Addendum Agenda of Howick Local Board

Howick Local Board

14 March 2016

Formalisation of the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated tenure at Lloyd Elsmore Park, Pakuranga

File No.: CP2016/03643

Purpose

1. To grant to the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated the following;

i. a licence to occupy for the area the club currently occupies at Lloyd Elsmore Park

ii. a lease for the proposed clubrooms, deck and stairs and

iii. landowner approval for the installation of floodlights.

Executive Summary

2. The BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated (the Club) moved to Lloyd Elsmore Park (2R Bells Road, Pakuranga) in 2012. The area occupied by the Club, the BMX track and immediate surrounds, needs to be formalised by a licence to occupy (non-exclusive use) agreement. Refer to Attachment A for a location plan.

3. The Club would like to relocate a building (former netball club building) from Papatoetoe to a site next to the existing BMX track on Lloyd Elsmore Park. A community land lease is required for the area occupied by the building, deck and stairs. The building is 160m² (20m long x 8m wide) and would provide the following:

· toilets – open to the public in the evening throughout the BMX season

· office space

· meeting space

· tuck shop.

The deck and stairs will be added to the front of the building, these will link to the existing concrete outdoor seating area.

4. The Club would also like to install two flood lights at the track. Landowner approval is requested for this. Once constructed to the required council specifications, the intention is that the lights will be gifted to the council to ensure they are maintained to a standard that will ensure public safety.

5. The Club intends to use a $125,000 grant from the Howick Local Board’s 2014/2015 discretionary fund allocated for the provision of public toilets at the BMX track to cover the cost of purchasing, relocating and establishing the building at Lloyd Elsmore Park. Resource consent (controlled activity) will be required, which may trigger parking requirements. This will need to be addressed by the Club.

6. While the BMX activity is not specifically contemplated in the Manukau City Council Sports Management Plan (May 2007), buildings are contemplated for the enjoyment of the park for outdoor sport and recreation. However, legal advice is that both the licence to occupy and lease will need to be publicly notified.

Recommendation/s

That the Howick Local Board:

Licence

a) Approve public notification, in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977, of the intention to grant a licence to occupy for approximately 6115m² of Lloyd Elsmore Park (2R Bells Road) to the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated to operate BMX activities (as illustrated in Attachment B – Site Plan).

b) Nominate a hearings panel to consider any submissions received following the public notification process and make a decision; should a hearing be necessary

c) Grant a licence to occupy, if there are no objections received through public consultation, to the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated for the area occupied by the BMX track (as outlined in red in Attachment B – Site Plan) at Lloyd Elsmore Park, 2R Bells Road, Pakuranga.

i. Term – 5 years, commencing 15 March 2016, with one 5 year right of renewal.

Lease

d) Approve public notification in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977, of the intention to lease approximately 210m² of on Lloyd Elsmore Park, 2R Bells Road, Pakuranga, to the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated for clubrooms, deck and steps as illustrated in Attachment B (Reference No.1, 2 and 4).

e) Grant an agreement to lease, if there are no objections received through public consultation, to the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated for the area to be occupied for clubrooms, deck and stairs as illustrated in Attachment B (Reference No. 1, 2 and 4) at Lloyd Elsmore Park, 2R Bells Road, Pakuranga for two years commencing 15 March 2016, with a one year right of renewal, if required.

f) Require that the agreement to lease be subject to the following:

i. the final location, detailed design of the facility and vehicle access and parking is agreed with council parks staff.

ii. the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated obtains all regulatory consents required for the planning and development of the building and parking.

iii. the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated enters into a funding agreement with the council for the maintenance and cleaning of the facility.

iv. the toilets within the building to be of a durable standard that can cope with high club and public use and to be open to the public when the club is present on the site.

v. the tuck shop to be operated by the club for member use only.

vi. construction works and reinstatement of the reserve are subject to conditions to be supplied by the Parks Manager (South).

g) Grant a land lease for the areas illustrated in Attachment B (No. 1, 2 and 4) at Lloyd Elsmore Park, 2R Bells Road, Pakuranga, to the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated subject to the following:

i. Term – 10 years, commencing from the date of issue of a building certificate of compliance, with one 10 year right of renewal.

ii. Rent - $1.00 (+ GST) per annum, if requested.

iii. A Community Outcomes Plan, to be approved by the local board portfolio holder, and attached to the lease document.

iv. All other terms and conditions in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977 and the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012.

h) Grant approval for the Mountain Raiders BMX Club to relocate a building (20m x 8m) to Lloyd Elsmore Park, pending the outcome of the public consultation process on the proposed licence agreement and lease.

