Agenda of Community Development and Safety Committee

TERMS OF REFERENCE

Areas of Activity

· Projects and programmes related to children and young people

· Regional frameworks for local community facilities

· Social implications of housing and accessibility (e.g. homelessness, provision of emergency housing, disability accessible housing) including operation of the council’s social housing

· Projects and programmes focused on specific sectors of the community e.g. seniors, migrants

· Safety and related community issues e.g. alcohol, graffiti, family violence, commercial sex, and injury prevention

· Facilitating partnerships and collaborative funding models across the community sector

Responsibilities

Within the specified area of activity the Committee is responsible for:

· In accordance with the work programme agreed with the parent committee, developing strategy and policy, including any agreed community consultation, to recommend to the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee

· Acting as a community interface for consultation on policies and as a forum for raising community concerns, while ensuring community engagement is complementary to that undertaken by local boards

· Making decisions within delegated powers

Powers

All powers necessary to perform the Committee’s responsibilities

Except:

(a) powers that the Governing Body cannot delegate or has retained to itself (see Governing Body responsibilities)

(b) where the Committee’s responsibility is limited to making a recommendation only

(d) the approval of expenditure that is not contained within approved budgets

(e) the approval of expenditure of more than $2 million

(f) the approval of final policy

(g) deciding significant matters for which there is high public interest and which are controversial

(h) the commissioning of reports on new policy where that policy programme of work has not been approved by the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee

EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC – WHO NEEDS TO LEAVE THE MEETING

Members of the public

All members of the public must leave the meeting when the public are excluded unless a resolution is passed permitting a person to remain because their knowledge will assist the meeting.

Those who are not members of the public

General principles

· Access to confidential information is managed on a “need to know” basis where access to the information is required in order for a person to perform their role.

· Those who are not members of the meeting (see list below) must leave unless it is necessary for them to remain and hear the debate in order to perform their role.

· Those who need to be present for one confidential item can remain only for that item and must leave the room for any other confidential items.

· In any case of doubt, the ruling of the chairperson is final.

Members of the meeting

· The members of the meeting remain (all Governing Body members if the meeting is a Governing Body meeting; all members of the committee if the meeting is a committee meeting).

· However, standing orders require that a councillor who has a pecuniary conflict of interest leave the room.

· All councillors have the right to attend any meeting of a committee and councillors who are not members of a committee may remain, subject to any limitations in standing orders.

Staff

· All staff supporting the meeting (administrative, senior management) remain.

· Only staff who need to because of their role may remain.

Local Board members

· Local Board members who need to hear the matter being discussed in order to perform their role may remain. This will usually be if the matter affects, or is relevant to, a particular Local Board area.

IMSB

· Members of the IMSB who are appointed members of the meeting remain.

· Other IMSB members and IMSB staff remain if this is necessary in order for them to perform their role.

CCOs

Representatives of a CCO can remain only if required to for discussion of a matter relevant to the CCO.

1 Apologies

At the close of the agenda no apologies had been received.

2 Declaration of Interest

Members are reminded of the need to be vigilant to stand aside from decision making when a conflict arises between their role as a member and any private or other external interest they might have.

3 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Wednesday, 24 September 2014, as a true and correct record.

4 Petitions

At the close of the agenda no requests to present petitions had been received.

5 Public Input

Standing Order 3.21 provides for Public Input. Applications to speak must be made to the Committee Secretary, in writing, no later than two (2) working days prior to the meeting and must include the subject matter. The meeting Chairperson has the discretion to decline any application that does not meet the requirements of Standing Orders. A maximum of thirty (30) minutes is allocated to the period for public input with five (5) minutes speaking time for each speaker.

5.1 Input from Waimahia Housing Project

Purpose

1. To provide members of the public, an opportunity to address the Community Development and Safety Committee.

Executive summary

2. Malcolm Hope (Project Director) and Greg Freeman (Project Manager) Waimahia Inlet Development, on behalf of NZ Housing Foundation, will speak to the Community Development and Safety Committee regarding the Development Project.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the presentation from Malcolm Hope (Project Director) and Greg Freeman (Project Manager) Waimahia Inlet Development, from NZ Housing Foundation.

6 Local Board Input

Standing Order 3.22 provides for Local Board Input. The Chairperson (or nominee of that Chairperson) is entitled to speak for up to five (5) minutes during this time. The Chairperson of the Local Board (or nominee of that Chairperson) shall wherever practical, give two (2) days notice of their wish to speak. The meeting Chairperson has the discretion to decline any application that does not meet the requirements of Standing Orders.

This right is in addition to the right under Standing Order 3.9.14 to speak to matters on the agenda.

6.1 Input from Franklin Local Board

Purpose

1. To provide an opportunity for Local Boards to share information with the Community Development and Safety Committee.

Executive Summary

2. Andrew Baker, Chairperson of the Franklin Local Board will speak to the Community Development and Safety Committee on Pukekohe North initiatives.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the presentation from Andrew Baker, Chairperson, Franklin Local Board regarding Pukekohe North initiatives.

6.2 Input from Manurewa Local Board

Purpose

1. To provide an opportunity for Local Boards to share information with the Community Development and Safety Committee.

Executive Summary

2. Simeon Brown, Deputy Chairperson of the Manurewa Local Board will speak to the Community Development and Safety Committee on community safety issues in the Local Board area.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the presentation from Simeon Brown, Deputy Chairperson of the Manurewa Local Board regarding community safety issues in the Local Board area.

