Agenda of Whau Local Board - Wednesday, 25 September 2024

1 Nau mai | Welcome

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.

Specifically, members are asked to identify any new interests that they have not previously disclosed and any interest that might be considered as a conflict of interest with a matter on the agenda.

The following are declared interests of elected members of the Whau Local Board:

Member	Organisation	Position
Kay Thomas	New Lynn Citizens Advice Bureau	Volunteer
	Citizens Advice Bureau Waitākere Board	Deputy Chair
	Literacy Waitākere	Board Member
	West Auckland Heritage Conference	Committee Member
	Whau Ethnic Collective	Patron
	Whau Wildlink Network	Member
Fasitua Amosa	Equity NZ	Vice President
	Massive Theatre Company	Board Member
	Avondale Business Association	Family Member is Chair
	Silo Theatre Trust	Board Member
Ross Clow	Portage Licensing Trust	Trustee
	Te Whau Coastal Walkway Environmental Trust	Patron
	Bay Olympic Sports Club	Life Member
	Forest and Bird Society	Member
	Waitākere Ranges Protection Society	Member
	New Lynn Heritage Protection Society	Member
	Trust Community foundation Limited	Trustee
	Karekare Surf Lifesaving Club	Member
	Libraries	Family Member is Librarian
Catherine Farmer	Avondale-Waterview Historical Society	Member
	Blockhouse Bay Historical Society	Member
	Blockhouse Bay Bowls	Patron
	Forest and Bird organisation	Member
	Grey Power	Member
Sarah Paterson-Hamlin	New Zealand Down Syndrome Association	Employee
	Raukatauri Music Therapy Centre	Employee
Warren Piper	New Lynn RSA	Associate Member
Warren Piper	New Lynn Business Association	Member
Susan Zhu	Chinese Women Association of New Zealand	Member / Legal Advisor
Susan Zhu	Chinese Medicine Council of New Zealand	Member / Deputy Chair

External Organisations	Lead	Alternate
The Avondale Business Association	Kay Thomas	Ross Clow
The Blockhouse Bay Business Association	Warren Piper	Sarah Paterson-Hamlin
The New Lynn Business Association	Warren Piper	Kay Thomas
The Rosebank Business Association	Warren Piper	Fasitua Amosa
The Whau Coastal Walkway Environmental Trust	Ross Clow	Sarah Paterson-Hamlin

4 Te Whakaū i ngā Āmiki | Confirmation of Minutes

That the Whau Local Board:

a) whakaū / confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Wednesday, 28 August 2024, and the extraordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Wednesday, 18 September 2024, including the confidential section, as a true and correct record.

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 Whau 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: Kāinga Pukapuka-Home Libraries

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To receive a deputation on a proposal to bring the Kāinga Pukapuka (home libraries) project to the Whau area to enhance literacy.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. David Riley will be presenting to the board on the Kāinga Pukapuka project, which aims to enhance literacy by gifting packs of books to children so they can start or add to their own home library.

3. The primary goals of the deputation are to inform the local board on the Kāinga Pukapuka project, including the background of the project and plans for the Whau, and to allow the board to ask questions that will inform their decision making on future funding applications.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Whau Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the presentation and thank David Riley for his attendance.

8.2 Deputation: Tula’i Ngāue 2024

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To receive a deputation on the Tula’i Ngāue Pasifika Youth Leadership Programme 2024.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Tanya Zombos from the West Auckland Pasifika Forum Trust will be presenting to the board on the Tula’i Ngāue Pasifika Youth Leadership Programme 2024.

3. The primary goal of the deputation is to update the local board on Tula’i Ngāue and report back to the board on their investment in the programme.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Whau Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the presentation and thank Tanya Zombos from the West Auckland Pasifika Forum Trust, for her attendance.

8.3 Deputation: Raise Up Whau

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To receive a deputation on the Raise Up youth development programme in the Whau.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Alana McConnell from Raise Up will be presenting to the board on Raise Up’s youth development programme in the Whau.

