Damian Light

This coming week:
📅Thursday Howick Local Board meeting
📅Friday Road Safety Forum, Howick Youth Council Annual Review, Howick Village Christmas Fair

Unfortunately due to poor weather, our planned Stockade Hill Christmas Tree lighting did not go ahead. Look out for an update on the alternative date.

Sat afternoon we attended Howick Youth Council’s Junior Youth Summit. This year their leadership team created a dedicated event for younger youth, allowing them to tailor it. We were invited to presentations from attendees on what they’d learned about leadership.

On Saturday we celebrated the opening of the Barry Curtis Park destination playground! Representation from Mana Whenua, stunning weather, and great community turnout made it a fantastic event.

Staff presented options to reallocate remaining funding - I strongly argued that Botany lacks sufficient opportunities for youth and this location needs more investment (not less).

Board directed staff to continue developing options to improve opportunities in Logan Carr.

The only open session was where staff presented us an update on the Logan Carr wheeled play project. Thanks to the hard work of East Skate Club, we will have achieved the initial outcomes much sooner than expected.

On Thursday, we had our Howick Local Board workshop. Again most of these were held in closed/confidential sessions so I’m not able to confirm what was discussed:
- Annual Planning Workshop 2
- Quick Response Grants Round One (due next business meeting)
- Business Meeting Prep

Auckland's Future Housing Plan - Plan Change 120 Submissions open from 3 November to 19 December 2025.

Submissions close Fri 19 Dec and we’ve been advised that there is a session being planned for Howick - details to come shortly.

In the meantime, you can find out more, including how to have your say online here: akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklands-fu...

I attended the South/East Public Information Session on Plan Change 120: Intensification on Tuesday night. It was good to have the opportunity to listen to residents of the Howick Local Board and understand their questions and concerns.

On Monday, I attended the Lloyd Elsmore Park User Group quarterly meeting. This informal group is made up of the various groups and clubs who use Lloyd Elsmore Park, sharing challenges and opportunities.

Each week I’m providing a quick summary of the meetings and events I’ve attended as a member of the Howick Local Board (HLB). This is my report for last week, starting Monday 24 November.

Howick Local Board business meetings 2020 - 2025 - YouTube

If you can't make it, they're recorded and available online shortly after the meeting (previous meetings available here: www.youtube.com/playlist?lis...

💬 Feedback on regional consultation content for annual plan; expenses and reimbursement policy.

These meetings are open to the public - feel free to attend and observe local democracy in action.

✅ Approval of Howick Quick Response Round One, Local Board Transport Capital Fund Projects; Arrangements for urgent decisions; appointments & delegations; business meeting schedule; code of conduct; HLB annual plan consultation; quarter one report; lease for Howick Sailing Club.

On agenda is:
🗣 deputations from Howick Pakuranga Netball Centre; Sowers Trust; and Chris O'Loughlin and Sandra McGill; and public forum from: David Upfold; Howick Sailing Club; Bucklands Beach Yacht Club; Cockle Bay Residents and Ratepayers; and Jessie McGrath.

This Thursday is the first Howick Local Board business meeting of the term.

🕰12:00pm Thursday 4 December 2025
🏢Howick Local Board Meeting Room, Pakūranga Library Complex, 7 Aylesbury Street, Pakūranga

Full agenda is available online: aucklandcouncil.resolve.red/portal/meeti...

The Wetlands Building has been redeveloped to provide a family friendly covered BBQ and eating area alongside open space for picnics and more.

It's been a long time coming and it was awesome to see the concepts turned into reality.

The updated playground features accessible and inclusive play elements, with shade and water features.

Fantastic morning as the new destination playground in Barry Curtis Park was opened for the community!

Special thank you to Ngai Tai ki Tamaki for partnering with Howick Local Board to develop a playground that responded, respected and reflected the history of the area.

Auckland's Future Housing Plan - Plan Change 120 Submissions open from 3 November to 19 December 2025.

You can find out more, including how to have your say online here: akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklands-fu...

Submissions close: Friday 19 December 2025, 5pm

There is another session coming up which will cover Central and East Auckland on Monday 1 Dec 06:30 pm to 08:00 pm at the Aotea Centre.

It's vital that everyone takes the opportunity to be heard, sharing their concerns and questions while there is this opportunity.

It's important to remember that the requirement to increase housing capacity in Auckland has been mandated by Parliament and we can only choose where (not if) we enable more intensification.

Questions were asked about social, transport & water infrastructure required. Staff acknowledged these challenges & outcome of this process (expected to conclude mid-2027) will help future plans & investment. Challenging conversation, impressed by staff's willingness to respond.

It was good to have the opportunity to listen to residents of the Howick Local Board and understand their questions and concerns. While every community is impacted differently, many of the concerns are similar.

Last night there was a public meeting in Ōtara for communities of South and East Auckland to learn more and ask questions. Well attended with 100+ people, including Crs Andy Baker (Franklin), Alf Filipaina (Manukau) and Lotu Fuli (Manukau), plus local board members.

Auckland's Future Housing Plan - Plan Change 120 Submissions open from 3 November to 19 December 2025.

Auckland Council is proposing changes to the city’s rulebook for where new homes and businesses can be built.

Plan Change 120 responds to central government direction for more housing and allows council to strengthen its natural hazard rules.

akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklands-fu...

By closing the road, we’ve condensed several months of overnight work into just over two weeks, minimising the long-term impact on road users, stakeholders and the local community.

More information on this work will be shared in the coming weeks."

Elsewhere, drainage & pavement work is currently underway on Ti Rākau Dr. Over summer break, a section of Ti Rākau Dr from Alyesbury St to William Roberts Rd will close - during this time, work is planned to be carried out 24/7 from 27 Dec to mid-Jan with detour via Cortina Pl.

• Communicate traffic layouts & alternative routes to encourage re-distribution of traffic.
• Encourage use of public transport where possible, eg frequent bus services that make use of Pakūranga to Panmure busway, or Half Moon Bay ferry which has connecting bus services.

This will include Variable Messaging Signs (VMS), semi-permanent signage and other communications.

Other actions
• Changes to the Eastern Busway construction programme on Ti Rākau Dr and temporary traffic layouts
• Extra line marking and signage