6.3 Input from Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board

Purpose

1. To provide an opportunity for Local Boards to share information with the Community Development and Safety Committee.

Executive Summary

2. Lydia Sosene, Chairperson, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board will speak to the Community Development and Safety Committee on issues in the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board area.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the presentation from Lydia Sosene, Chairperson of the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board on issues in the area.

6.4 Input from Papakura Local Board

Purpose

1. To provide an opportunity for Local Boards to share information with the Community Development and Safety Committee.

Executive Summary

2. Bill McEntee, Chairperson of the Papakura Local Board will speak to the Community Development and Safety Committee on projects around the town centre revitalisation.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the presentation from Simeon Brown, Bill McEntee, Chairperson of the Papakura Local Board regarding projects around the town centre revitalisation.

7 Extraordinary Business

Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at that meeting if-

(a) The local authority by resolution so decides; and

(b) The presiding member explains at the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public,-

(i) The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and

(ii) The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.”

Section 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,-

(a) That item may be discussed at that meeting if-

(i) That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the local authority; and

(ii) the presiding member explains at the beginning of the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public, that the item will be discussed at the meeting; but

(b) no resolution, decision or recommendation may be made in respect of that item except to refer that item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.”

8 Notices of Motion

At the close of the agenda no requests for notices of motion had been received.

Community Development and Safety Committee

18 February 2015

An insight into the experience of rough sleeping in central Auckland

File No.: CP2015/01419

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to introduce the report entitled An insight into the experience of rough sleeping in Central Auckland - the insight report.

Executive Summary

2. The insight report discusses the findings of a research project conducted through the Auckland Homelessness Steering Group, led by the Auckland City Mission, Lifewise and Auckland Council.

3. The purpose of the research project was to generate a deeper understanding of the experience of rough sleeping in central Auckland, to help create meaningful change for people experiencing homelessness.

Recommendations

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) thank the participating organisations, including the Auckland City Mission and Lifewise for their presentation

b) endorse the insight report as a resource for Auckland Council staff.

Discussion

4. This project was driven by the Auckland Homelessness Steering Group - a multi-agency group formed to respond to the needs of those sleeping rough in central Auckland. The steering group recognised the need to gain a deeper understanding of the experience of rough sleeping to develop innovative solutions and to create meaningful change for people sleeping rough in central Auckland.

5. A core project team was formed that contributed to all elements of the research including developing the intent, devising the research questions, carrying out research interviews, analysing the data and providing feedback. The team included the following organisations:

· Auckland Council

· Auckland District Health Board

· Auckland City Mission

· Housing New Zealand

· Lifewise

· Ministry of Justice

· Ministry of Social Development

· New Zealand Police

· New Zealand Prostitutes Collective

· Serco

· Te Puni Kokiri

· Waitemata District Health Board

6. The overall facilitation, organisation and production of the report was carried out by the Auckland City Mission, Lifewise and Auckland Council.

7. To gain a deeper understanding of the experience of rough sleeping, the project team spoke to people with lived experience, i.e. people who currently sleep rough, people who formerly slept rough and family members of those who sleep rough. The team also spoke with those who may be impacted by people sleeping rough including business owners and the general public.

8. The report was designed to highlight the insights generated by the research and to walk the reader through the rough sleeping experience. It is hoped that this will act as a catalyst for inclusive and collaborative conversations to produce practical outcomes that are meaningful for those who sleep rough in central Auckland. The report will also provide the homelessness sector with insights that can be used to build empathy and understanding of people’s experiences, to inform policy development and programme delivery.

Consideration

Local Board Views and Implications

9. No local board input has been sought at this stage.

Maori Impact Statement

10. Approximately 60% of those sleeping rough in central Auckland are of Māori descent and the research participants broadly reflect this figure.

11. The insight tool is ethnicity neutral and was purposefully designed to reflect the experience, rather than individual or cultural narratives. However, the insight tool crosses all ethnicities and positive actions that are generated through this tool will positively affect Māori.

Implementation Issues

12. The Auckland Homelessness Steering Group has workshops planned to explore the insights found within the report. The steering group aims to develop innovative solutions based on the experiences of people sleeping rough in central Auckland and to foster co-designed solutions with the community.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Authors	Sophia Beaton - Community Safety Project Leader (Homelessness)
Authorisers	Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Community Development and Safety Committee

18 February 2015

Turanga - A Pacific Financial Wellness Initiative

File No.: CP2014/24826

Purpose

1. To provide information on ‘Turanga – a Pacific financial wellness initiative’ (Turanga), which is being managed by CDAC’s Community Development and Safety unit (CDS). The project is a regional pilot which, in its next phase, will be focused only in the south with the support of The Southern Initiative.

Executive summary

2. Auckland Council’s Housing Action Plan (priority ten, actions 29 and 30) directs staff to ‘pursue partnerships… and to deliver programmes to prepare Pacific peoples for home ownership and affordable housing’. Turanga is CDS’s response to this priority. Turanga aims to gain clarity around the barriers to home ownership and to identify what shifts are required to address these sustainably within Pacific families and eventually Pacific communities.

3. Staff have discovered that barriers to home ownership for Pacific families need to be understood in conjunction with understanding how Pacific families manage their money. Because of this connection, financial wellness has been the initiative’s primary focus.

4. As part of Turanga to date, 15 Pacific families have implemented budgets (including debt reduction and savings plans) and five of these families are in the process of purchasing their own homes through social housing initiatives. Staff have also gained valuable insight into Pacific economies and are working with local Pacific organisations to make the project’s learnings sustainable in the long term.

