Manurewa Local Board

Alcohol Ban Hearing Panel

 

OPEN MINUTES

 

 

 

Minutes of a meeting of the Manurewa Local Board Alcohol Ban Hearing Panel held in the Manurewa Local Board Office, 7 Hill Road, Manurewa on Friday, 14 August 2015 at 9.07am.

 

present

 

Chairperson

Angela Dalton

 

 

 

Deputy Chairperson

Simeon Brown

[until 11am]

Members

Michael Bailey

 

 

 

 

Angela Cunningham-Marino

[from 10.15am]

 

Danella McCormick

 

 

 

 

Daryl Wrightson

 

 

 

 

ABSENT

 

Members

Hon. George Hawkins

 

 

 

Ken Penney

 

 

 

 


Manurewa Local Board

14 August 2015

 

 

 

Secretarial note:  Daniel Pouwels (Policy Analyst, Social Policy & Bylaws)  gave a briefing prior to the hearing. 

 

 

1          Welcome

 

The Chairperson welcomed each submitter, explained the reason for the hearing and the staff recommendation in relation to the area/s the submitter had expressed an interest. 

 

 

2          Apologies

 

Resolution number MR/2015/161

MOVED by Chairperson AM Dalton, seconded by Deputy Chairperson SP Brown:  

That the Manurewa Local Board Alcohol Ban Hearing Panel:

a)         accept the apologies from Member Hon. George Hawkins and Member Ken Penney for non-attendance, Member Angela Cunningham-Marino for lateness and from the Deputy Chair, Simeon Brown for early departure.

CARRIED

 

 

3          Declaration of Interest

 

There were no declarations of interest.

 

 

4

Hearing and deliberation report for the Manurewa Local Board alcohol ban review 2015

 

Jeremy Clark (submitter no. 99) tabled additional evidence relating to his submission in relation to The Dale reserve.  A copy of these documents can be publicly viewed on the Auckland Council website.

 

 

Resolution number MR/2015/162

MOVED by Member D Wrightson, seconded by Member MJ Bailey:  

That the Manurewa Local Board Alcohol Ban Hearing Panel:

a)      in relation to the proposed Manurewa Local Board Alcohol Ban Review

i)       receive this summary of submissions report

ii)      receive the submissions.

b)        hear the following submitters who wish to be heard in support of their submission:

i)          Denise Mahay (submitter no. 65) – Trimdon Street Reserve (Sheriff Place):

·       location – 408R Porchester Road

·       90% of reserve is a flood plane for 50 or 100 year event – it is very swampy

·       Denise’s focus is on the 10% of reserve – the playground for 0-8 year old children

·       up to 2004 there were major problems – broken glass, people drinking during the day

·       in 2004 the alcohol ban signs were erected – never been vandalised

·       8 February 2013 – last incident

·       wants to retain the alcohol ban signage – great deterrent

·       kids and alcohol don’t mix in public places - plenty of other places to drink

·       children’s playground and play area around them (minimum 50 metres) should be alcohol free

·       ongoing issue – 2 July 2015 – seven Woody’s beside the rubbish bin in the reserve.  On 10 July 2015 saw two Ice bottles near the playground – one bottle empty and one half empty.  Have had an incident in 2003 when children have drunk from bottles left behind and got very sick.

·       would really like a no smoking sign erected

·       sees signage as a positive thing and a way to educate people

·       totally support including the new sports fields at Riverton Reserve in the alcohol ban area.

ii)         Shiri Te Whatu (submitter no.s 93, 94, 95, 96, 97) – Finlayson Ave Reserve & Community House Reserve, Frobisher Way Reserve, Hanford Place Foreshore & Burundi Ave Foreshore:

·      disappointed in the legislation requiring the public to provide evidence to retain alcohol ban areas.  She believed the legislation should require the “powers that be” to prove that alcohol ban areas are not required.

