Agenda of Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

ITEM TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

1 Welcome 5

2 Apologies 5

3 Declaration of Interest 5

4 Confirmation of Minutes 5

5 Leave of Absence 5

6 Acknowledgements 5

7 Petitions 5

8 Deputations 5

8.1 North Rodney Community Arts Council 6

8.2 Te Whau Walkway and Snells Beach to Warkworth Walkway 6

9 Public Forum 6

10 Extraordinary Business 6

11 Notices of Motion 7

12 Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016 9

13 Warkworth Showgrounds 17

14 Community Development, Arts and Culture Work Programme 2015/2016 47

15 New community lease to Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated 61

16 New community lease and licence to occupy to Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated 75

17 New community lease to Art Kaipara Incorporated 91

18 Libraries Proposed Property Renewals Programme for 2015/2016 101

19 Community Led Environmental Projects Budget FY2014/2015 End of Year Report 107

20 Rodney Rural Halls and Reserves 169

21 Community Facilities Network Plan 175

22 Wellsford Greenways Plan 239

23 Swimming Pool Fencing Exemption – Special Exemption (Section 6) Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 305

24 Local Board Members Reports 309

25 Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee Workshop Records 311

26 Deputation/Public Forum Update 321

27 Consideration of Extraordinary Items

PUBLIC EXCLUDED

28 Procedural Motion to Exclude the Public 325

23 Swimming Pool Fencing Exemption – Special Exemption (Section 6) Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987

a. 32 Drury Lane, RD4, Pine Valley 325

b. 192 Hunter Road, RD2, Taupaki 325

c. 49 Taumata Road, Omaha 325

d. 241 Sharp Road, Matakana 325

e. 43 Kokopu Street, Omaha 325

f. 200 Valley Road, Waimauku 325

g. 162 Annett Road, Huapai 325

h. 505 Rodney Road, Pakiri 325

i. 599 Haruru Road, RD3, Kaukapakapa 325

j. 577 Haruru Road, Kaukapakapa 325

1 Welcome

2 Apologies

Apologies from Member SR Garner have been received.

3 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.

4 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Monday, 4 May 2015, as a true and correct record.

5 Leave of Absence

At the close of the agenda no requests for leave of absence had been received.

6 Acknowledgements

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

7 Petitions

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

8 Deputations

Standing Order 3.20 provides for deputations. Those applying for deputations are required to give seven working days notice of subject matter and applications are approved by the Chairperson of the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee. This means that details relating to deputations can be included in the published agenda. Total speaking time per deputation is ten minutes or as resolved by the meeting.

8.1 North Rodney Community Arts Council

Purpose

1. Representatives from North Rodney Community Arts Council will be in attendance to address the local board in regard to the possibility of using the building on the Atlas site, 80 Great North Road, Warkworth as a community arts centre.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) thank the representatives from North Rodney Community Arts Council for their presentation on the possibility of using the building at the Atlas site, 80 Great North Road, Warkworth as a community art centre.

8.2 Te Whau Walkway and Snells Beach to Warkworth Walkway

Purpose

1. Representatives from Snells Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association will be in attendance to address the local board on the Te Whau Walkway at Snells Beach and a proposal for a walkway between Snells Beach and Warkworth.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) thank the representatives from Snells Beach Residents and Ratepayers Association for their presentation in regard to the Te Whau Walkway at Snells Beach and the proposal for a walkway between Snells Beach and Warkworth.

9 Public Forum

A period of time (approximately 30 minutes) is set aside for members of the public to address the meeting on matters within its delegated authority. A maximum of 3 minutes per item is allowed, following which there may be questions from members.

At the close of the agenda no requests for public forum had been received.

10 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.”

11 Notices of Motion

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

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016

File No.: CP2015/09968

Purpose

1. To present the draft 2015/2016 Parks Capital Works Programme for endorsement and approval by the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee.

Executive Summary

2. The proposed 2015/2016 Parks Capital Works Programme has been developed based on draft Long-term Plan (LTP) budgets approved by Auckland Council’s Budget Committee on 8 May 2015, and anticipated to be approved by the Governing Body on 25 June 2015.

3. The work programme includes capital development, renewals, as well as Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) proposals which have been approved in principle by the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee (PCCD) on the 18 May 2015 and 8 June 2015 (Attachment A).

4. The work programme is designed to be strategic, enabling the Parks Advisor and Project Managers to further scope project detail and set priorities. Flexibility is sought by acknowledging that asset conditions are dynamic and subject to change. Local and Sports Parks North requires the flexibility to amend priorities for asset renewals, to respond to unpredictable circumstances and effectively deliver renewals to mitigate unforeseen health and safety issues.

5. The proposed Parks Capital Works Programme includes contributions from the locally driven initiative budget (LDI) as well as some alternative funding sources. Where applicable these have been identified in Attachment A.

6. The programme excludes candidate projects to be funded through the discretionary capex budget.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) approve the Rodney Local Board 2015/2016 Parks Capital Works Programme, including Locally Driven Initiative budget allocations, as detailed in Attachment A to the agenda report.

b) delegate the reprioritisation of existing asset renewals to the Manager of Local and Sports Parks North, as informed by updated asset condition assessments, throughout the 2015/2016 financial year.

Comments

7. The parks capital works programme for 2015/2016 has been developed in in line with the draft LTP, which was approved by Auckland Council’s Budget Committee on 8 May 2015, and is anticipated to be ratified by the Governing Body on 25 June 2015.

8. The proposed capital works programme is also in alignment with the following strategic documents :

· The Auckland Plan.

· The Rodney Local Board Plan.

· The Sport & Recreation Strategic Action Plan.

· The Parks and Open Spaces Strategic Action Plan.

9. The Parks Capital Works Programme for 2015/2016 has a strategic focus to embed the flexibility needed to adapt to changing environments within parks. For renewal of existing assets, the information provided is the best information available to date, recognising that as time progresses information will be verified as part of asset management best practice.

10. The renewals programme is driven by asset condition and the results of recent survey information. Assets in the poorest condition are given priority.

11. The condition of Park assets is dynamic and subject to factors beyond control (weather events, vandalism, theft etc.). Flexibility is therefore recommended to address unforeseen urgent renewals that at best are inconvenient, but at worst present significant health and safety risks to council.

12. Should priorities change from those identified in Attachment A, updates will be brought to the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee for review, feedback and approval, as set out in the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee Terms of Reference (4 February 2015) and Rodney Local Board Resolution RD/2014/39.

13. A Central Risk Fund has been developed as part of Auckland Council wide project management protocols for the 2015/2016 financial year. As a centrally managed contingency fund, it will be used to support capital projects which may be impacted or delayed by unexpected (and financially) un-planned risks occurring. 5% of the project’s budget will be held centrally, in order to mitigate unexpected risks.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

14. The Rodney Local Board PCCD Committee has provided detailed feedback on the proposed work programme at meetings in May and June 2015. Feedback at all sessions has been included in this proposed work programme. The proposed work programme is based on the Rodney Local Board Plan 2014 and the Auckland Council Long-term Plan 2015-2025, which have both been through full public notification and consultation processes.

Māori impact statement

15. The Rodney Local Board Plan 2014 recognises and supports local iwi and hapu in their role as kaitiakai. Many of the projects within the work programme align with the values of protecting and enhancing the mauri of reserves in the Rodney area. There is a commitment to consult and work with mana whenua on all projects to ensure the protection and restoration of sites of significance to Maori. The impacts on Maori from each project will be assessed during the consultation phases and reported back to the PCCD Committee in the first instance.

Implementation

16. Following approval of the work programme, staff will initiate planning and implementation to facilitate delivery within the 2015/2016 financial year.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016, Attachment A	13

Signatories

Authors

Jeff Lyford - Parks Advisor

Authorisers

Ian Maxwell - General Manager Parks, Sports and Recreation

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Warkworth Showgrounds

File No.: CP2015/11850

Purpose

1. This report is to update the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee (PCCDC) on the Warkworth Showgrounds multi-purpose facility and seek decisions regarding the allocation of local board funding to that facility and the wastewater treatment system.

Executive Summary

2. Council has been undertaking staged development of Warkworth Showgrounds since 2006. The Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated (the Collective) has acted as the major advocate of the development on behalf of a number of sports.

3. With the increased activities at Warkworth Showgrounds, there is a need to upgrade existing and provide additional toilets and changing facilities as the current rugby clubrooms are not adequate. The Collective, working with the Rodney Local Board has been investigating options to construct a new multi-purpose facility that would fulfill the clubroom, changing and toilet facility needs, whilst also accommodating gymsports and indoor courts.

4. A feasibility study was undertaken to understand the viability of such a facility. The Collective is now looking at staged development options that include an upgrade of the existing rugby clubrooms and the construction of a gymsports facility that can be extended to provide multi-sport opportunities as growth and capacity dictates over time.

5. Any development at the Warkworth Showgrounds will require the installation of a wastewater treatment and disposal system. A membrane bio-reactor (MBR) has been recommended as it is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly system that will service the immediate needs as well as future growth.

6. The expenditure items noted in the recommendations have been included in the draft Parks Capital Works Programme for 2015/2016. This programme has been presented to PCCDC workshops and is now provided for approval.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) approve $380,000 from Rodney Local Board Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016, Warkworth Showgrounds budget, for the installation of the membrane bio-reactor (MBR) wastewater treatment and disposal system at Warkworth Showgrounds, on the condition that the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective can fund associated annual operational costs.

b) support the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective request to provide the addition of a second changing room portacom on-site to meet immediate park demand subject to landowner approvals and other relevant approvals being obtained.

c) support the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated proposal to upgrade the Mahurangi Rugby clubrooms to accommodate access by other sports to the toilets, changing facilities and clubroom, in the interim until further planning is undertaken for the multi-sport facility.

d) approve the allocation of up to $90,000 from Rodney Local Board Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016, Warkworth Showgrounds budget, for the upgrade of the Mahurangi Rugby clubrooms specifically for new toilets and changing room facilities, conditional on a funding agreement being executed between Auckland Council, Mahurangi Rugby Club and the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective, with the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee being delegated final approval of the amount following the provision of detailed plans of the works.

e) support the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated and Mahurangi Gymnastics Club to progress with plans to build a gymsports facility as Stage A of a future multi-sport building at Warkworth Showgrounds.

f) approve $60,000 from Rodney Local Board Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016, Warkworth Showgrounds budget, for the design of the multi-purpose complex including all four stages as outlined in Attachment D to the agenda report being ‘Building elements for each stage of the multi-purpose building.’

g) approve $200,000 from Rodney Local Board’s, Parks Capital Works Programme 2015/2016, Warkworth Showgrounds budget, towards the multi-purpose building platform earthworks.

Comments

Background

7. Auckland Council, and previously Rodney District Council, has been undertaking a staged development of the Warkworth Showgrounds for the last eight years. This work has been based on the 2004 Reserve Management Plan/ development plan and the amended 2013 development plan (Attachment H). This plan has been redrawn in colour and landscaping added (Attachment A) and entitled Warkworth Showgrounds Landscape Concept Plan.

8. The Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated (the Collective) has acted as the major advocate for the development of the Warkworth Showgrounds and a key point of liaison for the Rodney Local Board and council staff.

9. The Rodney Local Board at their July 2013 meeting resolved the following after considering consultation on the Warkworth Showgrounds development plan.

RD/2013/182

That the Rodney Local Board:

a) adopt the updated Warkworth Showgrounds Development Plan dated June 2013 as attached at Attachment A to the agenda report.

b) support the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated acting as the main stakeholder group for the future development of the multi-purpose complex within the Warkworth Showgrounds.

c) acknowledge that the equestrian areas identified within the Warkworth Showgrounds Development Plan June 2013 are unlikely to be developed as sports fields in the next 5 to 10 years.

d) support Kowhai Art and Craft remaining in their current building at the existing location within the Warkworth Showgrounds.

e) support Mahurangi Gymnastics Club incorporating a gymnasium within the proposed multi-purpose complex within Warkworth Showgrounds.

f) support discussions commencing with the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated for the governance, feasibility and design of the proposed multi-purpose complex within Warkworth Showgrounds.

CARRIED

10. At the same July 2013 meeting the Rodney Local Board considered its three year work programme at the Warkworth Showgrounds and resolved the following:

RD/2013/183

That the Rodney Local Board:

a) approve the proposed Warkworth Showgrounds 2013 - 2016 work programme overview as attached at Attachment A in the agenda report and request that officers report to the Local Board with yearly work programmes for approval.

b) notes that the $1.5 million for the multi-sport complex at Warkworth Showgrounds is an estimate of the amount that could be contributed by the Council towards the complex and that the remaining funds for the project will need to be raised by the community.

