My Account
The Rodney Local Board will use targeted rate funding to investigate and design a new bus service from Wellsford to Warkworth, due to start no later than February next year.
At the same time, the Board approved targeted rate funding to investigate another service from Henderson to Silverdale, via Kaukapakapa.
The Board voted in favour of using the targeted rate money for the investigations by 8:1, at a meeting at the Waimauku War Memorial Hall on September 20. Board member Allison Roe voted against the measure.
Ms Roe told the meeting that she supported the provision of new bus services, but said the design and investigation work should be paid for by general rates.
“The people in this community actually have to be able to see stuff happening on the ground. I would like to think all our targeted rate money goes to the actual provision of services,” she told the meeting.
“Why are we using targeted rate when that is Auckland Council’s job? There’s quite a few holes in this as far as I am concerned.”
But fellow Board member Cameron Brewer defended the use of targeted rate money for the investigations.
“We could argue why doesn’t the general rate pay for this, and I would argue that we have been saying that for 50 years. And the fact is in the Regional Land Transport Plan, none of these services were budgeted for,” he said.
Mr Brewer said if Rodney was to wait for funding from general rates, the services might not appear until 2040. It was, in fact, incredible that local government might well have the services up and running by the end of this year.
Board deputy chair Phelan Pirrie also spoke in favour of using targeted rate money for the investigations.
He said during the public submission period for the targeted rate there were passionate calls for the bus services. He said Wellsford residents complained they often had to be driven to Albany to access social and health services.
“They said a public bus service would be very valuable for their community, so I believe they will be strongly supportive,” he said.
The bus services are the first to be allocated targeted rate funding. Other projects due to be considered for the funding include a bus service for Riverhead and park and ride facilities at Warkworth, Huapai and Kumeu.
The controversial targeted rate for transport improvements in Rodney came into effect on July 1. It will cost each household in the Rodney Local Board area an extra $150 a year for the next 10 years.
