April 2025: Chairperson's Report
- alexispoppelbaum
- May 1
- 9 min read
Updated: 13 hours ago
April board business meeting: Chair's report
Purpose of the report
1. To receive the chairperson’s update on recent activities of the chairperson, itemised by outcomes in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2023.
Executive summary
2. Items noted in this report are intended to be key highlights, not a full overview of all activity.
Our People
3. Elected members G Brown, J Parfitt, V Short and G Walden and I attended the local board’s Annual Plan consultation ‘have your say’ event at East Coast Bays Library on Saturday 22 March. There were several people eager to discuss an array of issues not necessarily related to the Annual Plan. To me, this reinforced the need for and importance of the local board continuing to host informal catch-up events so that we are available to talk with and assist local residents. Thank you to our Engagement Advisor for all her hard work in organising and setting up these events for us.
4. I was invited to speak at the 60’s Up Movement Whangaparāoa group at their 16 April meeting. Around 80 people attended and it was a good opportunity to explain what the structure of Auckland Council, what the local board do, interesting projects we fund, as well as discussing some hot topics in the community (such as refuse bin changes, Ōrewa Beach Reserve consultation).
Our Community
5. North Harbour Stadium and Domain Precinct Working Group: The Chairs and Deputies of the Hibiscus & Bays and Upper Harbour Local Boards (‘Steering Group’) have been tasked with co-leading a locally led working group to change the operational management of the stadium and to develop the future pathway forward for North Harbour Stadium (as per the Budget Committee and Governing Body Long Term Plan resolutions). Updates since my March 2025 report include:
• Stage One update: On 28 February 2025 the Expression of Interest process to identify a new operator of North Harbour Stadium closed and submissions from parties are still being reviewed by an evaluation panel made up of local board, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited (TAU) and local and independent representatives. The panel has sought further information and so our goal of having a potential operate in place by mid-2025 has been delayed slightly in order for the panel to seek this further advice. A recommendation will be made to the TAU Board to approve entering into negotiations if a preferred operator is identified.
• Stage Two update: This work will look into the long-term future governance, management, ownership, operations and funding for the stadium and precinct. This project has been scoped to clarify the outputs. Our local board and the Upper Harbour Local Board consulted on local contributions to this work in our Annual Plan 2025/2026 which we will be discussing in due course.
6. On Friday 4 April it was a pleasure to help open the 11th Hibiscus and Bays Art Awards at Estuary Arts Centre. There was an array of artists from our local board area and further afar, and an array of stunning work on display. The Chairman of the board expressed interest in talking with the local board about a number of matters which they will be coming to a business meeting to discuss.
7. On Saturday 12 April member S Mills and I attended the production of The Little Mermaid (Junior) at Centrestage Theatre. It was a brilliant show, showcasing the talent and passion of local youth.
Environment
On 10 April Restore Hibiscus and Bays hosted a ‘walk and talk’ event at Centennial Park for interested members of the public. It was informative, and a range of people attended (both in ages and geographical location). It’s hoped that they will do more of these events to help promote and showcase the wonderful treasures we have in our local board area, as well as attract more volunteers to local projects.
Our Places and Our Economy
On 23 April, on consultation with board members, I followed up with Auckland Transport regarding a new project they brought to the attention of the local board at our 15 April workshop. Local board members at the workshop noted a range of concerns relating to the project (T2/freight lane and other proposals relating to Hibiscus Coast Highway) and these were reiterated in writing, as well as well as a recommendation that Auckland Transport do not proceed to public consultation without a range of necessary data modelling being undertaken and noting that it would be preferable for that modelling work to come to the local board first.
April board business meeting key reports to note
Public feedback on proposal to amend dog policy and bylaw
Some proposals in the bylaw related to Long Bay Regional Park and Shakespear Regional Park.
Resolutions
Resolution number HB/2025/37
MOVED by Chairperson A Poppelbaum, seconded by Deputy Chairperson G Brown:
That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:
a) whiwhi / receive the public feedback from people in the local board area to the Governing Body proposal to amend matters of regional significance in the Auckland Council Kaupapa mo ngā Kurī | Policy on Dogs 2019 and Ture a Rohe Tiakina Kurī | Dog Management Bylaw 2019 in the agenda report.
b) whakamihi / thank the 733 Hibiscus and Bays Local board residents and the four organisations for their feedback on this consultation.
c) tuku / provide the following views on how the Governing Body Dog Policy and Bylaw Panel should address public feedback to the proposal in (a) to assist the Panel in its deliberations:
Proposal 1: Limit the number of dogs walked
i) do not support the proposal as it currently stands to limit the number of dogs walked, noting that the matter is more nuanced than a blanket rule like this.
ii) Consider that a problem definition needs to be clearly communicated to better define the problem that exists, and then options considered alongside key stakeholders (e.g. looking at what other jurisdictions do that they have found successful)
iii) note the mixed support from local submitters (41 per cent in favour, 57 per cent opposed)
Proposal 4: Long Bay Regional Park
iv) do not support this proposal at this time given there was a lack of public support (only 36 per cent of submitters were in favour, with 58 per cent opposed).
v) note that local feedback raised the issue that there is a lack of dog walking options in the surrounding suburbs, and provided the sand isn’t too hot, the loss of dog walking during the day on Long Bay beach would be extremely limiting.
vi) consider that there is further work that needs to take place to address offleash dog walking provisions in suburbs around this area before we look to consider this proposal again in the future.
