Agenda of Whau Local Board

1 Welcome

Whakataka te hau ki te uru Cease the winds from the west

Whakataka te hau ki te tonga Cease the winds from the south

kia mäkinakina ki uta Let the breeze blow over the land

kia mätaratara ki tai Let the breeze blow over the ocean

E hï ake ana te atakura Let the red-tipped dawn come with a sharpened air

He tio, he huka, he hau hü A touch of frost, a promise of glorious day

Tihei Mauri Ora Let there be life

2 Apologies

At the close of the agenda no apologies had been received.

3 Declaration of Interest

Members were reminded of the need to be vigilant to stand aside from decision making when a conflict arises between their role as a member and any private or other external interest they might have.

Specifically members are asked to identify any new interests they have not previously disclosed, an interest that might be considered as a conflict of interest with a matter on the agenda.

Members declared conflict of interests as below.

Register:

Board Member	Organisation / Position
Catherine Farmer	· Avondale-Waterview Historical Society – Committee Member · Blockhouse Bay Historical Society – Member · Portage Licensing Trust – Trustee · Blockhouse Bay Bowls - Patron
Susan Zhu	· Chinese Oral History Foundation – Committee member · The Chinese Garden Steering Committee of Auckland – Board Member
Derek Battersby	· Whau Coastal Walkway Environmental Trust –Trustee · New Lynn Tennis Club – Patron · West Lynn Gardens – Patron · Tag Out Trust – Chairman
Ami Chand	· Kelston Community Trust – Trustee · Portage Licensing Trust – Deputy Chair · Rupa Aur Aap Trust – Trustee · Kelston Community Hub – Chair · Community Organisation Grants Scheme (COGS) Waitakere City Local Distribution Committee– Committee Member
Duncan Macdonald	· Avondale Business Association – Chairman · Avondale Community Society – Chairman · Avondale RSA – Committee Member · Historical Society - Member · Avondale Jockey Club – Member
Ruby Manukia-Schaumkel	· Wesley College - Trustee · Kelston Girls College – Trustee · Problem Gambling Foundation – Board Member
Simon Matafai	· International Pacific Council – President · United for Education and Sustainable Futures – Ambassador · Global Youth Music Committee – Ambassador · Helping Youth Pursue Emancipation – Ambassador · Auckland City Peace Ambassador

4 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Whau Local Board:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Wednesday, 20 April 2016, as a true and correct record.

5 Leave of Absence

At the close of the agenda no requests for leave of absence had been received.

6 Acknowledgements

At the close of the agenda no requests for acknowledgements had been received.

7 Ward Councillor’s Update

An opportunity is provided for the Whau Ward Councillor to update the board on regional issues he has been involved with since the last meeting.

8 Deputations

At the close of the agenda no requests for deputations had been received.

9 Public Forum

9.1 Waitakere Japanese Supplementary School Charitable Trust

Purpose

1. To thank the Whau Local Board for its support and request for continues support from the board.

Executive Summary

2. The board approved a grant of $250 at its November 2015 meeting for the after-school programme (term one and two 2016) run by the Waitakere Japanese Supplementary School Charitable Trust (WJSS).

Recommendation

That the Whau Local Board:

a) thank the Waitakere Japanese Supplementary School Charitable Trust (WJSS) for their presentation.

10 Extraordinary Business

Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at that meeting if-

(a) The local authority by resolution so decides; and

(b) The presiding member explains at the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public,-

(i) The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and

(ii) The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.”

Section 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,-

(a) That item may be discussed at that meeting if-

(i) That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the local authority; and

(ii) the presiding member explains at the beginning of the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public, that the item will be discussed at the meeting; but

(b) no resolution, decision or recommendation may be made in respect of that item except to refer that item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.”

11 Notices of Motion

At the close of the agenda no requests for notices of motion had been received.

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Auckland Transport Update - May 2016 – Whau Local Board

File No.: CP2016/09220

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to respond to requests from the Whau Local Board on transport-related matters, inform the board on the current status of the local board’s Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF), facilitate decisions on proposed and current LBTCF projects and to provide information to elected members about Auckland Transport (AT) activities.

Executive Summary

2. This report covers matters of specific application and interest to the Whau 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 local board and community.

3. In particular, this report provides an update on;

· Local Board Transport Fund

· Local Consultations

· Consultation responses and planned works

· Customer services enquires

Recommendation

That the Whau Local Board:

a) receive the Auckland Transport Update Report May 2016.

Comments

Monthly Overview

4. One monthly portfolio holder catch-up meeting was held in April 2016. At the portfolio holder meeting held on 13 April 2016 key discussions were around a review of outstanding customer requests.

5. A site meeting was held with board members in April to discuss the local board’s footpath renewals at the Bentleigh Ave/New Windsor Road shops. It was confirmed that the works programmed in the 2016/17 financial year do not include the area around the Bentleigh Ave/New Windsor Road shops, as per the local board’s previous direction when commenting on the footpath renewal priorities. In response to the concerns raised, Auckland Transport will undertake ongoing maintenance in the area as required.

6. A joint Auckland Transport and Auckland Council Parks, Sports and Recreation portfolio meeting was held on 27 April 2016, key discussions were regarding:

· Te Whau Pathway

· New Lynn to Avondale shared path’

· Holly to Heron link

· McWhirter to Busby Footbridge

· Portage – Clark St Common

· Greenways promotion.

Local Board Transport Fund

7. The Whau Local Board’s funding allocation under the LBTCF is currently $517,754 per annum. The local board has fully allocated their Local Board Transport Capital Fund of $2,071,016 up to June 2016.

8. The Board’s current LBTCF projects are included in the tables below.

Whau Local Board Transport Capital Fund Financial Summary
Total Funds Available in current political term (Four years including 2012-13)	$ 2,071,016
Spent to Date on Completed Projects (including money spent on cancelled projects)	$ -
Committed to date on projects approved for design and/or construction	$ 2,071,016	0%	Percentage of these committments spent to date.
Total of Projects assessed to a Rough Order of Cost (ROC) stage but not approved by the LB.	$ -
Funds available from the next political term (2016-17)	$ 517,754	This is the full 2016-17 Whau LBTCF budget.

ID#

Project Description

Progress/Current Status

286

Cycleway on Western Rail Network - Whau

Approved for construction 15/10/14.

Part of the rail corridor walkway/cycleway, the section now referred to as the ‘New Lynn to Avondale shared path’ is currently out for public consultation until 15 May 2016.

Commencement of physical works is subject to design changes resulting from consultation and iwi concerns over environmental impacts resulting in a move from a winter construction season to summer 2016/17.

467

McWhirter to Busby Footbridge

Local Board approved budget for preliminary works. Auckland Council - Parks, Sports and Recreation (PSR) to manage.

PSR advise that a consultant has been engaged to lead the concept.

Local consultation undertaken

9. Public consultation was or is currently being undertaken on the proposals listed in the table below. Whilst feedback was sought from the local board’s delegated portfolio holders, if the local board so wishes, it can choose to make its feedback through formal resolutions.

#	Proposal	Time frame
1	New Lynn to Avondale Shared Path	Auckland Transport is seeking feedback on a new walking and cycling route along the rail corridor between New Lynn and Avondale until 15 May 2016.The shared path will: · Start at Rankin Avenue in New Lynn and finish east of the Blockhouse Bay Road/Rosebank Road/Trent Street intersection in Avondale. Gaps in the existing shared path between Rankin Avenue and Portage Road will be filled with new sections of shared path. · Be 2.9 kilometres long. · Be mostly off-road within the rail corridor, with a section through Chalmers Reserve in Avondale. · Create a continuous shared path linking New Lynn Train Station, Avondale Train Station, Waterview Shared Path (currently under construction), the Northwestern cycleway and city centre networks. · Connect with the proposed Te Whau Pathway and other local walking and cycling routes. · Have access points at road crossings including Portage Road, Arran Street, St Georges Road, Chalmers Street, St Jude Street and Blockhouse Bay Road. · Cross the Whau River on a new purpose-built bridge (which will stand alongside the existing rail bridge). The Whau Local Board has provided significant funding for this bridge. · Be fenced off from the railway line and neighbouring properties. · Be well lit and designed to promote safety for users and neighbours of the path.
2	Proposed bus stops and bus shelters	Auckland Transport is consulting on the proposed bus stop upgrades and installations at two locations in the Whau Local Board area. The two locations are: · Opposite 14 & 20 Archibald Road - Proposed new bus stop and shelter installation · Opposite 44 & 48 Archibald Road - Proposed new bus stop and shelter installation Auckland Transport is also consulting on the proposed bus stop upgrades and installations at the three locations on Hepburn Road located on the boundary between the Whau Local Board area and the Henderson-Massey Local Board area. The three locations are: · 108 & 107A Hepburn Road - Proposed bus stop relocation and bus stop upgrades · 142 & 155 Hepburn Road - Proposed bus stop upgrades · 71 & 84 Hepburn Road - Proposed new bus stop and bus stop upgrades The local board supports the proposal.
3	McCrae Way and Great North Road Intersection Improvements	Auckland Transport’s Network Optimisation Programme is intended to improve efficiency and address safety concerns for all road users. This programme’s objective directly aligns with Auckland Council’s vision of making Auckland one of the world’s most liveable cities. As part of this programme, Auckland Transport is seeking feedback on a proposal to install intersection improvements at McCrae Way and Great North Road, New Lynn. Auckland Transport is proposing the following improvements: · Removing the signalised entry / exit for the right of way. Drivers accessing the right of way will give way to all pedestrians and vehicles upon entry and exit. · A video detection unit will be installed facing the right of way. This will call a special all-red phase to stop traffic and pedestrians phase to allow the drivers waiting at the right of way to exit. · Installing a rubber speed hump at the right of way in line with the building frontage. · Changing the traffic signal phasing to include a pedestrian exclusive phase. This allows pedestrians waiting at the intersection to cross altogether. · Removing all traffic signals and road markings related to the right of way, as well as the pedestrian light and call buttons across the right of way. The local board supports the proposal.
4	Astley Avenue, New Lynn – Proposed ‘No Stopping At All Times’ (NSAAT) Lines	Auckland Transport is concerned about accessibility and safety issues experienced in the vicinity of the pedestrian refuge island located outside no. 60 Astley Avenue in New Lynn. This pedestrian refuge island was installed recently to improve pedestrian connectivity and safety on Astley Avenue. As part of this project a ‘No Stopping At All Times’ (NSAAT) restriction was provided in the vicinity of the pedestrian refuge island to ensure that sufficient visibility is provided to the pedestrians, as well as to the approaching drivers. The existing NSAAT restriction on the southern side of Astley Avenue is provided between the driveways of properties no. 58 and no. 62 on Astley Avenue. However, site observations indicate that parked vehicles outside no. 58 Astley Avenue restrict the inter-visibility between pedestrians crossing at this facility and on-coming drivers. In addition, it was also identified that these parked vehicles also cause accessibility issues for westbound drivers, as there is limited space available between the parked vehicles and the hatched marking at the centre of the road. A safety issue has also been identified for cyclists as the narrow lane width caused by parked vehicles creates a ‘pinch point’ for cyclists at this location. Therefore, to improve safety for all road users, Auckland Transport proposes to extend the existing NSAAT restriction up to the driveway of no. 56 Astley Avenue. The local board supports the proposal.
5	Mary Dreaver Street and Mulgan Street – Intersection Improvements	Auckland Transport is seeking feedback on a proposal to make several minor improvements to the intersection of Mary Dreaver Street and Mulgan Street. In May 2015, as part of the Tiverton-Wolverton Alternative Cycle Route project, Auckland Transport sought public feedback on a proposal to improve pedestrian and cycle facilities at this intersection. That proposal did not advance to construction, however, investigations for improvements were ongoing. What are the proposed changes? Auckland Transport is proposing to make the following improvements: · Installing a new splitter island with a pedestrian cut-through, and a new side island. · Installing NSAAT (No Stopping at All Times) restrictions outside No. 63, 65, 67 and 74 Mulgan Street, as well as no. 65 Mary Dreaver Street. · Installing new flush medians and new pram crossings. · Relocating the ‘Stop’ line on west-bound Mulgan Street. · Reconstructing the kerb along the south-eastern corner of the intersection. The local board supports the proposal.
6	Powell Street, Avondale – No Stopping At All Times restriction	Auckland Transport is seeking feedback on the proposal to implement a ‘No Stopping At All Times’ (NSAAT) restriction (through installation of new broken yellow lines) on Powell Street in Avondale. What are the proposed changes? Auckland Transport is proposing: · Broken yellow lines on the northern side of Powell Street, in the section from property No. 28 to property No.40 on Powell Street; · Broken yellow lines on the southern side of Powell Street, in the section from property No. 51 to property No.55 on Powell Street; · Broken yellow lines between driveways of properties No. 24 and No. 24A on Powell Street; and · Broken yellow lines between driveways of properties No.31 and No. 35 on Powell Street. The local board supports the proposal.
7	Bolton Street Pedestrian Safety Improvements	Auckland Transport is seeking feedback on a proposal to improve road safety, in particular pedestrian safety, at the two zebra crossings on Bolton Street. Auckland Transport is proposing the following improvements: · Upgrade the existing zebra crossings outside Blockhouse Bay Intermediate School and St Dominic’s School by having a raised zebra crossing at these locations. · Installing a parking edge-line along the length of Bolton Street (between Terry Street and Kay Drive) to improve overall road safety by providing a traffic lane and parking space on the road. · New broken yellow lines (No Stopping At All Times) near to house numbers 19, 69, 72 and 107, to provide space for the buses to enter and exit the stops. The outline for the existing bus stops will also be marked. The local board supports the proposal.

