Agenda of Waitematā Local Board

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Auckland Transport Update - October 2015

File No.: CP2015/20627

Purpose

1. The purpose of the report is to respond to local board requests on transport-related matters and to provide information to Elected Members about Auckland Transport (AT) activities in the local board area.

Executive summary

2. This report covers matters of specific application and interest to the Waitemata Local Board and its community; matters of general interest relating to Auckland Transport activities or the transport sector; and relevant Auckland Transport media releases for the information of the Board and community.

Recommendations

That the Waitemata Local Board:

a) Approve a revised scope and budget from their Local Board Transport Capital Fund for the Ponsonby Road Improvements Project to include Mackelvie Street and/or raised entry treatments.

b) Confirms the revised scope of the Newmarket Laneways Streetscape Improvements Project for concept design development to include York Street and Kent Street.

Comments

Project Update

Quay Street Cycleway

3. Preliminary designs for a 3m bidirectional cycleway on Quay Street are underway with public consultation planned before the end of the year.

4. The route is part of AT, Auckland Council and NZTA’s three year $200 million investment programme in cycleways to make it safer and more convenient to travel by bike.

5. The project is due to be delivered mid-next year before the City Rail Link Phase Two Enabling Works commence, giving people more travel options to the city centre.

Wynyard Quarter Roading Upgrade Phase Two

6. Construction on the Wynyard Quarter Roading Upgrade Phase One is well underway.

7. The package of Phase Two works includes Wynyard Common, Daldy Street (between Pakenham St and Guant St), Gaunt St (between Beaumont St and Daldy St), and Beaumont St (south of Westhaven Drive) has been lodged with Council for resource consent.

Local Board Transport Capital Fund Update

Budget Allocation

$1,879,156 4 year budget (2012/13 – 2015/16)

$1,431,370 Approved budget to date

$104, 580 Deductions to date

$447,786 4 year budget (2012/13 – 2015/16) remaining to be allocated

$469,789 5^th year budget (2016/17)

Project Descriptions – Live Projects

Project	Budget	Description	Status
Newmarket Rail Station Artwork Fencing	$5,000	Funding for an upgraded fence design will complement renewals work AT will undertake on the bridge over rail structure	Construction by end of 2015
Drinking Fountains Programme	$88,000	Funding for drinking fountains to compliment AC/AT Cycling projects in the city	Upper Queen St – delivered Carlton Gore Rd – delivered Nelson St – Nov 2015
Waitemata Greenways – Grey Lynn Park Shared Path	$350,000	Development of a wider, shared path that supports the Grey Lynn Park Development Plan and the future Waitemata Greenways Route G1 cycle route	In progress, consultation being planned for route
Ponsonby Road Pedestrian Improvements	$460,000	Designs will be tabled in October, as will a revised cost estimate	Local Board decision required
Newmarket Laneways Streetscape Improvements	$500,000	Funding for concept design development for the Newmarket Laneways Plan. Council has allocated $3.5m over next two financial years to deliver the project.	In progress. Work commecing on concept designs with expanded scope including York and Kent streets.

8. Ponsonby Road Pedestrian Improvements – AT presented a rough order cost (ROC) at the Board’s 12 May 2015 business meeting which was based on kerb build-out treatments only. Following extensive internal consultation, AT can allow for raised entry tables to be incorporated in to the design should the local board wish. This requires a resolution from the Board for a revised scope and increased budget. The plans and revised ROC will be tabled at the Board’s October business meeting.

9. Mackelvie Street Pedestrian Improvements – AT met with Board representatives on site in September to define the scope of Mackelvie Street, which will have a similar look to the artist’s impression below. A draft plan and ROC will be tabled at the Board’s October business meeting. AT recommends integrating the Mackelvie project in to the Ponsonby Road Pedestrian Improvements project and also that the appropriate budget be allocated.

Concept image for Mackelvie Street

10. Newmarket Laneways Streetscape – AT requests the Board provide formal resolution around the increased scope for the Newmarket Laneways Plan, so that concept designs developed will include Kent and York streets. Concept design is due to be completed this financial year which includes the public consultation phase.

Major Projects Delivery Programme 2015/16 – Waitemata

Projects Under Construction (as of August 2015)		Projects Delivered (FY2015-16)
PT Infrastructure	Parnell Station	Walking & Cycling	Carlton Gore Cycle lane
PT Network	Double decker bus enabling works	Road Maintenance	Ponsonby Road Resurfacing and Cycling Improvements
Roading/Public Spaces	Wynyard Quarter Road and Public Space Improvements	PT Infrastructure	Parnell Road Southbound bus lane
Walking & Cycling	Wynyard Quarter Interim Cycle Path	Walking & Cycling	Beach Road Walking and Cycling – Stage 2
Major Projects	Nelson Street Cycleway – Phase 1 (Off-ramp)	Minor Safety Improvements	Parnell Road/Parnell Rise Intersection Upgrade

Consultations

Freemans Bay Residential Parking Zone

11. On 6 October, AT will meet with the Board to discuss the outcome of public feedback on the proposal to create a residential parking zone in Freemans Bay.

Nelson St Cycleway – Phase Two Public Consultation

12. Public consultation on the Nelson Street Cycleway Phase Two closes on Monday, 5 October.

13. The route forms a critical part of the network, linking with the Northwestern Cycleway, Grafton Gully Cycleway and the waterfront creating a walking and cycling spine on the western side of the city centre.

14. The cycleway is a mixture of shared pedestrian and cycling paths and two-way on-road cycle lanes separated from the general traffic by raised buffer islands.

15. The project has two phases: Phase One (under construction) creates a link from Upper Queen St to Nelson St via Canada St and a new bridge to the old Nelson Street off-ramp. The new bridge and the off-ramp will be exclusively for pedestrians and people on bikes. Phase 1 then continues down on the west side of Nelson St to its intersection with Victoria St. Phase 2 continues on the east side of Nelson St and Sturdee St and connects to a future cycleway at Quay Street. This phase also includes a cycleway along Pitt St between Beresford Rd and Nelson St. On this section we are asking for feedback on two options at the intersection of Hopetoun St and Pitt St – one options sees the removal of the left turn into Hopetoun St from Pitt St.

16. Phase One is due for completion on 20 November 2015, aligned with NZTA’s construction of the Nelson Street Off-ramp bridge. Phase Two is due for completion by mid-2016.

17. For further information, visit AT’s website.

New Bus Network for Central and East Auckland Proposed

18. Consultation on Auckland's central and east new bus network opened on Thursday, 1 October, and will run until December 2015.

19. By 2017, AT will move to a simpler, flexible and more integrated public transport network for Auckland. This will deliver a New Network of buses, trains and ferries that will change the way people travel – including the need for some passengers to transfer at key interchanges.

20. Key benefits for Central Auckland:

· New frequent services –frequent services will be introduced on key routes during peak times, operating at least every 15 minutes, 7am to 7pm, 7 days a week. The New Network will increase the number of Central Auckland residents within 500m of a frequent service from 44 per cent to 82 per cent.

· Rapid buses on main corridors– there will continue to be frequent services along the main corridor routes throughout the central area, and the introduction of double decker buses and more buses during peak times will cater for busy periods.

· Busway stations will become hubs – once you get to a transport interchange, you will be able to choose to go to a wider variety of destinations.

21. Public consultations will occur in local areas, for more information view: https://at.govt.nz/projects-roadworks/new-public-transport-network

Area	Consultation	Implementation*
East Auckland	October – December 2015	2017
Central Auckland	October – December 2015	2017

Consideration

Local board views and implications

22. The Board’s views will be incorporated during consultation on any proposed schemes.

Māori impact statement

23. Mana whenua and Mana waka are consulted on Auckland Transport’s capital programme and proposed changes to policy.

Implementation

24. All proposed schemes are subject to prioritisation, funding and consultation.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Consultations Register	17

Signatories

Authors	Priscilla Steel – Auckland Transport Elected Member Relationship Manager
Authorisers	Jonathan Anyon – Auckland Transport Council Engagement Manager

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Western Springs Native Bush Restoration Project

File No.: CP2015/20192

Purpose

1. To seek approval of the Western Springs Native Bush Restoration Project.

Executive Summary

2. Located next to West View Rd and between Auckland Zoo and Western Springs Stadium, is a block of Monterrey pines with regenerating native bush underneath.

3. The Monterey pines were planted here in 1929 and are all reaching the end of their lives. Many have already fallen and the remainder are becoming increasingly vulnerable posing a significant risk to neighbouring property including residents and the zoo, as well as public walking through the site.

4. To date, existing operational expenditure budgets have been used to remove individual trees that were assessed as posing the highest risk to public safety on an ad hoc basis.

5. The existing ecological restoration contract also provides a level of invasive weed control, which has been successful and allowed a significant amount of native species to regenerate under the pines.

6. Budget limitations have meant that a more holistic approach to pine removal and ecological restoration, whilst always being an aspiration, have not been possible to date.

7. The Western Springs Lakeside Park Plan 1995 identifies the long-term aspiration to return the area to native podocarp forest.

8. A programme of pine removal and native tree replanting is proposed over the next three years. This will meet the objective of the Western Springs Lakeside Park Plan and remove the threat to public safety and adjacent property.

Recommendations

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) Approve the Western Springs Native Bush Restoration Project

b) Delegate approval of the project consultation plan to the Parks Advisor in consultation with the parks portfolio holders.

Comments

9. The large stand of pine trees on the south facing slope above Western Springs lake are in decline. Approximately thirteen trees have fallen in previous years and those remaining pose a potential hazard to residents along West View Rd, people using the park and the Auckland Zoo.

10. Should the pines remain in situ it is highly likely that the walkway into Western Springs from West View Rd would have to be closed to manage the risk to public safety. Retention of the pines would also mean an ever increasing risk to surrounding properties and a risk to the zoo security fences.

11. In 2013 the Waitemata Local Board requested that a Restoration and Accessibility Plan be produced.

12. An arboricultural report and correspondence obtained in 2014 from Geotree investigated the safety of the pines and states “the likelihood of entire trees toppling (or trunks snapping) and falling onto high risk targets is now very high”. It was also noted that the removal of trees will increase the risk of failure of the remaining trees.

13. The Restoration and Accessibility Plan as requested by the local board was commissioned in 2014 from Wildland Consultants. The plan provides guidance on the restoration of this forest area in order to address the health and safety concerns posed by the senescent pines and fulfil the objective of the Western Springs Lakeside Management Plan to return this area to native forest.

14. An archaeological assessment was undertaken in February 2015 by Russell Foster and a representative of Ngai Tai ki Tamaki assisted in the site walkover. It was reported that “there are no known archaeological effects associated with the proposed development”.

15. There is potential to carve some of the resulting pine ‘totems’ to create a sculpture trail. The carving is dependent on additional budget being allocated and a suitable artist being available.

Summary of methodology proposed for the ecological restoration

16. Geotree will be commissioned to review and update their previous arboricultural assessment to confirm the following methodology is acceptable:

· The high risk perimeter trees shall be removed in the first year with 6m high poles left standing.

· Pines that are not an immediate risk may be felled in the following year.

· Helicopter removal of foliage and branches where risk of damage to understory plantings is high has been proposed.

· Felling of trees and leaving pine material on site to break down will be undertaken wherever practicable and where damage to understory plantings is minimal. Logs left on site will be drilled to create habitat for invertebrates and fungi.

· Pine ‘totems’ near walking paths or neighbouring properties shall be cut to a maximum length of 6m for safety reasons. The remainder shall be cut to 12-15m in height.

· Native planting shall occur in the planting season June-Sept each year following removal of pines. A planting list of native species has been suggested, based on proven survivability, the ability to be locally sourced and that will contribute to the aim of establishing a native podocarp forest.

· Ongoing weed and pest control will continue to be undertaken as part of the Local and Sports Parks Ecological Restoration Contract.

Stakeholder engagement

17. Key stakeholders for this project are Auckland Zoo and Western Springs Stadium. Ongoing liaison will occur during the planning and delivery of this project.

18. An archaeological assessment of the site was carried out in March 2015. There are no archaeological sites of significance identified in the project area; however Auckland Council Heritage and New Zealand Historic Places Trust will be kept informed of the details of the work as it progresses.

Community Consultation

19. Formal consultation on this project has not yet started, but a small meeting with four local residents was held on 9 October 2014.

20. The following concerns were raised by the group:

· Poor condition of the current tracks

· previous pine removal on Western Springs Stadium land, where follow up planting did not occur

· perceived ecological value of the pines

· perceived detrimental effect to native wildlife of pine removal

· staged removal being desirable

· a view that pine ‘totems’ could be dangerous

21. The above concerns were considered and the following responses address them:

· the steps at the West View Road entrance were renewed at the end of last year and a new handrail was included. The existing track can be considered for renewal once the area is deemed safe in the long-term. There is little value in upgrading a track that may need to be closed.

· planting of native species to support the establishment of native podocarp forest is included and funded as part of this project.

