Grey Lynn 2030 Transition Community

We had a terrific turnout  at our call for interest in the forming of Urban Environment Group  We have clearly tapped into an issue that people in the area are concerned about. The  meeting was reported the next day on National Radio’s Morning Report which is a first for Grey Lynn 2030.

Grey Lynn 2030 called the meeting with the intention of forming an “Urban Design” Group. We wanted to gather people together to discuss the realities of intensification of our area and what this means for the protection of heritage buildings. With the help of our guest speaker Joanna Hurst we started the conversation “what is the special character of Grey Lynn we wish to protect”

One of the first tasks of this group will be to send  representatives to the key stakeholder workshop on 4 October to be hosted by the Waitemata Local Board as part of the early engagement on the draft Unitary Plan.

After the meeting last week the www.greylynn2030.co.nz Trust members got together and thought about what our vision is for this group. It is clear from the meeting there are wide and differing views on what is right for this community.

We propose to call the group “Grey Lynn 2030 Urban Environment” Group

Our vision for the group is to work to:

• protect the unique and special heritage and character of our historic city suburbs (the largest remaining concentration of Edwardian/Victorian wooden houses in the world)
• advocate for urban design that promotes sustainable and healthy communities (eg by encouraging active modes of transport, restoration of our natural and cultural heritage and better urban planning)
• support urban design plans that positively contribute to our environment and our community

As you can see from above we are not a Heritage Group, or an Urban Design group. We want to be able to take a considered and probably moderate view on the future of our suburb.

We therefore have called another meeting to hear from interested people who would like to continue the discussion regarding the special character of Grey Lynn and who would like to discuss issues such as quality intensification, housing diversity(choice), historical character and housing affordability. We will also be identifying historic buildings that we think need special protection.

These views will form the basis of what the representative of the group takes to the Unitary Plan workshop.

If you would like to come along to this discussion we are meeting this Sunday 23rd Septemeber 3 – 5 pm at the Grey Lynn Community Centre

Joanna Hurst, Leanne Moore and Suzanne Kendrick will be attending the meeting.

Stop Press: We have just read another iconic villa is going to go http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10835232

Gag Sells Public Assets On Trademe – Monday, 27 July 2009, 8:59 amThe Grassroots Action Group is selling photographs of public assets currently owned by the 5 Auckland councils on the internet trading web site www.trademe.co.nz this week.
The stunt is intended to raise awareness of the impact that privatisation of public assets would have on the lives of every Aucklander as the country awaits the outcome from the select committee on Auckland Governance.

Local voice at heart of region’s concerns – New Zealand Herald – 27th Jul 2009
LOCAL BOARDS There is nothing more basic to the success or failure of the Super City than local boards.

Super city water needs accountability – Sunday, 26 July 2009The Government must give urgent consideration to protecting Auckland ratepayers from the super city’s new monopoly water company, says Labour’s Auckland Issues spokesperson Phil Twyford.

Matt McCarten: Super Mayor poll show Brown ahead – 4:00AM Sunday Jul 26, 2009

Up to now there’s been a seemingly certain inevitability that the new Mayor of the Supercity would be John Banks. But this week a polling result from UMR shattered that illusion.

Councils should be able to compete for ratepayers, says Sir Roger – 4:00AM Saturday Jul 25, 2009

Sir Roger Douglas wants ratepayers to be able to shop around for the best local council, saying that being able to defect to one nearby even if they do not live there will invoke the spirit of competition.

Community councils should run Super City, MPs told – New Zealand Herald – 24th Jul 2009
Auckland should be largely run by community councils with powers to set rates and compete for ratepayers and each others businesses, Act MP Sir Roger Douglas said today.

Proposal calls for Waikato region to become super city – TVNZ – 24th Jul 2009
A proposal calling for the Waikato region to also become a super city has been put before a select committee…

Waikato super-city? – Waikato Times – 24th Jul 2009
Auckland’s “super city” plan should be extended to the Waikato with one council formed in time for next year’s local body elections in October, according to a high-powered Waikato lobby group.

Other want to follow Auckland super city model – TVNZ – 25th Jul 2009
Other North Island towns and cities want to follow the Auckland supercity proposal and have their local government structures streamlined

Plea to give local boards real clout – New Zealand Herald – 24th Jul 2009
The combined wisdom of New Zealand’s community boards and Auckland’s legal fraternity say local boards in the Super City must have powers and functions set in law to succeed.

Plea for libraries, galleries – 5:00AM Friday Jul 24, 2009

The Government needs to ensure local government continues to provide free public access to community facilities, the New Zealand Society of Authors says.

Southerners take pride in self-governance – 4:00AM Friday Jul 24, 2009

Wanaka has more than skiing, boating and the Warbirds airshow going for it. It has a model of local democracy that puts Auckland to shame.

Letter to Manukau – Issue 78 – Friday, 24 July 2009

The Select Committee into Auckland governance sat in our city last week and we had an opportunity to make a submission on behalf of our council and community.

Speech to St Heliers Probus Club – Rodney Hide 24 July, 2009
… The question that I have been focused on since I took up my role as Minister of Local Government, and I have to say long before that, is how do we make Auckland an even better city.

Council Committee Chairman seeks further discussions over Watercare confidentiality issue – 23 July 2009
Councillor Grant Gillon, Chair of the North Shore City Council Strategy and Finance Committee, has suggested a meeting with Watercare Chairman Graeme Hawkins to discuss ways to address the need for cooperation for the Watercare integration project whilst recognising the respective responsibilities of each organisation.

