This week, the Rodney local board released the 2020 local board plan, a strategic three-year plan developed in consultation with the community. Local board plans set out the direction for the region and reflect community aspirations and priorities. In the 2020 plan, there were five main outcomes that the community and local board deemed the most important.

Outcome one: Safe, improved transport options connect our communities 

Public transport options are few. Many of our communities lack adequate footpaths or safe places to walk beside roads. Residents must often rely on private vehicles, yet more than 650km of our roads are unsealed. Residents face traffic congestion across Rodney, including in fast-growing areas. 

To help address our transport issues, the board consulted on a transport targeted rate just for Rodney in the last local board plan. A significant number of our community supported it, and that funding is now delivering on key transport initiatives.

Over the next three years, the board will push for improved bus services across Rodney and complete the planned park-and-ride in and Warkworth. They will advocate strongly for better road maintenance, particularly on unsealed roads. Auckland Transport’s new Unsealed Roads Improvement Programme will use its $121m budget in new ways to improve the safety and integrity of our unsealed roads.

Outcome two: Our natural environment is healthy and protected 

It is important that we have good water quality in our streams, rivers and harbours. The board plans to improve water quality in our waterways and reduce the effects of climate change by restoring freshwater ecosystems through riparian fencing and planting, sediment reduction, delivering benefits such as flood mitigation, habitat for native biodiversity, and carbon sequestration 

To ensure that our natural environment is clean and healthy with thriving ecosystems, the plan outlines ways to improve our local biodiversity and natural environment by partnering with mana whenua and supporting community groups and schools, and by advocating for regional and national funding to eradicate pest plants, animals, and pathogens and to carry out restoration work .

Outcome three: Infrastructure and development meets the needs of our growing communities  

The Rodney Local Board area experienced the second highest growth rate of any local board between 2013 and 2018, growing 21 per cent. This was significantly higher than the Auckland-wide rate of 11 per cent. Rapid growth will continue in Rodney over the coming decades. With this in mind, it is vital to make sure that our villages and towns retain their individual character and heritage aspects, and development is sympathetic to the natural and existing built environment. In order to do this, the Rodney local board has said that they will advocate for improved design standards for roading, cycling and pedestrian networks in subdivisions in countryside living zones, rural and coastal towns, that reflect the character and needs of the local area. 

Outcome four: Our communities are resilient and have access to what they need

Our communities are strong and resilient, and to keep this going after what was a hard year for many, the board has said it will: 

• Support communities to deliver community projects and events, and to work collaboratively with council and other key stakeholders 
• Develop partnerships and projects with mana whenua that respond to and further their aspirations 
• Ensure strategically located halls and community centres can be used by our communities in times of difficulty 
• Advocate for reliable, fast and affordable broadband connections for all our communities 

Outcome five: Our local parks and recreation facilities meet the needs of our growing community 

Our regional parks provide great recreation opportunities and meet the needs of our communities and visitors. The board will advocate for more investment in regional parks in our local board area to meet the pressures of growth and tourism. 

The environment and ecology of our parks are well cared for, and the board will continue to support volunteers working on weed and pest control and other restoration work in our parks, reserves and public land. 

Local board funding is approved through the council’s budget-setting process. This involves the council’s governing body adopting a 10-year budget every three years and an annual budget every year. 

Updated financial information and levels of service will be adopted as part of the long-term plan in June 2021.