At our February meeting the Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board discussed finalising advice to go to Ministers and the Auckland Council in March to establish a jointly-owned company to drive the Tāmaki Transformation Programme forward into the future. We plan to have the new company up and running in June.

•  Seeking visible and accessible premises for the new company close to the community in the heart of Glen Innes Town Centre;
• Supporting some key development programmes to support including: The Learning Village working with COMET, Financial Literacy working with MPIA and the BNZ and a cultural mapping project;
• Continuing to support Foundation programmes such as Manaiakalani;
• Building working relationships with the Tāmaki Alliance (the Chair, Tamati Patuwai, is an Observer at ITTB meetings) and other community groups;
• Starting the recruitment process for the new company CEO role.  The position was advertised in January;
• Drafting a Business Plan,  to enable the new company to hit the ground running as soon as a final decision is taken;
• Improving the level of communications with the community.  For example, the TTP website has already been updated.

The Board and Housing New Zealand have discussed how the parties could develop the most effective relationship between the new company and HNZC to ensure optimal outcomes for tenants affected by the Northern GI redevelopment project and the long-term success of the Tāmaki Transformation Programme.

The ITTB’s intention is to deliver real ‘transformation’ to the Tāmaki area, achieving a measurable and beneficial shift in social and economic outcomes (employment, education and health). Improved housing and a better environment is just one way to achieve this goal.

I look forward to the next few months as we reach some key milestones in our transformation journey.

Dr Lee Mathias

Chair of the Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board

At our December meeting the Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board discussed options to speed up establishment of a company to drive the Tāmaki Transformation Programme forward into the future.

You will recall prior to the election the Minister had received our recommendation and asked us to do further detailed work before making a final decision. A final decision is, therefore, dependent on completing the detailed work, which we expect to complete by March next year.

I am pleased to report that now the Foundation Period has been completed the ITT Board is proposing to replace the current TTP Office with an Establishment Unit for the new company from February 1, 2012. 

The Unit would include functions to establish the new proposed company, engage with the community and undertake initial planning and development work.  It would be led by an interim Chief Executive and would be developed as if it were the new company, with responsibility, resources and control transferring to the new company once final decisions by Ministers are made to go ahead and establish it. 

We believe this Unit will enable us to speed up the process of setting up the proposed company and to get on with providing a clear framework and priorities for transformation in Tāmaki.

The Unit will work with the community, Auckland Council, Manaiakalani Education Trust and COMET to define responsibility for the existing Foundation projects and ensure momentum is maintained.

Our immediate priorities for this next phase are to:

·         immediately increase communication and engagement with the community about the way forward and to seek input from the community in setting up the new company

·         set up the Learning Village project with COMET

·         provide community liaison and coordination support to the Northern Glen Innes redevelopment project

We are currently looking to set some dates in February to talk with community stakeholders about the new company and the next steps.

The Board also discussed ways in which it could strengthen collaboration between Housing New Zealand and TTP partner agencies to ensure optimal outcomes for tenants affected by the Northern GI redevelopment project.  The Housing NZ project is not governed by TTP, although it has been developed in the context of the wider TTP and HNZ is represented on our Board.  Successful transformation is about far more than just building houses – it embraces improvements in education, recreation, community facilities, job opportunities and social support.  The Board believes positive transformation requires a holistic approach and joined up thinking.

To ensure a range of parties are around the table we recently welcomed Lesley Longstone, Secretary for Education, to the ITT Board, replacing Karen Sewell.

Nick Hill and I met with the Maungakiekie Tamaki Local Board at the end of November to brief them on ITT Board progress and to talk about how the TTP would work with the Local Board to ensure good understanding.

Finally, I would like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank all the TTP staff for their great work this year and to wish them well for their future endeavours. I would also like to thank all of you for your support and your contributions to the Tāmaki Transformation Programme.

And, on behalf of the ITT Board, may I wish you all a Merry Christmas, and a Prosperous New Year. MeriKirihimete.

Dr Lee Mathias

Chair of the Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board

Housing New Zealand’s intention to begin a major redevelopment in Auckland’s Glen Innes next year has been welcomed as a positive step towards the transformation of Tamaki.

