APOLOGIES
An
apology has been received from Councillor Raffills for non-attendance due to
council business.
CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES
The
minutes of the Community Services Committee meeting held on Wednesday, 1 October
2008 to be confirmed as a true and correct record.
EXTRAORDINARY BUSINESS
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Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings
Act 1987 (as amended) states: |
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"An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at
that meeting if- |
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(a) |
The local authority by resolution so decides; and |
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(b) |
The presiding member explains at the meeting at a time when it is open
to the public,- |
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(i) |
The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and |
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(ii) |
The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a
subsequent meeting." |
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Section 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and
Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states: |
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"Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,- |
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(a) |
That item may be discussed at that meeting if- |
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(i) |
That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the
local authority; and |
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(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 |
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(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." |
PUBLIC FORUM
A
period of time (approximately 20 minutes) is set aside for members of the public
to address the meeting on matters within its delegated authority. A maximum of
5 minutes per item is allowed, following which there may be questions from
members.
The
following requests have been received to address the meeting:
4.1. COLIN WILSON AND TROY CHURTON, PARNELL TRUST - GLADSTONE PARK EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRE RENTAL REDUCTION REQUEST
Colin Wilson and Troy Churton, representing the Parnell Trust, will be in
attendance to address the Committee regarding a reduction in the market rental
for Gladstone Park Early Childhood Centre, Balfour Road, Parnell. A report
relating to this issue will be considered by the Committee under item 6 on this
agenda.
REPORTS REQUESTED/PENDING
| Eric Perry |
|
| Democracy Advisor |
28 October 2008 |
Advising of reports requested/pending.
Recommending that the report of the Democracy Advisor, dated 28 October 2008, be
received.
GLADSTONE PARK EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTRE AND KIDS AT PLAY CHILDCARE CENTRE - RENTAL REDUCTION REQUESTS
| Peter Loud |
|
| Community Programme Manager |
5 November 2008 |
Reporting on the request of the Parnell Trust for a reduction in the market
rental for the Gladstone Park Early Childhood Centre, Balfour Road, Parnell, and
the request of Kids at Play for a rent reduction over its premises at Bellwood
Avenue, Mt Eden.
The
Parnell Trust entered into a commercial lease for the property in October 1997
and agreed to abide by the terms and conditions of the commercial lease. The
Trust has also requested a community lease rather than a commercial lease. In
its submission to the Committee on 6 August 2008, the Trust suggested that the
classification of the reserve statutorily restricts the use of land for
commercial purposes, and hence any activity on it cannot be charged a commercial
rent. However, the Public Bodies Leases Act 1969 gives the leasing authority
the power to undertake the valuation of the land and establish a "fair annual
rent". This process has been followed in the case of the Gladstone Centre.
Kids at Play is a not for profit childcare facility that has a commercial lease
on reserve land, as they own the building. The rent has recently increased by
24% as the result of a valuation based on the vacant land value.
Kids
at Play have already increased their fees by 5% this year to cover general
increases in the running costs and do not believe that the rent increase is a
"palatable increase for a non-profit organisation in a climate where all other
costs are increasing". Council has the power to reduce the rent charged to Kids
at Play, but any reduction will negatively impact council's 2008/2009 budget.
Kids at Play offers full time fee paying childcare, as does Parnell Trust, and
therefore should be paying a commercial rental.
It
is acknowledged that anomalies still exist in the rental arrangements for
childcare centres. Officers believe that the appropriate course of action is to
address this issue as part of the review of community facilities, which will
include reviewing council's community and recreation and lease policy. The
criteria for provision of discounted leases will be addressed in the Community
Assistance Funding review, which is due to be reported to the Committee's
December 2008 meeting for endorsement.
