Bellingham Road in Ormiston is open!

Before the sun was up this morning, mana whenua led a moving karakia, physically walking the length of the new road and underneath to view the mahi toi (artwork) on the bridge.

Despite the early start, we had solid representation from the community, businesses, developers, and Auckland Transport. It was a privilege speak on behalf of the Howick Local Board, standing alongside fellow Botany representatives Mike Turinsky and Peter Young.

It's been a long road to get to this point, longer than anyone had hoped for and we know it's been frustrating for the community. But we're finally here and the road is open. It connects Stancombe Road to the Ormiston Town Centre, supporting residential, employment and economic growth. At the northern end, it passes by Barry Curtis Park including our soon-to-be upgraded destination playground.

As we left the cones and barriers were removed, making the road available from this morning. Looking forward to seeing the community enjoy this great piece of infrastructure.

Tour of Rā Hihi

Recently the Howick Local Board was fortunate to have the opportunity to have a guided tour of the Rā Hihi flyover that is being built over Reeves Road as part of the Eastern Busway project.

While we receive regular updates and monthly briefings from the project team, it was great to see the progress first hand. Maps and diagrams are really helpful, but nothing compared to standing on the top of the flyer.

Rā Hihi will carry vehicles (not buses) over Tī Rākau Drive, allowing the busway to travel underneath and avoid congestion. The flyover is due to be finished mid-2026 with the whole Eastern Busway operational from 2027.

Thank you Howick Primary School

Thank you to Howick Primary School for hosting the Pest Free Howick Ward pestival earlier this week.

Students explained what they had learned and done. It's always inspired by the amazing environmental action that our local tamariki (children) are taking. It was a privilege to congratulate the latest cadets through the Pest Free Howick programme.

Great to hear from David on his work leading local volunteers helping protect and restore local reserves in Mellons Bay.

Happy Diwali

On Friday evening we celebrated the festival of light with the South East Auckland Senior Citizens' Association Inc. - Seasca.

An evening of wonderful performances and beautiful food, shared with amazing locals and special guests. It was my pleasure to speak on behalf of the Howick Local Board, supported by fellow member Adele White.

Open workshops mean better transparency

“In our representative democracy it’s vital that the public have trust in those making the decisions on their behalf. Transparency is a crucial part of this and that’s why we’re opening our workshops to the public from the start of next year."

Following on from a report from the Ombudsman, the Howick Local Board has agreed to open our workshops to the public (with exceptions where required).

Workshops are informal meetings where staff provide us information and advice, but no decisions are made (this must come to a public business meeting). By opening these workshops up to the public and publishing the materials, the public can see and hear the same advice we get, demystifying the process and increasing our accountability to our community.

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/10/howick-workshops-open-up-in-2025/

Transparency on attendance

As part of providing transparency, Auckland Council publishes the attendance for elected members. Here is the Howick Local Board result for July to September 2024.

Absences may be due to leave, illness, bereavement or attending other council business. I missed one workshop on 26 September as I was at the Auckland Council meeting regarding representation review.

You can see more (including previous reports, other local boards and councillors) on the Auckland Council website: https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/performance-transparency/Pages/attendance-governing-body-meetings.aspx

Howick Local Board business meeting report for September 2024

On Thursday 19 September, the Howick Local Board held our business meeting for the month. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and a recording of this (and previous) meetings.

📰 Acknowledgements for Kīngi Tūheitia, Howick Sports Awards, Bucklands Beach Yacht Club 75th Anniversary, Howick College 50th Anniversary, and Botany Citizens Advice Bureau 15th Anniversary
🗣 Deputations from Young Life NZ Trust, and local resident on Bucklands Beach safety improvements
📊 Approval for open workshops, our Annual Report, and additional meetings
📑 Feedback on traffic bylaw review, and Thriving Rangitahi
✅ Approval of street names, local transport projects, lease for Highbrook Watersports, Friends of Mangemangeroa, and new playground for Barry Curtis Park

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we confirmed our formal acknowledgements for the month.

We acknowledged the passing of Kīngi Tūheitia on 30 August with a special karakia. We also noted that he had been succeeded by his daughter Kuini Ngā Wai Hono i te Pō on the day of his funeral.

