Sportsfield budget gets $87.5 million increase

The quality of sportsfields across the region is set to improve with a capital funding boost of $87.5 million included in the Auckland Council draft Long-term Plan.

The Strategy and Finance Committee approved the additional funding, which would take the total budget for this work over the next 10 years up to $172.8m.

There was also additional funding for operation expenditure.

“There is increasing demand for use of our region’s sportsfields and we need to provide playing surfaces that can stand up to the high use in Auckland’s wet winters,” says committee chair Penny Webster.

“The community has told us loud and clear that during winter it is frustrating that our sportsfields are often closed because they have become too wet.

With this significant boost in budget we are going to be able to rectify the supply and demand problems we are currently facing.”

”An amendment was put forward for an $103 million increase over 10 years but the figure of $87.5 million was recommended by the council because we believe that will cover projects that are achievable in the next decade.”

She adds that the programme of developing sportfields is the largest in New Zealand’s history and the additional funds will make a big difference.

Officers will now need to begin the process of putting together a works programme.

Discussions on the draft Long-term Plan continue this week. The committee’s recommendations will be considered for approval by Auckland Council’s governing body on 30 November.

Those recommendations will then need to be audited.

In February 2012 councillors will adopt the draft LTP, which will then be published for public consultation. This is when Aucklanders will be able to have their say on the priorities identified.

The council will adopt the Long-term Plan (2012-22) in June 2012.