Communities Committee | Komiti Hapori
Minutes of a meeting held via ZOOM on
Thursday 4 March 2021 commencing at 2.00pm
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PRESENT: (via audio visual link) |
Deputy Mayor T Lewis (Chair) |
Mayor C Barry |
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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 A Mitchell |
Cr S Rasheed |
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Cr N Shaw (Deputy Chair) |
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APOLOGIES: Cr Sutton
NON ATTENDANCE: Cr C Milne
IN ATTENDANCE: Ms A Blackshaw, Director Neighbourhoods and Communities
Ms V West, International Relations Manager and Project Advisor
Mr T Kimbrell, Parks, Reserves and Recreation Planner
Mr A Yip, Strategic Projects Manager
Mr M Sherwood, Head of Parks and Recreation
Mr A Marsh, Team Leader, Parks
Mr G Craig,
Head of City Growth
Ms J Randall, Democracy Advisor
Ms T Lealofi, Democracy Advisor
Ms K Glanville,
Senior Democracy Advisor (part meeting)
PUBLIC BUSINESS
1. APOLOGIES
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Resolved: (Deputy Mayor Lewis/Cr Mitchell) Minute No. CCCCC 21101 “That the apology received from Cr Sutton be accepted and leave of absence be granted and the apology for early departure received from Cr Brown be accepted.” |
2. PUBLIC COMMENT
There was no public comment.
3. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS
There were no conflict of interest declarations
4. Recommendation to Council – 24 March 2021
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a) |
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The Parks, Reserves and Recreation Planner elaborated on the report. He advised the 107sqm parcel of land had recently been valued at $40,000. He explained the encroaching garden area, just south of the proposed land sale, would be restored with native vegetation in lieu of being purchased. In response to a question from a member, the Parks, Reserves and Recreation Planner advised he had not yet received a valuation for the 140sqm parcel of land. He added he would request a ballpark figure from the valuer in order to negotiate with the land owner. |
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ReCOMMENDED: (Deputy Mayor Lewis/Cr Dyer) “That the Committee recommends that Council agrees to the exchange of approximately 107m2 of encroached reserve land known as Lot 2 DP 549866 on CT 946488 (attached in red as Appendix 1 to the report) for approximately 140m2 of native bush land on Lot 16 DP 308 CT 40C/717 (attached in blue as Appendix 1 to the report).” For the reason: To resolve a long established encroachment and to protect native vegetation adjacent to a significant natural resource area. |
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b) |
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A submission from Mr A Hardy was tabled at the meeting (attached as page 6 to the minutes). The Parks, Reserves and Recreation Planner elaborated on the report. He noted the letter from Mr Hardy referred to historic correspondence from the late 1950s and early 1960s. He advised archival documents did not include any formal record of the land sale agreement. He added that Land Information New Zealand and the Land on Line Certificate of Title did not show a land exchange had occurred. He explained officers were proceeding on the basis that no exchange had taken place. The Chair requested that officers provided additional information so that members could make an informed decision. She asked for all relevant archival records along with legal advice. |
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ReSOLVED: (Deputy Mayor Lewis/Cr Dyer) Minute No. CCCCC 21103 “That the item be referred to the Council meeting to be held on 24 March 2021 for consideration, provided the officers can obtain the additional information within the timeframe.” |
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5. |
Parks and Reserves Asset Management Planning Update (21/190) Report No. CCCCC2021/1/44 by the Parks, Reserves and Recreation Planner |
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The Head of Parks and Recreation elaborated on the report. In response to questions from members, the Head of Parks and Recreation agreed to ensure the most recent demographic projections for Lower Hutt had been included in the Asset Management Plan. He acknowledged the total area of actively managed urban park land in Lower Hutt was below the national median. He advised funds would be used to make existing recreation areas more useable and multi-purpose. In response to a question from a member, the Parks, Reserves and Recreation Planner agreed to correct figures used in the Asset Management Plan relating to areas of actively managed park land per 1,000 people. In response to questions from members, the Team Leader, Parks agreed officers needed to review the Urban Forest Plan to ensure there were sufficient street trees for the city in the context of a climate emergency. He advised officers were investigating ‘Green Jobs’ funding to assist with implementing a monitoring system for pest control and biodiversity. |