· it is considered unlikely, due to the exposed nature of the trees and lack of cracks and fissures, that either the white faced heron or native long tail bats use this area for roosting or nesting. A bat survey was undertaken in 2014 and no long tail bats were found. An additional survey will be undertaken as part of this project to confirm the previous survey results prior to any removals taking place.

· a member of council’s Biodiversity team undertook a visual assessment on 20 November 2014 for White faced heron nests. No nests were seen during the hour long site visit, nor where any actual herons observed. Herons nest quite early in the season and have normally finished nesting by the end of December, so if there were active nests it is expected that they would have been visible during the survey.

· the pines contribute very little ecological value of the site. Shading and the presence of large amounts of pine needles is a contributing factor to the lack of diversity of native species in the area.

· removals will be staged over two years. Although more costly, this has been factored into the funding for this project. There is some risk with not felling all the pines at one time as remaining pines could become more susceptible to ‘wind throw’ but this should be able to be managed by targeting areas of the highest risk first and will be addressed in the Geotree review of the methodology.

· pine totems in close proximity to paths, the zoo or private property shall be no more than six metres in height. Precedents for similar approach to managing pines exist within the central area, including on the Manukau coast

22. A preliminary consultation plan for informing neighbouring residents, park users and the general public is currently being developed. A combination of on-site signage, letter drops, media releases and possibly public meetings, will ensure that the public using and living near the park will be fully informed and have opportunity to comment prior to any work taking place.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

23. Local board resolution WTM/2011/203 indicates that the Waitemata Local Board support “the long term goal of the Western Springs Lakeside Park Plan to return the area….to native forest”

24. Two local board members attended a small residents’ meeting on 9 October 2014.

25. The project was workshopped with the local board on 21 October 2014.

26. The pine trees are iconic and contribute to the overall amenity of the area. Limited public consultation undertaken so far indicates there may be some resistance to their removal.

27. Should the project not proceed, the pine trees will fail over time and will likely damage private property and pose risk to the public using the area and the security of the zoo.

28. A geotechnical review of the area prior to any removals shall be commissioned in order to identify any instability issues that may arise from the removal of the pine trees. Should any issues be identified this will need to be addressed as part of this project.

Māori impact statement

29. Western Springs is a park of significant cultural heritage value to Mana Whenua, being the site of Te Wai Orea (Western Springs Lake) that was known for the eels that lived in the clear waters of the springs.

30. Ngai Tai ki Tamaki were involved in the site walkover and archaeological assessment of this area carried out in march 2015.. No evidence of any archaeological significance was found.

31. There are two Sites of Significance to Mana Whenua identified in the Proposed Unitary Plan (PAUP).

32. All iwi with a potential interest in this project have been emailed, and Parks are awaiting their responses at the time of writing

33. Tangata whenua shall be consulted about any traditional or cultural associations that may be affected by this proposal.

Implementation

34. The local board has allocated operational expenditure to this project through its Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) funding as follows:

· $135,000 Stage One FY16

· $122,000 Stage Two FY17

· $25,000 Stage Three FY18

35. Limited weed control is undertaken as part of the ongoing Ecological Restoration Contract for Local and Sports Parks Central and will continue indefinitely. No additional funding is required for this purpose.

36. Funding for the carving of the pine totems has not been allocated at this time but can be discussed with the local board parks portfolio holder and could be funded through future LDI budgets.

37. The site is a designated Significant Ecological Area in the District Plan and resource consent will be required for removal of the pine trees. Consent will need to be obtained as part of the project prior to any works taking place.

38. Any future upgrades to the path network would need to be funded from local board capital expenditure budgets and are not part of the current project.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Western Springs Pine Stand Restoration and Accesibility Plan	25

Signatories

Authors

Mark Miller - Acting Manager, Local and Sports Parks Central

Authorisers

Mark Bowater - Manager Local and Sports Parks

Judith Webster - Relationship Manager

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Waitemata Local Board Community Facilities Capex Renewal Programme 2015/2016

File No.: CP2015/18287

Purpose

1. To seek Waitemata Local Board approval of the proposed 2015/2016 Community Development Arts & Culture Capex renewals programme.

Executive Summary

2. The Waitematā Local Board Community Development Arts & Culture capex renewal programme was identified utilising information gathered from reported property issues, staff knowledge of facilities and the priority to make a property ready for community leasing.

3. Based on the current information available the following renewals are recommended for 2015/16:
a) Basement Theatre ($60,000)b) 313 Queen Street a vacant leased facility ($42,281)

c) Grey Lynn Community Centre ($177,188) and

d) An allowance for potential remedial work indicated by the community leased facility condition survey ($45,541) (due for completion Nov 2015).

4. This report provides further advice regarding the likely scope and cost of each piece of work and recommends that they be progressed.

5. The Waitemata Local Board Community Developments Arts & Culture renewal budget available in 2015/2016 is $325,010. The recommended programme will fully expend this amount.

Recommendations

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) Approve the 2015/2016 Waitemata Local Board Community Development Arts and Culture Capex Renewal Programme and the following projects:

· Basement Theatre toilet reconfiguration

· 313 Queen Street remedial work

· Grey Lynn Community Centre Roof

· Lease condition survey response

b) Delegate authority to the Local Board Chair or portfolio holders to agree changes in project scope and budget through the year as required in order that the programme can be implemented without delay.

Background

6. Community Development Arts and Culture has undertaken a strategic asset management planning exercise to identify the asset management funding requirements across the whole Community Development Arts and Culture portfolio. Assessment was based upon the value of the asset and the reasonable asset management costs that would be associated with an asset of this size across the lifespan of the facility. This asset management planning exercise was undertaken, in part, because Council did not have condition information for all its facilities and needed to have a more satisfactory assessment that allowed budgets to be allocated. It is intended that condition survey information for all facilities will be available before the next renewals programme is discussed with the Local Board.

7. This Community Development Arts and Culture asset portfolio includes community centres, venues for hire, community lease facilities and arts facilities. Currently there are 18 such facilities in the Waitemata Local Board area and these were all in scope when the renewal programme was developed / discussed with local board members. As condition information was not available for all properties, especially leased facilities, when compiling this year’s renewals programme the knowledge of the Property staff has been relied on in identifying potential projects.

8. With the establishment of the new Asset Management Team a more strategic and longer term approach will be developed incorporating the Board’s input before next year’s programme is developed.

9. At the March 2105 local board workshop the only project identified for renewal consideration was Ewelme Cottage, a heritage facility in Parnell. From this meeting the board requested council staff to further investigate requirements for Ewelme Cottage and provide more detailed information about the community use and outcomes from this facility. This work has not been finalised and is being undertaken by the community leasing team for discussion at a future portfolio holders meeting.

10. On 22 July 2015 a revised Community Developments Arts & Culture FY16 capex renewal program was discussed in a workshop with the Waitematā Local Board portfolio holders. The projects being presented for approval have been prioirtised because they address either a health and safety issue, building structure issue or enable utilisation of a space by the community. The workshop indicated support for renewal budget spend as follows:

Facility Name	Need Identified	Project description	Projected Project Budget
Basement Theatre – Community Leased facility	The facility has recently undergone extensive fire safety compliance work. This has highlighted the need for improvement to the allow for a disabled toilet and general disability access to the building	Toilet reconfigure to accommodate a disabled toilet and access (Health & Safety)	$ 60,000
313 Queen Street, CBD – Community Leased facility (building next door to the Q Theatre & Café)	Previous Leased space has become vacant and is not fit to re-lease until remedial work is undertake on the kitchen, windows, bathrooms facilities and hot water capacity	Leasable space remedial works (Reactivation of Community Spaces)	$ 42,281
Grey Lynn Community Centre	The building (constructed in 1999) has 5 different roof areas made up of different designs and materials. Roof is failing in several areas through corrosion, poor design and inappropriate guttering solutions.	Roof repair (water tightness issue remedial works)	$ 177,188
Community Lease Facility – across Waitemata LB area.	Condition survey is currently in progress across the portfolio. This will identify renewals works needing to be completed. Funds are held and allocated for response works to ensure leased buildings are meeting appropriate standards.	Condition Survey response renewals/fire safety work (Health & Safety)	$ 45,541
Total			$325,010

11. These projects have been prioritised for the following reasons.

· The Basement Theatre: have advised that it wants to provide better access to the theatre and that they are willing to install an external lifting platform to facilitate this. Planners are supportive of this option rather than a ramp but feel that without making an accessible toilet available that the value of this would be lessened. Reconfiguration of a toilet will make this an accessible facility.

· 313 Queen St: Undertaking renewal work will make this space useable and enable it to be advertised for a community lease.

· Grey Lynn Community Centre: The roof continues to require ongoing maintenance which cannot address the real issues causing the water ingress. This will cause long term damage and the roof re-placement is recommended to protect the asset.

· Community lease work: This allowance is sought to enable a response to be made to any issues identified through the condition surveys currently underway and which should be available in early 2016.

12. The Waitemata Community Development Arts & Culture Community facilities renewal budget available is $325,010.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

13. On 22 July 2015 a draft CDAC FY16 Capex renewal programme was discussed in a workshop with the Waitemata Local Board portfolio holders. This report is seeking Local Board approval for the CDAC FY16 Capex renewal programme. Māori impact statement

Māori impact statement

14. Works proposed will sustain the level of service provided, which benefit all users within the community including Maori.

Implementation

15. Agreement of this renewal program will enable its successful delivery in 2015/2016.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Authors

Terrena Griffiths - CAPEX/Project Manager

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - Manager - Community Development, Arts and Culture

Judith Webster - Relationship Manager

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club Inc. - Request to Restructure Community Loan

File No.: CP2015/18289

Purpose

1. To make a recommendation to the Finance and Performance Committee on whether or not to endorse the request from the Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club Inc. to restructure the existing community loan from Auckland Council.

Executive Summary

2. The Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club Inc. (the Club) based West End Road, Herne Bay, has requested that Auckland Council assist the Club by restructuring the $565,000 community loan that it holds from Council by extending the period of time for the loan to be repaid over and lowering the interest rate payable on the loan.

3. The Club is seeking support for the loan to be repaid over a 25 year term commencing October 2015, at an interest rate of 4.5% per annum (c.f. the current rate of 6% p.a.).

4. In 2008 the current loan arrangements were implemented which required payments of principal and interest of $5,021.07 per month. Although the Club has repaid $155,000 principal to date, this level of repayments is currently beyond the resources of the Club and the loan is currently $31,313 in arrears (part of the overall amount due of $565,000). Payments of approximately $2,200 per month have been made with balloon payments occurring as funds allow.

5. The Club has produced budgets that indicate repayments of $3,140 per month (principal and interest) over 25 years at the lower interest rate are achievable and would relive the financial stress the Club is currently experiencing.

6. Changes at an executive level within the Club have seen the Club focus on trying to increase revenue, but also reduce expenditure. Reducing the interest rate to the same level as other Council community loans would assist the Club significantly.

7. In all other regards the Club is successful and a valuable asset in the local community. The Club caters from juniors through to seniors and offers a number of facilities, including squash, tennis, gym and lounge.

8. Although the current loan and lease agreements provide remedies for Council in the event of default under the contracts, seeking alternative solutions first is in the best interests of both the Council and Club. While extending the loan for a further period of time is not ideal, it is better than the alternatives of foreclosing on the loan forcing the Club to abandon the premises and for the loan to be written off. Restructuring provides the Club with the opportunity to continue operating while making repayments of the loan.

Recommendations

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) Support the request from the Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club Inc. for Auckland Council to restructure the existing community loan of $565,000 over a 25 year term at an interest rate of 4.5% pa, and otherwise on the standard terms and conditions Council enters into these arrangements with community organisations.

Comments

Request from Club to Restructure the Community Loan

9. Following a number of informal meetings, the Club formally wrote to Council on 28 August 2015 seeking a further restructure of the Council’s community loan to enable the Club to continue making regular affordable repayments in accordance with a replacement loan repayment schedule. Attachment A.

10. The Club is requesting that the loan balance of $565,000 be repaid over 25 years from 2015 with a new expiry date of approx. late 2040.

11. The Club is also requesting that the interest rate be reduced to 4.5% per annum (down from the current 6% per annum), which would bring the loan into line with the rate charged on most other community loans. A reduction of 1.5% pa would represent a 25% reduction in interest costs for the Club and would assist with ensuring the Club remains sustainable and financially viable.

12. Overall the monthly payment would reduce from $5021.07 to $3,140, although currently the Club has only been paying $2,200 per month with lump sum payments being made as and when funding allowed.

History of Club

13. The Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club Inc was formed in 1994 as a result of a merger of the Herne Bay Tennis Club and Ponsonby Squash Club. In the same year the new club began a multi-sport development that incorporated a joint clubhouse, four squash courts, four tennis courts, a gymnasium, pro shop, sauna, restaurant and car parks. This development was undertaken at Bayfield Park on West End Road, Herne Bay where the club currently holds a lease with a final expiry date of 15 May 2028.

14. The Club provides facilities for a wide range of people, ranging from juniors through to seniors. Squash, tennis racketball and gym facilities are available. The Club also has lounge facilities that can be used by members.

