Covering activities from 1 September to 30 September 2012
Portfolios
- Transport (West including Regional portfolio) with Greg Moyle
- Community (including Regional portfolio) with Tricia Reade
- Chair, Grants Committee
- Member of the Isthmus Local Board Joint Funding Committee
- Positions: Grey Lynn Business Association, Newmarket Business Association (alternate)
Portfolio reports
Transport
Waitemata Local Board capex priorities
At the Board’s September business meeting Local Board Agreement transport priorities 2012/13 were endorsed as the key projects to be scoped for delivery through the Local Board Transport $10 million Capital Programme where these projects do not form part of Auckland Transport’s 2012/12 work programme. In September I worked with Auckland Transport and members of the transport portfolio to identify which of these key projects to submit as proposals to Auckland Transport for the Waitemata Local Board’s $469,789 share of the Programme for 2012/13.
The following Local Board Agreement transport proposals have so far been submitted to Auckland Transport for an initial assessment:
1. Pedestrian intersection improvements ·
- Kitchener/Bowen/Victoria St West
- Victoria Street East/Nelson Street
- Beach Road/Fort Street/Britomart Place/Emily Place intersection
2. Installation of advance cycle stop boxes with feeder lanes
- Karangahape Road eastbound at Symonds Street, onto the Grafton Bridge ·
- Great North Road, eastbound coming onto Karangahape Road
3. Streetscape Improvements in Teed/Kent/York Streets,Newmarket
4. Traffic calming – creation of a slow speed zone for Freemans Bay
These proposals have been submitted by the Transport portfolio for an initial assessment by Auckland Transport. Once the forms come back with the initial assessment, the final proposals will be placed on the Board’s agenda for endorsement in November.
Good for business workshop
Substantial progress has been made by Auckland Transport on the “Good for business” workshop with international expert Rodney Tolley. The workshop is aimed at our business associations and business leaders so they can understand why investment in streetscape infrastructure that encourages walking and cycling is good for the local economy The date for the workshop has been confirmed as 28 November.
Cycling Summit
I attended the inaugural Cycling Summit on 5 September hosted by Auckland Transport, NZTA and Cycle Action Auckland aimed at expanding collaboration across Auckland and to learn about innovative projects. 18 speakers were given 5 minutes to present I was impressed with the level of activity, collaboration and the significant commitment of many organisations and individuals working to increase cycling. Many of the presentations were relevant to our Local Board priorities and projects.
I was particularly interested to learn from Alex Macmillan, Auckland University’s School of Population Health who has identified that if we take a best practice approach to cycle infrastructure by ensuring every arterial has bike lanes and all local roads have traffic calming that we could ensure a 40% mode share with a $3 billion investment over the next 20 years. If we continue on the current path of just completing the Regional Cycle Network we are only likely to achieve 5% by 2050. ‘
Freemans Bay School bike track
At the cycle summit Bike On NZ Director, Paul McArdle spoke about the development of bike tracks in schools and the success of the project in getting kids on bikes since it was started three years ago in Hawkes Bay. Sport Auckland and Bike On NZ are collaborating to install 8 bike tracks in 8 Auckland Schools. Freemans Bay School has been identified as the preferred school for our area with the enthusiastic support of the school principal. I intend following up with members about how we can best contribute to this fantastic project which will have wide community benefits .
Greenways
Also at the cycle summit Richard Barter presented on the Puketapapa Local Board greenways project. Our own greenways project is developing well with fortnightly workshops that have been looking to identify a grid of at least 10 routes with additional extensions that will connect all our open spaces with high amenity, safe walking and cycling facilities. ‘
Community
Community Grants Committee
The Committee met for the first time this financial year to consider applications to the first round of funding from our Community Grants fund of $80,000 per annum. The recommendations from this committee meeting were made to the Board’s meeting on 11 September.
Unitary plan
Along with Tricia Reade I am taking a particular interest in the engagement process for the Unitary Plan. We know there is wide spread community concern about what is proposed for the unitary plan and want to ensure there is a genuine opportunity for meaningful input into the draft plan to be released in March 2013. The first opportunity for stakeholder engagement is at a workshop on 4 October. A public meeting is also scheduled for 18 October. I have also attended 3 workshops throughout the month for board members looking at the first drafts of the planning maps and rules. There is a lot of information to get on top of and I have found these workshops to be very informative.
Other issues relevant to the Community portfolio
A range of meetings and presentations were attended during September relevant to the Community portfolio – these are listed below.
Other board activities
Solid waste bylaws hearing
The Council’s consultation on the Solid Waste Bylaw proposals to meet the council’s obligations under the Local Government (Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010, Local Government Act 2002 and the Waste Minimisation Act 2008 closed on 3 September. The bylaws will come into force on 1 November 2012. Following on from a bylaws workshop I finalised the Board’s submission with member Dempsey (a copy of the submission is attached to the agenda). On 28 September we presented the submission to the hearing panel chaired by Cr Rafills. A copy of the presentation is attached (Attachment C).
