Almost 30,000 extra people are living in three south Auckland suburbs compared to five years ago as subdivisions in the popular areas boom.
Local politicians promise they will continue to do right by their communities but admit there will be challenges and speed bumps along the way.
Approximately 27,300 more people live across Franklin, Papakura and Manurewa compared to 2018, according to the 2023 Census.
There were 84,357 people in Franklin in 2023 — up 9519 on 2018. There were 72,318 in Papakura — up 14,682 and there were 98,784 in Manurewa — up 3114.
“We won’t get everything right, but we will continue to do the best we can for our people, and try to put something better in place,” Franklin Local Board chair Angela Fulljames said.
Franklin was one of the few boards with subdivisions, something that guarantees everyone has a voice, she said.
“If you represent an urban area where everyone lives in a couple of suburbs, you don’t have to consider what your decisions mean for people in places you rarely visit, or for farming communities.”
Fulljames said their board turns away from parochialism and acts in the interests of the wider district.
“That’s meant we’ve seen a footbridge built at Belmont to link the suburb across a culvert to the nearby school, something that was widely supported even though it meant work in other areas had to wait.
“Clarks Beach has a magnificent new playground, and more work going on to deliver a skatepark, and that’s been a highlight because much of the work was influenced by locals.”
Papakura — with the largest population growth for any of the city’s 21 local board areas — has proportionately more young people and fewer retirement aged people.
Local board chair Brent Catchpole said Papakura has not suffered too many setbacks, and the board remained committed to making progress as it enters the final year of its term.
“You won’t find a board across the city that didn’t wish it had more money to deliver for its people,” he said.
“We will keep on a steady course. We aren’t big and flashy, but we go about our work with a quiet resolve.”
Measuring performance against what they delivered would see his board get a ‘solid’ report, he said.
“Most of the activities were completed, a handful experienced short delays but even those have since been done.
“People stand for local boards because they want to see their communities thrive, so watching residents make great use of facilities is always a highlight.
“Hawkins Theatre, Papakura Museum, Sir Edmund Hillary Library, Te Pataaka Koorero o Takaanini and our parks, pools and walkways, these are all well-used and cherished by our people.”
In Manurewa, Māori and Asian descent both make-up about a quarter of the population, well behind Pasifika’s 40%.
Local Board chair Matt Winiata said with only months in the board’s term remaining, they wanted to keep moving forward.
The retirement of local board member Anne Candy, a veteran of more than 30 years in local government, was a setback, but he said he was looking forward to seeing new faces around the decision table.
“You don’t replace that kind of experience and wisdom easily,” Winiata said.
“It’s inevitable new faces will be elected to the board, and that’s a good thing — new faces, new passion, new ideas — they’re the things we need to continue moving forward.”
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