We acknowledged the nominees, finalists, and winners of the recent Howick Sports Awards. In its 11th year, these annual awards celebrate the region’s local talents and the coaches, staff, officials and volunteers who make their success possible. We also thanked the Pakuranga United Rugby Club for organising and running the awards.

We congratulated the Bucklands Beach Yacht Club on their 75th anniversary. Formed in 1949 in a small shed stored behind the post office, the club is recognised as one of the most respected and successful yacht clubs.

We congratulated Howick College on their 50th anniversary. Established in Cockle Bay in February 1974 they have educated over 20,000 students across the five decades.

We congratulated the Botany Citizens Advice Bureau on their 15th anniversary. The agency began in 2009 in the Botany Town Centre and has gone on to serve thousands of local residents, providing independent advice on a wide range of issues thanks to the tireless efforts of their volunteers.

We then received two deputations, firstly we had Lyall Carter who is the CEO of Young Life New Zealand Trust. They were grateful for the financial support that the Board has provided through our community grants programme and explained the work they are doing to support local young people.

Next we had a deputation from local resident Chris O’Loughlin regarding the Bucklands Beach Safety Improvements project. He raised concerns about the consultation and communication process so we asked staff to provide advice on the consultation and whether our duties under the Local Government Act 2002 were met in regard to this matter.

Because we had an Auckland Transport representative in the room, I shifted the relevant agenda items up earlier than scheduled. Firstly, we received a report on our Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF) projects which we had asked Auckland Transport to consult with the public on. These were the Valderama Road raised pedestrian crossing (100% support), Paparoa Road raised pedestrian crossing (69% support), and Michael Jones Drive speed calming (53% support). Based on the public support for them all, we approved them for construction.

Auckland Transport also asked us to provide feedback on their Gills Road pedestrian crossing project. We noted the strong public support (86% support) especially from the local school and provided our support. We acknowledged the concerns in the feedback around the costs and encouraged Auckland Transport to continue to explore more innovative and cost-effective solutions for future projects.

We received our first Quarterly Report on our Auckland Transport Kōkiri / Local Board Transport Agreement (approved last month). This is a new process which formalises how Auckland Transport works with Local Boards, ensuring that we get an opportunity to be involved in projects in our area. It was good to see that most projects were on target and due to be delivered by June 2025. Safety improvements planned for the intersection of Flat Bush School and Hikuawa Roads had not passed the cost/benefit test so had been removed from the programme. We’ve also been advocating for the completion of missing footpaths (especially in Flat Bush) but with no funding available they’re unlikely to proceed.

We then provided our feedback on an upcoming traffic bylaw review, supporting the intention to simplify the rules to make them easier to understand and enforce. This is due to come for public consultation in the near future.

Every month we allocate a slot for our Ward Councillors to provide an update. Unfortunately, due to scheduling clashes, they are usually unable to attend. To accommodate this, they agreed to provide a written report when there are board-specific updates to share. No report was received for this meeting.

I tabled my amended Chairpersons Report for the month (correcting a couple of minor mistakes) detailing what we had been focused on since the last meeting. My report noted the shocking theft of plaques across Howick and the disrespect this showed the community. I also noted the positive public feedback on the proposed Representation Review.

We then received a report from staff in response to Ombudsman's recommendation for open workshops by default. Workshops are informal, non-decision-making meetings used for discussions and refining options before formal board decisions in our public business meetings. In October 2023, the Ombudsman released a report which found no evidence of decision-making occurring in workshops but noted practices that could undermine transparency. The Ombudsman recommended that workshops should be open by default, with any closures justified on a case-by-case basis.
There was a good debate on the risks of opening our workshops for the public such as the potential negative impact on free and frank discussion, confusion from the public about whether a decision is being made, and potential disruption to the meeting. We also debated the benefits, such as improving transparency, enabling community to see the process, and improving our accountability.

The vote was tied (4-4) so I used my chairperson’s casting vote, in favour of the motion. This is the first time I’ve used this and I did so based on the recommendation and in line with my vote. The motion passed and staff will work through the process to establish these in time for our first workshop in 2025.