15. Between 1994 and 2008 the Club engaged in discussions with the former Auckland City Council resulting in Council approving / providing additional loans, loan guarantees, and the restructuring of loan arrangements, all with the intention of assisting the Club. A report to the Auckland City Council in 2008 provides a historical account of previous arrangements – as detailed in Attachment B.

16. The latest restructuring of debts occurred in 2008, when loans the Club held with the ASB Bank were consolidated into one Council loan, with interest charged at 6% per annum, repayable over a 20 year term.

History of Loan

17. As detailed in Attachment B, the Club and Council worked to restructure loan arrangements in 2008 with the intention of easing the financial pressures and burden on the Club. This arrangement provided for the club to make regular monthly repayments based on a new repayments schedule at a ‘favourable’ Council community interest rate.

18. In addition, Auckland City Council extended the term of the lease out to 2028 to facilitate the new loan arrangement. This variation also incorporated cross-default clauses that state that default under the loan is deemed to be a default / termination event under the head lease, providing Council with the ability to exercise its termination rights under the lease agreement. Notwithstanding the technical breach of the loan arrangements, no action has been taken by Council to enforce the default or termination provisions of the lease.

19. Extracts of the various Auckland City Council committee resolutions from 2008 approving the new arrangements are provided at Attachment C.

20. Repayments of the loan have proceeded, although not consistent with the loan repayment schedule agreed in 2008. Instead the Club has made reduce payments of $2,200 per month, together with periodic balloon payments when the Club has had spare funds available.

21. The commencement loan balance at 15 May 2008 was $700,845. As at 1 October 2015 the loan balance will be $565,000 following receipt of the latest balloon payment on/about 30 September 2015. Under the 2008 arrangements the balance owing at 30 Sept 2015 should have been $533,687, meaning there are currently $31,313 of arrears of principal.

Financial Status of Club

22. In 2008 when the loan was last restructured, the Club had not been making any payments on the Council loan, instead focussing its efforts on repaying the ASB Bank loan.

23. Since 2008 the Club has repaid $155,000 principal, but in recent years has struggled to maintain the level of repayments required to prevent the loan falling into arrears.

24. A change of governance at the Club in 2014/15 has resulted in renewed efforts to reduce costs, increase revenue and a desire to engage with Council with the view to enabling the Club to continue operating while making repayments of principal and interest.

25. The Club has taken up the offer to be included in the Council ‘community facilities insurance coverage’ which has resulted in a very substantial (40%) reduction in insurance premiums.

26. Budgets provided by the Club in support of the request for restructuring indicate that the requested / proposed monthly repayments are achievable and realistic.

27. The trading results shown below are after allowing for interest payments, but exclude principal repayments, indicating that the Club would be in a position to easily meet annual payments of principal and interest.

28. Trading results for the last three years and budget for 2016 are as follows:

	2013 Actual	2014 Actual	2015 Forecast	2016 Budget
Income	313,032	307,382	308,787	328,362
Expenses	-329,073	-326,088	-322,405	-320,545

Net Surplus/Deficit	-16,041	-18,706	-13,618	7,817
Add back non-cash items	42,811	43,247	35,051	35,051
Surplus after non-cash items	26,770	24,541	21,433	42,868

29. Existing principal and interest obligation are $60,253 per annum (which the Club has not been able to meet). The request is to reduce these annual total payments to $37,680.

Options for Restructuring

30. There are a number of options to consider with a request of this nature. These range from:

a) do nothing, i.e. retain the status quo, allowing the Club to fall further into arrears and delaying the inevitable need to address the deteriorating situation

b) enforce the 2008 repayment arrangements, forcing the Club into further financial distress which may ultimately result in the Club winding up and Council

i) gaining ownership/control of a tennis facility,

ii) the loan having to be written off as no further recovery action will be possible against the Club or its members

iii) Council having to either operate the facility itself, or go through the process of finding new tenants / users

c) terminate the loan and lease arrangements immediately with the same result as (b) above

d) agree to restructure the loan as requested by the Club to ensure repayments of interest and principal continue to occur on a regular basis.

From a practical perspective, and for the ultimate good of the Club, facility users and wider community, Council staff consider that Option (d) is the most reasonable to proceed with.

31. Options A, B, C would probably result in the dissolution of the Club and the loan having to be written off as irrecoverable. As the Club is an incorporated society it is not possible to take recovery action against the individual members in the absence of any other wrong doing.

32. Option D would ensure that the Council maximises it chances of the loan being repaid. Even though it is not desirable for the loan repayment term to be extended further, this is better than forcing the Club into a position where it will be in further default on the loan and lease and the loan having to be written off.

33. The proposal from the Club represents a realistic option that will enable the loan to be repaid without jeopardising the financial viability of the Club any further.

Risks and Mitigation

34. The greatest risks that exist centre around the impact on the Club, users and wider community should Council elect to enforce the existing loan agreement, effectively pushing the Club into financial distress.

35. As noted above, should the lease be terminated under the provisions of the various agreements, Council would effectively inherit the facility and the associated building owner responsibilities as well as losing the ability to recover anything further in respect of the loan. The Club would probably be wound-up.

36. As the Club provides facilities and fulfils an important role in both the Herne Bay/Westmere as well as wider Auckland areas, this would represent a significant loss to the community.

37. In the interests of exploring all options available prior to exercising the rights to call-up the loan, it is in the interests of all parties to ensure that every effort has been made to find alternative solutions to secure repayment of the loan.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

38. Approval of any request to restructure the loan remains a Governing Body responsibility. The Local Board is encouraged to consider the proposal from a local perspective and indicate whether or not it supports the request from the Club to restructure the loan.

Māori impact statement

39. The Club has an open membership and all members of the surrounding and Auckland communities are invited to join the Club. Restructuring of the loan would have a positive benefit to all members of the Club by facilitating a better financial base to work from.

40. Closure of the facility will have a negative impact on the Club and wider community including any Maori members / users.

41. There are no other known or identified impacts upon Maori.

Implementation

42. If approved, staff (including legal services) will negotiate the terms and conditions of a new loan agreement that reflects any specific resolutions / requirements of the Finance and Performance Committee as well as standard provisions for community loans.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club request to restructure loan 25 Aug 2015	79
b View	Report to Auckland City Council - March 2008	81
c View	Copy of Auckland City Council resolutions - April 2008	89

Signatories

Authors

Leigh Redshaw - Strategic Funding Advisor

Authorisers

Kevin Ramsay - General Manager Finance

Judith Webster - Relationship Manager

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Re-establishment of the Central Facility Partnerships Committee

File No.: CP2015/20983

Purpose

1. This report has been prepared to support a case for the re-establishment of the Central Facility Partnerships Committee to ensure robust governance and monitoring of the existing projects. A new committee will also provide a vehicle for joint advocacy in relation to community facilities.

Executive Summary

2. With the establishment of the LDI Capex Fund, the Central Facility Partnerships Fund was terminated and the business of the Central Facility Partnerships Committee ceased.

3. A workshop of the previous committee representatives from the constituent local boards was held in August 2015 and the participants agreed that the Central Facility Partnerships Fund had fulfilled a very useful role in the past by leveraging relatively small financial contributions from council into substantial sums for community projects.

4. Participants agreed that the committee should be re-established to provide governance over existing projects and to provide a platform for joint advocacy in relation to community facilities.

5. Participants felt that the level of LDI capex funding was insufficient to enable individual boards to contribute to a joint Central Facility Partnerships Fund.

Recommendations

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) Support the re-establishment of the Central Facility Partnerships Committee to provide governance and monitoring of the existing projects to their completion.

b) Agree to the Terms of Reference for the re-established Central Facility Partnerships Committee attached as Appendix 1 to this report and recommends them to the re-established Central Facility Partnerships Committee for final approval.

c) Request the Governing Body to provide such delegated authority as is required for the committee to fulfil its governance functions.

d) Request advice from the Sport and Recreation Partnerships’ Manager as to:

· which approved Central Facility Partnerships feasibility studies will support the priorities in all relevant facility based network plans, and

· when the draft Sports Facilities Network Plan will be reported to the Parks, Sport and Recreation Committee.

e) Subject to support from the five isthmus boards, at a minimum, requests Local Board Services’ staff to set up an initial committee meeting to appoint a chair and deputy and approve the revised Terms of Reference.

Comments

Background

6. The Central Facility Partnerships Committee was established after the formation of Auckland Council to manage the Central Facility Partnerships Fund. This fund assisted with the development of accessible multi-use community facilities across multiple local board areas in the Auckland isthmus and Gulf islands.

7. The Central Facility Partnerships Committee included a member from each of the following central local boards:

· Albert-Eden;

· Great Barrier;

· Maungakiekie-Tamaki;

· Orakei;

· Puketapapa;

· Waiheke; and

· Waitematā.

8. The Committee operated under guidelines which favoured proposals with an emphasis on maximum use of facilities and high levels of community participation. This arrangement allowed community groups to leverage funds from other funding organizations to provide for the maximum value for each dollar of contribution from council.

9. Since the establishment of Auckland Council in 2010, the Central Facility Partnerships Committee completed three successful funding rounds (2012/13, 2013/14 and 2014/15) resulting in approved funding contributions towards 32 projects - made up of 21 capital projects and 11 feasibility studies.

10. In round figures, since 2010, The Central Facility Partnerships Committee allocated $10 million which was leveraged to provide community projects with a total value of $45 million. This community-led approach is consistent with the empowered communities’ philosophy currently being promoted by the council.

11. A summary of the funding allocations made by the committee and the status of the projects and feasibility studies is included in Appendix 2.

12. With the establishment of the $10million LDI Capex Fund for FY 16, the Central Facility Partnerships Fund ceased.

13. At the time the committee ended, thirteen of the approved projects had been completed while a further 19 remain active.

Central Facilities Partnership Committee workshop

14. On 3 August 2015, members of the previous Central Facility Partnerships Committee held a workshop chaired by Waitemata Local Board and previous Committee chair, Shale Chambers. The purpose of the workshop was:

· To receive a status update on the Central Facility Partnerships Funds’ work programme including potential future projects in the ‘pipeline’;

· To test whether central boards would be interested in contributing to an ongoing Central Facility Partnerships Fund using a portion of their LDI capex budgets;

· To explore the need or otherwise for re-establishing the committee; and

· To explore the need and usefulness of future joint advocacy around the Central Facility Partnerships Fund and other community facility matters.

15. All central boards were represented at the workshop. The collective view of the central boards was as follows:

· The success of the fund is evidenced by the ratio of Auckland Council’s contribution (approx. $10M) to the total value of the projects (approx. $45M). This alone warrants advocacy around re-establishing the fund in the future.

· Every effort needs to be made to ensure existing projects succeed

· If for some reason a project is unable to progress, and committed funds are to be returned, then the central boards should be able to reallocate those funds in line with Central Facility Partnerships Fund’ priorities

· The level of funding for each board through the LDI capex fund will be insufficient to enable individual boards to contribute to a joint Central Facility Partnerships Fund

· Given the fact that there are still around 19 live projects, the Central Facility Partnerships Committee needs to continue to ensure robust governance over those projects.

16. A re-established committee would provide a good vehicle for developing joint advocacy around community partnership issues and opportunities. A first opportunity for such advocacy will emerge when the draft Sports Facility Network Plan is reported to the Parks Sport and Recreation Committee.

17. In this regard, workshop participants indicated that they wanted to understand which approved feasibility studies will support priorities in the various facility network plans. The draft Sports Facility Network plan will need to be developed before this information is provided. (See paragraphs 20-21 below).

18. With the exception of the Waiheke and Great Barrier, all central boards saw themselves participating in a re-established committee. Since this time, the chairs of the Waiheke and Great Barrier Local Boards have indicated that they may wish to reconsider this position.

Finance advice

19. Advice has been sought from the local boards’ Financial Advisory Services team, with regards the outcomes of the central boards’ August workshop. Of particular importance they have advised that:

· If the Central Facility Partnerships Committee is re-established with a monitoring and governance role over existing initiatives, then a delegated financial authority will be required. The reason a financial delegation will be required is that, in the event of the committee making a decision to reduce a project’s scope, it would, in effect, be making a financial decision. The finance team also affirmed the importance of re-establishing this governance role.

· If any of the existing commitments fail to crystalize due to the third party not meeting the criteria specified by the committee, then the commitment lapses. And, given that the commitments are not funded by “cash” there are no funds to return to the central boards. Rather, the Council’s liability will simply reduce.

· The opportunity for the contributing boards to “pool” a portion of the LDI Capex and thereby create grant funding for Central Facility Partnerships in the future, will remain an option.

Sports Facilities Network Plan Development

20. Auckland Council is leading, on behalf of the sport and recreation sector, the development of a Sport Facilities Network Plan. This plan will bring together the various sport code facility plans and demand/supply analysis to provide a region-wide picture of sport facility needs to support continued growth in participation and delivery of sport competitions at all levels.

