Item 8: Nelson Whakatū
Muslim Association Request for Pre Purchase of Plots
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Community and Recreation Committee
17 June 2021
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REPORT R25845
Nelson
Whakatū Muslim Association Request for Pre Purchase of Plots
1. Purpose
of Report
1.1 To
approve a decision on the pre-purchase of a maximum of five burial plots at any
one time by the Nelson Whakatū Muslim Association within the Muslim Burial
Area at Marsden Valley Cemetery.
2. Summary
2.1 In
2019 the Nelson Whakatū Muslin Association (NWMA) worked with Council to
develop a Muslim burial area within the Marsden Valley Cemetery.
2.2 There
are 27 burial plots currently available in the Muslim area of Marsden Valley
Cemetery with two plots utilised.
2.3 After
the first Muslim death in Nelson, a request was made to purchase five plots to
be reserved in the NWMA name. Refer to Attachment 1 (A2651420)
2.4 Current
operational procedure allows pre-purchase of plots only in an
individual’s name. However, this report proposes to get a decision
on the NWMA pre-purchasing plots, under the association name.
3. Recommendation
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That the Community and Recreation Committee
1. Receives
the report Nelson Whakatū Muslim Association Request for Pre Purchase of
Plots (R25845) and its
attachment (A2651420); and
2. Approves the pre-purchase of a maximum of five plots, at any one
time, by the Nelson Whakatū Muslim Association within the Muslim
Burial Area at Marsden Valley Cemetery.
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4. Background
4.1 In
March 2016 Council approved a dedicated area for Muslim burials within the
Marsden Valley Cemetery (Report R5521).
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Resolved CL/2016/001
THAT
within the Marsden Valley cemetery, 100
plots be allocated as Catholic burial plots and 30 plots be allocated as
Muslim burial plots, as shown on the indicative map attached as Appendix 2
(A1485622).
Rainey/Noonan Carried
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4.2 This
area was developed in February 2019.
4.3 There have been two burials to date within the
Muslim area of the cemetery.
4.4 Islamic practice dictates the body of the
deceased must be washed, shrouded, prayed for, and buried facing Mecca
within 24 hours of death. NWMA has indicated that pre-purchasing plots would
assist with the burial being performed within this timeframe.
4.5 NWMA
has made a request to pre-purchase up to five plots at any one time in the
Association’s name.
4.6 The
reasons NWMA wants the ability to pre-purchase in the association’s name
are:
4.6.1 to
reduce stress to family, allowing one less thing to deal with on the day of
burial considering the short time processing the interment warrant and burial
needs to occur under Islamic law.
4.6.2 enables
the association to gift the plot to the family to be able to help those in
need, which is an essential element of Islamic faith.
4.6.3 The
association believes it should be given exemption to the current operational
policy of only allowing pre-purchase in an individual’s names as it is a
charity and will have no financial gain from pre purchase as the plot will be
gifted to the family of the deceased.
4.7 Along
with the plot fee, which is usually paid on the day of burial, a warrant of
interment fee payment is required prior to burial occurring.
4.8 Cost
of fees (2020/21)
4.8.1 Plots
fee: $1,814 (Single Plot)
4.8.2 Warrant
of Interment fee: $791 (Adult)
4.9 Pre-purchase
of plots is legislated under for the Burial and Cremations Act 1964 (the Act)
section 10 (1) and (2).
4.10 And
the Nelson City Council Urban Environment Bylaw (the Bylaw) Number 225 Part
Eight.
4.11 The
exclusive right of burial is a service offered at Nelson City Council
cemeteries. However, due to topography and the logistics of getting a
digger onto sites, this exclusive right cannot be guaranteed in either the
natural or the Muslim burial area.
4.12 While
sequential plot numbering is generally followed when allocating the next
available plot, there is no guarantee ground conditions will allow certain
plots at time of burial. Exclusive right of burial is not practical in
the natural or Muslim burial areas, however while the customer will not be able
to purchase an exclusive right of burial for a plot under section 10 of the Act
or clause 8.2 of the Bylaw, they will have pre-paid the plot fee and have a
right to a plot within the Muslim Area.
4.13 Council
has an operational procedure which allows pre-purchase of plots in an
individual’s name but does not allow an association to pre-purchase.
4.14 A
pre-purchased plot can be reallocated or surrendered to another individual if
needed.
4.15 The
reasons why Council does not currently allow pre-purchase of plots in an
association’s name are:
· creating precedent
which could create demand from other organisations wanting to pre-purchase
which in turn decreases capacity of the cemetery
· potential to
resell plots at a higher price
4.16 Staff
investigated whether other councils throughout New Zealand allow pre-purchase
of plots in an association’s name with the following responses received:
4.16.1 Palmerston
North City Council allowed bulk pre-purchase in the Muslim area only.
This decision was considered as part of the entire project resulting from a
large private donation to establish and manage the Muslim area within the
cemetery. They do not allow any other groups to bulk pre-purchase.
4.16.2 Wellington
City Council: do not allow pre-purchase although at the time of one burial
there is an option to buy an additional plot.
4.16.3 Auckland
City Council allow pre-purchase of up to 20 plots in the local Muslim
association’s name.
4.16.4 Marlborough
District Council does not allow pre-purchase of plots in an association’s
name but does allow this in the individual’s name.
4.16.5 Tasman
District Council does not allow pre-purchase of plots in an association’s
name but does allow in the individual’s name, however, the Brethren
community has pre-purchased 16 plots at one time in the Motueka Cemetery.
4.17 Other
Councils expressed concerns that bulk pre-purchase would impact cemetery
capacity and create a precedent which would result in pressure from funeral
directors and other denominational organisations wanting to bulk pre-purchase.
5. Discussion
5.1 NWMA
is registered as a charitable organisation that has been operating since 2017.
One of the associations primary objective is:
“1)
to advance the Islamic Doctrines through establishing
and maintaining a permanent Islamic centre in Nelson, holding regular prayer,
providing funeral and janaza services and celebrating other religious
observances”
Janaza is translated as a
funeral rite, the ceremonies of burial and funeral procession.
5.2 NWMA
has said it would like to gift the pre-purchased plots to families at the time
of burial.
Options
5.3 These
are the 3 options presented to the committee. Officers support Option 2.
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Option 1: Allow NWMA to
pre purchase one plot at any time
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Advantages
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· Gives
the Association peace of mind that they can use one plot at any time.
· Allows
the Association to follow through with their objective of providing a plot
for those in their community that are unable to.
· Capacity
issues for Marsden Cemetery are not compromised.
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· May set
precedent for other groups who wish to do the same
· NWMA is
not satisfied it is meeting its objectives of their organisation.
· There
is no control privity for NWMA for on-selling or profiting from the
pre-purchase.
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Option 2: Allow NWMA to pre purchase up to five plots at
any time (recommended)
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Advantages
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· Gives
the Association peace of mind that they can offer plots to families
· Allows
the Association to follow through with their objective of providing plots for
those in their community that are unable to.
· Council
listens and responds to cultural objectives.
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· Sets
precedent for other groups which could result in capacity issues at Marsden
Cemetery.
· There
is no control privity for NWMA for on-selling or profiting from the
pre-purchase.
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Option
3: Status quo - Do not allow NWMA to pre purchase plots
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Advantages
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· No
risk of other groups wanting to do the same.
· No
additional administration for staff and contractors.
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· NWMA
is not satisfied it is meeting the objective of its organisation.
· Reputational
risk to Council by not accommodating cultural burial requirements.
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6. Conclusion
6.1 NWMA
has approached Council seeking permission to bulk pre-purchase five plots
within Marsden Valley Cemetery in the association’s name, at any one
time.
6.2 Current
cemetery operational procedure only allows pre-purchase of plots in an
individual’s name.
6.3 Based
on Palmerston North City Council’s example of a Council recommendation to
allow pre purchase of plots in the Muslim Association’s name, it is recommended
Nelson City Council could follow a similar process.
