Finance Committee – 02 August 2017 –
Open Minutes
Apologies
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Apologies
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Councillors Wright/ Brosnan
That the apology from Cr Boag be
accepted.
CARRIED
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CONFLICTS
OF INTEREST
Nil
Public
forum
Sindy
Cormack and Wendy Piri provided a presentation on their intended development of
a children’s activity centre at Cato Road, noting that the area is
already under-resourced for child care options and it is a location where
increasing residential development is already underway. The proposed accessway
to the site would follow on from an existing paper road and would be developed
at their cost before being gifted back to Council.
The
accessway development would include high quality pathway forming (which would
available to the public to use), safety barriers and plantings of native trees
in keeping with existing fauna.
In
response to questions from Councillors, the presenters clarified that:
·
The
parking/ turning bay will be allowed for between the site land and the paper
road; it will not be on reserve land.
·
The
accessways to the site and to the cemetery are completely separate. The site is
in a valley below the cemetery and between the steep topography and the trees
(existing and intended) it is likely that cemetery users would not see the
centre.
·
Ad hoc
conversations with bypassers had been had regarding the development of the site
but ‘consultation’ as such had not been undertaken with
neighbouring residents.
Cr
Jeffery noted that he had spoken with residents in Fryer Road who had indicated
they were comfortable with the proposal as long as the access way terminated at
the site of the child care centre.
Announcements
by the Mayor
Thanks
were extended to those who were able to attend the public meeting on the War
Memorial yesterday evening. Very positive feedback had been received from
members of the public who were in attendance.
Announcements
by the Chairperson
Nil
Announcements
by the Management
Council
was recently awarded the Best Creative Place award at the annual Local
Government Excellence Awards for the City Vision project. Congratulations were
extended to all those who had been involved in the strategy’s
development.
Confirmation
of Minutes
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Councillors McGrath / Wright
That the Minutes of the meeting held
on 14 June 2017 were taken as a true and accurate record of the meeting.
CARRIED
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Notification
and Justification of Matters of Extraordinary Business
(Strictly for information and/or referral purposes only).
1. Cato Road Accessway
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Type of Report:
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Legal
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Legal Reference:
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Public Works Act 1981
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Document ID:
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377905
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Reporting Officer/s & Unit:
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Debra Stewart, Team Leader Parks, Reserves, Sportsgrounds
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1.1 Purpose
of Report
To
gain Council approval for a Licence to Occupy. The proposed Licence to Occupy
relates to a piece of land which forms part of the Wharerangi Cemetery and a
portion of Council’s Paper Road.
The
purpose of the Licence is for a road to access a commercial childcare centre
that is proposed on an adjoining site. The childcare centre is subject to
Resource Consent which is currently being considered by Council’s
Planning Team.
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At the Meeting
General agreement was expressed that the presentation and
concept for the child care centre were excellent but the lack of consultation
with neighbouring residents and cemetery users was a risk to Council.
Significant discussion was held as to appropriate forms of engagement with
the community on the matter.
It was specified that parts a, b and c of the
officer’s recommendation would be moved, with the original part d and
replaced by a direction that community engagement to be undertaken by
officers prior to the meeting of Council on 16 August 2017.
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Committee's
Recommendation
Councillors Taylor /
Tapine
That Council
a. Receive
the report titled Cato Road Accessway.
b. Consider
the information provided, including the issues and options outlined in this report.
c. Approve
the Licence to Occupy for the part of the cemetery and paper road as shown in
Attachment A.
d.
Direct officers to undertake engagement with
neighbouring residents and cemetery users on the proposed accessway (for
example through a letter drop to neighbouring residents, a site notice in the
area and social media) prior to the final decision of Council at its meeting
scheduled for 16 August 2017.
CARRIED
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2. Community Outcome, Activities and
Activity Groups
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Type of Report:
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Legal and Operational
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Legal Reference:
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Local Government Act 2002
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Document ID:
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371697
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Reporting Officer/s & Unit:
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Elaine Cooper, Corporate Planner
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2.1 Purpose
of Report
In
preparation for the 2018–2028 Long Term Plan (LTP) a number of Policies,
Strategies and building blocks are required to be adopted by Council. This
report outlines the first set of building blocks to define Council’s
overall direction for this LTP: Council’s Mission, Vision, Community
Outcomes, Activities and Activity Groups through which Council will deliver on
its outcomes. The report also identifies the community outcome to which each
activity primarily contributes.
