Tag: Damian light
It’s beginning to look like Christmas!
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
Like the rest of the community, we were disappointed when our beloved Stockade Hill Christmas Tree Lighting...
Shaping the future of playgrounds
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
The Howick Local Board oversees and maintains more than 70 playgrounds in the area, but rising costs...
Cost savings from Howick Local Board office exit
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
The Howick Local Board office in Pakūranga will close at the end of November, enabling council to...
New Botany bus station and road opens
One more job on the long list of them making up the giant Eastern Busway transport project can be ticked off, with the opening...
Would you like to help lead your local community?
Community-minded east Auckland residents are being urged to consider standing as candidates at next year’s local elections.
Up for grabs will be two seats representing...
Debate as board votes to open workshops
Despite strong opposition from several of its members the Howick Local Board has voted to open its currently confidential workshops to the public from...
Open workshops increase transparency
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
In our representative democracy it’s vital that the public have trust in those making the decisions on...
CAB Botany marks 15 years of committed public service
All types of questions pop up for Citizens Advice Bureau staff and volunteers to answer when responding to inquiries from the public.
They’re usually of...
Resident fires up over safety improvements
The Howick Local Board is being accused of failing to carry out sufficient public consultation before investing more than $280,000 on safety improvements in...
MP slams proposal to increase size of Howick Local Board
Pakuranga MP Simeon Brown is publicly criticising the Howick Local Board for proposing to increase its size from its current nine elected members to...
Attempt to shrink Howick Local Board fails
By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter, and Chris Harrowell, partially funded by New Zealand on Air
Howick ward councillor Maurice Williamson has failed in...
East Auckland is not your rubbish dump
The views from brand new million-dollar homes in a rapidly developing part of east Auckland are being spoiled by the disgusting sight of large...
East Auckland backs representation review proposal
Proposed changes for fairer representation and a Flat Bush subdivision for the Howick Local Board have received overwhelming support with 86 per cent of...
$287,000 spent to reduce speed and save lives
The Howick Local Board is investing $287,000 to reduce speeding and improve pedestrian and traffic safety in a popular part of a scenic local...
Celebrating our local sporting heroes
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
The Howick Local Board has an aspiration that our sports and recreational opportunities respond to the changing...
“Appalling acts of vandalism” – another significant object stolen
At this rate there soon won’t be much left in Howick to steal.
First, a bronze plaque installed in Fencible Walk Park in Picton Street...
Doing our part to tackle waste and illegal dumping
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
We’re aware of the issues with illegal dumping which is especially bad in Flat Bush.
It’s awful seeing...
Advocating for infrastructure before intensification
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
We recently learned the outcome of the long-running application to build a significant development in Cockle Bay.
No...
War of words over Maori names for public places
A heated war of words has broken out over whether Maori names should be given to numerous public places in the local community as...
Goodbye ‘Reeves Road Flyover’, hello ‘Rā Hihi’
Construction of one of the country’s biggest transport projects is continuing at pace.
The Eastern Busway section from Pakūranga to Botany will deliver 5km of...
Councillor pleased to see community events axed
Howick ward councillor Maurice Williamson says he's pleased the Howick Local Board has voted to axe funding for two community events in east Auckland.
Williamson...
Councilor slams move to give Māori names to public places, bus...
Efforts to give Māori names to numerous local public places as well as bus stations and structures that are part of the Eastern Busway...
Rubbish piling up as residents plead for bins’ return
East Auckland residents are pleading for rubbish bins removed from the community as part of a $10 million cost-cutting exercise to be returned.
But before...
Eel conservation inspires top art prize winner
By Carlos Norton, AUT Journalism Student
This year’s Estuary Art and Ecology Awards has embraced its ecological theme more than ever, with Matthew Dowman’s...
Debate growing over size of Howick Local Board
By Chris Harrowell and Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter, Funded by New Zealand on Air
Local community leaders disagree over whether the number of...
