Agenda of Extraordinary Finance and Performance Committee

Terms of Reference

Responsibilities

The purpose of the Committee is to:

(a) control and review expenditure across the Auckland Council Group to improve value for money

(b) monitor the overall financial management and performance of the council parent organisation and Auckland Council Group

Key responsibilities include:

· Advising and supporting the mayor on the development of the Long Term Plan (LTP) and Annual Plan (AP) for consideration by the Governing Body including:

o Local Board agreements

o Financial policy related to the LTP and AP

o Setting of rates

o Preparation of the consultation documentation and supporting information, and the consultation process, for the LTP and AP

· Monitoring the operational and capital expenditure of the council parent organisation and Auckland Council Group, and inquiring into any material discrepancies from planned expenditure

· Monitoring the financial and non-financial performance targets, key performance indicators, and other measures of the council parent organisation and each Council Controlled Organisation (CCO) to inform the Committee’s judgement about the performance of each organisation

· Advising the mayor on the content of the annual Letters of Expectations (LoE) to CCOs

· Exercising relevant powers under Schedule 8 of the Local Government Act 2002, which relate to the Statements of Intent of CCOs

· Exercising Auckland Council’s powers as a shareholder or given under a trust deed, including but not limited to modification of constitutions and/or trust deeds, granting shareholder approval of major transactions where required, exempting CCOs, and approving policies relating to CCO and CO governance

· Approving the financial policy of the Council parent organisation

· Overseeing and making decisions relating to an ongoing programme of service delivery reviews, as required under section17A of the Local Government Act 2002

· Establishing and managing a structured approach to the approval of non-budgeted expenditure (including grants, loans or guarantees) that reinforces value for money and an expectation of tight expenditure control

· Write-offs

· Acquisition and disposal of property, in accordance with the long term plan

· Recommending the Annual Report to the Governing Body

Te Toa Takatini

Powers

(a) All powers necessary to perform the committee’s responsibilities, including:

a. approval of a submission to an external body

b. establishment of working parties or steering groups.

(b) The committee has the powers to perform the responsibilities of another committee, where it is necessary to make a decision prior to the next meeting of that other committee.

a. the power to establish subcommittees

b. powers that the Governing Body cannot delegate or has retained to itself (section 2).

Exclusion of the public – who needs to leave the meeting

Members of the public

All members of the public must leave the meeting when the public are excluded unless a resolution is passed permitting a person to remain because their knowledge will assist the meeting.

Those who are not members of the public

General principles

· Access to confidential information is managed on a “need to know” basis where access to the information is required in order for a person to perform their role.

· Those who are not members of the meeting (see list below) must leave unless it is necessary for them to remain and hear the debate in order to perform their role.

· Those who need to be present for one confidential item can remain only for that item and must leave the room for any other confidential items.

· In any case of doubt, the ruling of the chairperson is final.

Members of the meeting

· The members of the meeting remain (all Governing Body members if the meeting is a Governing Body meeting; all members of the committee if the meeting is a committee meeting).

· However, standing orders require that a councillor who has a pecuniary conflict of interest leave the room.

· All councillors have the right to attend any meeting of a committee and councillors who are not members of a committee may remain, subject to any limitations in standing orders.

Independent Māori Statutory Board

· Members of the Independent Māori Statutory Board who are appointed members of the committee remain.

· Independent Māori Statutory Board members and staff remain if this is necessary in order for them to perform their role.

Staff

· All staff supporting the meeting (administrative, senior management) remain.

· Other staff who need to because of their role may remain.

Local Board members

· Local Board members who need to hear the matter being discussed in order to perform their role may remain. This will usually be if the matter affects, or is relevant to, a particular Local Board area.

Council Controlled Organisations

· Representatives of a Council Controlled Organisation can remain only if required to for discussion of a matter relevant to the Council Controlled Organisation.

Finance and Performance Committee

13 February 2019

Adoption of Consultation Material: Annual Budget 2019/2020

File No.: CP2019/00304

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To adopt the Consultation Document and Supporting Information for the Annual Budget 2019/2020 incorporating a potential amendment to the 10-year Budget 2018-2028.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. All councils are required by legislation to adopt an annual plan every year (except once every three years when the long-term plan acts as the annual plan). We refer to Auckland Council’s annual plan as the Annual Budget and its long-term plan as the 10-year Budget.

