Agenda of Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting

UNCONFIRMED Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Minutes

27 October 2020

MINUTES

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting

Tuesday, 27 October 2020

Order Of Business

1 Apologies. 3

1.1 Apologies. 3

2 Public Forum.. 3

3 Acceptance of Late Items. 3

4 Confidential Business to be Transferred into the Open. 3

5 Change to Order of Business. 4

6 Confirmation of Minutes. 4

6.1 Minutes of the Projects, Services and Operations Committee meeting held on 15 September 2020. 4

7 Declaration of Conflicts of Interest 4

8 Deputations, Presentations, Petitions. 4

8.1 Janet Chapman and Paul Edwards - Petition - Oceanbeach Road Safety Concerns. 4

8.2 Robin Rimmer - Petition - Welcome Bay Estuary. 5

9 Business. 6

9.1 Oceanbeach Road Pedestrian Facility. 6

9.2 Lavender Place Petition Report 8

9.3 Elmes Reserve to Bay Street Boardwalk and Walkway Update. 9

9.4 Innovating Streets at the Mount Update. 10

9.5 Omanawa Falls - Project Update and Consenting Strategy. 11

9.6 Executive Report 12

9.7 Three Waters Reform - Funding Delivery Programme - Procurement Approach. 13

10 Discussion of Late Items. 14

MINUTES OF Tauranga City Council

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting

HELD AT THE Tauranga City Council, Council Chambers, 91 Willow Street, Tauranga

ON Tuesday, 27 October 2020 AT 9.30am

PRESENT: Cr Kelvin Clout (Chairperson), Mayor Tenby Powell, Cr Larry Baldock (via Skype), Cr Bill Grainger, Cr Heidi Hughes, Cr Dawn Kiddie, Cr Steve Morris, Cr John Robson, Cr Tina Salisbury, and Mrs Emily Gudsell

IN ATTENDANCE: Marty Grenfell (Chief Executive), Paul Davidson (General Manager: Corporate Services), Barbara Dempsey (General Manager: Regulatory & Compliance), Susan Jamieson (General Manager: People & Engagement), Nic Johansson (General Manager: Infrastructure), Christine Jones (General Manager: Strategy & Growth), Gareth Wallis (General Manager: Community Services), Brendan Bisley (Director of Transport), Steve Burton (Manager: City Waters), Mark Smith (Manager: Spaces & Places), Warren Aitken (Team Leader: Parks & Environment), Mark Armistead (Principal Urban Forester), Guy Protheroe (Urban Designer), Coral Hair (Manager: Democracy Services), Raj Naidu (Committee Advisor), and Jenny Teeuwen (Committee Advisor)

1 Apologies

1.1 Apologies

Committee Resolution PR0/20/1

Moved: Cr Kelvin Clout

Seconded: Cr Tina Salisbury

That the apology for absence received from Cr Andrew Hollis and the apology for lateness received from Cr Steve Morris be accepted.

Carried

2 Public Forum

Nil

3 Acceptance of Late Items

Nil

4 Confidential Business to be Transferred into the Open

Nil

5 Change to Order of Business

Nil

6 Confirmation of Minutes

6.1 Minutes of the Projects, Services and Operations Committee meeting held on 15 September 2020

Committee Resolution PR0/20/2

Moved: Cr Dawn Kiddie

Seconded: Cr Bill Grainger

That the minutes of the Projects, Services and Operations Committee meeting held on 15 September 2020 be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Carried

7 Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

Nil.

8 Deputations, Presentations, Petitions

8.1 Janet Chapman and Paul Edwards - Petition - Oceanbeach Road Safety Concerns

A copy of Ms Chapman’s presentation for this item can be viewed on Tauranga City Council’s website in the Minutes Attachments document for this committee meeting.

Key points

· The presented petition was signed and supported by 238 residents of Oceanbeach Road and the immediate area.

· Special thanks were extended to Crs Kiddie, Hollis and Hughes for their community support over the past six months.

· Oceanbeach Road was one of two residential roads running parallel to State Highway 2. It was being used as a main arterial road and was now congested as a rat run. As a consequence, the road was unsafe particularly for pedestrians and cyclists.

· It was very difficult for residents to access or leave their properties. Vision was dangerously impaired when trying to reverse out of driveways.

· Residents had been waiting for work on pedestrian refuges to start since June 2020. The mooted pedestrian crossing at Concord Avenue was still not approved.

· The impact of heavy vehicles and trucks was constant. Ms Chapman had documented over 190 companies using Oceanbeach Road.

· Accidents continually occurred.

· The petition requested that Council consider reducing the speed limit to 40kph, install the pedestrian refuges, approve the pedestrian crossing at Concord Ave, install speed limit markings, and limit the number and size of trucks using the road.

In response to questions

· The door opening line was too narrow and dangerous for cyclists. It was suggested that the line be brought in and responsibility placed with motorists when opening car doors.

· A number of accidents had not been reported to the police. Police had advised that they did not have the resources, and suggested residents contact council with their concerns.

· Big trucks came through regularly every day but had increased since the B to B work had commenced.

The Chairperson thanked Ms Chapman and Mr Edwards for their presentation.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/3

Moved: Cr Dawn Kiddie

Seconded: Mayor Tenby Powell

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the petition from Janet Chapman regarding Oceanbeach Road Safety Concerns.

Carried

Attachment

1 Janet Chapman and Paul Edwards - Oceanbeach Road Concerns

8.2 Robin Rimmer - Petition - Welcome Bay Estuary

A copy of Mr Rimmer’s presentation for this item can be viewed on Tauranga City Council’s website in the Minutes Attachments document for this committee meeting.

Key points

· The petition represented 51 residents with 21 signatures collected.

· Mr Rimmer went to the Environment Court in 2012 to argue that the large estuary side setback that Tauranga City Council (TCC) had imposed on private property should have been consulted.

· TCC spent $100k to argue at the Environment Court that an encroachment upon private property was required to ensure the welfare of the estuary environments.

· As a way of presenting an alternative view, Mr Rimmer wrote a report on the state of the Welcome Bay Estuary which chronicled the change of the estuary’s fortunes over 40 years. The report was presented to the Projects, Services and Operations Committee in early August 2020.

· Local government played no role in the cleaning up of the estuary. This work was carried out by estuary-side residents.

· Mr Rimmer was considering publishing his report as a monument to 40 years of failed advocacy. Council’s decision with regard to the petition would provide a fitting epilogue.

· TCC was proposing to introduce a walkway/cycleway on a portion of the Welcome Bay estuary coast and shore. The walkway/cycleway was to be further extended into the quiet corners of the estuary and into the estuary’s bird sanctuaries.

· The message seemed to be that there was ample TCC budget for estuary infrastructure, but not for estuary care.

· The petition requested that TCC place a moratorium on building infrastructure in estuaries so that the current neglect and exploit model could be reviewed.

· The review was timely, especially in light of the recent parliamentary commissioner’s report on the state of our estuaries and the Ministry for the Environment’s call for better protection of wetlands and their biodiversity.

· A moratorium would give TCC an opportunity to move away from its current policy of neglect and exploit and instead adopt environmental and democratic values.

In response to questions

· Mr Rimmer would provide a copy of his verbal presentation and the evidence of TCC providing misinformation regarding the Welcome Bay Estuary boardwalks, and these would be circulated to the Mayor and Councillors.

· The recent City Plan change 30 – Earthworks, would help to address earthworks issues, and abatement of current silting issues.

The Chairperson thanked Mr Rimmer for his presentation.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/4

Moved: Cr John Robson

Seconded: Cr Heidi Hughes

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the petition from Robin Rimmer regarding the Welcome Bay Estuary.

Carried

Attachment

1 Robin Rimmer - Welcome Bay Estuary

9 Business

9.1 Oceanbeach Road Pedestrian Facility

Staff Brendan Bisley, Director of Transport

Key points

· There were typically four main options to improve safety for pedestrians crossing a road – reduce the width of the crossing through kerb buildouts, install central refuge islands, a pedestrian or zebra crossing, and a signalised crossing with traffic signals.

· The most appropriate option for this location was a central pedestrian island (refuge).

· The pedestrian island could be retrofitted with a pedestrian crossing in the future.

· Attention was drawn to an error in the report under paragraph 15. The location was approximately 100m from Concord Avenue, and not Golf Road as stated in the report.

In response to questions

· Pedestrian refuges were currently constructed from plastic pipes as they needed to be frangible. They were not designed to stop vehicles but primarily as a holding rail for pedestrians. Aluminium or thin steel pipes could be considered for the future.

· Evidence for pedestrian usage was based on surveys undertaken and what was seen at the time of the surveys. The last surveys were undertaken just prior to the Covid lockdown.

· Demand for the facility would increase once the facility was there as more people would feel safer crossing the road.

· Pedestrian crossings, if not used, tended to be ignored by motorists.

· Younger users of pedestrian crossings did not tend to be able to discern the speed of oncoming vehicles.

· In this particular location, to make a single pedestrian crossing safe required the road to be narrowed right down and the speed of vehicles to be reduced significantly. However, this would still not make the crossing totally safe.

· There were currently 12 pedestrian refuges planned for the length of Oceanbeach Rd to Papamoa Beach Road.

· There was a fundamental issue of enabling bad behaviour in terms of speeding vehicles.

· Parking would be removed from the side of the road at the refuge site so the width of the refuge would be 1.5m and would offer a degree of safety for those using the refuge.

· Trucks were using Oceanbeach Road as this was a quicker route for them. A bylaw could be put in place banning trucks from using the road but this would be difficult to enforce.

· The effects of the B to B roadworks were now being felt wider than just the local area.

At 10.12am, Cr Steve Morris entered the meeting.

· A reduction of the speed limit to 40kph could be considered. Oceanbeach Road was not currently one of the 10 roads to be reviewed soon but would be part of the city-wide speed limit review which would be undertaken from the middle of 2021 onwards. Reducing the speed limit would have a roll on effect to other roads in the area.

· A signalised crossing would be completely out of context for this environment. If the crossing was not used regularly traffic would not get used to stopping there and therefore would not always notice the signals.

· Refuges were safe for pedestrians. The refuge at Concord Ave would be monitored following installation to assess whether there had been supressed demand and if the demand was real and more people were using the refuge. It could then be reassessed as to whether a pedestrian crossing might then be the most appropriate treatment for that area.

Committee Recommendation

Moved: Cr Steve Morris

Seconded: Mayor Tenby Powell

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the report and confirms that a refuge is the appropriate facility at the current time.

An amendment was then put.

Amendment

Moved: Cr Heidi Hughes

Seconded: Cr Larry Baldock

(b) That a report be brought back to the Projects, Services and Operations Committee on options for a 40km speed limit and a bylaw and other measures to restrict trucks along Oceanbeach Road.

carried

The substantive motion was then put.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/5

Moved: Cr Steve Morris

Seconded: Mayor Tenby Powell

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Receives the report and confirms that a refuge is the appropriate facility at the current time.

(b) Requests a report be brought back to the Projects, Services and Operations Committee on options for a 40km speed limit and a bylaw and other measures to restrict trucks along Oceanbeach Road.

Carried

At 10.40am, the meeting adjourned

At 10.55am, the meeting resumed.

9.2 Lavender Place Petition Report

Staff Mark Smith, Manager: Parks & Recreation

Warren Aitken, Team Leader: Parks & Environment

Mark Armistead, Principal Urban Forester

A copy of the staff presentation and photos presented by Cr Kelvin Clout for this item can be viewed on Tauranga City Council’s website in the Minutes Attachments document for this committee meeting.

The report was taken as read.

In response to questions

· The cost of removing a 10 metre tree was $825.

· A survey had been undertaken in Lavender Place and the surrounding area within a 500m radius. 120 letters were distributed. 21 responses were received – seven in favour of the trees being removed, 13 in favour of the trees remaining, and one response was undefined.

· It was suggested that a map showing where responses came from would be helpful. This would be provided in the future.

· Two of the 10 trees were significantly taller than the other eight. The trees in the street were all the same species and would all get to the same height at some point in the future. Taking the height out of the two taller trees was not an option for this species as they would react badly to significant pruning.

· This species of tree was within the TCC planting guide and had been planted elsewhere in the city, both by TCC and by developers.

· Native trees were not always used as they were not the best choice for particular areas around the city.

· If the trees were removed, they would be replaced with a suitable species. A native species would be considered. TCC would consult with residents about any replacements.

Committee MOTION

Moved: Cr Steve Morris

Seconded: Cr Dawn Kiddie

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee approves the removal of the ten trees on Lavender Place with all costs to sit with the residents.

In Favour: Crs Dawn Kiddie and Steve Morris

Against: Cr Kelvin Clout, Mayor Tenby Powell, Crs Larry Baldock, Bill Grainger, Heidi Hughes, John Robson, Tina Salisbury, and Emily Gudsell

lost 2/8

A new motion was then put and was taken in parts.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/6

Moved: Cr Kelvin Clout

Seconded: Cr Steve Morris

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee approves that:

(a) Council removes the two trees outside 15 and 27 Lavender Place.

In Favour: Cr Kelvin Clout, Mayor Tenby Powell, Crs Larry Baldock, Dawn Kiddie, Steve Morris, and Emily Gudsell

Against: Crs Bill Grainger, Heidi Hughes and Tina Salisbury

Abstained: Cr John Robson

carried 6/3

(b) Removal of the trees will be at Council’s cost.

In Favour: Cr Kelvin Clout, Mayor Tenby Powell, Crs Larry Baldock, Dawn Kiddie, Steve Morris, John Robson, and Emily Gudsell

Against: Crs Bill Grainger, Heidi Hughes and Tina Salisbury

carried 7/3

(c) Staff report back with a staged replacement plan for the remaining eight trees with cost allocation to be included in the report.

In Favour: Crs Kelvin Clout and Larry Baldock

Against: Mayor Tenby Powell, Crs Bill Grainger, Heidi Hughes, Dawn Kiddie, Steve Morris, John Robson, Tina Salisbury, and Emily Gudsell

lost 2/8

(a) and (b) Carried

Attachments

1 Presentation - Lavender Street trees

2 Photos from Cr Clout - Lavender Street trees

9.3 Elmes Reserve to Bay Street Boardwalk and Walkway Update

Staff Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Mark Smith, Manager: Parks & Recreation

Warren Aitken, Team Leader: Parks & Environment

The report was taken as read.

In response to questions

· The boardwalk would be on higher ground and not in the estuary tidal area, so would not be subject to the predicted sea level rise.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/7

Moved: Cr Larry Baldock

Seconded: Mayor Tenby Powell

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the report Elmes Reserve to Bay Street Boardwalk and Walkway Update.

In Favour: Cr Kelvin Clout, Mayor Tenby Powell, Crs Larry Baldock, Bill Grainger, Heidi Hughes, Dawn Kiddie, Steve Morris, Tina Salisbury, and Emily Gudsell

Against: Cr John Robson

carried 9/1

Carried

9.4 Innovating Streets at the Mount Update

Staff Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Guy Protheroe, Urban Designer

A copy of the staff presentation for this item can be viewed on Tauranga City Council’s website in the Minutes Attachments document for this committee meeting.

Key points

· The project was to trial improvements in the streets around the Mount without necessarily making any long-term commitments.

· Waka Kotahi provided 90% of the funding for the project.

· An extensive publicity campaign was undertaken in August and community engagement occurred during September.

· 1,236 submissions had been received. Two main conclusions from the submissions were that the majority of submitters wanted something to be trialled, and there were safety issues associated with the roads, particularly for cyclists, pedestrians and other non-vehicle users.

· Co-design was a central component of the process.

· 180 registrations had been received for a Community Design Group (CDG). 28 people were shortlisted representing the broadest range of interests as possible.

· The CDG worked with design consultants and TCC staff to prepare an initial range of concepts that would be presented back to the public. Three workshops had been held at the Surf Club at the Mount. All workshops were well attended with a high level of engagement from all the participants.

· Proposals were now being prepared for public consultation from mid to the end of November. Submissions would close at the end of November. Feedback would be reviewed by the CDG who would then make recommendations that would come back to Council in February 2021.

· A comprehensive monitoring process including a number of qualitive and quantitative assessments, in particular for traffic numbers, parking utilisation, and sentiment surveys, would begin in January and would continue throughout the duration of the trial.

In response to questions

· The police acted as the adjudicator during the process of selecting participants for the CDG. A list of those appointed to the CDG would be circulated to the Mayor and Councillors.

· A company called Gap Filler, who had been heavily involved in the reconstruction of Christchurch following the earthquakes, were part of the consultant team working with the CDG. One of their responsibilities for the project was to create activation and engage the community as much as possible.

· Feedback from residents to councillors regarding the process for this project was very positive and staff were praised for the way the project has been carried out. The process was being recorded and would be used for future projects.

· Monitoring and evaluation data for the Ngatai Rd project was not yet available. This information would be distributed to the Mayor and Councillors when available.

Staff Action

The following information be distributed to the Mayor and Councillors:

a) A list of those appointed to the Mount Innovating Streets Community Design Group.

b) Monitoring and evaluation data for the Ngatai Rd project, when available

Committee Resolution PR0/20/8

Moved: Mayor Tenby Powell

Seconded: Cr John Robson

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the report Innovating Streets at the Mount Update.

Carried

Attachment

1 Presentation - Innovating Streets at the Mount

9.5 Omanawa Falls - Project Update and Consenting Strategy

Staff Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Mark Smith, Manager: Parks & Recreation

Key points

· There were three workstreams engaged within the project – access, experience, and ownership.

· The report was an early stage update on how the project was progressing so far and concentrated on the consenting strategy.

· There were two consenting strategy options – classify the site as a reserve, or keep it as a rural zone.

· The rural zone consenting strategy had been chosen. Resource consent would be applied for once the design had been finalised through the co-design process with Ngati Hangarau and Tourism Bay of Plenty. It was expected that resource consent would be lodged after Christmas.

In response to questions

· The relationship with Ngati Hangarau was going very well; they were a great crew to work with.

· It was flagged that Ngati Hangarau was stretched for resource. It was also flagged that Ngati Hangarau’s expectations for the project were very clear, and it was important that Council understood these expectations to ensure difficulties did not occur later on in the relationship.

· In an effort to address the resourcing issue, Ngati Hangarau was being remunerated for time, effort and participation in the project. Ngati Hangarau resourcing would be adding to agenda of the 1 November 2020 governance group meeting to ensure a thorough response to the resourcing and remuneration issue.

· Ngati Hangarau was working closely with Tourism Bay of Plenty to consider their own tourism experience. The details for this were not available.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/9

Moved: Cr John Robson

Seconded: Cr Tina Salisbury

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the Omanawa Falls – Project Update and Consenting Strategy report.

Carried

9.6 Executive Report

Staff Marty Grenfell, Chief Executive

Paul Davidson, General Manager: Corporate Services

Barbara Dempsey, General Manager: Regulatory & Compliance

Susan Jamieson, General Manager: People & Engagement

Christine Jones, General Manager: Strategy & Growth

Nic Johansson, General Manager: Infrastructure

Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

The report was taken as read.

In response to questions

· Kerbside Update

- There still appeared to be a large number of residents who did not understand the whole package and councillors were receiving a large number of emails with residents’ concerns. Councillors could direct their queries to the Democracy Services Inbox. Staff would then collate and theme the questions and provide responses that councillors could go back to their constituents with.

- There was also more information going out this week following questions raised by councillors last week.

- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) were available on TCC’s website.

- Some misinformation was also available on a number of channels and staff were working hard to get the correct information out to residents using those channels.

- A one page information sheet on the Pay as You Throw (PAYT) option would be made available to councillors later in the week. PAYT was the option that Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC) had adopted but they were in a different environment to the Tauranga city community environment. TCC was mindful of not putting information out into the community that could be of detriment to the WBOPDC decision.

At 11.55am, Mayor Tenby Powell left the meeting.

- Offering PAYT in year two was not currently being considered. Pay by Weight was being considered as a future option. However, Council could choose to make the PAYT option available in year two if it chose. It was noted that two thirds of the community had chosen the current option that TCC had adopted and this would need to be considered in any future changes.

- The Chief Executive would undertake to have the information that the organisation had already put out to the public reviewed as soon as possible and report back on any action taken.

- It was planned to have recycle bins alongside normal rubbish bins throughout the CBD and city.

- It was suggested that the kerbside communications information could include a piece about the increased composting opportunities with the new service.

- It was expected that approximately five to ten percent of people would opt for a different size bin in year two. The discarded bins would be re-used, mostly by new residents growth.

· There would be an update on the Cameron Rd project to the next Projects, Services and Operations Committee meeting.

At 12.06pm, Mayor Tenby Powell re-entered the meeting.

· One submission had been received for the Timaru Oil Services Ltd limited notified resource consent application.

· Staff surveys were being carried out to monitor the impact of Flexible Ways of Working (FWoW) and to better understand what was and was not working.

· Although there had been no noticeable impact from Covid on the first instalment of rates payments, there was still the potential for an impact for the second rates instalment.

· Costings for the upgrade of the Cargo Shed on Dive Crescent were currently being sought. Decisions on its future use had not yet been made. It was requested that previous reports over time on the Cargo Shed be circulated to councillors.

· There was a limit to the revenue from the travel lift when the hard stand at the Marine Precinct was fully booked, however it was noted that when travel-lift revenue was down, hard stand revenue was up. The hard stand was never designed as a long-term storage facility. A further business case for the Marine Precinct would look at future development and the economic return of the different activities at the site.

· The paint used on the cycleway design in Durham Lane was standard paint used for road markings so would be maintained accordingly. The design of the cycleway was done by Jasmax in collaboration with mana whenua and the University of Waikato.

Staff Action

Previous reports over time on the Cargo Shed in Dive Crescent be circulated to councillors.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/10

Moved: Cr John Robson

Seconded: Mayor Tenby Powell

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Receives the September Executive Report;

(b) Confirms the following Councillors to be the representatives on the Mount Air Quality Working Party (up to four Councillors are recommended)

a. Cr Dawn Kiddie

b. Cr Heidi Hughes

c. Ms Emily Gudsell, subject to mana whenua acceptance

Carried

9.7 Three Waters Reform - Funding Delivery Programme - Procurement Approach

Staff Steve Burton, Manager: City Waters

Key points

· TCC signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in August 2020 for the Government’s three waters stimulus funding.

· A Delivery Plan had been submitted to the government in September 2020. The Delivery Plan was currently being assessed and was expected to be approved by the end of October 2020.

· The first tranche of funding was expected next month.

In response to questions

· Staff were working with TCC’s Takawaenga unit to ensure TCC is engaging and consulting with the appropriate people when forming an iwi partnership.

· TCC would start work on assessing whether private water supplies could be vested to council in the future and TCC take responsibility for these.

· The impact on the balance sheet would be discussed as part of the Long Term Plan (LTP) where different scenarios would be developed to show what the impact might look like.

Committee Resolution PR0/20/11

Moved: Mayor Tenby Powell

Seconded: Cr Heidi Hughes

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Approves the implementation of the procurement approach for the three waters reform funding delivery programme.

(b) Approves the exemptions to open competition detailed in Attachment 1.

Carried

10 Discussion of Late Items

Nil

The meeting closed at 12.41pm.

The minutes of this meeting were confirmed at the Projects, Services and Operations Committee meeting held on 8 December 2020.

...................................................

CHAIRPERSON

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8 Business

8.1 Executive Report

File Number: A11964953

Author: Paul Davidson, General Manager: Corporate Services

Barbara Dempsey, General Manager: Regulatory & Compliance

Susan Jamieson, General Manager: People & Engagement

Nic Johansson, General Manager: Infrastructure

Christine Jones, General Manager: Strategy & Growth

Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Authoriser: Marty Grenfell, Chief Executive

Purpose of the Report

This report is to provide an update and summary of key areas within Council.

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the December Executive Report.

strategy & growth

City Future (Vision) Project Update

1. The City Future Project (CFP) is a long-term, city-wide initiative seeking to develop and deliver a future vision and action plan for Tauranga City (previously known as the City Vision Project).

2. Phase one of the CFP is now complete. This built on information from a number of sources, including Vital Signs, WSP future-ready workshops and the strategy stocktake. Most recently, it included a series of workshops led by David Cunliffe, including the Elected Members workshop held in October. The primary purpose of these workshops was to test and scope key stakeholders’ interest in participating in a collaborative city vision and action planning process. At the end of phase one, we can conclude that most community leaders are supportive of the CFP and perceive this as a genuine opportunity to help move Tauranga forward.

3. It is important to note that for many key stakeholders, support was conditional on several factors, including the need for an authentic, non-duplicative and genuine collaborative process. Work is therefore underway to establish an independent governance board and also a wider ‘champions’ / reference group to drive this project, both across organisations and within the community.

4. A full report summarising the findings from phase one, including a draft road map for the project’s completion by December 2021, will be available in the new year. This will be presented to the first Policy Committee meeting in 2021.

Wairoa River Valley Strategy Review 2021

5. The Wairoa River Valley Strategy was developed by WBOPDC and TCC with key partners in 2005 and updated through a desktop review in 2013. The Strategy aims to integrate the management of this significant natural environment and open space, and to provide clear future plans for protection, use and development in this area.

6. The Strategy was developed at a time when urbanisation of this rural area was not planned. While much of the Strategy is still deliverable in an urban context, there are some elements that are not aligned with agreed development plans for the Tauriko West growth area. In response to a 2018 LTP submission from Te Kauae a Roopu (a collective of hapū with interests in the Tauriko West project), WBOPDC agreed to scoping a review of the Strategy within its 2020/2021 work programme. WBOPDC noted that this was to be jointly progressed with TCC, BOPRC and Tangata Whenua representatives. TCC was aware of and in agreement with this joint commitment.

7. We are intending to work with WBOPDC (as lead agency) and key partners to start scoping the Wairoa River Valley Strategy review in early 2021. This will enable results of the cultural assessment and flood risk assessment work commissioned for Tauriko West, due for delivery before year-end, to be incorporated into the review process.

Housing Opportunities

8. An update is provided in the confidential attachment to this report - refer Attachment 1.

councillor query

9. A recent councillor query raised a number of issues for staff to investigate, these included:

· CCTV cameras to be installed at

(a) McDonalds Mount Maunganui

(b) Blake Park

· Butt bins to be installed at bus stops

· An offer of butt bins (or for owners to be encouraged to install these) at all hospitality businesses

· That we investigate changing some roads that enter Maunganui Roads to be turned into parking streets i.e. cul de sacs, that allow people to park safely

· For Council to implement an anti-litter campaign – especially by advertising this on bus stops and at schools, and

· To install stormwater traps across the city as we have done on Durham street.

Responses to each of these queries and suggestions follow.

CCTV coverage in Tauranga City

10. We currently have several hundred cameras installed throughout the City. These cameras are able to be monitored 24/7 by the TTOC team. Any anti-social activity is reported to the police.

11. Security cameras are installed in most Council facilities, from libraries and water treatment plants to parks, playgrounds, bike lockers and car parks. About half of our cameras are installed in the road corridor and have a primary function of traffic monitoring and management, but cameras are installed based on individual projects or to mitigate an identified security risk. Our TTOC team manages the technical installation and monitoring. Ultimately, cameras are installed depending on budget availability, and there is no overarching CCTV strategy or specific budget ring-fenced for crime prevention cameras. All new projects are subject to a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design review and any recommendations for CCTV monitoring would be made at this stage.

12. Our TTOC team has a forward works programme for transport cameras and a small annual budget ($25,000) is available to fund CCTV, which would cover no more than 5 new cameras. An indicative cost per CCTV camera is between $5k and $8k, depending on the availability of power and communication networks.

13. Overt CCTV cameras can have a positive impact on behaviour, particularly when followed-up by enforcement action. However, this sometimes means the unwanted behaviour simply moves to another unmonitored location.

14. We have received requests to install more CCTV cameras in Greerton, as well as at McDonald’s in Mount Maunganui, and at Blake Park, at the Hinau Street / Grass grandstand area. This may be added to the LTP for consideration, or – where possible – we will look to fund via existing project budgets.

Cigarette Butt Bins

15. This is an issue we have researched before, as smokers have used our new waste/recycle bins to stub out cigarettes. We approached Toi Te Ora for their feedback earlier this year. Toi Te Ora’s perspective is that butt bins are only appropriate in designated smoking areas.

16. Installation of these bins at bus stops would be incompatible with Council’s Smokefree Places policy.

17. Currently the Smokefree Policy has a strong educational focus, with the application primarily based on signage to advise people that an area is smokefree. The policy encourages people to refrain from smoking in the following public places:

(a) Playgrounds

(b) Active reserves (excluding leased areas)

(d) The playgrounds and carparks of Council public facilities (in schedule one of the policy).

18. With regard to hospitality businesses, those with designated smoking areas do have receptacles for butts (ash trays). Patrons need to be encouraged to use them.

Litter Campaign

19. In the waste education and behaviour change space, we are concentrating for the next 12 months on the kerbside roll-out. We will be analysing data to determine whether the kerbside service reduces litter and illegal dumping, which will allow us to better target any anti-littering campaigns.

20. In the meantime, we will continue to work with hospitality businesses that are part of our Resource Wise Business programme to see what they can do to further reduce litter.

Parking suggestion for Maunganui roads

21. It’s been suggested that some roads entering Maunganui Road could be turned into cul-de-sacs or ‘parking streets’ that allow people to park safely.

22. Currently, most roads in the Maunganui Road area already have parking spaces available for public use. Converting streets to create increased parking would restrict access; meaning impacted residents and the wider community would need to be consulted. Our priority focus is on safety upgrades along Maunganui Road.

Stormwater/Pollutant traps

23. Council has a variety of gross pollutant traps installed around the city, from trash nets to the ‘Littatraps’ installed in Durham Street.

24. Tauranga has many thousands of catch pits across the city and staff are prioritising areas that are being redeveloped, or that have been found to have high levels of litter.

25. Preventing rubbish and other contaminants from entering the stormwater network through community education is essential, as devices are only a small part of the answer to reducing our impact on the environment.

Maunganui road PROJECT UPDATE

26. Stage 1 of the Maunganui Road Safety Improvements project (between Hull Road and Hinau St) is continuing with progress on track to be completed by Christmas. (Attachment 1) Drainage works are substantially complete with soakage modules and new sumps all installed. The central concrete median islands have been constructed and backfilled with topsoil – grass growth is beginning to show after frequent rainfall.

27. The Contractor, Fulton Hogan reduced activity and temporary traffic management at the site prior to the International Cricket match – meaning full carparking capacity was available for the International Cricket matches on Sunday 29th and Monday 30th November. Safe crossing points were constructed, and a meeting held with the cricket events traffic management provider to ensure the site was safe for the cricket match.

28. Asphalt resurfacing will commence after the cricket on Tuesday 1 December and construction activity will again be reduced to cater for the Christmas in the Park event on Saturday 5th December.

29. Next week work will also commence on the construction of the two new roundabouts at Clyde St and Tay St. This will be followed by final asphalting, road marking and traffic signage installation. New streetlighting will also be installed in the new central median islands prior to Christmas.

30. Prior to works commencing letters were sent out to all affected residents and stakeholders in the wider area. We have received some feedback and have met directly with residents who have had potential issues or requested more information, and these meetings have been positive and productive. The letters also directed customers to Council’s website which provides additional information about the project.

31. The following phases of the project as approved by Waka Kotahi business case for co-funding earlier this year will be part of the LTP process.

TE MAUNGA LANDWARD OUTFALL PROJECT UPDATE

32. Construction is scheduled to commence mid-March 2021 and will take 15 months to complete. Construction tenders close on 15 December 2020, and subject to the scope of tender negotiations, it is anticipated that an award will be made mid-February 2021. Three suppliers were shortlisted for the tender process.

33. An Engineer to Contract has been appointed and the MSQA team and technical support consultants will be in place early in February 2021. A cost management consultant has been appointed to provide the Engineer to Contract and the TCC Project Manager with support during construction.

34. A communications campaign, informing local residents of the upcoming construction is progressing well. It has been well received, with positive feedback from some residents.

35. A building condition survey will be carried out pre and post construction at all properties adjoining, or in close proximity to the easement corridor where the new pipeline will be laid. The project team will visit each property well in advance, to brief the owners on the survey. The objective of the survey is to identify existing defects in buildings and to provide a baseline for comparison post construction. Some minor damage may occur at properties due to the adjacent construction activities and will be repaired by TCC.

36. Tangata Whenua have also been kept informed as part of the communications campaign.

37. The easement owner has been formally notified of the commencement date for construction (a requirement under the easement agreement).

38. The project team has been carrying out baseline surveys (ground levels and ground water levels) over the past few months to build up a database of information. These surveys will continue throughout and beyond construction and will be used to monitor settlement effects at properties that may arise as a result of construction.

CORPORATE SERVICES

Finance

39. We are working on the first draft of the long-term plan, working with budget information loaded to our IBIS planning system to review timing and nature of capital programmes and projects and associated operational costs, as well as costs of business operations.

40. We have provided financial information for three waters reform to SOLGM and are now gathering information for the larger nation-wide review led by the Department of Internal Affairs. DIA has requested that significant detailed financial information, including the draft forward investment plan, be provided by 1 February 2021.

41. We are continuing to develop reporting functionality within the new SAP finance system.

42. Following discussions with SmartGrowth partners, a brief-of-work on regional funding options has been agreed. KPMG/Mafic have been engaged to do this work, with their first high level draft report expected in mid- to late-December 2020.

43. Insurance renewal has been completed to cover the year to 31 October 2021. Our professional indemnity insurance cost has doubled to just under $1m for the year. Other insurances such as material damage have increased about 5%. There have been some adjustments to the cover, but overall Council has similar cover to previous years.

Marine Precinct

44. The hardstand and berthage in the facility are at, or near, capacity. Over the last month, Vessel Works has been the busiest it’s ever been.

45. Revised and simplified fees and charges for the facility come into effect on 1 December 2020. We have communicated the changes to regular users, resulting in little feedback. We have consulted with a stakeholder working group to ensure these are appropriate, fit-for-purpose and are supported by the marine community.

46. Our on-site Health and Safety Working Group has been working through our priority hazards and identifying solutions to remove or reduce these hazards. We will continue to implement these as an ongoing programme of work.

Procurement

47. Procurement and the Policy team have workshopped the key points of the Procurement Policy with elected members and are now submitting an issues and options paper to the Executive, for approval to go to the Policy Committee in December. Work is due to commence on the online procurement manual; a contractor is being briefed to assist with this vital piece of work.

Risk Services (Including Business Continuity)

48. Business Continuity is completing the development of revised Business Continuity Plans for release to all departments. To assist with the workload, BECA was engaged to help support plan development, helping also to ensure best industry standards through a peer review of council’s BCMS programme.

49. There will be a staged approach to the release of Business Continuity Plans, with support through team engagement by the Business Continuity Advisor. Plans will be released once an internal quality check of documented information has been completed. Plans remain on schedule for release, commencing before the end of the year.

50. Risk and Internal audit activities are reported regularly to the FAR Committee. In addition to the formal Internal Audit Plan, the team is also to conduct quarterly audits of the Quality Management System used to formally document the verifications undertaken to meet the requirements of the Food Act 2014 and the Food Regulations 2015. Initially, this is envisaged to require approximately one day per audit per quarter, starting in early-December 2020.

Legal

51. Legal matters are reported separately, but of note is the legal team’s involvement in the CE signing the new Privacy Act 2020 delegations. These are effective as of 1 December 2020 (when the new Act comes into force). This will replace the Privacy Act 1993 delegations. This means that as of 1 December, Nick Swallow is the Legal Privacy Officer, Allan Lightbourne is the Digital Privacy Officer and Coral Hair is the Democracy Privacy Officer. They are the only three Privacy Officers of Council and the Team Leader: Legal and Corporate Solicitors will cease to be Privacy Officers. Legal is also in the process of developing a Privacy Act 2020 e-learning module, which will be deployed to staff during the early part of 2021.

Airport

52. Passenger throughput is back to 75% of pre-COVID levels. Details of volumes are as follows:

· October passenger throughput was 35,651 compared to 47,635 in October 2019, with an equivalent fall-off in carpark usage

· General aviation traffic is at 80% of the pre-COVID level.

53. The upcoming runway overlay project contract has been awarded to Fulton Hogan at $3.8m. Physical works will start in January, with all works to carried out between the hours of 2130 and 0530, six days per week.

Digital

54. Lifecycle is progressing well, with planning underway for Q3/Q4. We are on track to have all our applications and solutions aligned to the lifecycle policy by the end of FY21.

55. The security programme is progressing well, with several initiatives underway, and we are currently on track to hit Maturity Indicator Level One by the end of FY21.

56. The strategic finance programme is well into the implementation phase of the SAP Invoice management solution, Concur, with good progress being made.

57. The SAP Regulatory project has moved into the implementation phase and the regulatory team has now had its first look at the new field services capability the solution will deliver.

Beachside Holiday Park Occupancy 2018-2021 Comparison

Regulatory and Compliance

Building Services

58. Building Consent application numbers remain consistent, with 63 new applications and 15 amendments being received during the week of 9 to 13 November. This level is in-with past months and the indications are that a similar demand will continue through to the new year.

59. A satellite office for Building Inspectors has been established at the Papamoa Library. This will give the Inspection Team a base to work from when undertaking inspections at Papamoa and will greatly reduce travel time to Cameron Road, resulting in better efficiencies.

Farmers Development

60. One of the significant and high-profile constructions occurring in the city is the Farmers Building. This development includes 8000sq metres of retail on two levels, 322 car parks on 5 levels, 23 town houses and 97 apartments in two towers.

The development has involved nine building consents to date. The working relationship between the developers and the BCA has been positive, with regular meetings between the BCA and the main contractors, Hawkins, and the Project Management Team RCP.

There is one more floor to go on top of the current structure.

Environmental Planning

61. After a busy June and July, applications dropped slightly in August, then picked-up again through September and October. The overall applications received are consistent with previous years, although 52 have been received already in November.

62. We have successfully recruited the last Development Engineer vacancy for the Planning team, following our re-structure to bring the Development Engineers working on Regulation matters into the Regulation and Compliance group. We are currently recruiting for three planner vacancies and the vacant Team Leader Administration role.

63. A new pre-application process has been launched. When receiving a pre-app request, a planner is assigned and becomes the single point of contact for the applicant. When the application comes in, the same planner should be allocated to process the consent and will own the process until they hand over the applicant to the Infrastructure team for the infrastructure process. A customer charter and touchpoint document (when and how we communicate with customers) has been developed to standardise our approach.

64. We are working with Te Pou Takawaenga to review our engagement protocols with Iwi, refining how we run hearings, update conditions, prepare and drive the implementation of plan changes and capture all existing processes.

Environmental Regulation

Regulation Monitoring

65. Enforcement relating to use of the Hairini bus lane has been ongoing from 1 October. On average, 107 vehicles have been illegally using this bus lane per day.

66. The licence plate recognition (LPR) system has been successfully implemented. Currently, compliance levels are as expected and are predicted to improve as continued enforcement encourages better parking behaviour.

67. From 1 November, freedom camping enforcement has been increased to nightly proactive patrols, to manage the increase of campers travelling to the region. It is unknown what impact COVID-19 will have on this activity, but we expect that the lower numbers of international travellers will be offset by a larger than normal number of New Zealander holidaymakers.

Environmental Health and Licensing

68. We are seeing the usual rush of applications as people apply for various licences and certificates before the end of the year. Messaging has gone out explaining that the cut-off date for “Special liquor licences” for December and January events was 20 November, to allow for the required statutory reporting. It has been stressed to potential applicants that applications need to be considered by Council, Police and District Health, and while we will do our best, licences may not be issued if we receive applications after this date.

69. As the warmer weather sets-in, so does the increase in noise complaints received. This increase will no doubt lead to more enforcement action being taken over the coming months. Messaging will be going out over the next few weeks around how the public can address noise issues, as well as some important messages around food and alcohol.

Animal Services

70. Schools have invited our staff back to provide Dog safety training, after delays caused by the impact of COVID-19. Staff have been working with a group of students at Taumata School to assist them to deliver dog safety messages. Staff have been training the students to deliver a dog safety and bite prevention programme to their peers (with our assistance). In addition, the art group from the school is also going to paint some rocks which will be used to add a bit of colour at the pound. The dog safety and bite prevention programme has also been presented to 209 students at Selwyn Ridge School and 155 children at the Coast Kids Papamoa after school programme.

71.

The entire Animal Services team attended the Bay of Plenty Pet and Animal Expo, which attracted over 6500 people. We were kept busy answering questions about microchipping, registration, dog adoptions and general dog control. It was a great opportunity to engage with the public, in particular we were able to promote our dog adoption programme.

72. We are now offering a microchip service at the Pound called ‘Microchip Mondays’. For only $22, owners can bring their dog to the Pound to get microchipped and have their details recorded on the National dog database. Microchips are not only a legal requirement, but also a great way to prove the ownership, should a dog get lost or stolen. This has been very successful, with 94 dogs chipped so far this year, compared to 36 at the same time last year.

73. Registration is progressing well. We have a total of 14,033 dogs in the city, that we know about. Over 2000 dogs were unregistered at 1 August and that has been reduced to 594, with the remaining owners being visited and infringements being issued where dogs remain unregistered.

74. Dog aggression in the city is monitored on a continuous basis and is continuing to trend downward, with this year currently on track to have the lowest number of reported attacks in the past decade.

PEOPLE AND ENGAGEMENT

Communications & Engagement

75. Media coverage in October reduced, but the amount of critical council commentary increased – mainly centred around new kerbside collections and the conduct of elected members. On the other hand, tourism, local attractions and community support were more positive, including increased conversations around intensification as a solution to housing unaffordability.

Te Pou Takawaenga (Takawaenga Unit)

76. Following on from the success of the Te Papa Spatial Plan process, stronger engagement with tangata whenua is being more confidently facilitated for key strategic projects. The following processes have been co-designed with tangata whenua and we expect to see much richer and clearer outcomes as a result:

· City Plan Review: there is a dedicated Maori engagement process included in the City Plan Review, to ensure strong and clear input from tangata whenua. This includes representation from Te Rangapu Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana on the selection panel, ensuring that tangata whenua are involved in decision-making at every step.

· Three Waters Reform: A similar structure has been established for this project, including appropriate resourcing. Te Rangapu Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana has a nominated representative supported, by a subcommittee to strengthen connections between mandated representatives and this significant reform. The prioritisation and resourcing of a strong and clear direction from tangata whenua ensures that planning can be achieved early, accurately and with due consideration.

77. Te Rangapu Mana Whenua o Tauranga Moana (RMW) website: This project is part of Te Aupikitanga, which is the RMW strategic plan where members identified the need to strengthen communication and connection to the wider Maori community. The website also strengthens the degree of independence RMW has, which is crucial to protecting the integrity of the advice and guidance it contributes to Council processes.

Customer Services

78. The Service Centre began notifying customers this month that ANZ, BNZ and Westpac will be phasing out cheques from May next year. Foot traffic customers are being advised of other payment options and for those interested in digital, are being shown how to pay through the Council website. Other customers who have made a cheque payment to Council over the last six months are being advised of this situation by letter.

Ombudsman’s Audit

79. The draft report (called the provisional opinion) from the Office of the Ombudsman’s audit of Council’s Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (LGOIMA) processes was received on 16 November 2020.

80. The Ombudsman’s Office will consider any comments from the Council before publishing a final report, which is then tabled in Parliament.

By-elections – Mayoralty and Otumoetai/Pyes Pa ward

81. Nominations for two by-elections for the Mayoralty and the Otumoetai/Pyes Pa Ward opened on 24 November 2020 and will close at 12 noon on 22 December 2020. Information is available on our website for prospective candidates.

82. Voting will begin on 26 January 2021 and closes at 12 noon on 17 February 2021.

Our Development Conversations

83. The organisation has completed its first round of goal-setting conversations between people leaders and employees using our new system. Many have reported the value experienced through having these conversations, where the focus is on developing stretch goals for both performance i.e. ‘what I do’ and behaviours i.e. ‘how I do things’. Goals are regularly discussed through 1:1 conversations during the year, with formal reviews set for mid-year and end-of-year.

Community services

Baycourt

84. Baycourt has been back to full capacity during this reporting period, with a packed programme of events accommodating many shows that had been postponed earlier in the year. A combination of new dates for shows that had postponed, alongside the venue’s usually busy October/November programme, has meant high utilisation across both commercial and community programming. This busy period has enabled Baycourt to demonstrate the diversity of programming that the venue has become renowned for. In the space of two weeks, Baycourt played host to classical music (NZSO), contemporary music (Bic Runga), contemporary NZ dance (Footnote Dance Company), Pacific comedy (Tofiga and James Nokise), local musical theatre (Stage Right Productions), children’s theatre (The Glow Show), hip hop competitions (Project Dance), a literary festival (Escape), touring contemporary NZ Theatre (Auckland Theatre Company), and a national bodybuilding expo and competition.

85. Baycourt welcomed Auckland Theatre Company to Tauranga for two well-attended performances of the hit Roger Hall comedy, “Winding Up”. This was of particular note, as the show was the first to cancel back in March when the country initially went into lockdown. The show had secured alternative dates in September, which also had to be cancelled, so it was a case of third time lucky for the production. “Winding Up” was presented by Baycourt as part of a new regional consortium of venues committed to bringing high-quality New Zealand theatre to regional audiences. The presenting partnership has been a success and Auckland Theatre Company has now committed to regularly bringing programming to Tauranga, with its next production set to be staged at Baycourt in March 2021.

86. With international borders remaining closed, Baycourt has benefited from some unintended consequences, as several NZ musicians who would usually be touring overseas are now bringing their shows to Tauranga. This has resulted in a significant increase in the number of live music events booked at Baycourt, with the venue developing a strong reputation amongst contemporary NZ musicians as being a great intimate venue, in a city where audiences are very supportive of live music. In the space of three months, Baycourt has secured gigs from Bic Runga, Nadia Reid & Tiny Ruins, Teeks and Marlon Williams.

87. Baycourt worked alongside the city events team to host a workshop on digital and social media for event organisers, held in the X-Space. The well-attended event was followed by networking drinks in the foyer, supported by the NZ Events Association (NZEA), and was an opportunity for Tauranga’s vibrant events industry to connect and reflect on a range of successes during a very difficult year.

