Ngā kainoho o Te Pokapu o Tāmaki - A Voice since 2005, for Auckland's 40,000+ City Centre Residents, advocating to make our City Centre/Pokapū Tāone a better place. We are a volunteer, non-profit registered incorporated society, & our purpose is to represent – as a policy lobbying & stakeholder group advocate – Auckland City Centre residents, & their interests & concerns, to Auckland Council & any other agency whose actions affect us. As of 2020, there are approximately 42,000 City Centre residents, across well over 20,000 rateable properties. Established in 2005, CCRG is managed by an annually elected committee that meets monthly. We encourage residents to join us - CCRG membership is $25 per year. However, any resident, member or not, may attend & participate in our monthly meetings. We also have affiliate and associate memberships for those not fortunate enough to live in the city centre but who still want to be involved! The City Centre is 433 hectares in size. ‘City Centre’ has replaced ‘CBD’ in Council parlance, a phrase that doesn't represent people who live here and so to better reflect the varied groups that now live in & use the city centre. We have had a regular track-record of participatory submissions in public consultation & before committees, including Auckland Council committees, strategies, planning, policies & actions affecting City Centre Residents, & the greater city. We work regularly with Auckland Council & its CCOs, & with Waitematā Local Board. The City Centre has a special targeted rate levied on it – over & above the general rates - on both commercial as well as the residential City Centre ratepayers. Over the current 10 year plan this amounts to a figure of approximately $220M. This targeted rate is applied to defined projects or purposes that are aligned with the Auckland City Centre Masterplan. This fund often provides a higher level of infrastructure works & service than would otherwise be possible. There are many visible signs of his money being put to good work, from the new shared spaces, to homelessness initiatives. To provide advice Council in making decisions on the use of the targeted rate, the Mayor establishes the Auckland City Centre Advisory Board (ACCAB), & CCRG is the recognised Residents stakeholder group on the board, having two seats out of 19. The nineteen-member City Centre Advisory Board consists of identified representative City Centre stakeholder group sectors as: corporate (financial/professional); urban design/architecture; tourism/travel; Business Improvement Districts (HOTCity & KBA); retail; education (Univ. of Auckland& AUT); Ngāti Whātua o Orakei; Residents (2 reps from CCRG); Property Council; arts/culture; Governing Body (The Mayor & Waitematā & Gulf Ward Councillor – Pippa Coom); Waitematā Local Board (Richard Northey). ACCAB meets monthly to review progress & monitor City Centre Transformation Projects’ budgets & spending; receive advice & act on timely relevant City Centre issues; provide a forum for all participants’ perspectives; & initiate review & research needed for further professional City Centre decision-making. CCRG has seven policy areas in which it is actively working. The below are a summary - These are currently:
Transport:
Prioritising active modes, particularly pedestrian & cycling, reducing traffic speeds,
Supporting Access For Everyone
CRL, City centre bus terminal
Parks, Community & Lifestyle:
Public spaces, trees, community facilities, homelessness
Environmental Management & Regulation:
Noise management, Air Quality, commercial rubbish collection, alcohol abuse
Auckland Development:
Multi-unit developments, UTA Reform, Ports of Auckland expansion, housing affordability
Economic & Cultural:
Place making
Governance & Support:
ACCAB, engagement with city centre residents
Water & Wastewater:
Discharge to harbour/water quality
CCRG is always open to hearing residents’ opinions. We meet monthly (Info on our meetings is posted on our page), & urge you to come & watch, listen, join in, & vote to make the City a better more liveable place.