3. The primary goal of the deputation is to inform the board on Raise Up’s Whau crew, what they are doing in the community and what they have planned in the future.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Whau Local Board:

a) whiwhi / receive the presentation and thank Alana McConnell from Raise Up, for her attendance.

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.”

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Ward Councillor Kerrin Leoni's Report - August-September 2024	11

Whau Local Board

25 September 2024

Addition to the 2022-2025 Whau Local Board meeting schedule

File No.: CP2024/13292

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To seek approval for three meeting dates to be added to the 2022-2025 Whau Local Board meeting schedule in order to accommodate the Annual Budget 2025/2026 (Annual Plan) timeframes.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. The Whau Local Board adopted its 2022-2025 meeting schedule on 7 December 2022.

3. At that time the specific times and dates for meetings for local board decision-making in relation to the local board agreement as part of the Annual Budget were unknown.

4. The local board is being asked to approve three meeting dates as an addition to the Whau Local Board meeting schedule so that the modified Annual Budget timeframes can be met.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Whau Local Board:

a) approve the addition of three meeting dates to the 2022-2025 Whau Local Board meeting schedule to accommodate the Annual Budget 2025/2026 timeframes as follows:

i) Additional Business Meeting, Wednesday, 20 November 2024 at 2.00pm

ii) Extraordinary Business Meeting, Wednesday, 30 April 2025 at 1.00pm

iii) Extraordinary Business Meeting, Wednesday, 11 June 2025 at 1.00pm.

Horopaki

Context

5. The Local Government Act 2002 (LGA) and the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) have requirements regarding local board meeting schedules.

6. In summary, adopting a meeting schedule helps meet the requirements of:

· clause 19, Schedule 7 of the LGA on general provisions for meetings, which requires the chief executive to give notice in writing to each local board member of the time and place of meetings. Such notification may be provided by the adoption of a schedule of business meetings.

· sections 46, 46(A) and 47 in Part 7 of the LGOIMA, which requires that meetings are publicly notified, agendas and reports are available at least two working days before a meeting and that local board meetings are open to the public.

7. The Whau Local Board adopted its 2022-2025 business meeting schedule during its 7 December 2022 business meeting.

8. The timeframes for local board decision-making in relation to the Annual Budget were unavailable when the meeting schedule was originally adopted.

9. The board is being asked to make decisions in late-November 2024 and late-April / late May and early-June 2025 to feed into the Annual Budget processes. These timeframes are outside the board’s normal meeting cycle.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

10. The local board has two options for incorporating the meeting dates:

i) Include the meetings as additions to the meeting schedule.

ii) Include the meetings as extraordinary meetings.

11. For option one, statutory requirements allow enough time for these meetings to be scheduled as additions to the meeting schedule and other topics may be considered as per any other ordinary meeting. However, there is a risk that if the Annual Budget timeframes change again or the information is not ready for the meeting, there would need to be an additional extraordinary meeting scheduled.

12. For option two, only the specific topic the Annual Budget may be considered for which the meeting is being held. There is a risk that no other policies or plans with similar timeframes or running in relation to the Annual Budget process could be considered at this meeting.

13. As there is no business meeting currently scheduled in November, staff recommend option one for Wednesday 20 November 2024, to approve an additional meeting, as this will allow more flexibility for the local board to accommodate any other reports required in November.

14. As there are already scheduled business meetings for April and June, which should provide ability to cover any other business, staff recommend option two for Wednesday 30 April 2025 and Wednesday 11 June 2025, approving these meetings as extraordinary meetings.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

15. This decision is procedural in nature and any climate impacts will be negligible. The decision is unlikely to result in any identifiable changes to greenhouse gas emissions. The effects of climate change will not impact the decision’s implementation.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

16. There is no specific impact for the council group from this report.

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

Local impacts and local board views

17. This report requests the local board’s decision to schedule additional meetings and consider whether to approve them as extraordinary meetings or additions to the meeting schedule.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

18. There is no specific impact for Māori arising from this report. Local boards work with Māori on projects and initiatives of shared interest.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

19. There are no financial implications in relation to this report apart from the standard costs associated with servicing a business meeting.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

