Relevant offers
Auckland's towns are turning into "third world" destinations because the council focuses too much on regional development, according to a group of local board members.
Several local board members told a meeting of Auckland Council's Strategy and Finance Committee yesterday that their towns were suffering because of the council's spending habits.
"Henderson is dirty and grimy and looking like a third world city," Henderson-Massey local board member Vanessa Neeson said.
"It breaks my heart."
The resounding recommendation from the board representatives was to "think local" when dishing out money.
Orakei local board chairman Desley Simpson said she could have arranged for 21 board members from across the region to turn up to express their concerns.
"You know there are others who share our concerns - and we represent hundreds of thousands of citizens," she said.
"The local boards are tied to legacy constraints and regional projects are going ahead at the expense of local projects."
Orakei deputy chairman Mark Thomas said the boards monthly funding was "virtually useless".
"We're not given enough tools to effectively govern, and this keeps coming up as one of the worst areas of performance from the council."
Thomas said because of budget cuts, officers cannot do their jobs and make sure rubbish bins are empty and weeds don't grow.
- © Fairfax NZ News