5. With regard to council investment to date, the Housing Project Office has committed $10,000 to the project’s work with families, including a project launch and setting up families from the 2014/2015 and 2015/16 cohorts with access to an online financial tracking system. CDS has committed a further $34,000 towards contracted programme design advice and 0.75 FTE.

Recommendations

6. That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the Turanga – A Pacific Financial Wellness Initiative report.

Discussion

Nothing to report

Background

7. The Auckland Plan identified low home ownership, unaffordable and insecure rental accommodation and overcrowding as serious issues for Aucklanders; in particular for Pacific families. In response to this issue, Auckland Council’s Housing Action Plan (priority ten, actions 29 and 30) directs staff to ‘pursue partnerships and to deliver programmes to prepare Pacific peoples for home ownership and affordable housing’.

8. CDS have developed the Turanga initiative to respond to the issues of low home ownership, insecure rental accommodation and overcrowding in the Pacific community. Turanga aims to gain clarity around the barriers to home ownership and to identify what shifts are required to address these sustainably within Pacific families and their communities.

9. Staff have discovered that barriers to home ownership for Pacifica families need to be understood in conjunction with understanding how Pacifica families manage their money. A 2010 Families Commission environmental scan, ‘Pacific Families and Problem Debt’, found that Pacific peoples are more vulnerable to problem debt, and that there was little known about how Pacific families manage their finances.

10. Because of this connection and overlap between money management and barriers to home ownership, financial wellness has been the initiative’s primary focus.

Turanga – A Pacific Financial Wellness Initiative

11. Turanga means ‘a place to stand’. The Turanga initiative assists families to design financial wellness plans to meet their own goals which may include home ownership or other accommodation security options. The project aims to become sustainable in that families will begin to pass their knowledge on to others and mentor them as part of the process.

12. The following three-year timeline explains Turanga’s expected development:

· Year 1, 2014/2015: Learning and discovery and co-design phase

· Year 2, 2015/2016: Improving, testing and building for sustainability

· Year 3, 2016/2017: Replication and transition into a wider community-led and owned model.

13. This entire process is underpinned by the following aspects of the Turanga approach:

· co-creation; brings families into the design process to enable their insights and experience to inform the project through a design-led research process

· education; spans the entire project and is a two-way process, enabling families to learn from monthly sharing sessions held to maintain the momentum and the relationships between the families.

14. The initiative is supported by a number of stakeholder partners including Beacon Pathway, the New Zealand Housing Foundation, the Commission for Financial Literacy and Retirement Income, The Salvation Army, Otara Health Charitable Trust, Ministry of Pacific Island Affairs and ASB Community Trust. The Otara-Papatoetoe, Mangere-Otahuhu and Manurewa Local Boards have also included the initiative in their 2014/2015 CDAC work programmes.

15. Partners have contributed via delivery of seminars and specialist financial advice at project workshops, and sharing of community networks and contacts. In 2015/2016, staff will begin discussions with partners for a financial commitment to the project.

16. With regard to council investment to date, the Housing Project Office has committed $10,000 to the project’s work with families, including a project launch and setting up families from the 2014/2015 and 2015/16 cohorts with access to an online financial tracking system. CDS has committed a further $34,000 towards contracted programme design advice and 0.75 FTE.

Year One: Learning and Discovery

17. The learning and discovery phase was completed in September 2014. During this phase, staff engaged with project partners and Pacific communities to identify the barriers Pacific families face in regard to financial management. Staff engaged with an original group of 20 families, selected from community networks including the partner organisations supporting this initiative.

18. The process revealed that Pacific financial wellness often extends beyond a simple definition of having expenses covered and being able to save a portion of income. For families on this project, it also means being connected, supportive and deeply involved with family, the church and wider communities.

19. The following four main themes emerged from the learning and discovery phase:

· A Pacific family financial framework; participant families functioned within two differing financial models: collective and individual

· Church and family spending; a key feature of participant families’ spending was non-discretionary financial outgoings for church and family

· Budgeting; because money was scarce, there was a tendency amongst participants for short-term budgeting rather than long-term, considered savings strategies

· Investment in education; participants held a strong belief that investing in children’s education will result in a more prosperous life for future generations.

Year One: Co-design

20. As part of the co-design phase, staff and families developed the goal of each family implementing an annual budget, debt elimination and savings plan which is reviewed at the monthly sharing sessions.

21. Staff also hoped that some households, as a result of their involvement with Turanga, would be able to enter schemes such as the Waimahia Inlet Development; a project which will offer 200 homes via shared equity, rent-to-by or affordable rental.

22. Of the original 20 families, 15 have stayed with the project. All of these families have budgets, debt elimination and savings strategies in place. Three of the families are debt-free, and five have entered into social housing schemes with Housing Foundation New Zealand for the Waimahia Inlet to buy their own homes.

23. Staff are currently undertaking filmed interviews with project participants to review the project to date.

Next steps

24. In the next phase, each family has committed to adopt another family and pass on their knowledge and experience. Staff will continue to support this process.

25. Turanga will also extend beyond the family groups into ethnic specific and faith-based communities (for example the Cook Islands and Niuean community and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). The intention is to assist Pacific communities to identify opportunities for economic development and collective financial wellness. Cultural tourism and community-owned social housing opportunities are currently being explored.

26. Turanga began as a regional project. The project will now become a prototype within The Southern Initiative, and the focus for the immediate future will be concentrated in the South. This is due to a combination of resourcing factors and the project’s fit with The Southern Initiative.

