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Apr 24, 2023

April 2023: Local Board Member Report


April business meeting - my feedback on speed management approach

For this month's Hibiscus and Bays Local Board meeting, I wrote the Board's feedback on the proposed approach for Auckland's Speed Management Plan 2024-2027 (Katoa, Ka Ora). This is a plan to set safe and appropriate speed limits in order to reduce road deaths and serious injuries.


MOVED by Member A Poppelbaum, seconded by Deputy Chairperson J Parfitt:

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:


a) provide the following views on the proposed approaches for development of Katoa, Ka Ora a Speed Management Plan for Auckland per the form in Attachment A to the agenda report:

i) request that further detail be provided on how the community, schools and other organisations will be empowered to initiate changes and under what circumstances these groups will be engaged on speed change proposals

ii) request that clarity is provided on what will be considered key priority areas for when members of the community or community organisations make speed management requests and how the process for investigation and implementation could be improved to become more responsive

iii) support high-level policies for speed management that are consistent across the region to ensure higher compliance and safety of all road users but note that there needs to be allowances to empower local boards to be able to influence some details to better reflect the needs of our communities and to enhance overall safety

iv) support a fixed speed reduction immediately outside all schools to support consistent behaviour from motorists no matter where they are in Auckland


v) request that variable speed restrictions are implemented around key streets surrounding schools, however the local board, schools, and the Police should be provided the ability to make recommendations for those speed reductions to become fixed, and that recommendation would then trigger a community consultation

vi) request that roads immediately adjacent to beach reserves have fixed speed reductions

vii) endorse the use of bilingual signage, but recommend that for road safety signage, for example where school 40kmph signage is used, that the word ‘school’ is above ‘kura’, noting that in Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area alone, according to the 2018 census, 40 per cent of people were born overseas with English not being their first language


viii) request that local boards are provided the ability to be able to respond to local situations, as noted above, with minor signage changes to reflect the needs of local communities and to ultimately enhance safety


ix) request that consideration is given to providing budget allowance for speed management treatment of some Early Childhood Education centres noting that it would not be appropriate to have a speed management plan rule for this, but that local boards can identify particular examples where speed calming measures are necessary (for example, Torbay Kindergarten which is on a busy road with vehicles travelling in excess of 50kmph and angle parking for parents)


x) note that for ad hoc speed management requirements for Early Childhood Centres, the local board considers that this fits more appropriately in a formal speed management safety plan like this, as opposed to being suggested for the Local Board Transport Capital Fund

xi) request that speed management plans are focused on investigating areas around schools and beaches as they are high risk for pedestrians, in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area, rather than specific individual sites.



My feedback on the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill


Auckland Council had the opportunity to give feedback to the Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill, which is currently at Select Committee stage. Unfortunately, the turn around for feedback was incredibly tight for Auckland Council - including Local Boards in order to support Council's submission.


The Land Transport Management (Regulation of Public Transport) Amendment Bill (the Bill) establishes the Sustainable Public Transport Framework (SPTF), which will replace the Public Transport Operating Model. The SPTF is a new framework for the planning, procurement, and delivery of public transport services, which addresses systemic issues affecting the sector. Legislative changes are also necessary to remove barriers to decarbonisation and to clarify and improve the regulation and administration of some public transport services.



My feedback to guide Auckland Council's submission


New objectives for planning, procurement, and delivery of services

Do not support the new diluted emphasis on efficiency of public spending in section 115(1), and consider that the principle of transport services being efficient and value for money, should be the very first principle.

Consider that the fundamental principles of public transport services, which are efficiency, reliability and value for money, could be over-looked where new additional principles are being met.

Note that a range of the additional principles to section 115(1) are already being dealt with via other mechanisms, as noted in the Regulatory Impact Statement.

Consideration should be given to including an additional principle that covers the inter-relationship between public transport and land use, noting the strategic necessity for this particularly in managing the electrification of our bus fleet, which requires significantly larger and more bus depots for charging purposes.

Consider that section 116(2)(c) of the Bill should be widened to include transparency of maintenance of the vehicles and vessels and other transport modes used to operate the services. This is critical given the Bill provides different asset ownership arrangements which could see council’s purchasing assets which have maintenance expectations under contract with private companies.


FYI comparison of section 115(1):


Enabling regional councils to operate public transport services

Support the general intention of the proposed amendments that allow Councils the ability to operate public transport services.

