Media Release
City Vision-Labour Councillors - Auckland City Council
For Immediate Release
16 June 2010

Auckland Transition Authority Must Reject Council Spend-Up On Monte Cecilia

The decision by the Auckland Transition Authority (ATA) to reduce the $14 spending plans of North Shore City Council by almost $5million because the public was not consulted has implications for the Auckland City Council’s recent $25million purchase of land from the Catholic Diocese which evicts Monte Cecilia School, say City Vision Councillors Glenda Fryer and Cathy Casey
Councillor Fryer has written to the Auckland Transition Authority requesting that in light of the ATA’s North Shore City Council decision, they do not approve Auckland City Council’s last minute $25 million spend-up on purchasing the Monte Cecilia School and Liston Village land in Hillsborough.

Says Cr Fryer “Auckland City Council has never consulted the public through any process regarding the removal of this historic and much loved school from its site in Hillsborough. To be consistent in its decision making, surely the ATA has no option but to extend a lifeline to pupils, teachers and the school community. In so doing, the new Auckland Council can initiate consultation in 2011 on the proposed land purchase if indeed they support this as a priority matter.”

Says Cr Cathy Casey “If the North Shore City Council projects contravene the Local Government Act through lack of consultation as has been indicated, then the same must apply to the fast-tracked Auckland City Council decision to close the Monte Cecilia School and relocate it at a cost of $25 million. There has been no consultation with affected parties. The ATA needs to be consistent and rein in this Auckland City Council election year spend-up.”

ENDS

© Scoop Media