What is City Vision?

City Vision is Auckland City's centre-left local body political group. It represents the local Labour, Green and Alliance Parties and other progressive people who are active and keen to represent their communities but do not belong to any political party (community independents).

City Vision was formed in 1998 as a political grouping to work to protect and develop our city and communities. From the start, we have championed policies to grow Auckland into a beautiful, healthy, economically and environmentally sustainable city for ourselves and our children. We contested the 1998 elections at City Council, Community Board and ARC level.

Auckland City Council

1998-2001

The 1998 elections saw the first Auckland City Council in sixty years with enough City Vision-Labour Councillors to influence the direction of Council affairs. In that time we were able to put in place a network of bus-only lanes to speed up public transport, finalise the plans for the much-used and admired Britomart train station and pass the plans for building Community Centres and facilities in Mt Albert, Onehunga, Wesley and Oranga.

2001-2004

Low voter turnout at the 2001 election saw the most right-wing Council elected in Auckland City's history. Mayor John Banks and his ACT and National based Auckland Citizens & Ratepayers Now supporters slashed and burned their way through community funding and facilities. The environment was put on the back burner, pensioner housing was sold, the rates system was weighted to advantage the better off and a far greater burden was put onto our average and poorer families.

But it didn't do Banks and his mates any good. The citizens of Auckland saw what was happening and didn't like it. In 2004 they threw out the Mayor and his majority Cits&Rats Now and elected the first broad-left Council with almost-but-not-quite a majority in recent history.

2004-2007

For 2004-2007, City Vision has six Councillors on the Auckland City Council: one in Avondale-Roskill Ward (Vern Walsh), three in Eden-Albert Ward (Neil Abel, Cathy Casey and Glenda Fryer) and two in Western Bays Ward (Bruce Hucker and Penny Sefuiva). We work closely with three Labour Councillors from Tamaki-Maungakiekie Ward (Leila Boyle, John Hinchcliff and Richard Northey) to form the City Vision-Labour Caucus. At a wider consultative level City Vision-Labour works with the Mayor, the Action Hobson group and independent Councillors.

Since 2004, the City Vision-Labour led Council has adopted a progressive agenda with more action on the environment; heritage protection; promotion of public transport, walking and cycling; dealing with rubbish; and providing affordable housing.

Fifty years of neglect in Auckland's infrastructure has been halted as we have set about fixing the stormwater problems and pollution of streams and harbours.

We have focused on improving the CBD, getting public access to the waterfronts on the Waitamata and the Manukau and protecting our unique volcanic cones.

We have worked on protecting our heritage at a time that we need to preserve our best history to stand with the quality new building we are promoting through the Urban Design Panel.

More community facilities, such as in Otahuhu, have been built. There are more community arts events for families to enjoy together. And there are more parks for leisure and sporting use, for example, Owairaka and Monte Cecelia.

We are working to develop our community shopping areas so that they are economically successful and a pleasure for customers to use. And have you noticed how many footpaths in the city have been renewed in the last three year? Our streets are much safer now than they were a decade ago.

We recognise that the global warming issue needs tackling and there is now a programme up and running through the Mayoral Taskforce for Sustainability. It is about all of us, at every level doing our bit, starting with the way we deal with our rubbish, the trees we plant in our back yards and whether we decide to walk more and use public transport rather than take the car.

Community Boards in Auckland City

City Vision representatives are working with their local communities to improve and enrich local facilities.

Mt Roskill Community Board

Our one representative on Mt Roskill Community Board during the last three years (Corinne McLaren) has been a constant advocate for local residents, particularly in promoting community safety and litter-free streets. She sees City Vision's policies as vital for developing facilities, particularly for children and young people, in the Mt Roskill area.

Avondale Community Board

There are three City Vision members out of the 5 on Avondale Community Board (Chair Lorraine Wilson, Catherine Farmer and Lynlie Walsh). The Board has delivered major initiatives for the community in the areas of safety, advocacy, heritage and environment.

SLIPs (Small Local Improvement Projects) money has been used to create two heritage walks, upgrade parks, establish walkways and support environmental groups such as Friends of the Whau and Friends of Oakley Creek with money for environmental enhancement and revegitation. The Business Association and Mainstreet developments have also benefited from SLIPs money, including security lighting to make the business areas safer and more pleasant at night.

The Board has always maintained close and excellent relationships with the police as well as environmental, ethnic and other community groups. We are responsive and effective regarding community concerns that are often brought by way of public submission during the public forum item on Community Board meeting agendas.

Eden-Albert Community Board

In Eden-Albert, the City Vision team of six on the Community Board (Chair Lindsey Rea, Phil Chase, Virginia Chong, Gillian Dance, Wendy Davies and Christopher Dempsey) is very active. The Board has tackled 18 years of neglect of Maungawhau/Mt Eden. With the support of Council and the Mayor a new Conservation Plan and Management Plan has been completed from extensive community consultation to protect the historic and cultural values of the Maunga, and to provide a quality visitor experience. The Board has fought for the new park in Owairaka Ave to be accessible and available to all, not just restricted to one sporting code.

We have funded traffic calming measures to make several streets in the Hendon Ave area safer and supported 40km speed zones around several primary schools, and travel plans for others, to encourage healthy and safe alternatives to private car transport. Our local shopping centres have benefited from parking plans, street upgrades, and protection of their historic character. We have given active support to local business associations. We have insisted that local residents and businesses have a say about changes to the Eden Park/Kingsland area in preparation for the Rugby World Cup.

Western Bays Community Board

Western Bays is also an all City Vision Community Board (Chair Graeme Easte, Bruce Kilmister, Leigh Kennaway, Kate Stanton and Rosemary Ward). Work has continued in the last three years for upgraded public access, landscaping and facilities at 9 beaches around the Herne Bay coastline. Similar work on the Point Chevalier beaches is planned for the next few years.

Improving public open space along the Ponsonby ridge has been a priority for the Board. Western Park and the Three Lamps area have had major upgrades to footpaths and landscaping. The Liquor King site at the O'Neil Street corner has been acquired for a new park, and the first of several "pocket parks" will be created this financial year.

Road safety issues have been addressed through a raft of minor (but very helpful) improvements at some key intersections and by building a number of pedestrian refuges, particularly along Ponsonby Road. Some of these improvements relate particularly to the new travel-wise plans at three of our schools. The Board continues to advocate for increased traffic calming in residential streets and along Ponsonby Road.

The Board has a long standing policy of adding to our collection of public art, ranging from decorated utility boxes to significant mosaic works at Grey Lynn and at Western Park. New paths in Victoria and Grey Lynn Parks incorporate art works reflecting local culture and wildlife.