Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

25 July 2023

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Transport Capital Fund

File No.: CP2023/09827

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek approval for the allocation of the 2023-2025 Hibiscus and Bays Local Board’s Transport Capital Fund.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Auckland Transport manages the Local Board Transport Capital Fund on behalf of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board. Auckland Transport provides advice to support local board decision-making. A decision relating to the allocation of the Local Board Transport Capital Fund is being sought.

3. The indicative budget for the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board this political term (2022 to 2025) is $2,830,661.

4. Last political term, the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board allocated budget to several projects. Any remaining project is expected to be delivered in the first half of the new financial year and the costs are not expected to impact on the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board’s new allocation of $2,830,661.

5. In this report, Auckland Transport recommends that the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board allocate $2,830,661 to seven projects, being:

· raised zebra crossing in Saddleback Rise, Murrays Bay

· East Coast Bays Schools safety improvements

· Torbay bollards or planter boxes

· Deep Creek Road Torbay crossing

· pedestrian improvements to the intersection of Whangaparāoa Road and Hibiscus Coast Highway

· Bakehouse Lane Ōrewa one-way northbound treatment

· crossing at Whangaparāoa Road, Manly.

6. The indicative costs of the recommended projects are $2,830,661 which, if all the projects are confirmed, will fully utilise the local board’s Local Board Transport Capital Fund. The projects noted below may decrease in cost if during investigation a lesser intervention is considered desirable.

7. Auckland Transport requests the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board to make timely decisions so that the confirmed projects can be planned for as resources and budget are expected to be constrained in the current political term.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:

a) whakaae / approve the Local Board Transport Capital Fund 2022-2025 in part as follows:

i) whakaae / approve the allocation of $375,000 to install a new raised zebra crossing at 81 Saddleback Rise, Murrays Bay

ii) whakaae / approve the allocation of $150,661 for the installation of safety improvements such as ‘slow’ and ‘school’ road markings and red carpet treatments in the vicinity of schools and pre-schools in East Coast Bays

iii) whakaae / approve the allocation of $30,000 for installation of planter boxes or bollards at 1040 Beach Road, Torbay

iv) whakaae / approve the allocation of $375,000 for the installation of a raised table crossing at 141 Deep Creek Road, Torbay

v) whakaae / approve the allocation of $1,300,000 for the installation of pedestrian safety improvements at the intersection of Whangaparāoa Road and Hibiscus Coast Highway including extending footpath connections and creating a safe crossing

vi) whakaae / approve the allocation of $450,000 for the creation of a one-way northbound system in Bakehouse Lane, Ōrewa

vii) whakaae / approve the allocation of $150,000 for the installation of a pedestrian refuge at 956 Whangaparāoa Road, Manly.

Horopaki

Context

8. The Local Board Transport Capital Fund (LBTCF) is an Auckland Transport (AT) fund established in 2012 to allow local boards to deliver small projects in their local area that would not normally be prioritised by AT. The indicative budget for Hibiscus and Bays Local Board’s allocation of LBTCF for the 2022–2025 political term is $2,830,661.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

9. Workshops to gather suggestions for the LBTCF projects began with the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board in early 2023. The first workshop sought to gather new ideas for worthwhile projects as well as present some suggestions from members of the public or from local schools.

10. Auckland Transport followed this up in June 2023 with a second workshop that provided board members with high-level costings for projects and the opportunity to highlight their priorities.

11. New projects as discussed in the June 2023 workshop and now considered for funding are noted below.

Proposed new project details

Project	Description	Estimate
Saddleback Rise, Murrays Bay - raised zebra crossing	Providing a new raised zebra crossing at 81 Saddleback Rise. High vehicle speeds approaching this crossing point at the intersection. Old community safety fund project consulted in 2020.	$375,000
East Coast Bays schools safety improvements	The board wants to make small improvements only such as ‘slow’ or ‘school’ marking red surfacing, even at kindergartens in the area.	$150,661
Torbay bollards	Planter boxes are recommended by the local board to be considered to discourage trucks from parking and using the area for loading/ unloading outside the shops. As part of the feasibility process, truck loading areas should be discussed with AT - Parking and design team. "Potential loading zone at 1022 Beach Road or alternative to be considered as part of the investigation. Loading zone may not be supported by residents, high consultation risk. If the planter boxes are installed, then an alternative parking for trucks needs to be provided. Auckland Transport have planter boxes available that can be used at this location, design and transportation cost included."	$30,000
141 Deep Creek Road, Torbay crossing	"The address is 141 Deep Creek Road. We have been struggling for many years with the road outside of the kindergarten that has a speed limit of 50km per hour with no pedestrian crossing. As you can appreciate with under 5-year-olds this presents a significant safety issue. The problem is now also being exacerbated due to the Glenvar Road closure as the traffic is now being diverted past not only Torbay Kindy, but Glamorgan and Torbay Schools. The schools at least have crossings to attempt to slow drivers down but the Kindy does not. "Auckland Transport might be installing some advance warning signs as part of a previous request. There is an existing refuge at this location. During the detailed feasibility stage undertake pedestrian surveys to determine the location and type of crossing facility upgrade required."	$375,000
Hibiscus Coast Highway/ Whangaparāoa Road – pedestrian treatment	Signalised intersection with slip lanes. On the southwest corner of the intersection, there is no footpath at the island to connect to Whangaparāoa Road slip land. The request is to provide this and a pedestrian-friendly crossing treatment on the slip lane (shorten the crossing distance) and also provide a new footpath here that connects to the existing footpath that stops outside 57 Hibiscus Coast Highway. "The slip lane is 50km per hour. Cost estimate based on having a raised zebra crossing and a driver feedback sign and new footpaths. The footpath between Titan Place and the existing footpath is also included in the scope of this project."	$1,300,000
Bakehouse Lane one-way northbound treatment	Given that Bakehouse Lane in Ōrewa is not the legal width as a two-way road (and there have been many accidents and near accidents over the past years), we would like it to be changed to one way. We see this as an easy (and inexpensive) exercise as follows: (a) sand blasting the carparking lines on the right- hand side (moving north on Bakehouse Lane) (b) re-painting that side at the same angle as the left side carpark lines (c) installing a one-way sign at both ends of the Lane – where the one-way movement of traffic is travelling north The operations team suggested that currently, this road is operating as intended, two-way operation is possible, and the narrow nature of the road encourages slower vehicle speeds. Converting this to one way could lead to an increase in vehicle speeds and compliance could also be an issue. Changes required to make the road one-way - kerb buildout at both of the intersections is required, making it tighter to physically restrict the traffic, realigning the parking, marking changes and new signage. Stormwater upgrades might be required.	$450,000
Whangaparāoa Road, Manly crossing	The third project (which we are hoping to be able to squeeze into the $375k project funding) is travelling along Whangaparāoa Road – turning right at the roundabout at Manly Shops, then head towards the Fire Station. There are a lot of people that cross the main road, not far from the Fire station to then walk through the walkway to access the beach. At certain times of day, as you can probably appreciate, this road gets very congested with traffic and the closest pedestrian crossing is at the Manly shops just down from Manly Medical Centre. We were wondering whether AT could look at building the access blocks with a little “walk into area” (as seen in other parts of Whangaparāoa Road), so that people crossing the road can at least break up their crossing safely – given it may be difficult and too expensive to build a pedestrian crossing anywhere near the fire station. "Cost estimate for a refuge island as requested. The risk is that during internal investigation a raised crossing facility might be requested."	$150,000
Total		$2,830,661

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

12. Auckland Council has declared a climate emergency and has developed Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan.

13. Auckland Transport therefore urges the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board to consider prioritisation of projects that help reduce carbon emissions.

14. Most of the proposed projects above will encourage either safe walking or cycling and will contribute to reducing carbon emissions.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

15. Any engagement required with other parts of the council group will be carried out on an individual-project basis.

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

Local impacts and local board views

16. Hibiscus and Bays Local Board discussed this programme of work at two workshops with AT in 2023. This report reflects the views of the local board as expressed in the workshops.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

17. The actions being consider do not have specific impacts on Māori. Both AT and council are committed to meeting their responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) and its broader legal obligations in being more responsible or effective to Māori. Auckland Transport’s Maori Responsiveness Plan outlines the commitment to 19 mana whenua tribes in delivering effective and well-designed transport policy and solutions for Auckland. We also recognise mataawaka and their representative bodies and our desire to foster a relationship with them. This plan is available on the AT website - https://at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/maori-responsiveness-plan/#about.

18. Any AT project that requires consultation with iwi will include that activity within its project plan.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

19. This report requires consideration of a significant financial commitment of up to $2,830,661 by the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board.

20. The costs calculated are based on estimates and it is possible that costs on some projects may be under or over the estimations.

21. This is only a small buffer, but some projects may scale down once feasibility studies and concept designs are completed.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

22. There are a number of projects across the region from the last political term that still need to be delivered. As resources are constrained, and in order to complete these projects from last term, AT may need to delay the investigation of new projects until the second half of the new financial year. This means that the timeframe for AT to come back to the local board for further decision-making with confirmed costs and concept designs for the new projects, is likely the first quarter of 2024.

23. Completing the projects from last term is not expected to impact on the local board’s new budget but to be funded by budget carry-over.

24. There is a risk that some new projects may cost more than is budgeted in this report, but equally some projects may reduce in scope after further investigation work is carried out. For instance, some sites may merit a different pedestrian crossing facility rather than raised crossings. This will be discussed with the local board once further investigation work is completed.

25. As resources and budgets are constrained, delaying decision making means that there is less time for planning for the investigation, design, and subsequent delivery of the projects that the local board wishes to progress. Timely decision making will provide the best opportunity for these projects to be delivered in the current political term.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

26. Auckland Transport will take note of the local board’s confirmed projects and come back to the local board after initial investigation, concept designs are completed and costs for the projects are better understood.

27. Concept designs and costs for the selected projects will be presented at local board workshops, and depending on the feedback received, they will then proceed to public consultation.

28. After public consultation, detailed design is completed and at this stage the local board will be requested to confirm the projects for delivery.

29. Throughout the concept and design process, AT will keep the local board updated and when a decision is required, a report will be made to a public meeting so the members can consider it and decide on next steps.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author	Beth Houlbrooke – Elected Member Relationship Partner North
Authoriser	Marilyn Nicholls – Acting Head of Community Engagement North Hub

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

25 July 2023

Community Provision Investigation for Wainui and Silverdale - Report back

File No.: CP2023/08757

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To receive the findings of the community provision investigation for Wainui and Silverdale.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Staff reported the findings of Action 52 of the Community Facilities Network Plan Action Plan to Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee in April 2022. The committee directed staff to:

“conduct primary research to refine the stocktake of courts and aquatic facilities that the Millwater and Silverdale community has access to, and to develop a gap analysis against the provision guidelines in the Community Facilities Network Plan.” [PAC/2022/36]

3. Staff conducted the additional work as per the committee resolution. The completed work:

Aquatic space

i) confirms the initial stocktake of aquatic provision is correct

ii) confirms there is no immediate requirement for additional aquatic space in the study area

iii) recommends further investigation to ensure continued access to aquatic services when the population in the study area approaches the provision guideline of 35,000 - 50,000 people for a new aquatic facility. This is because:

· current private provision in the study area primarily caters for learn to swim

· the entry fee for other uses at the private facility is likely to act as a barrier to access

· the council-owned facility may not have sufficient capacity to cater for forecast population growth.

Indoor court space

iv) provides further details as to indoor court provision, stating there are seven full-size indoor courts within the study area or within the 10km catchment

v) confirms there is no immediate requirement for an additional indoor court in the study area

vi) confirms there is sufficient provision of indoor courts in the study area to meet demand in the future: by 2051, there will be one indoor court for 6417 people, which remains within the national provision guidelines of one indoor court for 9000 people.

4. Previously reported findings for other service types remain unchanged. The existing space provision is sufficient to support current and future demand for library, arts, community and venue for hire services in the Wainui and Silverdale study area.

5. The recommended key move to address the findings remains unchanged:

· staff to carry out a community provision investigation within the next five years or when the study area population is nearer to 35,000 to ensure residents have continued access to services.

6. This community provision investigation is based on Auckland Council’s latest population projections, which estimates that the study area will be home to 35,000 residents by 2031.^{^[1]} There is a risk that the rate of growth will differ from projections. Faster growth may occur because of development happening sooner than planned in live zones (Milldale). Growth in areas currently earmarked as “future urban” may happen later than anticipated if the draft Future Development Strategy 2023- 2053 is adopted in its current form.

