As you may have noticed, we haven’t been able to update the news portion of the website much recently, although we always maintain hope that next week we will get onto it!

We do frequently (most days) put up snippets on our Facebook page, which you are most welcome to check out. 

The Puketapapa Local Board held its first Business meeting last week, and we made some good progress on a number of key issues. A healthy crowd of around 80-100 people turned up for the start of the meeting.

Both Notices of Motion on the table came from Roskill Community Voice. First up was a motion about Monte Cecilia School and our wish for the hige costs of the project to be brought into the open, and for a full review of the project to occur. We weren’t quite able to convince our colleagues of that but we did get agreement to a compromise motion asking the Governing Body to enter into urgent discussions with us about the project, the alternatives, and the impact of the cost on other projects.

This is the first time that the Community or Local Board has decisively stood up to say that we should be listened to in the debate about Monte Cecilia, so we are happy with the outcome. We will be continuing to campaign for a just and sustainable outcome on this issue.

Another of our Motions on off-license liquor outlets was passed unanimously. In it we call for the governing body to consult on the possibility of a cap on the number of off-license outlets, and for decision making to be delegated down to the community level.

We also supported delegations from groups concerned about the future use of 3 Kings Quarry, who have a magnificent vision to turn it into open space centred on a lake, and residents concerned about Council plans to extend a carpark in Keith Hay Park.

A busy and successful first meeting.