Finance and Performance Committee

OPEN MINUTES

Minutes of a meeting of the Finance and Performance Committee held in the Reception Lounge, Auckland Town Hall, 301-305 Queen Street, Auckland on Wednesday, 28 October 2015 at 9.32am.

present

Chairperson	Cr Penny Webster
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Ross Clow
Members	Cr Anae Arthur Anae	From 11.07am, item 11
	Cr Cameron Brewer
	Mayor Len Brown, JP	From 9.40am, item 5.1
	Cr Dr Cathy Casey
	Cr Bill Cashmore
	Cr Linda Cooper, JP
	Cr Chris Darby
	Cr Hon Christine Fletcher, QSO	From  9.36am, item 5.1
	Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse
	Cr Denise Krum
	Cr Mike Lee	From 9.54am, item 9
	Member Kris MacDonald	Until 11.01am, item 10
	Cr Calum Penrose
	Cr Dick Quax
	Cr Sharon Stewart, QSM
	Cr Sir John Walker, KNZM, CBE	From 10.05am, item 9
	Cr Wayne Walker	From 10.47am, item 10
	Cr John Watson
	Member Glenn Wilcox
	Cr George Wood, CNZM	From 9.36am, item 5.1

ABSENT

Cr Alf Filipaina

Member David Taipari

Member John Tamihere

Finance and Performance Committee 28 October 2015

1          Apologies

Resolution number FIN/2015/106

MOVED by Chairperson MP Webster, seconded by Deputy Chairperson RI Clow:

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) accept the apologies from Cr AM Filipaina, Member D Taipari and Member J Tamihere for absence.

CARRIED

2          Declaration of Interest

Cr WB Cashmore and Member G Wilcox declared an interest in item 10.

3          Confirmation of Minutes

Resolution number FIN/2015/107

MOVED by Cr CM Casey, seconded by Cr WB Cashmore:

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting held on Thursday, 22 October 2015 as a true and correct record.

CARRIED

4 Petitions

There were no petitions.

5 Public Input

5.1	Olivia Haddon - Maori freehold land rates
	Cr CE Fletcher entered the meeting at 9.36am. Cr GS Wood entered meeting at 9.36am. Mayor LCM Brown entered the meeting at 9.40am.
	Olivia Haddon provided supporting information. A copy has been placed on the official minutes and is available on the Auckland Council website as a minutes attachment.
	Resolution number FIN/2015/108 MOVED by Chairperson MP Webster, seconded by Cr LA Cooper: That the Finance and Performance Committee: a)      thank Olivia Haddon for her presentation and receive the submission from Pita Rikys regarding Māori freehold land rates. CARRIED
	Attachments a     28 October 2015, Finance and Performance Committee - Item 5.1 supporting information from Olivia Haddon

6 Local Board Input

There was no local board input.

7 Extraordinary Business

There was no extraordinary business.

8 Notices of Motion

There were no notices of motion.

9	Māori Land Rates
	Cr ME Lee entered the meeting at 9.54am. Cr JG Walker entered the meeting at 10.05am.
	Note: Changes to the original recommendation a) and an additional recommendation c) were made with the agreement of the meeting.
	Resolution number FIN/2015/109 MOVED by Cr LA Cooper, seconded by Deputy Chairperson RI Clow: That the Finance and Performance Committee agree that it’s preference is to consult alongside the Annual Plan 2016/2017 on an amendment to the: a)      Māori freehold land rates remission and postponement policy to: i)     remit rates for marae and urupa that exceed the 2 hectare limit for non-rateability ii)    increase the adjustment for the number of owners up to the 10 per cent maximum, where properties have significant barriers to development such as owners being deceased or not succeeded to iii)  adjust rates to the equivalent of those that would have been charged, had the property been valued excluding any potential use that is unlikely to be achieved within Māori ownership; and b)      rates remission and postponement policy (remission scheme for fixed charges) to: i)     remit fixed rates where the land would otherwise be treated as a single rating unit except they are in separate ownership. c)         policies referred to in a) and b) above and that further detailed and specific policy changes be sought from Māori (including Māori landowners and the Independent Māori Statutory Board) as part of the consultation process and that these be assessed by officers and be reported back to the committee for consideration in the post review policies and/or to initiate other actions and responses by Council. CARRIED

10

Rural Rates Review

Cr WB Cashmore and Member G Wilcox declared an interest in this item and left the room at 10.11am.

Cr WD Walker entered the meeting at 10.47am.

MOVED by Cr C Darby, seconded by Cr CM Casey:

That the Finance and Performance Committee agree that its preference is to:

a) not consult on the proposal to reallocate rates within the farm/lifestyle sector.

A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

For Mayor LCM Brown Cr CM Casey Deputy Chairperson RI Clow Cr C Darby Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr ME Lee Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson Cr GS Wood

Against Cr CE Brewer Cr LA Cooper Cr CE Fletcher Cr DA Krum Cr CM Penrose Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Member K Macdonald J Walker Chairperson MP Webster

Abstained

The motion was declared lost by 9 votes to 10.

