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A fiery meeting of the Budget Committee on December 6 saw Auckland Council’s draft 10-year budget (Long Term Plan) approved for public consultation.
A number of councillors called the proposed $300 million asset sales target over 10 years ‘ill-advised asset stripping’.
The assets discussed at the meeting were big ticket items such as the remaining Auckland Airport shares and privatisation of the Ports of Auckland operations. However, the Mayor also intimated that “small regional assets” would also be in line for sale. No specifics were given or available.
Under transport, the Mayor’s proposal promotes fully funding council’s share of road renewals ($5.5 million) if co-funding is available and the unsealed road improvements programme ($124 million). Raised pedestrian crossings and “expensive gold-plated cycleways” will be gone.
“I thank rural residents for [their] tireless advocacy bringing the poor condition of unsealed roads, across the rural areas of Auckland, to my attention,” the Mayor wrote in the plan. “It is important to recognise that more than 70 per cent of Auckland’s land area is rural and I am proposing to fully fund the unsealed road improvement programme with $124 million over the next decade.”
The draft also reflects a desire to make public transport faster, more reliable, and easier to use, including the option to use Pay Wave, as well as HOP cards, and a $50 per week cap on charges for bus, rail and inner harbour ferry services.
The mayor wants Auckland Transport to improve temporary traffic management, including reducing the number of road cones and length of time of works.
The plan proposes accelerating fairer funding for local boards to address legacy imbalances, with a combination of new funding and reallocation.
Rate increases will be limited to no more than 1.5 per cent above inflation, although the mayor acknowledges that this new limit will not be met in years one and three of the plan. He is proposing a 7.5% increase in 2024/25, 3.5% in 2025/26 and 8% in 2026/27. After this, he says rate increases will reduce to 3.5% or lower.
“These increases are largely the result of previous decision and events beyond our control,” he says.
The Natural Environment, Water Quality and Climate Action targeted rates are all set to stay, albeit with some modification.
“We need to continue to reduce overhead costs,” Brown writes. “I have asked staff to develop sensible benchmarks so we know how we compare with high-performing organisations in the public and private sectors in terms of our costs and approaches to organisation, including management, consultants, legal and communications.”
Public consultation for the Long-term Plan 2024-2034 will open for one month from February 28 and the budget will be finalised and adopted in June.
