Waitematā Local Board Meeting Held on 17/03/2020
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Waitematā Local Board Chair Richard Northey’s Report to the March 17th 2020 Waitematā Local Board Meeting The Waitematā Local Board has continued to work on its proposed Annual Budget for the 2020/21 Financial Year and on our Local Board Plan for the next three years. We have been getting ideas from the community on these important local issues at Uptown Sounds on 15 February, the Myers Park Medley on 16 February, a youth and youth providers hui called Seeding our Future on 20 February, the Central City Network on 27 February, Beating the Bounds on 29 February, a Climate Change Workshop on 11 March, and Pasifika on 14 March There were also full formal hearings, participated in also by Councillors Cashmore, Coom and Simpson, with 6 community groups and individuals on 3 March at the Board Office. We have, as usual, been seeking written or digital communication from anyone for a month from mid-February on the Council and Board’s proposed budget and on the CCO review. We are also actively seeking out the views of people and groups that don’t normally participate in such consultations. In terms of the Local Board Plan our initial thinking is to give specific recognition and priority to Māori identity, participation, stories and culture in our outcomes and objectives. We also propose to infuse the need for action on the climate heating emergency not merely in our environmental objectives but throughout our Board Plan. The Central City has been busy with construction activities in its streets over this period. Although this is disruptive now for travellers and residents most residents have told me it is worth it to achieve the major improvements for all forms of transport users that will result. They do, however, seek stronger enforcement for those who exceed the approved times or noise limits they are permitted The sudden closure of the Leys Institute Library and Gymnasium late in December was a major shock for me and the other Board members. It was the result of a decision by expert Council staff. We quickly passed an emergency resolution to provide a public library service as soon as practicable in Three Lamps at 14 Jervois Road. I understand this will be available from 30 March and will be called the Little Leys Library. It should operate from there for at least the next three years and will have the same opening hours as the Leys Institute Library had. I asked for, and received assurances, that all Leys institute staff have retained jobs with the Council. Also, the previous users of the gymnasium have all been found reasonable places to operate from, particularly in the Freeman’s Bay Community Centre. All Board Members have agreed with me that they are keen that the Leys Institute buildings be retained by Council and be fully restored for public use, but it will take quite a while to determine if and when that is practicable. On 26 February I attended and spoke at a public protest meeting held on the street outside the Leys institute to protest about its closure (Attachment 1). 1 Over 200 local residents attended. I spoke about the new requirements of earthquake protection and of health and safety legislation which, together with their assessment that the buildings only reached 5% of earthquake strength standards and were subjected to unexplained earth movement at the southwestern end of the building, had obliged expert Council staff to reach the conclusion to close the building. The building will be maintained, cleaned and kept graffiti free while options for the future of the buildings are examined. The Board will receive a report in June on options for the future and the Board very much hopes this can and will lead to the restoration and re-use of the buildings. There were only 3 issues the meeting felt I hadn’t sufficiently reassures them on : security for the buildings, a rough time line on what was to happen and the need foe local letter drops to let people around know what was happening and what was to happen. It is to be hoped that Council staff can allay these remaining concerns. As a consequence of the resulting greater use of the Freemans Bay Community Centre the Ponsonby Community Centre Committee has commenced consideration of taking up am appropriate role in the management and governance of the Ponsonby Community Centre. The Waitematā Local Board has spent a lot of time and local consultation about the appropriate future of the group of pine trees at the eastern end of Western Springs Park. Board members have committed themselves to seeking out all the information and insights that they require to make an appropriate informed decision about these pine trees at this meeting. Most Board Members took part in the now