Consultation on reducing Howick Local Board fails
By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter - Funded by New Zealand on Air
A proposal by Howick ward councillor Maurice Williamson to consult the public...
Showcase of artistic photography opens
A public exhibition of stunning prints and digital images by talented members of the Howick Photographic Society (HPS) has opened.
The showcase is being staged...
We’re listening, working, and taking action
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
Welcome back to the Times! We’re pleased to see this vital community service continuing as an important...
AT explains decision to have Eastern Busway run through Burswood
Auckland Transport (AT) is pushing back against reporting by the Times that it says doesn’t explain why it decided to have the Eastern Busway run...
Decision imminent on future of Howick War Memorial Hall
Resolution may finally be at hand in the ongoing saga of the management of the Howick War Memorial Hall.
The Howick Local Board is set...
Kauri Kids Howick receives four-month lifeline to keep operating
Agreement has been reached for the Kauri Kids Howick early childhood centre to stay in operation until September 30 while negotiations continue with third-party...
Auckland Transport reveals design of Eastern Busway through Burswood
The Howick Local Board has again voiced its opposition to Auckland Transport’s (AT) plan to divert the Eastern Busway through Burswood.
Its members discussed the...
Public places to receive Maori names
Nineteen public places in east Auckland will receive Maori names as part of a commitment for te reo to be "seen, heard, spoken, and...
Mystery over missing Howick 175th commemoration plaque
A plaque installed as part of Howick’s 175th anniversary commemorations has seemingly gone missing.
It was unveiled by Prime Minister and Botany MP Christopher Luxon...
Head-turning classics draw thousands
The odd downpour failed to deter people of all ages from turning out for the eighth annual Auckland Brit and Euro Classic Car Show.
Staged...
Eastern Busway progressing as new section opens
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has officially opened a new section of the Eastern Busway in the heart of his own east Auckland electorate.
Brown, the...
Luxon joins thousands marking Chinese New Year
Thousands of people including Prime Minister Christopher Luxon have celebrated the arrival of the Chinese New Year in east Auckland.
The Botany MP and National...
Debate over management of public facility heats up
The Howick Local Board is again going into a new year without having resolved the contentious long-standing debate over management of a public facility.
Conflict...
Rubbish bins being removed to save $10 million
Backlash is growing against efforts to remove more than 150 rubbish bins from public parks and reserves in the local community in an effort...
Local board to canvas public support for ‘dump station’
The Howick Local Board will next year consider if it's got money in its budget to fund an east Auckland facility provided to motor...
Naval rig flagpole has new home
A very special flagpole has been relocated to Stevenson Reserve on Cook Street in Howick.
Howick Local Board chair Damian Light said, "The new site...
Funds found to back youth zone for Howick
More than $100,000 has been reallocated from two projects to support the Howick Youth Facility and Programmes budget line.
Howick Local Board chair Damian Light...
Public demands new library and community centre
One of the themes of the feedback about what people want to see happen in east Auckland in the coming years is the need...
Hundreds provide feedback to Howick Local Board’s draft plan
Several hundred people have provided detailed feedback about what they want to see happen in the community over the next three years.
The Howick Local...
Thank you for your feedback
By Damian Light, Howick Local Board chairperson
Thank you for your feedback on our draft Local Board Plan. The public consultation on the plan...
Final chance to share views on Howick Local Board’s draft plan
People have one last chance to have their say on a document that details the Howick Local Board's strategy and goals for the next...
Approval granted to build water sports centre
The Howick Local Board has granted landowner approval to a trust proposing to build a water sports facility in east Auckland.
The board voted on...
Howick celebrates moth plant competition winners
There is a war taking place across the motu - a war against the moth plant, one that takes over and frequently out-competes and...
Call to share views about community’s future
East Auckland residents are being asked to help shape the future direction of their local community.
The Howick Local Board's local board plan lays out...
Action needed to protect park’s ‘scientifically important’ feature
Residents are angry at the damage caused to an east Auckland park that left part of it looking like a “swamp”.
The problem in Macleans...
