Councillors' last spend | Auckland News | Local News in Auckland

The Aucklander finds our dying councils are on a spree - and the official watchdog is ticking off their fire sale, writes Edward Rooney.

Jeff Cook is waiting for his burger and chips outside the Kaukapapa store. "What we need," says the 50-year-old, matter of factly, "is decent shops and a petrol station."

Mr Cook is a weed spraying contractor who has lived in the rural area northwest of Auckland for 30-plus years. He find it ludicrous that village residents must drive to Helensville or Wellsford for petrol.

He nods at the tatty exterior of the store and, alongside, where the petrol station once had pumps. "These are Second World War times, these shops."

It appears there is a suitable site and we walk with Mr Cook to take a look. Local publican Gary Muir has been leasing a large section next door to the Kaukapakapa Hotel for a few years. Even he can see the merit in putting in new shops, with a common green area set aside.

Rodney District Council owns the 8000sq m property at 1079 Kaipara Coast Highway. It's valued at $245,000.

Locals belieive it's worth much more than that to a community desperately needing a village centre. That was the council's intent for the land - and an independent planner agreed.

But the property is just one of dozens the district council is selling in a spree that would leave an auctioneer lost for words.

The council has even set up a separate company, Rodney Properties Ltd, to offload the properties as efficiently as possible. The council says proceeds will be used to pay off district debt.

A half-yearly report says: "The board is very pleased with progress to date, particularly in light of the continuing difficult market conditions. As at 31 December 2009, 10 properties had been settled, contracted and/or were subject to fulfilment of sale conditions.

"In addition, a further 13 properties were being actively marketed. This translated to $5,709,000 cash received following settlements, as well as $15,325,000 due following
completion [of contracts] and/or condition satisfaction.

"The calendar year has started well with active marketing continuing on 3 properties and commencing marketing on 10 new properties. A number of others are being readied for sale."

In the extensive portfolio is the Kaukapakapa paddock. Says another resident, who declines to be named: "It doesn't seem worth the council selling it when its potential is worth so much more to the Kaukapakapa community."

The Kaukapakapa case is one of dozens being flogged off before the new Auckland Council is installed.

This is happening across the region.

Last week, The Aucklander revealed North Shore City Council is selling 3.8ha of commercial land in Albany.

Contrary to the council's written policy of using such proceeds for retiring debt, North Shore has decided on a list of projects for the windfall, which could amount to $14 million.

The bulk of the spending will go into its Harbour ward.

This includes funds for the Highbury Centre upgrade, a new civic square in Beach Haven, new accommodation for a community co-ordinator, sand replenishment at Little Shoal Bay and an upgrade for ActiveZone.

It appears residents and community boards in other areas of the Shore are fuming about the spruce-up for the Harbour area.

City councillor Chris Darby describes the spend as "a lamentable lolly scramble" and has asked the overarching Auckland Transition Agency to review the situation.

Rob Fisher, the agency's legal adviser, has responded that it was aware of the implications of the sale and use of the proceeds but it is outside the conditions under which the agency can decline decisions.

Meanwhile, Auckland City Council is spending $15 million buying, demolishing and rebuilding elsewhere an entirely adequate primary school in Mt Roskill.

The New Zealand Herald points out this is so that a little-known park which has become a council pet project might have a better frontage to Hillsborough Rd.

Further, the Monte Cecilia Park spree has a second phase in which up to $10 million more will go on buying and demolishing a village for the elderly.

The Herald describes the spend-up at Mt Roskill as "a serious misuse of public funds".

Back in the northwest of the region, the citizens of Kaukapakapa already realise their hopes of a village common and decent shops are falling through their hands like Kaipara sand.