Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

The inaugural Aotea Ecology Festival was a success in bringing together locals passionate about ecology, with support from the Aotea / Great Barrier Local Board.

Annual funding from the board of $30,000 for the Aotea Ecology Vision Facilitator role contributed to delivery of a well-executed festival. It was the first year of this festival, having replaced the annual Pestival event to include the wide range of ecological work going on that isn’t pest related.

“The local board is proud to support an opportunity for all our hard-working environmental groups to get together and share their amazing mahi with their community. It was an aspiring event to say the least,” says local board chair, Izzy Fordham.

The event involved stalls and displays from the island’s environmental groups, schools, and government agencies, as well as presentations from guest speakers.

“Our aim for Ecology Festival 2023 was to create an inclusive and positive space for the Aotea community to come together in celebration of people, place, land, sea and sky,” says Ecology Vision facilitator and event organiser, Lydia Green.

“We were thrilled with the turnout and response from the community and feel confident that our aim has been achieved.”

Lydia gave a presentation about her work with Manta Watch NZ, including an update about national manta ray sightings and her photo identification project.

Another of the presenters was Glenn Edney, a researcher at the University of Auckland, who is involved in the Ahu Moana pilot project on Aotea. He explains the purpose of the project is for local mana whenua and community groups to work together and look at environmental monitoring and management from different perspectives.

“There’s the te ao Māori perspective that the moana is our ancestor, and we have a responsibility to look after it. There’s also the modern scientific approach which tends more towards measurement. We’ll measure things so that we can take the most we can possibly take,” says Glenn.

“Then there’s small communities where everybody has a relationship with the place.

“If we can get to a point where we honour all those relationships, and they all play a part in the decision-making about our activities in our relationship with the moana then we have moved into a completely different realm. That’s what the Ahu Moana project means to me.”

The other presentations on the day were from Cam Speedy on the drivers of predator management in Aotearoa, Sam the Trap Man sharing his knowledge about the different uses of plants in our ngāhere (forest), and Hiku Davis on treading lightly and working with a sense of the past within his role for Tū Mai Taonga as wahi tapu advisor.

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Source: Auckland Council

Crystal clear waters, abundant kaimoana, flourishing seabirds and a thriving blue economy.

It’s a realistic future vision for Hauraki Gulf that succeeding generations could inherit if we can finally get our act together and take decisive actions now, say lead authors of the State of the Hauraki Gulf 2173 report Professors Simon Thrush and Conrad Pilditch.

The report presents a fictional future state of the Hauraki Gulf – 150 years from now – and using the best available science works backwards to show how we could achieve those gains.

“This initiative was born from frustration at the lack of action from successive governments to turn around the poor current state of the health of the Hauraki Gulf. Our current focus on the doom and gloom of the past and present has not spurred the game-changing decisions we need to produce a more positive future state,” says Professor Simon Thrush.

“Heavily degraded ecosystems like the Hauraki Gulf take a long time to turn around, but this report shows that with ambition and dedication, we can do it. The key is acting now. The longer we delay necessary decisions to protect the Gulf from impacts from our actions at sea and on land, the more elusive that brighter future becomes. This has to be a top priority for the incoming government.”

Professors Thrush and Pilditch point to decisions to stop bottom-impact fishing, protect 30 percent of the Gulf in marine protected areas, and reduce the run-off of chemicals, plastics, and sediment as key inflection points for the Gulf’s future trajectory.

“If we cannot transform our focus, we are likely to find ourselves in a business-as-usual zombie apocalypse type scenario,” say Professors Thrush and Pilditch.

“However, if our current environmental practice continues to improve, we can be more confident that we will be leaving a positive environmental legacy to future generations. It does not have to cost us the earth to do this if we work effectively and collaboratively. But even if it does – what a bargain!”

What is the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park?

The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park is New Zealand’s first marine park.

It’s a big park, stretching from Te Arai in the north to Waihi in the south, and out to 12 nautical miles at sea.

At 1.4 million hectares, or more than 20 times the size of Lake Taupō, it includes the Waitematā Harbour, Gulf Islands, Firth of Thames and the east coast of the Coromandel Peninsula.

