Howick Community Leaders Declare Independence from Manukau

A group of councillors, community board members and elected local board members of the new Howick Local Board have signed a declaration of independence from Manukau City 18 days ahead of the establishment of the new Howick Local Board.

The declaration is a protest against Manukau City Council’s attempt to demolish a building in the Emilia Maud Nixon Garden of Memories, against the wishes of the Howick Community Board, in the intervening period between the election (9 October) and swearing in (4 November) of the new Howick Local Board, which will be responsible for making all of Howick’s local decisions.

Eight out of nine newly elected Howick Local Board Members have asked Mayor Brown and the CEO’s of Manukau City Council, the ATA and the Auckland Council to postpone a sod-turning ceremony, scheduled for Tuesday 8am, for the controversial Garden of Memories rebuild project so that the matter can be brought before the new Howick Local Board.

They are cynical about the timing of the ground-breaking and the demolition which is planned immediately following the ground-breaking.

The elected members want the opportunity to review the project on the basis that it is inappropriate to build a 40 square metre two-storey building with a lift and a 60 square metre disabled ramp which they say destroys an historic garden pathway.

The board wishes to consider alternatives including repairing the existing fire damaged single storey building, previously a popular place for schools to visit for Maori cultural education, so that it is open before school starts next year and building a proper facility adjacent to the Howick Historic Village which would not only cater for whole busloads of children but also add to the tourist potential of the area alongside the Historic Village, Chinatown and Botany Town Centre.

Manukau City Councillor and newly elected Howick Local Board Member Michael Williams says that Manukau City Council has bungled the project which has dragged on for six years since a fire caused superficial damage. He says that the project been has so been stalled due to community discontent and the Council’s complete disregard for the community’s wishes.

“It should have been repaired within six months, not six years” says Williams, “We now want the project handed over to the Local Board as has been requested by the outgoing Howick Community Board.”

As well as repairing the whare, the Local Board members wish to consider reintroducing the friendship bridge and a model settlers’ cottage which once, with the whare, symbolised a partnership between Maori and Settlers. The bridge and settlers cottages were previously removed by Manukau City Council.

“We see this as an opportunity for Len Brown to do what he has said time and again he would do: allow Local Boards to make local decisions.” says Williams, “Local Board Members across the Auckland Region will see this as the first test of his resolve to support local decision-making.”

The group Keep Howick Historic has asked for permission from the Howick Community Board to run an “Historic Festival” at the Garden of Memories to run until the new Local Board is sworn in. Members will be on site to collect signatures to the declaration of independence of Howick from Manukau City and members of the public are requested to visit to support the cause. The Chairman of the Community Board has asked Manukau City Council not to conduct any work on the site for the duration of the festival.

ENDS

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