More Auckland councillors say they'll vote on budget

Mayor Len Brown is believed to have the support of only seven of the 19 councillors due to attend Thursday's meeting. Photo / File

Two more Auckland councillors have come forward today to say they will vote on tomorrow's final budget vote.

This follows reports that Mayor Len Brown does not appear to have a majority and is relying on four or five councillors to change their mind or abstain to pass the budget tomorrow.

Councillor Cathy Casey said she had never considered abstaining from the vote, saying in 20-plus years as a councillor she had never sat on the fence on anything.

She did not say if she would support or oppose the budget.

Ms Casey did not respond to earlier questions by the New Zealand Herald on her position.

Councillor Wayne Walker today said he would never be abstaining on the vote.

"It had been suggested to me.

But I have never abstained. I will make my decision on the day," he said.

On Sunday, Mr Walker told the Herald "abstaining was a possibility", saying in many respects he would like to vote against it.

Senior council officers have told councillors about the dire consequences of not passing the budget by June 30, saying rates could not be struck and there would be potential issues with securing cashflow.

Another undecided councillor Mike Lee said on Sunday he would make up his mind on how he votes after he hears and reads what is reported at tomorrow's governing body meeting.

Yesterday, councillor John Watson indicated he would vote against the budget.

Previously he had looked to abstain.

Councillor Ross Clow said on Sunday: "I'm not going to vote against it [the budget} but I'm certainly not supporting it.

"He said it would be irresponsible for the budget not to pass.

Mr Clow could not be reached for comment to see if his position had changed since Sunday.

The votes of Ms Casey, Mr Lee, Mr Walker and Mr Clow look likely to decide if the budget passes or not.

Mr Brown is believed to have eight votes in support of the budget - Mr Brown, Arthur Anae, Bill Cashmore, Linda Cooper, Chris Darby, Alf Filipaina, Calum Penrose, Penny Webster.

The seven councillors expected to vote against the budget are Cameron Brewer, Chris Fletcher, Denise Krum, Sharon Stewart, George Wood, Dick Quax, John Watson.

Penny Hulse and John Walker are on leave and will be absent.

Albert-Eden councillor Chris Fletcher today confirmed she would vote against the budget in its current form tomorrow, saying the council now had a crisis.

'Residents in the Albert-Eden-Roskill ward have been paying an average rate increase in excess of 10 per cent every year since amalgamation in 2010 and will continue to do so if this plan is allowed to proceed.

"This is a completely unacceptable and unsustainable situation' she said.

Mrs Fletcher said tomorrow's budget vote was the culmination of what has been a fraught consultation process on how to adequately fund infrastructure in order to meet the demands of growth, while failing to review council expenditure.

The issue of rate increases has been compounded by rising Auckland house prices that have seen a 17.7 per cent median increase in capital valuations.

'Throughout this process my concerns about the impact of the proposed budget on residents in Albert-Eden-Roskill have been ignored and now we have a crisis.' says Fletcher.

'A crisis isn't necessarily a bad thing if it becomes a springboard for change.

'What's needed is a complete review of the activities council is involved in and a refocus back to core council business,'Mrs Fletcher said.

She said the Government should assume some responsibility for the situation,saying it introduced amalgamation of the council and had been unwilling to conduct a review of the legislation.

"This has been worsened by the failure of the Government to support a user pays motorway charge or petrol tax for transport infrastructure, leaving the Council with no alternative funding options than a transport levy or targeted rate" said Mrs Fletcher, who voted last month for the targeted rate which takes average household rates increases to 9.9 per cent from July.

'It is not enough for the Government to throw bricks from the side lines, there needs to be recognition that Auckland needs other funding tools to support transport infrastructure.

At the same time council must be willing to review expenditure with the intention of dramatically reducing the general rates requirement,' Mrs Fletcher said.