7. Next
Steps
7.1 Develop
a Memorandum of Understanding with the NWMA which sets out the procedural
process for the pre-purchase of five plots in the association’s name at
any one time, including that they are gifted to families and that the deceased
name must be provided to Council prior to issuing of the interment warrant.
7.2 Any
requests from other groups for bulk pre-purchase would be brought to the
Community and Recreation Committee for consideration.
Author: Sarah
Clarke, Team Leader Facilities
Attachments
Attachment 1: A2651420 -
Nelson Whakatū Muslim Association Request for Pre-purchase of Plots ⇩
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Important considerations for decision making
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1. Fit
with Purpose of Local Government
The allowing of bulk pre-purchase of plots to be
held in the NWMA name promotes cultural wellbeing of the community in the
present and for the future.
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2. Consistency
with Community Outcomes and Council Policy
The decision to allow the NWMA to pre-purchase five
plots at any one time in the association’s name assists with the follow
community outcomes:
Our communities are healthy, safe, inclusive, and
resilient
Allowing burial practices to be adjusted for
cultural reasons promotes inclusiveness.
Our Council provides leadership and fosters
partnerships, a regional perspective, and community engagement
Council is appreciated for fostering partnerships
with the NWMA enabling them to meet the objectives of their constitution.
Our communities have opportunities to celebrate
and explore their heritage, identity, and creativity
NWMA have expressed that the gifting of plots to
families in their time of mourning upholds Islamic beliefs.
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3. Risk
There is a risk of perceived precedent being set and
creating demand for bulk prepurchase which would compromise Marsden Valley
Cemetery capacity. This can be mitigated by capping the maximum number of
pre-purchased plots to five and considering any future requests for bulk
pre-purchase under the same conditions as this report.
Therefore, the risks associated with approving the
pre-purchase of five plots to the NWMA are considered minor.
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4. Financial
impact
Revenue would remain the same but would phase
differently over the financial years. The pre-purchase of five plots by the
NWMA would bring income of $9,070 to Council prior to any actual burial
taking place, if bought in the 2020-21 year. If the plot were bought in the
2021-22 year the income would be $11,155. There would additional
administration required which would be covered from existing budgets.
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5. Degree
of significance and level of engagement
This matter is of low significance because, although
there is change in the service provided to the NWMA, by capping the number of
plots to five, this limits the impact on the community. Developing a
Memorandum of Understanding with NWMA provides a level of engagement with
Council. Future development of cemetery policy will address alternative
burial methods which will go some way to increasing capacity.
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6. Climate
Impact
The decision to approve the pre-purchase of five
plots in the association’s name does not have any direct impact on
climate change.
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7. Inclusion
of Māori in the decision making process
No engagement with Māori has been undertaken in
preparing this report.
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8. Delegations
The Community and Recreation Committee has the
following delegations to consider pre purchase of plots in an associations
name
Areas of Responsibility:
· Cemeteries
and Crematorium
Delegations:
· Developing,
monitoring and reviewing strategies, policies and plans, with final versions
to be recommended to Council for approval
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Item 9: Sister Cities
Coordinator Report
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Community and Recreation Committee
17 June 2021
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REPORT R25922
Sister
Cities Coordinator Report
1. Purpose
of Report
1.1 For
the Sister Cities Coordinator to update the Committee on Nelson’s Sister
City relationships and activities in the first six months of 2021.
2. Recommendation
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That the Community and Recreation Committee
1. Receives
the report Sister Cities Coordinator Report (R25922) and its attachment (A2673955).
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3. Background
3.1 The
Sister Cities Coordinator position is voluntary. Its purpose is to promote and
strengthen Council’s sister city relationships. The Coordinator provides
guidance on roles, management and protocols for sister city matters, and
reports biannually to Council.
3.2 Nelson
has three active Sister City relationships: Miyazu (Japan), Huangshi, and
Yangjiang (China). Nelson also has an inactive relationship with Eureka (United
States).
4. Sister
City Activities
Sister Cities New Zealand
Conference
4.1 I
had the opportunity to attend the the Annual General Meeting
and Conference of Sister Cities New Zealand (SCNZ) held in Te Papa Tongarewa,
Wellington on 15-16 April 2021. Attendance was lower than in previous years at
fewer than 100 guests, but others participated via Zoom.
4.2 Te Papa staff provided the welcome mihi, with opening remarks by
Kaumātua Kura Moeahu. He spoke about the history, culture, and philosophy
of Parihaka, where cultural customs intermingle with religion and scriptures.
He described how Parihaka became a safe and welcoming place for all as
residents gave shelter and food, reaching out to others. There was the message
that New Zealand is multicultural – we are already connected through
lineage/ genealogy - and that we need to work to strengthen relationships both
here in Aotearoa and internationally.
4.3 New Zealand’s ambassadors to Japan and China presented to the
Conference through pre-recorded messages, speaking to the merits of the
Conference’s theme of ‘Global Connections and Diversity’.
Other videos followed from Sister Cities International, Chinese People’s
Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, and Japan’s Council of
Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR).
4.4 CLAIR representatives spoke about emergency organisations, and the
use of council links to activate support between countries and sister cities.
The Japanese ambassador focused on the upcoming Masters Games, suggesting that
we could encourage our sister cities to participate.
4.5 The
Executive Director of the Office for Ethnic Communities,
Anusha Guler, provided background on the office. She spoke about Local
Government New Zealand and councils working with refugees and being part of the
‘Welcoming Communities’ initiative. She suggested connecting new
migrants with sister city communities, providing a link for the Office for
Ethnic Communities and local authority networking.
4.6 We
took part in a workshop titled “Values of international
connections and the benefits of culturally based communities”. A key
topic was how to quantify the value of cultural connection. The workshop also
highlighted the importance of developing engagement, connecting newcomers with
residents, and continuing to tell sister city stories. This tied in with a
research document presented in 2019 by the Laurence Kubiak (Chief Executive of
the New Zealand Institute of Economic Research) report (NZIER), “From
Sister to Global Cities - key findings and learnings from 2003 and 2019”
(Attachment Two).
4.7 Nelson was presented with a certificate commemorating its 45 year
sister city relationship with Miyazu. Four other cities with similarly long
relationships were commemorated, though Nelson’s was the longest.
4.8 Strategic
approaches to sister cities were discussed at a workshop. This raised the
following points for Nelson:
· Does Nelson have a
strategic approach to sister city relationships?
· Is Council’s
strategy and approach coherent, clear, and used daily?
· Does it want to have a
strategic approach?
· How are sister cities
managed and maintained at a Council level?
· Mayors should to be
actively involved in leadership and ownership of sister cities relationships,
as this seniority is both respected and expected in international diplomatic
relations.
· Elected members are key
diplomatic ‘tools’.
4.9 At
the Sister Cities New Zealand AGM, Hiromi Morris was voted back for one more
year, with succession planning to be focussed on this year. Grant Smith (Mayor
of Palmerston North), and John Christie (Director of Enterprise Dunedin) were
voted onto the board as co-opted members. Taylor Marston, an active youth
member from Auckland, was voted on as a new member.
4.10 The
main discussion was around the completion and acceptance of
the SCNZ Strategic Plan and Strategic Direction, which had been worked on
throughout the year. The Board recommended “That the AGM approves the new
Strategic Direction, as developed throughout the consultation process with
members.”
4.11 The
major change was a moved recommendation “That the AGM
approves the renaming of ‘Sister Cities New Zealand’ to
‘Sister Cities New Zealand trading as Global Cities New
Zealand’”. The logo, fonts and colours will remain the same.
Reasons for the change are that some relationships go beyond a particular city
and encompass a region, with links to nearby cities and the wider region.
