Agenda of Policy and Regulatory Committee

9 26 November 2018

Policy and Regulatory Committee

19 October 2018

File: (18/1675)

Report no: PRC2018/5/314

Carbon Targets

Purpose of Report

1. This report provides information on projected climate change impacts on Lower Hutt, an overview of Hutt City Council’s organisational carbon footprint and existing strategies and commitments to lower it, and the justification for the adoption of an organisational net Zero by 2050 greenhouse gas emissions target and associated actions.

Recommendations

That the Committee recommends that Council:

(i) recommends to set an organisational target of “Hutt City Council reducing its greenhouse gas emissions to net zero, by no later than 2050”;

(ii) notes that in order to put Hutt City Council onto a low-carbon pathway, Hutt City Council will need to make changes to its operations, including:

(a) preventing the installation of high-carbon-emitting technology (eg natural gas for heating) at any existing facilities at the time of renewal, or new facilities not already under construction, and utilising lower carbon emitting options instead;

(b) increasingly electrifying its vehicle fleet;

(iii) agrees that officers will provide advice on recommended intermediate targets, and specific and measurable performance measures for Council activity areas and associated business units, such as existing buildings and facilities, the vehicle fleet, procurement, and waste management, toward achieving the target and any other relevant associated environmental objectives;

(iv) agrees that officers will provide advice on the indicative cost of displacing natural gas as a heating energy source with a lower carbon emitting option for key Council infrastructure, in line with the organisational target;

(v) requests that officers report to the Policy and Regulatory Committee annually, on Council progress toward the target;

(vi) requests that officers will investigate how best to reflect the target in relevant accountability documents, to enable periodic reporting against this target and/or relevant key performance indicators;

(vii) agrees that Council’s organisational target should also apply to its wholly-owned or partly-owned Council-Controlled Organisations, ie the Community Facilities Trust, Urban Plus Ltd, Seaview Marina Ltd, and Wellington Water Ltd;

(viii) requests that officers propose specific and measurable performance measures, in line with the target, for its wholly-owned and partly-owned Council-Controlled Organisations, with a view to reflect these in the organisations’ next Statements of Intent;

(ix) invites other councils to consider adopting the same organisational target, including for their relevant wholly-owned or partly-owned council-controlled organisations;

(x) notes that if a New Zealand net Zero by 2050 target as proposed by the New Zealand Government is passed via the Zero Carbon Bill in 2019, then this will become the de-facto Lower Hutt community-wide emissions target; and

(xi) agrees that officers will scope the development of a Lower Hutt Climate and Resilience Plan to identify relevant objectives and prioritised community-focused actions, to assist in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in line with the proposed New Zealand net Zero by 2050 target.

Background

Emission pathways and climate change

2. An increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases (GHG) in the atmosphere, as a consequence of human industrial and other activities, has caused the global climate to begin to change with the primary effect a significant rise in the global temperature.

3. Figure 1 shows GHG emissions in the recent past, and a range of projected emission pathways (RCP 2.6 – 8.5) with their corresponding global temperature increase.

Figure 1 - Emissions and global warming projections

Source: MfE, 2017, Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Guidance to Local Government, p90; RCP = Representative Concentration Pathways

4. Global emissions are currently tracking toward the upper range of emission pathways, albeit international efforts are still focused on achieving the RCP 2.6 pathway outcome.

5. This projected temperature increase is expected to lead to a number of significant flow-on effects, including sea level rise and more extreme weather events.

6. With regard to sea level rise (SLR), Figure 2 below shows four scenarios of SLR projections for New Zealand. In line with RCP8.5, a plausible upper range of SLR for Wellington Harbour is currently 0.5m by 2060, 1.0m by 2100, and 1.5m by 2130, and further increases thereafter.

7. However, even in the most optimistic scenario (RCP2.6), the lower range of SLR for Wellington Harbour is currently 0.5m by 2120, albeit with further increases beyond that timeframe due to inertia in the climate system.

8. Indeed, the Ministry for the Environment, in its “Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Guidance to Local Government” (2017, p104), notes that SLR of up to 1m is virtually certain in the foreseeable planning timeframe, and recommends using the highest scenario (RCP 8.5 H+) for new developments, such as greenfields or major new infrastructure.

Figure 2 – Projected sea level rise in New Zealand

Source: MfE, 2017, Coastal Hazards and Climate Change Guidance to Local Government, Figure 27, p105

9. Lower Hutt has several important areas with low elevation, putting them at particular risk from SLR and compounding effects such as increased rainfall intensity or storm surges.

10. Figure 3 shows different levels of SLR in relation to land elevation in the Lower Hutt area. Potential inundation effects from SLR can be expected to be compounded further in case of significant rainfall events (the water cannot naturally drain out to sea), storm surges (sea level will be increased further temporarily), and/or increasing intensity of events (rainfall intensity is forecast to increase in response to global warming).

Figure 3 – Levels of SLR in relation to land elevation in Lower Hutt

Source: Hutt City Council, 2018

11. As a result, climate change effects are expected to have large cost implications for Hutt City Council and the wider Lower Hutt community, such as for buildings or assets affected.

12. However, some changes may occur well before sea level has actually increased to these levels. For example, the insurance industry is increasingly moving toward a risk-based model, whereby some assets will no longer be insurable. Tim Grafton, CEO of the Insurance Council of NZ, stated on 3 September 2018 that insurance companies will not insure against things that are certain, such as sea level rise and associated effects. This can have flow-on effects, such as impairing the ability of property owners to secure mortgages.

Adapting to climate change

13. It is already clear that adaptation to unavoidable changes will be necessary and it will be important to prepare the community for these.

14. In that context, Hutt City Council, as part of its Long Term Plan, approved funding of $200,000 during the 2019/20 financial year toward coastal adaptation work and community engagement. This work could be modelled on the Hawkes Bay engagement approach and the development of their Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy 2120.

15. Working in collaboration with other councils in our region, two work streams are currently under way toward the commencement of this adaptation work and community engagement:

a. A regional coastal vulnerability assessment has been commissioned, in order to assist in deciding on the priority areas for coastal adaptation work and community engagement. This is expected to be completed in early 2019.

b. In parallel, work is under way to design the community engagement process, building on the lessons learnt in Hawkes Bay

16. Officers expect to report back to the Policy and Regulatory Committee on progress and the next steps in the first half of 2019.

17. In addition to adaptation, the level of change required is also linked to how much mitigation (emission reductions) we undertake to avoid those climate change effects that are additional to what has already been locked in.

Climate change mitigation

Strategies and commitments

18. In 2015, the international community adopted the Paris Agreement with a long-term goal to keep the global temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to limit the increase to 1.5°C since this would substantially reduce the risks and effects of climate change. New Zealand ratified the Paris Agreement on 4 October 2016.

19. In a report published in October 2018, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) emphasised the importance of keeping global warming to under 1.5°C. It found this goal is still achievable but that it would require “rapid, far-reaching and unprecedented changes in all aspects of society”.

20. In line with the need for more determined action, the New Zealand Government recently consulted on the outlines of a Zero Carbon Bill, with one option to bring New Zealand’s emissions down to net Zero by 2050 across all gases. (Net zero means the emissions we create are no greater than what is removed from the atmosphere, from things like forests soaking up carbon dioxide.) The consultation showed that over 90% of submitters supported this objective.

21. Council has also recognised the need for action. In 2015, Council adopted its Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2015-45 and associated Implementation Plan, with several focus areas linked to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In 2017 it signed the LGNZ Leaders Climate Change Declaration, with a view to “develop and implement ambitious action plans that reduce greenhouse gas emissions […] within our own councils and for our local communities”. And in June 2018, Council endorsed the government’s proposed Zero Carbon Bill and its objective to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050.

Hutt City Council emissions

22. In order to understand Hutt City Council’s share of responsibility in addressing emissions, officers commissioned AECOM NZ Ltd to calculate its organisational carbon footprint for the FY2016/17 financial year, see Figure 4.

Figure 4 – Organisational carbon footprint for Hutt City Council for 2016/17

Source: AECOM NZ Ltd, 2018

23. Overall and based on the 2016/17 financial year, Hutt City Council is responsible for 20,349 tonnes of CO₂-equivalent. The majority of emissions originate from its Silverstream landfill (even after landfill gas capture and destruction). Other key emission sources include purchased capital goods and services, our buildings and facilities, and the vehicle fleet.

24. Note that this footprint excludes emissions from closed landfills, such as the old Wainuiomata landfill and other landfills that existed in Lower Hutt in the past. This is because Council does not “operate” closed landfills. However, closed landfills continue to emit emissions for many years, and AECOM estimates that the emissions from old landfills during the 2016/17 financial year were as high as 34,900 tonnes CO₂e.

25. While our carbon footprint for 2016/17 is only a snapshot in time and provides a baseline for Council’s emissions that we can check progress against, emissions data for our buildings and assets has been available continuously for the last five years and can serve as a performance indicator.

26. Notably, as shown in Figure 5, emissions from these sources have increased overall, and the main driver for this is the increased use of natural gas (83% of which is used in pools for heating). At the same time, despite an increase in consumption, emissions from electricity use have decreased, and this is driven by the electricity in New Zealand increasingly coming from renewable and lower-carbon sources (eg more wind and hydro, and less coal).

Figure 5 – Emissions from Hutt City Council buildings and facilities

Source: e-bench

27. There will likely be a further increase in emissions in 2018-19, as the new Events Centre has just opened and it also utilises natural gas for heating.

28. The increase in emissions indicates that our current approach is not effective. A key short-coming is the lack of measurable targets and performance measures in order to drive decision-making and changing the direction of investment.

Organisational targets and performance measures

29. In response to this, officers propose that Hutt City Council sets an organisational target of reducing its emissions to net Zero by no later than 2050, in order to

a. Clarify in an objective way what the organisation is aiming for

b. Help prioritise and focus decision-making

c. Enable us to measure our progress toward this target

d. Show in a visible way leadership on climate change mitigation

e. Formally align Council’s intentions with the New Zealand Government’s proposed net Zero by 2050 target

30. A key driver for setting a formal target at this organisational level is that Council has direct control over its business units and it can set performance measures.

