Annual Budget 2022: What’s the focus?
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The opportunity for Aucklanders to have their say on Auckland Council’s proposed Annual Budget for 2022/2023 is coming up.
The council’s Annual Plan Consultation Document, which outlines the main changes to our budget and work programme for 2022/2023, compared to what was approved in the Recovery Budget (10-year Budget 2021-2031), was considered by the council’s Finance and Performance Committee last week. Now approved, public consultation is planned from 28 February through to 28 March.
Public feedback and input from local boards will help inform the final budget.
The council will use a wide range of online and offline options to replace traditional public feedback events that can’t be held due to gathering restrictions within the Covid-19 Protection Framework.
Council will also work closely with community organisations and other council partners to ensure as many Aucklanders as possible get the opportunity to provide feedback.
The council is managing some complex pressures this year. The uncertainty created by Covid-19 and unfavourable shifts in major economic influences will be with us for some time. The ongoing impacts of these pressures are hard to predict, but the key is to have resilience and flexibility in the budget. In addition to the council’s response to financial pressures, we know Aucklanders want to see an increased and sped-up response to the climate emergency, so that is also a priority.
The key objectives of this year’s budget are to achieve:
■ Faster and further action on climate change
■ A resilient and flexible response to the immediate budget pressures
■ Efficient waste minimisation.
■ Further detail on the proposals, and specific consultation questions, will be provided with the consultation material.
For more information, including the supporting information for this consultation document once it is available next month, you can:
■ visit akhaveyoursay.nz/budget
■ phone 09 301 0101 or
■ visit your service centre or library.
After decisions are made in June 2022 the final budget will be available on the Auckland Council website.
Aucklanders have until 4 March to provide feedback on the draft Regional Parks Management Plan. The draft plan outlines a 10-year vision and policies for managing each of Auckland’s 28 regional parks which builds on public feedback received in 2019.
Many regional parks have significant cultural and natural heritage sites which require protection, and this is recognised in the draft plan.
Key stakeholders are also recognised in the plan and that includes community groups and organisations whose involvement with a park often spans many years.
Population growth is seeing park use increase and preparing for it is what the management plan is about.
This plan preserves and protects the biodiversity in regional parks and safeguards this legacy for future generations. It aims to reduce visitor vehicle emissions and improve equity of access by increasing opportunities to walk, cycle or take public transport to the parks where possible, and also to charge electric bikes and vehicles.
Now it’s time for feedback on the plan’s proposals to make sure that the regional parks remain a treasured legacy for future generations.
For the full draft Regional Parks Management Plan and to give feedback, visit akhaveyoursay.nz
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