21. The plan will provide a prioritised action plan of sport facility developments including upgrades to existing facilities, new facilities and rationalisation. The availability of funding will be paramount to implementation, particularly as the majority of actions will be led by the sector, rather than council.

22. The timeline for developing the Sports Facilities Network Plan is not as yet confirmed.

23. The development of this plan, together with the Facilities Network Plan, provides an opportunity for a re-established Community Facility Partnerships Committee to work at a sub-regional level in an attempt to agree and advocate for sub-regional facility priorities.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

24. The central local boards met in August 2015 and agreed that it was important to re-establish the Central Facility Partnerships Committee to govern and monitor approved initiatives and to provide a vehicle for sub-regional level advocacy.

25. Great Barrier and Waiheke are yet to decide if they wish to participate.

Māori impact statement

26. The Central Facility Partnerships scheme is a general programme that is accessible to a wide range of groups including Māori.

Implementation

Advocacy

27. The financial advice received signals the need for the central boards to advocate to the Governing Body for the necessary financial delegations to enable the newly established committee to undertake its governance responsibilities.

28. In addition, given the current financial context, members might also want to consider advocating, through the re-established committee, for the following changes:

· To seek approval to re-invest funds, up to the value of current commitments, in the event of a current commitment failing to crystalise;

· In the longer term, to re-establish the Central Facility Partnerships Fund.

29. These potential advocacy positions could be explored further at the inaugural meeting of the newly established committee.

Terms of reference

30. New Terms of Reference are required to reflect the changes in decision-making and functions of the committee. Draft Terms of Reference are attached as Appendix 1.

31. Key matters to consider in the revised Terms of Reference are that;

· the primary function of the committee will be one of governance over existing approved projects and feasibility studies;

· the governance role will include the ability to change the scope of a project providing this does not commit additional funds from the Facility Partnerships budget;

· the committee may choose to develop and articulate joint advocacy positions and programmes including any related to sub-regional facility priorities;

· there will no longer be any funding allocation decisions to be made;

· individual boards would be free to allocate their LDI capex funds to support an existing Central Facility Partnerships project if they wished to; and

· the committee needs to continue in existence until all projects are complete or the current electoral term ends (whichever comes first). If projects go beyond this electoral term, the committee will cease and need to be re-established in the new term.

32. Once the central boards have considered this report and, providing they continue to support the re-establishment of the committee, then an initial committee meeting will need to be called to approve the terms of reference and appoint a chair and deputy.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Central Facility Partnerships Committee Terms of Reference	97
b View	Summary of funding allocations and status of the projects and feasibility studies	99

Signatories

Authors	Richard Tong – Local Board Engagement Advisor
Authorisers	Judith Webster - Relationship Manager

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Recommendations from the Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee 23 September 2015 and Reconvened on 29 September 2015

File No.: CP2015/21043

Purpose

1. The Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee held on Wednesday, 23 September 2015 and reconvened on Tuesday, 29 September 2015, recommends the following for the board’s consideration for the Local Grants Round One 2015/2016.

Recommendations

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) That the Recommendations from the Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee 23 September 2015 and Reconvened on 29 September 2015 report be received.

b) That the Waitematā Local Board Grants Committee recommends to the Waitemata Local Board at its ordinary meeting on 13 October 2015 that the applications as listed in Table One, be approved:

Waitematā Local Board Local Grants Round One 2015/2016

Secretarial Note: Member Deborah Yates declared a conflict of interest in the application from the Foundation for Peace studies Aotearoa – New Zealand Inc. (The Peace Foundation – trading name) and Member Pippa Coom declared an interest in the application from the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market. Both members took no part in the discussion and vote on the matter during the consideration of these applications.

Resolution number WTMG/2015/1

MOVED by Chairperson PJ Coom, seconded by Deputy Chairperson DA Yates:

a) That the Waitematā Local Board Local Grants Round One 2015/2016 report be received.

b) That the Waitematā Local Board Grants Committee recommends to the Waitemata Local Board at its ordinary meeting on 13 October 2015 that the applications as listed in Table One be approved.

Table One: Waitematā Local Board Local Grants Round One Applications Granted

Organisation	Focus	Project Title	Amount Requested	Amount Granted	Comments/Reason
Margaret Lewis	Arts	The street loves nana' meets diverse Central Business District (CBD) communities	$6,020.00	$2930	Towards workshop facilitation and project management for ‘The street loves nana’
The People of Auckland Community Trust	Community	Towards staff, equipment and venue costs for Woven - a band for the homeless	$3,100.00	$2600	Towards ‘Woven – a band for homeless’
Circability Trust	Community	Towards technical, advertising and staff costs for the “Circability Show: Circus Fiesta”	$7,500.00	$2648.00	Towards the promotion of the Circus Fiesta
Heritage Roses Auckland	Community	Towards the replacement of irrigation system	$4,489.75	$4489.75	Towards the replacement of the irrigation system
Grey Lynn Community Centre	Events	Towards event production costs for “Jam On Toast”	$3,406.50	$3000.00	Towards event production of Jam on Toast (Graphic Design, Gazebos Kwik, Printing Flyers, Children’s Entertainer
The Foundation for Peace Studies Aotearoa-New Zealand Inc. (The Peace Foundation - trading name)	Community	Towards merchandise, promotion, travel, printing costs and other contingencies for the White Ribbon Campaign	$7,056.10	$3874.10	Towards (materials and merchandise, St John First Aid Officer, Flyer printing copies, ) Subject to quotes
TAPAC The Auckland Performing Arts Centre (TAPAC) at Western Springs Inc.	Arts	Towards the project costs for TAPAC Lights Out Project	$7,500.00	$4000	Towards Writer Fee and Director/Producer Fee for the TAPAC Lights Out Project
New Zealand Fashion Museum	Arts	Towards the project management, research and writing costs for Auckland city fashion walking tour	$5,000.00	$1500	Towards writers’ fees
Grey Lynn Farmers' Market	Community	Towards venue hire, learning materials, outreach and promotion for the workshops	$2,980.00	$1480	Towards venue hire, workshop and materials
Nga Rangatahi Toa Creative Arts Initiative	Arts	Towards hiring teacher artists for “Art ACTion Tuatahi 2016”	$7,500.00	$1500	Towards artists fees for “Art ACTion Tuatahi 2016”
Total				$28,021.85

c) That the Waitematā Local Board Grants Committee recommends the following Local Grants Round One as listed in Table Two be declined.

Table Two: Waitematā Local Board Local Grants Round One Applications Declined

Organisation	Focus	Project Title	Amount Requested	Amount Granted	Comments/Reason
The Open Toy Box Inc	Community	Towards the hall hire to operate the open toy box toy library	$6,000.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications (may be eligible for the Waitematā Accommodation Support Fund)
Auckland City Mission	Community	Towards operational costs for the Auckland City Mission Crisis Care and Community Service	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust	Community	Towards rental for the Stuttering Treatment and Research Trust premises	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications (may be eligible for the Waitematā Accommodation Support Fund)
Falling Apple Charitable Trust	Community	Towards the villa rental costs	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications (may be eligible for the Waitematā Accommodation Support Fund)
The Auckland Children's Christmas Parade Trust	Events	Farmers Santa Parade	$7000.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support a regional project
Fun and Games Toy Library Inc	Community	Towards rental costs for the Fun and Games Toy Library	$5,040.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications (may be eligible for the Waitematā Accommodation Support Fund)
The Auckland Film Society Inc.	Arts	Towards the annual venue hire for the Auckland Film Society 2016 season	$6,000.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Hurun Trust	Community	Towards the office rental costs	$16,777.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications Activities primarily benefit communities outside the Waitemata Local Board area
Safer Homes In New Zealand Everyday	Community	Towards programme costs for the KIDshine Service - supporting children traumatised from witnessing violence in the home	$4,000.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications Activities primarily benefit communities outside the Waitematā Local Board area
OUTLine New Zealand Incorporated	Community	Towards volunteer and on-going support costs	$5,069.00		Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Grow New Zealand	Community	Towards the operational expenses	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications Activities primarily benefit communities outside the Waitematā Local Board area
Citizens Advice Bureau Auckland City (CABAC) Inc.	Community	Towards the replacement of office furniture	$6,785.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Life Education Trust South East Auckland trading as Life Education Ponsonby, Eden, Roskill	Community	Life Education - learning with Harold Production costs.	$5500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support a regional project
Splice (legal name, Methodist Mission Northern)	Events	Towards costs to hold ‘City Boil Ups’	$5,580.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support ongoing programme
Pixel Palace Limited	Arts	The Artists Dinner 4.0	$7500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Autism New Zealand Incorporated - Auckland Branch	Community	Towards Autism New Zealand Incorporated Auckland branch operating costs	$1,416.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications (may be eligible for the Waitematā Accommodation Support Fund)
Body Positive Incorporated	Community	Towards catering and facilitation costs	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
The Basement Theatre	Arts	Towards half the cost of brochure design and the full cost of distribution in the Waitemata and Orakei areas. The Waitemata and Orakei Local Board investment would be used alongside print sponsorship from Soar Printing	$4778.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
NZ Trio Foundation	Arts	Towards the production and marketing costs for “New Zealand Trio 2016 loft” series	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support a regional organisation
Auckland City Mission	Community	Towards the rates for the Hobson Street premises	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications (may be eligible for the Waitematā Accommodation Support Fund)
Auckland Asthma Society Inc.	Community	Printing asthma educational brochures to distribute to the community free of charge	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications Activities primarily benefit communities outside the Waitematā Local Board area
Chinese New Settlers Services Trust	Community	Towards coaching and rental costs for Little Kungfu Master - Parnell	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Pixel Palace Limited	Arts	Art Ache – Elam the 90's	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Artspace (Aotearoa) Trust	Arts	Towards costs for the Learning, Unlearning and Re-learning Centre (part of the Artspace Redevelopment Project)	$7,500.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Mind over Manner Limited	Community	Towards programme costs to deliver two workshops at TAPAC	$ 5,833.54	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Japanese Society of Auckland Inc.	Events	Japan Day 2016	$4,000.00	$0	Decline and refer for consideration of $4000.00 from the Local Events Development fund
First in the World Tours Ltd	Community	Community heritage tours	$8,000.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Takapuna Bowling Club	Sport and Recreation	Towards the lake booking, St Johns services, port-a-loos, sound system, security, judges tower, boat, fuel, marketing and staffing costs to run the Rowing Regatta	$1,275.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Massive Company Trust	Arts	Towards publicity and digital marketing costs for the production “The Wholehearted”	$3000.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications
Auckland District Council of Social Services	Community	Planning to run forums, workshops and seminars on community and social issues.	$4,656.00	$0	Decline due to insufficient funds to support lower priority applications Activities primarily benefit communities outside the Waitematā Local Board area

CARRIED

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Authors	Desiree Tukutama - Democracy Advisor
Authorisers	Judith Webster - Relationship Manager

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Waitematā Local Board Feedback on the Proposed Stormwater Network Discharge Consent

Waitematā Local Board aspires to have the water table, natural springs, ponds and streams, beaches and our harbour clean and free from pollutants.

When it rains heavily in Auckland, stormwater, rubbish and wastewater mix in the non-separated pipes and flow into the harbour. This discharge is a major issue for Meola Reef Reserve, Coxs Bay, Herne Bay, Westhaven Marina and Hobson Bay.

The Auckland Unitary Plan will allow for significant residential and commercial development in Waitemata area that will exacerbate wastewater discharge through the building of impervious surfaces and wastewater requirements.

As a result of an under-investment in our community stormwater network this has resulted in many negative outcomes such as the permanent closure of our beaches with “no swimming” signs and uninhabitable aquatic environments.

The management of the public stormwater network not only needs to take into account the effects from growth and aged infrastructure but also climate change. The increase of precipitation from more frequent weather events will increase the discharge of wastewater into our natural waterways.

Under the outcome ‘Natural Environment is Respected and Enhanced’ in the Waitematā Local Board Plan, the Board has included the key initiative to identify, restore and partly daylight one stream in Waitematā.

A workshop was undertaken with Waitematā Local Board Environmental Portfolio leads on 11 August 2015 to discuss the development of the Auckland wide stormwater network discharge consent for the operation of stormwater infrastructure, with specific reference to the Waitematā local board area.

On the 11August 2015 the Waitematā Local Board resolved the following:

Draft Auckland Stormwater Network Discharge Consent Application

Resolution number WTM/2015/116

MOVED by Member DA Yates, seconded by Member RAH Thomas:

a) Receives the Draft Auckland Stormwater Network Discharge Consent Application report.

b) Delegates to the Natural Environment Portfolio holders, Members Deborah Yates and Rob Thomas, to provide feedback on behalf of the Board on the draft stormwater Network Discharge Consent application, with particular reference to local priorities for stormwater management by 31 August 2015.

1) Does the Waitematā Local Board have any comments on the proposed framework of the Auckland-wide Stormwater Network Discharge Consent?

