Architects of the new Auckland need to provide the public with a reasonable ability to influence the shape of their city and the services they pay for. This ability needs to be at least as good as now – but it should be better.
Draft legislation currently in front of Parliament is the final opportunity to influence Government’s designs on Auckland governance, and to ensure that the current tradition of public involvement in local decision-making and local planning is enshrined in law.
Transport affects every citizen and fundamentally shapes the region’s future. Transport spending accounts for more than half the budget of Auckland Local Government. That explains the public interest in transport, and the public’s interest in being able to influence transport decisions that affect their lives and their properties.
Consider local streets for example. Today residents are able to deal direct with their Council – sometimes through a local Community Board – about local street works. Ratepayers are interested in whether their street is paved in smooth Hotmix or Chipseal. Residents want contractors to clean up tar stains in the event of messy roadworks. They want a say over berm and street tree maintenance; whether bluestone or concrete kerbing is constructed; whether chemical or hot water weed treatment is applied; and where bus shelters are placed. Residents have that influence today.
When the new Auckland kicks off later this year, all transport works and services will be undertaken by a separate corporate structure named Auckland Transport. It will be separate from the new Auckland Council, though it will be funded by rates raised by Auckland Council, and it will be under arms length control.
However, there is no provision in the draft legislation that will entitle the proposed Local Boards – let alone ratepayers - to information about, or influence over, or redress after, works in local streets. This backward step is a recipe for community outrage and must be addressed. At the very least Local Boards should have the ability to deal directly with Auckland Transport or any other Council Controlled Organisations where there is a local impact in respect of Council work being done. Local consultation by Auckland Transport should be mandatory.
Public accountability in regard to local transport activities is important, but so too is public accountability over the transport strategies and project priorities directing Auckland Transport’s expenditure right across the region.
For the past decade, Auckland’s transport decisions have all been taken by elected councillors in accordance with a regionally agreed transport strategy – which itself is the result of wide ranging public consultation and which was voted for by elected councillors representing Auckland ratepayers. During that decade Auckland’s development has changed direction. It has a Northern Busway; at-capacity rail services; fantastic new stations; and kilometres of new cycle infrastructure.
Government’s proposed legislation threatens to de-rail that success story by allowing the separate Auckland Transport organisation to ignore transport priorities determined by new Auckland Councillors, and to merely “consider” Auckland’s popular Regional Transport Strategy – rather than “give effect” to it.
While the legislation does provide for a Spatial Plan and thereby supports the idea of public participation and regional planning, there is no practical obligation on Auckland Transport to actually implement that Spatial Plan.
Unless Government makes changes to its Auckland transport legislation that provide for Local Board involvement and enable effective control of Auckland transport decisions by Auckland Councillors, Government can expect a storm of criticism deserved because it will have severely damaged Auckland democracy.
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Making Auckland Transport Decisions Democratic
Architects of the new Auckland need to provide the public with a reasonable ability to influence the shape of their city and the services they pay for. This ability needs to be at least as good as now – but it should be better.
Draft legislation currently in front of Parliament is the final opportunity to influence Government’s designs on Auckland governance, and to ensure that the current tradition of public involvement in local decision-making and local planning is enshrined in law.
Transport affects every citizen and fundamentally shapes the region’s future. Transport spending accounts for more than half the budget of Auckland Local Government. That explains the public interest in transport, and the public’s interest in being able to influence transport decisions that affect their lives and their properties.
Consider local streets for example. Today residents are able to deal direct with their Council – sometimes through a local Community Board – about local street works. Ratepayers are interested in whether their street is paved in smooth Hotmix or Chipseal. Residents want contractors to clean up tar stains in the event of messy roadworks. They want a say over berm and street tree maintenance; whether bluestone or concrete kerbing is constructed; whether chemical or hot water weed treatment is applied; and where bus shelters are placed. Residents have that influence today.
When the new Auckland kicks off later this year, all transport works and services will be undertaken by a separate corporate structure named Auckland Transport. It will be separate from the new Auckland Council, though it will be funded by rates raised by Auckland Council, and it will be under arms length control.
