No incumbent Councillor has yet responded to my questionnaire.
Here is an email I have today sent to all of them who are standing for Councillor or Local Board positions.
Dear Councillor,
Two weeks ago I sent a questionnaire to all incumbent Councillors. It is disappointing to me that, to date, not one of you has responded.
Council will make full candidate profiles available to the public tomorrow. No doubt, in the lead up to the election, there will be comments in the various media about the apathy of the public. However, as I’ve often said in the past, I attribute it more to cynicism.
I would urge you to respond to my questionnaire. I have provided it in both Word format and PDF format for ease of downloading.
Yours sincerely,
Gary Osborne.
Upper Harbour LB Candidate Uzra Casuri Balouch
1. LB Member
To provide local leadership, build strong local communities and identity and communicate the preferences of the community as local input into regional strategies and plans.
2. Yes
3. Via phone, email, social media and face to face meetings at community clinics I plan to hold across the local board area. I will be accessible and visible in the community.
4. Yes
5. Phone, email, Twitter and Facebook.
6. It needs to be as I believe the communities have not been served well under the current model. In our Local Board one member was on six Boards. How can you do justice to your constituents with divided loyalties? How can you champion their issues?
7. I will not take this role lightly and will spend as many hours as needed to be an effective Board member and bring the concept of service back to Local Government.
8. Yes
9. No
10. $ 6.8 Billion
11. No
12. My understanding from media reports is that it will increase by $1 billion per annum.
13. Question for Governing Body candidates.
14. Question for Governing Body candidates.
15. Upper Harbour Local Board is made up of diverse and varied communities. Under the Super city model we have inherited areas which were a part of Waitakere Council and there is an identity crisis. We need to now focus on creating an Upper Harbour identity which all the communities can feel proud off and connected with. Albany community is adversely affected by the Unitary Plan’s Mixed Housing Zoning e.g where is the Mixed Housing Urban and Mixed Housing Suburban zone going to be? 18 storeys in the Metropolitan zone is too high and of concern. Significant Ecological Areas in the Rural zone and what residents can and cannot do on their properties under the Unitary Plan. Cost cutting of water sampling and controls has severely restricted meaningful understanding of the waterways and how this is affecting the coastal communities. Transport issues like lack of feeder buses, not enough parking at Park& Ride Stations, expensive student fares discouraging patronage.
16. Consult and engage the community to find solutions and then advocate and lobby the Councillors, CCOs and the Mayor’s Office to keep the community’s issues at the forefront. Regular feedback to the community.
Accountability in Auckland Council 