Recommending that the Committee note that the Gladstone Park Early Childhood
Centre operates on a commercial basis and as such does not qualify for a
community lease; that the Committee approve the market related adjustment and
rental of $89,700 plus GST until the next rental review for the Gladstone Park
Early Childhood Centre; and that the Committee approve the market related
adjustment and rental of $34,444 plus GST until the next rental review for Kids
at Play.
| [ATTACHMENT 6] |
Pages 3-10 |
AFFORDABLE HOUSING UPDATE
| Ruth Stokes |
|
| Group Manager, Arts, Community and Recreation
Policy |
24 October 2008 |
Providing an update on the recently enacted Affordable Housing: Enabling
Territorial Authorities Act 2008, and information on the applicability of the
Queenstown Lakes district plan change designed to increase the availability of
affordable housing in the district. The report also provides an update on
council's assisted home ownership programme. Commentary on, and a copy of, the
Office of the Auditor General's findings in relation to the December 2007
Council decision on the affordable housing programme is also provided. An
update on developments in the current negotiations with the New Zealand Housing
Foundation (NZHF) is provided in the confidential report on this agenda entitled
Assisted Ownership Programme Agreement 2008.
Recommending that the affordable housing update report, providing information on
the Affordable Housing: Enabling Territorial Authorities Act, the Queenstown
Lakes district plan change and the assisted home ownership programme, including
the findings of the Office of the Auditor General relating to the December 2008
Council decision on the programme, be noted.
| [ATTACHMENT 7] |
Pages 11-28 |
YOUTH COUNCIL ASSESSMENT
| Sarah Finlay |
|
| Programme Adviser - Youth |
28 October 2008 |
Reporting on the status of the Auckland City Youth Council, which was initiated
in 1984 by Dame Catherine Tizard so that council could hear young people's
voices. The purpose of the youth council has been to act as an advocate for
young people aged between 12 and 24 years to Auckland City Council. There has
been increasing awareness over the last eighteen months of the challenges in
maintaining the youth council's current structure. The youth council has:
- required significant
council resource to facilitate the group;
- struggled to visibly
link to and represent the diversity of local communities;
- struggled with engaging
young people in a formal structure; and
- not enabled young
people to have an effective voice in council decision-making.
An
assessment of Auckland City Youth Council was undertaken with the objective of
determining the effectiveness of the current model of the youth council and
develop a way of working that:
- enables young people to
have an influential voice in local government decision-making;
- engages diverse young
people who live in Auckland in decision-making;
- implements best
practice for engaging young people in local government;
- ensures young people
know youth council exists for them to have a voice; and
- ensures council
officers know youth council exists for them to effectively engage young people.
The
assessment revealed that there is a need for the youth council to have wider
representation, increase its visibility with communities and ensure that council
hears youth perspectives. The assessment has determined the need to reform a
new youth council in which members would be nominated from local schools and
communities. The youth council would hold quarterly open meetings run by youth
councillors, nominations would be called for on an annual basis and youth
council members would be chosen by a panel to ensure representation of
ethnicity, socio-economic background, schools, communities and geographic
areas. The selection panel members would include a young person, the Programme
Adviser - Youth and another member (such as a youth organisation). The youth
council would facilitate forums and projects as required to involve young people
in informing policy and programme development.
Recommending that the Committee acknowledge the work already undertaken by the
current youth council, and approve the following process to allow youth council
to better reflect youth in schools and communities: youth councillors be
nominated by school and community peers; youth councillors to be selected on
their ability to demonstrate leadership, advocacy, governance and service
skills; that a panel comprising of a young person, council officer and youth
organisation representative select up to 25 youth councillors; and that the
youth council meet quarterly; that officers report on the progress of the new
Auckland City Youth Council through the quarterly operational report; and that
the report of the Programme Adviser - Youth, dated 18 October 2008, and the
above recommendations be forwarded to all community boards for their
information.
