Category: Auckland Council

Source: Auckland Council

At last – reducing the amount of waste to landfill is now much easier for central Auckland residents following the opening of local community hub in Western Springs for reusing, repurposing and recycling goods.

On Friday 11 August, Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre officially opened its doors to the public. The facility is the twelfth recycling centre to join Tāmaki Makaurau’s resource recovery network as part of Auckland’s goal towards zero waste by 2040.

The recycling centre is located in a heritage building at 990 Great North Road where extensive remedial work was required. As part of council’s zero-waste commitment, the refurbishment was carefully planned to minimise waste, which included its reusable construction shrink wrap-alternative made of fabric to cover the building, and its newly installed recycled carpet tiles.

Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward Councillor Christine Fletcher is pleased with the region’s commitment to zero waste. “This is a huge milestone for Auckland, and should we continue on this trajectory with zero-waste programmes – we’ll be that much closer to realising our goals, including making Auckland the world’s most liveable city.”

Fellow Ward Councillor Julie Fairey says, “At the heart of this recycling centre is a collective effort to reuse resources and send less waste to landfill, and the cooperation across local board areas underpins this project as a great sign of what we can achieve together.”

The ceremony officiating Waiōrea’s opening was a momentous occasion with many acknowledgements to a raft of stakeholders, members of the community and staff who invested significant mahi to get this initiative from concept phase, a spade in the ground and then to opening day. Following the ceremony, the public were invited to tour the facility.

Albert-Eden Local Board Chair Margi Watson is delighted the centre is finally open. “The project wasn’t without its challenges, and collectively we owe everyone who was involved a huge thank you.

“In particular, Warren Snow from Envision, who pioneered the zero-waste movement and joined many of the dots that put this project into motion. Sadly, Warren passed in 2022 before he could see his efforts come to fruition,” she says.

As part of the opening ceremony, a tree was planted to commemorate Warren’s advocacy.

Initial efforts to investigate the centre’s feasibility and to scope a suitable site for the project were championed and funded by Albert-Eden, Puketāpapa and Waitematā local boards.

“Throughout the project’s lifespan, none of it would have been possible without Auckland Council’s Waste Solutions team. They have been extremely passionate about this initiative and have liaised between various stakeholders to get this project to where it is today,” says Chair Watson.

Puketāpapa Local Board Chair, Ella Kumar is excited to see the new recycling facility up and running. “The opening of this centre is a turning point for our communities and our environment. We look forward to seeing it humming with people hunting for revived treasures and exchanging ways of minimising waste,” says Chair Kumar.

Waitematā Local Board Chair Genevieve Sage is thrilled with the result. “It’s wonderful to have this facility opening locally, encouraging community recycling efforts to reduce unnecessary landfill waste,” she says.

Through an expressions of interest process, MPHS Community Trust was appointed to manage operations for Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre. There will be a range of workshops and events held at the centre along with the ability to drop off items for recycling or upcycling. The centre is open Thursday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm.

To stay up to date on all things happening in Albert-Eden, sign up for local news here or follow @alberteden on Facebook.

Source: Auckland Council

Part of our role at Auckland Council is to ensure everyone pays their fair share of rates. We want to make sure the funding of our services is shared fairly, and we have a rating policy in place for this. 

In order to make sure we are accurately and fairly treating each rating unit, we need to be consistent to all ratepayers in Auckland. This is achieved by ensuring the rates assessed are in line with our rating policy, which can be found in the 2023/2024 Annual Budget. 

Why are serviced apartments rated this way? 

“This is a two-way conversation between the council and property owners or managers. We play our part by checking and reviewing the accuracy of our data on a frequent basis, but we note that the status of a property can change from year to year,” says Rhonwen Heath, Auckland Council Head of Rates Valuations & Data Management. 

With numerous rating units across Tāmaki Makaurau in this category, it is an ongoing task to keep usage information up to date. Property owners, bodies corporate and property managers can therefore proactively contact us to notify us of any changes.  

“We proactively try to ensure the accuracy of our information by each year asking the managers of serviced apartments in Auckland if there are any properties that should be designated as residential, rather than commercial,” adds Rhonwen. 

Generally, managers know how each apartment unit in their building is being used and can tell us if it is being used commercially. We also rely on body corporates to play their part in ensuring they are letting us know how a serviced apartment in a hotel pool is being used. 

Once we receive proof of residential use, such as a utility bill in an owners’ name, we can change the designation. Rest assured, our rates team is prioritising these requests to ensure customers are not disadvantaged and queries of this nature are dealt with in a timely manner by our team. 

Treating ratepayers fairly and equally 

Frequent updates and review of this rating information allows us to maintain the accuracy of our information every year. This enhanced proactive approach has only improved the accuracy of our rating database, ensuring a fair and consistent approach for all Aucklanders. 

Our rates policy states that serviced apartments are charged non-residential rates unless they the owners provide proof that they are being used for residential purposes. This can be changed to residential if we are provided with proof that a serviced apartment is not being used for commercial accommodation, as some are. 

In the past, Auckland Council charged non-residential rates to confirmed serviced apartments only. However, post-COVID, we received complaints about serviced apartments being used for commercial use, but owners paying residential rates. 

It is important that we treat ratepayers fairly and equally and rate them according to the rating policy.  As a result, we took an enhanced proactive approach and contacted the hotel ‘pool managers’, asking them to let us know how every apartment was being used, rather than just the ones they knew the use of.  

This resulted in almost 2,000 serviced apartments coming back as ‘unknown’ or the contact did not respond. We then followed up on this correspondence throughout April and May with the managers, to ensure as many of these as possible had the correct classification. 

My residential serviced apartment has defaulted to non-residential – what should I do? 

“Rest assured, our rates team is prioritising these requests to ensure customers are not disadvantaged and queries are dealt with in a timely manner,” says Rhonwen.  

If anyone believes their rates have been charged incorrectly, we encourage them to contact our team at rates.data@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and more information can be found on our website on what supporting documents might be needed.

Source: Auckland Council

Six Tāmaki Makaurau marae and three papakāinga housing projects will each receive funding this year from Auckland Council’s Planning, Environment and Parks Committee.

Grants totalling $1.2 million have been approved for nine applicants from the committee’s 2023/2024 Cultural Initiatives Fund, to support development in the year ahead.

The Cultural Initiatives Fund is part of a much wider council-led focus to support Māori needs and aspirations through the Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau framework. It specifically supports marae development and papakāinga housing – two of 10 outcomes identified by Māori as being important priorities for future wellbeing.

Each recipient this year will receive a share of the $1.2 million fund based on plans outlined in their application.

Some projects include the installation of solar panels, water storage equipment, various maintenance tasks, as well as the replacement of existing assets and future planning.

Councillor Angela Dalton says supporting marae and housing development in Tāmaki Makaurau is an essential component of the council’s Long Term Plan, with a total of $1.2 million allocated each year across the 10-year life of the plan to the Cultural Initiatives Fund.

“The long-term value of this funding is really significant. We’ve already seen many benefits from these grants, on projects supporting the social, economic, and cultural wellbeing of Māori communities across Auckland.

“In the hands of mana whenua and mataawaka leaders, this funding is helping marae and papakāinga housing projects to thrive.”

The Cultural Initiatives Fund has so far been able to support 20 marae developments, some multiple times, in the Tāmaki Makaurau area, over a five-year period.

Not all applicants this year have been successful, as the fund is highly over-subscribed. A total of 14 grant applications were received, with five applications declined due to insufficient information and not meeting guideline criteria.

Councillor Richard Hills says the committee remains focused on supporting as many projects as possible, by distributing funds right across Tāmaki Makaurau.

“As Auckland grows and we look to build a more resilient region, marae continue to play an increasing role as community hubs for people needing guidance or refuge – particularly during extreme weather events. We see supporting their development as critical for the future wellbeing of our communities.”

Successful applicants for the 2023/2024 Cultural Initiatives Fund

Recipients	Funding
Ngaa Hau E Whaa o Pukekohe	$110,500
Parish of Waipipi Lot 369a Trust (Rereteewhioi Marae)	$142,500
Te Kia Ora Marae Trust	$142,500
Ruapōtaka Marae	$142,500
Pāpatūānuku Kōkiri Marae	$124,500
Ngāti Wai o Aotea Kawa Marae Trust	$125,500
Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei Housing Trust	$142,500
Te Kawerau Iwi Tiaki Trust	$142,500
Te Motu a Hiroa Charitable Trust	$127,000
Total amount:	$1,200,000

 Find out more about our Cultural Initiatives Fund, and our other community grants, at our website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/grants

Source: Auckland Council

Hauraki Gulf Forum Co-Chairs Nicola MacDonald and Toby Adams will tomorrow publicly unveil the 2023 State of the Gulf report, produced for the forum by Coast & Catchment Ltd.

“The Hauraki Gulf continues to be pummeled by our actions on land and at sea, plus the spread of new invasive species and increasing impacts from climate change,” says Forum Co-Chair Toby Adams.

