Minutes of the Meeting of the Whanganui District Council held at 1.00pm on Tuesday, 31 October 2017, in the Council Chamber, Municipal Office Buildings, 101 Guyton Street, Whanganui ___________________________________________________________________ Present: Mayor Hamish McDouall (Chair), Deputy Mayor Cr Jenny Duncan, Cr Charlie Anderson, Cr Philippa Baker-Hogan, Cr David Bennett, Cr Josh Chandulal-Mackay, Cr Murray Cleveland, Cr Helen Craig, Cr Kate Joblin, Cr Hadleigh Reid, Cr Alan Taylor, Cr Rob Vinsen and Cr Graeme Young. In Attendance: Mr David Matthews (Chair, Wanganui Rural Community Board). Apologies: Deputy Mayor Cr Jenny Duncan and Cr Alan Taylor (for lateness). Mr David Matthews (Chair, Wanganui Rural Community Board). Officers in Attendance: Mr Kym Fell (Chief Executive), Mr Mike Fermor (General Manager – Finance), Ms Sarah Pomeroy (Communications and Marketing Manager) and Ms Therese Zimmerman (Governance Services Officer). Secretary: Mrs Karyn Turner (Governance Services Officer). Prayer Cr David Bennett read the Prayer. Apologies Council’s Resolution Proposed by Mayor McDouall, seconded by Cr Joblin: THAT apologies for lateness from Deputy Mayor Cr Jenny Duncan and Cr Alan Taylor are received. CARRIED Declarations of Interest Cr Chandulal-Mackay declared a conflict of interest in Item 7: Residue of Henry Sarjeant Bequest. Additional Information Minutes for Adoption Youth Committee Minutes – 25 September 2017 Strategy and Finance Committee Minutes – 26 October 2017 Item Officer Order Paper Page Confidential Interim Chair, 43 10. Whanganui District Council Holdings Annette Main Limited Report 2 Confidential Kym Fell 156 15. Chief Executive’s Report – 31 October 2017 Council’s Resolution Proposed by Mayor McDouall, seconded by Cr Joblin: 1 THAT the additional information tabled is taken with the relevant items. CARRIED Deputy Mayor Cr Duncan joined the meeting at 1.06pm Public Engagement Forum Mr Jim Callaghan – Request for a change in the sequence of four sets of traffic lights in the Central City. Mr Callaghan referred to traffic lights in Wilson Street and Victoria Avenue that provided green lights simultaneously for left turning traffic and pedestrians. He requested Council consider a minor change to the sequence of these traffic lights that would provide a two to three second advantage for pedestrians crossing prior to the green light for left turning traffic. Mayor McDouall advised this matter would be referred to the Infrastructure Team. Mr Amail Habib – Stop the Sale of Liquor in Supermarkets Mr Habib tabled and spoke to his submission to Council requesting that the sale of alcohol be restricted to liquor stores only and not be sold in supermarkets. Mr Habib worked at Whanganui hospital as Chaplain and said his presentation to Council was not on behalf of the hospital nor his church, but his personal views in the interests of public. He said Whanganui was a low socio-economic area and alcohol was a luxury, not a need. Alcohol consumption led to violence, addiction, damaged property, drink-driving and crime and impacted people’s health. Selling alcohol in supermarkets normalised its consumption. Mr Habib’s request to Council was to minimise the harm caused by use of alcohol and to make its availability less convenient as had been the case with tobacco. Confirmation of Council Minutes – 3 October 2017 Council’s Resolution Proposed by Mayor McDouall, seconded by Cr Joblin: THAT the minutes of the Whanganui District Council’s meeting held 3 October 2017 are confirmed. CARRIED Council Meeting 31 October 2017 3 Reports to Council 1. Iwi Engagement Bryan Nicholson, Chief Operating Officer, reports: Executive summary This report outlines Council’s recent engagement with Iwi. Background Formal relationships exist between the Council and Te Rūnanga O Tupoho and Te Rūnanga O Tamaupoko, with regular hui scheduled throughout the year that focuses on all levels – political, social, economic and environmental – for the benefit of all of Whanganui. The following hui has been held and matters discussed: Tamaupoko Link Wednesday, 27 September 2017, at Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui. Suzanne Aubert canonisation and infrastructural development planning. Recycling site project. Representation Review. Roading update. Iwi engagement on Strategy and Policy. 