The Park was established by the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park Act in February 2000.

It is the seabird capital of the world, and a whale superhighway. But it is a shadow of its former self, as seven State of the Gulf reports have shown: https://gulfjournal.org.nz/state-of-the-gulf/

What is the Hauraki Gulf Forum?

The Hauraki Gulf Forum is a statutory governance board established under the Marine Park Act to advocate for the Gulf.

The Forum has representation on behalf of the tangata whenua of the Hauraki Gulf and its islands, the Ministers of Conservation, Fisheries and Māori Development, and elected representatives from Auckland Council (including Aotea Great Barrier Island and Waiheke Island Local Boards), Waikato Regional Council, and the Waikato, Hauraki, Thames-Coromandel and Matamata-Piako District Councils.

The Forum is required to present triennial reports regarding the state of the environment of the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park. It is not a decision-making body and does not manage the Gulf. More information on the Forum and the Marine Park is available at www.gulfjournal.org.nz

Source: Auckland Council

If 2023 will be remembered for anything, it will be as the wettest, rainiest year Auckland has ever experienced. It started with the floods in late January that resulted in many of the region’s most popular walking spots being closed for repair work.

The good news is that 48 per cent of parks and community facility repair projects have been made. Auckland Council’s Deputy Group Recovery Manager Mace Ward says that while there was widespread damage, it was mainly focused north and centrally with the brunt of it out west.

“In terms of the Waitākere Ranges, Te Henga and Muriwai, there was very significant impacts on tracks through those areas.”

However, there are still another 3400 repair projects to go.

Mace says that a significant number of those are track-type projects and that most of the repairs will be completed by the end of autumn, with many of the central projects being completed earlier.

Before you head out to walk one of Auckland’s many tracks, Mace advises checking Akl Paths  and typing in the name of the path you’re interested in to check whether it’s open or closed.

“Go to some places that you haven’t discovered before – somewhere new,” he says.

To get you started on that mission, here is a round-up of some stand-out walks across the region that are open.

Should I go west?

While many areas out west were hit hard by the weather events, and many are closed due to kauri dieback (check the map), there are still some walks you can do out west.

The Arataki Visitor Centre, the beautiful treehouse-like information centre, on Scenic Drive is still closed and is due to reopen Early December, but the car park has reopened, which means you can embark on the Arataki Nature Trail.

This 40-minute round trip is a refreshing trek through some of West Auckland’s most stunning native forest. Enter the walk through a tunnel that goes under the road – always a highlight for kids – then enjoy walking through Te Waonui-a-Tiriwa (the great forest of Tiriwa), which is the name local iwi Te Kawerau ā Maki gave the Waitākere Ranges. There’s also a fun Plant ID Loop where you can test your knowledge of native plants.

Remember that parts of Scenic Drive are still closed while Auckland Transport is carrying out repairs.

“Check the road first as your normal route may not be the one that you take to get there,” says Mace.

If you’re wanting to get the full West Coast beach experience, Mace says go for it. Just be mindful that many tracks in places like Piha and Muriwai are closed, such as the Lion Rock Walk at Piha and the Lookout Track and Gannet tracks at Muriwai.

“Some tracks will be closed for some time where there are slips. Where there are signs and fences, don’t put yourself at risk and in danger. Use common sense because we don’t want people being hurt or other people being put at risk when rescuing people.”

He also advises not to be a disaster tourist. “Respect the communities you’re visiting and what they’ve gone through in some cases.”

Have you considered the north-west?

Located half an hour north of Helensville – and almost as far as you can drive north-west of central Auckland – Te Rau Pūriri Regional Park, South Head is situated along the eastern coast of Te Korowai-o-Te-Tonga (South Head) Peninsula and offers breathtaking views of the magnificent Kaipara Harbour. Start your journey from Omokoiti Bay, where you’ll encounter a series of carefully crafted ponds that were used as fresh-water prawn farms in the 1980s.

An ideal spot for bird-watching, you’ll also see oystercatchers, herons and maybe even godwits along the shoreline if you’re there at the right time of year.

