Aotea Budget Priorities Unveiled, Dredging Included

Dredging, housing, dark sky status and water quality will be among some of Aotea/Great Barrier Local Board’s funding priorities for the coming year, the New Zealand’s Auckland Council informs. 

The process to finalize and adopt the Annual Budget 2019/2020 is now complete. Consultation was carried out across the Auckland region in March and the completed budget was adopted on June 20.

The board is continuing with Ecology Vision, biodiversity and biosecurity programs as well as freshwater quality monitoring and looking into emergency drinking water.

The board will also continue to advocate for alternatives to the dumping of dredging spoils in the marine environment.

According to the council’s latest release, the board will continue to investigate cemetery sites for the north and centre of the island as well as grants funding to support health, welfare, education, tourism and other community groups and ventures.