Footpaths and cycleways top Long Term Plan priorities

Rodney residents want more funding for footpaths and environmental projects but are less keen on upgrading the Warkworth Showgrounds and Warkworth Town Hall, according to submissions to Auckland Council’s Long Term Plan (LTP).Nearly 14,000 Rodney residents submitted on the LTP, the highest number for any local board.

Of Rodney Local Board’s top 11 projects for 2015/2016, the most popular was spending $2 million on constructing new footpaths over the next three years. Second most popular was spending $350,000 on walkways and bike trails, and third was $60,000 on environmental programmes.

Transport issues got the strongest support. The board’s proposal for Council to spend $10 million a year on road sealing and better public transport had almost unanimous support. The board has no decision-making power on these initiatives.

Nearly half (47 per cent) of submissions were in favour of the more expensive Auckland Plan transport option while 26 per cent were in favour of the basic transport plan. A further 47 per cent supported paying for the plan with a motorway charge and 25 per cent supported a combination of higher rates and a fuel tax.

However, there was strong opposition to some of the board’s major projects, including $3.4 million to develop the Warkworth Showgrounds and restoring the Warkworth Town Hall. Support was also split on spending $70,000 on planning and designing a Warkworth swimming pool.

Member Steven Garner says there haven’t been any major changes to the board’s proposals as many of the projects are part of plans the board has already agreed to.

“At times the board needs to make decisions based on more than consultation. The results [of consultation] don’t always dictate what the best action is,” Mr Garner says.

“We don’t have a lot of options with these projects. After 10 years we have nearly completed the eight-year plan for the Showgrounds and the town hall needs to be upgraded due to its heritage status.”

The board made a 15-minute presentation to Council’s Budget Committee on April 28 where it was able to advocate for specific projects in the LTP.

Mr Garner said road sealing and other transport projects were top priority at the meeting. The board also advocated for getting $600,000 to upgrade hard courts at Puhoi, Whangateau and Matakana, $210,000 to upgrade public toilets in Wellsford, Warkworth and Kumeu, and additional funding for the showgrounds and town hall.

“We focused on projects which need to be funded now, had been costed and had support of staff.”

The board will finalise its funding agreement on May 20 to be adopted at board meetings between June 9 and 16.

Transport spending

Auckland Mayor Len Brown has released his report of recommendations for the LTP on April 30. This includes a 2.5 per cent average rates increase – not the 3.5 per cent explored in the draft LTP.

However there will be an interim levy of an average of $99 a year for non-business ratepayers and $159 for business ratepayers to pay $500 million in new transport spending over the next three years. Together this equates to a 6.5 per cent rates increase.

The funding was initially going to be covered by motorway tolls or a fuel tax, but the government has not approved these proposals. Council will engage with the government to implement the motorway tolling system by 2018/19.

The proposal will go back to the Budget Committee for approval on May 7.