Mayoral costs on rise, public submissions on budget close tomorrow
 
Auckland Mayor Len Brown’s office is costing Auckland ratepayers nearly $10,000 a day to run with total annual expenditure for its second year up 8.3% and travel costs up a staggering 435%.
 
Auckland Councillor for Orakei Cameron Brewer requested the official information for the second year running. He says the Mayor is clearly not walking his talk of council constraint and cut-backs.
 
“He’s going around assuring people that he’s supposedly prudent, but his own office costs point to some worrying escalation in the past couple of years.
 
“The Mayor’s Office gives itself a pat on the back for supposedly coming under budget for the second year running, but it’s able to do this because the money it is allocated is way too excessive to start with.”
 
The Mayor’s Office is asking for $4,994,000* in the council’s latest draft budget, with public submissions closing tomorrow.
 
“He doesn’t need $4.9m but that’s what he’s asking for and no doubt it will help him come under budget again. He may keep coming under budget, but the stark reality is the costs to run the Mayor’s Office are on the rise, and substantially in parts. At the same time, he is cutting core council services like no longer mowing council-owned roadside grass verges in the old Auckland City area from 1 July.”
 
Actual total Mayoral Office expenditure was $3,507,000 for the 12 months to 1 November 2012 up 8.3% from $3,238,202 in the previous year, excluding his own remuneration.
 
In the same 12 months Mayoral Office travel expenditure increased from over $29,000 to $157,000 - an increase of 435% which excludes any costs associated with the Mayor’s car. The cost of salaries for his staff of over 20 people has gone up by 15.4% to over $2m, while the reported cost of cellphones and office telecommunications has gone up by 200% from over $7,900 to $23,800.
 
“This is not any ordinary office, this is a ratepayer-funded campaign machine and people wonder why no one’s prepared to stand against him and his army of advisors and consultants.”
 
Mr Brewer says if people are not happy with the Mayor’s increasing costs or the proposed $4.9m budget to run the Mayoral Office in election year, they need to have their say on the 2013/14 Draft Annual Plan by 4pm, tomorrow – Monday, 25 February.

ENDS

© Scoop Media

Scoop Business: Bathurst Gets Nod For DoC Access To Denniston Mine

Conservation Minister Nick Smith has approved access over conservation estate land for Bathurst Resources to develop an open cast coal mine on the Denniston Plateau, above Westport, to the dismay of environmental opponents.

The timing for Smith’s move avoids Bathurst having to resubmit applications for access agreements under the revised Crown Minerals Act, which comes into force tomorrow and would have required public consultation.

The announcement lands in the middle of delicate negotiations between the company, environmental groups and other interested parties that could pave the way to a broader agreement on the Escarpment proposal, whose resource consents are still subject to court appeals. More>>