Sayers outlines vision in maiden speech

Road sealing, planning for growth and fixing traffic congestion were at the fore in Rodney Ward Councillor Greg Sayers’ maiden speech to Auckland Council’s Governing Body this month.

Cr Sayers said Rodney was at “the epicentre” of Council’s low approval ratings, but it could turn that around by increasing its focus on Rodney.

“This is salvageable,” Cr Sayers said.

He called on Council to triple the road sealing budget to $10 million a year for the next decade.

“This is the territory where the NAG breakaway group is strongest. The Council service they have been asking for year after year is to make the roads safe.”

He said there was growing evidence that dust from unsealed roads was harmful to health.

“We need to crack on and seal our most hazardous, dust-producing roads under our health and safety obligations.”
He said Council also needed to fund structure plans for Warkworth and Kumeu in its next annual plan.

“In the absence of structure plans, private plan changes can knockout sites where schools, water infrastructure, roading, broadband and power should be going.”

He said planning for Kumeu’s, Warkworth’s, Riverhead’s, Wellsford’s and other township’s growth would put greater pressure on central Government to fund the Crown’s infrastructure projects which are already urgently needed.

“Let’s not pass up this opportunity.”

These initiatives would be the best way to build trust in Council.

“The dollar investment is ridiculously cheaper than any public relations campaign.”