Banks behind in Auckland mayor poll – Otago Daily Times – 23rd Jul 2009
Manukau Mayor Len Brown leads Auckland City Mayor John Banks in the race to be the proposed Super City’s first mayor, according to a new poll.

Manukau mayor beating John Banks in super city poll – TVNZ – 23rd Jul 2009
Auckland Mayor John Banks is beingpipped by his Manukau counterpart in the battle to be super city mayor

Brown pips Banks in preferred mayor poll – New Zealand Herald – 23rd Jul 2009
Manukau Mayor Len Brown has leapfrogged Auckland City Mayor John Banks in a head-to-head poll for the first mayor of the Super City.

John Banks: It still holds true – Auckland’s future calls for bold ideas – Thursday Jul 23, 2009

On June 2, 1964, the New Zealand Herald marked Auckland’s population reaching half a million with the headline – “The future calls for bold ideas”.

Supercity senior fears – Manukau Courier Last updated 05:00 23/07/2009
Older ratepayers of Counties Manukau have invested significantly in the region and Age Concern doesn’t want to see that go to waste under the Auckland supercity.

Better Democracy NZ: Sir Roger Douglas on Supercity – Monday, 27 July 2009
- The Royal Commission on Auckland Governance, however, focussed only on structure. That is why the mayors and councillors have spent the whole duration of .

An event was organised on April 9th by Community Waitakere to Discuss and scrutinise the Government’s decision on the Regional Governance model or Supercity

From this meeting a new group has formed – Community Coalition for Auckland Region.

For mor further information contact

pam@communitywaitakere.org.nz;

ph 09 838 7904

What ever way you look at it, the new Auckland SuperCity structure is well away from the values of the Transition Town Movement. Some locals are taking action. Our Western Bays Auckland City councillor, Graham Easte is suggesting the process slows down.

Some other people have organised a public meeting.

STOP THE SUPERCITY!
Public Meeting
Wednesday 8 April
7.30 – 9.30 pm

Auckland Trades Hall Auditorium
147 Great North Road
Grey Lynn

Press Release
Having studied the Executive Summary of the Royal Commission on Auckland Governance :

We believe the Super City proposal:

1.Further alienates and limits public participation in the democratic process of local government.

2. Clears the way for the Auckland region to be run like a business, by business for business. Where the rate paying majority simply become nothing more than a cash cow milked annually by this Super City structure.

Where is the genuine ‘representation’ to accompany this local
government ‘taxation’?

3. In section 21(a) of the Executive Summary of the Royal Commission on Auckland, the commission states:
“All Auckland Council’s major commercial trading and infrastructure activities should be undertaken through CCO’s.” However, where is the cost benefit analysis that proves that the CCO model (Council Controlled Organisation) is the best way to run our city?

4. The Metrowater model (a CCO) has never been subjected to any cost benefit analysis to check the facts which prove that thiscommercialised (profit-making) model for water services, fundedthrough volumetric, ‘user-charges’ has benefited the public majority. Has the Metrowater model proven to be be ‘fairer’, ‘more efficient’ or to have encouraged water conservation?

5. The Royal Commission is recommending in section (26J) both water and wastewater charges should be calculated on a volumetric (ornotionally volumetric) basis. Judge Salmon has confirmed that the ‘uniform charges for water and wastewater  that should apply across the region’  (as outlined in recommendation  26K), are in fact
volumetric ‘user-charges’.This means ‘user pays’ for water and waste water will be spread across the whole Auckland region.

An example of the negative impact of this policy is a family of 8 inAuckland City with Metrowater’s ‘user-charges’ for water and wastewater, pays on average  over $500 every 3 months. That’s $2000 per year on top of property rates.

The Royal Commission is recommending a giant Metrowater for the Auckland region, with the spreading of ‘user-charges’ for wastewater to Manukau, Waitakere,
and North Shore Cities. When Metrowater was established and ‘user-charges’ were introduced for wastewater, property rates were reduced across the board by 20%. High-valued properties got big rates reductions, low-valued properties got big water bills. This violates the International Human Right to ‘affordable, safe water’ by disproportionately burdening poorer families, especially  larger
families  which need to use more water.

6 .Where are the checks and balances that allows the public to challenge where and how our public money and assets are being managed?
This new structure calls for non-elected boards and agencies to take control of all public assets and will be obliged to operate as successful business as required under the State-owned Enterprise Act.This allows for no effective direct public scrutiny or public control of ourpublic assets and infrastructure.

See Royal Commission recommendation:
(“21 B) Larger commercial and infrastructure CCOs of the Auckland Council should have an obligation to operate as a successful business as required under the State-Owned Enterprises Act with a clear set of
financial targets and objectives.”

Therefore we call upon the citizens of Auckland to organise and oppose the Royal Commission Proposal for the ‘Supercity’ on the basis this new structure will not benefit the majority of Auckland residents and ratepayers.

A Public Meeting has been  called to organise direct action by all those who want to stop the Royal Commission’s ‘Supercity’.

STOP THE SUPERCITY!
Public Meeting
Wednesday 8 April
7.30 – 9.30 pm

Auckland Trades Hall Auditorium
147 Great North Road
Grey Lynn