MEDIA RELEASE

June 21, 2002

Makeover for City footpaths

Auckland City Council is to spend an extra half a million dollars upgrading footpaths.

Mayor John Banks says this is right and proper use of ratepayers money.

“When ratepayers pay their rates to the Auckland City Council they expect their money to be spent on the basics like footpaths, sewerage, transport and a decent rubbish system."

The council has agreed to include $500,000 in its budget to speed up the footpath maintenance programme. This is on top of a four-fold increase in the footpath maintenance budget in the past few years.

Mr Banks says that even though the council has already made a big commitment to upgrade footpaths, more has to be done," he says

“We need to address this problem right across the city and deal with some of the backlog of urgently needed upgrades.

“The only answer is more money – and today we voted them some more money. Ratepayers expect safe footpaths outside their homes and on the streets."

“I’m making sure this council spends its money on things that improve this city for all ratepayers."

Mr Banks says the council is planning to spend $ 1.6 billion dollars over the next 10 years on roads and footpaths, stormwater and sewerage, community facilities and the other things needed to get things needed to get Auckland "back on track".

He says the great thing about this is that this council is planning to do this without increasing the city's debt.

"Whichever way you look at it debt is a cost on rates, the more you put up debt the more you use up rates on repayments and interest and I have made it clear that will not happen under my council.

"Already this year Auckland City ratepayers are facing the lowest rate increase in the region and that is how it will continue."

ENDS

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