CARRIED

11. Since the above resolutions, further work has been undertaken to understand the facility development options and their viability. Information on the following pieces of work was summarised in a discussion paper to the Local Board in March and April 2015:

· Mahurangi Rugby Clubrooms Building Assessment

· Warkworth Showgrounds Multi-purpose Building Feasibility Study

· Mahurangi Rugby Club Proposal

· Warkworth Showgrounds Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Study

12. A revised work programme for Warkworth Showgrounds has been presented to the Rodney Local Board. There is $3.387 million budgeted in 2015/2016 for Warkworth Showgrounds development and a further $642,000 in 2016/2017.

13. Since 2012, in total, $3.06 million worth of projects have been delivered, with a further $3.17 million forecasted and budgeted to be delivered over the next two financial years (Attachment B).

14. Current expenditure to date on the multi-purpose facility totals $45,000. Forecasted and budgeted expenditure for the remaining two financial years (including wastewater and building platform earthworks) is $1.38 million.

Mahurangi Rugby Clubrooms Building Assessment

15. Mahurangi Rugby Club (Rugby) owns the clubroom facility on Warkworth Showgrounds. The current lease commenced on 16 October 2012 for a term of 10 years, with a right of renewal of 10 years. Final expiry is 15 October 2032. Based on drawings, the building was constructed some time before 1976, possibly 1972.

16. In March 2014 council engaged Ashby Consulting Engineering Ltd to carry out a visual condition survey of the clubrooms and assess the viability of developing the current rugby clubrooms building as a multi-sport hub. The assessment outlined that while the building is presently a functional facility, there are a number of maintenance issues that require further investigation and upgrade in the immediate and short-term (Attachment C). Ashby Consulting Engineering noted that the building has a limited remaining life (approximately 10 years without repair) and any significant changes would most likely require replacement.

17. Ashby Consulting Engineering Ltd also completed an Initial Seismic Assessment. The building was rated 37%NBS (New Building Standard) which is above the 34% threshold for being considered earthquake prone however it is considered a potential earthquake risk as it is below the 67% threshold.

Warkworth Showgrounds Multi-purpose Building Feasibility Study

18. The Warkworth Showgrounds Multi-purpose Building Feasibility Study, funded by the Rodney Local Board, was completed in June 2014. Two key outcomes were sought from the study:

· identification of a conceptual building design that meets the needs of the user groups, whilst providing revenue for facility sustainability,

· development of an operational business plan that ensures a sustainable revenue base to meet estimated expenses.

19. The study proposed that the multi-purpose facility be developed in four stages. It was noted that the stages of the facility were able to be completed in any order and that the existing rugby changing rooms would need to continue in their current form until replaced by stages B and C of the multi-purpose facility. The components of each stage are outlined Attachment D with preliminary cost estimates. The total cost of all stages is estimated at $10.25 million.

20. The feasibility study proposed four potential business operating models. The primary purpose of the modelling was to consider future sustainability of the multi-purpose facility. The four models have varying impact on both the club members and potential users of the facility. The key details of the four models are outlined in Attachment E.

21. The feasibility study identified that it would be difficult to make a new multi-purpose facility (incorporating all four stages) financially viable, based on the estimated maintenance costs (associated with building WOF’s, etc), and estimated revenue generated through multiple sports accessing that new shared space. Through the study the following was noted in relation to covering necessary operational expenses:

· membership fees would have to increase to a level that the Collective did not think was affordable for families in the area;

· if clubs absorbed the costs, without significantly increasing membership fees (or other income), within a few years there would be issues of financial viability;

· building operations would only be viable under a part-depreciation model unless an ongoing operational subsidy could be found, or there was an acceptance that funding would be required in the future to cover significant facility maintenance.

22. With the above in mind, the Collective investigated individual stages of the building project, to assess their financial viability. Throughout these investigations, the Collective’s overall goal has been to meet the increased capacity needs and encourage further growth at Warkworth Showgrounds, whilst allowing time to ensure that any future construction and operations are viable and sustainable.

Mahurangi Rugby Club Proposal

23. In response to the feasibility study’s findings, Rugby presented a proposal to the Collective as an interim solution until a new multi-purpose facility becomes viable. The proposal involved the establishment of Mahurangi Sport that would utilise the facilities and management structures of the existing rugby club and clubrooms to provide the multi-sport opportunity for the community. Rugby’s proposal covered three main points:

· intent to support multi-sport on the Showgrounds site;

· intent for an evolving governance model for management of multi-sports;

· staged site development.

24. Rugby proposed a staged upgrade of the existing rugby clubroom facilities to meet needs in the interim. Ashby Consulting Engineering estimated the cost of this work at $560,000 (Attachment F).

25. Mahurangi Rugby Club has commenced some of the immediate remedial work, with approximately $2,350 (+GST) spent to date. The Collective has requested that a portion of the Warkworth Showgrounds budget that is indicatively allocated for a multi-purpose facility be contributed to the Rugby upgrade. The balance of the funding required would be fundraised by the Collective or the new Mahurangi Sports entity. Rugby believes the consultant’s estimates are over-engineered and that their ability to draw on volunteer resources would result in significant savings. The anticipated costs of the proposed project are highlighted below.

· $50k – remedial basement repairs including subsidence issue

· $25k – addition of two new toilets

· $50k – addition of sports flooring

· $40k – re-roof building

· $11k – one new changing portacom

· $176k – TOTAL

26. In the above instance, Rugby would act as an agent of the Collective, with a written agreement in place to oversee expenditure of the funding.

27. The Rugby proposal has now been formally adopted by the Collective and has support of all the associated clubs. All clubs that are accessing the courts/fields, are currently using or have been invited to use of the rugby clubrooms.

Gymsports Business Plan

28. Rugby’s proposal is unable to accommodate Gymsports. Therefore, Stage A of the multisport facility would need to be constructed to meet the gymsport needs.

29. For the Collective to make an informed decision on the Rugby proposal and the scope and scale of the multi-purpose facility, a business plan has been prepared by Mahurangi Gymsports, with the support of Gymsports NZ. The business plan concludes that “both the club and facility are viable and sustainable prospects for the development on the Warkworth Showgrounds”, subject to the final estimated cost of construction.

Warkworth Showgrounds Wastewater Treatment and Disposal Study

30. In order for any further developments to occur at Warkworth Showgrounds, new wastewater disposal infrastructure is required. Warkworth Showgrounds is not currently serviced by the public wastewater reticulation system. At present the rugby clubrooms operates its own wastewater disposal system. The recently completed public toilet block is serviced by a grinder pump to a private (neighbouring Downer Construction Ltd) sewer line leading to the Warkworth wastewater treatment plant.

31. It is understood that an extension of the public wastewater reticulation system to the Warkworth Showgrounds (or beyond) would be the responsibility of the developer requiring the service (at their cost). There are no plans in place to extend the system and it is estimated to be more than 10 years before structure planning provides the framework for wastewater services for future growth north of the township.

32. Council engaged Ecogent to complete a report on the on-site treatment and disposal options for the proposed new facilities at Warkworth Showgrounds. This report was tabled at the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee’s December 2014 workshop.

33. The study refers to the wastewater requirements of the proposed multi-purpose facility in two stages:

· Stage 1 - will be part of the ground floor of a building providing changing rooms and toilets for hockey and netball along with an office. The rugby clubhouse will continue to operate, as will its wastewater treatment system.

· Stage 2 - will provide additional facilities, extending the ground floor and adding a first floor including a gym, multi-purpose sports hall, additional changing rooms and function facilities. It will incorporate the rugby club and the old clubrooms will be demolished.

34. The report proposes a wastewater treatment and disposal system be designed to treat stage 1 of the proposed multi-purpose facility at the Warkworth Showgrounds. It recommends that the treatment plant produces tertiary treated effluent and is able to be easily expanded to treat the potential flow from stage 2, when all stages of the multi-purpose facility are completed. There is adequate irrigation area for stage 1 however stage 2 may require recycling back to toilets or increasing the irrigation area to the nearby bush area. There is also an option that the treated wastewater, with the addition of UV filtration, could be used for irrigating the sportsfields, should that be desirable.

35. The recommended treatment plant is a membrane bio-reactor (MBR). These are now considered cost competitive, require minimal maintenance and have the advantage of producing a very high quality effluent suitable for recycling and for irrigation in sensitive areas.

36. Ecogent has confirmed that in general terms, stage 1 could be managed to suit the Rugby proposal. The rugby club connection would require a minimum 50% increase in the stage 1 treatment and disposal area size, with a cost roughly between the stage 1 and stage 2 costs i.e. $380,000.

37. As the recommended treatment plant can sustain future development, there would be no requirement to connect to the public system in the future.

38. When considering the comparisons it should be noted that there is a level of uncertainty in the flow estimates for stage 1, because of both attendance numbers and water use per person. This has been addressed by ensuring the stage 1 treatment system is conservatively sized. It is highly recommended that wastewater volumes and attendance numbers are monitored allowing the stage 2 expansion to be based on more precise expectations.

39. In response to a number of questions from local board members, around the wastewater treatment proposal and membrane bio-reactors, staff provided further information at a Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee workshop on 13 April 2015. A summary of the comparison between different systems is outlined in the table below. Further detail and responses to a number of questions is provided in Attachment G.

Table 1: Wastewater treatment and removal options

Option	Capital Infrastructure cost (estimated)	P/A estimated operational costs	Advantages	Disadvantages
Storage & removal	$60k	$145k	Lowest capital set up costs	Expensive ongoing maintenance costs. Risk of overflow. Regular removal. Not sustainable.
Secondary Treatment systems	$250k - $300k	$3k	Semi to self-sustainable. Maintenance costs limited to disposal of solid waste and replacement pump.	Requires own dedicated septic/ wastewater field. WSG limited in space for provision of dedicated field. Traditionally for domestic and smaller occupancy buildings.
MBR	$305k Stage 1 + $165k stage 2	$12k (stage 1) $23k (stage 2)	Self-sustainable. Greywater can be used for irrigation and toilet flushing. Disposal of greywater over smaller area. No designated field required.	Ongoing maintenance costs of system higher than field or Watercare options
Watercare	$150k	$10k	Maintenance costs limited to WC waste water disposal charges.	Long wait to connect - pipe line not at the gate. Infrastructure cost does not allow for pipework within the WSG. Not a sustainable self-sufficient option.

Assessment of Wastewater treatment system

40. As supported by the information above and in the attachments, the membrane bio-reactor system is a cost-effective, environmentally friendly system that will satisfy current needs as well as accommodating future requirements. It is unlikely that the public system will be extended to Warkworth Showgrounds within the next 10 years. If the public system does extend, there will be no requirement for Warkworth Showgrounds to connect to it, nor would it be an advantage. The Membrane Bio-Reactor system is considered the most appropriate and best available option for Warkworth Showgrounds.

Assessment of Mahurangi Rugby Club Proposal

41. The capital and ongoing operational costs of the proposed four-stage multi-purpose facility development are not deemed viable at the present time. This makes the Rugby proposal appealing. However, Rugby is not a long-term solution as the building will have limited remaining life even with repairs and upgrades. Although it was not specifically assessed by Ashby Consulting Engineering as an appropriate short to mid-term multi-sport hub, it is deemed that with the recommended upgrades, it will adequately serve the Collective for this time. Further assessment by Ashby Consulting Engineering could confirm this before any funding is released. The investment is not considered a risk given the remaining life, without upgrades, is estimated at 10 years and the investment required is minimal compared to that of a new facility.

42. The Rugby proposal presents cost effective immediate option that would accommodate the increased capacity at Warkworth Showgrounds and allow time for the predicted population increases to become a reality. It would also allow time for the Collective to prepare a sustainable long-term plan to construct and operate a new shared changing room and clubroom space.

The Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective Incorporated’s (MCSR) Recommendations

43. The combination of the rugby clubroom upgrades, construction of Stage A of the multisport facility (a stand-alone gymsports facility), the upgraded wastewater treatment system and the additional portacom will provide the Collective with a solution to its immediate needs.

