Long Term Plan/Annual Plan Subcommittee |
Komiti Iti Mahere ā-Ngahurutanga / Mahere ā-Tau
Minutes of a meeting
held in the Council Chambers, 2nd Floor, 30 Laings Road,
Lower Hutt on
Wednesday 10 February 2021 commencing at 9.30am
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PRESENT: |
Mayor C Barry (Chair) |
Deputy Mayor T Lewis (Deputy Chair) |
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Cr D Bassett |
Cr J Briggs |
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Cr K Brown |
Cr B Dyer |
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Cr S Edwards |
Cr D Hislop |
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Cr C Milne (via audio visual (from 12.25pm) |
Cr A Mitchell |
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Cr S Rasheed |
Cr N Shaw |
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Cr L Sutton |
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APOLOGIES: Cr Milne for lateness.
IN ATTENDANCE: Ms J Miller, Chief Executive
Ms A Blackshaw, Director Neighbourhoods and Communities
Mr M Boggs, Director Strategy and Engagement
Ms H Oram, Director Environment and Sustainability
Mr K Puketapu-Dentice, Director Economy and Development
Ms J Livschitz, Chief Financial Officer
Ms W Moore, Head of Strategy and Planning
Mr B Cato, Chief Legal Officer
Mr D Koenders, Manager Financial Strategy and Planning
Ms C Ellis, Head of Chief Executive’s office (part meeting)
Mr B Hodgins, Strategy Advisor (part meeting)
Mr M Sherwood, Head of Parks & Recreation (part meeting)
Mr A Marsh, Asset Manager Parks (part meeting)
Mr A Yip, Strategic Projects Manager (part meeting)
Ms J Lawson, Assets Manager Reserves(part meeting)
Mr S Keatley, Strategic Assets and Project Manager (part meeting)
Ms D Barber, Head of Communications and Engagement (part meeting)
Ms T Collison, Senior Communications Advisor (part meeting)
Mr J Scherzer, Sustainability and Resilience Manager (part meeting)
Ms K Stannard, Head of Democratic Services
Ms K Glanville, Senior Democracy Advisor (part meeting)
Ms T Lealofi, Democracy Advisor (part meeting)
PUBLIC BUSINESS
1. OPENING FORMALITIES - Karakia Timatanga
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Kia hora te marino Kia whakapapa pounamu te moana He huarahi mā tātou i te rangi nei Aroha atu, aroha mai Tātou i a tātou katoa Hui e Tāiki e! |
May peace be wide spread May the sea be like greenstone A pathway for us all this day Let us show respect for each other For one another Bind us together! |
2. APOLOGIES
Mayor Barry noted that Cr Milne would be joining the meeting via audio visual link at 12.00pm.
Comments are recorded under the item to which they relate.
major item not on the agenda
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RESOLVED: (Mayor Barry/Cr Briggs) Minute No. LTPAP 21101 “That in terms of Standing Order 10.12, the Subcommittee: (1) notes that a report on ‘Accelerating the transition out of natural gas use at Council facilities’ was not included in the agenda for the meeting, for the reason that the information was not available until after the agenda had been distributed; and
(2) agrees that the request be considered at this meeting for the reason that the additional funds need to be considered in the draft Long Term Plan.” |
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4. |
Mayor Barry read out his statement attached as page 11 to the minutes. |
5. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS
Cr Brown declared a conflict of interest as she was a Council representative on the Board of Urban Plus Limited. She took no part in discussion or voting on matters concerning Urban Plus Limited.
Cr Shaw declared a conflict of interest as she was a Council representative on the Fraser Park Sports Working Group. She took no part in discussion or voting on matters concerning Fraser Park.
Cr Hislop declared a conflict of interest as she was a Council representative on the Board of Seaview Marina Limited. She took no part in discussion or voting on matters concerning Seaview Marina Limited.
6. Recommendations to Council - 10 February 2021
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(a) |
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The Head of Strategy and Planning elaborated on the report. She advised that information from Wellington Water Limited (WWL) had been received and incorporated into the draft infrastructure strategy. She added there were further comments still to be received from WWL.