31. Note that the quantum of expenditure to achieve the overall target is still uncertain, albeit officers are undertaking work to estimate relevant costs for key business areas. For example, work is under way to understand the costs of displacing natural gas technology with lower-carbon technology at Hutt City Council pools, based on technology options currently available.

32. Nevertheless, while there may be an increased cost of reducing emissions in the short to medium term, costs are likely to be lower in the long term due to the avoided impacts from climate change.

33. Once in place, it will be important to report periodically on progress toward the target, to ensure that the effectiveness of Council’s response remains high.

34. However, an overall target will not be sufficient in itself. Performance measures are needed that translate this target into specific and measurable outcomes for the different business units and activity areas so that it results in tangible changes to its operations. Examples include the following:

a. Preventing the installation of high-carbon-emitting heating and cooling technology (eg natural gas for heating) for any existing and new facilities not already under construction, and utilising lower carbon emitting options instead (such as heat pumps running on low-carbon electricity), and setting minimum performance expectations by using building rating tools such as Green Star or NABERSNZ.

b. Giving effect to an electric-vehicle-first approach in order to electrify Council’s vehicle fleet where feasible (either directly by replacing conventional vehicles with electric vehicles; or indirectly by supplementing its staff travel options with electric car sharing as has occurred at Christchurch City Council), and increasing the utilisation of electric cycles, for example, for shorter trips.

c. Having more regard to climate change objectives in all of its procurement decisions, such as giving sufficient weighting for low-carbon options or making it a minimum requirement. For example, Council could, as part of the tender process, require the use of battery-electric rubbish trucks to deliver our future kerbside waste collection contract.

35. Further analysis is required to ensure measures are fit for purpose and that the quantum of any additional costs to Council is understood. In this context it will also be important to better understand the potential of cost savings through improving efficiency (this could lower or offset transitional costs).

36. It will also be important to understand our potential future exposure to increasing carbon prices. For example, the New Zealand Productivity Commission, in their report on a “Low-Emissions Economy” from August 2018, considered modelling that generated a range of estimates of the emissions prices needed for New Zealand to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Estimates ranged from $157 per tonne CO₂e to as high as $2,502 per tonne CO₂e. These prices compare to about $25 per tonne CO₂e as at 7 November 2018. Relevant price increases would also impact on Council’s future operating costs, such as for facilities utilising natural gas for heating, and costs arising from emission liabilities at the landfill.

37. In addition to Council’s business areas, Council has direct control of its wholly-owned Community Facilities Trust, Urban Plus Ltd, and Seaview Marina Ltd, and is a shareholder in Wellington Water Ltd. Council has the ability to set (or at least influence) performance measures in the respective Statements of Intent to drive desired outcomes delivered by those entities.

38. Examples of performance measures include the periodic measurement of their own organisational carbon footprints (in cases where they are not already captured within Council’s carbon footprint), preventing the installation of high-carbon-emitting heating and cooling technology (eg natural gas), and setting minimum performance expectations by using building rating tools such as Green Star, NABERSNZ or Home Star.

Community-wide targets and actions

39. If the New Zealand Government adopts a formal Zero by 2050 target, as currently proposed, then this will become the de-facto Lower Hutt community-wide emissions target.

40. This target could not be achieved by Hutt City Council alone as Council is only one among a number of entities to affect Lower Hutt’s community-wide emissions. Instead, it will depend on a range of measures and stakeholders working in tandem. Therefore, it is proposed that officers will scope the development of a plan, tentatively called “Climate and Resilience Plan” to identify relevant objectives and prioritised community-focused actions, to assist in achieving a New Zealand net Zero by 2050 target.

41. This plan could supplement or replace the focus areas related to climate change in the Environmental Sustainability Strategy and associated Implementation Plan 2015-45, which is due for review, and would deliver on Council’s commitments made under the LGNZ Leaders Climate Change Declaration.

Carbon target options

42. With regard to the proposed high level organisational target, two options have been considered:

a. Option 1 involves Council setting no target year for reducing its emissions to net zero

b. Option 2 involves Council setting a target of reducing its emissions to net zero by no later than 2050, and developing and putting in place associated intermediate targets and performance measures for its business activities

43. Option 1 describes a continuation of the status-quo. This option is not likely to lead to emission reductions, and may in fact lead to further increases. While cheaper in the short-term, it would likely be more costly in the long-term. Not setting a target would also be inconsistent with previous commitments made by Council.

44. Option 2 is aligned with the New Zealand Government’s proposed net Zero by 2050 target. While the quantum of expenditure to achieve the overall target is still uncertain for this option, in the long term it is likely that those costs will be lower than the cost of inaction.

45. With regard to pathways, option 2 would likely require Hutt City Council to reduce its net emissions by approximately 40% by 2030 and 70% by 2040. These are significant reductions in a relatively short amount of time, and intermediate targets will likely be necessary to ensure that regular progress is made in relation to Council’s activities. This is similar to the New Zealand Government’s proposed approach to set carbon budgets, which are tools to set out the shorter-term steps that need to be taken to reach the 2050 target.

46. Note that overall costs to Council may only be lower if global emissions can be reduced to net zero by 2050. A scenario is possible whereby Council reduces its emissions, and others do not, and thus still leading to significant climate change impacts. However, the setting of the target, and actual achievement of emission reductions also sends an important signal to other emitters that emission reductions are possible, and this in turn is more likely to encourage those emitters to take similar actions.

47. With regard to relevant organisational targets of other New Zealand cities and how these compare to the options presented, the situation is as follows in Wellington and Christchurch:

a. Wellington City Council has an 80% emission reduction target by 2050, albeit this was set in 2016 as part of their Low-Carbon Capital Plan 2016-18. Our understanding is that this target is under review and it may be aligned with the proposed national target as part of their next iteration of their Low-Carbon Capital Plan.

b. Christchurch City Council has a target of reducing its emissions to net zero by 2030; it was set in late 2017. While this target appears more ambitious, Christchurch does not own or have operational control over its landfill, thereby reducing its emission reduction challenge significantly.

Consultation

48. No public consultation specific to the setting of a Hutt City Council carbon target has been carried out, as the setting of a target is in line with previous Council commitments and statements. Having said that, there was strong support for the New Zealand Government’s proposed net Zero by 2050 target.

49. The decision is not considered significant because it does not depart significantly from existing Council plans or policies, such as Council’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy 2015-2045 and associated Implementation Plan, and other previous Council commitment statements.

Legal Considerations

50. There are no legal implications.

Financial Considerations

51. The cost of achieving the proposed target is still uncertain. However, while there may be an increased cost of reducing emissions in the short to medium term, costs are likely to be lower in the long term due to the avoided impacts from climate change – assuming global emissions can be reduced to net zero by 2050.

52. Note that emission reductions would reduce potential future liabilities, such as liabilities under the New Zealand Emissions Trading Scheme associated with emissions from Silverstream landfill.

Other Considerations

53. In making this recommendation, officers have given careful consideration to the purpose of local government in section 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. Officers believe that this recommendation falls within the purpose of local government in that it meets the future needs of the community by aiming to avoid significant impacts from climate change. It does this in a way that is cost-effective because taking action early means that costs are likely to be lower for households and businesses in the long term.

54. Section 7 of the Resource Management Act 1991 requires Councils to have particular regard to “the efficiency of the end use of energy”, “the effects of climate change” and “the benefits to be derived from the use and development of renewable energy” when exercising powers and functions under the Act (including future planning functions such as policies and plans).

Appendices

There are no appendices for this report.

Author: Jörn Scherzer

Sustainability and Resilience Manager

Author: David Burt

Senior Adviser Sustainability and Resilience

Approved By: Kim Kelly

General Manager, City Transformation

22 26 November 2018

Policy and Regulatory Committee

31 October 2018

File: (18/1736)

Report no: PRC2018/5/306

Online Voting Trial

Purpose of Report

1. This report provides information on the online voting trial which is being considered for the 2019 local triennial elections.

Recommendations

That the Committee recommends that Council:

(i) notes the information in this report;

(ii) agrees to take no further action, effectively agreeing not to participate in the online trial for the 2019 triennial local elections, on the basis that the tight timeframe for implementing the trial poses a relatively high cost in order to adequately manage risk: and

(iii) requests officers to report back to the new Council in 2020 on the online trial, should it proceed, so that the new Council can consider introducing online voting for the 2022 triennial local elections.

Background

2. A proposed trial of online voting was considered by a small number of Councils for the 2016 triennial local elections, but did not proceed as it did not have support of the government at the time.

3. The current government is in the process of changing legislation, (Local Electoral Matters Bill), to enable an online voting trial for the 2019 triennial local elections and any by-elections between then and 2022.

4. To date nine Councils have indicated their support to be part of the trial, but this is subject to:

· the legislation being enacted on time;

· costs being acceptable;

· there being sufficient time to design, build and test the new system;

· all risks being adequately managed; and

· other participating authorities (such as regional councils and district health boards) agreeing to participate.

5. The participating councils, working with SOLGM and LGNZ, have undertaken a Request for Proposal (RFP) process, inviting companies with the relevant experience and expertise to put forward proposals for consideration. The RFP closed at the end of October and is currently being evaluated.

6. The two main providers of election services to local authorities in New Zealand (Electionz.com and Election Services), both decided not to participate in the RFP process, with concerns mainly around the available time and resources to design, build and test a system which will meet the strict requirements of the trial.

7. Online voting has been operating successfully in New Zealand since 2001. Council’s elections provider Electionz.com averages around 200 online elections annually for companies, boards, unions, universities and iwi authorities.

8. Online voting would be run in tandem with the postal voting with electors having a choice at the time of receiving their voting papers to either go online to vote, or complete their voting papers and mail them back.

9. The purpose of introducing online voting is not specifically to increase voter turnout but rather to improve voting accessibility. This is especially so for overseas voters. With the decline in the postal system it is also looking to future proof local elections.