Sister City Organisations
4.12 I
liaise with the three organisations involved with Nelson’s sister city
relationships - the Nelson Miyazu Association, Nelson New
Zealand China Friendship Society, and Nelson Eureka Association. This is in
addition to the Sister City Coordinating Group meetings.
Miyazu
4.13 Nelson and Miyazu celebrated a special 45 years anniversary this
year, the second longest sister city relationship in New Zealand. The first
part of a series of celebrations was a Zoom meeting held with the two mayors
and members of the Nelson Miyazu Sister City Association. Thank you to the
Mayor’s office and Council staff for their role in organising this. The
next event will be the gifting to Miyazu of an album commemorating the 45 year
relationship. A copy of the certificate received at the Sister Cities New
Zealand Conference will accompany this gift.
Huangshi and
Yanjiang
4.14 Barbara
Markland, President of the Nelson branch of the New Zealand
China Friendship Society, has delegated responsibility for both the Huangshi
and Yangjiang relationships and has provided the following for this report:
4.14.1 “Of major importance to the branch are our close links with
Nelson's two sister cities in China, Huangshi, and Yang Jiang. With delegation
visits and school exchanges not possible at present it was hoped to maintain
the relationships with correspondence between college students. Unfortunately,
the Education Department of the Huangshi Municipal Government has not approved
the project, but it is hoped to proceed with Guangdong Liangyang Senior High
School in Yang Jiang. The Nelson City Youth Councillor who attends the Sister
City Coordinating Group Committee meetings is assisting with the
project.”
4.15 The
relationship with Huangshi celebrates a milestone 35 years this year.
Eureka
4.16 The
Nelson Eureka Sister City Association has not been active for
some years now, although a small group from Eureka visited Nelson in late 2019.
4.17 A public consultation meeting was held in 2014 to look at the future
of the relationship. Those present were not in support of discontinuing the
relationship. However new members were not forthcoming to join the committee,
and many suggestions were made for additional new relationships around the
world were made at the meeting.
4.18 It has previously been suggested by officers that the Eureka Sister
City relationship be dissolved. In 2017 Eureka was removed from the Sister
Cities New Zealand register, but this has yet to be formally resolved through
Council. A report containing this recommendation will be produced and brought
to the Committee at an appropriate time.
Author: Gail
Collingwood, Sister City Co-ordinator
Attachments
Attachment 1: A2673955 -
NZIER Report on Sister Cities 'From Sister to Global Cities' ⇩
Item 11: Council
Delivered Events Purpose and Scope
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Community and Recreation Committee
17 June 2021
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REPORT R22567
Council
Delivered Events Purpose and Scope
1. Purpose
of Report
1.1 To
confirm the role and scope for events delivered by Council’s events team.
2. Recommendation
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That the Community and Recreation Committee
1. Receives
the report Council Delivered Events Purpose and Scope (R22567) and its attachment (A2609618); and
2. Agrees that the principles
for Council Delivered Events is that they are accessible, meaningful,
empowering, sustainable and unique.
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3. Background
3.1 The
list of events delivered by Council’s events team has grown organically
over many years. Some events have declining community appeal, or now resemble
or compete with similar Nelson events. Requests to deliver new events are
frequently received but cannot be easily accommodated due to resource
constraints.
3.2 The
objectives of the 2018 Nelson City Events Strategy (the Strategy) https://www.nelson.govt.nz/assets/Our-council/Downloads/Consultations/2018/NCC-Nelson-City-Events-Strategy-May18.pdf
are:
· A rich event calendar,
· Economic value,
· A sense of identity,
· Partnership, and
· Community Wellbeing.
The Strategy does not define a
specific role for Council delivered events.
3.3 In
April 2021, a workshop was held with the Community and Recreation Committee to
discuss a potential scope of Council delivered events. Councillors discussed
the fit between Council delivered events and the Strategy, how Council
delivered events align with other events, and potential principles for Council
delivered events.
3.4 At
the workshop, officers suggested the principles for Council events as being
that events were accessible, meaningful, empowering, sustainable and unique.
This report is to discuss and approve these principles.
4. Discussion
Problem Definition:
4.1 Events
tend to have a lifecycle of growth, followed by a gradual decline. Many Council
delivered events have been in place for some years and face declining
popularity. Council does not have principles to decide when an event should be
replaced or refreshed, or an exit strategy. Council sometimes delivers events
for reasons that are no longer clear.
4.2 Council
adopted an Events Strategy in 2018. While some Council events align with the
strategy, for others the link is less clear. Staff need to consider where
Council events line up with the strategy, so that they can be considered for
fit.
4.3 Council’s
event team is frequently under pressure to deliver new or innovative events,
which is beyond the financial and staffing resource available. If new events
are to be delivered without new resource, some existing events will need to be
exited. There is an opportunity cost associated with delivering an unchanging
calendar of events.
4.4 To
avoid duplication with existing or new events delivered by the community and
private sector, Council should decide on the ‘point of difference’
for Council delivered events.
4.5 Council
delivered events are reviewed for success after they are delivered each year.
This requires Council to define how success should be defined beyond straight
forward measures such as attendance.
4.6 Transparent
and robust principles are needed to guide decision making, particularly as some
members of the community may be disappointed if the programme of events
delivered by Council changes.
Assumptions
4.7 Following
stakeholder feedback and discussion at the April workshop, four assumptions
have been made regarding the role for Council delivered events:
4.7.1 Events
should focus on community wellbeing, as they build feelings of belonging,
identity and a sense of pride (Events Strategy, page 2, 2018).
4.7.2 Council
delivered events should fill a gap and not compete with other commercial or
community events. If others in the community are or could deliver similar
events, Council should not undermine this.
4.7.3 Council
delivered events should be reviewed regularly. If they become stale, they
should be refreshed or replaced.
4.7.4 Events
should be accessible across the community. While not every event will appeal to
everyone, the suite of Council delivered events should include affordable and
free events, events that appeal to diverse communities, older people, young
people and in a range of venues across the city and suburbs.
Strategic Fit
4.8 The
2018 Events Strategy prioritises a rich events calendar, economic value, sense
of identity, partnership and community wellbeing.
4.9 Proposed
principles strategically align with the rich events calendar, sense of
identity, partnership and community wellbeing criteria. It is not proposed that
Council delivered events provide measurable economic outcomes, as this is
covered by the contestable funding for economic events under the Event Fund.
4.10 There
are three main categories of events delivered in Nelson; community events,
commercial (for profit) events and Council delivered events.
4.11 Events
delivered by the community are typically non-profit, diverse and have a
wellbeing benefit. They may be delivered at a Council venue and sometimes
receive grant funding from Council or elsewhere. Council supports these events
through subsidised venue hire, community events funding or assistance from
staff. Examples are Nelson Fringe Festival, Te Ramaroa (Light Nelson) or the
Multicultural Festival.
4.12 Commercial
events for profit tend to be organised by professional event organisers.
They range from the reasonably small (e.g. Bill Bailey comedy) to the very
large (e.g. Bay Dreams) and rely on a fee-paying audience. These may benefit
from funding assistance from Council via the Events Fund or LTP, and are often
held at Council venues.
4.13 Council
delivered events should not compete or overlap with these commercial or
community events. However, there is opportunity for Council delivered
events to transfer across to community groups once their viability has been
established. Council delivered events should only be delivered where there is a
gap in the market and there are community wellbeing benefits.
Council Delivered Events
4.14 Council’s
events team currently delivers 14 annual and 4 biennial events. A list is
attached as attachment one.
4.15 These
principles will be socialised across teams within Council who organise events
to guide their decision making, who may review their respective events using
these at a later time.
4.16 Current
Council delivered events are predominately CBD centred, with some in Tahunanui,
the Botanical Gardens and Founders Park. Most Council events have concepts over
15 years old and do not align with climate change, city centre spatial
plan, waste management or a City for All Ages objectives.