traditional Beating the Bounds walk around the whole length of our Local Board boundary. Councillor Pippa Coom, who originated this challenging long walk in the hot sun when she was a member of our Board, and Albert Eden Local Board Members joined us until we reached Mt Eden and Ōrākei Local Board Members walked with us from Newmarket to Parnell. We took the opportunity to view and discuss the sites of the Meola Reef and MOTAT number 2 carparks, the proposed greenway, the resource recovery centre, the mountain bike track, the footpath across the motorway from Waima Street, the progress on the CRL tunnel north of the Mt Eden Station, options for a youth space in Newmarket, the jointly funded clean up of the Newmarket Stream by residents, and the state of the Hobson Bay Walkway. We were delighted that local residents Jo and Annie met us at the end with ice blocks and lemonade to restore us, and then presented us with homemade winners’ medals for completing it. The Board made comprehensive submissions on the City Centre Masterplan Refresh. I presented these to the Planning Committee of the Governing Body on 5 March. My presentation is attached (Attachment 2). One of the many Parliamentary Bills and Inquiries that the Board provided feedback or submissions on in this period was the Justice Select Committee Inquiry into the 2 2019 Local Body Elections. I presented our Board’s submission on the Council’s proposed submission to the Governing Body on the 27th February. This presentation is attached (Attachment 3). Community Portfolio Activities Some activities under this heading have been. 10 Feb Chaired a meeting of the Board of the Auckland Community Housing Trust. 11,12,13,14,17,18,19,21,25,26,27 Feb 3,4,5 March Exercise programme at the Pitt St YMCA. 11 Feb Professor Ruth Butterworth’s funeral. 12 Feb University of Auckland Society executive meeting. Willis Bond celebration of their apartment building contribution to the Wynyard Quarter neighbourhood. 13 Feb Monster Valley Relaunch at their new premises at 74 Karangahape Road. This was also a great opportunity for Alex and me to talk to Arts Advisers and the newly appointed Arts Spaces Co-ordinator about their impressive work in getting a digital resource of Central City available spaces for use by artists and creative spaces up and running. Alex appears in a photo the March edition of Metro magazine but described as “a visitor from Hawkes Bay” while talking to Xanthe Jujnovich. Opening night if Auckland Theatre Company play “Winding Up’ courtesy of the ATC. 14 Feb Presentation of “Somewhere to Live” a research project on housing affordability by Doctor Jenny McArthur for the Helen Clark Foundation. 14 Feb Opening of “Queer Algorithms’ exhibition as part of pride week at the Gus Fisher Gallery. 16 Feb Grey Lynn Farmers Market. 17 Feb Meeting with Jaine Lovell-Gadd, Centres Development General Manager for Kainga Ora. 17 Feb I reported to Mount Albert Electorate Labour members on the activities of the Waitematā Local Board. 19 Feb Opening of three fabric art exhibitions at Studio One Tu Toi. I spoke with Boopsie Maran about organising exhibitions of art by school pupils. 20 Feb Opening of fabric and painting art exhibitions at the Railway Street Gallery. 20 Feb Attended, and made a speech as Board Chair, at the celebration of the 80th anniversary of the opening of the Olympic Pool. A copy of my speech is attached (Attachment 4). 3 20 Feb APO Concert of the music of Abrahamson, Bach and Brahms at the Town Hall. 21 Feb Official reopening of the rebuilt Western Springs College. 23 Feb HOPE Foundation fundraising function. 24 Feb Meeting with Chair and CEO of Heart of the City. I participated in a meeting of the Ponsonby Community Centre. I reported to Auckland Central Labour members on Waitematā Local Board activities. 25 Feb Karangahape Road CLG at the Blackboard Café. 26 Feb I spoke at a protest gathering outside the Leys Institute regarding its closure. 26 Feb Auckland Museum Function for the Awarding of their medals. 28 Feb Hugh Tollemache’s funeral. 29 Feb Ponsonby Street Festival gathering. I took part in the Labour float in the Rainbow Parade along Ponsonby Road. 2 March. Meeting of the Housing Committee of the Tenants’ Protection Association. Pump Class at the City Fitness Gym. City Centre Residents Group meeting. 3 March Meeting and dinner with Hereford residences Apartments residents. 4 March Meeting of the Board of Asian Family Services. 5 March Prof Jonathan Boston on transforming the welfare state. APO Concert “Cityscapes’ at the Town Hall. Parks, Sports and Recreation Activities and Liquor Licence Applications In this period these have included: 10 Feb Advice to pollinator pathways 14 Feb Liaised with Barbara Harvey re her concerns about the Grey Lynn Park Splash Pad maintenance.