Consider that the Bill may inadvertently undermine sound contractual processes by removing the requirement to go to market with tendering and contracting (noting that this was against official advice), and that the consequence could be a reduction in transparency over performance and financials.

Note concern for the ramifications of this Bill that may not have been considered carefully and with sufficient engagement, such as that in practice, it would allow Auckland Council to have a bus company that won’t have to compete with the private sector and won’t have to go through a market tender process.

Enabling different asset ownership arrangements

Support the general intent but note that different ownership models, such as councils directly owning public transport assets like buses or ferries, can have significant risks if the assets are managed and maintained by private companies without sufficient monitoring.




Glenvar Rd - flood repair update


AT now have a dedicated web page for the Glenvar Rd flood repairs work. It has some great Q+As which are worth checking out if you're interested. AT are asking people to please not cross the barriers and walk through the affected area. Repairs should be completed and road opened again in November. The below information was provided to the Local Board at a public workshop earlier this month. If you prefer, you can view the presentation slides.


Brief background:

Intense rain on 27 Jan caused the land on both sides of Glenvar Road ridge to slip, eroding land below the road. AT closed the road following geotechnical advice that further slips could put property and lives at risk. Fulton Hogan installed bunds and flexi flumes to control runoff to reduce further erosion. Vector/Electrix removed 33KV lines from unstable poles to temporary poles on 25 March. AT installed temporary 30kph speed limits and requested construction traffic from nearby development use larger roads.


Repair considerations

  • Safety of public and residents

  • reducing the incidence of further slips

  • Glenvar Rd key arterial route and needing to be open ASAP

  • available funding, considering planned upgrades, manage sunk costs where possible.




Repair options considered


AT Preferred option – option 3


• Funding available

• Glenvar Rd open for summer

• Minimises impact on residents

• No future-proofing

• Maximum sunk costs


Preferred option overview

These timings are an early estimate. The programme will require further development as designs are produced. Timings are weather-dependant.


Managing the impact on locals


• Diverted traffic impacting residents of surrounding streets

• Safety measures implemented: 30kph

• Traffic counts underway to quantify impact

• Further safety measures being assessed

• In contact with developer

• Speed concerns to NZ Police - call 105 or online: 105.police.govt.nz


(I've also been told that AT have spoken with Long Bay developers to help ensure truck movements through the diversion slow to the required speed as there have been issues raised from the community.)


Next steps


• Complete designs and prepare final cost estimates

• Finalise funding

• Communicate plan with residents and key stakeholders (web page, social media, direct contact, letter)


Glenvar Road - realignment project update

This presentation was quite large. I've put a couple of high level points below but you can see the whole presentation online.

Project overview

(presentation date 11 April 2023)


Construction cost estimate

  • Physical works base estimate is $49M – approx. 60% increase from the Single Stage Business Case (SSBC) estimate.

  • Main cost increases relate to estimates for retaining walls and pavement surfacing cost.

  • Expected project benefit cost ratio is 1.6.

  • Expected changes to construction estimate:

    • Glenvar Road slip remedial related works (high risk)

    • Climate change sensitivity test (medium risk)







Record achievement in delivering our work programmes


The Parks and Community Facilities department looks after Auckland Council’s portfolio of assets. These assets range from community buildings such as libraries, pools and recreation centres, to open spaces like our parks, regional parks, sports parks and campgrounds. Collaborating with many other teams, they develop and deliver programs, strategies and services that care for our special places.


For the Hibsicus and Bays Local Board work programme that was completed last financial year (July 2021 -June 2022), our Community Facilities team delivered 143% of the programme. As of the end of March 2023 we are forecasting to deliver 125% of this year's work programme (i.e. delivering 25% of next year's programme early). We're very lucky to have some really amazing people supporting us and delivering these great results for our community.


For context, our 2021/2022 work programme delivered things such as:


East Coast Bays

  • Freyberg Park pedestrian bridge renewal

  • Long Bay Regional Park Norther Bridge renewal

  • St Anne Hall, Browns Bay, refurbishment

  • New Browns Bay beach access steps (in front of playground)

  • Browns Bay playground renewal

  • New Okura basketball hoop.

  • New murals in Rothesay Bay and Murrays Bay in partnership with local artists.

  • Carpark renewal at Mairangi Arts Centre and Bute Road (Library)

  • Woodridge Reserve playground renewal (off Sartors Avenue).

  • Torbay Heights Reserve - Corwen Place entrance renewal.

