Kai Zeng - Howick Local Board

03/09/2026

📣 You had your say — now it’s our turn to do the homework👩‍💻

Remember the Howick Local Board draft Plan consultation we were promoting everywhere in JULY?
A quick sneak peek: your feedback is now back in front of us.
https://aucklandcouncil.resolve.red/portal/meeting/12293/104193?type=2&docId=52161 (We also have the raw data don't worry)

Firstly — THANK YOU❤️
We received 600+ contributions from across our community, through online submissions, libraries, community events, youth engagement and community partners.
One thing I'm particularly pleased about: we saw stronger participation from young people, Asian communities and Flat Bush residents — voices that haven't always been as visible in the past.

So, what did you tell us? A lot of it was familiar:
🛝safe and accessible public spaces, 🚗congestion and parking, 🚯illegal dumping and our waterways, 🚶footpaths, 🌱youth opportunities, 📈economic resilience, 🏘️housing growth and the infrastructure still needed in Flat Bush.
In other words: all issues we already hear, got in the draft plan, but need to continue to work on.

⁉️You also said: “The plan sounds good — but where are the specifics?” That's something worth explaining.⁉️
↪️The Local Board Plan is intentionally a 3️⃣-year strategic plan — it sets the direction, i.e. aspirations that guide our next 3 years
↪️The specifics come later through budgets, annual plans and funded work programmes — or through advocacy where the decision sits outside the Local Board.

And that's exactly why we're reviewing your feedback now.
🔄 SEPTEMBER: review and refine
📋 OCTOBER: adopt the final Plan
🔙 NOV-DEC: we'll come back and show you what changed and where we're heading next.
(So consider this the appetiser 😄The main dish comes once the final Plan is adopted.)

For now, I mainly wanted everyone who took the time to participate to know:
Your feedback didn't disappear into the void. We've received it, we're reading it, and it's now part of the conversation around the final Plan.

Thank you, East Auckland ❤️

31/08/2026

A guide to the Howick Local Board Office
7 Aylesbury St, Pakuranga Library Complex

While the Governing Body (Mayor + Councillors) focuses on regional decisions. We at the local board take care of local matters:

🎨supporting local arts, cultures, events, sports & recreation
💲providing grants & partnering with local organisations to deliver community outcome
🗣listening to and representing your voice on issues of local importance
🛠maintaing & upgrading town centres and facilities including parks, libraries, and halls
🌱caring for the environment & preserving heritage

Our weekly workshops & monthly business meetings are open to public by default every Thursday. You're welcome to drop in to see how democratic process takes place locally

30/08/2026

Howick Local Board workshop
📅 Thursday 3 September 2026 10:00am-3:30pm
🏢 7 Aylesbury Street and/or MS Teams

Workshop Agenda
👂10:00-11:30am Local Board Plan workshop 4: to receive and discuss consultation feedback
🚧11:30-12:30pm Auckland Transport Monthly Update
🚶‍♀️AT Footpath Maintenance Strategy
🚶‍♂️Meadowland Dr Pedestrian Improvements
💰1:00-3:00pm Local Board Funding Review
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🏛️3:00-3:30pm (CLOSED) Staff & member updates

More Details: https://aucklandcouncil.resolve.red/portal/meeting/12293
Workshops are informal sessions used to canvass issues, prepare local board members for upcoming decisions and to enable discussion between elected members and staff. We don't make decisions here - they're made at our monthly business meetings.

28/08/2026

Today, no policy explainers. No community updates. Just personal rants

I just want to talk about someone whose voice shaped the childhoods of generations — Peter Cullen.

You might not immediately recognise his name.
But Optimus Prime (Transformers), Eeyore (Winnie the Pooh), Thaddeus (Invincible), even that iconic sound of the Predator… You've probably heard him.

Peter Cullen passed away this week at the age of 85.
And for me, this one feels personal.

Growing up in New Zealand, back when we only had a handful of TV channels, one of the best parts of coming home from kindy was watching Transformers.
And if I got a Transformer for birthday? I'm showing that thing off to my friends for DAYS.