“This report paints a grim picture of the current health of the 14,000sq. km blue backyard of the Auckland and Waikato regions – home to around 2 million people.”

“Seabirds struggling to feed their young, the near loss of our last scallop beds, rampant kina devouring our kelp, and the rise in milky-flesh snapper are just some of the stories that have emerged over the past three years since the last report in 2020, pointing to continued ecological collapse,” he says.

“But there are also stories of hope,” says Forum Tangata Whenua Co-Chair Nicola MacDonald.

“Stories of the actions taken by mana whenua and communities to stand up for the Gulf, to lay rāhui and power restoration efforts. The planting of waterways, and investment in stormwater networks. In addition, the important announcement by the government earlier this week of (i) a bespoke fisheries plan for the Gulf, and (ii) a promise to introduce legislation for a long-overdue set of new marine and seafloor protection areas that will lay a foundation for the Gulf’s recovery.”

“Furthermore, for the first time in over 100 years, the Gulf is finally free from the most destructive form of fishing – scallop dredging – after a Gulf-wide temporary closure by the Minister for Oceans & Fisheries. That needs to become permanent.

“However, the Gulf is never static,” says Co-Chair Toby Adams, “and climate change has now well and truly arrived. The ‘one in 20 year’ Cyclone Hale was followed up not much more than 20 days later by Cyclone Gabrielle. Increasing climate change impacts will result in rapid and far-reaching changes to the Gulf.

“The best defence we have is a restored Gulf, a protected Gulf, and a biodiverse Gulf. The Hauraki Gulf Forum is committed to that better future. 

“Our recently released natural capital valuation showed that the Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, even its current poor health, is worth over $100 billion to this country as a natural capital asset. This is too big to let fail. We must do everything we can to protect and restore this taonga.”

Source: Auckland Council

Wondering what to do with the kettle that doesn’t boil, the wonky chair no one will sit on or the laptop that freezes?

From this Saturday, Aucklanders close to Western Springs have a new convenient location where they can take their unwanted items to save them from landfill.

The Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre in Western Springs has its official opening ceremony this Friday 11 August, with members of the public then invited to tour the centre from 2.30pm to 5pm.

It brings the number of Auckland Council Community Recycling Centres (CRCs) open in Auckland to 11, which Chair of the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee Richard Hills says is a significant milestone.

“Our goal was 12 community recycling centres operational by 2024. We’re on track to reach that goal one year early due in part to $10 million from the Government’s Covid Recovery Fund which helped to fast track the development and supported council funding approved in the 2021 ten-year budget.”

“I know the community will celebrate the opening of the Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre and the Resource Recovery Network, they have worked tirelessly over many years with council’s waste team and supported by local board members with vision and passion for zero waste.”

Auckland Council’s goal is to expand to 21 CRCs and two large resource recovery parks by 2030, ensuring most urban Aucklanders live within a 20-minute drive of a convenient place to bring or buy items.

CRCs serve as a one-stop shop where Aucklanders can take items for recycling, reusing or repairing, or where they can buy pre-loved items. The aim of the centres is to keep waste out of landfill and support a circular economy. They also serve as educational hubs to encourage people to move from a take-make-dispose mindset to a reduce-reuse-recycle one.

In the past year, existing community recycling centres have diverted 77 per cent of the materials they have received from ending up in landfill. They have also created more paid jobs and volunteer opportunities as the number and diversity of materials brought in has increased.

Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre itself was developed with sustainable principles in mind. As well as repurposing an existing heritage building, the refurbishment incorporated recycled materials and a reusable covering instead of single-use plastic shrink-wrap as temporary protection during remedial work on the roof.

The development of the centre has involved contributions from a wide range of local community groups, including mana whenua Ngati Whātua, Albert-Eden, Waitematā and Puketāpapa local boards, and local kura / schools, such as Western Springs College. The MPHS Community Trust is responsible for operating the centre.

Community Recycling Centres are often run by social enterprises on Auckland Council land working in partnership with local communities.

Where:

Te Taupuni Hangarua ā-Hapori o Waiōrea / Waiōrea Community Recycling Centre

990 Great North Rd, Western Springs, Auckland

When:

Friday 11 August, official opening invitation-only

From 2.30pm until 5pm, open to the public.

Opening hours from Saturday 12 August are:

Thursday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm

Source: Auckland Council

Puketāpapa residents’ thoughts and comments are needed to help shape plans for the next three years.

The proposed plan prioritises upcoming neighbourhoods, and community facilities as two key areas of focus for Puketāpapa.  

With less than a week left, the draft Puketāpapa Local Board plan consultation is open until 14 August and needs feedback from the community to know if it’s on the right track.

