Agenda of Waitematā Local Board - Tuesday, 17 September 2024

1 Nau mai | Welcome

Chair G Sage welcomed those present and open the meeting with a karakia.

2 Ngā Tamōtanga | Apologies

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

3 Te Whakapuaki i te Whai Pānga | Declaration of Interest

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

4 Te Whakaū i ngā Āmiki | Confirmation of Minutes

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) whakaū / confirm the minutes of its ordinary meeting, held on Tuesday, 20 August 2024, and the minutes of its extraordinary meeting, held on Tuesday, 27 August 2024, as true and correct.

5 He Tamōtanga Motuhake | Leave of Absence

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

6 Te Mihi | Acknowledgements

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

7 Ngā Petihana | Petitions

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

8 Ngā Tono Whakaaturanga | Deputations

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

8.1 Deputation - The New Zealand National Poetry Slam - introducing the New Zealand National Poetry Slam festival of events

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To deliver a presentation to the board during the deputation segment of the business meeting.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Abby Irwin-Jones, Producer of the New Zealand National Poetry Slam, and Marcus Mackenzie, 2023 National Poetry Slam Champion, will be in attendance to speak to the board about the New Zealand National Poetry Slam.

3. The New Zealand National Poetry Slam is an annual festival of events celebrating live poetry and spoken word in venues across Auckland CBD. Events range from writing and performance workshops, panels, open mics, and artist networking opportunities, culminating in the main event - the National Poetry Slam, which brings regional qualifiers from across the country together to compete and regularly sells out the Ellen Melville Centre's Pioneer Women's Hall.

4. This year's festival will run from 29 November – 1 December. Abby Irwin-Jones will speak to this year's upcoming festival, while Marcus Mackenzie will give a performance demonstrating the poetry that won him the title last year.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) receive the presentation on the New Zealand National Poetry Slam, and thank Abby Irwin-Jones and Marcus Mackenzie for their attendance.

8.2 Deputation - Harshitha Murthy and Molly Cooper - Equal Justice Project - Greening Waitematā: Suggestions to make Waitematā more environmentally friendly

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To deliver a presentation to the board during the deputation segment of the business meeting.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Harshitha Murthy and Molly Cooper on behalf of the Equal Justice Project will be in attendance to speak to the board about their suggestions to make Waitematā more environmentally friendly.

3. Reflecting upon the board’s ‘Becoming a Low Carbon Community’ Action Plan, in specific to Sections 2.1 and 2.2, the Equal Justice Project will propose their suggestion, which is a transition to move to a more environmentally conscious banking institution as a strategic step toward reducing the community’s carbon footprint.

4. Becoming a Low Carbon Community’ Action Plan, Action Area 2 Walking the Talk:

· Section 2.1: Ensure the practices of the Local Board in relation to purchasing decisions, waste management and travel reflect the Board’s desire to be leading by example in working in a low carbon manner. For example: increase in staff and Elected Members using public and active transport. Local Board Mechanism: Lead.

· Section 2.2 Use advocacy powers to ensure that the practices of the Auckland Council (including the Council Controlled Organisations) support the low carbon outcome. For example: Advocate to the Governing Body for Council-Controlled Organisations (CCO) to include low-carbon in their Statement of Intent. Local Board Mechanism: Advocate.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) receive the presentation from the Equal Justice Project on their suggestions to make Waitematā more environmentally friendly, and thank Harshitha Murthy and Molly Cooper.

9 Te Matapaki Tūmatanui | Public Forum

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

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

10 Ngā Pakihi Autaia | Extraordinary Business

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

Local Active Modes Plan (LAMP) for Waitematā-west

File No.: CP2024/13087

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. This report seeks the Waitematā Local Board to adopt the Local Active Modes Plan (LAMP) for Waitematā-west (Attachment A).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Auckland Transport (AT) has developed, in collaboration with the Waitematā Local Board, a Local Active Modes Plan (LAMP) that covers the following suburbs in the Waitematā Local Board area: Herne Bay, Saint Mary’s Bay, Three Lamps, Westmere, Ponsonby, Freeman’s Bay, West Lynn, Grey Lynn, Arch Hill. Workshops were held on 7 February and 6 August 2024.

3. The LAMP is a pilot project which identifies a programme of small scale (low cost) but effective walking and cycling improvements that will remove barriers and improve walking and cycling options in the Waitematā Local Board area. Low-cost improvements are defined by the NZTA to be those with a design and build budget of less than $2 million. Typical individual improvements for the LAMP would be less than $1 million.

4. Proactively identifying these types of minor improvements makes it easier to coordinate improvements with other AT programmes, Auckland Council projects and with external parties that may make changes to the street network like Vector, Watercare or private developers. This helps minimise opportunities being missed when works occur.

5. Having a pipeline of minor, low-cost, low-risk projects may help the Local Board take advantage of ad-hoc or new funding opportunities such as AT capital programme underspend or new council or central government initiatives. The Local Board may also wish to use the plan to help prioritise their transport capital fund.

6. One of the key considerations when developing the plan was obtaining insights from the local community. This involved targeted meetings with key stakeholders, community drop-in sessions and online suggestions via a pin drop tool. Members of the community could provide their views on what streets they liked walking and cycling on and suggestions on how to improve them.

7. If the LAMP is adopted, AT will use the information provided to produce a more polished public facing document that can be “co-owned” by Auckland Transport and the Waitematā Local Board.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) note the approach to obtaining community insights and the engagement taken by the Auckland Transport team to help inform the Local Active Modes Plan for Waitematā-west.

b) adopt the Local Active Modes Plan for Waitematā-west (Attachment A).

c) note that as specific improvements and projects are progressed, they will be subject to Auckland Transport’s standard consultation and engagement process.

d) note that Auckland Transport will use the information provided to produce a more polished public facing document that can be “co-owned” by Auckland Transport and the Waitematā Local Board. Auckland Transport will be submitting copy to the local board for review in late October 2024.

Horopaki

Context

8. Obtaining local community insights was important to help inform the plan. Active modes, and walking, is a highly localised activity. Many of Auckland Transport‘s planning tools lack the granularity to understand local walking networks.

9. Decisions to walk and which route to take are influenced by multiple interrelated considerations, many of which are location specific. Obtaining good community insights can help planners better understand the local conditions, barriers to, and opportunities for walking.

10. The LAMP has been run as a pilot to assess the effectiveness of a very localised approach for identifying and delivering walking and cycling improvements in a defined area. This approach may be refined and rolled out to other areas.

11. This location was chosen as a pilot for a number of reasons. It is well suited to walking and cycling trips as it has a grid network with relatively small blocks. It already has a higher-than-average number of people walking and cycling to work and education. A large part of the area is within walking distance of the city centre.

12. The Waitematā Local Board have expressed interest in developing a pipeline of quick wins that improve the state of walking and cycling in their area and this plan could leverage recent and upcoming investment in the cycling network.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

13. Community input was sought to inform the LAMP. This involved targeted meetings with key stakeholders, community drop-in sessions and online suggestions via a pin drop tool. Auckland Transport sought input over a period of approximately 6 weeks in May/June 2024. The LAMP project team followed the recommendation of the Waitematā Local board members at the 7 February workshop and engaged with the Auckland Council Parks team, Grey Lynn and Ponsonby Business Associations, Auckland Zoo and Bike Grey Lynn. The purpose of these engagements was to request input on what improvements they would like to see to walking and cycling locally. These engagements were not consultations on individual projects or individual infrastructure proposals.

14. Members of the community were asked to say what streets they liked walking and cycling on and which streets they avoided and why. The project team was particularly interested in local trips made within the area, the route people took to access the city centre, and short-cuts through reserves, as this information is not easily captured on many of AT’s existing planning tools.

15. During the engagement process the team stressed that the LAMP would be focused on low-cost, low risk improvements. Parking removal in high demand areas, major civils work, full town-centre streetscape upgrades, were all out of scope. The emphasis was on identifying local connections that avoided, or provided an alternative route, to the main arterial streets.

16. Most improvements on arterial streets would likely be out of scope due to complexity and cost. Minor improvements on arterials would be considered but only if they could be delivered with minor civils work and minimal construction disruption.

17. The online pin-drop tool attracted over 1000 individual pin drops and hundreds of comments and suggestions. The community drop-in sessions and key stakeholder meetings allowed for more in-depth discussion and community insights.

18. The engagement exercise provided two things, firstly it provided hyper-local community insights on potential improvements, secondly it helped the team develop a set of guiding principles that were used to organise and prioritise all the potential improvements into a final programme.

19. An initial sift was carried out to remove improvements that were not feasible or that did not align with the guiding principles. Improvements were then grouped into categories that made sense from a project delivery perspective. Some improvements were grouped into specific routes or areas e.g. routes that bridge a gap in the greenway network. Other improvements are treated as standalone improvements at specific locations e.g. bike parking.

20. All improvements have been captured and recorded in table format and will be transferred to a GIS layer that can be uploaded to AT’s mapping portal. This will help with internal AT project coordination.

21. A likely cost-range has been provided for each type of improvements. The costs are to be considered as indicative and will vary based on specific locations, materials used and whether the intervention can be combined with other works. They may help the local board decide whether to allocate funds towards particular improvements or packages of improvements. Low-cost improvements are defined by the NZTA to be those with a design and build budget of less than $2 million. Typical individual improvements for the LAMP would be less than $1 million.

22. Adoption of the plan it will give AT assurance that it should put further effort and resource towards investigating and delivering improvements identified, noting that any projects initiated from this plan would need to go through community and stakeholder engagement (including with the Local Board) in line with normal AT processes.

23. If the LAMP is adopted, AT will use the information provided to produce a more polished public facing document that can be “co-owned” by Auckland Transport and the Waitematā Local Board.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

24. AT engages closely with council on developing strategy, actions and measures to support the outcomes sought by the Auckland Plan 2050, the Auckland Climate Action Plan and council’s priorities. This plan supports those outcomes.

25. Mode shift from private vehicle travel to active modes is one of the most effective ways to reduce emissions. The initiatives contained in the LAMP will support a shift to active mode travel, especially for local trips, for those that are willing and able to do so.