However, there is no provision in the draft legislation that will entitle the proposed Local Boards – let alone ratepayers - to information about, or influence over, or redress after, works in local streets. This backward step is a recipe for community outrage and must be addressed. At the very least Local Boards should have the ability to deal directly with Auckland Transport or any other Council Controlled Organisations where there is a local impact in respect of Council work being done. Local consultation by Auckland Transport should be mandatory.
Public accountability in regard to local transport activities is important, but so too is public accountability over the transport strategies and project priorities directing Auckland Transport’s expenditure right across the region.
For the past decade, Auckland’s transport decisions have all been taken by elected councillors in accordance with a regionally agreed transport strategy – which itself is the result of wide ranging public consultation and which was voted for by elected councillors representing Auckland ratepayers. During that decade Auckland’s development has changed direction. It has a Northern Busway; at-capacity rail services; fantastic new stations; and kilometres of new cycle infrastructure.
Government’s proposed legislation threatens to de-rail that success story by allowing the separate Auckland Transport organisation to ignore transport priorities determined by new Auckland Councillors, and to merely “consider” Auckland’s popular Regional Transport Strategy – rather than “give effect” to it.
While the legislation does provide for a Spatial Plan and thereby supports the idea of public participation and regional planning, there is no practical obligation on Auckland Transport to actually implement that Spatial Plan.
Unless Government makes changes to its Auckland transport legislation that provide for Local Board involvement and enable effective control of Auckland transport decisions by Auckland Councillors, Government can expect a storm of criticism deserved because it will have severely damaged Auckland democracy.
Draft legislation currently in front of Parliament is the final opportunity to influence Government’s designs on Auckland governance, and to ensure that the current tradition of public involvement in local decision-making and local planning is enshrined in law.
Transport affects every citizen and fundamentally shapes the region’s future. Transport spending accounts for more than half the budget of Auckland Local Government. That explains the public interest in transport, and the public’s interest in being able to influence transport decisions that affect their lives and their properties.
Consider local streets for example. Today residents are able to deal direct with their Council – sometimes through a local Community Board – about local street works. Ratepayers are interested in whether their street is paved in smooth Hotmix or Chipseal. Residents want contractors to clean up tar stains in the event of messy roadworks. They want a say over berm and street tree maintenance; whether bluestone or concrete kerbing is constructed; whether chemical or hot water weed treatment is applied; and where bus shelters are placed. Residents have that influence today.
When the new Auckland kicks off later this year, all transport works and services will be undertaken by a separate corporate structure named Auckland Transport. It will be separate from the new Auckland Council, though it will be funded by rates raised by Auckland Council, and it will be under arms length control.
However, there is no provision in the draft legislation that will entitle the proposed Local Boards – let alone ratepayers - to information about, or influence over, or redress after, works in local streets. This backward step is a recipe for community outrage and must be addressed. At the very least Local Boards should have the ability to deal directly with Auckland Transport or any other Council Controlled Organisations where there is a local impact in respect of Council work being done. Local consultation by Auckland Transport should be mandatory.
Public accountability in regard to local transport activities is important, but so too is public accountability over the transport strategies and project priorities directing Auckland Transport’s expenditure right across the region.
For the past decade, Auckland’s transport decisions have all been taken by elected councillors in accordance with a regionally agreed transport strategy – which itself is the result of wide ranging public consultation and which was voted for by elected councillors representing Auckland ratepayers. During that decade Auckland’s development has changed direction. It has a Northern Busway; at-capacity rail services; fantastic new stations; and kilometres of new cycle infrastructure.
Government’s proposed legislation threatens to de-rail that success story by allowing the separate Auckland Transport organisation to ignore transport priorities determined by new Auckland Councillors, and to merely “consider” Auckland’s popular Regional Transport Strategy – rather than “give effect” to it.
While the legislation does provide for a Spatial Plan and thereby supports the idea of public participation and regional planning, there is no practical obligation on Auckland Transport to actually implement that Spatial Plan.
Unless Government makes changes to its Auckland transport legislation that provide for Local Board involvement and enable effective control of Auckland transport decisions by Auckland Councillors, Government can expect a storm of criticism deserved because it will have severely damaged Auckland democracy.
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