25 August 2014

Official Information Request No. 9000131059

(Please quote this in any correspondence)

Mr Jordan Williams
New Zealand Taxpayers Union Inc
PO Box 10518
Wellington
Via email: jordan@taxpayers.org.nz
Tn koe Mr Williams
Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
Re: Costs of PAUP

I refer to your email, which we received on 29 July 2014, requesting information about the
costs of producing the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.
The Auckland Unitary Plan has been developed as a requirement of the Local Government
(Auckland Transitional Provisions) Act 2010. It is the largest and most extensive planning
exercise in New Zealand local government. Preparing this plan avoids the need to continue
reviewing and updating the legacy regional policy statement, four regional plans and seven
district plans the council inherited from the eight legacy councils.
The cumulative costs of reviewing and amending these plans would far exceed the costs of
preparing and amending one combined plan for Auckland. There would also be on-going
costs and inefficiencies for the development and infrastructure sectors as a result of a lack of
standardisation of planning controls.
I answer your questions as follows:
2.

How the reported $30 million was calculated

Calculated projected costs for the Unitary Plan and Independent Hearings Panel
were presented to Auckland Councils Budget Committee, 27 March 2014. Projected
costs up to the 2016/17 financial year are $28.4m. The Budget Committee agenda
shows these costs. See pages 16 -19 of the agenda which is available on councils
website at the following location:
http://infocouncil.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/Open/2014/03/BUD_20140327_AGN_4803
_AT.PDF

3.(a)

Proportion of costs attributed to Mana Whenua material in the PAUP

Approximately one seventh of total costs up to 30 September 2013 (date of Plan
notification) were associated with preparing provisions which respond to the Treaty of
Waitangi and associated consultation with Mana Whenua.

Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 | aucklandcouncil.govt.nz | Ph 09 301 0101

3.(b)

Advice received regarding overlapping Mana Whenua interests

Auckland Council received no advice regarding overlapping Mana Whenua interests.

3.(c)

Advice received regarding competing claim

Auckland Council received no advice regarding competing claims between Mana
Whenua groups.

3.(d)

Advice received regarding commercial interests in cultural impact assessment

requirements
Auckland Council received no advice regarding Mana Whenua organisations having
commercial interests in cultural impact assessments.

If you have any further queries please contact me on (09) 301 3815, quoting Official
Information Request No. 9000131059.
Nku noa, n

Blair Doherty
Information Advisor
Public Information Unit
Auckland Council
9000131059

Private Bag 92300, Auckland 1142 | aucklandcouncil.govt.nz | Ph 09 301 0101