So Optimus Prime wasn’t just the leader of the Autobots to me.
He was probably one of my earliest ideas of what a “hero” was supposed to be.
He was never the loudest person in the room.
He didn’t constantly need to prove how powerful he was.
But when everything was falling apart, when nobody knew what to do—
that voice came in.
And somehow, you knew:
**We’re going to be okay.**

Years later, I went into public administration and eventually local government.
And looking back, I realised something.
What I understood as “heroism” as a kid…
I now understand as leadership.
Real leadership isn’t necessarily about being the loudest voice.
It’s about whether, when things get difficult, people can trust you to carry some of the weight.

And there’s a beautiful story behind how Peter Cullen created that Optimus Prime.
Before his audition in 1984, Peter told his older brother Larry that he was auditioning to play…
a truck.
Larry was understandably confused.
Peter explained:
“No, no — he’s a hero truck.”
(Larry was a Marine Corps veteran).
And in a somber voice, he gave Peter a piece of advice that would define Optimus Prime for the next four decades.

He told him:
Don’t play a Hollywood hero.
Don’t scream and yell and try to show everyone how tough you are.
Instead—
“Be strong enough to be gentle.”
Peter walked into that audition thinking about his brother.
He didn’t try to *perform* what a hero sounded like.
He based Optimus Prime on the man he considered a real one.
And that gave us one of the most recognisable voices in pop culture.

I think that message matters even more today.
We live in a world where everyone is encouraged to speak louder, pick a side, win the argument and prove that they’re right.
But maybe real strength is the opposite.
Having power, but showing restraint.
Having convictions, while still listening.
Being strong enough that you can choose kindness.

Peter Cullen’s family echoed that same idea in remembering his life: serving your community and leading with kindness, integrity and loyalty.

And I can’t think of a more fitting farewell to Optimus Prime.
The voice may finally have fallen silent.
But all those kids who once sat in front of the television listening to it—
we grew up.
And maybe now it’s our turn to become the adults who are strong enough to be gentle.

Thank you, Peter.

Autobots… roll out.
🚙🚒🚑🚛🏎🚤🚁

R.I.P. Peter Cullen
1941–2026

27/08/2026

Mark your calendars!
Let's connect and make Flat Bush stronger together💯

Flat Bush Library community welcome day is on Sunday 13 September. Come along and:
☑️ Meet and connect with 20+ local organisations and learn about their services
☑️ Network with other community organisations
☑️ Build new local connections and partnerships

🎁 Big Welcome Day Draw
As part of the Community Welcome Day, attendees will have the opportunity to enter a draw on the day. The draw will take place during the event, with successful entrants notified on the day.

The draw has been supported by contributions from Annak, Bamboo Spa Botany, BUYANZ, Divine Patisserie, Five Star Nails, Flower Power Studio, Ormiston Café, Refreshing Massage and The Photo Studio Ormiston.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The Community Welcome Day is open to people of all ages. Free gifts will also be available while stocks last.

🤝 Organisations attending include:
Age Concern Auckland, Allyship Projects, Asian Family Association, Barnardos Aotearoa, Beautification Trust, Bellyful East Auckland, Botany & Flat Bush Ethnic Association Inc., CAB Botany & Pakuranga, Counselling Services Centre, Counties Manukau District Board, Hato Hone St John, Health and Disability Advocacy Service, Howick and Pakuranga Toy Library, Muskaan Care Trust NZ, Neighbourhood Support Pakūranga/Bucklands Beach/Flat Bush and Ōtara, Ōtara Waterways and Lake Trust, Pasifika Eastern Association, Petal Foundation Charitable Trust, Rainbow Celebrating Life Trust, U3A Ormiston, and Virtual Village East.