20. If the local board decides not to add this business meeting to the meeting schedule this would result in the input of the local board not being able to be presented to the Governing Body for consideration and inclusion in the Annual Budget.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

21. Implement the processes associated with preparing for business meetings.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Liam Courtney - Democracy Advisor

Authorisers

Lou-Ann Ballantyne - General Manager Governance and Engagement

Adam Milina - Local Area Manager

Whau Local Board

25 September 2024

Response to Ombudsman's recommendation to open workshops by default

File No.: CP2024/14083

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To respond to the recommendations made in the Ombudsman’s report ‘Open for business’ in relation to transparency and workshop practices.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Local board workshops are informal, non-decision-making meetings used for discussions and refining options before formal board decisions.

3. The standard approach to workshops is that they are closed however, the decision to open a workshop can be made by each local board. Currently, six boards allow public observation, and eight release workshop materials proactively.

4. In October 2023, the Ombudsman released a report which found no evidence of decision-making occurring in workshops but noted practices that could undermine transparency. The Ombudsman recommended that workshops should be open by default, with any closures justified on a case-by-case basis.

5. Local boards generally follow best practices aligned with many of the Ombudsman’s recommendations, such as publishing workshop records and releasing information proactively. However, there is variation in how this is applied.

6. In light of the Ombudsman’s report, local board elected members and senior staff with experience in open workshops were asked to provide their views. They reported:

· risks to opening workshops, such as breaching confidentiality, discouraging free and frank discussions, causing public confusion about whether a decision is being made and potential disruption of subsequent community engagement and governance processes; public attendance is also very low for those local boards that do hold open workshops

· benefits of opening workshops, such as supporting transparency and holding elected members accountable, increasing public awareness of council matters, and enabling community connection; there is also a level of public expectation that the Ombudsman’s recommendations will be adopted.

7. To meet the Ombudsman’s expectations for transparency, it is recommended local board workshops default to being open. Staff will update the Best Practice Guidance for the 2025-28 term.

8. Some methods for opening workshops include in-person attendance, live streaming or recording. Staff will explore feasible options if workshops are open.

9. At its 27 June meeting, the Governing Body agreed that from 1 September 2024 the default setting for its workshops will be open to the public unless the relevant chairperson considers it is reasonable to close a workshop in a particular case. It also agreed that the way the workshop will be made open to the public is by recording the workshop and uploading that video to the council’s website.

10. If workshops default to being open, staff will need a period to implement it to ensure staff are properly briefed and systems are in place to deliver. Alternatively, the board may wish to implement this for the start of the 2025-2028 term.

11. The chairperson can open or close a workshop without a board resolution, as it is an informal meeting. However, a decision helps to confirm support of the local board.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Whau Local Board:

a) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note that to meet transparency, the Ombudsman expects workshops to be open by default.

b) whakaae / agree that workshops of the Whau Local Board, for the remainder of the 2022-2025 triennium, will be open to the public from 1 November 2024.

c) whakaae / agree that materials considered by the board at open workshops will be published on the council website.

d) whakaae / agree that workshops can be closed when there is good reason to do so and delegates authority to the Chair to instruct staff to close a workshop following consideration of the recommendation from the Local Area Manager or appropriate staff.

e) whakaae / agree that the manner in which the public can access open Whau Local Board workshops is through in-person attendance only at the Whau Local Board office.

f) tono / request that the guidance staff are preparing to support an open by default approach is developed and reported to the local board with urgency, and that the approach and mechanisms for open by default will be reviewed at that time, considering that advice.

Horopaki

Context

Defining workshops

12. The Governance Manual (Section 10.8) defines elected member workshops as:

· informal, non-decision-making meetings, which are generally closed to the public or media. Workshops support the decision-making process by informing elected members on items prior to making a formal decision.

· a mechanism for staff to seek informal guidance from elected members to improve future advice, including identifying information gaps and discussing options for policy development.

13. Local boards use workshops for informal discussions, brainstorming, scoping draft proposals, unpacking complex topics and refining options for a final decision. Workshops are typically used to enable discussion between elected members, and between elected members and staff. Workshops are also used for cross local board collaboration and for joint discussions between the Governing Body and local board members.