26. The LAMP explicitly avoids major construction works. No detailed carbon calculations have been carried out on the programme. However, the low impact nature of improvements is likely to mean that embedded carbon construction costs and overall emissions are not high and will be more that off-set by emissions reductions from mode shift.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

27. This project is led by Auckland Transport, but the project team has worked closely with the Auckland Council Parks team as there is a natural interface with active modes connections through reserves and the Local Board Greenways Plan.

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

Local impacts and local board views

28. Community input has helped inform the LAMP. The project team acknowledges that no community engagement can ever be fully representative. However, the project team remain confident that projects identified in the LAMP will have positive impacts locally by improving local connections.

29. Individual projects will still need to go through the standard AT engagement process so directly impacted members of the community who have not had input into the final LAMP will still have an opportunity to have their say. The programme has also focused on low-risk improvements which minimises the chances of adverse negative impacts or significant negative local impacts.

30. The Waitematā Local Board was initially briefed on the pilot project at a workshop in February 2024. The project team provided regular updates to local board representatives as the project progressed.

31. The team presented the draft report at the local board workshop on the 6th of August. An updated draft plan was circulated to the local board on 16th of August incorporating minor changes discussed during the workshop.

32. Local Board members were asked to provide feedback on the updated draft plan by the 23rd of August. Minimal feedback was received which has now been actioned.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

33. The actions being considered 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.

34. Auckland Transport’s Māori 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.

35. Any AT project that progresses as a result of LAMP being adopted will require consultation with iwi as part of the project plan.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

36. The projects in this plan are unfunded and any projects that are progressed will be subject to funding being approved though the normal Auckland Transport and Auckland Council processes.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

37. There are no risks identified with the local board endorsing this project.

38. Any future risks and mitigations in planning and delivery of the project will be notified to the local board through Auckland Transport‘s standard engagement process with the Local Board.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

39. If the LAMP is adopted, AT will use the information provided to produce a more polished public facing document that can be “co-owned” by Auckland Transport and the Waitematā Local Board. AT hope to present the local board with the completed LAMP document by late October 2024.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Local Active Modes Plan for Waitematā-west

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Francis Doesburg, Transport Planner

Paul Buckle, Transport Planner (secondment)

Authorisers

Adrian Lord, Head of Active Modes

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

Auckland Transport Kōkiri / Local Board Transport Agreement Quarterly Update - September 2024

File No.: CP2024/13331

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To provide an update on projects in the local board’s Kōkiri / Local Board Transport Agreement 2024-2025 (Kōkiri Agreement).

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Kōkiri Agreement 2024-2025 is a local board’s engagement plan with Auckland Transport’s (AT) work programme.

3. Developing the agreement is an annual process. During this process AT provides advice on its work programme, seeks feedback from the local board, responds to this feedback, and establishes an endorsed plan for engaging on work in the local board area.

4. This report provides an update on projects in the local board’s Kōkiri Agreement.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the September 2024 quarterly update on the Kōkiri / Local Board Transport Agreement 2024-2025.

Horopaki

Context

5. In mid-2023, development of the Kōkiri Agreement was initiated to build a more structured and supportive relationship between local boards and Auckland Transport. The Kōkiri Agreement is formed thru an annual process that includes the following steps:

October/November	AT provides quality advice to local boards on the next financial year’s work programme.
March	Local boards provide their feedback, prioritise projects or programmes, and request levels of engagement for each project.
April/May	AT responds to that feedback, and a Kōkiri Agreement is written for each local board.
June/July	AT seeks formal endorsement of the Kōkiri Agreement from local boards.

6. AT reports quarterly on the prioritised projects and programmes listed in the local board’s Kōkiri Agreement.

7. This process provides a clear annual structure for engaging with AT. Local boards are able to influence Auckland Transport’s work programme through the annual Kōkiri Agreement process.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

8. Kōkiri Agreements prioritise the projects or programmes that are of most interest to the local board. Clear local board prioritisation provides Auckland Transport with expectations of transport related objectives, in addition to the objectives provided in the local board plan. This information helps AT to either inform its planning or to offer better explanations for why certain projects or programmes cannot be delivered.

9. However, plans evolve and change, so AT reports quarterly on progress of projects in the Kōkiri Agreement. This means that local boards are kept informed and have a regular opportunity to provide formal feedback to AT about their work programme.

10. The levels of engagement in the Kōkiri Agreement are derived from the International Association for Public Participation’s (IAP2) doctrine and are as follows:

Collaboration	AT and the local board work together to deliver the project or programme. The local board leads the process of building community consensus. The local board’s input and advice are used to formulate solutions and develop plans. Local board feedback is incorporated into the plan to the maximum extent possible.
Consultation	AT leads the project or programme but works with the local board, providing opportunities to input into the plan. If possible, AT incorporates the local board’s feedback into the plan, and if it is not able to, provides clear reasons for that decision.
Informing	AT leads the project or programme informing the local board about progress. Local board members may be asked to provide their local knowledge and insight by AT, however there is no expectation that the project must be modified based on that input.

11. Attachment A provides updates about all projects and programmes currently listed in this local board’s Kōkiri Agreement 2024-2025.This report also includes the following attachment:

· Attachment B is a quarterly update on road maintenance activities

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

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

13. AT engages closely with the council on developing strategy, actions and measures to support the outcomes sought by the Auckland Plan 2050, the Auckland Climate Action Plan and the council’s priorities.

14. AT reviews the potential climate impacts of all projects and works hard to minimise carbon emissions. AT’s work programme is influenced by council direction through Te-Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

15. The Kōkiri Agreement is a product of the Local Board Relationship Project. AT started the project in response to a 2022 ‘Letter of Expectation’ directive from the Mayor that stated in part that:

“The Statement of Intent 2023-2026 must set out how AT will achieve closer local board involvement in the design and planning stage of local transport projects that affect their communities.”

16. The Kōkiri Agreement gives effect to this intent. AT receives local board feedback via regular engagement. AT also surveys local board members quarterly about engagement, providing an indication of satisfaction.

17. The Kōkiri Agreement was developed working closely with Auckland Council’s Governance and Engagement Department.

18. The Kōkiri Agreement is reported to the Local Board Chair’s Forum on a regular basis.

19. This work relies on historical engagement with both Auckland Council and with other major council-controlled organisations (CCO) through the previous joint CCO engagement plans.

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

Local impacts and local board views

20. The local board endorsed the Kōkiri Agreement 2024-2025 at their July ordinary business meeting. This report provides the first quarterly update on projects in the agreement.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

21. Auckland Transport is committed to meeting its responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its broader legal obligations in being more responsible or effective to Māori.

22. AT’s Māori Responsiveness Plan outlines the commitment to 19 mana whenua 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 Auckland Transport website - https://at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/maori-responsiveness-plan/#about

23. The Kōkiri Agreement is focused on AT’s interaction with local boards, as such Māori input was not sought at a programme level. However, when individual projects or operational activities have impact on water or land, Auckland Transport engages with iwi to seek their views. These views are shared in reports seeking decisions from the local board.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

24. Generally, this report has limited financial implications for the local board because Auckland Transport funds all projects and programmes. However, local boards do have a transport budget, called the Local Board Transport Capital Fund.

25. Updates about Local Board Transport Capital Fund projects are included in this report, but financial implications are reported separately, in project specific decision reports.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

26. If a local board provides any formal direction on changes to the Kōkiri Agreement, there are risks to consider. First, the local board needs to be able to commit to the time required for the level of engagement requested. If decisions are not able to be made or are slowed down by local board decision-making, there can be significant financial costs.

27. Auckland Transport suggests that this risk is mitigated by the local board providing sufficient workshop time to allow for timely discussion of activities listed in Kōkiri Agreement.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

28. After local boards receive this report, AT will respond to any additional resolutions.

29. The next quarterly report is planned for November 2024.

30. In October or November 2024, AT will conduct its annual forward works programme brief which starts the process to develop the Kōkiri Agreement 2025-2026.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Schedule of Kōkiri Agreement updates
b	Road maintenance activities

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Ben Stallworthy – Principal Advisor – Auckland Transport

Authorisers

Lou-Ann Ballantyne - General Manager Governance and Engagement

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

Joint traffic bylaw review feedback report

File No.: CP2024/11791

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To receive feedback from local boards on the review of the joint Auckland Transport (AT) and Auckland Council (AC) traffic-related bylaws.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Auckland Transport and Auckland Council both have powers to make traffic-related rules in Auckland.

3. The current rules are set out in several documents: Auckland Transport’s Traffic Bylaw 2012 (https://at.govt.nz/about-us/bylaws/traffic-bylaw-2012), Auckland Council’s Traffic Bylaw 2015 (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/bylaws/Pages/traffic-bylaw.aspx) and Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw 2013 (covering use of vehicles on beaches) (https://www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/plans-projects-policies-reports-bylaws/bylaws/Pages/public-safety-nuisance-bylaw.aspx).

4. Auckland Transport and Auckland Council are conducting a review of these bylaws which has found that they are largely effective but that there could be efficiencies and improvements.

5. Auckland Transport seeks local board feedback on the proposed changes which will inform the proposals for future public consultation. Feedback is due by 19 September 2024.

6. After public consultation is completed, local boards will be provided with summaries of public feedback. Further feedback will be sought from local boards.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) whakarite / provide feedback on the proposed changes on the review of Auckland Transport and Auckland Council traffic-related bylaws outlined in Attachment A of the agenda report.

Horopaki

Context

Traffic bylaws

7. The use of Auckland’s road space, including some beaches and roads in parks, is regulated by national legislation (laws) and by local government rules through bylaws.

8. Both Auckland Transport and Auckland Council have powers to make traffic-related rules in Auckland. The current rules are contained across the following bylaws:

a) Auckland Transport Traffic Bylaw 2012 (covering the requirements for parking and control of traffic on roads under the care, control, or management of Auckland Transport).

b) Auckland Council Traffic Bylaw 2015 (covering traffic management in public places, like parks, beaches, off-street parking facilities (like libraries and community centres) and council-owned car parking buildings).

c) Auckland Council Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw 2013 (covering use of vehicles on beaches).