Discussion

10. The decline in voter participation, especially amongst younger voters, is an issue for local elections. Online voting is seen as providing increased voter accessibility and thereby improving the opportunity for voters to participate. However there are more fundamental issues, specifically around elector disengagement, which have a direct impact on voter turnout that need to be considered and addressed to increase voter turnout.

11. There is some concern that the timeframe to put in place a secure online voting system for participating Councils is tight and accordingly the inputs and resources required to meet strict requirements for the new system will come with a high price tag. Based on the cost per elector that the participating Councils have been quoted, the trial would cost around $500,000 to implement across Hutt City. This is effectively more than doubling the cost of the election. A key consideration then is how much Council is willing to pay to improve accessibility for electors to cast their vote.

Options

12. There are two main options to consider. These are:

· To do nothing, effectively deciding to not participate in the on-line voting trial; or

· Indicate provisional support now to participate in the trial subject to conditions around cost, risk and ability to achieve on time. This option will have an immediate cost, as Council will be expected to meet its share of costs to date and all costs on advancing the trial, up to the time that a final decision is made. Costs to date are approximately $15,000 per Council.

Consultation

13. There has been no public consultation undertaken to date.

14. If Council was to agree to participate in an online voting trial, then consultation with the Hutt Valley District Health Board, the Greater Wellington Regional Council and the Hutt Mana Charitable Trust would need to occur to discuss agreements over the apportionment of costs.

Legal Considerations

15. Electronic voting is a voting method that is available under the Local Electoral Act 2001 but is not yet authorised under the Local Electoral Regulations. Draft regulations have been formulated by the Department of Internal Affairs and are expected to be finalised in late February.

16. Key elements of the proposed regulatory framework include:

· that all participating local authorities first receive a published report from their Chief Executive (CE) advising that the CE is satisfied that the online voting system achieves a number of desired outcomes (e.g. it is secret, accurate, available and reliable, auditable, verifiable, and secure);

· that the CE’s report be supported by an independent audit of the preferred voting system to provide assurance that the trial meets the key outcomes;

· a two-stage authentication requirement (including providing a unique access code to individuals with their voting instructions), and a secondary method - the draft regulations present three options for this;

· that participating electoral officers must, at the request of a voter, be able to allow the voter to inspect how their vote has been recorded;

· that local authorities must have a back-up plan in the event of unforeseen challenges; and

· that an evaluation of the trial must be undertaken by participating local authorities.

17. In order for a Council to participate in the trial for the 2019 triennial local elections and/or use online voting in a by-election prior to the 2022 triennial local elections, the Council name will need to appear in the schedule to the Local Electoral Regulations pertaining to online voting. The Regulations are expected to be finalised in February/March 2019. All participating Councils will need to commit to the trial by this time in order to be eligible.

Financial Considerations

18. The total estimated cost for Hutt City of participating in the trial is likely to be $500,000, based on trialling online voting across the City. The cost has been calculated on a rate of $6.50 per elector, plus an establishment cost and an additional cost which would be charged by our elections provider to manage the interface between the online voting system and the counting software.

19. This compares to the total estimated cost of $353,000 for postal voting, effectively more than doubling the cost of the election.

20. A trial could be narrowed to a specific ward and overseas voters which would reduce the cost.

21. To date a sum of $130k has been spent on initial investigations (phase 1) for which the participating Councils are sharing equally.

22. The Government has indicated that the costs of the trial will need to be borne by local government.

Other Considerations

23. In making this recommendation, officers have given careful consideration to the purpose of local government in section 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. Officers believe that this recommendation falls within the purpose of local government in that it considers an option to be part of an on-line voting trial which may have a positive impact on democratic participation. As the introduction of on-line voting has some question as to its cost-effectiveness, it is recommended that the option to be part of the trial for the 2019 triennial elections be declined.

Appendices

There are no appendices for this report.

Author: Bruce Hodgins

Strategic Advisor, City and Community Services

Approved By: Tony Stallinger

Chief Executive

32 26 November 2018

Policy and Regulatory Committee

08 November 2018

File: (18/1772)

Report no: PRC2018/5/315

Smokefree in Pavement Licence Areas

Purpose of Report

1. To seek Council support to progress the smokefree outdoor pavement dining aspect of Council’s Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy by implementing the proposed recommendations.

Recommendations

That the Committee recommends that Council:

(i) notes the work that has been done to date to implement the smokefree outdoor pavement dining clause of the Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy;

(ii) agrees that Council includes a condition to the contract for businesses leasing public land from Council for the purposes of outdoor pavement dining that requires these businesses to:

a. display smokefree signage supplied by Council; and

b. not have ashtrays or other devices for collecting cigarette litter on or near tables or seating areas;

(iii) implements time-limited incentives (to a maximum of two years) to businesses leasing public land from Council, for the purposes of outdoor pavement dining through reducing or removing the charge for leasing that land;

(iv) agrees that where Council assists a business owner to establish outdoor pavement dining for the premise, that assistance is provided on the condition that the outdoor dining area:

a. is actively promoted as a smokefree area; and

b. does not have ashtrays or other devices for collecting cigarette litter on or near tables or seating; and

(v) agrees that Council will communicate with businesses about the new requirement and that Council will provide smokefree signage, as led by Healthy Families Lower Hutt.

For the reason that implementation of the smokefree outdoor pavement dining aspect of the Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy has been challenging. Some businesses who offer outdoor pavement dining are reluctant to display smokefree signage and remove ashtrays.

Background

2. In May 2016, Council adopted one of New Zealand’s most comprehensive Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy. The objectives of the policy are: to further de-normalise smoking for children and young people, by reducing the visibility of smoking in public places, and to improve the health and wellbeing of our community by reducing smoking and the harmful impact of second-hand smoke.

3. To date, there has been varying direct and indirect engagement with businesses who offer outdoor pavement dining, in an effort to encourage support of Council’s policy. Direct engagement has included:

a. letters to businesses;

b. development and distribution of an information sheet in conjunction with Hospitality NZ;

c. the Jackson Street Programme and the City Development team;

d. blurbs in ‘Street Talk’ the Jackson Street Programme’s newsletter; and

e. email communication to all businesses with an invitation to meet face to face.

4. Indirect engagement with businesses has included:

a. informal conversations utilising existing relationships; and

b. promotion of smokefree outdoor pavement dining and Council’s policy through digital and print media.

Discussion

5. Following direct and indirect engagement with businesses offering outdoor pavement dining, twelve businesses across the city are observing clause (i) of Council’s policy by displaying smokefree signage and not providing ashtrays.

6. As indicated in the previous report to the Committee on Encroachment Licence Fees (Report PRC2018/2/105), there are currently 278 encroachment licences issued by Council, seven for pavements. To date, our work in this area indicates that there are approximately 40 businesses across Lower Hutt who offer outdoor pavement dining.

7. Exploration into how other Territorial Local Authorities (TLAs) have been successful in implementing smokefree outdoor pavement dining areas provides useful options for Council to consider in order to progress this part of the policy.

8. According to the ‘Mapping New Zealand Councils: Smokefree outdoor polices and spaces’ document, nine TLA’s have adopted either a lease condition or a bylaw to implement smokefree outdoor pavement dining. TLA’s who have adopted a lease condition include: Auckland Council, Rotorua District Council, Napier District Council, Hastings District Council, Palmerston North District Council, Westland District Council, Ashburton District Council, Timaru District Council, and Central Otago District Council.

9. Locally, Wellington City Council adopted an incentive scheme as of 1 July 2017. The incentive is for businesses to opt to make their outdoor dining areas smokefree, and if they do, the business is exempt from paying a licence fee. To date, Wellington City Council is not aware of any businesses that have opted into the scheme.

10. Palmerston North City Council’s lease condition approach to outdoor pavement dining is the most recent, and has also been formally evaluated by the University of Otago. In the evaluation of ‘Palmerston North City Council’s smokefree outdoor dining permit’ conducted by Otago University in 2017, businesses stated one of the positive impacts of the permit condition was that smoke does not drift into the premises from outside, therefore the air inside is clean. Businesses indicated the negative impact is that some smokers ignore the non-smoking signs and absence of ashtrays and smoke anyway.

11. Since the introduction of the smokefree outdoor dining permit in Palmerston North, uptake by businesses has reportedly been good (41 out of 59 businesses) as at April 2017. Overall, the perceived impact on the 41 businesses that have complied with the new permit condition has been neutral (68%). Many of the businesses viewed the permit condition as a natural extension of Palmerston North City Council’s Smokefree Outdoor Areas Policy.

12. There is an opportunity as part of the current review of the Private Use of Hutt City Council Land Policy, to align Encroachment Licence requirements to those outlined in the Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy. Council’s contract for the use of public land refers to Council having the ability to include clauses that reflect other Council policies. Including a Smokefree outdoor pavement dining clause, would align policy and reflect the leadership role Council is taking in achieving a Smokefree Lower Hutt and contribution to a Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 .

Incentivising outdoor dining in the City

13. The CBD Development Manager has been working with various businesses in the CBD to encourage them to establish outdoor dining with a view to increasing options for outdoor dining and creating vibrancy in the CBD.

14. It is likely that at times, the CBD Development Manager may offer incentives to business owners to establish outdoor dining. Increasing diversity of offer and vibrancy in the CBD is a key part of Council’s strategy to revitalise the CBD. Because of this, officers recommend that where Council assists a business owner to establish outdoor dining for the premise, that assistance is provided on the condition that the dining outdoor dining area:

a. is actively promoted as a smoke free area; and

b. does not have any ashtrays or other devices for collecting cigarette litter on or near tables or seating.

15. This will ensure that business owners can be assisted to establish outdoor dining areas in a way that supports Council’s Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy.

Options

16. There are three options for consideration.

17. Option 1: A condition is included in the contract for businesses leasing public land from Council for the purposes of outdoor pavement dining and requires these businesses to:

a. display smokefree signage supplied by Council; and

b. not have ashtrays or other devices for collecting cigarette litter on or near tables or seating areas.

18. Option 2: Recommended option: A condition (as per a. and b. above) is included in the contract for businesses leasing public land from Council for the purposes of outdoor pavement dining and Council implements time-limited incentives (to a maximum of two years) by reducing or removing the charge for leasing the land.