In response to a question from a member, the Director of Strategy and Engagement advised discussions about guardianship and partnership were being held with Mana Whenua regarding investment in infrastructure. He added he was not fully aware about what was specifically targeted towards Mana Whenua regarding investment in infrastructure.
In response to a question from a member, the Head of Strategy and Planning advised that WWL was aware of the investment requirements in relation to the Whaitua report and its recommendations.
Mayor Barry notified members of his intention to move an amendment to the recommendation to merge goals 1 and 2 of the strategy to read: i. Reliable, efficient and effective Three Waters and multi-modal transport infrastructure networks. |
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ReCOMMENDED: (Mayor Barry/Cr Edwards) Minute No. LTPAP 21102 “That the Subcommittee recommends that Council approves the proposed Infrastructure Strategy 2021-2051 (the strategy) for consultation as part of the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan noting that goals 1 and 2 of the strategy are to be merged to read: i. Reliable, efficient and effective Three Waters and multi-modal transport infrastructure networks.” For the reason that the Infrastructure Strategy 2021-2051 identifies significant issues for Three Waters and transport infrastructure and sets out Council’s proposals for managing these issues and their implications. The strategy is a requirement of the Local Government Act 2002. |
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(b) |
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Speaking under public comment, Mr M Young spoke to the proposed active Transport Micromobility budget. He asked that Council consult on the budget of the investment.
Under public comment, a public statement by Mr Tim Ganly regarding Hutt City Cycling and Micromobility was tabled, attached as pages 12 to 13 to the minutes.
The Chief Financial Officer gave a presentation which covered a number of matters including sustainable financial management, overview of the Long Term Plan process, key decisions for members to consider, COVID-19, key priority areas, capital investment and three waters infrastructure investment.
The Director Strategy and Engagement elaborated on the report. He advised the work remained on track although the timeframes were tight. He provided a brief summary about the Communications and Engagement Plan. The Chief Financial Officer elaborated on the report. PRECEDENCE OF BUSINESS Pursuant to Standing Order 10.4, the Chair accorded precedence to item 6c) Naenae Project Cost Reassessment. The item is recorded in the order in which it was listed on the order paper. In response to questions from members, the Chief Financial Officer agreed that the three waters section in the Consultation Document (CD) required clearer descriptions. She further agreed it was important to make the messages in the CD easy to understand, particularly the rates section. Members considered Table 4 outlined in the officer’s report. Cycling and micromobility In response to a question from a member, the Director of Economy and Development advised it was possible to bring forward the funding to the 2021/2024 financial years and review the funding for the proceeding years. He said officers could undertake further work to identify priorities and provide some options. In response to a question from a member, the Chief Executive advised the budgets for the identified big projects were already in the Long Term Plan (LTP) and minor changes could be made through the Annual Plan process. Mayor Barry asked for the LTP Working Group to review whether additional funding should be included in the LTP or reviewed through the Annual Plan process. The Chief Executive advised a note would be included in the LTP outlining that work would progress over the next three years and further funding would be reviewed. |
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Resolved: (Mayor Barry/Cr Dyer) Minute No. LTPAP 21103 “That the Subcommittee: (i) notes the Capex budget of $9.75M in the period 2021 to 2024 with the assumed Waka Kotahi NZTA funding noting that the NZTA funding is subject to the normal business case approval process; and (ii) notes the Long Term Plan Working Group will look at year three additional money to enable planning and work for later years and report back to the Long Term Plan/Annual Plan Subcommittee meeting.” |
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Riverlink In response to a question from a member, the Chief Executive confirmed officers would include a descriptive narrative around the cost of the Riverlink Project. She noted that further information would be presented for decisions when available. Cr Hislop left the meeting at 1.26pm and rejoined the meeting at 1.28pm. Cr Milne left the meeting at 1.34pm and rejoined the meeting at 1.36pm |
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Resolved: (Mayor Barry/Cr Edwards) Minute No. LTPAP 21104 “That the Subcommittee:
(i) notes the cost estimates for Riverlink are currently being reviewed by an independent QS; and
(ii) notes further information will be presented for decisions when these results are available.” |
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Mayor Barry outlined that recommendation xii) Table 3: Summary of rates revenue increases for the financial years 2024/25, 2025/26 and 2026-31 should read 6.8%. |