14. Workshops are not used for decision-making and this is made clear to members when elected.

LGOIMA requirements

15. The Local Government Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) promotes the open and public transaction of business at meetings of local authorities.

16. LGOIMA states that a meeting at which no resolutions or decisions are made, is not a meeting for the purposes of setting requirements for local authority meetings. Therefore, there is no statutory requirement that a non-decision-making workshop be open to the public, notified in advance and have minutes taken.

17. Although not required, local boards may hold non-decision-making workshops in open and invite members of the public, media or stakeholders to attend.

18. Through each term’s induction process, elected members are reminded of their obligations to be open and transparent in decision-making. It is made clear to elected members that closed workshops do not replace the decision-making meetings.

Current local board practice

19. Six local boards allow public observation at their workshops. They are Devonport-Takapuna, Kaipātiki, Waitākere Ranges, Hibiscus and Bays, Rodney and Waitematā.

20. While the driver for this practice is to demonstrate a commitment to openness and transparency, public attendance has been low.

21. Eight local boards have adopted the practice of proactively releasing workshop materials. They are Devonport-Takapuna, Hibiscus and Bays, Kaipātiki, Puketāpapa, Rodney, Waiheke, Waitākere Ranges and Waitematā.

Best practice guidance

22. At the start of the 2022-2025 term, the Local Board Services Best Practices Review 2022 recommended that workshops should be closed to the public because:

· a non-public setting can better facilitate and support free and frank exchanges between staff and elected members

· workshops do not provide opportunity for the public to give input (in the way that the business meeting provides for a public forum), so the role of the public in the workshop would only be to bear witness to the informal discussions

· attending a workshop may not provide a complete picture of council processes or may lead to some premature assumptions about decisions and projects

· workshops provide a safe space for elected members to assess the overall progress, measure the effectiveness of its work programme and reflect on their own effectiveness as a local board. This type of exercise is unlikely to be robust and less likely to be authentic if done with a public audience.

Ombudsman’s findings

23. In October 2023, the Ombudsman released a report, Open for business, detailing the investigation into the actions and decisions of eight councils regarding both council meetings held under LGOIMA and workshops (and other informal meetings) to which LGOIMA meeting provisions do not apply.

24. The Ombudsman’s review was carried out using their powers under the Ombudsman Act 1975 which allows the Ombudsman to review any act or omission by a local authority – except for a decision made by a full council (i.e., a decision by the Governing Body or a committee of the whole).

25. The purpose of the investigation was to test concerns that councils were using workshops and other informal meetings to make decisions.

26. The eight councils investigated were Rotorua Lakes Council, Taranaki Regional Council, Taupō District Council, Palmerston North City Council, Rangitīkei District Council, Waimakariri District Council, Timaru District Council and Clutha District Council.

27. The Ombudsman’s report highlights the requirement under the Local Government Act 2002 (LGA) for a local authority to “conduct its business in an open, transparent, and democratically accountable manner”. It also highlights the requirement in the LGOIMA that anything taking place or provided to any meeting is “official information” and subject to the principle of availability, unless there is a good reason to withhold it.

28. The Ombudsman found no evidence of decisions being made in workshops. They did see workshop practices that in their opinion were “counter to the principles of openness and could contribute to a public perception that workshops are not being used in the right way”. These examples included not advertising workshops or having all workshops closed to the public.

29. The Ombudsman also cautioned against using workshops to include a significant component of determination, such as a substantial narrowing of options prior to public consultation.

30. The Ombudsman has provided three principles of good administrative practice, which they consider should guide council workshops:

· Councils have a general discretion to advertise and undertake all meetings in public, and this is consistent with the principle in the LGA that councils should conduct their business in an open, transparent, and democratically accountable manner.

· A general policy of not publicising / closing all non-decision-making meetings, such as workshops, may be unreasonable and / or contrary to law. The Ombudsman can assess this on a case-by-case basis.