3. The recommendations in this report depend on decisions to be made in relation to a separate report on this agenda about a potential long-term plan amendment on property transfers.

4. The process to develop council’s annual budget began with the Mayor’s direction setting which was distributed on 5 October 2018.

5. Local boards held workshops and meetings in December 2018 to adopt their local consultation content.

6. The Tūpuna Maunga Operational Plan must be prepared and adopted concurrently with the council’s Annual Budget and must be included in summary form in the Annual Budget consultation documentation. The Draft Tūpuna Maunga Operational Plan was adopted by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority and Governing Body in December 2018.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) agree to recommend to the Governing Body to adopt the Supporting Information for the Annual Budget 2019/2020 and amendment to the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 on property transfers as tabled.

b) agree to recommend to the Governing Body to adopt the Consultation Document for the Annual Budget 2019/2020 and amendment to the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 on property transfers as tabled.

c) delegate responsibility to the Chair of Finance and Performance Committee, and the Group Chief Financial Officer to approve any final edits required to the Consultation Document and Supporting Information in order to finalise the documents for uploading online and physical distribution.

Horopaki

Context

7. All councils are required by legislation to adopt an annual plan (also known as the annual budget) every year (except once every three years when the long-term plan acts as the annual plan). We refer to Auckland Council’s annual plan as the Annual Budget and its long-term plan as the 10-year Budget.

8. The recommendations in this report depend on decisions to be made in relation to a separate report on this agenda about a potential long-term plan amendment on property transfers.

9. Annual Budget 2019/2020 budgets, priorities and funding envelopes have been set in the second year of the current 10-year Budget. Any significant or material changes to the budget or service levels from that set out in the 10-year Budget require consultation.

10. Auckland Council is also required to include local board agreements and the Tupuna Maunga Authority Operational Plan in its Annual Budget. The proposed content of local board agreements and the Tupuna Maunga Authority Operational Plan must be included in Annual Budget consultation material.

11. The draft consultation material was distributed to Finance and Performance members on
5 February 2019 and the final version for adoption will be tabled on 13 February 2019 following the completion of the audit review of the potential amendment to the 10-year Budget.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Developing the Annual Budget

8. The process to develop council’s Annual Budget began with the Mayor’s direction setting which was distributed on 5 October 2018. It reflected on the significant investment of
$26 billion agreed to in the 10-year Budget and stated the focus will be on delivering our substantial capital projects, continuing to pursue savings, efficiencies and alternative financing opportunities.

9. Following the Mayor’s direction setting memo, three workshops with the Finance and Performance Committee were held in November 2018. A nominee from each local board attended workshops including the Mayor’s Proposal.

10. On 29 November 2018, the Finance and Performance Committee received the Mayoral Proposal for consultation on the Annual Budget. On 12 and 13 December 2018 respectively the Finance and Performance Committee and the Governing Body considered this proposal and agreed the items for consultation in the Annual Budget 2019/2020.

Developing local board agreements and consulting on local issues

11. Each year a local board agreement is developed for each local board that sets out priorities, budgets and intended levels of service for local activities, and the capital and operating expenditure required to fund these activities. Local board agreements are agreed between the local board and the Governing Body as part of the annual plan or long-term plan process.

Developing the Draft Tῡpuna Maunga Operational Plan 2019/2020

12. Each year the council and the Tūpuna Maunga Authority must agree a Tῡpuna Maunga Operational Plan to provide a framework in which the council, under direction of the Tῡpuna Maunga Authority, will carry out its functions for the routine management of the maunga and administered lands for that financial year. The Tūpuna Maunga Operational Plan must be prepared and adopted concurrently with the council’s annual plan and must be included in summary form in the annual plan consultation documentation.

