Both men have pleaded not guilty and are defending the charges.
The charges carry a potential maximum sentence of seven years in prison and are being prosecuted by Auckland crown solicitor Brian Dickey.
The offending is alleged to have taken place between 2005 and 2013, involving Noone being paid $1,187,080. Borlase's additional charges of dishonestly using a document relate to the alleged creation of $320,000 in false invoices. The duo were charged in 2015 alongside Barrie George, Noone's subordinate at both Rodney District Council and Auckland Transport.
Barrie was sentenced to 10 months home detention earlier this month after pleading guilty to two charges of accepting bribes.
According to the agreed summary of facts presented at the High Court at Auckland, George admitted receiving $103,580 from Borlase, including liquor and overseas holiday packages for himself and his family.
The summary of facts described a culture of gratuities and fraternisation among council staff and contractors, with the latter said to regularly pay for travel and entertainment for RDC staff and, later, following the Super City amalgamation, those at Auckland Transport.
The charges are a rare insight into alleged corruption in the NZ public service, which has consistently been rated one of the worlds' least-corrupt jurisdictions by lobby group Transparency International.
A representative for the Serious Fraud Office said the area was a "growing focus" for investigation.
"We investigate crimes that could undermine confidence in the public sector or are of significant public interest.
"The issue of corruption, globally and in New Zealand, has definitely gathered momentum," the representative said.
The judge-alone trial, before Justice Sally Fitzgerald, is set down for seven weeks.