Floodlights

i) Grant landowner approval for the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated to install floodlights at the track, subject to the lights meeting council standards and ownership subsequently being transferred to the council to ensure ongoing public safety

Comments

7. The BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated moved to Lloyd Elsmore Park in 2012. The area used by the Club is legally described as Lot 8 DP 21711 (refer to Attachment A for a site plan).

8. The Club has 200 registered members in the 2015/2016 season. Membership has increased 10% since the 2014/2015 season, reflecting the growing popularity of this activity and the success of the Club in attracting new members. Eighty percent of the members are under 16 years of age.

9. Attachment B illustrates the Club’s existing structures (including a BMX track that is open to the public, a storage container, points-hut and recently completed covered start gate) and proposed upgrades which include:

· relocation of a building (160m²) to the site, with the addition of a deck and stairs (50m²)

· landscaping around the building, including the removal of one small existing tree, plus its replacement

· two new flood lights, to allow for night time use

· an existing grass area, levelled to allow for erection of pop-up tents during race events

· the long term development of a pump track. This will be reported to the board separately once the Club is in a position to develop and fund it.

· painting of the existing points-hut

· cladding of the existing storage container.

Licence

10. The Club currently has no formal tenure on Lloyd Elsmore Park. It is proposed that a licence be granted for the current facilities, which covers an area approximately 6115m² in size. Outlined in Attachment B.

Proposed new clubrooms

11. In 2015, the Howick Local Board completed the Howick Sport and Active Recreation Facilities Plan. One of the recommendations was that toilets be established in the vicinity of the BMX track on Lloyd Elsmore Park.

12. In June 2015, the board granted $125,000 to the Club for the construction of public toilets (from the 2014/2015 discretionary fund) at the track.

13. The Club investigated what could be achieved with the grant funding and proposed that additional facilities could include office space, a tuck shop and meeting space.

14. At a workshop in September 2015, the Sport and Recreation Team Leader advised the local board of the availability of a second-hand building that the Club could purchase and relocate to Lloyd Elsmore Park (see Attachment C). The building is 160m² (20m x 8m) and can accommodate the additional facilities. A deck could also be constructed adjacent to the current outdoor seating area next to the BMX track.

15. The Club and local board considered this option, as well as an alternative option of a Versatile building 60.48m² in size (9.6m x 6.3m). The Club’s preference is the second-hand building.

16. In December 2015, two local board members visited the second-hand building to consider its suitability for Lloyd Elsmore Park. The building owner advised members that the building, a former netball clubrooms, was upgraded five years ago at a cost of approximately $100,000.

17. The Club will be required to obtain resource consent for the relocation of the second-hand building.

Toilets

18. During the BMX season, the toilets would be open for use on official club nights and training - Mondays and Fridays from 16:00 – 22:00 (depending on lights).

Meetings space

19. Within the building, there is an area that the Club proposes to use for meetings and rider training sessions.

Tuck shop

20. A tuck shop run by the Club for member use can be managed under a community lease, as commercial use of recreation reserves is restricted to activities that improve public enjoyment of reserves or for public convenience.

Agreement to lease and lease process

21. An agreement to lease is proposed for the new clubrooms and would be valid for two years with a one year right of renewal. This will allow the BMX club time to relocate the preferred second-hand building.

22. Once the building is relocated and building certificate of compliance issued, a lease agreement in accordance with the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines (2012) would be signed. The areas to be included within the lease footprint as illustrated in Attachment B (No. 1, 2 and 4) are the building, deck container and stairs.

23. The proposed conditions for the lease include a 10 year term with one 10-year right of renewal, an annual rent of $1,00 (+GST), if demanded, and a requirement to supply a community outcomes plan. A community outcomes plan identifies benefits that the Club will provide to the community and how success will be measured.

