Auckland Council could save $1 billion in ten years
Phil Goff
When I campaigned for Mayor in 2016, I promised to achieve more for less by reducing spending by 3% to 6% over the previous Mayoral term.
Since then, the Council has delivered savings in everything from ICT to power and utility bills to procurement, reducing duplication and stopping wastage.
Savings through new initiatives
Last year, we saved over $11 million in our expenditure and introduced systems and services that will help us avoid the future expenditure of more than $133 million.
Over the 10-year Budget period, we have built-in total savings through efficiency and value for money programmes of around $1 billion.
In total, a 30% increase in benefits and savings on the previous year.
Buying electricity as a group is saving the Council, Auckland Transport and Watercare more than $2 million a year, and consolidating the maintenance and cleaning of our City and streets has delivered savings of $8 million.
America’s Cup
The Wynyard Edge Alliance, of which the Council is a Member, is designing and building infrastructure to support the 36th America’s Cup in 2021. It is on time within budget.
It also has a policy of recycling construction waste and has negotiated substantial cost avoidance, with benefits of $5.9 million.
Ratepayers expect the Council and Mayor to spend every dollar wisely and achieve efficiencies wherever possible. As these figures show, I have made that central to my mayoralty.
I am determined to achieve more savings and more efficient and effective ways of working so we can continue delivering the investments in transport, services and infrastructure that Auckland needs to be world-class, while also ensuring value for money for ratepayers.
Festivals of South India
On another topic, I was to attend the Festivals of South India event at Sacred Heart College in Glendowie on September 21, 2019.
This was the first event of its kind in New Zealand and delivered on the promise of being an exciting evening of dance, culture, cuisine and music.
Cultural events like this help make Auckland a vibrant and interesting place to live, and it’s great to see more of them happening every year.
Phil Goff is Mayor of Auckland. Local Government Elections, including that of Mayoralty began throughout New Zealand on September 20 and will conclude on October 12, 2019. Postal Votes should be sent in the self-addressed freepost envelopes to the Electoral Commission no later than October 8, 2019. The above picture was taken at the First Annual Indian Newslink Festivals of South India. (Picture by Narendra Bedekar)
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Ratna Venkat presenting a dance item representing the four languages spoken in the five South Indian States at the Festival (Picture by Narendra Bedekar)
