Agenda of Kaipātiki Local Board - Wednesday, 17 March 2021

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

Members are 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.

The Auckland Council Code of Conduct for Elected Members (the Code) requires elected members to fully acquaint themselves with, and strictly adhere to, the provisions of Auckland Council’s Conflicts of Interest Policy. The policy covers two classes of conflict of interest:

i) A financial conflict of interest, which is one where a decision or act of the local board could reasonably give rise to an expectation of financial gain or loss to an elected member; and

ii) A non-financial conflict of interest, which does not have a direct personal financial component. It may arise, for example, from a personal relationship, or involvement with a non-profit organisation, or from conduct that indicates prejudice or predetermination.

The Office of the Auditor General has produced guidelines to help elected members understand the requirements of the Local Authority (Member’s Interest) Act 1968. The guidelines discuss both types of conflicts in more detail, and provide elected members with practical examples and advice around when they may (or may not) have a conflict of interest.

Copies of both the Auckland Council Code of Conduct for Elected Members and the Office of the Auditor General guidelines are available for inspection by members upon request.

Any questions relating to the Code or the guidelines may be directed to the Local Area Manager in the first instance.

4 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Kaipātiki Local Board:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Wednesday, 17 February 2021, as true and correct.

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 Petitions

At the close of the agenda no requests to present petitions had been received.

8 Deputations

Standing Order 7.7 provides for deputations. Those applying for deputations are required to give seven working days notice of subject matter and applications are approved by the Chairperson of the Kaipātiki Local Board. This means that details relating to deputations can be included in the published agenda. Total speaking time per deputation is ten minutes or as resolved by the meeting.

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

9 Public Forum

A period of time (approximately 30 minutes) is set aside for members of the public to address the meeting on matters within its delegated authority. A maximum of 3 minutes per item is allowed, following which there may be questions from members.

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

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.”

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board business meeting - Schedule 1 - Accountability Reporting Q2 KCFT report	9

Kaipātiki Local Board

17 March 2021

Kaipātiki Transitional Rates Grants

File No.: CP2021/01420

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To note that the transitional rates grants are ending on the 30th of June 2021.

2. To decide the next steps for the transitional rates grants allocated to groups in the Kaipātiki Local Board area.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

Overview of transitional rates grants

3. At the end of the 2017/2018 financial year the council removed the legacy rates remission schemes carried over from the legacy councils. These schemes provided community and sporting groups in some parts of Auckland with property rates relief. In the 2019/2020 financial year community groups located on maunga were also added to the transitional rates grant scheme.

4. To minimise the impact on the recipients of these schemes, the Governing Body provided transitional rates grants for three years, from the 2018/2019 financial year ending on 30 June 2021. These grants were available automatically on the same terms as the original legacy remission schemes. Recipients of the grants were notified in the 2017/2018 financial year that the scheme would be limited to three years.

5. Budgets for local grants (including inflation) was allocated to local boards for 10 years so local boards could eventually integrate them into their community support programme. As the transitional rates grants are automatically distributed, local boards do not currently have authority to make decisions on the use of these funds. An amount of $34,583 was paid to seven organisations in the Kaipātiki local board area in the 2020/2021 financial year. Details of these grants are in Attachment A to the report.

6. With the transitional grants now expiring, the local board must decide how to utilise the associated budget. The local board can choose to either:

· let the grants end, and reallocate the budget

· amend their grants programme criteria to enable rates grants to continue on a temporary or permanent basis.

7. All seven of the grants made in the Kaipātiki area provide a material level of support to local community organisations, and the impact of their removal is unclear.

8. If the local board wishes to continue to support existing beneficiaries and enable integration of community rates funding into their grants programme they should:

· amend their grants programme criteria to enable rates grants to continue for any high value grants the local board consider are broadly aligned with the local board’s community funding strategy. This can be done when the local board review its grants programme criteria in April/May.

· retain the budget for these grants in the Asset Based Services (ABS) budget as a separate line item. This enables the grants to be considered as part of the Governance Framework Review of funding for asset-based services.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Kaipātiki Local Board:

a) note that transitional rates grants are ending 30 June 2021

b) note that the local board retains the budget for the transitional rates grants as Asset Based Services (ABS) budget as a separate line item, with discretion over its future allocation. This will enable the grants to be considered as part of the Governance Framework Review on funding for asset-based services.

c) agree to continue the transitional rates grants for the 2021/2022 financial year during which period staff will report back to the local board with more information on the recipients and these grants will be reviewed prior to the adoption of the 2022/2023 Local Board Agreement.

d) agree that rates grants paid out in future will be calculated by applying the average rates increase to the previous year’s grants.

e) agree in principle to amend its discretionary community grants programme criteria for the 2021/22 financial year to enable the rates grants to continue for the financial year 2021/2022.

f) request the above resolutions be forwarded to the community grants team for consideration prior to the development of the local board’s 2021/2022 community grants criteria.

