Agenda of Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

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.

4 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board:

a) confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Tuesday, 16 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

7.1 Petition - Request for a Bike Park at Manukau Sports Bowl

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. Dianne Roberts, Otara Bike Burb Manager and Terangi Parima from the Otara Kai Village will be in attendance to present the petition to the board.

2. The petition was created in response to feedback from local road bike riders and residents for a dedicated bike park to be created locally in or near Otara for its local youth. The proposed location is the Manukau sports bowl in Clover Park, MANUKAU. This petition is also created to see improvements with our local roads to support local road bike rides who currently have to ride with existing traffic during their travel journeys and to see a dedicated local bike hub supported to be created to help promote community biking, safety messaging, skill training and repairs for local bikes who rely on bike riding for their main mode of transport especially in light of Covid19 and its impacts on our community of Otara

3. The Otara Bike Burb is submitting the petition on behalf of the Otara community requesting a bike park be considered as part of the new Manukau Velodrome redevelopment master plan. This petition started last year at the request of local youth and local Otara road bike users.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board:

a) receive the petition requesting a bike Park be considered as part of the Manukau Sports Bowl redevelopment master plan and thank Dianne Roberts and Terangi Parima for their attendance.

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 Ōtara-Papatoetoe 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.

8.1 Deputation - The Otara Kai Village

Te take mō te pūrongo / Purpose of the report

The Otara Kai Village team will be in attendance to present to the board and to thank the board for its support in 2020.

Ngā tūtohunga / Recommendation/s

That the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board:

a) thank Terangi Parima from The Otara Kai Village for her attendance and presentation.

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.”

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

16 March 2021

Notice of Change of Control – Lease of Premises at 20 Newbury Street, Ōtara

File No.: CP2021/01925

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To approve the assignment of the current lease of premises at 20 Newbury Street, Ōtara from Pasifika Physio Ltd to Habit Rehabilitation Ltd.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. When Te Puke ō Tara community centre was redeveloped in 2018, a space was identified as a suitable venue for Pasifika Physio to provide rehabilitation services. On 19 February 2019, the local board approved the occupancy of this space for a period of three years.

3. On 27 January 2021, Physio Rehab Group advised council of a change of control within the tenant company because of the proposed sale of 51 per cent of Pasifika Physio shares to Habit Rehabilitation Limited, to take effect from 6 March 2021.

4. Pasifika Physio has requested council consent for the assignment of the lease. Under clause 16.4 of the lease agreement any change in the shareholding of the tenant is deemed to be an assignment of the lease and under clause 16.1. No assignment can occur without the landlord’s prior written consent.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board:

a) approve the assignment of the current lease of premises at 20 Newbury Street, Ōtara from Pasifika Physio Ltd to Habit Rehabilitation Ltd.

Horopaki

Context

5. Pasifika Physio have leased a space in Te Puke ō Tara community centre since it was redeveloped in 2018 to offer rehabilitation services.

6. Pasifika Physio had previously been based in the Ōtara community complex for nearly 18 years. They provide rehabilitation services to Ōtara’s high needs residents and therefore require a space to operate that has good accessibility.

7. Pasifika Physio’s residency in Te Puke ō Tara community centre supports council’s delivery of active recreation outcomes and approach to developing health promoting environments through their approach to community health, rehabilitation, wellness and active living supports.

8. On 19 February 2019, the local board approved the occupancy agreement of this space with Pasifika Physio for a period of three years (OP/2019/9).

9. On 27 January 2021, Physio Rehab Group wrote to council to advise of a change of control within the tenant company because of the proposed sale of 51 per cent of Pasifika Physio shares to Habit Rehabilitation Limited from 6 March 2021 and requested a change to the assignment of the current lease (Attachment A).

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

10. The purchaser, Habit Rehabilitation Limited, is a subsidiary of Habit Group Holdings Limited, which is New Zealand’s largest integrated health, fitness and rehabilitation group. It currently operates over 70 multidisciplinary health and wellness clinics New Zealand wide. The existing directors of Physio Rehab will continue to be involved in the business as employees.