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RECOMMENDED: (Mayor Barry/Cr Brown) Minute No. LTPAP 21105 “That the Subcommittee recommends that Council: (1) notes
the high level plan as outlined in Table 1 contained within the officer’s
report and that a formal public consultation process is planned for the
period (2) notes that the external audit process of the Draft Long Term Plan (LTP) 2021-2031 and Consultation Document is currently underway; (3) agrees that the LTP Working Group (comprising of the Mayor and Chairs of standing committees) be delegated the power to make decisions required as part of preparing the draft plan for consultation; (4) requires that any such decisions made by the LTP Working Group be reported back to the next Long Term Plan/Annual Plan Subcommittee or Council meeting; (5) notes that the audited Consultation Document, together with the supporting underlying information of the Draft LTP 2021-2031 will be presented to the Long Term Plan/Annual Plan Subcommittee on 22 March 2021 for adoption ahead of the public consultation process; (6) notes the feedback from the early engagement on the LTP six key priorities, refer Section C contained within the report; (7) notes the early draft version of the Consultation Document, refer Appendix 2 attached to the report; (8) notes and approves the overall approach to the draft Consultation Document subject to any feedback, refer Section D contained within the officer’s report; (9) reviews and confirms the specific options for consultation, as detailed in the draft Consultation Document, refer Appendix 2 attached to the report; a) Three waters; b) Transport; c) Naenae Pool; d) Petone Wharf; e) Increasing housing supply, includes Urban Plus Limited; f) Supporting an innovative and agile economy, and attractive city, includes Riverlink; g) Connected Communities; h) Rates Policy; and i) Development Contributions Policy; (10) considers the budget matters as detailed in Table 4 contained within the officer’s report and provides direction to officers in the preparation of the Draft LTP 2021-2031; (11) notes the revised financial projections, including projected debt and balance budget results as detailed in Section E contained within the officer’s report; (12) agrees the proposed rates revenue increases for public consultation in the draft plan as detailed in Section H contained within of the report and summarised below; Summary of rates revenue increases
*Note excludes revenue from growth in the rating base and the impact of service changes for the waste services. (13) notes that the impact on the average residential property valued at $629,000 will be a rates increase of $130 per annum or $2.50 per week in 2021/22 and note that this is excluding the changes to waste service charges (recycling and rubbish) previously consulted on and approved by Council; (14) notes the detailed rating impact on properties as detailed in Section H contained within the officer’s report; (15) notes that further information on the change in the capital value of the Queensgate property will be reported to the LTP Working Group; (16) endorses the draft Financial Strategy for inclusion in the Draft LTP 2021-2031 for public consultation subject to any feedback, refer Appendix 4 attached to the report; (17) endorses the Funding Impact Statement for Rates for inclusion in the Draft LTP 2021-2031 for public consultation, refer Appendix 6 attached to the report; (18) notes the Rates Remission Policy changes for consultation which have previously been approved by Council, refer Appendix 7 attached to the report; and (19) considers any further direction and guidance to be provided to officers ahead of finalising the draft LTP 2021-2031 and draft Consultation Document.” |
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(c) |
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Speaking under public comment, Ms P Hanna, Chair of the Petone Community Board expressed support for the full refurbishment of Petone Wharf. She said that work should be undertaken immediately on the Petone Wharf. She added that the Petone Recreation Grandstand was another heritage structure. Mr Hamish Lobb, Project Manager and Stuart Olgilvie, Technical Director Quantity Surveyor from AECOM were in attendance for the item. The Strategic Projects Manager elaborated on the report. In response to a question from a member, the Strategic Projects Manager advised risks were identified and monitored would depend on the size of the project. He confirmed officers would apply lessons learnt from previous projects to future projects. In response to a question from a member, the Strategic Projects Manager advised the Naenae Project Board would make decisions on the detailed design of the Naenae Pool, including the moveable floor. Cr Sutton left the meeting at 11.25am and returned 11.27am Cr Brown left the meeting at 11.28am and returned at 11.30am. The Mayor commended the officers for their work on the Naenae Pool project report. |
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RECOMMENDED: (Mayor Barry/Cr Mitchell) Minute No. LTPAP 21106 “That the Subcommittee recommends that Council: (1) progresses the options recommended by the Naenae Pool Project Board for consultation in the draft Long Term Plan 2021/31 attached as Appendix 1 to the report; and (2) notes that this includes the preferred option of a capital investment cost of $68M for Naenae Pool.” |
The meeting adjourned at 11.30am and resumed at 12.05pm.
