Minutes of Eastbourne Community Board

2 4 September 2018

Eastbourne Community Board

Minutes of a meeting held in the East Harbour Women's Club, 145 Muritai Road, Eastbourne on

Tuesday 4 September 2018 commencing at 7.15pm

PRESENT:	Ms V Horrocks (Chair)	Mr R Ashe (Deputy Chair)
	Mr M Gibbons	Ms L Knight
	Cr T Lewis	Cr M Lulich
	Ms A Sutherland

APOLOGIES: Cr T Lewis and Ms A Sutherland

IN ATTENDANCE: Ms J Lawson, Reserves Assets Manager

Cr P Lamason, Greater Wellington Regional Council

Ms J Randall, Committee Advisor

PUBLIC BUSINESS

1. APOLOGIES

Members noted the apologies from Cr Lewis and Ms Sutherland.

2. PUBLIC COMMENT

Comments are recorded under the item to which they relate.

Mr C Rushton, the president of the Eastbourne Returned Services Association (the Association), updated the Board on plans for the Armistice Day Centenary on 11 November 2018. He advised the celebrations would include food and refreshments, a football game in remembrance of the Christmas Day match in 1915 and a rolling slide show in the RSA clubrooms. He said the Association was seeking more support and helpers for the event. He noted the croquet club was planning an open day and the local theatre group was also planning an event to coincide with the Centenary.

Ms G Brown, a representative of the Eastbourne-Bays Community Trust (the Trust) explained the Trust’s history and the way the three funds administered by the Trust were managed. She said that over the past 23 years the Trust had continued to grow and had provided $235,000 in grants to local organisations, schools and individuals. She expressed a wish for the Trust to become more visible in the community. She tabled information about the Trust and its work that is attached as Appendix 1 to the minutes.

Ms M Adam advised of a recent incident involving a car in the shopping centre. She noted the car was speeding and was concerned that the driver had not been apprehended.

Ms Adam noted there had been a walkway planned between the beach and the road at the HW Shortt Park car park but that it had not eventuated. She believed the current situation was dangerous for pedestrians and that a walkway was needed.

The Chair agreed to follow the walkway up with Council Officers and advised Ms Adam she could also use the ‘Report a Problem’ facility on Council’s website.

3. Presentation

Presentation by Local Councillor from Greater Wellington Regional Council (18/1390)

Cr P Lamason, Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC), updated the Board on the following:

· GWRC had begun including the Māori name for each City Council in its documentation. She advised the Lower Hutt name was Te Awa Kairangi ki Tai.

· There had been few complaints from Lower Hutt bus users since the new network had begun but complaints received were mostly regarding overcrowded buses and new drivers. There had been no reduction in passenger trips since the new network began and passenger trips were expected to continue to grow. Problems with the Real Time technology in Wellington was causing issues. Any complaints could be lodged on the GWRC website.

· Geotech work had begun on Riverlink. The pile driving machines were now in the river but it would be some time before flood protection work began.

· GWRC was waiting on the New Zealand Transport Authority before beginning the Melling Interchange work.

· An exploratory line in the harbour aquifer had confirmed the quantity and quality of the water was not suitable for GWRC’s water resilience goals. A cross-harbour pipeline would therefore be necessary to ensure Wellington had an alternate water supply in an emergency event. It would be well marked for divers and fishers.

· Nominations for Whaitua Committees had closed. She explained the Committees were an opportunity for community members to be involved in environmental issues. The first meeting would take place in early October with Cr Lewis as the Hutt City Council representative.

· The Ava Railway Station walking ramp that was severely damaged in the Kaikoura earthquake was now in the process of being replaced.

The Chair agreed to email members reports from the River Ranger.

Mr Gibbons advised the opening of the Kāeaea Track would take place on 10 November. Official invitations to Board members, Cr Lamason, local Iwi and the media would follow.

4. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

The Chair declared a conflict of interest in Item 7 and took no part in voting on the recommendations.

5. Minutes

Mr Ashe advised GWRC had made no decisions on the next Eastbourne bus shelters for replacement. He advised GWRC officers had undertaken to email the information to him before the November Board meeting.

Resolved: (Ms Horrocks/Mr Gibbons) Minute No. ECB 18401

“That the minutes of the meeting of the Eastbourne Community Board held on Tuesday, 12 June 2018, be confirmed as a true and correct record.”

