12 Nov 2008

Auckland council ready to axe big projects

2:31 pm on 12 November 2008

Auckland City Council is about to take the knife to several big projects after a year of promising cuts to spending.

Staff have released details of proposed budget cuts that could save the council hundreds of millions of dollars.

If the council agrees, several projects will be deferred, reduced or deleted.

These include upgrades to roads and pavements, park and library development and public transport projects.

Mayor John Banks was elected on a platform of cost-cutting and says the financial crisis has meant there will be even more.

Mr Banks says businesses and ratepayers are already hurting and they do not need a further unnecessary burden from the council.

The council will debate which projects should be cut next week.