Te Rau Pūriri Regional Park at South Head is a working farm with captivating views of the tidal Kaipara Harbour.

Take it southside

Use track closures as an opportunity to get to know some new parts of the region. If you always go west, maybe it’s a good time to explore the coastal and bush-clad beauty spots in the south.

Mace recommends checking out the walks at Hunua Ranges Regional Park. The parks walking tracks are open, and if you’re into mountain biking, most of the mountain biking trails are open as well. Try some of the established Loop Tracks like Massey Loop, Wairoa Loop, or for the more adventurous wanting longer day hikes create your own loop linking the extensive networks of tracks.

Please ensure that you use the Kauri Dieback Hygiene stations which now accommodate bikes’ and make sure you and your gear arrive clean and free of soil. It makes it a lot quicker and easier to clean in the stations.

If you want to go coastal, check out Whakakaiwhara Peninsula in Duder Regional Park. The park has four walks to enjoy, some with almost-360-degree views, including the 30-minute coastal walk to Umupuia Beach which can only be done at low tide.

Duder Regional Park’s offerings include wetlands, coastal forest and rolling countryside.

Head 40km south of Duder and you’ll arrive at the beautiful pōhutukawa-fringed coastline of Tāpapakanga Regional Park. If you’re keen to explore the terrain, the 7.5km Tāpapakanga Coastal Walk offers excellent views of the Firth of Thames.

Northern highlights

If you don’t want to venture too far up north, Mahurangi West is a great destination that offers sheltered bays, native bush, open pastures and historic sites. The Te Muri campground is also here and welcomes families to create new memories in its surroundings.

Further north, it really is hard to go past the views and native birdlife at Tāwharanui Regional Park. For the full beach, bush, wetland and farmland experience, go on the two-hour Ecology Trail.

Mace also cautions visitors to Auckland’s day-long walks to always be conscious of the weather.

“If you’re visiting the Hunua Ranges or the Waitākere Ranges or even your local park, be aware of the weather, but more importantly in those areas where you’re doing a day walk. To use the words of Crowded House, ‘always take the weather with you’.

Source: Auckland Council

The Transport and Infrastructure Committee has endorsed the Time of Use Charging – Indicative Work Programme, and the creation of a joint Auckland Transport and Auckland Council programme team to progress time of use charging as soon as practicable.

The committee also noted that staff will report back with updates on the planning and design of the programme, including the impacts on communities and wider issues of equity.

Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown says Auckland suffers from a terrible congestion problem, which is estimated to cost our city between $0.9 billion and $1 billion dollars a year.

“We can’t just build our way out of the problem; we need to make better use of our roads. We know where and when traffic jams occur, and this will fix them. I was voted in to get Auckland moving. To harness technology to get traffic moving faster. To complete busways and optimise our transport networks. That is what I’m doing. 

“Our motorways functioning as they do in the school holidays all the time; that sounds pretty good to me. A tradie being able to reach eight jobs in one day instead of five, that also sounds good.”

“So today was expected. I’m looking forward to us getting on with it. There has been a lot of work done here already, and we know from overseas examples that this works. I’ll be taking this up with the incoming minister as soon as the new Government is formed.” 

Councillor John Watson, Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee, noted that this is a significant piece of work and will require some pre-work from Auckland Transport and Auckland Council to ensure a fair outcome for all the impacted communities.

“The joint Transport and Infrastructure Committee meeting and Auckland Transport Board workshop held in August this year reinforced previous Auckland Council and Auckland Transport Board decisions – time of use charging has been in the pipeline for many years,” says Cr John Watson.

“Many Aucklanders are already changing their behaviour and we can see the flow-on effects on congestion. There are many benefits to time of use charging, however, it is important that we have the right public transport in place and, more importantly, bring Aucklanders along on the journey.”

Councillor Christine Fletcher, Deputy Chair of the Transport and Infrastructure Committee echoes this sentiment while emphasising the importance of equity.

“We recognise that legislation is required to implement a time of use charging scheme in Auckland but there is plenty of work to be done in the meantime, which is why this decision has been. This is the next step forward on a piece of work that we have been working towards for a long time – this is something we must do,” says Cr Christine Fletcher.