· Using closed workshops to do “everything but” make a final decision could be seen as undermining the principles in the LGA and purposes of the LGOIMA and may be unreasonable in terms of the Ombudsmen Act 1975.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

Aligning to the Ombudsman’s recommendation

31. The Ombudsman reports that workshops should be open by default as a matter of good practice. Open workshops are consistent with the principles of transparency, openness, and accountability.

32. The Ombudsman recognises there may be good reasons to close a workshop to the public, and that LGOIMA doesn’t require workshops to be open.

33. The six key recommendations made by the Ombudsman in respect of council workshops are:

· adopt a principle of openness by default for all workshops, including a clear commitment to record a clear basis for closure where justified, on a case-by-case basis

· publicise times, dates, venues, and subject matters of all workshops in advance, including a rationale for closing them, where applicable

· provide clear audit trails of all workshops and internal guidance for the keeping of records of workshop proceedings

· publish workshop records on the council website as soon as practicable

· formalise a process for considering the release of information from closed workshops

· consider sign-posting on the council website that members of the public can complain to the ombudsman in relation to the administration of workshops.

34. The Ombudsman’s report is not legally binding on the council. But the Ombudsman has made it clear that open by default is the best practice approach, and they will be closely monitoring decisions on these matters.

35. To meet the Ombudsman’s expectations that workshops are seen to be open, transparent and democratically accountable, it is recommended local boards have a default setting of open for workshops.

How local boards currently adhere to the recommendations

36. Local boards individually set their own meeting practices in accordance with LGOIMA.

37. Local Board Services identifies that many of the existing practices already meet the Ombudsman’s expectations. This includes:

· having a standing report on business meeting agendas which notes the record of any workshops held since the previous meeting

· posting agendas on the council’s website with as much advance notice as possible before meeting dates

· clear and robust practices for keeping of meeting minutes and drafting of public exclusion resolutions

· publication of workshop records on the council’s website as soon as practicable after the workshop

· actively releasing confidential information as soon as practicable, when the reason for withholding has passed

· restating information in subsequent open meetings and keeping records of the workshop.

38. In principle, the holding of closed workshops does not mean that workshops are secret or inconsistent with the principles of transparency and openness. Any lack of transparency can be addressed through the proactive release of workshop information (where possible), restating information in subsequent open meetings and keeping records of the workshop.

39. Governing Body workshops are currently closed to public observation. To address transparency, workshop records are proactively published as part of its next meeting agenda, including presentations and other documentation discussed or made accessible.

40. At its 27 June meeting, the Governing Body agreed that from 1 September 2024 the default setting for its workshops will be open to the public unless the relevant chairperson considers it is reasonable to close a workshop in a particular case. They also agreed that the way the workshop will be made open to the public is by recording the workshop and uploading that video to the council’s website.

41. Staff will incorporate the Ombudsman’s recommendations into the next Local Board Services Best Practice Review, which will inform induction for the 2025-2028 term.

How to implement open workshops

42. Options for open workshops include:

· opening the workshop so the public can attend in-person

· providing remote access via MS Teams link without the public present in the room

· recording workshops without the public present and making available on Auckland Council’s website.

43. Each method for conducting an open workshop has its own risks, benefits, and operational impacts. These are currently being investigated further for each option. The resulting guidance will be included in the 2025-2028 Best Practices Review.

44. Guidance will also include considerations for when to close workshops if operating under a default open workshop approach. The Ombudsman recognises that in some instances it will be reasonable to close workshops to the public and that this should be considered on a case-by-case basis.

45. Should any local boards choose to change to open workshops before the next term begins, staff will assist in this process.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

46. The decisions in this report are not expected to have any significant impact on our climate objectives or targets. Staff have not quantified the impact of increased administrative requirements or the likely impact of increased travel requirements for in-person workshop observers.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

47. As staff are seeking a political decision from local boards on their approach, there has not been a comprehensive consultation with the council group.