Interim Tamaki Transformation Programme Board (ITTB) chair Lee Mathias said the Housing New Zealand project was part of a wider major overhaul of state housing properties in urban Auckland and was expected to make a positive contribution to Tamaki’s future growth.

“The Tāmaki Transformation Programme is about improving the housing, parks, education and community facilities, and job opportunities for people who live here now, and those who will live here in the future.

“The proposed Glen Innes redevelopment project is expected to contribute to and build on the Tāmaki Transformation Programme’s vision of better results and better outcomes for all of Tāmaki, and the wider Auckland region.”

The project proposes the redevelopment of 156 properties in northern Glen Innes to create at least 260 new homes, including 78 that Housing New Zealand will own, at least 39 owned by other social or community housing providers, and the remainder for private sale. It also proposes modernising another 40 state houses in the project area.

The Tāmaki Transformation Programme is the largest urban renewal programme in New Zealand and was established by Government, Auckland Council and the Community to improve the social, educational, spatial and economic outcomes in Tāmaki.

We also received an update from Sean Bignell, Housing New Zealand Corporation’s General Manager of Asset Development with regards to some planning for housing redevelopment in advance of an urban regeneration entity being established.

Since my last update, we have been invited and attended four meetings with local community groups – Hunga Tiaki, Tāmaki Alliance and Pacific leaders based in Tāmaki. The purpose of these meetings was to share the Interim Board’s thinking regarding types of entities and to hear community feedback, concerns and ideas for solutions.

The conversations we have been having with community members have been informative, diverse and lively. We thank everybody for your contribution and constructive feedback in these forums.

Another community workshop (combining participation of the three groups above) is being held at the Tāmaki Transformation Programme office 171 Pilkington Road, on Wednesday 14^th September at 6pm. At this meeting I and fellow Interim Board members will present our emerging advice on the entity structure and receive feedback to reflect in the recommendations to central government.

One important message we must all keep to the fore is that the current Board is interim and has a primary goal of recommending an entity, or vehicle, that will deliver the long term physical, social and economic transformation in Tāmaki. 

The ITTB must provide cabinet with clarity of roles, functions and powers required to deliver transformational outcomes. Enablers of transformation that have not been in place to date include features such as the ability to act commercially, enter procurement deals and joint ventures, secure viable long term funding and harness private sector interests.

September will be a busy month as the Board and team work to provide advice to central government on the best organisational form to deliver sustained long term transformation.

Kind regards

Dr Lee Mathias, Chair, Interim Tamaki Transformation Board

MESSAGE FROM CHAIR:  Dr LEE MATHIAS

The Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board (ITTB) met to further consider the options for a permanent entity for the Tāmaki Transformation Programme on Friday 5 August.

We know from our discussions with people in the Tāmaki Community that they are looking for certainty about the future of the Tāmaki Transformation Programme (TTP) and that is absolutely understandable.  The ITTB is currently focusing on the process to establish an entity to drive long term transformation of the area. We are working to provide and share initial advice by mid September. 

This is a short amount of time and reflects the need to create certainty for the future.

The vision for that future we are working towards builds on the TTP vision as something that has been developed by the local community, central and local government partners during the two year foundation period. The ITTB  challenge is to put in place an organisation that can make things happen so that the words lead to results and better outcomes for a wide reach of people and businesses.

The Government has specifically asked us to consider the options around an urban regeneration entity.  It is a tried and tested model overseas and provides a strong governance and operating structure for future spatial, economic and social development in Tāmaki, as well as formalised processes for how the different partners will interact. An urban regeneration entity is an option that we are considering strongly. 

Some people have commented that ‘if you know what you are going to advise, why not get on with it?’ That is a fair question. The issue is that there is a lot riding on any decision to set up a new organisation, and we need to think through a lot of issues and possibilities. These issues include– will the private sector have enough confidence in the organisation to invest in Tāmaki and be partners for the future; who will be the guardian of the Tāmaki vision – across spatial, social and economic development initiatives – and how will any organisation work across the economic development and social development areas.