27. No further Council funding has been committed to the project; the assigned staff member will continue to work with the project as it comes under The Southern Initiative, and will explore options for ongoing funding with partner organisations.

Consideration

Local board views and implications

28. The Mangere-Otahuhu, Otara-Papatoetoe and Manurewa Local Boards are supporting this initiative through the local board work programmes. Staff provide a quarterly progress update to these local boards, as part of the Community Development Arts and Culture quarterly report.

Maori impact statement

29. Turanga is delivered to Pacific families and is delivered in a region with a high Maori population. Maori might benefit from this initiative when the experiences and learnings are shared by Maori/Pacific whanau members.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author	Rouruina Brown - Community Development Project Leader (South)
Authorisers	Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Community Development and Safety Committee

18 February 2015

Update on Boarding Houses evidence gathering project in South Auckland

File No.: CP2015/01009

Purpose

1. To inform on the proposed inspection of boarding houses project in South Auckland.

Executive Summary

2. The objective of this pilot project is to investigate 20 boarding houses in South Auckland.

3. Each inspection will assess the conditions of the boarding houses, assess the effectiveness of the current legislation to ensure appropriate standards are met, and determine where limitations of the council’s powers may exist.

4. The main focus of the project is on building safety, environmental health and sanitation issues and resource consenting requirements. There is also an opportunity for officers to make further observations on the social concerns associated with boarding houses that may assist council and other social service agencies respond to the needs of vulnerable tenants.

5. Results from this investigation will work to inform various work streams being undertaken in the realm of investigating regulatory and non-regulatory tools related to boarding houses and homelessness within Auckland.

6. In the unlikely event that a boarding house is to be closed as a result of significant health, safety or sanitation issues, a process is being developed with both government and non-government organisations to assist tenants in finding interim alternative accommodation.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the update on boarding houses evidence gathering project in south Auckland.

Discussion

Background

7. It is estimated there are approximately 160 boarding houses across Auckland. However, this figure has not been confirmed and it is difficult to guage exact figures. Further, the evidence council holds as to the overall condition off boarding houses is minimal, with the majority of information held being anecdotal.

8. Historically, the main compliance issues associated with boarding houses includes overcrowding, general cleanliness, pest and vermin infestation and minor building defects such as broken windows, showers and kitchen facilities.

9. The council, through the Regulatory and Bylaws Committee, is currently undertaking a review to determine whether the current legislation is effective or whether additonal regulatory or non-regulatory tools are required to ensure building safety and sanitation of boarding houses for the tenants residing within.

Proposal

10. This pilot project is a combined approach with joint inspections undertaken by building control, resource consent and the environmental health teams of a sample of 20 boarding houses, utilising the powers under the current legislation. The project is being undertaken in legacy Manukau City Council area as existing information systems can be utilised to record inspection data across the regulatory teams.

11. The inspections will gather information on the overall compliance of boarding houses and the effectiveness of current legislation to address any non-compliance. This information will contribute to the review of regulatory powers.

12. While the review is focused on assessing conditions against existing legislation, social issues observed during the site visits will be documented and shared with social service agencies.

13. A graduated enforcement approach to any oberved non-compliance issue is porposed. This may be confined to building safety and sanitation standards. As far as possible, the intention is to work with boarding house operators to improve the conditions. It is not the intention of the council to close down any premises, and this will be a last resort to deal with significant health and safety or sanitation issues deemed an immediate harm to public health.

14. If building safety and sanitation is found to be such that that it is required to be closed, the council will work with appropriate government and non government organisation to provide the appropriate assitance to tenants.

15. There are two possible timeframes in the event of a closure due to unsafe or unsanitary conditions. The first is a 24 hour closure for significant safety issues and the second provides for a reasonable time period to be given to rectify the issues. Auckland Council is working with both government and non-government organisations to develop a comprehensive process that will provide support for tenants and assist them to find alternative accommodation.

Regulatory Environement

16. The council is responsible for ensuring building safety, environmental health and sanitation of boarding houses and currently inspects boarding houses on a reactive basis by responding to complaints raised.There are no licensing or permitting requirements for boarding houses.

17. Current legislation on building safety, environmental health and sanitation that the council can apply to boarding houses includes the Building Act 2006, the Building Code 1992, the Health Act 1956, Housing Improvement Regulations 1947 and the Resource Management Act 1991. This legislation provides the council the power to enter, inspect, issue cleansing orders or notices to fix, abate nuisances, prosecute, and take other enforcement action where it discovers non-compliance. A summary of the legislation and key areas are listed below.

Building Act 2004 and Building Code

18. The council’s focus in relation to insanitary or dangerous buildings under the Building Act is concentrated on the structural elements of the building. For example, the existence and location of sanitary facilities, whether moisture is leaking into the building, and whether water supplies are adequate.

Health Act 1956

19. Warranted Environmental Health Officers have the power to enter and inspect boarding houses (or suspected boarding houses) under the Health Act, for the purposes of determining whether any nuisances, or conditions likely to be injurious to health or offensive, exist. Nuisances include any accumulation or deposit thereon, are in such a state as to harbour or be likely to harbour rats or other vermin. The council can also inspect if any building or part of a building is so overcrowded as to be likely to be injurious to the health of the occupants, or does not, as regards to air space, floor space, lighting, or ventilation, conform with the requirements of this or any other Act.