24. Other conditions of the lease include that the Club signs a funding agreement with council for the $125,000 grant and that after the building has been located on the park, the area around the building is reinstated.

Storage container and points hut

25. The Club uses a storage container and plans to add timber cladding to the exterior with a small deck. There is also a points hut the Club intends to paint. As these structures are more easily moveable it is not proposed to include them within the leased area.

Public notification

26. A new lease and licence agreement will require public notification in accordance with the requirements of the Reserves Act 1977 as BMX is not specifically contemplated in the Manukau City Council Sports Management Plan (May 2007).

Parking

27. The proposed clubrooms may trigger parking requirements under the District Plan and Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan. It is estimated between nine and 23 car parks may be needed. This will need to be clarified and addressed by the Club during the resource consent process.

28. Any additional parking required will be public car parking and will not be included as part of the lease or licence areas.

29. Staff recommend that any approval is subject to parking requirements being investigated and resolved.

Floodlights

30. Landowner consent is sought for the installation of the two floodlights. The lights would be used at the discretion of the Club. Staff recommend that the Club be required to install the lights meet all council standards. Once the lights have been installed and tested, the Club has agreed to gift the lights to the council to ensure ongoing public safety.

Asset ownership and maintenance

31. Both parties have acknowledged that the ownership of assets on-site be split as following;

Council ownership

· Track

· Track surrounds

· All furniture and fixtures on-site (except as listed below)

· Fence

The Club ownership

· Start gate

· Start shade

· Storage container

· Marshalling facility

32. Both parties have acknowledged the following with respect to maintenance

Track

· Lime and plant will be provided by council and labour and skills by Club (one to two times per year as and when required).

Surround

· Maintenance of the grass outside the fenced area of the track, plants, bins and picnic tables are the council’s responsibility.

· Major unscheduled maintenance items need assistance from council not limited to drainage items, concrete areas and other major landscaping elements.

Start gate and shelter, storage container and marshalling facility

· The Club’s responsibility and if these assets incur significant damage the Club will need to repair/replace without Council financial support.

33. The Club acknowledges that the BMX track is council owned and managed and have the final decision on allocations and will act as arbitrator if required.

34. The Club understands that there may be other groups (e.g. schools) that would like access to the facility (or parts thereof) for their activities from time to time. Any such request will be managed by Auckland Council – Parks, Sports and Recreation Department in consultation with the Club. If the request does not clash with a current booking it will be approved, if there is a clash it will only be accepted in consultation with the organisation holding the existing booking

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

35. The local board discussed the project at workshops on 27 September, 20 October, and 18 November 2015 and 25 February 2016. The local board is aware that the Club’s preferred building has been available for several months and the owner would like another club to purchase it rather than sell it to a commercial organization.

36. The recommendations within this report fall within the local board’s authority relating to the local recreation, sports and community facilities.

Māori impact statement

37. Local iwi will be consulted through the lease and licence process under the Reserves Act. It is also anticipated that consultation will occur through the resource consenting process.

38. The BMX facilities cater for the local community, including Maori. It creates local benefits that are accessible to everyone.

5. No sites of historic significance have been identified in the District Plan or Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan.

Implementation

39. The owner of the second-hand building has given the BMX Mountain Raiders Club Incorporated until March 2016 to confirm whether the Club would like to purchase the building. The Sport and Recreation Advisor has been in contact with the building owner to explain council’s process.

40. Should the local board support the recommended project, it will be led by the Mountain Raiders BMX Club. Both the Parks Advisor and the Sport and Recreation Advisor will work with the Club for the duration of the project.

41. All costs involved in the preparation of lease documents are borne by Auckland Council.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Attachment A - BMX track location	11
b View	Attachment B - BMX site plan	13
c View	Attachment C - Photos of second-hand building	15

Signatories

Authors

Jenny Young - Community Lease Advisor

Sophie Bell - Parks & Open Space Specialists Manager

Authorisers

Kim O’Neill - Head of Community Relations

Mark Bowater - Manager Parks

Rod Sheridan - General Manager Community Facilities

Mace Ward - General Manager Parks, Sports and Recreation

Angeline Barlow - Relationship Manager

Howick Local Board

14 March 2016

New community leases - 19R Morrow Avenue and 178R Clovelly Road Bucklands Beach

File No.: CP2016/02791

Purpose

1. To request the Howick Local Board grant new community leases to groups within the Howick area, where the group owns the building.

