May 2026: Chairperson's Report
- Jun 1
- 7 min read
April work across our parks and community facilities
May board business meeting: Chair's report
The following is a copy of my Chair's report I write for our monthly business meetings (this one being from 26 May 2026).
Purpose of the report
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
Items noted in this report are intended to be key highlights, not a full overview of all activity.
Our People
It was a real privilege to be part of the women’s wellbeing panel at the 'LIFTa Her' Pink
Ribbon event at Mairangi Arts Centre on 3 May 2026. LIFTa (Linking Intercultural
Families Through Action), is doing important work in our community supporting new
Chinese migrant families to build confidence and a sense of belonging. Their
programmes are practical and grounded - from their 'life course' supporting new migrants
to better understand local systems, schools, and community life; to a Kids Flea Market at
St Anne’s Hall that helps young people build confidence; to book clubs, and more. The
Lift A Her event created space for conversations about women’s wellbeing, identity, and
connection across cultures. The day continued with several other unique and fun
opportunities for women to connect and create, all while backing an important cause
supporting Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Foundation.
Our Community
Deputy Chairperson Law and I met with the Waitemata Acting Police Area Commander
on 4 May 2026. We updated him on a number of local issues which he will take back to
and remind the team of. Some more positive news was that there has been a 30 per cent
increase for retail crime resolution. He spoke about the Beat Team and how they operate
and noted that there were some site specific patches of fuel theft and the predominant
issue locally continues to be moderate levels of car theft and burglary. They are
supportive of any CCTV support that can be provided and applauded the Auckland
Transport (AT) safety officers stationed in transit hubs for being extremely helpful in
deterring anti-social behaviour.
Our Environment
On 20 May 2026 I met with Jenny Hanwell from Pest Free Hibiscus Coast (PFHC) and
team members from Wildlife Management International Ltd to share thoughts and
feedback about the PFHC Whangaparaoa Peninsula Elimination of Pests Feasibility
Assessment (2023). There have been significant changes, particularly in technology
advances since 2023. As they move into their next phase, they are attracting important
investment from national sources and there will continue to be important and strategic
ongoing funding from Hibiscus and Bays Local Board as they enter an advanced stage of
the project.
Our Places and Economy
On 30 April 2026 I met with the AT Browns Bay Town Centre Project manager, our AT
Elected Member Relationship Manager, and the Browns Bay Town Centre Manager to go
over final finishes for the project. Some final completion works are still to be done (e.g.,
zebra crossing line markings go down and then 6 weeks later get resealed to look bright
and long-wearing). We also identified opportunities to place back in bollards on the
beachfront side of Beachfront Lane to stop vehicles mounting the crossing entries to park
on the reserve; opportunity for a bike rack; pursuing the legal route we need to take to
make one car park outside Carolyn Eve on Clyde Road a loading zone; and opportunities
to re-colour the steel infrastructure in town. A vast majority of the 30 year old seats in
town are end-of-life and will be recycled and the few that are newer will be taken to our
council storage yard in our local board area to re-use in other projects.
The monthly meeting of the Browns Bay Business Association, that I am delegated to the
board of, was held on 12 May 2026. They had a number of relatively minor queries for
me to follow up on from a few different avenues.
Other
On 6 May 2026 Member Parfitt joined me at the Budget Committee where we presented
the local board feedback on the Annual Plan 2026/2027.
May board business meeting key reports to note
Auckland Council submission on the review of measures for shore-based shellfish harvesting in the Auckland Coromandel area
Executive summary
Fisheries New Zealand is reviewing how recreational shellfish harvesting is managed across the Auckland Coromandel area, with a focus on hard shore species (rocky reefs and rockpools) currently covered by the combined daily limit of 50 'all other' shellfish per person.
Four options were put forward, ranging from full intertidal closure (Options 1 and 3) to partial intertidal closure with species exceptions (Options 2 and 4). Council staff recommended Option 4 as the preferred position.
The local board did not agree with the staff recommendation and provided extensive feedback supporting Option 3 – a full intertidal closure within the defined closed area, combined with a reduced daily limit of 10 'all other' shellfish per person outside that area.
Why Option 3?
Our coastline – from Waiwera, across the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, to Campbells Bay – includes some of the most heavily accessed and over-harvested intertidal reefs in the Auckland region. Several parts of our local board area are already under temporary closure (Section 186A of the Fisheries Act 1996), and we've already seen the displacement effect this creates: harvesting pressure simply moves to nearby accessible areas.
Our key arguments for Option 3 over the staff-recommended Option 4:
Clarity drives compliance. A full closure within 200 metres of shore is a single, easily understood rule. Option 4's tiered exception list (allowing continued harvest of named species like kina and oysters, plus new limits for crabs, octopus, sea cucumber, shrimps and squid) creates complexity that's difficult to communicate – particularly to the many different cultural communities who use our coastline.