| [ATTACHMENT 8] |
Pages 29-38 |
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE DELEGATIONS
| Terry Sugrue |
|
| Corporate Council, Governance and Democracy |
15 October 2008 |
Seeking the Committee's endorsement of revised delegations for the 2007-2010
triennium. The existing delegations register, including the delegations for the
Community Services Committee, has not been fully reviewed for a significant
period with only minor alterations being made at the beginning of each
triennium. The delegations register required significant revision. On 28
February 2008, Council approved an approach to the review and revision of the
delegations register which would see the current register split into two - a
"Governance Register" (delegations to committees, sub-committees, and boards, as
well as to the Chief Executive and those staff that legislation requires direct
council delegations for) and "Chief Executive's Register" (statutory and
non-statutory sub-delegations to staff from the Chief Executive). Both
registers will be available by way of a specially developed searchable database
and as stand-alone hard copy versions. The Community Services Committee
delegations will be included within the Governance Register. These delegations
have been reviewed by the General
Manager, Arts, Community and Recreation and are set out for the Committee's
review and recommendation.
Recommending that the Committee endorse the Community Services Committee
delegations set out for reporting to the Finance and Strategy Committee and then
full Council, and appoint the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson the power to
consider and approve any further amendments, made by the Committee or by the
Delegations Working Party, to the delegations for the Community Services
Committee.
| [ATTACHMENT 9] |
Pages 39-46 |
VOLUNTEERING IN AUCKLAND CITY
| Peter Loud |
|
| Community Programme Manager, Community Services |
17 October 2008 |
Reporting on the need for a role of volunteering co-ordinator as requested by
councillors during the 2008/2009 annual plan hearings. This report provides an
overview of how Auckland City Council utilises volunteers in the delivery of
their programmes, and captures strategies used to grow volunteering in Auckland
city boundaries. Auckland City Council functions that use volunteers for their
projects include Auckland Zoo, Auckland City Libraries, Auckland Art Gallery,
Parks, Graffiti, Transport and events. There are established individual systems
to support, review and monitor the work of volunteers. The structure and
practice of these systems are well built and robust and varies from group to
group. In the last twelve months, 4,000 volunteers contributed 45,000 hours
towards community outcomes with council officers co-ordinating the activities.
The support to grow volunteers within the community is the responsibility of
Community Services through the provisions of networks, training and financial
support through funding. It also holds the current contract relationship with
Volunteering Auckland to help provide support, training and advisory services to
voluntary organisations. The Committee should note that robust volunteer
co-ordination mechanisms are already established within those council groups
utilising volunteers and hence an additional role of volunteering co-ordinator
is not required.
Recommending that the Committee acknowledge the various established volunteering
initiatives across the organisation including Auckland Zoo, Auckland Art
Gallery, Parks programmes, Community services programmes and events and
festivals, and acknowledge that an additional role of an organisational
volunteering co-ordinator is not required.
| [ATTACHMENT 10] |
Pages 47-52 |
AUCKLAND CITY ALCOHOL STRATEGY REVIEW - SCOPE
| Ruth Stokes |
|
| Group Manager, Arts, Community and Recreation
Policy |
16 October 2008 |
Advising the Committee of a review of the Auckland City alcohol strategy. This
strategy guides council's decisions and actions relating to liquor in Auckland
city, including the following:
- community-based
initiatives (including the Safer Auckland City, Community Action on Youth and
Drugs and Communities Living Injury Free projects, the council's Road Safety
team an alcohol accords);
- council's role in
relation to liquor at community functions and events;
- council's role as the
District Licensing Agency (DLA) in Auckland city under the Sale of Liquor Act
1989;
- council's district
planning authority role under the Resource Management Act 1991;
- liquor bans; and
- council's host
responsibility role as an employer.
The
primary objective of the review is to ensure that council has in place a 'best
practice' document, founded on robust research and consultation, and that it
provides a clear explanation of council's policy view on liquor. Undertaking
this review provides an opportunity for the Committee to consider the most
effective way of framing council's approach to liquor-related decisions.
Officers expect to report to the Committee in May 2009 with an update on the
review.