Executive Summary

2. Community leases are one of the ways in which Council provides support to local community organisations, assisting them to sustain the activities and experiences they provide in alignment with recognised local priorities.

3. Council has a substantial programme of community leasing work to complete this year. The scale of the programme includes a number of existing leases that have rolled over beyond their anticipated expiry date.

4. This report and attachment includes details of groups within the Howick area with expired leases where the group owns the building. Staff recommend that new leases be granted for these groups under the terms and conditions specified in the schedule – Grant of new community leases, group owned buildings (Attachment A).

5. For each of the recommended leases, a process has been followed which includes a review of the lessee’s performance, that the organisation is sustainable, the services and programmes offered are beneficial to the community and that they align with objectives stated in the Auckland and local board plans.

6. The groups own the buildings and improvements on the sites occupied (Attachments B and C). As outlined in the Auckland Council Community Occupancy Guidelines 2012, groups that own their own buildings have a right to apply for a new lease at the end of their occupancy term and there is no requirement to undertake an expression of interest process.

7. A Community Outcomes Plan will be an attachment to each lease subject to local board approval (Attachments D and E).

Recommendation/s

That the Howick Local Board:

a) Grants a new community ground lease to the following groups under the terms and conditions as specified in Attachment A - Grant of new community leases, group owned buildings:

i. Bucklands Beach Bowling Club, 19R Morrow Avenue, Bucklands Beach (as outlined in red on the site plan in Attachment B).

ii. Bucklands and Eastern Beaches Tennis Club, 178R Clovelly Road, Bucklands Beach Beach (as outlined in red on the site plan in Attachment C).

b) Approves the Community Outcomes Plans (see Attachments D and E) to be attached as a schedule to the lease documents.

Comments

8. There is a substantial programme of community leasing work to complete this year, work which includes establishing new leases to groups who have an expired lease and where the groups own the building or improvements on the land.

9. Given the scale of the programme, staff have adopted a new approach to operational delivery, allowing a large number of more routine leases to be approved in a batched process.

10. Attachment A includes the details of groups within the Howick Local Board area with expired leases where the group owns the building. It is recommended new community leases be granted to these groups under the terms and conditions specified in the schedule – Grant of new community leases, group owned buildings (Attachment A).

11. The recommended term of lease where a group owns the building is 10 years with one 10 year right of renewal. The recommended rental is $1.00 (+GST) per annum, if demanded. The groups are responsible for maintenance and all utility costs for these buildings.

12. For each of the recommended leases a process has been followed which includes a review of the lessee’s performance to ensure that lease conditions are being met, that the organisation is financially sustainable and that the services or programmes offered from the premises align with the objectives stated in the Auckland and Local Board Plans. Council staff have sought input from relevant council departments to ensure compliance requirements are met and that the facility is well maintained.

13. Checks have been undertaken to confirm the land classification for each of the sites and land information is included in the schedule.

14. A Community Outcomes Plan will be an attachment to each lease and will be reported upon annually (see Attachments D and E).

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

15. The recommendations within this report fall within the board’s allocated authority relating to the local, recreation, sports and community facilities.

Māori impact statement

16. Community leases support a wide range of activities and groups and are granted based on an understanding of local needs, interests and priorities. They create local benefits for many communities, including Maori.

Implementation

17. The recommendations within this report do not trigger the Auckland Council Significance Policy.

18. All costs involved in the preparation of lease documents are borne by Auckland Council.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Attachment A Grant of new leases, Group owned	21
b View	Attachment B -site plan-Bucklands & Eastern Beaches Tennis Club	23
c View	Attachment C - site plan-The Bucklands Beach Bowling Club Inc	25
d View	Attachment D - Community Outcomes Plan-Bucklands & Eastern Beaches Tennis Club	27
e View	Attachment E - Community Outcomes Plan-The Bucklands Beach Bowling Club Inc	29

Signatories

Authors

Jenny Young - Community Lease Advisor

Authorisers

Kim O’Neill - Head of Community Relations

Rod Sheridan - General Manager Community Facilities

Angeline Barlow - Relationship Manager

Howick Local Board

14 March 2016

Local Government New Zealand Annual General Meeting and conference

File No.: CP2016/03998

Purpose

1. To inform local boards about the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) Annual General Meeting (AGM) and conference in Dunedin from Sunday 24 July 2016 to Tuesday 26 July 2016 and to invite local boards to nominate a representative to attend as relevant.