Fears closing hardstands could spread pests to estuary
By Laura Kvigstad, Auckland Council reporter
Funded by New Zealand on Air
The Howick Local Board fears pest species could reach the Tamaki Estuary as boat-cleaning...
Residents’ group asks for help over security, traffic problems
Members of an east Auckland community have raised concerns about a range of issues in their neighbourhood with the Howick Local Board.
Brian Brown and...
Bridge’s lane markings cause confusion
Faulty lane markings on a busy east Auckland bridge resulted in numerous near-misses for motorists and assurances are being sought the problem is fixed...
New Howick Police station opens its doors
The new Howick Police station has officially opened its doors to the public after a 10-month wait.
Police were forced to move from their previous...
Cleaner “verbally abused” at council building
The ongoing friction over use of the Howick War Memorial Hall may be worsening with a cleaner allegedly having been "verbally abused" while recently...
Dannemora Gardens marks 20 years
Dannemora Gardens Metlifecare Retirement Village celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a 'Bubbles & Canapés' event on November 24 with more than 150 in attendance.
The...
Top Chinese vocalists on song
Nine top Chinese singers presented an extraordinary concert - the 2022 Solo Vocalists' Concert - in Botany on November 25.
It featured a range of...
Residents celebrate victory in fight to save public reserve
A passionate east Auckland community has come together to celebrate winning the fight to maintain public ownership of its much-loved local reserve.
About 100 people...
Local board moves to daytime meetings
People who want to address the new Howick Local Board during the public forum part of its business meetings are now able to do...
Councillors backed Kendall for local board deputy chair role
One of the contenders to become the new Howick Local Board's deputy chairperson says the community's two ward councillors encouraged him to go for...
Light and Burns to lead local board
Members of the new Howick Local Board have been sworn in and they've chosen two fresh faces to lead them for the next three...
COMMENT: New leadership for Auckland
By Simeon Brown
Auckland has a new mayor, Wayne Brown, and a new majority centre-right council following the recent local elections, the first time Auckland...
Councillors look forward to ‘fixing Auckland’
Sharon Stewart and Maurice Williamson say they're looking forward to working with new Auckland mayor Wayne Brown to tackle the city's major challenges.
The two...
Local board’s fresh face keen to serve
Former United Future political party leader Damian Light is the only newcomer joining the membership of the incoming Howick Local Board.
He's been elected to serve...
New Howick Local Board takes shape
Based on progress results released this afternoon it looks like there’s going to be just one new face on the Howick Local Board for...
Stewart and Williamson lead council race
With progress votes publicly released this afternoon, Independent candidates Sharon Stewart and Maurice Williamson are leading the race to represent the Howick ward on...
Light slams delays on new library
Flat Bush deserves the library and community centre it's been promised for almost two decades.
That's the view of Damian Light, who's standing as an...
Bin filled with rubbish removed from creek
Volunteers were left shocked by what they discovered during a major clean-up at an east Auckland waterway.
About 40 people turned out recently for a...
LOCAL ELECTIONS 2019 – Candidate profiles
Damian Light (Independent)
Standing for a Howick seat on Auckland Council
Damian Light lives in Botany, having lived and worked in Auckland his entire life....
Council by-election: Nothing is as it seems
Four candidates vying for the vacant Howick Ward seat on Auckland Council’s governing body were front and centre on Tuesday and faced a barrage...
Six step up for council seat
In May the community suffered a tragic loss with the passing of beloved Howick Ward Councillor Dick Quax. His passing left a vacancy on...
Damian Light is the new United Future party leader
United Future has a new leader – and it’s one of our very own.
Botany candidate Damian Light has been appointed new leader following the...
Peter Dunne to bow out of parliament
UPDATED 2:25PM: Peter Dunne is done with politics.
The United Future leader has announced he will not seek re-election in the upcoming General Election.
Dunne has been...
A desire to make things better
It was 2002. Daniel Bedingfield was at the top of the UK singles chart with his catchy hit Gotta Get Thru This, Michael Jackson...