Proposed Principles
4.17 It
is proposed that future Council delivered events should be reviewed and then
confirmed, refreshed or discontinued, be spread across the city and the
seasons, support Council priorities, and complement the local community events
offering.
4.18 The
proposed principles for Council delivered events are:
4.18.1 Accessible:
Council events are physically and financially accessible and appeal to a range
of groups. They should be in places that are easy to access for residents,
include free or low-cost events, along with being exciting, stimulating and
creating a sense of wonder.
4.18.2 Meaningful:
Council events are stimulating and reflective; they reflect Nelson’s
identity and showcase the potential of innovation of our smart little city.
4.18.3 Empowering:
Council events inspire our community to become active, engaged and they
stimulate the community’s capacity to be creative.
4.18.4 Sustainable:
Council events model climate change response and waste minimisation in their
planning. Prudent financial management practices are used along with local
talent, which is fairly reimbursed.
4.18.5 Unique:
Council events are smart events that are both entertaining and original in
concept and complement the local offer of genres in the regional events sector.
4.19 These
principles provide an assessment framework that allows Council events to fill a
gap in the overall regional event offer, while at the same time supporting
Council priorities in an innovative fashion.
Application and Events review
4.20 Once
the principles have been approved, Council delivered events will be reviewed
against these during the 2021/22 financial year.
4.21 For
events that do not strongly align, a priority will be to consider whether the
event should be refreshed and updated rather than discontinued.
4.22 There
will be some exceptions that will continue to be delivered or supported as a
Council delivered event because they have a strategic purpose for Council, such
as civic events or events that are strongly supported by the community.
5. Options
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Option 1 (recommended): Agree
to the principles
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Advantages
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· Council
events have a clear purpose that complements the local events calendar.
· Council
events align with defined principles.
· Council
events support Council priorities and lead best practice among community
events.
· Council
events don’t compete with community or commercial events.
· New
events can be considered using a robust framework.
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· Events
that don’t align with values and principles may be re-designed or
discontinued, disappointing some members of the community.
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Option
2: Do not agree to the principles
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Advantages
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· Reduced
time and resource involved in event review and redesign.
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Risks and Disadvantages
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· Events
may become stale.
· No
framework or capacity to consider new events.
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6. Conclusion
6.1 Council
delivered events require a clear purpose and community benefit. A set of
principles for Council delivered events will ensure events remain fresh,
support Council priorities, contribute to wellbeing and create a framework to
consider new events.
7. Next
Steps
7.1 The
2021/22 Council delivered events will be reviewed against the proposed
principles. Changes to the delivery format or content will be considered for
events that do not strongly align for the 2022/23 year.
7.2 Events
will be considered against these criteria as part of the evaluation process
that occurs after events are delivered.
Author: Axel
de Maupeou, Team Leader Events
Attachments
Attachment 1: A2609618:
Current Council Delivered Events ⇩
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Important considerations for decision making
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1. Fit
with Purpose of Local Government
The development of principles for Council delivered
events fits with the purpose of Local Government as events contribute to the
social and cultural wellbeing of our community.
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2. Consistency
with Community Outcomes and Council Policy
Council
delivered events contribute to the following Community Outcomes:
· Our communities are healthy, safe,
inclusive and resilient; and
· Our communities have opportunities to
celebrate and explore their heritage, identity and creativity; and
· Our communities have access to a range of
social, educational and recreational facilities and activities, and
· Our Council provides leadership and
fosters partnerships, a regional perspective, and community engagement.
|
|
3. Risk
The risk of
defining principles for Council delivered events has been assessed as low.
Adoption of these principles will reduce a risk of Council events competing
with commercial or community events.
|
|
4. Financial
impact
There are no direct funding implications from the
recommendation.
|
|
5. Degree
of significance and level of engagement
This matter is of low significance because it has
limited impact on the community. No engagement is proposed.
|
|
6. Climate
Impact
While these recommendations do not specifically
address climate change, the proposed principles do facilitate climate change
issues to be promoted and incorporated into event delivery.
|
|
7. Inclusion
of Māori in the decision making process
No engagement with Māori has been undertaken in
preparing this report.
|
|
8. Delegations
The Community and Recreation Committee has the
following delegations to consider:
Areas of Responsibility:
· Community festivals and events,
excluding:
§ Events Strategy and Events Fund
(matters for Council)
Delegations:
The committee has all of the
responsibilities, powers, functions and duties of Council in relation to
governance matters within its areas of responsibility, except where they have
been retained by Council, or have been referred to other committees, subcommittees
or subordinate decision-making bodies.
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Item 12: Community and
Recreation Quarterly Report to 31 March 2021
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|
Community and Recreation Committee
17 June 2021
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REPORT R22678
Community
and Recreation Quarterly Report to 31 March 2021
1. Purpose
of Report
1.1 To inform the Committee of
the financial and non-financial results for the third
quarter of 2020/21 for the activities under the Community and Recreation
Committee’s delegated authority.
2. Recommendation
|
That the Community and Recreation Committee
1. Receives
the report Community and Recreation Quarterly Report to 31 March 2021 (R22678) and its attachments (A2622482 and
A2643329).
|
3. Background
3.1 Quarterly reports on performance are being provided to each
committee on the performance and delivery of projects and activities within
their areas of responsibility.
3.2 The
financial reporting focuses on the year to date performance (1 July 2020 to 31
March 2021) compared with the year-to-date (YTD) approved capital and operating
budgets.
3.3 Unless
otherwise indicated, all information is against approved operating budget,
which is the 2020/21 annual budget plus any carry forwards, plus or minus any
other additions or changes as approved by the appropriate committee or Council.
3.4 More
detailed project sheets are included in the Attachment 1 project sheets
(A2622482) for the 12 projects that fall under the Community and Recreation
Committee delegations.
3.5 These
project sheets have been selected if their budget is at least $250,000 for
2020/21, are multi-year projects with a budget over $1 million, or have been
assessed to be of particular interest to the Committee.
3.6 Project
status is analysed based on three factors: quality, time, and budget. From the
consideration of these three factors the project is summarised as being on
track (green), some issues/risks (orange), or major issues/risks (red).
Projects that are within 5% of their budget are considered to be on track in
regard to the budget factor.
4. Tenders
awarded
4.1 Tenders are advised
in the Quarterly Report if their budget is at least $300,000 and accepted via
the Tenders Subcommittee. There were no tenders awarded under delegated
authority in the second quarter of the financial year 2020/21.
5. Financial
Results
Profit and Loss by Activity
5.1 As
at 31 March 2021, Capital Expenditure is $3.4 million behind budget. $1.0
million relates to renewals, $1.0 million relates to growth, $255,000 relates
to staff costs and $1.1 million relates to increased level of service projects.
5.2 The
full year forecast as at 31 March was projected to be $11.4 million which is
$3.9 million behind Capital Budget of $15.3 million.
Operating
Budget - Parks
5.3 Public
Gardens expenditure is less than budget by
$73,000. Base contract costs are behind budget by $32,000. This
budget will be used by the end of the year to cover variations to the contract.
The Church Hill step repair is $45,000 behind budget and is waiting on the
stonemason to be available to complete the works. This is now anticipated to be
in Quarter 4, with contract negotiations commenced as at 31 March 2021.
5.4 Neighbourhood
Parks expenditure is less than budget by
$73,000. Base contracts costs are behind budget by $41,000. This
budget will be used by the end of the year to cover variations to the contract.
Programmed maintenance of $58,000 will be spent in May and June on the
replacement planting programme.
5.5 Landscape
Reserves expenditure is less than budget by
$405,000. Mountain Bike Trail expenditure is showing as $376,000
under budget, due to much of the cost being spent against a capital code.
$66,000 will be spent as an operational expense, for new trails on Ngāti
Koata land (this is part of the 2018 LTP funding contract with the Nelson
Mountain Bike Club). A request will be made to carry forward some of the
capital funds. Mountain
Bike Enduro Event expenditure is behind budget by $50,000. An invoice for
work to date is expected in June. Updated budgets and planning for
the event are being prepared by the Nelson Mountain Biking Club for the event
and they will be invited to provide an update to Council.