  • Modular pump track (for skateboards, scooters) first put in Browns Bay but a shared asset between the subdivisions.

  • ECB Leisure Centre refurbishment

  • Waiake Beach seawall

  • Freyberg Park toilet and changing rooms

  • Final completion of Browns Bay boardwalk

  • Planting of 30 specimen trees at Sherwood Reserve, Bayside/Taiaotea Reserve and Stanmore Bay Park. 24 More at Rosario Reserve in July.


Hibiscus Coast

  • Nukumea planting and Kauri dieback station

  • New bridge at Alie Eaves Scenic Reserve

  • New steps addedto the Ara Weiti to Dacre Cottage track

  • New light heads replaced on Te Ara Tahuna Cycleway

  • New play equipment at Mariner Rise, Whangaparaoa

  • Everard Reserve playground renewal

  • Centreway Reserve bridge renewal

  • Toilet block improvements at Red Beach

  • Silverdale Village Toilets refurbishment

  • Shakespear Regional Park campground toilet renewal



New Deep Creek Road crossing (outside Torbay Kindergarten)


Auckland Transport Traffic Engineering looked into the potential for a pedestrian crossing near 143 Deep Creek Road (near Torbay Kindergarten) earlier this year.


AT have assessed the concerns and investigated if changes could be implemented to improve the safety of all users, particularly school children. Their initial investigation shows that a pedestrian crossing would be justified on Deep Creek Road. AT will be adding a pedestrian crossing project at this location to their Minor Improvements Programme for further investigation and design.


The Minor Improvements programme involves collating all proposed projects before ranking the sites based on their safety and operational issues. As there are a number of projects already awaiting prioritisation and delivery as part of this programme, they cannot advise on any timeframe for delivery of the proposed crossing. However, residents will be consulted before any improvements are implemented.


In the interim, AT will put a kids’ crossing sign so there is signage on either side of the kindergarten notifying motorists of pedestrian activity in the vicinity. AT will monitor the situation further when the school holiday finishes and take additional measures as needed.



Constellation Station and Oteha Valley Road Northern Pathway now open

The new shared bike lane and footpath between Oteha Valley Road and Constellation bus station is now open. The shared path runs alongside the motorway and links to nearby streets. It also connects to the new pathway from Constellation bu station west along SH18 to Albany Highway.



Help shape the Hibsicus and Bays Local Board Plan

Over the coming months, we would like your help to shape our draft local board plan. Local board plans are strategic three-year plans based on community feedback.


Local boards can now make more decisions about services and facilities in their area. However, the cost of living and providing these services has gone up, as well as the costs of borrowing money and doing business. We will need to address these challenges in the local board plan, and this means doing things differently and further prioritising spending.


To help us make decisions that best reflect the needs and priorities of our community, tell us what is most important to you.


Independent review of January storm event released


The independent report of the Auckland Anniversary floods has been released. The report, conducted by former Police Commissioner Mike Bush, concludes that senior leaders did not understand the importance of communicating with the public during a crisis, that there should have been better advice and support to Mayor Wayne Brown's office, and that key officials knew the city's emergency management system was not fit for purpose. Minutes mattered, but most of the damage had been done before the incident team had even finished its first meeting.


I was pleased to see (and not surprised) that Julia Parfitt was the first to raise concerns to the Mayor and Councillors and plead for public messaging, in the early evening of Friday 27 January flooding event. Read the RNZ report here.


"The documents show at 5.54pm, Hibiscus and Bays Local Board deputy chair Julia Parfitt had emailed Brown, councillors, and the council's emergency team to alert them to widespread flooding in low-lying areas of the North Shore, raw sewage on Hibiscus Coast and failing wastewater pumping stations.

Half an hour later she appealed for messaging to the public, with high tide due overnight. "People need to shift valuables, particularly cars to high ground," she wrote."


Supporting Property Owners with Flood and Cyclone Repairs


Following the severe weather events which impacted the Auckland region at the start of 2023, here is a round-up of useful information to support you through the property remediation and repairs process.


MBIE guidance


Pathways available to commencing repairs

There are several pathways available to property owners looking to commence repairs on their damaged properties that you might get engaged to assist with:

A) General repairs and maintenance (exempt work Building Act Schedule 1) In many cases this will cover most of the repairs to simple general residential houses. Note there may be complications in attached residential unit situations particularly if the work involves structural repair. For more details, please refer to this MBIE guide on exempt building work (work which may not require a building consent). Also helpful may be this BRANZ bulletin which provides general guidance on restoring a home after flood damage.