Executive Summary

2. The Local Government New Zealand annual conference and AGM takes place at The Dunedin Centre from Sunday 24 to Tuesday 26 July 2016.

3. The AGM takes place on the first day of the conference. Auckland Council is entitled to four official delegates at the AGM, one of whom is the presiding (or voting) delegate. The Governing Body will consider this at their meeting on 31 March 2016. The four official delegates are likely to be the Mayor as a member of the LGNZ National Council (or his nominee), the Deputy Mayor as the Mayor’s alternate for this position, Cr Webster as Chair LGNZ Zone One and a member of LGNZ National Council, and the Chief Executive.

4. In addition to the official delegates, local board members are invited to attend. Local boards should consider the relevance of the conference programme when deciding on attendance, with the expectation that no board will approve more than one member to attend the conference.

Recommendation/s

That the Howick Local Board:

a) nominate a representative to attend the Local Government New Zealand 2016 Annual General Meeting and Conference from Sunday 24 July 2016 to Tuesday 26 July 2016 on the basis that the conference programme is relevant to the Local Board’s work programme

b) confirm that conference attendance including travel and accommodation will be paid for in accordance with the current Auckland Council Elected Member Expense Policy.

Discussion

5. The 2016 LGNZ Conference and AGM are being held in Dunedin. The conference commences with the AGM at 1pm on Sunday 24 July 2016 and concludes at 12.45 pm on Tuesday 26 July 2016.

6. The theme of this year’s conference is “Creating places where people love to live, work and play”. The programme includes:

• Greg Doone, Director at PwC will provide a future vision on New Zealand's communities, taking a look at demographic, social, technological, economic and environmental trends.

• Troy Pickard, President of the Australian Local Government Association and Mayor of Joondalup, Perth will cover a broad perspective on key global issues for future generations in Australia and beyond.

• Vaughan Payne, CEO, Waikato Regional Council; Brian Hanna, Mayor, Waitomo District Council; Damon Odey, Mayor, Timaru District Council; Dame Margaret Bazley, Commissioner, Environment Canterbury and Jim Palmer, Chair of the Canterbury Chief Executives Forum will describe their stories of collaboration and how their approaches are aiding "place-making" for their regions and providing a platform for regional economic development.

• Jason Krupp, Research Fellow, The New Zealand Initiative will focus on the example of Manchester City Council and how it combined with its neighbouring authorities to strengthen its leadership, governance and capacity to partner with central government. This session will involve video interviews with leaders of Manchester City Council.

• Peter Kageyama, an Author and international thought leader will offer a fresh and innovative perspective around what engagement is going to look like in the future and how we can better engage with our communities, and tell our stories to build a sense of place.

• Andrew Little, Leader of the Opposition, will discuss the importance of regional New Zealand and local government to the wider economy, and the challenges we will face as the future of work changes.

• Lawrence Yule, President of LGNZ and Jonathan Salter, Partner at Simpson Grierson will provide a fresh approach on resource management

• Lieutenant General Tim Keating, Chief of Defence Force will offer a personal perspective of what he believes makes for a successful leader.

• Jeb Brugmann, Founder of ICLEI, Local Governments for Sustainability and Managing Partner of The Next Practice will take an over-arching look at resilience and how we can build strong towns, cities and regions of the future.

• Sir Mark Solomon, Kaiwhakahaere of Ngai Tahu will discuss the value achieved when councils build strong local partnerships within their towns, cities and regions. In particular, Sir Mark will discuss his view on the significance of relationships between iwi and local government.

7. The programme also includes six Master Class sessions:

• Customer-centric services and innovative engagement - how community leaders can be intentional about creating a more emotionally engaging place

• Special economic zones – what are they and can they help regional New Zealand?

