LOCAL NEWS
Super Saturday at Graham Street
RICHARD NORTHEY:
WAITEMATĀ LOCAL BOARD CHAIR It was great to have a near normal summer holiday with our family together over Christmas before Omicron brought back tighter restrictions. Our February 15 Waitematā Local Board business meeting was held virtually under Red Traffic Light Covid-19 restrictions. We heard proposals from the public for more extensive 'no mow areas', funded some mulch for voluntary tree planting after I and other board members wielded our shovels in Harry Dansey Park to spread mulch, set out the board’s applications for a plaza at Rose Road and for enhancing Wakefield Park, and reported to council on public views on important bylaws such as the signs bylaw and freedom camping. In December Glenda Fryer, the highest polling unsuccessful candidate at the last election who had been appointed to the board vacancy, was appointed to portfolios, including Community, Filming Approvals, the Ponsonby Business Association, Deputy for Economic Development and Liaison for the St Mary’s Bay Association, with Adriana Avendaño Christie being appointed to most of the other vacated positions. We also passed a motion seeking to ban any more helicopter pads in Auckland suburbs. All the board members have been double jabbed, all eligible ones boosted, and we have produced a joint video urging everyone in Waitematā to do the same. In order to protect our health and those who are dearest to us it is vital for us all to become fully vaccinated, mask up when not home, and follow all medical and public health advice, including in the use of council facilities. The board’s community clinic will be held virtually on 9 March from 7pm and those interested in participating in a dialogue with us should book a meeting time.
council to take more appropriate action to combat climate change. We also want your views on what our board should be doing and funding next financial year. Please share any ideas of what you want to happen locally. Covid-19 has, both directly and indirectly, been the major cause of increased stress, crime, intimidation, and antisocial behaviour throughout Auckland, but particularly in our inner-city business districts. I have been pleased that the Business Association members, residents, police, local MPs, and councillors have joined local board members in working together endeavouring to restore security and reduce antisocial behaviour. I am very pleased that the governing body of council has responded to our board’s and community advocacy and has approved progressing with the restoration of the Leys Institute Buildings. A project advisory group has already had three meetings over the summer. I am representing you on this group and it is including council staff, architects, representatives of the Leys family, the Friends of the Leys Institute, the Ponsonby Community Centre, the Little Leys Library, and the local residents associations. Progress will seem painstaking, but it is great that it is happening and will be done in a thorough and well-informed manner. It is great that an improved walking track has been reopened through the Western Springs Forest. Consultation with the public, including neighbours, on whether or not to add a loop track, is now taking place. The board is totally open-minded on this proposal, so we are very much looking forward to hearing your views. These tracks are intended purely for walkers and not for cyclists.
I can always be contacted at 021 534 546 or richard.northey@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Council will, from 28 February to 28 March, be consulting on our council and local board budget. Please let us know your views. Apart from the normal digital and hard copy budget response forms, we will have a special Waitematā Local Board hearing on Tuesday 22 March from 4.30pm for you to register to present your views to us. Next year’s budget is proving to be another difficult one because of the depredations on council revenue caused by Covid-19 and also because of significant inflation increasing council’s costs. The board has advocated to retain our range of council services and to consult on a targeted rate to enable
28 PONSONBY NEWS+ March 2022
Auckland Transport is also consulting now on proposals it has that it believes would make Richmond Road, Mill Road and Garnet Road safer and better. Find out more and have your say at www.at.govt.nz We had a most enjoyable 'Good Citizens Awards' ceremony, although it had to be a digital one, on Friday 10 December. The selection panel, with external community representatives, had been very impressed with the voluntary community contributions of those they selected who had all gone beyond what is expected in service to their communities. The citations of the award members read out at the ceremony reinforced how diverse, impressive, and valuable these contributions were. (RICHARD NORTHEY, Chair, Waitematā Local Board) PUBLISHED FIRST FRIDAY EACH MONTH (except January)
