Glenvar Rd update – AT Board have heard us and have approved the business case!
You’ll remember that this project was deferred as part of Auckland Council’s Emergency Budget despite strong opposition from the Local Board and nearly 1,000 locals.
On 1 December, I went to the AT Board meeting to see our local MP Erica Stanford present on the urgency and priority that must be given to this project as soon as funding becomes available. Following that meeting we’ve found out that AT Board have approved the business case for the project, so $500,000 has now be allocated for the initial design work – a great win! This project will also need to again be included in the upcoming Regional Land Transport Plan, but this is a really positive sign that it will be included. We just need to make sure that it is the number 1 priority project for funding so shovels can hit the ground 2022/23 as planned.
In November our Local Board advocated to the Mayor and Councillors that AT needed to be adequately funded so that safety upgrades like Glenvar Rd can be completed with the urgency it deserves.
Council’s Long-Term Budget – what it’s looking like
Council have been working on developing the next long-term budget for 2021-2031. It’s a 10 year planning document but it gets refreshed every 3 years. This will be a particularly important one given the financial deficit Council faces (expecting a $1 billion loss in revenue over 4 years).
The Mayor released his proposal for the budget yesterday afternoon. As part of that, he is proposing that we should retain the 3.5% rate increase, but have a one-off increase in the average general rates for the next financial year of 5% (before returning to 3.5% from the following year onwards). The cost of the one-off increase represents approximately $36 a year on a residential property valued at $1 million, in addition to the currently planned increase of 3.5 per cent.
He’s indicated that this rate rise, raising the borrowing threshold, as well as cost-cutting measures will allow them to put as much as $550 million into transport projects in the first 3 years (so projects like Glenvar Rd, which he specifically names, can continue).
I’ll be spending the next couple of days digesting the budget proposal. The key thing from my perspective will be ensuring that key projects and services continue to be funded and cuts to spending are in appropriate places. I’ll post the links ASAP. You’ll be able to have your say on the next budget from 15 February 2021 – I’ll keep you posted along the way and as always, I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Ramsgate Tce proposals – locals say no to AT
The community were loud and clear at Auckland Transport’s drop-in consultation last month. There was very little support for an afternoon peak-hour bus lane and mixed views on proposals for a pedestrian crossing on Ramsgate Tce. Thank you to all of you who submitted your feedback online or in person. The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board will get the summary of feedback and we will provide our own feedback to AT. The previous Board had wanted AT to investigate formalising the existing crossing point with their community safety fund. However, this proposal with a bus lane came as a surprise to us, so better communication and heads up need to be worked into their processes.
We’re getting the summary of feedback this week and will formulate our feedback to AT in the coming week or so.
Installing a rainwater tank to become easier
Changes are underway to the Auckland Unitary Plan that will more easily enable people to install a rainwater tank without the need for a resource consent. This follows the announcement back in June that consent fees have been scrapped.
Using rainwater rather than reticulated water comes with a price incentive of lower water supply charges and volumetric wastewater charges. Our Local Board has given extensive feedback on the Plan change and have pushed for further water resilience initiatives and a targeted plan for uptake of tanks.
Our local students are tackling the big issues…
I had a lot of fun being interviewed by some very bright students from Northcross Intermediate who were doing a project on sustainability. We talked a lot about the problem of plastics in the environment, what the worst types of waste were, what Council are doing about the problem, and whether or not society can drive change. This is a big passion area for me, especially as the northern representative on the Waste Political Reference Group. Northcross Intermediate has a wonderful environmental focus and students have access to some awesome hands on projects (they look after the bush reserve next to the school and this year some students learned how to germinate kowhai seedlings!).
Banana palms flourishing in Waitoki thanks to food waste
In November I had the pleasure of spending the day at the City to Farm composting farm in Waitoki. This operation is run by Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste. In about 2 years, they’ve diverted over 40 tonnes of food waste from landfill to compost and improve soil quality at a farm in Waitoki.
The scheme picks up food waste from businesses and schools (including Northcross Intermediate) each week for a small cost, which is then composted and put into swales on the Waitoki farm. The growth of food (and especially hungry banana palms) is quite remarkable. The soil quality and reduction in water run off at the farm has improved substantially as a result – to witness this first hand was eye-opening.
The research that has gone into this project is phenomenal and the volunteers have a wealth of knowledge about best practices and ensuring that there is no smell from the swales.
Right now, the City to Farm operation is eager to get more buy-in from commercial food waste producers. There is a lack of incentive for businesses to pay a small amount extra for their food waste to be removed as the current waste collection system charges on volume, not weight so businesses find it cheaper to send it all off to landfill in one go.
When food waste is sent to landfill, it doesn’t just decompose there, it mixes with all the other waste and produces methane and contributes to leachates. It’s estimated that about half of what Aucklanders send to landfill could be composted instead.
Our very own Northcross Intermediate is part of this scheme and City to Farm pick up food waste weekly from the school.
To learn more or get involved contact Betsy Kettle on 021 0826 8196 or hibiscuscoastzerowaste@gmail.com.
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