• Collaborative processes and decision-making

• Resilient towns, cities and regions – creating places for the future

• Risk management and infrastructure.

8. Local boards should consider the relevance of the programme when deciding on conference attendance, with the expectation that no local board will approve more than one member to attend the conference.

Annual General Meeting

9. The AGM takes place on the first day of the conference. Auckland Council is entitled to have four delegates to the AGM, one of whom is the presiding (or voting) delegate. The four official delegates are likely to be the Mayor (or his nominee), the Deputy Mayor, Councillor Penny Webster (as Chair of Zone 1) and the Chief Executive (or his nominee).

10. The Mayor is a member of the LGNZ National Council, the Deputy Mayor is the Mayor’s alternate for this position, Cr Webster is the Chair of LGNZ Zone One and a member of LGNZ National Council. The Governing Body will consider an item on AGM attendance at their meeting on 31 March 2016.

11. LGNZ request that local board members who wish to attend the AGM, register their intention prior to the AGM.

Costs

12. The Local Board Services Department budget will cover the costs of one member per local board to attend the conference.

13. Registration fees are $1410.00 including GST before 1 June 2016 and $1510.00 including GST after that. Full conference registration includes:

· Attendance at conference business sessions (Sunday-Tuesday)

· Satchel and contents

· Daily catering

· Simpson Grierson welcome cocktail function

· Fulton Hogan conference dinner and EXCELLENCE Awards function

· Closing lunch and refreshments.

14. The council hosted tours on Sunday 24 July 2016 are not included in the conference price. Local board members are welcome to attend these at their own cost.

15. Additional costs are approximately $155 per night accommodation, plus travel. Local Board Services will be co-ordinating and booking all registrations and accommodation and investigating cost effective travel.

Consideration

Local Board Views

16. This is a report to the 21 local boards.

Maori Impact Statement

17. The Local Government NZ conference will better inform local boards and thereby support their decision making for their communities including Maori.

Implementation Issues

18. There are no implementation issues associated with the recommendations in this report.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	LGNZ 2016 conference and master class programme	35

Signatories

Author

Polly Kenrick, Business Process Manager, Local Board Services

Authoriser

Anna Bray, Policy and Planning Manager Local Board Services

Karen Lyons, Manager Local Board Services

Howick Local Board

14 March 2016

Local government elections - order of names on voting documents

File No.: CP2016/03997

Purpose

1. To provide feedback to the governing body on how names should be arranged on the voting documents for the Auckland Council 2016 election.

Executive Summary

2. The Local Electoral Regulations 2001 provide a local authority the opportunity to decide by resolution whether the names on voting documents are arranged in:

(i) alphabetical order of surname

(ii) pseudo-random order

(iii) random order.

3. Pseudo-random order means an arrangement where names are listed in a random order and the same random order is used on every voting document.

4. Random order means an arrangement where names are listed in a random order and a different random order is used on every voting document.

5. In 2013 the council resolved for names to be arranged in alphabetical order of surname. A key consideration was the extra cost of using one of the random order options. The electoral officer has advised that it is now possible to use a true random arrangement with minimal additional cost.

6. Staff recommend that the current approach of alphabetical printing is retained for the 2016 council elections, as the benefits to the voter noted above, outweigh any perception of a name order bias problem that analysis of the 2013 results show does not exist.

Recommendation/s

That the Howick Local Board:

a) Recommends to the governing body that candidate names on voting documents should be arranged in:

(choose one only)

EITHER: alphabetical order of surname

OR: pseudo-random order

OR: random order.

Comments

Background

7. The Local Electoral Regulations 2001, clause 31 states:

(1) The names under which each candidate is seeking election may be arranged on the voting document in alphabetical order of surname, pseudo-random order, or random order.

(2) Before the electoral officer gives further public notice under section 65(1) of the Act, a local authority may determine, by a resolution, which order, as set out in subclause (1), the candidates' names are to be arranged on the voting document.

(3) If there is no applicable resolution, the candidates' names must be arranged in alphabetical order of surname.

