This week, the Kaipātiki Local Board, Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board have jointly called on Auckland Council to up its game in properly funding and staffing the enforcement of Auckland’s bylaws and legislative compliance.

Whether it is illegal camping on reserves, out-of-control dogs, fly-tipping of rubbish, noise complaints, sedimentation run-off from building sites, or many other types of breaches, the enforcement of council’s bylaws has been under-funded by councillors and not adequately staffed for some time. But it was brought to a head this Summer with a huge increase in illegal freedom-camping in reserves across the North Shore, resulting in many complaints and headaches for local residents and park users.

The below motion passed the Kaipātiki Local Board with 6 votes of support (1 vote against and 1 absent). Similar motions passed unanimously at Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. The full document is included below.

That the Kaipātiki Local Board:
a) consider that the enforcement of its many bylaws (including its compliance and enforcement responsibilities under a range of legislation) is a core and essential function of Auckland Council, and that the local board and the public expect that bylaws are enforced in a timely manner and in full.
b) request that the relevant compliance enforcement teams be urgently provided sufficient resources to effectively carry out their roles.
c) request that call centre staff are provided updated training and instruction in the city’s bylaws to enable them to accurately and effectively carry out their roles.
d) request that the Chief Executive give direction for a compliance enforcement review across Auckland Council and Council-Controlled Organisations to take place before Easter, for the purpose of identifying the challenges and obstacles in enforcement and recommend solutions to overcome them.
e) request that the review investigates and reports back on resourcing options including, but not limited to, an increase in employed compliance enforcement officers; routinely contracting work out to third parties during peak times; warranting staff of relevant teams and Auckland Council contractors who are present in areas where bylaw breaches may occur; overcoming delineation issues between council departments and between Auckland Council and Auckland Transport; and/or the re-introduction of educative approaches by unwarranted employees at peak times.
f) request that the operational practice of not investigating camping on reserve land until after the second night, and then allowing up to three days to respond is reconsidered, as this potentially allows camping for up to five nights when this is an illegal activity prohibited under the Reserves Act 1977.
g) acknowledge that there will be an opportunity to provide this feedback via the Annual Budget 2022/23 consultation but consider that, given the wide range of problems reported by residents and elected members across Auckland and dissatisfaction that it is often not possible for these to be responded to and resolved, that this must be addressed and planned for with urgency.
h) thank the staff in the Compliance and Community Facilities teams who are doing an outstanding job under the circumstances of being severely under-resourced to deal with the sheer volume and variety of compliance breaches across the region.
i) request that the Kaipātiki Local Board be provided the opportunity to speak to the contents of this Notice of Motion at the next meeting of the Regulatory Committee.
j) request that this Notice of Motion be forwarded members of all Local Boards, the Governing Body, the Independent Māori Statutory Board, as well as the Mayor, and Chief Executive.

Read the full Notice of Motion below, including background information.
The motions from the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board and Hibiscus and Bays Local Board are included as appendices: