocking on doors as well as holding monthly “chat with your councillor” sessions, where people with Auckland Council-related issues can sit down and discuss them with me. Around 80 per cent of the time I have been able to help them achieve a positive outcome.

When I propose the question ‘how is council performing?’, reactions are mixed. For example, some people realise they will be better off with a council-supplied rubbish bin service, actually paying less than they currently do for bags. Others, however, feel it is unfair without the ability to opt out of the service, and wish to pay for bags only as they require them. The same mixed feelings exist regarding the food scrap bins provided only in the Warkworth township.

There has been $500 million invested into new wastewater infrastructure in advance of Warkworth’s and Wellsford’s growth. However, this good news is often overshadowed by complaints about council’s poor consenting practices, which take too long, cost too much and unreasonably frustrate people.

Rodney Local Board electoral boundaries have been updated in an attempt to better balance representation between our rural and urban communities. The local board plays a vital role in ensuring the community wants and needs get translated into action. This is particularly so regarding our much treasured parks, reserves and environmental protections. Compared to three years ago, the Rodney Local Board is now better funded to achieve these goals and I have a positive working relationship with them, along with our many local community groups.

Enforcement of bylaws by council compliance officers is generally not considered to have improved – these council staff are simply based too far away to respond within reasonable time frames. I am working on having local people, and appropriate firms, empowered to be better able to police the bylaws, similar to the old-style wardens. Although this is being resisted by the council bureaucracy I will continue pushing this, as the current system simply is not working as it should be for many of our communities.

Rural Rodney has seen the amount of money for road sealing reach its highest levels ever, increasing from $1 million to now over $13 million a year. As well, the number of grading crews has been increased from one to four maintaining the unsealed roads.

Overall, the general impression seems to be that council remains a bureaucratic beast, often impersonal, and it is sometimes difficult to see the value for the rates paid. That is a reason why people appreciate the opportunity to meet me in person, plus I can often find them access to the necessary decision-maker. There are also those who say they have had wonderful service from different departments of council, in particular, from our local library staff.