·      Clendon area has more than its fair share of liquor stores

·      believes the drinking issues are 24/7

·      many people in the community have issues with alcohol

·      on pay day people walk to the store – purchase alcohol – drink in the parks on the way home

·      certain parks are more problematic than others

·      parents won’t let their children go down to the park and play because of the people drinking alcohol or the alcohol litter left by those drinking

·      very concerned that Police powers will be taken away

·      Templeton Reserve – constantly watching youth sitting on the playground and drinking – also mature people in their 20s and 30s that go there and drink

·      creates an unpleasant environment for the children

·      glass is prevalent all the time.

·      children have to have sturdy shoes if they do want to go play at the playground

·      there is a lot of rubbish left behind – the offenders make no attempt to put the rubbish in the rubbish bins provided

·      Pitt Ave and end of Palmers Road – will use the rubbish bins like a recycling point – boxes of empties are left beside the bins

·      issue with youth gathering and using their phones to deliberately give the Police the run around

·      during the day – usually if a house has been burgled the offenders go to a reserve to get rid of stuff they don’t want

·      if offenders feel they are being watched they will move on to the next reserve

·      drinking and driving a concern

·      some of the people are very intoxicated in the parks – they park up and consume what they have purchased.  Children don’t want to be around a park where cars are parked up.  A group of 2-3 males sitting on a park bench in the park is very intimidating for children.

·      similar behavior witnessed during the day from Hanford end to Weymouth all the way to Hazards Road of the esplanade reserve.

·      Hanford Place – because it is out of sight – people don’t really know about the playground – have found evidence of fires – people have been drinking and then set the trees on fire – usually late afternoon 3-4pm.

·      over the last four years the residents group has pulled 4.5 tonnes of recycling out of the Manukau Harbour – of that rubbish, 80 percent is alcohol related rubbish.

iii)       Lani Rota (submitter no. 112) – Kirton Crescent, Manurewa:

·      lives directly opposite the park – a resident for three and half years

·      people drink there all the time mostly in the weekends – worse in the summer time

·      always broken glass around

·      noise

·      fighting

·      the broken glass is a major hazard – a neighbor often goes and cleans up the glass

·      generally the park is trashed

·      have called the Police a few times

·      generally it is teenagers drinking, fighting, swearing and creating minor damage to the park, eg: rubbish bins

·      is a busy park – people stop and have lunch there constantly – well utilised

·      kids love the park

·      believes there should be a 24/7 alcohol ban around children’s playgrounds

·      the teenagers from James Cook are not generally a problem

·      also children from Manurewa Intermediate walk through the park

·      cars doing wheelies a problem in the area

·      believes if the ban was lifted there would be problems during the day.

iv)       Grant Hewison (submitter no. 49) - all Manurewa Local Board area & Clendon Town Centre:

·      Finlayson Reserve and Roscommon Reserve

·      Clendon Reserve (skate park area) – non alcohol ban

·      Dancy Marmatoa’s sworn evidence detailed weekly issues during day and night approximately 10 times a month occurs in Finlayson and Clendon Park area.

·      Referenced sworn evidence from Dawn Katipa regarding issues in the Roscommon Reserve.

·      Roscommon Park – a lot of alcohol related rubbish

·      questions the council approach of looking at every park.  Believes a global approach can be taken over an area. 

·      Parliament extended the definition of public place – authority given to any area open to the public – which includes private car parks.   The idea is much more global.

·      believes it would be more sensible to take a high level approach

·      What is a high level of alcohol related of crime and disorder?  Believes Manurewa fits into the high or extremely high category for crime and disorder in relation to alcohol related crimes.  Believes Parliament did not intend for liquor bans not to be made.  Believes when Parliament made this law it was thinking about Manurewa.

·      Historic context – Manukau City Council did not make the bylaws on no evidence.  It made the bylaws in response to the evidence provided and media interest.  This evidence can be used as a basis for this bylaw.

·      If bans are taken away – a high level of crime and disorder would evidence itself again.

v)         Elsie Howe (submitter no. 66) and David Tims (submitter no. 64) Trimdon Street Reserve, Hyperion Reserve & Randwick Park area:

·      believe alcohol bans for Trimdon Street Reserve and Randwick Park reserve should be retained

·      would like to see a ban in the whole area

·      the reserves are used as a teenage gathering area

·      abusive language, alcohol consumption, and smoking

·      has witnessed things happening after school hours up to 11pm at night

·      would like to see someone employed to look after the park between after school and 11pm.