9. Responsibilities for bylaws are allocated by control of the land. Auckland Transport’s rules apply to Auckland’s transport system, while Auckland Council’s rules apply to council-controlled land such as parks and beaches.

10. The bylaws provide a “framework” for regulating vehicle use, traffic and parking on Auckland’s transport system and on council-controlled land. This means that they enable activities like bus lanes to be created. However, the exact locations of the bus lanes are not in the bylaw but are set through resolutions, made later. This works well where there are location-specific needs that change over time.

11. Some topics in the bylaws are not site-specific. This is used where Auckland Transport want the same rule applied everywhere, and do not need a site-specific resolution for instance, to prohibit vehicles from being abandoned on roads or in public places.

Reviewing Auckland’s traffic bylaws

12. A joint review of Auckland’s traffic-related bylaws is being undertaken to ensure they continue to meet the needs of Aucklanders. For example, there have been changes in legislation and technology, and feedback from subject matter experts has indicated that there are things Auckland Transport can do to improve how we use bylaws.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

13. Auckland Transport subject matter experts met with and discussed the traffic bylaw review with the Waitematā local board at a workshop on 6 August.

14. Before that workshop, Auckland Transport and Auckland Council staff reviewed the bylaws across 18 different topics (listed in Attachment A) to identify if there were problems, whether the bylaws helped address those problems, and if there were any alternatives or improvements.

15. There were five possible options for each topic, which align with the statutory options to respond to the bylaw review findings – retain, amend, replace and revoke. These are outlined in Attachment A.

16. Auckland Transport and Auckland Council advice to local boards can be summarised in the following set of key findings:

a) the current bylaws are generally effective, ensuring that Auckland’s land transport system connects people and places in a way that is safe, effective and efficient, and protects the environment

b) bylaws regulating vehicle use and parking controls by enabling controls to be set ‘if and where’ required to manage the use of the road space in Auckland have been particularly helpful (for example, to regulate the use of one-way streets, bus lanes and P60 parking spaces by resolution of a delegated authority) but could benefit from minor improvements

c) bylaws regulating vehicles on beaches and off-road parking could be improved to be more effective and efficient. For example, there are no infringement fines for vehicles on beaches and the process to enforce berm parking prohibitions is time consuming and costly

d) bylaws that regulate activities involving vehicles, machinery or equipment that is left, broken down, repaired, advertised or sold on roads or public places are not used. Additionally, reviewers found that other existing legislation and bylaws already address the problems better

e) a bylaw can no longer regulate new speed limits because speed management plans are required to be used instead

f) consideration should be given to the possible benefits of replacing the bylaws with a single bylaw made by both Auckland Transport and Auckland Council. While most of Auckland’s roads are the responsibility of Auckland Transport, the boundaries with Auckland Council controlled roads or public places can be indistinguishable.

17. The summary of the discussion and proposed changes are in Attachment A of this report.

18. At this stage of the review, Auckland Transport and Auckland Council have not finalised any final recommendations and therefore encourage local boards to provide feedback. This feedback will be incorporated in the proposals for the upcoming public consultation.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

19. Auckland Transport and Auckland Council both support the outcomes sought by the Auckland Plan 2050, the Te-Tāruke-ā-Tāwhiri: Auckland’s Climate Plan and other council climate priorities.

20. During the development of the bylaws, climate impacts were considered because effective bylaws are tool that helps give effect to these strategic directives, for instance:

a) parking restrictions regulated by bylaws can be used to provide clearways and bus lanes that allow for quicker and more reliable public transport

b) controlling vehicle access and use on beaches protects coastal biodiversity

c) the ability to control access by heavy vehicles to unsuitable residential roads or town centres helps to minimise carbon emissions by encouraging them to use arterial routes designed for these vehicles to use efficiently.

21. The bylaws are an ‘enabler’ for climate goals providing the regulatory tools required to enforce a variety of controls that contribute to meeting climate change goals.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

22. This review is being conducted jointly by Auckland Transport and Auckland Council. Other Council Controlled Organisations provided staff to assist with the initial review to ensure that impacts and their views were considered.

23. The Regulatory and Community Safety Committee discussed the review with staff and endorsed the Findings Report at a meeting on 02 July 2024.

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

Local impacts and local board views

24. Auckland Transport workshops with all local boards throughout the month of August. These workshops provide local boards with an opportunity to receive quality advice about the review and its finding.

25. Further engagement with local boards will be conducted post-public consultation to enable local boards to provide feedback after consideration of the consultation data. The timeframe for this will be communicated later this year.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

26. Auckland Transport and Auckland Council are committed to meeting their responsibilities under Te Tiriti o Waitangi and its broader legal obligations in being more responsive or effective to Māori.

27. Auckland Transport’s Māori Responsiveness Plan outlines the commitment to 19 mana whenua 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 Auckland Transport website - https://at.govt.nz/about-us/transport-plans-strategies/maori-responsiveness-plan/#about

28. Using this framework for discussion, Auckland Transport informed iwi about the review in November 2023. The initial engagement was followed by a series of hui in July and August 2024 at which staff provided details of the review.

29. Māori have been informed and provided with opportunities to engage with the review and after public engagement is finished will be engaged with again.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

30. This decision has no financial implications for Waitematā Local Board because Auckland Transport funds all projects and programmes.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

31. The proposed decision does not carry specific risk for this local board. Bylaw application and enforcement is not a role of local boards and is not funded by local board budgets. This situation means that there is no legal or financial risk.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

32. Local board feedback is due by 19 September 2024. After receiving this report, Auckland Transport will review the formal feedback from all local boards.

33. A further period of consideration is planned and on 8 October 2024, Auckland Council’s Regulatory and Community Safety Committee will review the bylaw review’s findings, options and recommendations and approve public engagement.

34. The Governing Body and the AT Board will also review the bylaw review’s findings, options and recommendations and approve public engagement on 24 October 2024 and 29 October 2024, respectively.

35. After public engagement, further local board feedback will be sought. Timelines for this engagement will be communicated after the committee decisions later this year.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Schedule of Review Findings and Proposed Changes

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Ben Stallworthy, Principal Advisor Strategic Relationships, Auckland Transport

Authorisers

Lou-Ann Ballantyne - General Manager Governance and Engagement

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan - approval to notify the intention to prepare the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan

File No.: CP2024/13016

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek approval from the Waitematā Local Board to publicly notify its intention to prepare the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan.

2. To approve the project scope and engagement approach for the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

3. In July 2023, Waitematā Local Board approved the development of the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan in its multi-year work programme (Resolution number: WTM/2023/117).

4. Once adopted, the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan (LPMP) will provide a policy framework to manage use, protection and development of the Waitematā local parks network.

5. Land, which is in scope for the LPMP, includes:

· park land held under both the Reserves Act 1977 and the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA), where the local board has delegated decision-making.

· council-owned drainage reserves that act as open space (local boards have decision-making authority for park activities, while stormwater network decision-making is made by Healthy Waters).

6. Open space is excluded from the scope of the plan where:

· it is not owned or managed by Auckland Council

· the local board does not have a decision-making role e.g. regional parks, Auckland Domain

· it has a separate legislation for management and governance, sitting outside of the Local Government Act and Reserves Act.

7. For unformed legal roads, the local board’s advocacy can be expressed through the plan.

8. The development of the LPMP will follow the process outlined in the Reserves Act 1977 (see Attachment A).

9. Approval is sought to notify the intention to prepare a plan, and to invite written submissions pursuant to section 41(5) of the Reserves Act.

10. The public notices are likely to be published early in November 2024. The deadline for written submissions will be a minimum of one month later. This timeline will be communicated to Waitematā Local Board when confirmed.

11. This report outlines the engagement approach for the development of the local parks management plan. This includes online interactive platforms for receiving community feedback such as Social Pinpoint (see Attachment D).

12. The cost of public notification will be met from the project budget.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) approve public notification of the intention to prepare a Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan for all local parks and reserves in the Waitematā Local Board area, and invite written submissions on the proposed plan.

b) approve the scope (Attachments B and C of the agenda report) and engagement approach (Attachment D of the agenda report) for the development of the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan.

Horopaki

Context

13. The local board approved the development of the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan (LPMP), and associated budget, as part of the adoption of the 2023/2024 Customer and Community Services work programmes (Resolution number: WTM/2023/117).

14. The Waitematā Local Board has decision-making responsibility for approximately 102 local parks in the Waitematā area. Thirteen parks are covered by seven existing reserve management plans. All of these reserve management plans are 19 or more years old and will be superseded by the new LPMP (see paragraphs 23 to 24 for more details).

15. This report covers the ‘what, why and how’ of preparing a LPMP. It also seeks approval from the local board to initiate the first round of public consultation.

What is a local parks management plan?

16. The LPMP is a statutory document for land held under the Reserves Act 1977. Section 41(1) of the Act requires the council to create management plans for certain classifications of reserves. This also means that the council is legally bound to adhere to management plans.

17. The contents of the LPMP (outlined in Attachment B) will provide:

· a framework of high-level values and principles to guide objectives and policies that apply across all local parks

· guidance on issues impacting individual parks and intentions to manage those issues

· overarching direction for leases and other activities requiring landowner approval for relevant parks.

Why do we need a local parks management plan?

18. A LPMP is an important tool to protect the values of parks while providing for appropriate activities. They provide a framework for consistent, transparent decision-making for managing and developing park land. Management plans guide the local board, council group, other organisations and the wider community as to the appropriate use of the space.

19. The table below gives an overview of the benefits of LPMPs:

A diagram of benefits and examples

Description automatically generated with low confidence

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

What park land is included in the LPMP?

20. The scope of the LPMP includes park land for which the local board has delegated decision-making authority, both under the Reserves Act 1977 or the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA).

21. For unformed legal roads and drainage reserves that act as open space, the local board has an advocacy role which can be expressed through the LPMP.

