Save our Sunnyhills Reserve

After a long hiatus and drawn out period of stress for the concerned residents of Sunnyhills, Thursday marked the meeting of the Auckland Council PACE Committee to finally confirm the fate of Sunnyhills Reserve.

Councillor Sharon Stewart and Councillor Paul Young fought hard to ensure the Committee were aware of the public concern and value of our reserve to the people, however despite other insightful Councillors also stating their dismay at the process and removal of valued public greenspace from local communities, strong opposition from the Chair managed to influence an 11-7 vote in favour of taking our reserve away.

Why do I say the Chair influenced the vote? Frankly, the Chair having his strong opinion known just before the Councillors were allowed to vote was unnecessary and un-democratic, seemingly veiled threats about how Councillors would be viewed if they stalled the process and didn’t vote with him. He kept referring to the ‘process’ of revocation as the only reason for a PACE Committee vote, a rubber-stamping exercise, discarding any Councillors’ opinions that the independent commissioners’ and our communities’ wishes should be followed.

The PACE committee meeting was as embarrassing for Council and Auckland as the rest of the process – a sham with only ever the intention to take the park away from the community; and when this was about to be tested by (seven) smart, strong Councillors, the Chair clearly didn’t like it. He made his mandate clearly known, from the time he made sure concerned residents weren’t allowed to talk at the meeting, to when Cr Stewart’s amendment to defer the decision until more community consultation was denied, to his eventual emotional speech directed squarely at anyone who opposed his view. All apparently due to ‘process’.

It’s election year, so who are the Councillors who voted to revoke our valued reserve, and inevitably will do the same to you against your community’s wishes?

• Cr. Cathy Casey from Albert-Eden-Puketāpapa Ward
• Cr. Fa’anana Efeso Collins from Manukau Ward
• Cr. Alf Filipaina from Manukau Ward
• Cr. Pippa Coom from Waitematā and Gulf Ward
• Cr. Linda Cooper from Waitākere Ward
• Cr. Angela Dalton from ​Manurewa-Papakura Ward
• Cr. Chris Darby from North Shore Ward
• Cr Shane Henderson from Waitākere Ward
• Cr Bill Cashmore from ​Franklin Ward
• IMSB Member Glenn Wilcox
• and our Mayor, Phil Goff

https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/about-auckland-council/how-auckland-council-works/governing-body-wards-committees/wards/Pages/ward-councillors.aspx

Our last hope now rests with Minister of Conservation, Hon. Kiritapu Allan, and whether her priorities are with us, the people, or like our Council leader, will allow these travesties to take their course by choosing to justify their actions as ‘the process’.

Auckland Council Finance and Performance Committee minutes from their recent meeting state “the financial performance of the group up to 31 March 2021 has been considerably stronger than anticipated in the Emergency Budget” however Council continue to pursue their targets relating to asset-recycling, such as selling off community greenspaces. Council do however acknowledge that they don’t expect to hit their asset-recycling targets due to “significant delays” and “ongoing uncertainty”.

The response from our community in opposition to our reserve’s sale was impressive, however no update has been provided about next steps, or any opportunity to state our case to Council in person.

We will follow up with Council and keep everyone posted on anything we know.

Thank you again for everyone’s hard work and support!

From Finance and Performance Committee meeting minutes – 22 April 2021

More hard work from our volunteers today found overwhelming support for community green spaces at today’s Rotary Carnival, held at Bramley Drive Reserve.

Again the themes were similar – a real concern over Council’s lack of appreciation of how valuable our small reserves and green spaces are to our communities; the lack of consultation and awareness that people have of the Council’s process; and the true appreciation our communities have for the work that our volunteers are doing to change the outcome.

Thanks again to everyone who is helping our message be heard, and for giving people the opportunity to voice their concerns.

With another 109 written and signed oppositions, it is clear that the people are not happy with the decisions that Council is making on their behalf.

Hard work really paid off with 227 individual oppositions received from Howick Market-goers. The need to keep our green spaces really resonated with the public, with some repeated themes coming through:

1. All green spaces are important to people for various reasons, but those with children especially, who really worry about keeping the safety provided by pocket green spaces which are close to houses.
2. The intensification of Auckland housing means that current green spaces are not enough, let alone losing more of them.
3. While most generally understand the need for short term changes to generate funding – emotions ran high about Council’s current avenues of expenditure – with many voicing dissatisfaction over the number of high paid public servants across Council and Panuku, overly bureaucratic processes draining Council resources, and Council failing to address cost drains and opportunities such as floating the troubled Ports Of Auckland
4. There was also a theme of general opposition and concern over the Council not having listened to the community and our Howick Local Board representatives. Many were appalled when they heard that only 4 of the 14 proposed reserves in this round of review had received opposition from Councillors, yet Council and the Mayor overruled them regardless. This was of serious concern to those who aren’t necessarily affected or near a reserve, but significantly affects the Council’s credibility and decision-making processes.

Thanks to those who went to the market this morning, for raising public awareness of the situation, and for gathering so much written support. With only 10 more days until submissions close, we need to keep spreading the word, and helping people put pen to paper before it’s too late.

Thank you to everyone who came and showed their support on Saturday – and for all those who let us know that although they couldn’t make it, they strongly support the cause.

While we know the timing wasn’t ideal, clashing with the America’s Cup racing, we only had a limited opportunity to have our local MP and Councillors join us – so thanks again to everyone for making the effort.

A surprise visit from a neighbourhood piper drummed up attention from the streets around – and while we know not everyone could be there, we had a great turnout and was a great chance to discuss the Council’s process, where submission numbers are currently at, the contents of some of the submissions, and what to do if people were still struggling to get their thoughts down on paper.

Please join the public meeting to be held at 9R Fortyfoot Lane Reserve at 4.30pm on Saturday 13th March 2021.

Please take the opportunity to show your opposition to the sale of the Reserve, and help our local MP and Councillors show the Minister how much our reserve means to our community.

New signs at end of Boulevard and FortFoot Lane – and by the driveway to the Pakuranga Sailing Club off Bramley Drive…….Thank you!!

Stickers have been made up to ask for submissions…. more signs about to go up – thank you caring neighbours!!