“It’s also important that we consider the significance of equity and look to international cities as a blueprint of ensuring that if we do move forward with time of use charging, it is not simply for revenue but in order to create a better and more liveable city for all Aucklanders, in a sustainable manner.”

Auckland Transport and Auckland Council have been working on this programme, including developing an implementation plan to complete the scheme design and engage with stakeholders in the community, with the view to moving forward into procurement and implementation by early 2025.

“Peak traffic congestion on Auckland’s arterial roads and motorways is worse than it was before COVID-19. Time of use charging is a relatively low-cost solution which has worked overseas to reduce congestion,” says Tracey Berkahn, Auckland Transport General Manager, Services and Performance.

“Though ‘off-the-shelf’ technology already exists, the enabling legislation is required before we can make time of use charging happen. Work also needs to be done to find the best way it can be implemented in Auckland, and we are eager to get this work underway.

“An important part of this is working with our communities to make sure time of use charging is an equitable and fair system for Aucklanders. Measures like daily caps and concessions could be implemented to support this.”

The Transport and Infrastructure Committee also invited Waka Kotahi to contribute to relevant workstreams, if appropriate, and endorsed the formation of a political reference group to provide political oversight of the work undertaken.

Source: Auckland Council

We are receiving large numbers of requests from affected Aucklanders seeking an urgent update on when their property will be assessed, or when they will receive their property’s category.

If you have contacted us with a request, we want to reassure you that we have not forgotten about or lost your request. It may take us 10 business days or more to respond to you – but we will respond.

Our technical experts are busy behind the scenes, collecting and reviewing information to inform our risk assessment (and categorisation) for each property. A significant number of properties need both ‘desktop’ and ‘on-site’ (in-person) assessments, and this involves several technical specialists.

For desktop assessments we review the information property owners have sent us, and other information the council has about a property. For on-site assessments an engineer visits the property to inspect it and gather extra information.

Unfortunately, there are thousands of Aucklanders significantly affected by the extreme weather events, so we must follow consistent and equitable processes to assess and categorise each property. We are doing our best to prioritise people who have been displaced from their homes.

If you have filled out a Flooding and Landslide Registration Form, we will contact you directly as soon as we have new information about property’s risk assessment. 

Property categorisation timelines

To understand more about property categorisation timelines, read this OurAuckland story.

Source: Auckland Council

Source: Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Watercare

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei – the tangata whenua and ahi kā of central Tāmaki Makaurau – held a karakia at Ōkahu Bay on Thursday morning to formally lift the rāhui over Waitematā Harbour.

The rāhui was put in place by Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei on September 28 in response to the high-volume wastewater overflows caused by the sinkhole that blocked the Ōrākei Main Sewer.

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Trust chair Marama Royal says what has occurred resulted in a disruption to the natural systems and mauri of Waitematā. The rāhui that we are lifting today is a traditional means for recognising and managing the effects of such disruptions.

“After close consultation with Watercare, and having conducted our own assessments, we are now confident that the mauri of our cherished Waitematā has recovered sufficiently,” she says.

“We are pleased to announce the lifting of the rāhui. Activities such as swimming and paddling can now resume.”

Royal acknowledges the collective patience and respect the community has shown by observing the rāhui.

“We thank everyone for respecting the rāhui, and as we move into this next phase, let’s remember our collective responsibility as kaitiaki.”

Watercare chief executive Dave Chambers says: “We’d like to extend our sincere thanks to Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei for their support, particularly over these past few weeks.

“We know the overflows were heartbreaking for so many Aucklanders, but particularly for the people of Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei as kaitiaki of the Waitematā.

“Our water quality and wider environmental programme is ongoing, but the results so far indicate the harbour is recovering incredibly well and as a result, most beaches have green water quality pins on Safeswim again, which is great news ahead of summer.

“While the impact of the overflows seems to have been highly localised, we’ll be working with other organisations to do what we can to protect and enhance our treasured Waitematā Harbour.”

Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei and Watercare are meeting with experts in environmental systems regeneration next week to begin planning for the rehabilitation of Waitematā following this event.