44. The Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective would like to see the staging of work at the Showgrounds prioritised as follows:

a) Addition of a second changing portacom to meet the need of current park users, particularly for netball and hockey.

b) Installation of appropriate wastewater solution to meet current peak and growth of park usage. The rugby clubrooms and the public toilet should be connected in stage one of the waste water development

c) Upgrade of rugby clubrooms, including improvement to current and additional toilet facilities, roof replacement, foundation repairs and flooring.

d) Addition of security lighting between the rugby clubroom and netball courts.

e) Development of stage A of the new multi-sports facility, centred around a gymsports facility, that will also comprise an area of multi-use space, likely to be a hardwood floor. The building should include additional ‘dry’ changing/toilet facilities that will either be an addition to the portacoms, or a replacement, as demand at that time dictates. *Please note this stage of development is subject to the Collective accepting a financially sustainable business plan from Mahurangi Gymsports, supported by Gymsports NZ.

f) Development of stage B of the multi-sport facility, centred around new changing rooms and clubroom space. This in turn will see the removal of the existing rugby club building.

g) Development of additional stages of the project (10+ years) in line with demand at that time. Including but not limited to the development of a multi-sport indoor space, covered netball courts, additional sports field development (including second hockey turf), additional toilet/changing block to service those fields and potential site for a pool in Warkworth.

45. In addition to the above prioritisation, the Collective has made the following resolutions at recent meetings:

a) Accept the attached Draft Report re on-site waste water treatment and get an understanding/reach a consensus on how this will impact on other elements of the project.

b) That the collective helps implement stage one of the rugby proposal with the exception of item d) painting of the clubrooms inside and out. $175k (indicative budget) be spent to upgrade the existing rugby clubrooms, including:

· $50k – remedial basement repairs including subsidence issue

· $25k – addition of two new toilets

· $50k – addition of sports flooring

· $40k – re-roof building

· $11k – two new changing portacoms (with one of the two to be donated by Alistair Mason)

c) The group would like a determination from Council as to whether or not any of the funds provisionally allocated for the multi-sport building could be put towards this interim collective project? If not the group may need to investigate alternative funding avenues.

d) Subject to its viability, MCSR gives priority to assisting Mahurangi Gymsports Club (MGC) to develop a multi-use indoor facility

e) The MCSR has agreed base principles for the establishment of the organisation that will govern any new or significant changes to existing infrastructure at the Showgrounds. The final structure is yet to be determined as it will largely be influenced by the scope of development and time required to ensure all member clubs and their members are appropriately consulted. An MoU between parties is currently being drafted.

f) The MCSR Collective agrees to work with Mahurangi Rugby Football Club in the short/mid-term to support and maximise the use of the existing rugby club facility.

g) MCSR Collective agrees to prioritise the mid to long term development of changing rooms and storage on site in order to provide for the basic needs for all participating sports at the Show Grounds and to further the development of a Gym sports facility and any other sports wishing to be associated with the Show Grounds.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

46. These matters have been presented to the Rodney Local Board at workshops on 9 March 2015, 13 April 2015 and 8 June 2015 where Local Board feedback was received. This report seeks to ratify the recommendations that arose from the workshops.

Māori impact statement

47. Ngati Manuhiri was fully consulted during the development of the Warkworth Showgrounds Reserve Management Plan, and their feedback was incorporated into the site’s development plan. The work proposed continues with the delivery of that agreed plan.

48. It is not considered that there will be any adverse effects on cultural heritage values at the site and the proposed facility developments will benefit Maori along with other groups within the community.

Implementation

49. Council staff will continue to work closely with the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective on the proposed facility developments. An agreement will be executed between Council and the Mahurangi Community Sport and Recreation Collective outlining conditions associated with the Rodney Local Board funding. These conditions will incorporate pre-construction/project execution and ongoing operational conditions.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Warkworth Showgrounds Concept Plan	27
b View	Warkworth Showgrounds Budget	29
c View	Rugby Clubrooms Issues	31
d View	Stages of Multi-Purpose Facility	33
e View	Operating Models	35
f View	Building elements for the proposed Mahurangi Rugby Clubroom upgrade	37
g View	Wastewater Questions and Answers	39
h View	Warkworth Showgrounds Development Plan 2013	45

Signatories

Authors

Emma Morgan - Sport and Recreation Project Leader

Don Lawson - Parks Advisor

Neil Coventry - Sport Partnerships Project Manager

Authorisers

Ian Maxwell - General Manager Parks, Sports and Recreation

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Attachment G

Waste water disposal Q&A

No.	Question	Answer
1	What would an Membrane Bio-Reactor (MBR) system for Warkworth Showgrounds (WSG) cost?	Estimates to date have been based on the new build multisports facility, however the following estimates are adaptable to suit the chosen facility option. Stage 1 $305,000 Stage 2 $135,000
2	What are the MBR operational maintenance costs?	Maintenance items/ tasks	Stage 1	Stage 2
		Power for MBR & irrigation pump	7,350	16,000
		Sludge removal	500	1000
		Operator costs for plant visits	4,000	6,000
		Total annual operating costs	$11,850	$23,000
		Allowance for replacement/renewal	1,500	3,500
		Total costs per annum incl. replacement	$13,350	$26,500
		NB: Stage 2 costs estimated include stage 1
3	What warranties does the MBR have?	The concrete tanks have a warranty of 10 years. The membranes have a warranty of 3 years. All other items, including but not limited to, pumps, blowers, valves etc. have a 12mth warranty, which can be extended to 24mth. All warranties for equipment, pumps, blowers etc. are transferred following completion.
4	Can stage 1 of the MBR provide sufficient capacity for the proposed Mahurangi Rugby Clubroom upgrade option?	In general terms stage 1 could be managed to suit the option of an upgraded rugby clubrooms with additional facilities. The upgrade proposes the provision of 8x pans, 4 urinals + a 2m urinal and 12 push button showers, as well as a kitchen and bar, to enable the accommodation of various Mahurangi Community Sport Collective sporting codes. The rugby club connection would require a minimum 50% increase in the stage 1 treatment and disposal area size, with a cost roughly midway between the stage 1 and stage 2 costs. This is because of the large contribution that the rugby players and spectators make to the total wastewater volume and also because the system needs to be able to deal with after match and other functions in stage 1, which isn’t the case if the rugby club is excluded from stage 1. The rugby club water use records should be investigated to help get a better understanding of actual use for planning purposes. If there is not a water meter on the water supply it would be sensible to install one along with a logger to measure flows, at least over the winter high use period.
5	Can the newly completed public toilets, also be connected up to MBR?	Yes, however connection via grinder and pump to the Council network is useful, in terms of keeping the cost of the treatment and disposal system down. The public toilets contribute approx. 10% increase in flows and costs, if connected to the proposed treatment unit, compared to the proposal to pump away. An assumption that some members of the public would use the multisports toilet facilities has been allowed for in estimates. Again, a water meter should be used to measure flows to the toilet, to assist with future planning.
6	What other examples are there of recently installed MBR systems?	An MBR was consented with Auckland Council for the new Wainui Golf Club and associated housing, for a similar flow estimated for WSG. The advantage in that case is that the outflow quality is good enough to allow it to be added to the fairways and greens sprinkler irrigation. Some other interesting systems include Turangi township; the outflow is of such a high quality it is discharged into Lake Taupo. A DOC camp in the Catlins, which discharges into a stream and Craggy Range Winery, which discharges domestic, restaurant and winery waste via an MBR into an ornamental pond, next to the winery.
7	Can the MBR treated waste water be reused for toilet flushing and/or irrigation?	If the proposed irrigation area in the bush, to the east, proved insufficient for stage 2, based on stage 1 experience and flow measurement; MBR water quality is good enough to keep open the possibility of reuse into the multisports or Mahurangi Rugby Clubroom toilets. Regarding sportsfield irrigation, it would be feasible to irrigate the sandfields, but it is probably something that would only be looked at if there was a water shortage issue. As when there is a demand in summer for irrigation, there would unlikely be a constraint on the bush irrigation. It is really the wet winter environment when irrigation into the bush area could be limited that reuse could be beneficial and the toilets offer a more reliable opportunity. The study to date suggests there is adequate area for stage 1 and stage 2 bush area irrigation and the reuse option is really only an insurance in the event of expansion and/or water use being greater than expected.
8	How much additional cost would it be to connect the MBR outflow to irrigation and grey water recycling within the multisports facility options?	To do this, the storage in the irrigation tank would suffice, with a pump sending treated wastewater back to separate pipework. Either UV or chlorine dosing could be used. An allowance of $5,000 to cover the UV treatement. Additional pipe work and labour would have to be priced as part of any refurbishment or new build.
9	What other wastewater disposal systems have been considered?	Secondary wastewater disposal system These systems are typically used for domestic and small wastewater systems and produce an effluent quality suitable for subsurface drip irrigation. A typical system incorporates septic tanks, with the settled waste from the tank then being aerated, either by the use of aeration blowers or pumping over or through treatment media. Settled, treated effluent is then pumped to irrigation through drippers to a dedicated planted area. A secondary treatment system, capable of dealing with a 20m3 per day peak, would cost approximately $200,000 to $250,000 to install, with a further $50,000 for planting and landscaping the drip field. In addition to this, the solid waste from the septic tanks would also require disposal, however this volume and annual cost is not significant. Because of the unique circumstances at the WSG, including the limited area available for disposal and the possible future need to recycle water for toilet flushing and potentially sportsfield irrigation, the use of the MBR system, with its much higher quality effluent has been recommended. There is not a significant difference in price to achieve the greater flexibility and environmental protection available from the MBR system. Storage and removal only system A storage capacity of 40m3 would be required. A storage system of this size is estimated to cost around $60,000 to purchase and install. A truck and trailer can pump out and dispose approx. 15m3 of waste at a cost of $800 per visit. The estimated disposal costs, based on estimated use are $145,000 p/a. Although the cheapest capital outlay, operational expenditure and poor environmental practise, makes this option non-viable. Public wastewater system This has also been considered, questions and answers in relation to feasibility of this option are addressed below.
10	With addition of storage and grinder pump etc. equipment, can the multisports and/or rugby club be connected to the line that runs from the WSG toilet block to the Downer site?	The Downer pump station is an interim measure to deal with the toilet block, but is not suitable for servicing the wider site, even with storage and pumping. The issue relates to the nature of wastewater flows, the potential effect of wet weather flows, as well as the potential for septicity and odours in the local network, due to stagnant waste, therefore it is not an option to pump into the network. Long term sustainable planning needs to be undertaken, coordinated with future growth of the Warkworth area.
11	What is the expected timeframe for extension of public wastewater system north to WSG?	The future growth areas of Warkworth to the north & west are zoned ‘future urban’ and have yet to undergo relevant catchment and structure planning that will determine the form, nature and layout of development. Once this is completed the relevant zone changes will also need to be undertaken. Latest estimates suggest more than 15yrs.
12	What is the estimated cost to lay a public sewer line up to WSG?	The problem with estimates is that no planning work has been done, therefore it is difficult to know what to plan to e.g. how much growth is to be serviced and how big should the pipe be. A previous estimate of $1.5M has been provided however this is likely to be a rough estimate, based on laying a pipe from WSG to existing pipe network. This is overly simple, as there are other issues to consider in the design e.g. bottle necks in the existing network, future pump stations and location of the wastewater treatment plant.
13	What would it cost to connect to a public sewer line (Watercare Infrastructure Growth Charges IGC)?	If the public wastewater line were to be laid north to WSG, the estimated IGC cost, based on current estimated usage, is $156,000 + GST.
14	What would be the estimated annual charge, based on current rates/use, for disposal via a public wastewater line?	The estimated annual wastewater disposal cost, based on current estimated usage, is $10,229 +GST.
15	When a wastewater line is laid up to and beyond WSG, and if it is financially viable to connect up to it; how simple and cost effective would it be to pull the MBR out of the ground and relocate?	Reasonably simple. All the tanks can be lifted and relocated. All other componentry is able to be relocated, with the exception of the buried pipework and drip irrigation pipe to and from the installation.
16	If WSG was to proceed with its own wastewater system, can Watercare/ AC require the WSG to connect to a public system in the future?	No, Watercare/ Auckland Council would not force WSG to connect to wastewater if they have an existing functional MBR onsite system.

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Community Development, Arts and Culture Work Programme 2015/2016

File No.: CP2015/05638

Purpose

1. This report presents the Community Development, Arts and Culture (CDAC) 2015/2016 Rodney Local Board work programme for approval.

Executive Summary

2. This report provides information to support local boards to make decisions required to approve the CDAC 2015/2016 work programme.

3. The draft CDAC work programme aims to provide a defined work programme for the 2015/2016 financial year. The work programme covers the following areas:

· community development and safety

· arts and culture

· events

· community facilities.

