Media Release

31st August 2012

Dr. Grant Gillon, Member Kaipatiki Board

Another Body Blow to Local Board’s Budget.

“Kaipatiki is being subjected to more dramatic cuts just a few weeks after the Board was successful in regaining some lost transport budget." said Kaipatiki Local Board member Grant Gillon today.

“This new attack on local board services will be another body blow to a community still reeling from a slashed budget coupled with unrealistic rates and water charge rises” said Grant Gillon today.

The Annual Plan Programme Manager, provided an update on the Mayoral Direction for the Annual Plan 2013/14 at a recent Board Chair’s forum.
Included in this presentation was a proposal from the Chief Executive who has signalled that “savings of 3% need to be made across all local and regional budgets, and that no further efficiency savings are possible and so activities/ service levels will need to be cut”.

Activity Managers are preparing proposals for these savings, which will be presented, to local boards to consider.

I am rightly concerned at service level cuts in the face of significant rate rises in our local area said Grant Gillon today.
Kaipatiki is already one of the lowest funded board areas and I have recently advocated hard on behalf of our community for restoring lost capital projects and transport projects.

The Kaipatiki area still is underfunded compared to former North Shore City days and operational service cuts will be another blow to this community.
I am concerned that this proposal will lead to lower levels in our libraries, perhaps cut hours of opening; reduced weed eradication on our berms, lower standards of park and reserve services and perhaps higher user charges in our swimming pools and leisure centres.

The Board and the Community needs to be vigilant against this budgetary slashing and burning of our local neighbourhoods.

ENDS

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