7. Staff will closely monitor population growth as new data becomes available.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the findings of Auckland Council’s Wainui and Silverdale community provision investigation as follows:

Library, arts, and community services

i) residents within Wainui and Silverdale have access to community, library, arts and venue for hire services

ii) there is no anticipated gap in the current provision of community, library, arts or venue for hire services within Wainui and Silverdale

iii) condition issues at Ōrewa Library are being addressed through planned comprehensive renewal programme.

Aquatic provision

iv) confirms the initial stocktake of aquatic provision is correct

v) confirms there is no immediate requirement for additional aquatic space in the study area

vi) recommends further investigation to ensure continued access to aquatic services when the population in the study area approaches the provision guideline of 35,000 - 50,000 people for a new aquatic facility. This is because:

· current private provision in the study area primarily caters for learn to swim

· the entry fee for other uses at the private facility is likely to act as a barrier to access

· the council-owned facility may not have sufficient capacity to cater for forecast population growth.

Indoor court space

vii) provides further details as to indoor court provision, stating there are seven full-size indoor courts within the study area or within the 10km catchment

viii) confirms there is no immediate requirement for an additional indoor court in the study area

ix) confirms there is sufficient provision of indoor courts in the study area to meet demand in the future: by 2051, there will be one indoor court for 6417 people, which remains within the national provision guidelines of one indoor court for 9000 people.

b) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note the staff recommendation to the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee to include the following action in the Communities Facilities Network Plan Action Plan 2022:

i) “carry out a community provision investigation for the Wainui-Silverdale study area within the next five years or when the study area population is nearer to 35,000 to ensure residents have continued access to services.”

Horopaki

Context

8. Staff carried out Action 52 of the Community Facilities Network Plan Action Plan, an investigation of community provision in Millwater and Silverdale, to identify current or future gaps in services or facilities against the guidelines in the Community Facilities Network Plan.

9. The findings were reported to Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee on 7 April 2022. You can access the Item 20 report here.

10. Hibiscus and Bays and Rodney Local Boards expressed concerns that information about aquatic facilities and school courts was out of date and/or inaccurate and that findings might be impacted. Table 1 below summarises the local boards’ areas of concern.

Table 1: Summary of the local board concerns from February 2022 workshop

Area of concern

Staff response

Concerns about essential evidence gathering, including relevant and up to date demographic and community asset information.

Data sources, assumptions and limitations are stated in paragraphs 14 to 16 in the Item 20 report here.

None of the limitations are substantial enough to impact the quality of the analysis and the findings of the investigation.

Concerns about the scope of Auckland Council’s Millwater and Silverdale community provision investigation 2021 sub-catchment study areas, as they do not include the intensive growth areas in the future urban zones around Milldale and the current and developing urban areas of Millwater and Silverdale and their surrounds.

Action 52 directs staff to investigate community provision in Millwater and Silverdale. The study area was augmented to include Milldale in Rodney.

The area directly south of the study area is not part of the investigation. The structure plan for this area proposes that the entire Silverdale West Dairy Flat is a mix of Business – Light Industry Zone and Business – Heavy Industry Zone.

Dwellings and residential development are non-compliant activities in these zones and no residential population is anticipated within the structure plan area.

The maps provided in Attachment B in the Item 20 report here show the development patterns expected for the wider area.

11. On 7 April 2022, Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee resolved to [PAC/2022/36]:

a) tinaku / defer consideration of the findings of the Auckland Council’s Millwater and Silverdale community provision investigation 2021

b) tono / request staff conduct primary research to refine the stocktake of courts and aquatic facilities that the Millwater and Silverdale community has access to, and to develop a gap analysis against the provision guidelines in the Community Facilities Network Plan.

12. Figure 1 below outlines the decision-making process to-date.

A picture containing text, screenshot, font

Description automatically generated Figure 1: Engagement timeline

Corrections to the naming of the study area

13. Following a query from Independent Māori Statutory Board Member Wilcox relating to the naming of ‘Millwater and Silverdale’, staff have ascertained the correct names for various locations within the study area as gazetted by the Ngā Pou Taunaha o Aotearoa / New Zealand Geographic Board.

14. The project has therefore been renamed the ‘Wainui and Silverdale community provision investigation’ to reflect the two largest geographic areas covered by the study.

Staff completed committee resolution for additional research

15. As per Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee’s resolution, staff commissioned an external consultant to:

· refine the stocktake of courts and aquatic facilities that the Wainui and Silverdale community has access to

· develop a gap analysis against the provision guidelines in the Community Facilities Network Plan in the Wainui and Silverdale study area.

16. The consultant carried out a mixed-method inquiry, including site visits, interviews and phone calls with schools and facility supervisors to ensure that the information was up to date. Attachment A to the agenda report provides the summary findings of the updated work and Attachment B to the agenda report provides the consultant’s full report.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

The stocktake of courts is now more detailed but key findings remain unchanged

17. Staff reported key findings to Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee on 7 April 2022.

18. The findings, informed by additional work as per the committee’s direction, are summarised below. The updated work:

Aquatic provision

i) residents within Wainui and Silverdale have access to aquatic services at Stanmore Bay Leisure and Aquatic Centre, and to the Northern Arena facility within a 10km catchment

ii) there are no anticipated gaps in provision for aquatic services within the Wainui and Silverdale area

iii) the Rodney sub-study area is currently rural and there are no provision guidelines for aquatic services in rural areas.

Recreation and leisure (including courts)

iv) residents within Wainui and Silverdale have access to recreation and leisure services as the study area is within the catchment of at least one leisure facility

v) several schools in the Wainui and Silverdale catchments provide community access to indoor and outdoor courts

vi) there are no anticipated gaps in provision for recreation and leisure services within the Wainui and Silverdale area and further community access may be negotiated in the future.

19. Previously reported findings for other service types remain unchanged: existing provision is sufficient to support current and future demand for library, arts and culture, community and venues for hire services in the Wainui and Silverdale study area (see Table 2).

Aquatic space

i) confirms the initial stocktake of aquatic provision is correct

ii) confirms there is no immediate requirement for additional aquatic space in the study area

iii) recommends further investigation is required to ensure continued access to aquatic services as the population in the study area approaches the provision guideline for a new aquatic facility for 35,000-50,000 people. This is because:

· current private provision in the study area primarily caters for learn to swim

· the entry fee for other uses at the private facility is likely to act as a barrier to access

· the council-owned facility may not have sufficient capacity to cater for forecast population growth.

Indoor court space

iv) provides further details as to indoor court provision: there are seven full-size indoor courts within the study area or within the 10km catchment

v) confirms there is no immediate requirement for additional indoor court space in the study area

vi) confirms there is sufficient provision of space in the study area to meet demand in the future: by 2051, there will be one court for 6417 people, which remains within the national provision guidelines of one indoor court for 9000 people.

Table 2: Key findings for library, arts and culture community, and services

Demand and provision

Likely future provision requirements

· Wainui and Silverdale residents expressed a desire for social/meeting spaces

· there are several community facilities and venues for hire in the study areas.

· the existing facilities in and around Wainui and Silverdale are fit for purpose, providing spaces and services that cater for a range of community activities. However, there are condition issues at the Ōrewa library that require attention

· residents within Wainui and Silverdale have sufficient access to community, library, arts and venue for hire services. Digital access to library services is growing.

· there are currently no gaps in provision

· there is capacity in existing facilities to support growth

· Ōrewa library should have the capacity to meet future demand. Ōrewa Library has a comprehensive renewal project programmed to address ongoing building issues.

Recommended key move

20. The recommended key move to address the findings remains unchanged:

· “staff to carry out a community provision investigation within the next five years or when the study area population is nearer to 35,000 to ensure residents have continued access to services.”

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

21. Auckland Council’s investment in walking and cycling infrastructure as well as in public transport fosters opportunities to reduce reliance on private vehicle travel to access community services and facilities.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

22. The community provision investigation has been developed in consultation with relevant council departments including Regional Service and Strategy, and Active Communities. Their views are reflected in the findings and conclusions of the investigation.

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

Local impacts and local board views

23. The Hibiscus and Bays and Rodney Local Boards provided their views on this piece of work at workshops and through resolutions, as the following table outlines.

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board	Rodney Local Board
10 September 2020 - workshop	25 November 2020 - memo
9 September 2021 - workshop	2 March 2022 - workshop
March 2023 – report back memo
May 2023 - joint local board workshop
July 2023 – report to local board business meetings

24. At their respective business meetings in March 2022, both local boards resolved not to support staff recommendations and expressed concerns (refer paragraph 10). Upon their request, the Parks, Arts, Community and Events Committee directed staff to conduct primary research. This additional work was workshopped in May 2023. Table 3 below summarises the local boards’ areas of concern.

Table 3: Summary of joint local board concerns from May 2023 workshop

Area of concern

Staff response

The actual population growth will occur faster than the modelled projected population growth. Due to accelerating growth in Milldale and Dairy Flat. This will impact the capacity in existing facilities.

25. In the recommendation outline the timing of opportunities to reassess provision and mitigate the impacts of unforeseen growth.

For example, recommend action for investigation be carried out when the population in the study area reaches population threshold according to the adopted provision guidelines.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

26. Māori identity and well-being is a key outcome in the Auckland Plan 2050.

27. Approximately 5.4 per cent of the Wainui and Silverdale resident population identify as Māori. The social research used to inform this investigation gathered views from a variety of residents in the study areas, including Māori.

28. The provision of community facilities and services in Wainui and Silverdale enable opportunities for residents who identify as Māori to participate in community and sport and recreation activities. This provision contributes towards Focus Area 1 of Auckland Plan: “Māori identity and well-being” - Meet the needs and support the aspirations of tamariki and their whanau and towards the social and cultural pou of the Independent Māori Statutory Board Schedule of Issues of Significance 2021.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

29. There are no direct financial implications associated with this report.

30. The findings and recommendations of this investigation do not impact on existing and planned projects in the local board area.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

31. This community provision investigation is based on Auckland Council’s latest population projections, which estimates that the study area will be home to 35,000 residents by 2031.^{^[2]} There is a risk that the rate of growth may differ from projections.

32. To mitigate this risk, staff will monitor population growth for the study area as new population information becomes available.

Then

Mitigation

The actual population growth may differ from the modelled growth due to:

a) development happens sooner than planned in live zone (Milldale)

b) the draft Future Development Strategy 2023-2053 identifies Future Urban zoned areas at Wainui, Silverdale and Dairy Flat as areas for further investigation and pushes their development out to 2050+ (which previously was 2033 -2038 in the Future Urban Land Supply Strategy 2017).

The provision analysis based on the population threshold will be impacted.

The findings and recommendations may not accurately reflect the needs of the study area population.

In the recommendation outline the timing of opportunities to reassess provision and mitigate the impacts of unforeseen growth.

For example, recommend action for investigation be carried out when the population in the study area reaches population threshold according to the adopted provision guidelines.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

33. Staff will report back to the Planning, Environmental and Parks Committee to consider including the recommended key move in the Community Facilities Network Plan Action Plan 2022.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Summary findings of updated work (Under Separate Cover)
b	Consultant full report 2023 (Under Separate Cover)

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Katie Kim - Policy Advisor

Authorisers

Carole Canler - Senior Policy Manager

Lesley Jenkins - Local Area Manager

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Grants Programme 2023/2024	27

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

25 July 2023

Council-controlled organisation update on work programme items (April - June 2023) and expected milestones July - September 2023)

File No.: CP2023/08468

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board with a council-controlled organisation update on the work programme (April – June 2023) and expected milestones and engagement approaches in the local board area for Quarter One (July – September 2023).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The 2022/2023 council-controlled organisation Local Board Joint Engagement Plans were adopted in June 2022. These plans record council-controlled organisation responsibilities and local board commitments with Auckland Transport, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Eke Panuku Development Auckland and Watercare.

3. Local boards and council-controlled organisations were expected to review the joint engagement plans (council-controlled organisation responsibilities and local board commitments) in June 2023. Due to annual budget impacts and council-controlled organisation staff restructures, this review is now recommended to occur in September 2023.

4. Council-controlled organisations provide local boards with the work programme in their area. Each work programme item lists the engagement approach with the local board, activity status, updates and milestones anticipated for the next quarter.