Horopaki

Context

9. Transitional rates grants replaced rates remission schemes (Attachment B) for community organisations that were inherited from Franklin District Council (FDC), North Shore City Council (NSC), Rodney District Council (RDC) and Auckland Regional Council (ARC). The district and city council schemes were only available to properties within the relevant former district. The regional scheme was only available to properties not covered by a district or city council scheme.

10. In 2019, five community groups located on Auckland’s maunga (in Devonport-Takapuna, Howick, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu and Maungakiekie-Tāmaki) were included in the transitional rates scheme. Prior to the crown settlement of the maunga these organisations did not pay rates under a council community lease. The transfer of the maunga to the Maunga Authority resulted in the Authority becoming liable for rates. As a consequence, these organisations are now required to pay rates under their new lease agreements.

11. The removal of legacy rates remissions and options for transition were consulted on alongside the 10-year Budget 2018-28. Following consideration of feedback (Attachment C) from remission recipients, local boards and the general public, the Governing Body decided to remove the legacy remissions, and introduce a transitional grants scheme for three years, ending 30 June 2021. Under the criteria agreed by the Governing Body, grants were automatically available to organisations that:

· received a legacy rates remission for community organisations in the 2017/2018 financial year

· continued to meet the criteria and conditions of the original remission scheme.

12. The amount of support provided by the grants was determined by the original remission scheme. Each scheme offered differing amounts of support. The district and city council schemes remitted 50 to 100 per cent of the rates, while the regional scheme provided five to 10 per cent of the general rates.

Transitional Rates Grants

13. In the 2020/2021 financial year, 169 local transitional rates grants were made to 104 local organisations. The total value of these grants was $400,000. Of these, 66 grants are less than $500, and are paid as a credit to the rate account for the qualifying property. The remaining 103 grants are paid directly to the bank account of the beneficiary.

14. The Kaipātiki Local Board hold seven transitional rates grants. All these grants are made under the criteria of the North Shore City scheme. The grants range from $2,536 to $13,949 and pay between 81 and 100 per cent of the rates for the qualifying property. Details of Kaipātiki transitional rates grants paid in the 2020/2021 financial year are provided in Attachment A.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

15. All recipients of the rates transition grants were advised that the grants were limited to three years. At the end of the scheme recipients are to be advised of any other options for support, such as local and regional grants programmes.

16. Staff recognise that in some cases recipients may not be fully prepared for the end of the transition grants scheme and/or that local boards may wish to provide for further support. Two options for this are set out below and assessed against the following criteria:

· managing impact for recipients

· administration cost.

Options

17. Staff did not consider retaining the transitional rates grants in their current form. The transition rates grants process consumes significant administrative resource. This includes rates specialists to manually calculate grants amounts. Resource for this work is no longer available in the rates team.

Option one: Status quo: grants end and recipients may seek support through existing grants programmes.

Option two: amend Kaipātiki Local Board grants programme: to enable rates grants to continue on a temporary or permanent basis using a simplified grants process.

Under both options the local board retains the budget under Asset Based Services operational (opex) budget. The funds cannot be reallocated to LDI opex budget due to Local Board Funding Policy limitations but can be used to top-up LDI opex work programmes.

18. The Kaipātiki Local Board’s current grant programme does not identify assistance with rates as a criteria or priority. If the local board decides to retain the transitional rates grant in some form the local board’s grant programme will need to be updated to set the criteria for this grant. This can be part of the local board’s review of the grant programme in April.

Managing the impact on recipients

19. Kaipātiki transitional rates grants may provide a significant level of support to the recipient organisations. The impact of Option one on recipients is unclear.

20. Option two minimises any impact on current recipients by retaining the grants for a further period of time. Retaining the grants on a transitional basis also provides the local board with additional time to consider the future of the grants.

21. As this funding would sit within the Community Services Asset Based Services operational budget, it will be considered as part of the Governance Framework Review.

Administration cost

22. Option one has no associated administration cost.

23. Option two will require administrative resource, although significantly less than before, as only the high value grants will remain. The grants team is able to administer rates grants within their current resources if in future the grants are calculated by applying the average rates increase to the previous year’s grants.

Conclusion

24. Administration costs are lower for option one but the impact on recipients of grants is unclear. Option two mitigates the impact on recipients of grants while grants continue to be offered. This option can be undertaken within current council resourcing if the grants are simplified as proposed above.

