Paula Gillon
Labour Candidate for Northcote

21 October 2010

Valued Community Volunteers Threatened By Council

Two disturbing issues were brought to light at the monthly meeting of the Shepherds Park Management Committee held last night. The first was that after twenty years of voluntary work within the park a new council contractor would be brought in to undertake much of the work that the volunteers currently do for free.

Paula Gillon, Labour Candidate for Northcote and member of the Shepherds Park Management Committee said the following:

“I was shocked. For twenty years ratepayers have been saved thousands of dollars annually through the hard work and dedication of this group of volunteers. Every weekend these volunteers have been out in the park weeding, fixing paths, planting, pruning, collecting rubbish, and much much more. Now, in a time of recession where every dollar counts, the new council appears to have decided to throw money at a problem which doesn’t exist. Instead the Council should be supporting our volunteers and encouraging more people to volunteer in the park in order to save ratepayers money and foster better community relations”.

The second issue was a heavy-handed letter from the Council warning of potential disbanding of this valued community volunteer group. The members were threatened that if any further coprosma were to be removed from the park then the committee would be fined and potentially disestablished.

Paula said: “This is such a despicable way to treat a volunteer group which just last month received a civic award as part of the Green Restoration Network. A volunteer had removed some coprosma in an effort to tidy up the park, not knowing that as a native plant this required resource consent. Instead of the Council Officers acting in a mature manner and discussing the issue with the Committee and finding a solution, a threatening letter was sent. I felt that this was completely inappropriate, over the top and downright nasty.

“From these two issues the Committee is now worried that corporate Auckland doesn’t want volunteers working in our parks. Considering that the maintenance contract appears to have been let and the letter sent during the time between the disestablishment of the old Council and beginning of the new, I’m inclined to agree. It also makes me wonder who’s next? For the sake of fiscal responsibility and community spirit we need to support and save our volunteer groups.”

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