Working in Partnership with Community and Business

Key Objectives

• Leveraging of Local Board and Council budgets
• Community empowerment and ownership
• Ability to create new assets without waiting for a ratepayer handout 

Overview

The Rodney Local Board area makes up 46% of the geographical land mass of Auckland, yet holds less than 4% of the population. This creates the obvious challenge of making a relatively very small rate take service the needs of future growth and existing under-investment in infrastructure. The current funding model by which the Local Board receives its budget is based on 90% population, and yet only 5% geography and 5% deprivation. Therefore a different approach to raising capital to provide for current and future facilities is needed.

Additionally, at a more grass roots level, local communities are keen to be involved in local projects such as construction of playgrounds, skate parks, cycle tracks, exercise stations, toilets, and walkways. By partnering with community groups who have the capacity to lead projects and provide financial contributions, expertise, sponsored materials and volunteer labour, we can get more done for less, and in a shorter time frame than going through purely Council processes. Local contractors will be employed, and communities will take ownership and pride in the asset, and feel confident in their ability to influence and shape their surroundings. Ugly cookie cutter facilities will be avoided.

Rodney First believes in allowing community and private enterprise to be given the opportunity to take initiative and lead the way. Rodney First means finding innovative solutions that other areas will look to and emulate.

Specific Areas of Focus 2016 – 2018

• Working with the community to develop new playgrounds in growth areas.
• Getting action on the existing plans for Helensville to revitalise the towns centre.
• Identifying projects in the Kumeu/Huapai & Warkworth Centre Plans for funding in the Local Board Plan.
• Working on a grants scheme that helps deliver our Local Board Plan.
• Focusing on town centre improvements and partnering with business associations and community groups to deliver completed projects.

Rodney First will be focusing on ensuring the following areas are prioritised in the next LTP:

• • Funds pegged for a pool in Warkworth in the next LTP
  • Adequate funds identified to complete the multi-sport facility at the Warkworth Showgrounds.
  • Funding to get progress on community and township ‘Vision Plans’ in areas like Kaukapakapa, Leigh, Riverhead, Puhoi and assistance for groups to develop these plans.
  • Partnering with Sports Groups in Kumeu and Huapai to develop a multi-sports facility.
  • Future infrastructure needs are identified and funded in good time.

Rodney First will also be prioritising advocacy to government and council on the following:

• Council to develop a clear mechanism to enable more public-private or community partnerships to provide facilities such as toilets, sports facilities, and footpaths
• Changes to policy to enable commercial activities by private enterprise to take place in Council owned facilities to help fund the operating costs of that facility (e.g. pool operator, sports facility café and shop etc.)
• A greater weighting placed on geographical mass when striking the funding model for the Local Board’s budget.