Consultation responses and planned works

10. Consultation responses distributed during April 2016 and physical works undertaken or planned in the Whau Local Board area are listed in the table below.

Proposal

Time frame

Kinross Street – Zebra Crossing Improvements

In December 2015, Auckland Transport advised residents of the decision to improve the pedestrian crossing facilities on Kinross Street, in the vicinity of the Blockhouse Bay Road roundabout.

The proposed improvements were originally planned for construction during the 2015/16 financial year.

That proposal has not yet started.

Reminder of the proposed improvements

Auckland Transport proposed to relocate the existing zebra crossing and ‘Stop’ line on westbound Kinross Street. Currently, the zebra crossings are staggered. The proposed relocation would form a straight through crossing across Kinross Street.

Next Steps

The proposal is now planned for construction during the 2016/17 financial year, and Auckland Transport expect to introduce the work by December 2016, subject to any further changes in design or funding issues.

Contractors will issue 48-hour notice to all affected residents prior to construction work.

Customer service enquiries

11. During April, a total of 481 customer service enquires were made to Auckland Transport’s contact centre in regards to issues within the Whau Local Board area. Of which, 329 have been resolved, 132 remain active and are still in progress and 20 were either duplicates or cancelled later.

12. Powell Street Avondale. The recent street damage occurring in Powell Street appeared in conjunction with activity related to a major private redevelopment of approximately 36 residential units at No. 27 Powell Street under Building and Land Use consents.

13. Auckland Transport has not yet received a request for a street damage inspection for the consent condition sign off of this development. Stormwater and other construction work within the road corridor is directly related to this consent and is being monitored.

14. Auckland Transport has inspected the extent of the reported road damage due to this development and also consulted with the developer. There is extensive damage to the road as a result of this consented activity, however the developer has used the road legally and not caused any deliberate damage due to misuse or illegal/unconsented activity. The road therefore has not withstood this activity and needs to be repaired. This now requires urgent consideration by Auckland Transport to undertake permanent repairs.

15. Some urgent patch repair work has already been undertaken by Auckland Transport. The local board will be kept advised when a date for the permanent repairs is confirmed.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

16. This report is for the local board’s information and action as required.

Māori impact statement

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

Implementation

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

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author

Anthony Lewis – Elected Member Relationship Manager , Auckland Transport

Authorisers

Jonathan Anyon - Elected Member Relationship Team Manager, Auckland Transport

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Auckland Transport Quarterly Update to Local Boards (for the quarter - 1 January – 31 March 2016)

File No.: CP2016/09249

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to inform local boards about progress on activities undertaken by Auckland Transport (AT) in the three months 1 January – 31 March 2016.

Attachments include:

A – Auckland Transport activities

B – Travelwise Schools activities

C – Decisions of the Traffic Control Committee

D – Report against local board advocacy issues.

Recommendation

That the Whau Local Board:

a) receive Auckland Transport quarterly update to local boards (for the quarter 1 January – 31 March 2016).

Comments

Significant activities during the period under review

Strategy and Planning

Transport for Future Urban Growth (TFUG)

2. Under the new business case approach, AT has received approved funding to develop growth related Programme Business Cases (PBCs) to identify the transport infrastructure needed within the next 30 years for the following growth areas identified in Auckland Council's Future Urban Land Supply Strategy: Northwest, Southern, Northern and Warkworth.

3. A multi-disciplinary and cross organisational team has been established on these four growth areas and is currently working from a co-located space. Councillors, local boards, iwi, developers and other stakeholders have been informed and public consultation has taken place. Sequencing Workshops were scheduled for 22-23 March and the second round of public consultation scheduled from 15 April.

Central Access Strategy

4. A Programme Business Case for the Central Access Plan (Isthmus to City Centre) is jointly being developed with New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) and Auckland Council. It is anticipated that a preferred programme which identifies a series of interventions to resolve growing bus patronage demands against corridor/terminus capacity constraints will be provided to the NZTA Board in May for their approval.

Public Transport (PT) Development

City Rail Link

5. Enabling Works ECI Contract 2, construction of pipe jack (services relocation) commenced (Albert Street) 21 December 2015; Enabling Works Contract 1, Britomart to Lower Albert Street and Contract 2, Lower Albert Street to Wyndham Street, to commence in May 2016. Main Works: Construction start 2018/19 FY subject to funding agreement with Government.

Double Decker Network Mitigation works

6. Mitigation works on identified risks for Double decker buses such as building verandas, street furniture, signage, low hanging power/phone lines, service poles, overhanging trees, and low bridge structures to allow the safe passage of double decker buses. Botany route is cleared for double decker bus with some minor works on defects list to be completed. Mt Eden and Northern Express bus routes to be cleared in March 2016.

PT Safety, Security and Amenity

7. An evaluation is underway of the benefits of installing ticket barriers at selected stations on the network to improve safety and security. Current projects include completion of Ellerslie Station canopies, upgrade to Morningside Level Crossing and electronic gating at Manurewa Station. Onboard train digital information screens will commence testing in April.

PT Facilities Infrastructure Development

Wharf Renewals

8. Design is currently underway on a number of urgent wharf renewal project requests received from AT Metro (25th Feb). These are targeted to be completed by 30 June 2016. AT is on track to deliver these.

Bus Infrastructure Improvements

9. AT is still on target to spend the $4.7m budget. A significant number of physical works will be undertaken over May and June.

PT Operations

Highlights for the quarter

10. Rail patronage growth continues at around 20% year-on-year, and the month of March saw more than 1.6 million passenger journeys on the network, the highest month on record. Service delivery has maintained levels of around 95% of services arriving at the destinations on-time. The new operator tender process has been placed on hold, with the current contract with Transdev being conditionally extended for a period of up to 12-24 months, while the impacts on the rail services contract of long term projects such as CRL are assessed.

Integrated Fares

11. The 28 February 2016 annual AT Metro fare review included final fare zone boundary alignment between bus and rail prior to mid-2016 integrated fares implementation, including alignment at Orakei of two zone rail from the CBD with the existing two zone bus and removal of the inner CBD and airport mini-zones. An independent review of the proposed integrated fares product structure and price modelling by Deloitte is nearing completion and will support a final recommendation to the AT Board in April.

Road Design and Development

SMART (Southwest Multi-modal Airport Rapid Transit)

12. Future proofing of the SMART route on Kirkbride (trench) intersection is progressing together with the infrastructure works by Highway Network Operations of NZTA. This element of the project is expected to be complete in 2022. A funding application is in progress with NZTA and the team is working with the East West team to ensure the projects are well aligned at the critical points. The indicative business case is being updated for light and heavy rail. The cycle strategy for the wider Mangere area is underway.

Services

Whangaparaoa Road Dynamic Lane Trial

13. In the last quarter, designs for the trial along Whangaparaoa Road (between Red Beach Road and Hibiscus Coast Highway) have been assessed. A driver behaviour survey was undertaken, to understand perceptions of the trial and responses to a simplified scheme using just Light Emitting Diode (LED) in road markings. The purpose of this was to test reactions and guide design requirements for signage and LED requirements. The survey illustrated 21 scenarios with different markings and LED lights along the route (i.e. no signage or overhead lane control arrows were assumed).

14. The outcome of the survey showed the following:

Positives recognised:

· Improves traffic flow

· Flexible traffic control

· Better use of road space

· Increases road capacity

Concerns raised:

· Confusing

· Accident risk

· Unclear (lane direction) – Need clear signage

· Need to educate

15. Understanding gained from the driver perception survey and traffic condition surveys will be applied to the design before consultation is undertaken.

Auckland Bike Challenge

16. The Auckland Bike Challenge was undertaken in February encouraging businesses and workplaces to support staff to cycle. The month-long online challenge has had a significant success in encouraging greater uptake of cycling in Auckland. It has been well supported by key stakeholders including Healthy Auckland Together, Auckland Regional Public Health, the Sustainable Business Network and Bike Auckland. A total of 166 workplaces took part, and over 2,860 people registering to ride a bike in February including 600 new cyclists. A total of 23,111 trips were logged amounting to over 329,374 km travelled by bike.

Personalised Journey Planning for commuters

17. Three Personalised Journey Planning (PJP) projects are underway in Kingsland/ Morningside, Hauraki/Belmont and Stonefields residential areas. These are key areas for commuters to the city centre and reflect congested corridors on the network. Residents in each area who currently drive alone in peak times were offered personalised journey planning advice on other suitable modes of transport, and those that commit to trialling a new option are provided with supporting incentives. The goal of these projects is to encourage residents to make a long-term change, supporting modal share changes and reducing morning peak congestion.

Safer Communities

18. The Safer Communities programme is now underway with the Community and Road Safety team working more intensively in high risk communities to increase safe access to active and sustainable transport modes. The Community Transport team has delivered two safer Communities workshops for lead teacher and school management. These workshops were designed to provide information on the new delivery model for high risk communities and were very successful with 21 school attending. This was followed by two lead teacher workshops for the schools outside of the high risk communities.

Walking School Bus – Walking School Bus Week 15-19 February

19. Pedestrian safety is a high priority in the Auckland Region with an upward trend in Deaths and Serious Injuries (DSI) over the past five years. The Walking School Bus (WSB) Programme has an important role in improving pedestrian safety around schools while also reducing morning peak congestion. The Community and Road Safety team developed and delivered the first regional WSBs promotion week for primary schools across the Auckland region. The key objective was to raise awareness of the benefits of the programme and seek more participation from parents and students, as well as highlighting the road safety benefits the programme brings.

20. Currently, 154 schools in Auckland have WSBs (out of 345 total schools in Auckland with primary aged students) with over 4000 children on WSB routes and more than 1000 volunteers. During WSB Week, more than 4900 students registered to participate in themed days across the week. AMI Insurance sponsored Thursday’s ‘Be Bright Be Seen’ theme day with guest walkers including Jerome Kaino and Police dogs, who walked with WSBs across the region. WSB Week was a great success with positive media promotion including interviews on Radio Live, Stuff.co.nz, and articles in local papers.

Road Corridor Delivery (RCD)

21. The Assets and Maintenance Group is tasked with the responsibility for a wide range of activities within the Road Corridor. These include but are not limited to:

· The Delivery of roading and streetlight maintenance and renewal programmes

· Managing the access, co-ordination and traffic management impacts of activities taking place within the road corridor

· Promoting design innovation and efficiency around how work is carried out on the network

· The development of long term asset management plans and modelling which support the decision making process around the management of our roading assets.

RCD Key Highlights

22. In the 2015/2016 financial year, AT is planning to deliver 37.7 km of pavement rehabilitation, 480.1 km of resurfacing (including 88.9 km of hotmix and 391.2 km of chip seal), 75.7 km of footpath renewals and 82.7 km of kerb and channel replacement.

Table 1: Progress against Asset Renewal Targets

Note* data is to February 2016

23. The team is 81% of the way through its Pavement Rehabilitation projects. Table 2 following outlines where key projects have been completed.

Table 2: Completed Rehabilitation Projects

24. The following table outlines the key priojects which are currently underway and are due for completion in Quarter 4.

Table 3: Rehabilitation Projects still underway

25. Year 5 (2015/16) of the UFB rollout is continuing and planning for Year 6 (2016/17) has already commenced.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Schedule of activities undertaken for the third quarter (2015/16) ending 31 March 2016	29
b View	Travelwise Schools activities broken down by local board	39
c View	Traffic Control Committee Decisions broken down by local board	41
d View	Local Board Advocacy Report	43

Signatories

Authors

Various Auckland Transport authors

Authorisers

Jonathan Anyon, Elected Member Relationship Team Manager, Auckland Transport

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Whau Local Board Quick Response Grants: Round Four 2015/2016

File No.: CP2016/04136

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to present applications received for round four of the Whau Local Board Quick Response Grants 2015/2016. The local board is required to fund, part-fund or decline these applications.

Executive Summary

2. The Whau Local Board has set a total community funding budget of $190,000 for the 2015/2016 financial year.

3. A total of $142,323.76 was allocated in previous grant rounds, leaving a remaining balance of $47,676.24 remaining to allocate for the 2015/2016 financial year.

4. Thirteen applications were received for this quick response round, requesting a total of $24,372.09

Recommendation

That the Whau Local Board:

a) consider the applications listed in Table One and agree to fund, part-fund or decline each application in this round.

Table One: Whau Local Board Round Four Quick Response Applications

App Number	Main Focus	Organisation Name	Project	Total Requested
QR1621-431	Arts and Culture	Saintz Up Performing Arts Trust	Towards the Saintz Up Performing Arts Trust - (drama/dance/music/vocals)	$2,000
QR1621-401	Community	New Lynn, Kelston Community Patrol	Towards New Lynn, Kelston Community Patrol costs	$1,924.50
QR1621-405	Community	Generation Ignite	Towards the community food bank costs	$1,423
QR1621-412	Community	Bangla School Charitable Trust	To provide a 'light and healthy snack' to the students and teachers of the Bangla school.	$900
QR1621-424	Community	Koloa Misiloi	Towards the Tongan homework centre costs	$940
QR1621-428	Community	RNZPS Waitemata Area Society Inc.	Towards delivery of the First Aid courses	$2,000
QR1621-429	Community	Pacific Events and Entertainment Trust	Towards delivery of the 50a Community Fale	$2,000
QR1621-415	Community	New Zealand Jain Sangh Trust	Towards the community centre rent	$2,000
QR1621-426	Community	Island Security and Watchman	Towards the Community safety awareness project	$2,000
QR1621-430	Events	Kelston Community Parents Group	Towards the “Celebrating Family (parents and children) Week”	$2,000
QR1621-402	Events	Church of the Saviour	Towards the holiday programme delivery	$1,500
QR1621-408	Events	Green Bay Community House	Towards the Green Bay Street Food Community Restaurant	$684.59
QR1621-423	Historic and Heritage	New Lynn Protection Society Inc.	Towards the development of a conservation plan for the St Andrews Sunday School Hall	$5,000
			Total	$24,372.09

Comments

5. The implementation of the new Community Grants Policy commenced on 1 July 2015. The policy supports each local board to adopt a grants programme for 2015/2016 and the Whau Local Board adopted its grants programme on 15 April 2015 (see Attachment A)

6. The local board grants programme sets out:

· local board priorities

· lower priorities for funding

· exclusions

· grant types, the number of grant rounds and when these will open and close

· any additional accountability requirements.

7. The Whau Local Board will operate five quick response rounds and two local grants rounds for this financial year. The fourth quick response round closed on 15 April 2016.

8. The new community grant programmes have been extensively advertised through the new council grant webpage, local board webpages, local board e-newsletters and Facebook pages, council publications, radio, local newspapers and community networks. Staff have also conducted a series of public workshops in local board areas, which have been attended by approximately 1000 people across the Auckland region.

9. The Whau Local Board set a total local community grants budget of $190,000 for the 2015/2016 financial year.

10. A total of $142,323.76 was allocated in previous grant rounds, leaving a remaining balance of $47,676.24 remaining to allocate for the 2015/2016 financial year.

11. Thirteen applications were received for this quick response round, requesting a total of $24,372.09

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

12. Local boards are responsible for the decision-making and allocation of local board community grants. The Whau local board is required to fund, part-fund or decline these grant applications against the local board priorities identified in the local board grant programme.

13. The board is requested to note that section 48 of the Community Grants Policy states “We will also provide feedback to unsuccessful grant applicants about why they have been declined, so they will know what they can do to increase their chances of success next time.”

Māori impact statement

14. The provision of community grants provides opportunities for all Aucklanders to undertake projects, programmes, activities that benefit a wider range of individuals and groups, including Maori. As a guide for decision-making, in the allocation of community grants, the new community grants policy supports the principle of delivering positive outcomes for Maori.

Implementation

15. The allocation of grants to community groups is within the adopted Long Term Plan 2015-2025 and local board agreements.

16. Following the Whau Local Board allocating funding for round four quick response, Commercial and Finance staff will notify the applicants of the local board decision.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Whau Local Board Community Grants Programme 2015/2016	49
b View	Whau Quick Response, Round Four application summaries 2015/2016	53

Signatories

Author

Fua Winterstein - Community Grants Advisor

Authorisers

Marion Davies - Community Grants Operations Manager

Jennifer Rose - Operations Support Manager

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Whau Local Board – Local Grants Programme 2016/2017

Our Local Grants Programme aims to provide contestable and discretionary community grants to local communities.

Outcomes sought from the local grants programme

Our grants programme will be targeted towards achieving the following outcomes, as outlined in our local board plan:

· Great local communities across the Whau

· Outstanding development in New Lynn, Avondale and along our main roads

· Stronger local businesses providing more and higher paid work

· A healthy Whau River and valued environment

· In the Whau, it’s 20 minutes by walking, cycling and public transport to everything we need

· Whau’s local arts, cultures and heritage are cherished

Our priorities for grants

The Whau Local Board welcomes grant applications that align with one of more of the following priorities and deliver initiatives and activities to achieve Whau Local Board plan.

Great local communities

· More and stronger local and ethnic community voices

· Increased participation in and understanding of our governance

· Stronger town and neighbourhood communities and community leadership

· Community led placemaking

· More food projects and people gardening communally

· Our young people have places to do things

· More community and civic participation by new migrants

Outstanding development

· Developing and communicating a shared vision for our centres

· More and better places to play

· More Aucklanders, more active more often

Stronger local businesses

· More businesses and industry collaboration and innovation

· Enable more creative industries and design programmes

Healthy Whau River and valued environment

· Everyone can learn about and participate in environmental activities

· Enable more community stewardship

· Weed removal and pest eradication

· More green corridors and local connections

· Promote the value of trees and their protection

· Encourage people to use less plastic bags

20 minutes by walking, cycling and public transport

· Better paths and links and more people out of cars

Whau’s local arts, cultures and heritage are cherished

· More locally organised events and arts activities

· Build on our design heritage

· More flourishing creative businesses

· Community initiatives so that key heritage features are preserved

· Our local stories are known by more people through information and art projects

Lower Priorities

We will consider applications for other services, projects, events and activities however these will be considered a lower priority. The Whau Local Board will consider administration and events which charge an admission fee as a lower priority.

The Whau Local Board will take into account the financial capacity and situation of an applicant and will give a lower priority to funding groups who have a cash surplus or have not considered other sources of funding for their project.

Investment approach

The Whau Local Board will allocate budget annually to support the local grants programme which will be divided into three approaches:

· Quick Response Grants: Minimum amount: $500, Maximum amount per grant: $2000

· Local Contestable Grants:

· Discretionary Grants:

Match funding

The Whau Local Board will prioritise grants with a strong “match funding” approach i.e. where groups can demonstrate significant community contribution in time, cash and/or in kind services. See Glossary for further information.

Application dates

Grant rounds will be as follows:

Quick Response

2016 / 2017 rounds	Opens	Closes	Decision made	Projects to occur after
Round one	1 July 2016	31 July 2016	7 September 2016	1 October 2016
Round two	10 October 2016	4 November 2016	December 2016	1 January 2017
Round three	13 March 2017	14 April 2017	May 2017	1 June 2017
Round four	3 April 2017	28 April 2017	June 2017	1 July 2017

Local Grants

2016 / 17 rounds	Opens	Closes	Decision made	Projects to occur after
Round one	20 June 2016	22 July 2016	7 September 2016	1 October 2016
Round two	27 March 2017	28 April 2017	June 2017	1 July 2017

Multi-board funding

We will work with the neighbouring local boards to deliver multi-board funding.

Accountability measures

In addition to the measures in the community grants policy the Whau Local Board requests that all successful applicants as far as possible provide photographs of the activity funded.

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

New Lynn Night Market Update

File No.: CP2016/04751

Purpose

1. To provide the Whau Local Board with information and options to consider with regards to the future operating model of the New Lynn Night Market and for the local board to provide direction to staff.

Executive Summary

2. The New Lynn Night Market is currently delivered by Auckland Council. It was initiated to activate the New Lynn town centre with family-friendly, affordable, accessible and regular activities that celebrate the Whau’s culturally rich and creative communities.

3. The night market has been operating for three years from the New Lynn Community Centre and the shared space beside. The Whau local board currently invests $36,000 in the market, to fund a part-time coordinator and waste management.

4. Auckland Council has adopted an empowered communities approach, led by the newly created Community Empowerment Unit. One shift in the new approach enable community-led initiatives rather than delivering community development programmes directly. The unit helps build capacity for the community to do things for themselves.

