KEY POINTS:
Auckland City's fast-forward footpath renewal programme is slowing by $7.6 million next year under the new council's rates containment drive.
The city's transport committee voted yesterday to cut its footpath upgrades budget from $32 million to $24.4 million to help cap the average rates rise at 4.8 per cent - the council's estimate of its inflation costs.
Committee chairman Ken Baguley indicated it was only a temporary ease-up, as capital spending on footpaths would go above $32 million in 2009-10.
He said if the council approved a $60 million list of spending cuts or deferrals passed by his committee yesterday, it would still end up spending $175 million on transport capital projects next year.
But minority City Vision councillors warned of dire electoral consequences if the new council scrimped on such a basic item as footpaths.
"If you are over the age of 60, it is very difficult to walk down our footpaths," said Cathy Casey.
The most that many residents expected from the council was an efficient rubbish collection and the ability "to walk down the streets without falling over".
At issue is a $83 million programme that was introduced in 2006 by the previous council to replace all of the city's worst two classifications of footpaths over 10 years, and 25 per cent of those in average condition on a five-point scale.
That is on top of the council's standard footpath renewals programme, on which $16.7 million will be spent in 2009-10.
Dr Casey said the idea was to catch up on deteriorating footpaths, which she described as appalling, but that would become harder under a reduced budget.
But acting transport general manager Don Munro said there would be no interruption to footpath replacements in the two worst categories.
Mr Baguley said hundreds of metres of footpaths in adequate condition near his Remuera home had been replaced, just because they did not conform with the council's new standard black-chip design.
He wondered if more could be achieved by reducing a required design life of 50 years.
Councillor Glenda Fryer said she would be outraged if good footpaths in Remuera were being dug up while "all the crappy ones" in her Eden-Albert ward were left unattended.
Mr Munro said all footpaths were assessed before being upgraded, but that had to be done on a block-by-block basis, "otherwise we end up with a patchwork".
Independent councillor Denise Roche of Waiheke Island said the council risked damaging its reputation and discouraging people from walking instead of driving.
