Community Services Committee
Minutes of a meeting held in the Petone Library, 7 Britannia Street, Petone
on
Thursday 2 May 2019 commencing at 6.00pm
PRESENT:
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Cr G Barratt (Chair) |
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Cr L Bridson |
Cr J Briggs |
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Cr S Edwards |
Cr M Lulich |
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Mayor WR Wallace (from 6.31pm) |
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APOLOGIES: Apologies were received from Crs Sutton and Milne and an apology for lateness was received from Mayor Wallace.
IN ATTENDANCE: Mr T Stallinger, Chief Executive (part meeting)
Ms M Laban, Divisional Manager, Community Projects and Relationships
Mr A Marsh, Team Leader, Parks
Mr M Mercer, Divisional Manager, Hubs
Ms H Sullivan, City Safety
Mr M Sherwood, Divisional Manager, Leisure Active (part meeting)
Mr S Keatley, Huia Pool and Fitness Manager (part meeting)
Ms C Lawrence, Hutt City Youth Council
Ms Judy Randall, Committee Advisor
PUBLIC BUSINESS
1. APOLOGIES
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Resolved: (Cr Barratt/Cr Lulich) Minute No. CSC 19201 “That the apologies received from Crs Sutton and Milne be accepted and leave of absence be granted and the apology for lateness received from Mayor Wallace be accepted.” |
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
Comments are recorded under the item to which they relate.
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3. |
Under Standing Order 21.16 the Chair allowed Ms Lawrence, a representative of Youth Council, to participate in discussion on agenda items.
Ms B Jenson and Mr L Joseph, representatives of Hutt City Youth Council (Youth Council), provided a verbal update. Mr L Joseph advised Youth Council worked in smaller working groups to focus on areas of interest such as mental health and sustainability. He raised the issue of plastic bag use at the Riverbank Market. He noted that although Council was focusing on waste reduction, it was still allowing plastic bags to be provided at the Riverbank Market. Ms B Jenson advised Youth Council had been working with the Principal Research and Policy Advisor on the Council Te Reo Māori Policy. She said Youth Council was supportive of more active inclusion of Te Reo Māori in meetings, social media, and ensuring Council’s core values aligned with Māori tikanga. She voiced Youth Council support for pop-up gyms and other activities that might support Naenae following the closure of its pool. In response to questions from members, Ms Jenson said Youth Council had reduced their own plastic bag use but had not recently been active in trying to reduce the use of plastic bags in the community. She intended discussing the matter with Youth Council members. She agreed Youth Council would support Council negotiations with the new Riverbank Market organisers to include a ban on plastic bags. She confirmed the Principal Research and Policy advisor had invited Youth Council to sit on the Te Reo Māori Policy working group. She said the majority of Youth Council members did not support a fireworks ban. She noted that most members considered fireworks were a fun activity linked to childhood memories. She added it could be difficult for members of lower socio-economic communities to travel to public fireworks displays. |
4. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS
There were no conflict of interest declarations.
5. Recommendation to Council – 21 May 2019
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The Chair advised her Notice of Motion had been raised as a result of appeals from approximately 30 residents. She said they had been concerned about public safety and the stress fireworks caused to people and animals. She noted fireworks use was once restricted to early November but now continued throughout the year. She added that Auckland City Council had already supported a similar Notice of Motion to Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ). In response to a question from a member, the Chief Executive advised there had been a remit from Auckland City Council to the 2019 Local Government New Zealand Annual General Meeting. He said it called for a resolution to support a ban on the sale and private use of fireworks. He noted Auckland City Council had voted in favour of the recommendation after 90% of public submissions had supported it. Cr McDonald expressed support for the Notice of Motion. She noted many people could not afford fireworks and noted public displays were available for everyone. Mayor Wallace agreed there was a mood for change with regard to fireworks. He recognised that fun needed to be balanced alongside safety concerns. He noted Council had for any years held successful fireworks displays in Petone and suggested these could be extended in some way to replace private fireworks use. Cr Edwards recognised fireworks caused problems, particularly when they were being used throughout the year. He also recognised the family fun and happy memories they supplied. He suggested legislation and enforcement could be used to better control the use of fireworks. Ms Lawrence highlighted that in the event of private fireworks being banned, Council would need to decide which festivals or calendar events would be supported by public fireworks displays. She noted there were a diverse range of festivals in Lower Hutt ranging from Diwali to New Year Festivals. Cr Briggs agreed fireworks could cause frustration but he had not heard any complaints and could not support the Notice of Motion. He noted there was only a short period where fireworks could be purchased and said they tended to be let off on special family occasions. He did not believe support for the recommendation in Auckland would necessarily be reflected in Lower Hutt. He considered the following information was needed before a decision could be made: · The location of hot -spots for fireworks noise complaints; · The hospitalisation rate from fireworks and whether adults or children were affected; · The number of fireworks complaints reported to Council’s Animal Control division and whether incidents occurred over the whole year; and · Whether fireworks caused issues for Fire and Emergency. Cr Bridson agreed it was difficult to balance family fun against the problems caused by fireworks. She noted fireworks were often used late at night. She said if private sales continued then the time for their use should be limited. She suggested there should be more engagement with the community and discussion on the matter before the Notice of Motion was considered by Council. Cr Lulich advised he had not been aware of any issues with fireworks in Petone. He agreed with Cr Briggs that more information was needed before a decision could be made. |