12. The Tūpuna Maunga Authority met in December 2018 to approve the budget for 2019/2020, which is consistent with year two of the 10-year Budget. The Draft Tūpuna Maunga Operational Plan has been prepared and was adopted by the Tūpuna Maunga Authority. The Governing Body adopted the Draft Tῡpuna Maunga Operation Plan on 13 December 2018. Content relating to the draft plan is referred to in the Consultation Document and the summary of the plan is in section 3.0 of the Supporting Information.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

13. The key impact on the group is the potential impact on Panuku regarding the 10-year Budget amendment. This is covered in the separate report on this agenda regarding property transfers.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

14. Local board representatives were invited to briefings with the Finance and Performance Committee between November and December 2018 which focused on key regional topics.

15. Local boards presented to the Finance and Performance Committee on 16 and 19 November 2018 on their local priorities and input into the process.

16. Local boards held workshops and meetings in December 2018 to adopt their local consultation content.

17. Content supporting the development of each local board agreement is set out in section 2 of the Supporting Information. In addition, local board key priorities for 2019/2020 are listed in part one of the Consultation Document.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

18. Targeted engagement with mana whenua and mataawaka is being planned for the consultation period.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

19. The Annual Budget is a statutory process which must be completed annually. The council budget provides for the resourcing to deliver this project. The budget approved for the consultation has been shared with the Water Strategy consultation to create financial and resource efficiencies.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

20. Annual budgets enable rates to be struck for the following financial year. Not completing the Annual Budget 2019/2020 in accordance with statutory requirements has the potential to impact on the ability to continue to deliver the services and projects that Auckland needs.

21. At this stage of the process the key risks are compliance and timing. The legal team have reviewed the consultation material for legislative compliance. Approval of the Consultation Document and supporting information at this meeting will enable the timetable for consultation and subsequent decision-making to be met.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

19. Following decisions today, all consultation material will be finalised for print and distributed to libraries, service centres, local board offices and made available online in time for the start of the consultation process on 17 February 2019.

20. The key steps for finalising the Annual Budget are:

Annual Budget 2019/2020		2019
Public consultation period	17 Feb – 17 Mar
Finance and Performance workshop – budget discussions (if required)	11 Apr (TBC)
Finance and Performance workshop – receive public consultation feedback including Tῡpuna Maunga Authority joint deliberations	17 Apr
Finance and Performance workshop – budget discussions (if required)	30 Apr (TBC)
Finance and Performance workshop – Local boards invited to provide feedback on regional issues and advocate on local issues	8 May
Finance and Performance workshop – budget discussions	13 & 15 May
Finance and Performance workshop – Mayor’s Proposal and workshop decision making	20 May
Finance and Performance meeting - Mayor’s Proposal and decision making	22 May
Local boards - adopt local board agreements	4 – 6 Jun
Governing Body workshop – adoption of final Annual Budget 2019/2020	13 Jun
Governing Body meeting – adoption of final Annual Budget 2019/2020	20 Jun

21. The key steps for finalising the 10-year Budget amendment should it proceed are:

10-year Budget amendment – Land transfers		2019
Public consultation period	17 Feb – 17 Mar
Finance and Performance and Governing Body receive public feedback and make final decision on the 10-year Budget amendment	10 Apr
Prepare final document and have audited by AuditNZ	11 – 26 Apr
Audit and Risk Committee – asked to confirm the process and risks have been managed	29 April
Finance and Performance workshop - final 10-year Budget amendment	30 April
Governing Body meeting – adopt the 10-year Budget amendment	2 May

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Kylie Evans - Programme Manager

Michael Burns - Manager Financial Strategy

Hinewairere Warren - Project Manager

Authorisers

Ross Tucker - General Manager, Financial Strategy and Planning

Matthew Walker - Group Chief Financial Officer

Finance and Performance Committee

13 February 2019

Amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and Rates Remission and Postponement Policy

File No.: CP2019/00293

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To recommend adoption for consultation of the proposed amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy to provide for the proposed changes to rating of religious use properties.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Governing Body has previously agreed to consult on changes to rating of religious use properties. To implement these changes requires consultation on amendments to:

· Funding Impact Statement (FIS) to include a zero-rated general rates differential category for this land

· Revenue and Financing Policy to amend the general rates differential categories to include the zero-rated category

· Remission and Postponement Policy to remit the Uniform Annual General Charge and fixed charges for zero-rated land^{^[1]}.