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Resolved: (Cr Brown/Cr Rasheed) Minute No. CCCCC 21104 “That the Committee: (1) notes and receives the report; and (2) notes that an additional $2M in capital funding for renewal of Parks building assets has been agreed for inclusion in the draft Long Term Plan.” For the reason: Asset Management Plans are operational documents to guide and assist officers in planning for appropriate maintenance and development of Council assets. This is used to inform budgets which are considered by Council during long term and annual plan deliberations. |
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6. |
Director's Report - Neighbourhoods and Communities Group (21/92) Report No. CCCCC2021/1/45 by the Head of Community Projects and Relationships |
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In response to questions from a member, the Director, Neighbourhoods and Communities agreed to provide an update to members on progress with the public accessway between Crestview Grove and the Park Road Meadowbank walking track. In response to a question from a member, the Head of Parks and Recreation said he understood that funds set aside by the Central Ward Community Panel in the previous triennium for a Changing Places facility would be returned to the Central Community Funding Panel for reallocation to other initiatives in the area. He added funding allocated by Council for a Changing Places facility would be re-assigned to other ablution blocks in Buick Street and Pt Howard. The Director, Neighbourhoods and Communities agreed to provide an update to members on the matter. The Chair requested that the April meeting update contain more detail on communities and Community Funding Panels. |
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Resolved: (Deputy Mayor Lewis/Cr Edwards) Minute No. CCCCC 21105 “That the Committee notes and receives the report.” |
7. Information Items
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a) |
Naenae Projects progress report (21/133) Memorandum dated 2 February 2021 by the Strategic Projects Manager |
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In response to a question from a member, the Director, Neighbourhoods and Communities agreed to follow up the response to the YMCA. |
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Resolved: (Cr Mitchell/Cr Hislop) Minute No. CCCCC 21106 “That the Committee receives and notes the information.” |
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b) |
Memorandum dated 15 February 2021 by the International Relations Manager |
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Resolved: (Cr Mitchell/Cr Dyer) Minute No. CCCCC 21107 “That the memorandum be noted and received.” |
8. QUESTIONS
There were no questions.
There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 2.38pm.
T Lewis
CHAIR
CONFIRMED as a true and correct record
Dated this 24th day of March 2021
Submission received from Mr A Hardy 4 March 2021
ITEM 4(B) of today’s Communities Committee refers.
My wife and I are the owners of our house at 2 Miromiro Rd, Normandale, purchased in 1975 from the original owners.
We wish to see this encroachment matter settled.
Unfortunately we are not equipped to address the Committee via Zoom. I hope this email will set out our position.
Acting on legal advice we reserve our position and will await the valuation report.
I should correct the report to your Committee:- this matter was first reported to the LHCC Works and Drainage Committee on 7 December 1959 (page 8, item (I) of the minutes.),
following a survey of the proposed sewer line up Miromiro Rd. Following discussions with the owner, Council officers suggested the Council could consider selling a portion of reserve for the sum of 10 pounds. This suggestion was reported to the Works Committee on 13 April 1960 (page 5, item (j) of the Minutes) There is no further mention of the matter up to and including a meeting of the Works Committee on 14 June 1961.
I believe the owner paid the 10 Pounds, but there are no records available.
I very much doubt the matter was ever put to Council for resolution. The whole issue seems to have fallen into a dark hole while the owner believed he had done all that was required of him, having paid the 10 pounds. The owner’s family recall the payment of 10 pounds. Perhaps the payment was not clearly connected with the encroachment issue.
There is a most useful file in your Archive, number 44068 –“ JA Fawcet - Dwelling Erected Partially on Council Owned Land”, which records the exchange of correspondence between the owner and senior council officers on the matter.
I request the history of this matter be taken into account by your Committee.
I hope to address your committee at a later date.
Yours sincerely,
Alistair Hardy