88. This year’s New Zealand finals of the International Youth Silent Film Festival were broadcast online by Baycourt, taking the event into a digital platform due to ongoing concerns from schools about changing COVID-19 alert levels. The online version of the event enabled Baycourt to showcase in-house capacity for live-streaming and broadcast, and enabled the event to reach a national and international audience who may not have attended the event in person previously. Plans are now underway for the event to return to a live, in-person show in 2021, alongside a live-stream of the winning films.

City Events

89. The Event Funding Panel (EFP) met on 11 November 2020 to consider staff recommendations regarding the treatment of Council-issued event grants, in instances where an event has cancelled due to COVID-19. The recommendations establish an evaluation matrix to guide decision-making and provide staff and the EFP with the flexibility to assess the validity of each cancellation on a case-by-case basis. The panel has approved the recommendations in principle and has directed staff to present the recommendations to PSOC in December 2020.

90. With approximately $150,000 remaining in the Event Funding Framework (EFF) budget this financial year, staff are preparing to reopen the fund before the end of November and re-establish bi-monthly funding rounds. The EFF will remain open until the budget is exhausted, with the exception of the Legacy Event Fund, which will remain closed this financial year.

91. The ICC has been working closely with host cities, tournament partners and suppliers to establish a revised match schedule for the 2022 Women’s Cricket World Cup, following its 2021 postponement due to COVID-19. An announcement is expected before Christmas.

92. Tauranga snapped-up three of the biggest awards at the recent New Zealand Events Awards ceremony for events held in 2019. The annual awards, which recognise excellence in the events industry, were particularly important this year, as the sector continues to navigate through the challenges presented by COVID-19. The winners were:

· Best Sports Event – Anchor AIMS Games

· Best Regional or National Event – Anchor AIMS Games

· New Zealand’s Favourite Event (by public vote) – One Love Festival.

93. Staff have recently met with Tourism Bay of Plenty (TBOP) regarding its preliminary plans for deployment of the $2M allocated to the Pacific Coast Highway region, as part of the $50M Regional Events Fund. The Fund is intended to support the tourism and events sector and replace some of the spend from international tourists as a result of COVID-19. Staff have offered to assist TBOP in the development of the strategy and processes surrounding the Fund, including the sharing of key event industry knowledge and access to established tools.

94. The annual Tauranga Half Iron Man, which has been running for 32 years (part of the Mount Festival of Multisport) will take place on Saturday 23 January 2021. City events and transport staff, Waka Kotahi, Westlink (on behalf of Western Bay of Plenty) and Bay of Plenty Regional Council have been working closely with the event organiser to explore the feasibility of including the Tauranga Eastern Link in the course route for their 2021 event. This has now been approved and will add a new element to a well-established event, while ensuring the safety of athletes as traffic in Papamoa grows. This will be a unique experience for athletes, as no other triathlon event in New Zealand rides on a closed highway. It’s expected this course will provide the event with a real step change and grow its status in the national events calendar.

95. Event planning for the five New Year’s Eve community events and pyrotechnic launch sites is progressing well. Staff have experienced challenges securing adequate numbers of food vendors to service all five sites. Therefore, the decision was made to remove the requirement for a full suite of food vendors at the Tauranga CBD or Greerton event. Instead, there will be a small number of food vendors and a free sausage sizzle provided by councillors at these events. The public will be encouraged to support the local hospitality businesses in these areas, or bring a picnic to the event site.

Community Development

96. The Universal Design Collective and Age-Friendly Cities Forum have been hosted by Community Development, including guest speakers from LifeMark, Auckland Design Office, Office for Seniors and attendees from various Councils. The purpose was to create a network of people interested in pursuing initiatives that support access and inclusion, and to address social isolation.

97. An internal working party has been convened to identify opportunities and initiatives to support Children’s Day 2021. The desire is to have a range of free activities in various community settings across the city, so families have something to attend within their neighbourhood and help support social connection.

98.

The 2nd Tauranga Diwali Festival, supported by Welcoming Communities, brought to life the ‘Festival of Lights’ in Tauranga Moana. Held at the Historic Village, the festival showcased the diverse cultural heritage and traditions of the South-Asian continent through Rangoli ‘Colour Art’, food, cultural performances, diya (lamp) decorating and more. Around 2,000 people attended the event.

99. Council’s Pou Takawaenga team and Welcoming Communities held Te Kete Wānanga –The Tauranga Moana Story – an all-day marae experience to connect newcomers with Tangata Whenua. Participants were from a range of cultural backgrounds, including Brazil, Poland, Germany, Canada, UK, India, Netherlands, Pakistan and Australia. The strong impact of the programme on new migrants, identified through evaluation feedback, has emphasised the value of providing facilitated programmes to newcomers in Tauranga Moana. The next programme is planned for March 2021.

100. Coordination of the Kāinga Tupu work programme has continued, supporting co-design projects with key stakeholders, including the Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, Good Returns Campaign, feasibility of a Tauranga Wellbeing Centre, planning for a Housing Summit in 2021, and case study research on homelessness. Additional projects under the Kāinga Tupu umbrella include the co-design of a safe car sleeping site, a stakeholder workshop on the Residential Tenancy Act, and case management of high and complex needs clients. Stakeholder training on de-escalation, keeping yourself safe, trauma-informed care and whānau ora are currently being designed for 2021.

101. Lotteries Environment and Heritage has funded the Library Archive Digitisation project with a grant of $100,000, but declined the application for the Omanawa Falls project, inviting council to apply again after consents have been obtained. Applications have been submitted to NZCT for BVL buses for swimming lessons for school children without access to pools, and to TECT for the Welcoming Communities programme. Cooney Lees Morgan supported the City of Art Walk project, an app-based guided walk around Tauranga’s CBD showcasing artworks and their stories.

102. The draft Historic Village strategic plan will be presented to Council on 10 December 2020, including community and tenant feedback, which is available here. The Incubator will present its proposal for an Arts and Culture precinct at the same meeting.

103. The Complex One, Historic Village Hall renewals and upgrade project is nearly complete with a Certificate of Public Use in place, pending issuing of the Code of Compliance Certificate. Works are about to commence on Building 89 Envirohub, with Gartshore Construction undertaking a repaint inside and out, new decks and improved accessibility due to be completed early in 2021.

104. The Historic Village has hosted two successful events during October, a sold-out Oktoberfest and the Tauranga Diwali Festival. The Incubator is running IlluminArty over the weekend of 28-29 November 2020. Markets are also taking place again, with Friday night markets on the Village Green and Sunday Markets on the first and third Sundays of each month. These are being managed by Zee Markets and attendance is growing steadily.

105.

As a service to the Ministry for Culture and Heritage, the Tauranga Heritage Collection has a responsibility to register newly-found objects that relate to Māori culture, history or society, under the Taonga Tūturu Act. These objects are then added to the National Database of the Ministry and Te Papa Tongarewa (National Museum). Council has received a wonderful example of a pre-European anchor-stone, found at Matua within the Tauranga harbour, just below where the Matua-iwi point pa site was originally located. These types of anchor-stones were placed near shellfish beds and approaching waka would tie to them while picking pipis or fishing during high tide.

Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs)

106. Elected members requested some additional work be undertaken as part of the Bay Venues Limited (BVL) independent strategic review. This work has now been commissioned and will look to benchmark the services provided by BVL, compared to cities of a comparable size around New Zealand.

107. The CCOs presented their Long-term Plan 2021-2031 budgets on 23 November 2020, based on the two scenarios developed by council’s strategy team.

108. Recommendations from a recent review of CCO board remuneration will come to the Policy Committee on 1 December 2020, as part of the draft LTP 2021-2031 process.

109. Staff are finalising the CCO Letters of Expectation, which will come to Council on 15 December 2020.

Emergency Management

110. Workshops with short-listed vendors for the public alerting project (voice-over sirens) have been conducted as part of initial integrated project design, prior to tender documentation confirmation. This stage has enabled possible vendors and Council to better understand how the project could progress, and the technicalities of particular systems.

111. Tonkin & Taylor will be facilitating workshops with Council staff in early-December 2020, as part of our review of tsunami evacuation zones. Council currently uses three evacuation zones to demarcate probable evacuation needs for different source (distance from NZ) tsunami. The multi-zone approach is in-line with the NEMA Directors’ Guidelines for Tsunami Evacuation Zones. The three-zone approach is noted as creating confusion, with the zones often seen as being sequential and independent, when they are in fact integrated and overlapping. The review of the evacuation zones will use a public user experience persona approach, alongside Tauranga’s geography and proximity to tsunami ‘generators’ (off-shore subduction zones), coastal urban design, predicted human response (50%+ expected to attempt evacuation by car), and impacts of a voice-over siren activating.

112. Council supported a number of national resilience community engagement events over the last period. ShakeOut 2020 was the national earthquake drill, with Restart a Heart Day a national CPR and AED awareness day. Community preparedness engagement was also conducted with lifestyle/retirement villages, early childcare centres, tertiary training providers and migrant communities. Support will be provided to the upcoming Emergency Services Foodbank Drive in early-December. Opportunities continue to be sought to leverage existing events and initiatives for applying a resilience lens to engagement.

113. TCC and WBOPDC remain in discussion regarding current response management arrangements for emergencies. The Lead Controller for the Western Zone, Eric Newman, has indicated a willingness to extend his contract through to 30 June 2021. The Local Welfare Committee has held its first meeting this year under its new, locally-led arrangements of joint chairs from TCC and WBOPDC.

114. Regional coordination of COVID-19 resurgence planning is being led by Emergency Management Bay of Plenty. Discussions and table-top exercising is anticipated prior to year-end. Discussions continue between Council and local entities/organisations on readiness for resurgence, especially community groups and local NGOs.

Libraries

115. Earlier this year, the Minister of Internal Affairs announced that the National Library will be entrusted to lead and support COVID-19 recovery work across New Zealand’s Library system with a funding package of $58.8 million. The New Zealand Libraries Partnership programme will support librarians and library services and assist them to support community recovery. The initiatives that council has been able to access support from so far are:

· Two fully-funded secondments until June 2022, to work for Tauranga City Libraries in the areas of digital inclusion and New Zealand content creation (heritage) online – total value $221k.

· Waiver of national library fees on subscription products such as Press Reader, providing free access to quality digital news, learning and entertainment – total value $226k.

· Direct Careers Service providing free job-seeking advice at Greerton Library until December 2020.

· Libraries and Digital Services are investigating, through the LTP, the cost benefits of outsourcing the libraries public internet services through the DIA, with a fee waiver.

116. The Libraries team has been granted $100,000 from the Lotteries Heritage Grant Fund for “making historically significant collections available to the community and improving public access and information” through digitisation of resources. Library customers will be able to quickly access the resources they want from any location (home, work, university etc.), allowing historical information to be accessed not only physically at Tauranga City Library, but from any location in New Zealand or overseas. Digitisation is also a valuable tool in preserving our collections. The creation of digital surrogates will be of major benefit to our physical records, as they will no longer face the risk of damage through handling and physical deterioration. The application was supported by The Elms, Taonga Tauranga, Ngati Pukenga Iwi, Patrick Nicholas Kohikohinga, Tauranga Historical Society, Ngāi Te Rangi Iwi, Ngāi te Ahi and Ngāti He.

117. Kia Kaha te Panui, the summer reading programme, begins when school finishes for the year. There are unlimited enrolments, so all children and teenagers can partake. Funding for this programme was provided by a grant of $3,800 from Pub Charity.

Spaces & Places

118. The replacement of the Tay Street timber walkway is underway. Council is donating the old timber to the community, enabling students from five local schools to reuse it to build raised garden beds.

119. Mauao was rested from 12–16 October 2020, to allow improvement and resurfacing works to the Waikorire track to be undertaken safety. Full details of recent activity and works on Mauao can be found in the Operational Report presented to Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao on 2 December 2020.

120. The base of the Gate Pa domain flagpole, plaque and decked area has been restored to ensure this historic site is maintained to a high standard.

121. The Omanu Bowling Club building is now owned by Council. In the short-term, it will be managed by the Parks & Recreation team, until the future of the facility and land is decided. The facility will be split into two bookable spaces, both of which will be available for any community group to use. The bowling greens will be removed and the land reinstated over the next few months. This will provide the Mount Bridge Club with a venue to utilise during the construction of the Omanu Surf Lifesaving Facility at Golf Road.

122. The Parks & Recreation team has worked with the team at the Welcome Bay Community Centre to help freshen it up, including internal and external painting, repairing the roof, upgrading the kitchen bench, and installing new decking. Positive feedback has been received since the minor works were completed, with several people noting that the space is “warm, inviting and feels safe”.

Urban Spaces

123. The Wharf Street Upgrade project is tracking well in terms of timing and budget, due to the positive partnership working between council and Higgins. Project delivery is on target and will be completed for the beginning of summer 2020. There has been a community-led approach to this project, with constant engagement with stakeholders, which has minimised the impact on businesses during construction and maintained positive levels of support throughout the project.

124. The detailed design phase of the Elizabeth Street upgrade project is nearing completion. Work commences this month on the services renewals and the above-ground streetscape construction will commence in early-2021. The project team is working closely with the Farmers development to ensure the streetscape is completed in time for the store opening.

125. The Kulim Park upgrade is in the developed design phase. Consultation on the playground elements has been completed, with 497 submissions received. A public open day was held on 28 November 2020, to share the playground concept design and gain further feedback. A trial layout is currently in place, limiting access to the green spaces. The trial is being monitored daily by staff using CCTV. Construction will commence at the end of summer 2021.

126. The co-design process for the Innovating Streets at the Mount project continues. There have been three Community Design Group workshops to date, with a wide range of perspectives represented by the 28 members. A fourth Community Design Group workshop will be held prior to Christmas, to consider the results of the second round of public consultation, which closed on 29 November 2020. Implementation of any trials approved by Council in February 2021 is planned from April 2021.

Attachments

1. Housing Opportunities - A12080986 - Public Excluded

2. Maunganui Rd plan layout - A12065804 ⇩

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8.2 Welcome Bay Estuary

File Number: A11798483

Author: Warren Aitken, Team Leader: Parks & Environment

Authoriser: Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Purpose of the Report

1. The purpose of this report is to provide information to Council following a petition received to place a moratorium on all current plans to build infrastructure upon estuary environments.

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Receives the Welcome Bay Estuary report.

(b) Declines the petition to place a moratorium on all current plans to build infrastructure upon estuary environments.

Executive Summary

2. Council received a petition on 4 August 2020 to place a moratorium on all current plans to build infrastructure upon estuary environments. The request for a moratorium was based on five reasons contained within the petition documents, as outlined below.

3. Council has an extensive role in managing and maintaining reserve land that borders estuary environments. The role includes vegetation control, maintenance of coastal structures such as sea walls, and managing public access where defined by the Tauranga Reserve Management Plan (TRMP), and where allowable in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977, Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA).

4. Placing a moratorium on all current plans to build infrastructure conflicts with the agreed and adopted TRMP, and compromises Council’s role in the management of reserve land along estuary environments.

Background

5. Tauranga City Council manages Reserves on the landward side of the Mean High Water Springs (MHWS). Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) manages below the MHWS.

6. The reserve land along Tauranga’s estuaries is predominantly local purpose (esplanade reserves), which in accordance with Section 23 of the Reserves Act 1977 are for the purpose of providing and retaining areas for such local purpose or purposes as are specified in any classification of the reserve.