27/08/2026

🏘️ PC120 UPDATE | Another chance to have your say
📅 27 August – 5pm, Thursday 24 September 2026
- Final Council decisions expected mid 2027

*Already submitted last time? your original submission still counts. It will be considered by the independent Hearings Panel. You can submit again, and if you do, I'd suggest focusing particularly on what has changed since your original submission

Key Points:
- Government legislation has reduced minimum housing capacity requirement from 2M to at least 1.4M homes -> council revised PC120
🏙️ Intensification mainly concentrated near rapid transit corridors (Eastern Busway), town centres (Botany, Highland Park, Pakuranga, Howick). The other 85% of Auckland's urban area will remain unchanged under AUP
🌧️ Further reductions based on updated flood modelling

My suggestion isn't simply to be "for" or "against" intensification.
👉 Look at what is actually proposed for your street and neighbourhood.
Then ask practical questions:
Can the transport cope? What about stormwater and wastewater? Schools and community facilities? Is the area exposed to flooding? And where does additional housing make sense because infrastructure already exists? Can additional housing potentially contribute to the local economy and more funding to infrastructure?

https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/08/aucklanders-get-another-say-on-plan-change-120/?fbclid=IwY2xjawT86V1wZG9mAWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAGJyaWQRMUtpdjJpdUtLN2UzSHlNaDNzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeseOGg1CyyJO3XNfC4mZHxg-CFHVZ6JWM_Lb_DFuCULi7yFXLly1NkTDD9FI_aem_U2_BIQI78pgCjJOM6vJ0WA

Aucklanders have another opportunity to have their say on proposed changes to Plan Change 120, providing more housing choices alongside stronger protections from natural hazards.

26/08/2026

It's international dog day today! Hope everyone had a pawesome day🐾

24/08/2026

This Thursday: Howick Local Board Business Meeting Aug 2026
❗️This is where we make all our decisions that will impact our local communities (Open to Public)❗️
🕰12:00pm, Thu 27 August
🏢7 Aylesbury Street Pakūranga; and/or MS Teams

Meeting agenda:
Procedural Items:
1️⃣welcome, apologies, acknowledgements
🗣 public forum and deputation:
- Friends of Mangemangeroa Reserve🌱
- Rotary Club of Half Moon Bay coastal walkway⚽️
- Utilities Disputes⚡️🚰
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Reports:
🗣 Governing Body Members' Update, Members' & Chair's Report
🚦 Auckland Transport Decision report: 1. Hutchinson Rd/Aberfeldy Ave/Pakuranga Rd intersection; 2. new footpaths
🚦AT: Transport Governance arrangements
💰Auckland Council's Economic Development Strategy 2040 - seeking views on draft direction
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📊Auckland Council’s Quarterly Performance Report: Howick Local Board for quarter four 2025/2026
📅Addition to the Howick local board meeting schedule
📝Howick Local Board - Workshop Records - May and June 2026
🗓Hōtaka Kaupapa | Policy Schedule - June 2026
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(CLOSED)
🏛️Exclusion of the Public: Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
📊Howick Local Board Annual Report 2025/2026
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Full agenda available: https://aucklandcouncil.resolve.red/portal/meeting/12502
These meetings are open to the public and recorded online: https://tinyurl.com/557smvvc

23/08/2026

Quick Fix for Auckland's transport? What would you like to see?

On October 1, Auckland Council will take over most transport functions currently undertaken by Auckland Transport, with AT converted to having a sole focus on public transport services

In the meantime, Mayor Wayne Brown is launching a campaign encouraging Aucklanders to identify small roading issues that could be fixed quickly, using a custom online form on the Council website https://ourauckland.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/news/2026/08/quick-fixes/

Examples could include:
🅿️removing or changing on-street parking where it blocks traffic
🚧improving road layouts that create unnecessary congestion
🚦optimising traffic light timing
🚏fixing confusing road signs and marking
🚌Improving bus and high-occupancy vehicle movement through traffic bottlenecks
↩️upgrading intersections where turning traffic creates delays

How would this work?
All submissions will be reviewed by the road optimisation team ➡️ identify appropriate projects ➡️ approval processes ➡️ any project on local board-controlled roads will be considered by local boards

23/08/2026

Youth Project NZ just hosted a wonderful event recognising the wonderful work our local youth volunteers put in for the community.

I'm honoured to be invited as a judge. All of it were very tough decisions but I left feeling very inspired by the great people that have our East Auckland community in mind.