· The Board would like to emphasis that catchment planning must continue to be a key tool for holistically managing stormwater-related issues for the four stream catchments within the local board area:

o Meola Reef

o Coxs Bay

o City Centre

o Hobson Bay

· The Board recognises that a catchment strategic action plan is required for each of these areas to reduce wastewater discharge and enhance the natural environment. The advantage of having these plans will enable the board to engage with their communities of interest, which is a key role of Local Boards under the Local Government Act for Auckland.

· Naturalisation of the stormwater network and urban environment must be a key consideration in all works. Rain gardens in Melbourne are an example of how this can be incorporated into new development or redevelopment.

· Sewage cross connections and sewage overflows are key issues to be addressed.

· Litter traps should be implemented across all business districts which include Grey Lynn Shops, Ponsonby Road, Karangahape Road. An update is requested regarding the installation of tetratraps to understand whether this programme of work has taken place. It is understood that the future installation of additional tetratraps is still being considered.

· The Board acknowledges that there is inadequate monitoring of wasterwater discharge.

· The Board requests that the network discharge consent includes regular monitoring at all stormwater overflow paths and regular testing at beaches and streams to establish benchmarks and monitor continual improvement. Requests that environmental monitoring is undertaken by Research and Evaluation Unit within the Council.

· It is requested that as a baseline, the portfolio leads for the Waitemata Local Board Natural Environment are informed on what contaminants are currently being captured in Stormwater’s business as usual operations.

2) Is there any feedback the Local Board would like to provide relating to the management of the public stormwater network?

· The Board is disappointed by the decision by WaterCare to delay the Waterfront Connector and Newmarket Connector projects by almost two decades. These two projects would have made considerable progress to enhance our natural environment.

· Despite requests to WaterCare they have yet to provide the Environmental Portfolio with a list of project priorities and how and why the Waterfront Connector or Newmarket Connector is ranked by priority.

· The use of “CBD” stream sub-catchment name should be replaced with “City Centre” stream sub-catchment to reflect the growing residential population in the city centre.

· It is understood that the stormwater unit is currently working to replace critical infrastructure in the Waitematā Local Board area with the following active projects :

o Napier Street Stormwater Project (near completion)

o Ports of Auckland Outfall Upgrade

o Beresford St Stormwater Renewal (near completion)

o Broadway Road Drainage Upgrade

o 1-25 Dorset Street

o 1-27 Picton Street

o Lighter Quay Basin outfall

o Carlton Gore Rd Newmarket (near completion)

o Morgan St, Alba St , Clayton St - Stormwater Upgrade/Separation, Newmarket

o Judges Bay Stormwater Renewal

o Ports of Auckland – Stormwater Culvert Asset Condition Monitoring

o Marine Parade Stage 1 of 2

o Freemans Bay Stormwater Pipeline & Outfall

o Wynyard Quarter Local Stormwater Reticulation Upgrades

o Stanmore Rd to Fife St

o Larchwood Avenue in Grey Lynn

· Confirmation and updating of this list would be appreciated.

· An update is requested on the fate of the recently-discovered Karangahape Road/Pitt St aquifer

· A clean-up of Cox’s Creek requires a significant upgrade to Watercare’s combined network and the construction of the Central and Waterfront Interceptor. Regular updates on interim work being done at Cox’s Creek are requested.

· It is requested that this feedback and requests are passed to Watercare for their information as well as an update provided on the timeframe for the development of the Waterfront Interceptor

3) Are there any initiatives relating to stormwater management that the Local Board is investigating, in addition to those identified in the Waitematā Local Board Plan?

· The local board has included the following initiatives in the Waitematā Local Board Plan relating to improve stream and coastal health:

o Identify, restore and partly daylight one stream in Waitematā;

o Deliver local restoration projects to restore and enhance the urban forest (and thus improve stormwater retention);

o Implement the Greenways Plan in Waitematā parks;

o Develop a local plan for the area that includes MOTAT, Western Springs, Auckland Zoo and Seddon Fields;

o Develop and implement a plan for Pt Resolution/ Taurarua, connecting to Hobson Bay walkway;

o Complete a development plan for Meola Reef; and

o Complete the Weona section of the coastal walkway in stages.

· The programme of work to restore and maintain the planting at Waipapa Stream continues.

· The Board is working closely with Auckland Transport to identify funding to enable the development of a greenways route through the Parnell Tunnel, which would further enhance the Waipapa Stream area.

· The Board wants to achieve improved health of local waterways and reduce levels of pollutants. A key initiative identified in the Local Board Plan is to identify and restore and partly daylight or naturalise one stream in Waitematā. This could include Western Park, Wellpark Reserve or Edgar’s Creek.

· The Board are working with officers to look at other naturalisation and daylighting options to determine the Boards advocacy positions for 2016/17 Local Board Agreement .

· The Board would welcome the support of stormwater to identify potential collaboration projects for the enhancement of streams and to reduce the load of stormwater contaminants from urban catchments.

· It is recognised that the project is wider than the Waitematā Local Board area and encompasses prioritisation of stormwater initiatives for the whole of the Waitematā Harbour catchment over the next 35 years.

· The Board is generally supportive that the consent remains flexible and includes 6 yearly reviews.

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Chairperson's Report

File No.: CP2015/21157

Executive Summary

Providing the Chair with an opportunity to update the local board and community on the projects and issues he and the Waitemata Local Board have been involved with since the last meeting.

Portfolios

Board Chair: Governance, Local and Civic Leadership, Board Strategy, Policy and Planning Leadership

Portfolios: Arts, Culture & Events (lead), Parks & Open Spaces

Positions: Heart of the City, Auckland City Centre Advisory Board, Waterfront Auckland Liaison

Committees: Finance and Grants, Central Facility Partnerships (chair), Auckland Domain Committee (deputy chair)

Recommendations

(a) That the Chair’s Report be received.

(b) That a working party be established with delegations to work with local board services staff to make submissions on behalf of the Board to formally input into the BID review process, such working party to comprise Board chair Shale Chambers and xxx.

Activities undertaken from 3 August to 4 October 2015

This report covers activities undertaken during the period from Monday 3 August to Sunday 4 October 2015.

Highlighted activities, projects and issues

There are some specific activities, projects and issues that I wish to highlight; some for board members’ interest and as appropriate, some for decision.

1 Introduction

Over the last period, the Board has completed its Achievements Report for the 2014/15 year, successfully argued to the Governing Body that sports club sportsfield charges should be dropped this financial year, established the Auckland Domain Committee, at chair level resumed input into the development of Council’s response to the Unitary Plan hearings, and opened two new local upgraded playgrounds. During this period, Board members also continued to progress Local Board Plan priorities and current and proposed Local Board Agreement local projects and community concerns in their respective portfolio areas, LIPs proposals, residents, business association and community advocacy, providing input to regional policies, plans and strategies in workshops and briefings, providing input into resource and landowner consent matters, and responding to constituent and media enquiries.

2 Local Board Office Residents and Ratepayers’ Concerns/Issues

Recent concerns:

· New lane markings on Parnell Road from St Stephens Avenue to Ayr Street

· Steps at Elam St – Completed

· Overnight camping at Point Erin

· Unisex toilet facility at Salisbury Reserve playground

· Complaint about noise levels, breach of alcohol rules and resource consent irregularities at Plush Bar, Newton

· Fee setting for the Grey Lynn Community

· Information under LGOIMA related to Cowie St. Bridge

· State of the berm on Richmond Road

· New lane markings on Parnell Road from St Stephens Avenue to Ayr Street

· Footpath replacement on Ardmore Road – Completed

· Complaint about Webber St demolition – Completed

· Hole in the walkway that runs between Sackville St and Westmoreland St

· Taxi trial on Grafton

· Yoga Classes at Cox’s Bay or Grey Lynn Park

· Proposed charges to schools for the use of city parks – Completed

· Grafton Special Housing Area

3 Shared Governance Engagement

3.1 Engagement with Mayor/Governing Body

· Finance and Performance Committee, Auckland Town Hall, 20 August 2015, where the central isthmus local boards successfully argued for sports club sportsfield charges to be dropped for the 2015/16 financial year.

· Auckland Development Committee workshop, Albert St, 9 September 2015

· Unitary Plan Committee meeting, Albert St, 8 September 2015

· Auckland Development Committee workshop, Albert St, 9 September 2015

4 Board Strategies, Policy and Planning Update

4.1 Unitary Plan Hearings

The mammoth task of finalising Auckland Council’s Unitary Plan continues apace, with hearings before an independent Hearings Panel and Council staff preparing responses to huge volumes of submissions. The size and importance for Auckland of this important task cannot be underestimated, but it continues with only minimal input from the vast majority of local elected representatives.

With the creation of hearing topics now grouped under rezoning and precincts to hear the voluminous site-specific remaining submissions, completion of the hearing programme is in sight.

Without much public debate Council is making significant changes to the PAUP with increases to height levels by one floor in the high density zones and removal of density controls in the wide-spread Mixed Housing zones. The density in this zone has doubled. Some of these changes are in response to new information about the less than realistic impact of the PAUP in many areas, but they also overthrow the vigorously negotiated comprises in the Draft Plan that councilors and local board chairs agreed in 2013.

This ‘changing of the game’ reinforces the wisdom this board had in insisting Grey Lynn and Westmere largely remain in the Single House zone until the pre-1944 historic character survey was completed. Other boards accepted large parts of their ward being upzoned from Single House to Mixed Housing, thinking the then rules acceptable to their communities.

The Hearings Panel has expressed a clear position through an interim guidance which is fundamentally at odds with the council’s position to shift from special character to historic character. Council has, for the present stuck by its historic character position and the pre-1944 demolition overlay, and is to be applauded for this. This position has been the key basis council has been undertaking surveys of the pre-1944 overlay, and targeted surveys of historic character areas, including the Grey Lynn and Westmere suburbs. Ominously however a high level planning analysis is then to be applied in conjunction with the survey results, it is said to ensure an appropriate balance is struck between managing the heritage values of these areas and providing for growth in a quality compact form. So vigilance on our part and submitters will be required.

The maps of Council’s position in response to the thousands of zone and precinct submissions, including the work on surveys undertaken of the pre-1944 overlay by staff over many months, are scheduled to be released in final form to elected members shortly this month – three days in advance of being discussed behind closed session. There are no plans as occurred last time for sessions with staff to review detail and gauge your representatives views on what are expected to be large changes. We have three days to absorb and form a view on a significant amount of information to be able to participate in debate, and only at chair level, on any changes. This is all less than satisfactory, and not the way to get the best outcome for Auckland. Be assured we are nevertheless gearing up to do our best on behalf of our communities.

4.2 Community Grants (Round One) and Central Joint Funding Committee

Puketāpapa Local Board has resolved not to join the Central Joint Funding Committee. This decision has put into doubt whether the committee should now be established for the 2015/16 financial year. In August the Board noted their support was subject to all four central local boards having similar agreement. My recommendation is that we do not now proceed with this joint proposal.

On the 23^rd September the Grants Committee met to consider the quick response and local grant applications received as part of Round One.

40 Local Grants applications were received totalling $239,850.89 and 17 Quick Response applications totalling $41,069.57. A number of these applications sought funding for accommodation support or support for overheads and administration costs, which reflects the lack of available funding now available both regionally and sub regionally.

Based on the current criteria in the Waitematā Community Grants schedule funding towards operational costs such as rent is considered a low priority.

There is an urgent need to review the Community Grants schedule and review how the Board wishes to consider applications for operational and accommodation costs. A decision will also be required on how the Board wishes to utilise the $162,000 set aside for Community Accommodation and Community Assistance Fund and what criteria will be used to assess those applications.

4.3 Newton Eden Terrace Plan

Uptown Business Association has developed a concept design for the vision of the area. A meeting is being arranged for members of Albert Eden and Waitemata Local Boards to view this vision and consider whether this is supported for inclusion into the Boards’ Newton and Eden Terrace Plan.

4.4 Local Board Capex Fund

The Governing Body agreed the allocation of the $10m capex fund across the 21 Local Boards based on the model similar to the LDI formula but with smaller fixed percentages for the islands: 90% population, 5% deprivation, 5% land area + 1% Great Barrier, 2% Waiheke. The funds criteria is still being developed with a report expected to go to the Governing Body in October. This will include the results of the consultation to facilitate a final decision on the allocation. This board has not supported the 5% land area weighting included in the current proposal. It is expected that this report will propose a handful of financial rules such as whether the board has the ability to bring forward regional projects using the capex fund.

A workshop on 6^th October began discussions on which projects this board wishes to include in the 3 year programme for Waitematā.

4.5 BID Policy Review

A BID policy review is currently underway. This results from the May 2015 Budget Committee decisions on funding the BID programme, and is part of a wider work programme to transition the new BID service delivery model to business associations that are part of the programme. The policy review is to clarify and confirm roles, responsibilities, and accountability.

As 47% of all of Auckland’s BID targeted rate is collected from the 6 BID business associations located within the Waitemata Local Board area, it is important that this board has active and formal input into this review at an early stage. It is recommended that a working party of board members be established with delegations to input into the review process.