19. Option 3: Status quo. A smokefree condition is not included in the contract for businesses leasing public land from Council for the purposes of outdoor pavement dining. Council, alongside Healthy Families Lower Hutt continues to engage with businesses who offer outdoor pavement dining to inform them of Council’s Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy. The review period of the Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy is July 2019 and would assess the effectiveness of this status quo approach.

Consultation

20. We have engaged with communities and stakeholders and recommendations contribute to wellbeing. Smokefree environments – particularly areas where children and families socialise – have a high amount of public support.

Legal Considerations

21. There are no legal considerations.

Financial Considerations

22. Any funding implications will be covered by the annual Smokefree Lower Hutt budget for three years up to 2019.

Other Considerations

a. Reducing the visibility of smoking can contribute to de-normalising smoking behaviour for children and young people and therefore contribute to the health and wellbeing of future generations.

b. The policy does this in a way that is cost-effective because it can contribute to reducing the prevalence of smoking long-term and therefore reduce health and other costs. Effective implementation is dependent on good promotion. The policy does not rely on council officers enforcing the approach, which would not be practical or cost-effective.

Appendices

There are no appendices for this report.

Author: Lucy Kingsbeer

Activator

Approved By: Hayley Goodin

Healthy Families Manager

47 26 November 2018

Policy and Regulatory Committee

09 November 2018

File: (18/1779)

Report no: PRC2018/5/316

Lower Hutt Homelessness - Homelessness Strategy report

Purpose of Report

1. To seek the agreement of the Policy & Regulatory Committee to the proposals from the homelessness strategy work thus far and agreement for officers to continue work required with regard to implementation.

Recommendations

That the Committee recommends that Council:

(i) agrees to the proposed strategic approach to homelessness:

Summary

Working together to end homelessness: Ending homelessness doesn’t mean that no-one will lose their home again. It means that we have a response in-place to prevent homelessness whenever possible and that if homelessness occurs, it is rare, brief, and non-recurring.

Guiding principles

Housing is a basic human right: everyone has the right to housing that is habitable, affordable, suitable, and secure.

Person-centered: to give people control and enable them to set their own aims and goals for the future.

Culturally appropriate: an approach and service delivery that meets the needs of all our people.

Collaborative action: working together and taking action.

Priorities

1. Preventing homelessness

2. Improving the supply of suitable accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness

3. Ending rough sleeping - help people who are street homeless or living in their cars move into and retain settled accommodation

4. Increasing the supply of affordable homes to rent and buy

5. Improving data on homelessness in Lower Hutt

(ii) agrees that officers consult on the strategic approach and priorities;

(iii) agrees to officers continuing working with partners to develop actions and options for the role of Council in contributing to the response to homelessness; and

(iv) agrees to the development of a housing strategy to address housing needs in Lower Hutt.

For the reasons:

We have engaged with a range of partners on the proposed approach and priorities and there is agreement that a more effective response to homelessness in the city is needed. This should include addressing the immediate homelessness needs as well as the critical housing supply issue.

Officers have been discussing Council’s role in responding to homelessness alongside its Government, local government, and third-sector organisation partners. Such an approach fits with taking coordinated action on homelessness and would see Council working with its partners at both governance and practical levels.

Contributing to the response to homelessness will assist Council with its work to “empower brighter futures for those most in need in the city” and deliver the integrated vision and key strategies.

Suitable housing supply is needed to address homelessness. This has been a key message from both the research and the strategy development work. Officers are therefore recommending that Council agrees to develop a housing strategy to address housing needs.

Background

2. Following the research into homelessness in Lower Hutt (May 2018) Council directed officers to develop a homelessness strategy for the city. At the homelessness research workshop in May 2018 Councillors spoke about council being in a good position to lead the work and contributing to responding to homelessness in the city.

3. Responding to homelessness effectively will assist Council in its work “to empower brighter futures for those most in need in the city” and in achieving our strategic aims that Lower Hutt is a safe and healthy city in which all residents can prosper in strong and inclusive communities. (Council priorities 2018 – 2021 and Long-term Plan 2018-2028)

4. This work began in July 2018 and has included engagement with a range of organisations, individuals and people with lived experience of homelessness in Lower Hutt. Organisations have expressed an interest in working with council and to assist in shaping the response to homelessness.

5. The aims were to:

· further explore some issues that did not emerge in detail during the research in early 2018;

· explore the responses required; and

· explore how Council could contribute to the homelessness response.

6. This paper presents the proposed approach for responding to homelessness in the city. Discussions with government and partners in terms of implementation and Council’s role in providing resources are continuing.^{^[2]}

What is homelessness?

7. The Statistics New Zealand definition of homelessness is: ‘Living situations where people with no other options to acquire safe and secure housing: are without shelter, in temporary accommodation, sharing accommodation with a household or living in uninhabitable housing.’

8. For some people, homelessness means sleeping rough on the street, or living in cars or vans. For others, it means sofa-surfing or temporarily sharing housing with friends, family, or acquaintances. Homelessness means people are living in insecure and often unsafe circumstances and may experience a number of moves between friends, family, temporary accommodation, or rough sleeping.^{^[3]}

9. Homelessness is caused by a combination of structural and individual factors. The structural factors include poverty, inequality, lack of affordable housing supply, and welfare and income policies. The individual level circumstances that can make people more vulnerable to homelessness include poor physical or mental health, alcohol and drugs issues, age, bereavement, financial problems, and relationship breakdown.

10. Council’s research locally again demonstrated that homelessness affects a wide range of households. In Lower Hutt there are families with children, young people, older people, couples, and single people who are homeless.^{^[4]}

11. There are clear and long-term social and economic costs to homelessness. There is extensive literature in relation to the effects of homelessness on individuals and society as a whole. Homelessness has a detrimental effect on people’s health and wellbeing, education, employment opportunities and income, as well as family relationships. ^{^[5]}

12. Homelessness in Lower Hutt is increasing and people remain homeless, in emergency accommodation and insecure and unsafe situations, for extended periods of time. This is a result of increasing difficulty accessing housing in social, private renting or homeownership sectors, over several years.

Housing Context

13. People in Lower Hutt are experiencing difficulty all along the housing continuum. Restricted supply and increasing house prices have continued to reduce access to home-ownership. The private rented sector in the city is particularly competitive and has seen considerable rent increases during the last few years. There is also a growing need for social housing in the city.

Housing continuum

1. Subsidised private housing (AS) Non-subsidised private rented Homelessness Social housing Emergency housing

Local Authority Housing Homeownership

14. Housing Register numbers have increased across all territorial authorities. The Government’s Public Housing Plan 2018 – 2022 identifies two areas in the Wellington region which are among areas that have seen significant increases in the number of households on the register between 30 June 2017 and 30 June 2018:

· Porirua City (up 127 percent)

· Lower Hutt City (up 85 percent)

15. The number of households who are at most risk and have severe and persistent housing needs that should be addressed immediately, i.e. those in Band A, continues to increase and 255 households, or 71% of those on the register in the city, were in Band A.

16. House prices have increased markedly in in the city over recent years. In the year to June 2018 median sale prices increased at city level increased by 8%. This is in addition to a 25% increase in the two years from June 2015 to June 2017. The housing market means that more households will be renting for longer periods than has historically been the pattern. At ward level, prices have increased strongly, particularly in the central, northern, and Wainuiomata wards.

17. Rents have increased across the city in the period since 2015 and there have been particular increases in some local areas. Between June 2017 and June 2018 rent costs increased by 10% at a city level. Areas which have historically been more affordable have become considerably more expensive for households. In 2017-2018 rents increased by:

· 13.5% in the central ward;

· 12% in the northern ward; and

· 11% in the eastern ward

18. There is little turnover of tenancies. The rental market is the main source of homes for many households and the increasing competition for tenancies means that more and more households find themselves locked out of the sector. The level of competition means that those with the greatest needs are at particular disadvantage.^{^[6]}

Prevalence of homelessness

19. In terms of homelessness, the needs in some respects – such as emergency housing need – are more acute than those in neighbouring areas. Data available from local agencies, transitional housing places, and the level of Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants (EHSNGs) indicate the local needs but do not fully quantify the problem.

20. The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) has increased the number of transitional housing places with support that are available in the city but the level of needs mean that households who are eligible for assistance are still placed in hotel accommodation either in Lower Hutt or neighbouring areas, and more needs to be done to reduce dependence on this type of accommodation.

21. The number of homeless households in Lower Hutt increased by 41%, from 646 people to 913 people, between the census in 2006 and 2013. This means that the city has a homelessness prevalence of 9 per 1000 population and has had the second highest prevalence per 1000 population in the region during the period from the 2001 census. ^{^[7]}

Table 2: Categories of severe housing deprivation in Lower Hutt 2013

Lower Hutt - housing situation	Households
Without habitable accommodation – including people living rough or in mobile dwellings	42
Non-private accommodation – including night shelters, women’s refuge accommodation, other types of temporary accommodation, and also hotels, motels, and boarding houses	196
Temporary resident in a severely overcrowded permanent private dwelling	672

22. Homelessness and housing hardship in the city have been increasing in the period since 2013 and both the data available and the consensus amongst organisations is that the situation overall has worsened during the last 5 years.

Transitional and emergency accommodation

23. MSD has increased the number of transitional housing places in the city, from 44 in December 2017 to 61 in October 2018. Transitional housing provides households with accommodation and support for three months. This accommodation is often full and as households have difficulty finding settled accommodation they remain in transitional situations beyond the three month period. The data available only shows the use of transitional housing and partners report there is considerable unmet need for this accommodation.^{^[8]}

24. Some of the additional needs for accommodation are indicated in the number of Emergency Housing Grants paid to households. During the September 2018 quarter, 45% of EHSNG funding in the region were paid to households in Lower Hutt. 55% of the cost of EHSNGs – $771,567 of $1,388,355 – in the region during this quarter was spent on grants to households in the city.^{^[9]} The number of grants made in the city has increased each quarter since early 2017.^{^[10]} Households can receive more than one grant. MSD officers at local office level report high needs for temporary accommodation in the city and regularly use hotel accommodation in Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, and Porirua as emergency accommodation. People are in this emergency accommodation for extended periods.