7. Local purpose esplanade reserves, acquired as esplanade reserves or esplanade strips under the RMA, are further defined as having one or more of the following purposes[1]:

(a) to contribute to the protection of conservation values by, in particular:

(i) maintaining or enhancing the natural functioning of the adjacent sea, river, or lake; or

(ii) maintaining or enhancing water quality; or

(iii) maintaining or enhancing aquatic habitats; or

(iv) protecting the natural values associated with the esplanade reserve or esplanade strip; or

(v) mitigating natural hazards; or

(b) to enable public access to or along any sea, river, or lake; or

(c) to enable public recreational use of the esplanade reserve or esplanade strip and adjacent sea, river, or lake, where the use is compatible with conservation values.

8. A petition was presented during the public forum of the Projects, Services and Operations Committee (PSOC) meeting on 4 August 2020. The petition calls for Tauranga City Council (Council) to place a moratorium on all current plans to build infrastructure upon estuary environments. The petition is signed by 51 residents. This petition was also presented again at the PSOC meeting on 27 October 2020.

9. The petition documents can be found as Attachments 1-3. The request for a moratorium was based on five reasons contained within the petition documents. The wording of each reason has been summarised from Attachment 1 and responded to below.

Reason 1

10. That Council has not had funding to take care of the estuaries for 40 years, but has funding for the development of walkways, boardwalks and cycleways in these areas.

Council response

11. Council is responsible for the management and development of parks and reserves within Council boundaries.

12. The BOPRC is responsible for maintaining and enhancing air, land, freshwater, geothermal, coastal resources and biodiversity for all those that live, work and play within the Bay of Plenty region. This includes many of the freshwater areas documented within the petition.

13. It should also be noted that as a partner of the Tauranga Moana Programme, Council has a responsibility and is committed to working with the BOPRC, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, and mana whenua on achieving the outcomes sought under the programme. A number of projects within the programme aim to reduce the impact of the city on the health of the harbour and catchment. Council will be working more closely with these partners following the newly introduced National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management and National Environmental Standard (see paras 40-44), which will see Council taking on new responsibilities to promote positive and address negative effects of urban development on freshwater receiving environments.

Reason 2

14. That Council has an outdated view of progress which equates to placing a heavy human footprint on estuary environments.

Council response

15. Through the TRMP, Council aims to balance the protection of natural resources with recreational opportunities for the community and any planned development is carried out in accordance with the relevant legislation to ensure due process is followed. For esplanade reserves and esplanade strips, this includes alignment of the management with the defined purposes in the Reserves Act and the RMA (as per paras 5-6).

Reason 3

16. That Council made a sudden decision to establish a formed walkway around the Forrester Drive peninsular after informing Forrester Drive residents in 2018 that the Long-term Plan 2018-28 did not include plans for the walkway. Then in 2019, by which time it was too late to provide a submission to the Long-term Plan 2018-28, informed the residents that this project was to be completed by 2021. The petitioners challenge the view that the information was clear and easily accessible, and provided a record of attempts to obtain this information.

Council response

17. The proposed establishment of a formed walkway along the Welcome Bay estuary was included in the Long-term Plan 2018-28 and the Reserve Management Plan at that time, however, the project funding for the section of walkway along the Forrester Drive Esplanade Reserve was not allocated within the first three years (2018-2021). Due to the success of resolving Coastal encroachments earlier than expected, the focus moved to harbour encroachment removals and these were brought forward in the Long-term Plan.

18. The Forrester Drive encroachments are the first encroachments to be removed within the harbour as there was significant community interest in this particular area. Staff acknowledge that the email exchange with Council, which is presented within the petition documentation is not strictly accurate. The statement that plans for boardwalks around the estuary are ‘not within the current Long-term Plan period’ was correct in that it was referring to the first three years of the Long-term Plan, but was not explicitly clear.

19. The email also stated that early engagement would occur with the community, should plans for boardwalks and cycle tracks emerge. This has occurred for the section of walkway along Forrester Drive and further targeted consultation will take place for the Forrester Drive project over the coming months.

Reason 4

20. Whether the consultation process for the Harbour Reserves Management Plan 2007 (which Council planners referred to for the Forrester Drive walkway justification) was carried out in good faith, and whether it is now fit-for-purpose considering growing climate change concerns. Furthermore, no timetable for a consultation process has been received by Forrester Drive residents, which the Mayor informed them they could expect.

Council response

21. The Harbour Reserves Management Plan 2007 (HRMP) was developed in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977. A letter dated 31 July 2009 was provided to the petitioner that explained the process Council followed to adopt the HRMP, which included the following:

(a) Council notified its intention to develop the management plan and invited the public to make suggestions to assist with the drafting of the plan by 24 March 2006.

(b) A draft plan was presented to Council on 29 March 2007.

(c) Further revision was required and an updated draft was presented to Council on 24 May 2007. Council approved the draft plan for public consultation.

(d) Public consultation lasted two months and allowed for the public to make submissions on the draft. Submitters were also given the opportunity to speak to their submission at a hearing of submissions.

(e) Hearing of submissions occurred on 3 September 2007 following which Council deliberated on the submissions on the same day.

(f) Following deliberations and feedback from Council, an amended plan was presented and adopted by Council on 9 October 2007.

22. Council confirmed its desire to provide for a walkway around the esplanade reserve area of Welcome Bay (which included the Forrester Drive walkway) as proposed in the management plan and Integrated Transport Strategy.

23. In terms of the HRMP being fit-for-purpose, the HRMP was superseded by the TRMP in 2019.

24. The TRMP was developed in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977 with the aim to review Council’s pre-existing reserve management plans in order to develop one network wide reserve management plan, and incorporate parks and reserves without an existing plan.

25. This included a consultation period to obtain feedback from user groups, leaseholders, event organisers, Tangata Whenua, the Youth Advisory Group, Positive Aging Forum, Disability Advisory Group and the wider community.

26. From the feedback obtained, a draft TRMP was produced and approved for consultation, which took place between 18 August and 19 October 2018. The draft TRMP included the reserve land around the Welcome Bay estuary, their respective management statements and concept plans.

27. Council received over 250 submissions with those wishing to speak presenting at hearings in October 2018. Four submissions were received relating to the Forrester Drive walkway with three in support and one expressing concerns around the development.

28. Council deliberated on topics of the TRMP on 11 December 2018 and 18 February 2019, prior to adoption on 5 March 2019.

Reason 5

29. A moratorium would help diffuse some of the deep resentment that ratepayers feel toward some Council staff and councillors.

Council response

30. By placing a moratorium on current plans to build infrastructure upon estuary environments, Council would not deliver against the commitments made within its current TRMP and Long-term Plan 2018-28.

31. A moratorium would not affect the encroachment removal project as it is above the MHWS.

32. A moratorium would also have implications upon other estuary and coastal structures such as sea walls and existing infrastructure. There is a renewal programme for the replacement of sea walls and if works such as the Turret Road sea wall replacement were delayed by a moratorium, then the potential damage by continued erosion would increase the cost significantly and could impact on the ability to deliver on the comprehensive Coastal Structures consent conditions.

Associated information

Responding to environmental changes

33. Over the past few years, Council has undertaken a significant amount of modelling work in relation to improving knowledge on sea level rise, erosion and storm surges. The modelling information is available on the Council website, as below:

Harbour Inundation

www.tauranga.govt.nz/living/natural-hazards/understanding-our-hazards-studies-maps-and-data/flooding/inner-harbour-inundation

Erosion

www.tauranga.govt.nz/living/natural-hazards/understanding-our-hazards-studies-maps-and-data/coastal-erosion/coastal-erosion-in-the-inner-harbour

Sea Level Rise

www.tauranga.govt.nz/living/natural-hazards/projections-climate-change-and-sea-level-rise

34. The Coastal Structures Policy was reviewed following this work and the updated policy can be found here:

www.tauranga.govt.nz/Portals/0/data/council/policies/files/coastal-structures-policy.pdf

35. The information from the modelling and mapping exercises is to be used as part of the review of the City Pan, with a reviewed document due for notification in April 2024. This will include the consideration of adaptation/risk reduction measures.

Prevention/reduction of rubbish entering the estuaries

36. Council informed the petitioner in response to their submission to the 2019/20 Annual Plan, that Council had organised a trial of a gross pollutant traps with one sited at the Waitaha Road outlet in the Welcome Bay estuary.

37. These traps have been in place for over 12 months and have been successfully collecting rubbish. The trial provided a number of ideas around improvements to the design prior to looking at further sites for installation across Tauranga, Mount Maunganui and Papamoa.

Freshwater Management National Policy Statement and National Environmental Standard 2020

38. The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 provides local authorities with updated direction on how they should manage freshwater under the Resource Management Act 1991.

39. The National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020 is primarily focused on activities on land/upstream of an estuary. i.e. ensuring that sediment and nutrients are not entering streams that then enter the harbour environment.

40. The Resource Management (National Environmental Standards for Freshwater) Regulations 2020 (Freshwater NES) will regulate activities that pose risks to the health of freshwater and freshwater ecosystems.

41. These regulations came into force on 3 September 2020 and have a strong focus on rural activities, but will also apply to urban development. The regulations recognise multiple causes of degraded freshwater ecosystem health and aims to increase protection of streams and wetlands.

42. This has resulted in Council taking on new responsibilities to promote positive and address negative effects of urban development on freshwater receiving environments. It will require Council to work more closely with BOPRC to ensure freshwater management is aligned to the new regulations.

Plan Change 30 (Earthworks)

43. Plan Change 30 (Earthworks) to the operative Tauranga City Plan aims to address issues arising from the implementation of existing earthworks provisions. Through work undertaken to understand the efficiency and effectiveness of the existing earthworks provisions, it has been identified that whilst there are not significant issues, ambiguities with current wording leads to uncertainty for implementation and difficulties with enforcement.

44. The proposed plan change covers the following matters:

(a) Control of earthworks at all stages of development – involving the clarification of when earthworks as part of subdivision are exempt from permitted activity controls, and ensuring that when earthworks are ancillary to another activity that they are carried out at the same time as that activity.

(b) Management of sediment on sites – involving the provision of a comprehensive set of measures to ensure sediment is kept on sites and is prevented from entering Council’s stormwater system.

45. Through this process, Council is also proposing to introduce a non-statutory sediment and erosion control guideline. This approach will support developers and landowners to understand the methods to keep sediment on sites.

46. The proposed Plan Change, if adopted following the respective RMA process, aims to reduce and prevent the flow of sediment into the stormwater system and estuary environments such as the Welcome Bay estuary.

Setbacks

47. Council had placed in its prior District Plan a setback (15m) of buildings/structures from the Mean High-Water Spring. In 2012, this was proposed for amendment to 20m within the proposed Tauranga City Plan (District Plan review). As part of the planning for walking/cycling, walkways were listed as a permitted activity on all reserves, including harbour margins reserves. Through the submission process to the Tauranga City Plan, the proposed change to the setback was reviewed and reduced to 15m, however walkways remained permitted. Two parties appealed the Council decision on this, which went to the Environment Court. The Environment Court determined that the 15m setback was appropriate and walkways on reserves should be listed as permitted activities. This is reflected in the operative Tauranga City Plan. The next review of these rules will occur through the review of the City Plan, due for notification in April 2024.

Strategic / Statutory Context

48. Any plans regarding development of infrastructure on parks and reserves that are adjacent to estuaries are managed in accordance with the TRMP. The TRMP was developed in accordance with the Reserves Act 1977. Other legislation that may apply and is dependent upon the proposed project/development includes the RMA and the Local Government Act 2002.

49. Whilst it may vary from project to project within the TRMP, the common Long-term Plan community outcomes that they support are as follows:

(a) Tauranga is a city that values our natural environment and outdoor lifestyle, and actively works to protect and enhance it.

(b) Tauranga is a well-connected city, easy to move around in and with a range of sustainable transport choices.

(c) Tauranga is a city that recognises and values culture and diversity, and where people of all ages and backgrounds are included, feel safe, connected and healthy.

Options Analysis

50. No options are presented within this report, as the report has been produced for information purposes.

Financial Considerations

51. There are no financial considerations associated with this report.

Legal Implications / Risks

52. Council does not perceive there to be any associated legal implications or risks. Council has complied with the Reserves Act in terms of the proposed developments and management of parks and reserves that adjoin estuaries, and Council complies with the relevant RMA processes for intended works. Vegetation control and management is in accordance with Council policy which has been developed in alignment with the relevant legislation, standards and plans.

Consultation / Engagement

53. Any related plans for the management and development of parks and reserves that adjoin an estuary are contained within the TRMP. The TRMP was adopted in 2019 following a reserve management plan process in accordance with the Reserves Act, which included public consultation.

54. Any further consultation in relation to specific projects and developments within the TRMP is guided by the requirements of the consenting authority for the proposed works.

55. Further, targeted consultation regarding the Forrester Drive project will take place over the next few months.

Significance

56. This matter is of low significance when assessed against Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy. This is due to the proposed management and development of parks and reserves that adjoin an estuary being present within Council’s TRMP, the production of which was managed as a high significance matter.

Next Steps

57. Continuation of the management of parks and reserves that adjoin an estuary as presented within the TRMP.

58. Further consultation with affected parties for the Forrester Drive project and future projects.

Attachments

1. The Welcome Bay Estuary 2020 - A12062186 ⇩

2. Petition re-submission - A12062187 ⇩

3. Bird Observations 2018-2019 - A12062188 ⇩

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8.3 Oceanbeach Road and Speed Limit Review Process

File Number: A12048199

Author: Brendan Bisley, Director of Transport

Authoriser: Nic Johansson, General Manager: Infrastructure

Purpose of the Report

1. This report identifies options for banning heavy vehicles on Oceanbeach Road under Council bylaws as requested by the Committee. It also includes information on the process to change speed limits in addition to the information on Oceanbeach Road.

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the Oceanbeach Road and Speed Limit Review Process report.

Discussion

2. Residents on Oceanbeach Road presented a petition to the Projects, Services and operations Committee in early November regarding the safety on Oceanbeach Road and the volume of heavy vehicles using the road.

3. Staff were asked to investigate options for banning heavy vehicles on Oceanbeach Road and report back to the Committee.

Background

4. The roading network is comprised of a hierarchy of roads to serve various functions. The hierarchy consists of motorways (generally State Highways), arterials roads, collectors Roads and local roads. They each perform a different function while still providing access to residents and businesses that are located along the roads.

5. The function and classification is tied to the level of service provided by that road and investment levels made to the corridor. Details such as road width, included facilities (parking spaces, pedestrian crossing facilities, cycle lanes etc) and pavement surfacing type are dictated by that classification.

6. Arterial Roads primary function is to move traffic (private vehicles and heavy vehicles) between activity centres, Collector Roads connect residential areas and provide the spine roads into these areas. They are still intended to carry both residential and heavy vehicles, but the heavy vehicle volumes are a lower % of the total traffic. Local Roads are intended to provide access to and from properties. In all cases there are walking and cycling functions in addition to the traffic movement.

7. The existing roading network is under pressure due to growth in the population, few alternative routes and a lack of investment in increased network capacity over the last decade to meet the urban growth demand.

8. It is generally understood that while the Baylink project is being built (SH2, including the Maunganui Girven Road Interchange), due to the congestion caused by the roadworks there is a significant amount of traffic which uses alternative routes to SH2, these include residential streets in Arataki, and Oceanbeach Road as well as traffic now using Welcome Bay Road and SH29a due to the congestion in Arataki.

9. Complaints are being received about traffic volumes and speeds in several streets in the Mount, Arataki and Papamoa areas.

10. Ocean beach Road is classified as a Collector Road, as is Girven Road, Concord Avenue, Golf Road and Tweed Street. Ocean Beach road is a bus route for the Goldline route, and for a school bus route (810)

11. Using NZTA one network road classification a collector road is expected to have between 3-5,000 vehicle movements per day, an equivalent of 150-300 (3-6%) Heavy vehicle movements per day, and up to 6 bus movements an hour.