Proposal 7: Shakespear Regional Park
vii) support this proposal, noting that 49 per cent of local submitters were in favour with 41 per cent opposed.
viii) note that a lot of the opposing feedback received related to the proposed on-leash time and season rule to the open grass areas between Army bay and Okoromai Bay. Hibiscus and Bays Local Board 29 April 2025 Minutes Page 7 Proposal 13A-13J: Restructure and clarification of the policy
ix) support all proposals from 13A through to 13J noting the strong support from local submitters. x) note that additional feedback provided in responses related to the lack of enforcement of the bylaw, and the lack of clear information for dog walkers on what the rules are in each park, reserve or beach.
xi) Request that increased resources are allocated to improve bylaw enforcement alongside this policy refresh.
d) kopou / appoint the local board chairperson and the deputy chairperson to present the local board views to the Governing Body Dog Policy and Bylaw Panel.
e) tāpae / delegate authority to the local board chair to appoint a replacement to any appointed member under clause c) of this resolution who is unable to present to the Panel.
CARRIED
Hibiscus and Bays Play Plan 2025
What the play plan is all about
We are pleased to present the Hibiscus and Bays Play Plan 2025 - a first for the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. This play plan will help guide future investment in unique play opportunities for our community. It was adopted at our April 2025 business meeting.
Nearly one in five people in our local board area are under the age of 15 years old. We know there is more we can do to activate our parks and open spaces to encourage fun play opportunities that aren’t the typical playground development. These can be unique natural structures that encourage fine motor skills, balance, or creative opportunities to play.
Once you start looking for it, you notice it everywhere – young people make their own fun in our open spaces by climbing trees, swinging on bike racks, or balancing on retaining walls. Play doesn’t always have to look like a playground. It can sometimes be as simple as adding interactive footpaths, storyboards, or fairy doors in parks. This plan doesn’t seek to replace our neighbourhood playground work, but rather to complement it by growing more play opportunities in more places.
Prior to the publishing of this plan, we had already been working hard on new opportunities to hear directly from our young people and have them design play spaces in our community. Our Kids Panel pilot started in 2024 with three schools who have helped contribute towards play ideas for Mairangi Bay Beach Reserve.
Play isn’t just for young people though. This plan ensures we’re thinking of active opportunities for older people and for parents and grandparents to play together with their young people.
Our play plan compliments and builds on the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2023 which outlines our commitment to ensuring that there is nowhere better than our local parks and reserves for a picnic, a sports game or meeting friends; and that our parks and open spaces create more opportunities and connections for all to recreate and play.
To deliver on this we need to be innovative and open to new ways of delivering these outcomes. Many of the opportunities identified in this plan shouldn’t require intensive project management or large amounts of capital funding, which enables us to deliver more.
Thank you to those who contributed to the creation of this plan. We are very excited to deliver some new and innovative play opportunities soon.
East Coast Bays Community Centre – approval of developed design to refurbish building
What the upgrades will entail (from the press release)
The design for an extensive upgrade of the East Coast Bays Community Centre has got the green light from the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board, and construction will start later this year.
The fifty-year-old building located at the Village Green in Browns Bay, is home to Heart of the Bays, Plunket, the Citizens Advice Bureau, the local board office, and hosts a wide range of community activities.
Board chair Alexis Poppelbaum says the board is funding the work as it’s essential to bring the building up to standard and make it safe for the community.
"The community centre is a place where people come together, and it offers a wide range of services and spaces that really help build a strong sense of community.
“This project focuses on making important, long-term upgrades to the building so that everyone can keep enjoying it for cultural activities, art, events and recreation for years to come."
The centre was assessed as requiring additional structural strengthening following the completion of a detailed seismic assessment. The joinery is old and most of the centre’s windows have been sealed shut.
A survey found asbestos materials throughout the building, including in ceilings, gutters, façade panels, and the roof. Construction will include structural upgrades, new joinery and windows, and asbestos removal.
Poppelbaum says, “Removing the asbestos now sets up the centre for long term use as it means easier maintenance and no roadblocks for future upgrades. Replacing the windows across all three levels will make the building fully operational for our community."
The comprehensive upgrade of $7.7 million uses the centre’s existing footprint and includes:
a main entrance with a central reception
connecting the CAB with the rest of the building
a separate Plunket Clinic with a designated toilet
safety improvements across the building
an improved layout and access to the lift, toilets, kitchens and meeting rooms
a lift upgrade
accessible storage space
air conditioning/ heating and ventilation.
The fitout also includes new flooring, ceilings, lighting, kitchen cabinets, interior doors, painting, a glass wall for the meeting room and new roof on the three-storey building.
Poppelbaum says the local board and community would like the back of the community centre to better connect with the library, leisure centre, seniors' hall, and community crèche.
"These groups are already working together and supporting each other, so it just makes sense to improve the connections between them and the centre. This can be explored more in the next phase of the design,” she says.
Council staff will stay in touch with everyone onsite throughout the project and help sort out temporary accommodation while construction is happening.
The next steps are to consult with the community and iwi on the final designs before progressing to building consents, procurement, and construction.
Construction is expected to take 15 months and start in October 2025 but does depend on consent and tender processes.
Annual Plan 2025/2026: local board consultation feedback and input to regional topics
Our Annual Plan feedback to the Governing Body was presented to them on 14 May 2025. Our advocacy points related to North Harbour Stadium (stage 2 work) and transport needs in our community.
Anzac Day in Browns Bay
It was such an honour to lead the civic ceremony for Browns Bay this year. It got a little wet and windy towards the end!