3. Officers also recommend amending the Postponement of rates for residential properties scheme to make renewing eligibility easier for ratepayers.

4. The Annual Budget 2019/2020 consultation documents include the proposed changes to the FIS.

5. Changes to the Revenue and Financing Policy and the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy must be consulted on and adopted separately as these policies do not form part of the Annual Budget.

6. Consideration of feedback from consultation and adoption of amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy will proceed along the same decision-making timeframe as the Annual Budget 2019/2020.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) agree to recommend to the Governing Body to adopt the attached materials for consultation on amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy.

b) agree to recommend to the Governing Body that delegated authority and responsibility for agreeing any required minor editorial changes and the correction of minor errors to the Chair of the Finance and Performance Committee, and the Group Chief Financial Officer.

Horopaki

Context

7. The Governing Body has previously agreed to consult on not charging rates to some land used by religious organisations. This is to recognise the importance of religious organisations and the services they provide to Auckland’s community.

8. The council proposes not to charge rates to land used by religious organisations for the following:

· presbytery/manse used to house clergy which is onsite or adjacent to the place of religious worship

· halls and gymnasiums used for community not-for-profit purposes

· not-for-profit childcare for the benefit of the community

· libraries

· offices that are onsite and which exist for religious purposes

· non-commercial op-shops operating from the same title

· car parks serving multiple land uses but for which the primary purpose is for religious purposes

9. Land owned by religious organisations used for commercial purposes including car parks, gyms, cafes, and op shops that are operated as a commercial activity will continue to be rated as business.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

10. To implement these changes requires amendments to the:

· Funding Impact Statement (FIS) to include a zero-rated general rates differential category for this land

· Revenue and Financing Policy to amend the general rates differential categories to include the zero-rated category

· Rates Remission and Postponement Policy to remit the Uniform Annual General Charge and fixed charges for zero-rated land

11. The Annual Budget 2019/2020 consultation documents include the proposed changes to the FIS.

12. Changes to the Revenue and Financing Policy and Remission and Postponement Policy must be consulted on and adopted separately as these policies do not form part of the Annual Budget.

13. The proposal, options analysis and proposed amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and Rates Remission and Postponement Policy will be made available separately from the Annual Budget on council’s website.

14. Drafts of the Revenue and Financing Policy and Remission and Postponement Policy with the proposed amendments will also be included in the supporting information of the Annual Budget.

15. Feedback will be able to be provided online via council’s website. Any feedback received on the Revenue and Financing Policy or Rates Remission and Postponement Policy as part of Annual Budget 2019/2020 consultation will also be captured.

16. Officers also recommend amending the Postponement of rates for residential properties scheme to make renewing eligibility easier for ratepayers. The recommended change removes the requirement for a statutory declaration for ongoing proof of eligibility and will enable applicants to complete their annual declaration without requiring an authorised witness such as a Justice of the Peace or solicitor.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

17. There are no council group impacts associated with the recommendations in this report.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

18. Local board representatives have participated in the workshops leading up to the adoption of the consultation material for the Annual Budget 2019/2020 and expressed their views on the consultation options, including a specific opportunity to feedback on regional issues. Local boards will have further opportunities to express their views on the impacts of regional decisions on their local community before final decisions are made in May 2019.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

19. The proposed changes to rating of religious use properties do not impact the Māori community significantly differently to the community at large.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

20. Adopting the proposed approach will reduce the size of the rating base by between $1 million and $1.5 million. This will result in general rates for all other ratepayers increasing between 0.06 percent and 0.09 per cent to offset the reduced size of the rating base.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

21. If the council does not consult on the changes to the Revenue and Financing Policy and the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy then it will be unable to implement the proposed changes to rating of religious use properties.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

22. The proposed amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and Rates Remission and Postponement Policy will be consulted on alongside the Annual Budget 2019/2020.