5. Staff have considered options to transition the market to a community-led model while retaining the aspects that make it successful. These options were discussed with the local board at a workshop in April 2016.

6. Staff recommend the night market is transitioned from being delivered by council to being operated by the community and request additional funding of $14,000 to support this. If granted, the total funding of $50,000 would be split:

· $35,000 for core operational costs, and

· $15,000 for waste management.

7. The Arts, Community and Events work programme will be presented in June for the local board’s consideration and approval. This will include proposed funding for the New Lynn Night Markets. This report seeks the local board’s approval for that funding in principle, to be confirmed in June with the remainder of the work programme.

Recommendations

That the Whau Local Board:

a) approve the transition of the delivery of the New Lynn Night Market from council to an established community organisation for a two year period starting in July 2016.

b) approve in principle funding of $50,000 to support the continued social capital development of the New Lynn Night Market for 2016/17.

Comments

Background

8. Council initiated the New Lynn Night Market in June 2013. The night market supports the following Whau Local Board outcomes:

· outstanding development in New Lynn, Avondale and along our main roads

· great local communities across the Whau.

9. The market occurs weekly at the New Lynn Community Centre and features an indoor dining and performance area with food stalls in the surrounding shared space. The location is close to the public transport hub and accessible parking. In recent months the market has been extended to include themed nights including local arts and crafts and a Vegan Village.

10. Twelve to 20 stalls offer food from across the world, reflecting the diverse population of the the Whau area.

11. As well as food, the market offers:

· a distinctive, low-cost entertainment experience that celebrates the rich and diverse cultural mix in the Whau area

· an audience for local performers and community organisations to promote their programmes to the wider public

· a place for council and other agencies to engage residents in local projects that may impact on them (the Greenways project, art installations, transport routes and local board plans have all engaged community at the market).

Market benefits

12. During its period of operation, the market has achieved a number of positive social outcomes for the local community, including:

· creates visibility of the contributions of the diverse communities

· celebrates and acknowledges the importance that sharing kai plays in strengthening community connections

· provides an accessible and safe weekly social space for people of all ages to connect

· the market has improved people’s image of New Lynn and nurtured positive community spirit

· it has become a destination for locals and visitors from across the region, averaging between two to five hundred visitors each week.

Programmes operating at the market

Wash against waste

13. The market operates a “Wash against Waste” system that minimises the level of waste created at the market. Ecomatters Environment Trust (with a team of volunteers) wash and re-distribute utensils and plates to stallholders to minimise single-use packaging.

14. In one six month period:

· 124 bags of rubbish were diverted from landfill

· 2,028 litres of materials and 554 kg of food scraps were composted using the Bokashi method and distributed to community gardens for use as a soil nutrient.

Support for migrant and refugee vendors

15. The majority of the stallholders are first time licensed vendors. They are former migrants or refugees with English as a second language. A market coordinator provides coaching to stallholders to help them navigate the health and safety, regulatory and licencing procedures.

16. This is an important feature of the market that is valued highly by stallholders and sets it apart from other privately owned markets.

17. Stallholders use the skills developed in the market to expand their business opportunities by becoming council approved vendors. This increases their access to other council and community events e.g. Rhythm at Riversdale, Avondale Youth Awards, Glen Eden Free Food Festival, and Sirens & Sounds.

Night market operations

18. Council currently employs a market coordinator for ten hours a week. The coordinator’s duties include promotion; licensing the market and stallholders; financial management and record-keeping; stallholder recruitment, support and retention.

19. Ecomatters Environment Trust is contracted to coordinate and deliver the ‘Wash against Waste’ system.

20. Council staff from have managed the market’s strategic direction and supervision.

21. Stallholder meetings are held quarterly to:

· encourage participation in decision-making that impacts on the market operation

· provide an opportunity to grow and develop the market

· identify priorities for the market and possible solutions together.

22. These meetings have created a collective and collegial approach with a sense of shard ownership.

23. Over the three year period, surveys with customers and stallholders have helped shape the planning of the market. To date, the market has responded to requests for a diverse and varied range of food, child-friendly activities and improved lighting within the immediate surrounds.

Future direction of the market

24. Auckland Council has adopted an empowered communities approach that involves working in enabling ways to empower people to play a more active role in the decisions that affect their communities. The transition of the night market from a council delivered initiative to a community-led market supports the empowered communities approach.

25. Staff have considered how to best transfer the market to a community-led operation while retaining the programmes and features that have made the market a success.

26. Staff assessed three options that the market could continue to operate under. These options are outlined below with benefits and disadvantages detailed for each.

Table one: analysis of potential operating models

Model/Structure
Option 1: Council Operated - Status Quo	Council employs the market coordinator, manages finances and future direction of market.
Benefits	· Provides access to council resources · Allows for the social outcomes to be built into the model
Disadvantages/risks	· Not an independent entity · Doesn’t develop a sense of community ownership · Not community managed · Would require additional financial investment from the local board to maintain viability
Empowered Communities approach lens	· Does not fit with an empowered communities approach · Council operational role changes mean that this is not an option in the future.

Model/Structure

Option 2:

Operate as a ‘service line’ of an existing community organisation

An existing community ‘backbone’ organisation with a track record of supporting community enterprise would umbrella the operation of the market

Benefits

· A community operated model

· Utilises the support of existing community ‘backbone’ support

· Least disruptive model for the market transition

· Access to funding for social benefit (e.g. ‘place activation’, ‘social enterprise incubator’) is maintained with the local board.

· Opportunity to source external funding

· May include a formal Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with stallholders acting in an advisory capacity

Disadvantages/risks

· Market could be absorbed in the operation of the larger entity (this risk could be managed by MoU with stallholders and council)

· Could create competitive tension between organisations (this could be managed by having a transparent (not necessarily contestable) process to select the organisations

· Require additional financial investment from the local board

Empowered Communities approach lens

· Consistent with the empowered communities approach

· Supports community capacity building

· Demonstrates high levels of trust in the expertise of communities

· Enables communities to better access resources and produce their own

Model/Structure

Establish a new entity to manager the market

Option 3:

Establish a new entity to manage the market

The market operates as an independent organisation.

There are various options to consider:

· A commercial business

· A cooperative

· A charitable trust

Benefits

· May enable community ownership

· If it is set up as a charitable organisation, local board and external funding options will be required

Disadvantages/risks

· Concern that a new organisation may need to build its own capacity and well as operate the market at a crucial stage of development

· Without a track record, the organisation could have difficulty attracting funders/investors

· New Zealand does not offer the range of organisational/legal structures for social enterprises with ‘charitable status’

Empowered Communities approach lens

· Time and resource required to establish a legal structure best suited to the market

· Limited capacity of existing stallholders, stakeholders to initiate and sustain at this point in time

· Access to capacity and capability building support to assist in developing community-led initiatives

27. Staff recommend Option 2 - the transfer of the market operation to an established community organisation. This would involve working with stallholders and other relevant stakeholders to develop an independent organisation over a two year period. This will require stallholders to develop their social enterprise and project management skills and being involved in an advisory capacity moving forward.

28. Staff do not recommend Option 1 or Option 3. Option 1 does not support the empowered communities approach. Option 3 would require intensive skills training and capacity building to develop a new entity and ensure continuity of the market operations. Stallholders agree that a social enterprise may be a future option; the market does not have the appropriate capacity to make the full transition at present.

Future financial resourcing

29. The local board currently invests $36,000 in the night markets, as shown in table two below:

Table two: current investment in the New Lynn Night Markets

Funding source	Purpose	Amount
Neighbourhood cevelopment work programme budget (2015/2016)	Employ a part-time market coordinator	$20,000
Community environmental services work programme	Waste management system delivered by Ecomatters Environmental Trust	$16,000
Total		$36,000

30. Community Empowerment Unit staff provide project management, financial reporting, staff supervision and an on-site presence. Community Places provide free access to the community centre.

Future resourcing of the night markets

31. Staff advise that the current level of financial resourcing is not sufficient successfully transition the market to a community-operated model. With all the options presented, additional financial resource is required from the board to ensure the market’s future viability.

32. Staff recommend that the local board allocate $35,000 to the New Lynn Night Market from the 2016/17 Arts, Community and Events Local Board Work Programme. This will support the transition of the market into a community led model (Option 2). The funding will cover the core operational costs including the coordinator’s salary, licensing of the market, the weekly traffic management plan and permitting.

33. This resource does not include the waste management system. Staff recommend the local board separately allocate $15,000 under the Community Environmental Services Work Programme to continue this service.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

34. Council staff have met with local board members on several occasions to review the delivery and impact of the market on meeting local board outcomes and community needs. Discussions have also included how the market contributes to creating a great local community and enhancing the New Lynn town centre.

35. On 11 April 2016, staff presented the future operational options of the market to board members at the community development portfolio workshop. The Local Board members indicated their preference for Option 2 - to transition the market to a community-led model.

Māori impact statement

36. Staff have not liaised with local Maori groups directly in coordinating the New Lynn Night Markets.

Implementation

37. If the recommendations are approved staff will develop an expression of interest process to determine the appropriate organisation to lead the market.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author

Gail Fotheringham - Senior Community Development Facilitator

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - General Manager Arts, Community and Events

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Report-back on GMO and glyphosate options

File No.: CP2016/05617

Purpose

1. To respond to the resolution of the local board requesting a report on the potential for Whau to declare itself “GE free, GMO free and glyphosate free” (Resolution WH/2015/167).

2. This report further details the council’s position on the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and the herbicide glyphosate, and comments on the options available for the Whau local board to consider.

Executive Summary

3. While it is open for the local board to consider declaring itself “GE free, GMO free and glyphosate free”, existing council policy and regulatory parameters will largely govern how GMOs and glyphosate is used in the Whau Local Board Area.

4. Council has policies and rules in its Proposed Unitary Plan which govern the use of GMOs and agrichemicals (a group which includes glyphosate). The general release of GMOs is prohibited; other GMO uses range from permitted to discretionary. Agrichemical use is permitted with controls.

5. Council has also adopted a Weed Management Policy for Parks and Open Spaces (2013), which has objectives of minimising agrichemical use in council parks; minimising the non-target effects of agrichemical use; and ensuring public health and safety.

6. The board could consider developing a local weed management policy on the use of glyphosate in parks and facilities within the parameters of regional policy. The board could also consider using its discretionary funding to increase or change existing service levels for weed management as part of future local board agreement processes.

Recommendations

That the Whau Local Board:

a) note that the Proposed Auckland Unitary Plan contains provisions which potentially allow the use of genetically modified organisms. Thus, while the Board may adopt an aspirational statement in relation to GMOs, a GMO-free declaration would be inconsistent with the position outlined in the Proposed Unitary Plan.

b) note that the Board may cost and develop future policy on glyphosate for the facilities which it manages, consistent with the weed management policy and the outcomes set out in its local board plan.

c) request a briefing on the review of the Full Facilities Contract to explore greater flexibility for weed control options in the future.

Comments

Council policy on the use of GMOs

7. Auckland Council’s position on the use of genetically modified organisms is reflected in policies and rules in the Unitary Plan. The Governing Body is responsible for adopting the Unitary Plan as a regulatory document under the Resource Management Act. The general policy is to take a precautionary approach to the outdoor use of GMOs (Part 1, chapter B, section 6.6). Council recognises that there are both risks and benefits associated with the use of GMOs, and that it is important that the risks associated with their storage, cultivation, harvesting and other uses can be managed.