4.6 Achievements Report 2015

The Board’s fifth yearly Achievements Report for the 2014/15 year has been published, highlighting the major projects and achievements of this board over the last year. Copies of all five Waitematā Local Board Achievement Reports can be found on the Council website and links on our Facebook page.

4.7 311 Richmond Road, ‘Little Grocer’

Members of Grey Lynn and Westemre Residents Association, with Board members celebrate the intitial outcome of the ‘Little Grocer’ hearings.

It is always rewarding to see community empowerment and cohesion in action. A recent example was the widespread opposition represented by the Grey Lynn and Westmere Residents’ Association and 61 submitters to a café chain resource consent application to convert the Little Grocer site at 311 Richmond Road to a full 45-seater café within an historic character residential building and street. The proximity of the proposed café to neighbouring residential properties, 16 alternative eating and drinking establishments in the nearby commercial zone of West Lynn, increased traffic in a street with existing parking shortfalls, noise and waste odour are not conducive to making this area more liveable.

The local board recognises that applicants and affected party interests are not always aligned and exercises any input role sparingly. However the local board took the rare step of formally opposing this application and the Board chair was a witness for the residents’ association at the recent hearing of independent commissioners. The decision was recently released and the residents did themselves proud. The application was comprehensively declined on multiple grounds, all as submitted by the residents.

Unfortunately, the applicant has now appealed the decision, so the locals’ resolve will need to continue for another expensive step. It is a pity the community must at times fight these unequal contests, and at great cost in time and money, but it is even more pleasing to see that an initial successful outcome can be achieved, and hopefully a final outcome too, through collective action and application.

5 Project Updates

Community

5.1 Ellen Melville Centre

The consultation on the proposals for the upgrade of the Pioneer Womens and Ellen Melville Hall and Freyberg Square finished on the 27^th September. A successful stakeholder meeting was held hosted by the local board for the local businesses from Heart of the City on the 17^th September. Key comments from this meeting included general support for the plans for Ellen Melville Centre, concern over the closing of Freyberg Place and the impact on traffic flow, businesses seeking a wider view of the precinct area and wanting to see the square retain its current qualities including being a nice intimate place to sit in the shade and away from the wind.

Over 140 online feedback forms have been submitted to date. Of those who have submitted to date 27% are employees, 21% residents, 16% shoppers/visitors and 9% business owners.

A workshop will be held with the Board on the 15th October to present the summary of findings and updated concept plans.

5.2 Community Leases

The organisation has committed greater resources to help clear the acknowledged backlog of outstanding community and recreational lease renewals in particular but also new leases.

Natural Environment

5.3 Resource Recovery Centre

Waste Solutions and ACPL (now Panuku Development Auckland) concluded in July 2015 that there were no suitable council-owned sites for a Central Community Recycling Centre and an alternate strategy is required. The alternate strategy involves spreading the activities of a resource recovery centre over several locations – with two drop-off sites in the central area feeding into a larger processing site outside Waitemata/Albert Eden/Puketāpapa local board boundary.

Finance and Performance Committee agreed in August to ring-fence partial proceeds from the sale of Normandy Road to enable purchase of a suitable site (or sites) in the central area. Albert-Eden has also indicated that Great North Road could now be made available as one of the drop-offs.

Waste Solutions is now developing a project plan and timelines for the alternate strategy. A council-owned site has been identified in Onehunga that has potential as the processing site.

It is great to see progress being made on this important project at last.

5.4 Low Carbon Action Plan

The finalised text and design of the Low Carbon Action Plan document has been agreed by the portfolio holders and is in a form which is ready for printing. A formal launch event is currently being organised.

Low Carbon Implementation Plan - The plan for the first year is in the process of being agreed and is was presented to the Workshop Meeting on 29^th September 2015.

Transport

5.5 Franklin Road Upgrade

A Community Liaison Group has been formed and investigations have continued on the design of the project with particular mind on the safety of all road users and residents and considering the issues associated with each. Watercare is continuing with their investigations with the underground works for utility upgrades expected to start in early 2016 as originally scheduled. The first formal CLG meeting will be held on the 28^th October. An internal and external safety audit has also been undertaken.

5.6 Newmarket Laneways Plan

In September the Board approved the Newmarket Laneways Plan and agreed to approve in principle to take forward after delivery from the $4m budget available to widen the footpath of Teed Street.

Auckland Transport will be letting one contract for the concept and detailed design phase. While Teed Street is the preferred option, AT will be expanding the scope to include York Street and Kent Street in the concept design phase. The reason for this is that if Teed Street turns out to be undeliverable with the funding available, AT will have to go back to the concept development phase for York Street, and unlikely will be able to meet the timeframe for spending or committing to construction the LBTCF allocation of $500k by 30 June 2016.

This approach also allows the project to maintain momentum in the design phase and should the decision need to be shifted from Teed to York, Auckland Transport would still have the ability to couple with the Road Maintenance programme for York Street.

It has also been suggested to include Kent as this would only be a marginal additional cost to include as part of the detailed design phase. By having the concept design this will assist in securing future budget.

Once concept designs for Teed and York have been developed the Board will then be able to make a decision based on available funding once that phase is completed.

5.7 Parnell Train Station Links

Board Advocacy Position - Secure the future protection of the historic linkage between Parnell Village and the Domain and the Greenways Route alongside Waipapa Stream.

The former Mainline Stream site Kiwirail land site has been sold to the Somerset Group (Retirement Village developers).

The Council has approached the developers to alert them to the previous agreement in place for this historic link. The Council is looking at purchasing the easement of the historic access walkway which will be a minimum of 5m wide.

Property department have started this conversation and budget is available for the acquisition of the easement

Heritage, Urban Design & Planning

5.8 Heritage Foreshore

The resource consent has been granted for the Foreshore Trail project. Work has commenced to draft the 25 interpretation panels of which 24 of these panels will have new content. The next steps will be to discuss the content of the interpretation panels with the local board and mana whenua. The drafts will be ready by mid-October.

Sport and Recreation

5.9 Newmarket Viaduct

ACPL disappointingly were unable to progress the negotiations with NZTA due to budget constraints and this project has now been handed over to the Property Department who will continue negotiations.

NZTA are also in discussions with Auckland Transport regarding the larger area of land (including the parcel of land identified for this project) for a bus depot. Staff are working with Auckland Transport on a land configuration that will allow both the youth park and bus depot on this land.

The Waitematā Youth Collective have rightly identified this project as one they have particular interest in.

Regulatory

5.10 Local Dog Access Rules

The Governing Body agreed the decisions made by the Board on the 24^th September. A notification of decisions will be arranged by the bylaws team including a letter to all submitters. Work will commence to install signage with a priority roll-out. Not all signs will be installed by the 24^th October. Further details on the rollout are currently being worked through.

5.11 Alcohol Bans Signage Installation

The Integrated Bylaws Review and Implementation (IBRI) project will deliver signage and installation across the region for all ban areas confirmed by the 2015 bylaw local board review process.

The IBRI team are currently:

· undertaking an audit of all alcohol ban areas – this involves plotting the location of existing signs and determining where new signs may be required

· working with Auckland Transport and Parks to ensure the signs meet their various requirements.

Signage installations and changes will be prioritised accordingly:

· Auckland City Centre and town centres

· premium parks and reserves

· balance of the ban areas

· removal of signage from alcohol ban areas which have lapsed.

It is expected that signage installation for all local boards will be completed by 30 April 2016. Until the new signs are in place, alcohol bans can be enforced in areas where times on the signs are consistent with the deliberation times. The new rules will be in place by the 1^st November 2015.

6 Portfolio Updates

Arts, Culture & Events

6.1 Events

· Events sub-Portfolio – Auckland Council monthly meeting last met 16 September 2015.

· Events sub-Portfolio – ATEED bi-monthly meeting last met September 2015

6.1.1 Events Consultation

The Waitemata Local Board based events that Council Events or ATEED have consulted the local board on, for events occurring since September, are attached and marked as Attachment A.

6.1.2 Festival Italiano 2015

The Festival Italiano took place again over the last month month (13 September – 17 October). The Board supported 2015 Festival Italiano street party took place with food stalls and entertainment on Osborne and Kent Streets, Newmarket on a spectacular spring day on Sunday, 27 September 2015. The Chair spoke at the opening. Another great success, with large numbers in attendance.

6.2 Arts & Culture

· The Arts & Culture sub-Portfolio monthly meeting last met, 24 September 2015

6.2.1 POP Programme

POP Evaluation – The POP Phase 2 series had the desired outcome of building POP’s identity and Aucklander’s awareness. It was recognised that there is a need to improve the process of ensuring the board has adequately been involved and informed of the development of the project as well as better transparency on the budget at a governance level. The Portfolio leads sought to see the project move towards a more community led approach to allow community groups to apply on a competitive process. The approach of re-steering POP towards a delivery mechanism to socialise the messages/outcomes in the Local Board Plan whilst still maintaining the POP element of surprise was agreed to be included in the brief.

Leveraging and partnerships will be key going forward and there was a need for improved profiling and acknowledgement of the project being a council funded project. It was also identified that the planning of the projects needs to be done a lot earlier in the process. Next steps are to begin developing a strategy and plan for FY16 which will consist of a mixture of internal ideas, alt design ideas and expressions of interest. These initial ideas will be presented back to a future portfolio meeting for discussion.

6.2.2 Parnell Festival of Roses

Following discussion with Parnell Heritage, Parnell Community Committee and Parnell Inc. it was agreed that the festival would be reduced to 1 day and held on a Sunday. The event facilitations team have now commenced discussions with suppliers for this event.

An expression of interest was advertised with over 70 quality applicants received to date. An increased amount of interest from potential stall holders was received due to the fact that the Sunday event does not conflict with existing Saturday markets.

Design and studio are working on the redesign for the festival material so that it’s refreshed for the 1 day event. On the first day of the facebook page going live over 827 likes were received.

Accessibility - The accessibility component of the Parnell Festival of Roses will be funded within the total event budget.

6.2.3 Myers Park Event

The event will be taking place on the 28^th February as part of the wider regional Music in the Parks event. $10,000 is available from the Community Events budget in the LDI and a further $9,000 could be made available if required from the Local Events contestable budget. A more detailed proposal is being prepared for discussion at the October portfolio meeting.

Accessibility - $2,000 from the boards accessibility budget is to be contributed towards this event from the Accessibility budget to make this the second Waitemata Local Board accessible event.

6.2.4 Pop Up Globe

The Globe Pop-up event received their resource consent recently with formal Board support and public ticket sales will be launched early next month. This is an exciting project for Auckland, and one this Board has assisted to this outcome.

ATEED have brokered an agreement between Auckland Council Property, Auckland Transport and event organisers on the relocation of vehicles over the period of the event.

CCI/the City Centre Place Activation Programme remains available to offset delays in the underpass project to the value of $50k assuming all project milestones are otherwise met (which they now have been).

6.3 Parks & Open Spaces

The Parks & Open Space Portfolio last met 1 October 2015.

6.3.1 Salisbury Reserve Playground Opening

The opening of the Salisbury Reserve Playground is scheduled for the 14^th November at 10am.

6.3.2 Fukuoka Gardens

The detailed design for the Fukuoka Friendship Garden is being progressed and work is underway on the documentation to lodge for consent in October 2015. An up to date QS is expected in the coming week and this will provide a clearer indication on the potential cost of the garden. There is an indication this will exceed the given budget, so discussions are underway with Strategic Partnerships to determine potential additional funding sources to meet the budget shortfall. Discussions have also taken place with zoo management to confirm their willingness to assist with the ongoing maintenance and security of the garden.

It is envisaged that the tendering and awarding of a contract for the garden’s physical works will occur early in the New Year and that the garden will be completed for an opening in late August or early September 2016 in conjunction with celebrations of the 30th anniversary of the Sister City relationship with Fukuoka.

6.3.3 254 Ponsonby Road Development

An interim steering group has been formed and an agreement established to gain a consensus on how the group will work together. The interim steering group is working towards providing an update to the Local Board at the beginning of November.

6.3.4 Myers Park – stage II development

Detailed design is underway together with the stakeholder and business client consultation required for Resource Consent approvals. Iwi consultation and involvement in the design process is ongoing. Next steps will be lodgement of the Resource and Building Consent applications, completion of detailed design, secondary geotechnical testing and resolving the issue of tender documentation.

6.3.5 Weona-Westmere Coastal Walkway Stage I

This project is progressing. The path from Westmere Crescent to Winsomere Rd is almost complete. Works temporarily had to be stopped as consent conditions stipulated no works from 1^st Sept to the end of December due to bird nesting season. Parks staff worked with compliance to clarify this condition and where it needed to be confined to meet the objectives of the condition and work has now resumed.

Detailed designs for stage 2 have been completed and will be out for tender shortly. Physical works for stage 2 are due to commence December 2015

6.4 Auckland City Centre Advisory Board

The Board last met on 23 September 2015.

Attached and marked as Attachment B is the September 2015 Progress Update Report.

7 In the Press Update

Some of the activities from the last report of local Board activities were as follows:

7.1 Community Leadership

· The Hobson, August and September editions – Chair/Board’s monthly report.