25. The decision on whether to continue to offer rates grants belongs with the local board. If the local board wishes to continue to support recipients on a temporary or permanent basis then it can amend its grant criteria when the local board’s grant programme is reviewed in April/May.

Local board budgets

26. The funding for transitional rates is currently held and will remain as Asset Based Services (ABS) budget. The amount of budget allocated to each local board is a function of the value of rates remitted in each local board area under the legacy remission schemes.

27. If transitional rates grants are to be continued, funding should be retained in the Asset Based Services budget under Community Services group of activities. This ensures there is no impact on the local board’s Locally Driven Initiative budget allocation. This approach also enables these grants to be included in the equity-based funding allocation being considered by the Governance Framework Review. Local boards will retain decision making responsibility for these grants.

28. If transitional rates grants are removed, the associated funding is available to the local board for reallocation. While these funds will remain within the ABS budget, they can be used to support Local Discretionary Initiatives (LDI) such as the local board’s community grants programme without impacting on LDI budget allocations.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

29. The effects of climate change were not a consideration when the existing transitional rates grants established. Integrating the transitional rates grants into the local boards community grants programmes will enable local boards to consider climate impacts in the future application of these funds.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

30. The decision sought for this report has no identified impacts on other parts of the council group. The views of council controlled organisations were not required for preparation of this advice.

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

Local impacts and local board views

31. This report advises the local board of their options now that the transitional grants scheme is ending. The local impacts of the proposal are set out in the report.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

32. No Māori organisations are receiving funding through the transitional rates grants. Māori land is eligible for support under the Rates remission for Māori freehold land policy. This policy is not under review.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

33. The financial implications are set out in the report. The Kaipātiki Local Board has $34,583 in transitional rates grants budget that it can reallocate. All seven of the grants held by the local board provide a significant level of support to the recipients. The local board can opt to amend its grant programme to continue the grants to minimise impacts to recipients.

34. If the local board decided not to continue the grants they can reallocate the budget through the work programme process.

35. The budget will continue to be held as Community Services ABS operating expend iture and the use of these funds will be included in the equity-based funding allocation being considered by the Governance Framework Review.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

36. Removal of transitional rates grants may cause hardship for some organisations. This report advises the local board of the options available to them to manage any impacts.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

37. If the local board chooses to retain some or all of its grants then it will need to amend its grant programme criteria to include rates grants. This can be completed in April 2021 as part of the annual review of local boards grant programmes

38. A letter will be issued to all recipients of transitional rates grants informing them of the changes and any future options for support as appropriate.

39. Decisions on future allocation of the funds for transitional rates grants can be made through the local board’s budgeting process.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Attachment A: Local Transitional Rates Grants Kaipātiki	21
b ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Legacy rates remission and postponement policies	23
c ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Local Boards and Rural Advisory Panel Feedback on the Rates Remission and Postponement Policy proposal, from 2018	35

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Beth Sullivan - Principal Advisor Policy

Jestine Joseph - Lead Financial Advisor

David Rose - Lead Financial Advisor

Authorisers

Ross Tucker - General Manager, Financial Strategy and Planning

Eric Perry - Local Area Manager

Kaipātiki Local Board

17 March 2021

Local board input into preparation of the draft 2021 Regional Parks Management Plan

File No.: CP2021/01103

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To enable local boards to provide formal input into the preparation of the draft Regional Parks Management Plan 2021.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Parks, Arts, Community and Events (PACE) Committee initiated the 10-year review of the Regional Parks Management Plan (RPMP) in 2020. Written suggestions from 758 submitters were received on the intention to draft the plan, and in December 2020 a summary was sent to local board members. A memo provided to council’s Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee (PACE) in December 2020 containing a summary of suggestions received is included as Attachment A.

3. The main overarching theme in the suggestions is that people highly value the natural, undeveloped nature of the regional parks, particularly in the face of continuing growth of Auckland’s population and urban area. They want to be able to access and enjoy regional parks while at the same time protecting these natural spaces.

4. Track closures to prevent the spread of kauri dieback continue to be a source of frustration and the council received numerous requests for it to do more to re-establish access while protecting kauri. Vehicles on Muriwai Beach, dog control, visitor impacts on wildlife, and the need for greater plant and animal pest control were other sources of concern.

5. People highlighted that regional parks can play a positive role in responding to climate change as natural carbon sinks, with many people suggesting ‘that more trees be planted’. Other suggestions included ways for farming to be more sustainable, regenerative and diverse and for visitor vehicle emissions to be reduced.