Next up, we voted to confirm a change to the landowner approval and lease for the Highbrook Watersports Centre, to enable them to build a temporary building while the larger project is completed.
We then voted to confirm a retrospective landowner approval for the Friends of Mangemangeroa, formalising their ability to keep their planter and watering units onsite. This provides them with some certainty while the discussions around the future development of Mangemangeroa Reserve continue.

We received a report requesting approval of the designs for the Barry Curtis Playground which we were pleased to approve. This is one of our destination playgrounds, intended to provide for longer visits. In line with public feedback, the new playground will include a wider range of play opportunities and cater for a wider range of tamariki (children). The new design will include accessible, inclusive and sensory play opportunities. Shade sails will provide shelter from the sun, while careful tree planting will act as a wind buffer as well as supporting exploration and nature play. We’ve increased the amount of fencing around the playground, while still ensuring the playground remains accessible and safe. Now these have been approved, staff will work on detailed design, consenting and construction. Physical works are expected to occur between February and June 2025, with an official opening once it’s completed.

We approved our Annual Report for 2023/2024, noting the performance over the past year. The report highlighted some of our key deliverables, including Te Taiwhanga Taiohi East Auckland Youth Space that we opened in April 2024. It shows that we were successful in delivering our arts and cultural outcomes, but there is more work to be done on safety, and the quality of our local parks and facilities. Our operational expenditure was just under budget ($36.4M vs $36.6M) while our capital expenditure was slightly above budget ($3.8M vs $3.6M) which is generally positive.

We approved two new road names for the Highbrook Business Park, East Tamaki. There was a bit of a discussion about one of the names which was intended to recognise the contributions of Sir Noel Robinson. Auckland Council guidelines suggest avoiding the name of a living person or their title, although we noted the road wasn’t far from Sir Woof Fisher Drive.

We approved our engagement plan with Eke Panuku, noting the key projects in our area - 65 Haddington Drive, Ormiston (former site for the pool), Eastern Busway Urban Regeneration Programme (maximising return on residual land), Ormiston Development sites, and 56 Brookview Drive (planned for development but awaiting Plan Change 96).

We endorsed Thriving Rangatahi (council’s commitment and plan to support the wellbeing of children and young people), and approved two additional meetings for next year (to accommodate the Annual Budget timeframes).

We then noted our workshop records and forward governance work calendar before closing the meeting at 2:42pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/09/20240919_HW_MIN_11585_WEB.htm
along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/09/20240919_HW_ATT_11585_WEB.htm

A recording of the meeting will be available shortly, along with previous meetings: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 17 October at 12noon at the Pakuranga Library building in Aylesbury Street.

These are open to the public to attend and observe, although you need to request a slot if you would like to speak (so we can make sure we provide time).

Construction on The Parade Safety Improvements Project begins

🚧 Construction on The Parade Safety Improvements Project begins Monday 2 September 2024.

Last year the Howick Local Board and Auckland Transport consulted on a proposal to improve safety along The Parade. This was in response to local residents asking for something to be done to make this area safer.

Auckland Transport updated the proposal based on the public feedback, and again after a technical review to deliver the most cost effective changes, while achieving the required safety outcomes.

This work will involve:
− A full road closure and detours, although resident access will be maintained.
− Installing a concrete raised pedestrian near the Laings Road intersection (where there is the highest pedestrian volumes)
− Installing 3 speed humps between Laings Road and Whitcombe Road (to reduce unsafe speeds)
− Line marking, new streetlighting and signage

There will be some disruption as the roadworks progress and the contractor will do what they can to minimise this. This work is being done now to avoid the busier Summer period and will take approximately four weeks to deliver.

There were more issues raised during public consultation so there will be a Stage 2 out for further consultation later this year to address those issues, with a focus on the northern end of The Parade (aka Big Bucklands Beach)

You can see more about the various designs, public consultation and changes made here: https://at.govt.nz/about-us/have-your-say/east-auckland-consultations/bucklands-beach-safety-improvements

Celebrating 20 years of the Polish Heritage Trust Museum

It was wonderful to spend time at the Polish Heritage Trust Museum yesterday as they celebrated 20 years.

