Posted by Blogger Name. Category:
Auckland Council
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Auckland Transport
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Lame duck mayor
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Len Brown
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Long Term Plan
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Penny Hulse
We received a lengthy e-mail yesterday from someone who has asked to remain anonymous. It concerns goings-on at the Auckland Council, and in particular, it suggests that the predictions that Len Brown was becoming a "lame-duck" mayor have now come to pass.
Our correspondent noted a number of issues that have arisen over the last week or so which are summarised here as follows:
- Long Term Plan 2015-2025 Draft which is set by the Mayor and approved by the Budget Committee was rejected by a majority of Councillors. It seems, but unconfirmed that the Deputy Mayor led the charge
- Council Chief Financial Officer resigned suddenly on Monday
- Louder rumblings that the 70:40 Brownfield:Greenfield Development Ratios set in the Auckland and Unitary Plans are now shot to pieces. Council seems to be moving towards a 50:50 split
- Auckland Transport is facing budget reductions. Dr Lester Levy of Auckland Transport was recently telling the Auckland Transport Board on "budget tectonics" in consequence of the Long Term Plan rejection by the Council. Check out the video here.
- The Council wants rates to be capped at no more than 2.5% and this is to be set in stone. This is well below the 4.9% the Mayor needs for his projects
Interestingly, there has been precious little in the media about this, which suggests Len Brown's firefighting/PR team has been burning the midnight oil.
We will take every care to protect the identity of the person who has passed this information on to us. But it would seem Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse is seeking alternative consensus on budgetary and planning issues after setbacks for Mayor Brown with the Long Term Plan and now the Auckland Plan. In everything but name and salary, Penny Hulse seems now to be effectively leading the Auckland Council.
We will have more to blog on this issue in coming days. But it seems clear that Len Brown has lost control of his Council, and that does not bode well for the remaining two years of his term as Mayor. Nor does it bode well for Auckland.