6. Submitters also suggested regional parks play an important role in connecting and educating people about nature, Māori heritage, and farming. They suggested volunteering and partnerships could support this role.

7. There was both opposition and qualified support for revenue generation from regional parks. Some suggested donations could be sought to support projects in parks.

8. The next steps are to consider these suggestions in the preparation of the draft RPMP, together with local board input provided through this report, and engagement with mana whenua. Key decisions and issues will be workshopped with the PACE Committee before the draft RPMP is presented for the committee’s adoption and release for public consultation.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Kaipātiki Local Board:

a) resolve formal feedback to inform the preparation of the draft Regional Park Management Plan 2021.

Horopaki

Context

9. The regional parks management plan guides the management and use of regional parks. The regional park network has been managed via an omnibus management plan since 2002 and the 2010 version is still operative. Having a management plan is a statutory requirement under the Reserves Act 1977 and the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area Act 2008.

10. The PACE Committee initiated the 10-year review of the RPMP^{^[1]} in 2020. The review encompasses 28 regional parks comprising approximately 41,000 hectares of park land.

11. The process for the review is as follows.

12. On 20 August 2020, Auckland Council notified its intention to prepare a new plan and sought written suggestions from the community and organisations, as required under the Reserves Act 1977.

13. During an eight-week consultation period from 1 September to 26 October 2020, comments and suggestions were received from 758 people and organisations along with a petition from 3681 petitioners.

14. Elected members were provided with a summary of the suggestions in December 2020. The summary of suggestions was publicly released in January 2021 and is available on the RPMP review webpage, and is presented at Attachment A to this report.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Summary of suggestions from organisations and the community

15. The suggestions ranged from general comments about what people value about regional parks and the role the parks should play, to comments and suggestions about specific regional parks.

16. Comments included brief suggestions from many different park users, through to multiple-page submissions quoting clauses of the current RPMP and in-depth suggestions from those who have had years of close association with the regional parks. Organisations representing specific recreation, community or conservation interests put forward their members’ views.

Key themes

· Almost universally, people told us they love the natural, undeveloped character of regional parks, and value the ability to freely access natural and open spaces as Tāmaki Makaurau continues to grow.

· Many value native biodiversity for its own sake and want to protect and restore the natural environment.

Issues that the largest numbers of submitters felt strongly about were:

· The impact of kauri dieback related track closures on wellbeing, with requests to improve access while protecting kauri.

· Vehicles on beaches, particularly at Muriwai, drew comment about conflicts with other users and concerns about safety and environmental damage.

· In response to climate change, people saw regional parks as fulfilling the role of a carbon sink. By far the most common suggestion was to ‘plant more trees.’ Other common suggestions were for farming to be more sustainable, regenerative and diverse, and to build cycle trails and bus links between parks and communities so people don’t have to drive.

· Some requested more spaces to take dogs, while others wanted to keep areas dog-free with a greater focus on enforcing dog bylaws.

· Many raised concerns about plant and animal pest infestations and suggested priority go to conservation and pest control and suggested actions to reduce visitor impacts on wildlife.

Other key themes raised by the community and organisations included:

· Requests from many outdoor recreation groups and users (trampers, horse riders, mountain bikers, vehicle-based campers, four-wheel drive recreation, dog walkers and others) for more opportunities to enjoy their activities in more parts of regional parks.

· Regional parks were viewed as the natural place to educate and build connections to nature including through volunteering, and to learn about farming and provide experiences with animals. Suggestions to provide visitor information, nature education, support volunteers and provide a more visible ranger presence were received.

· A petition from 3681 people sought an end to the killing of farmed animals for food production at Ambury and other regional parks, on the grounds that animals deserve to live out their full lives.

· People said they want to understand and connect with the heritage and history of the whenua, particularly its Māori history.

· Commercial use was both opposed and given conditional support, providing it fits into the natural character of the regional parks. Some suggested donations could help fund projects and volunteering could be increased.

· The Waitākere Ranges drew the most comment by far of all the regional parks, including comments on kauri dieback and tracks, and the impact of visitor pressures in many areas.

· The Hūnua Ranges were seen to have considerable untapped potential for active recreation, with many suggestions for horse riding, mountain biking, tramping, day walks and cycle links.

17. Further detail is available in the Summary of Suggestions, published on the RPMP review webpage, and in the document provided at Attachment A.

18. Staff are seeking formal feedback from local boards by resolution in local board meetings held in February or March 2021 to help inform the draft RPMP preparation.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

19. Climate change is one of the key topics of the review. We invited comment on the role that regional parks might play in responding to the climate change emergency and many suggestions were received on this topic, as summarised in the section above.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

20. The preparation of the draft RPMP in 2021 involves subject matter experts from many parts of the council including Infrastructure and Environmental Services, Plans and Places, Regional Parks, Community Facilities; as well as council controlled organisations such as Auckland Unlimited, Auckland Transport, and Watercare.

