4.1      Rachel Boyack - Review of Vocational Education

Ms Boyack clarified that she spoke on her own behalf. She spoke of vocational education having the power to change lives and of challenges facing the sector. Ms Boyack said that she felt the most exciting part of the proposal was the development of centres of vocational excellence partnering to deliver high quality research. She felt that concerns regarding the sale of assets and courses being dropped were a misunderstanding as there was nothing regarding the sale of assets in the document. She felt this was an opportunity giving access to new courses, which, under the current model, would take two to three years.

Ms Boyack recognised the need for industry and regional influence, and felt the consultation document was open about that. She noted that Council could submit on what that would look like. Ms Boyack suggested a tweak to clause 3 of the Notice of Motion, as she felt the proposal document was not going down that pathway. She answered a question regarding the control of assets.

4.2      Keith Preston, Chairperson, Nelson Tasman Housing Trust - Community Housing

Mr Preston noted that the Trust provided asset management, housing and tenancy management services to the Council and that it had an excellent relationship with tenants. He said that the wellbeing of current and future tenants and the wider community was of utmost importance to the Trust.

Mr Preston said that the Trust supported the proposal to divest housing stock, if it would improve the quality of life of tenants and generate more affordable social housing for Nelsonians. He urged Council to remember that these strategic assets were homes to vulnerable people. He felt that wellbeing should come first and foremost in consideration of the proposal. He said that if the proposal proceeded, Council should remember that communities must be balanced and sustainable and they would be compact. Mr Preston said that tenants were nervous and concerned and needed to be fully informed about all of the implications of divestment.

Two documents were tabled - the signed Long Term Plan 2018-28 Amendment Audit opinion letter (A2162939) and Subsequent amendments to the Annual Plan 2019/20 Consultation document (A2161997).

Group Manager Strategy and Communications, Nicky McDonald, noted the Annual Plan 2019/20 Consultation Document changes:

·         Landfill charges, on page 29

·         Natureland, on page 31.

Ms McDonald and Group Manager Infrastructure, Alec Louverdis, answered questions regarding recycling and refuse charges. It was suggested that landfill charges be covered in the Our Nelson publication, to ensure that the public was aware of the Annual Plan content.

Ms McDonald also noted amendments related to Community Housing:

·         Financial impacts to be added, on page 33

·         two extra assumptions to be added - 6.2 and 6.3, on page 51.

Further questions were answered regarding community housing.

During discussion, the following minor amendments to the Consultation Document were requested:

·         to change the font of the words iwi relationships on page 21

·         to add an explanation of the word divest (community housing).

Attendance: Councillor Matheson left the meeting from 10.05a.m. until 10.08a.m.

The meeting was adjourned at 10.21a.m. and reconvened at 10.26a.m. Councillor Rutledge was not present.

During debate, Her Worship the Mayor ruled, through a Point of Order, that a misleading statement had been made by Councillor Lawrey and the statement was withdrawn.

 Attendance: Councillor Rutledge returned to the meeting at 10.30a.m.

Resolved CL/2019/037

That the Council

1.  Receives the report Adoption of the Consultation Document for the 2019/20 Annual Plan/Community Housing (R10054) and its attachments (A2160794, A2121185); and

2.  Agrees to consult on a proposal to divest some or all of Council’s community housing through an amendment to the Long Term Plan 2018-28 at the same time as it consults on the Annual Plan 2019/20; and

3.  Agrees that the Consultation Document for the Annual Plan meets the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002, including the purpose and content of consultation documents as set out in Section 93(B) and 95(A); and 

4.  Adopts the Consultation Document for the Annual Plan 2019/20 and the proposed amendment to the Long Term Plan 2018 – 28 (A2160794), amended as per minutes attachment (A2161997); and

5.  Agrees that the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Chief Executive be delegated to approve any  minor amendments required to the supporting information or the Consultation Document prior to the start of the special consultative procedure; and

6.  Notes that the documents listed in paragraph 5.13 of report (R10054) will be published on Council’s website; and

7.  Approves the consultation approach (set out in paragraph 5.14 of report (R10054)) and agrees that the plan:

 (a)   meets the requirements of sections 82 and 83(1)(b) and (c) of the Local Government Act 2002; and

(b)    includes sufficient steps to ensure the Consultation Document will be reasonably accessible to the public and will be publicised in a manner appropriate to its purpose and significance; and

(c)    will result in the Consultation Document being as widely publicised as is reasonably practicable as a basis for consultation.

Her Worship the Mayor/Noonan                                              Carried

Councillors Lawrey and Skinner requested that their votes against the motion be recorded.

Attachments

1    A2162939 - Long Term Plan 2018-28 Amendment Audit opinion letter

2    A2161997 Subsequent amendments to the Annual Plan 2019/20 Consultation Document

Group Manager Strategy and Communications, Nicky McDonald, and Strategic Property Advisor, Antony Hobbs, spoke to the report. The meeting was advised of minor wording changes to:

·         paragraph 3.27 on agenda page 75 – to change the word ‘proposes’ to ‘proposal attempts to’

·         option 3 on agenda page 78 – fourth sentence in the Disadvantages section - to insert the word  ‘funds’ as follows: ‘Council has to raise funds to’

·         paragraph 6.4 on agenda page 79 – to replace the words ‘Community Housing’ with ‘Nelson City Council’.

Cephas representatives, Mr Steve Baigent, Mr Patrick Shone and Ms Liz Crawshaw, were invited to the table. Mr Baigent spoke about the proposal and answered questions regarding architectural design, commercial consideration, Nelson’s uniqueness as a boutique destination, economics, inner city living, resilience to a changing market and car parking.