4. The CDAC work programme for the Rodney Local Board has been aligned to the following 2014-2017 Rodney Local Board Plan priorities:

· arts, culture and events enhance our communities and express who we are

· communities are empowered and plan for their own futures

· local economies are strong and growing

· local halls and libraries are familiar, valued and well used by the community

· our environment is healthy, cared for and enjoyed

· parks and sports facilities are easy to access and enjoy

· roads, paths and public transport enable us to get around easily and safely.

5. Local boards are being requested to approve the CDAC work programme for FY 2015/2016. Local boards are requested to note that delivery of Community Development and Safety (CDS) workstreams described in Attachment A is subject to the outcome of the Empowered Communities Approach.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) approve the 2015/2016 Community Development, Arts and Culture work programme (Attachment A), noting that the Community Development and Safety component is dependent upon the outcome of the Empowered Communities Approach.

b) approve the community lease work plan for 2015/2016 (Attachment B).

Comments

6. The CDAC work programme for 2015/2016 has been developed using a co-ordinated departmental approach. Each CDAC unit has aligned their projects and initiatives to the Auckland Plan directives and the Rodney Local Board plan 2014 – 2017.

7. The CDAC work programmes align to the following 2014 – 2017 Rodney Local Board Plan priorities:

· arts, culture and events enhance our communities and express who we are

· communities are empowered and plan for their own futures

· local economies are strong and growing

· local halls and libraries are familiar, valued and well used by the community

· our environment is healthy, cared for and enjoyed

· parks and sports facilities are easy to access and enjoy

· roads, paths and public transport enable us to get around easily and safely.

8. The CDAC work programme 2015/2016 for the Rodney Local Board includes the following areas of activity:

· Community Development and Safety: These projects and programmes aim to deliver a range of social outcomes for local residents and include community consultation on local issues such as an indoor sports facility, open space needs in matakana and creating challenging playgrounds. Other projects include progressing walk and cycle connections between Warkwarth and Snells Beach and Matakana, capacity building activities with local community groups, the Kumeu/Huapai aspirations project, youth development work and liaising with mana whenua on projects to enhance outcomes for local Maori.

· Arts and Culture: This includes administering funding agreements for local arts facilities, expanding the Kumeu Arts Centre facility, and ongoing renewals projects as identified by the property department and local stakeholders.

· Events: This work programme includes a range of community events such as ANZAC day, citizenship ceremonies and local civic functions. The events team also administers funding rounds for local event support funding.

· Community Facilities: This includes providing and promoting community facilities, as well as delivering a rural halls operating model that supports and empowers local communities to govern and manage venues in their areas.

9. The work programme includes scoped initiatives, the allocation of budgets and established timelines. A workshop was held with the local board and CDAC staff on 13 April, to ensure activities align with the local board priorities and meet the needs of the Rodney community.

10. CDAC’s Community Development and Safety (CDS) unit will operationalise the Empowered Communities Approach, which is part of the 2015/2016 Long-Term Plan approved on 8 May 2015 (GB/2015/31). Broadly speaking, the changes proposed to the community development function are:

· move away from direct delivery (and therefore save overheads) and fund community groups to deliver more

· for local boards to play a much more active role by allocating more funding through them

· transition delivery to a more empowered communities approach.

11. The Empowered Communities Approach model was considered by the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee at its meeting on 4 June. This report recommends that the work programme be adopted based on current arrangements, noting that FY 2015/2016 will be a transition year for CDS.

12. Local boards are requested to approve the CDAC work programme for 2015/2016. CDAC staff will continue to work with relevant portfolio holders and the local board to ensure these projects are delivered and evaluated. Portfolio holders and the local board will also be consulted on the prioritisation of the community facilities renewal projects and community leases.

Consideration

Local board views and implications

13. The draft 2015/2016 work programme was considered by the local board at a workshop on 13 April 2015. The views expressed by local board members are reflected in Attachment A.

Maori impact statement

14. Improving Maori outcomes is a priority for the region. One of the Auckland Plan targets is to increase targeted support to Maori community development projects. The CDAC work programme aims to improve well-being among Maori living in the local board area. The focus of this CDAC work programme is to support Maori targeted initiatives.

Implementation

15. CDAC staff will continue to meet with portfolio holders to provide updates on the work programme and ensure it is progressed in a timely way. The CDAC work programme will be implemented within the annual plan 2015/2016 budget and reported on through the quarterly reporting process.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	CDAC Work Programme FY2015/2016 Rodney Local Board	51
b View	Rodney Community Leasing Workplan 2015/2016	55

Signatories

Authors

Sarah Zimmerman – Senior Advisor

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

New community lease to Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated

File No.: CP2015/11724

Purpose

1. This report seeks the approval of the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee to a community lease to Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated for part of the refurbished community space in the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall, 49 Commercial Road, Helensville.

Executive Summary

2. In 2010, as part of the Treaty of Waitangi Settlement process, the former Rodney District Council and Ngati Whatua o Kaipara signed a sale and purchase agreement for the Ten Acre Block (Helensville) properties including; the pensioner flats at 5 Rata Street, Rata Reserve (3 Rata Street) and two community buildings (1 Rata Street and 23 Commercial Road). The community buildings accommodated a number of community organisations and relevant to this report are; Helensville Senior Net, Helensville Toy Library, Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Services and Helensville Emergency Foodbank. The Agreement for Sale and Purchase transaction and funds were completed and received by council 2 August 2013.

3. On 23 April 2013, the Governing Body directed staff to work with the Rodney Local Board to identify options for replacing community facilities to provide for the community uses displaced through the sale of assets under the Sale and Purchase Agreement. Since that time, both the Helensville Senior Net and Helensville Toy Library have ceased operations and as such were removed from the list of options for alternative accommodation.

4. The Rodney Local Board endorsed the option of refurbishing a council facility and in conjunction with Auckland Council identified the utilisation of the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall.

5. Refurbishment works are currently underway for a fit-for-purpose space to accommodate three community groups and also an unallocated space which provides for a bookable meeting room available for community use.

6. The Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated (Helensville Budgeting) and the Helensville Emergency Foodbank (Helensville Foodbank) are intrinsically linked; by way of resourcing and operationally. Given the design of the (shared) space allocated to these two entities (Attachment A shows the design layout), the Helensville Foodbank has agreed to enter into a management agreement with Helensville Budgeting (Attachment B). The purpose of this is to acknowledge and identify the Helensville Budgeting as lease-holder.

7. This report seeks the approval of the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee to a community lease to Helensville Budgeting for part of the refurbished community space, terms and conditions in accordance with Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) approves a community lease to Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated for part (being 92.4m²) of the refurbished community space in the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall, 49 Commercial Road, Helensville (Attachment C shows the lease area as outlined in red).

b) acknowledges the informal management agreement between Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated (as lease-holder) and the Helensville Emergency Foodbank for the provision of accommodation to the Helensville Emergency Foodbank. (Attachment B details the letter of agreement between the two parties).

c) approves the terms and conditions of the community lease in accordance with the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012 pertaining to community groups occupying rooms within larger council buildings as follows:

i) Term 5 years commencing date of occupation with one 5 year right of renewal

ii) Rent - $1.00 per annum if requested

iii) Operational charge of $25 per m² per annum

iv) The Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan be attached to the lease document

d) approves the Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan as attached to the agenda report (Attachment D).

e) all other terms and conditions in accordance with the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

Comments

8. In 2010, as part of the Treaty of Waitangi Settlement process, the former Rodney District Council and Ngati Whatua o Kaipara signed a sale and purchase agreement for the Ten Acre Block (Helensville) Properties including; the pensioner flats at 5 Rata Street, Rata Reserve (3 Rata Street) and two community buildings (1 Rata Street and 23 Commercial Road). The community buildings accommodated a number of community organisations and relevant to this report are; Helensville Senior Net, Helensville Toy Library, Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Services and Helensville Emergency Foodbank. The Agreement for Sale and Purchase transaction and funds were completed and received by council 2 August 2013.

9. On 23 April 2013, the Governing Body directed Council staff to work with the Rodney Local Board to identify options for replacing community facilities to provide for the community uses displaced through the sale of assets under the Sale and Purchase Agreement. Since that time, both the Helensville Senior Net and Helensville Toy Library have ceased operations and as such were removed from the list of options for alternative accommodation.

10. The Rodney Local Board endorsed the option of refurbishing a council facility and in conjunction with Auckland Council identified the utilisation of the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall.

11. Refurbishment works are currently underway for a fit-for-purpose space to accommodate three community groups and also a “common space” which will provide a bookable meeting room available for community use.

12. Helensville Budgeting and the Helensville Foodbank are intrinsically linked; by way of resourcing and operationally. Given the design of the (shared) space allocated to these two entities (Attachment A shows the design layout), the Helensville Foodbank has formally agreed to enter into a management agreement with Helensville Budgeting (Attachment B). The purpose of this is to acknowledge and identify and the Helensville Budgeting as lease-holder. This decision was primarily driven by the fact that the Helensville Emergency Foodbank, while registered as a charity under the Charities Commission, is not registered as an incorporated society, being one of the requirements for eligibility for a community lease with Auckland Council.

13. The Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service was started in early 1990 in conjunction with the CAB and in 1998 became a member of the New Zealand Federation of Family Budgeting Services Incorporated. The Helensville-Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated was incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 8 September 1993.

14. Helensville Budgeting provides a wrap-around budgeting service offering assistance and advocacy in many forms from bankruptcy advice to taking referrals from Work and Income New Zealand, the Inland Revenue Department (write-offs), various savings institutions, financial advisors and the Ministry of Justice (being the New Zealand Police and others within the courts system). Helensville Budgeting Service, from time to time, works alongside local law firms undertaking pro-bono work by way of advocating for clients in family court matters.

15. Helensville Budgeting operates on a Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.00am and 2.00pm and weekends as is necessary. While the Helensville Foodbank operates on a Monday, Wednesday and Friday, its hours are similar to the budgeting service, given the service provision is connected. Helensville Budgeting may have 200 families on its books at any one time and with most families having dependent children, the need and the benefit is significant. Council staff has worked alongside Helensville Budgeting to negotiate a community outcomes plan which details a number of the links and services provided.

16. Helensville Budgeting future plans are to become more mobile enabling it to work outside the Helensville area into the Parakai and Waimauku areas and to provide more assistance and advocacy work with local Marae.

17. Council staff have negotiated and agreed a community outcomes plan with Helensville Budgeting (Attachment D) which, if approved by the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee, will be appended as a schedule to the community lease.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

18. The recommendations within this report fall within the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee’s allocated authority relating to the approval to a community lease.

19. At its business meeting of 12 August 2013, the Rodney Local Board resolved to support the relocation of community groups affected by the Te Tiriti/Treaty settlement process to alternatives premises and outlined its preferred option to refurbish and retrofit a council facility. Resolution Number RD/2013/217 itemises the full resolution on the matter (Attachment E).

Māori impact statement

20. There are no identified significant changes or impacts for Maori associated with the recommendations in this report.

Implementation

21. The recommendations contained in this report do not trigger the Auckland Council Significance Policy.

22. Council staff has sought input from relevant council departments.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Design layout of basement	65
b View	Helensville Emergency Foodbank letter	67
c View	Lease area to Helensville Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated as outlined in red	69
d View	Helensville Waimauku Family Budgeting Service Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan	71
e View	Resolution Number RD2013 217	73

Signatories

Authors

Karen Walby - Advisor Community Lease

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

New community lease and licence to occupy to Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated

File No.: CP2015/12331

Purpose

1. This report seeks the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee approval to a new community lease and licence to occupy to Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated on part of Sinclair Park at the corner of Macky and Henley Road, Kaukapkapa. The proposed community lease and licence to occupy in accordance with the terms of the Reserves Act 1977, Sinclair Park Reserve Management Plan and Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

2. Retrospective landowner approval is requested for the installation of a permanent cross country course on the land occupied by the pony club.

Executive Summary

3. The Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated (the Club) is situated within Sinclair Park Reserve, located on the corner of Macky and Henley Roads, Kaukapakapa.

4. The Club has had a presence on and occupied part of Sinclair Park since the 1970s. To date the Club has not had a formal occupancy arrangement with council. The Club owns its building which is well used, managed and maintained.

5. The Club has made a formal application to council for community lease and licence to occupy for part of Sinclair Park described as Part Allotment E16 Ararimu Parish.

