“Water and wastewater services, waste and recycling collections, and core Auckland Transport train and bus services will continue to operate alongside services to keep the Port operating.

“Burial and cremation services, as well as animal management, will also continue.

“While earlier advice was that recycling would not be possible, under Alert Level 4, council can now confirm that recycling will continue under necessary safety provisions for workers,” Phil Goff said.

“I want to thank all those involved in keeping these services operating, on which the wellbeing of our community depends.

“Council governance functions will also continue under streamlined provisions through teleconference and Skype facilities which will enable an Emergency Committee of Governance to meet weekly.

“In order to prevent the effects of the pandemic across the community putting thousands of lives at risk, I urge all people to follow the rules. Stay at home unless you are travelling to or from essential work or making necessary trips such as grocery shopping and trips to doctors, pharmacies and vets.

"If we do what is required of us, we can defeat the spread of this virus and get back to normality as quickly as possible,” Phil Goff said.

The following essential services will continue to be provided by Auckland Council:

• Stormwater infrastructure repair and maintenance and water treatment
• Waste collection and management services
• Auckland Emergency Management, including our current relief responses · Cremation and burial services
• Animal welfare management (i.e. feeding and caring for animals in our care and short-term survival of species). All animal shelters will be closed to the public, however our people will continue to respond to priority calls like roaming dogs and dog attacks
• Community venues and facilities as required by other essential services
• Essential governance activities
• Reactive regulatory and compliance activities required to maintain human health and safety at home or work, and environmental health services
• Building and resource consenting necessary for essential services and critical infrastructure
• Hazard monitoring and resilience
• Biosecurity Critical maintenance services, including mowing of parks to ensure people can continue to use them for their mental and physical wellbeing during the lockdown, mowing in rural areas to maintain traffic safety and reduce fire risk, arboriculture services, and collection of street bins
• Removal of offensive graffiti

Please note that this list may be updated during the lockdown period.

Essential services provided by our council-controlled organisations include:

• Wastewater
• Drinking water
• Core public transport for essential service workers, medical reasons and to move essential goods