Safeswim.org.nz continues to be the best source of up-to-date information about water quality and other potential hazards at beaches in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Source: Auckland Council

Te Kaunihera o Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland Council and Manukau Urban Māori Authority (MUMA) are thrilled to announce the return of Waitangi ki Manukau for 2024 with a stellar line-up including Savage, Che Fu & The Kratez, Annie Crummer, Rei and more!

This Waitangi Day, head to Manukau Sports Bowl for this free whānau-friendly event to hear some great live tunes, experience the Māori cultural heritage of Tāmaki Makaurau and learn more about our national day.

After COVID and extreme weather events interrupted the event for the past three years, Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown is excited for Waitangi ki Manukau to return.

“It’ll be a great show. Waitangi ki Manukau is a celebration of unity, diversity, cultural exchange and great music. We are proud to support it alongside MUMA, and it stands as testament to the unity and mutual respect fostered by Te Tiriti o Waitangi.”

MUMA’s CEO Tania Rangiheuea invites the whole whānau along to experience a great summer music celebration to mark Waitangi Day.

“Nau mai ki te rā whakanui i te Tiriti o Waitangi ka tū ki Manukau! Everyone is welcome to join the celebration of our national day”, she said.

“Waitangi ki Manukau is an opportunity to reflect on the Treaty, as well as take time to enjoy a day of music, kai and learning with your loved ones.”

This year, Waitangi ki Manukau makes a welcome return to Manukau Sports Bowl to take advantage of the great outdoor space and to celebrate the role of Manukau in the signing of Te Tiriti o Waitangi 184 years ago.

Start the day with pōwhiri, enjoy spectacular live music, and take in the culture, te reo Māori, kōrero and kai in the heart of Manukau to learn more about the impact of the Treaty on our everyday lives.

There are plenty of free, fun activities at Waitangi ki Manukau, so be sure to get the whole whānau along!

The full line-up of Waitangi ki Manukau follows:

Savage

Che Fu & The Kratez

Annie Crummer

Lost Tribe Aotearoa

Lomez Brown

Rei

Jamey Ferguson

Waitangi ki Manukau takes place on 6 February at Manukau Sports Bowl, Manukau.

The day starts with pōwhiri at 8am, followed by spectacular live music from 10am.

Head to the OurAuckland event listing for more details.

Source: Auckland Council

Background

Extreme weather in 2023 damaged many homes across Tāmaki Makaurau, and we are working to place properties into three categories, based on a new Government risk framework:

• Category 1 – Low risk
• Category 2 – Risk can be managed with flood protection or land stabilisation
• Category 3 – High risk, house should be removed, and/or not rebuilt

WATCH: The property categorisation process explained

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Risk assessments and categories

To get to a risk category for your property, a detailed risk assessment is needed. We are unable to provide a category without this because every property is different.

The risk assessment helps build a picture of how likely it is that future severe weather events would pose a risk to life and whether there is a way this risk could be managed so it is safe for people to live there. The risk assessment gives us the information needed to apply a risk category to your property.

The start of the process for this is for you to complete the Landslide and Flooding Registration form. We will then start a risk assessment process for your property.

A risk assessment has two parts:

1. An initial desk assessment, based on existing information and any information you provide, which gives an indication of whether your property is likely to be low or high risk. The desk assessment also tells us if a site assessment is needed.
2. An on-site assessment to look at your physical property – this will be required if we think your home could be high risk.

The site assessments will look at whether there are changes that can be made at your property or in the surrounding area to reduce the future risk of serious flooding or landslides to the home. If there aren’t any practical and financially viable solutions and there is a risk to life, then it’s likely your property will be Category 3.

Do I need a risk assessment?

In some cases, it will be obvious that a risk assessment is needed – where damage was suffered in the weather events this year. Other houses may not have sustained any or much damage at all but are in areas that we suspect may be at risk in future.

We recognise that the uncertainty of not knowing whether your home falls into a higher risk category can be stressful, and that there are many families facing difficult financial situations. We are working as fast as we can to develop the categorisation process, but this has never been done before and there are many complex decisions to be made to ensure fair outcomes for everyone.

