Click here to see the full e-bulletin from Civil Defence

Included in this issue are:

Foreword from the Director – Councils and communities “well prepared and able to manage the response effectively”
Auckland appoints Senior Training & Capability Advisor
Auckland Welfare Coordination Group Foundation Training
Post-disaster building management guidance release
Genesis Energy practises crisis response
Temporary accommodation for inbound workers: Research learnings from Queensland post Cyclone Larry
Collaboratively building resilience opportunities
Temporary accommodation for inbound workers: Research learnings from Queensland post Cyclone Larry
Calling end-users of emergency management information systems
Emergency management training for secondary school students
7th Australasian Hazards Management Conference
Public consultation on Revised National Civil Defence Emergency Management Plan closes 25 JULY 2014
Get Ready Week 2014 – Resources

Five members of the Pakuranga and Bucklands Beach Neighbourhood Support Committee with help from a Crimewatch Howick Patrol member joined Community Constable Merv Hotter today to place “Theft from Cars Awareness” leaflets under the wiper blades of cars at the Highland Park, Lloyd Elsmore Park and Halfmoon Bay Marina carparks.  The reason for the theft from cars awareness campaign is that for the 12 months ended July 2014, there has been a 74% increase in thefts from cars in Howick and Pakuranga.

The team between them placed 1800 leaflets under windscreen wipers in five hours and while doing so reminded close to 30 drivers that they had valuables on display in their cars that placed them at risk of theft.  Another 6 owners were reminded that their car registration had expired.

Campaign teams were also working in car parks in Flat Bush, Botany and Manukau today.

The Draft Community Grants Policy will guide the allocation of local and regional grants to groups and organisations that deliver projects, activities and services that benefit our communities and contribute to this vision. Our grants programme will support the social, cultural and environmental wellbeing of our people and places

You can come along to a community workshop to hear about the proposed changes, ask questions and have your say.

NZ Sign Language interpreters have been booked for these workshops. Please email communityassistance@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz to let us know if you need one before the dates specified below

Click here to read the Council notice with the dates and times.

By Community Constable Merv Hotter

Car crime is a serious issue in this area at present.

You will probably be sitting there saying to yourself: “I have read and heard this before:, but the fact is, it continues to happen with the number of car break-ins on the increase.

Of course Police are doing everything they can to reduce the issue but there comes a time when the public need to stand up and say “no more”.

During the past few weeks police have been patrolling designated hot spots and in my travels and patrols through car parks I have noticed a serious trend that is quite alarming. The number of people who are leaving valuable items in their vehicles is astounding. Handbags, laptops, sports gear, mobile phones, GPS – the list goes on.

This is where you can do your bit to cut back the number of car thefts. Here are some simple tips that may help you avoid being the next victim.

• Do not leave valuables in your vehicle, especially in full view of a would be criminal.  Place items in the boot.
• Do not throw a jacket or a blanket over the goods. This only encourages offenders to break in to see what is under the cover.
• Don’t leave important documents  like bank statements, passports, credit card bills or other personal information in your vehicle. Thieves can use these to steal your identity and access your bank accounts.
• Lock your vehicle.  You would be surprised how many are left unlocked.
• Get a security system installed. One that is going to wake the whole neighbourhood.
• If you see anyone looking in your vehicle then dial 111.  Watch the persons movements if you can.

These simpler tips may be the difference between  your vehicle being broken into or not.

Police are doing their bit to control the problem but we need your help if we are going to eradicate it.

MetService has issued a wind warning for Auckland with associated heavy rain possible. Gust increasing to 120 kph. overnight

Winds of this strength may result in power outages and has the potential to cause trees to fall and damage to property.

Strongest winds are expected in eastern communities north of the Harbour Bridge, Waiheke Island and Great Barrier Island overnight and throughout Wednesday.

Heavy rain will occur Wednesday morning with up to 50mm north of Orewa and up to 60mm for Great Barrier Island.  Wave splash may affect east coast roads and low-lying reserves close to high tide on Wednesday.

Emergency Services and Contractors have been engaged and have allocated extra resources for the event.

The Civil Defence Emergency Coordination Centre is activated with staff monitoring over the next 24hrs.

