Media Release
2 April 2012

Have Your Say On New Community Assistance Policies

Auckland Council is encouraging people to give their feedback on new draft region-wide community assistance policies.

The draft Community Occupancy Policy and the draft Facility Partnership policies are now available for public feedback until 5pm Friday 27 April.

A third community assistance policy, the draft Community Funding Policy, will be available for feedback in late April.

The draft Community Occupancy Policy will create a unified approach across the region to address length of terms, rental fees and charges, commercial activity and responsibilities for maintaining facilities.

The draft Facility Partnership Policy will create a unified approach for Auckland Council to partner with community groups and organisations to upgrade, or develop new community facilities. The new policy will allow council to address gaps in its network of community facilities without incurring the whole cost on the ratepayer.

Councillor Ann Hartley, Auckland Council’s Regional Development and Operations Committee chair, says the new draft policies ensure consistency and clarity across the region.

“The aim is to create common arrangements across the region that are simple, transparent and fair to all Auckland community groups,” she says.

“We encourage the community to have their say on these draft policies; their feedback will be considered when the final polices are developed.”

Auckland Council is required to streamline and simplify all the policies and bylaws adopted by the former councils by 2015.

Once adopted, the policies will only apply to new leases and facility partnerships. The new polices will take effect from 1 July 2012.
For more information on each of the policies and to have your say, visit www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/haveyoursay or call 09 301 0101. Alternatively, submission packs are available at your local library, council service centre, community facilities or local board office.

ENDS

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