B) Urgent work (section 41 Building Act) This option is sometimes used during an emergency to enable very urgent work to proceed (usually with the assistance of an engineer) to avert danger to that building or neighbouring buildings. Please refer to MBIE’s guidance on urgent works. Auckland Council has a process for property owners and their agents to notify us of their intention to undertake this work, or for them to advise us if the work has already been completed. Property owners are then required to apply for a Certificate of Acceptance (COA) as soon as it is practical.

C) Council-approved exemptions (Building Act Schedule 1(2) This option is generally, but not always, for relatively straight forward works that normally require a building consent. At the other end of the scale these discretionary exemptions are also provided for large-scale infrastructure projects. A request is made to exempt an owner from that requirement to obtain a building consent. The level of documentation is often similar to a building consent application however inspections are not undertaken and producer statements and other construction records are not provided at the end of construction. This is explained in page 5 of the MBIE guide.

D) Streamlined process for work requiring a consent Auckland Council has set up a streamlined process for flood and cyclone damage repairs where a building consent and/or a resource consent is required. This will be available to both insured and uninsured customers alike. To assist us with this process, applicants should please reference flood or cyclone in the descriptions of work in their application. Auckland Council is able to prioritise these applications to enable customers to progress with their repairs simply and effectively.


Guidance for when engaged by uninsured property owners or owners who have received a cash payment

Insured property owners should contact their insurance provider first to discuss the damage to their property. The provider will advise the process they wish the owner to follow relating to assessment and how repairs will be managed. The insurer will choose the suitably qualified professionals they wish to engage with, or they will provide the owner with approval to engage with their own professionals. Some of you will be those professionals already engaged directly with an insurer.

If the property owner does not have insurance, or their insurer has made a cash payment and they will be managing their own repairs, we are recommending they engage a licensed building professional to work with through the remediation process. It is this pool of people that are going to need the most support to navigate the remediation of their property.

If a property owner has a red placard, it is likely that a Detailed Damage Evaluation (DDE) or similar will be undertaken which we would expect to advise on usability and options to address any damage such as repair or demolition. A DDE should also describe the possible remedial actions for a property owner to take when working towards a change in placard status, including:

· whether to apply for a building/resource consent (or discretionary exemption from the requirement for building consent); or · whether to carry out other remedial works, for which consent is not required. If a property owner has a yellow or white placard, depending on the damage to the building, the remedial works are possibly exempt work. For more information see the MBIE guidance here.


Adding records of exempt building work to property files

We appreciate some homeowners will want to ensure the relevant evidence documenting the work undertaken is recorded on the property file to preserve value in their home and reassure future owners. Anyone assisting owners with this can do so by completing form AC2111 Record of Exempt Building Work - see here for further information about this process. There is a small administrative charge for this.


Resource consent requirements

The proposed remediation works will also need to comply with the Resource Management Act. A resource consent may be required if: · The works are not replacement like for like (existing use rights) · The works are not permitted activities under the Auckland Unitary Plan

We recommend you check if a resource consent is required. If you need help with this process, you can contact our planning team who are supporting the Recovery via the Regional Planning Helpdesk regionalplanninghelpdesk@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. · We recommend including in the subject line the words *flood or cyclone*, the property address and the colour of the property placard · Include any photos and reports from consultants, as available



Get ready for less single-use plastic!


From 1 July, the next step in phasing out single-use and hard-to-recycle plastic begins.


That means:

  • single-use plastic produce bags, plates, bowls, and cutlery will be banned

  • the sale of single-use plastic straws will be restricted

  • a transition to compostable plastic produce labels by 2025 begins.

Find out how to prepare now, including how to tell if your plastic items are designed for single-use.


I was pleased to write the feedback for the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board on the 'MfE Phasing out hard-to-recylcle and single-use-plastic' consultation. Last term I held a regional appointment role on the Waste Political Advisory Group where as a group we had the opportunity to participate in policy discussions at a regional level early on. There's a lot more to come, but it's great we are finally making some progress in this space.



April in pictures


Out with North Harbour Community Patrol (with Gregg Walden),;at Rangitoto Kindergarten with Julia Parfitt to celebrate the end of their 'Water is a treasure/Ko te wai he taonga' Local Board funded project; ANZAC Day ceremonies.

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