Table 4: Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants 2017 – 2018

Period	Emergency Housing Special Needs Grants	Number of distinct clients receiving grants
March quarter 2017	234	69
June quarter 2017	315	83
September quarter 2017	348	94
December quarter 2017	225	83
March quarter 2018	411	116
June quarter 2018	440	Not currently available
September quarter 2018	600	Not currently available

25. In a New Zealand and international context homelessness is disproportionately experienced by indigenous populations and ethnic minority groups. At a local level the data on EHSNG indicates that homelessness in the city disproportionately affects Māori. The majority of distinct clients for EHSNG are Māori. Between 49% and 60.2% of clients were Māori in each quarter between March 2017 and March 2018.

Rough sleeping

26. We are unable to provide the number of people sleeping rough or in cars/vehicles, or improvised shelters in the city but, as part of work under the strategy in the future, we would consider conducting a point-in-time rough sleeping count as well as improving agencies’ monitoring of this aspect of homelessness. There are individuals and families sleeping rough or in cars/vehicles, and improvised shelters in locations across the city, including Wainuiomata, the east and west ends of Petone foreshore, Waterloo, as well as instances in the Lower Hutt CBD, north-east areas of the city, and Western Hills.

27. It is also difficult to quantify the number of households living temporarily with whanau or friends and moving between such accommodation as well as other insecure and unsafe situations.^{^[11]}

Homelessness likely to increase in the short-term

28. The indications are that homelessness and housing hardship is likely to continue and increase in Lower Hutt in the short-term. There is a limited supply of affordable homes and making a considerable difference on this aspect is expected to take around three to five years. Pressure on rented housing is therefore likely to continue. As well as increasing housing supply, actions are required to improve the response to immediate needs during this period.

Strategy proposal

29. We have conducted engagement with a broad range of individuals, non-governmental agencies, and, Government teams. The engagement has also included people who are or have experienced homelessness. These discussions included the current situation in the city, what is needed to improve our response, and possible ways of working together in terms of the responses required.^{^[12]} The work identifies that the problem can be divided into two broad categories:

a) Lack of housing supply: Access to housing is the main problem and the main reason that people are homeless. Low level of housing supply over many years means that there is a high level of unmet need and it will take government and its partners time to deliver the supply required. The need for temporary housing continues to outstrip the supply of suitable accommodation available and families often spend lengthy periods in hotels in Lower Hutt or other cities in the region.

b) The immediate situation: Reports from organisations and the available data indicates the current problem for people in the city, and we expect the need to continue. In this situation we also need to focus on delivering an effective response to the current homelessness situation. This response includes:

· Preventing homelessness – helping people retain accommodation and avoid the costs to them, families, and community more broadly. This includes advice and advocacy, support services, and improving poor services or disjointed processes that contribute to and perpetuate homelessness.

· Focussing on ending rough sleeping and how Council can contribute to Government initiatives such as Housing First in this context.

· Improving the supply of suitable accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness – including emergency and transitional accommodation.

30. A homelessness strategy aims to improve the current response to homelessness. A targeted plan with clear priorities and commitment can help prevent homelessness, end rough sleeping, and ensure that our response is effective so that we minimise the harm that homelessness causes to individuals and families in the city.

31. Insufficient housing supply is at the root of homelessness and, in conjunction with responding to the immediate homelessness issues, Council should develop a housing strategy to address housing needs in the city. The delivery of supply needs to include homes that are affordable to people on lower incomes, using different delivery methods and including social housing and non-market solutions, and accessing land for affordable housing. Even where Housing First and other targeted interventions such as Housing First have been working well, the environment in terms of housing supply has caused homelessness overall to continue.

32. Wider employment, health, social security and anti-poverty approaches are needed to have an impact on structural factors such as income level and poverty.^{^[13]}

A homelessness prevention approach

33. Preventing homelessness is more cost-effective for individuals and society than trying to deal with its effects. We can take action to address some structural factors such as lack of affordable homes by actively working on delivering housing supply. We can also support central government work to reduce poverty, improve security and conditions in the private rented market to reduce the insecurity and risk of homelessness. Poor services or disjointed processes, cultural barriers and discrimination, cause and perpetuate homelessness e.g. when people are refused assistance including support and temporary accommodation or at points when people are discharged from hospital or released from prison. We can work at a local level to improve linkages between referring agencies and services within the housing continuum, in order to collectively better target the needs of known vulnerable populations such as those with mental health problems, or those in the justice system. There are opportunities to improve early intervention including picking-up people at risk of eviction and providing coordinated support in partnership with other agencies to prevent people becoming homeless again

Working together to end homelessness

34. Ending homelessness doesn’t mean that no-one will lose their home again. It means that we have a response in-place to prevent homelessness whenever possible and that if homelessness occurs, it is rare, brief, and non-recurring.

35. During our engagement with partners officers proposed that homelessness in Lower Hutt should be rare, brief, and non-recurring. There was broad endorsement of this aim, primarily because it would be a considerable step forward from the current position of increasing homelessness and households being homeless for extended periods, and because it reflects the reality of responding to often complex cases where a broad range of factors and circumstances result in people becoming homeless. It is an aim proposed by Auckland Council, one we’ve discussed with colleagues at Wellington City Council, and one which is used internationally.

36. Partners also felt that we should be working toward ‘ending homelessness’ and that ‘as tangata whenua no Māori should be homeless’.

37. In New Zealand, the UK, and US the debate about ending homelessness is described as taking steps to ensure that if homelessness occurs at all, it is rare, has a quick solution, and is prevented from re-occurring.

New Zealand

‘Housing First aims to end homelessness for people not just manage it. The goal is that homelessness should be brief, rare, and non-recurring.’^{^[14]}

‘What we mean by ending homelessness

Ending homelessness doesn’t mean that no-one will ever lose their home again. It means it rarely happens, and that there’s a quick solution when it does. This plan shows how to ensure that:

· no one sleeps rough: whether they are in tents, cars or, at worst, on the streets

· everyone has a safe, stable place to live: so that nobody is in emergency accommodation like a hostel or night shelter without a plan to quickly move into housing

· where we can predict homelessness, we can prevent it: so that no-one leaves their home or is forced to leave a state institution like prison with nowhere to go.’ ^{^[15]}

‘What Does Ending Homelessness Mean?

An end to homelessness means that every community will have a comprehensive response in place that ensures homelessness is prevented whenever possible, or if it can’t be prevented, it is a rare, brief, and one-time experience.

Specifically every community will have capacity to:

· Quickly identify and engage people at risk of and experiencing homelessness.

· Intervene to prevent people from losing their housing and divert people from entering the homelessness services system.

· Provide people with immediate access to shelter and crisis services without barriers to entry if homelessness does occur.

· Quickly connect people experiencing homelessness to housing assistance and services tailored to their unique needs and strengths to help them achieve and maintain stable housing.’ ^{^[16]}

38. Ending homelessness in Lower Hutt means we should prevent homelessness occurring were possible, and if it does happen, it is rare, has a quick solution, and does not happen again. Many people experience homelessness as a result of losing their jobs, changes in income, health problems, and other vulnerabilities. If we had support and services available that people could access if they were at risk of homelessness we would more often prevent homelessness being a consequence of these issues.

39. Similarly, if an individual or family has to flee a house where they are not safe and stay in refuge or other temporary accommodation setting, they will be homeless. What is required at this point is the services and accommodation to make sure that they can be quickly and sustainably resettled.

Guiding principles

The proposed guiding principles for the strategy are:

40. Housing is a basic human right: everyone has the right to housing that is habitable, affordable, suitable, and secure. Homelessness is the clearest manifestation of the failure to provide adequate housing and the unambiguous right of everyone to have a safe place to live should underpin our response.^{^[17]} At a local and practical level this means working with our partners to address homelessness effectively and prioritise the delivery of suitable housing.

41. Person-centred: to give people control and enable them to set their own aims and goals for the future. The individual or family should be at the centre of the services and support provided, and services should work with people to help them make decisions and set their own goals.^{^[18]}

42. Culturally appropriate: an approach and service delivery that meets the needs of all our people. This means supporting people in line with their values and worldview. For Māori, understanding tiro ā-Māori ki tōna ake ao is needed to help respond effectively to homelessness.

43. Homelessness amongst Māori is similar to the experiences of other indigenous populations whose way of life has been radically affected by the cultural, social, and economic repression of colonisation. Alongside factors such as poverty, inequality, and low income, and the individual level problems that can cause homelessness, other complexities and unique factors affecting Māori include disconnection from land and whanaugatanga.

44. Effectively engaging with Pacific Peoples requires an understanding of Yavu (foundation and belonging), connection to family and kinship, and the importance of the collective above the individual. ^{^[19]} ‘If individualism is the essence of the mainstream culture then ‘being part of a family: aiga, anau, magafoa, kaiga, kainga and kawa’ is the essence of Pacific Islands cultures.’ ^{^[20]}

45. Collaborative action: working together and taking action. The issues of housing hardship and homelessness intersect with the responsibilities of a range of organisations e.g. Health, Education, Criminal Justice, and Housing. Responding effectively to homelessness requires organisations to work closely together to reduce system barriers and find effective solutions.

Priorities

46. Preventing homelessness. This includes providing people who are at risk of homelessness with the support to retain homes and includes working effectively to prevent homelessness from happening through some of the major system routes such as when people are discharged from hospital/health care, released from prison, or preparing to leave other services. It also means improving the services and processes when people approach organisations, such as WINZ, for assistance.

47. Suitable accommodation and support for people experiencing homelessness – including emergency and transitional accommodation.