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

Local impacts and local board views

21. Following workshops in early 2021 with those local boards who requested it, this report seeks formal feedback from local boards to be considered in preparation of the draft RPMP.

22. Local boards will have a further opportunity to comment on the draft 2021 RPMP following the public submission process.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

23. We are engaging with mana whenua during the drafting stage of the RPMP. In addition, we have requested region-wide input through the Tāmaki Makaurau Mana Whenua Forum. The forum’s response to this request is being considered in February 2021.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

24. The cost of the plan review will be met within existing Regional Parks and Regional Service Planning, Investment and Partnerships budgets and resources, confirmed in the Emergency Budget 2020/2021.

25. Revising the RPMP does not commit the council to future expenditure. The feedback received during the review and direction in the RPMP will guide priorities within available funding for regional parks.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

26. The table sets out risks and mitigations relating to the preparation of a draft RPMP in 2021.

Risk	Mitigation
If there is any move back into a higher level of Covid-19 Emergency during the plan drafting period, direct contact methods of engagement with mana whenua and key stakeholders may be disrupted.		· Aim to move engagement to remote methods such as Skype, if necessary. · Consider moving the deadlines if sufficient engagement cannot be undertaken.
The review may raise expectations for a higher level of facilities or services on regional parks.		· Manage expectations regarding the review scope and the relationship between the draft RPMP and the Long-term Plan and annual plan in all communications.
If we do not follow the correct processes under the Reserves Act 1977 and other legislation, the review process could be open to challenge.		· Confirm the legal status of regional park land holdings and check the statutory and other obligations over each land parcel to ensure compliance. · Ensure legal requirements regarding consultation processes are correctly followed.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

27. Analysis of the range of suggestions received from the community, feedback from local boards and mana whenua will help to inform the preparation of the draft RPMP in 2021, which will also draw on extensive staff expertise across the council group.

28. Key decisions and issues will be workshopped with the PACE Committee before the draft RPMP is presented for the committee’s adoption and release for public consultation.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Memo PACE 18 Dec 2020 - RPMP review - Memo and attachment	53

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Jo Mackay - Project Manager

Authorisers

Justine Haves - General Manager Service Strategy and Integration

Louise Mason - GM Local Board Services

Eric Perry - Local Area Manager

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Auckland Council draft submission to the Climate Change Commission's draft advice	113
b ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Climate Change Commission draft advice for consultation	163

Kaipātiki Local Board

17 March 2021

PDF Creator

Kaipātiki Local Board

17 March 2021

2021 Local Government New Zealand Conference and Annual General Meeting

File No.: CP2021/02019

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To endorse the process for appointing elected members to attend the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) conference taking place from 15 to 17 July 2021, appoint delegates to the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and provide process information regarding remits and awards.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The 2021 LGNZ Conference will be held at the ASB Theatre Marlborough, Blenheim from 15 to 17 July 2021. The conference programme is appended as Attachment A to the agenda report.

3. Due to reductions in the Emergency Budget (current financial year) and risks associated with uncertainty of alert levels during the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of members who will be able to attend the LGNZ conference this year is limited.

4. After considering a number of options (detailed in Attachment B of the agenda report), staff recommend an option that enables a representative Auckland Council delegation to be funded from the reduced budget as follows:

· elected members with a formal role as Auckland Council representatives to LGNZ

· six additional local board members to be selected from the local board clusters.

5. The estimated cost of attending the conference (registration, travel and accommodation) is $2,410 per person, bringing the total for the recommended option to $38,560.

6. As in previous years, elected members may use their Individual Development Budget (IDB) allocation to attend the conference. The IDB allocation has also been reduced under the Emergency Budget to $1,500 per member per electoral term. It is therefore not sufficient to cover the total cost of a member’s attendance. Members who wish to take up this opportunity would need to cover the shortfall themselves, approximately $900.

7. Auckland Council is entitled to four delegates at the AGM. These delegates are appointed by the Governing Body. Staff recommend that the four delegates include Mayor Phil Goff (as presiding delegate), Chief Executive Jim Stabback, and up to two other Auckland Council conference attendees.