5.6 Esplanade
and Foreshore Reserves income is greater than
budget by $100,000. Unbudgeted income of $98,000 has been received
from the Provincial Growth Fund for Borck Creek. This joint venture with Tasman
District Council to fund a pathway along Borck Creek.
5.7 Sports
Parks income is less than budget by $21,000. Sportsground
charges are under budget by $81,000, which is slightly offset by Trafalgar Park
charges being over budget by $7,000. These two income codes were historically
not split but have now been separated. Sportsground charges (Non-Trafalgar
Park) were not adjusted downwards to reflect this change. This has been
adjusted through the Long Term Plan (LTP). Trafalgar Park charges were lower
than budget due to the impacts of COVID-19. Bay Dreams Rental is $34,000 over
budget.
5.8 Trafalgar
Centre income is greater than budget by $162,000.
Venue Hire recoveries are over budget by $159,000, which is offset by
expenditure.
5.9 Trafalgar
Centre expenditure is greater than budget by
$183,000. Event and Venue Hire expenditure is over budget by
$159,000, which is offset by income. Floor re-seal and sanding expenditure is
ahead of budget by $17,000, with work now complete.
5.10 Saxton
Field Stadium income is less than budget by
$100,000. Rental income is under budget by $47,000 due to rent
relief. Casual use income is under budget by $31,000 due to COVID-19 and shorter
sports seasons.
Operating
Budget - Social
5.11 Managing
Heritage and Arts expenditure is less than budget
by $71,000. The Heritage Activities Programme is behind budget by
$31,000, Art Strategy Implementation is behind budget by $13,000, and Artworks
Maintenance is behind budget by $19,000. All these have their spends planned
for Quarter 4.
5.12 Founders
Park income is greater than budget by $175,000. Book
Fair Proceeds are ahead of budget by $160,000, due to timing with COVID-19
postponement. Admission charges are over budget by $29,000, due to the increase
in admission price rather than an increase in visitors. The budget
wasn’t increased when the price rise came into effect but has been
corrected in the LTP.
5.13 Founders
Park expenditure is $52,000 less than budget.
Programmed maintenance is behind budget by $29,000 and Development Fund
expenditure is behind budget by $16,000, with both anticipated to be spent on
Quarter 4 projects.
5.14 Festivals
expenditure is $76,000 less than budget. Community
events expenditure is behind budget by $26,000 but expected to be utilised.
5.15 Nelson
Library expenditure is less than budget by
$120,000. Providing electronic/digital resources expenditure is
under budget by $31,000 and is forecasted to be under budget by $37,000 by year
end. Providing APNK services is under budget by $18,000 and forecasted to be
$19,000 by year end. Both are linked to an increase in government funding (New
Zealand Library Partnership Programme). Preliminary Elma Turner Capex Investigation
is $55,000 behind budget as works are yet to commence.
5.16 Community
Properties expenditure is less than budget by
$83,000. Staff expenditure is behind budget by $41,000, while
Programmed maintenance is behind budget by $24,000, and condition assessments
are behind budget by $13,000. Programmed maintenance is expected to be spent
while condition assessments may have a slight underspend this year.
5.17 Community
Housing income is greater than budget by $167,000.
Rent income is over budget by $167,000 due to the delay in settlement of
the properties sold.
5.18 Community
Housing expenditure is less than budget by
$2,580,000. The Depreciation Recovery from the sale of properties
totals $2,642,000. This has been removed from the Operating Expenditure graph
to prevent distortion.
5.19 Community
Tools & Enablers expenditure is $91,000 less
than budget. The Community Investment Fund is $40,000 behind budget
which will be utilised in quarter four, and the COVID-19 Emergency Community
Organisation Grants is $29,000 behind budget with a potential underspend of
$50,000, to be carried forward. Community Partnership Fund grants are behind budget
by $16,000; however, this funding is anticipated to be used for projects due
for completion in quarter four.
6. Community
Partnerships and Social Development Updates
Homelessness
6.1 This period saw Housing
First remaining at full capacity with a waiting list of people still living
rough. Work over this period has included reviewing remedies available for
dealing with people living rough and working with agencies to improve
interagency collaboration. The team also supported Freedom Camping enforcement
officers in their work to ensure that people living without adequate shelter
were appropriately linked with social services.
Youth
Projects
6.2 This
quarter saw a variety of youth projects start with support going into events,
community development and youth into governance. This support is provided as
part of the Youth Strategy Implementation plan.
Male Room Project
6.3 Whare Haumaru project
remained on track during this period. The mauri stone was laid on 19 March
after a short delay due to the change in Covid-19 alert levels. The building is
set to be delivered and on site in April for the next part of the project, at
this point the final payment ($10,000) of committed Council funding can be
invoiced.
City For All
Ages
6.4 With
limited migration due to COVID-19 and New Zealand experiencing its lowest birth
rate on record in 2020 (birth rate of 1.61, well below the replacement level of
2.1) the need for a strategy to keep Nelson’s growing population of older
adults engaged and contributing to the community remains important. The City
For All Ages Strategy is making good progress after a disrupted 2020 due to
COVID-19 impacts, and the Chair of the Community Steering Group provided an
update to the Community and Recreation Committee on 22 April 2021. The Steering
Group had a presence at the recent Positive Ageing Expo and enjoyed a good
level of interest and engagement from attendees. The next phase of work will
see a series of agency meetings to obtain contributions to the Strategy action plan.
Members of the Councillor working group have been invited to participate in
these meetings alongside steering group members.
Translation
Project update
6.5 Work continues to
translate Council documents and information relevant to communities
prioritising documents that these communities have identified as most relevant.
Officers have been investigating what is required to add translation
functionality to our website and have engaged with Department of Internal
Affairs Te Tari Taiwhenua (DIA) on human translation service costs.
Ki o Rahi
– traditional Māori sport
6.6 Working with Whakatū Marae, a site at QE II reserve near Miyazu Garden, has been identified as being
suitable as a potential playing field. Work continues in partnership with the
Marae to identify site preparation requirements and consider features to
support the new cultural identity of the site.
Use our Loos
6.7 This project is
in development to increase access to public toilets for those in urgent need,
by mapping and promoting the location of public toilets and engaging business
to make their toilets available. Maps showing Nelson City Council owned public
facilities around the Nelson, Stoke and Tāhunanui CBDs have now been created, with a 100 metre ring around each public
facility has creating a view of current service coverage and gaps in service
provision. There is strong support and engagement with Nelson Marlborough
Health for this project that will make going out safer for those with
health-related incontinence needs.
“Use
our loos” showing a 100m radius, Nelson, 2021.
Community
Funding Updates
6.8 Council approved changes to
the Community Investment Fund’s priorities and panel terms of reference,
to reflect the proposed re-focus to prioritise communities of greatest
need.
Emergency
Fund
6.9 Two applications to the
Emergency Fund were received, and approved as follows:
|
Applicant
|
Purpose
|
Grant approved
|
|
The Male Room
|
Whare Haumaru project
|
$7,451
|
|
Inspired Productions Trust
|
Increased administration costs
|
$2,500
|
The Emergency
Fund has $55,329 remaining unallocated.
Founders
Heritage Park Update
6.10 Visitor attraction numbers were just
under 10,800 for the quarter which was 2.3% up on 2020 (comparing the weeks
that the park was open) despite the lack of international tourists.
Admission fees exceeded budget due to an admission fee increase rather than a
significant increase in the number of visitors. Venue visitors were down
from 3,736 to 3,142 (16%) mostly due to fewer weddings than usual, and small
numbers attending functions. The number of events was reduced with no
Jazz Festival or International Kai Festival which saw numbers attending events
drop from 11,000 to 4,350.