The status quo has failed. The 50-shellfish daily limit was set in 1993. Auckland's population has grown by over 40% since then, and shellfish populations on hard shores continue to decline. A partial closure doesn't represent a decisive enough break from the settings that have presided over those declines.
The 50-shellfish loophole. Retaining a limit of 50 for 'all other' shellfish just outside the closed area creates a direct displacement target, and an effectively unenforceable loophole – a harvester can simply claim their catch was taken outside the 200m boundary. Reducing this to 10 across the board, as Option 3 proposes, removes that loophole and acts as a genuine deterrent.
Octopus and crabs are not "subtidal." Option 4 proposes exempting these species on the basis that they're mainly subtidal and less vulnerable to shore-based harvest. On our coastline, that's not accurate – both are commonly found sheltering in rockpools and reef crevices directly accessible from shore.
Compliance resourcing is a real and current problem. We were direct with Fisheries New Zealand: there is currently no spare capacity in either the Honorary Fishery Officer network or full-time compliance staffing in the Auckland Coromandel area. Any new measures need a credible, jointly-funded compliance plan – not a one-off boost.
We also recommended that easily accessible outer islands (Rangitoto, Kawau) be considered for inclusion in the defined closure area now, rather than deferred, to avoid creating a displacement effect to those locations.
Recommendations
That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:
a) tuku / provide local board feedback on the Auckland Council submission on the review of measures for shore-based shellfish harvesting in the Auckland Coromandel area, supporting Option 3 as set out in the tabled feedback.
Auckland Council submission on the proposed National Regulations for Time of Use Charging Scheme
Executive summary
Following the Land Transport Management (Time of Use Charging) Amendment Act 2025 (in force November 2026), the Ministry of Transport has released proposed national regulations covering vehicle charging classes and a standard $70 penalty fee for non-payment. Consultation closes 25 June 2026.
The regulations don't set dollar charges – these will vary by scheme – but set the ratio between vehicle classes (e.g. trucks proposed at 4x the rate of a car).
Staff's draft (not yet politically endorsed) feedback raised concerns that the proposed national ratios are too rigid, particularly the 4.0 ratio for trucks, and recommended individual schemes be able to set their own ratios based on local conditions.
Recommendations
That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:
tuku / provide the following feedback on the proposed time of use charging regulations:
tautoko / support the differentiation of charges by vehicle type, as this encourages reduction of heavy vehicle types impacting roads
tuhi tīpoka / note that public transport buses and any related vehicles carrying public transport passengers should be exempt from the Time of Use Charges
tūtohu / recommend that rideshare and taxis carrying passengers be exempt from the Time of Use Charges
tautoko / support non-payment of a time of use charge being considered as an infringement offence to enable better compliance with road users
tautoko / support the proposed fixed infringement fee for unpaid trips
tuhi tīpoka / note that congestion charges should be as fair and minimal as possible to prevent economic burden on travellers, while balancing the provision of traffic reduction benefits
tautoko / support an effective scheme that is easy to use, efficient, and does not require extra time for users to operate
tūtohu / recommend a system that allows for Time of Use Charging discounts, or exemptions based on personal circumstances such as those unemployed or living with disabilities
tūtohu / recommend that rural commuters with no viable public transport alternatives be exempt from Time of Use Charges.
Local Grants Round Two, Local Economic and Business Grants, and Facilities Grants
Executive summary
The board considered 32 Local Grants Round Two applications (totalling $216,978.35 requested), 19 Facilities Grants applications ($488,394.08 requested), and 10 Local Economic and Business Grants applications ($119,845.55 requested), against a total community grants budget of $508,588 for 2025/2026.
Some highlights from this round
Local Grants Round Two – $85,781.92 allocated, including support for the Sir Peter Blake Marine Education and Recreation Centre (kayaks and paddles), Big Buddy Mentoring Trust, Youthline Auckland, the Rodney Aphasia Group, and Orewa College's native planting project.
Facilities Grants – $229,693.30 allocated. Big-ticket items included full funding for the Orewa Sea Scout Group's roof and ceiling repairs ($50,000), the Hibiscus Coast Raiders Rugby League and Sports Club's roof extension and deck ($37,370.72), and Whangaparāoa College's relocatable netball hoops ($20,000), alongside smaller grants to local sports clubs, the Estuary Arts Centre, and the Hibiscus Coast Youth Hub for bathroom renovations.
Local Economic and Business Grants – fully allocated across applications including Destination Orewa Beach's town compliance ambassador case study, the Hibiscus Mens Shed Trust's CNC router, and the Families Growth and Thrive Charitable Trust's Browns Bay Ethnic Business Engagement Project.
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