12. The Daily traffic volume along the route is routinely monitored, included in the count data is a classification of vehicles using the road. The most recent data we have on record at various points on the length is as below, the data is from 2019 and 2020.

		Average Daily Traffic		HCV (%)	HCV (ADT Vol)**
Site Location	Site Location 2	Weekday	7-day Avg		1-7
200	OBR (Btn Moa St & McDowell St)	10,405	10,240	2.52%	258
850	OBR (Btn Golf & Surf)	14,693	13,858	2.81%	389
1200	OBR (Btn Surf Rd & Concord Ave)	13,412	12,550	2.39%	300
3130	OBR (Btn Girven & Omanu)	6,489	6,110	1.85%	113
3580	OBR (Btn Waiariki & Yale)	2,191	2,113	3.26%	69

13. From the data, Oceanbeach Road is currently carrying a significantly larger amount of traffic, however the heavy vehicle movements, between Golf and Concord, are below the expected percentage of total vehicles. The road currently has between 1.85-3.26% HCV’s which is within the expected volumes on a collector Road (3-6%).

14. Following completion of the Baylink project, it is expected that the traffic volume will drop, but not to the level indicated for a collector road due to the ongoing development in the area. Oceanbeach Road may require a review of its classification in the new District Plan as its volumes reflect what would typically be expected on an arterial road.

15. Oceanbeach Road is not a local road even though it is primarily residential, and functions outside the volumes it should typically carry as a Collector Road. Due to the lack of alternative arterial routes that traffic can use in this area and Tauranga’s high use of single occupancy vehicles, it will continue to carry traffic volumes that are typical of an arterial road. Mode shift initiatives will reduce the growth of the volume using the road and may reduce it from its current volumes but will not achieve a volume similar to what a collector road will carry as that would require a 50% reduction in the current volumes.

Heavy Vehicle Restriction Mechanism

16. We have provision in our Tauranga City Council Traffic and Parking Bylaw 2012, Section 8. The full extract of Section 8 is included as an attachment to this memo.

17. The by law has the following wording;

No person shall drive or permit to be driven any heavy motor vehicle on or along those roads or parts of roads specified in a resolution made under clause 8.2(a) at the times set out in the resolution, except for the purpose of picking up or delivering goods to an address in those roads when alternative access is not available for this purpose.

18. It is also noted that there are exceptions that are allowed to still use the road, these are;

(a) any fire appliance, ambulance, police or medical motor vehicle;

(b) any passenger service vehicle;

(c) a utility operator or its authorised agent or contractor engaged in the provision of, or maintenance of a utility operation.

(d) any Council vehicle undertaking emergency works;

(e) refuse collections carried out by either the local authority or a contractor engaged by the local authority

(f) construction, horticultural or agricultural vehicles which the Council has given permission to use the road.

19. There is precedence for heavy vehicle restrictions on collector roads in TCC, however generally the alternative routes available are appropriate for heavy vehicle movements. The two restrictions that are relevant are,

· Maunganui Road, between Golf Road and Hull Road – overnight restriction between 9pm and 6am

· Cambridge Road, between Moffat and Tamatea Arikinui Drive overbridge – at all times

Alternative routes

20. If a Heavy Vehicle restriction is placed on Oceanbeach Road, then it is expected that this traffic will find an alternative route along other streets in the area as the congestion on SH2 is significant at times, these options are shown in the following plan;

Figure 1 Possible alternate routes to Ocean Beach Road

21. Key routes which could be expected to have an increase in heavy vehicle movements includes Links Ave, Farm Street and Concorde Avenue, however other local streets may also be affected (as shown above, Oceanbeach road shown in green).

22. The impact of a heavy vehicle restriction has not been modelled, however given the relatively low numbers of heavy vehicles on Ocean Beach Road, and the standard exceptions for heavy vehicles that could continue to use Oceanbeach Road that are permitted under the bylaw, introduction of a ban may not reduce the number of heavy vehicles significantly. Effective enforcement of a ban would also require the installation of cameras to monitor and record vehicles travelling along Oceanbeach Road.

Manhole Covers and their impact

23. There are two manhole covers on Oceanbeach Road that are causing noise issues as they are on the wheel track of traffic and heavy vehicle create noise and vibration as they drive over the lids. The immediate area around the manholes keeps sinking with the traffic volumes which creates a lip that heavy vehicles hit creating the noise and vibration issues. Staff have had attempts at remediating the area around the manholes, but the repairs have failed due to the soft ground and minimal depth pavements in the area.

24. To reduce the impact of the manholes, parking could be removed on one side to allow the vehicle tracking to be shifted sideways off the manholes. This would resolve the noise and vibration issues and create more space for cyclists in that area.

Next Steps

25. A night-time (9pm to 6am) ban on heavy vehicle movements along Oceanbeach Road could be considered as this would reduce noise for residents at night, although we would expect few heavy vehicle movements to be occurring at night at this location as SH2 would be free flowing overnight and an easier route. In addition, staff could consult with the community on changes to the roading layout to shift the vehicle wheel track away from the manholes to remove this noise and vibration issue.

Speed Limit Review Process

26. Under the current Land Transport Rule: Setting of speed limits 2017, a Road Controlling Authority can propose a new speed limit.

27. In doing so they must have regard to the NZTA’s guidance on what is an appropriate speed limit for a given road, based on adjacent land use, road function, road characteristics, traffic volumes etc, and the views of interested persons or groups.

28. The minimum requirements to meet the last obligation are defined further as a requirement to consult:

· Road controlling authorities of any adjacent or near roads

· Territorial authorities that are affected by the proposed speed limit

· Any local communities considered to be affected

· Commissioner of Police

· The AA

· The Road Transport Forum

· NZTA

· Any other group considered by the Road Controlling Authority to be affected

29. The speed limit must then be set using a bylaw and taking account of the submissions received under the consultation process.

30. Planning for proposed speed limit changes and undertaking the consultation requirements for a small number of roads (i.e not a citywide review) typically takes 3 months to undertake. After this the submissions require review and analysis to enable a recommendations report to go to Council for them to accept or reject the proposed changes. This will take a further couple of months to coordinate the report going to Council.

Attachments

1. Excerpt from TCC Traffic and Parking Bylaw 2012 - A12083293 ⇩

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8.4 Kāinga Tupu - Safe Car Sleeping

File Number: A12051352

Author: Anne Blakeway, Manager: CCO Relationships and Governance

Jodie Robertson, Community Development Principal Advisor: Kainga Tupu

Authoriser: Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Purpose of the Report

1. The purpose of this report is to seek endorsement from Council regarding a proposed project to support the wellbeing of people sleeping in private motor vehicles through the establishment of a dedicated safe car sleeping space.

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Receives the Kāinga Tupu – Safe Car Sleeping report.

(b) Supports that staff explore potential sites for a dedicated space for this project.

(c) Supports that staff continue with the development of project design, including risk mitigation and associated costs required to implement the project.

(d) Supports that staff manage the project within existing budgets, but will come back to Council and/or secure funding through key strategic partnerships, if additional financial support is required.

Executive Summary

2. The number of people living in private motor vehicles in Tauranga is increasing as a result of a lack of affordable rental housing, and a lack of emergency and social housing. Increasing housing availability will take some time to establish and there is a current need to support car sleepers with an interim intervention.

3. Living out of private motor vehicles is not considered an appropriate level of housing for any member of the public, and Tauranga City Council does not endorse living and sleeping in cars. For many members of the public, living from their private motor vehicle is not a desired option however, many feel they are left in a position with no alternatives.

4. An approach that prioritises community safety and wellbeing through the establishment of a safe dedicated space for car sleepers, in partnership with strategic partners, is recommended. The proposed project is one solution within a broader eco-system of interventions to reduce homelessness across Tauranga.

Background

Homelessness defined

5. Homelessness is defined as a living situation where people with no other options to acquire safe and secure housing are:

· living without shelter, or in makeshift shelters, e.g. sleeping rough or living in a car;

· living in temporary or emergency accommodation, such as night shelters, refuges, hotels/motels, motor camp sites and boarding houses;

· living in shared accommodation temporarily with others (the usual residents of the dwelling are not considered homeless); and

· living in uninhabitable housing, e.g. dilapidated dwellings or those not intended for human habitation such as garages.

The current problem

6. Historically, there have been an unknown number of people sleeping in their cars throughout the city.

7. Tauranga City Council received 119 homelessness related CCM entries between January and June 2019.

8. There has been a total of 21 independent CCM complaints (August to October 2020) by members of the public regarding people sleeping in their cars. This figure does not include emails and phone calls to Council staff and elected members.

9. As of November 2020, there are currently 53 known private motor vehicles that are being used for accommodation purposes in the Tauranga City boundaries. These vehicles can be transient with the total number fluctuating on any given day. Anecdotally, through information from community providers, this number is more likely to be in excess of 100 cars. The total number of people in these cars is unknown.

10. The Tauranga City Council Bylaws team are in continuous contact with people residing in their cars however, legislation does not support removing vehicles as abandoned while they are being lived in.

11. Over a four-month period (August to November 2020), the TCC Bylaws team dedicated approximately 136 hours of time to responding to homelessness related complaints, consisting of 40 reactive hours and 96 proactive hours (follow-up visits, queries, site cleaning, referrals to support services, and supporting internal TCC work groups).

12. Living out of private motor vehicles is not considered an appropriate level of housing for any member of the public and Tauranga City Council does not endorse living and sleeping in cars.

13. For many members of the public, living from their private motor vehicle is not a desired option but they are left in a position with no alternatives for a variety of reasons, predominantly due to a lack of access to emergency and social housing, and a lack of affordable rental properties.

14. The number of people residing in cars has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic and is likely to continue to rise for a period of time, due to an increase in income loss and the lack of availability and unaffordability of private rental housing.

The proposed approach

15. An approach that considers community safety and wellbeing is recommended.

16. The aim of the proposed solution is to provide a safe location for car sleepers, whilst supporting the wellbeing of individuals and families to regain supported independence, access to wraparound services, and appropriate housing.

17. The proposed solution is not intended to be a long-term solution. However, during the current housing crisis and whilst social and public housing is being developed, there is a need to provide an alternative solution for a 1-2 year period.

18. The proposed solution aims for existing and future car sleepers to be referred through pathways to support wellbeing interventions and housing pathways.

19. The proposed solution cannot and should not be delivered solely by Tauranga City Council. It will require investment and commitment from the Bay of Plenty District Health Board and New Zealand Police through a partnership model to ensure that the solution remains focused on safety, wellbeing and moving people beyond living in private motor vehicles.

20. This project proposes an opportunity for Tauranga City Council to partner with local support agencies and central government agencies.

21. The proposed project is one solution within a broader eco-system of interventions to reduce homelessness across Tauranga city.

The proposed solution

22. Identify a location within Tauranga City to provide a safe area for people residing in private motor vehicles to sleep, eat, shower and toilet, and receive help to access housing pathways and receive health support.

23. The location could be use of existing open space, or the re-purposing of an existing car parking space or un-used building. The space could be owned by Tauranga City Council or it could be located on private land.

24. Access to the following services is a necessity; toilets, showers, access to drinking water, power to charge mobile devices, security, lighting, camera surveillance, access to meals, social worker assessments and referrals to support agencies.

25. Consideration needs to be given to the safety of men, women and children, and safety risks need to be mitigated as part of planning and implementing this project, in collaboration with strategic partners.

Strategic / Statutory Context

26. This project is aligned to the Kāinga Tupu: Growing Homes strategy governed by the Kāinga Tupu Mayoral Taskforce and coordinated by the Principal Advisor – Kāinga Tupu within the Community Development team of Tauranga City Council.

27. The Kāinga Tupu Support Action Group has prioritised an action within the Kāinga Tupu strategy to support people experiencing homelessness who are currently residing in their private motor vehicles.

Options Analysis

Option 1: Status Quo – NOT RECOMMENDED.

28. No provision of dedicated space for sleeping in private motor vehicles.

Advantages

Disadvantages

· Requires no further investigation or investment.

· Continued high volume of complaints from residents to TCC staff and elected members.

· Continued time investment from TCC Bylaws team to follow-up on complaints.

· Lack of coordinated support to identify car sleepers and support sustainable pathways into housing and healthcare.

· Perceived by residents as not resolving the issue.

· Perceived by car sleepers and community organisations as not providing support.

· Continued increase in the number of private vehicles on public land for the use of housing.

· Continued poor outcomes for people currently residing in private motor vehicles, including but not limited to, access to appropriate medication and/or psychiatric support, and preventable public nuisance, disorderly behaviour and low-level offending.

Option 2: Development of a dedicated space for sleeping in private motor vehicles in partnership with strategic partners and community organisations – RECOMMENDED.

29. Supports that staff explore potential sites for a dedicated space for this project, continue with the development of project design, including risk mitigation and associated costs required to implement the project, including securing funding contributions from key strategic partnerships.

Advantages

Disadvantages

· Pathway of resolution for complaints received by TCC staff and elected members.

· Coordinated support in identifying car sleepers and moving through pathways of safety, housing and healthcare.

· Reduction in resident complaints of car sleepers in neighbourhood areas.

· Reduction over time in the number of residents sleeping in private motor vehicles.

· Increased safety, health and housing outcomes for Tauranga residents.

· Investment of resources (financial and time) will be required of TCC and strategic partners.

· Number of complaints is likely to increase initially, while location is established.

· Potential initial increase in car sleepers once a known location is established.

Financial Considerations

30. Financial implications over and above initial existing budget support can be confirmed when a proposed location has been identified, and key strategic partnerships have been developed.

Legal Implications / Risks

31. Personal accommodation is not permitted on land designated as a Recreation Reserve under the Reserves Act 1977. Depending on the location identified and any classification under the Reserves Act, delegated approval or land re-classification (potentially temporarily) may be required under the Reserves Act.

32. Resource consent for the activity is likely to be required. This will depend on the location, zoning and status of the activity under the Tauranga City Plan and Resource Management Act. The resource consent process will assess any effects of the activity on the environment and the public, including nearby residences.

33. Identified location will need to meet health and hygiene obligations.

Consultation / Engagement

34. Initial conversations with Bay of Plenty District Health Board and New Zealand Police have occurred prior to the writing of this report, to ensure initial support for the project.

35. Tauranga City Council staff representing the following teams have been included in initial discussions, to support identifying locations and to explore key risks to be mitigated:

· Community Development

· Emergency Management

· Environmental Regulation

· Spaces and Places

· Property Services

· City Events

· Legal and Commercial

· Human Resources

36. Customer Services co-design of approach has occurred with the Kāinga Tupu Support Action Group, including representation from Takitimu House, Awhina House, Under the Stars, Tauranga Housing Advocacy Service, The People’s Project, Department of Corrections and Bay of Plenty District Health Board.

37. Attachment 1 provides feedback from people with lived experience of homelessness and more specifically car sleeping, and has been undertaken to ensure that the approach and solution is being designed to meet their specific needs and mitigate safety and wellbeing concerns.

38. Existing clients of Takitimu House, Awhina House and Under the Stars have contributed to the project to date.

39. Further targeted consultation and engagement will inform part of the project design once a potential site has been identified.

Significance

40. This matter is considered of low significance under TCC’s Significance and Engagement Policy. It is not subject to a Special Consultative Procedure.

Next Steps

41. Following endorsement from Council on the proposed approach and solution, staff will work to identify an appropriate location to implement the project and engage with potentially impacted individuals and/or areas.