5. Providing local boards with the council-controlled organisation work programme addresses the 2020 council-controlled organisation review’s recommendation to coordinate council-controlled organisation actions better at the local level.

6. As per the 2022/2023 council-controlled organisation Local Board Joint Engagement Plans:

· Council-controlled organisations, when creating their work programme, consider the priorities identified in the local board plan and any relevant strategies or policies specific to the local board area

· local boards advise council-controlled organisations of issues or projects of significance, communicate the interests and preferences of their communities and allow for flexibility in terms of engagement, recognising differing levels of interest.

7. Council-controlled organisations and local boards workshop the council-controlled organisation work programme and engagement approach regularly to identify and maximise opportunities for good community outcomes within the local board area.

8. This report provides a formal update on the council-controlled organisations work programme items from April to June 2023 and the engagement approach and anticipated milestones for Quarter One (July – September 2023).

9. The Hibiscus and Bays Local Board will receive the next update in October 2023 which will include an update on projects from Quarter One (July – September 2023) and expected milestones and engagement approaches for work in Quarter Two (October – December 2023).

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the council-controlled organisation update on the work programme (April – June 2023) and anticipated milestones and engagement approaches for Quarter One (July – September 2023).

Horopaki

Context

What are council-controlled organisation (CCO) Local Board Joint Engagement Plans?

10. The 2020 Review of Auckland Council’s council-controlled organisations recommended that CCOs and local boards adopt an engagement plan to:

· help cement CCO and local board relations

· agree on a common understanding of accountability between CCOs and local boards

· coordinate CCO actions better at the local level.

11. These plans record the commitment between Auckland Transport, Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, Eke Panuku Development Auckland, Watercare and the local boards to work together.

12. Each local board adopted their 2022/2023 CCO Local Board Joint Engagement Plans in June 2022. These plans include CCO responsibilities and local board commitments.

13. This report does not update the CCO responsibilities and local board commitments. Local boards were expected to revise their engagement plans in June 2023. Due to annual budget impacts and CCO staff restructures, this is now recommended to occur in September 2023.

What are the CCO work programme items?

14. CCOs provide local boards with a work programme that lists the different CCO projects happening in the local board area.

15. The work programme is not a full list of projects in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area. It includes work programme items for engagement purposes. Providing local boards with the CCO work programme addresses the 2020 CCO Review’s recommendation to coordinate CCO actions better at the local level.

16. As per the joint engagement plans:

· council-controlled organisations, when creating their work programme, consider the priorities identified in the local board plan and any relevant strategies or policies specific to the local board area

· local boards advise CCOs of issues or projects of significance, to communicate the interests and preferences of their communities and to allow for flexibility in terms of engagement, recognising differing levels of interest.

17. Each work programme item records an engagement approach with the local board, activity status, updates and milestones anticipated for the next quarter.

18. The CCO work programme is intended to be reported through a local board business meeting quarterly for clarity and transparency. These updates may include the following types of changes:

· new work programme items and proposed engagement level

· changes to the engagement approach with the local board

· updates to status or anticipated milestones during the next quarter.

19. The work programme and engagement approach are workshopped regularly between CCOs and local boards to identify and maximise opportunities for good community outcomes within the local board area.

20. The engagement approach is based on the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) standards which are provided in Table 1 below. Note that the “involve” and “empower” categories are not included in the CCO reporting as decided when the joint engagement plans were adopted.

Table 1: International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Engagement Approach Levels

CCO engagement approach	Commitment to local boards
Inform	CCOs will keep local boards informed.
Consult	CCOs will keep local boards informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how local board input influenced the decision. CCOs will seek local board feedback on drafts and proposals.
Collaborate	CCOs will work together with local boards to formulate solutions and incorporate their advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.

21. Local boards received the last update to the CCO work programme and engagement approach in April 2023.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

22. The following sections list changes since April 2023 to the CCO work programme for any:

· completed work programme items

· new work programme items

· changes to engagement levels.

Auckland Transport

Completed work programme items since April 2023

23. Auckland Transport has completed the following work programme items:

· Aickin Reserve lighting

· Ōrewa Boulevard.

New work programme items since April 2023

24. Auckland Transport has added new projects to the work programme including:

· 48 to 24 Carlisle Road, Browns Bay – broken yellow lines extension

· Brightside Road, Stanmore Bay - raised pedestrian crossing

· Centreway Road, Ōrewa - raised zebra crossing

· Sunrise Avenue, Mairangi Bay - pedestrian safety improvements.

Changes to work programme item engagement levels since April 2023

25. Changes to the engagement levels have been made to the following work programme items:

· there are no changes to engagement levels to report.

· Auckland Transport’s work programme items are provided in Attachment A to the agenda report.

Tātaki Auckland Unlimited

Completed work programme items since April 2023

26. There are no completed, new or changes to work programme items specifically within the local board area since April 2023.

27. Tātaki Auckland Unlimited’s work programme items are provided in Attachment B to the agenda report.

Eke Panuku Development Auckland

Completed work programme items since April 2023

28. There are no completed, new or changes to work programme items for projects within the local board area since April 2023.

29. Eke Panuku’s work programme is provided in Attachment C to the agenda report.

Watercare

Completed work programme items since April 2023

30. There are no completed work programme items to report.

New work programme items since April 2023

31. Watercare has added new projects to the work programme including:

· Waiwera upgrades – project to provide for long-term servicing of the drinking water and wastewater needs of the Waiwera community

· Hobbs Road pumpstation – targeted asset renewals – remedial repairs on Hobbs Road wastewater pump station in Whangaparāoa. In design phase with some investigation works required

· Browns Bay pumpstation – targeted asset renewals – renewal of pumpstation is currently being contracted.

Changes to work programme item engagement levels since April 2023

32. There are no changes to engagement levels to report.

33. Watercare’s work programme items are provided in Attachment D to the agenda report.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

34. This report does not have a direct impact on climate, however the projects it refers to will.

35. Each CCO must work within Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's Climate Action Framework. Information on climate impacts will be provided to local boards on a project or programme basis.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

36. Local boards advise CCOs of issues or projects of significance, communicate the interests and preferences of their communities and allow for flexibility in terms of engagement, recognising differing levels of interest.

37. The joint engagement plans and work programme items are shared with the integration teams that implement local board work programmes and give council staff greater ongoing visibility of CCO work programmes.

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

Local impacts and local board views

38. This report on the CCO work programme items ensures the communication of clear, up-to-date information from CCOs to local boards on projects in their area.

39. As per the joint engagement plan, CCOs, when creating their work programme, consider the priorities identified in the local board plan and any relevant strategies or policies specific to the local board area.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

40. This report does not have a direct impact on Māori, however the projects it refers to will.

41. Local boards and CCOs provide opportunities for Māori to contribute to their decision-making processes. These opportunities will be worked on a project or programme basis.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

42. This report does not have financial impacts on local boards.

43. Any financial implications or opportunities will be provided to local boards on a project or programme basis.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

44. Some local boards expressed concern over the quality of CCO work programme reporting in April 2023 and provided views on requiring more regular engagement with CCOs. All local board resolutions in April 2023 were sent to the relative CCO staff for their consideration.

45. If local boards prefer a more formal commitment for workshops with their CCOs, this arrangement can be addressed through revision of the next CCO joint engagement plans (CCO responsibilities and local board commitments) in September 2023.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

46. The local board will receive the next CCO work programme report in October 2023 which will include an update on projects from Quarter One (July – September 2023) and expected milestones for work in Quarter Two (October – December 2023).

47. Council-controlled organisatoins and local boards will have an opportunity to workshop the CCO forward work programme through August and September before the next report in October 2023.

48. Council-controlled organisatoins and local boards are expected to revise their next joint engagement plans (CCO responsibilities and local board commitments) in September 2023.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Auckland Transport forward work programme items	43
b ⇩	Tātaki Auckland Unlimited forward work programme items	45
c ⇩	Eke Panuku forward work programme items	47
d ⇩	Watercare forward work programme items	49

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author	Maclean Grindell - Senior Local Board Advisor
Authoriser	Louise Mason - General Manager Local Board Services

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

25 July 2023

Approval of the 2023/2024 Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Infrastructure and Environmental Services Work Programme

File No.: CP2023/08438

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To approve the 2023/2024 Hibiscus and Bays Local Board’s Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. This report presents the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board’s Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme and associated budgets for approval for the 2023/2024 financial year.

3. The work programme provides a three-year view that demonstrates the phasing or continuation of programme delivery over the 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 financial years. 2023/2024 is year three of the three-year cycle.

4. The work programme responds to the outcomes and objectives identified in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2020.

5. In June 2023, the Governing Body adopted the council’s 2023/2024 budget, which has reduced some council budgets, including local board budgets. To remain within the local board’s reduced budget, reductions have been required to the programme that was approved in principle through the 2022/2023 allocation report. These reductions were workshopped with the local board in May and June 2023 and adjusted following feedback received.

6. The work programme has been developed through a series of workshops between November 2022 and June 2023, where the local board provided feedback to staff on programme and activity prioritisation.

7. The local board indicated its support for the following activities to be delivered in 2023/2024, with budgets as listed below:

· EcoNeighbourhoods Hibiscus and Bays $30,000

· Īnanga spawning sites – survey and restoration $29,000

· Industrial pollution prevention programme – Silverdale (Hibiscus and Bays) $13,000

· Ko te wai he taonga: Water is a treasure $25,000

· Pest plans on private land Okura $20,000

· Te Ao Māori and community led conversation $5,000

· Trash free Taiaotea (Browns Bay Waste Minimisation Programme) $20,600

· Zero Waste Early Childhood Education Programme. $26,000

8. Additionally, the local board has already approved the following programmes as part of its adoption of the local board agreement at the 20 June 2023 business meeting (HB/2023/1)

· Pest Free Hibiscus Coast $55,200

· Restore Hibiscus and Bays staff costs. $135,150

9. The proposed work programme has a total value of $358,950 which can be funded from within the local board’s locally driven initiatives (LDI) budget for the 2023/2024 financial year.

10. The proposed work programme also includes $1,063,000, in asset-based services capital expenditure for the following coastal renewals programmes:

· Hatfields Beach Reserve – renew seawall $55,000

· Long Bay Regional Park – renew footbridge at southern end $615,000

· Matakaia Parade Beachfront Reserve – renew seawall $46,000

· Wade River Road Reserve – renew timber wharf $192,000

· Waiwera Beach – renew seawall . $155,000

11. At the June 2023 work programme workshop the local board requested an additional programme be scoped to help with storm recovery, provisionally titled Flood and storm recovery and building local environmental resilience to future climate events, with a budget of $100,000. At the time of writing this report staff have not had time to clarify the expected outcomes and scope a potential programme that may deliver this. Staff will workshop with the local board to seek further direction on this programme at a later date. Advice on the options, scope and deliverables will be presented to the local board for formal decision making in due course.

12. Updates on the delivery of this work programme will be provided through the local board’s quarterly performance reports.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:

a) whakaae / approve its 2023/2024 Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme and associated budgets, as summarised in the table below (Attachment A to the agenda report):

Activity name	2023/2024 budget for approval
EcoNeighbourhoods Hibiscus and Bays	$30,000
Īnanga spawning sites – survey and restoration	$29,000
Industrial pollution prevention programme – Silverdale (Hibiscus and Bays)	$13,000
Ko te wai he taonga: Water is a treasure	$25,000
Pest plans on private land Okura	$20,000
Te Ao Māori and community led conversation	$5,000
Trash free Taiaotea (Browns Bay Waste Minimisation Programme)	$20,600
Zero Waste Early Childhood Education Programme	$26,000
Pest Free Hibiscus Coast (already approved)	$55,200
Restore Hibiscus and Bays staff costs (already approved)	$135,150
Total	$358,950

b) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note the following programme have already been approved project as part of its adoption of the local board agreement at the 20 June 2023 business meeting (HB/2023/2):

· Pest Free Hibiscus Coast - $55,200

· Restore Hibiscus and Bays staff costs - $135,150.

c) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note the allocation of $1,063,000 asset-based services capital expenditure budget towards the coastal renewal programmes in the 2022/2023 financial year for the following programmes:

· Hatfields Beach Reserve – renew seawall - $55,000

· Long Bay Regional Park – renew footbridge at southern end - $615,000

· Matakaia Parade Beachfront Reserve – renew seawall - $46,000

· Wade River road Reserve – renew timber wharf - $192,000

· Waiwera Beach – renew seawall - $155,000.

d) whakaae / approve an additional environmental project - Storm recovery and resilience assistance for $100,000.

e) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note this work to be scoped with the local board in future projects.