48. Senior Governance staff provided views which largely reflect the pros and cons highlighted by elected members with some additional concerns including:

· low public attendance: the benefits of transparency are limited

· communication challenges: keeping the public updated on workshop details can be difficult due to last-minute changes

· reduced input opportunity: local boards may miss the chance to provide early input on topics not ready for public release

· staff exposure: open workshops may make staff vulnerable to inappropriate behavior, especially as their faces are visible to the public and their names may be published by the media.

49. The Ombudsman’s investigation had canvassed a few concerns and potential risks and concluded that while there are good reasons that exist for closing workshops, they did not consider controversy and complexity to be good reasons in themselves.

50. If the decision to open workshops is approved before next term, staff will need an implementation period to ensure the council group is properly briefed and supported.

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

Local impacts and local board views

51. Staff have gathered the views from some local board elected members with open workshops to understand their current experiences.

Benefits of open workshops

· Transparency and community connection: media access boosts public awareness of local board business, helps local board members gain recognition, and reduces reliance on social media.

· Access to information: even if public attendance is low, people appreciate the option which fosters a better understanding of decision-making and the ability to follow topics of interest.

Risks of open workshops

· Media sensationalism: can hinder effective governance by swaying decisions based on a few vocal individuals rather than the broader community.

· Public disruption: the presence of the public can alter interactions between board members and staff, leading to potential harassment of staff and reducing the willingness of staff to participate. Public interjections can derail workshop progress and disrupt important relationships, such as those with local iwi and community groups.

· Overemphasis: a small number of vocal attendees can gain disproportionate political influence, overshadowing the broader community's input.

52. Opinions on whether workshops should be open or closed varied. Some elected members preferred closed workshops to create a safe environment for staff, allowing for free and frank discussions in a more relaxed setting. They believed that open workshops often led to political posturing, which could harm the democratic process by giving undue influence to a small number of voices. And they noted negative impacts on subsequent community engagement, such as when the media prematurely releases information. Overall, they felt that the benefits were outweighed by the disadvantages.

53. Conversely, other elected members argued that workshops should be open to ensure transparency and public trust. They believed that the presence of the public generally did not pose significant issues. These chairs felt that board members should be prepared to handle the political environment and potential media exposure and public scrutiny.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

54. Māori were not consulted on this report. There are no identified direct impacts on Māori arising from this report.

55. Open workshops would provide an opportunity for Māori to observe a workshop but would not provide for an opportunity to engage in the decision-making process and would not go beyond what is already available through invitation by a local board to engage directly on an issue.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

56. There will be financial implications to open workshops, depending on how they are conducted, including time and cost of enabling online access or potentially managing security at a physical meeting. These costs will vary by board, including what technology is currently used, so will need to be considered on a case by case basis.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

57. The Ombudsman’s recommendations are non-binding. However, there may be reputational and/or political consequences arising from a failure to act where needed to respond to recommendations from the Ombudsman.

58. The Best Practice Review 2022 notes some risks that should be considered when opening a workshop, such as:

· increasing likelihood of breaching the LGOIMA and the Auckland Council Confidential Information Policy and Protocols through wilful or advertent ‘disclosure of information for which good reason to withhold would exist’

· discouraging free and frank exchange of views between members and provision of advice from staff, which is often necessary in the early stages of a project or idea

· potentially creating misinformation or confusion in the community about the status of projects

· increasing potential for Code of Conduct complaints about predetermination and conflicts of interest if elected members indicate specific preferences in a workshop

· exposing staff to opportunities for harassment and complaints based on comments made when giving free and frank advice to elected members (note Auckland Council has obligations under the Health, Safety and Work Act 2015 to ensure staff are not put at risk while conducting their role).

59. There is also a risk that workshops can be called or cancelled at very short notice. This may impact on members of the public that may plan to attend. Staff will do all they can to keep advertised information about workshops current.

60. Local boards can review their approach in the future if opening workshops by default leads to unintended adverse consequences.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

61. If the local board decide to hold open workshops by default, staff will provide advice on practices, procedures, and information technology to support this decision.

