Safe footpaths before mowing berms

Auckland Councillor Ann Hartley has suggested $10m of public money used to fund the mowing of street berms be used to fix footpaths instead.

She is responding to an anomaly highlighted by The Aucklander in January whereby some Aucklanders get their berms mowed and others do not. The issue has reared its head again in a report from Auckland Transport and Ms Hartley said the inconsistent policy needs to stop immediately.

"North Shore, Waitakere and Manukau Councils did not mow berms outside private properties and residents took the five minutes or so to do it themselves and they ensured their communities' roading budgets went that much further," she said in a statement.

She says berms are still mowed in the Auckland City Council legacy area even though they appeared to be the same suburbs in which residents complained about footpaths not being up to scratch.

"I suggest we apply the berm money to upgrading the footpaths and put public safety and fiscal prudence before unnecessary expense."

In January Auckland Transport told The Aucklander if it continued mowing the berms of Housing New Zealand tenants, for example, rates would need to be increased to cover the cost.

Ms Hartley says mowing the berm outside your own property or helping neighbours who can't do it themselves is no hardship.

 "North Shore, Waitakere and Manukau Councils did not mow berms outside private properties and residents took the five minutes or so to do it themselves and they ensured their communities' roading budgets went that much further."

She says berms are still mowed in the Auckland City Council legacy area even though they appeared to be the same suburbs in which residents complained about footpaths not being up to scratch.

"I suggest we apply the berm money to upgrading the footpaths and put public safety and fiscal prudence before unnecessary expense."

Ms Hartley says mowing the berm outside your own property or helping neighbours who can't do it themselves is no hardship.

Waitemata Local Board member Christopher Dempsey says Councillor Hartley's idea is an interesting one and worthwhile considering.

"It would need to be monitored and advertised. The old legacy Auckland City Council did it for years so you'd need to tell people they'll have to do it themselves and that the money's going into footpath maintenance. They'd be happy with that trade-off."

He says the change could open up opportunities for homeowners to plant out their berms in native grasses, shrubs and flowers, promoting community spirit.

"Neighbours could get together and create a planting scheme. Each family could come up with its own scheme and share materials, labour and maintenance."

But transport spokesperson for the Orakei Local Board Ken Baguley says councillor Hartley is being selective in what she wants to accept from the old legacy council.

"Orakei accounts for 10 per cent of rates raised in Auckland and we'd expect to continue with the same level of service."

He says it would be extremely disappointing if Auckland had to reduce the quality of its footpaths and berms to the same standards applied in the old North Shore City Council.

"Talk of dragging service levels down is an absolute nonsense."

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