Horopaki

Context

13. Each year, the local board decides which activities to allocate its annual budget toward through a series of workshops. The local board feedback in these workshops has informed the development of the Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme (Attachment A).

14. In June 2023, the Governing Body adopted the council’s 2023/2024 budget, which has reduced some council budgets including local board budgets. This reduction has meant cuts to the programme that was approved in principle through the 2022/2023 allocation report, including reduced funding to individual activities, or stopping activities. These cuts were workshopped with the local board in May and June 2023.

15. The proposed work programme responds to the outcomes and objectives identified in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2020. The specific objectives reflected in the work programme are:

· continue to align and support community and volunteer groups, schools, and iwi to enhance and protect our natural environment

· support the development and implementation of ecological and environmental restoration plans

· support communities to live more sustainably, and prepare for the impacts of climate change

· our waterways and beaches are clean and safe for people and wildlife

· Hibiscus and Bays communities are supported, connected and vibrant.

16. The following adopted strategies and plans also guided the development of the work programme:

· Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland's Climate Plan

· National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

· Te Mahere Whakahaere me te Whakaiti Tukunga Para i Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2018

· Mahere ā-Rohe Whakahaere Kaupapa Koiora Orotā mō Tāmaki Makaurau - Regional Pest Management Plan

17. The development of the work programme has been informed by staff assessments and identification of local environmental priority areas, and feedback received from the local board at workshops.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

18. The proposed work programme is made up of activities continuing from previous financial years, including annually occurring events or ongoing programmes. These programmes contribute towards the delivery of the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2020 environmental objectives, as detailed above. The work programme (Attachment A) provides a three-year view that demonstrates the phasing or continuation of programme delivery over the 2021/2022, 2022/2023 and 2023/2024 financial years.

19. This report seeks local board approval for budgets and activities in year three of the three-year work programme (2023/2024).

20. The proposed activities for delivery as part of the local board’s 2023/2024 Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme are detailed below, alongside indicative plans and budgets for the 2023/2024 financial year:

EcoNeighbourhoods – $30,000

21. The local board has indicated it would like to continue to fund the EcoNeighbourhoods project in the 2023/2024 financial year.

22. EcoNeighbourhoods is a programme that supports six or more neighbours from different households to come together to adopt sustainable, low carbon practices and increase resilience within their homes, lifestyles and neighbourhoods. These activities are decided by the groups and can range from local food production to rainwater collection.

23. The programme funding supports the groups by providing 12 hours of facilitation support and up to $1,000 worth of incentives, discounts and training to support behaviour change.

24. Funding in 2023/2024 will continue to support the six existing EcoNeighbourhood groups (should they wish to continue with the programme) and up to two new groups.

25. The local board allocated $30,000 towards this project in the 2019/2020, 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial years, and staff recommend the board allocate a further $30,000 towards the programme in 2023/2024.

Īnanga spawning sites – survey and restoration - $29,000

26. The local board has indicated its continued support for the survey and restoration programme for īnanga spawning sites in the 2023/2024 financial year to help protect this at-risk species through targeted restoration. The local board allocated $37,000 towards this project in 2022/2023.

27. The programme involves the collection of data in streams to establish a baseline understanding of the current state of īnanga populations within the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area.

28. This work will identify areas in need of urgent protection and restoration, and this will be communicated back to the community as an awareness-raising exercise. The community will then be supported to maintain, enhance and promote the restoration and care of these waterways.

29. The local board had previously supported this work as one of the programmes funded by the North-West Wildlink streamside awareness project.

30. Staff recommend the local board allocate $29,000 towards the programme in 2023/2024.

Industrial pollution prevention programme – $13,000

31. The local board has indicated its support for the industrial pollution prevention programme in 2023/2024.

32. This programme educates businesses around proper containment of hazardous materials to help prevent waterway pollution. This project will focus on visiting industry in the Silverdale / Weiti River catchment area, which was previously covered in July 2014 and November 2016.

33. Due to extensive growth in Silverdale and many businesses seeing a change in ownership, a second programme was recommended to educate new businesses and follow up on existing practices for 2023/2024. This budget covered approximately 120 site visits.

34. Staff have recommended that $13,000 be allocated to this programme in 2023/2024.

Ko te wai he taonga: Water is a treasure - $25,000

35. The local board has indicated it would like to continue to fund the ko te wai he taonga (water is a treasure) programme in the 2023/2024 financial year to further help children, teachers and their whānau understand the importance of water.

36. The programme involves a series of interactive school sessions helping students to understand the impact of stormwater and pollution to receiving environments. Through the programme, students are encouraged to interact with their local streams. At the end of the educational sessions an action piece is decided upon and undertaken by all participating students.

37. The board allocated $20,000 towards this project in the 2019/2020 financial year and $25,000 in the 2020/2021, 2021/2022 and 2023/2023 financial years. Staff recommend the local board allocate $25,000 towards the programme in 2023/2024.

Pest plans on private land Okura - $20,000

38. The local board has indicated its continued support for the pest plans on private land Okura programme. This programme started in the 2021/2022 financial year to support Friends of Okura Bush to restore the biodiversity of the Okura Bush, shoreline and surrounds.

39. The programme funds a coordinator to assist private landowners surrounding the estuary to undertake pest plant and animal control in their properties, creating a pest free buffer zone along the Okura estuary.

40. The pest control helps protect the biodiversity in the Okura region and is an essential part in the operation of the North-West Wildlink buffer zone.

41. The existing pest plans will receive ongoing support to ensure they are implemented and maintained. The programme will also help with the supply of resources such as additional onsite time and support and tools for both pest plant and animal pest control.

42. The programme will also keep up to date with the existing plans as well as encouraging and empowering landowners to achieve the best outcomes for their property’s conservation efforts and the collective effect of linkage with other sites.

43. The local board allocated $17,500 towards this project in the 2022/2023 financial year. Staff recommend the local board allocate $20,000 towards the programme in 2023/2024.

Te ao Māori and community-led conservation - $5,000

44. The local board has indicated its continued support for the te ao Māori and community-led conservation programme in the 2023/2024 financial year.

45. The programme supports community-led conservation groups to learn about te ao Māori and to grow relationships with local iwi, through a series of te ao Māori workshops.

46. Community groups are increasingly expressing their wish to connect with local iwi. The workshops will help groups gain an understanding of mātauranga Māori, sites of significance and historical land uses, and be able to establish meaningful relationships to inform their conservation activities.

47. For the 2022/2023 financial year workshops were delivered to conservation groups to help continue fostering meaningful relationships between iwi and community groups. The programme will continue to look to build on iwi’s capacity and capability if needed.

48. The local board allocated $5,000 towards this project in the 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 financial year. Staff recommend the local board allocate $5,000 towards the programme in 2023/2024.

Trash free Taiaotea (Browns Bay waste minimisation) - $20,600

49. The local board has indicated it would like to continue to support the Trash Free Taiaotea (Browns Bay waste minimisation) programme in the 2023/2024 financial year. The local board allocated $19,500 to the programme in 2020/2021 financial year, $20,000 in 2021/2022 and $30,300 in 2022/2023 financial year.

50. This programme continues to support Browns Bay residents, community groups and local businesses to care for the local environment and reduce waste.

51. In 2022/2023 the programme worked with a further five businesses to support them to reduce their waste. This will be achieved through encouraging the use of Hibiscus Coast Zero Waste’s food scraps collection services, an awards event to recognise waste champions and businesses, and integration with catchment restoration activities including Restore Hibiscus and Bays.

52. Trash Free Taiaotea will continue to work closely with local business to help reduce food waste going to landfill. This also delivers on climate action goals with reduction of greenhouse gases.

53. Staff recommend the local board allocate $20,600 in the 2023/2024 financial year.

Zero waste early childhood education programme - $26,000

54. The local board has indicated support to continue to allocate funding to the zero waste early childhood education programme in the 2022/2023 financial year to further support to waste minimisation outcomes. The local board allocated $14,200 in the 2020/2021 financial year, $25,200 in 2021/2022 and $35,600 in the 2022/2023 financial year.

55. This programme supports kindergartens, early childhood education centres and residents connected to these centres to reduce their waste and live more sustainably.

56. For 2023/2024 staff will continue to deliver the full activities, including comprehensive evaluation report of the three-year programme to showcase impacts and explore options for the next phase and continuation/expansion of the programme.

57. Staff recommend the local board allocate $26,000 towards the programme in 2023/2024.

Pest Free Hibiscus Coast - $55,200

58. The local board has already approved $55,200 for the for the Pest Free Hibiscus Coast programme as part of the local board agreement (HB/2023/3).

59. This programme started in the 2021/2022 financial year to deliver the Pest Free Hibiscus Coast Project Plan 2019-2022 and beyond.

60. The programme funds Forest and Bird Hibiscus Coast’s proposal for a predator control specialist and support roles. These roles assist the 80 existing volunteers, attract more volunteers, carry out pest animal monitoring and assist six schools in getting involved with trapping.

61. The roles help to maintain and grow the progress that has been made to date establishing predator control networks, therefore enhancing the local native ecosystems.

62. The board allocated $54,400 towards this project in the 2022/2023 financial year.

Restore Hibiscus and Bays staff costs - $135,150

63. The local board has already approved $135,150 for the for the Restore Hibiscus and Bays staff costs as part of the local board agreement (HB/2023/4).

64. These roles are essential to the implementation of the revised 2021 Restore Hibiscus and Bays strategic plan. The roles bring together a wide range of expertise to support growth in community restoration activities.

65. The manager focuses on strategic priorities, promoting the groups and applying for funding and gaining support. The field advisor provides technical advice, builds rapport with the community, and supports work on the ground.

66. The manager role was funded in 2019/2020 as part of the North-West Wildlink restoration funding, but this has been separated out for ease of reporting. In the 2020/2021 financial year the local board allocated $90,000 to the programme and $133,120 was allocated in 2021/2022 and $140,100 for the 2022/2023 financial year.

Storm recovery project - $100,000 (not scoped)

67. At the June 2023 work programme workshop the local board requested staff scope an additional environmental programme to help with storm recovery with a budget of $100,000. At the time of writing this report staff have not had time to clarify the expected outcomes and scope a potential programme that may deliver on this outcome. Staff will workshop with the local board to seek further direction.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

68. In June 2019 Auckland Council declared a climate emergency and in response to this the council adopted the Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan in July 2020.

69. Each activity in the work programme is assessed to identify whether it will have a positive, neutral or negative impact on greenhouse gas emissions and contributing towards climate change adaptation.

70. Table 1 outlines the activities in the 2023/2024 work programme that have an impact on greenhouse gas emissions or contribute towards climate change adaptation.

Table 1: Climate impact assessment of proposed activities

Activity name	Climate impact
EcoNeighbourhoods	This programme aims to reduce emissions and increase community resilience through the priorities identified by the EcoNeighbourhoods such as reducing energy demand, reducing waste, using sustainable transport options, increasing local food production and consumption, improving biodiversity and reducing pests.
Īnanga spawning sites – survey and restoration	When freshwater ecosystems are healthy and thriving, they provide many ecological services such as flood mitigation, habitat for native biodiversity, and carbon sequestration through riparian plants.
Industrial Pollution Prevention Programme
Ko te wai he taonga: Water is a treasure	The actions identified by students can range from streamside plantings to rain barrel installation to providing education materials to the wider community. These actions will improve community resilience to future climate change. Plantings will also create carbon sinks and increase biodiversity, decrease erosion and help clean runoff before entering the water system.
Pest Free Hibiscus Coast	These programmes will contribute to fewer native plants being browsed, hence the survival and regeneration of increasing amounts of native vegetation. Plantings will also increase biodiversity and act as a carbon sink.
Pest plans on private land Okura
Restore Hibiscus and Bays
Trash free Taiaotea (Browns Bay Waste Minimisation)	The contribution of waste to overall greenhouse gas emissions in the Auckland region is approximately 3.1 per cent as per the Auckland Greenhouse Gas Inventory to 2016. The largest source of emissions within the waste sector in Aotearoa New Zealand is solid waste disposal to landfill. These programmes will assist in taking practical steps to reducing a proportion of these waste-related emissions.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

71. The work programme was developed through a collaborative approach by operational council departments, with each department represented in the integrated team that presented the draft work programme to the local board at a series of workshops.