8. The adoption of remits at the AGM and the 2021 LGNZ Excellence Awards are elements of this event. This report outlines the Auckland Council process for deciding Auckland Council remits and council positions on the conference remit, as well as a consolidated process for Auckland Council entries to the awards. The LGNZ Auckland Zone meeting, which is attended by representatives of local boards and the governing body is the forum that will coordinate these discussions.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Kaipātiki Local Board:

a) note the budget constraints in the current financial year and the recommended process for the appointment of attendees and delegates to the Local Government New Zealand 2021 Conference and Annual General Meeting in Blenheim from 15 to 17 July 2021.

b) endorse the selection of one local board representative per cluster through the Local Board Chairs’ Forum and agree to put nominations for cluster representatives through the local board chair for consideration at their April 2020 meeting.

c) note the process to submit remits to the Annual General Meeting and entries for the 2021 Local Government New Zealand Excellence Awards has been communicated to elected members on 2 March 2021.

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

e) note that all local board members who are appointed to attend the conference will be confirmed to the General Manager Local Board Services by 15 April 2021 at the latest to ensure that they are registered with Local Government New Zealand.

f) note that any member who wishes to attend the conference using their Individual Development Budget (IDB) allocation will need to subsidise the cost and must contact the General Manager Local Board Services by 8 April 2021 to make the necessary arrangements.

g) note that the Governing Body will be appointing delegates to the 2021 LGNZ Annual General Meeting at their 25 March 2021 meeting, with the recommendation being to appoint Mayor Phil Goff as presiding delegate, and to appoint Chief Executive Jim Stabback and up to two other Auckland Council conference attendees as delegates.

h) note that conference attendees can attend the 2021 Local Government New Zealand Annual General Meeting in an advisory capacity provided their names are included on the Annual General Meeting registration form, which will be signed by the mayor.

Horopaki

Context

9. LGNZ is an incorporated society of local government organisations whose primary objective is to represent and advocate for the interests of local authorities in New Zealand. LGNZ champions policy positions on key issues that are of interest to local government and holds regular meetings and events throughout the year for members. The schedule of meetings includes an annual conference and meetings of local government geographical clusters (known as LGNZ zones) and sectors.

10. LGNZ is governed by a National Council made up of representatives from member authorities as outlined in the constitution. Some of its work is conducted through committees and working groups which include representatives from member authorities.

11. Elected members who have been formally appointed to LGNZ roles including members who are involved in advisory groups are:

Name	LGNZ role
Mayor Phil Goff	National Council representative for Auckland Auckland Council representative on the Metropolitan Sector Group
Councillor Pippa Coom Local Board Chair Richard Northey	National Council representative for Auckland (appointed by Governing Body) and co-chair of the Auckland Zone National Council representative for Auckland (appointed by local boards) and co-chair of the Auckland Zone
Deputy Mayor Bill Cashmore	Auckland Council representative on Regional Sector
Councillor Alf Filipaina	Auckland Council representative on Te Maruata Roopu Whakahaere
Local Board Member Nerissa Henry	Auckland Council representative on Young Elected Members
Councillor Angela Dalton Local Board Deputy Chair Danielle Grant	Auckland Council representatives on Governance and Strategy Advisory Group
Councillor Richard Hills Local Board Member Cindy Schmidt	Auckland Council representatives on Policy Advisory Group

Auckland Zone

12. LGNZ rules were amended in 2019 to allow Auckland Council, with its unique governance arrangements, to be set up as its own Zone, rather than be part of LGNZ Zone 1 with Northland councils.

13. Auckland Zone meetings are scheduled on a quarterly basis. These meetings are co-chaired by the two Auckland representatives appointed to the LGNZ National Council by the Governing Body (Councillor Pippa Coom) and local boards’ (Chair Richard Northey) and attended by appointed representatives of local boards and members of the Governing Body.

14. The meetings of Auckland Zone are open to all elected members. The zone meetings receive regular updates from LGNZ Executive as well as verbal reports from Auckland Council elected members who have an ongoing involvement with LGNZ.

15. The zone meetings provide an opportunity for council to have discussions across governing body and local boards on joint advocacy issues including remits and other shared priorities that fall within LGNZ’s mandate.

LGNZ Annual conference and AGM 2021

16. The 2021 LGNZ conference and AGM will be held at the ASB Theatre Marlborough, Waiharakeke Blenheim, from 15 to 17 July 2021.

17. This year, the conference programme has the theme “Reimagining Aotearoa from community up”. The programme is available online on the LGNZ website and is appended as Attachment A to the agenda report.

18. The AGM takes place on the last day of the conference from 9.30am to 12.30pm. The LGNZ constitution permits the Auckland Council to appoint four delegates to represent it at the AGM, with one of the delegates being appointed as presiding delegate.

