19Local boards funding policy

1. To provide predictability and certainty about levels of funding for local boards, the Auckland Council must adopt a local boards funding policy as part of its long-term plan.

2. The local boards funding policy must set—

3. the formula by which the total funds allocated by the Council for meeting the cost of funding local activities are to be allocated to each local board; and
4. the formula by which the total funds allocated by the Council for meeting the cost of funding the administrative support to local boards are to be allocated to each local board.

5. The local boards funding policy must also identify any funding (except funding dedicated to particular purposes) that may be available to local boards for local activities and the criteria or process by which it may be allocated to them.

6. The formula referred to in subsection (2)(a) must allocate funds between the local boards in a way that provides an equitable capacity for the local boards to enhance the well-being of the communities in each of their local board areas, having regard to the following factors:

7. the level of dependence on local government services and facilities in each local board area (as informed by the socio-economic, population, age profile, and other demographic characteristics of each local board area); and
8. the costs of achieving and maintaining the identified levels of service provision for local activities in each local board area; and
9. the rates revenue and any other revenue derived from each local board area in relation to local activities; and
10. any other factor identified by the Auckland Council as significantly affecting the nature and level of services needed in each local board area (for example, the geographic isolation of a particular local board area).

11. The formula referred to in subsection (2)(b) must allocate funds between the local boards in a way that provides equitable resources and support to each local board, having regard to the following factors:

12. the number of elected members on each local board; and
13. the size of each local board area; and
14. any other factor identified by the Auckland Council as significantly affecting the operational costs of each local board; and
15. the funding amount allocated to each local board under subsection (4).

16. For the purposes of adopting a funding policy under subsection (1), section 102 of the Local Government Act 2002 applies with any necessary modifications.

17. If the Auckland Council amends its local board's funding policy under section 93(4) of the Local Government Act 2002, only a significant amendment to the policy is required to be audited in accordance with sections 93D(4) and 94(1) of that Act.

18. The Auckland Council must adopt its first policy under this section no later than the date that the LTP for the period commencing 1 July 2012 is adopted.