72. In particular, the attached Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme reflects the integrated activities developed by Environmental Services, Healthy Waters and Waste Solutions.

73. The Pest Free Hibiscus Coast and Restore Hibiscus and Bays programmes will be delivered with support from Parks, Sports and Recreation staff to ensure alignment in achieving biodiversity outcomes. Māori Outcomes and Connected Communities staff will help to inform the te ao Māori and community-led conservation programme.

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

Local impacts and local board views

74. The projects proposed for inclusion in the local board’s Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme will have positive environmental outcomes across the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area. Particular focus areas for the 2023/2024 work programme are Okura Bush, Silverdale and Browns Bay.

75. The projects noted above align with the 2020 local board plan outcome ‘a protected and enhanced environment’ and ‘a connected community’. The proposed work programme has been considered by the local board in a series of workshops from November 2022 to June 2023. The views expressed by local board members during the workshops have informed the recommended work programme.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

76. Auckland Council is committed to meeting its responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its broader obligations to Māori.

77. The work programme includes activities that aim to deliver outcomes for and with Māori, in alignment with the strategic priority areas outlined in Kia ora Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland Council’s Māori Outcome Framework). Progress on how the activities are achieving these outcomes will be reported to the local board on a quarterly basis.

78. Staff recognise that environmental management, water quality and land management have integral links with the mauri of the environment and concepts of kaitiakitanga.

79. Table 2 outlines the activities in the 2023/2024 work programme that contribute towards the delivery of specific Māori outcomes.

Table 2: Māori outcome delivery through proposed activities

Activity name	Māori outcome	Māori outcome description
Ko te wai he taonga: Water is a treasure	Te reo Māori Kaitiakitanga	The interactive sessions will incorporate a te ao Māori perspective and te reo Māori into the delivery.
Te ao Māori and community led conservation	Te reo Māori Kaitiakitanga	The programme is led by local iwi. The purpose of the programme is to help conservation groups understand the mātauranga Māori approach and foster connections with iwi.
Trash free Taiaotea (Browns Bay Waste Minimisation)	Te reo Māori	Te reo Māori will be used throughout promotional material and impact stories.
Zero waste early childhood education programme	Kaitiakitanga	The programme will build connections with Te Herenga Waka o Orewa Marae to establish an ongoing relationship throughout the programme. The contractor will seek advice on incorporating te ao Māori into the programme’s delivery and approach.

80. Where aspects of the proposed work programme are anticipated to have a significant impact on activity of importance to Māori then appropriate engagement will be undertaken.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

81. The proposed environment work programme for 2023/2024 totals to $358,950 of the local board’s locally driven initiatives (LDI) operational budget. This amount can be accommodated within the local board’s total budget for 2023/2024.

82. The local board have also requested a yet to be scoped $100,000 project from the locally driven initiatives (LDI) operational budget be considered for the work programme to support storm recovery. Staff are seeking clarification with the local board through a workshop and will continue to develop this project, if viable.

83. The proposed work programme also includes $1,063,000 in asset-based services capital expenditure for the coastal renewals programmes.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

84. If the proposed Infrastructure and Environmental Services Work Programme is not approved in a timely manner, there is a risk that activities may be delayed or not delivered within the financial year.

85. Resourcing of the work programme is based on current staff capacity within departments. Therefore, changes to staff capacity may also have an impact on work programme delivery.

86. Table 3 shows the key risks associated with activities in the proposed 2023/2024 work programme, as well as proposed mitigations.

Table 3: Key risks and mitigations for activities

Activity name	Risk	Mitigation	Rating after mitigation
EcoNeighbourhoods	The collective knowledge of this programme sits with three people. Should the contractors be lost then there would be a significant workload to maintain the project.	There are other organisations that can be approached to run this programme using existing knowledge and documentation if required.	Low
Īnanga spawning sites – survey and restoration	This programme relies on the willingness of volunteers and community to be engaged and take part in the activities.	This programme builds on positive relationships and momentum that already exists in the local community and Hibiscus and Bays Ecological networks.	Low
Industrial Pollution Prevention Programme	This programme is dependent on businesses willing to cooperate. Success is measured by the amount of recommendations that have been implemented, so a risk of no implementations does exist.	The contractor who will undertake this work has had significant experience in engaging with businesses across Auckland so this risk is considered to be low.	Low
Ko te wai he taonga: Water is a treasure	This programme relies on early childhood education centres and schools wanting to be involved. In addition, the programme is dependent on the contractor’s availability to continue the work.	The programme has already had success in engaging early childhood centres and will continue with this momentum into the 2023/2024 financial year. The current supplier has been approached and confirmed their willingness to continue with the programme.	Low
Pest Free Hibiscus Coast	These programmes largely depend on the motivation of landowners and volunteers	These programmes benefit from the dedication of volunteers in the Pest Free Hibiscus Coast and Friends of Okura Bush community.	Low
Pest plans on private land Okura			Low

87. Where a work programme activity cannot be completed on time or to budget, due to unforeseen circumstances, this will be signalled to the local board at the earliest opportunity.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

88. Delivery of the activity in the approved work programme will commence once approved and continue until 30 June 2024. Activity progress will be reported to the local board on a quarterly basis.

89. Where the work programme identifies further decisions and milestones for each activity, these will be brought to the local board when appropriate.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	2023/2024 Hibiscus and Bays Infrastructure and Environmental Services work programme (Under Separate Cover)

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Brandii Stephano - Relationship Advisor

Authorisers

Barry Potter - Director Infrastructure and Environmental Services

Lesley Jenkins - Local Area Manager

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

25 July 2023

Approval of the 2023/2024 Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Customer and Community Services work programme

File No.: CP2023/09599

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To approve the 2023/2024 Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Customer and Community Services work programme and its associated budget (Attachment A to the agenda report).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. This report presents the 2023/2024 Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Customer and Community Services work programme for approval from the following departments:

· Active Communities

· Connected Communities

· Community and Social Innovation

· Parks and Community Facilities

· Regional Services and Strategy.

3. In addition, the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 Customer and Community Services – Parks and Community Facilities Department work programme is presented for approval in principle.

4. To support the delivery of the local board’s outcomes and aspirations highlighted in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2020, Customer and Community Services presents a work programme for local board approval each financial year.

5. The work programme details the activities to be delivered by departments within the Customer and Community Services directorate.

6. The work programme has been developed with the local board providing feedback to staff on project and activity prioritisation through a series of workshops, held between May and June 2023.

7. The work programme development process takes an integrated approach to planning activities, involving collaboration between the local board and staff from across the council.

8. Within the Customer and Community Services work programme, the Parks and Community Facilities department has identified several projects for the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 financial years as part of the Risk Adjusted Programme.

9. Approval is sought for the planning and design of the Risk Adjusted Programme projects to commence during the 2023/2024 financial year, so that they can be prioritised if other, already approved projects, cannot be delivered, face higher costs or are delayed due to unforeseen reasons.

10. The work programme includes projects proposed to be funded from regional budgets subject to approval by the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee, including Slips Prevention, Local Parks and Sports Field Development budgets. The local board can provide formal feedback on these regional projects by way of resolutions to this report.

11. The work programme includes references to the recently approved 2023/2024 Annual Budget decisions, and where relevant, the potential options for the provision of Early Childhood Education services.

12. There is a widening shortfall between council revenue and expenditure which has been driven, in part, by the growing range of assets and services provided for Aucklanders, including the investment in infrastructure to address the region’s growth.

13. Furthermore, revenue has been impacted by changing customer behaviours, in part due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Operating and capital costs have increased due to inflationary pressures impacting staff, construction costs, interest and depreciation charges. The 2023 extreme weather events have also impacted both revenues and asset costs. These costs are greater as a result of council’s large and diverse asset base.

14. This has meant a rise in the costs of investing in, maintaining and operation of council’s assets and services. Additional funding pressure has come from the need to put aside money to fund future asset replacement.

15. Auckland Council is facing financial challenges, requiring the need to overcome a forecast budget shortfall of $375 million for the 2023/2024 financial year.

16. Local boards have a distinct opportunity to help guide decisions and improve council’s financial sustainability, particularly following the 2021 approval to increase local board decision making to include most local community services, as a part of the Governance Framework Review.

17. In response to changing community needs, local boards are able to improve their revenue through various means including fees, charges and commercial lease arrangements. They can also reduce costs by prioritising or modifying services to help achieve the best community outcomes. Furthermore, to manage high and growing operating and capital expenditure, local boards can divest, consolidate and reprioritise council’s local board asset base.

18. Auckland Council and its local boards also have important statutory obligations with respect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi – The Treaty of Waitangi. Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supporting Māori outcomes is implicit within the entire work programme.

19. Once approved in July 2023, the local board will receive quarterly progress updates on the delivery of the 2023/2024 work programme.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:

a) whakaae / approve the 2023/2024 Customer and Community Services work programme and its associated budget (Attachment A).

b) whakaae / approve in principle the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 Customer and Community Services – Parks and Community Facilities work programme only (Attachment A).

c) whakaae / approve the Risk Adjusted Programme projects identified in the 2023/2024 Customer and Community Services work programme (Attachment A).

d) whakrite / provide feedback for consideration by the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee on projects funded from the Slips Prevention, Local Parks and Sports Field Development budgets (Attachment C to the agenda report).

e) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note that funding for the Coastal Renewals, Slips Prevention, Local Parks and Sports Field Development budgets is subject to approval by the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee.

Horopaki

Context

20. The Auckland Plan 2050 (Auckland Plan) is council’s long-term spatial plan to ensure Auckland grows in a way that will meet the opportunities and challenges ahead. It aims to contribute to Auckland’s social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing.

Diagram

Description automatically generated

21. Local board plans align with the Auckland Plan and set out local community priorities and aspirations. The 2023/2024 Customer and Community Services work programme, in turn aligns to not only the local board plans, but the appropriate Auckland Council plans, policies and strategies.

22. Work programme activities align to the following Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Plan 2020 outcomes:

· Outcome 1 - A connected community

· Outcome 3 - A protected and enhanced environment

· Outcome 4 - Open spaces to enjoy

· Outcome 5 - Transport choices.

23. Development of the work programme is based on consideration of community needs and priorities, availability of resources and funding, Treaty of Waitangi obligations, external partnerships and risk assessment.

24. The Annual Budget for the 2023/2024 financial year included the consideration of a savings target that required the reprioritisation of activities by the local boards. This realignment resulted in some activities being stopped, changed or reduced to contribute toward the required savings.

25. The Customer and Community Services directorate provides a wide range of services, facilities, open spaces and information that support communities to connect, enjoy and embrace the diversity of Auckland’s people, places and natural environment. These are designed and delivered locally to meet the unique needs of the local community.

26. Development of the work programme follows an integrated approach to planning activities through collaboration with the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Directorate and the following departments of the Customer and Community Services Directorate:

· Active Communities

· Connected Communities

· Community and Social Innovation

· Parks and Community Facilities

· Regional Services and Strategy.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

27. The work programme demonstrates the phasing of programme and project delivery for the 2023/2024 financial year.

28. Delivery of the work programme commences from 1 July 2023, and in some cases comprises a continuation of implementation from previous financial years, including annually occurring events or projects and ongoing programmes.

29. Table one summarises the approval status required for the three financial years presented within the work programme.

Table one: Customer and Community Services local board work programme approvals

Department	2023/2024	2024/2025	2025/2026
Parks and Community Facilities	Approve	Approve in principle	Approve in principle
All other Customer and Community Services departments	Approve	N/A	N/A

30. Parks and Community Facilities presents a three-year rolling work programme so that delivery and financial commitments against the capital works programme can be planned.

31. Approval of unique multi-year projects, particularly capital works, in the 2023/2024 work programme may lead to contractual commitments to the future budget needed to complete the project in 2024/2025 or 2025/2026.

32. The remainder of Customer and Community Services presents the work programme in descending three-year increments and are therefore only presenting year three of the three-year work programme.

33. The local board will formally be updated by staff on the delivery of the programme by way of quarterly performance reports. Parks and Community Facilities will continue to provide informal monthly updates on work programme performance.

Proposed amendments to the 2023/2024 work programme

34. The local board approved the 2022/2023 Customer and Community Services work programme in June 2022, and approved in principle the 2023/2024 work programme. The 2024/2025 Customer and Community Services – Parks and Community Facilities work programme was also approved in principle at this time.