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(d) |
Parks Assets - Petone Recreation Grandstand and Point Howard and Petone Wharves (21/58) |
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The Director Neighbourhoods and Communities elaborated on the report. In response to a question from a member, the Director Neighbourhoods and Community advised that officers would continue to work with the Point Howard Yacht Club. |
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recommended: (Mayor Barry/Deputy Mayor
Lewis) “That the Subcommittee recommends that Council: (1) notes the information contained in the detailed dive survey of the condition of the approach piles of Petone Wharf, attached as Appendix 1 to the report, and that the wharf is now closed as a result of the report due to public safety concerns; (2) approves the bringing forward of budget of $450,000 from 2021/2022 to 2020/21 for maintenance on Petone Wharf, to undertake urgent repairs; (3) notes that an updated engineer’s condition assessment of Point Howard and Petone wharves is due in April 2021; (4) notes that the current high level cost estimate for demolition of most of Point Howard and refurbishment of the stub end is $1.5M; (5) notes the current high level cost range estimate for demolition of part of the head of Petone Wharf and refurbishment of the remainder is $15–20M; (6) notes that officers, once the detailed assessment is received, will provide a further update on the options, costs and timing of works for both wharves (May 2021); (7) progresses the following approach for Petone Wharf to the draft Long Term Plan 2021/31 by bringing forward budget for the full refurbishment of most of Petone Wharf (including demolition of part of the head) to 2021 – 2023 financial years, to avoid higher costs and more closure over the next 10 years; (8) notes the update on engagement with Lowry Bay Yacht Club provided by officers at the meeting; (9) notes the scope and options presented on the Petone Recreation Grandstand and changing rooms, in particular, the preferred option to progress a refurbishment of the grandstand; and (10) approves the proposed timing and budget commitment of $5.95M in the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years for the refurbishment of the Petone Recreation Grandstand.” |
Cr Milne joined the meeting at 12.25pm via audio visual link.
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(e) |
Accelerating the transition out of natural gas use at Council facilities (21/153) |
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The Sustainability and Resilience Manager elaborated on the report. In response to a question from a member, the Sustainability and Resilience Manager confirmed that a placeholder for funding was required in the Long Term Plan to allow for work to be undertaken. He said the work programme would identify areas that Council could control and manage. |
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recommended: (Mayor Barry/Cr Briggs) Minute No. LTPAP 21108 “That the Subcommittee recommends that Council: (1) agrees to include an additional $4.5M in the draft Long Term Plan, in order to allow for the complete transition out of natural gas by 2030; and (2) agrees to consult with the community on the recommended preferred option (complete transition out of natural gas by 2030), with the alternative option involving decisions on funding taken in the future and realising this transition by the early 2040s.” |
7. QUESTIONS
There are no questions.
There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 1.43pm.
C Barry
MAYOR
CONFIRMED as a true and correct record
Dated this 24th day of March 2021
Kia ora koutou katoa. Firstly can I extend a bit of a late public Happy New Year to everyone - Councillors, officers, and the wider public.
As everyone knows, 2020 was a tough year on many fronts. Everyone thoroughly deserved a restful and relaxing break over summer.
Today we will make final decisions on the content which will feed into our draft 10 year plan. This includes decisions on the Naenae Pool rebuild, and Petone Wharf - both of which are key projects for our community.
On the 10 year plan generally, I’d like to emphasise that it is about reflecting the hopes and aspirations of our community, and that it will ultimately shape our city in the years to come.
I see this 10 year plan as being fundamentally about getting the basics right for our people.