These
statements provide the strategic direction for the preparation of activity and
asset management plans and in the preparation of required policies and
strategies.
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At the Meeting
Council were pleased that the vision and new mission are
clearly outlined, as well as the five primary outcomes to be delivered.
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Committee's
Recommendation
Councillors Hague / Brosnan
a. That
Council adopt the Mission,
Vision, Community Outcomes and Council’s Activities and Activity Groups
to be used for the preparation of the 2018 – 2028 LTP and supporting
plans, policies and strategies.
CARRIED
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3. Civic and Library Building
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Type of Report:
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Legal and Operational
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Legal Reference:
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Building Act 2004
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Document ID:
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378350
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Reporting Officer/s & Unit:
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Adele Henderson, Director Corporate Services
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3.1 Purpose
of Report
To
formally receive the Detailed Seismic Assessment (DSA) undertaken on the Civic
and Library buildings and to approve the decanting of staff into alternative
locations until such time a fit for purpose Council building is available.
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At the Meeting
Updated recommendations were tabled at the meeting
(attachment A).
The Chief Executive spoke to the item, providing an
update to information provided at a previous seminar on the topic. It was
noted that the original intention to upgrade the library building in stages
while staff were still in the building had been assessed by engineers as
unfeasible due to noise and construction issues.
While the preference was to keep teams together as much
as possible, there were also some key criteria that any building had to meet
in order to be considered acceptable:
·
A current seismic
assessment, or recent strengthening work with an engineer’s assessment
·
Fire safety
certification
·
Toxins
certification (particularly but not limited to asbestos in keeping with
regulations that will be implemented in the near future)
·
A high standard of
accessibility
Three smaller sites have been identified which meet the
criteria and negotiations are underway to finalise likely costs. The sites
are essentially empty ‘ shells’ and fit outs cannot begin until a
lease is signed.
The need to act in the best interests of staff safety and
wellbeing was reiterated strongly. This, as well as the timing of required
fitouts and availability of contractors to complete the work, were some key
considerations in the decision to present the recommendations for a Decision
of Council at this meeting.
In response to questions from Councillors it was
clarified that:
·
The signage on
buildings identifying them as earthquake prone is required under law.
·
A business case on
options for the Civic Building is currently being prepared by officers and
will be brought to Council in the near future.
Work is underway to better clarify the expected timeframes
for the work on the Library Building. A motion was proposed that the decision
lie on the table until the Council meeting of 16 August 2017.
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Item(s)
of business to lie on the table
Councillors Brosnan / Jeffery
That
pursuant to Standing Order 3.12.1 that Item 3 – Civic and Library
Building lie on the table and will not be further discussed at this meeting
but will be reconsidered at the Council meeting scheduled to be held on 16
August 2017.
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The motion
was spoken to, during which, at the decision of the Chair, in recognition of
the commercial considerations related to this item and to ensure any
negotiations are not prejudiced, this item was adjourned to be further
considered in committee.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………...
As per the
resolution of Council, the final Decision of Council for this item is
recorded in the open minutes of this meeting.
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Committee's
Recommendation
Councillors Wise / Brosnan
That Council:
a. Receive
the Detailed Seismic Assessment report undertaken by Strata Group.
b. Approve
the relocation of staff to alternative locations within Napier that meet the
due diligence requirements.
c. Approve
the capitalisation of improvement and lease costs associated with alternative
premises to be funded from the building upgrade budget.
d. Seek
any variance in funding through the Long Term Plan 2018-28.
e. Note
that Council will undertake a Special Consultative Procedure on the proposed
options for the Civic Building and potential Commercial development
opportunities approximately October 2017. A separate consultation on
Library options will be undertaken once the Library Strategy has been
completed.
f. Provide
the Chief Executive delegation up to $1m per annum to undertake and sign
lease negotiations to accommodate staff, customer services and a library
service centre for a period of 2/3 years with rights of renewals up to 5
years
g. Provide
the Chief Executive delegation up to $1m to undertake fitout requirements for
staff, customer services and library service centre requirements
h. That
a DECISION OF COUNCIL is required urgently due to the timeframe within which
lease agreements must be finalised to secure appropriate alternative office
space.
i. This
will require the following resolution to be passed before the decision of
Council is taken:
That, in terms of Section
82 (3) of the Local Government Act 2002, that the principles set out in that
section have been observed in such manner that the Napier City Council
considers, in its discretion, is appropriate to make decisions on the
recommendation.