6. Retrospective landowner approval is also sought for the installation of a permanent cross country course over the area occupied by the pony club.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) approve a community lease and licence to occupy to the Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated for part of Sinclair Park described as Part Allotment E16 Ararimu Parish to (Attachment A GIS aerial view outlining the proposed lease area in blue and licence to occupy area in red) subject to the following terms and conditions:

i) Term – 10 years commencing 1 August 2015 with one 10 year right of renewal;

ii) Rent - $1.00 plus GST per annum if requested;

iii) The approved Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan be attached to the lease document;

b) approve the Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan as attached to the agenda report (Attachment B).

c) note all other terms and conditions in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977, Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012 and the Sinclair Park Reserve Management Plan 2001.

d) grant retrospective landowner approval for the installation of a permanent cross country course over the area occupied by the pony club (Attachment C GIS aerial view with siting of jumps highlighted as yellow dots and Attachment D being letter from David Wilkinson, Cross Country Course Designer and Builder, providing information on the installation). Noting that the club will be responsible for any fixtures they own and maintain.

Comments

7. Sinclair Park is located on the corner of Macky and Henley Roads, Kaukapakapa and owned in fee simple by Auckland Council. The area of land on which Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated is domiciled, is classified as recreation reserve. The Club have had a presence on and occupied that part of Sinclair Park since the 1970s. To date the Club has not had a formal occupancy arrangement with council.

8. The Club has made a formal application to council for community lease and licence to occupy for part of Sinclair Park described as Part Allotment E16 Ararimu Parish (Attachment A GIS aerial view outlining the proposed lease area in blue and licence to occupy area in red).

9. The Club owns its buildings comprising of clubroom and garden sheds which are well used, managed and maintained. The lease component of the proposed formal occupancy arrangement provides for the clubroom plus the garden sheds, which accommodate horse jump equipment. The Club has invested in and installed a permanent cross country course over the area it occupies. The replacement cost of the cross country course is in the region of $35,000.00.

10. Subject to the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee approval to a community lease and licence to occupy, the Club has future plans to apply for necessary funding to construct an all-weather arena, the approximated dimensions being 50m² x 70m² (Attachment E GIS aerial view with the indicative area for the proposed arena shown in green).

11. To date, the Club has sourced one estimate for the construction of an arena, with the indicative cost in the region of $60,000.00 for 60m² x 20m² of completed improvement.

12. In 1980 the Club became an affiliated member of the New Zealand Pony Club Association and was then identified as Kaukapakapa Pony Club.

13. The Club was incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 20 December 2006. Within the Club’s constitution, included in its objects and powers are:

· To encourage young people to ride and enjoy all kinds of sport and activity connected with horses and riding with safety being a priority, to instil in them the proper care of their animals and to offer them the opportunity of receiving instruction along orthodox lines as pertaining to and in conjunction with the NZ Pony Club Manuals

· To promote and encourage the NZ Pony Clubs Fair Play Charter, cultivating respect, loyalty and a strength of character and self-discipline in all members

· To promote and conduct rallies, competitions and activities, including gymkhanas and mounted games, eventing, dressage, show jumping and trekking and to encourage progression through the NZ Pony Clubs Certificates system as a measure of achievement for young pony club riders.

14. The Club currently has approximately 60 members which range in age from three to 65 plus. The Club has two families with three generations of members comprising; founding members, their children and grandchildren.

15. The Club is contemplated and in conformity with the Sinclair Park Reserve Management Plan adopted by the former Rodney District Council 29 March 2001. Page four of the management plan under ‘future development’ states that while the undeveloped area currently used by the pony club is generally flat and has potential for further development for a range of recreational purposes, however, at present there is no immediate demand to develop this land for other activities and therefore it is envisaged that the area will be continued to be used for equestrian purposes at least until the next review.

16. The Sinclair Park Reserve Management Plan recognises the Sinclair Park Trust and the Advisory Committee and their contribution to the development of the reserve. The Sinclair Park Advisory Committee supports the grant of a lease and licence to occupy to the Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated (Attachment F details letter of support and relevant minutes from the Sinclair Park Advisory Committee).

17. In 2012, Auckland Council requested a high level needs analysis be undertaken on equestrian facilities in Auckland and to work with the equestrian sport horse sector to identify their priorities for future facility provision in Auckland. Pony clubs were in scope as part of this analysis.

18. With respect to the review of the current provision (2012), use of facilities and participation levels combined with information gathered as part of the Auckland equestrian sector workshops indicated that for future provision of pony clubs, findings included:

· Pony clubs will cater for localised use and entry level participation

· There is capacity for increased and wider use of some pony clubs with greater investment into all-weather surfaces; arena, parking, surrounds and open level cross country courses reducing the need to provide and maintain these facilities at all pony clubs

· Security of tenure is an issue for the network.

19. The Equestrian Sports NZ, New Zealand Pony Club Association, Auckland Polo and Counties Manukau Polo Crosse engaged Morvern Group to undertake a detailed assessment of the future facility requirements for their codes in Auckland. In October 2014 the Auckland Equestrian Facility Plan prepared by the Morvern Group Limited was published which identified what facilities would be needed for sport horse competition in the above disciplines and sought to guide investment in facility development for the next ten years.

20. With respect to the needs of pony clubs, relevant findings (Priority: secure, maintain and invest in existing network to maximise use) as follows:

· Work with Auckland Council to secure lease arrangements for pony clubs where there are none or they are due for renewal. Ensure new leases identify land area available (i.e. site plan) for pony club use and grazing access.

21. Relevant council staff has been consulted on the proposed new community lease and licence to occupy and also the retrospective landowner consent for the installation of the cross country jumps, at which time no issues were raised.

22. Council staff has held a number of meetings with the Club with respect to the proposed new community lease and licence to occupy and has negotiated and agreed a community outcomes plan with the Club (Attachment B) which, if approved by the Rodney Local Board will be appended as a schedule to the community lease.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

23. The Rodney Local Board were apprised of the proposal for a new community lease and licence to occupy at a workshop on 13 April 2015 during the presentation of the community lease work-plan 2015/16.

24. The Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee is the delegated authority to approve a new community lease and licence to occupy to the Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated and to grant retrospective landowner consent.

Māori impact statement

25. There are no significant changes or impacts for Maori associated with the recommendations in this report.

Implementation

26. The recommendations contained in this report do not trigger the Auckland Council Significance Policy.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	GIS aerial view of lease and licence to occupy areas	79
b View	Kaukapakapa Pony Club Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan	81
c View	GIS aerial view showing siting of cross country jumps	83
d View	Letter from David Wilkinson	85
e View	GIS aerial view with area for proposed all weather arena shown	87
f View	Sinclair Park Advisory Committee letter of support	89

Signatories

Authors

Karen Walby - Advisor Community Lease

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

New community lease to Art Kaipara Incorporated

File No.: CP2015/12345

Purpose

1. This report seeks the approval of the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee to a community lease to Art Kaipara Incorporated for part of the refurbished community space in the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall, 49 Commercial Road, Helensville.

Executive Summary

3. On 23 April 2013, the Governing Body directed staff to work with the Rodney Local Board to identify options for replacing community facilities to provide for the community uses displaced through the sale of assets under the Sale and Purchase Agreement. Since that time, two of the original community groups who would have been provided alternative accommodation have ceased operations and as such were removed from the list of options.

4. The Rodney Local Board endorsed the option of refurbishing a council facility and in conjunction with Auckland Council’s Property Department identified the utilisation of the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall. Given that two of the original community groups no longer required accommodation, this provided the opportunity for the accommodation needs of Art Kaipara Incorporated to be considered in the planning works to the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall.

6. Art Kaipara Incorporated (Art Kaipara) has formally applied to council for a community lease for part of the refurbished community space in the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall.

7. This report seeks the approval of the Rodney Local Board to a community lease to Art Kaipara Incorporated for part of the refurbished community space, terms and conditions in accordance with Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) approves a community lease to Art Kaipara Incorporated for part (being 158m²) of the refurbished community space in the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall, 49 Commercial Road, Helensville (Attachment A to the agenda report shows the lease area as outlined and cross-hatched in red).

b) approves the terms and conditions of the community lease in accordance with the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012 pertaining to community groups occupying rooms within larger council buildings as follows:

i) Term 5 years commencing date of occupation with one 5 year right of renewal

ii) Rent - $1.00 per annum if requested

iii) Operational charge of $25 per m² per annum

iv) Art Kaipara Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan be attached to the lease document

c) approves the Art Kaipara Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan as attached to the agenda report (Attachment B to the agenda report).

d) notes all other terms and conditions in accordance with the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

Comments

9. On 23 April 2013, the Governing Body directed staff to work with the Rodney Local Board to identify options for replacing community facilities to provide for the community uses displaced through the sale of assets under the Sale and Purchase Agreement. Since that time, two of the original community groups who would have been provided alternative accommodation have ceased operations and as such were removed from the list of options.

10. The Rodney Local Board endorsed the option of refurbishing a council facility and in conjunction with Auckland Council’s Property Department identified the utilisation of the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall.

11. Given that two of the original community groups no longer required accommodation, this provided the opportunity for the accommodation needs of Art Kaipara Incorporated to be considered in the planning works to the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall. Art Kaipara, trading as the Helensville Art Centre currently occupies and operates out of commercial accommodation on the corner of Karaka Street and Commercial Road, Helensville.

12. Art Kaipara Incorporated (Art Kaipara) has formally applied to council for a community lease for part of the refurbished community space in the basement of the Helensville War Memorial Hall.

13. Council staff from a number of departments has worked collaboratively with Art Kaipara using best endeavours to ensure that the planning of the basement works results in a fit-for-purpose space that meets its needs.

14. Art Kaipara Incorporated was formed from its artistic community and incorporated under the Incorporated Societies Act 1908 on 2 June 2004.

15. Art Kaipara has always looked for venues to hold exhibitions and workshops for its members and it became apparent that a permanent venue would be a great asset to the community, from which many and varied programmes could be run.

16. In 2008 Art Kaipara, with assistance from the former Rodney District Council secured a rental arrangement for the commercial building on Karaka Street, which it has occupied since. Trading as the Helensville Art Centre, in essence, it is a multi-faceted project run by Art Kaipara and is open to the whole community without a membership requirement.

17. Art Kaipara’s purpose is to provide the community with a place to explore their creative and artistic talents. Art Kaipara provides a space where existing and emerging artists can display and exhibit their work. A variety of workshops, classes and seminars are provided for people to explore different artistic mediums at affordable prices. Artists are encouraged to share their experiences and knowledge with the community. Art Kaipara, trading as the Helensville Art Centre provides a meeting place where people can learn, share and discuss visual and performing arts.

18. Art Kaipara reaches out to the community through involvement with Helensville Primary School, Te Awaroa Youth Centre, the Womens’ Centre and the Men and Family Centre.

19. Art Kaipara is experiencing increased demand for its Karaka Street premises and as a consequence, requires more space. Art Kaipara looks forward with anticipation of its move to the new fit for purpose facility which will provide for a better environment for exhibitions and education.

20. Council staff has negotiated and agreed a community outcomes plan with Art Kaipara (Attachment B) which, if approved by the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee, will be appended as a schedule to the community lease.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

21. The recommendations within this report fall within the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee’s allocated authority relating to the approval to a community lease.

22. At its business meeting of 12 August 2013, the Rodney Local Board resolved to support the relocation of the community groups affected by the Te Tiriti/Treaty settlement process to alternatives premises and outlined its preferred option to refurbish and retrofit a council facility. Resolution Number RD/2013/217 itemises the full resolution on the matter (Attachment C).

Māori impact statement

23. There are no identified significant changes or impacts for Maori associated with the recommendations in this report.

Implementation

24. The recommendations contained in this report do not trigger the Auckland Council Significance Policy.

25. Council staff has sought input from relevant council departments.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Lease area to Kaipara Art Incorporated as outlined and cross hatched in red	95
b View	Art Kaipara Incorporated Community Outcomes Plan	97
c View	Resolution Number RD 2013 217	99

Signatories

Authors

Karen Walby - Advisor Community Lease

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Community Led Environmental Projects Budget FY2014/2015 End of Year Report

File No.: CP2015/11859

Purpose

1. To provide Rodney Local Board with a summary of the delivery of the community led environmental projects budget ($89,205) assigned to the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Department (I and ES) in the 2014/2015 financial year.

Executive Summary

2. The Rodney Local Board allocated budget in the 2014/2015 financial year to deliver on the local board aspirations for protecting and enhancing their natural environment. The community led environmental projects budget, with a total of $89,205, was assigned to the I and ES Department for delivery.