22. A summary of the park land in scope for the LPMP is shown in the table below. See Attachment C for more detail and specific examples:

In scope

Land for which the local board has allocated decision-making:

ü land held under Reserves Act 1977

ü park land held under Local Government Act 2002

Advocacy role only

Land for which the local board does not have allocated decision-making, but that does fulfill an open space function:

· legal road reserves that have a significant open space function

· land owned by the Crown but managed informally by Auckland Council as a local park

Out of scope

Land for which the local board does not have allocated decision-making:

û drainage reserves and unformed roads with no open space function

û park land governed by other entities (i.e. Pukekawa / Auckland Domain Committee)

û park land managed by a separate legislation sitting outside of the Reserves Act 1977 and Local Government Act 2002 (i.e. Auckland Domain Act 1987)

û Privately owned park land/open space

Continuous review

23. A list of existing Reserve Management Plans (RMPs) for local parks in Waitematā to be superseded by the LPMP, can be found in Attachment E. if additional plans are discovered during research, advice will be provided to the local board for consideration as to whether they should be superseded.

24. The main benefit of superseding existing RMPs within the LPMP is to fulfil the requirement of the Reserves Act 1977 (the Reserves Act) to keep RMPs under continuous review. It also ensures that plans reflect current community and mana whenua aspirations for these parks.

25. An overview of parks within the local board area that have non-statutory plans (such as spatial plans) but no RMP are provided in Attachment F.

26. Staff recommend including all local parks without existing RMPs within the scope of the LPMP. This is to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Reserves Act. Including these parks within the LPMP will also give an opportunity to resolve leasing issues which have been identified through the spatial plans.

27. Existing spatial plans, such as park specific masterplans and concept plans will not be superseded by the LPMP. The parks specific section of the LPMP can reflect the direction fo the adopted spatial plans.

Approval to notify the intention to prepare a local parks management plan

28. To develop a LPMP compliant with both the Reserves Act and the LGA, it is a requirement to prepare the plan using the processes and procedures as set out in the Reserves Act (Attachment A).

29. The process required under the Reserves Act includes two formal rounds of public consultation.

30. This report seeks approval for the first round of public consultation. The consultation will seek feedback to inform the development of a draft plan.

31. Public notices are anticipated to be published in early November 2024. The deadline for written submissions will be at least one month after the notification date.

32. The second round of consultation will be undertaken once the draft LPMP has been prepared and approved for public consultation by the local board. Timelines will be communicated to Waitematā Local Board when confirmed.

Tailored community engagement

33. Consultation beyond the statutory requirements of the Reserves Act will be undertaken. This will be done by providing different ways for key partners, stakeholders and the wider community to provide feedback.

34. Planned engagement activities will include paper and online tools. As well as the use of an innovative digital social mapping tool to capture comments and feedback on individual parks. This will be supported by a range of communications through social media, council publications, temporary park signs, and information sessions (see Attachment D).

35. The local board provided feedback at a 30 July 2024 workshop about further tailoring engagement activities, with a particular focus on ensuring women and girls are engaged with. Engagement activities which will include holding drop-in sessions at City Centre community forums and local festivals.

36. Working with subject matter experts such as the Local Board Advisor, Community Broker Engagement Advisor and Communications Specialist will ensure that the public consultation is visible to the various communities in the local board area.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

37. The decisions in this report are largely administrative with a low likelihood of direct impact on greenhouse gas emissions. However, the management direction set out in the future LPMP, will emphasize the role of local parks in climate change mitigation and adaptation.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

38. The LPMP programme will seek input from council units and council-controlled organisations, including, but not limited to:

· Ngā Mātārae

· Resilience and Infrastructure

· Parks and Community Facilities (including Leasing)

· Legal Services

· Eke Panuku Development Auckland

· Tātaki Auckland Unlimited

· Auckland Transport.

39. Staff will work closely with council departments to draft the LPMP, ensuring alignment with other council plans where possible. Staff will also make certain that any direction provided in the LPMP on council’s activities on parks is clearly understood.

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

Local impacts and local board views

Local impacts

40. The LPMP will give local residents and park users the opportunity to influence the direction of future park management and development.

Local board views

41. Staff discussed the proposed scope of the LPMP and the first round of public notification with the local board at workshops in December 2023 and July 2024.

42. At the workshops, the local board indicated in principle support for the proposed scope of the LPMP, as well as the first round of public notification.

43. Local board members raised topics which they would like considered during plan drafting. These included:

· support for, and detailed information about, volunteer groups

· supporting events within parks (e.g. Parnell Festival of Roses at Dove Myer Robinson Park)

· support for, and protection of, flora and fauna

· management of water and stormwater

· management of memorials

· guidance on future lease arrangements

· link to other plans (e.g. existing reserve management plans).

44. The local board will be given the opportunity to consider policy guidance in relation to these topics through the drafting of the plan. The local board can also develop management intentions to address issues and opportunities at an individual park level.

45. Information about relevant plans will be outlined in the LPMP, including hyperlinks to such plans.

46. As outlined in paragraph 35, the engagement plan will be tailored based on local board feedback. Opportunities to involve the public and make connections with the diverse communities across Waitematā will be created.

47. As discussed at the 30 July 2024 workshop, a detailed engagement plan and draft consultation material will be sent to the local board for their information. This will be done prior to the start of the consultation in early November 2024.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

48. The Reserves Act is one of the Acts in the First Schedule to the Conservation Act 1987. Section 4 of the Conservation Act contains an obligation to give effect to the principles of te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi (te Tiriti / the Treaty).

49. In performing functions and duties under the Reserves Act, such as developing a Reserve Management Plan, the local board must give effect to the principles of te Tiriti / the Treaty.

50. The principles of te Tiriti / the Treaty that are likely to be the most relevant in making decisions on the Waitematā LPMP and land status review work are:

· partnership – mutual good faith and reasonableness

· informed decision-making – being well-informed of the mana whenua interests and views. Consultation is a means to achieve informed decision-making.

· active protection – this involves the active protection of Māori interests retained under te Tiriti/the Treaty. It includes the promise to protect rangatiratanga and taonga.

51. The LGA contains obligations to Māori, including the facilitation of Māori participation in council decision-making processes (sections 4; 14(1)(d); 81(1)(a)).

52. All interested mana whenua will be engaged in the development of the LPMP, in order to:

· enable Te Ao Māori (Māori world view) to be incorporated into the management of parks in the Waitematā Local Board area

· provide an opportunity for mana whenua to express their kaitiaki role.

53. The Waitematā LPMP project was introduced at Mana Whenua South – Central Forum. At this forum mana whenua were invited to participate in the plan drafting process.

54. Feedback will be sought from mana whenua about the classification (of land held under the Reserves Act), before reporting recommendations to the local board.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

55. When including the LPMP in its work programme, the local board allocated a total of $30,000 to the project (Resolution number: WTM/2023//117).

56. Project costs are in addition to staff time and include public notification, mana whenua and community engagement, specialist technical advice and hearings.

57. The budget of $30,000 may not meet all of the project costs over next three years. As an example, where there is additional work necessitated for mapping, due to bespoke requirements, additional funds may be needed. The local board will be notified ahead of time of any potential budget shortfall. This will not reduce project scope, however, as this is guided by statutory requirements.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

58. A risk assessment was undertaken as part of the planning for the development of the LPMP. The following table outlines relevant risks and mitigations:

IF <event>

THEN <impact>

Possible mitigations

If the community are having to engage with council over multiple topics at the same time.

Then the community may not provide feedback on how they would like parks in their area managed in the future. This means that the LPMP may not accurately reflect community aspirations.

· Align with other engagement activity, where possible, to make it easy for the community to participate.

· Use multiple engagement channels to reach the community, including residents who do not normally take up the opportunity to engage.

· Review the results of engagement activities that have been undertaken recently, to see if feedback has been given that is relevant to the development of the LPMP.

If the community suffers from ‘consultation fatigue’ due to being involved with a number of recent council consultation processes.

Then the community may display a more limited interest in providing feedback for this project.

· Ensure creative and innovative engagement methods are used to pique the interest of the community, to encourage them to submit feedback.

· Make sure the engagement methods (particular online systems) are working effectively and are simple for the public to provide their input.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

59. The high-level timeline is outlined in Attachment A of this report. Attachment A also includes key project and consultation milestones and local board decision-making.

60. The next steps in the development of the LPMP are to:

· publicly notify the intention to prepare the management plan for at least one month, starting in early November 2024

· initiate engagement and partnership with mana whenua

· commence targeted engagement with key stakeholders

· continue working on the land status review of all park and reserve land in the Waitematā Local Board area.

61. Submissions from the first round of consultation will be given full consideration in preparing the draft plan.

62. It is anticipated that the draft Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan will be available for public consultation in early 2026.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	High-level timeline and process
b	Content in scope
c	Scope of park land
d	Engagement approach
e	Parks with existing Regional Management Plans included in the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan
f	Parks with non-statutory plans to be included in the Waitematā Local Parks Management Plan

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Steve Owens - Service and Asset Planning Specialist

Darren Jeong - Service and Asset Planner

Authorisers

Louise Mason - General Manager Policy

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

Thriving Rangatahi

File No.: CP2024/13229

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek local board endorsement of Thriving Rangatahi, the council’s commitment and plan to support the wellbeing of children and young people.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. In 2023 staff completed a comprehensive review of I Am Auckland, the council’s strategy for children and young people.

3. The review found the strategy was not adequately addressing the needs of children and young people and that council could better target support to those facing the greatest disparities in outcomes.

4. As the review findings aligned closely with council’s community wellbeing strategy, Ngā Hapori Momoho / Thriving Communities, the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee approved “nesting” priorities for children and young people under this.

5. Thriving Rangatahi sets out council’s commitment and plan to support the wellbeing of children and young people within this nested approach (Attachment A).

6. It has five focus areas based on the review findings and what children and young people told us was important to their wellbeing: civic participation, climate and the environment, connection and belonging, health and wellbeing and access to opportunities.

7. These contribute to Ngā Hapori Momoho’s outcomes for community wellbeing and ensure a strong child and youth focus on council’s investment decisions and activities.

8. Thriving Rangatahi recognises that while council has important roles to play, we don’t hold all the levers in supporting child and youth wellbeing. Working with others, including government, iwi and community will be critical to success.