Board Chair, Ella Kumar explains, “Our plan aims to concentrate on our three rapidly growing neighbourhoods, Wesley, Waikōwhai and Three Kings – to ensure they are included, supported and well connected.”

“We’re also committed to ensuring facilities are efficiently delivered in partnership with community, so they meet expectations and are well-used.”

“Our area is unique and super diverse. I love that I can walk down the road and see people from all around the world. It is the diversity of our people and their connection to this place that makes Puketāpapa so special. We need to preserve this as we respond to our developing neighbourhoods,” says Kumar.

While diversity and culture are huge benefits, intensification can put pressure on existing communities, networks and facilities. Additionally, the council’s budget challenges will increase difficulty with maintaining a large and ageing facilities portfolio.

The good news is current and future urban growth can provide opportunities to attract investment from other agencies, which deliver long-term plans for the future.

The plan is to investigate, in future, how community can access services and facilities, connect through shared spaces, and where there are gaps considering population growth. It also plans to have support programmes that meet community needs and support leadership within diverse communities of those neighbourhoods.

To ensure investment in parks, facilities and projects are prioritised where they are needed, the board proposes to work closely with housing developers and seek external funding to improve neighbourhoods. Planning ahead with agencies can ensure provision for facilities and open space, such as the Three Kings development, which will have affordable long-term operational costs.

The board also proposes to investigate opportunities for facilities to deliver services better and reduce costs. Another initiative to address this is to look into community partnerships that can be delivered from community-owned facilities – enabling collaboration and increasing capacity across the neighbourhood.

What are your thoughts on this? The local board is fully open to suggestions from Puketāpapa residents.

Have your say here.

Source: Auckland Council

Completion of another 80m drillhole at Muriwai marked the seventh of the nine planned holes in the study completed. Drilling will continue Oaia Road on borehole BH-M02. Remaining drillhole BH-M04 on Domain Crescent is due to be completed week of 14 August (see below image).

Drilling locations (red dots)

Ground investigations have progressed well. The critical data so far has been included in the reports that will be released in draft at the end of August. The extracted drillcore has shown expected geology, such as Awhitu Sand Formation in BH-M03 (drillcore image below). Samples are due to be sent to a laboratory for testing and ground water monitoring will continue beyond the completion of the programme.

Drillcore – highly weathered Awhitu sand formation

Drilling set up on BH-M03

Source: Auckland Council

Time is running out to have a say on the future of your community.

Consultation on three-year plans developed by Auckland Council’s 21 local boards closes on Monday 14 August and Aucklanders are being asked not to miss the chance to give feedback on them.

The draft plans guide decisions on how your area is managed by the council and how each board shapes its local priorities.

This can have a significant influence on local community facilities and services.

It’s easy to have your say – just fill out the online form at akhaveyoursay.co.nz/localboardplans by 14 August.

Make sure you have your say

Auckland Council General Manager Local Board Services, Louise Mason, says that time is running out to make sure your feedback is counted.

“Everyone has a strong interest in what goes on in their own neighbourhood, and the decisions made that could impact the services and facilities there.”

“Local boards set their strategic direction through the local board plan process, and every decision made for the next three years will be guided by the principles and focus areas now being set.”

“The other factor is, of course, the budget. With a reduction in the amount of money available to each board to spend because of the wider budget challenges facing the council, each board has a real challenge to make the most of every dollar available to them.”

“So make sure you let your board know what is important in your neighbourhood is even more important now before consultation closes.”

About local board plans

Local board plans are strategic, three-year plans. Public feedback enables local boards to identify and prioritise the key outcomes, initiatives and projects that are of most value to their communities.

This information will be considered as each of the 21 local boards finalise their plans for the 2023-2026 period, for publication at the end of this year.

They will include focus areas or outcomes for the local boards to concentrate on, such the environment, diversity, working with mana whenua, climate issues and ensuring local community facilities, parks etc meet the needs of their communities.  

About local boards

Local boards provide governance at the local level within Auckland Council. They enable democratic decision-making by, and on behalf of communities within the local board area.

There are 21 local boards with between five and nine members elected to each board (149 local board members in total).

Local boards are charged with decision-making on local issues, activities and services, and provide input into regional strategies, policies, plans and decisions.

Source: Auckland Council

Toi tu te kupu, toi tu te mana, toi tu te whenua – Spoken by Tinirau of Wanganui as a plea to hold fast to culture, because without reo, mana and whenua, the essence of being Māori would be lost.

Ngaati Te Ata Waiohua has lost a great leader with the passing of George Flavell, QSM.