3. The Rodney Local Board resolved to allocate $15,000 from this budget at their October 2014 business meeting (resolution RD/2014/223) to Ngati Whatua o Kaipara for a housing quality project. The Community Development Arts and Culture Department are leading this project and will report the outcomes to the Rodney Local Board in September.

4. This report provides a summary for the delivery of the projects allocated the remaining $74,205 of the community led environmental projects budget by the I and ES Department.

5. All projects have been delivered within budget and have supported the local community to deliver projects such as weed and pest management and pollution prevention to enhance and protect the environment and waterways within Rodney.

Recommendation

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) receive the community led environmental projects budget FY 2014/2015 end of year report.

Comments

6. The Rodney Local Board allocated the community led environmental projects budget to eight projects at their September and November 2014 business meetings as follows:

· Sandspit Residents and Ratepayers (SRRA) Community engagement - $5,000

· Takatu Landcare Group - $10,000

· Warkworth War on Weeds Proposal - $20,000

· North West Wildlink Bird Survey - $2,000

· Rodney bat survey - $5,000

· Industrial Pollution Prevention Project - $15,000

· Improving Sediment & Erosion Control Programme - $10,000 (estimated for 100 sites)

· Forest Bridge Trust - $7,205

The table below summarises the delivery of each of the projects.

Sandspit Residents and Ratepayers (SRRA) Community engagement - $5,000

The Sandspit Residents and Ratepayers Association (SRRA) initiated a community-led Strategic Plan for the Sandspit catchment. This plan will provide an integrated framework for the management of the Sandspit area.

Seed funding from the Rodney Local Board enabled the SRRA to procure the services of a consultant from Andrew Stewart Ltd. The consultant has provided catchment management skills and advice, and third party facilitation support for the community.

A management structure for the plan has been adopted and agreed upon. A comprehensive terms of reference has also been produced and adopted by the SRRA. A Project Advisory Group (PAG) and a Project Coordination Team (PCT) are now in place. Agreement has been reached on the priority issues for the group which are water quality, siltation, mangrove encroachment, and invasive marine pests in the harbour and inlet. The budget for this project is fully expended.

Takatu Landcare Group - $10,000

This project continued the control of climbing asparagus and other weed species work initiated with local board funding in the 2013/2014 financial year. The total cost of this project is $31,595. Regional contributions of $10,000 from the strategic weed initiative fund and $11, 595 from biosecurity community pest control fund were also received. The Takatu Landcare Group, with the assistance of professional contractors, have undertaken follow up control of climbing asparagus in areas targeted in the 2013/2014 financial year. They have also undertaken weed control in new areas in the Christian Bay area which are heavily infested with climbing asparagus. Appended to this report for the local board members information are the Takatu Landcare Group newsletter and the Tawharanui buffer climbing asparagus control report. The budget for this project is fully expended.

Warkworth War on Weeds Proposal - $20,000

This project provided the Warkworth community with tools and support to better manage weeds and to reduce the impact of weed plants on biodiversity in the area, enhancing native habitats and improving ecological corridors across the landscape.

· Ten advertisements were placed in the Mahurangi Matters focusing on a different weed and how to control it each month.

· By mid-July there will have been 11 weed working bees on a combination of QE2 covenant properties and local parks.

· Each of the leaders of these working bees received a kit of tools to support weed removal and disposal.

· Skip bins were provided at seven working bees with 63m³ of weeds removed and disposed of.

· Two weed swap days were held at the showgrounds on 19 April and 19 May 2015. At the weed swap days 30m³ of weeds were removed and 800 native plant seedlings given away.

Photographs from one of the working bees are attached to this report. There will be an underspend of $770 for this project.

North West Wildlink Bird Survey - $2,000

This work expands on the continuing “Wildlink Wonders” work initiated as part of the North-West Wildlink project. The intermediate outcomes of the project state “Wildlink Wonders are areas of flourishing biodiversity that have breeding populations of native birds and diverse, well-structured plant communities for wildlife habitat”. The survey results show a small increase in some of the indicator bird species; the full report on outcomes is appended. The budget for this project has been fully expended

Rodney bat survey - $5,000

This budget continued the distribution surveys for new long-tailed bat locations in Rodney. There are currently only five known bat sites in the Rodney area, but there is potential for more bat habitat areas such as Kumeu, Woodhill Forest, North of Riverhead Forest and Puhoi. Officers requested both the Waitakere Ranges and Rodney local boards contribute $5,000 each to complete 10 survey sites in each of their respective areas. Two areas in Rodney were surveyed for bat populations with bats being detected in both areas; a full report of outcomes for this project is appended. The budget for this project has been fully expended.

Industrial Pollution Prevention Project - $15,000

The Industry Pollution Prevention project targeted approximately 90 businesses between Kumeu/ Huapai and Helensville/Parakai in the Rodney Local Board area. This project included working with the North West Districts Business Association and local marae to create an educational “leave behind” brochure specifically tailored for each area that informed the business about local waterways and how to protect them.

Approximately 36% of businesses visited were provided with recommendations for further action. Twenty one potential minor pollution issues and three actual minor pollution issues were resolved during the course of this programme. The budget for this project has been fully expended.

Improving Sediment and Erosion Control Programme - $10,000 (estimated for 100 sites)

Warkworth has multiple subdivisions ready for building, and is planned for urban expansion. Erosion and sediment discharge is often a significant issue in urban expansion. Warkworth is an ideal location to trial an expanded education and compliance programme as it is within the Mahurangi catchment which has a well-developed catchment management programme (the Mahurangi Action Plan) and high level of community awareness.

Local community group Mahurangi Action Incorporated, were engaged to help deliver this project with technical support being provided by Southern Skies Environmental.

Flyers promoting best practice sediment and erosion control were sent out with all building and resource consents. Signs have also been installed at new subdivision sites.

Information has been sent to large building companies working in the Warkworth area and successful meetings held with two franchise building companies. Both are interested in promoting the programme and incorporating best practice sediment and erosion control into their business.

Information and advice on best practice sediment and erosion control was well received at sites visited to date. The focus is on working with the large building companies to incorporate best practice and reach contractors working on site.

Positive media attention has been gained for the programme with two articles in local media.

As the project has yet to be completed the end of financial year report will be provided to the Rodney Local Board at the September meeting of the Parks, Culture and Community meeting. It is expected there will be an underspend of $800 for this project.

Forest Bridge Trust - $7,205

The Forest Bridge Trust was established earlier this year and is a farmer-initiated environment trust that supports land stewardship across the narrowest part of the North Island, a bridge of green across the central Kaipara Omaha isthmus.

The Trust’s mission is to support farmers and other land owners to restore forests and wildlife to their land, and to protect their rivers, streams and wetlands, all within a productive, profitable and sustainable farming landscape. The local board funding was used to buy DoC-200 traps, which will be used to enable local primary school students to undertake pest animal tracking and trapping on local farms. This programme will include students setting up and checking traps and surveillance devices; data-logging using hand-held electronic readers; and interactive analysis and exploration on home and school computers. The budget for this project will be fully expended by the end of the financial year.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

7. This is a report prepared specifically to inform the local board about the delivery of community led environmental project budgets for the 2014/2015 financial year as allocated to the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Department.

Māori impact statement

8. While this report is for information only and does not require any decision making, it is recognised that environmental management, water quality and land management has integral links with the mauri of the environments and concepts of kaitiakitanga.

9. Both Haranui Marae and Reweti Marae were consulted as part of the Industry Pollution Prevention project carried out in the Kumeu and Helensville areas within the local board.

Implementation

10. The activities detailed in this report have been delivered within the budget allocated. Of the total community led environmental programmes budget of $74,205, allocated to the I and ES department for delivery, there is an underspend of $770 for the war on weeds project and $800 for the improving sediment and erosion control programme. As the budget is an OPEX budget these underspends cannot be carried forward into the new financial year.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Takatu Landcare Group newsletter	111
b View	Warkworth Weedbusters advertisement	115
c View	Tawharanui Buffer Climbing Asparagus Control report	117
d View	Photos of Warkworth War on Weeds project	123
e View	Auckland Long-tailed Bat Survey 2015	125
f View	Northwest Wildlink Project	157

Signatories

Authors

Theresa Pearce - Relationship Advisor

Guia Nonoy - Relationship Advisor

Authorisers

John Dragicevich - Manager Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Rodney Rural Halls and Reserves

File No.: CP2015/12515

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to provide an update on the ‘rural halls project’ which considers future governance and management options for halls. This report also provides an opportunity to seek local board support for the upcoming community engagement on the project.

Executive Summary

2. The Rodney Local Board is considering the future management and governance options for rural halls in the Rodney Local Board area. The roles and responsibilities of reserve advisory groups is also being clarified.

3. The facilities and parks teams at Auckland Council have been working together to provide possible options for the future model. The local board has indicated that they support a ‘community-led’ model if there is community support for this approach.

4. Community engagement is proposed to occur in August 2015. Once feedback has been provided, the local board will consider this and council staff will work with each community to determine the best approach for their local facilities.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) acknowledges that consultation with the community will occur in August 2015 regarding possible future management and governance options for rural halls in the Rodney Local Board area and the roles and responsibilities of reserve advisory groups.

Comments

5. Auckland Council owns a significant number of halls, community centres and reserves in the Rodney Local Board area. These were historically managed by advisory committees which were appointed for a three year term by the previous Rodney District Council. Although no longer technically ‘committees of the local board’ under Auckland Council these advisory groups still operate and have an important role to play in looking after local facilities. This role varies across the Rodney Local Board area due to historic and practical arrangements.

6. The Rodney Local Board would now like to consider the future management and governance options for rural halls in the Rodney Local Board area. A pilot for the rural halls project is being completed in the Franklin Local Board subdivision of Wairoa. The learnings from the Franklin pilot, where appropriate, will inform the Rodney rural halls project.

7. The local board focus is on continuing to improve the management and use of its community facilities and rural halls. The local board foresee the following benefits from this process:

i. Ensure more appealing and attractive community facilities

ii. Visual addition of local flavour and character

iii. Clearly defined roles and responsibilities for stakeholders in this process

iv. Ability for hall advisory groups to have control of their hall’s capital budget and be able to use local contractors

v. Local board have visibility of hall expenditure statements.

8. The Rodney Local Board identified the following 11 council-run rural halls to be considered for hall management and governance review:

i. Helensville War Memorial Hall

ii. Kaukapakapa Memorial Hall

iii. Point Wells Hall

iv. Riverhead War Memorial Pavilion

v. Shoesmith Hall

vi. South Head Hall

vii. Te Hana Hall

viii. Waimauku War Memorial Town Hall

ix. Wainui Hall

x. Warkworth Masonic Hall

xi. Warkworth Town Hall

9. The Rodney Local Board identified the following 13 advisory group-run rural halls to be considered for hall management and governance review:

i. Ahuroa Hall

ii. Coatesville Settlers Hall

iii. Glasgow Park Hall

iv. Kourawhero Hall

v. Leigh Hall

vi. Mahurangi East Community Centre

vii. Pakiri Hall

viii. Ranfurly Hall

ix. Tauhoa Hall

x. Tapora Hall

xi. Wellsford Community Centre

xii. Whangaripo Hall

xiii. Whangateau Hall

10. At a Rodney Local Board workshop on 13 April 2015 the local board informally discussed and identified its preferred hall management and operational structure from the models identified in the draft Community Facilities Network Plan (CFNP). The CFNP informs best practice for hall management and operation models and the Rodney rural halls proposed hall governance and management options have been based on this (Attachment A). The local board’s preferred model was community-led. Members then rated the relevance/importance of the following criteria for this model (refer Table 1):

Table 1

Rating	Criteria
Essential	An approach which builds community capacity
	Has simplicity of accountability (to council)
	Ability to leverage external funding
	Provides opportunities for innovation/ability to quickly respond to changing needs/opportunities.
	Opportunities for local jobs and procurement
Somewhat important	Minimises risk (financial, reputational)
	Empowers community to control local assets
	Council visibility/brand attribution
Not important	Minimising financial input
Not important	Controlling budgets

11. It is now proposed to hold four community meetings to collect the community’s feedback and views on governance options. This feedback will further inform the proposed local board model(s).

12. Prior to the community meetings contact will be made with each of the current hall advisory committees to introduce the project team, understand the group’s current role and responsibility and share the project’s proposed timeline.

Reserves

13. As a part of considering the future management model for facilities it is acknowledged that the legacy Rodney District Council and subsequently Auckland Council had three Advisory Group types. These ‘types’ were Halls Advisory Groups, Halls and Reserves Advisory Groups and Reserves Advisory groups.