·      Hyperion Reserve – safety issues – glass left mostly at night – not as bad as Trimdon but there is always glass – children as young at 12 years old gathering and smoking.

·      all parks that have a playgrounds should have a liquor ban.

·      still lots of evidence of glass being scattered around.  If the bans go there is no way the Police will be able to enforce what the community wants.

vi)       Tania Allen (submitter no.s 58 & 59) – Jellicoe Park & War Memorial Park:

·      lived in area for three years

·      witnessed groups of teenagers and adults sitting along the back of Jellicoe Park drinking

·      some of the behaviours – anti-social - intimidation

·      War Memorial Park evidence of drinking – empty bottles

·      often find shattered glass on playing areas, seated areas

·      often intimidated by the behavior

·      graffiti and damage as a result of drinking

·      witnessed the setting up of fires

·      believes alcohol bans should be retained.

vii)      Lillian Cattell and Devida Hati-Ross (submitter no. 54) – Netball Manurewa complex:

·      don’t want to encourage anyone to come and sit on grandstands and drink – have witnessed this before the upgrade

·      people would do everything they weren’t supposed to do

·      people know there is an alcohol ban

·      allowing the ban to lapse would impact on what Netball Manurewa is trying to do

·      previous history of broken glass thrown on the netball courts or bottles being left and teenagers smashing the bottles

·      Game and Event Co-ordinator does not want to turn into a security officer.

·      the facility is for the use of the community – want to encourage the community to look after the place.

·      don’t want to see Police there all the time

·      don’t want to have people drinking in the carpark.  An alcohol ban helps to manage the drinking outside.

·      would like to see the alcohol ban to cover the whole park. 

·      don’t want out of control behavior during the day.

·      after school every day of the week have children playing around in the Netball Manurewa area – it’s a safe environment at the moment.  If the alcohol ban were allowed to lapse it would no longer be safe.

·      have had a recent incident where bottles have been left. 

·      would like to see the ban extend to the grassed area as well.

viii)     Jeremy Clark (submitter no. 99) The Dale:

·       Spoke on behalf of two neighbours Trish Clark and Jim & Jean Gould

·       tabled three pieces of evidence

1)    email dated 14 August

2)    email dated 13 August from James Gould

3)    Police complaint dated 30 May 2015 – willful damage

·       believes if alcohol ban lifted would encourage anti-social behavior

·       The Dale Reserve is very popular

·       evidence of crime and disorder prior to when the park was upgraded

·       evidence – bottles and cans – drinking at night

·       neighbours do their bit and pick up rubbish

·       believes there should be alcohol bans in all parks that have playgrounds

ix)       Inspector O’Brien (submitter no. 91) Finlayson Ave Reserve

·       21 events over a five year period relating to this reserve

·       an alcohol ban is a great tool that allows the Police to deal with potential issues early

·       helpful to the Police to have alcohol bans – allows early intervention before a situation escalates to a major alcohol harm related incident

·       it would be valid to have an alcohol ban in parks or carparks which are within 500 metres of an off licence

·       usually anti-social behavior is linked to playgrounds and carparks.

CARRIED

 

Attachments

a     Jeremy Clark (submitter no. 99) additional evidence in relation to The Dale reserve

 

 

Adjournment of Meeting

MOVED by Chairperson AM Dalton, seconded by Member DJ McCormick:   

That the Manurewa Local Board Alcohol Ban Hearing Panel:

a)         agree to adjourn the meeting until 12.50pm, Friday 14 August 2015.  The meeting adjourned at 11.35am and reconvened at 12.50pm. Members George Hawkins, Ken Penney and the Deputy Chair, Simeon Brown, were not present.

CARRIED

 

 

 

1pm                                                    The Chairperson thanked Members for their attendance and attention to business and declared the meeting closed.

 

CONFIRMED AS A TRUE AND CORRECT RECORD AT A MEETING OF THE Manurewa Local Board HELD ON

 

 

 

DATE:.........................................................................

 

 

 

CHAIRPERSON:........................................................