Our Council

A note from North Shore City Council Chief Executive John Brockies 

Welcome to this update on the changing face of local government in Auckland.

As we progress through transition, the huge range of community services and relationships of the eight councils throughout Auckland is being thrown into sharp relief.

The Auckland Transition Agency notes that Aucklandwide, the community services workstream brings together activities that employ over 2200 staff, and cost approximately $750 million each year in operations, grants and capital expenditure. This includes approximately $70 million in annual grant funding to the not-for-profit sector.

Councils provide a huge range of community facilities and services including:

• recreation and sports facilities including parks, pools, fitness centres and holiday parks
  
• war memorials and cemeteries
  
• libraries, theatres, performance venues, and convention centres
  
• community centres, halls and community houses, and citizens’ advice bureaux
  
• public toilets
  
• public art, art galleries, community art centres and exhibition centres
  
• town centre beautification and revitalisation projects
  
• boat ramps, jetties and moorings
  
• graffiti prevention and eradication
  
• housing for older people
  
• civil defence and emergency management

Councils also play a major role in community development, which can include activities as varied as wellbeing, education, crime prevention, arts, and local community events - and in addition councils liaise and plan with central government over social wellbeing issues, in some cases allocating grants and subsidies on their behalf.

All these services, and the many and varied partnerships between the community and our council that support them, need to be considered in the transition to the new Auckland Council.

It is important that the transition has as little impact as possible on the current momentum of the community and not-for-profit sector. We are working to ensure that we understand potential impacts by listening to our community and discussing potential impacts and opportunities so that we can feed this back to the Auckland Transition Agency.

We have already had several highly productive meetings with groups that have a business or community relationship with the council.

Contact Actionline, phone (09) 486 8600 or email if you wish to have a council representative attend your meeting.

John Brockies
Chief Executive

What's Happening

Major papers on water and wastewater released
The Government has released Cabinet papers relating to the future provision of water/wastewater services in Auckland:

• 14 October - Summary of Cabinet paper (PDF 2.2MB)
• 19 October - Cabinet minute (PDF 180KB)
• Undated - Decisions on Auckland's water future (PDF 50KB)

The Government is working through exactly how the organisations such as Watercare and the Transport Agency will fit into the new system and how their relationship with the new Auckland Council will be structured and managed. We can expect more information after these issues are resolved. More

What's next?
This Friday 20 November the Local Government Commission will release its draft boundaries. There will then be a short public submission period. Final decisions on the new boundaries are not due from the Commission until 1 March next year. More

Our Community

Meetings and events

You are invited to attend any of the following meetings and seminars. Please follow registration procedures where applicable.

Last chance to register - 'Passing Go' conference on Friday 20 November. Social issues in new Auckland Council environment. More

Maori and local government - beyond the Super City: Ko tehea te hurarahi tika?  Friday 4 December 2009, 9.30am to 5pm, Te Noho Kotahitanga Marae, UNITEC, Carrington Rd. More

Set sail towards the Super City (WaterSafe Auckland): Friday 4 December 2009, 9.15am - 11.30am, Marine Rescue Centre, Solent St, Mechanics Bay. More

Community meeting: The Auckland Council and what it means to you - Monday 7 December from 12noon - 2pm. Taitamariki Hall, Auburn Reserve, Auburn Street, Takapuna. Speaker: Dr Grant Hewison from Kensington Swan lawyers. More