9. It proposes four ways of working to improve wellbeing outcomes: working in partnership, targeting our efforts to those who need it most, using mana-enhancing approaches; and ensuring there is a youth voice in decision-making.

10. Informal feedback from local boards during workshops in July / August was generally supportive of the focus areas and council’s roles in supporting children and young people.

11. There is a perceived risk that nesting under Ngā Hapori Momoho will reduce council’s commitment to children and young people. Maintaining accountability and promoting youth voice will help mitigate this.

12. Following endorsement and formal feedback from local boards, Thriving Rangatahi will be reported to the Policy and Planning Committee for approval.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) ohia / endorse Thriving Rangatahi and provide any feedback.

Horopaki

Context

13. In 2023 staff completed a comprehensive review of I Am Auckland, the council’s strategy for children and young people. The purpose of the review was to take stock of progress and consider if the strategy was fit for the future.

14. The engagement methodology and findings are detailed in the Voices of children and young people from Tāmaki Makaurau report and the full review findings are detailed in the I Am Auckland three-year review report.

Most children and young people in Auckland are doing well

15. The review found that most children and young people are doing well. Children and young people in Auckland are active and have strong relationships with trusted adults.

16. Children and young people told us they love their communities, the diversity of Auckland and all the opportunities that come with living in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Some children and young people face persistent issues

17. Some children and young people are growing up in poverty and living in substandard housing. They told us about their families struggling to afford basic necessities and to keep food on the table.

18. We heard that deteriorating mental health is an urgent issue for children and young people in Auckland. They told us about the harms of substance abuse, and the difficulties of growing up while facing discrimination.

19. Tamariki and rangatahi Māori, Pasifika children and young people, rainbow children and young people, and disabled children are more likely to experience inequity across a range of measures than their peers.

The context for growing up in Auckland has changed for children and young people

20. The review found the context for children and young people has changed significantly since I Am Auckland was adopted in 2013.

21. Emerging scenarios such as climate disruption, declining mental health, growing wealth inequality and the changing nature of work and education all impact on the wellbeing of children and young people.

The findings led to four key insights about the needs of children and young people

22. The findings from engagement with children and young people led to four key insights to help inform our strategic direction. These insights highlight what is important to children and young people in Auckland today.

· Community spaces are critical to children and young people’s wellbeing.

· Children and young people need to get around the region safely and reliably.

· Children and young people need loving and accepting relationships and communities.

· We need to involve children and young people in the big decisions about the region.

23. The Auckland Council Group plays a central role in providing community spaces, providing safe and reliable transport options, fostering connection and belonging across Auckland, and ensuring diverse Aucklanders have a say in decisions for the region.

24. When delivering services and making investment decisions, the council can consider these insights and the impacts of our decision-making for children and young people.

The review findings also led to some new opportunities for council

25. The review also identified some new opportunities to inform the way we work. These opportunities allow council to better support the needs of children and young people in Auckland based on evidence, including the voices of children and young people.

Figure 1 Findings from the review and new opportunities for council

Council agrees to a new approach to support child and youth wellbeing

26. Many of the review findings and opportunities align closely with council’s community wellbeing strategy, Ngā Hapori Momoho / Thriving Communities.

27. Ngā Hapori Momoho has a strong focus on equity; empowering community-led solutions; and supporting improved outcomes for Māori.

28. The review recommended that we nest priorities for children and young people under Ngā Hapori Momoho to:

· respond to the changing context facing children and young people

· progress partnerships required when facing long-term and complex issues

· deliver on the request to consolidate council strategies without diminishing our commitment to improving child and youth wellbeing.

29. In October 2023, the Planning, Environment and Parks Committee received the three-year review of I Am Auckland and agreed to a new approach to “nest” council’s strategic priorities for children and young people under Ngā Hapori Momoho (PEPCC/2023/128).

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Five focus areas can help council deliver outcomes for children and young people

30. Through engagement we heard what matters most to children and young people and what their aspirations are for the future. This has been organised into five themes or focus areas for council.

31. These are what we need to focus on to create positive outcomes for children and young people.

32. The five focus areas are:

Figure 2 Thriving Rangatahi Five Focus Areas

33. These focus areas align to the objectives in Ngā Hapori Momoho and support delivery of its outcomes. Thriving Rangatahi provides a youth lens to the vision to create a fairer, more sustainable Tāmaki Makaurau where every Aucklander feels like they belong.

The council has six key roles that contribute to wellbeing outcomes

34. Under the Local Government Act 2002, local government must enable democratic local decision-making and action and promote the social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing of communities in the present and future.

35. There are many ways Auckland Council can contribute to community wellbeing. The different roles of council fit into the six broad categories listed below.

Figure 3 Six roles of council to support community wellbeing

Council has roles alongside others to support children and young people

36. The council group already contributes significantly to many of the five focus areas. However, many of the issues facing children and young people are systemic and complex and cannot be solved by council alone.

37. The wellbeing of children and young people is dependent on different players including central government, iwi, organisations, communities and whānau.

38. When determining our role in supporting child and youth wellbeing it is important to acknowledge the wider ecosystem of support and work together to meet the needs of communities.

39. Aligned to council’s six broad levers, Thriving Rangatahi identifies some specific roles council plays that support the wellbeing of children and young people and their whānau, as set out in the table below.

Table 1 Council's roles to support the wellbeing of children and young people

Services and programmes

· Continue to provide services tailored to the needs of tamariki and rangatahi.

Council as facilitator

· Strengthen local networks and facilitate sharing of resources.

Partnerships

· Partner with organisations and agencies to provide a joined-up response.

· Partner with communities to support their leadership.

Community funding and grants

· Resource children and young people to develop their own solutions.

· Support a whānau centred approach to health and wellbeing.

Council workforce

· Create employment pathways and development opportunities for rangatahi.

· Provide capability training for staff.

Facilities, parks and open space

· Provide safe and accessible spaces where children and young people feel welcome.

Leadership and advocacy

· Advocate for the needs of children and young people.

· Pilot new and innovative ways of working with children and young people.

Learning and skills

· Provide programmes and services that incorporate learning and skill development.

· Provide employment initiatives that support youth getting into the workforce.

Transport

· Connect children and young people to the places they want to go safely and reliably.

· Provide multiple transport options.

Urban form

· Reinforce Auckland’s bicultural foundation and reflect our diversity.

· Ensure our urban form provides opportunities to connect, promotes health and wellbeing and connects people to art and nature.

New ways of working to address the challenges facing children and young people

40. To deliver better outcomes for all children and young people the council also needs to change the way we work. Thriving Rangatahi proposes four approaches that are based on best practice evidence of what works and the voices of children and young people.

41. These closely align to the key shifts and investment principles outlined in Ngā Hapori Momoho and affirm the connection between the wellbeing of children and young people and the wellbeing of their whānau and wider communities.

42. More information on the focus areas and key ways of working can be found in Attachment A.

Table 2 Thriving Rangatahi four ways of working

Our ways of working
Working in partnership	A targeted approach
Partner with others to deliver more joined-up responses that leverage impact and support improve outcomes. Issues such as deteriorating mental health, poverty, and access to safe, warm and dry housing are complex and require long-term joined-up responses. Council does not hold all the levers and must work in partnership with central government, iwi, child and youth organisations and communities to create positive change.	Target our support to those children and young people facing the greatest disparities in outcomes. This is an equity-based approach that targets support to those who need it most. Achieving equity requires us to examine the barriers some children and young people experience that mean they do not have access to the same opportunities or achieve the same outcomes. It may require additional resources and different approaches.
Effective and mana-enhancing	A voice in decision-making
Use best practice, mana enhancing and culturally grounded ways of working to deliver more impact. These are based on foundational principles important to working effectively with children and young people: · culturally responsive · strengths-based · whānau-centred · co-designed. Targeting support to key life stages (first 1000 days and early adolescence) can also deliver more long-term impacts.	Ensure children and young people have a voice in decisions that impact them. Rangatahi feel they remain under-represented and largely voiceless in community decision-making. They are often considered the leaders of tomorrow, but many are already leaders today. Rangatahi feel that government agencies do not listen or when they do listen, they do not act on what they hear. To develop rangatahi potential will require adults to empower them to take an active role in decision-making.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

43. Children and young people told us about their love for Auckland’s environment including the beaches, parks and open spaces. They want to be connected to nature and care for the environment.

44. Council kaimahi told us that children and young people are experiencing climate anxiety, and that climate disruption will have significant impacts on Auckland and in particular children and young people. The decisions we make today will have long-term and far-reaching impacts for generations to come.

45. One of the five focus areas is climate and the environment. Through renewed commitment to the wellbeing of children and young people we can promote a strong child and youth voice in climate action and decision-making.

46. Through the civic voice focus area, we can help to build the leadership and capability of our young people to enable them to be involved in leading climate change action and being part of the change they want to see in Tāmaki Makaurau.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

47. Council’s commitment to children and young people through Thriving Rangatahi sits under Nga Hapori Momoho / Thriving Communities which is a core strategy for the whole council group.

48. Council staff and the Youth Advisory Panel have participated in the development of the focus areas and helped identify the roles and activities we do that support the wellbeing of children and young people.

49. We will continue to work with council staff to develop tools and build capability to implement the new ways of working and ensure children and young people have a voice in decision-making.

50. We are working to build relationships with council-controlled organisations to create a joined-up response across the council group and embed the focus areas, ways of working (key shifts, investment principles); and youth voice.

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

Local impacts and local board views

51. Local boards play a pivotal role in understanding and responding to the needs of children and young people and whānau in their local areas.

52. Thriving Rangatahi recognises that the needs of children and young people vary across communities. This means shifting from one-size fits all to more targeted approaches that respond to local community needs and enable community-led solutions.

53. Many local boards have statements and objectives in their plans to meet the needs of children and young people in their area. Local boards are delivering wellbeing outcomes through their work plans and responding to the diverse needs of their communities.

54. We held workshops with 21 local boards during July and August to introduce the new approach of nesting strategic priorities for children and young people under Ngā Hapori Momoho. The Waitematā Local Board held its workshop on 2^nd July 2024.