35. The 2023/2024 work programme contains variations to the version that was approved in principle last year. These include the addition of new activities, changes to existing activities, such as required budget allocation and delivery timeframes, and identifies some activities that have been stopped.

36. Table two highlights the new activities in the work programme:

Table two: new work programme activities

ID	Activity name	Lead department	Budget
3986	Local crime prevention fund, safety initiatives investment - Hibiscus and Bays	CCS: Connected Communities – Community Delivery	$61,498
3824	Play Advocacy – Hibiscus and Bays	CCS: Active Communities – Sport and Recreation	$0
3870	Events Unit Production and Civic staff costs for delivery Hibiscus and Bays Local Board	CCS: Regional Services and Strategy - Events	$ 6,944
40006	Hibiscus and Bays - renew reserve roads and carparks 2023/2024+	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$10,000
40143	Hibiscus and Bays - replace swimming pontoons	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$45,000
40193	Hibiscus and Bays - remediate storm and cyclone affected assets	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$200,000
40007	Hibiscus and Bays - renew sports field assets	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$10,000
40037	Hibiscus and Bays - renew tracks and footpaths 2024/2025+	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$48,000
39968	Hibiscus and Bays - Water Feature - renew minor assets	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$81,000
39967	Mairangi Bay Beach Reserve - renew bridge across creek by surf club	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$10,000
37508	Stanmore Bay Park - renew park bridges	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$10,000
40006	Hibiscus and Bays - renew reserve roads and carparks 2023/2024+	CCS: Parks and Community Facilities – Project Delivery	$10,000

37. Table three highlights the activities that were approved in principle in June 2022 but have stopped, or proposed activities that did not start, and are therefore not included in the 2023/2024 work programme:

Table three: work programme activities that have been removed from the work programme

Previous ID	Activity name	Lead department
1463	Community Movie Events	CCS: Regional Services and Strategy - Events
186	Local civic events Hibiscus and Bays	CCS: Regional Services and Strategy - Events
1250	Volunteer recognition Hibiscus and Bays	CCS: Regional Services and Strategy - Events
694	Te Kete Rukuruku (Māori naming of parks and places) Tranche Two Hibiscus and Bays Local Board	CCS: Regional Services and Strategy – Māori Outcomes

Financial impacts and constraints

38. A widening shortfall between council revenue and expenditure has been driven, in part, by the growing range of assets and services provided for Aucklanders. This has included investment in infrastructure to address the city’s growth.

39. This has meant a rise in the costs of investing in, maintaining and operation of those assets and services. Additional funding pressure has come from the need to put aside money to fund future asset replacement.

40. This situation has been worsened by ongoing broad economic factors such as rising inflation, higher interest rates, supply chain difficulties and a labour market squeeze, as well as the COVID-19 pandemic impacts for the past couple of years. Recent storm events and the associated repairs make overcoming the budget shortfall even harder.

41. Over the past year, economic conditions have been exceptionally challenging. The change in New Zealand’s inflation rate has been surprising, with the consumer price index rising from less than two per cent to more than seven per cent in a year.

42. In response to the $375 million budget shortfall, a mix of solutions that include operating cost reductions was proposed in the Annual Budget for 2023/2024. This includes a total reduction in local board operating funding of $4 million.

43. This represents approximately one per cent of the total budget that the local boards oversee. Local boards may choose to reduce their allocated funding for locally driven initiatives operating expenditure, as these projects are discretionary.

44. Alternatively, local boards could consider reductions to the asset-based services budgets through changes in levels of service, e.g. reduced facility opening hours.

45. Individual reduction targets for local boards have been allocated based on the Local Board Funding Policy.

Māori Outcomes

46. Local boards play a vital role in representing the interests of all Aucklanders and are committed to the Treaty-based obligations and to enabling effective Māori participation (kia ora te hononga).

47. Auckland Council has important statutory obligations with respect to Te Tiriti o Waitangi. Honouring Te Tiriti o Waitangi and supporting Māori outcomes is implicit within the entire work programme.

48. A thriving Māori identity is Auckland’s point of difference in the world. It advances prosperity for Māori and benefits all Aucklanders.

49. The local boards recognise the importance of building meaningful relationships with mana whenua, mataawaka and whānau, and understanding Māori aspirations.

50. Table four shows the outcomes, objectives and key initiatives from the local board plan that recognise these areas of common interest.

Table four: Local board plan Māori outcomes, objectives and initiatives

Outcomes

Objectives

Initiatives

A connected community

· Hibiscus and Bays communities are supported, connected and vibrant

· we have a strong relationship with Māori and embrace our Māori identity, heritage, and culture

· ensure our diverse communities feel supported and have a sense of belonging through the delivery of activities, events and programmes

· acknowledge and support local community groups such as those working to enhance youth development, family support, multi-cultural experience and inclusion, older adult connection, and inter-generational participation

· engage and support groups to lead events and placemaking projects that enrich and enhance our communities

· support our young people to engage in communities and have access to a wide range of opportunities to help them thrive locally

· identify and promote community programmes, activities, and services that encourage connectedness, participation, well-being, learning, active leisure, and volunteer opportunities for older adults

· refresh and deliver a Hibiscus and Bays Local Board Engagement Plan that identifies ways to remove barriers for all - especially new residents, youth, and older adults - to increase community participation and input into local decision making

· acknowledge the work done and advocate for increased investment in facilities for our local community or recreation organisations, such as the Mens Shed, Te Herenga Waka O Ōrewa, East Coast Bays Rugby League Club, and the Whangaparāoa Community Hub

· strengthen relationships with local iwi to increase engagement and participation in local decision making

· increase the exposure of te Reo Māori in our local board area through naming and signage opportunities

· support mana whenua to tell stories of Māori cultural heritage and knowledge throughout our parks and open spaces network.

Open spaces to enjoy

· protect, maintain, and improve access and amenities for activities on our coastlines, parks and reserves

· provide a range of play and active recreation opportunities for all ages and abilities in our parks, reserves, and coastal environment

· consider the effects of climate change and use of sustainable practices when upgrading facilities in coastal areas

· implement the Hibiscus and Bays Greenways Local Paths Plan for walkways and cycleways

· improve parks, facilities, and amenities so they are adaptable and accessible for a range of activities, abilities, and age groups

· enhance our reserves, parks, and playgrounds with appropriate tree planting and shade covers

· deliver healthy and active programmes for our communities in open spaces.

51. There is a wide range of activity occurring across Tāmaki Makaurau to advance Māori outcomes. Much of this is led by mana whenua and Māori organisations, as well government organisations, non-government organisations and businesses.

52. The Auckland Plan’s focus on Māori culture and identity is encapsulated in the outcome: Māori Identity and Wellbeing.

53. Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau, council’s Māori outcomes performance measurement framework, captures the majority of council’s Māori outcome strategy and planning. The framework responds to the needs and aspirations that Māori in Tāmaki Makaurau, both mana whenua and mataawaka, have expressed to council.

54. The work programme includes activities that have an objective to deliver outcomes for and with Māori. Attachment B to the agenda report sets out the activities in the work programme that aim to achieve high Māori outcomes in one or more of the strategic priority areas.

55. Table five shows the strategic priority areas and alignment to Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau outcomes.

Table five: Local board work programme Māori outcome areas

Strategic priority area	Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau outcome
Kaitiakitanga	Kia Ora te Taiao
Māori business, tourism and employment	Kia Ora te Umanga
Māori identity and culture	Kia Ora te Ahurea
Marae development	Kia Ora te Marae
Papakāinga and Māori housing	Kia Ora te Kāinga
Realising rangatahi potential	Kia Ora te Rangatahi
Te reo Māori	Kia Ora te Reo
Effective Māori participation	Kia Ora te Hononga
Whānau and tamariki wellbeing	Kia Ora te Whānau

56. The Customer and Community Services directorate lead or contribute to programmes that align with all outcomes. Particular priorities are Kia Ora te Marae, Kia Ora te Whānau and Kia Ora te Reo.

57. In the current environment there is increasing focus on Kia Ora te Umunga / Māori Business, Tourism and Employment and the role that the council can play, not only in supporting economic recovery, but in a thriving Māori economy.

58. Kia Ora te Ahurea / Māori Identity and Culture is often a focus for local boards, as events and place-based design often plays an important part in many local programmes.

Work programme budget types and purpose

59. Work programme activities are funded from various budget sources, depending on the type of delivery. Some activities within the work programme are funded from two or more sources, including from both local and regional budgets.

60. Table six outlines the different budget types and their purpose in funding the work programme.

Table six: Work programme budget types and purpose

Budget type	Description of budget purpose
Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI)	A development fund used to advance local operational and capital activities at the discretion of the local board
Asset Based Services (ABS)	Allocated to deliver local activities based on decisions regarding region-wide service levels, including allocation of funds for local asset-based services, grants and staff time to deliver activities
Local renewals	A fund dedicated to the partial renewal or full replacement of assets including those in local parks and community facilities
Growth (local parks and sports field development)	Primarily funded through development contributions, a regional fund to improve open spaces, including developing newly acquired land into parks, and existing open space to increase capacity to cater for growing population needs
Coastal	A regional fund for the renewal of Auckland’s significant coastal assets, such as seawalls, wharves and pontoons
Slips prevention	A regional fund to proactively develop new assets for the prevention of landslides and major slips throughout the region
Specific purpose funding	Funds received by the council, often from external sources, held for specific local board areas, including compensation funding from other agencies for land acquisitions required for major projects
One Local Initiative (OLI)	Funds allocated to a local board priority project in alignment with the Long-term Plan 2018-2028
Long-term Plan discrete	Funds associated with activities specifically named and listed in previous long-term plans, including new libraries, community centres and major sports and community infrastructure
Kauri Dieback Funding	Part of the Natural Environment Targeted Rate (NETR) Fund, this is a regional fund used to implement the national kauri dieback programme standards
External funding	Budget from external parties, not yet received and held by Customer and Community Services

Capital projects and budgets

61. The capital projects to be delivered in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board area, together with identified budgets and main funding sources, are shown in Attachment A.

62. The budgets associated with the capital works programme are estimates only, costs are subject to change and may need to be refined as the project progresses through the design and delivery process. Once activity details are more clearly defined, staff will update the work programme for approval in subsequent years.

Risk Adjusted Programme

63. The Risk Adjusted Programme was first implemented in 2019 and is designed to mitigate risk so that the total budget is delivered.

64. Several capital projects in the 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 work programme have been identified as part of the Risk Adjusted Programme and outlined in Attachment A.

65. Local board approval is sought for the commencement of these projects in the 2023/2024 financial year, so that they can be prioritised if other, already approved projects, cannot be delivered or are delayed due to unforeseen reasons.

Regionally funded activities included in the local board work programme

66. Some activities from the Slips Prevention and Local Parks and Sports Field Development (growth) budgets are funded regionally and will be presented to the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee for approval after 30 June 2023.

67. The local board has decision-making responsibility for these activities within parameters set by the Governing Body, which include project location, scope, and budget. These activities are therefore included in the work programme.

68. The local board can provide feedback on the activities outlined in Attachment C to the agenda report. Staff will present this feedback to the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee when they consider regionally funded activities.

Process for changes to the approved work programme

69. Some projects in the work programme require further local board decisions as they progress through the delivery process.

70. Where further decisions are anticipated they have been indicated in the work programme. Decisions will be sought as required through local board business meetings.

71. In response to more detailed design and costing information, community consultation, consenting requirements and similar factors, amendments to the work programme or specific projects may also be required as projects progress.

72. Amendments to the work programme or specific projects will be managed in accordance with the established local board delegations to staff.

73. The work programme includes community leases. Lease renewals without variations will be processed by way of a memo, in accordance with agreed delegations.

74. Should the local board signal their intent to change or pursue a new lease that is not contemplated in the leasing work programme, a deferral of an item already programmed for delivery will need to be accommodated.

75. Staff will workshop expired and more complex community leases with the local board and then report on them at a business meeting.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

76. As Customer and Community Services is a significant service provider and property owner, the directorate has a leading role in delivering Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan.

77. In providing asset-based services, Customer and Community Services contributes most of council’s operational greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through its facilities and infrastructure.

78. Property managed by the directorate, in particular coastal assets, will be adversely affected by climate change. The work programme includes actions, consistent with Te Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri to halve council’s operational GHG emissions by 2030, and to adapt to a changing climate.