42. Financial requirements and funding contributors will be investigated and where possible, confirmed.

Attachments

1. Car sleeping - feedback from lived experience - A12051349 ⇩

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8.5 COVID-19 Event Funding Cancellation Guidelines

File Number: A12053293

Author: Reena Snook, Event Development Manager

Authoriser: Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Purpose of the Report

1. To seek approval from the Projects, Services and Operations Committee (PSOC) regarding the treatment of COVID-related event cancellations as part of Council’s Event Funding Framework (EFF).

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Receives the COVID-19 Event Funding Cancellation Guidelines report.

(b) Approves the proposed COVID-related event cancellation amendments to the Event Funding Framework for financial year 2020/21 (FY 20/21) as outlined at Option 1 and as endorsed by the Event Funding Panel sub-committee on 11 November 2020.

Executive Summary

2. The events sector was one of the first activities in New Zealand to be impacted by COVID-19 and will be one of the last to recover given the restrictions placed on mass gatherings across COVID-19 Alert Levels Two, Three and Four.

3. COVID-19 will likely be a long-term global consideration, therefore it is prudent that Council’s investment in events is reviewed to ensure it can adequately support the industry during this period, whilst also exercising prudent fiscal management across its full portfolio of services.

4. The recommendation outlined in this report was presented to the Event Funding Panel (EFP) on 11 November 2020 and whilst technically out of scope of the sub-committee, was approved in principle. As the EFP reports to the PSOC, final endorsement of the recommendation is required via PSOC.

Background

5. The events sector is a diverse industry involving event promoters/owners/agencies, suppliers, venues, service providers, not-for-profits, educational institutions, local and central government. It is widely acknowledged that events are strong contributors to a region’s cultural identity, and economic and social wellbeing.

6. Below is a high-level overview of the mass gathering restrictions at the current COVID-19 Alert Levels:

Alert Level One	No restrictions on gathering limits
Alert Level Two	Gatherings are limited to max. 100 people (within any defined space)
Alert Level Three	Gatherings of any size are cancelled
Alert Level Four	Gatherings of any size are cancelled

7. A variety of COVID-related funding programmes have been and continue to be available for the events sector (e.g. Wage Subsidy, Domestic Events Fund, the forthcoming Regional Events Fund etc.), however the finite and competitive nature of these funds means that the industry and its vast supply chain are still facing likely extreme financial hardship moving forward.

8. With central government firmly focused on the country’s health response to COVID-19, Council’s investment in events via the EFF will be an important step in providing localised financial stability for the sector and its ongoing viability in the short- and medium-term. Now more than ever, reliable support from local government and the wider sponsorship/funding market will be essential in allowing the events sector to restart/regenerate/reinvent itself, particularly if the country continues to fluctuate up and down the COVID-19 Alert Levels.

9. With some minor modifications to the treatment of event cancellations and payment terms, the EFF could provide a greater level of financial security and certainty to the struggling events industry, and further strengthen Tauranga’s growing reputation as an event-friendly and enabling city.

10. Current EFF funding terms give Council the ability to require all committed grants to be returned if the event organiser does not fulfil their obligations (e.g. if the event is cancelled in whole or part thereof for any reason). Current terms and conditions for Community Event Fund and Event Support Fund agreements also dictate that 50% of a grant is payable prior to the event and 50% after the event. Payment terms for Legacy Event Fund and Major Event Fund agreements vary between 50% to 80% pre-payment, depending on the size of the grant and nature of the event.

11. Staff have consulted with several other Council’s (i.e. Auckland Council, Hamilton City Council, Napier City Council, Taupō District Council and Rotorua Lakes Council) and TECT to understand if/how they have pivoted their event funds to respond to COVID-19. A flexible, case-by-case approach to COVID-related cancellations has been adopted by these organisations with the majority allowing event organisers to retain their grants either in part or full, dependent on the events’ financial position and timing of the cancellation in relation to the event date(s).

12. To date, COVID-19 has had minimal impact on the EFF in FY 20/21 with only five event cancellations including the Anchor AIMS Games and the Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships. Comparatively, in FY 19/20 there were two COVID-related EFF event cancellations (National Jazz Festival and Mount Swim), both scheduled to occur in April 2020 when New Zealand was in Alert Level Four.

Options Analysis

Option 1: Approve the COVID-related event cancellation amendments to the Event Funding Framework for FY 20/21 – RECOMMENDED

13. The PSOC approves the following COVID-related event cancellation amendments to the EFF for FY 20/21.

Cancellation terms

Should a FY 20/21 event cancel for COVID-19 reasons (whether voluntary or mandated) and the organisers request to retain all or part of their EFF grant, Council will use the following criteria and details to evaluate the merit of the request. These criteria are also similar to the criteria recently developed by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment for the nationwide $10M Domestic Events Fund:

· Reason for event cancellation, particularly if a change in COVID-19 Alert Levels has not mandated the cancellation.

· Have event organisers investigated ways in which the event could go ahead? E.g. postponement, operational changes, online format etc.

· Profit and loss statement, including commentary around what steps have been taken to mitigate event costs. In instances where an event is forecasting a profit without their EFF grant, they will be automatically excluded from consideration and required to return any Council grant issued to them under the EFF.

· What are other funding partners, sponsors etc. doing to support the cancellation of the event? Have all other funding possibilities been exhausted?

The following step-by-step process will be applied to any such COVID-related event cancellation funding requests:

Step 1 – request received

· Event organiser provides Council Event Development staff with written confirmation of their decision to cancel their event, along with the supporting information outlined above.

Step 2 – evaluate request

· Requests will be considered on a case by case basis and a seven-day turnaround for decisions will be applied.

· Council EFF Officers (i.e. City Events Manager, Event Development Manager and Senior Event Facilitator) or EFP (see below) to evaluate the information supplied against the criteria listed above.

· Decisions where the grant requested is $15,000 or less to be made by Officers.

· Decisions where the grant requested is more than $15,000 to be made by the EFP. Officers to supply EFP with relevant information in these instances, via email, along with a recommendation for their consideration. The EFP must reach a unanimous decision and inform the Event Development Manager via email.

Step 3 – decision released

· Event Development staff inform event organiser of decision and progress the relevant administrative steps to formalise arrangements (e.g. scheduling of future payments, invoice(s) issued to return funds etc.).

Payment terms

Default payment terms for Event Funding Agreements issued for new Legacy Event Fund or Major Event Fund events to be amended to max. 50% payment prior to event and 50% payable after the event. Exceptions to this schedule will be considered on a case by case basis by Officers.

14. Advantages to adopting Option 1:

· Decision supports and is consistent with the EFP’s in-principle approval of these recommendations, made on 11 November 2020 (see attached EFP Report and Minutes).

· Tauranga will be seen as an event-friendly city, prioritising the wellbeing of event organisers and the industry.

· The ‘Vital Update – Tauranga’ survey results indicated that the community wants to see a greater variety of events in the city, therefore Council’s investment in the sector, particularly in an effort to protect its future survival, will work towards delivering on that community need.

· Supporting the events industry in this manner will contribute to the retention of local event sector personnel, suppliers and services critical to the future of the industry.

· The weekly turnaround of funding decisions will provide event organisers with an expeditious response, allowing them to focus on other time-sensitive, event-related matters.

· Alignment with the majority of other Council and funding organisations consulted as part of this report (see item 11).

· Does not require any additional funding to support the initiative.

· It is unlikely that there will be large volumes of new events applying for funding through the EFF before the end of FY 20/21, therefore repurposing existing event grants to support cancelled EFF events (where relevant) will provide an opportunity to continue to deliver some benefits to the industry and community.

15. Disadvantages to adopting Option 1:

· Any potential EFF reserves/surplus due to cancellations will not be available to carryover to next year.

Option 2: Change one or more of the proposed amendments at Option 1 – NOT RECOMMENDED

16. The PSOC proposes a different set of EFF amendments regarding the treatment of COVID-related event cancellations.

17. Advantages to adopting Option 2:

· The PSOC may assess the challenges facing the events industry differently than staff and the EFP, and want that reflected in the operation of the EFF and the staff-recommended cancellation procedure.

18. Disadvantages to adopting Option 2:

· PSOC changes potentially not consistent with the approach other Councils and funding bodies have adopted.

· PSOC changes could be interpreted, to some extent as subjective and out of touch with the current event landscape.

Option 3: Retain status quo with no COVID-related cancellation considerations introduced to the Event Funding Framework – NOT RECOMMENDED

19. The PSOC rejects the COVID-related event funding amendments proposed in this report.

20. Advantages to adopting Option 3:

· EFF budget remains intact and any reserves/surplus due to cancellations can be carried over into next year, meaning that a greater number of events could be supported in FY 21/22.

21. Disadvantages to adopting Option 3:

· The most significant disadvantage to adopting Option 3 is reputational risk. If Council does not introduce any flexibility with COVID-related event cancellations, it may be seen as unsupportive of the events industry and therefore detrimental to long-standing stakeholder/industry relationships. It is also possible that by adopting Option 3, staff and Councillors will see an increase in adhoc and one-off requests from the events industry in relation to financial support.

· A lack of support could result in severe financial hardship or possible bankruptcy for some event organisations who rely heavily on external funding sources.

· Could jeopardise the significant contribution the events industry can make to the long term post-COVID-19 recovery of New Zealand’s domestic tourism sector.

Financial Considerations

22. The Opex budget required to support all event funding decisions was approved through the 2015 – 2025 Long Term Plan.

23. The total EFF budget for FY 20/21 is $875,000 excluding GST. As at 22 November 2020, a total of $718,863 has been committed to date, leaving a balance of $156,137. The majority of this remaining budget is earmarked for the Community Event and Event Support Funds.

24. Adoption of Option 1 and 3 does not require additional budget, the existing EFF budget would be utilised. Sufficient budget for Option 2 will depend on the extent of any changes introduced by the PSOC.

Significance

25. Under the Significance and Engagement Policy 2014, the matter of this decision is of “low” significance as it:

(a) has low impact on Council being able to perform its role;

(b) is a decision able to be reversed; and

Click here to view the TCC Significance and Engagement Policy

Next Steps

26. Staff will update the EFF webpages and recipients of the latest round of Community Event Fund and Event Support Fund grants, with the outcome of this report.

27. Towards the end of FY 20/21, staff will conduct a review of the temporary COVID-related event funding cancellation arrangements, if implemented as a result of this report, to inform any future recommendations should COVID-19 still remain a significant threat moving into FY 21/22.

Attachments

1. Event Funding Panel 11 Nov 2020 - Report - COVID-19 Event Funding Cancellation Guidelines - A12063036 ⇩

2. Event Funding Panel 11 Nov 2020 - Minutes - A12063037 ⇩

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8.6 Cameron Road Multi-modal Project Update

File Number: A11936313

Author: Russell Troup, Manager: Transport Network Operations

Authoriser: Nic Johansson, General Manager: Infrastructure

Purpose of the Report

To provide a progress update on the Cameron Road multi-modal upgrade project.

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee receives the Cameron Road Multi-modal Project Update report.

BACKGROUND

1. The Cameron Road multi-modal project will contribute to achievement of Council’s wider strategic objectives articulated through UFTI and Te Papa Spatial Plan.

2. The three primary project objectives are to:

(a) make Cameron Road safer,

(b) provide more ways to move (alternative transport modes), and

3. Council have accepted a $45M grant from the Crown Infrastructure Partners (CIP) for the detailed design and construction of Stage 1 of the project, which extends from Harington Street to Seventeenth Avenue.

4. This grant also includes a $500,000 contribution to the Business Case for Stage 2, which extends from Seventeenth Avenue to Barkes Corner.

5. The funding agreement was signed on 5th September 2020. The agreement includes conditions regarding the scope and delivery timeframes for the project.

a. Scope: The government have set key elements of the scope to assure alignment with their objectives, including bus lanes (clearway for 5 years, then full time), bi-directional cycleway. In 2019, Council also resolved to retain existing traffic lanes.

b. Timeframe: Early works construction must start by 1 May 2021 and the main construction works by 1 September 2021. The project shall be complete by 1 October 2023.

PROJECT PROGRESS

6. The progress of the project to date is reported at relevant activity level below:

PROCUREMENT:

7. To meet the demanding timeframes set by the funding agreement, a procurement approach is being undertaken in the form of Early Contractor Involvement (ECI).

8. Two ECI contractors, Downers and Fulton Hogan, have been appointed through an open tender process to provide input into the detailed design process.

9. Procurement of professional services for the detailed design and construction monitoring is underway. At the time of writing a preferred tenderer has been identified and the contract is on track to be awarded in early December 2020.

ECI APPROACH:

10. The ECI approach has been adopted as the most effective way to mitigate a range of risks associated with the project. The benefits include:

(a) Agreement of construction staging to give both certainty of delivery to CIP timeframes and to direct design effort and programme.

(b) Assurance of design constructability.

(c) Enable ECI contractor’s stakeholder managers to become familiar with TCC’s expectations and strong emphasis on engagement as well as gain familiarization with our stakeholders that will enable genuine contractor ownership through construction.

(d) Affordability and cost certainty by continual monitoring through both design and construction.

DESIGN:

11. Work internally and consultation with stakeholders is underway, to identify design requirements, constraints and necessary coordination with other related activities.

12. There is potential to include some water supply, wastewater and stormwater renewals and upgrades at the same time as the Cameron Road upgrade. This will be to provide capacity for planned intensification, and renewal of ageing assets which will pose an ongoing operational and reputational risk if they fail in the short term.

13. The preliminary design is scheduled for completion in late November 2020. This has been delayed due to the need to revisit the design to ensure the impacts on existing trees in the central median has been minimised as much as reasonably practicable.

14. Before the preliminary design is issued, transport modelling will be undertaken to confirm design requirements at intersections (including proposed signalized intersections at 3^rdAvenue and 9^thAvenue), and network impacts resulting from these intersection changes and potential road closures and restrictions (e.g. left in left out only).

15. A Road Safety Audit of the preliminary design will be undertaken by an independent traffic engineer in December 2020.

OVERALL PROGRAMME ACHIEVEMENT

16. The project is currently on programme. This project will be managed and monitored with an earned value methodology to track progress to time and budget against specific targets.

COMPLIANCE WITH CIP FUNDING AGREEMENT:

17. All CIP conditions and criteria and have been satisfied to date.

CONSULTATION & ENGAGEMENT

ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

18. An engagement and communications strategy for the detailed design and construction stages is currently being finalized by Council’s Communications and Engagement team.

19. The strategy will ensure clear articulation of the project objectives from the outset (in simple language), and will be founded on 2 key principles including:

(a) Authenticity: Our approach is very genuinely seeking feedback to direct design effort. We are committed to listening and hearing the perspectives that will help us shape the project design and incorporate community values and needs.

(b) Openness & transparency: We appreciate that people have taken time to provide us with feedback. There are a wide range of perspectives and we accept that there will need to be trade-offs along the way. Although we won’t be able to meet every demand, we commit to providing justification for the decisions and trade off’s that we make in a transparent manner.

TANGATA WHENUA

20. A further meeting with tangata whenua representatives was undertaken at Huria marae in October. That meeting coincided with the adoption of the Te Papa spatial plan, and the Cameron Road project was seen as a positive step towards giving effect to the intent of the spatial plan.

21. This is an ongoing relationship and we are meeting again in early December.

STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT

22. Council have been working with four established Community Liaison Groups (CLGs) and a stakeholder group for the past 18 months on this project through development of the business case. Engagement with those groups will continue for the remainder of the project.

23. A survey was sent out to the CLG members in September 2021.

24. During October, workshops were held with each of the four CLG groups, and one wider stakeholder group.

25. Engagement has been open and transparent regarding the things can we consult on, and what elements are conditions of the CIP funding.