23. Consideration of feedback from consultation and adoption of the amendments to the Revenue and Financing Policy and Rates Remission and Postponement Policy will proceed along the same decision-making timeframe as the Annual Budget 2019/2020.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Proposal to amend the Revenue and Financing Policy	21
b ⇩	Draft Revenue and Financing Policy	23
c ⇩	Proposal to amend the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy	37
d ⇩	Draft Rates Remission and Postponement Policy	39

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Aaron Matich - Principal Advisor – Financial Policy

Andrew Duncan - Manager Financial Policy

Authorisers

Ross Tucker - General Manager, Financial Strategy and Planning

Matthew Walker - Group Chief Financial Officer

Finance and Performance Committee

13 February 2019

Annual Budget 2019/2020 and Water Strategy Discussion Document – Engagement Approach

File No.: CP2019/00311

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To agree to the proposed engagement approach for the Annual Budget 2019/2020 and the Water Strategy Discussion Document.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. If the recommendations of this report are approved, public consultation on Annual Budget 2019/2020 will run from 17 February 2019 to 17 March 2019 in conjunction with the Water Strategy discussion document.

3. The planned approach will deliver efficiencies by consolidating resources across the two components of the consultation.

4. This consultation will incorporate consultation on the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 amendment on the Waterfront Land Transfer, if adopted.

5. Targeted engagement will take place for the various groups specifically affected by specific rating changes in addition to general engagement on fee changes, the Maunga Authority draft operational plan and local board agreements.

6. A range of events will be held across the region enabling Aucklanders to have their say on the combined consultation in ways that suit them.

7. In collaboration with community partners, efforts will be made to engage with Auckland’s diverse communities to ensure their voices are heard in the decision-making process.

8. To make it accessible to as many people as possible, information on the consultation will be available online, in hard copy and translated into six different languages.

9. Feedback will be gathered from written responses, verbal interactions and social media channels (official council Facebook pages only).

10. Engagement will take place with mana whenua and mataawaka during the consultation period.

11. Following on from the consultation period, the decisions made will be communicated widely to all submitters and stakeholders groups involved in the process.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Finance and Performance Committee:

a) agree to recommend to the Governing Body to approve the public consultation approach for the Annual Budget noting that:

i) public consultation will run from 17 February 2019 to 17 March 2019

ii) feedback can be provided through written, in person and digital channels

iii) Have Your Say events will be held across the region to allow Aucklanders to provide feedback and have their views heard

iv) regional and local briefing reports will be prepared to provide a summary of public feedback received across all channels

v) the council will participate in a joint deliberations meeting with the Tūpuna Maunga Authority on their draft Annual Operational Plan

vi) a summary of the final decisions made will be prepared in June and widely communicated.

b) agree to recommend to the Governing Body to delegate to the following elected members and staff the power and responsibility to hear from the public through “spoken interaction/NZ sign language interaction” at the Have Your Say events for consultation on the annual plan:

i) Councillors;

ii) Local Board Chairs and Local Board Members;

iii) Tier 2 and Tier 3 staff and any additional staff selected by the Group Chief Financial Officer

c) note that feedback on the water strategy discussion document will be reported to the Environment and Community Committee in June 2019.

Horopaki

Context

12. Once every three years, councils are required to adopt a long-term plan (referred to as the 10-year Budget), and in the intervening years an annual plan (referred to as the Annual Budget). Last year the Council adopted the 10-year Budget 2018-28 and this year will adopt an Annual Budget 2019/2020. Each year our budget enables rates to be set for the year and includes a Local Board Agreement for each of our 21 local boards.

13. Outside of the Annual Budget, we will also be asking for Aucklanders input to guide development of a water strategy for Auckland. Aucklanders will be able to have their say on a discussion document which will help shape how we will address water issues in the region.

14. Aucklanders will be able to have their say on these two consultations at the same time from 17 February 2019 to 17 March 2019.

15. There will be a joint campaign, Have Your Say events, feedback form and combined budget.

16. There are no matters of significant regional interest or change for Annual Budget 2019/2020. However, we are required to consult on specific proposed rating changes and proposed increases to some fees. Please see Attachment A for an overview of these changes:

i) Changes to rating of religious use properties

ii) An increase to the waste management targeted rate base service charge

iii) Extending the food scraps collection targeted rate to North Shore former trial properties

iv) Phasing out the Waitakere rural sewerage service and targeted rate

v) Adjusting the urban rating area

vi) Increases to some fees to maintain cost recovery (regulatory and mooring fees)

17. As well as these proposed changes, the Consultation Document also seeks feedback on the Maunga Authority draft operational plan and local board agreements.