62. If a local board requests to open their workshops before next term, staff will need an implementation period to ensure the council group is properly briefed and supported.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Alyson Roach - Senior Advisor Business Planning & Projects

Authorisers

Lou-Ann Ballantyne - General Manager Governance and Engagement

Adam Milina - Local Area Manager

Whau Local Board

25 September 2024

Thriving Rangatahi

File No.: CP2024/13291

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 Whau Local Board:

a) ohia / endorse Thriving Rangatahi, the council’s commitment and plan to support the wellbeing of children and young people, 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 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.

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	39
b ⇩	Local board feedback from Thriving Rangatahi workshops	77

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

Adam Milina - Local Area Manager

Whau Local Board

25 September 2024

Adoption of Eke Panuku Whau Local Board Engagement Plan 2024/2025

File No.: CP2024/11606

Te take mō te pūrongo

Purpose of the report

1. To adopt the Eke Panuku Whau Local Board Engagement Plan 2024/2025.

Whakarāpopototanga matua

Executive summary

2. Eke Panuku Development Auckland (Eke Panuku) is building a more structured and effective process to engage with the local board.

3. This engagement approach aims to tailor interactions based on project priorities and local relevance, ensuring efficient and effective partnerships across the Auckland region.

4. The engagement plan (attachment A) records Eke Panuku and the local board’s commitment to work together. It includes:

· Eke Panuku responsibilities

· Local board commitments

· Detailed engagement approach

· A schedule of Eke Panuku activities in the local board area.

5. The engagement approach consists of:

· Annual review – Eke Panuku will conduct an annual review of the engagement plan, ensuring its continued relevance and effectiveness.

· Ongoing engagement – attend a scheduled monthly workshop and provide a six-monthly memorandum to update the agreed list of activities.

· Reactive engagement - Eke Panuku commits to the free flow of information with the local board regarding issues of interest, responding promptly to the local board’s queries and requests for information.

Ngā tūtohunga

Recommendation/s

That the Whau Local Board:

a) whai / adopt the Eke Panuku Development Auckland Whau Local Board Engagement Plan 2024/2025 (Attachment A).

b) tuhi ā-taipitopito / note that Eke Panuku will attend bimonthly workshops and provide six-monthly memorandum updates on the items in schedule A of the Eke Panuku Development Auckland Whau Local Board Engagement Plan 2024/2025.

c) delegate authority to the local board chair to sign the Eke Panuku Development Auckland Whau Local Board Engagement Plan 2024/2025 on behalf of the local board.

Horopaki

Context

6. The CCO Joint Engagement Plans were adopted in July 2021 to align with recommendations in the CCO Review 2020 and direction in the CCO Statement of Expectations 2021.

7. The concept aimed to ensure that CCOs reported regularly and relevantly to local boards about their programmes of work in local areas.

8. These initial CCO Joint Engagement Plans expired in July 2023.

9. Local boards have reported that engagement plans are a useful tool to improve relations with CCOs and coordinate CCO actions at a local level.

10. Eke Panuku is the council-controlled organisation that delivers urban regeneration in Tāmaki Makaurau / Auckland. Urban regeneration is revitalising and improving urban areas to enhance their economic, social, cultural and environmental conditions.

11. Eke Panuku has two core functions:

· Leads urban regeneration across Tāmaki Makaurau, focusing on town centres and locations agreed with the council.

· Manages a property portfolio of $2.6 billion of council non-service properties and provides property-related services to the council group.

12. Eke Panuku is committed to giving effect to the Tamaki Makaurau shared governance model and to achieving outcomes for Aucklanders, as well as building and maintaining a culture of collaboration across the council group.

13. This engagement plan covers all Eke Panuku activities in the local board area, noting that each project and/or activity will have its relevant engagement planning and approaches, Eke Panuku will report on those separately or as in the case of the City Centre where Eke Panuku is the lead council agency, helping to facilitate a whole of city view by working with Auckland Council, Auckland Transport and other relevant parts of the council group, the reporting will be done under the integrated programme.

Tātaritanga me ngā tohutohu

Analysis and advice

14. The revised engagement approach aims to tailor interactions based on project priorities and local relevance, ensuring efficient and effective partnerships between Eke Panuku and local boards.