6.11 Jazz on the Village Green has run most
Sundays throughout the Summer. As usual, the concerts were well received
although the numbers attending were a little lower than previous years.
6.12 Exterior maintenance of the Windmill
has begun. The work will include weatherboard and window repairs, repainting
the exterior including the sails and recovering the dome.
Windmill repairs on the dome, Founders
Park, Nelson.
6.13 A Founders Heritage Park
Collection Review report was received from Terri Elder. Terri made two visits
to the park over the past year as part of the National Service Te Paerangi
Expert Knowledge Exchange Scheme. The report recognises the Founders collection
as a community asset of great value, and that while progress has been made in
the care of the collection the management systems and environment
provided for the collection still fall below recommended standards, the
collection continues to be at risk. Key recommendations of the report are:
· Prioritise the completion of the Re-Org collection
inventory and collection database, so that informed decisions about future
collecting needs can be made
· Review the organisational structure of the Park and consider
investment in operational resourcing to enable Founders Heritage Park to gain
control over the collection
· Begin consultation, investigate options, and agree on a
long-term plan for a dedicated storage building. Provision of $726,000 has been
made for this in the draft LTP
Heritage
Update
Isel House
6.14 The Tiny Room display continued to be
well received. Two original sash windows were conserved, and the annual
fumigation of the house completed.
Broadgreen
House
6.15 The Traditional Christmas Exhibition
and summer activities and programmes were well received. There were strong
visitor numbers over the quarter with 1,229 visitors to the house, up 28% on
2020. The second phase of the Collection Inventory project was completed with
the assistance of visiting academics and textile experts. The continuing
cataloguing of the collection resulted in some great collections finds. Annual
fumigation of the house was completed.
Melrose
House
6.16 Nelson City Council leases Melrose
House to the Colonel Noel Percy Adams (Melrose House) Society (the Society)
which subleases to the Melrose Café. This café business is
being offered for sale. The Society has also changed venue management
arrangements with board members taking on these functions whilst new providers
are sought.
Tuku 21 /
Heritage Month
6.17 In February
2021 the Tuku21 grant panel met to consider applications from event hosts and
allocated $20,800 to support 18 applications with grants from $200 to $2,000.
The estimated match funding (including monetary valued volunteer time) provided
by the grant funded event hosts, totals over $85,000.
Arts Updates
6.18 In February several arts projects that had been in preparation
received support from Te Ohu Toi Ahurea (Iwi/Council Arts and Heritage Forum)
and from the Arts Selection Panel. The works to be completed this
financial year include:
· Relocation of Adi
Tait’s “Welcome Cloak” to Putangitangi/Green Meadows.
The sculpture has been remodelled by the artist to suit the space available and
is smaller than the original version which hung over Saltwater Creek.
· Recycling Darryl
Frosts “Rivers of the Region” that was once located at the airport,
to create artistic cladding on three recycling hubs in the Marina.
· Two painted
murals, one by Nerys Baker and one by Hannah Starnes, installed on the new
railway reserve underpass at Bishopdale.
6.19 The
Make Shift Spaces “Arts Walk “project received support from Te Ohu
Toi Ahurea and the Arts Selection Panel. This project is a collaboration with
the Suter Art Gallery which will see over 20 artworks from their collection
displayed in large format images on buildings in the Central City. This project
was funded by Council and private sponsors.
Events
Updates
6.20 Summer and Youth Events. Due to
COVID-19 impact on resources and alert levels, only some of the regular summer
events were delivered, including New Year’s Eve Countdown, Summer Movies
Al Fresco, and Tahuna Summer Sounds. These events were very well attended and
welcomed by the community.
6.21 Bay Dreams 2021 welcomed 12,000
attendees, down from the previous 17,500 due to COVID-19 restrictions on
performers able to travel into New Zealand. Despite this, and the resizing of
the event to Rutherford Park instead of the Trafalgar Park, the event delivered
a successful experience with all Emergency Services satisfied with the level of
safety and organisers pleased with the event. A summary report was provided to
the Committee on 4 March 2021.
6.22 Nelson Centre for Musical Arts (NCMA).
The Chair and Deputy Chairs of the Community Services Committee, along with
Council’s two independent members of the Audit and Risk Committee, the
Group Manager Community Services, and staff met with the NCMA’s Board and
management in February. NCMA provided an update on its business and financial
processes at the meeting and showed a strong desire for a collaborative
relationship with Council. At the meeting, NCMA shared its plans to
develop a pocket park adjacent to Collingwood Street, including a request for
Council support with the park development and possibly ongoing
maintenance. As Council does not have funds allocated for this project, NCMA
has confirmed it will submit its request through Council’s LTP
consultation process. NCMA followed up this discussion in a presentation
to the March meeting of the Community and Recreation Committee. Staff
will continue to work closely with NCMA to ensure that the relationship remains
strong and that ratepayer funding to support NCMA is achieving Council’s
objectives.
6.23 Community signboard. A new community
signboard has been installed at Isel Park that allows for easier access to
community event information for the park.
6.24 FlagTrax systems will be installed on
street poles in Stoke to allow for the display of flags for the promotion of
events and enhancement of the streets.
Libraries
Updates
6.25 The summer reading programmes finished
up on the 14 February with the children’s afterschool
celebration and Library Lovers Day. The adult reading challenge was
particularly popular this year with over 60 people turning up to listen to live
music and open-mic poetry. Our Young Adult summer reading champion read 42
books over the summer period.
6.26 The Skinny Jump Programme has seen a
growing increase in sign-ups and queries over the past year. This quarter saw
47 sign ups. This service is a partnership between the Digital Inclusion
Alliance Aotearoa (DIAA) and Nelson Public Libraries. It is subsidised by the
Spark Foundation and offers a low-cost, pre-pay internet service for people
without any existing internet connection in their homes.
6.27 The sewing machines purchased last year
and subsidised by the Friends of the Library continue to grow in popularity as
more people learn of this resource. There are an increasing number of regular
independent users in addition to the popular classes being run.
“Sewing Machines in use”, Elma
Turner Library.
6.28 As part of the New Zealand Libraries
Partnership Programme (NZLPP) we have been fortunate to employ three new
positions within the library. This programme is designed to support COVID-19
recovery work through public libraries around New Zealand. These fixed term
roles are fully funded by the DIA (on the provision that they are new positions
and not existing positions). These three staff have specific areas of focus:
digital access and inclusion, youth engagement and strategy, and access to information
and heritage services. There is a strong element of workforce development as
part of these positions with a range of fully funded training and coaching
opportunities available.
6.29 NZLPP funding has also been secured for
increased digital content through subsidised database subscriptions, additional
funds for audio and e-book content, videography work and a review of The Prow
website. This has allowed for reduced operational budgets for the next
financial year in addition to savings this financial year. The programme ends
on 30 June 2022.
6.30 Workbridge and Employable have started
weekly drop-in sessions to assist members of the community with job seeking
support.
6.31 The Nightingale Knitters created some
amazing knitted farmyard and road map toys. The farmyard was donated to
Healthkids and the road map to Te Rio Tahunanui Kindergarten.
“Nellie
Nightingale Knitters donation”, Elma Turner Lirbary.
6.32 The Prow website is currently being
reviewed. The Prow is a consortium website between Tasman, Marlborough and
Nelson Libraries. It enjoys good usage with 20,000 pageviews per month. All
three consortium members are using NZLPP funding to undertake a review of the
website which will contain recommendations for its future. This will likely
include options and suggestions for investment, iwi engagement and technical
upgrades. Some money has been set aside in the draft Long-Term Plan to
undertake these upgrades. Sites like The Prow and other New Zealand heritage
resources are predicted to become even more crucial over the next few years as
the Ministry of Education implements the Aotearoa NZ Histories curriculum in
schools and kura.