48. In the current situation of high need it is worth exploring the options to improve temporary accommodation. When Housing First is implemented, probably in early 2019 in the Hutt Valley, it will target those in greatest need of settled housing and support therefore reducing the need for emergency provision. However, housing supply may be an issue in the early stages. During the engagement there has been support for increasing the provision of suitable emergency accommodation with support, for households. Given the current needs, a number of people support establishing a night shelter in the city. The current view of officers is that we would prefer to increase the support/resources available to Housing First to increase the supply of housing for people in the most need. While it is seen as an immediate solution it may not be in line with current Housing First thinking and working on longer-term solutions. Our thinking does not preclude considering a night shelter as a seasonal response, for example if Government repeats its approach from winter 2018 when calling for additional emergency solutions. Officers are discussing improving the provision of temporary accommodation with the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development and further discussions may yield some options for the interim period.

49. Ending rough sleeping. Rough sleeping is the most dangerous form of homelessness and we should not accept anyone sleeping on the streets, vehicles, under buildings, or in improvised shelters.

50. One of the key approaches in ending rough sleeping is Housing First. Housing First is an outreach intervention programme focussing on people with complex needs to provide housing as quickly as possible along with tailored support.^{^[21]} The approach recognises that having settled housing makes it easier for people to address problems with their health and wellbeing, addictions, and other needs. Wrap-around support is provided to the individual to help them retain their home and address issues that led to or contributed to them becoming homeless. The intervention focusses on breaking the cycle of repeat homelessness for individuals.

Housing First Principles

o Immediate access to housing with no housing readiness conditions

o Personal choice and self-determination

o A harm reduction and recovery-orientation approach

o Individual and person-driven support

o Social and community integration

51. Housing First is delivered by a partnership of organisations with expertise in supporting people and helping them retain housing. It is funded by the Ministry of Social Development and in in several areas in New Zealand it is also supported by local councils. Two Housing First programmes are being funded to deliver services in Wellington and the Hutt Valley and proposals to MSD about the delivery of these two programmes are expected imminently. One programme will be delivered by a collective of organisations led by Downtown Community Ministry and the other will be delivered by Kahungunu ki Poneke Community Services. We have been discussing the Housing First intervention with MSD and will look to support them and providers in this work.

52. Other people may need short-term assistance and practical support, such as help with deposit payments and so forth, to access housing.

53. Increase the supply of affordable homes to rent and buy.

54. Council needs to explore how it can do this both individually and with partners. A housing needs assessment as part of developing a housing strategy will help determine the type of housing required, affordability for different households, and how to deliver on the needs identified. A focus on the building of a range of homes to rent or buy and including market and non-market housing should be explored.

55. Improve the data on homelessness in Lower Hutt

56. Improving data on homelessness in the city, including data from agencies, point in time homelessness counts, and so forth. Good data is needed to assess needs for services, identify trends over time, and help indicate the impact of changes.

Governance and implementation

57. Given the multi-agency response required to address homelessness in the city and neighbouring areas, effective oversight and coordination of the work is needed. Rather than establishing a new governance group for the city or adapting existing groups, we believe it is more effective to work with government and neighbouring councils to develop a governance/leadership group that will oversee the response to homelessness in the region, including Housing First. Working with its local and government partners puts council’s response to homelessness in a broader context with one group of decision makers providing coordinated oversight of the system response to homelessness. This group is linked to the Housing First programme proposals and discussions about governance are at an early stage. The group is likely to include Iwi, Mayors, Government, and non-government organisations.

Role of Council

58. If Council agrees to the strategic approach proposed, officers will continue to work with partners to develop an action plan in line with the identified priorities.

59. Implementing a strategic response to homelessness requires a coordinated approach by a range of partners. Organisations in the city do not have the capacity to effectively address the current level of needs, and these needs are likely to increase in the short term.

60. Taking a proactive role in contributing to an effective homelessness response is in line with Council’s overall strategic approach to making Lower Hutt a safe and healthy city in which all residents can prosper in strong and inclusive communities. Officers will continue to explore how Council can collaborate with Government and local government partners to improve the immediate response to homelessness. As noted, officers have been discussing working in partnership with Wellington City Council and MSD, and now HUD, to develop a systems response to homelessness. Such an approach fits with taking coordinated action on homelessness, taking action on the priorities we have found in the city, and interventions including prevention, housing first, and emergency /temporary accommodation. This approach would include Council funding alongside its partners and being part of a Governance group overseeing homelessness interventions at a regional level. Contributing to Housing First for example, is an opportunity for Council to contribute directly to ending acute homelessness in the city. Collaboration with HUD on transitional housing and the support required is also being discussed.

61. Delivering the strategy will require joint–working and resources and Council will need to consider its role in contributing to delivering an effective response to homelessness and the allocation of resources to do this. We currently consider that Council working alongside Government and local government partners offers a good opportunity to begin working on the priorities identified.

62. In several other urban areas Councils are providing support to homelessness plans and services. Wellington City Council provides funding to organisations through its Te Mahana homelessness strategy.

Table 3: Wellington City Council contract funding 2017-18 ^{^[22]}

Organisation	NZD
Wellington Night Shelter Trust	$97,389
Wellington Night Shelter Trust	$55,000
Wellington Women’s Refuge Group Inc	$36,526
Wellington City Mission (Anglican) Trust Board	$37,931
Te Whakamura Ai Te Ahi – Downtown Community Ministry	$141,131
Te Whakamura Ai Te Ahi – Ngati Kahungunu ki Poneke Community Services Inc.	$102,378
Te Whakamura Ai Te Ahi – Suzanne Aubert Compassion Centre Wellington Ltd (Soup Kitchen)	$74,494
Te Whakamura Ai Te Ahi – Ngati Kahungunu ki Poneke Community Services Inc.	$152,250
Total funding	$659,168

63. Christchurch City Council provides $600,000 funding over three years to support the implementation of the Housing First programme.

Additional data will be tabled at the draft agenda meeting.

Consultation

64. Officers have conducted a broad programme of engagement in developing the proposal. This has included one to one meetings and a series of workshops with individuals and organisations. We will consult further with partners on implementation options.

Legal Considerations

65. Not applicable

Financial Considerations

66. Not applicable for this report.

Other Considerations

67. In making this recommendation, officers have given careful consideration to the purpose of local government in section 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. Officers believe that this recommendation falls within the purpose of local government in that it:

a. Sets out to deal appropriately with a matter which has major impacts on the lives a range of households in the city and in which council can take a lead locally and work alongside Government and partners on improving the response to the immediate homelessness issue, whilst also focussing on housing supply.

b. Responding effectively to prevent homelessness and intervening to ensure that if homelessness occurs it does so rarely, is only a brief experience for the household, does not reoccur, and is cost-effective. Homelessness has a range of costs for the individuals and households affected and society more broadly both in the short and longer-term.

Appendices

No.	Title	Page
1 ⇩	Homelessness Strategy report Appendix 1	48

Author: John Pritchard

Principal Research and Policy Advisor

Reviewed By: Wendy Moore

Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning

Approved By: Kim Kelly

General Manager, City Transformation

71 26 November 2018

Policy and Regulatory Committee

05 November 2018

File: (18/1750)

Report no: PRC2018/5/308

Dog Control Activities Report 2017/18

Purpose of Report

1. Section 10A of the Dog Control Act 1996 requires each territorial authority to report on its dog control policy and practices, and provide specific statistical information.

Recommendation

That the Committee notes the contents of the report.

Animal Services Teams

2. The Hutt City Council Animal Services Team operates for Lower Hutt, and has since 2012 delivered animal services functions for Wellington City under contract.

3. The Hutt team comprises of an Operational Team Leader, a Senior Animal Control Officer and four Animal Control Officers.

4. The Administration Team is made up of an Administration Manager, two Administration Officers and the Shelter Supervisor.

5. The Wellington Team comprises of a Team Leader, a Senior Animal Control Officer and three Animal Control Officers.

6. The Administration Team carries out administration functions, and data base management for both councils.

7. The Regional Manager is responsible for all animal services staff in both councils.

8. Within the teams there are specialist officers dedicated to specialist duties which comprise of education, an in schools dog awareness programme, regulatory compliance, and emergency management preparedness.

9. All animal control officers are assigned to individual wards so that they gain good local knowledge and can engage with the community at a local level.

10. Both councils’ after hours animal services are contracted to a local provider who has contracted to both councils for some seven years, delivering excellent customer service to our communities after hours.

11. We are very fortunate in that we have 10 experienced and long serving animal control officers available to deliver quality service to our communities and this has been reflected in a recent survey.

Community Engagement and Education

12. The Animal Services teams participated in dog behavioural training earlier this year with renowned world-class behavioural expert, Mark Vette with a three day programme of practical hands-on training so that staff were able to work better with our dog owners who may have been experiencing behavioural problems with their pets. Those officers are now are able to assist with practical advice on behavioural problems and training.

13. I am pleased to say that Mark Vette after having visited most of the councils around the country chose Hutt City Animal Services as the team he wished to be involved with to launch his new science-based programme on dog behavioural techniques.

14. We have seen a reduction in repeat dog related complaints in the last four years since we have embarked on the behavioural intervention programme, where officers visit properties and work with dog owners to better understand their dogs and in turn assist dog owners be able to manage their dogs.

15. Animal Services officers visit schools on a regular basis with the keeping safe around dogs programme which is always widely accepted by school personnel, and of course the children, and also participate in training sessions with other groups in the community that interact with dogs during their work.

16. These groups include nursing staff, community workers, Police, Court staff and other Council staff and other groups.

17. The Animal Services Team also provide free community dog training sessions throughout the year available to Lower Hutt and Wellington dog owners who may be experiencing obedience problems with their dogs. These sessions run for two hours where dog owners undergo basic training from our qualified staff. This programme has proved very popular, particularly in Lower Hutt with sessions booked out within days of being advertised.

18. Animal Services teams in both cities also participate in community Christmas parades in local suburbs, and run microchipping clinics and registration events at dog exercise parks and areas where dogs are regularly exercised.

19. It is important to gain the cooperation of our dog owners and by participating in community events we feel we have certainly achieved that as the feedback via our Facebook page has been extremely favourable.

20. Our online registration system for new and previously registered dogs has received positive feedback as it is simple and effective to use.

21. We will continue with our cellphone text alerts to dog owners for registration reminders and river algae warnings in summer months.