Housing Improvement Regulations

20. These regulations, made under the Health Act, impose minimum standards of fitness for houses, and include rules regarding overcrowding. The Health Act provides for repair notices to be issued if premises do not comply with these regulations, and the powers of entry under the Health Act can be used to determine whether or not the regulations are being complied with. These regulations enable the council to create and maintain a register of boarding houses in its area.

Resource Management Act 1991

21. Depending on the location within Auckland, boarding houses will either be permitted activities, or require resource consent. In either case, there will be rules or consent conditions regarding the number of residents, or the type of residents (student accommodation for example), or other particulars.

Consideration

22. The current work schedule to combine resource efforts to investigate a sample of boarding houses will gauge issues present at boarding houses, the effectiveness of current abilities (as summarised above) afforded by legislaiton, and establish where limitations of the council’s powers may exist.

23. Evidence gathered during this phase of combined efforts will provide the bylaw review project with a basis for potential future options of the council’s role in terms of the sanitary conditions, and the building safety of boarding houses.

24. The information gathered during this process will be shared with CDAC and will inform discussions that are held with social service agencies and relevant government organisations.

Local Board Views and Implications

25. Workshops were conducted with local boards in 2013; discussing issues and options of both legacy bylaws, and potential future outcomes of the bylaw review project. Feedback from those discussions varies from the creation of a licensing system for boarding houses, through to the council employing current legislation and advocating a voluntary code of practice.

Maori Impact Statement

26. The review of legacy bylaws related to boarding houses and hostels will be discussed with manawhenua at a hui scheduled for March 2015. The information collated through the pilot inspection will contribute to discssions.

Implementation Issues

27. The current work schedule is planned for March 2015, with results of intitial inspections being provided back to the Social Policy and Bylaws team in April 2015.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author

Mervyn Chetty - Manager Environmental Health, Licensing and Compliance Services

Authoriser

Grant Barnes - General Manager Licensing and Compliance Services

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Community Development and Safety Committee

18 February 2015

Update on the Southern Initiative

File No.: CP2015/00602

Purpose

1. This report presents an update on the status of The Southern Initiative (TSI), including its current activity, key findings from a recent review and next steps.

Executive Summary

2. The Southern Initiative is one of two place-based priorities derived from the Auckland Plan. It is a collaborative initiative that seeks to unlock the rich potential of South Auckland, while addressing high socioeconomic need in the area.

3. The purpose of The Southern Initiative is to facilitate positive change and improve quality of life through innovative, strategic action and investment. In May 2014 a review of the TSI operating model began and in August 2014 an Acting General Manager for the TSI was appointed.

4. The review found a need for greater clarity on the purpose of TSI, council’s role within it and where accountability for TSI outcomes sits. Stakeholders want to see strong intention supported by integrated investment and a clear programme of work.

5. Since her appointment in August 2014, the Acting General Manager for TSI has focused on relationship building with local boards and units of council, central government agencies, Mana Whenua, business leaders, not for profit organisations and community leaders. The focus has also been on accelerating progress in priority work streams including early years, youth skills, education and employment, economic development, housing and financial literacy. In recent months TSI has attracted skilled people to lead key strands of work, both seconded within council and externally.

6. Most recent TSI activity and highlights include:

· signing a Memorandum of Understanding with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment relating to the Auckland Co-design Lab and the co-locating of this lab with TSI in Manukau

· hosting a workshop with almost 50 participants to design responses for South Auckland to a Treasury Request for Information for ways to improve results for our most vulnerable children and their families

· strengthening relationships with local boards through inputs to current projects and shaping future initiatives

· continuing to build relationships with Mana Whenua, collectively and with individual iwi leadership, to respond to matters of significance to Maori in TSI area

· meetings with significant employers to provide apprenticeships and training pathways as part of TSI Maori and Pasifika Trade Training Infrastructure Consortium

· developing the Turanga project, a community-led economic growth and enterprise initiative with leaders from the Cook Islands community

· close involvement and co-location at TSI offices with the Te Papa project to build a new centre for collections, education and exhibitions in Manukau

· working to improve outcomes for young people by increasing the numbers progressing through the Graduated Driver Licensing System

· exploring with potential partners how a digital strategy for South Auckland could improve well-being for local people.

7. A small dynamic team is being built to deliver on outcomes relating to economic growth, employment, better housing choices and stronger communities. This team is also building a culture of innovation, entrepreneurship and boldness to move beyond business as usual and form the diverse alliances needed to catalyse genuine social change. This team and the work to date are forming an ‘attractor’ for those seeking to be part of positive change in South Auckland.

8. The new approach for TSI is based on empowering and facilitating South Aucklanders to lead change, connecting networks, influencing key partners to work together to realise the opportunities of the South, delivering on flagship initiatives, creating new initiatives and positively disrupting existing initiatives to accelerate change.

Recommendation

That the Community Development and Safety Committee:

a) receive the update report on The Southern Initiative.

Consideration

9. The Southern Initiative is one of two place-based initiatives prioritised in the Auckland Plan (the other being the City Centre). It is an area identified as having significant potential alongside high social need.

10. The Southern Initiative covers four local board areas: Māngere-Ōtāhuhu; Ōtara-Papatoetoe; Manurewa and Papakura. Each local board creates its own three year plan with its communities. These set out priorities to guide decisions and actions, and enables community interests and preferences to be represented on regional strategies and plans including TSI. Local Boards are represented in the governance of TSI and play an important role in the current and future planning.