6.33 Scoping work and external funding
options are being explored for the creation of a Nelson City Council history
publication. This is to continue the history provided by the first two
publications. An information report will be supplied to this Committee later
this year once the LTP has been adopted and procurement of a researcher/author
has been completed.
7. Commentary
on Capital Projects
7.1 There are 14 projects within the Community and Recreation
Committee delegations, that are included as part of the quarterly reporting.
7.2 Project
status is analysed based on three factors: quality, time and budget. These
projects are reported on in Attachment 1 project sheets (A2622482).
7.3 The variances shown
between the YTD Actuals and YTD Budget within the above graph
are explained in the project sheets in relation to the most significant
variances above.
Toilet renewals projects
7.4 The
Millers Acre toilet opened in February 2021. It now provides five unisex
individual toilets, along with one accessible toilet/baby changing room (open
24/7) and a men’s facility featuring two urinals and a standard toilet in
a cubicle. The toilets that were open 24 hours a day experienced vandalism and
have been closed overnight temporarily.
Millers Acre upgraded toilet, Nelson CBD,
March 2020.
7.5 The
construction work at the Tahunanui Lion Toilet Upgrade is completed and the new
facility is open to the public. The very final section of the project is to
install steps from the new facilities to the path. The work is underway.
City Play Space
7.6 This programme relates to
the development of a play space or series of play spaces within the city centre
area. Investigations are underway into suitable locations. Development is
programmed for 2024/25, which may be brought forward dependent on spatial
planning progress and suitable land availability and purchase.
Reserve Development Programme
7.7 Reserve developments are
predominantly funded from subdivision financial contributions, not rates.
2020/21 funding has been allocated for the construction of a new shared pathway
through a new reserve in the Montebello Subdivision (Ngawhatu Valley), the
Marsden Park Play Space, Bayview and the Corder Park redevelopment. Where
appropriate, funds are reallocated to a specific development project budget.
23 Halifax
Street Redevelopment
7.8 Work
continued on the deconstruction of 23 Halifax Street throughout January with
the removal of the interior linings and contaminated materials impacted by
mould and asbestos. The vast majority of the internal building fabric has been
repurposed or recycled.
7.9 In early February, the
second stage of deconstruction where the building shell is removed commenced.
As with the internal elements, a large amount of external materials was able to
be reused. This included the iron roof, steel trusses and the concrete walls.
The deconstruction has now been completed and Council now has a case study on
deconstruction to share with the building sector.
7.10 Further directions on the Elma Turner
Library Redevelopment will be determined through the LTP process.
Modellers Pond Replacement Park
7.11 Design of the Modellers Pond
replacement park is underway with the involvement of the Society of Modellers
train section members. The focus will be on a family picnic area with the model
trains incorporated into an upgraded estuarine environment. The first stage of
construction will be at the Centennial Road pump station beginning in December
2021 with work expected to begin at the beach later in 2021/22.
Eureka Park development
7.12 New trails have been constructed and a
large new picnic table installed, which provides a unique venue among the
redwoods (e.g. for children’s birthday parties). Improved signage has
been installed and the completion of the project communicated to the public,
along with the messaging that this reserve is now for pedestrian use only.
Corder Park
development
7.13 Following engagement with the local
community the Corder Park play space has been upgraded and a pump track added.
The area is a popular meeting place for children who bike to and from school.
The pump track in particular has received positive feedback and is well used by
children. Additional planting is proposed, and a small public toilet will be
installed.
Corder Park pump track, Atawhai, March
2021.
8. Commentary
on Parks and Facilities projects
Saxton Field
Marketing
8.1 In September 2020 the Saxton
Field Committee held a workshop to discuss key objectives for the Marketing
Strategy. It was agreed that staff from Nelson City Council (NCC) and Tasman
District Council (TDC) would work together on a combined branding project. In
November 2020 the Saxton Field Committee was presented with a brand
architecture document. On 22 January 2021, staff held a workshop with
Committee members to discuss the version of the branding and logo.
8.2 The branding was approved to
be that shown below:
Approved Saxton Field branding, February
2021.
The existing
NCC)/TDC budget for 2020/21 of $10,000 has been used for updated Saxton Field
branding. The Saxton Field Marketing budget for 2021-31 will be confirmed
through the LTP process, and will be split with TDC. The marketing budget will
be used to complete the marketing strategy and update wayfinding signage and
create new website and signage.
Poormans Stream Shared Path
8.3 All consents have
been granted and the land purchase has been completed. Construction is
progressing well and is on track to be completed this financial year.
Poorman
Valley Stream under development, Stoke, March 2021.
Maitai Recreation Hub
8.4 This project has received
funding support from Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment. Following
a Committee decision in April 2021, members of the Nelson MTB Club, the Waahi
Taakaro Golf Club, and Council officers are focussed on creating the hub at the
Waahi Taakaro golf course, taking advantage of opportunities for cooperative
development. The project is planned to be completed before April 2022 in time
for the Mountain Bike Enduro World Championship.
Forestry Conversion Programme
8.5 Council has agreed to retire
approximately 140 hectares of forestry and consider alternate uses. To date
around 40 hectares have been retired and native planting undertaken in many of
these areas. Progress updates on the conversion programme are reported to the
Forestry Sub-Committee.
Weed control
programme landscape reserves
8.6 The Brook Valley Eastern
Hills Ecological Restoration Plan and the Marsden Valley Ecological Restoration
Plan are both at the final draft stage. These will be used to inform the weed
control programme, grazing programme and restoration planting programme for
these reserves once finalised.
Saltwater Creek Bridge
8.7 At the Council meeting on 18
March 2021, it was agreed to gift the replaced bridge over Saltwater Creek to
the Brook Waimārama Sanctuary Trust. The Trust intends to install it in
sections across the Brook Stream within the Sanctuary. Work on its modification
will begin shortly.
Brook Waimārama
Sanctuary
8.8 The
first tīeke (saddlebacks) were released in the Brook Waimārama
Sanctuary. The Brook Sanctuary Open Day took place on Sunday 11 April 2021. It
was a stunning sunny day with four staff from the Parks and Facilities and the
Science and Environment team working together to promote work done in
residential areas of Nelson. Visitors to the event were interested in the Adopt
a Spot programme, planting and trapping in residential areas.
Queens Gardens - Trask
Memorial Gates
8.9 Restoration
work on the Trask Memorial Gates at the southern end of Queens Gardens is now
complete. The gates are named after a previous Mayor of Nelson, Francis Reuben
Trask, whose suggestion it was to build the gardens in 1887. At the time,
Nelson was one of the few towns in New Zealand that did not have a public
garden. The gardens took about four years to complete and were formally opened
in 1892, Nelson’s 50th Jubilee year. The recent restoration work on the
gates included straightening, cleaning and repainting the metal work.
Queen’s Garden Gates, south entrance of Hardy
Street,
Nelson CBD, March 2021.
Maitai
Restoration Project
8.10 Project Mahitahi is a Jobs for Nature
project co-governed, co-designed, and co-delivered with iwi, Department of
Conservation (DOC), Ministry for the Environment, the Kotahitanga mō te
Taiao Alliance and Council. The project is progressing well. At the
end of the quarter many of the new roles have been recruited by a variety of
organisations, including NELMAC, the Brook Waimarāma Sanctuary, Fulton
Hogan, Ngāti Koata Trust, and Easy Trails. Two roles are based in
Nelson City Council for project management and support.
8.11 The Ministry of Primary Industries has
continued to support community planting projects. This will be undertaken
under Project Mahitahi and was awarded over $200,000.
8.12 A
further application for funding has been made to DOC for a separate but related
project for weed control on the Significant Natural Areas on Ngāti Koata
land within the Hira Forest. The outcome of this application will not be
known until May 2021.