The Polish Heritage Trust was established in the late 1990’s by Mr John Roy-Wojciechowski and the museum in Howick opened in July 2004. He and his family are still involved.

The museum continues to offer educational resources about Poland, its history, arts and culture, the history of the 733 children and 102 adults who arrived as refugees from Europe in 1944 (known as the ‘Children of Pahiatua’).

We're fortunate to have this amazing collection in Howick, providing opportunities to learn more about Polish history and culture.

New provider for Kauri Kids Howick secured!

“We know this has been a challenging and uncertain time for the tamariki, whānau and kaimahi of Howick Kauri Kids. Thank you for your patience while we worked through this important process where our focus has been on finding a practical solution to continue this amazing service. This decision enables this to happen, and we look forward to the Ministry of Education progressing the licence.”

To protect the commercially sensitive information contained in the report, discussion and minutes, this item had to be done under confidentiality. However, It's great to be able to reveal that we have selected a new provider for Howick Kauri Kids, who will take over the operation (pending a transfer of licence via the Ministry of Education).

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2023/07/howick-kauri-kids-provider-secured/

Estuary Art and Ecological Awards putting the spotlight on Tāmaki

On Saturday 6 July we opened the Tāmaki Estuary Art and Ecological Awards at UXBRIDGE Arts & Culture.

The Howick Local Board is proud to fund UXBRIDGE to deliver a wide range of arts and cultural activities, including these awards. Creativity, culture and the arts make Auckland a vibrant and dynamic city. We also know that participating in arts and cultural initiatives enables Aucklanders to express our unique cultures and see ourselves reflected in public places.

This exhibition is not just art, it’s also about the environment. In fact we believe it’s the only art award in the country dedicated to ecological themes.

The Tāmaki is also known as Te Wai o Taiki, meaning "The Waters of Taiki". Taiki being a shortened form of Taikehu, an ancestor of Ngāi Tai ki Tāmaki. It was a key transport route, providing a link through the shortest land connection between the Waitematā and Manukau Harbours.

The estuary extends around 17 km inland, with total shoreline length of approximately 40 km. These intertidal sand and mudflats feature numerous native habitats and ecosystems that are regionally important. Much of the surrounding catchment is intensively developed with a long history of commercial and industrial use which have cumulatively had a negative impact on sediment quality.

We cannot resolve these issues quickly or alone so we partner with local organisations and volunteers to take action to protect and restore the mauri (lifeforce) of our awa (waterways).

We recently approved our new budget, with a commitment to continuing our pest removal, stream restoration and pollution prevention programmes, as well as extra funding for Pakuranga and Botany Creeks, both which feed into the Tāmaki.

This event is a wonderful intersection of these priorities – where environment meets art. Contemporary art has a unique way of sparking the public interest and these awards are a great example of using creativity to promote the ecological value of this vital awa (waterway) and encourage action against its pollution.

Each year we see artworks that inspire, educate, and inform – there’s something for everyone to enjoy. We’re proud to continue to support these awards and the creatives who respond to them.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this exhibition, I’m always impressed by the bravery of artists who are willing to share their ideas and art with us.

Also thank you to this year’s guest judge, Annette Lees. Ecologist, and author of numerous acclaimed non-fiction books, facing perhaps her greatest challenge to judge these incredible works.

And you can join in on the judging - the People's Choice Award is open until 31 August! So get along to UXBRDIGE, enjoy these beautiful artworks, and cast your vote for your favourite.

Howick Local Board business meeting report for June 2024

On Thursday 27 June, the Howick Local Board held our business meeting for June. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and a recording of this (and previous) meetings.

🏆 Acknowledgements for Howick Little Theatre, Polish Heritage Trust Museum, Venerable Abbess Manshin MNZM, Ian Godfrey MNZM, and John Bray KSM.
🗣Deputations from Howick Historical Village, East Auckland Tourism, and Auckland Brit & Euro Classic Car Show, public forum from Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Ratepayers and Residents Association, and Bucklands Beach Yacht Club.
🗑 Notice of Motion on Rubbish Bin reinstatement
🔇 Confidential Item on Early Childhood Education
✅ Approval of our Work Programmes for the year, lease renewal, new playspaces for Pakuranga, and Community Grants
📑 Feedback on Draft Auckland Regional Land Transport Plan, Plan Change 96, Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we confirmed five acknowledgements.

