Tuesday 3 December 2013

Mayor’s Call for Future PPPs Undermined by Auckalnd Council Officials

The publisher of the Building Guide – a publication for homeowners who are building or renovating – has come out criticising the Auckland Council following the Mayor of Auckland Len Brown’s call for Public Private Partnerships for infrastructure developments.

“There is a direct contradiction between what the Mayor is proposing and the real world actions of Building Consents’ officers within Council,” says Mark Graham, publisher of the Building Guide, Design Guide and BoB – the Business of Building trade magazine.

“It now seems Auckland Council is not interested in educating homeowners who want to build, after the Council summarily halted distribution of advice that actually assists homeowners.

“For over twenty years Auckland homeowners wanting to build had available to them a valuable and independent resource - The Building Guide. It was an excellent example of private enterprise working with local government for the people of Auckland.

“While every other Council in New Zealand see value in providing the Building Guide to homeowners, Auckland Council officials pulled the plug, a move that essentially leaves consumers in the lurch,” said Mr Graham.

“The crazy thing is that we were regularly getting Customer Service staff at the counters – those at the front line dealing with homeowners – asking for us to send them copies to hand out in spite of being told by the Building Consents managers not to send them,” says Mr Graham. “We sent them anyway, but we have now been quietly told by the Customer Service staff that they are no longer allowed to ask us to supply them.”

While Mayor Len Brown on one hand supports PPPS, on the other hand Auckland Council officials seem to be doing the exact opposite. The people of Auckland deserve better, Mr Graham said.
ends

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