18. The approach outlined in this report will also cover consultation on the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 amendment on the Waterfront Land Transfer, should it go ahead.

19. Any amendment to the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 and the proposed changes to fees mean that council must use the special consultative procedure prescribed by the Local Government Act 2002. In particular:

i) Council must make sure that any person who wishes to present their views using “spoken interaction” is given a reasonable opportunity to do so and is informed about how and when he or she may take up that opportunity.

ii) The term “spoken interaction” replaced the former requirement for the council to provide a submitter with a “reasonable opportunity to be heard”. The new term is not intended to replace or restrict the usual daily engagement that elected members and staff will continue to have with communities in phone calls, conversations and emails.

20. The combined consultation will be treated as a special consultative procedure.

21. There may also be some crossover with Auckland Transport’s consultation on the Draft Speed Limits Bylaw 2019. It is planned this consultation will go live in late February. Where possible there will be an Auckland Transport presence at Have Your Say events and information available in hard copy and online.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Overview of Communication and engagement approach

22. Consolidating resources across the Water Strategy discussion document and Annual Budget 2019/2020 (plus the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 amendment and Draft Speed Limits Bylaw 2019 if necessary) will result in a consultation that’s easy to find and understand for Aucklanders:

i) Reduced engagement fatigue for public by providing a single experience

ii) A single overarching Have Your Say campaign

iii) Alignment of topics

iv) Shared website destination

v) Shared feedback form

vi) Shared consultation events

vii) Shared marketing and communication activity

viii) Shared budget

ix) Shared staff training

Gathering feedback

23. Feedback will be gathered in a number of ways:

i) written feedback received through feedback forms (online and hard copy), emails, letters, etc. and proformas

ii) spoken interaction (verbal feedback) from events

iii) feedback received from digital/social media (note feedback only from official council channels will be analysed i.e. Auckland Council and local board Facebook pages).

24. Submitters who gave feedback for the 10-year Budget 2018-2028 and Auckland Plan consultation and provided their email addresses will be contacted and asked if they wish to comment. This gives access to 27,000 submitters who are already engaged and informed of the consultation process.

25. The 36,000 People’s Panel members and 12,000 members of the Auckland Conversations database will also be contacted and asked for their feedback.

26. The databases will be cross-referenced to avoid duplication.

27. Feedback questions on the Annual Budget 2019/2020 have been peer reviewed by the University of Auckland and amended where necessary.

Targeted activity for specific ratings/fees questions

28. Efforts will be made to target those groups specifically impacted by the proposed rating changes outlined earlier by the following methods:

i) Mailouts to all property owners/ratepayers identified in the ratings databases for each individual ratings change – by email if an email address is on file and by post where a postal address is on file. Letters/emails will outline how the various changes will affect the property owner and invite them to provide feedback.

ii) Contacting umbrella religious organisations and making them aware of the changes to rating of religious use properties, invite them to provide feedback and to share this across their networks. These organisations include but are not restricted to:

· The Inter Church Bureau

· Hindu Organisations and Temples Association

· Shri Shirdi Sai Baba’s Mandir (Hindi and Muslim)

· New Zealand Muslim Association

· Auckland Hebrew Congregation

29. Where events are being held in areas specifically impacted by the changes, for example phasing out the Waitakere rural sewerage service and targeted rate, subject matter experts will be present to explain the changes and provide technical expertise.

Events

30. Have Your Say events will be held across Auckland. Local boards will mostly host these and have decided the number of events and format (round table, drop in session or traditional hearing style) that they believe best suits their community. Local boards were provided with an outline of councillor availability before setting the event dates and times. These events provide an opportunity for the community to have their views, on local and regional issues, heard by decision makers.

31. Local boards will seek feedback specifically on their local board agreements, however understanding local views on regional issues is also a priority.

32. Where local boards have decided not to hold events in their area, the Citizen and Customer Engagement team will hold alternative events in order for people to have the opportunity to have a spoken interaction on the consultation topics.

