12 million reasons to vote this election
Southern central Auckland isthmus residents will have $12 million on their hands in the local body elections.
The Puketapapa Local Board has been allocated the sum by Auckland Council for the 2016/17 year.
Six elected board members will decide how this money is spent.
The chairperson will receive a salary of $77,650 while other members will receive $41,800.
Based in and around the Mt Roskill area, the Puketapapa Local Board sits on the Manukau Harbor and includes the suburbs of Three Kings and Hillsborough.
Named after the Maori name for Mt Roskill, it had a population of 52,938 during the 2013 census.
The newly-appointed board will have decisions to make in regards to housing, transport and crime.
A report commissioned by the Puketapapa Local Board has highlighted a lack of social housing options for elderly in the area.
This was expressed when council presented plans for the demolishing of the 25-unit Liston Village in Hillsborough in order to improve access to Monte Cecilia Park.
The board is building its case to see it stay.
Members have said Hillsbo- rough is the Auckland suburb in greatest need of social housing.
The board now has a good connection with Housing NZ and has had success on agreeing to work with them on consultations around Special Housing Areas in the region. Housing NZ has agreed to the board’s request that all tenants affected by redevelopments be given a right of return and be relocated within the community.
The Puketapapa Greenways have been a major project in the area since 2011.
Opening in 2013, it will continue to develop with money committed to refresh the plan over the next year. Dominion Rd light rail is being favoured by the board who will continue to push it forward despite the council shelving the plans due to funding priorities.
This is something which would be developed in conjunction with the revitalisation of the Mt Roskill Village shops.
Policing in the area is underresourced, an issue which was highlighted with the board having to fund security patrols on the Waikowhai coast after dark.
There are only three patrol cars on duty at night from Portage Rd in the west to Pah Rd in the east. As a result the board has allocated $4000 for a security firm to monitor rowdy behaviour across the area on weekends throughout the daylight savings period. Who will you choose to represent you on these issues? Join our conversation at neighbourly.co.nz.