11. Approximately one in five Aucklanders (19.3 percent), live in the area. The population is younger than most other parts of New Zealand, with 43 percent aged 24 years or under, and 60 percent identifying as Maōri and/or Pasifika.

12. The purpose of TSI is to deliver a long-term programme of coordinated investment and action to bring about transformational social, economic and physical change. The initiative is designed to boost quality of life and social conditions for children, families and residents in the south.

13. Since TSI began in November 2012 key achievements include;

· signing of the cadetship MOU with Manukau Institute of Technology and Auckland Airport

· TSI and CDAC supported Warm Up Homes campaign June 2014 with EECA and CMDHB through supplying home insulation to high health needs families in Mangere, Otara-Papatoetoe, Papakura and Manurewa

· successful proposal and agreement with MBIE and TEC for the Maori and Pacific Trades Training Initiative over the next 3 years

· supporting Mana Whenua diorama project with the intention to increase historical information and imagery within Mana Whenua cultural sites of significance.

· signing of the Smokefree MOU with the Cancer Society

· successful proposal to MOH for the Tamaki Healthy Families initiative and brokering of the alliance between Auckland Council TSI, Nga Mana Whenua o Tamaki Makaurau and Alliance Health Plus forming the Tamaki Healthy Families Alliance

· supporting the co-location of the Te Papa project within TSI offices in Manukau

· supporting the Waimahia Housing Development public awareness and opening events

· meeting and securing major employer relationships and brokerage to provide apprenticeships and pathways for the Maori & Pacific Trades Training Infrastructure Consortium

· supporting the digital programme through Accelerating Auckland’s Geek Camps and secondary schools digital literacy programmes in Manurewa and Otahuhu

· supporting secondary schools, and community organisations to help realise pathways into employment with their respective Trades Training programmes

· support to secondary schools driver licensing programmes at Mangere College, McAuley High and Hillary Collegiate.

Review of the operating model for the TSI

14. A review of the operating model for TSI has recently concluded and the results are being presented to the Community Development and Safety Committee on 18^th February 2015. High level themes from that review include a need for more clarity on:

· what TSI is

· council’s role within TSI

· where accountability for outcomes and achievement sits

· the intention and seriousness of the initiative.

15. The review also uncovered a desire for a strengths-based, rather than a problems or deficit-based approach to South Auckland, for council to get closer to the real issues, work to unlock the huge potential that exists and try some new things.

16. To do this, there is a strong preference for TSI to build a tripartitie place-making partnership in South Auckland between Auckland Council, Government, Mana Whenua and the community, working in partnership to deliver outcomes of strategic and transformational economic and social change for South Auckland. Council’s contribution would bring specialist skills and experience, including the ability to:

· broker and facilitate disruptive change

· facilitate and mobilise community empowerment

· influence partners such as business, Mana Whenua, Iwi, Pasifika, ethnic communities, youth, non-government organisations

· connect networks and leverage success

· foster local community leadership through local boards.

17. While there is some trust-building needed around TSI, stakeholders are willing to engage around a cohesive, inspiring, innovative, integrated and strategic work programme.

18. Out of the review came three main areas of focus for TSI: urban development, investment, and social and community innovation. And sitting underneath these are eight illustrations of ‘audacious goals’ which could drive transformation. The goals are summarised below and will be presented to the Community Development and Safety Committee on 18^th February 2015.

· South Auckland will be New Zealand’s cultural and technology enterprise zone

· South Auckland will be the cultural meeting zone of the 21^st century

· South Auckland will be a key source of the workforce for the future – young, talented and diverse

· South Auckland will be the cultural food innovation capital of New Zealand

· South Auckland’s architecture is culturally expanded and built upon

· South Auckland will be the leader in networked technology

· South Auckland has the safest and strongest community network in New Zealand

· South Auckland leads the way with whānau experience-based tourism with a community connection.

Current TSI activity

19. While TSI review was underway some principles to guide the current work have been generated as follows. Work undertaken under TSI’s banner is to be:

· collaborative and build effective relationships

· strengths, assets and solutions focused

· innovative rather than business as usual

· action oriented to build confidence and trust

· unlocking and unleashing new resources and activity and not what would happen anyway

· aligned with a community agenda so likely to get buy-in and support

· aligned to TSI priority area work streams.

20. Recent activity and highlights relating to TSI are summarised below.

Auckland Co-Design Lab

21. The Auckland Co-Design Lab has been set up to explore solutions to some of New Zealand’s most complex and persistent challenges. The Ministers of Finance, Economic Development and the State Sector approved the Lab concept in August 2014, and agreed to fund half of the Lab’s anticipated budget of $3.06m from Treasury’s Better Public Services Seed Fund.

22. Auckland Council committed as a partner in the Lab via a Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Chief Executives of council and MBIE on 20 October 2014, and will contribute to resourcing the Lab. As a first step, the Council is contributing office space and staff time to support the Lab set up. The Lab team will co-locate with TSI in Manukau council offices within Manukau city centre. The lab will run as a 27-month Proof of Concept initiative, and will support five project challenges, a number of which will focus on South Auckland.

Mana Whenua Hui

23. As a result of conversations with Mana Whenua representatives a wānanga for Mana Whenua was held on 8 December 2014 at Makaurau Marae to discuss Iwi and Hapu:

· aspirations, vision and goals for The Southern Initiative

· role in the delivery of any initiatives

· expectations of communications and flow of information

· collective interests within The Southern Initiative.