Resolution number FIN/2015/110

MOVED by Cr CM Penrose, seconded by Cr CE Fletcher:

That the Finance and Performance Committee agree that its preference is to:

a)         consult on the proposal to reallocate rates from large farm/lifestyle properties over the entire rating base.

A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

For Cr CE Brewer Mayor LCM Brown Cr LA Cooper Cr CE Fletcher Cr DA Krum Cr CM Penrose Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Member K Macdonald Cr JG Walker Chairperson MP Webster

Against Cr CM Casey Deputy Chairperson RI Clow Cr C Darby Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr ME Lee Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson Cr GS Wood

Abstained

The motion was declared carried by 11 votes to 8.

CARRIED

Resolution number FIN/2015/111

MOVED by Cr CE Fletcher, seconded by Cr CM Penrose:

That the Finance and Performance Committee agree that its preference is to:

b) consult on an amendment to the rates remission and postponement policy to remit the difference in rates between what a property is charged for its smaller individual blocks, and what it will be charged if it was rated as a single combined property.

CARRIED

Cr WB Cashmore and Member G Wilcox returned to the meeting at 11.00am.

Member K MacDonald left the meeting at 11.01am.

The meeting adjourned at 11.01am and reconvened at 11.07am.

11

Annual review of Uniform Annual General Charge

Cr AJ Anae entered the meeting at 11.07am.

MOVED by Chairperson MP Webster, seconded by Cr ME Lee:

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a)         agree that it does not support consultation on changes to the Uniform Annual             General Charge.

MOVED by Cr GS Wood, seconded by Cr CE Fletcher by way of amendment:

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) agree that consultation on the quantum of the Uniform Annual General Charge occur over the range of $385 to $800.

A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

For Cr CE Brewer Cr WB Cashmore Cr LA Cooper Cr CE Fletcher Cr DA Krum Cr CM Penrose Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Chairperson MP Webster Cr GS Wood

Against Cr AJ Anae Mayor LCM Brown Cr CM Casey Deputy Chairperson RI Clow Cr C Darby Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr ME Lee Member G Wilcox Cr JG Walker Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson

Abstained

The amendment was declared lost by 10 votes to 11.

MOVED by Cr C Darby, seconded by Cr CM Casey by way of amendment:  

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) agree that consultation on the quantum of the Uniform Annual General Charge occur over three options:

i) $350

ii) $397 (current inflated)

iii) $450

A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

For Cr AJ Anae Mayor LCM Brown Cr CM Casey Deputy Chairperson RI Clow Cr C Darby

Against Cr CE Brewer Cr WB Cashmore Cr LA Cooper Cr CE Fletcher Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr DA Krum Cr ME Lee Cr CM Penrose Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Member G Wilcox Cr JG Walker Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson Chairperson MP Webster Cr GS Wood

Abstained

The amendment was declared lost by 5 votes to 16.

Resolution number FIN/2015/112

MOVED by Cr LA Cooper, seconded by Cr CE Brewer:

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a)   agree that consultation on the quantum of the Uniform Annual General Charge occur over the range of $350 to $650.

A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

For Cr CE Brewer Mayor LCM Brown Cr WB Cashmore Cr LA Cooper Cr C Darby Cr CE Fletcher Cr DA Krum Cr CM Penrose Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson Chairperson MP Webster Cr GS Wood

Against Cr AJ Anae Cr CM Casey Deputy Chairperson RI Clow Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr ME Lee Member G Wilcox Cr JG Walker

Abstained

The motion was declared carried by 14 votes to 7.

CARRIED

12

Interim transport levy structure

MOVED by Cr WB Cashmore, seconded by Chairperson MP Webster:

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a)         agree that it does not support consultation on changes to the interim transport levy.

Note:   Changes to the original recommendations were made with the agreement of the meeting.

Resolution number FIN/2015/113

MOVED by Deputy Chairperson RI Clow, seconded by Cr CM Casey:

That the Finance and Performance Committee agree its preferred options for consultation are the following:

a)      an increase in the share of the interim transport levy met by businesses from 14.7 per cent to 32.7 per cent for 2016/2017 and 32.3 per cent for 2017/2018

b)      share the business interim transport levy amongst business ratepayers on the basis of capital value rather than via a fixed charge.

A division was called for, voting on which was as follows:

For Cr CE Brewer Mayor LCM Brown Cr CM Casey Deputy Chairperson RI Clow Cr LA Cooper Cr C Darby Cr CE Fletcher Deputy Mayor PA Hulse Cr DA Krum Cr ME Lee Cr D Quax Cr SL Stewart Cr JG Walker Cr WD Walker Cr J Watson Cr GS Wood

Against Cr AJ Anae Cr WB Cashmore Cr CM Penrose Member G Wilcox Chairperson MP Webster

Abstained

The motion was declared carried by 16 votes to 5.

CARRIED

13	Budget review
	Resolution number FIN/2015/114 MOVED by Cr C Darby, seconded by Cr AJ Anae: That the Finance and Performance Committee: a)      receive the Budget Review report. CARRIED

14        Consideration of Extraordinary Items

There was no consideration of extraordinary items.

12.25pm                                             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 Finance and Performance Committee HELD ON

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

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