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Kia ora,

All Aucklanders pay for refuse collection, they just do so in different ways. Residents of the former Auckland City Council and Manukau City Council pay for their refuse collection via an additional targeted rate of $172.89 that gets added to their annual rates bill. Residents outside of the former Auckland City Council and Manukau City Council pay for their refuse collection via bin tags for the council provided service (or have arranged their own private service).

Kia ora,  

Thank you for your question.  

Yes, you can send through additional written submissions as attachments to akhaveyoursay@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz and they will collate them with your previous response/submission. 

You will receive an automated acknowledgement from that inbox once received. 

Kia ora,

Rates are a source of income.

Rates income is projected to be higher than what was planned in the 10-year Budget as a result of the introduction of the Climate Action Targeted Rate from 2022/2023 and the 7% general rates increase proposed for 2023/2024 as a part of the mix of mitigations to address the budget challenge. This is partially offset by the temporary reduction proposed to the Water Quality Targeted Rate and Natural Environment Targeted Rate for 2023/2024

The overall impact of this is a $71 million lift in rates income for 2023/2034 when compared with that year forecast in the 10-year-budget and this is, among other places, illustrated on page 47 of the Consultation Document.

Kia ora,

There are a wide range of impacts on libraries included in the budget, including major spending for renewals, maintenance and improvements of some libraries as well as proposed changes to opening hours or services offered at some libraries. 

The council’s proposed response to mitigate the budget pressures for 2023/2024 includes a proposed reduction of $16 million to local board operational funding.  This will result in a significant reduction in spending on local services which could include library hours.

We value your further feedback on this. 

Kia ora,

There is to be an “outdoor gym” (the installation of recreational fitness stations around at the park) in our works programme funded by the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board as well as external funding. The outdoor gym is to be installed on the rugby end of the park. The are no plans for a Fitness Centre on this site.

Kia ora,

The link to the latest information on this is below (included in the annual budget consultation document) 

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/externalcontentdelivery/consultations/budgets/annual-budget-2022-2023/annual-budget-2022-2023-supporting-information.pdf 

Kia ora,

Yes, Watercare is a council-controlled organisation, wholly owned by Auckland Council. 

Watercare board of directors has confirmed Auckland’s water and wastewater service prices will increase by 9.5% from 1 July 2023. This follows the price path approved by the board of directors in December 2020 and included in Auckland Council’s Long-Term Plan which was formally adopted in June 2021, after public consultation. Water and wastewater service charges will increase by 9.5% on 1 July 2023, while infrastructure growth charges will rise by 8%. The price for 1000 litres of water will go from $1.825 to $1.998, while 1000 litres of wastewater will go from $3.174 to $3.476. The fixed wastewater charge will go from $264 a year to $289. In real terms, households with average water use will pay about $2.20 more per week

Watercare’s financials are outlined on pages 42-44 of the Consultation Document and include income and expenditure. 

Kia ora,

Page 30 of the Consultation Document outlines the proposed $55 million of cost reductions in Auckland Council activities, including proposals we want your feedback on. This is on top of significant savings achieved in previous budgets and continuing work to fully achieve the $90 million savings target set in the 10-year Budget 2021-2031.

While some capacity for reductions to staff costs will always exist, operating expenditure on staff is primarily a function of the quantity and quality of the services delivered and how these services are delivered. Budget reductions are increasingly impacting service levels and therefore further staff reductions are likely to have service impacts. 

Kia ora,

Before allocating any cost savings, the proportion of the budgeted employee benefits for the FY24 year, over total operating expenditure is 22%.

In the proposed budget, this proportion is also 22%, as, while there are significant proposed savings in employee benefits, these are matched by savings in other expenditure and by significant interest savings from the reduction in debt from the proposed sale of Auckland Airport shares.

The allocation of the savings is based on our initial review of where those savings can be achieved, and this will be refined as we work through identifying the savings opportunities and as the Governing Body finalises the Annual Plan 2023/24 after feedback from the consultation process.

Kia ora, 

Thanks for your question. 

While these two proposals are separate,  you are correct about the overall effect.

There is one proposal to sell all of the airport shares and use the proceeds to reduce debt (estimated at around $1.9 billion). The aim of this is to substantially reduce our annual interest costs.

The council is also proposing a limited use of additional borrowing (up to $75 million) to fund some of the investment we were otherwise planning to pay for with operating revenue, so that the operating revenue can be used to cover our shortfall.

While these two proposals are separate, you are correct that the net effect should both proposals proceed will be a debt reduction of slightly less than the proceeds from the airport sale.