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Resolution number MT/2016/39
MOVED
by Member J Bartley, seconded by Chairperson SD Randall:
That the Maungakiekie-Tāmaki
Local Board:
a)
welcomes the opportunity
to submit on the Draft Business Improvement Districts (BID) Policy 2016 and
supports the greater emphasis on collaboration between BIDs and local boards
in achieving local economic development outcomes, noting that:
i) there is no clear evidence of any
consideration of Local Board Plans at a local level within this policy;
ii) BID Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
should be meaningful and measurable, and should be aligned to the BIDs’
planning documents and should take into account the need to increase economic
prosperity for their members and their members’ business communities;
iii) the local board is concerned that this
policy places the onus on Local Boards to engage with BIDs in Local Board Plan
development rather than having an expectation that BIDs will engage with the
Local Board to participate in the Local Board Plan development process and
ensure alignment with Local Board Plan priorities;
iv) with regard to the list of possible BID
programmes initiative areas (p.18 of the draft policy) the local board notes
that BIDs could participate in these types of initiatives at various levels
and would not necessarily be a leader in all these spaces – noting in
particular that council or the Local Board would need to be the leader in
many cases with the BID as a partner or participant;
b)
is pleased to note that
changes have been made to the revised draft policy following its strong
feedback regarding the roles and responsibilities of local board members, in
particular the board’s representative on a BID. However the board also notes
that:
i)
there are a number of
ways by which local boards can inform BIDs about board activities, and this
does not need to be the sole responsibility of the local board representative;
ii)
there is need for greater
clarity of the roles and responsibilities of the local board in
disestablishments and amalgamations of BID programmes;
iii)
the policy should give
specific guidance around the relationship of local ward councillors with BIDs
including the attendance of governing body members at BID meetings;
iv)
much of the detail about
the roles and responsibilities of local board members sits in the operational
guidelines or their appendices, and this information should be contained in
the policy as this is the appropriate document to provide guidance to
governance;
v)
the local board is
pleased to note that Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) can still be
established under the new policy although this will not be a requirement;
c)
supports the proposed
accountability measures for BIDs, including the requirements for planning
documents and audited financial accounts, but notes its concerns that:
i)
there is no particular
requirement for planning documents to demonstrate alignment with local board
plan priorities, which should be at least encouraged;
ii)
support the proposal
requiring auditing of financial accounts annually for BID programmes with
target rate income of $100,000 per annum, and every two financial years for
BID programmes whose target rate income is less than $100,000 per annum.
iii)
table 5 (p.30 of the
draft policy) incorrectly implies that local boards are not part of Auckland
Council. The local board believes that disputes should all be included in one
section, and it is not appropriate to refer to disputes between the local
boards and governing body as this is a political matter;
iv)
the local board supports
the availability of a diverse range of sanctions and other tools for dispute
resolution;
v)
the local board supports
the requirement for BIDs to present to local board business meetings once a
year following their Annual General Meeting but sees this primarily as a tool
to ensure accountability to the public and believes that this should occur in
parallel with other mechanisms whereby the BID and local board can work
together to ensure strategic alignment;
vi)
the board strongly
supports the requirement for staff to report annually to the local board on
the BIDs’ progress relative to the policy. This reporting should include
detailed advice and support to the local board by staff. The board further
notes that this would assist in ensuring public accountability, noting the
need to demonstrate that the targeted rates collected to fund BID programmes
are being spent as intended;
d)
supports the option for direct
interim management of a BID programme by Auckland Council in exceptional
circumstances.
CARRIED
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