22. We are currently trialling a Bluetooth tracking system to be able to locate lost dogs through a cellphone application. This trial is in partnership with a private company and is being trialled in Stokes Valley as we wanted to have a more isolated suburb in terms of geographical location.

23. Dogs will wear an additional tag at this stage which is Bluetooth compatible and renewable yearly.

Customer satisfaction

24. The recent independent customer satisfaction survey conducted for Council by Key Research showed an overall satisfaction level of 96 percent for those that had engaged with Animal Services, which is the highest that can be recalled in many years.

25. We believe that by reaching out to our dog owners and showing we are there to help, it has shown the community that we are proactive and will assist where we can by keeping those that have requested service engaged and informed.

Dog welfare

26. We have responsibilities under the Dog Control Act to ensure all dogs are cared for and provided with the basic necessities at all times.

27. We work alongside SPCA officers in most cases to ensure that dogs are receiving the care required and in some cases will seize those dogs where owners have failed to adhere to warnings previously.

Animal shelter

28. There have been recent minor alterations at our main shelter in Meachen Street, Seaview where we are required to hold not only dogs but some impounded stock, such as goats, sheep, pigs and other animals.

29. The dog boarding facility operating from the shelter is continuing to prove popular as we have one of the best exercise areas available for dogs in the region and our boarding clientele remains steady, which provides additional income when space is available.

30. We remain as a leader for rehoming of dogs with a fantastic following on Facebook for rehoming of dogs. A number of our rehomed dogs are placed outside of Lower Hutt and all dogs are assessed and monitored before being placed in respective homes.

Future projects

31. We look forward to early next year when the dog park in Parkway, Wainuiomata is able to be finally commenced and the prospect of being able to hold events with our dog owning community at that facility.

32. We also believe that dog owners will walk the Wainuiomata Hill and over to the dog park to enjoy facilities that we are going to create there in early 2019.

33. Continued engagement working with our dog owning community to improve dog management and behavioural knowledge.

34. Continue to monitor our community engagement programmes to ensure they are delivering up to date first class service to our dog owning communities.

35. Enhance our mobile eftpos facilities for animal control officers so that dog owners are able to pay dog registration on a more portable basis.

	2017-18	2016-17	2015-16
Barking dog requests for service	891	908	901
Dogs attacking persons	72	88	85
Dogs attacking animals	113	115	110
Uncontrolled dog complaints	916	1186	1396
Dogs rehomed	36	63	63
Welfare/SPCA dogs transferred	69	55	57
Education talks	28	19	30
Community behavioural training classes	6	14	60
Welfare investigations	115	86	83
Dogs boarded at shelter	247	396	398
Infringements issued	59	187	177
Dogs classified menacing by deed, bread or dangerous (started Nov 2016)	38	25	0

Appendices

There are no appendices for this report.

Author: Les Dalton

Regional Manager Animal Services

Author: Sheena Perry

Executive Assistant

Reviewed By: Geoff Stuart

Divisional Manager, Regulatory Services and Emergency Management

Approved By: Kim Kelly

General Manager, City Transformation

79 26 November 2018

Policy and Regulatory Committee

15 October 2018

File: (18/1655)

Report no: PRC2018/5/309

General Manager's Report

Purpose of Report

1. The Policy and Regulatory Committee requested a General Manager’s report containing information on major consents, hearings, appeals to the Environment Court and enforcement matters.

Recommendation

That the Committee notes the contents of this report.

Background

2. This report covers the activities of three divisions in the City Transformation Group. It firstly covers Environmental Consents, secondly Regulatory Services and thirdly Sustainability and Resilience.

3. Environmental Consent data is attached as Appendix 1 to the report, and Regulatory Services data is attached as Appendix 2 to the report. The Sustainability and Resilience officers update the Committee with progress on the Whaiatua Process.

4. The Environmental Consents division processes consent applications under the Resource Management Act, the Food Act, the Sale & Supply of Alcohol Act and the Building Act (resource and building consents, liquor and food licenses and District Licensing reports), as well as LIMs and property enquiries under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act.

5. Environmental Health services are provided for Upper Hutt City Council as well as Lower Hutt. The Environmental Consents team offers an Eco Design Advisor service across the city.

6. Regulatory Services deal with trade waste applications, bylaws, animal services, parking and emergency management.

Discussion – Environmental Consents

7. Numbers of applications across the board are higher compared to the same time last year. In particular, in the building consents area the value of work has risen significantly when compared to the same period in 2017.

8. The division continues to have issues recruiting staff in all areas but continues to employ an external recruitment company to approach suitable people as they find them.

Building Team

9. The total value of work for building consents issued from 1 January 2018 to the end of October 2018 is $237m from a total of 1250 building consents, compared to the same period last year when we received $167m from 1046 building consents.

10. This equates to a 42% increase in the value of work and a 20% increase in the number of consents for the same period last calendar year.

11. Recent building consent applications received of note include:

· St Peters and Paul school – Internal alterations of classroom block – value of building work: 170k

· Taita Drive Avalon - 15 dwelling subdivision – value of building work: 450k

12. We have made a submission on the proposed changes to the Residential Tenancies Act. It is noted that Central Government may be looking to require local authorities to license boarding houses. This can currently be done via a bylaw, with very few councils in New Zealand doing this.

Earthquake prone buildings

13. The consultation period has come to a close on the list of streets for priority buildings in relation to the new earthquake provisions of the Building Act. There was only one submission made and it has been duly considered by Council committee. The completion of this phase allows us to commence work on identifying potentially earthquake prone buildings in accordance with the requirements of the Building Act.

14. Our seismic assessment team is engaging with owners of earthquake prone buildings that have notices that expire on 30 December 2018. There are currently 34 notices that have been issued to owners. The recent changes to the Building Act give the owners an opportunity to request an extension; many of Lower Hutt’s owners have applied for such an extension of time. We are taking a pragmatic approach when considering whether to approve the extension. There will be some instances where the request will be declined. We anticipate there being a handful of buildings where we will have to take some kind of enforcement action.

15. We are making some changes to our emergency response plan in anticipation of the pending changes to Building Act in relation to managing buildings in the event of an emergency. The amendment comes on the back of the learnings from the Christchurch and Kaikoura earthquakes and will clarify specific roles within Councils. It also allows us to develop a framework to better deal with the response and recovery stages of an emergency. We will be running specific training sessions for our staff and engaging with owners of buildings that are considered to be at risk during and after an event.

16. The Ministry of Innovation and Employment (MBIE) will be undertaking a review of some of our territorial authority functions (as distinct from our BCA, or Building Consent Authority functions), from 21 to 23 November 2018. This will include an assessment of the work we do on earthquake prone buildings, fencing of swimming pools and the way we undertake Building Warrant of Fitness (BWOF) renewals and audits. We are looking forward to meeting with the assessors to show them our systems and to learn how we can manage our risk and do things more efficiently.

Eco Design Advice

17. We recently made a submission on the proposed Healthy Home Guarantee Act. The healthy homes standards propose to set minimum requirements for rental homes on specific areas such as heating, insulation, ventilation and moisture control. Our response took into account past experiences in dealing with rental homes through the EDA service, so we were able provide evidence and examples of how the standards could be best utilised.

18. We’ve experienced a significant increase in the number of requests for an EDA visit over the winter/spring period. A lot of the referrals have come from the Hutt Valley District Health Board, with our online bookings also proving to be popular. There was a backlog for us to work through but Greg Street, our EDA officer has done a great job to ensure that we are now up to date.

19. We are continuing to assist Upper Hutt City Council by undertaking any EDA visits as requested with their region.

Resource Consents Team

20. In the month of October we received 39 applications for resource consent. By comparison, October of 2017 we received 26 applications for resource consent.

· 82 Moohan Street, Wainuiomata: A resource consent application from The Wellington Company has been received for a comprehensive residential development comprising of 34 dwellings and associated subdivision. The application is currently being assessed.

· 37A Bloomfield Terrace, Hutt Central: A resource consent application from Equity Trustees Ltd has been received for 12,200m³ of earthworks associated with the stage 1 rebuild of the Queensgate Shopping Centre. The application is currently being assessed.

· 135 Woburn Road, Hutt Central: A resource consent application from Eccles Entertainment has been received for the Jimmy Barnes concert (for the 5 February 2019) at the Hutt Recreation Ground. The application is being processed.

· 41 Birch Street, Hutt Central: A resource consent application from J&K Development Ltd has been received for the construction of a three storey retail and apartment building, including subdivision, at the 41 Birch Street, Waterloo. The application is being processed.

· Hathaway Avenue, Boulcott: Following on from the resource consent application by Summerset Villages and granting of direct referral request to the Environment Court – the applicant has now formally made an application with the Environment Court and Council is now required to provide all application information and reports to the Court.

Recently notified consents

· 4-6 Bolton Street, Petone: A resource consent application for the construction and associated subdivision of three dwellings with integrated minor dwelling units has been notified on a limited basis to two neighbours.

Recent granted resource consents

· 37A Bloomfield Terrace, Hutt Central: Resource consent has been granted for a change to resource consent conditions for a previous resource consent for Queensgate Shopping Centre. The proposal allows for the reconstruction and reconfiguration of the parking building and cinema complex in a similar form to that previously approved.

· Waterloo interchange: Resource consent has been granted to establish a commuter Park ‘n’ Ride carpark next to Waterloo Railway Station on the site currently occupied by Hutt Valley Bus Depot.

Land Information Memoranda (LIMs) Team

21. We have successfully recruited a part time LIM officer, increasing the resource by 24 hours.

22. We had an extremely high number of LIM applications in October; most of which were residential LIMs. We are expecting this to carry through until mid-December.

Environmental Health Team

Recruiting

23. Recruitment has been going well, with four positions filled since the last report. (Senior EHO, 2 x ETO’s and Environmental Technician). Two positions have been filled internally. The remaining vacant position is that of the Environmental Health/Technical Officer (18 month contract).

24. It has been difficult finding suitable candidates and it is apparent that there is a national shortage of suitably qualified and experienced food control plan/national programme verifiers.

