devonportflagstaff.co.nz
August 1, 2025
Rates arrears climb sharply... p2
Peninsula primary schools cross-country... p8-9
Interview: Departing grocer John Ashton... p14-15
Local service cuts mooted as funding rejig bites Cuts to local services – ranging from reduced library hours to fewer grants for community groups and higher fees for public venue use – are again on the council agenda. The Devonport-Takapuna Local Board (DTLB) faces a $460,000 reduction in its $1.7 million budget for the 2026-27 year. Auckland Council staff last week present-
ed board members with options for finding savings or reducing spending, including: • Cuts in library and pool hours. • Reducing community grants. • Reviewing funding for environmental groups, in particular. • Reduced cleaning and bin emptying in town centres such as Devonport.
• Mowing less frequently in parks and turning reserve gardens into bush. • Hiked fees for commercial park use. The DTLB is one of seven of the region’s 21 boards that will be worse off under the “fairer funding” model council has agreed to redistribute central funding. To page 2
Future bright for Shore as under-21s match premiers’ triumph
More glory... North Shore Rugby Club’s under-21s won their North Harbour final last Saturday, following up on the club’s third consecutive premiership the previous week. Full story in our 16-page liftout, inside.