55. During the workshops we asked for initial feedback and answered questions about the review findings and how we will action council’s continued commitment to supporting the wellbeing of children and young people.

56. We analysed the feedback and the key themes are summarised below:

· Council struggles with ensuring a diverse youth voice is represented in decision-making and there is a desire for more information and advice on this.

· Safe and affordable transport options are a key issue for local boards.

· There were mixed responses to the climate and environment focus area with some local boards very happy to see this clearly represented and others were unsure if this was as important as other focus areas.

· There were many questions and comments about council’s role. Some local boards agreed our actions deliver wellbeing outcomes; however some local boards were concerned about overlap with central government’s role.

· Local boards were very interested in how Thriving Rangatahi can be implemented at a local level and how this relates to other strategies.

57. Feedback from local boards has helped to shape Thriving Rangatahi. For example, more information on council’s role and the actions council can take to support children and young people was added to address some of the concerns.

58. A full summary of feedback from the 21 local board workshops and how it has been considered, is attached to this report (Attachment B).

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

59. Tamariki and rangatahi are taonga, treasured members of Māori communities and whānau.

60. Over half of the Māori population (50.1 per cent) in Auckland is under 25 years old.

61. Māori children and young people are more likely than the rest of the Auckland population to face disparities across multiple outcomes, including many measures in health and wellbeing.

62. Thriving Communities, Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau, and the Independent Māori Statutory Board Māori Plan all emphasise whānau and youth wellbeing as an issue of significance.

63. Māori children and young people made up 12 per cent of total engagement responses for the review of I Am Auckland, and 25 per cent of participants in targeted engagement methods such as empathy interviews and spoken word poetry workshops.

64. The voices of tamariki and rangatahi Māori provided valuable insights for the development of the Thriving Rangatahi focus areas and the four ways of working.

65. Culturally appropriate and mana-enhancing ways of engaging are crucial to achieving better outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi Māori.

66. Te ao Māori, in alignment with evidence and best practice, tells us that the wellbeing of children and young people is interconnected to the wellbeing of whānau.

67. Applying a whānau lens to services and programmes allows council to uplift the wellbeing of children and young people through achieving positive outcomes for their whānau.

68. Uplifting the voices of tamariki and rangatahi Māori and prioritising their needs and aspirations in the design of spaces and programmes offered by council will create a welcoming and safe environment for all whānau. Welcoming spaces, programmes and services are essential to ensuing everyone has access to the same opportunities.

69. Thriving Rangatahi is a commitment by council to work differently. Targeting resources to achieve more equitable outcomes, partnering with others; and working in ways that are mana-enhancing and culturally appropriate will support improved outcomes for tamariki and rangatahi and whānau Māori.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

70. There are no additional budget implications arising from the decision in this report.

71. Thriving Rangatahi is nested under Ngā Hapori Momoho which does not have specific budget attached to it. The strategy provides focus for the use of council’s existing resources and investment, and direction on how we need to work to deliver more impact.

72. Local boards can target their resources to the needs of their communities. This can include decisions on how facilities and open spaces are used and designed, what programs are delivered, and which partners they collaborate with in the community.

73. Any additional investment to support new activities for children and young people will go through normal long-term and annual planning budget processes.

74. The policy work to develop Thriving Rangatahi has been delivered through existing resources (staff time and some costs for engagement and materials).

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

75. The table below presents the key risk to council through this work and how it can be mitigated.

Table 3 Risk and mitigation

Then

Possible mitigations

The “nested” approach results in a real or perceived loss of focus on the needs of children and young people in Auckland.

Trust and relationships between council and stakeholders (children and young people, partners, for example) could weaken.

Council’s reputation is challenged because it is not seen to be prioritising a critical population group.

Strategic investment decisions directed at child and youth wellbeing do not improve outcomes.

A low reputational, strategic, and delivery risk.

Thriving Rangatahi includes a clear mandate to focus on children and young people, which clarifies council’s role and commitment.

Socialise with staff and leverage off current traction with the implementation of Ngā Hapori Momoho.

A monitoring and evaluation framework will be developed aligned to Ngā Hapori Momoho to hold the council group accountable for its commitment to child and youth wellbeing.

Staff are involved in the creation of implementation tools and frameworks.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

76. After receiving formal feedback from local boards at their September business meetings, staff will present Thriving Rangatahi to the Policy and Planning Committee in November for approval.

77. If approved, staff will develop a monitoring and evaluation framework aligned with Ngā Hapori Momoho. The timeline for this work is subject to the development of a performance measurement framework for the long-term plan.

78. Staff will continue to develop tools such as best practice engagement guidelines to help build capability for implementation.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Thriving Rangatahi
b	Local board feedback from Thriving Rangatahi workshops

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Caroline Stephens - Senior Policy Advisor

Mackenzie Blucher - Policy Advisor

Authorisers

Liz Civil - Senior Policy Manager

Louise Mason - General Manager Policy

Lou-Ann Ballantyne - General Manager Governance and Engagement

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

Waitematā Local Board Annual Report 2023/2024

File No.: CP2024/13309

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek local board adoption of the 2023/2024 Annual Report for the Waitematā Local Board, prior to it being adopted by the Governing Body on 26 September 2024.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Auckland Council Annual Report 2023/2024 is being prepared and needs to be adopted by the Governing Body by 26 September 2024. As part of the overall report package, individual reports for each local board are prepared.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) whai / adopt the draft 2023/2024 Waitematā Local Board Annual Report as set out in Attachment A to the agenda report.

b) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note that any proposed changes after the adoption will be clearly communicated and agreed with the chairperson before the report is submitted for adoption by the Governing Body on 26 September 2024.

Horopaki

Context

3. In accordance with the Local Government (Auckland Council) Act 2009 and the Local Government Act 2002, each local board is required to monitor and report on the implementation of its Local Board Agreement. This includes reporting on the performance measures for local activities and the overall funding impact statement for the local board.

4. In addition to the compliance purpose, local board annual reports are an opportunity to tell the wider performance story with a strong local flavour, including how the local board is working towards the outcomes of their local board plan.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

5. The annual report contains the following sections:

Section	Description
Mihi	The mihi is an introduction specific to each local board area and is presented in Te Reo Māori and English.
About this report	An overview of what is covered in this document.
Message from the chairperson	An overall message introducing the report, highlighting achievements and challenges, including both financial and non-financial performance.
Local board members	A group photo of the local board members.
Our area – projects and improvements	A visual layout of the local board area summarising key demographic information and showing key projects and facilities in the area.
Performance report	Provides performance measure results for each activity, providing explanations where targeted service levels have not been achieved. Includes the activity highlights and challenges.
Our performance explained	Highlights of the local board’s work programme which contributed to a performance outcome
Local flavour	A profile of either an outstanding resident, grant, project or facility that benefits the local community.
Funding impact statement	Financial performance results compared to long-term plan and annual plan budgets, together with explanations about variances.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

6. The council’s climate change disclosures are covered in volume four of the annual report and sections within the summary annual report.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

7. Council departments and council-controlled organisations comments and views have been considered and included in the annual report in relation to activities they are responsible for delivering on behalf of local boards.

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

Local impacts and local board views

8. Local board feedback will be included where possible. Any changes to the content of the final annual report will be discussed with the chairperson.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

9. The annual report provides information on how Auckland Council has progressed its agreed priorities in the Long-term Plan 2021-2031 over the past 12 months. This includes engagement with Māori, as well as projects that benefit various population groups, including Māori.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

10. The annual report provides a retrospective view on both the financial and service performance in each local board area for the financial year 2023/2024.

11. There are no financial implications associated with this report.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

12. The annual report is a legislatively required document. It is audited by Audit New Zealand who assess if the report represents information fairly and consistently, and that the financial statements comply with accounting standard PBE FRS-43: Summary Financial Statements. Failure to demonstrate this could result in a qualified audit opinion.

13. The annual report is a key communication to residents. It is important to tell a clear and balanced performance story, in plain English and in a form that is accessible, to ensure that council meets its obligations to be open with the public it serves.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

14. The next steps for the draft 2023/2024 Annual Report for the local board are:

· Audit NZ review during August and September 2024

· report to the Governing Body for adoption on 26 September 2024

· physical copies provided to local board offices, council service centres and libraries by the end of October 2023.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Draft Waitematā Local Board Annual Report 2023/2024

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Sarah Murray - Lead Financial Advisor

Authorisers

Faithe Smith - Lead Financial Advisor

Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

No.	Title	Page
a	Chair G Sage Report September 2024

No.	Title	Page
a	Member A Bonham Report September 2024
b	Member R Northey Report September 2024

No.	Title	Page
a	Workshop Record 6 August 2024
b	Workshop Record 13 August 2024
c	Workshop Record 27 August 2024

No.	Title	Page
a	September Hōtaka kaupapa / Goverance forward work calendar for business meeting and workshop agenda items.

Waitematā Local Board

17 September 2024

The Olympic Pools and Fitness Centre lease management

File No.: CP2024/13510

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To brief the Waitematā Local Board in an open report on The Olympic Pools and Fitness Centre capital works requirements and lease management options, noting there is a separate confidential decision report.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Olympic Pools and Fitness Centre (The Olympic) in Newmarket is one of 43 council owned pools and leisure facilities. Since 1994, The Olympic has been operated by Olympic Pool and Fitness Limited (OPFL) under a commercial lease arrangement. This is council’s only leasing arrangement for a pool and leisure site. Of the other council sites, nineteen are outsourced to third party providers under service delivery contracts, twenty-two are managed by Auckland Council directly and one site is managed by the community.

3. The June 2023 expiry of the nineteen outsourced service delivery contracts triggered the requirement for a service review under Section 17A of the Local Government Act 2002. OPFL participated in the tender processes that formed part of this review, and lease decisions were paused until the completion of this review.

4. Section 17A service delivery recommendations were made to the Governing Body (GB) in August 2024, who resolved for Auckland Council to continue to directly manage twenty-two sites and for the Revenue, Expenditure and Value (REV) Committee to award new third-party contracts for the nineteen outsourced sites. The REV Committee contract award decision is anticipated in October 2024. The Waitematā Local Board is to consider separately its lease agreement for The Olympic site.