CARRIED
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Decision of
Council
Mayor Dalton / Councillor Wright
That,
in terms of Section 82 (3) of the Local Government Act 2002, that the
principles set out in that section have been observed in such manner that the
Napier City Council considers, in its discretion, is appropriate to make
decisions on the recommendation.
CARRIED
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Council
Resolution
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Councillors Taylor / Price
That Council:
a. Receive
the Detailed Seismic Assessment report undertaken by Strata Group.
b. Approve
the relocation of staff to alternative locations within Napier that meet the
due diligence requirements.
c. Approve
the capitalisation of improvement and lease costs associated with alternative
premises to be funded from the building upgrade budget.
d. Seek
any variance in funding through the Long Term Plan 2018-28.
e. Note
that Council will undertake a Special Consultative Procedure on the proposed
options for the Civic Building and potential Commercial development opportunities
approximately October 2017. A separate consultation on Library options
will be undertaken once the Library Strategy has been completed.
f. Provide
the Chief Executive delegation up to $1m per annum to undertake and sign
lease negotiations to accommodate staff, customer services and a library
service centre for a period of 2/3 years with rights of renewals up to 5
years.
g. Provide
the Chief Executive delegation up to $1m to undertake fitout requirements for
staff, customer services and library service centre requirements.
CARRIED
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Attachment A
– Explanatory Note tabled:
Explanatory
Note
3. Civic and Library Building –
Finance Committee – 2 August 2017 – Open Agenda
This note sets out the options considered
by the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) for staff accommodation and council
functions following the receipt of seismic ratings for the Civic and Library
Buildings.
As part of a comprehensive process, SLT
identified a number of key objectives when considering temporary options for
staff accommodation and council functions. These objectives include:
·
Safety of staff and
visitors using NCC offices and library is improved
·
Internal reputation
– NCC reputation as a good employer acting in the best interest of staff
·
Fit for purpose
premises to allow staff to work to their best ability
o
co-location of business
groups/Directorates/teams
o
continue to develop
team culture, collaboration, alignment
·
Function – new
ways of working are tested and staff buy-in to modern open plan working
environments increase
·
Community service -
public do not experience a drop in service during the transition phase
·
Fiscal responsibility,
making prudent decisions for staff and community safety
·
Keep Council within the
CBD
Using these objectives, SLT worked through
a range of options. The main options considered were:
1. Remaining in the current buildings – while this option is allowed for
under legislation providing 7.5 years for remedial work to be undertaken, it
was discounted as it did not fit the objectives of a good employer, staff
safety, or providing premises that were fit for purpose. Demolition/remedial
work will be loud, messy and intrusive to staff and visitors. Multiple
moves would need to be undertaken to work around construction staff.
There would likely be a lowering of morale in staff and loss of staff.
2. Working from home – this option has been used in
extremely urgent situations (post Christchurch and Wellington earthquakes)
where the level of the threat necessitates relocating staff before alternative
premises can be arranged. This is not the situation for NCC. Having staff work
from home for any length of time can cause loss in productivity, low morale and
culture, and disconnection from teams and common purpose. In assessing this
option SLT also determined that there would be significant IT implications from
not having a direct link to NCC systems. This option was discounted for all of
these reasons.
3. Single site – a single premise for all staff is the
preferred option. However there are very few buildings available in the
Napier area that could accommodate all NCC staff and functions.
These sites were identified and assessed for their suitability, including
seismic ratings, refit costs, and building issues. The few buildings
available had to be discounted for these reasons.
4. Purchase or lease - SLT continue to ensure that the
most cost-effective and commercially viable options are being considered and
this has included options to purchase buildings.