We congratulated the Howick Little Theatre on their 70th anniversary. Formed on 29 June 1954 by Alma Woods, this year also marks the 50th anniversary of the group moving into the purpose-built facility in Lloyd Elsmore Park. We’re proud to support them in delivering plays and classes throughout the year.

We congratulated the Polish Heritage Trust Museum on their 20th anniversary. Opened in July 2004, the museum continues to offer educational resources about Poland, its history, arts and culture, the history of the 733 children and 102 adults who arrived as refugees from Europe in 1944.

We congratulated Flat Bush resident Venerable Abbess Manshin MNZM on her appointment as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for services to the community. As the leader and founder of the Fo Guang Shan Buddhist Temple in Auckland and Christchurch she has led numerous community events and activities.

We congratulated Farm Cove resident Ian Godfrey MNZM on his appointment as a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for services to surf lifesaving and water safety education. His efforts have been recognised as significantly reducing drownings, especially for children under five.

We congratulated Mellons Bay resident John Bray KSM on being awarded The King’s Service Medal (KSM) in the King’s Birthday Honours 2024 for services to rugby league. He has contributed to the sport for over 75 years as a player and director.

We then had three deputations from groups that we’ve supported over the last year, starting with Howick Historical Village. General Manager Lexie Palmer spoke about the various initiatives that they have underway to bring in more visitors which was paying off with an estimated 31,000 for this financial year (well up on pre-COVID levels). The Howick Local Board provides an operational grant to help keep the living museum running and we were grateful for their transparency around the financial challenges they face.

Next we heard from East Auckland Tourism, with Chairperson Andrew Laing speaking about the work his not-for-profit organisation is doing to increase tourism and economic outcomes in the area. It was good to hear about the new East Auckland Tourism Board members and understand the strengths that they bring. We provide operational funding for this group, as Tātaki Auckland Unlimited has stepped away from local economic development (due to budget cuts).

And finally Brit & Euro Classic Car Show, one of the largest events in East Auckland. It’s always good to see how well they engage local volunteers and service clubs, ensuring the event continues to be “by the community, for the community”. It was a shame about the weather this year, but those who did attend still enjoyed themselves and the cars looked amazing. We support this event through our Event Partnership Fund.

We then had two public forum items on an item that was discussed later – firstly we had Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Ratepayers and Residents Association with Derek speaking in support of the Notice of Motion to reinstate rubbish bins along Bucklands Beach.

This was Followed by Nick from Bucklands Beach Yacht Club who also supported the Notice of Motion and asked for another bin to be reinstated near the Half Moon Bay marina.

We then discussed the Notice of Motion from Member Bruce Kendall – a notice of motion is a way for elected members to get something onto the meeting agenda that isn’t driven by staff. The motion requested that staff reinstate three bins and add signage to encourage people to take their litter home. As a result of the public forum items, Members Kendall and Spiller amended their motion to be five bins and signage. There was a discussion about the potential costs and I moved an amendment to seek advice (including costs) which was passed. Member Collings moved an amendment to clarify that the wording for the signage was only a suggestion, leaving staff to make a recommendation.

Next we moved into a confidential session to allow us to discuss Early Childhood Education Services. Because the report, discussion and resolution contains commercially sensitive information, we can’t yet reveal the details of this section.

When we returned to the public session, we noted that there was no update from our Ward Councillors (who were themselves meeting at the same time) and then I tabled my Chairpersons Report.

We then discussed and debated our work programme for the coming financial year (July 2024 to June 2025). After our public consultation earlier in the year, staff provided us advice on how we could deliver our objectives in our strategic Howick Local Board Plan 2023.

We considered Movies in the Park which didn’t happen last year due to budget constraints. The proposal to have one this coming year failed to get sufficient support. We then considered Celebrating Cultures, which had a low turnout in March 2024 due to poor weather. I proposed that we continued to run it, as our only event in the Botany/Flat Bush area, providing an opportunity for our diverse communities to celebrate together. In the end, the majority of the Board (6-2) voted to not run the event in 2025, taking the time to reconsider how we can more effectively deliver the outcomes we wanted.