We extend our thanks to the many people who have already submitted information as part of the property categorisation process through the Flooding and Landslide Registration form. You can still fill out this form if you haven’t already – the information you provide is vital in moving forward a risk assessment.

Next steps if you’re waiting for a risk category

We’ll contact you as soon as we can after receiving your completed form. If you haven’t received an email from us yet, we are working through a large number of forms.

We’ll let you know if it is obvious that your property is low risk and falls into Category 1. If more information is required we’ll visit your property to undertake an on-site technical assessment.

We are undertaking thousands of assessments and we expect it to take months to visit everyone. We are aiming to prioritise people we understand to be most in need to give the worst affect people certainty as soon as possible. 

Important information for Category 3 and Category 2P

During October, Auckland Council’s Governing Body made a series of key decisions on property categorisation. Decisions were guided by the council’s aim to support Aucklanders to voluntarily relocate from homes where there is a future intolerable risk to life. More information can be found in this article on Our Auckland.

Property buyouts once a category is confirmed

We are still in discussions with central government on the funding arrangements and how a buyout scheme for Category 3 homes will work, as well as funding for work needed to protect Category 2 homes.

We regret that this process has taken longer than expected, however we hope to be able to share more details soon. We know that many displaced families in Auckland are doing it tough, but we’re trying to balance the need to move quickly with the need to make important decisions and get them right.

Stay up to date

Sign up to the recovery e-newsletter to get the latest updates direct to your inbox.

Source: Auckland Council

Making space for water to safely flow through Tāmaki Makaurau neighbourhoods without causing risk to people and property has become more urgent following extreme weather events.  

One way to help manage excess water and flooding is by creating more ‘blue-green networks.’

A blue-green network is an open stream created in parkland to carry rainwater during a storm to keep it away from neighbouring properties. During dry weather, the park is there for the community to enjoy. The streams are designed to fill and overflow – safely moving water away from buildings through natural green pathways. Additional vegetation planted on the banks helps to naturally absorb water.

How are blue-green networks created?

To create a blue-green network, we may need to bring streams back to their natural state, increase planting, widen the stream, and deepen some areas to allow more water to flow.

In some urban areas, homes may be in the way of a proposed stream flow. Many of these properties have been affected by flooding before or are at high-risk of flooding because they are built on or near flood plains. Deciding to remove these homes is a critical step, as in many cases it’s not safe for homes to remain here due to their vulnerability to flooding. In these cases, homes need to be removed or relocated to non-flood prone areas, and the land repurposed for flood management.

There are existing examples of these networks in Auckland. Are they effective and are they a good benchmark for more?

Greenslade Reserve in Northcote is a great example of what can be achieved in flood-prone parts of the city. The reserve was designed to manage heavy rainfall so that downstream flooding stays mostly within the street network and damage to neighbouring properties is minimised. It does this by providing more space to hold water and by slowing down the water flow.

The design included bringing the Awataha Stream to the surface so stormwater can move along the stream bed, instead of through private property. More water can flow through an open channel than through a traditional stormwater pipe.

It is important to note that nothing can prevent all flooding. Even though blue-green networks are designed to carry large amounts of water, they can and will still flood in extreme weather events.

Why blue-green networks are good for our communities

As well as reducing flood risk to homes and communities, blue-green networks also benefit the wider community and society. Reducing flood risk in this way supports clusters of homes, communities, and neighbourhoods.

As we develop greener networks, we also see improved water quality and biodiversity. By bringing back more of the natural environment, we’re encouraging larger numbers of fish, eel, bird, and insect life. Plus, there are more trees and green recreational spaces for people to enjoy in dry weather, helping to reverse tree cover loss and increase open spaces.

Are blue-green networks the answer to Auckland’s flood risk areas?

Blue-green networks are a great initiative and one that has already been successful, but they are only one part of a wider plan for managing water.

Auckland Council’s Making Space for Water programme is a six-year flood mitigation scheme. It identifies actions such as increasing stormwater network maintenance, improving flood intelligence tools and fostering community-led resilience to flooding across the region.