19. Due to the restriction following the COVID-19 crisis, the 2020 conference was postponed and Auckland Council only sent two delegates to the AGM. The two delegates who attended the AGM via remote/electronic attendance were Mayor Phil Goff and Councillor Pippa Coom.

20. In addition to the official delegates at the AGM, LGNZ allows conference participants to attend the AGM as observers but requires prior notice. Nominated attendees to the conference will be invited to register as observers to the AGM.

Remits (for consideration at the AGM 2021)

21. LGNZ invites member authorities to submit remits for consideration at the AGM on 17 July 2021 and entries for consideration for the LGNZ Excellence Awards, to be announced at the conference dinner on 16 July 2021.

22. Proposed remits should address only major strategic ‘issues of the moment’. They should have a national focus, articulating a major interest or concern at the national political level. They should relate to significant policy issues that, as a council, we have not been able to progress with central government through other means.

23. On 2 March 2021, elected members were sent detailed information inviting proposals for remits to be discussed at the Auckland Zone meeting on 12 March 2021. Remits that are agreed on at the zone meeting will be submitted by the due date.

24. The June 2021 meeting of the Auckland Zone will review all the remits that will be discussed at the AGM with a view to recommending a council position that the Auckland Council delegates will advocate at the AGM.

LGNZ Excellence Awards 2021

25. LGNZ also invites member authorities to submit entries for consideration for the LGNZ Excellence Awards, to be announced at the conference dinner on 16 July 2021.

26. The LGNZ Excellence Awards recognise and celebrate excellent performance by councils in promoting and growing the well-being of their communities. The awards are judged on a combination of general and specific criteria, incorporating best practice and components from the CouncilMARK™ excellence programme’s four priority areas. The awards categories for 2021 are:

· Creative New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Cultural Well-being

· Martin Jenkins EXCELLENCE Award for Economic Well-being

· Air New Zealand EXCELLENCE Award for Environmental Well-being

· Kāinga Ora Homes and Communities EXCELLENCE Award for Social Well-being

· In addition, one or more individuals will be awarded the Te Tari Taiwhenua Internal Affairs EXCELLENCE Award for Outstanding Contribution to Local Government, and Fulton Hogan will also select the Local EXCELLENCE Award from among the finalists.

27. The email to elected members on 2 March 2021 also outlined detailed information inviting potential awards entries to be discussed at the Auckland Zone meeting on 12 March 2021 so that entries from Auckland Council can be coordinated.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Overall costs per attendee

28. The estimated total cost of attendance to the conference is $2,410 per person, distributed as follows (all costs are GST inclusive):

Registration (early bird)	$1,400
Accommodation* @ $190 per night x 3 nights	$570
Flights**	$280
Miscellaneous***	$160
Total	$2,410

* based on average cost of Blenheim hotels.

** flights may range from $49 one way (take on bag only) to $199 for a 5pm flight (with a checked bag). $280 is as per 2020 budgeting.

*** for travel to and from airport and reasonable daily expenses under the EM Expenses policy

Options

29. Staff considered several options (refer to Attachment B of the agenda report) that ensure a fair balance of representatives across the governing body and local boards while keeping within budget. The key considerations that were applied to selecting the staff preferred option are:

a. the available budget for the LGNZ conference attendance is only $40,000

b. the cost of attendance per person (registration, travel, accommodation) is estimated at $2,410

c. with the uncertainty to public events and gatherings posed by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, there is a possibility the COVID-19 alert levels may not be favourable in July 2021. If this is the case, cancellations will not recoup all monies spent. Staff estimate that although this risk may be lower in July, it will continue to exist

d. ensure fair representation from local boards given the inability to accommodate 21 representatives

e. empowering elected members who have a formal involvement with LGNZ to be prioritised for attendance to maximise their ongoing contributions on behalf of Auckland Council

30. Staff recommend Option B which will cost $38,560 and fund attendance of 16 elected members including:

· all members who have been formally appointed or nominated to LGNZ National Council, subsidiary bodies and advisory groups (10 members)

· a representative from each of the 6 local board clusters – North, South, West, Central, Islands and Rural (6 members).

31. This is not the cheapest option but is the one that enables a wider representation from local boards. The more expensive options which allow for one representative per local board cannot be accommodated as it will exceed the available budget.

32. Local boards have an existing method for choosing a limited number of representatives. This approach utilises informal cluster groups based on geographic locations and unique characteristics (North, South, West, Central, Island, Rural) and involves local board chairs liaising with and agreeing with others in their cluster on their representative.

33. There is an opportunity to select local board representatives using this methodology at the Local Board Chairs’ Forum on 12 April 2021.