24. As a result of the hui held 8 December 2014 Ngati Paoa supplied a draft Deed of Mandate – TSI and Mana Whenua o Tamaki with the purpose to endorse and support Mana Whenua aspirations, TSI objectives and the commitment of both parties to enhance socio-economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of the South Auckland region.

Early years and families

25. Family and Community Services (Ministry of Social Development) and the Ministry of Education’s early childhood team are interested in working together on innovative ways to support parents of young children. A workshop involving the Co-Design Lab team above was held on 26 September 2014 to discuss developing an early years challenge for the Lab to address.

26. Plunket has approached the Acting General Manager of TSI to collaborate on a new initiative funded by the Tindall Foundation in Ōtāhuhu, Ōtara, Māngere and Manurewa. TSI’s Acting General Manager has also met with the Tindall Foundation, Todd Foundation and ASB Trust, who are all interested in opportunities to collaborate on early years initiatives.

27. The Tāmaki Healthy Families Alliance (THFA) comprises three partner organisations: Ngā Mana Whenua o Tāmaki Makaurau, The Southern Initiative – Auckland Council and Alliance Health Plus Trust. The Ministry of Health is also a member of the Alliance. The Alliance was established following a successful tender process for the Healthy Families NZ programme in the Manukau and the Manurewa-Papakura wards. The Healthy Families NZ programme for these communities will be implemented over a four-year term.

28. A co-design workshop on child poverty was held on 1 December in response to Treasury’s Request for Information about how government could “improve results for our most vulnerable [at risk] children and their families”. Almost 50 people attended to discuss and co-design potential approaches to this difficult challenge. The workshop was based around the Family 100 Project empathy tool “Demonstrating the complexities of being poor”. A proposal developed from this workshop was submitted on 4 December 2014.

Economic development, skills, education, employment and tourism

29. Integrating and honing the activity in this workstream has been a recent focus – this work includes:

· Maori and Pacific Trade Training Consortium (TSI project)

· Youth Connections and the Mayor’s Youth Employment Traction Plan

· Getting traction on the driver’s licence issue

· Manurewa Local Board Youth Employment initiative

· Auckland Skills Steering Group Alignment Project

· Collaboration with the Sustainable Business Council - employing young parents.

30. A senior advisor from the Manurewa Local Board has been seconded to support this work stream and a project leader to drive the Maori and Pacific Trades Training Consortium has been appointed.

31. There is strong interest from the Ministries of Social Development and Education to work collaboratively on youth employment. A collaborative event was held on 23 October 2014 to share what everyone is doing in the youth employment and skills area. This initiative came from the Auckland local government/central government forum in June 2014 that prioritised youth employment moving forward.

32. A third Mayor’s youth employment summit is being held on 21 February 2015 in South Auckland at the MIT building in Manukau. It will be a ‘festival of jobs’ connecting young people directly with employers and an opportunity to promote jobs and training opportunities locally for young people.

33. TSI hosted the entire Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment senior leadership team from Wellington on 3 December. Topics discussed included the Turanga project (see further below), the work of Auckland Council’s Housing Projects Office and employment and skills in south Auckland. Also present were Chief Executives of major employers in the South.

34. Work has also been underway with the Economic Development team on next step opportunities flowing from Local Board Economic Development plans. Staff from ATEED and Economic Development hot desk at the TSI office, to support closer connection and collaboration.

35. The Southern Initiative Infrastructure Consortium for Maori and Pasifika Trades Training (MPTTIC) is focused on increasing the number of Maori and Pasifika people aged 18 to 34 going into apprenticeships and sustainable employment in infrastructure and related industries, such as electricity, telecommunications, roading and civil engineering. The consortium has secured $7.5 million of government funding over the next three years to provide up to 200 trainees per year with training, wrap-around support and preparation for employment, and pathway them into apprenticeships and sustainable employment. To-date 97 trainees have been placed within the initiative.

36. A number of significant employers have signed up to provide employment opportunities through the MPTTIC, including Stevenson, Downer, HEB Construction, Northpower, Watercare, Hawkins Construction and Fulton Hogan. Veolia are also interested in offering training and employment opportunities in partnership with MPTTIC. Several meetings were held with these organisations and consortium partners in late 2014.

37. The Accident Compensation Corporation and New Zealand Transport Agency are leading a project to improve the numbers of young people progressing successfully through the Graduated Driver Licensing System, to improve driving skills and the safety record of young people on our roads. TSI is working alongside this project and with schools to support more young people achieving their licences, as it is a key element in achieving better employment (and other social) outcomes.

38. Supported by TSI, the Cook Islands Development Agency of New Zealand (CIDANZ) and leaders of the Cook Islands community signed an agreement to work together and create a Community Co-operative. The group, united by their common values and principles, agreed to share their knowledge and resources to improve community and economic wellbeing, through collectively owned and organised enterprises. The Cook Islands Marae groups will work cooperatively to build capacity, capability, innovation and services to develop skills, employment and prosperity for the Cook Islands community of around 33,000 people within The Southern Initiative boundaries.

39. TSI’s Acting General Manager has been discussing a potential digital strategy for south Auckland with a number of businesses, philanthropic and community-based organisations. A digital strategy would address access and capability challenges and provide a platform to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation. A strategy is required to help negotiate all of the opportunities and interest being expressed.

40. There is a huge potential for Mangere to become one of the main tourist attractions in Auckland by connecting and developing existing but unexplored attractions into a sustainable tourism package. The Manukau Harbour, Otuataua Stonefields, Rennie Farm and the Ambury Farm Park are a few of the various opportunities to develop an integrated tourism operation for that region, involving local community and Marae to deliver tourism services related to the local environment, history, culture and traditions. TSI will collaborate with Mana Whenua, ATEED, CDAC and the Māngere-Ōtāhuhu Local Board to develop this opportunity.