5. The OPFL lease expires on 2 November 2024. With the recent GB resolution, it is now important to consider future leasing or service delivery options.

6. In addition to considering lessee and community impact, the lease decision needs to carefully consider the renewals and seismic strengthening works required at The Olympic site, the recommended timing of these works, council’s strata title partner The Masfen Group (Masfen) and the available local board capital budget.

7. Based on a 2021/2022 asset Condition Assessment, council’s portion of the renewals and seismic strengthening costs is estimated at $5.3 million for FY2024-31, with an anticipated budget shortfall of $4.9 million. Sources of potential funding include commercial or lease partner cost-sharing arrangements, local board capex reprioritisation, adjustments to local board funding following the portfolio review, a Local Board Targeted Rate and/or regional seismic upgrade or other grants. In addition to council’s estimated costs, Masfen has provided an estimate of its cost for repairs to the portion of the building under its ownership, which are included in the confidential report.

8. While OPFL has submitted an Unsolicited Proposal (UP) to extend its lease term for a capital investment by OPFL, this proposed investment will still leave the Waitematā Local Board with a significant funding gap and not address the necessary building renewals, including seismic repairs. Details of OPFL’s UP and potential implications are provided in the confidential report.

9. As the estimated capital costs are based on the 2021/2022 assessment, uncertainty exists in the scope, timing to complete works, requirement to close The Olympic facility during construction and local board budget impact.

10. Therefore, a lease extension is recommended to allow for detailed capital works planning, budget confirmation and assessment of longer-term lease or service delivery options.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Waitematā Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the open report on The Olympic Pools and Fitness Centre capital works requirements and lease management options.

b) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note that there is a confidential report on The Olympic Pools and Fitness Centre capital works requirements and lease management options and that the confidential report and any attachments will remain confidential until the need for confidentiality no longer exists.

Horopaki

Context

11. The Olympic Pools and Fitness Centre (The Olympic) at 77 Broadway, Newmarket, is one of 43 council owned pools and leisure facilities, and one of five aquatic facilities in the Waitematā Local Board area. It was built in 1939 as an open-air and New Zealand’s first 50 metre pool and is listed as a heritage building. In 1994, the facility was reopened after reconstruction, enclosed by a roof and topped by a cinema complex owned by strata title holder Masfen.

Image 1 and 2: The site at 77 Broadway Newmarket and The Olympic Pool

12. Since 1994, The Olympic has been operated by Olympic Pool and Fitness Limited (OPFL) under a lease arrangement. In 2005, a new lease agreement was created and in 2008 extended for fifteen years to 2023. Under the 2005 lease agreement, OPFL committed to invest capital in new plant and equipment in the facility. Further details are provided in the confidential report.

13. In 2018, a new lease variation was implemented that reduced OFPL’s lease costs and capital investment obligations. Details are provided in the confidential report. Since 1994, OPFL has invested capital into the facility, although some of this investment was required as part of the general lease terms or directly advantageous to OPFL and its customers. Since 2014, council has completed $1 million of capital works.

14. OPFL sub-lease a swim school, café, physio and an independent gym. OPFL’s 2024 lease payments, annual income from sub-leases and estimated operating profits are included in the confidential report.

15. Under the current OPFL commercial leasing arrangement, requirements to report to the local board or implement council policy objectives are minimal.

Current building condition and capital works considerations

16. A 2021/2022 council asset Condition Assessment (Attachment A) identified The Olympic to be generally in poor condition (condition grade = 4) which is commensurate with its age and usage. The asset was noted to be high risk for weather tightness, heritage status and for seismic risk, and medium risk for Health and Safety, asbestos and accessibility.

17. A 2020 Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) had rated the building as 20 per cent National Building Standard (NBS), or earthquake prone (Attachment B). Under the Building Act 2004, if a building is identified as earthquake-prone in Auckland, it must be strengthened within 35 years of the notice, unless the ‘substantial alteration’^{^[1]} clause is triggered. For The Olympic site, the capital improvement programme is expected to trigger the substantial alteration clause, which would require seismic renewals to be completed alongside other capital improvements.

Image 3: Summary of The Olympic pool risk assessment

18. Remediation was completed for high-risk assets in need of short-term repair and temporary reinforcements have been implemented for higher-risk areas such as the grandstand. The building is safe to occupy however faces ongoing water ingress and structural risks (Attachment C), potentially worsened by the location of the current steam and spa rooms installed in 1993. The temporary reinforcements are being monitored for safety every two months.

19. Masfen own the adjacent retail spaces, carpark and upper level of The Olympic site that has been used as a cinema. Further details, including Masfen’s capital cost projections and preferred construction approach and timelines are provided in the confidential report.

20. In order to commence the capital works and seismic upgrades, Masfen would need to complete detailed designs and seek resource consent, and Masfen’s preference is that these steps occur concurrently with Auckland Council to improve project affordability and efficiency.

21. Keeping the pool and lower facility open during construction is anticipated to cause significant customer inconvenience, add potential safety risks, and is estimated to more than double Masfen’s construction costs and timeframes. Impacts on facility users could be minimised by closing the pool facility and carrying out works during the summer period, when users can use the Parnell Baths as an alternative site with the gym potentially relocated to a nearby facility. Staff understand that this would be Masfen’s preferred approach.

22. Under the strata title obligations, Auckland Council is not required to participate in a construction programme unless the works affect common areas or Masfen’s property. However, to improve the current building condition, including seismic strengthening, upgrades to the council portion of the facility would be required, including the likely removal of the western grandstand.

23. A detailed capital works programme will help confirm the optimum design, temporary facility closure requirements and obligations of each party. It will also help confirm additional potential council or lessee revenue streams from new facility upgrades.

Capital cost projections

24. Based on the 2021/2022 Condition Assessment, the total estimated capital renewals, improvement and seismic strengthening costs are $5.3 million for 2024-2031. An estimated 40 per cent of capital costs ($2.24 million) are due to structural grandstand repairs forecast in 2028. Other key cost drivers include internal and external fabrics, mechanical services and pool plant equipment.

Table 1: 2022 budget availability and projections ($ 000’s)

25. The seismic repair costs had been estimated at $3.60 million to meet 34 per cent NBS and $6.19 million to meet 67 per cent NBS (Attachments D and E), however council cost estimates have been reduced. Further details are provided in the confidential report.

26. Until detailed designs are completed, the budget is uncertain and a variation of minus 20 to plus 70 per cent is attributed to projected capital costs. This is driven by uncertain risk factors such as the presence of asbestos containing material (ACM), heritage considerations and the construction market.

27. An updated Condition Assessment report for The Olympic is scheduled for completion in October 2024, which would provide a more current and accurate assessment of potential cost estimates.

28. Alternative sources of funding beyond the local board capital budget remain unconfirmed at this stage. Options include commercial or lease partner cost-sharing arrangements, local board capex reprioritisation, adjustments to local board funding following the portfolio review, a Local Board Targeted Rate and/or regional seismic upgrade or other regional grants.

29. An application of $2.5 million was made to the Regional Seismic Fund for The Olympic and has not been approved in the 2024-2034 Long-term Plan. Further funding for regional seismic programmes was deferred, awaiting a review of the approach to local seismic risk by central government.

30. Should a future application to the regional seismic fund be resubmitted and successful, the Waitematā Local Board would continue to have a capital budget shortfall.

OPFL investment and service objectives

31. Under the 2005 lease agreement, OPFL committed to investing capital in upgrading common areas and renewing plant and equipment. Further details, including on the subsequent lease variation and OPFL capital contributions are provided in the confidential report.

32. In June 2019, OPFL presented a redevelopment proposal to the Waitematā Local Board, which the directors stated would resolve the seismic concerns at the site. No action was taken given the pending 2020 DSA.

33. In February 2023, OPFL submitted an UP to the Waitematā Local Board for a lease extension alongside a $1 million investment by OPFL.

34. The lease extension was deferred, subject to the outcomes of the Section 17A review and Pools and Leisure Service Delivery and Request For Proposal (RFP) process. The review identified significant contract management improvement and cost savings opportunities. Contract management improvement opportunities include greater local board direction setting, more consistent and frequent community and environmental outcomes and other KPI reporting, the application of the living wage for all staff and increased council brand attribution.

35. OPFL has provided additional information during recent site visits and local board meetings, which are provided in the confidential report. These include OPFL:

· confirming its willingness to adopt council’s Under-17 Free Swimming and Living Wage policies;

· noting its preference for the facility to remain open during facility upgrades, although understanding that detailed capital works planning is required.

36. On 5 September 2024, OPFL provided further written information (provided in confidential report), which clarified that proposed OPFL capital investments.

37. While opportunities may exist to consider capital contributions as part of a new lease arrangement, the proposed investments are not anticipated to address the necessary building renewals.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

38. Based on information to date, the renewals (including any seismic repairs) are anticipated to be completed within twelve months of commencement, with an additional minimum of twelve months for detailed design and consenting. Closure of the pool and fitness centre would likely be recommended during construction. This is an important consideration for any commercial lease negotiation.

39. Given the construction requirements, any proposed lease arrangement is recommended to end by the construction start date and for new lease terms to be negotiated for after repairs have been completed and the building reopened.