(4) If a local authority has determined that pseudo-random order is to be used, the electoral officer must state, in the notice given under section 65(1) of the Act, the date, time, and place at which the order of the candidates' names will be arranged and any person is entitled to attend.

(5) In this regulation,—

pseudo-random order means an arrangement where—

(a) the order of the names of the candidates is determined randomly; and

(b) all voting documents use that order

random order means an arrangement where the order of the names of the candidates is determined randomly or nearly randomly for each voting document by, for example, the process used to print each voting document.

2013 elections

8. In 2013 the council resolved to use the alphabetical order. A key consideration was that there would be an additional cost of $100,000 if council chose the random order. The electoral officer has advised that due to changes in printing technology, it is now possible to use the random order with minimal additional cost.

9. All the metropolitan councils apart from Auckland Council used random order printing for their 2013 local authority elections..

10. Of the District Health Boards that were elected in conjunction with the 2013 council elections, the Counties Manukau District Health Board chose the random order. Auckland and Waitemata District Health Boards chose alphabetical.

11. Of the Licensing Trusts that were elected in conjunction with the 2013 council elections, all chose alphabetical except for the Wiri Licensing Trust which chose pseudo-random order.

Options for 2016

Pseudo-random order and random order printing

12. The advantage of random order printing is it removes the perception of name order bias, but the pseudo-random order of names simply substitutes a different order for an alphabetical order and any perceived first-name bias will transfer to the name at the top of the pseudo randomised list. The only effective alternative to alphabetical order is random order.

13. A disadvantage to both the random printing options is it may be confusing for the voter as it is not possible for the supporting documents such as the directory of candidate profile statements to follow the order of a random voting paper.

Alphabetical order

14. The advantage of the alphabetical order printing is that it is familiar; it is easier to use and understand. When there are a large number of candidates competing for a position it is easier for a voter to find the candidate the voter wishes to support if names are listed alphabetically.

15. It is also easier for a voter if the order of names on the voting documents follows the order of names in the directory of candidate profile statements accompanying the voting document. The directory is listed in alphabetical order. It is not possible to print it in such a way that each copy aligns with the random order of names on the accompanying voting documents.

16. The disadvantage of this alphabetical printing is that there is some documented evidence, mainly from overseas, of voter bias to those at the top of a voting list.

17. An analysis of the council’s 2013 election results is contained in Attachment A. It shows that any bias to those at the top of the voting lists is very small. The analysis looked at:

· impact on vote share. (Did the candidate at the top of the list receive more votes than might be expected)?

· impact on election outcome (did being at the top of list result in the candidate being elected more often than might be expected?).

18. The analysis showed that, for local boards, being listed first increased a candidate’s vote share by approximately 1 percentage point above that which would be expected statistically if voting was random. There was no detectable impact of being listed first on the share of votes received in ward elections.

19. Therefore for the 2013 council election results, there was no detectable impact of being listed first on whether a candidate was elected or not. In fact there were slightly fewer candidates at the top of lists elected to positions (29) than might be expected statistically if voting was random (31). Similarly, there was no meaningful impact of having a surname earlier in the alphabet on election outcomes.

20. Given there is no compelling evidence of first name bias for the council’s own 2013 results, staff recommend that the current approach of alphabetical printing is retained for the 2016 council elections, as the benefits to the voter noted above, outweigh any perception of a name order bias problem that analysis of the 2013 results show does not exist.

Consideration

Local board views and implications

21. Feedback from local boards will be reported to the governing body when the governing body is asked to determine the matter by resolution.

Maori impact statement

22. The order of names on voting documents does not specifically impact on the Māori community. It is noted that candidates are able to provide their profile statements both in English and Māori.

Implementation

23. There are no implementation issues as a result of this report.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Order of candidate names on voting documents	43

Signatories

Authors

Warwick McNaughton - Principal Advisor - Democracy Services

Authorisers

Marguerite Delbet - Manager Democracy Services

Angeline Barlow - Relationship Manager

Chairperson	David Collings
Deputy Chairperson	Adele White
Members	Garry Boles
	Katrina Bungard
	Jim Donald
	Lucy Schwaner
	John Spiller
	Steve Udy
	Bob Wichman

Authors	Various authors
Authorisers	Paul Robinson, ATEED Local Economic Growth Manager