41. There are opportunities to structure and develop community-led enterprises to maximise and integrate the Auckland Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. TSI will collaborate with the waste team to build community skills and capacity to bid for contracts to operate two southern Community Recycling Centres identified in the Resource Recovery Network Strategy.

42. TSI’s Acting General Manager and other staff meet regularly with education sector funders and providers. These include the Ministry of Education, Tertiary Education Commission, Manukau Institute of Technology, training providers, schools, Industry Training Organisations and employers. Recent issues discussed include:

· unclear pathways from private training providers to higher training and education

· better pathways for special needs learners

· funding policy anomalies (e.g. travel funding)

· aligning education and training with identified skills and employment needs

· the fragmentation of services in South Auckland

· building work experience into education and training.

Housing

43. Support and collaboration have occurred with the Community Development team on the Turanga project – a financial wellness initiative working with Pacific Families. An objective of the initiative is to support families into home ownership.

44. On 16 October 2014 the Acting General Manager for TSI chaired a forum organised by COMET Auckland on housing and financial literacy, involving community organisations and government, philanthropy and business sectors.

45. On 11 December 2014 the Chief Advisor Maori for MBIE Mahi Paurini presented on Maori housing opportunities to Mana Whenua representatives, which drew keen interest to discuss social and affordable housing opportunities further with Mahi and council’s housing team.

Arts, Culture, Sport and Recreation

46. An exciting development has taken place with Te Papa’s proposal for Manukau as the location of a new Centre for Collections, Education and Exhibitions. The proposed Centre is an opportunity to present the nation’s taonga and share the museum’s diverse arts, sciences, heritage and cultural collections with a wider audience. The Te Papa project team has co-located with The Southern Initiative in their offices at Manukau Civic Centre. A Project Director commenced on 15 September 2014.

New directions for TSI

47. TSI’s strategic approach is built around delivering established flagship projects while driving innovation in the spaces around the flagship projects – seeking out opportunities to harness momentum and leverage ideas that have the potential to succeed, and disrupting systems that aren’t working to force re-examination and new approaches. This approach includes:

· empowering and facilitating South Aucklanders to lead change

· connecting networks, leveraging successes and sharing learning at local community and South Auckland-wide level

· influencing key partners (council agencies, social agencies, community organisations, business and central government) to work together to realise the opportunity of the South

· delivering or supporting keystone initiatives such as the Maori and Pacific Island Trades Training Initiative and Healthy Families, innovating to create new initiatives and positively disrupt existing initiatives to accelerate change and transformation.

48. Council will work in partnership with government, Mana Whenua and the community to deliver outcomes of Economic and Social Change for South Auckland, including:

· economic growth: enhanced contribution to national GDP through improved productivity of South Auckland

· employment of people: increased skills and educational achievement will dramatically reduce Maori, Pasifika and youth unemployment

· better housing choices: accelerated supply of affordable and culturally appropriate housing will reduce pressure on housing prices and reduce demand for social housing (through people being able to transfer from social to affordable housing)

· stronger communities: community empowerment and innovation will build self-reliance and reduce future demands on welfare services.

49. TSI direction to date is perhaps captured best through the following diagram.

Local Board Views and Implications

50. Local boards have been involved in TSI since it started and are represented in the governance structure. More recently the Acting General Manager has been meeting with local board chairs and members to discuss future directions and current projects. These conversations and opportunities for local boards to be involoved in planning and delivery will continue to occur as work programmes are developed and implemented.

Maori Impact Statement

51. TSI Acting General Manager has met with the IMSB Chief Executive building relationships and alignments within respective Workstreams.

52. The Acting General Manager has met one on one with Mana Whenua representatives, along with Te Waka Angamua.

53. The TSI meets regularly with Te Waka Angamua.

Implementation Issues

54. Critical to the success of TSI is its unique approach.

55. To deliver on its strategy TSI needs to be agile, flexible and responsive. It requires a dynamic team of people who catalyse change and positively disrupt business-as-usual to make things happen. This team must be able to experiment, and sometimes fail, in order to learn and achieve.

56. TSI aims to operate a lean yet effective approach that will exist within a culture of innovation to mobilise, leverage and accelerate innovation and catalytic change.

57. The approach will reflect a diverse set of complementary functions including a project delivery arm, a social intrapreneurship/brokering arm as well as two ‘social change investment chests’ – one for community innovation and a second to build the capacity of South Auckland leaders and change makers. This will be supported with reporting, administration and communications through the TSI leadership role.

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Signatories

Author	Gael Surgenor - General Manager Southern Initiative
Authoriser	Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Chairperson	Dr Cathy Casey
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Sir John Walker, KNZM, CBE
Members	Cr Anae Arthur Anae
	Cr Linda Cooper, JP
	Cr Alf Filipaina
	Member Kris MacDonald
	Cr Calum Penrose
	Member Josie Smith
	Cr Wayne Walker
	Cr John Watson
	Cr George Wood, CNZM
Ex-officio	Mayor Len Brown, JP
	Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse

No.	Title	Page
a View	Letter from KiwiRail regarding graffiti on rail bridges	37

No.	Title	Page
a View	Progress report on actions from previous meetings	41

Author	Maureen Koch - Democracy Advisor
Authoriser	Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture