22 November 2004

Hubbard opens mayoral door

Mayor Dick Hubbard is opening the Mayoral door with the introduction of ‘Hubbard at the Hall’ – a chance for Aucklanders to get face-to-face with their new Mayor.

Mayor Hubbard will hold monthly sessions at the Town Hall on a Saturday morning between 9.30am – 11.30am, starting this weekend. The open mornings are believed to be a first for an Auckland mayor.

“I made a promise to Aucklanders to be as accessible as possible. I see this as an opportunity for me to hear their concerns and then act accordingly,” says Mayor Hubbard. “It will allow me to keep my ear to the ground and make a difference.”

Each session will be 12 minutes and appointments can be made through the Mayoral Office. As much action as possible will be taken on an issue at the time of the session. However, council staff will accompany the mayor to follow up on any actions required.

The mayor emphasised that this is one of many opportunities for residents and ratepayers to raise issues with the council.

“All Aucklanders have the opportunity to raise concerns with community boards, through councillors and through our annual plan process. These sessions are another way of ensuring we create opportunities for people to be heard,” he says.

The first Hubbard at the Hall sessions (27 November) are fully booked. To make a booking for a future session call the Mayoral Office on (09) 307 7585. Hubbard at the Hall will continue on a monthly basis during 2005.

ENDS

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