15. The new approach is designed to be more efficient and scalable, allowing Eke Panuku to adjust engagement levels based on priorities and workload in each area.

Key principles for working together

16. A successful working relationship between the local board and Eke Panuku is founded on:

· a shared understanding and mutual respect for the roles, responsibilities and decision-making authority of the local board and Eke Panuku;

· transparent and timely communication with no surprises;

· understanding and acknowledgement of shared responsibilities between the parties;

· a commitment to early inclusion in the planning and decision-making process where issues have specific relevance to the local board;

· a commitment to flexibility in terms of engagement, recognising differing levels of interest and local relevance across the Auckland region.

17. The levels of engagement with the local board on the various activities are derived from the International Association for Public Participation framework, and are as follows:

	Commitment
Inform	We will keep you informed.
Consult	We will keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and aspirations, and provide feedback on how your input influenced the decision. We will seek your feedback on drafts and proposals.
Collaborate	We will work with you to formulate solutions and incorporate your input into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.

18. Eke Panuku will deliver on the engagement plan as shown in the table below:

Annually

· Review the engagement approach and provide relevant advice to the local board on proposed changes to the approach and the schedule of activities.

· Confirm the list of local activities to be included in the ongoing reporting.

· Report to the local board to formally adopt the engagement plan.

Project/Activity Criteria

· Activities of governance interest to the local board.

· Activities that are part of the urban regeneration programme in the local board area

· Activities that require community engagement or consultation.

· Activities with high public or media interest.

· Placemaking activities in the local board area.

Regular engagement

· Bimonthly workshops with the local board.

· Additionally, memos and briefings as required.

· Seeking local board input, views and decisions as required.

Six-monthly scheduled reporting

· Eke Panuku will report on a six-monthly schedule to the local board. This will include current updates on agreed activities (Appendix A), changes to engagement levels, activity status and upcoming milestones.

Reactive

· Eke Panuku commits to the free flow of information with the local board regarding issues of interest, responding to the local board’s queries and requests for information promptly.

Tauākī whakaaweawe āhuarangi

Climate impact statement

19. The adoption of the engagement plan does not have a direct impact on climate.

20. Eke Panuku is committed to work within Te Taruke-a-Tawhiri: Auckland's Climate Action Framework and information on climate impacts will be provided to local boards on a project or programme basis.

Ngā whakaaweawe me ngā tirohanga a te rōpū Kaunihera

Council group impacts and views

21. The engagement plan will be shared with the relevant council and CCO staff and is expected to give staff a greater visibility of Eke Panuku activities.

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

Local impacts and local board views

22. Eke Panuku will engage with the local board as per the agreed engagement approach.

23. The engagement plan provides an opportunity to keep the community and interested stakeholders up to date with Eke Panuku activities in the local board area.

Tauākī whakaaweawe Māori

Māori impact statement

24. The adoption of the engagement plan does not have a direct impact on Māori. Eke Panuku has structured engagement processes with Māori.

Ngā ritenga ā-pūtea

Financial implications

25. The adoption of the engagement plan does not have financial impacts on local boards.

Ngā raru tūpono me ngā whakamaurutanga

Risks and mitigations

26. It is likely that there will be changes made to some items in the engagement plan during the year, or to the level of engagement with the local board. This risk is mitigated by ensuring that the local board is informed and involved promptly of any potential changes.

Ngā koringa ā-muri

Next steps

27. Eke Panuku will implement the new approach and provide a six-monthly report to the local board to update on its relevant activities.

Ngā tāpirihanga

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a ⇩	Draft Eke Panuku Whau Local Board Engagement Plan 2024/2025	85

Ngā kaihaina

Signatories

Authors

Carlos Rahman - Principal Governance and Engagement Advisor

Authorisers

Richard Davison - Priority Location Director, Eke Panuku Development Auckland

Adam Milina - Local Area Manager

Chairperson	Kay Thomas
Deputy Chairperson	Fasitua Amosa
Members	Ross Clow
	Catherine Farmer
	Sarah Paterson-Hamlin
	Warren Piper
	Susan Zhu