6.	Chair's Report (18/1176) Report No. ECB2018/4/121 by the Chair
	Speaking under public comment, Ms A Meacham expressed support for the retention of the Eastbourne Community Board. She believed Eastbourne was unique and represented its community. Ms Meacham expressed concern with Council’s Ecology and Landscapes Proposed District Plan Change (SNA) consultation process which she believed removed the rights of property owners and made her land part of the Regional Park. She also expressed concern about the expense of the process so far. Speaking under public comment, Mr W Bearman requested more support from the Eastbourne Community Board to protect residents’ property rights against the SNA process. He did not want to cut down his bush but equally did not want his right to use his land eroded. The Chair agreed the SNA process had not had a good start. She noted there was to be another meeting with residents on 25 September 2018. Speaking under public comment, Ms M Martin expressed concern that the proposed site of the skate ramp was near walls that would echo the noise. She did not believe sound testing done by Council was adequate and believed an independent noise analysis should have been undertaken. She noted the design had radically changed from the original design shown to residents and the new spine would grind skateboards along the metal pipe. She considered the new design would attract people older than the target age and create a lot more noise. She believed the skate ramp would exclude other forms of recreation on the site and envisaged the size of the ramp would be too large and not fit with the surrounding area. She also believed the gardens would struggle since the area had been paved for so long. She suggested the Eastbourne Community Board should have made the decision rather than Council and was disappointed there was not more consultation. The Reserves Assets Manager advised that it was hard to measure the ramp’s impact until it was built. She considered that the solid concrete design with no joins was much quieter than wooden ramps and had capped pipes at the end filled with sand to reduce noise. She noted the new design provided a better flow for riders and was more interesting for younger children who were still working on their balance. She added a sound expert had been consulted and that research on skate board ramps from overseas and New Zealand had been taken into account in the decision. Speaking under public comment, Ms M Mills advised she worked with children and that studies showed children up to puberty age were not developmentally ready for the balance and speed of skateboarding. She considered children preferred other activities. She believed the ramp was not being constructed in the best place and needed a better design. She suggested the end of Bishop Park between the dunes and the park would be more suitable. She noted that a longer undulating skate board ramp would also provide for younger children on bikes. She considered this was a more visible and well used area and would reduce potential issues with covert activities and noise. The Chair advised that although the original design of the skate board ramp had been modified, the total area was only one tenth larger, with the design longer and thinner. She noted the trees in the proposed skate park would remain and that the green area would be almost the same size as the ramp. Members discussed the skate ramp design and were comfortable with the changes. They agreed to support Council’s decision. The Chair advised that residents were discussing the Gill Road development with Council. Consents had been issued and residents were concerned about potential traffic issues. The Chair advised that Days Bay residents were meeting to try to co-ordinate more uniform signage in Williams Park and align it with the Heritage Trail signs. In response to a question from a member, the Chair advised she was attending a meeting on the shared path the following day. She said more detailed mapping and expert advice was needed before the consent application could be submitted and this was expected to delay the start date.
	Resolved: (Ms Knight/Mr Gibbons) Minute No. ECB 18402 “That Board: (i) notes the report; and (ii) endorses the Board’s Representation Review submission, attached as Appendix 3 to the report.”
	Resolved: (Mr Ashe/Mr Gibbons) Minute No. ECB 18403 “That the Board notes it has discussed the skate ramp and agrees to support Council’s decision.”

7.	Committee Advisor's Report (18/1175) Report No. ECB2018/4/19 by the Committee Advisor
	The Chair declared a conflict of interest in the Local Government New Zealand Climate Change Symposium Item and took no part in voting on the matter. The Chair vacated the chair and Mr Ashe assumed the chair for the duration of the item.
	Resolved: (Mr Ashe/Ms Knight) Minute No. ECB 18404 “That the Board: (i) receives the report; and (ii) approves reimbursement for the Chair’s attendance at the Local Government New Zealand Climate Change Symposium (the Symposium) on 7 September 2018 at a cost of $150.00 GST inclusive, attached as Appendix 1 to the report; and (iii) asks the Chair to report back to the next meeting on the Symposium.”

The Chair resumed the chair

8. Reports from representatives on local organisations

a)	Okiwi Trust (18/1167)
	Members noted that the Chair was the Board’s representative for the Okiwi Trust and would be attending the meeting at St Ronans Church Hall the following day.

b)	Educating Residents Around Trapping (ERAT) Steering Group (18/1168)
	There was no update.
c)	Days Bay Wharf Steering Group (18/1169)
	The Chair advised there would be more activity from this group in 2019.
d)	Community Response Group (18/1170).
	The Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO) Eastbourne Support Officer was away responding to a family illness. The group’s work was expected to continue once she returned.
e)	Plastic Free Eastbourne (18/1171)
	The Chair advised the group had originally proposed creating 10,000 re-useable bags for Eastbourne but the Central Government ban on single use platic bags might pause the proposal.
f)	Eastbourne Youth Workers' Trust (18/1172)
	There was no formal update but Ms Knight advised the group was still very active.
g)	Eastbourne Childcare Community Group (18/1173)
	Ms Knight advised the Chair had emigrated and a new Chair was yet to be appointed.
h)	Keep Hutt City Beautiful (18/1174)
	The Chair advised the group was very active. It had received funding to undertake a clean-up of the railway line when it closed for maintenance.

9. QUESTIONS

There were no questions.

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 8.58 pm.

Ms V Horrocks

CHAIR

CONFIRMED as a true and correct record

Dated this 6^th day of November 2018

Appendix 1