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Council Workshop/Information Session Notes

 

 

Date:                                    Thursday 16 May 2024

Time:                                    9.30 am - 12.00 pm

Venue:                                 Council Chambers, Civic Offices,
53 Hereford Street, Christchurch
Zoom Link:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6439418430?omn=86418455067
Meeting ID: 643 941 8430

 

 

Present

Chairperson

Deputy Chairperson

Members

Mayor Phil Mauger

Deputy Mayor Pauline Cotter

Councillor Kelly Barber

Councillor Melanie Coker

Councillor Celeste Donovan

Councillor Tyrone Fields

Councillor James Gough

Councillor Tyla Harrison-Hunt

Councillor Victoria Henstock

Councillor Yani Johanson

Councillor Aaron Keown

Councillor Sam MacDonald

Councillor Jake McLellan

Councillor Andrei Moore

Councillor Mark Peters

Councillor Tim Scandrett

Councillor Sara Templeton

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Principal Advisor

Mary Richardson

Interim Chief Executive

Tel: 941 8999

 

 

www.ccc.govt.nz

 

Please Note:

This forum has no decision-making powers and is purely for information sharing.

 


 The agenda was dealt with in the following order.

1.   Apologies Ngā Whakapāha  

Councillor Scandrett was an apology.

Councillor Templeton was a partial apology.

Councillor Moore joined via Zoom.

Councillor Donovan joined via Zoom - arrived at 11:09am

Councillor Tyla Harrison-Hunt arrived at 9.44am

Councillor Sam MacDonald  arrived at 10:21am

 

 

Meeting started at 9:51am.

 

 

2.   Local Water Done Well Update (9.30am-10.30am)

 

Presenter: Hamiora Bowkett, Executive Director, Water Services Policy – Te Mata

·       Introduction from Mary Richardson – Interim Chief Executive.

·       Presented on the Local Water Done Well. Repeal legislation introduced and enacted in February 2024. The expectation is that the second bill which establishes the framework and transitional arrangements will be introduced and enacted soon (mid 2024), with the final bill enacted by the end of the year.

·       Ringfencing water services is a key feature.

·       Councillor Keown: Discussed chlorination. Question for Te Mata [regulator]. Note that Minister Brown is working on this to reduce regulatory burden and drive down costs.

·       Councillor Keown: Funding for water. Will be directed to rate for water separately? Will become clearer in legislation. Minimum test would be standalone set of accounts. Government will not tell council how to fund water. Decision is for council to make. 

·       Councillor Cotter: Three stage legislation. Is there a plan to review regulators standards? Discussion on the process.

·       Councillor Johanson: Discussion on city deals. Financial support. Policy decisions are still being considered.

·       Discussion on post-earthquake unique circumstances for the city.

·       Councillor Coker: Discussion on difference between economic regulatory regime and establishing enduring settings.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: Discussion on mandating, expectation on councils regarding legislative requirements.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: Discussion on where Māori voice sits in this. No mandate.

·       Gabrielle Huria ( Te Kura Taka Pini Ltd ) was invited to give her thoughts on Local water done well.

·       Councillor McLellan: does the government have a position on amalgamation of Councils. Not that Bowkett is aware of.

·       Councillor Henstock: Discussion on minimum requirements of Ngai Tahu.

·       Councillor Keown: Discussion on Marae issues.

·       Councillor Johanson: Discussion on Canterbury water strategy review and nitrate issues.

 

Ended 10:32am

 

3     Akaroa Wastewater Update (10.30am – 11.00am)

 

Presented by Gavin Hutchinson, Acting Head of Three Waters, Kylie Hills, Senior Engineer Water & Waste Planning, and Tim Ure, Senior Project Manager.

·       Brent Smith (Head of Three Waters) introduced and explained that this was added as a last minute item due to LTP submissions.

·       Discussion regarding wetland options.

·       Councillor Keown: Discussion on inspections. Discussion on working with FENZ.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: discussion on budget.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: 2020 reading low on slide 14. Staff confirmed that it was due to drought. Discussion on extreme weather, heavy rainfall and limitations this causes. Discussion on climate change and how this has impacted decisions moving forward.

·       Mayor Mauger: Clarification on comments regarding gully traps and high tide.  

·       Mayor Mauger: Children’s Bay asked about the fire station and reserve. Discussion on run off.

·       Councillor Cotter: discussion on repair options for private property.

·       Councillor Cotter: Discussion on Duvauchelle. Staff discussed the landslides and its impact.

·       Councillor Johanson: Discussion regarding total cost of scheme.  Are there localised solutions? Staff discussed the extent of the issue. Discussion of extension of flow into the harbour. Councillor Cotter confirmed unacceptable for Ngai Tahu.

·       Councillor Fields: Slide 11, query over whether five times a year is total or combined. Staff confirmed combined.

·       Discussion on modelling differences between Beca and Friends of Akaroa.

·       Councillor Fields: Slide 14. Does the average matter? Discussion of I&I and storage.

·       Councillor Fields: Discussion on difficulty of measuring population data for Akaroa.

·       Councillor Henstock: Discussed timeline and viability regarding the separation of works between Akaroa wastewater and Duvauchelle.

·       Councillor Coker: discussion on requirement of wetland, and if this would have stopped overflow.

·       Mayor Mauger: Will other water services be done at the same time? Staff working on business case. 

Ended: 11:15am

 

 

4.   Elected Member Professional Development (11.15am – 11.45am)

 

Presented by Helen White, Head of Legal and Democratic Services.

·       Note that decision regarding LGNZ membership was expected.

·       Staff presented options.

·       Councillor Donovan: look at broadening biddable allocation.

·       Councillor Donovan: Where does induction fall? Staff confirmed that additional training allocation is included in election years.

·       Councillor Henstock: Agrees with Councillor Donovan regarding broadening biddable allocation. Requests review of policy, triannual and inclusion of forums.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: Discussion on professional development for community board members. Request for staff to provide potential professional development courses and options for councillors. Happy with personal allowance, Group allowance less beneficial for this term.

·       Discussion on community board training allowance.  Discussion on staff resource.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: discussion on IOD certification being outside of budget.

·       Councillor Gough: Discussion on budget limitations. Agree with Councillor Harrison-Hunt regarding both  importance and LGNZ decision is imperative. Don’t agree with current bid funding. Discussion on logistics within the policy regarding sign off. 

·       Councillor Keown: Agrees with Councillors Harrison-Hunt and Gough.

·       Councillor Johanson: Discussion regarding differences between professional development and representation of Council. Distinction should be included in the review. Request for notification of conferences. Review of policy is necessary.

·       Councillor Johanson: Is there an ability for councillors to have a communication budget.

·       Councillor Donovan: Discussion regarding resourcing of Councillor support in the Office of the Mayor and Chief Executive.

·       Councillor Donovan: Inclusion of upskilling through subscriptions within the policy.

·       Mayor Mauger: Discussion on funding.

·       Councillor Cotter: Confirmation on where an increasing budget would need to be considered.

End 11:45am

 

5.   Better Off Funding update

 

Presented by Libby Elvidge, Principal Advisor Citizens and Community

·       Staff discussed what the transition from Better off Funding to Local Wate Done Well will look like, current progress on BOF funding projects.

·       Councillor Harrison-Hunt: Confirmation that all resolutions will be spent. Staff confirmed. 

·       Councillor Donovan: Discussed potential risk.

·       Councillor Johanson: Discussion on trees and biodiversity funding.

·       Councillor Johanson: Discussion regarding chlorination.

 

Ended 11:53am

 

 

Meeting concluded at 11:53am.