8. The Unitary Plan provides varying rules for GMOs depending on the activity concerned. These rules apply in addition to the national approval required by the Environmental Protection Authority under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996.

9. The general release of GMOs in Auckland is a prohibited activity. The Unitary Plan states that the outdoor use of GMOs could adversely affect our environment, economy, social and cultural values and resources, but that there is a lack of information about these potential effects. Consent cannot be sought for prohibited activities, and any general release could not proceed unless the plan were changed.

10. Field trials are a discretionary activity, requiring consent from council. When deciding the application, council must consider the effects (including potential effects) of the proposed trials in Auckland. Any consent would be subject to conditions including monitoring and reporting requirements and the payment of a bond.

11. Laboratory research and veterinary vaccines are permitted activities. In 2015 the EPA approved release of a genetically modified virus, Pexa-Vec, for a clinical trial for the treatment of a type of liver cancer.

12. The Unitary Plan provisions are currently being considered by the Independent Hearings Panel. By 22 July, the Panel will provide its recommendations to council for its decision. The Panel may recommend different provisions from those currently in the Plan, which the council would have to accept or reject.

13. The relationship between local-level regulation of GMOs under the Resource Management Act, and national regulation by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), is currently being considered by the High Court.

Options for Whau Local Board

14. It is open for the board to consider and report on any matter of interest or concern. While the board could consider preparing a symbolic statement (for example to be “GMO free in food and field”), there is a risk that this would be inconsistent with the council’s regulatory approach under the Unitary Plan - where the release of GMOs is prohibited but other GMO uses may be allowed. It could also lead to confusion in the community about what rules apply where in the Auckland region.

15. The EPA maintains an ‘interested parties list’ where people can register to be notified of a specific application type, including release of GMOs. There is also a newsletter which contains higher-level information about the work of the Authority as a whole. The board could choose to sign up to these so that it is informed of any proposed GMO releases in a timely way and able to provide its views through to any submission process undertaken by the EPA.

16. The local board can advocate for GMO-free status for Whau where this represents the priorities and preferences of people in the Whau area.

Council policy on the use of glyphosate

17. Glyphosate is a broad-spectrum herbicide used for controlling weeds in domestic, park and agricultural settings. It is a commonly-used garden product and widely available in garden centres and supermarkets. It is used by residents in home gardens, by council to maintain infrastructure, parks and reserves, and by KiwiRail and the Motorway Alliance for transport infrastructure. Like all herbicides, glyphosate has toxic properties. Its mode of action is to inhibit the synthesis of amino acids, thus starving the plant.

18. The Unitary Plan has provisions around the use of agrichemicals to manage their risks (H4.9). Both domestic and non-domestic activities are ‘permitted with controls’, which essentially require that conditions imposed by the EPA and other regulating agencies are complied with. Non-domestic use must comply with the New Zealand Standard on the Management of Agrichemicals, and quality assurance systems such as ‘Growsafe’.

19. The council has developed a Weed Management Policy for Parks and Open Spaces (2013), along with an Implementation Plan (2015). The Policy sets out a vision of “working together to reduce the adverse effects of weeds and their management on people and the environment”. It contains 8 objectives, including minimising agrichemical use, minimising the non-target effects of agrichemical use, and ensuring public health and safety.

20. Two advisory groups have been set up under the Policy. The Political Advisory Group oversees implementation and delivery of the policy, and consists of councillors, local board and Independent Maori Statutory Board representatives. The Best Practice Group is made up of external experts and assists council to maintain international best practice in weed control. Both groups have held their inaugural meetings.

21. The Policy states that the use of glyphosate and other herbicides should be kept to the minimum required to achieve the desired control. The simplest way of doing this is through flexibility to restrict the application of chemicals to specific methods, areas or times. Implementing the policy should see herbicide use reduce over time.

Options for Whau Local Board

22. The Local Board is responsible for local activities, subject to minimum service levels set by the governing body. In the Whau area, parks and reserves are maintained by City Care Ltd under the Western Full Facility Contract. The contract prescribes levels of service and control methods for council land in the Whau area. The Full Facility contracts are currently being reviewed as they are due to expire in July 2017.

23. The Board could provide input into the new contract specifications and request that an option for agrichemical-free maintenance is included and transparently costed. The new specifications will also need to take account of the weed management policy (which came into effect after the current contracts were signed). More information can be provided on this if required.

24. The weed management policy sets out the regional approach and parameters for weed control. Within this, boards can develop and cost their own approach for the parks and public areas that they have responsibility for. If it chooses to do this, Whau Local Board would consider the goals set by its Local Board Plan: for example “our communities are tidy and safe”, “we are all protecting our natural environment”, and “the Whau is well-served by walkways, cycleways and public transport”.

25. Alternatively, ad-hoc arrangements can be made to modify herbicide use around sensitive areas such as community gardens.

26. The use of glyphosate is considered best practice for controlling some weeds. It is also generally cheaper than mechanical methods as it requires fewer repeat visits to provide adequate control. It will be important to consider the cost implications of using non-chemical methods in the context of local weed control goals. The community might be prepared to accept additional costs in return for reduced herbicide use.

27. The local board could request that Local Parks and Auckland Transport conduct glyphosate-free weed control in the area (or parts of it). The local board would need to meet any cost difference for using alternative methods. Calculating the difference, and the consequences for service levels, is complex under the current (prescriptive) contract. Arranging a new service level should be more straightforward once the revised contracts are in place.

28. Residents can choose to join Auckland Transport’s no-spray register. This means that the street frontage outside their properties will not be sprayed with herbicide as long as the frontage (including verge and footpath) is maintained.

Local Board views and implications

29. This report has been prepared for the Whau Local Board, however the information it contains on council policy is relevant across local boards.

Māori impact statement

30. This report is for information and specific consultation with Māori has not been undertaken. Should the board choose to develop local policies on the use of GMOs or glyphosate, consultation with Māori would be appropriate.

Implementation

31. Implementing a local weed management policy will have cost and service-level implications for the maintenance of parks and infrastructure.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Authors

Helen Sharpe - Biodiversity Specialist

Jenny Fuller - Team Leader Biodiversity and Coastal Strategy

Authorisers

Jacques Victor - GM Auckland Plan Strategy and Research

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Whau Badge Pilot Project Update

File No.: CP2016/06276

Purpose

1. To provide the Whau Local Board with an update on the Youth Connections 2015/16 Whau Badge pilot and to enable the Whau Local Board to consider allocation of funding for 2016/2017.

Executive Summary

2. The 2015 rate of youth not engaged in education or training in the Whau area was 17.7 per cent. At seven per cent higher than the Auckland average, this highlights a need for effective and collaborative programmes that support youth employment (ATEED, 2015).

3. Youth Connections is a regional initiative that supports youth employment by facilitating collective impact initiatives and connecting community services and employers. A Whau Youth Connections Steering Group was established in 2015 to guide Youth Connections in the Whau area. It provides leadership, oversight and support for the Whau Badge initiative.

4. The Whau Badge is a project with a threefold approach which supports:

· youth employment

· positive workforce development and

· local business capacity.

5. The project is a series of programmes and workshops that culminate in an award for youth, employers and/or community services. The Whau Badge is awarded to those demonstrating a commitment to addressing youth employment issues in the local board area.

6. The Whau Badge Pilot Project ran from June to November 2015 and was deemed successful. Investment in the Whau Badge pilot in 2015/2016 financial year totaled $63,294. The Whau Local Board and the Tindall Foundation provided initial seed funding.

7. In 2016/2017, the Steering Group aims to offer the Whau Badge to 90 youth and 30 employers, and would focus on:

· connecting communities

· building youth work-ready skills and

· developing youth-friendly employment practices for businesses.

8. The Whau Youth Connections Steering Group recommends that the Whau Local board invest $47,500 in the 2016/2017 financial year, as part of an estimated total investment required of $92,500. Other partners have to date committed $45,000.

9. Should the local board endorse the funding, the Whau Badge project will appear in the local board work programme for 2016/2017.

Recommendation

That the Whau Local Board:

a) allocate $47,500 to the Whau Badge, Youth Connections project for FY16/17.

Comments

Background

10. Youth Connections is a regional initiative that supports youth employment through community capacity building and employer engagement. Youth Connections activities are jointly funded by the local board and the Tindall Foundation. In 2015/2016, the Tindall Foundation contributed $25,000 to youth employment in the local board area.

11. Youth Connections is invested in building community connectedness to support youth employment in the Whau Local Board area. This supports the Whau Local Board outcome ‘stronger local businesses providing more and higher paid work’.

12. In 2015, the rate of youth not engaged in education or training (NEET) in the Whau area was 17.7 per cent (ATEED – Whau Economic Update 2016). This is seven per cent higher than that of the Auckland average. There is a need for initiatives that support and encourage youth employment in the Whau area.

Whau Badge Pilot Project

13. Youth Connections, local business leaders, community services, schools and the local board collaboratively developed the Whau Badge Pilot Project. The project supported youth employment through increasing employer and youth engagement and strengthening youth employment pathways. The pilot project ran June to November 2015.

14. The project supported youth employment by developing:

· youth friendly employers committed to recruiting and retaining young people in the workforce

· work-ready young people confident in their strengths and skills who engage effectively with employers

· youth providers committed to supporting young people and delivering ‘work-ready training’.

15. The Whau Badge is a series of programmes and workshops that culminate in an award for youth, employers and/or community services. The award is tailored specifically to each stakeholder group:

· young people are awarded the Whau badge certification for participating in all workshop activities and demonstrating competency and capability

· employers are recognised based on a criterion that determines their level of engagement and commitment to youth employment

· youth providers are awarded Whau badge certificates for supporting young people into employment pathways.

16. Youth Service West and school partners referred 20 young people into the pilot. Eight businesses from the Rosebank Business Association also participated.

Successes

17. Successes within the 2015 Whau Badge Pilot included:

· nineteen youth completed the workshops. The Whau Badge was awarded to 15 youth, signifying that they are employment ready

· four youth transitioned on to meaningful employment. One went into full-time employment, two part-time employment and the fourth received an apprenticeship

· employers from the Rosebank Business Association listed 12 youth appropriate vacancies with community service providers and the Whau Badge coordinator

· seven employers were awarded a bronze Whau badge and four employers a silver Whau Badge.

· youth-friendly workshops were well received by employers. The templates were deemed to be useful and added value to their current recruitment practices. The workshops encouraged employers to recruit based on a ‘train for skills’ approach

· employer ready workshops and interviews built confidence in young people.

18. The Rosebank Business Association took a leadership role in the pilot, offering support, connections and resources. They offered a bridge from community to business.

Lessons Learned

19. A number of learnings from the pilot will inform the design and implementation of the next stage of the project.

20. Improvements will include:

· making employer open days available to youth and their whanau

· monitoring youth post-programme to ensure they connect with employment opportunities

· simplifying the youth and business application process and workshop resources

· including youth voice into the programme design.

21. In 2016/2017, the Whau Badge will engage 90 youth, 30 businesses and aim to have 30 young people obtain or pathway into employment opportunities.

2016/17 funding

22. In 2015/2016 the Whau Badge Pilot project cost $63,000. This was funded in part by the local board and the Tindall Foundation. The local board contributed $21,000.

