Press release from Hamish Stevens and Lyn Murphy

26 September 2009

East Auckland Must Unite

Howick Community Board members Hamish Stevens and Lyn Murphy have come out in full support of a combined East Auckland Community Council under the new super city structure.

Mr Stevens and Mrs Murphy favour a community council combining the areas of Pakuranga, Howick, Botany, and Flatbush represented by at least nine elected members. Mr Stevens said that this would provide a strong local voice for the area and ensure East Auckland has more say over its own affairs than it has had under Manukau City Council.

Mrs Murphy agreed that there are a number of options for community council boundaries in East Auckland and that each has advantages and disadvantages. “But on balance, the one most likely to serve communities the best is a united East Auckland council”. “The benefits include local decisions being made locally, greater influence in Auckland, better planning for East Auckland transport initiatives, and more effective use of shared recreational and cultural facilities”

“Two good examples are: Lloyd Elsmore Park which is used by residents from all over East Auckland and will be more effectively managed by a combined East Auckland body, and the proposed Eastern highway corridor that will serve all East Auckland communities.

Mr Stevens said that if the East Auckland community council had nine representatives, he would prefer three being elected form each of the Pakuranga, Howick, and Botany areas so that there is still strong community representation.

“We really need to avoid the situation we have under Manukau City, where the communities of East Auckland are effectively ignored. A combined East Auckland community council will have over 120,000 residents and be a strong voice in the Auckland region”

Mrs Murphy said that Peoples Choice and the Citizens & Ratepayers Association will be canvassing local opinion through a survey to households and encouraged all residents to have a say. “The structure we end up with next October will have a profound influence on the direction of East Auckland for many years”

Mr Stevens, who is also Chairman of the East Auckland Citizens & Ratepayers branch confirmed that C&R will be contesting all city council seats and community council positions in East Auckland in October 2010. “We will have a strong group of candidates and all will be selected from our local communities”.

ENDS

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