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ReCOMMENDED: (Cr Barratt/Cr McDonald) Minute No. CSC 19202 “That the Committee recommends that Council requests the New Zealand Government to introduce legislation to ban the sale of fireworks to the general public and end their private use as attached as Appendix 1 to the memorandum.” |
6. Recommendations to THE Community Plan Committee
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a) |
Te Whiti Park Proposed Extension (19/515) Report No. CSC2019/2/84 by the Team Leader Parks |
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Speaking under public comment, Mr W Luke, a representative of the Runanga, and Mr S Olsen, a representative of the Te Aroha Sports Association (the Association), advised both groups had been working with Council for several years to complete extensions to their sports pavilion and create a community hub. They reinforced their willingness to contribute one third of the projected costs, and advised another third of the cost would be provided by Trust funding. They requested that Council provided the remaining third of the cost. They explained the project would provide more stability for local whānau, particularly with regard to sport, education and training. They noted fewer young people were now playing sport and the hub would encourage more sporting activities. Mr Luke said the Association had built a relationship with WELTEC and had obtained NZQA accreditation so that participants in programmes could achieve accredited qualifications. He noted support from Council was critical to get the facility completed. He added if it was successful, the model could be rolled out to other locations. In response to questions from members, Mr Olsen said without financial support from Council, the Association would be forced to reduce the existing plans to fit their budget. He reminded members the proposed hub was for the wider community, not just Waiwhetu residents. He said sport would be run by the community and support local sporting interests. In response to questions from members, Mr Luke said the Association had partnered with polytechnics across the region as well as Victoria University and Downer Group who employed tradespeople. He added that the Association had been training young people for many years. He said this year they had secured a partnership with WELTEC and had been training approximately 120 young people. He advised the new changing rooms and toilet facility in Te Whiti Park was working well and the Association had maintained a positive relationship with the neighbours. He advised there would be a charge to use the multi-functional complex upstairs. He reminded members most investment in the park had come from the community rather than from Council. The Team Leader, Parks elaborated on the report. In response to questions from members, the Team Leader, Parks confirmed funds from the sale of two properties on Te Whiti Park had been reinvested in the park. He said during the construction of the new changing rooms and toilet facility at Te Whiti Park, Council had engaged regularly with neighbouring residents on issues. He noted he had not heard any issues raised by local residents post-construction. He advised Council would re-engage with neighbouring residents if the proposed extension went ahead. He confirmed that costs were likely to escalate if the extension was delayed. |
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ReSOLVED: (Cr Barratt/Cr Bridson) Minute No. CSC 19203 “That the Committee: (i) notes that officers have been in discussions for some years with the Te Aroha Sports Association with regard to a concept development plan for Te Whiti Park;
(ii) notes that a part of the Plan is the construction of a new changing room facility, which has been completed;
(iii) notes that a multi-purpose utility room was a part of the agreed changing room facility design but this was not constructed; and
(iv) notes that the Association is seeking a one third funding commitment from Council to complete construction of the multi-purpose room as originally proposed.”
For the reasons outlined in the report. |
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Recommended: (Cr Barratt/Cr Bridson) Minute No. CSC 19204 “That the Committee recommends that the Community Plan Committee: (i) considers a budget provision of $300,000 for a contribution towards completion of the sports pavilion at Te Whiti Park; and (ii) notes that any actual financial commitment would be subject to Te Aroha Sports Association raising the balance of funding for the completion of the project.” |
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b) |
Proposal to Issue a Lease at Bell Park - Ignite Sports Trust (19/483) Report No. CSC2019/2/75 by the Team Leader Parks |
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Speaking under public comment, Ms P Hanna, Chair of the Petone Community Board (the Board), spoke in support of the proposed Bell Park lease to Ignite Sport. She said the Board recognised how imporant the lease would be to the work of Ignite Sport. She acknowledged Ignite Sport’s work developing programmes for Hutt Valley High School students and expressed appreciation for their work engaging young people. She noted that owning the premises would provide Ignite Sport with certainty for the future. She recommended Council supported the hard surface area and other upgrading of Bell Park. In response to a question from a member, Ms Hanna explained the land at Bell Park was boggy and unsuitable for housing. She noted that even a small housing development would require the removal of some existing housing to create access and could create unintended consequences. Speaking under public comment, Mr K Goldsbury, a representative of Ignite Sport, advised a lease at Bell Park would allow Ignite Sport to deliver its services more effectively and mostly on-site. He said the Bell Park site would be affordable and had been the only suitable option available. He explained Ignite Sport expected to fundraise and apply for grants to renovate the building. He noted the building and its facilities would be available for use by the public and considered it would be a valuable community asset. In response to a question from Ms Lawrence, Mr Goldsbury advised the programme was helping young people to fulfil their goals. He