Franklin Local Board Waiuku subdivision representative Sharlene Druyen says she was in awe of his generosity of spirt.

“George was beyond generous with his time, was endlessly patient and always willing to share his genuine affection for not just his own Ngaati Te Ata tangata, but all people.”

“His love of the land was unrivalled and there is a wonderful whakataukii that sums him up beautifully. Kāore te kumara e kōrero mō tōna ake reka – the kumara does not say how sweet he is.”

“George’s humility was inspiring, and his passion for the land equally so.”

Awarded the Queen’s Service Medal for his commitment to the protection of Māori cultural sites and important locations within the of Ngaati Te Ata rohe (watch video here – 13.30secs in), he was also a master carver who willingly passed on his skills to a new generation.

Franklin Ward Councillor Andy Baker says his astonishing knowledge of history and paa sites underpinned his love for conservation.

“I don’t believe you could count the number of hours he committed to documenting sites of special significance, protecting their management from anything that might put them at risk.”

“He was the educational resource for the iwi, and we feel the pain and join in the mourning for the loss of a truly great yet humble leader.”

When he received the QSM, he told an interviewer the award stood with climbing Taranaki as a 76-year-old as highlights of his life, but quickly added, only alongside “applying tikanga to every mahi we engage in”.

Board chair Angela Fulljames says in honouring his passing, there needed to be recognition that his journey was not without obstacles, some put in place by councils and the like.

“The strength he exhibited in raising awareness around cultural values and land preservation appeared to know no bounds.”

“His gentle persuasion, humility and kindness hid a steely determination that was at the heart of his mahi over many years, years that educated board members, councillors, farmers and especially children at kura about sites special to iwi.”

George believed in creating relationships and I recall him saying: He waka eke noa – we are all in the waka together. The words would be delivered with a little smile that reached his eyes and filled you with hope.”

He leaves a legacy at the tip of the Aawhitu, where he was involved in the Mahanihani restoration project, complete with carved pou.

Born in 1936, George was the eldest son of Bill and Kahurimu Flavell – a name that derives from d’Flavelle, the ancestors who fled France for England during the French Revolution, going on to arrive in Aotearoa early in the 1800s.

George’s early interest in creating things continued throughout a life that despite his other commitments also saw him made a life member of the Waiuku Museum Society, and an expert on whaanau whakapapa, west Franklin geography and the environment.

As a recognised Ngaati te Ata historian, he also represented the iwi at indigenous leader hui, including in Hawaii in 2018.

During his QSM interview he was asked his hopes for the future, replying simply, “educating our next generation of rangatahi to keep the fires burning”.

 Kua hinga te totara i te wao nui a Tane – The totara has fallen in the forest of Tane.

Source: Auckland Council

From school composts to innovative products in construction, your idea could be worth up to $50,000 if it helps keep waste out of landfill.

During August, Auckland businesses and community organisations can apply for grants up to $50,000 for projects that help prevent or reduce waste.

Auckland Council’s annual Waste Minimisation and Innovation Fund / Te pūtea Whakamōkito Para me te Auahatanga is open to applications until August 31, 2023.

The fund supports projects that help reduce waste and reuse or recover resources as part of the council’s goal of sending zero-waste to landfill by 2040.

Now in its tenth year, WMIF has so far approved more than $5 million for over 500 projects that support or achieve waste minimisation activities in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Auckland Council’s General Manager Waste Solutions Parul Sood says she is always impressed by the ingenuity of the projects and their wide range of benefits.

“In reducing waste, these initiatives protect the environment, and many provide economic and social benefits. Some have the potential to change the way industries operate.”

Two recent grant recipients worked on products to replace wasteful practices in the construction industry:

• Bracedon creates reusable temporary bracing which replaces the need for timber during house construction. Timber struts are often not used again and end up in landfill.
• CLEVA Pod system replaces polystyrene used as a space saver in house foundations. Polystyrene bonds with the concrete and other materials making it unusable at the end of the foundation’s life. CLEVA Pod has multiple environmental advantages over polystyrene.

This year for the first time, organisations applying for grants under $5000 can opt to provide part of their application in the form of a video.

“This gives applicants the flexibility to tell their story in creative ways. The application form is 23 pages long which can seem onerous if you are only applying for a small and simple project. The video portion effectively replaces half of the application form and can be created using your phone,” says Parul.

Community groups, schools and businesses within the Auckland region are eligible to apply for grants between $1,000 and $50,000. The funds must be spent in the 2024 calendar year.

For more information go to the Auckland Council website and search ‘WMIF’.