14. The role of the Reserves Advisory groups has not changed and at this point is not anticipated to change. The local board has acknowledged the importance of Reserve Advisory groups acting as a sounding board for council. These groups know and value their respective parks and act as the voice of the community for these areas.

15. Decision making and management on parks will remain with the council. However, the rural halls project is an opportunity to clarify the relationship of advisory groups with the council and ensure that the local board are clear on which groups represent which parks. Parks officers are working alongside the facilities team to ensure that there is a holistic approach to the project.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

16. The local board supports the review of governance and management arrangements for rural halls. Two workshops have been held with the Rodney Local Board over the past three months to enable options for community feedback to be prepared. The local board have indicated that they support a community-led approach and wish to seek local feedback on the approach. Final decision on the governance and management approach will be made by the local board.

Māori impact statement

17. Maori views have not been specifically sought in relation to this report. However, the feedback meetings will be open to all members of the public.

Implementation

18. Project staff will contact each of the current hall advisory groups in June 2015. Project staff propose that the community meetings be held in August 2015. If this is not practicable then meetings will be held in October.

19. As the final approach to the management and governance of rural halls has not yet been confirmed, it is not possible to determine if there are any risks to implementation of the overall project at this stage. However, there are currently no foreseen concerns with implementation.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Rodney Rural Halls - Proposed hall Governance and Management Option for community engagement	173

Signatories

Authors

Tracy Mossman – Project Manager, Community Facilities

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Community Facilities Network Plan

File No.: CP2015/11252

Purpose

1. This report seeks the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee’s support for the draft Community Facilities Network Plan (Attachment A) and associated draft Action Plan (Attachment B).

Executive Summary

2. Community facilities are vital to local communities as they provide space where people can connect, socialise, learn and participate, and contribute to improved lifestyles and sense of belonging, identity and pride among residents.

3. The draft Community Facilities Network Plan (the network plan) is a long-term aspirational plan to guide council’s investment in the provision of community facilities over the next 20 years. It introduces a more holistic approach to the planning and provision of community facilities to keep pace with Auckland’s growing and diverse population, fill gaps in provision and ensure existing facilities are fit for purpose. The aspiration is to deliver strategically placed and integrated community facilities.

4. The scope includes arts and culture facilities, community centres, libraries, pools and leisure centres and venues for hire (community and rural halls). The network plan provides direction on optimisation, major upgrades of existing facilities, development of new facilities and potential divestment of facilities no longer meeting community needs.

5. The strategic direction articulated in the network plan will be implemented by a comprehensive set of actions in the long-term draft Action Plan. To focus resource in the short term (1-3 years), actions have been prioritised. Actions with funding in the first five years of the Long-term Plan 2015-2025 will be progressed first, along with network priority actions in spatial priority areas and actions with opportunities for optimisation. For each action local boards will be closely involved in determining the best response to meet community need and aspirations.

6. The network plan has been developed through an extensive process involving several rounds of engagement and input from local boards. Most recently a revised draft network plan was discussed with local boards through workshops in March and April 2015. The majority of local boards were supportive. Discussions with local boards at the workshops have resulted in some changes to the network plan as outlined in this report.

7. After reporting to local boards, the next step is to seek the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee’s approval of the network plan and draft Action Plan in August 2015.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) support the draft Community Facilities Network Plan and associated draft Action Plan to guide council’s investment in the provision of community facilities.

b) note that local board views will be reported to the Regional Strategy and Policy Committee in August 2015.

Background

8. The network plan has been developed with cross departmental collaboration. The plan is informed by a review of current state and research from New Zealand and comparative international cities. Key milestones in the development of the network plan have been:

February 2014	Completion of current state review and research.
March 2014	Regional Strategy and Policy Committee (REG/2014/37) Approval of timeframes to develop the Community Facilities Network Plan and presentation of current state and research findings.
March 2014	Local board cluster workshops; Presentation on current state and research findings and discussion of key issues.
June 2014	Local board briefing on the first draft network plan.
August 2014	Regional Strategy and Policy Committee (REG/2014/98) Endorse draft Community Facilities Network Plan for engagement with local boards and key stakeholders.
August – Sept 2014	Workshops with local boards and key stakeholders on the draft network plan.
October - Nov 2014	Report to all local boards seeking formal feedback on the draft network plan and providing a summary of key stakeholder feedback.
December 2014	Decision to incorporate libraries into the scope of the network plan; Local Board briefing on libraries research.
February - Mar 2015	Workshops with local boards on revised draft network plan.

Comment

9. Aligned with the Auckland Plan, local board plans and relevant strategic action plans, the network plan articulates why council provides community facilities.

10. Community facilities contribute to building strong, healthy and vibrant communities by providing space where people can connect, socialise, learn and participate in a range of social, cultural, art and recreational activities. Community facilities contribute to improved lifestyles and a sense of belonging, identity and pride among residents.

11. The network plan identifies the challenges and opportunities for future community facility provision. Challenges include gaps and duplication in current provision, fit for purpose issues, increasing costs of maintaining the network and a growing and diversifying population. Opportunities include greater integration in the planning and delivery of community facilities, partnership opportunities and optimisation opportunities.

12. Four objectives articulate a new approach for the provision of community facilities which respond to these challenges and opportunities:

· work across all types of community facilities in integrated and coordinated planning and ensure future decisions are based on clear and robust evidence;

· maintain, improve and make the best use of our existing network of community facilities where these continue to meet community needs;

· focus investment on developing fit for purpose, integrated and connected community facilities; and

· explore opportunities to leverage and support partnerships with other providers.

13. The provision frameworks in the network plan outline the objectives, functions and provision approach for each type of community facility. This will guide the identification of gaps in the network and the types of spaces required to deliver fit for purpose facilities and respond to growth.

14. The long-term draft Action Plan lists actions to investigate potential gaps in the network and existing facilities with performance issues. A fundamental component for implementation is integrated and holistic planning across all types of community facilities, including those facilities outside council’s network. Each action will require detailed investigation, involving the local board and the community, to determine the appropriate response. The network plan includes detailed guidelines which can be adapted to guide the investigation process.

15. Local boards will play a significant role in determining the appropriate response for facilities or needs in their area. The governing body will make final decisions on the acquisition, divestment or major upgrades of community facilities and allocation of funding over $1 million.

16. There are over 100 actions in the long-term draft Action Plan, and these will be implemented over time within the available resource and financial constraints. Actions have been assessed to determine those that are network priorities (highlighted in blue in the draft Action Plan). In the short-term, actions with capital funding in the first five years of the Long-term Plan 2015-2025 will be progressed first, along with network priority actions in spatial priority areas and actions with opportunities for optimisation.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

17. There have been several rounds of engagement with local boards during the development of the network plan. Most recently a revised draft network plan (with libraries included) was discussed with local boards through workshops in March and April 2015. The majority of local boards were supportive of the revised network plan, in particular the:

· vision, outcomes and objectives for community facilities;

· move towards integrated and holistic planning and the evidence based approach to community facility development;

· aspiration to develop more connected and integrated facilities and opportunities to pilot this approach at existing facilities; and

· strategic improvements outlined in the Action Plan.

18. The following table outlines key themes from local board feedback and the associated response or amendments to the network plan.

Local Board Feedback

Response OR Amendments

Scope

· Scope of the network plan does not include all community leases, sports clubs and non-council facilities that perform similar functions as council-owned community facilities.

· The network plan acknowledges the importance of all community facilities in meeting community needs. Section 1.2 explains not all leased and non-council facilities are listed in the plan as they are bound by lease terms or they are not in council’s jurisdiction.

· Section 1.2 of the network plan has been amended to clarify what it means for facilities to be included in scope.

· Section 1.3 outlines the approach to consider all community facilities in the implementation of the network plan.

· New action added to investigate and plan for the provision of leased facilities.

Prioritisation weightings

· Some boards felt the actions relating to gaps are given advantageous weighting over actions for existing facilities.

· Some boards felt established areas of the region are disadvantaged against new growth areas.

· Some boards felt spatial priorities are given too much weighting when not all boards support the concept.

· Boards felt weighting for local board priority was too low.

· Section 5.2 (prioritisation) has been amended so the purpose is to determine which actions are network priorities.

· The criteria and weighting now focus on three components: network importance (40%), community importance (40%) and building condition (20%).

· Local board priority has the highest weighting within community importance.

Implementation approach

· Clarity on local board and community involvement in the implementation process.

· Investigation process needs to be adaptable for different communities.

· Clarity on the application of the new empowered communities approach to community facilities.

· Section 5.1 articulates how the Network Plan and Action Plan will be implemented, including emphasis on local board and community involvement in this process.

· Strategic improvement action will develop tools to implement the new empowered community approach to community facilities planning and development.

Wording and action amendments

· Number of requests to amend wording of specific sections and actions.

· Minor wording amendments have been made to the network plan and Action Plan to address feedback and improve clarity.

· Action Plan has been updated to reflect any recent progress.

Māori impact statement

19. Section 2.2 of the network plan outlines how council will implement the Maori Responsiveness Framework in relation to the planning and development of community facilities.

20. The provision of community facilities contributes to improving wellbeing among Maori communities by providing spaces to connect, socialise, learn skills and participate. Maori are users of all types of council’s community facilities. At aquatic facilities Maori make up 14% of users (compared to 9% of the population), 11% of leisure facility users and 9% of community centre users. Maori are under-represented as users at arts and culture facilities compared to the Auckland population.

21. The implementation of the network plan should improve provision and accessibility for the benefit of all Aucklanders, including Maori. The strategic improvement action to undertake research on non-users will help understand why some sectors of the population are under-represented as users of community facilities. This research should also provide useful information on improving accessibility and addressing barriers for non-users and under-represented sectors of the population.

22. The broader picture of community facility provision recognises that marae and kohanga reo are important social infrastructure for Maori and the community. Officers from Te Waka Angamua are scoping a project to address the future provision and development of marae facilities. Opportunities for aligned provision and/or partnerships with marae facilities will be considered in the implementation of the Community Facilities Network Plan.

Implementation

23. The Community Facilities Network Plan is aspirational and provides a road-map for council’s investment in community facilities over the next 20 years. The ability and timeframe to implement the network plan and associated actions is dependent on the level of budget allocated for community facility planning and development through future LTP and Annual Plan processes. The current tight fiscal environment means council needs to focus its attention on the greatest need. This plan provides direction for council to ensure the city gets the right facility in the right place at the right time.

24. A detailed implementation plan is being developed with cross-department collaboration. The implementation plan will address coordinating implementation across the different departments, progressing individual actions and reporting on implementation.

25. The draft Action Plan will be reviewed on an annual basis to reflect progress and re-evaluate priorities where necessary. Local boards have requested annual updates on the implementation progress.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Community Facilities Network Plan	181
b View	Community Facilities Network Action Plan	229

Signatories

Authors

Anita Coy-Macken - Principal Policy Analyst

David Shamy - Principal Policy Analyst

Authorisers

Kataraina Maki - GM - Community & Social Policy

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Wellsford Greenways Plan

File No.: CP2015/11084

Purpose

1. This report seeks that the Rodney Local Board adopts the Wellsford Greenways Plan.

Executive Summary

2. The Rodney Local Board recently consulted with the community on priority walkway, cycleway and bridleway linkages in the Wellsford area. The purpose of this consultation was to inform the preparation of a greenways plan for Wellsford. The plan has now been prepared and is attached to this report (refer Attachment A).

3. This report seeks that the Rodney Local Board approves the Wellsford Greenways Plan including the five identified priority routes.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) adopt the Wellsford Greenways Plan included as Attachment A to the agenda report, including the five priority routes as identified in the plan:

i) G1 - Matheson Road overbridge adjacent the railway to Harrison Street

ii) G2 - Centennial Park Road and Centennial Park (Complete a circuit within the Centennial Park)

iii) G3 - Connection over the railway from town to Stockyards via overbridge (advocate to further connect into Centennial Park via Stockyards or adjacent land)

iv) G4 - Connection over State Highway 1

v) G5 - Kaipara Highway (section of footpath).

Comments

4. At the Rodney Local Board meeting in June 2014 the local board adopted its Local Board Agreement 2014/2015. One of the key initiatives in the Rodney Local Board Agreement for 2014/2015 was to develop a Greenways Plan for Wellsford.

5. Greenway plans have been completed in several local board areas to date. They are long-term plans for improving walking, cycling and ecological connections across the region, thus contributing to achieving the vision of Auckland as the world’s most liveable city.