4. Remuneration of Elected Members
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Type of Report:
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Operational and Procedural
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Legal Reference:
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Local Government Act 2002
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Document ID:
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378660
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Reporting Officer/s & Unit:
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Adele Henderson, Director Corporate Services
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4.1 Purpose
of Report
To advise Council of the proposed
remuneration levels to apply for the 2017/2018 year, as received from the
Remuneration Authority, and to seek Council approval of these.
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Committee's
Recommendation
Councillors Wright /
White
a. That
the remuneration levels proposed by the Remuneration Authority for the
2017/18 year be adopted.
b. That
confirmation be sent to the Remuneration Authority that the adopted
remuneration levels will be implemented from 1 July 2017.
CARRIED
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5. Electoral Systems for Elections
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Type of Report:
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Legal
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Legal Reference:
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Local Electoral Act 1991
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Document ID:
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377703
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Reporting Officer/s & Unit:
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Jane McLoughlin, Team Leader Governance
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5.1 Purpose
of Report
To
outline the process for making any changes to the electoral system to be used
for the 2019 elections.
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At the Meeting
There was no discussion on this item.
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Committee's
Recommendation
Councillors Price /
McGrath
That
Council
a. Receive
the report titled Electoral Systems for Elections.
b. Note
that if Council wishes to make a decision to change the electoral system to
STV for the 2019 elections, a decision will need to be made by 12 September
2017.
c. Note
that staff will undertake an education campaign and consultation process and
report back to Council on the community’s views to inform
Council’s decision-making. A report back will be provided at the
Strategy and Infrastructure Committee meeting on 30 August for Council to make
a decision on the electoral system.
CARRIED
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6. New Year's Eve Event - Funding
Applications
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Type of Report:
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Operational
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Legal Reference:
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N/A
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Document ID:
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376879
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Reporting Officer/s & Unit:
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Belinda McLeod, Community Funding Advisor
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6.1 Purpose
of Report
To
seek approval to apply for external funding to support the New Year’s Eve
event for 2017-18.
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At the Meeting
There was no discussion on this item.
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Committee's
Recommendation
Councillors Wright /
Taylor
a. That
the Council apply to external funders as outlined in Table a.
b. That
a DECISION OF COUNCIL is required urgently. This will require the
following resolution to be passed before the decision of Council is taken:
That, in terms of Section 82 (3) of
the Local Government Act 2002, that the principles set out in that section
have been observed in such manner that the Napier City Council considers, in
its discretion, is appropriate to make decisions on the recommendation.
CARRIED
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Decision
of Council
Councillors Price
/ Wright
That,
in terms of Section 82 (3) of the Local Government Act 2002, that the
principles set out in that section have been observed in such manner that the
Napier City Council considers, in its discretion, is appropriate to make decisions
on the recommendation.
CARRIED
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Council
Resolution
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Councillors
Wright / Brosnan
That
the Council apply to external funders as outlined in Table a:
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External Funder
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Apply for funding up to:
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Pub Charity Ltd
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23,000
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Eastern & Central
Community Trust
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14,000
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Youthtown
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6,000
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North and South Trust
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4,000
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First Sovereign Trust
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4,000
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Infinity Foundation
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10,000
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Grassroots Trust
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9,000
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Total
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$70,000
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CARRIED
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The meeting adjourned at 3.56pm, and was
reconvened at 4.07pm following the Community Services Committee meeting.
PUBLIC
EXCLUDED ITEMS
|
Councillors White/ Brosnan
That
the public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this
meeting, namely:
1. Continuance of Item 3
– Civic and Library Building
Under the following sections of the
Local Government Official Information and meetings Act 1987:
Section
7(2)(h) – that the local authority holding the information may carry
out commercial activities without prejudice or disadvantage
Section
7(2)(i) – that the local authority holding the information may carry
out negotiations (including but not limited to commercial and industrial
negotiations)
CARRIED
|
The meeting moved into committee at
4.08pm.
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APPROVED
AND ADOPTED AS A TRUE AND ACCURATE RECORD OF THE MEETING
CHAIRPERSON:_____________________________
DATE
OF APPROVAL:____________________
|
NAPIER
CITY COUNCIL