Rodney gets good value, ARC retorts

The Auckland Regional Council says it gives Rodney District ratepayers more than their money's worth, and doubts estimates of $3 million a year in savings if the council takes over the ARC's work in its area.

Christine Rose, who represents Rodney on the ARC, questioned yesterday the value of the district council's proposal to stay out of the Super City and take on ARC functions within Rodney.

In its submission to Parliament's select committee on Auckland governance, the district council will to be left out of the Super City. It estimates it could save $3 million to $4.9 million a year by the move.

But Mrs Rose recalled that Rodney had already explored breaking away from the ARC.

"It quietly gave up in the face of an objective report which showed that for every $1 Rodney contributes to the regional rate, up to $3 of benefits are received.

"Since that 2004 report, the ARC has embarked on a $3 million Mahurangi action plan and a Whangateau action plan, acquired five regional parks in Rodney and extended public transport and infrastructure."

Mrs Rose said there was no reason the investment should not continue when all Auckland councils merged into a single authority as a Super City.

The ARC says the $11.2 million it levies Rodney ratepayers a year is 6.7 per cent of its regional rates take.

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster said the 2004 report gave a wrong picture of benefits, because it assumed Rodney had to take on the ARC's debt and did not take into account that Rodney was already doing some regional functions, such as harbour control and stream clearance.

Mrs Webster said her council's new estimates excluded the eight regional parks in Rodney because they would be owned by the proposed Auckland Council.

But the savings included $1.8 million now paid annually to the ARC for the parks.

Rodney preferred to put this money into upgrading roads leading to parks, which were for the benefit of the wider Auckland community.