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Senior officers at Auckland City are understood to have outlined an $18 million cost blowout to the troubled Queen St upgrade and other central city projects in a "confidential" report to councillors.
The Herald understands that rising costs and improvements to a number of projects still to be started have risen from about $26 million to $44 million, according to a report going to the urban strategy and governance committee on Friday. This takes the total cost of central city projects to about $160 million.
The officer in charge of the central city upgrade, Jo Wiggins, has told councillors in an "open" report that estimates for the final stage for Queen St from Mayoral Drive to Karangahape Rd were greater than the budget. The Queen St project has already blown out from $23.4 million to $41 million.
In the open report, Ms Wiggins also hinted at rising costs for upgrades to St Patrick's Square, Victoria St and Albert St.
Ms Wiggins, backed by two of the most senior council officers, planning general manager John Duthie and arts, community and recreation general manager Dr Jill McPherson, decided to put the figures of the latest cost increases in a separate confidential report.
Dick Hubbard, who promised voters openness, transparency and accountability when he became mayor, said he had not read the agenda items and could not say if the figures should be in the public arena.
Mayoral candidate John Banks said there were times when confidentiality was necessary but generally there was no place for secret meetings. "The public have a right to know about their rates and the cost of everything."
In a letter to 50,000 households this week, Mr Banks criticised the council for the number of confidential meetings.
Last week the council announced that an upgrade of the Greenlane intersection with the Southern Motorway had blown out to $26 million.
