Auckland Education & Skills CCO at Risk with Proposed 43% Budget Cut
COMET Auckland, a Council Controlled Organisation that works to drive systems change to make education and skills more
effective and equitable across Auckland, is facing a 43% budget cut in Council’s proposed Long Term Plan.
Susan Warren, Chief Executive of COMET Auckland, says, “We know Council needs to make cuts, but the level of cut that
has been proposed for COMET Auckland would severely limit our ability to fulfil our role, and longer term, it could
threaten our existence altogether.”
Warren says COMET Auckland is already one of the leanest Council Controlled Organisations, punching above its weight
with a small team of 5.4 people and total annual Council funding of $580,000. A cut of 43% would mean $260,000 less for
COMET’s budget each year.
Warren says, “It is widely acknowledged that our small team makes a big impact to the city’s current and future
potential. For example we are leading work around youth employability and Te Reo Māori revitalisation, both of which
Council has identified as key areas of focus for the city’s economic and social growth. That valuable work would
certainly be under threat if our budget was reduced.
“Our focus is improving education outcomes for the 1 in 5 young people who are not currently well-served by our
education system, and now we are asking for some support too. We are encouraging those in the education and skills
community to consider making a submission in our support as part of the Long Term Plan consultation.”
COMET Auckland has created its submission to Council outlining its objections to the budget cut. A summary of the
submission’s key points and statements is available here.
Submissions can be made via email or by taking a survey on the council website. Council is also taking submissions via
Twitter and Facebook using the hashtag #LTP2015 and by tagging @AklCouncil.
Submissions close at 4:00pm on 16 March 2015.
-ENDS-