2018 Hui Dates. Whiteware dumping. Next hui scheduled for 8 November 2017 at Whanganui District Council. The unconfirmed minutes of the Tamaupoko Link hui held on 27 September 2017 are attached (Ref A). References – Agenda Attachments A Unconfirmed minutes of the Tamaupoko Link hui held on 27 September 2017. Discussion Cr Craig referred to the preparation for Suzanne Aubert’s canonisation and said while a toilet facility was planned, queried what else was being planned to manage the significant impact of increased visitor numbers, accommodation requirements and traffic flow. Mayor McDouall said the Council’s jurisdiction was infrastructure which was River Road maintenance. While Whanganui & Partners’ team may work with up-river businesses, the provision of facilities and events was not the Council’s responsibility. Mother Aubert’s canonisation would come from the Roman Catholic Church and the Council would work with the Church. Cr Chandulal-Mackay advised the Sisters of Compassion at Jerusalem were working with Tamaupoko and they had identified the lack of toilets. Dialogue was occurring and there had been a meeting with Council officers and Whanganui & Partners. He undertook to link Cr Craig into any updates. Council Meeting 31 October 2017 4 Mayor McDouall advised a Pōwhiri had been held today at Putiki for Marama Laurenson, the Council’s new Strategic Lead, Culture and Community. Cr Young left the meeting at 1.28pm. Significance of decision – In terms of the Significance and Engagement Policy 2014, the decision is not significant. Council’s Resolution Proposed by Mayor McDouall, seconded by Cr Chandulal-Mackay 1.1 THAT the Iwi engagement information is noted. 1.2 THAT the unconfirmed minutes of the Tamaupoko Link hui held on 27 September 2017, are received. CARRIED 2. Council Nomination to Te Karewao Charlotte Almond, General Manager – Strategy, reports: On 14 March 2017, the Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017 was enacted. The Act gives legal effect to, and must be interpreted in a manner that best furthers the agreements in the Deed of Settlement signed between Whanganui Iwi and the Crown in 2014. The Deed of Settlement was developed in two parts and includes the document ‘Ruruku Whakatupua – Te Mana o Te Awa Tupua’ that sets out the terms of a new legal framework for Te Awa Tupua, the Whanganui River system; and the document ‘Ruruku Whakatupua – Te Mana o Te Iwi o Whanganui’, which contains the elements of redress that apply solely to Whanganui Iwi regarding Te Awa Tupua. Key elements of Ruruku Whakatupua – Te Mana o Te Awa Tupua include the appointments to: Te Pou Tupua – two people who will act and speak on behalf of Te Awa Tupua. Dame Tariana Turia, DNZM and Turama Hawira were appointed to the office of Te Pou Tupua in September 2017. Te Karewao – an advisory group that will advise and support Te Awa Tupua. Te Kōpuka – a strategy group. The post settlement governance entity, Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui Trust, and the recognised body responsible for the implementation of the settlement on behalf of Whanganui Iwi, has requested that nominations are forwarded for Te Karewao. Mayor Hamish McDouall has recommended that Annette Main be nominated for Te Karewao. Given her work with Whanganui Iwi and her relationship with the Whanganui River, Mayor McDouall believes she is the best candidate for the Council to nominate. Council Meeting 31 October 2017 5 A paper detailing the advisory and strategic groups, and their respective roles, is attached. (Ref B). Please note that while the recommended date for nominations has passed, it has been acknowledged that this date was not fixed due to its tight timeframes and inability to align with the ratification processes of Local Government. References – Agenda Attachments B Mayor and Chair Te Karewao Te Kōpuka Paper. Cr Young rejoined the meeting at 1.32pm. Significance of decision – In terms of the Significance and Engagement Policy 2014, the decision is not significant. Council’s Resolution Proposed by Cr Joblin, seconded by Cr Duncan: 2.1 THAT the Council recommends that Annette Main be nominated as the Local Authority representative to Te Karewao, an advisory group to Te Pou Tupua as outlined within Te Awa Tupua (Whanganui River Claims Settlement) Act 2017. CARRIED ACTION: Linsey Higgins 3. Adoption of Council Annual Report for Year Ended 30 June 2017 Mike Fermor, General Manager – Finance, reports: “Introduction This report is a summary of Council’s Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 2017. The Annual Report will be posted on Council’s website by the end of November 2017. Copies will be made available to the public and Elected Members upon request. Background The Local Government Act (LGA), The Financial Reporting Act, other relevant legislation and New Zealand International Public Sector Accounting Standards require Council to disclose a large amount of information in the Annual Report. The purpose of the Annual Report is to report on both financial and non-financial performance of the Council by comparing what the Council actually did with what it planned to do. Council is required, by law, to obtain from an independent third party (Audit New Zealand), its opinion on whether the