A copy of my letter emailed to the Mayor of Auckland and all Auckland councillors condemning today's $1.

75 million raid on the budget of one of the poorest local board areas. What an appalling day for local democracy. Colleagues This email outlines my thoughts on behalf of the Manurewa Local Board following the Strategy and Finance Committees decision (by a single vote) to endorse today an amendment in the name of Councillor Alf Filipaina. The Manurewa Local Board previously approved its draft Long Term Plan 2012-22 budget for the negotiation between the Board and the Governing Body. Manurewa, like every other local board, made difficult and painful decisions regarding capital and operating budgets that would either be reduced or cancelled. Items that we excluded include operational funding for the Botanic Festival and the Southside Gig events. We also made the decision to cut funding from Parks, Leisure and Recreational Services, and Local Community Centres. We effectively canned funding for the development of Laurie Gibbons Reserve, thus cancelling a strategy for better facilities for young people in Clendon (Clendon of all places!). We took the decision to reduce operating funding for community facilities (we operate facilities in Randwick Park, Clendon, Weymouth, Wiri, and Manurewa West). We also deferred much needed repairs to the roof of the Manurewa Recreation Centre (it is woefully inadequate, but we have to live within our means). In total we have cut around $9 million from the budget of one of the biggest and poorest communities in Auckland. The Manurewa Local Board stands by those decisions. We will be held to account for them. We will be judged by our constituents. The Boards target budget is $117,384,728 over the life of the 10-year plan. That is not a huge sum given the size of our community as well as the 10-year timeframe. But we accepted that position, and we have worked very hard to live within that envelope. We have tried to preserving funding to develop Riverton reserve in Randwick Park, redevelop the Netball Manurewa Centre in Browns Road, and complete works to build new fields and associated facilities at Mountfort Park. I hasten to add that none of this represents gold platting. For example the Riverton Reserve is poorly drained rolled grass. The Netball Manurewa Centre is barely building code compliant. Before todays vote Manurewa was approximately $80,000 away from achieving a balanced budget. Due to the Filipaina amendment, Manurewa is now more than $1.8 million in the financial cactus. I say to Cllrs Filipaina, Anae, Casey, Coney, Goudie, Hartley, Hulse, Lee, Northey, and Wayne Walker, what you have done today is take precious funding away from one of the poorest communities in Auckland. Before today Manurewa was 19 out of 21 in terms of the level of operating funding per head of population. With decisions such as the one you have taken, who cares about a $350 UAGC or a concession over a public swimming pool. Such policy concessions mean precious little when the Manurewa Local Board now has to go and reconsider what further funding cuts it will have to make. I want to place on record the Boards unwavering commitment throughout this entire process to act in good faith. We have been sceptical, inquisitive, and we have demanded assurance after assurance from officers that the decisions we take are based on correct budget mapping. I count five meetings with finance staff (not including a meeting with the Chief Financial Officer, Andrew McKenzie), two formal business meetings, and the Boards negotiation with the Governing Body. We have pushed and pushed on information about renewals, contributions, capex and opex scenarios, and budget

mapping. The Manurewa Local Board has (a) acted on the presumption that we have been provided with the best information possible, and (b) our decisions were appropriate given the budget mapping that has taken place previously. I have requested the opportunity to make a deputation to the full council meeting in June. I think that request is appropriate given the significance of the decision taken today. My final comment is to my Local Board chair colleagues. In my view an assault on one boards budget is an assault on us all. I would ask for your support, good-will and best wishes at this very difficult time. Regards Daniel