2                                          5 December 2018

HUTT CITY COUNCIL

 

Arts and Culture Subcommittee

 

Report of a meeting held in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 30 Laings Road, Lower Hutt on

 Wednesday 5 December 2018 commencing at 6.00pm

 

 

 PRESENT:                      Cr M Lulich (Chair)         

Cr T Lewis (Deputy Chair)         

Community Representatives:     

Christine Fagan                            Iwi Representative

Anita Mansell                               Hutt Multicultural Council

Johannes Mueller-Welschof         Hutt Art Society

Desiree Mulligan                          Heritage and local history expert

Noel Woods                                  Atiawa FM, Event organiser, musician        

 

 

APOLOGIES:                  Mayor WR Wallace
Deputy Mayor Bassett

                                          Ms P Hindmarsh

 

 

IN ATTENDANCE:       Ms M Laban, Divisional Manager, Community Projects and Relationships

Ms M Gardner, Graffiti and Asset Advisor 

Ms J Randall, Committee Advisor

 

 

 

PUBLIC BUSINESS

 

 

1.       APOLOGIES 

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Mr Mueller-Welschof)                      Minute No. ART 18501

“That the apology received from Mayor Wallace, Deputy Mayor Bassett and Ms P Hindmarsh be accepted and leave of absence be granted.”

 

2.      PUBLIC COMMENT

There was no public comment.

 

 

 

 

 

3.       Presentations

a)

Polyfest (18/1852)

Ms B Hay, a representative of Polyfest (the festival), provided some background to the festival. She said it had begun in 2012 with 750 participants and had continued to grow every year. She noted the festival was already fully subscribed for July 2019. She considered the festival’s popularity was because it acknowledged and celebrated students’ cultures.

Ms Hay advised that Koraunui School had underwritten the working fund for the festival each year but she recognised this was not a sustainable arrangement. She said the festival was not core school business and was a strain on school resources.

 Ms Hay had consequently set up the HuttFest Trust (the Trust) to manage the festival and attract more sustainable funding. She said the Trust would continue to focus strongly on Māori and Pacifica but would also include other cultures. She believed a working fund would provide stability for the festival and she indicated the Trust would welcome Council support in this regard.

Ms Hay commended Koraunui School who supplied a number of volunteers for the event each year. She acknowledged Te Awakairangi Health Network who had partnered with festival organisers to run the event.

In response to questions from members, Ms Hay advised that Council had been supporting the festival event but she had not been successful in applying for working funds. She added low decile schools would struggle to provide financial assistance to the event.

The Chair thanked Ms Hay for her work with the multicultural community.

b)

Poly Odyssey (18/1853)

A verbal update was provided by Ms A So’otaga and Ms J Webster, representatives of Poly Odyssey

Ms So’otaga said Poly Odyssey 2018 (the event) worked in partnership with Polyfest and would continue as a sister programme to Polyfest.  She advised the event was the first of its kind in Lower Hutt.  She said it was a day where both young and older students could build on knowledge of their culture and be immersed in the Pacifica experience. She added it was not easy for schools to give children the opportunity to connect to their Pacifica roots. 

In response to a question from a member, Ms Webster said schools had asked for Poly Odyssey to be an all-day event and open to all students, not just Pacifica. 

In response to a question from a member, Ms So’otaga agreed she would welcome a stronger partnership with Council to enable the event to connect to a wider audience.  She noted that Polyfest had been a highlight in Council’s Annual Plan under ‘strong and inclusive communities.’ She added the event would like to extend its programme to demonstrate how indigenous traditions link into STEMM subjects. 

Members congratulated Ms A So’otaga and Ms J Webster on their work with Pacifica students.

c)

Archaeology and Heritage in Lower Hutt. (18/1859)

Mr N Beynon, archaeologist, provided a verbal update.  His presentation revealed many recorded archaeological sites in Lower Hutt, including pre-European sites. He explained that many archaeological sites were under old buildings and contractors were obliged to stop work if evidence of heritage material was found. He added most archaeological material was found in the first metre of ground.

Mr Beynon noted Council’s Resource Consent process contained only a small amount of information on procedures for when archaeological material was found. He further noted Lower Hutt’s District Plan was responsible under the Resource Management Act and under the Heritage New Zealand (NZ) Act for archaeological sites. He asked that Lower Hutt’s District Plan be updated with key archaeological sites in Lower Hutt. He believed the Lower Hutt District Plan needed to be more specific about obligations under the Heritage NZ Act and that Council needed to improve communication with Heritage NZ.