Alcohol

25. Consents of note:

· Blackbull Liquor, Rutherford Street – (new off licence – bottlestore) – the licence was initially granted by the Lower Hutt DLC. An objector appealed to ARLA who over-ruled the DLC and declined the application. The applicant has since appealed to the High Court, which was heard on 15th October – no decision has yet been released.

26. Work is underway on a proposed alcohol fee setting bylaw, to enable Council to set its own fees for alcohol licensing. Despite an increase in fees (by regulation) in 2013, they do not adequately cover the cost of administration, reporting and monitoring of licensed premises.

27. The Hutt City Local Alcohol Policy is now in effect. The policy now includes a cap on off-licensed premises in Taita, Stokes Valley, Avalon, Naenae, Central Hutt and Wainuiomata.

Food premises

28. The Ministry of Primary Industries visited in late October to carry out a review of Council’s food services. This was in advance of the accreditation audit that will be undertaken in February 2019. We are expecting a written report on the outcome of the review, but verbally, MPI were impressed with the work of the Environmental Health Team, particularly considering the resourcing problem. IT issues were raised by MPI as being issues that need to be addressed for accreditation to be achieved.

29. There are currently 20 food premises operating without registration in Lower Hutt. These premises should have transitioned to the new regime by the end of June 2018. While letters have been sent out, each premise is to be visited in person in order to retrieve the outstanding application and fee.

After Hours On-Call Roster/Phone Tree

30. The contracting of smoke nuisance complaints to Recon Security is working well.

Enforcement matters from Regulatory Services

Animal Services

31. Animal Services have had a busy time with dog registrations. 9654 dog owners were invoiced and to date approximately 9126 have registered. This leaves approximately 528 dogs to be registered.

32. The Animal Control officers have started a process to contact the owners and sight the dogs before infringing or seizing the dogs.

33. Animal Services are starting a trial of electronic dog tags in Stokes Valley. The dog tag bluetooths to any cellphone which has the Doggone app. We have around 300 dog owners trialing this technology. Dog owners can track their own dog’s movements via the app and if the dog escapes during the day the owner can track where the dog has been. Animal Control officers can track any individual dog or identify any dog within 60m of the officer. If the trial is successful we have the opportunity to offer the tags at registration time next year. We are trialing the technology along with Hamilton City for the next two months.

Parking Services

34. We have seen a steady increase in the number of infringements issued over the last 3 months. It is usual that we have a seasonal increase at this time but the number exceeds last year’s monthly total by 150 tickets. Statutory offences of no warrant, registrations, and dangerous tyres have also jumped up. We think this is due to the introduction of pay by plate and the officer having a little more time to focus on this type of offence.

Emergency Management

35. EOC training this quarter has focused on welfare training and function desk training with new IT process as the region has dropped EMIS as its main records system. These training sessions did have less staff than normal attending because it was targeted at specific functions within the EOC.

36. Good progress is being made on development of our Local Earthquake Response Plan. We are working towards an earthquake exercise on November 14, the Kaikoura earthquake anniversary. During the earthquake exercise we will be involving the full EOC team, reconnaissance teams, and some community hub communications. The purpose is to identify gaps in the Local Earthquake Response Plan

Trade Waste

37. Recently we have had several large industrial fires in Seaview, the first was at Macaulay Metals on 19 July involving fire in a large pile of accumulated materials and the second involved a large multi-tenanted building at 106 Hutt Park Road on 27 July. The demolition has started on the site of 106 Hutt Park Road with special attention given the asbestos roofing. WorkSafe have been managing the monitoring of the site and reviewing the site management plans because of the asbestos.

38. As a timely prompt FENZ have initiated the development of a process to manage major hazard facilities disasters in the Hutt. Twelve sites were identified in the Life Lines report and we are now working through a process to identify best practice at any major incident in the Hutt. All agencies know their roles and responsibilities and the aim is we co-ordinate a site-specific response for these sites.

39. A trial of “litta-traps” in storm water sumps was undertaken along a portion of Jackson Street over September and October. The section chosen has particular issues with litter in sumps. We are working with Weltec engineering students who will be managing the devices and they will categorise and document the materials captured. Around eight to 10 sumps in the Regent to Nelson Streets portion will have devices fitted.

Whaiatua Process

40. The work of the Hutt Valley Wellington Whaitua Committee will commence before the end of the year and is expected to be completed by December 2020. The Committee will be made up of community members and iwi, local authorities and Greater Wellington Regional Council representatives. Councillor Lewis is the Hutt City Council representative on the Committee.

41. David Burt will be the staff member providing support to Councillor Lewis and the Council around this process, and to the Committee that will be carrying out this work. He will be coordinating all internal officer advice, analysis and feedback. The details of the work of the Committee and the associated project team that will inform these processes are still to be confirmed but, based on the experience of other Whaitua Committees, is expected to involve a significant level of his time (up to 0.5FTE).

Consultation

42. Consultation was undertaken with affected parties on notified resource consents.

Legal Considerations

43. The group administers the RMA, the Building Act, LGOIMA, the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act, Food Act and other legislation. No other legal considerations apply in terms of the content of this paper.

Financial Considerations

44. There are no financial considerations.

Other Considerations

45. In making this recommendation, officers have given careful consideration to the purpose of local government in section 10 of the Local Government Act 2002. Officers believe that this recommendation falls within the purpose of local government in that meets the current needs of the community by ensuring that development is dealt with in a controlled and legitimate manner.

Appendices

No.	Title	Page
1 ⇩	Environmental Consent Graphs as at October 2018	80
2 ⇩	Attachment to report Regulatory Services enforcement actions (at 30 September 2018)	104

Author: Helen Oram

Divisional Manager Environmental Consents

Author: Geoff Stuart

Divisional Manager, Regulatory Services and Emergency Management

Author: Bruce Hodgins

Strategic Advisor, City and Community Services

Author: Derek Kerite

Building and Quality Assurance Manager

Author: Dean Bentley

Team Leader Environmental Health

Author: Craig Ewart

Building Team Leader

Author: David Burt

Senior Adviser Sustainability and Resilience

Author: Jörn Scherzer

Sustainability and Resilience Manager

Approved By: Kim Kelly

General Manager, City Transformation

2 When acting in this capacity the committee has a quasi-judicial role.

[2] Appendix 1 includes some further data and information from the engagement undertaken and information on the nature of homelessness in Lower Hutt is included in the report presented to Council in May 2018.

[6] Government’s recent consultation on the reform of the Residential Tenancies Act 1986 also sets out the challenges of more New Zealanders finding and retaining homes in the rented sector.

[8] Transitional Housing Factsheet, (Ministry of Social Development, August 2018)

[9] See Homelessness in Lower Hutt (May 2018) for further data

[10] See Homelessness in Lower Hutt (May 2018) and data in Appendix 1 for further information.

[12] See Appendix 1 and Homelessness in Lower Hutt (May 2018) for further information.

[13] Smith, C. Tackling Poverty NZ – the nature of poverty in New Zealand and ways to address it, Policy Quarterly, Volume 14, Issue 1, February 2018

[14] Public Housing Plan 2018 – 2022, (New Zealand Government, August 2018)

[16] United States Interagency Council on homelessness - https://www.usich.gov/goals/what-does-ending-homelessness-mean/

[19] Taimalieutu Kiwi Tamasese, Tafaoimalo Loudeen Parsons, Ginny Sullivan and Charles Waldegrave, A QUALITATIVE STUDY INTO PACIFIC PERSPECTIVES ON CULTURAL OBLIGATIONS AND VOLUNTEERING – A Research Project Carried out by the Pacific Section and The Family Centre Social Policy Research Unit (2010) http://www.familycentre.org.nz/Publications/PDF%27s/Cultural%20Obligations%20and%20Volunteering%20Main.pdf

[20] Emele Duituturaga (”For the Family First: “A study if income allocation within Pacific Island Families in

New Zealand Chapter Five Family Violence: A Pacific Perspective” 1995 pp.73-74. Quoted in Su’a Thomsen, Jez Tavita and Zsontell Levi-Teu, A Pacific Island Perspective on the Living Standards Framework and Wellbeing, (New Zealand Treasury Discussion Paper 18/09, August 2018)https://treasury.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2018-08/dp18-09.pdf

[21] Pleace et. al. There are other interventions. Housing First is supported by evidence from several countries as well as from cities in New Zealand where it is already being implemented.

Cr MJ Cousins (Chair)	Cr S Edwards (Deputy Chair)
Deputy Mayor D Bassett	Cr L Bridson
Cr C Barry	Cr J Briggs
Cr T Lewis	Cr M Lulich
Cr C Milne	Cr L Sutton
Mayor W R Wallace (ex-officio)

(A)	(B)	(C)

General subject of the matter to be considered.	Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter.	Ground under section 48(1) for the passing of this resolution.


Purchase of Land – Lowry Bay.	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) (s7(2)(i)).	That the public conduct of the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding exist.

PARKING SERVICES	August	September
Infringements	3476	3587
Stationary offences (WOFs, tyres)	1362	1315

Description	Author	Cycle 1, 2019	Cycle 2, 2019	Cycle 3, 2019	Cycle 4, 2019	Pending
General Manager’s Report	K Kelly	ü	ü	ü	ü
Review of the Refuse Collection and Disposal Bylaw	J Scherzer	ü
Smoke-free Lower Hutt Implementation Plan	B Gall		ü
Parking Policy Review	W Moore / J Pritchard		ü
Activity Report: - City Growth & Sustainability - City Resilience	G Stuart		ü
Activity Report: - City Growth & Sustainability – Consents and Regulatory Services	H Oram / G Stuart		ü
Naenae Library Site Reserve Revocation	B Hodgins					ü
Smokefree Outdoor Public Places Policy	J Pritchard					ü
Discount Registration for Therapy Dogs	L Dalton					ü
Risk and Resilience Costs Update	W Moore					ü
Bell Park – proposal for the development of Bell Park	B Hodgins					ü
Wellington Region Natural Hazards Management Strategy	A Cumming					ü
Policy Information on Emissions Targets	J Scherzer					ü

ANIMAL SERVICES	August	September
Dogs impounded	62	48
Infringements issued	3	2
Prosecutions	0	1