33. Targeted events and forums will be held to cater to the different demographic groups and communities. Targeted Māori and Pasifika events will be scheduled to discuss topics important to them.

34. Two regional stakeholder Have Your Say events will be held in a traditional hearing style on 14 March 2019 (Annual Budget 2019/2020) and 27 March 2019 (Water Strategy discussion document).

35. Regional stakeholders are organisations that represent groups of people who have generally regional views.

36. Additional events including an Auckland Conversation on 21 February 2019, a targeted ‘young professionals’ Have Your Say event on 26 March 2019 and a presence at the Lantern Festival and Kumeu Show will enable a wide range of Aucklanders to be aware of the consultation and provide feedback should they wish.

37. People who attend events will, where practical, be asked to provide their demographic information. This will not be compulsory but should give an indication of those who have had a spoken interaction as part the consultation in addition to those who provide written feedback by hard copy and online.

38. The Water Strategy discussion document component of the consultation is not under the same set timeframe as Annual Budget 2019/2020. For this reason there are two targeted, invite only events being held after the official consultation period has ended.

Consultation documentation and translations

39. In order to support Aucklanders to be able to provide feedback in a way that suits them best, all information will be provided online and in hard copy.

40. Hard copies of all documentation and feedback forms will be available at all libraries, service centres and local board offices as well as at the events.

41. To enable a wide reach across Auckland’s diverse communities, a high-level summary and the feedback form will be translated into Samoan, Tongan, Korean, Chinese, New Zealand Sign Language and Te Reo.

42. All consultation documentation will also be available online at www.akhaveyoursay.nz which takes users through to the Have Your Say section of the Auckland Council website. People will be able to read through all the information before providing their feedback in an online form.

Digital activity

43. In addition to the various emails to targeted groups, the consultation will be promoted via Council’s official digital channels:

· Auckland Council and the 21 Local Board Facebook pages (as mentioned earlier, only comments on these official council channels will be analysed)

· OurAuckland online

· Auckland Council LinkedIn

· Auckland Council Twitter

Communications: media channels

44. The February print edition of ‘Our Auckland’ includes an alert to let people know that the combined consultation is going to take place.

45. The March edition of ‘Our Auckland’ will have a focus on water issues and let people know when and how they can provide feedback. Readers will be encouraged to go to the website to read all the information available and provide their informed feedback using the online feedback from. The hard copy feedback form will not be included in Our Auckland.

46. Additional media opportunities will be used in the lead up to and during the consultation period to help raise people’s awareness of it taking place and that they can provide feedback.

Reaching out to Auckland’s diverse communities

47. Auckland Council is committed to supporting and including voices from diverse communities across Auckland. Being a super-diverse city, Auckland is home to communities of many different cultures and backgrounds.

48. To ensure that diverse voices are being included in Auckland Council’s decision making on the Annual Budget 2019/2020 and the future of water, the Citizen and Customer Engagement team has developed an initiative to partner with community groups. This initiative aims to help build capacity amongst community partners, increase civic engagement in diverse communities and increase the amount of submissions from diverse community groups.

49. During the consultation period, a number of community partners will use their expertise, relationships and networks to lead engagement with their communities.

50. They will receive training on the information and topics to be covered and will deliver this to their communities in the way that suits them best.

51. Advisory Panels will also be made aware of the engagement approach so they can be involved. Their input will be incorporated during the implementation phase.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

52. The combined consultation approach has been approved by the lead team members of Finance and Healthy Waters.

53. It was considered that this approach was an efficient use of resource and would benefit both groups while also ensuring a wide range of Aucklanders were able to provide feedback.

Ngā whakaaweawe ā-rohe me ngā tirohanga a te poari ā-rohe

Local impacts and local board views

54. The role of local boards in the public consultation process is an integral part of the approach. If the recommendations of this report are approved, locally held Have Your Say events detailed earlier will be deployed across the region to collect feedback on regional and local issues to inform the Water Strategy discussion document and Annual Budget 2019/2020.