said the programme was particularly focussing on early intervention to help pre-teens and early teens make good choices. In response to a question from a member, Mr Goldsbury advised Ignite Sport might save 50% of the approximately $40,000 they currently spent on travel if they had outdoor facilities at Bell Park. He said they would continue to use the Walter Nash Stadium for their indoor sporting needs. He explained the hard courts at Gracefield School could not be used for their curriculum since programmes were held during school hours. The Team Leader Parks elaborated on the report. In response to questions from members, the Team Leader, Parks confirmed Ignite Sport was currrently focussed on investing in the building to make it safe. He added the hard courts were a crucial part of programme delivery but the building was their current priority. Crs Lulich and Briggs expressed support for the recommendations and for funding the hard courts. Cr Lulich noted the facility was ideal for Ignite Sport and considered it would also provide an asset for the community. Cr Briggs acknowledged the changes Ignite Sport was making to the lives of young people and recognised the hard courts were crucial to their programme delivery. Cr Lulich suggested an amendment to the motion. The
meeting by agreement of the majority of members present amended the motion
with the agreement of the mover and seconder. |
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ReSOLVED: (Cr Barratt/Cr Briggs) Minute No. CSC 19205 “That the Committee: (i) notes that Ignite Sports Trust is interested in the purchase of the Lower Hutt Football Club building located on Bell Park and is negotiating with the owners, the Lower Hutt Association Football Club; (ii) notes that without commitment from Council to issue a lease of reserve land, Ignite Sports Trust is unable to continue to proceed to the purchase of the building; (iii) notes that the request is consistent with Council policy; and (iv) agrees to issue a lease for the area attached as Appendix 1 to the report to Ignite Sports Trust for a term of 30 years.” For the reasons outlined in the report. |
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ReCOMMENDED: (Cr Barratt/Cr Briggs) Minute No. CSC 19206 “That the Committee recommends to the Community Plan Committee that it considers a budget provision of $250,000 towards the cost of a hard court surface area at Bell Park as attached as Appendix 2 to the report.” |
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Accessibility and Inclusiveness Plan Subcommittee update (19/491) Memorandum dated 17 April 2019 by the Divisional Manager, Strategy and Planning |
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Speaking under public comment, Ms P Hanna, Chair of the Petone Community Board, raised questions about a proposed Changing Places Toilet for the Petone Foreshore area. The Chair advised that the Accessibility and Inclusiveness Plan Subcommittee had since expressed a preference for the proposed Changing Places toilet to be positioned at a central Lower Hutt location. |
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Resolved: (Cr Barratt/Mayor Wallace) Minute No. CSC 19207 “That the Committee note the contents of the
memorandum.” |
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Activity Review – Community Hubs and Relationships including City Safety and Community Funding (19/449) Report No. CSC2019/2/2 by the Divisional Manager, Community Projects and Relationships |
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The Divisional Manager, Community Projects and Relationships elaborated on the report. She advised the Community Hubs Team and the Community Relationship Team had integrated their services two years earlier and the managers now worked in co-leadership. She explained that as the team and the Hubs were newly developed, some data in the report was not available. Crs Briggs and Lulich and Mayor Wallace acknowledged the work officers were undertaking in the wake of the Naenae Pool closure. They recognised the pressure and volume of the workload on officers and thanked them for their commitment to finding a solution. |
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Resolved: (Cr Barratt/Cr Edwards) Minute No. CSC 19208 “That the Committee: (i) notes the information contained in this report; (ii) notes that this review meets the intent of section 17A of the Local Government Act 2002; and (iii) agrees that a full section 17A review should not be undertaken at present for the reasons outlined in the report.” |
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General Manager's Report (19/411) Report No. CSC2019/2/74 by the General Manager, City and Community Services |
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The Divisional Manager, Community Projects and Relationships elaborated on the report. She acknowledged the support received from Crs Cousins and Briggs and from a resident, Mr Max Shierlaw, who supported Council’s City and Community Services team at public meetings on the future of the Naenae Pool. Mayor
Wallace expressed disappointment with progress on social housing in
Lower Hutt. He noted Central Government had promised 400 homes for
Lower Hutt but that less than 10 houses had been built to date. He
advised he would be discussing the matter with the Minister responsible. |
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RECOMMENDATION TO THE COMMUNITY PLAN COMMITTEE
The Committee supports the recommendation agreed by the City Development Committee at its meeting held on 30 April 2019 as set out below.
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Recommended: (Cr Barratt/Cr Lulich) Minute No. CSC 19209 “That the Committee: (i) notes the updates contained in the report; and (ii) notes officers’ concerns in terms of future funding of Significant and Capital Projects and recommends that the Community Plan Committee considers that given the recent closure of the Naenae Pool and Gym complex and the likelihood for significant new capital funding being required, that any actual and final commitment to other projects be subject to a solution, including the funding of Naenae Pool and Gym. This will allow Council to discuss financial parameters around the provision of a new facility, or remediation of the current structure for the community of Naenae.” |
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10. QUESTIONS
There
were no questions.
There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 7.45 pm.
Cr G Barratt
CHAIR
CONFIRMED as a true and correct record
Dated this 21st day of May 2019