Mr Beynon recommended pre-1900 buildings be identified using a GIS layer so that they could be distinguished before being demolished. He suggested that Council educated developers and contractors so they knew what to look for when they were building and demolishing.  He suggested a brochure could be helpful in that regard. He emphasised the importance of communication with local iwi when sites were undergoing excavation.

He concluded by summarising his three key messages:

·         Update Lower Hutt’s District Plan;

·         Update the Resource Consent Process; and

·         Educate developers and contractors.

The Chair thanked Mr Beynon for his presentation.

 

Resolved:   (Cr Lulich/Ms Mulligan)                   Minute No. ART 18502

“That the Subcommittee:

(i)       agrees the archaeology presentation be presented to the relevant Council managers; and

 

(ii)      agrees that the presentation be made available for any heritage policy work going forward.”

 

d)

Keep New Zealand Beautiful Awards (18/1851)

Ms M Gardner, Graffiti and Asset Advisor, provided a verbal update.

She advised she managed the Council graffiti removal and prevention programme which included mural projects.  She outlined a number of recently completed mural projects around the Hutt Valley.

 

Ms Gardner advised overseas research on graffiti prevention had inspired her to pilot a graffiti prevention programme (the programme) in Stokes Valley. The research had revealed that youth involvement in the design of spaces reduced vandalism. Ms Gardner said the Stokes Valley programme involved identifying local youth who might benefit from involvement. 

 

Ms Gardner said five young people took part in removing graffiti and rubbish, then working with a professional to design and paint murals. She advised there was an 80% reduction in graffiti over the time the programme was running. She said the young people had contributed positively by providing art work for their community. She noted similar positive results had been achieved by using youth and community consultation for other mural painting around the city. She considered the programme needed to be ongoing to have a sustained positive impact.

 

Ms Gardner advised there were several more graffiti prevention projects planned, including new decals for bus shelters, a mural project with Hutt Intermediate School, and small murals across the city.

 

In response to a question from a member, Ms Gardner agreed educating young people was important.

 

Ms Laban advised Council’s Community Projects and Relationships division kept in touch with the families of youth who had been involved in graffiti prevention programmes. She noted many had continued to do positive work in the community.

 

The Chair expressed appreciation for Ms Gardner’s work. He said it was heartening to see that young people were proud to be involved in their communities.

 

     

4.       CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS    

          There were no conflict of interest declarations.

5.       Minutes

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Mr Mueller-Welschof)                      Minute No. ART 18503

 “That the minutes of the meeting of the Arts and Culture Subcommittee held on Wednesday, 12 September 2018, be confirmed as a true and correct record.”

 

 

 6.      Information Item

Community Arts Advisor Update (18/1857)

Report No. ART2018/5/154 by the Community Arts Advisor

Ms Mulligan questioned the Creative Communities Scheme funding awarded to a religious group. She asked if this was in line with the funding scheme’s criteria. The Committee Advisor agreed to follow this up with the Community Arts and Culture Advisor.

Resolved:   (Cr Lulich/Mr Mueller-Welschof)                Minute No. ART 18504

  “That the report be noted and received.”

Resolved:   (Ms Mulligan/Ms Mansell)                           Minute No. ART 18505

“That the Subcommittee sends congratulations to the Promotions and Events Division and other staff members involved in the Festival of Lights.”

Resolved:   (Cr Lewis/Mr Mueller-Welschof)                 Minute No. ART 18506

“That the Subcommittee congratulates groups for their contributions to community events, following the events, whenever they are held in the city.”

MINOR ITEM NOT ON THE AGENDA

 

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Cr Lewis)                                          Minute No. ART 18507

“That the Subcommittee:

(i)      agrees that a minor matter relating to the Community Arts and Culture Fund 2018-2019 which was not included on the agenda be discussed at this meeting; and

(ii)     notes that no resolution decision or recommendation may be made in respect of that item, except to refer the item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.”

 

 

Community Arts and Culture Fund 2018-19

 

Resolved: (Cr Lulich/Ms Mansell)                                      Minute No. ART 18508

“That the report attached as pages 7-9 to the minutes be noted and received.”

 

 

7.       QUESTIONS   

There were no questions.

 

The Chair said he had appreciated the input of members of the Subcommittee over the year and had been proud to work with them.

 

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 7.36 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

Cr M Lulich

CHAIR

 

 

 

 

CONFIRMED as a true and correct record

Dated this 27th day of February 2019