11. Pasifika Physio have advised that by joining with Habit Rehabilitation Ltd, they can achieve better health outcomes for the community. Habit works with government agencies such as ACC and the District Health Boards and is one of the few entities in New Zealand that directly holds contracts for services such as the pain management, concussion and vocational services.

12. Habit Rehabilitation Ltd also has advanced systems and a management structure that will provide more integrated services for the community.

13. Under clause 16.4 of the lease agreement any change in the shareholding of the tenant is deemed to be an assignment of the lease. Under clause 16.1 no assignment can occur without the landlord’s prior written consent.

14. Staff recommend that the local board approve the assignment of the current lease from Pasifika Physio Ltd to Habit Rehabilitation Ltd to enable the occupant to continue delivering services to high needs communities, which complements the recreation operation of the Ōtara Leisure Centre. Staff advise that the working relationship with Pasifika Physio has been very positive to date.

15. The current space that the lease is assigned to has direct access from the central foyer of the building, which is important for meeting the accessibility needs of the occupant’s physiotherapy clients.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

16. Enabling community access to local services has a positive climate impact through reduced carbon emissions associated with travelling greater distances.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

17. Connected Communities is responsible for administering the assignment of the current lease from Pasifika Physio Ltd to Habit Rehabilitation Ltd.

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

Local impacts and local board views

18. The local board is considered to be the landlord for Te Puke ō Tara community centre and therefore, under clause 16.1, a resolution is required to administer a change to the assignment of the current lease.

19. Pasifika Physio provide rehabilitation services to Ōtara’s high needs residents.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

20. Pasifika Physio provides a physiotherapy service which is well utilised and easily accessed by the Māori community. This has a positive impact on the local Māori community because they do not have to travel long distances to access treatment, which is particularly significant in low decile areas. Māori communities can also access all aspects of health and wellbeing because of the other complimentary facilities, services and programmes located at the centre.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

21. Renting the proposed physio space has provided ongoing sustainable revenue, making the overall cost of service more manageable. Staff and Pasifika Physio have established a proposed annual rental of $25,000 plus GST inclusive of water and power.

22. This amount will not be impacted by a change to the assignment of the current lease and will remain until completion of the current lease agreement in February 2022.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

23. If assignment of the lease if not approved, then there is a risk that delivery of a needed physiotherapist service to the community will be discontinued from this location and council will lose the current revenue received through the lease agreement.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

23. Staff will administer the assignment of the lease to Habit Rehabilitation Ltd.

24. The lease agreement will expire in February 2022 and will be brought back to the local board for consideration.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Physio Rehab Group letter dated 27 January 2021	19

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Peter Loud - Team Leader Community Facilities

Authorisers

Mirla Edmundson - General Manager Libraries & Information

Manoj Ragupathy - Local Area Manager

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

16 March 2021

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

File No.: CP2021/01113

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.

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 Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board:

a) provide 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.

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.

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

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Jo Mackay - Project Manager

Authorisers

Justine Haves - General Manager Service Strategy and Integration

Louise Mason – General Manager Local Board Services

Manoj Ragupathy - Local Area Manager

Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board

16 March 2021

2021 Local Government New Zealand Conference and Annual General Meeting

File No.: CP2021/02044

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.

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), 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 Ōtara-Papatoetoe 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.

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 (Attachment B) 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	37
b ⇩	Options for attendance	43

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Elodie Fontaine - Advisor - Democracy Services

Authorisers

Rose Leonard - Manager Governance Services

Louise Mason – General Manager Local Board Services

Manoj Ragupathy - Local Area Manager

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Governance Work Calendar	47

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Workshop Record, 2 February 2021	51
b ⇩	Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Workshop Record, 9 February 2021	53
c ⇩	Ōtara-Papatoetoe Local Board Workshop Record, 23 February 2021	55

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

Chairperson	Lotu Fuli
Deputy Chairperson	Dr Ashraf Choudhary, QSO, JP
Members	Apulu Reece Autagavaia
	Dr Ofa Dewes
	Swanie Nelson
	Ross Robertson, QSO, JP
	Dawn Trenberth

Author	Carol McGarry - Democracy Advisor
Authoriser	Manoj Ragupathy - Local Area Manager