Recommending that the Committee note that the report of the Group Manager, Arts,
Community and Recreation Policy, dated 16 October 2008, will guide the review of
council's liquor framework, including an environmental scan, consultation, and
research, ensuring council has a robustly constructed liquor framework to guide
its decision-making; and that the Committee note an update of the Auckland City
alcohol strategy review will be reported back to the Committee in May 2009.
| [ATTACHMENT 11] |
Pages 53-99 |
GAMBLING VENUE POLICY REVIEW - SCOPE
| Ruth Stokes |
|
| Group Manager, Arts, Community and Recreation
Policy |
23 October 2008 |
Advising the Committee of a review of council's gambling venue policy. The
Gambling Act 2003 gives Territorial Authorities limited powers in dealing with
gaming machines, class 4 gaming venues and New Zealand Racing Board venues
within their area. Council approved the current gambling venue policy in April
2004. The policy takes a 'sinking lid' approach to gaming machines, class 4
gaming venues and New Zealand Racing Board venues within Auckland city. This
means council will not approve any increase in gaming machines outside casinos,
or the development of any new class 4 venues or New Zealand Racing Board venues
(although relocation of New Zealand Racing Board venues is permitted). The Act
requires that the policy be reviewed every three years. Officers undertook an
initial review in late 2006 and the Public Safety and Community Order Committee
approved a report recommending no changes to the original policy in May 2007.
Recommending that the Committee note that the report of the Group Manager, Arts
Community and Recreation Policy, dated 23 October 2008, will guide the review of
council's gambling venue policy, including an environmental scan, consultation
and research, ensuring council has a robust and updated policy that provides
clear processes for administration; and that the Committee note that the Group
Manager, Arts, Community and Recreation Policy will report back in April 2009
with an update on the review.
| [ATTACHMENT 12] |
Pages 100-109 |
COMMUNITY SERVICES PLAN FOR DELIVERING STRONG AND HEALTHY COMMUNITIES STRATEGY
| Dr Jill McPherson |
|
| General Manager, Arts, Community and Recreation |
23 October 2008 |
Presenting the Community Services Plan for Delivering Strong and Health
Communities Strategy to the Committee for its consideration and approval.
It is proposed that this plan replace the Community Development Framework
presented to the Committee for comment in May 2008. The council's community
services function is based on the concept of community development and on social
policies as chosen by or required of council. Community development is about
building communities at a local level, empowering individuals and groups of
people by providing them with the skills they need to effect change in their own
communities. Social policies of this council cover vice (e.g. alcohol,
gambling) and vulnerable sections of the community for the purposes of community
development (e.g. youth, disability).
Council has indentified the following objectives in the Strong and Health
Communities Strategy as approved by the Finance and Strategy Committee at
its last meeting:
- fostering connected communities;
- fostering a sense of pride and belonging;
- making places for people;
- supporting safe communities; and
- supporting healthy communities.
The purpose of the Community Services Plan for Delivering Strong and Health
Communities Strategy is to explain the ways in which council will deliver on
these objectives on the ground. The plan focuses on council's core day-to-day
activities in relation to the delivery of community services and identifies its
priorities for the next three years. Actions cover such things as community
networks, safety programmes, managing the allocation of community grants,
working with volunteers and managing community facilities.
Recommending that the Committee approve the Community Services Plan for
Delivering Strong and Health Communities Strategy that outlines the priority
actions for the council community service team, including:
- completing neighbourhood action plans;
- delivering programmes in centres and libraries;
- delivering safety programmes including zero
graffiti tolerance;
- looking after streets, parks and facilities to
a proper standard with the help of communities;
- running community networks;
- building volunteer numbers; and
- providing training courses for community
groups.
| [ATTACHMENT 13] |
Pages 110-127 |
SERVICE PROFILES FOR LTCCP
| Robert Nelson |
|
| Group Manager, Corporate Finance and Planning |
28 October 2008 |
Reporting on the request of councillors as part of the Long Term Council
Community Plan for detail on the core services provided by council groups. This
is to provide guidance for setting the ten-year financial projections. This
report contains the eight service profiles for the Libraries and five service
profiles for Community Services.
