Advocating to AT for our three major transport capital projects
On 27 June 2024, Deputy Chair Gary Brown and I presented to an Auckland Transport Hearing Panel for the draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP). We focused on the local board’s three major transport advocacy projects being: Glenvar and East Coast Roads realignment project; Vaughans and Okura River Roads improvement project; and Whangaparāoa bus station.
Following early advocacy in late 2023 ahead of the drafting of the RLTP, we were pleased to see two projects named in the draft RLTP for the first time being: Whangaparāoa bus station, which is indicated for funding starting 2024/25; and Vaughans and Okura River Roads improvement project which is named in the document, but unprioritised as ‘other projects considered by RLTP for National Land Transport Funding (NLTF)’.
Glenvar and East Coast Roads improvement project is listed in the draft RLTP again, for funding starting 2025/2026 but is not currently prioritised as high as it should be.
Our presentation linked the high need and value of these projects with the draft RLTP’s investment policies and we hope that these three projects will be prioritised and delivered. We now await NLTF confirmation upon the publishing of the National Land Transport Plan in due course.
Watercare's new Mairangi Bay wastewater pump station is open
It was a pleasure to officially open the new Mairangi Bay pump station in early June with Watercare and Pipeline & Civil. The project kicked off in 2021, so this has been a long time coming. The new pump station caters for the growing population in the Bays and will eliminate wet weather overflows in the area.
Guests were able to grab a quick bite to eat courtesy of our on-site sausage sizzle, and take a look inside the pump station to see the team's impressive work. There are four pipes in total: two will be running full time, with the third helping out when necessary. The final pump will whirl into action should one of the others have a sick day.
Watercare has been cognisant of the impact to the local business community, residents and organisations like the surf lifesaving club. Their communication and engagement throughout the project has been fantastic, including open days for the community and local board to check out the progress. We are so pleased to have this project up and running.
June business meeting chair's report
Purpose of the report guidance
1. To receive the chairperson’s update on recent activities of the chairperson, itemised by outcomes in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2023.
Executive summary guidance
2. Items noted in this report are intended to be key highlights, not a full overview of all activity.
Our People
3. Member Julia Parfitt and I were invited to a discussion with Hibiscus Coast Men’s Shed. Their membership is growing rapidly, and they are considering options for how to meet those needs long term. They have some exciting ideas they are exploring around education and training initiatives. I have put them in contact with the Ministry of Social Development Regional Commissioner North/West, to discuss opportunities for regular, funded programmes. They have had some discrepancies in advice relating to what they need to do to obtain Code of Compliance which has now been clarified and an application has been submitted for Certificate of Public Use.
4. I met with Kristi Shaw, via our Strategic Broker, who is running a local board supported programme in the East Coast Bays: ‘We Empower Us – a youth wellbeing community activation project’. The project is working in collaboration with Rangitoto College and Mairangi Bay Intermediate School. The Youth Focus Group has been working to determine their collective priority for youth wellbeing and are fine-tuning it a bit to define the topic for the ‘We Empower Us Summit’ that is coming up in August.
Our Environment
5. It was a pleasure, alongside Deputy Chair Gary Brown and Member Gregg Walden, to officially open the Mairangi Bay Pump Station on 5 June 2024. The new pump station will significantly reduce the likelihood of wet weather overflows and improve beach water quality. Previously, wet weather overflows occurred up to 10 times a year and it is expected that thew new pump station with its holding tanks will eliminate overflows. The construction period has been a long and very challenging time for Mairangi Bay businesses, residents and key stakeholders like the Mairangi Bay Surf Lifesaving Club.
Our Community
6. I met with a resident regarding their concerns relating to the damage in Seagate Reserve, Red Beach. The reserve is being used as a small mountain bike park but unfortunately the structures, tree damage, loose litter and large items dumped in the reserve is causing the resident, and others, concern. The illegal dumping has been removed and a request for service has been raised to remove the loose litter and fill in the substantial holes dug for jumps. Our Community Facilities Manager is working on this matter to see how we might be able to provide safe mountain bike opportunities that work in with the need for our reserves to be safe and enjoyed by everyone.
7. North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct Working Group: The Chairs and Deputies of the Hibiscus & Bays and Upper Harbour Local Boards have been tasked with co-leading a locally led working group to develop the way forward for North Harbour Stadium (as per the Budget Committee and Governing Body Long Term Plan resolutions). The Working Group will be meeting soon, with the help of a small contract resource we have been provided with to support this work. The Chairs and Deputies have had multiple stakeholder meetings, have met with Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) Chief Executive Nick Hill, and will be presenting to the TAU Board in July. We recognise that North Harbour Stadium and the wider precinct is an important commercial, sporting and community placemaking facility to a variety of people and to that end, we have been keeping key stakeholders updated on the work that we are undertaking. We are looking forward to presenting our progress at the Governing Body meeting on 29 August 2024.
Our Places and Our Economy
8. In the first week of June one of the Ōrewa tsunami alert sirens (located farthest north) was offline for 24 hours. The General Manager of Auckland Emergency Management was swift and excellent with his communications as soon as it was offline and when it was resolved. Initial reports from the electricians and crews informed them that the cause of the outage was ‘wear and tear’. They are undertaking a debrief with the duty team and report further details.
9. I was asked to speak at a ‘Network and Nibbles’ meeting of the Browns Bay Business Improvement District (BID). They were pleased to hear about substantial work progressing in the youth space, as well as the increasing visitor numbers to the East Coast Bays Library and Leisure Centre which are important drawcards to their BID area.
June business meeting: items of interest
Items before the June business meeting of the local board can be found online.
One item of interest included:
draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024. I wrote quite extensive feedback on this plan which you can view online under item 14.
Shout out to our local volunteers!
16-22 June was National Volunteer Week. The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board is packed with incredible individuals who give their time, passion and skills to make this the best place in the world to live. There are too many people and organisations to name, so here are just a few of my favourite memories from over the last few years of some incredible local legends.
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