Calvin Hicks
Duty Officer
Auckland Civil Defence and Emergency Management (09) 301 0101

The following crime information for our area was released this morning:

Burglaries

GILLS ROAD HALF MOON BAY Residential                   PAKURANGA ROAD HALF MOON BAY Commercial
MEADOWLAND DRIVE SOMERVILLE Residential        HOWE STREET HOWICK Residential
MOORE STREET HOWICK Commercial                           PAKURANGA ROAD HIGHLAND PARK Commercial
TI RAKAU DRIVE PAKURANGA Commercial                  TI RAKAU DRIVE PAKURANGA Residential
TI RAKAU DRIVE PAKURANGA HEIGHTS Residential  CORTA BELLA PLACE GOLFLANDS Residential

Theft from Cars

VENUS PLACE HALF MOON BAY                                   COOK STREET COCKLE BAY
EVELYN ROAD COCKLE BAY                                           COLMAR ROAD MELLONS BAY
AVIEMORE DRIVE HIGHLAND PARK                             HEATHRIDGE PLACE BURSWOOD
TI RAKAU DRIVE BURSWOOD                                        TI RAKAU DRIVE BURSWOOD
WALWORTH AVENUE PAKURANGA HEIGHTS           FISHER PARADE SUNNYHILLS
BELINDA AVENUE FLAT BUSH                                       ORMISTON ROAD FLAT BUSH
CRYERS ROAD EAST TAMAKI HEIGHTS                       SHANKILL PLACE EAST TAMAKI
NANDINA AVENUE EAST TAMAKI                                 TI RAKAU DRIVE EAST TAMAKI HEIGHTS

Stolen cars

ROBERT ALLAN WAY Pakuranga Heights                    GOSSAMER DRIVE Pakuranga
BROWNS AVE Pakuranga

Earlier this year the Howick Local Board listened to the community’s thoughts and ideas about the future of our area. This was the start of the process to develop the draft Howick Local Board Plan 2014.

We have reflected on what the community have told us over the last three years and most recently at community events, meetings and through online and paper surveys.  The feedback included significant support for the outcomes we proposed.  We have, however, made some changes to include the needs and aspirations for our community.  The changes include the following:

Amended the outcome on ‘encouraging participation in the community’ to ‘an involved and connected community’. This is to support feedback that connecting communities is important.

• Amended the outcome ‘managing future growth’ to ‘Howick’s future growth is managed effectively’. This is to support feedback that future growth in Howick should be planned well, good quality design is evident and that infrastructure such as transport is in place.
• Continued major projects and added some key initiatives that we can put in place or work with partners to achieve, many of which are based on the community’s suggestions.  These include:
• Completing the Uxbridge redevelopment
• Completing the multi-use community facility, library and aquatic centre at Flat Bush
• Investigating the viability of a project to support young people into work
• Continuing to partner with Auckland Transport to develop the Half Moon Bay area as a transport hub
• Investigating the viability of a multi-cultural event(s) including arts, music, craft and food fairs
• Renewing esplanade areas such as the greenfingers at Flat Bush, Murphy’s Park and Tamaki Inlet walkway
• Investigating the provision of more sports and leisure opportunities for all ages and abilitiesThe proposed outcomes and initiatives that will help us to achieve them are detailed in our draft Howick Local Board Plan and summary document which are attached.

You can also pick these up from public libraries, council service centres and the Howick Local Board office at 1 Aylesbury St, Pakuranga, 2010.  You can also download from www.shapeauckland.co.nz.We urge you to read the plan and tell us whether we have got it right.

We also want you to identify three key initiatives from the plan and rank them in order of importance. 

This will help us to prioritise them. Feedback can be in the form of writing, using the attached submission form, or on-line at www.shapeauckland.co.nz. Feedback can be submitted between 7 July and 6 August.  We look forward to hearing from you.

View the plan,
View the plan summary.

Yours faithfully
David Collings Chairman

In this July 2014 issue:

• www.shapeauckland.co.nz
• Have your say on where, when and how alcohol is sold in Auckland
• Have your say on Auckland’s arts and culture
• Help shape your community
• Walking your dog
• Draft Community Grants Policy
• Council’s Annual Plan 2014/2015 has now been adopted

Click his link to view the Stakeholders newsletter.

Over 100 volunteers nominated by their respective community organisations were invited by the Howick Local Board to attend breakfast at the Ormiston Senior College on the 28th June. The Local Board Members cooked the breakfast of muesli, fruit, bacon, eggs and tea or coffee which was served by the teenagers from the Board’s ‘Youth Advisory Group’. Retiring Neighbourhood Support Treasurer Pat Horner and her husband Alan were nominated to attend by NS Committee and enjoyed breakfast at a table shared with volunteers from the Manukau Scout Zone, The Asian Safety Council, the Howick Historical Village and Guiding NZ. Each attendee received a ‘Certificate of Thanks’ and a Kowhai tree seedling in a flax ‘kete’ (bag). Alan Horner correctly guessed the correct number of chocolate bars in a glass container and promptly donated them to the Scouts. It was a memorable and very enjoyable morning and very heartening to see the number of viable community organisations functioning in the Howick and Pakuranga wards. While it was a great chance to talk to other voluntary organization members, it was particularly pleasing to meet and talk to all the Community Board Members as they circulated around the room before and after breakfast.