Recommending that the service profiles for Libraries and Community Services be
received.
| [ATTACHMENT 14] |
Pages 128-143 |
COMMUNITY SERVICES PROGRAMMES OF WORK 2008 - 2009
| Greg Morgan |
|
| Place Manager, Community Services |
22 October 2008 |
Outlining the community services team's programme of work for 2008/2009. The
community services team was established in February 2008 to deliver focused
community services programmes. These programmes deliver on council's community
services function as detailed in the Community Services Plan for Delivering
Strong and Health Communities Strategy. The community services team works
with communities in key social policy areas and enables local communities and
at-risk groups to take advantage of community development opportunities.
Community development focuses on assisting individuals and groups to build the
resilience and skills they need to effect change in their own communities and
improve social outcomes.
Recommending that the Committee note the community services programmes of work
2008/2009, which include:
- providing appropriate facilities and spaces for
community activities;
- delivering programmes to strengthen the
community and voluntary sector;
- supporting community-led initiatives within
local communities;
- collaborating over Safer Auckland City and to
address homelessness; and
- implementing new policy to come from the
reviews of community assistance funding and facilities.
| [ATTACHMENT 15] |
Pages 144-153 |
QUARTERLY REPORT - COMMUNITY SERVICES
| Colin Field |
|
| Manager, Business Development and Support |
20 October 2008 |
Providing the Committee with a quarterly report on council's community
development function from the period July to September 2008.
Recommending that the community services quarterly report for the period July to
September 2008 be received.
| [ATTACHMENT 16] |
Pages 154-163 |
QUARTERLY REPORT - LIBRARIES
| Allison Dobbie |
|
| Group Manager, Libraries |
23 October 2008 |
Reporting on key operational activities and achievements of Libraries for the
period July - September 2008. Use of libraries continues to grow, with all
targets exceeded. Visits are above target by 6%, issues by 11%, participation
in events and programmes by 43%, enquiries by 7%, and the use of online
databases by 43%.
Recommending that the quarterly report for libraries for the period July -
September 2008 be noted, including ongoing growth in usage and the large number
of participants in events during September.
| [ATTACHMENT 17] |
Pages 164-169 |
SIX MONTHLY SAFETY PROGRAMME UPDATE
| Betty MacLaren |
|
| Safety Adviser, Arts Community and Recreation
Services |
15 October 2008 |
Providing an update on the significant progress on the implementation of safety
initiatives across council since April 2008.
Recommending that the six monthly safety programme update report for the period
April to October 2008 be noted.
| [ATTACHMENT 18] |
Pages 170-177 |
EXCLUSION OF THE PUBLIC : LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND MEETINGS ACT 1987
| Eric Perry |
|
| Democracy Advisor |
28 October 2008 |
|
Section 48, Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987: |
The
following motion is submitted for consideration:
That the public be excluded from the following part(s) of the proceedings
of this meeting.
The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is
excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter, and
the specific grounds under Section 48(1) of the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution follows.
This resolution is made in reliance on Section 48(1)(a) of the Local
Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and the particular
interest or interests protected by section 6 or section 7 of that Act which
would be prejudiced by the holding of the whole or relevant part of the
proceedings of the meeting in public, as follows:
| Item No. |
General subject of each matter to be considered |
Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter |
Particular interest(s) protected (where applicable) |
Ground(s) under section 48(1) for the passing of this resolution |
| C1. |
Assisted Home Ownership Programme
Agreement 2008 |
Public conduct of matter would be likely
to result in disclosure of information for which good reason to withhold
exists under section 7. |
Section 7(2)(c)(i) The withholding of the information is
necessary to protect information which is subject to an obligation of
confidence or which any person has been or could be compelled to provide
under the authority of any enactment, where the making available of the
information would be likely to prejudice the supply of similar
information or information from the same source and it is in the public
interest that such information should continue to be supplied.
In particular, this report contains
information which, if made public, could prejudice the business dealings
of council and NZHF in the future.
Section 7(2)(i)
The withholding of the information is
necessary to enable the local authority to carry on, without prejudice
or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial
negotiations).
In particular, this report contains
information that could disadvantage the bargaining position of council. |
Section 48(1)(a) The public conduct of the part of the
meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for
which good reason for withholding exists under section 7. |