Copies are attached and marked as Attachment C and D.

· Ponsonby News, August, September and October 2015 editions – “Chair’s Waitemata Local Board Report”. Chair, Board, monthly reports.

Copies are attached and marked as Attachment E, F and G.

7 Meetings/Events

In addition to responsibilities in constituency work and community engagement, and any matters noted above, I have undertaken the following Portfolio or Board Chair responsibilities:

7.1 Community & Civic Leadership:

Attended:

· Central Facilities Partnerships Committee Workshop, 3 August 2015

· Meeting with Newton Residents Business, 11 August 2015

· Auckland Development Committee, Auckland Town Hall, 13 August 2015

· St Marys Bay Association AGM, Westhaven, 13 August 2015

· Auckland Development Committee workshop, Auckland Town Hall, 13 August 2015

· Meeting with Cheryl Adamson, Parnell Inc, 14 August 2015

· Joint Governing Body and Local Board Chairs meeting, Auckland Town Hall, 19 August 2015

· Finance and Performance Committee, Auckland Town Hall, 20 August 2015

· Community celebration for 311 Richmond Road (The Little Grocer), 21 August 2015

· Speaker at Opening of Tole Reserve Playground, Tole Reserve, 22 August 2015

Attached and marked as Attachment H are the Chair’s Speech Notes.

· Local Board Chairs Forum, Town Hall, 24 August 2015

· Friends of Symonds St Cemetery monthly meeting, 25 August 2015

· Unitary Plan Committee meeting, Albert St, 8 September 2015

· Auckland Development Committee workshop, Albert St, 9 September 2015

· Speaker at Pioneer Women’s and Freyberg Square stakeholders meeting, 17 September 2015

Rode a bike for the first time in 37 years, since cycling around Holland at the age of 18 at the opening of Beach Road Stage II cycle and walkway opening ceremony with Mayor Len Brown, Hon Nikki Kaye, AT and NZTA reps and friends.

· Speaker at AT’s Opening of Beach Road Stage II Cycleway/Walkway.

Attached and marked as Attachment I are the Chair’s speech notes.

· International Park(ing) Day, Lorne Street, 18 September 2015

· Suffrage Day celebration, Khartoum Place, 18 September 2015

· Unitary Plan Committee meeting, Albert St, 22 September 2015

· Uptown Business Association AGM, New North Road, 23 September 2015

· Newmarket Business Association AGM, 24 September 2015

· Speaker at Parnell Inc. AGM, Jubilee Building, 1 October 2015

Board Leadership

Attended:

· Weekly update with relationship manager, 3 August 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 4 August 2015

· Auckland Domain Committee, 4 August 2015

· Hearing for Review of Alcohol Bans, 5 August 2015

· Parks Portfolio monthly meeting, 6 August 2015

· Subterranean Living Sculpture discussion with Ludo Campbell-Reid, 6 August 2015

· Weekly update with relationship manager, 10 August 2015

· CRL Enabling works with Simon Lough (AT), 10 August 2015

· Hearings Committee – Alcohol Ban Review, 11 August 2015

· Double Decker Bus Impacts meeting with AT and Parks, 11 August 2015

· Newmarket Laneways Working Group, 11 August 2015

· Auckland Domain Committee, Auckland Domain Walk, 11 August 2015

· Waitemata Local Board Business Meeting at 35 Graham St, 11 August 2015

· Hearings Committee, Review of Local Dog Access Rules, Waitemata Local Board, 11 August 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 18 August 2015

· Symonds Street Cemetery Interpretation Strategy, 18 August 2015

· Weekly catch up with the relationship manager, 18 August 2015

· Waitemata Youth Collective introductory meeting, 18 August 2015

· ARAFA meeting, Waitemata Local Board, 19 August 2015

· Events Portfolio monthly meeting, Waitemata Local Board, 19 August 2015

· Parks Portfolio monthly meeting, Waitemata Local Board, 19 August 2015

· Media catch up with Cathy McIntosh, 19 August 2015

· Parks Portfolio monthly site visit, Francis Reserve, Grey Lynn, 20 August 2015

· Weekly update with Relationship Manager, 24 August 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 25 August 2015

· Newmarket Laneways working group, 25 August 2015

· Facilities partnership meeting, Waitemata Local Board, 26 August 2015

· Arts and Culture Portfolio monthly meeting, 26 August 2015

· Finance Committee, Waitemata Local Board, 27 August 2015

· Achievement Report photos, 27 August 2015

· Weekly update with relationship manager, 31 August 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 1 September 2015

· Parks Portfolio monthly meeting, 3 September 2015

· Weekly update with relationship manager, 7 September 2015

· Waitemata Local Board Business Meeting at Jubilee Hall Parnell, 8 September 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 10 September 2015

· Council Community Loan to Herne Bay Ponsonby Rackets Club, 10 September 2015

· Weekly catch up with the relationship manager, 14 September 2015

· Constituent queries catch up, 14 September 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 15 September 2015

· Events Portfolio monthly meeting, Waitemata Local Board, 16 September 2015

· Auckland Domain Committee workshop, Albert St, 16 September 2015

· Site meeting Mackelvie Street Scope, Ponsonby, 16 September 2015

· Parks Portfolio monthly meeting, 17 September 2015

· Briefing for Local Board Chairs on the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan, 18 September 2015

· Weekly update with Relationship Manager, 21 September 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 22 September 2015

· Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee, 23 September 2015

· Sports and Recreation Monthly Portfolio Meeting, 24 September 2015

· Arts and Culture Portfolio monthly meeting, 24 September 2015

· Weekly update with Relationship Manager, 28 September 2015

· Local Board Chairs Forum meeting, Town Hall, 28 September 2015

· Central Joint funding committee, Town Hall, 28 September 2015

· Waitemata Local Board workshop, 29 September 2015

· Deliberations Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee, 29 September 2015

· Herne Bay Rackets Club Loan, 30 September 2015

· Parks Portfolio monthly meeting, 1 October 2015

· Meeting with artists regarding Judges Bay public art project, 2 October 2015

Events

Attended:

· Remembering Chunuk Bair, Auckland War Memorial Museum, 8 August 2015

· Zambesi Show at New Zealand Fashion Show, Viaduct Events Centre, 27 August 2015

· A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Aotea Centre, 3 September 2015

· Cats, The Civic, 11 September 2015

· Opening Festival Italiano, Non Solo Pizza, 15 September 2015

Author Tessa Duder, with Shale Chambers and Glenda Fryer on Auckland’s 175^th Anniversary

· Book Launch of Sarah Mathew, Central City Library, 18 September 2015

· Special Screening of ‘Everest’, Sylvia Park, 21 September 2015

· Opening of Auckland Heritage Festival, Pah Homestead, 24 September 2015

· Speaker at Festival Italiano, Newmarket, 27 September 2015

8.4 City Centre Economic Development

(Heart of the City & Auckland City Centre Advisory Board)

Attended:

· Heart of the City Committee Meeting, Lorne St, August 2015

· Auckland City Centre Advisory Board, Albert St, 26 August 2015

· Heart of The City Board Meeting, 16 September 2015

· Auckland City Centre Advisory Board workshop, 23 September 2015

· Auckland City Centre Advisory Board meeting, 23 September 2015

· Heart of the City Meeting with auditors, 2 October 2015

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Council/ATEED events have consulted on, for events occuring from September 2015	141
b View	Auckland City Centre Advisory Board July Projects Update Report	145
c View	The Hobson, Chair's September 2015 Local Board column	153
d View	The Hobson, Chair's October 2015 Local Board column	155
e View	Ponsonby News, 'Chair's Waitemata Local Board Report' - August 2015	157
f View	Ponsonby News, 'Chair's Waitemata Local Board Report' - September 2015	159
g View	Ponsonby News, 'Chair's Waitemata Local Board Report' - October 2015	161
H	Tole Reserve Playground Re-opening Chair’s Speech Notes	162
I	Beach Road Stage II Cycle/Walkway Opening Chair’s Speech Notes	163

Signatories

Author

Shale Chambers, Chair, Waitemata Local Board

Waitematā Local Board

13 October 2015

Deputy Chairperson's Report

File No.: CP2015/20662

Executive summary

This report covers my Waitematā Local Board activities from 17 August – 30 September 2015 as Deputy Chair, lead for the Community and Transport portfolios, and Chair of the Grants Committee, and with positions on the Ponsonby Business Association Board and Ponsonby Community Centre Committee and Board liaison for the Parnell Community Centre.

Recommendations

a) That the Deputy Chairperson’s Report be received.

Comments

Highlights

· Beach Rd stage 2 opening

· Tole Reserve playground opening following a recent upgrade

· Consultation on the proposed upgrade of the Ellen Melville Centre and Freyberg Square completed (refer Attachment A)

· Progress on the implementation and review of Council’s smokefree policy

· Collated and submitted the Board’s feedback on Auckland Transport’s Draft Guidelines for Private Planting in the Road Corridor

· Waitemata Local Board community grants round one

· Festival Italiano kicked off the first major festival of spring on a beautiful day in Newmarket

Portfolio updates: Transport

Beach Road stage 2

I was delighted to join the celebrations for the opening of Beach Road stage 2 especially as the Board (through our Chair Shale Chambers) played a role in securing the funding for the project to get underway. The opening brought together the Mayor, NZTA regional director, Hon Nikki Kaye, Kaumatua Matt Maihi (on what was also the 175th anniversary of Ngati Whatua’s signing over of land to the Crown, which officially began the process of creating Auckland city), local politicians and the many people from across multiple organisations who are all committed to Auckland being a great place to cycle.

The design adds to the city centre’s growing network of cycleways and provides attractive street amenity to the soulless apartment frontages on Beach Road.

Unfortunately there are already concerns about the design of the separated pathways for cycling and walking. The layout and signage is confusing so that both pathways have become “shared” by default putting more vulnerable walkers in conflict with riders.

We hope to see Auckland Transport address these issues as well as improving the connections from Beach Road to Britomart and Fort St (a cycle crossing phase has been requested on the intersection of Customs, Britomart Pl and Beach Rd).

Update on the footpath programme: Making Auckland’s footpaths safer, easier to navigate and more convenient

· I have previously reported on the streets we would like to see included in Auckland Transport’s footpath work programme 15/16 including footpaths requiring maintenance.

In August Christopher and I went on a site visit with Auckland Transport’s maintenance team leader to ascertain what works can be leveraged from the renewal budget to deliver local board priorities. Attachment B outlines the actions we logged with Auckland Transport for follow up.

Ponsonby Rd safety

Following concerns regarding the safety of people on bikes using Ponsonby Rd (highlighted by a painful and concerning account of a “dooring” on the Cycle Action Auckland website) I have provided the following update on what the transport portfolio is doing regarding education, enforcement and short term fixes:

· For some time now we have been asking AT to work with the Police to enforce the speed limit (frustratingly no sign of this happening on any of our city centre streets)

· We have requested safety campaigns aimed at drivers – passing rules, driveway rules etc (we have raised concerns about AT’s campaigns aimed at vulnerable road users and the lack of evidence that these campaigns work eg “Pay attention or pay the price” type messages)

· We advocated for the recent resealing of Ponsonby Rd to be used as an opportunity to include new “greening” for cyclists at the intersections (unfortunately AT have recently confirmed that despite earlier assurances the feeder lanes to new advance stop boxes at the Franklin Rd intersection are not going ahead)

· We have requested a barnes dance at the intersection with Richmond Rd

· We have a “Ponsonby Rd pedestrian experience project” underway funded with approx. $500k from the Local board transport capex fund. This is aimed at providing improvements (raised tables) to all the side streets between Franklin Rd and McKelvie St (this project is not directly delivering cycle infrastructure but it will assist with calming the traffic)

· We’ve supported residential parking zones being rolled out in Freemans Bay and Ponsonby which will release short term parking for visitors and take the pressure off Ponsonby Road as the main parking area

· We’ve asked for data to be collected on how people are currently travelling to Ponsonby Rd and the % of through traffic v local traffic to assist with future planning

· Since the latest dooring that CAA alerted us to recently we’ve asked AT to provide data on crashes involving cyclists on Ponsonby Rd and an update on how AT is going to respond with a specific campaign.

Longer term the board has committed to a solution under Outcome 3 of the Ponsonby Plan (“Pedestrian and Cyclist safety- develop Ponsonby Road with various transport options that prioritise the safety of pedestrians and cyclists”)

We are looking to AT to confirm how quickly the investigation of cyclelanes can be investigated given that Ponsonby Road is not currently in AT’s 3 year work programme. Personally I think the best time to start will be after we have effective parking management in place (residential parking zones) and once the connections at either end on K’rd and Great North Road and to Westhaven have been installed.

Best practice in walking

Jim Walker, the founder of the Walk21 conferences and global expert in walking, gave a lunchtime presentation hosted by the NZ Institute of Architects and Auckland Transport. Jim talked about the importance of walking, promoting the formula for effective investment in walking; showcasing examples of best practice internationally.