The rest of our draft work programme passed with the full support of the Board, with the additional funding from the Movies and Celebrating Cultures moved into our Community Grants fund. We also provided feedback to council to speed up the delivery of the Flat Bush Community Centre and Library, which was being pushed back to start in 2029. We’re actively exploring asset optimisation and partnership opportunities, and asked staff to investigate a targeted rate to accelerate the delivery.

Next we approved our Environmental Work Programme, which continues our pest removal, stream restoration, educational and pollution prevention programmes. We’ve added some additional funding to target stream restoration in the Botany and Pakuranga Creeks. We also approved our Plans and Places, and Business Associations Work Programmes.

The lease for Bucklands Beach Football Club was up for renewal. Auckland Council has adopted a guideline that suggests that groups should pay something towards the administration of the lease, with the recommendation of $1,300 per year. Members Collings and Kendall suggested we stay with $1 if required (often referred to as a peppercorn rental) but the majority of the Board agreed to increase it slowly over time at $500, $900 then $1,300 per year.

As part of the Eastern Busway Project, Auckland Transport has asked permission to build a new playground at Tī Rākau Park and the Pakūranga Community Grounds (next to Te Tuhi). After some discussion, the Board voted to approve the application (although this wasn’t unanimous).

Auckland Council had logged a request to rezone land under Plan Change 96: Open Space and Other Rezoning Matters. There were two parcels of land next to Barry Curtis Park in Flat Bush which were zoned as Open Space – Sport and Active Recreation Zone but were proposed to be rezoned as Residential – Terrace Housing and Apartment Building Zone. The proposal had received strong opposition from local residents and as a result the Board agreed to oppose the rezoning.

Next we approved our final grant round for the financial year, with $22,909.81 provided to local community groups.

We provided our feedback on the Draft Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) 2024-2034, supporting local residents who wanted improvements that make public transport faster, more accessible, and more reliable.

We provided feedback on the draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024, again supporting local residents, this time opposing the move to fortnightly rubbish collections. We supported the increased focus on product stewardship, advocacy for more tools to deal with litter and illegal dumping of rubbish, and more resource recovery centres (including one locally).

We deferred our feedback on the funding options for Auckland Citizens Advice Bureaux, encouraging engagement with the local Citizens CAB’s before arriving at the final decision.

We noted our Workshop Records and Governance Forward Work Calendar, and the meeting closed at 5:21pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/06/20240627_HW_MIN_12507_WEB.htm

along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/06/20240627_HW_ATT_12507_WEB.htm

And a recording of the meeting is available here (in two parts)
https://youtu.be/UoYnS7BYgMI?si=02n_pyLUNcue8ju6
https://youtu.be/V7c8J_DtnrE?si=KFaDRMlX9Olnq8uL

and previous meetings can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 18 July at 12noon at the Pakuranga Library building in Aylesbury Street.

These are open to the public to attend and observe, although you need to request a slot if you would like to speak (so we can make sure we provide time).

Transparency on our attendance

As part of providing transparency, Auckland Council publishes the attendance for elected members. Here is the Howick Local Board result for April to June 2024.

Absences may be due to leave, illness, bereavement or attending other council business. I was online for one workshop as I was sick - virtual attendance is allowed under the legislation, although it's not recorded differently here.

You can see more (including previous reports, other local boards and councillors) on the Auckland Council website.

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/performance-transparency/Pages/attendance-governing-body-meetings.aspx

Howick Local Board delivering crime prevention

"No one should feel unsafe in their own community and, while crime prevention is a central government responsibility, we’re grateful for the funding and opportunity to target local areas of concern. We’ve prioritised practical initiatives that will help address the challenges facing our residents and business owners.”

The Howick Local Board has allocated its share of the Crime Prevention Safety Initiatives fund to several partner organisations, to address specific safety concerns in the area. 

As part of the $2 million one-off Local Crime Fund made available by the Government announced in 2022, the funding supports and enhances current community-led partnerships that aim to prevent youth crime, as well as town centre and retail crime.