Grey Lynn Park
The Grey Lynn Park Advisory group met on 3 September. We discussed the make up of the group and the group’s charter. Members of the group agreed the charter is still relevant and would very much like to continue with support from the Parks team. I volunteered to update the group’s charter to reflect the new Council structure. I assisted with the delivery of flyers to advertise our community fruit tree planting on Saturday 15 September. A variety of fruit trees were successfully planting by locals and board members with assistance from Simon Cook, Arboricultural Advisor.
Better Local Government Reforms
On 5 September I joined the Auckland Council delegation speaking to the Council’s submission on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill at the Local Government and Environment Select Committee Hearings. I spoke after the Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse. There was a short item about the presentation on Checkpoint Council weary of changes to local government act Radio NZ on 5 September 2012. A copy of my presentation is attached is here
Local Board workshops and meetings
- Chairs weekly meeting with officers on 3 September (following a week of filling in as acting Chair)
- Chaired the Grants Committee meeting on 3 September
- Grey Lynn Park Advisory Group meeting on 3 September at the Richmond Rovers Clubrooms
- Local Board workshops 4, 18 (part only) and 25 September
- Meeting to discuss the events policy on 4 September
- Unitary plan stakeholder engagement proposal meeting 5 September
- Meeting with Charlotte Cuffe on 5 September to discuss Waitemata Local Board Events Fund Applications in preparation for the Board’s September business meeting
- Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill select committee hearing on 5 September (see attached presentation)
- Local Board Community Development Portfolio holders cluster meeting at the Kitchen on 5 September
- Upgrade session for a new Local Board member laptop
- Regional Policies for the Draft Annual Plan cluster workshop on 10 September
- Greenways workshops on 13 and 27 September
- Unitary Plan cluster workshops on 6, 13 and 28 September
- Transport Funding Priorities meeting with Jonathan Anyon (AT) and Eva Lawrence 10 September
- Grey Lynn Business Association Board meeting on 11 September ·
- Draft unitary plan mapping session with Tricia Reade and planning officers (providing an opportunity to study the Unitary Plan maps in more detail) ·
- Waitemata Communications update 11 September
- Local Board monthly public meeting on 11 September in Grey Lynn
- Meeting with the Mayor for Chairs and Deputy Chairs of the Waiheke, Albert-Eden and Waitemata Local Boards to discuss the Annual Plan process on 14 September
- Introducing the new generation of kiwi-kids – Evidence from the Growing Up in New Zealand longitudinal by Dr Susan Morton, Director at the Centre for Longitudinal Research hosted by the Reseach, investigations and monitoring unit
- Monthly catch up with officers from Community Development and Partnerships Central on 19 September
- Solid Waste Bylaw briefing 20 September
- Accessible board follow up – meeting to go through their high level thoughts and questions and finalise plan and confirm budgets on 25 September
- Resource Recovery Centres progress meeting with Warren Snow on 25 September
- Monthly transport portfolio catch ups with Auckland Transport on 27 September
- Solid Waste Bylaw hearing – presentation with Christopher Dempsey on 28 September
Events and functions
I attended the following events and functions during September:
- Third anniversary celebration of the 40km speed limit on Ponsonby Road organised by Walk Auckland and Auckland Transport on 1 September
- Newmarket Business Association AGM dinner for Board members (at the invitation of the NBA)
- Cycling Summit hosted by NZTA, Auckland Transport and Cycle Action on 5 September
- Cycle Action’s Associates Breakfast at the Art Gallery on 6 September
- Parnell Heritage AGM on 6 September
- Royal NZ Ballet’s production of Cinderella at the Aotea Centre of 8 September at the invitation of the Mayor (tickets and after show drinks sponsored by Tower)
- GLBA monthly networking drinks on 12 September ·
- Grey Lynn 2030 meeting to discuss setting up an Urban Design group at the Grey Lynn RSC
- Community orchard fruit tree planting in Grey Lynn Park on Saturday 15 September
- Zonta Awards dinner at the Barry Court Hotel on 17 September ·
- Spoke on behalf of the Board at the suffrage day celebrations on 19 September at the Suffrage monument in Khartoum Place
- NZ Park(ing) day on Ponsonby Road organised by Walk Auckland
- Ponsonby Market Day on 22 September
- Tweed Run organised as part of the Ponsonby Road 40km speed limit celebrations
- Silo Theatre’s production of Private Lives at Q Theatre (at the invitation of Q Theatre)
- Cycle Action Auckland’s AGM on 27 September
- Heritage Festival 29 September – 14 October
- Launch of the Heritage Festival at the Voyager Museum on 27 September
- First Electric Tram event on 29 September
- Celebration of the Campbell Free Kindergarten with a presentation by with a presentation by Conservation Architect Bruce Petry on 29 September
- Auckland Boat Show (at the invitation of ATEED)
- Richard Heinberg “Life after Growth” presentation on 30 September – the quest for a more resilient, sustainable, and healthy future hosted by the Post Carbon Institute, Grey Lynn 2030 and the Sustainable Business Network.