That’s about really making sure we are investing in the infrastructure and key services which enable all of the people in our city to thrive.
We know Lower Hutt is growing fast - we’ve already exceeded our 2030 population forecasts. The real effect of this is growing pressure on our ageing infrastructure and the risks that poses for the future of our city.
It will therefore come as no surprise that infrastructure will be front and centre of this 10 year plan. It’s investment in our core infrastructure which will provide the foundations for sustainable growth.
Fundamental to everything we do is ensuring our approach is financially sustainable. That is a key pillar of this draft plan, and ensures that affordability for our ratepayers over the next ten years is front of mind.
Consultation on the draft 10 year plan will open on 29 March, and I know officers are preparing a comprehensive engagement programme to ensure we reach everyone we can.
So with that, let’s get stuck in.
Mayor Campbell Barry
Re: Hutt City Cycling and Micromobility SSBC
I would like to contribute something to the public comment where the long term plan will be discussed on Wednesday 10 Feb 2021. Would it be possible for this email to be read aloud? I'd really appreciate it.
By way of background, I do not own a car
and cycling is my primary means of getting around. I live in Belmont and
commute by bike to get to work at Hutt Hospital. I also cycle around the Hutt
and further afield day to day. I've lived in the Hutt since March 2019 so I
have that amount of first-hand experience as a cyclist to speak to. My comments
will be about cycling in particular, but they can be taken to pertain to other
active modes as well.
I have not had time to digest the Hutt City Cycling and Micromobility SSBC
fully so my comments will be general.
I encourage Hutt City Council to fund cycling infrastructure in the Hutt to the maximum amount possible. There are numerous reasons.
First, safety is a major issue. I have not kept detailed records but I can see from my phone that I have called the police numbers 105 or *555 a total of 15 times since moving to the Hutt. Nearly all of these calls will have been about dangerous driving incidents I experienced in which a motor vehicle got so close to me as I was cycling as to cause me risk of harm. The number 15 will be a fraction of the total number of such incidents because I only call the police when I manage to see and record the offending vehicle's registration number - not that often. I would be happy to make an information request to the police for further information about these incidents if it would be helpful to HCC deliberations. The point is, we need high quality, connected cycling infrastructure as a matter of safety. As a cyclist who is a daily user of the roads, the risks in the absence of such infrastructure are all too apparent to me.
Second, and this follows on from the first issue, we need the various parts of the overall network to be properly connected. A disconnected network is not really a network at all. For example, consider the newly built southern end of the Beltway cycleway at Oxford Terrace that terminates opposite the Wellington Free Ambulance near Waterloo train station. Also consider the Knights Road Connection project which aims to improve the accessibility of Knights Road to cyclists among others. Currently, the short stretch between the two endpoints of these projects is a non-trivial affair for a cyclist. Getting off the Beltway leads directly into the entrance to the station park and ride; a roundabout needs to be negotiated; and the cyclist also needs to navigate past parked cars, a bus stop, and a pedestrian crossing, with no separate cyclelane. Would any of us want our kids to do this on the way to school? In short, we need our major pieces of cycling infrastructure to be properly connected - and the funding needs to be there to make this happen.
Third, the environmental reasons for investing in cycling infrastructure cannot be understated. Reducing our carbon footprint is an imperative as recognised by the UN (see various IPCC reports). Proper cycling infrastructure would be part of this effort. More active transport modes also mean a healthier population, increased air quality, and reduced traffic congestion.
Finally, given we know that a majority of people who live in the Hutt also work here, and that a great many of them live very close to work (myself included), it makes sense that we would fund a properly connected cycling network. Hutt Valley DHB is low in the national standings when it comes to the number of children who walk or cycle to work and we must do better. I work in health care and I want to see us making it easy for people to make healthy decisions. Let's make it a no-brainer to get people out of their cars and onto bikes or other active modes.
I hope these comments can be taken into consideration when discussing the SSBC such that we achieve the highest funding possible for a fully connected cycling network in the Hutt.
Keep up the good work and thanks for considering this.
Warm regards,
Tim Ganly, PhD
Belmont
Lower Hutt
Phone contact details available on request