Key messages:

- Walkability the best indicator of a liveable city

- By far the biggest percentage of trips are under 5km (63%) but most resources are allocated to trips over 30km which are only 7% of all trips

- Need to make walking visible with data. For example when trips were measured in Sydney’s CBD 92% were found to be walking trips with 50% of each trip made up of waiting time (it would be really interesting to find out the % of trips in Auckland’s city centre)

- Sales revenues increase after pedestrianisation (in a Munich example up to 40%)

- People walking to town centres are found to spend more per week than drivers

- It is safer for everyone in cities where people walk and cycle

- In the UK it is estimated that for every pound spent on walking 7 pounds are saved in health costs

In making observations about Auckland Jim recommended:

- making walking as appealing and enjoyable as possible

- deliver streets that are safer, easier to navigate and more comfortable (see Attachment A)

- promote walking as the first choice for every day short trips

This presentation confirmed for me the need for Auckland focused trip data (at the moment most of the data is derived from pedestrian counts and census journey to work data) and more NZ based evidence about the benefits of investing in walking (refer Attachment C for a Grey Lynn example).

High Street parking issues

Consultation on the upgrade Ellen Melville and Pioneer Women’s Hall and Freyberg Square (with the proposed removal of the road in front of the hall) has highlighted a number of current High St parking issues that could be addressed before the project goes ahead.

The city centre team, who are project managing the upgrade, have been asked to investigate the following with Auckland Transport:

1. Removal of the High St exit from the Victoria St carpark

2. Change to light phases at the High St /Victoria St intersection to speed up access from the Victoria St car park

3. Re-configuration of the Victoria St car park to better provide for short term parking (ie moving long term parking from the lower levels)

4. Management of the number of trade vehicles on High St to free up short term on -street car parking (through permits and encouraging tradies to use the car park)

5. Promoting Victoria St car park as the “pop in” short term parking for visitors to High St/O’Connell St/Vulcan Lane precinct (ie changing perceptions that it is difficult to access the shopping area)

6. Undertake a parking survey on High St to confirm current vacancy/occupancy rates and make the data publicly available and for Heart of the City to share with members

7. Depending on the results of the parking survey discuss with AT the tools available to increase availability and turn over

Portfolio updates: Community

Age – Friendly Cities Forum

I attended the ADCOSS organised Age- Friendly cities forum on 27 August. This was an opportunity to hear from a wider range of speakers about how an age-friendly city benefits people of all ages. A youth perspective was provided by members of the Waitematā Youth Collective.

Key messages for me:

· We need to be designing and building age and disability friendly housing that can support existing communities not just in isolated suburbs (David Haigh, Lecturer in social practice at Unitec)

· We should implement the UK’s “Shopmobility” initiative that can benefit retailers (Vivian Naylor, CCS disability Action)

· We need to be including dementia-friendly perspectives in our design (Karen Smith, Clinical Research nurse at Auckland University’s Centre for brain research)

· Connectedness is the most important factor for enhancing well-being. Strong, cohesive communities are the best thing for people’s health and psychological sense of control (Prof. John Raeburn)

Smokefree Auckland 2025

The board has supported the bringing forward of the review of Council’s Smokefree Policy and the earlier implementation of the planned stage 3 including extending smokefree areas to beaches, shared spaces and outside dining.

Following a meeting with Auckland Cancer Society we have also confirmed our commitment to promote our current smokefree events and facilities and ensure phase 1 has been fully implemented (covering signage and smokefree bus stops).

I also attended the Auckland Cancer society’s smokefree outside areas forum where I heard that there is increasing evidence of the public’s approval to extend smokefree areas to all public places such as beaches and outside dining. There is evidence that smokefree outdoor areas help to limit exposure to smoking and decrease the chances of former smokers relapsing. Outdoor policies also help people quit.

Investigations are underway on whether it is preferable to adopt a regulatory rather than non-regulatory approach (as is currently taken in the smokefree policy). In Ontario there is very effective use of signs and very little enforcement.

We are at a similar point to when indoor venues went smokefree - business ended up having nothing to fear and it was also good for hospitality workers.

Community Grants

The Waitematā Local Board grants committee that I chair considered the applications for round one 2015/16. For the first time we have a “Quick Response Grants” process for applications up to $3000 and Local Grants for applications up to $7500. In total $280,920.46 was requested from round one from our total community grants fund of $100,000. This massive over subscription was partly due to the demise of the Community Group Assistance Fund and Accommodation Support Fund benefitting boards in the old Auckland City Council area. These funds have been distributed between all 21 local boards unfortunately leaving a large funding shortfall for organisations based in the Waitematā area.

The round one decisions and recommendations of the committee are attached to the agenda.

Photo right: students from Richmond Road School with their ‘Think Big’ project ‘The Colour Project’ certificates presented by member Deborah Yates at the school assembly on behalf of the Board

Further meetings and activities relevant to the community portfolio are detailed below

Workshops and meetings

From 17 August – 30 September 2015 I attended:

· Local Boards greenways collaborative meeting on 17 August

· Meeting with Auckland Transport to discuss Grey Lynn transport project presentation

· Auckland Transports’ public meeting on 17 August to present Grey Lynn transport project proposals

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 18 August including meeting with Auckland Museum representatives

· Waitematā Youth Collective introductory meeting on 18 August

· Meeting with Auckland Cancer Society to discuss the progress on the regional Smoke free policy and the upcoming review that is planned for later this year

· Lunchtime Learning: The housing we'd choose: A study of housing preferences, choices and trade-offs in Auckland.

· Meeting with GM Ponsonby Business Association 21 August

· Elected member professional development working group meeting 24 August

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 25 August

· Newmarket Laneways working group

· Grey Lynn park pump track presentation

· Pre-view of the proposed Nelson St Off-ramp Cycleway - amenity lighting on 25 August

· Community Development portfolio monthly update on 26 August

· ADCOSS age friendly cities forum at Western Springs Hall on 27 August

· Meeting to discuss achievements report photos on 27 August

· Jim Walker - founder of Walk21: International best practice in walking seminar on 28 August

· Ponsonby Community Centre committee meeting on 31 August

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 1 September

· Catch up with NBA General manager on 4 September

· New footpath programme – site visit on 4 September

· Attended the Seniors Advisory Panel on 7 September

· Waitematā Local Board business meeting on 8 September

· Ponsonby Business Association Board meeting on 9 September

· Auckland Development Committee workshop on 9 September (covering SHAs, City Centre Integration Group update, Downtown Car park and the Chief Economist housing report)

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 10 September

· Visit to the Auckland Central Library CAB

· Meeting with Cowie St residents 14 September

· Ellen Melville Centre and Freyberg Square consultation drop- ins on 11 and 14 September (photo right)

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 15 September

· Monthly Transport portfolio catch up and site visit to MacKelvie St (part of the Ponsonby Road pedestrian experience funded from the local board capex fund)

· Meeting with Auckland Transport to discuss Curran St/Sarsfield St intersection proposals

· Consultation meeting on 17 September for Heart of the City members to discuss Ellen Melville Centre and Freyberg Square proposals

· Interview with a representative from Hay Group on 18 September (As part of their regular three-yearly job sizing exercise, the Remuneration Authority has commissioned Hay Group to meet with a cross section of elected members from Auckland Council to conduct an assessment)

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 22 September

· Media and communications meeting

· Community Development Portfolio meeting on 22 September

· Waitemata Local Board Grants Committee meetings on 23 and 29 September

· Smokefree outdoor areas forum on 23 September

· Inner City Network meeting organised by ADCOSS on 24 September

· Meeting on 25 September to discuss elected member professional development

· Ponsonby Community Centre management committee meeting 28 September

· Waitematā Local Board workshop on 29 September

· Local Board greenways collaborative meeting on 30 September

Events and functions

From 16 August – 30 September 2015 I attended:

· Opening of the Tole Reserve playground on 22 August

· Officiated at the citizenship ceremony at the Town Hall on 24 August

· Cycle Action Auckland AGM on 27 August

· Richmond Road School ‘Think Big’ project ‘The Colour Project’ assembly presentation of certificates to the working group on 28 August

· Ponsonby presents NZ Fashion Festival show at the invitation of PBA on 29 August

· Heroes at Maidment Theatre at the invitation of ATC

· Wallace Art Awards at Pah Homestead on 7 September

· The Events at Q Theatre at the invitation of Silo Theatre Trust on 9 September

· Grey Lynn Business Association networking drinks

· Auckland Conversations on 10 September Building Bridges not walls, Gill Hicks, peace advocate

· Diversity Job Fair 2015 (morning tea for invited guests) at AUT on 12 September

· Ellen Melville Centre and Freyberg Square open day on Saturday 12 September

· Circability Trust afternoon tea on 13 September celebrating one year at Campbell Free Kindergarten

· Cats the musical at the Civic Theatre at the invitation of Regional Facilities Auckland

· Aotea Quarter Framework consultation walk on 17 September (photo right)

· Opening of Beach Rd cycleway on 18 September

· International Park(ing) day installations on High and Lorne St on 18 September (refer Attachment D)

· Suffrage Day celebration at Khartoum Place on 18 September hosted by National Council of Women

· Ponsonby Market Day on 19 September

· Newmarket Business Association AGM on 24 September

· Opening of the Heritage Festival at Pah Homestead on 24 September

· Screening of the movie Everest at the invitation of Santa Parade Trust

· Grey Lynn Farmers Market 6^th birthday celebrations

· Festival Italiano opening and lunch in Newmarket at the invitation of Dante Alieghieri Society Auckland on Sunday 27 September (photo below: Osborne St open for people to enjoy the festival)

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	City Centre Community Hub Transformation	173
b View	Update on the footpath work programme: Making Auckland's footpaths safer, easier to navigate and more convenient	175
c View	Grey Lynn Transport Project: Good for business benefits from transport choice and people-focused planning (Ponsonby News article)	179
d View	Park(ing) day 2015 temporary people spaces	181
e View	Inspired by Freecycle London to open the streets for the Tour of Auckland	183

Signatories

Author

Pippa Coom, Deputy Chair

Chairperson	Shale Chambers
Deputy Chairperson	Pippa Coom
Members	Christopher Dempsey
	Greg Moyle
	Vernon Tava
	Rob Thomas
	Deborah Yates

No.	Title	Page
a View	Workshop proceedings 1 September 2015	225
b View	Workshop proceedings 10 September 2015	227
c View	Workshop proceedings 15 September 2015	229
d View	Workshop proceedings 22 September 2015	231
e View	Workshop proceedings 29 September 2015	233

Item	Topic	Lead officer	Notes
1.	Parnell Train Station – Ngahere Terrace Connection	Shyrel Burt	The members received an update on the project and were consulted on the report to be presented to the Parks and Recreation Committee
2.	Continuing Central Joint Funding Committee	Tristan Coulson (Senior Policy Advisor)	A discussion took place about the continuation of the Central Joint Funding Committee
3	AT Update	Priscilla Steel (Elected Member Relationship Manager) Roger Wilson	Discussion about the Approved Transport Programme and the guidelines for berm planting

Item	Topic	Lead officer	Notes
1.	ATEED Economic Development Update	Chris Lock (Senior Strategic Advisor, ATEED), Graham Rouse (ATEED Events), Sam McLennan (Business Advisor ATEED)	ATEED officers provided an update to the Board
2.	Smoke Free Phase 2 Implementation and Policy Review	Jasmin Kaur (Policy Analyst), Rebekah Stuart-Wilson	The officers sought feedback from the Board on smoke free shared spaces and provided an update on the Smoke Free Phase 2 implementation and policy review
3	Auckland Transport Update Quay Street Cycleway Preliminary Design New network Public Consultation Wynyard Quarter Phase 2 Roading Upgrade	Priscilla Steel Freddie Jasmin (Project Manager) Matthew Stuart (Team Leader) Olivia Veltom (Lead Public Transport Planner Central) Anthony Cross (Public Transport Network Manager) Kirsty Charles (PT Planner Engagement) Luke Donald, Jessica Laing (Transport Planner)	AT provided an update on Quay Street Cycleway, the new network public consultation and Wynyard Quarter

Item	Topic	Lead officer	Notes
1	Bi-Monthly Report	Trina Thompson	The Board received an explanation of the contents of the Bi-Monthly report
2	City Centre Integration	Oliver Roberts (plus others)	The City Centre Integration team provided an update to the Board
3	Victoria Park	Dawn Bardsley Jayesh Parekh Pieter Maarshchalk Rebecca Davies Brent Evans Simon Cook Phil Gedge	Watercare presented options and sought feedback from the Board and Parks officers in relation to a project for the Wynyard Quarter
4	Natural Environment Work Programme	Mara Bebich Rebecca Hayden Brent Bielby Bill Smith	The officers discussed the Natural Environment Work Programme, with a focus on the Low Carbon Plan

Authors	Trina Thompson - Senior Local Board Advisor - Waitemata
Authorisers	Judith Webster - Relationship Manager

Authors	Corina Claps - PA/Liaison Waitemata Local Board
Authorisers	Judith Webster - Relationship Manager