Use of IDB to fund additional attendees

34. Elected members who wish to attend the LGNZ conference and are not nominated or appointed can still attend using their IDB. As IDB entitlements are $1500 per elected member per term and the cost of attendance is approximately $2410, these elected members will need to meet the cost difference.

35. It is recommended that elected members who wish to attend and can pay the difference are included in the group booking for accommodation and travel. Any elected member who wishes to take up this opportunity is encouraged to liaise further with the Kura Kāwana team.

36. LGNZ are working on introducing some form of virtual attendance to the conference but the details are still to be confirmed.

37. As per previous years, LGNZ will make some session recordings available online after the conference.

Delegates for the Annual General Meeting

38. In line with previous years, staff recommend that AGM delegates are appointed from within the attending members as follows:

· Mayor Phil Goff as presiding delegate

· Chief Executive Jim Stabback

· up to two additional delegates.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

39. This report is procedural in nature, however the key impact on climate is through supporting attendance at a conference by means of air travel. A conservative approach to conference attendance would help reduce this impact.

40. Estimates for emissions associated with travel to Blenheim or travel within Auckland for local meetings have not been calculated at the time of writing this report. Emissions, when known, can be offset through a verified carbon offset programme at a small cost.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

41. LGNZ is an incorporated body comprising members who are New Zealand councils. Council-controlled organisations are not eligible for separate membership. However, remits can cover activities of council-controlled organisations.

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

Local impacts and local board views

42. LGNZ advocates for issues that are important to local government. Many of these issues are aligned with local board priorities. As such, there is interest from local boards in contributing to the work of LGNZ and in identifying and harnessing opportunities to progress other advocacy areas that local boards may have.

43. Each local board has a nominated lead who represents them at Auckland Zone meetings and is involved in discussions about LGNZ matters.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

44. LGNZ advocates on a variety of issues that are important to Māori, including Māori housing, various environmental issues and Council-Māori participation and relationship arrangements. In addition, LGNZ provides advice including published guidance to assist local authorities in understanding values, aspirations and interests of Māori.

45. The LGNZ National Council has a sub-committee, Te Maruata, which has the role of promoting increased representation of Māori as elected members of local government, and of enhancing Māori participation in local government processes. It also provides support for councils in building relationships with iwi, hapu and Māori groups. Te Maruata provides Māori input on development of future policies or legislation relating to local government. Councillor Alf Filipaina is a member of the sub-committee.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

46. Staff considered options to reduce the financial impact of the attendance to the conference, in line with the budget restrictions imposed as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.

47. The costs associated with conference attendance, travel and accommodation within the recommended option can be met within the allocated Kura Kāwana (Elected Member development) budget.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

48. The key risk is of delayed decision-making which can impact costs and registration choices. The sooner the registration for the nominated members can be made, the more likely it is that Auckland Council can take advantage of early bird pricing for the conference, flights and accommodation, all done via bulk-booking.

49. A resurgence of COVID-19 in the community and a change of alert level might prevent elected members from travelling to attend the conference. LGNZ is keeping an active review on the COVID-19 situation and will update directly to registered participants should a change affect the delivery of the conference. LGNZ is still working through a number of scenarios and how these would affect their decision to proceed as planned, postpone, cancel or switch delegates to virtual attendance, with the final decision resting with the National Council on the basis of the information available at the time.

50. In the current COVID circumstances, the reputational risk associated with any financial expenditure is heightened and there is high scrutiny from the public on the council’s expenses. The recommendation to limit the number of members attending the conference mitigates this risk to a certain degree.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

51. Once representatives are confirmed to attend, the Manager Governance Services will coordinate all conference registrations, as well as requests to attend the AGM.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	LGNZ Conference 2021 programme	361
b ⇩	Options for attendance	367

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Elodie Fontaine - Advisor - Democracy Services

Authorisers

Rose Leonard - Manager Governance Services

Louise Mason - GM Local Board Services

Eric Perry - Local Area Manager

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Governance Forward Work Calendar April - June 2021	377
b ⇩	17 March 2021 - Kaipātiki Local Board Business Meeting - Workshop Forward Work Plan March - May 2021	379

[1] The 2010 Regional Parks Management Plan is available online via this link.

Chairperson	John Gillon
Deputy Chairperson	Danielle Grant, JP
Members	Paula Gillon
	Ann Hartley, JP
	Melanie Kenrick
	Cindy Schmidt
	Andrew Shaw
	Adrian Tyler

Authors	Jacinda Short - Democracy Advisor
Authorisers	Eric Perry - Local Area Manager

Authors	Daniel Han - Local Board Advisor
Authorisers	Eric Perry - Local Area Manager