C&R Councils Annual Plan Summary Hides Service Cuts

Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
Thursday 24 April 2008

C&R Council's Annual Plan Summary Hides Service Cuts

A summary of Auckland City Council's 2008-2009 Annual Plan delivered to households last week as an insert in the Council's City Scene publication is being criticised by City Vision-Labour councillors as a blatant attempt to hide service cuts.

"There are a number of proposed cuts to services for vulnerable groups such as homeless people, older people, young people and migrants, that have been designated as "under review" in the Annual Plan by this new Citizens & Ratepayers (C&R) Council. These cuts have not even been mentioned in the summary document. If people don't know that project and service funding is at risk, how can they fight for it to stay?" says Councillor Richard Northey.

The Annual Plan summary document includes a submission form that people can fill in. City Vision-Labour councillors say there is not enough information on the summary document to allow people to make informed submissions.

Specific social spending cuts listed in the Annual Plan but not included in the summary document include:

• Expansion of services to help migrants integrate into Auckland (Annual Plan, page 57)
• Initiatives to celebrate diversity of the city's people (Annual Plan, page 57)
• Migrant settlement strategy (Annual Plan, page 66)
• Action under the Older Persons Charter (Annual Plan, page 67)
• Engaging with youth of the city (Annual Plan, page 67)
• Youth employment initiatives associated with the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (Annual Plan, page 67)
• Homeless action plan (Annual Plan, page 68)

Councillor Casey says she is shocked that the council wants to review budget items which cost so little but which do so much in areas where voluntary agency and family budgets are already stretched.

"Altogether, these projects cost the council less than $200,000. That same amount was supported just a few weeks ago to try to catch eight graffiti vandals. What is more important to fund - the fence at the top of the cliff or the ambulance at the bottom? These positive proactive projects assist voluntary agencies and families across the city and touch the lives of many of our most vulnerable citizens."

Councillor Leila Boyle says that the only way to restore funding for these valuable social programmes is for residents and agencies to make submissions to restore them to the Annual Plan.

"Please don't use the summary document or you'll only get part of the story. Phone the council on 09 379 2020 and ask for a copy of the full 200-page Annual Plan to be sent to you. Write your submission and ask to come along and express your views directly to councillors. We look forward to seeing you."

ENDS

Posted Thu 24 Apr 2008