79. Actions include reducing operational GHG emissions through phasing-out gas heating in aquatic centres, improving the efficiency of facilities, investing in renewable energy, and adopting the Sustainable Asset Policy.

80. At the same time, the directorate will mitigate GHG emissions and improve climate resilience through delivering tree planting programmes across the region. This includes the transitioning of unproductive farmland on regional parks to permanent native forest and delivering ecological restoration projects with community groups.

81. Recent significant weather events have influenced criteria for renewing assets. Each renewal project will be assessed for flood plain impacts, as well as any new known consequences council has experienced due to the weather.

82. Work is ongoing to build on the above actions and embed climate change considerations into investment decision-making, planning, and corporate policies, including asset management plans and local board plans.

83. As approved through the 10-year Budget 2021-2031, council’s mandated approach to ‘deliver differently’ is also anticipated to help reduce the council carbon footprint by creating a sustainable service network. This may include a shift to digital service models or the consolidation of services into a smaller footprint.

84. Each activity in the work programme has been assessed to identify whether it will have a positive, negative or neutral impact on greenhouse gas emissions, and affect Auckland’s resilience to climate change.

85. The activities in the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board work programme identified as having a positive or negative impact on climate change are outlined in Attachment D to the agenda report.

86. Types of activities in the work programme that will have positive impacts on emissions and improve community resilience to climate change, include community-led environmental and educational programmes, supporting volunteer planting, delivering council-led planting and sustainable design.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

87. The Customer and Community Services work programme was developed collaboratively by staff from the directorate’s departments and Local Board Services, to ensure that the activities and delivery of the work programme are integrated, complementary, and reflect council wide priorities.

88. Development of the work programme also follows a cooperative approach to planning activities through association with other directorates like the Infrastructure and Environmental Services Directorate.

89. Examples of collaboration on delivery are the kauri dieback programme which is delivered by the Parks and Community Facilities and the Infrastructure and Environmental Services directorate, as well as pathway connections funded by Auckland Transport but delivered by Parks and Community Facilities.

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

Local impacts and local board views

90. The feedback received from the local board through a series of workshops in May and June 2023 has informed the proposed Customer and Community Services work programme.

91. A focus area of the work programme is to respond to local board aspirations through consideration of the local board plans. The work programmes consider communities of greatest need and the building of capacity within those communities through community-led delivery and partnerships.

92. Planning and delivery of some activities involves consultation with the community to ensure that their aspirations are understood and responded to.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

93. The provision of services, facilities and open spaces support the realisation of the aspirations of Māori, promote community relationships, connection to the natural environment and foster holistic wellbeing of whānau, hapū and iwi Māori.

94. Attachment B shows local board projects or programmes that are ranked as delivering ‘high or moderate’ Māori outcomes. They involve ongoing collaboration with Māori or are delivered by Māori.

95. Projects or programmes in Attachment A may also contribute to Māori outcomes but are not highlighted as they are identified to have a low or no impact.

96. It is recognised that engagement with Māori is critical. If not already completed, engagement will occur on a programme or individual project basis, where appropriate, prior to any work commencing. Engagement outcomes with Māori will be reported back separately to the local board at the appropriate time.

97. Further information about the response to Māori aspirations as described in the work programme, is captured in the Analysis and Advice section.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

98. Each activity line has a budget allocation in one or more of the financial years e.g. 2023/2024, 2024/2025 and 2025/2026. Where activity lines show a zero-dollar operating expense (opex) budget, this reflects implementation costs met through staff salary or other funding sources.

99. The 2023/2024 activities recommended for local board approval can be accommodated within 2023/2024 budgets and staff resources.

100. The budgets allocated to activities in the financial years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026 in the Parks and Community Facilities budgets are indicative, and are subject to change due to any increased costs, inflation or reduction to the overall available annual council budget that may occur.

101. Table seven summarises the budget sources and allocation for each work programme financial year.

Table seven: Hibiscus and Bays Local Board budget allocation

Local budgets	2023/2024 (approve)	2024/2025 (approve in principle Parks & Community Facilities only)	2025/2026 (approve in principle Parks & Community Facilities only)
Operational (Opex): Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI)	1,185,240	16,360	0
Opex: Asset Based Services (ABS)	19,914,548	0	0
Capital (Capex): Local Asset Renewals - Budget (ABS)	6,322,055	7,821,018	7,470,627
Capex: Local Asset Renewals - Proposed Allocation (ABS)	4,993,320	7,821,018	7,470,627
Advanced Delivery RAP*	1,328,734
Capex: Local Asset Renewals - Unallocated budget (ABS)	0	0	0
Capex: Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) – Budget	205,000	707,485	1,157,426
Capex: Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) - Proposed Allocation	205,000	707,485	1,157,426
Advanced Delivery RAP*	0
Capex: Locally Driven Initiatives (LDI) - Unallocated budget	0	0	0
Capex: Growth projects Allocation	279,290	500,000	885,126
Capex: Coastal projects Allocation	0	0	0
Capex: Slips Prevention projects Allocation	0	50,000	250,000
Capex: Specific Purpose Funding - Allocation	0	0	0
Capex: One Local Initiative	1,877,000	7,838,000	7,237,326
Capex: Long-term Plan discrete	0	0	0
Capex: Natural Environment Targeted Rate	0	0	0
Capex: External Funding Allocation	0	0	0
TOTAL ALLOCATIONS	$7,370,970	$16,932,863	$17,000,505

* See paragraphs 63 to 65 for RAP explanation

102. The budgets are based on the allocations in the Long-term Plan 2021-2031. Budgets are subject to change during council’s Annual Budget and future long-term plan processes. Where decisions on the Annual Budget result in budget reductions, the work programme will need to be amended to align to these budgets via future decisions of the local board.

103. During delivery of the 2023/2024 work programme, where an activity is cancelled or no longer required, the local board can reallocate the associated budget to an existing work programme activity or create a new activity within that financial year. This process will include agreement from each department and will need to be formally resolved on by the local board.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

104. The most significant risk is that delivery of the Customer and Community Services work programme is dependent on the local board approving the work programme by 25 July 2023. Approval of the work programme later into the financial year will result in delays to delivery.

105. The majority of operational (opex) activities in the work programme are ongoing and occur annually. Risks associated with these activities have been identified in previous years and are managed on an ongoing basis.

106. Storm recovery investigation work is still in progress. In most cases, some provision has been made to manage the impacts, but mitigation will need to be refined and worked through with the local boards.

107. There are constraints with accessing geotechnical reports and assessing the asset need and location. Consideration also needs to be given to long term flood impacts. Insurance proceeds need to be understood and will, in part, reduce the liability of recovery. Unfortunately, the many insurance claims will take time to assess and process.

108. Table eight outlines the key risks and mitigations associated with the work programme once it has been approved.

Table eight: risks and mitigations

Risk	Mitigation
Non-delivery, time delays and budget overspend of activities that are managed through the work programme.	Having agreed processes to amend the work programme if activities need to be changed or cancelled. Utilising the Risk Adjusted Programme to progress those activities identified as ready to proceed under the Risk Adjusted Programme at the beginning of the financial year.
Health, safety and wellbeing factors, including external influences relating to work programme delivery may impact the delivery of activities, resulting in activities requiring adjustment.	Health and safety assessments will be conducted prior to commencement of projects. Work programme activities and projects will be adjusted accordingly where these risks occur during the delivery phase.
Extenuating economic and environmental conditions, as well as the possibility of further COVID-19 outbreaks, may continue to create capex delivery challenges, including increased material and labour costs, as well as shortages in both sectors, this in turn will lead to increased overall project costs and may lead to delays in project delivery.	Development of the work programme has included consideration of potential impacts on delivery due to extenuating economic and environmental conditions, as well as possibly of further COVID-19 outbreaks for all activities. Timeframes for some activities are set to enable delivery within the agreed timeframe despite possible delays. Increased costs and delays will be managed as part of the ongoing management of work programmes via additional RAP projects, and the rephasing of projects to accommodate increased budget and address material shortages. Where activities need to be cancelled the local board can reallocate the budget to other activities.
Adverse weather impacts - delays to construction due to soft ground conditions and being unable to construct in the rain has impacted delivery of the capex work programme in the 2022/2023 financial year. Should this continue, which with climate change is likely, this will once again impact delivery.	Having agreed processes to amend the work programme if activities need to be changed or cancelled. Delays will be managed as part of the ongoing management of work programmes via additional RAP projects.
The geopolitical factors may result in further inflationary and supply chain pressures.	Potential inflationary pressures have been modelled into key forecasts, however, uncertainties remain. The ongoing cost increase may become unsustainable, and may require a reprioritization of potential work programmes, capital spend and a potential discontinuation of some programmes.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

109. Delivery of the Customer and Community Service work programme is scheduled to start on 26 July 2023 and continue until 30 June 2024.

110. Regionally funded projects are an exception and will commence after they have been approved by the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee in August 2023.

111. The local board will receive progress updates on a quarterly basis, with the first quarterly report available in November 2023.

112. When further decisions for activities are needed at project milestones, these will be brought to the local board at the appropriate time.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Customer and Community Services Work Programme 2023/2024 (Under Separate Cover)
b	Māori Outcomes (Under Separate Cover)
c	Regional Projects (Under Separate Cover)
d	Climate Impacts (Under Separate Cover)

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Justine Haves - General Manager Regional Services & Strategy

Mirla Edmundson - General Manager Connected Communities

Dave Stewart - General Manager Active Communities

Taryn Crewe - General Manager Parks and Community Facilities

Tania Pouwhare - General Manager Community & Social Innovation

Authorisers

Claudia Wyss - Director Customer and Community Services

Lesley Jenkins - Local Area Manager

Hibiscus and Bays Local Board

25 July 2023

2025 Auckland Council elections - electoral system

File No.: CP2023/09687

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide feedback to the Governing Body on whether the electoral system should change from First Past the Post to Single Transferable Voting.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The council has previously decided to retain First Past the Post Voting, giving priority to keeping the voting experience as simple as possible for the voter.

3. Single Transferable Voting has recognised benefits as an electoral system and the Future for Local Government Review has recommended it be mandatory for all councils.

4. A key feature of Single Transferable Voting is that it permits the voter to vote for the candidate they prefer without being deterred by the prospect their vote might be wasted if the candidate is not a popular choice. This allows the voter’s vote to count towards the voter’s second preference if their first preference is not elected. Their vote may be transferred to subsequent preferences if this is required.

5. Another key feature of Single Transferable Voting is that it can allow a more proportional outcome in a multi-member election. A “quota” defines the number of votes required to be elected. Under Single Transferable Voting a minority group might have enough votes to elect the group’s candidate whereas under First Past the Post Voting a minority group may never be represented (those in a majority group will always outnumber those in a minority group).

6. A downside to Single Transferable Voting is that it can add complexity to the voting experience for voters who do not have sufficient knowledge about candidates. In these situations, it is difficult enough for a voter to decide for whom to vote, without then having to decide a ranking. However, Single Transferable Voting as practiced in New Zealand does not require a voter to indicate a preference for each position. A voter could just indicate a first preference if that is their wish.

7. It is also debatable whether voters in New Zealand local government elections vote in groups, whether those groups are political parties, or demographic groups. In local government elections overseas where Single Transferable Voting is used candidates stand in political parties and voters align with such political parties. Single Transferable Voting ensures the success of political party candidates is proportional to the voting patterns in the community. In New Zealand local government elections, voters and candidates do not align with political parties to the same extent (though there is some alignment) – the meaning of a proportional outcome is less clear.

8. This report sets out the key advantages and disadvantages of Single Transferable Voting. On balance there may be a benefit to voters through being able to express preferences thereby avoiding wasting their vote, even though this introduces some complexities for some voters. The complexity associated with Single Transferable Voting can be mitigated with simple and clear instructions on how to vote.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Hibiscus and Bays Local Board:

a) whakarite / provide feedback to the Governing Body on whether the electoral system should be changed from First Past the Post to Single Transferable Voting for the 2025 elections.

Horopaki

Context

9. The Local Electoral Act 2001 (LEA) provides for two electoral systems for council elections:

(i) First Past the Post (FPP)

(ii) Single Transferable Vote (STV).

10. Prior to each council election the council can decide which electoral system to use. If the council wishes to change its electoral system to STV it must resolve to change to STV for the next two elections by 12 September 2023 (LEA s 27). A council may resolve to conduct a poll (referendum) on whether to change to STV. This might be held as a standalone poll or in conjunction with the next election. Also, a petition from 5 per cent of electors can demand that the council conduct a poll.