Read more here: https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2024/07/howick-steps-up-in-the-battle-against-crime/

Howick Youth Council goes from strength to strength

Another early start, but well worth it to attend the Howick Youth Council Principals Breakfast for 2024, where the new council introduced their teams and plan for the year to local school principals.

Made up of local school and university students, the Howick Youth Council determines and delivers their own programme for the year. It was great to see a range of new events and activities as well as the return of some highly successful ones from last year. This shows that they're continuing to evolve and adapt to the changing needs of their community, as well as utilising the strength and passion of their new members.

The Howick Local Board is proud to provide funding and support for these amazing rangatahi and has done so for more than a decade. Every year they continue to impress, with great succession planning ensuring they're setup for success.

I thanked the principals for helping guide these amazing young leaders and also for enabling them to be involved in HYC.

Welcoming new New Zealanders!

"We do not want you to forget your country of birth, nor that your children lose their heritage and cultural roots.

By merging our cultures, histories, and ideas, we forge new friendships and develop a deeper understanding of ourselves and each other.

We are all stronger for this."

On 5 March I had the privilege of officiating the citizenship ceremony for over 300 new New Zealanders.

Together with Adele White (Howick Local Board), Anne Candy QSO JP, Heather Andrew and Andrew Lesa JP (Manurewa Local Board), we celebrated the newest citizens from 38 countries of origin. Singing the national anthem together has special meaning with new citizens.

Howick Local Board Business Meeting for February 2024

On Thursday 15 February, the Howick Local Board held our first business meeting for the new year. Here’s a summary of some of the key discussions and outcomes. At the end there are links to the official minutes and a recording of this (and previous) meetings.

❤️ Acknowledgements for two dedicated local residents;
🗣 Deputations on Disc Golf and Howick Pakuranga Baseball Club;
📄 Chairpersons report;
📊 Quarter Two Performance Report;
📑 Confidential Decision released into the public.

After the initial formalities of the welcome, declarations of interest and confirmation of minutes, we acknowledged two locals who have had a significant impact on our community. Firstly Willemien Thom (known to most of us as Willie), who recently retired as Personal Assistant and Office Manager for the Howick Local Board. We’re very grateful for the passion and dedication that she has shown over her 19 years at Auckland Council and wish her all the best in her retirement.

We also acknowledged Emeritus Professor Edith Marion Jones ONZM who was appointed as an Office of the New Zealand Order of Merit in the New Years Honours 2024 for services to education. A resident of Northpark, Professor Jones has contributed to education in New Zealand and internationally for four decades including 19 years at Auckland University of Technology.

Moving into deputations, we had Steve Harding present a proposal to introduce Disc Golf into Lloyd Elsmore Park. He talked about a similar course that had been created in Hendersen which had proved popular. We asked staff to investigate options for incorporating Disc Golf into our local parks.

Next we had Mike Bongiovanni and Paul Wansbone from Howick Pakuranga Baseball Club. They thanked staff for their work on improving the dugouts and backstops and spoke about their upcoming events (including hosting nationals and internationals). They also asked for improvements to the drainage which was preventing them from playing and creating other issues with mowing. We asked staff to investigate drainage issues as part of the Local Board work programme which we’re discussing soon.

I tabled my Chairpersons Report for the month, which noted all the meetings and events that we’d attended since the last meeting. We celebrated the end of the year, including the 70th Howick Santa Parade (which we help fund) and were celebrating Lunar New Year across the community. I noted the feedback from the community regarding the reduction in public litter bins and we’re continuing to work with staff to understand what actions are available. We’re looking forward to the pending opening of the Youth Space in Botany as well as our signature annual event Celebrating Cultures.

We received the Quarter Two performance report for the Howick Local Board, which showed that (as of 31 December) most of our funded work programme items were on track. Seven items were shown in amber status (“some risk or issues, being managed”) which were the Howick Domain facilities renewal (more significant than expected and due shortly); Te Kete Rukuruku (dual naming of parks which is on hold awaiting Board decision, due soon); and some lease renewals, including Howick Domain (awaiting outcome of the above).