Auckland Council’s Healthy Waters Head of Sustainable Outcomes, Tom Mansell advocates for blue-green networks in Auckland.

“We have been trying to constrain and contain stormwater for the last 60-70 years. However, it has become clear that to manage stormwater effectively, we must work with nature, instead of against it,” Mr Mansell said.

“We’re putting streams back in low lying flood plains and adding vegetation to slow down the flow,” he adds.

We know that some of our existing infrastructure is based on old weather patterns and is now not fit for purpose. By creating more blue-green networks as part of the Making Space for Water initiative, we’re replicating nature’s solutions to help reduce damage to properties in some of Auckland’s high flood risk areas.

Source: Auckland Council

Today, Auckland Council’s Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee was provided with an update on the progress towards meeting the $50 million savings target for Auckland Council for 2023/2024 financial year.

The report stated that, as of 30 September 2023, Auckland Council has achieved $38.1 million towards the $50 million operating savings target for the 2023/2024 financial year.

This means that 76 per cent of the savings target has been met in the first quarter.

Councillor Maurice Williamson, Chair of the Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee acknowledged the progress made while noting that there are still more savings to be found.

“It’s pleasing to see the significant progress in the first quarter towards implementing the specific annual budget decisions made in June this year,” says Cr Williamson.

“While there’s a good pipeline of initiatives and programmes underway, there’s still more work to be done to achieve enduring savings and I am committed to working with this committee and staff to continue on this path and deliver for Aucklanders.”

Annual Budget 2023/2024 savings target

In June 2023, the Governing Body agreed to a mix of levers for the Annual Budget 2023/2024 to close the estimated $325 million operating budget gap.

This mix of financial levers included rates increases, increasing fees and user charges, the sale of some of the council’s Auckland International Airport shares, modest use of additional debt and operating cost savings.

To fulfil the operating cost savings, the Annual Budget 2023/2024 included a total operating savings target for Auckland Council of $50 million per year over the term of the 10-year Budget 2021-2031 period.

How has this been achieved?

In the first quarter the $38.1 million of savings were achieved thanks to operating spending reductions of $23.4 million implemented per the Annual Budget 2023/2024 as well as reductions of $14.7 million under delegation to the Chief Executive.

“Overall, we are really pleased with the way progress towards our savings target is tracking. While there are some risks, we are confident that we can find other savings in the financial year to meet our $50 million savings target,” says Nicola Mills, Auckland Council General Manager, Financial & Business Performance.

“We note that some of these savings are one-off, and we are working toward more permanent changes to achieve future years’ targets.”

Operating spending reductions (Annual Budget 2023/2024) – $23.4 million

• $4.7 million of ongoing reductions and $1.8 million of one-off reductions from regional services
• $4.0 million of reductions to local board funding
• $5.0 million of maintenance optimisation and reduction in open space costs
• $1.4 million from changes to fees and charges
• $1.5 million from simplifying and limiting new strategies, savings realised through a combination of the organisational re-design change process and a comprehensive staff vacancy review
• $0.5 million from the consolidation of corporate office space across the Auckland Council Group
• $2.0 million one-off savings from FY24 amenities grants being agreed lower than the budgeted allowance.
• $2.5 million staff cost savings from lower annual remuneration increases compared to the budget.

Reductions under delegation to the Chief Executive – $14.7 million

• $6.9 million permanent savings through organisational re-design.
• $2.0 million permanent savings from the service centres integration.
• $0.8 million permanent savings through the centralisation of software budgets.
• $1.8 million one-off saving of consequential operating expenditure (repairs and maintenance, utilities and other expenditure).
• $2.4 million one-off savings from staff cost budget not spent in the first quarter due to vacancies not filled
• $0.8 million one-off savings from elected member annual fees (set by the Independent Remuneration Authority) lower than the budget allowed.

This savings target is for Auckland Council as the parent organisation. There are separate savings targets for the council-controlled organisations.

Progress against the savings target is reported quarterly to the Governing Body as part of the Quarterly Performance Reporting. The next progress update will be provided to the Revenue, Expenditure and Value Committee after the council’s quarter two results are finalised.