26. Stakeholder feedback from the survey and workshops were collated actively considered in the recent preliminary design sprint. Going forward, as we continue engagement, stakeholder feedback will remain a key consideration through finalization of preliminary design and through detailed design.

27. We have responded to stakeholders and groups who provided feedback. This included outlining whether we could, or couldn’t accommodate their comments into the design, with explanation.

28. Through the ECI process, the contractor(s) will increasingly be involved so they develop a sense of ownership and take more of a lead role in engagement with stakeholders affected by construction. Under the guidance of Council’s Engagement team, the Contractors appointed stakeholder leads, will increasingly own the communication and engagement with stakeholders who will be affected by construction. This approach has worked successfully to mitigate or minimize adverse impacts on similar projects elsewhere in New Zealand and is considered the best approach for this project.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

29. The first phase of public communications will begin before Christmas. It will include linkage to UFTI, TSP and the Te Papa Spatial Plan that explains the strategy or “the why” supporting the project.

30. Within that wider strategic context, the November consultation will introduce the project in more detail and seek high level feedback.

31. Although preliminary design will be complete in December, more specific public consultation will be undertaken after the Christmas break in February 2021.

Next Steps

32. The next stage of this project comprises the following activities:

(a) Early Contractor Involvement process will commence. Along with general project familiarisation, the first key activities will be to review the preliminary design, provide construction cost estimates and agree optimal construction staging.

(b) Award the contract for the detailed design and construction monitoring.

(d) Complete the Preliminary Design and Business Case.

(e) Develop mana whenua design principles and continue engagement through the detailed design process.

33. Planning and procurement of the Stage 2 Business Case is programmed to commence in early 2021.

Attachments

Nil

Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Agenda

8 December 2020

8.8 Long Term Plan - Mount Maunganui Visitor Information Centre

File Number: A12052304

Author: Doug Spittle, Team Leader: Urban Spaces

Paul Dunphy, Delivery Manager

Authoriser: Gareth Wallis, General Manager: Community Services

Purpose of the Report

1. Outline options for the Mount Maunganui Visitor Information Centre project.

Recommendations

That the Projects, Services and Operations Committee:

(a) Receives the report – Mount Maunganui Visitor Information Centre.

(b) Approves Option 4.

(c) Agrees to respond to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment letter to confirm that the project is not progressing and the grant funding to date will be refunded.

Executive Summary

2. The Mount Visitor Information Centre project has been in the planning phase since 2015 in partnership with Tourism Bay of Plenty (TBOP). The project is now at a gateway point to decide whether to progress to detailed design. Key factors in this gateway decision include:

· The cost estimates for the project have been reviewed and the original budget estimated to deliver the ‘iconic’ concept design is likely insufficient.

· No capital funds are currently allocated to the project other than $450K for design work in the 2020/21 FY – noting that Council resolved on 16 July not to utilise any of these funds until this options paper was considered.

· Council has been notified that the Provincial Growth Fund contribution of $980K will be terminated – pending Council’s response to a letter received 20 November 2020 from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).

· The cruise industry is currently shutdown due to COVID-19 and not expected to re-start until summer 22/23.

· Council is currently preparing Long-Term Plan 2021-31.

· There is potential for spatial planning work to address the Mount North area holistically and this work will provide opportunity to further consider options to address visitor infrastructure.

3. The recommended option is to not proceed with the Mount Visitor Information Centre project and instead, undertake the following:

· Advise MBIE that the project is no longer progressing and refund grant funds received to date ($98K).

· Temporarily relocate the container i-Site to Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka.

· Further consider visitor infrastructure requirements through spatial planning work for Mount North.

Background

4. The Mount Maunganui Visitor Information Centre project was first initiated in 2015 as part of a broader review of visitor information services in Tauranga. This initial work was undertaken by TBOP with support from Tauranga City Council. The preferred network of information services through that work was identified to be:

· a new primary ‘gateway’ information centre in Coronation Park, serving both cruise ship passenger arrivals as well as the broader visitor and resident market in Mount Maunganui; and

· smaller satellite information centres at Phoenix Park (now Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka) and in the Tauranga CBD.

5. The initial cost estimate for a visitor centre in Coronation Park was in the range of $1M–$1.3M, with an additional $100K to support design, surveying, legal, consultation and consenting costs. Additional funding was also provided at the time for upgrading the ‘i-Port’ temporary facility within the Port of Tauranga site. That facility helps to triage passengers as they alight from cruise ships and manage bookings for cruise ship passengers with local tourism operators. The intention was that the new visitor centre in Coronation Park would replace the i-Port site entirely when completed.

6. The project has evolved through several iterations over the last five years. Key milestones/decisions of Council in relation to the project are outlined below:

Project History

2015

· Options analysis by TBOP identifies Coronation Park site for main visitor information centre hub for Tauranga.

· Nikau Crescent converted to one-way system and long bay parking installed anticipating logistical connection to cruise passenger management.

2016

· Council approves $100K for initial concept design work and sought further reporting on capital expenditure requirements to complete the project, to consider as part of the 2017/18 Annual Plan process.

2017

· Two concepts by architectural firm Jasmax presented to Council (see Attachment 1) with estimated costs ranging from $4M–$5M. Council approved the $4M ‘functional’ option through the 2017/18 Annual Plan and directed TBOP and Council staff to seek the additional $1M from other sources to achieve the more ‘iconic’ concept.

· Two applications for additional funding made to the Regional Tourism Fund and Tourism Infrastructure Fund. Both applications were not successful.

2018

· Application to Provincial Growth Fund (PGF) for additional funding, also not successful.

2019

· Second application to PGF successful ($980K).

· Project team investigates procurement options to design and deliver project.

· Project transferred from Strategy and Growth to Community Services.

· Project ‘health check’ initiated.

2020

· Triage pathway and Investment Logic Mapping process undertaken.

Project ‘health check’ findings

7. The project has been evolving for several years without progressing to detailed design for a specific concept. BECA consultants were engaged in late 2019 to undertake a project ‘health check’, to identify any issues with the project being investment ready ahead of embarking on the design process. At this point, the project was already several months behind the schedule agreed with the PGF. The project team had also already identified that there was an estimated funding shortfall in the range of $1.5M–$4M to deliver the ‘iconic’ design, even accounting for the $980K grant from the PGF.

8. In addition to the programme and budget issues already apparent, the project ‘health check’ also identified the following issues:

· inconsistency in the site selection factors, investment drivers and business case logic; and

· high-risk that the project will not be able to be delivered within budget, particularly noting site constraints and lack of structural feasibility assessment to date.

9. To resolve these issues a triage pathway was recommended by BECA, first to reconfirm the investment case and then to undertake technical analyses to confirm the deliverability, indicative programme ranges and realistic budget required for the project.

Revisiting the investment case

10. In order to revisit the investment case for the project, an Investment Logic Mapping^{^[2]} exercise was undertaken with key stakeholders for the project. The output from that exercise is attached as Attachment 2. Three problem statements (and associated weightings) were identified as below:

1. Lack of visitor centre infrastructure in Mount Maunganui in a fast-growing market puts multi-million-dollar value creation at risk for the region (50%).

2. Challenges with Mount sites (traffic, port operations, neighbours etc.) pose major risks to reputation and licence to operate (35%).

3. Evolving visitor experience servicing models mean public projects face increasing investment uncertainty risks (15%).

11. The exercise demonstrated that a visitor information centre somewhere in the Mount North area does serve to address some of the identified problems to a greater or lesser extent. It also identifies the range of alternative investments/assets that would also serve to address the identified problems in different ways, e.g. way-finding, place-making and improved capacity in network to support temporary traffic management.

12. Some of the responses identified in the exercise already bear an operational cost upon both TBOP and Council, principally around managing the influx of cruise ship passengers in terms of the i-Port facility (managed by TBOP) and temporary traffic management (managed by Council). Prior to the COVID-19 shutdown of the cruise industry, these respective activities had operating costs of $300K (i-Port) and $200K (temporary traffic management).

Impact of COVID-19

13. The Investment Logic Mapping exercise was undertaken prior to the nationwide COVID-19 Alert Level 4 lockdown, but nonetheless at a time when the cruise industry had been shut down and it was clear the industry would not return in the short-term to pre-COVID levels. The exercise was undertaken on the assumption that some degree of cruise industry will return in the medium-term and would eventually return to pre-COVID levels.

14. Given the return of cruise ships is not expected at scale in the short term, the i-Site container currently located at Salisbury Avenue is proposed to be relocated to Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka for the summer months to serve the domestic tourism market.

Current status

15. During deliberations for the 20/21 Annual Plan, Council passed the following resolution in relation to the project:

Retain $450k in the capex programme for the Mt VIC with expenditure subject to approval by Council subsequent to receiving an options paper

Remove associated $4.5m from the carry forward budget

16. Accordingly, no work has been commissioned in respect of the project up to the time of this meeting. This report serves as the options paper sought by the above resolution.

Termination of PGF contribution

17. A letter (Attachment 3) was received on 20 November 2020 from MBIE advising that the PGF contribution to the project is to be terminated and the $98K paid so far needs to be refunded to MBIE in full. The letter cited the following as reasons for termination:

· failure to demolish existing buildings on the site by 31 May 2020 (building currently tenanted by Spongedrop café and adjacent public toilet block);

· failure to maintain co-funding commitment, noting the 16 July 2020 resolution of Council not to carry forward the capital budget; and

· failure to complete detailed design by 31 August 2020.

18. The letter provided 14 days to respond as to how Council proposed to address the above issues. A request has been made to MBIE to allow for the formal response from Council to be furnished by 9 December 2020 – first allowing consideration of options at this meeting.

Strategic / Statutory Context

Te Hā Tāpoi

19. The TBOP Destination Management Strategy – Te Hā Tāpoi – was adopted in 2019. A key action in that strategy is the provision of a network of ‘welcome and information centres’.

Urban Form and Transport Initiative and spatial planning

20. There is potential that the 2021/31 Long Term Plan will provide additional resource to undertake spatial planning for the Mount North area, alongside other areas of focus in the city such as the Te Papa peninsula and Otumoetai areas. This work reflects the ‘connected communities’ vision sought through the Urban Form and Transport Initiative.

21. Spatial planning could develop an investment case for integrated interventions to support community outcomes. This may include outcomes related to visitor experience alongside others such as cultural, resilience, recreation, transport and housing.

Options Analysis

22. Four options are available and are outlined below:

Option 1 – no investment in visitor infrastructure in Mount North.
Description – this option involves no further expenditure in the current Annual Plan or through the 2021/31 Long Term Plan.
Budget
Capex: None	Opex: None
Key risks
· Reputational damage to Council with tourism sector due to not investing in the lack of visitor infrastructure in Mount North.
Advantages	Disadvantages
· No additional cost to ratepayers.	· Lack of visitor infrastructure in Mount North is not addressed and associated potential lack of value capture from visitor market. · PGF funding definitely lost.
Not recommended

Option 2 – commence detailed design for ‘functional’ Mount Maunganui Visitor Information Centre at Coronation Park.
Description – this option would involve activating the $450K in the current Annual Plan, to commission technical work to complete detailed design for the ‘functional’ concept design, and to inform decision making through the 2021/31 Long Term Plan to support delivery, accounting for appropriate budget and programme.
Budget
Capex: $4.5M	Opex: Estimated to be ~$400K p.a., managed through TBOP and offset by revenue.
Key risks
· Central government partner funding likely to be lost. · Utilisation of facility less than anticipated. · Increased operational expenditure beyond forecast.
Advantages	Disadvantages
· Addresses the absence of visitor infrastructure in Mount North, also serving as hub for Tauranga visitor information network. · Potential to revisit agreement with PGF to support project.	· Cost to ratepayers
Not recommended

Option 3 – commence detailed design to realise ‘iconic’ Mount Maunganui Visitor Information Centre at Coronation Park.
Description – this option would involve activating the $450K in the current Annual Plan, to commission technical work to complete detailed design for the ‘functional’ concept design, and to inform decision making through the 2021/31 Long Term Plan to support delivery, accounting for appropriate budget and programme.
Budget
Capex: TBC – estimated to be $6.5M–$9M (c.f. $5M previous budget).	Opex: Estimated to be ~$500K p.a., managed through TBOP and offset by revenue
Key risks
1. Central government partner funding likely to be lost. 2. Utilisation of facility less than anticipated. 3. Increased operational expenditure beyond forecast.
Advantages	Disadvantages
· Delivers an iconic community asset. · Addresses the absence of visitor infrastructure in Mount North, also serving as hub for Tauranga visitor information network. · Potential to revisit agreement with PGF to support project.	· Increased budget from previous estimates creates greater cost to ratepayers.
Not recommended

Option 4 – address priority changes in Mount North and manage the shortfall in visitor information infrastructure in the short-term, through existing operational budgets (TBOP and Urban Spaces Development team).
Description – this option would allow for establishing the TBOP container i-Site within Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka for the peak summer period. Long-term solutions for addressing the lack of visitor infrastructure in the Mount North area could be managed through the comprehensive spatial planning approach outlined in papers considered at the Urban Form and Transport Development Committee meeting on 24 November 2020. Future planning and investment would continue to be a partnership exercise between TBOP, Council, mana whenua and other relevant external partners.
Budget
Capex: None	Opex: Existing operational budgets from Council’s Spaces and Places division and TBOP. Currently $40K allocated in 2020/21 FY dedicated to Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka, which can part fund establishing the container i-Site in the park and associated minor park improvements.
Key risks
· Capacity of assets insufficient to cater for visitor market. · Long-term solution for insufficient visitor infrastructure still not addressed.
Advantages	Disadvantages
· Addresses the absence of visitor infrastructure in Mount North in the short-term. · Allows for integration across other relevant strategic projects.	· Opportunity cost to ratepayers. · PGF funding definitely lost.
Recommended

Financial Considerations

23. Current funds ($450K in current annual plan for design work on hold), only activated for Option 1 and Option 2 above.

24. There is some potential in Option 2 and Option 3 to revisit the agreement with MBIE regarding the PGF contribution. However, the potential to retain funding on an adjusted programme is considered remote.

Legal Implications / Risks

25. None.

Significance

26. This matter is of moderate significance given the profile of the project and the potential scale of investment if capital funding is reinstated for the project.

Next Steps

27. If the recommendation is agreed:

(a) respond to MBIE advising of the outcome of this meeting and Council’s current position on project; and

(b) work with TBOP to temporarily relocate the container i-Site to Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka.

Attachments

1. Jasmax Concept Design - A12052327 ⇩

2. Investment Logic Mapping Diagram - A12052328 ⇩

3. MBIE Funding Termination Letter - A12052329 ⇩

[2] Investment Logic Mapping is a standard component of the Better Business Case approach. The exercise was undertaken with an accredited facilitator.


AGENDA Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting Tuesday, 8 December 2020
I hereby give notice that a Projects, Services and Operations Committee Meeting will be held on:
Date:	Tuesday, 8 December 2020
Time:	9.30am
Location:	Tauranga City Council Council Chambers 91 Willow Street Tauranga
Please note that this meeting will be livestreamed and the recording will be publicly available on Tauranga City Council's website: www.tauranga.govt.nz.
Marty Grenfell Chief Executive

Chairperson	Cr Kelvin Clout
Deputy chairperson	Deputy Mayor Tina Salisbury
Members	Cr Larry Baldock Cr Bill Grainger Cr Andrew Hollis Cr Heidi Hughes Cr Dawn Kiddie Cr Steve Morris Cr John Robson
	Emily Gudsell – Tangata Whenua representative
Quorum	Half of the members physically present, where the number of members (including vacancies) is even; and a majority of the members physically present, where the number of members (including vacancies) is odd
Meeting frequency	Six weekly