6. The purposes of the Wellsford Greenways plan was to create a future network of greenways that will provide safe and enjoyable ways for people to get around, get active, and get engaged with the community and their environment. The network of greenways identified the location and opportunity to:

· improve walking connections

· improve cycle connections

· improve bridle connections

· improve recreation opportunities

· improve ecological opportunities

· improve access to streams and waterways

7. As the Wellsford Greenways Plan needed to be adopted by the end of the current financial year and due to limited timeframes, Rodney Local Board at its 20 April 2015 business meeting delegated the responsibility to approve the consultation material to the Chairpersons of the two Rodney Local Board committees and the Wellsford Subdivision representative.

8. Delegated local board members approved the consultation material on 4 May 2015, and a public consultation meeting was held on Thursday, 14 May 2015 at the Old Wellsford Library.

9. Approximately 25 residents attended the public engagement meeting and provided feedback on the following three questions:

· Where would you like walking and cycling connections?

· Where would you like bridle trails?

· What connections do you see as “priority”?

10. The feedback period was held open for two weeks after the public meeting. The feedback received during the consultation period informed the preparation of the Wellsford Greenways plan, as attached in Attachment A. In preparation of the greenways plan, staff also took into consideration the feedback provided during the 2014-2017 Long Tern Plan consultation which related to Greenways.

11. Auckland Transport and the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) were also consulted on the proposed Greenways plan.

12. Auckland Transport has advised that a connection from the town centre along SH1 to Rodney College would be recommended as this would also connect the town centre with the Community Centre. Auckland Transport has also advised that some of the proposed routes could potentially be included in the Auckland Transports new footpaths programme.

13. The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) has advised that there is a possibility of including walking and cycling tracks on the Warkworth to Wellsford section of the Roads of National Significance (RONS), and that when this is progressed to the building stage that NZTA will look into including the relevant sections of the Wellsford Greenways plan.

14. The Wellsford Greenways Plan identified the following five priority routes selected from the overall network:

i. G1 - Matheson Road overbridge adjacent the railway to Harrison Street

ii. G2 - Centennial Park Road and Centennial Park (Complete a circuit within the Centennial Park)

iii. G3 - Connection over the railway from town to Stockyards via overbridge (advocate to further connect into Centennial Park via Stockyards or adjacent land)

iv. G4 - Connection over State Highway 1

v. G5 - Kaipara Highway (section of footpath)

15. This report seeks that the local board also approve the five priority routes as outlined above.

16. The Wellsford Greenways Plan will be implemented overtime to achieve (in part) the outcomes envisaged in the Rodney Local Board Plan. Implementation of the Greenways Plan will include the upgrade of existing walking and cycling connections (both on and off-road), as well as the creation of new connections within open space land, through designation areas and/or via property easements.

17. Successful implementation of the greenway plans requires co-ordination and commitment from the Auckland Council and Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs), as well as key related public/utility organisations such as the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA), KiwiRail, Watercare, Transpower and Vector.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

18. Development of a Greenways Plan for Wellsford is one of the key initiatives in the Local Board Agreement for 2014/2015.

19. Rodney Local Board had an opportunity to provide feedback and comment to the proposed Wellsford Greenways Plan and the proposed five priority routes at the Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee workshop held on 8 June 2015.

Māori impact statement

20. The development of a Greenways Plan for Wellsford is of interest to a wide range of groups, including Maori. During the consultation period a letter was sent to iwi that have interest in the Wellsford area inviting them to comment on greenways plan. Rodney Local Board will continue to have dialogue with local mana whenua as work is done on the Greenways Plan.

Implementation

21. The five priority greenway projects are consistent with the Local Board Plan outcomes and represent a blueprint for implementing walkway and cycleway projects in the Wellsford area in the future.

22. Funding of Wellsford greenways development is not specifically identified. However, the local board may wish to explore progressing some of the priority routes by considering funding through the Local Board Transport Capital Fund, Local Parks Walkways budgets, local funds allocated to the creation of footpaths or through grant funding.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Wellsford Greenways Plan	243

Signatories

Authors	Sonja Tomovska - Local Board Democracy Advisor
Authorisers	Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee

06 July 2015

Swimming Pool Fencing Exemption – Special Exemption (Section 6) Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987

File No.: CP2015/11308

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to present to the Rodney Local Board applications for special exemptions from some of the requirements of the Fencing of Swimming Pools Act 1987 (The Act).

Executive summary

2. The local board must conduct a hearing and consider each of the applications for special exemption. The local board must resolve to decline, grant or grant subject to conditions, the exemptions sought.

Recommendation/s

That the Rodney Local Board Parks, Culture and Community Development Committee:

a) receive the application by:

i) 32 Drury Lane, RD4, Pine Valley

ii) 192 Hunter Road, RD2, Taupaki

iii) 49 Taumata Road, Omaha

iv) 241 Sharp Road, Matakana

v) 43 Kokopu Street, Omaha

vi) 200 Valley Road, Waimauku

vii) 162 Annett Road, Huapai

viii) 505 Rodney Road, Pakiri

ix) 599 Haruru Road, RD3, Kaukapakapa

x) 577 Haruru Road, RD3, Kaukapakapa

b) determine each application, by way of resolution, to:

i) grant the application for special exemption as sought, or

ii) grant the application subject to conditions, or

iii) decline the application for special exemption sought.

Comments

3. Each property, which is the subject of an application before the local board, has been inspected by Auckland Council pool inspectors. In each case, the swimming/spa pool fencing does not comply with that Act. The details of non-compliance in each case vary and are specified in the attachments to this report. Each applicant has chosen to seek a special exemption from the requirements of the Act.

4. The purpose of the Act is stated to be “to promote the safety of young children by requiring the fencing of … swimming pools”.

5. The Act requires pool owners to fence their pool with a fence. Specific detail on the means of achieving compliance with the Act is contained in the schedule to the Act. If a pool is not fenced with a complying fence it is an offence under the Act, unless exempt.

6. An exemption can only be granted by the local board after a consideration of the particular characteristics of the property and the pool, other relevant circumstances and taking into account any conditions it may impose. Then, only if “satisfied that an exemption would not significantly increase the danger to young children”, can an exemption be granted.

7. Defining the immediate pool area will be relevant to considerations concerning the property and the pool. The immediate pool area means the land in or on which the pool is situated and as much of the surrounding area that is used for activities or purposes related to the use of the pool. The Act provides that the fence should be situated to prevent children moving directly to the pool from the house, other buildings, garden paths and other areas of the property that would normally be available to young children.

8. Another common consideration for local boards in exemption applications will be instances where a building forms part of the pool fence. Where doors from a building open into the pool area, the Territorial Authority may grant an exemption from compliance with clauses 8 to 10 of the schedule to the Act. It may exempt if it is satisfied that compliance with the Act is impossible, unreasonable or in breach of any other Act, regulation or bylaw, and the door is fitted with a locking device that when properly operated prevents the door from being readily opened by children under the age of 6 years. If the local board is satisfied that a door within a wall in a building meets that test, the local board must also be satisfied that an exemption would not significantly increase the danger to young children.

9. When granting a special exemption, the committee may impose such other conditions relating to the property or the pool as are reasonable in the circumstances (section 6(2) of the Act). Issues to be considered include:

Will the exemption be personal to the applicant so that on a sale of the property a new owner will need to apply for a new exemption? This might be appropriate where the personal circumstances of the applicant have been considered as a relevant circumstance and had a bearing on the exercise of the discretion.

Will the exemption be granted for a fixed term and irrespective of changes of ownership so that the exemption runs with the property?

Are there any other conditions which should be imposed, repairs to existing fencing, or a requirement for more frequent inspection of the pool (currently pools are inspected every three years).

10. Any exemption granted or condition imposed may be amended or revoked by the swimming pool exemption committee by resolution. The rules of natural justice would however dictate that this action should not be taken without prior notice to the pool owner and allowing the pool owner an opportunity to be heard.

Consideration

11. The recommendations contained within this report fall within the local board’s delegated authority.

12. The Act enables an exemption to be granted from clauses 8 to 10 of the Act (doors in walls of buildings) if the local board is satisfied that compliance with the Act is impossible, unreasonable or in breach of any other Act, regulation or bylaw and the door is fitted with a locking device that when properly operated prevents the door from being readily opened by children under the age of 6 years.

13. The overarching consideration in terms of the Act is that a resolution to grant an exemption may only be made after having regard to the particular characteristics of the property and the pool, any other relevant circumstances and any conditions it may impose, and only if it is satisfied that such an exemption would not significantly increase the danger to young children.

14. The local board may resolve to grant, grant subject to conditions, or decline an application for special exemption.

15. If an application is declined the applicant will be required to fence their pool in accordance with the Act.

16. The exemption hearing process under the Act does not trigger the significance policy but it is an important statutory function.

17. The council is committed to ensuring the Auckland is a safe place for children to live and play in. Pool fencing issues have a strong relationship with the council’s strategic priorities for community safety.

Local board views and implications

18. The local board is the decision maker in relation to exemption applications under the Act.

Māori impact statement

19. This report does not raise issues of particular significance for Maori.

General

20. Compliance with the Act is a mandatory requirement for all pool owners unless exempt.

21. Council’s pools inspectors have consulted with the applicants in each case. Applicants have been made aware of the council’s requirements to ensure fencing is compliant with the Act. The applicants have elected to seek a special exemption for individual reasons.

Implementation

22. The decision must be made by resolution and contain conditions (if any).

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	32 Drury Lane, RD4, Pine Valley (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
b	192 Hunter Road, RD2, Taupaki (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
c	49 Taumata Road, Omaha (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
d	241 Sharp Road, Matakana (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
e	43 Kokopu Street, Omaha (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
f	200 Valley Road, Waimauku (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
g	162 Annett Road, Huapai (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
h	505 Rodney Road, Pakiri (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
i	599 Haruru Road, RD3, Kaukapakapa (Under Separate Cover) - Confidential
j	577 Haruru Road, Kaukapakapa - Confidential

Signatories

Authors

Phillip Curtis - Senior Swimming Pool Specialist

Authorisers

Barry Smedts - Manager Compliance

Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager

Chairperson	Beth Houlbrooke
Deputy Chairperson	Greg Sayers
Members	James Colville
	Warren Flaunty, QSM
	Steven Garner
	Thomas Grace
	John McLean
	Phelan Pirrie
	Brenda Steele

Stage	Elements	Capital cost
Stage A of a multipurpose building	· 850m² indoor gymnastics centre incorporating: o 18x14m rhythmic gymnastics floor, o 35m x 18m artistic gymnastics hall (including a gymnastics pit in one corner) The hall can be reduced to accommodate all activities within an 850m footprint. o 2 x changing rooms and toilets o Small reception area.	$1.25m
Stage B of a multipurpose building	· 2 multi-purpose changing rooms for netball / hockey · Public toilets x2 · Referees changing · Storage · Office · Reception area.	$1.75m
Stage C of a multipurpose building	· multisport changing rooms for field sports · Function area (350sqm) to incorporate kitchen, bar areas with ability to divide into multi-function spaces as required. · Multi-purpose Room.	$5m
Development of an indoor multi-sport court	· 720m² (36m x 20m) indoor multi-sport hall.	$2.25m
	TOTAL	$10.25m

Stage	Elements	Cost
Stage 1 - Basement Upgrade	· Carry out remedial repair works to the basement to upgrade this area · Install 2 additional toilets to the northern end of the basement next to the existing one. This can be accessed from outside for the netball and hockey girls. This area can be closed off for them to use. · Over-lay all basement floor areas with Pulastic Sports flooring system · Re-roof club rooms · Repaint club rooms inside and out	$205,000
Stage 2 - Renovating Top Storey	· Extend kitchen under eaves and install new work benches and cooking facilities. Includes new vinyl floor and replacement of all carpet areas upstairs · Construct front entry (new covered veranda and front doors) install new lift in front foyer (To meet NZBC building requirements a lift will need to be installed)	$130,000
Stage 3 - New Building Options	· Extend a new timber deck around the north side to look over the netball courts · Remove all of the existing brown built trough section cladding and replace it with cedar HP62 timber weather boards (210m2). · Build two new ‘dry’ changing rooms under the new deck extension adjacent to the netball courts.	$205,000
	Administration/Consents	$20,000
	TOTAL	$560,000

Authors	Hannah Alleyne - Principal Special Asset Planning
Authorisers	Kim Taunga - Manager Customer Experience - South and East Libraries

Authors	Raewyn Morrison - Local Board Democracy Advisor
Authorisers	Lesley Jenkins - Relationship Manager