We noted a confidential decision that we made in March 2023 regarding a Transit Orientated Development, that was now released into the public. Eke Panuku Development Auckland is working with Auckland Transport to maximise the return on investment on the Eastern Busway. We were asked to endorse their proposal to use utilise leftover land (known as residual land) for Stage 3 of the busway project. This stage goes through Burswood and the Board has previously opposed the route (HW/2022/23 on 21 February 2022) so not all members of the Board supported endorsing Eke Panuku’s proposal.

We noted our Workshop Records and Governance Forward Work Calendar, then I closed the meeting at 12:53pm.

Minutes of the meeting are available here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/02/20240215_HW_MIN_11578_WEB.htm
along with related attachments like presentations here:
https://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2024/02/20240215_HW_MAT_11578_WEB.htm

And a recording of the meeting is available here:
https://youtu.be/MrTfWR8Yd1Y?si=4MTdd_7dcQiee31s
and previous meetings can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNiuqKCzobSzQ05kCv2JI2iefmDp2_tEh

Our next normal Business Meeting is scheduled for Thursday 21 March at 12noon at the Pakuranga Library building in Aylesbury Street.

These are open to the public to attend and observe, although you need to request a slot if you would like to speak (so we can make sure we provide time).

Fair and effective representation for Botany and Flat Bush

Based on recent population growth, the Howick Local Board needs more elected members to ensure we maintain fair and effective representation. Local authorities are required by the Local Electoral Act 2001 to review their representation arrangements at least once every six years.

Howick Local Board is currently made up of 3 subdivisions: Pakuranga, Howick and Botany, with 3 elected members from each subdivision. However, due to the exponential growth of the Flat Bush area, the representation of the Botany subdivision needs a total of 5 elected members, bringing the overall total of 11 elected members for the Howick Local Board.

There are some options on how this could be achieved:

1. 1. Leave Botany with 3 members and create a new subdivision for Flat Bush of 2 members;

2. 2. Reduce Botany to 2 members and create a new subdivision for Flat Bush of 3 members; or

3. 3. Increase Botany to 5 members.

No decisions have been made and it’s still very early in the process. However, given the significant increase in the population in Flat Bush, it’s unlikely that no change would be an acceptable outcome.

There is also the option of changing the local board’s name (currently Howick Local Board) to better reflect the areas that it covers. We only get the option of doing this once every 6 years so we’re interested in what your views on this are as well as any suggestions.

The Howick Local Board has been asked to provide its feedback on the options in March. There will then be a formal public notification process later in the year before coming into effect for the 2025 elections.

Before we provide our view, we want to hear from the community on how you would like to be represented. Consultation boards are up in the Botany Library and we’ll be at local events to get some feedback.

We’re also co-hosting a meeting with the Flat Bush Ratepayers and Residents Association on Saturday 9 March at 2pm at the Ormiston Junior College. Come along to hear more about the options, ask questions and provide your feedback.

Questions to consider:

1. 1. Which option for Botany / Flat Bush do you think best serves the community?

2. 2. Would you support a name change?

3. 3. If so, do you have any suggestions for a new name?

Email your thoughts to HowickLocalBoard@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz before Thursday 14 March 2024.

Lantern Festival is back! And closer than ever!

Fantastic to see the Lantern Festival return to Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland! Even better than it's now in our backyard at the Manukau Sports Bowl, making it even easier to enjoy.

I had the privilege of attending the official opening on Thursday evening, with speeches from special guests including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon and Deputy Mayor Desley Simpson.

Then I returned on Sunday night with my partner to enjoy the last night of the festival. Amazing turnout with lots of people enjoying the event, which included food, performances and rides as well as many beautiful lanterns.

Botany Chinese Association Lantern Festival

On Wednesday 14 February, the Botany Chinese Association hosted a Lantern Festival to celebrate Chinese New Year.

It was a joyous occasion, filled with a diverse range of performances. Together with fellow Howick Local Board Member Adele White and many special guests, we were entertained with dance, song, and musical performances.

It’s wonderful to be able to enjoy so many cultures and experiences in our local community. Thank you to everyone who was involved in making it happen. For sharing your culture, your history and your art with us.

We wish you all a successful and prosperous year of the Dragon.