The ITTB will not be looking to provide specific answers or advice of these issues as it is a level of detail that we believe is important that the new organisation work through with stakeholders and the community.  Our role is to recommend and establish an entity that is mandated and empowered to achieve results.

But the ITTB must make sure that advice we develop is flexible enough to be able to adapt and deliver to the community needs over the next 5 – 10 years, and is strong enough to bring together all elements of the Tāmaki vision in a way that ensures there is strong economic, social and spatial development.

As Chair I have received written requests from two collective groups in the local community to participate and be engaged in our thinking before our advice goes to Government and the Auckland Council. We welcome this involvement and are currently working through a process to ensure we build understanding of the ITTBs constraints and opportunities, and importantly capture interests, aspirations and ideas for solutions from the community into our recommendations. The Tāmaki Transformation team are currently working through logistics and timing to ensure meaningful engagement and participation is achieved.

I would also emphasize that the work the ITTB is doing around the future organisation, does not affect the foundation period projects and initiatives that are already happening and the Board is clear that we must not lose momentum on these.

Kind regards

Dr Lee Mathias

Chair

Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board

I’d like to update you all on progress by the Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board (ITTB) in determining a permanent entity for the Tāmaki Transformation programme.

On Friday 8 July, the ITTB  were formally welcomed into the Tāmaki community with a powhiri at Ruapotaka marae. Thank you to Ruapotaka marae (Georgie Thompson), Hunga Tiaki (Tāmaki Maori leaders group) and the Tāmaki Alliance for extending the invitation to be part of what was a very special welcome.

The powhiri was followed by a briefing from the community on what has been achieved to date.  Representatives shared their knowledge and experience of Tāmaki’s heritage and community aspirations for the future, as well as talking about the foundation period projects underway.

This was an important briefing for the ITTB which has two jobs over the coming months: continuing the momentum of foundation projects, and determining the structure, and set of rules that will allow this programme to do what it needs to do over the next 15 – 20 years.

We then returned to the Tāmaki Transformation Programme office to discuss options for a future structure to take the programme forward over the next 15 -20 years.  We have been asked by the Government to consider the options around an urban regeneration entity.  This has significant benefits as it would create a strong governance and operating structure for future economic and social development in Tāmaki, as well as more formalised process for how the different partners will interact.

The Tāmaki Transformation Programme has always represented an opportunity for central and local government to work in more integrated and innovative ways with the community. The ITTB is clear about the imperative for the proposed urban regeneration model to deliver on that aspiration.

At the meeting, the ITTB worked through the values that should underpin this entity, based on the feedback from the community and a need to look to the future.  There was also discussion about the partnering principles that are required for the entity to deliver success for the community.

These are founded on a clear and agreed vision for development in Tamaki, a programme for enacting this vision, and recognition that all the players bring distinctive and valuable the respective parties bring the skills, knowledge (and assets) that only they can bring to the table.

The partnership approach between the community, Auckland Council, and the government agencies, such as Housing New Zealand, the Department of Building and Housing, the Ministry for Social Development and the Ministry of Education, form a strong basis to work from.

The ITTB will now be working on a framework for the structure and functions of the urban regeneration entity and a pathway for its establishment. This will be discussed at the Board’s next meeting and following that we will be looking for community feedback before we make a recommendation to Government at the end of September.

Kind regards

Dr Lee Mathias

Chair

Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board

The Minister of Housing Phil Heatley has announcement the members of the new Interim Tamaki Transformation Board. The establishment of an Interim Tāmaki Transformation Board was announced last December to explore urban regeneration entities and provide advice on options to deliver sustainable transformation to the east Auckland suburbs of Glen Innes, Pt England and Panmure. The announcement of the Interim Board signals the end of the Tamaki Transformation Programme two year foundation period.  Click here to read the Ministers press release

The Tāmaki Transformation Programme team have been progressing projects to provide better outcomes for the people of Tāmaki. Work is underway including more opportunities for early childhood learning, jobs for youth and unemployed, and housing that is warm and healthy. 

During 2010 the Tāmaki Transformation Programme worked with members of the community, government agency staff, local businesses, private investors and local council officers to prepare a consolidated strategic view of actions required to deliver sustainable transformation.