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Council budget moves set to hammer Shore

Funding available to community groups in the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board area will be cut hugely under shock budget proposals put up by Mayor Wayne Brown, says board chair Toni van Tonder.

More than half of the board’s operating expenses used for locally driven initiatives (LDIs) could be at stake – more than $500,000. Support for environmental and community groups is at risk. Peppercorn leases for using council buildings are also to be reviewed.

“We will not be able to tolerate that,” van Tonder told the Observer. It would threaten the future of some groups.

The board was expected to give feedback to the 2023-24 draft budget proposals just a day after the Mayor went public this week with an outline of how he intended to lop a further $60 million off Auckland Council spending on top of an existing savings target of $90 million. The cuts come as costs surge and after Covid hit council’s revenues.

General rate rises will be capped at 7 per cent, up on the 3.5 per cent signalled earlier.

Although the Mayor’s outline spoke of trimming just 5 per cent from local board budgets across the city, the impact is uneven due to what van Tonder says is the equity calculation being applied. That means areas such as the Shore, which have historically funded groups to do work rather than use council resources, are much harder hit by cuts. She wants to know why board chairs were not consulted about this.

The water-quality targeted rate, which helped fund Wairau Estuary clean-up work, is also being reduced by two-thirds. North Shore councillor Richard Hills hopes work will continue with funds in hand. Councillors meet this week, with a finalised budget put to the public in February.

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make any moves to close the walkway. It is on private land so I cannot understand why council would be involved in any closure anyhow.”

Devonport-Takapuna Local Board chair Toni van Tonder said she had been given an assurance by council staff that fencing would not be going up.

Since the collapse of a bridge on the walkway in 2011, the public has had informal access through a coastal property at Black Rock.

This was allowed by owner Paul Firth, who died in 2021, and the multiple beneficiaries who have inherited the property.

But negotiations over a potential purchase by the council of the strip of land crossed by walkers seemed to have broken down.

Emails obtained by the Observer revealed the council officers’ plan to have the path fenced off from the reserve.

Van Tonder said the local board would be presented with details on negotiations early next year and that nothing would be put before the governing council until the board had an opportunity for input.

“We want to see public access maintained and I have been given an assurance by staff that fencing will not be going up.

“By the property owner’s good grace, the public will continue to enjoy access along the coast through this section of the walkway, and I hope we can find a way forward where that remains the case indefinitely.”

Auckland Council head of property and commercial business Kim O’Neill confirmed that no decisions had been made.

“No fences are to be put up and no formal decision regarding purchase, easements or access have been decided,” she said.

Alex Witten-Hannah, lawyer for the estate of the Firth families, said although the council seemed to have abandoned the idea of fencing off access across private land, the issue was still at a stalemate.

Council had broken off negotiations to buy the land.

Following the Observer article the public had shown a “degree of consternation” over the walkway’s future.

“A major stumbling block is the heritage listing on the old cottage at the property,” he said. If council lifted the heritage status, issues including protection of the walkway could be resolved.

Witten-Hannah said the Firth family wanted to see public access to the walkway retained and to work with the council “to achieve a sensible and pragmatic outcome”.

Season’s greetings and happy holidays

To all our readers and advertisers, warmest wishes for Christmas and the New Year from the staff and publishers of the Rangitoto Observer. As we all look forward to a relaxing summer after another challenging year for Auckland, the country and the world, we hope you are able to take time out to enjoy the special things about living here on the North Shore. To those who are working through, thank you, to those ‘staycationing’, what better place to do it? To anyone heading away, safe travels. We are proud to be your independent voice for local news and appreciate your interest and support. We look forward to continuing to report on local issues and achievements in 2023. Look out for your first Observer of the new year on 20 January. Our office reopens with limited hours from 9 January.

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Golden girls... Westlake Girls’ College Sport award winners (from left) Courtney Day, Brooke James, Harriet Gowing, Holly Williams, Sofia Greenhalgh and Mackenzie Chatfield. Holly Isherwood is absent. Westlake Girls sports stars snare Auckland awards

Westlake Girls High School made a strong showing at this year’s Auckland College Sports Awards, with students winning six categories.

Two of the winners, basketballer Mackenzie Chatfield, who is taking up a US college scholarship next year, and rower Sofia Greenhalgh, were also finalists for the overall Young Sportswoman of the Year title.

Holly Williams, who was named best female touch-rugby player, won a second award as one of five students given an All Rounder of the Year Award, for her accomplishments in rugby and basketball as well as touch.

Other category winners were Holly Isherwood (volleyball) and football referee Courtney Day, named official of the year.

Two other Westlake students, Harriet Gowing (snowsports) and Brooke James (hockey), were category finalists.

The 2022 Auckland Sportswoman of the Year Award was made to footballer Emily Clegg of Mt Albert Grammar, with the Sportsman of the Year Award going to cyclist Edward Pawson of Auckland Grammar.

A cyclist from Westlake Boys High School, Lewis Bower, who won the top title last year and is now competing professionally in Europe, gained an international achievement award for 2022.

Westlake Boys again did well, with five current students singled out.

Category awards went to the captain of the first XV, Tristyn Cook (rugby), Larn Hamblyn-Ough (swimming), Alex Liu Cao (table tennis) and George Rush (yachting).

Cam Maunder gained an all-rounder award (for triathlon, duathlon and aquathon). The school also had seven student finalists.

Carmel College’s Moira Macdonald was named Student Coach of the Year, while Rosmini College had a category winner in Everton O’Leary (football), along with finalists in football, basketball, volleyball and waterpolo.

Takapuna Grammar School students Carrie (Yuhan) Guo (table tennis) and Vivienne Chung (yachting) also won awards. Rangitoto College and Kristin students picked up awards too, maintaining the North Shore’s reputation for sporting prowess.