Connect and inspire P13 May 22, 2023
The Warehouse Warkworth P21-25
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Rural roundup P26-31
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Further delays in delivering on-demand buses A decision to pause spending $2.55 million on a three-year on-demand bus trial for Warkworth, Leigh and Sandspit was approved unanimously by Rodney Local Board last week. Warkworth members want to investigate whether at least some of that transport targeted rate money could be spent on improving unsealed roads, and if the bus trial could be provided or funded by
alternative means. The move to reconsider how the money might be spent was prompted by the exceptional floods and storms from January onwards, which left many rural roads wrecked and some communities isolated. Warkworth board members Ivan Wagstaff and Michelle Carmichael and Kumeu member Geoff Upson led the initial charge to see if targeted rate money not yet
spent could be reallocated to benefit more residents over a wider area. Bureaucratic procedural issues saw two separate attempts to discuss the issue at meetings straight after the storms thwarted (MM, Mar 13 and 27), but following a workshop in March, a report was compiled and presented by Auckland Transport (AT) at the board meeting last week. AT programme director Jeremy Pellow
said there was a $50 million flood recovery budget for Rodney being sought from Waka Kotahi, but AT would certainly consider using board funding for unsealed road improvement, although details and process would need to be considered – members couldn’t just “pick favourites”. Originally, board members were recommended simply either to cancel continued page 2
Auckland Transport disputes slip responsibility
It is not the first time the bank in Whitaker Road has slipped onto the road.
A Warkworth couple is at their wit’s end trying to motivate Auckland Transport (AT) to fix an eroding bank on their boundary, which they say is owned by AT. However, AT says it is not their problem. During heavy rain earlier this month, part of the bank in front of Jo and Matt Wildermoth’s home collapsed, taking their gardening shed and equipment with it, and blocking one lane of Whitaker Road for several hours. Jo says the slip was no surprise. “We first brought the instability of the bank to AT’s attention seven years ago and a similar slip happened three years ago,” she says. The couple is asking AT to continue the gabion wall that already protects neighbouring properties. “Plenty of council people have been to inspect it, but they go away and nothing is done. “We spent thousands of dollars putting continued page 3
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