Rodney Local Board Update

By Louise Johnston

This month I will keep this factual as there is a lot to cover and I will need your help please.

Flooding

The intensive rain that fell on the afternoon of Friday 24 February was unprecedented. Personally, I have never seen rain like this. It was frightening as roads became rivers in a matter of minutes. It was very localised and the recorded 60-minute rainfall at Rangitopuni and Paremoremo was 25% and 20% more intensive than what was experienced in the area on the Friday of Anniversary weekend.

Residents that are near flood-prone areas are understandably feeling anxious as this is the third time they have had to deal with flood waters in a matter of weeks

If you are having any issues with insurance, please contact the New Zealand Claims Resolution Service (NZCRS) . This has been launched to provide expert support to homeowners with insurance claims after natural disasters to avoid disputes, resolve issues, and ensure claims are settled in a timely manner.

Homeowners who are impacted by the floods and Cyclone Gabrielle are advised to talk with their insurer in the first instance. If they have concerns about their claim or are unsure about the process, they can contact NZCRS on 0508 624 327, email contact@nzcrs.govt.nz, or visit www.nzcrs.govt.nz

For anyone who has slips close to their property, please contact RBAcomms@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz.

Stream blockages

As a result of the flooding, there are severe large blockages in our streams from both slips and debris. This is creating dams and causing unwanted flooding. For streams that run through private property it is usually the landowner’s responsibility to clear the debris but this time the scale is just too massive. Council’s, Healthy Waters department are now working with landowners to clear these blockages. They are conducting drone surveys of problematic streams, including parts of the Rangitopuni Stream, but drone footage is limited. Firsthand knowledge of blockages is paramount. Please report any known stream blockages that you are unable to clear to the call centre immediately on (09) 301 0101. There are thousands of kilometres of streams in Auckland and already hundreds of serious blockages have been reported. At a political level, we will need to push to ensure that both funding and resources are available to ensure that our streams are cleared before winter

Auckland Transport

Below is a quick summary of the major slips around Coatesville:

∞ Ridge Road – one lane with temporary traffic lights, ground investigation in progress.

∞ Coatesville-Riverhead Highway – one lane with temporary traffic lights, design is being finalised.

∞ Potter Road – one lane priority with give way, ground investigation in progress.

I am awaiting an update from Mahoenui Valley Road slip

After our most recent flooding, several bridges in the area were reinspected for structural integrity including the Sunnyside Road bridge in Coatesville. No issues have been reported for these bridges but the Green Road Bridge on Dairy Flat Highway will require further investigation although it is not presently subject to any restrictions.

Council’s Annual Budget 2023-24

Council’s Annual budget is now open for feedback. Before the floods and cyclone, Council had a massive $300 million shortfall in the budget, and I am yet to see an estimate of the cost of the rebuild but it will be billions. Everything is on the table for this budget including rate hikes, selling Council’s shares in Auckland Airport, cutting regional grants in the Arts, culture, sport, and slashing Local Board funding.

Rodney Local Board is being asked to cut $921K from our operating budget. We are going to have make tough decisions. To understand what is important to our community we need to hear what three services out of the following you would like to retain:

∞ Non contestable grants to community groups/ organisation for rates remission on community halls,

∞ Grants to local arts centres in Rodney,

∞ Event funding for Anzac services, A&P shows and Christmas Parades,

∞ Planning for the Green Road Masterplan implementation,

∞ Funding for the environmental volunteers in our Rodney parks,

∞ Ecological restoration programmes including Pest Free Groups,

∞ Reduced opening hours and services of Libraries,

∞ Reduce or stop mowing specific areas of our local parks,

∞ Community programmes,and

∞ Waste Minimisation programmes.

Please provide this feedback on the Annual budget at AKhaveyousay.co.nz before 28 March.

If you have any questions or issues, please email me: Louise.Johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz. I am always here and happy to meet up.