Viewpoint – Representation changes

It’s time to think about who you are going to elect on to the local board. The Local Government Commission carried out a review on the Rodney area and has made the number of residents and ratepayers equal in each subdivision

Auckland is about building a city that we can all enjoy over 30 years, hence the 30-year plan. We have already done 15 years of the plan, and it’s time Rodney was on an equal footing, giving back to us the capital needed to complete our infrastructure needed to keep us safe.

Rodney comprises 47 per cent of the Auckland Supercity area. The subdivisions in Rodney contain about 9000 people per subdivision. The rural areas have doubled in size while the urban subdivisions have become more compact. There are nine representatives in total (two for Northern Rodney, two for South Kaipara, two for Kumeu, two for Warkworth, and one for Dairy Flat).

Rural is still struggling with 160-year-old infrastructure due to underinvestment in unsealed roads and blocked drains. I am still working on the development contributions that go to Auckland, instead of being used in the area where they were taken from and not spent on local roads and projects.

The Wellsford subdivision has been serviced more fairly. The last local board has worked with council staff and residents to obtain the following.
• Upgrade Curries Bush reserve
• Renew and repair our footpaths and parks
• New bridge to Centennial Park
• Progressing the Centennial parks plan
• Replacing our cobble stones in the main street
• Maintaining the gardens and street furniture
• Working towards finishing the first part of our Greenways plan
• Replacing toilet blocks
• Sealing roads
• Boat ramp upgrades

These achievements would not have been possible without community consultation and advocation at the local board level. My role has been to support at all levels and talk to the right staff.

I have over 50 years of knowledge and experience working with three different iterations of district council. Certain aspects have improved while other parts have become frustrating. For example, it has taken me 15 years to get council to recognise that drainage boards, run by local people, cost less and get the results required. Historically, experts employed by the district council have contributed to drainage problems and flooding. Recommendations to plant in drains have blocked them, causing flooding through sedimentation build up, often in direct contravention to government acts. This was clear in the Kumeu flooding.

I would like the Rodney local board to continue with the $150 targeted rate to seal more of our roads.