Consultation on Auckland’s Long-term Plan (LTP) 2024-2034 has attracted nearly 28,000 pieces of public feedback – the highest number of submissions yet, for an Auckland Council LTP.
The Long-term Plan’s month-long consultation closed on 28 March, during which time Aucklanders had their say on the options and trade-offs to deliver activities and services for Auckland over the next decade.
Auckland Council chief executive Phil Wilson said it is great to have heard from many communities through individual submissions, community groups and business feedback.
“In total, we received an incredible 27,978 pieces of feedback from a great cross-section of Aucklanders representing a wide range of communities,” says Mr Wilson. “Naturally, there is always a mix of views, but all the feedback will be considered as part of the ongoing deliberations on the plan, before it is finalised by the end of June.
“The submissions will be invaluable to the governing body and local boards as they consider options on region-wide services, investment and activities, before the governing body adopts the final Long-term Plan.”
The submission feedback shows a wide range of views on the options proposed. In total, feedback was received from 22,079 individuals, 391 organisations, 14 mana whenua and nine other Māori organisations and 5485 pro-forma responses.
The Long-term Plan consultation document set out a central proposal that spanned a wide range of hot topics – from transport, drinking water and stormwater, to parks and community, city and local development, environmental management and economic development.
The consultation document also presented alternative options to ‘pay more, get more’ or to ‘pay less, get less’ than the central proposal.
Of the individual submissions, 37 per cent supported a ‘do less’ approach, 34 per cent supported the central proposal and 20 per cent favoured ‘do more’. The remainder submitted ‘other’ or didn’t know.
Organisations were 21 per cent in favour of ‘do less’, 36 percent supported the central proposal, 24 per cent preferred ‘do more’. The remainder submitted ‘other’ or didn’t know.
Feedback from mana whenua and Māori organisations saw one mana whenua organisation in favour of ‘do less’, three supported the central proposal (one mana whenua organisation and two Māori organisations), two mana whenua organisations preferred ‘do more’ and seven submitted ‘other’ (three mana whenua and four Māori organisations). The pro-forma feedback saw 99 per cent in favour of a ‘do less’ approach.
Of the Long-term Plan’s priority areas, transport and water were identified as being of highest priority for a ‘do more’ investment. City and local development, and economic and cultural development, attracted higher numbers of ‘do less’ submissions.
The Auckland Future Fund proposal saw 43 per cent of individual submitters on this question in favour of the proposal, along with 37 per cent of organisations’ responses being in support.
On the other hand, the proposal – which would see the council transferring all the council’s remaining Auckland International Airport Ltd shares into the fund and enabling a fund manager to sell any or all of those shares – saw 35 per cent of individual submissions on this question and 29 per cent of organisation submissions as ‘do not proceed’.
Of the pro forma feedback, 99 per cent submitted to proceed with the proposal. Three mana whenua organisations submitted against the proposal, one was for it and one ‘other’, along with four Māori organisations that submitted ‘other’.
The proposal to lease the Port
Of those submitters who responded to the proposal to lease the Port of Auckland for an upfront payment into the future fund, 38 per cent of individuals and 31 per cent of organisations were in favour. However, 42 per cent of individuals and 36 per cent of organisations preferred to continue council group operation of the port.
The proposal to move the port operations on Captain Cook and Marsden wharves to enable new public amenities, saw 53 per cent of individuals and 45 per cent of organisations submitting in favour of it.
Fewer individuals supported transferring Bledisloe Wharf (45 per cent of responses on this were against, while 35 per cent supported the transfer). However, organisations were more split – 33 per cent of organisations did support the transfer, while 33 per cent were against it.
The North Harbour Stadium proposal saw submitters able to select multiple options. The outcome was 33 per cent of individual submitters who responded on this preferred to keep the stadium as is; 33 per cent were in favour of considering redevelopment of the stadium precinct; and 12 per cent selected neither option, but did select to change the operational management.
Pro-forma feedback saw 100 per cent prefer to keep the stadium precinct as is and 99 per cent in favour of changing operational management.
Māori were split on the stadium proposal – one non-mana whenua organisation selected keeping the stadium as is; two preferred considering redevelopment (one mana whenua and one other); two for changing operational management (one mana whenua and one other) and six opting for ‘other’ or ‘don’t know’ (three mana whenua and three others).
The draft Long-term Plan’s central proposal included a proposed rates increase for the average value residential property of 7.5 per cent in year one (2024-25); 3.5 per cent in year two (2025-26) and 8 percent in year three (2026-27).
The ‘pay less, get less’ and ‘pay more, get more’ options proposed rates increases between 3.5 per cent and 14 per cent.
Public feedback will be considered by Auckland Council’s Governing Body and local boards during April/May. The Governing Body will adopt the final plan on 27 June, having considered the public feedback and input from local boards.
Councillors will consider other factors in their decision-making, such as any new information and advice on the advantages, disadvantages and impacts of proposals and options, along with the council’s role in representing communities whose views might not have been expressed through the public consultation process.
https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/media/iujb2kmy/ltp-2024-feedback-summary-presentation.pdfTo view the Summary of Feedback report, click below.
To view the Summary of Consultation Feedback, click below.
To view the Long-term Plan consultation proposal and all community, local board and interest group feedback, go to akhaveyoursay.nz/ourplan
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Published: April 2024