Attendance: Councillor Lawrey left the meeting from 11.30a.m. until 11.32a.m.

Ms McDonald and Mr Hobbs answered questions regarding clarification of ownership in the statement of proposal, noting there was a minor amendment. It was noted that the figures on agenda pages 72 and 74 were being refined and would be finalised later that day, those changes would be included in the document.

It was noted that a clause regarding seeking advice from the Urban Design Panel had been included in the recommendation. Discussion followed regarding building appearance and quality and a request was made to add more schematic information into the Precinct Key Plan on agenda page 83.

Attendance: Councillor Noonan left the meeting from 11.53a.m. until 11.56a.m.

It was reiterated that community feedback and a decision to sell the land needed to happen before the road stopping process could be commenced, and that there could be no predetermination. Road stopping was a statutory process, giving people an opportunity to object.

A request was made for officers to check whether supportive feedback could also be accepted as part of the road stopping process.

A request was made to change the word ‘dispose’ in paragraph 3.30 on agenda page 76 to ‘sell’.

Resolved CL/2019/038

That the Council

1.    Receives the report Wakatu Square: Potential Sale of Land (R9967) and its attachment (A2145385); and

2.    Agrees to consult on the proposal to dispose of land at Wakatu Square using the special consultative procedure; and

3.    Agrees that the Statement of Proposal - Potential Sale of Land for Commercial Development meets the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002; and 

4.    Adopts the Statement of Proposal – Potential Sale of land for Commercial Development (A2145385), amended as necessary; and

5.    Seeks advice from the Urban Design Panel before any decision on the sale of the land; and

6.    Agrees that the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and Chief Executive be delegated to approve any  minor  amendments required to the Statement of Proposal prior to start of the consultation process; and

7.       Approves the consultation approach (set out in section 5 of report R9967) and agrees:

(a)  the approach includes sufficient steps to ensure the Statement of Proposal will be reasonably accessible to the public and will be publicised in a manner appropriate to its purpose and significance; and

(b)  that a summary of the Statement of Proposal is not necessary to enable public understanding of the proposal; and

(c) the approach will result in the Statement of Proposal being as widely publicised as is reasonably practicable as a basis for consultation.

Her Worship the Mayor/Barker                                                     Carried

Amended copies of the Future Development Strategy (FDS) Draft Consultation Document (A2158751) and the FDS Draft Feedback Survey (A2158753) were tabled. It was noted that the drafts had not yet been styled for publication.

Team Leader City Development, Lisa Gibellini, and Senior City Development Planner, Alastair Upton, answered questions regarding the level of sea level rise used, noting that this was a high level conceptual document.

Attendance: Councillor Dahlberg left the meeting from 12.13p.m. until 12.16p.m.

A draft webmap was used to illustrate types of scenarios and intensification typologies. Discussion took place on levels of growth, analysis criteria, infrastructure challenges, mapping and risk of litigation.

It was noted that a clause had been added to the recommendations to delegate authority to the two Mayors to approve minor amendments to the documents.

Attendance: Councillor Tim Skinner left the meeting from 12.37p.m. until 12.39p.m.

ResolvedCL/2019/039

That the Council

1.    Receives the report Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy - Consultation Documents (R10056) and its attachments (A2158751, A2158752 and A2158753); and

2.    Approves the Nelson Tasman Future Development Strategy consultation document (A2158751), feedback survey (A2158753) and web map (A2158752) for release on 8 April 2019 for public feedback under the Local Government Act 2002; and

3.    Delegates to the Mayor of Nelson City Council and the Mayor of Tasman District Council, approval of minor amendments to be made to the draft consultation document, survey and maps.

McGurk/Dahlberg                                                                         Carried

Attachments

1    A2158751 - Amended FDS Draft Consultation Document

2    A2158753 - Amended FDS Draft Feedback Survey

A copy of a Nelson City Council draft submission on the Reform of Vocational Education (A2156688), prepared by officers, was tabled.

Discussion took place on potential conflicts of interest. Councillor Rutledge raised a Point of Order relating to a misleading statement made by Councillor Lawrey. Her Worship the Mayor upheld the Point of Order and the statement was withdrawn.

Councillor Lawrey declared an interest in this item and left the meeting at 12.44p.m.

Attendance: Councillor Noonan left the meeting from 12.46p.m. until 12.48p.m.

Discussion took place on the Notice of Motion and the preparation of the draft submission. It was confirmed that the submission aligned with the principles in the Notice of Motion and that the consultation timeframe had been extended to 5 April 2019.

Attendance: Councillor Acland left the meeting at 1.14p.m.

Resolved CL/2019/040

That the Council

1.     Receives the report Notice of Motion from Councillor Rutledge: Submission on the Reform of Vocational Education Consultation (R10070) and its attachment (A2160455); and

2.     Makes a submission to the Tertiary Education Commission on the Government’s proposal for the Reform of Vocational Education supporting aspects of the proposal relating to improved funding models and Centres of Vocational Excellence, but emphasising the need for our regional tertiary provider, the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, to retain its autonomy, regional governance, and responsiveness to local needs; and

3.     Notes, in particular, Council’s concerns regarding the proposal to create a centralised “New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology” for its potential impact on local jobs, course provision, control of assets, and the connectedness of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology to local industries and the community; and

4.     Notes the community’s longstanding support for the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, which included an initial gift of land upon which the campus was built, made by the Nelson City Council in 1903; and

5.       Encourages an approach that supports the strengths and unique character of the Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology and ensures high quality educational outcomes.

Rutledge/Matheson                                                                     Carried

Attachments

1    A2156688 - Nelson City Council Submission on Reform of Vocational Education