Plans to raise household rates in Auckland by 5.6 per cent next year and 4.5 per cent a year thereafter are due to approved for public consultation today.

An Auckland Council IT project originally budgeted to cost $71 million should be delivered for the new cost of $172 million, says a senior council executive.

Kim Campbell has organised a meeting this afternoon to discuss strategies to soften up Aucklanders for the sale of the remaining shares in lines company Vector to pay for new roads.

The man who allegedly tried to sell the Monterey pine that stood on Auckland's One Tree Hill for more than a century will not be charged.

Auckland Council has undertaken a review of guidelines for methamphetamine-contaminated properties and developed tough new proposals to be implemented next month.

Key Auckland transport projects - including some on which work has already started - face long delays unless new funding can be found from road tolls or higher rates.

Winston Peters writes: There is a group of people who want to get rid of the Auckland Energy Consumer Trust. But why fix what isn't broken?

Aucklanders wondering when they will become inhabitants of "the world's most liveable city" have suffered a triple-serving of key service meltdowns in one week.

If I were a bit doddery on my feet, or wheelchair-bound, I suspect I'd be delighted to be able to totter around the summit of Maungawhau/Mt Eden at my own pace.

A judge has blasted one of Auckland's most prolific tagger's signature as "visually-offensive, third-rate artwork" - but stopped short of sending him to jail.

The Government and the Auckland Council are at loggerheads over a start date for the $2.4b underground City Rail Link, and that's only going to add to the cost.

Auckland Council has been told it already has power to ban street prostitution from spots such as Hunters Corner after a bid to get Parliament to change the law failed.

Nearby coastal areas are reaping the benefits of a buoyant Auckland property market, with homeowners beginning to use extra equity to buy baches, experts say.

What has happened to the all the eels at Western Springs? There are still some ugly catfish but no friendly eels for the kids and me to feed, writes a reader.

A lobby group says revelations Auckland Council spent $30,000 on “secret rooms” for Len Brown show New Zealand needs recall elections.

Thousands of dollars have been spent building a private bathroom and dressing room hidden behind a bookcase in under-fire Auckland Mayor Len Brown's new office.

Controversy has dogged the development of the Wero Whitewater Park. It was rejected by the former Manukau City Council five years ago.

The Govt is eyeing Australian moves against foreign property speculators amid fresh claims they are forcing Kiwi first-home buyers to the property sidelines.

Who's in line to challenge Len Brown to become Auckland's next mayor? The Herald has analysed the early possibilities.

Alexandra Park's chief executive Dominique Dowding said apartments would be for sale from February and she predicted occupation of the Green Lane West Rd places by the end of 2016.

Real estate industry experts have labelled the latest residential property revaluations dangerous, with calls for the mass appraisal system to be overhauled or scrapped.

Auckland Council has begun pursuing the prosecution of window washers found to be in breach of the Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw.

Auckland homeowners made wealthy by their latest Auckland Council valuations are borrowing to do up their houses.

The Auckland Council is at odds over how to implement hefty rates increases and plans for motorway tolls.

Auckland Council is deeply divided on how to implement big rates rises next year, after Mayor Len Brown backed down on introducing rates rises of up to 40 per cent.

Mike Hosking asks, "Am I the only one who thinks things around Auckland Council are getting hopelessly out of control?"

The story of the Monterey pine that stood on Maungakiekie/One Tree Hill for more than a century took another turn when a man alleged to have tried to sell its remains on Trade Me was charged with theft.

Auckland Council staff are opposing a public referendum on whether to charge motorway tolls or raise fuel taxes and rates to fill a multibillion-dollar transport funding gap as allegedly too costly and confusing.