Covering activities from 1 October – 31 October 2011
Transport
The Transport portfolio meets monthly with representatives from Auckland Transport. The October meeting was attended by myself and Greg Moyle (Transport Portfolio – West) and Christopher Dempsey and Rob Thomas (Transport Portfolio – East). Issues covered at the meeting included:
- Wynyard Quarter Parking – proposed extension of parking restrictions (at the request of local businesses and to standardise parking restrictions in the area)
- Vine Street- update on Auckland Transport’s proposal to remove parking from one side of the street
- City Hop – progress on providing car parking spaces for car sharing schemes
- Ponsonby Road safety improvements – proposal to install tactile surfaces
- Grafton Road planned works
Full details of these proposals and current issues are out lined in Auckland Transport’s monthly report attached to the Board agenda (available at www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/waitemataunder agendas).
Vine Street: About 25 Vine Street residents attended a public meeting I organsied with Auckland Transport on 20 October to discuss the options available to ensure access to the street and sufficient on- street parking. Residents were concerned about the initial proposal to remove parking from one side of Vine street and the number of tickets issued by Auckland Transport for parking on the footpath.
Parking trial: Consultation on the St Marys Bay parking trial closed on 28 October. The negative publicity received the day before consultation closed was disappointing as the parking scheme had been developed with the close involvement and support of the St Marys Bay Residents Association. We are currently waiting to find out the results of the feedback to determine whether Auckland Transport can go ahead with the trial that is intended to benefit residents and deter commuter parking.
Relevant to the transport portfolio I also attended during October the Governing Body Transport Committee meeting and the Launch of the electric train contract by the Transport Minister at Britomart Station on 6 October.
Community
Our Local board plan was signed-off for printing in late October. It was very satisfying to reach the end of this process after significant community consultation and extensive work on the plan especially by our Senior Local Board Advisor. As a Board we have also supported the consultation process on the draft Auckland Plan by encouraging submissions from our stakeholders and directly informing them about the consultation process. I was very relieved that the consultation period was extended until the end October to provide more time for submissions.
With other members I attended the Auckland Plan road show at Parnell and Grey Lynn Farmers’ Markets.
Grants Committee
The Isthmus Local Board Joint Funding Committee met on 13 October to make decisions on applications to the Community Group Assistance Fund, the Auckland City Cultural Heritage Fund and the Accommodation Support Fund. I am the Board’s representative on this committee that is in place for a transitional year to allocate legacy Auckland City Council funds.
During October I also worked with officers to finalise a new Local Board discretionary community grants application form and to ensure it is available on line with relevant guidelines (www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Services/CommunityFacilitiesSupport/grantsfunding/localboarddiscretionary)
Other board activities
Local Board briefings
Attended:
- City Centre Rail link
- All Local Boards briefing on Mangroves
- Bylaws and policy regarding the adult entertainment industry
- Isthmus Boards – community assistance framework briefing
- Parnell Station
- Governor Fitzroy Place – public plaza design by AUT
Local Board Workshops Attended:
- Waitemata Local Board workshop on 4 Oct
- Waitemata Local Board workshop on 18 Oct
- All Boards draft local board funding policy workshop
- Community Assistance Framework – emerging themes workshop
Professional Development
Attended:
- RMA – How it really works. Full day LGNZ workshop. Training provided as part of the Elected Member professional development covered from the Democracy services budget
- Resource consents statutory overview provided by Ian Smallburn
- Chairperson refresher training. LGNZ half-day session
Meetings Attended:
- 4 Oct Governing Body Transport Committee meeting
- 5 Oct impact of the Environment Court decision on scheduled tress in the Waitemata Local Board area
- 6 Oct Future of Auckland’s waterfront – an international perspective
- 6 Oct Project Greenways
- 10 Oct Playing in the Streets project team
- 11 Oct Waitemata Local Board monthly meeting, Jubilee Hall, Parnell
- 12 Oct Development of Auckland Council’s open space policy programme
- 13 Oct Brainstorming session re Working with Children, young people and their families
- 13 Oct Isthmus Local Board Joint Funding Committee
- 17 Oct Draft Economic Development Strategy
- 18 Oct Final meeting of the GLBA adopt a team sub-committee
- 19 Oct City Centre Master plan feedback
- 20 Oct Additional Harbour Crossing meeting with Stephen Town (NZTA) and representatives from Kaipatiki and Devonport- Takapuna Local Boards
- 20 Oct Public meeting with Vine Street Residents
- 27 Oct Auckland Transport monthly catch up
- 31 Oct Auckland Council lunchtime session – Fairtrade
Events I attended the following events during October:
- Community Festival at St Joseph’s Catholic Church (the final GLBA adopt a team event) on Saturday 1 October
- Grey Lynn Creates for kids at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market (end of Grey Lynn 2030’s Grey Lynn Creates week of events for the REAL NZ festival) on Sunday 2 October
- Launch of the Royal NZ Ballet 2012 season at Pah Homestead
- Cycle Action Associates Breakfast
- Victoria Skate Park opening
- Fiesta in the Park to mark World Mental Health Day
- Opening of the Diwali Festival of Lights in Aotea Square
- Opened the Italian Festival at Freemans Bay Primary School at the invitation of the Dante Alighieri Society Auckland
- Ultra Local – launch of the architecture students’ drawings of a new centre for the Kaipatiki Project at St Paul Street Gallery
- GLBA monthly networking drinks
- Auckland Plan road shows at Parnell and Grey Lynn Farmers’ Markets
- Spring Festival at the Grey Lynn Farmers Market
- Launch of MMP
- Opening of Victoria Park Tunnel
- Signing of the electric train contract by the Transport Minister at Britomart Station
- Critical Mass
October was of course all about the Rugby World Cup leading up to finals day on 23 October and the All Blacks victory. I enjoyed walking the Fan Trail a number of times and think it demonstrates just how much active modes of travel will be adopted by Aucklanders with the right incentives and infrastructure.
During the month I also gave a presentation to supervising social workers from CYF on inspirational leadership.