55. Local boards have the discretion within the consultation period to hold various Have Your Say events that may or may not include a traditional style event. A delegation from Governing Body would be required for local board members to hear regional views if Governing Body members were not present at an event.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

56. Engagement with mana whenua and mataawaka during the March consultation period will prioritise the Water Strategy, due to the importance of this kaupapa for Māori, both mana whenua in their kaitiaki role, and as expressed by mataawaka. Engagement on the Annual Budget will run in parallel, with a focus on confirming the progress of 10-year-budget 2018 – 28, highlighting Māori input into the 10-year-budget decisions and inviting further comment if desired.

57. Engagement will include a series of sub-regional Māori-led events covering issues from a local perspective, including but not limited to three Radio Waatea facilitated Live Debates with mana whenua, mataawaka, elected member and council subject matter expert panellists and a live Māori community audience; a mana whenua session on 13 March 2019 for feedback direct to the committee; and rangatahi-led direct engagement with Māori youth across the city.

58. Should the consultation 10-year-budget Waterfront Land transfer amendment progress, mana whenua will receive additional information to provide clarity on the proposal, and any potential or perceived impact on their rights over relevant parcels. Face to face briefings will be offered, along with 13 March 2019 opportunity to provide comment direct to the committee.

59. A feedback event will be held focusing on Tūpuna Maunga Authority draft operational plan (attended by Tūpuna Maunga Authority members including Councillors on the Tūpuna Maunga Authority Board).

60. Engagement with Māori on the six additional ratings topics will be undertaken through the targeted engagement for impacted Aucklanders outlined above, these methods provide direct engagement with all impacted Aucklanders including Māori.

61. Impact on marae of the proposed ratings change for religious properties has been explored, and it has been confirmed that marae are not disadvantaged by this proposal. Marae are not charged rates up to 2 hectares, therefore the change would not create an imbalance in approach.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

62. The proposed overall budget for the combined consultation is $171,500 for communications and engagement

63. $98,500 has been approved by the Finance group as their contribution to the joint consultation

64. $60,000 has been approved by Healthy Waters as their contribution to the joint consultation

65. Please see Attachment B for a breakdown of the key communications and engagement costs

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

66. There is a risk that Aucklanders will be overwhelmed by the combined approach. This will be mitigated by very clearly differentiating between the components of the consultation by:

i) Separate tabs on the website

ii) Explaining to submitters upfront they only need to provide feedback on the areas they are interested in.

67. It was considered that the risk of overwhelming Aucklanders with the combined consultation approach was less than the risk of engagement fatigue running two large regionwide consultations in a short space of time.

68. There is a risk that Auckland Transport’s consultation on the Draft Speed Limits Bylaw 2019 will dominate public thinking and media headlines. Inviting AT to have a presence at events and linking through to their online information means we will show a joined-up approach across the council whanau.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

69. If the recommendations of this report and accompanying presentation are approved by Governing Body, the combined consultation will take place from 17 February 2019 until 17 March 2019

70. Following on from the consultation period, regional and local briefing reports will be prepared to provide a summary of public feedback received across all channels

71. A summary of the final decisions made will be prepared in June and widely communicated with all submitters and stakeholders involved.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Ratings and fees summary	55
b ⇩	Key communications and engagement costs	57

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Jean Cathcart - Senior CCE Specialist

Kenneth Aiolupotea - Head of Citizen Insights & Engagement

Authorisers

Phil Wilson - Governance Director

Matthew Walker - Group Chief Financial Officer

[1] Charges for waste management targeted rates will still apply where the service is provided

Chairperson	Cr Ross Clow
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Desley Simpson, JP
Members	Cr Josephine Bartley	Cr Penny Hulse
	Cr Dr Cathy Casey	Cr Mike Lee
	Deputy Mayor Cr Bill Cashmore	Cr Daniel Newman, JP
	Cr Fa’anana Efeso Collins	Cr Greg Sayers
	Cr Linda Cooper, JP	Cr Sharon Stewart, QSM
	Cr Chris Darby	IMSB Chair David Taipari
	Cr Alf Filipaina	Cr Sir John Walker, KNZM, CBE
	Cr Hon Christine Fletcher, QSO	Cr Wayne Walker
	Mayor Hon Phil Goff, CNZM, JP	Cr John Watson
	Cr Richard Hills	Cr Paul Young
	IMSB Member Terrence Hohneck