11. Whenever the Governing Body has considered these matters in the past it has decided to retain FPP, its focus being on the voter and making the voting experience as simple as possible.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

First Past the Post

12. First Past the Post, also known as plurality voting, has the feature that candidates having more votes win over candidates having fewer votes. In a community which has minority groups, minority groups might never be represented if it is assumed that groups vote only for candidates representing their group or community of interest.

13. A simple scenario illustrates the implications. In this hypothetical scenario an electorate has a majority group and a minority group and each group puts up candidates for a multi-vacancy election (for example a multi-member ward). The majority group will out-vote the minority group for each vacancy because it has more voters and each voter can vote for each vacancy. FPP is characterised as a ‘winner takes all’ electoral system. In this simple scenario of a majority group and a minority group the minority group will never be represented. It does not have enough votes to out-vote the majority group. (In this example the term “group” is used generically. Discussion about FPP and proportional systems like STV in the literature is typically in terms of political groups. However the same arguments apply if the groups are demographic groups such as ethnic groups or age groups).

Single Transferable Voting - features

14. For STV, voters mark the candidates in order of preference -1st, 2nd, 3rd etc. To determine who is elected, a quota is determined from the number of votes and the number of positions to be filled. The first preferences for each candidate are counted. Any candidate who has votes equal to or greater than the quota is elected. Any surplus votes (over the quota) of the elected candidates are redistributed to voters' next preferences. When all surpluses have been redistributed, the last placed candidate is excluded and their votes redistributed to voters' next preferences. This process continues until the total number of candidates to be elected is reached.

15. One key feature of STV is the “quota”. This is the number of votes a candidate must receive in order to get elected. Because each voter has only one vote the total pool of votes is equal to the total number of electors who are voting. The quota is obtained by dividing the total votes by one more than the number of vacancies and adding a small number[3] to avoid a tie. For example, if the total number of voters is 10,000 and there are 4 vacancies, then the quota is obtained by dividing 10,000 by five to give 2,000 votes (plus a small number) as the quota. Any candidate reaching the quota will be elected[4]. If there was a majority group of 6,000 voters and a minority group of 4,000 voters the minority group now has a chance of electing a representative because it is able to provide the required 2,000 votes to elect a candidate (whereas under FPP the majority group could take all seats).

16. Single Transferable Voting is considered to be a proportional electoral system in that the outcome of an election will be more closely proportionate to the voting patterns in the community, particularly in a multi-member election (single or double-member wards would not provide the scope for a range of groups to be represented).

17. A second key feature of STV is that it addresses the issue of wasted votes by enabling voters to express their preferences. FPP can discourage a voter from voting for the candidate they prefer because they know their vote would be wasted if the candidate was not likely to get elected. Under STV a voter’s first preference might be for the candidate they prefer but if that candidate was eliminated then their vote would go to their second preference and so on. Under STV it is safer for a voter to vote for the candidate they actually prefer because they know that if their preferred candidate is not eventually elected then their vote will count toward their second and subsequent preferences.

18. The aspect of wasted votes under FPP has been highlighted at mayoral elections. In the most recent mayoral election candidates withdrew to avoid voters wasting their votes on them. If STV had been in place this might not have been necessary.

19. For single-seat elections such as a mayoral election or election of one member in a single-seat ward, STV has the feature that a winning candidate will receive a majority of votes and not just more votes than other candidates. This is because at each iteration of vote counting the lowest scoring candidate is eliminated until, at the final iteration, the contest is between two candidates.

20. The Governing Body might resolve to provide for Māori representation by way of one or more Māori wards. There would, at most, be two members elected from a Māori ward. STV could assist those voting on the Māori roll – a voter could express a first preference for a candidate that represents their own mana whenua group and also express a second and subsequent preferences in case that candidate did not get elected.

Single Transferable Voting – concerns

Voter turnout

21. The effect of varying patterns of voter turnout might be a greater concern than achieving proportionality. For proportionality to be achieved it is best to have multi-member electorates. Governing Body wards are currently single or double member wards. As noted in the review of the 2022 elections there are widely varying voter turnout patterns around Auckland. If, say, a six-member ward was created, being three times the size of a double-member ward, then the differences in voter turnout within the ward might be of more significant concern than achieving proportionality through STV.

22. For example, if the Manukau, Howick and Manurewa-Papakura wards were combined then the part of this new large ward that would have the most voter turnout would be in the Howick area. It is possible that Howick voters would determine who represented Māngere and Ōtara.

23. The ward system spreads representation around Auckland geographically and because of the varying voter turnout patterns might be of more importance in terms of achieving representation of communities than adopting STV. STV might still be of benefit in single-member ward elections because of its preferential voting features which address the wasted vote issue. Local board elections use multi-member electorates (members are elected at-large or by subdivisions) and STV could be of benefit in achieving proportional representation.

New Zealand council elections not party- based

24. In New Zealand local government elections achieving a proportional result might not be very meaningful. The proportionality benefits of STV are usually explained in terms of voters voting in groups for candidates that represent the voters’ groups. For example, if there are younger voters who make up a proportion of the electorate but there are a greater number of older voters who vote for candidates in their own age group the younger voters as a group might not be represented under FPP[5] but under STV might be able to achieve sufficient votes to reach the quota. However, if voters do not vote in groups then it is difficult to explain how STV might enhance proportionality. In local government elections voting in groups does not occur to the extent it occurs in Parliamentary elections when voters align with political parties.

25. In local elections overseas where STV is used such as Ireland and Scotland, candidates are party-based. If, in New Zealand local government elections, voters tend to vote for candidates they consider to be the best candidates regardless of political group, age group, ethnic group or other type of group, then the proportionality benefits of STV are more difficult to argue.

Complexity

26. STV adds complexity for the voter. For example, at the 2022 local elections the Manurewa Local Board had eight vacancies and 29 candidates. The voter is faced with deciding not only which eight of the 29 candidates should be elected but how to rank them (noting there is no requirement to vote for, or express a preference for, each vacancy). This could make the task of voting more difficult for a voter who does not have any knowledge of candidates other than the information presented in the accompanying profile statements. On the other hand it might make voting a better experience for a voter who does have knowledge of all candidates, has clear preferences for candidates and wishes to use their vote to have an effect on who is elected. Ensuring the voting experience is user-friendly has been a key concern of the council in the past.

27. In 2022 Hamilton City Council moved to STV (and also established a Māori ward) for the first time. It experienced the lowest voter turnout nationally in 2022 at 29.4 per cent.

Single Transferable Voting – other councils in New Zealand

28. The following tables list which city and regional councils adopted FPP / STV for the 2022 elections[6].

29. Territorial authorities – Auckland Council and city councils (omitting district councils).

30. Data in the table below includes voter turnout, informal votes and election of women councillors. There tend to be more informal votes under STV (voters not marking their voting documents correctly and therefore not counted). STV does not seem to have had a significant effect in 2022 on voter turnout (except for Hamilton) or the election of women councillors.

		Voter turnout	Total votes	Informal votes	Informal votes %	Total Crs	Female Crs	Female Crs %
Auckland Council	FPP	35.2%	404,541	488	0.12	20	8	40.0
Christchurch City Council	FPP	44.4%	120,210	432	0.36	16	5	31.3
Hutt City Council	FPP	41.0%	64,002	250	0.39	12	5	41.7
Invercargill City Council	FPP	53.2%	20,907	87	0.42	12	4	33.3
Napier City Council	FPP	43.9%	18,451	31	0.17	12	6	50.0
Upper Hutt City Council	FPP	43.9%	24,296	42	0.17	10	4	40.0
Dunedin City Council	STV	40.1%	48,133	961	2.00	14	6	30.6
Hamilton City Council	STV	29.4%	32,357	846	2.61	14	7	50.0
Nelson City Council	STV	53.2%	41,794	937	2.24	12	2	16.7
Palmerston North City Council	STV	38.6%	21,370	515	2.41	15	6	40.0
Porirua City Council	STV	37.3%	15,640	212	1.36	10	4	40.0
Wellington City Council	STV	45.5%	73,067	287	0.39	15	8	53.3

Regional councils
Bay of Plenty Regional Council	FPP
Southland Regional Council	FPP
Hawke's Bay Regional Council	FPP
Northland Regional Council	FPP
Taranaki Regional Council	FPP
Waikato Regional Council	FPP
West Coast Regional Council	FPP
Canterbury Regional Council	FPP
Otago Regional Council	FPP
Manawatū-Whanganui Regional Council	FPP
Wellington Regional Council	STV

Single Transferable Voting – Future for Local Government Review

31. The Future for Local Government Review Panel has recommended that STV becomes mandatory for all council elections[7]:

32. “Single Transferable Voting can be more representative of voters’ choices because a vote can be transferred if a preferred candidate does not meet a certain threshold. This transfer of votes avoids wasted ballots. Early research demonstrates that STV leads to improvements in the representation of women (Vowles and Hayward 2021). However, the representative benefits of STV work best when there is a large pool of candidates and wards with more than one seat being contested.”

33. It is unknown whether this, or any other recommendation, will be implemented by the incoming Government in time to be in place for the 2025 elections.

Single Transferable Voting – poll

34. The council is required to give public notice by 19 September 2023 of the right for 5 per cent of electors to demand a poll on the electoral system to be used for the 2025 elections. Such a public notice is required prior to each election and, in the past, has not resulted in any interest for a poll on whether to change to STV.

35. The council itself may resolve to conduct a poll on the electoral system to be used. A stand-alone poll on changing to STV for 2025 would cost $1.2 – 1.3 million. A poll held in conjunction with the 2025 elections on whether to change to STV for 2028 would cost an additional $90,000 - $120,000.

Conclusion

36. While there are arguments for and against STV, on balance the ability for voters to express preferences is a benefit and is likely to become mandatory if the Future for Local Government Review Panel’s recommendations are implemented.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

37. A change of electoral system will not impact climate change.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

38. A decision about the electoral system affects the election of the mayor, councillors and local board members. It does not have an impact on the council group.

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

Local impacts and local board views

39. This report sets out the benefits and disadvantages of the STV electoral system. The choice of electoral system impacts the election of local board members. Because local board elections are at-large or by multi-member subdivision the proportionality aspects of STV could be of benefit in achieving an outcome that is proportional to the voting patterns in the community.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

40. The Governing Body is considering providing for Māori representation by way of a Māori ward. STV would allow those on the Māori roll to express first preferences for their own mana whenua group candidates while allowing second and subsequent preferences to be counted if their first preference is not elected.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

41. There would be some minor additional cost associated with using STV as compared to FPP due to STV requiring more processing.

42. There would be an additional cost if the council chose to conduct a poll on whether to change to STV as outlined earlier in the report.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

43. If the electoral system is changed to STV it will be important to provide very simple and clear advice to voters on how to vote.

44. Ballot order effect can be more pronounced the harder voting is for a voter. Under STV there may be more of a risk that candidate names at the top of the list might be selected. One mitigation would be to order candidate names randomly. A report on the order of candidate names will be presented for feedback in due course.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

45. The feedback from the local board will be conveyed to the Governing Body.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Author

Warwick McNaughton - Principal Advisor

Authorisers

Carol Hayward - Team Leader Operations and Policy

Louise Mason - General Manager Local Board Services

[4] The actual formula used in New Zealand is contained in the Local Electoral Regulations 2001, Schedule 1A.

[5] It should be noted though that New Zealand’s youngest Mayor (Gore District Council) was elected under FPP.

Chairperson	Gary Brown
Deputy Chairperson	Julia Parfitt, JP
Members	Jake Law	Victoria Short
	Sam Mills	Gregg Walden
	Alexis Poppelbaum, JP	Leanne Willis

Transitional Rates Grants

Local Economic and Business Grant

Purpose of the report

Executive summary

Context

Analysis and advice

First Past the Post

Single Transferable Voting - features

Single Transferable Voting – concerns

Voter turnout

New Zealand council elections not party- based

Complexity

Single Transferable Voting – other councils in New Zealand

Single Transferable Voting – Future for Local Government Review

Single Transferable Voting – poll

Conclusion

Climate impact statement

Council group impacts and views

Local impacts and local board views

Māori impact statement

Financial implications

Risks and mitigations

Next steps

Attachments

Signatories

Author	Louise Healy - Democracy Advisor
Authoriser	Lesley Jenkins - Local Area Manager