23. The estimated investment required in the Whau Badge project for 2016/2017 is $92,500. The Rosebank Business Association has committed $10,000, Tindall Foundation has committed $25,000 and an additional partner is being sought for $10,000.

24. The Youth Connections Steering Committee proposed that the Whau Local Board allocate $47,500 toward the Whau Badge programme in the 2016/2017 Arts, Community and Events Local Board Work Programme. This increased investment would enable the Whau Badge project to:

· employ a part-time project coordinator to oversee the project’s development, coordination and implementation

· develop a media campaign to make the project more visible and highlight successes

· develop a monitoring and evaluation framework for the project

· increase the number of young people participating in the project becoming work-ready (from 20 to 90)

· increase the number of young people moving into employment opportunities (from four to 30)

· increase the number of employers participating in the project becoming youth-employment friendly and creating employment opportunities for youth (from eight to 30)

· increase the engagement of whanau throughout the project.

25. Staff recommend the Whau Local Board endorse allocate $47,500 in the 2016/2017 Arts, Community and Events Local Board Work Programme to increase youth employment through the Whau Badge project.

Local board views and implications

26. On 6 April, Youth Connections and the Whau Badge Steering Group presented the Whau Badge pilot findings at the local board workshop. The board indicated that they would consider the Steering Group’s request for additional funds ($47,500) for 2016/2017 programme.

Maori impact statement

27. In 2011, the rate in New Zealand of Maori youth (aged 15-24) in the NEET category was 22.2 per cent compared to 9.6 per cent for European youth (Statistics New Zealand).

28. To address the high rates of Maori youth in the NEET category, there is a need for employment and training initiatives that meet the needs of rangatahi.

29. In 2016/2017 the Whau Badge project will partner with local iwi, marae and Maori organisations to ensure that the Whau Badge initiative is meeting the needs of the Maori community.

Implementation

30. A detailed project and implementation plan will be developed by the Steering Group highlighting key project deliverables and milestones.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author

Kelsi Cox - Youth Connections Specialist Broker

Authorisers

Graham Bodman - General Manager Arts, Community and Events

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

The Auckland Libraries West Auckland Research Centre request for Whau Local Board funding support of two minor Whau heritage projects

File No.: CP2016/08595

Purpose

1. Auckland Libraries West Auckland Research Centre (ALWARC) seeks local board funding support from the Whau Local Board to enable two Whau-based projects:

· Plaque commemorating historic site of Delta Theatre

· Production of “A Brief History of New Lynn” as a resource booklet

Executive Summary

2. Request for the Whau Local Board to fund a plaque to be situated on the site that was once the location of the Delta Theatre, on the corner of great South Road and Delta Avenue.

· The Delta Theatre was a social centre for several decades.

· Carolyn Skelton of ALWARC has been doing an oral history project, “Going to the Pictures: Auckland Stories”, collecting people’s experiences of cinema going in past decades.

· Drawing on her oral history and other research, Ms Skelton gave a very well attended presentation at New Lynn Library during the Auckland Heritage Festival (AHF) in October 2015, about the history of the Delta and Hollywood Theatres in the Whau Board area.

· Attendees at Ms Skelton’s presentation were keen to know the location of the Delta Theatre and suggested she request a plaque be placed on the site.

· Making the site of the Delta Theatre visible in the local landscape will contribute to cherishing Whau’s local heritage, arts and cultures.

· A plaque identifying the Delta Theatre location would benefit stakeholders such as the general public, Whau Board area residents, and would be within the scope of the Parks Team as stakeholders.

3. Request for the Whau Board to fund 13 copies for West Auckland Libraries and Whau Board office, of the booklet “A Brief History of New Lynn”.

· This booklet was the outcome of Carolyn Skelton’s focus on New Lynn history while working part time as a reference librarian for at New Lynn War Memorial Library for over five years, while also working in the local history section of Waitakere Central Library, now incorporated into Auckland Libraries West Auckland Research Centre.

· In her final 2 years at New Lynn Library Ms Skelton managed a monthly local history group that met at the library. Regular participants in the group expressed a desire for there to be an overview of New Lynn history, within one document, to be located at their local library.

· As well as being actively interested in the industrial history of New Lynn and its impact on life in the area, attendees at the New Lynn local history group were actively interested in, and keen to promote wider knowledge of, the diverse social and cultural changes that had occurred in the Whau area over several decades.

· The booklet is a reasonably cheap project that would provide useful research material but also be of interest to anyone with connections to New Lynn or history buffs in general.

· The booklet outlines New Lynn’s history from pre-European times, through the days of the clay industry, to 2016.

· The booklet references a range of sources with information about the history of the area.

· The booklet would benefit stakeholders such as the general public, Whau Board area residents, Whau Board members and officers, and people conducting research in the area.

4. Completion of these two projects would contribute to the sense of place and identity of the area, as well as being valuable resources for researchers.

· They support the Whau Local Board Plan desired outcome to “enrich the local heritage, arts and culture in our places and in our lives, thus being recognised as an outstanding creative community that cherishes its heritage.

Recommendations

That the Whau Local Board:

a) approve future funding from its 2016/17 Heritage budget to scope and deliver the installation of a plaque to mark the site of the historic Delta Theatre

i) The estimated cost is about $2,500.00.

ii) It is recommended that scoping of the project, and is approval is obtained from the landowner of the site:

· in order to determine what type of plaque and cost of design (including WLB logo);

· to ascertain consenting status, and installation.

iii) It is recommended that the Auckland Libraries Research team work with the Parks Team to scope the project.

b) agree to provision of $200 from its 2015/16 Heritage budget to cover the cost of producing “A Brief History of New Lynn” booklet as a resource for the west libraries and the Whau Local Board office.

c) note that the booklet will include a credit to Whau Local Board for support and funding, using the Whau Board logo.

Comments

5. The plaque to commemorate the Delta Theatre:

· will provide a visible presence in the local urbanscape to commemorate the Delta Theatre’s significance to past residents of the New Lynn and Whau area

· will contribute to the sense of place and identity of the area by acknowledging this significant part of the local history and changes it has undergone over time

· will implement the outcomes as stated in the Whau Local Board Plan, to: cherish “local heritage, local arts and cultures” and ensure that “stories of our past” are “well known in our area and protected for future generations.”

6. The booklet “A Brief History of New Lynn”:

· a research resource booklet written by Carolyn Skelton, to be printed and made available at West Auckland Libraries and Whau Board office

· is a reasonably cheap project that would provide useful research material but also be of interest to anyone with connections to New Lynn or history buffs in general

· consists of 70-80 pages, with a substantial bibliography referencing all the major sources about New Lynn’s history, including those relevant to the clay and brick industries; the recently produced documentary “Last Days of Brickmaking in New Lynn” (Dir. Gerard Otto) is one source referenced

· contributes to the heritage and identity of the area

· provides references to the most significant publications and other audio and visual material that have recorded historical aspects of New Lynn communities, cultures, industrial and commercial activities, and social experiences

· covers the diverse and on-going changes in the history of the area, from the times of the original occupation and portage by tangata whenua, to the rise of the clay industries and other commercial enterprises

· cover’s New Lynn’s role as a transport hub

· outlines the ways in which New Lynn contributes to Auckland’s culturally rich, creative and ethnically diverse identity

· describes the most recent town centre, transport and residential developments

· includes details of schools, sporting activities and achievements, cultural activities and entertainment venues.

· meets with requirements in the Whau Local Board Plan, by cherishing “local heritage, local arts and cultures” and ensuring that “stories of our past” are “well known in our area and protected for future generations”.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

7. Carolyn Skelton met with Whau Local Board Advisor, Antonina Georgetti on 15 April 2016, and her advice has been incorporated in this report.

8. In the past, historic preservation has been considered a luxury practice, but in recent years, research of the economic and public benefits have revealed that it is a powerful tool in sustaining local economy.

9. Carolyn Skelton, Research Librarian ALWARC, had raised these proposed projects with both the Whau Local Board Chair and the Heritage Portfolio. These projects, meet the Whau Local Board Plan 2014 desired outcome: Whau’s local heritage, arts and cultures are cherished.

10. The provision of printed historical resources and the installation of a commemorative plaque enhances the Whau community by keeping history relevant and giving locals a sense of ownership of a history to be proud of. Historic preservation can be a tool to boost economy and quality of life.

Māori impact statement

11. The booklet, “A Brief History of New Lynn” includes references to histories of the manu whenua of the area, largely as published in chapters in the book West: the history of Waitakere (ed by Finlay Macdonald and Ruth Kerr, 2009) as written by people from the relevant Iwi, and relevant information as recorded on the website for Te Puni Kokiri.

Implementation

12. In order to implement these projects, the West Auckland Research Centre Team at Auckland Libraries will be required to work with the Parks Team to scope the Delta Theatre plaque.

13. Scoping and approval for the plaque will need to be obtained from the current owner of the site where the Delta Theatre was located.

14. The Parks Team would be responsible for maintenance of the plaque.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author

Carolyn Skelton - Librarian Research, Heritage & Research, Libraries and Information

Authorisers

Smita Biswas - Team Leader West Auckland Research Centre, Heritage & Research, Libraries and Information

Jane Wild - Research Centres Manager, Heritage&Research, Libraries and Information

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

Whau Local Board

18 May 2016

Local Board Dog Access Rule review

File No.: CP2016/08829

Purpose

1. To adopt the statement of proposal containing proposed changes to local dog access rules for the Whau local board area and appoint a hearings panel to receive, hear and deliberate on submissions on the statement of proposal.

Executive Summary

2. Dog access rules help ensure positive interactions between dogs and people in public places and the protection of wildlife. For non-dog owners this typically relates to dogs not causing a nuisance, and for dog owners being able to enjoy an outing with their dogs.

3. Dog access rules need to be easy to understand to the public. In deciding local dog access rules, local boards may want to consider decisions made to date by other local boards. Simple dog access rules across the region aids in increasing public understanding and enforcement

4. The board resolved at its 9 December 2015 business meeting to undertake a review of local dog access rules in 2016. As part of the review process, the local board must adopt a statement of proposal for public consultation, and consider submissions to the proposal before making a final decision.

5. Staff recommend adopting options that would provide a balance between public safety and comfort and the needs of dog owners that:

· maintains similar levels of dog access within existing off a leash areas

· creates consistency in the way rules are written between the former Auckland City Council and Waitakere City Council areas

· provides for the protection of wildlife by prohibiting dog access in certain beach and foreshore areas

· removes existing ambiguous rules.

6. Staff will update the statement of proposal where required to reflect the decisions made by the local board.

7. Staff recommend that the local board appoints a panel of the whole to receive, hear and deliberate on submissions and other relevant information, and decide on changes to the local dog access rules.

8. Public consultation is proposed to start in June 2016 to coincide with dog registration. It will run for approximately six weeks. Local Board hearings and deliberations are planned for August, to be completed in time for its decision to be reported to the governing body in September 2016.