40. Overall, the Waitematā Local Board lease options are as follows, with further detail being provided in the confidential report:

Table 2: Identified lease options

Lease option

Benefits

Risks

Mitigations

Option 1:

Discontinue the lease and continue service provision via council

Allows some flexibility with uncertain construction start times

Opportunity to inform future service delivery, noting council has had less management visibility of this site

Potentially significant reputational risk

Transition cost

Would require additional inhouse resourcing

Has not been fully assessed; staff can undertake additional analyses at the board’s request

Option 2:

Extend current lease on similar terms and conditions to November 2025

Conduct detailed planning and consenting within 12-months

Aim to commence capital programme November 2025

Best aligns to Masfen’s timeframes

Addresses required renewals, including any seismic works

Minimises further cost escalation

Provides lessee and sub-lessee transparency and 12-month transition period

Allows for community awareness campaign (facility closure)

Summer closure provides access to alternative aquatic sites

Once complete, allows for new lease or service delivery arrangement to commence on more favorable council terms

Funding gap = $4.9 million

Highly uncertain capital budget: local board capital budget reallocation or alternative sources of funding are required and may be difficult to achieve within this timeframe

Detailed designs and project preparation may not be complete within the 12-month period

Potentially insufficient time to negotiate optimum lease terms or future service delivery models

Negotiations for greater capital contribution

Expedite alternate funding requests (e.g. local board budget reprioritisation or regional seismic fund)

Expedite design requests/resource prioritisation

Option 3:

Extend current lease on similar terms and conditions to November 2028

Provide minimal capital works as budgeted but delay full capital works to November 2028 (as per original 2021/2022 assessment)

Aligns better with council’s current budget estimates

Allows for a four-year lease extension and lessee certainty

Allows for longer period for detailed design and to source funding (e.g. via local board budget reprioritisation, targeted rate, portfolio review or regional seismic fund)

Allows for more prolonged planning for new arrangements after construction (e.g. lease continuation, new lease or regional contracting model)

Lessens community impact (estimated 400,000 total visits/year)

Ongoing facility risks, particularly with water ingress over a further four-year period

Repair and seismic costs will likely increase (ongoing water ingress damage)

Not aligned to Masfen objectives

Given timeframes, may impact capital contributions

Longer term may benefit from a competitive lease procurement

Address water ingress and structural risks with alternative programmes (potentially disruptive or less cost-effective)

Additional sources of funds may still be required (e.g. capital reprioritisation)

Option 4: (RECOMMENDED)

Extend current lease on similar terms and conditions to 2026

Conduct detailed planning and consenting within 24-months

Delay capital works to November 2026

Creates additional time for detailed design, sourcing of capital, completion of local board portfolio review and asset prioritisation or sub-regional or seismic funding support

Reduced potential impact on Masfen

Reduced risk from construction delays

Allows for more prolonged planning for new arrangements after construction (e.g. lease continuation, new lease or regional contracting model)

Project funding gap of $4.9 million still requires closure, but additional time to meet gap

Funding gap exists for detailed design and capital works planning

Masfen concerns may still exist, although be less than 2028 construction commencement

Prolonged exit may create OPFL financial risks (e.g. loss of sub-tenants or customers) Lessee may be unwilling to invest in short-term requirements (e.g. equipment)

Broaden funding sources and further negotiations

Community engagement and awareness campaigns to mitigate reputation risk

41. The recommended option enables the local board to consider longer-term service delivery arrangements once construction is complete. These could include leasing the site under new terms and conditions, outsourcing the management to a third-party provider under a service delivery contract similar to other third-party managed pools and leisure sites or insourcing the provision to council.

42. These alternative service delivery arrangements are recommended to be assessed in parallel to detailed design and consenting processes, as they will also inform further capital funding sources or negotiations.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

43. No specific climate analysis has been undertaken for this report as there are no proposed changes in the level of service.

44. Seismic and other renewals will generate greenhouse gas emissions, which have not been quantified to date. However, the renewals programme could allow for investment in more sustainable pool and plant equipment that reduce the longer-term relative climate impact. Options would be assessed as part of the detailed design.

45. The Section 17A review and business case identified a climate risk: if pools and leisure services fail to improve sustainability outcomes, Auckland Council may not meet its climate targets. Appropriate mitigations need to be explored.

46. As part of the Section 17A review RFP, service delivery bidders were assessed on their ability to deliver sustainability outcomes. This made up 5 per cent of the total score and included assessment on their ability to track and report on resource use, waste generation, carbon emissions and help meet Auckland Council’s 2030 emissions reduction targets. Scores varied among bidders.

47. Further sustainability projects have been listed by OPFL in its 5 September 2024 briefing paper provided in the confidential report.

48. Opportunities for further reducing carbon emissions could be assessed as part of the detailed capital works plan and when assessing future options for managing the site beyond the expiry of the current lease.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

49. Under the decision-making allocation table, the Waitematā Local Board is responsible for the lease decision, capital works and renewals of The Olympic.

50. There are no other known council group impacts to date.

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

Local impacts and local board views

51. OPFL have been managing The Olympic site since 1994 and are likely to have a loyal customer base. Aquatic visitation numbers are approximately 200,000 per year, with a further 200,000 per year for the fitness centre. The Olympic has a 4.3/5 Google customer rating and 4.8/5 on ClassPass. There are no Net Promoter Score results available in order to compare with other locations.

52. Under the current OPFL lease arrangement, reporting requirements to the local board are minimal, creating limited visibility of community or local board benefits achieved.

53. OPFL was also not required to adopt the Under 17 Free Swimming policy when it was introduced in 2013. The option to provide free swimming was offered to OPFL, which declined on the basis that the policy did not support its business model.

54. Recent local board meetings suggested diverse views on the potential objectives for the site, and these are recommended to be explored further once the leasing decision has been confirmed.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

55. Under the current OPFL lease arrangement, reporting requirements to the local board are minimal, including on Māori outcomes.

56. Opportunities to improve outcomes for Māori may exist during the renewals programme via the selection of diverse suppliers.

57. Furthermore, opportunities to improve outcomes for Māori may exist via a refreshed leasing arrangement, the application of the regional service delivery model (which contains specific Māori outcome requirements) or via insourcing (e.g. via meeting specific employment or other Kia Ora Tāmaki Makaurau targets). These require further evaluation during the next proposed phase of the programme.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

58. The total renewals and seismic upgrade project costs for FY2024-34 are estimated $5.3 million for council of which $450,000 has been budgeted, leaving a $4.9 million shortfall including the Masfen contribution.

59. The Waitematā Local Board budget for FY2024-27 has been fully allocated and no further budget would be available without reprioritisation of other capital works programmes or alternative sources of funding.

60. Additional funding options to address the capital funding gap include reprioritisation of the local board budget, a Local Board Targeted Rate, a further contribution by an existing or new commercial partner, a potential re-application to the regional seismic fund or other regional grants. The local board portfolio review may also identify potential additional sub-regional funding options.

61. While OPFL has submitted a UP to extend its lease term for a further capital investment by OPFL, the specific details of OPFL capital works recommendations or it’s resource capacity to deliver these investments remain unclear at this stage, and even a fully tagged contribution would leave a local board funding gap.

62. Given the funding uncertainty, the recommended option is proposed to allow for further detailed design, confirmation of costing, negotiation and the sourcing of funding. The October 2024 updated condition assessment report will provide further refreshed costing information, but detailed design and procurement will be required to confirm total project costs.

63. The detailed designs are estimated to cost around $350,000 (15 per cent of estimated total construction costs). Budget for the detailed design has not been confirmed, but opportunities may exist to cost-share with commercial or lease partners and/or reprioritise funding from within existing budgets.

64. Once the capital works programme is complete, the lease revenue for council is anticipated to be greater (subject to capital investment negotiations).

65. Further analysis is recommended in parallel to the detailed design and consenting programme, including to inform the greatest value for money for the local board.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

66. Risks and mitigations for each option are provided above and further detail is included in the confidential report.

67. Funding for the detailed design remains uncertain, and negotiations for cost-sharing are recommended and further funding re-prioritisation may be required.

68. Given the facility risks and capital outlay requirements, the local board may also face the additional risk that full capital funding cannot be sourced. This may require additional reprioritisation of the local board capital works programme or asset divestment. The detailed design process will enable council officers to assess sources of funding in parallel and to improve local board confidence.

69. The risks identified in the 2021/2022 council asset Condition Assessment may create construction uncertainty or cost-escalations, particularly where the asset was noted to be high risk for weather tightness, heritage status and for seismic, and medium risk for Health and Safety, asbestos and accessibility. The detailed design is anticipated to help improve construction confidence.

70. With funding and construction timing uncertainties, risks of construction delays may exist. Options to renew the lease to 2026, followed by annual renewals (subject to construction confirmation or building closure requirements) and minimum notice periods for exit, could be considered. Alternatively, all lease terms could be extended on an annual basis only. The detailed capital works programme is anticipated to improve cost and construction certainties.

71. Uncertainties with potential changes to the seismic regulations remain. This may result in ongoing cost pressure for seismic renewals programmes.

72. Information provided in the UP and subsequently are high level and require further assessment and/or negotiation.

73. Reputational risks may also exist, particularly where members of the public poorly understand the potential need to close the facility for upgrades. Clear messaging and promotion of alternate options are recommended.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

74. Following local board direction, officers will confirm the management agreement with OPFL and commence planning for the detailed capital works programme.

75. An updated Condition Assessment report for The Olympic is scheduled for completion in October 2024, which will provide more current and accurate potential cost estimates.

76. The detailed capital works programme will include negotiations with Masfen, detailed design planning (including for the funding of this work), consenting and the determination or confirmation of additional funding streams.

77. Once a programme for the renewals and structural repairs is confirmed, staff will report back to the board on options for managing the site beyond the expiry of the current lease. This could include leasing the site under new terms and conditions, outsourcing the management to a third-party provider under a service delivery contract similar to other third-party managed pools and leisure sites or insource the provision to council.

78. The local board will be advised of progress at key milestones.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a	Attchment A - The Olympic Condition Assessment
b	Attachment B - The Olympic Main Building DSA
c	Attachment C - bi monthly structural assessment
d	Attachment D Cost Estimate - 34%NBS (2021-08-12)
e	Attachment E - Cost Estimate - 67%NBS (2021-08-12)

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors	Katherine Kang - Democracy Advisor
Authorisers	Glenn Boyd - Local Area Manager

[1] ‘Substantial alteration’ is triggered when planned works need a building consent and the work consented in the past two years (less any seismic work) has an estimated value of at least 25 per cent of the building’s value (total property value minus the land value) and is more than $150,000.

Chairperson	Genevieve Sage
Deputy Chairperson	Greg Moyle, (JP, ED)
Members	Alexandra Bonham
	Allan Matson
	Richard Northey, (ONZM)
	Sarah Trotman, (ONZM)
	Anahera Rawiri

Exclusion of the Public: Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987