Recommendations

That the Whau Local Board:

a) confirm its intention to propose an amendment as contained in a statement of proposal to the Auckland Council Policy on Dogs 2012 pursuant to section 10(8) of the Dog Control Act 1996.

b) adopt the statement of proposal in Attachment A and confirm:

i) identify the areas within Table 6 of statement of proposal (Attachment A) as highly sensitive areas where dogs are prohibited

ii) identify the areas within Table 8 of the Statement of Proposal (Attachment A) as dog friendly areas where dogs are allowed under control off a leash

iii) identify the areas within Table 9 of the Statement of Proposal (Attachment A) as standard areas where dogs are allowed under control on a leash

iv) remove the specific rules for dog exercise areas; picnic and fitness areas.

c) confirm that the proposed local dog access rules contained in the statement of proposal (Attachment A):

i) are consistent with the policy, principles, criteria and rules contained in the Auckland Council Policy on Dogs 2012

ii) are in accordance with relevant legislative requirements in particular the Local Government Act 2002 and Dog Control Act 1996.

d) authorise the Manager Social Policy and Bylaws, in consultation with the local board chair, to make any amendments to the Statement of Proposal to reflect decisions made by the local board.

e) authorise the Manager Social Policy and Bylaws to make any minor edits or amendments to the Statement of Proposal to correct any identified errors or typographical edits.

f) appoint a panel of the whole to receive, hear and deliberate on submissions and other relevant information and decide on changes to the local dog access rules.

Comments

Background

9. Within the Whau Local Board area approximately 10 per cent of households have one or more dogs on their properties^{^[1]}.

10. Local boards have the delegated responsibility to review dog access rules for local park, beach and foreshore areas. The following local access rules apply:

· a default under control on a leash dog access rule in all parks in the former Auckland City Council area unless otherwise specified

· a time and season rule on the beach and foreshore of the former Auckland City Council area

· a default under control off a leash rule at all parks in the former Waitakere City Council area unless otherwise specified

· a default under control on a leash rule on the beach and foreshore of the former Waitakere City Council area

· general rules around significant ecological areas, picnic and fitness apparatus areas

· 12 dog exercise areas.

11. The Department of Conservation identified the crown foreshore adjacent to Pollen Island and Traherne Island as subject to controls on dogs for the protection of wildlife. This area is identified in Attachment 7 of the Statement of Proposal. Department of Conservation rules override council access rules.

12. In deciding local dog access rules, local boards may want to consider decisions made to date by other local boards. Simple dog access rules across the region aids in increasing public understanding and enforcement.

13. The governing body has established a standard annual process to assist local boards with the review of local dog access rules as follows:

14. The board resolved at its 9 December 2015 business meeting (WAH/2015/198) to undertake a review of local dog access rules.

15. To assist with developing this proposal, the attached Statement of Proposal summarises information gathered from:

· council staff involved in parks, animal management and biodiversity (see Attachment 5 of the statement of proposal)

· Māori through hui in March 2015

· residents and visitors through an on-line survey in March 2016

There were 250 respondents to this survey (70 per cent non-dog owners and 30 per cent dog owners). A summary of the results of the survey is contained in Attachment 4 of the statement of proposal. The summary covers dog owner and non-dog owner preferences for dog access, people’s comfort around dogs, and the use of local beach and foreshore areas.

Decision-making requirements

16. The decisions required of the board are

· whether or not to propose any changes,

· to adopt a Statement of Proposal for public consultation (if changes are proposed) and

· to appoint a hearing panel.

17. The local board can also decide to rescind its decision 9 December 2015 business meeting (WAH/2015/198), and postpone the review to a later date.

18. In making a decision on the statement of proposal, the local board must be satisfied that any proposed changes comply with a range of statutory, policy and delegated authority requirements. The relevant statutory and policy considerations are set out in Attachment 2 of the statement of proposal. They include:

Table 1: Considerations for dog access rules

Considerations
Public safety and comfort	· the need to minimise danger, distress, and nuisance to the community · the need to avoid the inherent danger in allowing dogs to have uncontrolled access to public places that are frequented by children (regardless if children are accompanied by an adult) · the importance of enabling, to the extent that is practicable, the public (including families) to use streets and public places without fear of attack or intimidation by dogs.
Protection of wildlife	· to ensure that dogs are controlled near protected wildlife · to reduce dog owners’ risk of incurring penalty under the Dog Control Act 1996 and the Wildlife Act 1953
Recreational needs of dogs and their owners	· access to dog walking areas are important for exercise for both the dog and the owner · consider places that are easily accessible and desirable for both the dog and the owner
Ensure that dog access rules are easy to understand	· consider rules that are practical, enforceable and clear · where appropriate, consider consistency across Auckland

Comments

Types of areas

19. To enable dog access rules to be easier to understand within the local board area and across Auckland, the following categories are used:

Table 2: Area types

Types	Description	Appropriate dog access rule
Highly sensitive area	A place where the mere presence of a dog can have a negative effect on the area. Examples are ecologically sensitive areas.	Prohibited
High use area	A place that attracts a lot of people at certain times of the day or year to which a time and season is necessary to manage the interactions between dogs and other users. These areas are typical beaches and associated parks.	Time and season
Dog friendly area	A place that is large and suitable for dogs to run and play off a leash.	Under control off a leash
Standard area	A place that does not fall into any of the other three categories.	Under control on a leash

20. A full description if the area types are provided in the statement of proposal.

Time and Season

21. It is noted that the staff do not recommend that any locations be identified as a high use area. However, a time and season rule is presented here to enable the local board to consider the use of the high use category, for instance in response to submissions on this proposal.

22. A time and season rules is proposed to be used in high use areas to better manage the safe interaction between people and dogs through allocating access rules based on time rather than area. This reduces the risk of conflicts between different users by encouraging them to access the area at different times.

23. The Auckland Council Policy on Dogs 2012 introduced a region-wide standard summer beach time and season of 10am and 5pm, Labour Weekend to 1 March.

24. The local board must decide whether or not using the standard times and season is appropriate on local beaches as part of its review. Where an alternative time and season is adopted, approval is required from the Auckland Council Governing Body.

25. It is important to note that the standard only provides a definition of daytime hours and a summer season. Local boards determine any winter times (if required) and the type of dog access (i.e. prohibited, on-leash, off-leash or dog exercise area) for each of these.

26. The following options have been considered within the statement of proposal:

Option 1 – Retain the current rules

27. The Dog Management Bylaw (2012) ensures that the former dog access rules for local parks, beaches and foreshores are retained until such a time as the Local Board reviews and amends these.

Table 3: Current Whau beach and foreshore rules

On beaches in the former Waitakere City: under control on a leash - at all times

On beaches in the former Auckland City:

Summer (Labour Weekend until Easter Monday)
Before 9am	9am to 7pm	After 7pm
Water: Under control off-leash Sand: Under control on-leash	Sand and Water Prohibited	Water: Under control off-leash Sand: Under control on-leash
Winter (Tuesday after Easter Monday until the Friday before Labour Weekend)
Before 10am	10am to 4pm	After 4pm
Sand and water: Under control off-leash	Sand: Under control on-leash Water: Under control off-leash	Sand and water: Under control off-leash

Option 2 – Adopt a time and season definition based on the regional standard and align rules to community preferences

28. The Auckland Council Policy on Dogs 2012 provides a standard definition for time and season for the summer period but does not define the access rules for these times. The access rules presented in this option have been developed based on the feedback received from the community to date. A more detailed description of the community’s views is provided in Attachment 4 of the Statement of Proposal.

Table 4: Time and season based on the regional standard and community preferences

Summer (Labour Weekend until 1 March)
Before 10am	10am to 5pm	After 5pm
Under control off a leash	Under control on a leash	Under control on a leash
Winter (1 April until Friday before Labour Weekend)
Before 10am	10am to 5pm	After 5pm
Under control off a leash	Under control on a leash	Under control off a leash

29. The access rules for the summer season and the winter daytime core hours and access rules presented in this option have been developed based on the feedback received from the community to date and all of the evidence gathered through the previous local board dog access reviews.

30. An under control off a leash access rule was considered after 5pm during summer however it did not provide an appropriate level of public safety and comfort as identified by the community preferences between 5pm and 7pm.

Option 3 – Adopt an alternative time and season rule based on evidence to date and community preferences

31. This option proposes an amendment to the standard time and season definition that takes into consideration the feedback received from the community to date and all of the evidence gathered through the previous local board dog access reviews. The access rules presented in this option have also been developed based on the feedback received from the community to date.

Table 5: Alternative time and season definition and rules based on community preferences

Summer (Labour Weekend until 31 March)
Before 10am	10am to 7pm	After 7pm
Under control off a leash	Prohibited	Under control off a leash
Winter (1 April until Friday before Labour Weekend)
Before 10am	10am to 4pm	After 4pm
Under control off a leash	Under control on a leash	Under control off a leash

32. If the local board does identify any high use areas through this review, staff recommend adopting Option 3 for the following reasons:

· provides for the comfort of non-dog owners during the core day time hours

· provides for under control off a leash dog access in the morning which has been identified as an important time for dog owners both in the online survey and in previous work undertaken

· provides for the needs of dog owners in the evening (after 7pm) as identified in the online survey

· the use of time and season rules similar to other local board areas will make it easier for visitors and non-resident dog owners to know what time and season access rules apply there.

Identification of locations by category

33. In order to identify which areas would be recommended as highly sensitive, high use, standard and dog friendly areas, staff conducted site visits and obtained advice from parks, biodiversity and biosecurity. In addition community feedback was sought through and an online survey looking at beach use and the preference for dog access.

34. Two areas that are subject to the local dog access rules have been identified within Table 6 of the statement of proposal as highly sensitive for the protection of wildlife. The Manukau Harbour beach and foreshore and the Whau River, where rare and at risk bird species are nesting roosting and feeding.

35. No areas within Council controlled parks or beaches have been identified as being high use areas.

36. Thirty-seven dog friendly areas have been identified in Table 7 of the statement of proposal. This list includes:

· Nine of the twelve former Auckland City Council dog exercise areas. Three were deemed unsuitable for dogs to run and play off a leash

· Former Waitakere City parks that are currently under control off a leash by default and practical for off a leash use. Former Waitakere City parks that were under control off a leash by default but too small or inaccessible for off a leash activity were not included.

37. Fifty-eight parks identified within Table 8 of the statement of proposal are recommended to be standard areas. This list includes:

· former Auckland City parks that are currently on a leash

· former Waitakere City parks which were deemed too small or inaccessible for dogs to run and play off a leash

· parks adjacent to highly sensitive areas that are recommended to be on a leash for the protection of wildlife.

38. The effect of the recommended changes will be to:

· increase protection of wildlife and specifically for at risk shore bird species by reducing dog access to the Manukau Harbour foreshore

· create a list of parks where dog owners can go to exercise take their dogs off a leash

· create a consistent on a leash default rule within Whau while retaining off a leash access in most former Waitakere City Council area parks.

Ambiguous dog access rules

39. The following sections address current dog access rules which may be difficult to communicate or enforce. These were rules made prior to the creation of Auckland Council and delegated to the local board to review at its discretion.

Picnic areas and fitness apparatus areas

40. Currently the Whau local board has specific rules in the former Auckland City area that require dogs to be under control on a leash on any area that is developed or marked out as a picnic area or fitness apparatus. In the former Waitakere City area this rule applies to picnic areas and within 10 metres of fitness apparatus. These terms are not currently defined in the bylaw.

41. The following options have been considered within the statement of proposal:

Option 1: Retain current rule

Advantages

· no changes to the access rules need to be communicated to the publicn

Disadvantages

· there are no local picnic areas that have easily identifiable boundaries or are of a size to justify a specific rule

· the rules are not well known, not widely communicated, not easily communicated, nor easily enforced.

Option 2 Remove the current specific rule (recommended option)

Advantages

· simplified rules are easier to understand

· no specific parks were identified which warrant further restrictions due to the existence of picnic facilities

· there are no fitness apparatus areas that warrant dog access rules that are different from the surrounding park rules.

Disadvantages

· new access rules need to be communicated to the general public.

42. Staff recommend removing these specific rules (Option 2). For the following reasons:

· simplified rules are easier to understand

· no specific parks were identified which warrant further restrictions due to the existence of picnic facilities.

Dog exercise areas

43. The term ‘dog exercise area’ has been carried over from previous bylaws and is used to describe twelve areas within this local board where dogs can be taken under control off-leash.

The policy on dogs provides an Auckland-wide definition for ‘under control off-leash areas’ which refer to a place shared with other users. ‘Designated dog exercise areas’ refer to a place where dog owners are the priority user (i.e. what is often also referred to as a ‘dog park’). The following options have been considered within the statement of proposal:

Option 1

Option 2

Advantages

· no changes to the access rules need to be communicated to the public.

Disadvantages

· inconsistent with policy on dogs

· these are shared spaces in terms of the policy on dogs.

Advantages:

· these are shared spaces in terms of the policy on dogs

· most dog owners will continue to be able to take their dog under control off a leash in nine of these spaces.

Disadvantages

· new access rules need to be communicated to the general public

· may be perceived by dog owners as reducing dog access.

44. Staff recommend that option 2 for the following reasons:

· they are shared spaces in terms of the policy on dogs rather than dog priority areas

· with the exception of dangerous dogs, most dog owners will continue to be able to take their dog under control off-leash in nine of these places

· the remaining areas were identified as unsuitable for dogs to run and play off a leash.

Next steps

45. Staff will update the statement of proposal to reflect the options selected by the local board.

46. The statement of proposal (together with proposals from other local boards) will be publicly notified for submissions as part of the dog registration process in June 2016 for approximately six weeks.

47. Once submissions close, members of the public will present their views to the hearings panel followed by deliberations to consider both the written and oral submissions. The hearings and deliberations will take place in August.

48. The decision of the local board is reported to Governing Body in September in order for the bylaw to be amended.

Appointment of panel

49. The local board has two options in relation to the hearings panel:

Option 1 – Appoint a panel of three or more members

50. Under this option a hearings panel of three or more members will need to be established to hear and deliberate on the submissions. The hearings panel would then make a recommendation to the local board at their next business meeting to either adopt the recommendations or refer the matter back to the hearings panel for reconsideration. The local board is not able to substitute its decision with that of the hearings panel without rehearing the submissions.

Option 2 – Appoint a panel of the whole board

51. Under this option the whole local board would hear, deliberate and make the decision on the changes to the dog access rules. The decision of the hearings panel would be included in the agenda of the next local board meeting for information purposes only.

52. The following table outlines the advantages and disadvantages of each option:

Table 5: Analysis of options

Option

Advantages and Disadvantages

Option 1 –

appoint a panel of three or more members

Advantages

· only the local board members on the hearings panel need to attend the hearings and deliberations

Disadvantages

· not all members of the local board hear the verbal submissions before making a collective decision on the dog access rules

· if the local board disagrees with the recommendation of the hearings panel, the decision must be referred back to the hearings panel for reconsideration.

Risks

· constraints on the timing of hearings, deliberations and business meetings due to 2016 local government elections

· potential for disagreement between hearings panel and local board on matters that are contested by the general public

Risk mitigation

· delegate decision making power to the hearings panel or hold an extraordinary local board business meeting to consider recommendation of the hearings panel if currently scheduled local board business meetings do not meet the required time frames.

Option 2 – appoint a panel of the whole board

Advantages

· all members of the local board hear the verbal submissions before making a collective decision on the dog access rules

· a final decision on the dog access rules can be made at the time of the deliberations without the need for a recommendation to be reported back to a local board business meeting

· collective local board responsibility for decisions on dog access rules.

Disadvantages

· greater time commitment required from all local board members to attend the hearings and deliberations.

Risks

· constraints on the timing of hearings, deliberations and business meetings due to 2016 local government elections.

Risk mitigation

· delegate decision making power to hearings panel.

53. Staff recommend the adoption of Option 2 for the following reasons:

· all members of the local board hear the verbal submissions before making a collective decision on the dog access rules

· a final decision on the dog access rules can be made at the time of the deliberations without the need for a recommendation to be reported back to a local board business meeting.

Consideration

Local Board views and implications

54. The views of other local boards have not been sought on the statement of proposal. In the 2013/14 and 2014/15 reviews, other local boards chose to review their beach and foreshore areas and adjacent parks, high-use parks, generic rules and dog exercise areas.

55. Consistency with other local board dog access rules is also a factor that the Whau Local Board may want to take into consideration. Staff will provide advice on decisions made by other local boards during the options analysis and deliberations stages of the review.

Māori impact statement

56. Managing dog access in areas of significance to Maori can help achieve outcomes of the Māori Plan for Tāmaki Makaurau. In this instance, no impacts have been identified.

57. Feedback from Mana Whenua representatives at a Hui held in March 2015 related to the ability of iwi to determine dog access on Marae, a focus on control, responsible dog ownership, and ensuring the protection of sensitive ecological areas.

Implementation

58. There are no implementation issues associated with this decision to adopt a statement of proposal.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Draft Statement of Proposal	167

Signatories

Authors

Bonnie Apps - Policy Analyst

Justin Walters - Policy Analyst

Authorisers

Kataraina Maki - GM - Community & Social Policy

Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau

[1] Figures based on 2013 population and household data and 2016 dog register data.

Chairperson	Catherine Farmer
Deputy Chairperson	Susan Zhu
Members	Derek Battersby, QSM, JP
	Ami Chand, JP
	Duncan Macdonald, JP
	Ruby Manukia-Schaumkel
	Simon Matafai

No.	Title	Page
a View	Record of Workshop 6 April 2016	235
b View	Record of Workshop 13 April 2016	237
c View	Record of Workshop 20 April 2016	239
d View	Record of Workshop 27 April 2016	241

Item	Topic	Time
1.0	Youth Connections Steering group Presenters: Tracy Watts (Steering gr), Rebecca Davis (Steering gr), Kelsi Cox (Youth Connections Specialist Broker), Jacqui Dillon, Darrin Hewitt (SPARK), Dominique Leauga (Youth Services West) The board received update on Whau Badge programme for employers, young people and agencies. The purpose of this programme is to support youth by bringing employers, providers and schools and young people understanding of needs together and then encouraging activities in each area that support young people being employed. The programme focuses on delivering actual job outcomes for young people through actively connecting with employers. Sustainability plan for next three years was also presented to the board. A report will come to the board in May seeking future funding support for programmes.	10.00am – 10.45am
2.0	New Lynn Business Association Presenters: Tracy Mulholland - New Lynn Business Association, Steven Branca Local Board members received an update on NLBA’s previous year’s activities (Annual report to the board) along with their strategic plan for 2016-2018. Budget overview for 2016/2018 was also presented.	10.45am – 11.30am
3.0	Te Auaunga Awa Oakley Creek Restoration Project Presenters: Tom Mansell, Tracey Hodder Members received an update on the project including the works to be undertaken in Hendon Reserve as part of the Te Auaunga Awa project. This project is being led by the Stormwater unit of Auckland Council. The majority of the project is being undertaken in the Puketapapa Local Board area and a little in the Albert-Eden Local Board area. Resource consent for the project has been awarded and approval from parks has been received. 22 unemployed youth will be hired for this project (working in partnership with Unitec). The project also includes $1.3 million of planting over the seven year period.	11.30am – 11.40am
4.0	Sports Facility Community Access Scheme Presenters: Emma Morgan, Nick Harris The purpose of the Community Access Scheme is to leverage access to non-council facilities to support increased levels of sport and recreation participation and reduce inequities of access to opportunities. The scheme will support implementation of the Auckland Sport and Recreation Strategic Action Plan. A report will come to the board asking for feedback.	11.40am – 12.25pm

Item	Topic	Presenter(s)	Time
1	2015/16 3^rd quarter budget reallocation	Mark Allen Antonina Georgetti Glenn Boyd	10.00am – 10.30am
2	AP consultation submissions	Mark Allen	10.30am – 10.45am
3	Local Board Agreement information pack overview	Glenn Boyd David Rose	10.45am – 11.15am
4	Community Facilities – Renewals	Hannah Alleyne Angie Bennett	11.15am – 11.35pm
5	PSR – Parks	Helen Biffin David Barker	11.35am – 12.15pm
6	PSR – Leisure (contracted recreation and aquatic facilities)	Nick Harris	12.15pm – 12.50pm
7	Libraries and Information	Debbie Ashton	12.50pm – 1.00pm
8	Community Facilities – Community leases	Donna Cooper	1.25pm – 1.35pm

Item	Topic	Time
1.0	Local Dog Access rules Presenters: Bonnie Apps, Justin Walters · Local board received a presentation on options for dog access rules and board members were asked for input on potential dog access rules. · A report will come to May board meeting (with statement of proposal) asking the local board for formal feedback. · Local boards have a delegated responsibility to review dog access rules for local parks, beaches and foreshore areas. · Of the online People’s Panel survey responses, 30% were dog owners and 70% non-dog owners. In the Whau Local Board area, 10% of households have dogs, which is on the lower side of the Auckland wide average of 13%. · People’s Panel Survey results also suggest that the rules relating to dogs are not widely known (56% of dog owners and 80% of non-dog owner respondents did not know the rules/regulations). · The proposal would increase protection of wildlife, in particular at risk shore bird species. It would also reduce dog access to Manukau Harbour foreshore. A list will be made available to public, showing where dog owners could go to exercise take their dogs off-leash. The proposed new rules/regulations would offer consistency in the Whau local board area. This would make it easier to understand and reduces or removes confusion caused due to differing rules for different areas. · The public consultation commences late May with advertisements going in to NZ Herald and on Auckland Council’s web-site. Local boards have to pay for adverts if they choose to advertise in local papers. Facebook can be used as one of the option for raising interest amongst local community.	4.0pm – 5.00pm
2.0	Making Good Decision Presenter: Susan Zhu · Member Susan Zhu led this session (as per board resolution) providing a report back on the course she attended on “Making Good Decisions”. A written report is included on board agenda for 20 April meeting.	5.00pm – 5.10pm
3.0	Heritage Video delivery Presenter: Gerard Otto, My Life Story · The board received and update on brickworks heritage video project. · The film is a 97 minute feature length documentary covering the history of brickmaking in New Lynn and surrounding area, an outline of Crown Lynn story and the last day inside the factory at Monier Bricks. · The documentary can be watched online via a private link on Vimeo Pro. · There are opportunities to develop the film a bit more to strengthen some themes that run through it and work on marketing and distribution plan. These would incur additional costs – Recommendations as presented on final sheet of presentation. Workshop attendees agreed that they would discuss further amongst themselves & give feedback via email to Democracy Advisor. · Whilst Auckland Council has the copyright, the Whau Local Board is agreeable to the videographer entering the film in the NZ Film Festival, or any other competitions in future. · There is a $3,000 fee pending to cover music copyright if the DVD is to be sold. Currently, the music licence only covers release in a festival. · Film to be shown locally in upcoming Heritage festival – October 2016.	5.10pm – 5.50pm

Author	Riya Seth - Democracy Advisor
Authoriser	Glenn Boyd - Relationship Manager Henderson-Massey, Waitakere Ranges, Whau