Mountain Bike Trail Grade
Audits
8.13 Issues have been raised with the
grading of the mountain bike trails in Nelson. An audit of trail grades in
Nelson has been completed, and results indicate that many trails which are
actually at an advanced level may have a posted grading indicating an
intermediate level. This represents a risk, particularly for new riders and
visitors, and can lead to safety issues. TDC has also undertaken similar work
on trails in its region.
8.14 The preliminary results show a
considerable number of trails require their grading to be changed;
predominantly to be increased by one grade. This has been communicated to Koata
Ltd and the Nelson Mountain Bike Club (NMTBC). Officers will work with the
NMTBC around changing signage and the Trailforks website. It is understood that
Silvan Forest, Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park and Wairoa Gorge Mountain Bike
Park have also recently made changes to their grades.
Adopt a Spot programme update
8.15 The
number of Adopt a Spot groups has increased to more than 40, with the focus for
many, at this time of year, on planting. Once plants have been planted, the
process continues with volunteers working on ongoing maintenance until canopy
cover is achieved.
Golf Course
8.16 Turf management on the golf
course over summer has improved the quality of the tees and greens. Comments
from the Club have been favourable. The autumn colours on the trees have been
outstanding.
Cemeteries
8.17 A recent spate of pigs entering the
cemetery has disturbed the soil and damaged the grass area at Marsden Cemetery.
Although, there has been no damage to headstones or the associated area to
date, there is a need to be clearing the affected area of turf and soil. Deer
have been observed coming into the cemetery and eating shrubs as well as trees.
A pig-proof fence will be installed in July 2021 to keep wildlife outside the
cemetery area.
8.18 Staff are continuing to work closely
with the volunteer group at the Wakapuaka Cemetery. A memorandum of understanding
has been drafted for the volunteers to clean head stone in incidences where
prior family approval has been successful.
8.19 Work
is underway with the Nelson Whakatū Muslim Association about the
Association’s request to have pre-purchased plots available to members. A
report is being prepared to go to this meeting, requesting pre-purchase by the
Association.
ANZAC Park
and Rutherford Park
8.20 A
Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Public Realm Assessment
was carried out for ANZAC Park and the surrounding precinct following issues
and incidents within the park. Several recommendations were made by the report
which are currently being worked through by staff to see what can be
implemented relatively quickly and easily, and what recommendations will
require greater time and resourcing.
8.21 Physical
park changes are unlikely to be enough on their own to remedy the existing
anti-social activities occurring in the park. Further work will be needed in
collaboration with social and enforcement agencies to address behaviour in the
park which is impacting on the public’s enjoyment and ability to feel
safe while using the park.
CBD Pop up
park shade sails
8.22 Several shade
sails were installed in three main areas of the pop-up park to provide sun-safe
spaces: one in the imagination playground, one over the picnic table area and
one beside the pump track.
Stoke Hall
– temporary propping
8.23 Given the heightened
activity around the Stoke Memorial Hall with work to commence on the Youth
Park, a contractor will be propping the front and side wall of the Stoke
Memorial Hall. This is due to occur in June. This action reduces the risk of
the earthquake prone building to the public.
8.24 Design is underway for the Stoke
Memorial Hall strengthening and a report will be brought to the Committee to
outline next steps.
Hounsell
Circle Bus Shelter
8.25 The Hounsell
Circle bus shelter is earthquake prone. The current plan is to strengthen
it over June and July. This strengthening work will result in a building that
no longer has an earthquake prone notice on it. The building is proposed to be
listed as a heritage building as part of the Nelson Plan.
Pūtangitangi
Greenmeadows
Extension
to the concrete East-Deck
8.26 A concrete slab has been
designed and installed at Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows
funded by Stoke Rugby to provide more viewing and catering room at the east
side. The new area will aimed replicate the existing exposed aggregate finish.
Tasman 100th
Aviation Anniversary
8.27 November 2021 is the Nelson Tasman 100th
Aviation Anniversary which commemorates the first airplane flight in the
region. The plane was destined to land south of Nelson, however, landed in
Stoke at the Greenmeadows site to refuel. Council staff are working with
Aviation Historians to install a photo panel in Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows
Centre in time for the planned anniversary celebrations and fly-past of the
historic Bristol Fighter plane. The photo is in black and white and shows the
plane on the ground at the Greenmeadows site, with the Methodist Church and
Turf Hotel in the background.
9. Parks
and Facilities Strategy and Policy
9.1 Development of
strategy and policy work that will inform both the Parks and Reserves and
Property and Facilities Activity Management Plans and provide
strategic direction is described below.
Vegetation Management Policy
9.2 A draft policy is being
prepared to assist staff with decisions around actions and requests such as
tree removal, pruning and planting and roadside berm maintenance. A workshop
was held on 3 November 2020 with the Sports and Recreation Committee to discuss
the draft policy and the intended outcomes. A draft policy has been completed
for review by internal council teams. Following this, the draft policy and will
be brought back to Committee later in 2021.
Saxton Field Reserve Management Plan review
9.3 Hearings and deliberations
were held on the Saxton Field Reserve Management Plan. NCC and TDC adopted the
final Saxton Field Reserve Management Plan in May 2021.
Activity
Management Plans for 2021–31
9.4 Work
on Activity Management Plans (AMPs) for Parks and Reserves,
Property and Facilities and Arts, Heritage and Events is ongoing. The
Activity Management Plans will be presented to Council in late 2021, following
the adoption of the LTP 2021-31.
Venue
Hire Fund
9.5 The Venue Hire Fund was
established in the Annual Plan 2019/20 to assist eligible community groups in
paying the venue hire fees at Nelson City Council venues. The fund has a pool
in the current financial year of $30,000. The fund is administered by Nelson
Regional Development Agency on behalf of Council. The following events were
approved for funding to March 2021:
· Cancer Society Ball (postponed from June 2020 to June 2021) –
Cancer Society - $1,340
· Dancing for a Cause (postponed from May 2020 to May 2021) –
Hospice - $3,000
· Electrix Cheerleeding Sports Inc - South Island Show offs - $2,500
· Netball NZ Tactix - $843
· Good Peoples - $1,000
· Salmonella Dub & Friends - $1,000
· Hearing talks Nelson - $470
9.6 $19,602 remains available in this fund for
2020/21.
10. Workshops
Out and
About - On Tracks Strategy review
10.1 A review of the
Out and About - On Tracks Strategy is underway and key stakeholders have been
engaged. This Strategy provides an agreed way forward for new off-road walking
and cycling trails, including policy direction and an implementation plan. This
Strategy was workshopped with the Committee during December 2020 and a report
will be brought to a future Community and Recreation Committee meeting for
approval to release the draft for general public feedback.
11. Key
Performance Measures
11.1 As part of the development of the LTP 2018-28 Council
approved levels of service, performance measures and targets for each activity.
There are 22 performance measures that are within the Community and Recreation
Committee’s delegation and one, Marina berth holder occupancy, with the
Strategic Development and Property Subcommittee that are reported in this
quarterly report.
11.2 Performance measures are reported
during the financial year accordingly, the scale to report on the key
performance measures is as follows:
· On track
· Not on track
· Not measured yet
12. Quarterly
Review of Key Performance Indicators
12.1 13 of the 22 measures are on track, and five are noted as not
on track. Four are noted as not measured yet, which are the user satisfaction
and visitor numbers at the Bishop Suter Art Gallery, the audience numbers per
year at the NCMA, the customer satisfaction at the public libraries, and area
of neighbourhood parks per 1,000 residents. Further detail of those that are
not on track is given below.
12.2 The Trafalgar Centre has a
target of at least 80,000 users annually. The total amount of users to March
2021 was 30,007 for a total of 25 bookings. COVID-19 has been impacting this
number, especially earlier in the financial year. In January 2021, there were
an estimated 12,600 visitors to the venue, the highest number recorded since
July 2018 when data was first recorded in this way.
12.3 The
key performance indicator (KPI) for the Trafalgar Centre was set through the
LTP 2018–28 when the Trafalgar Centre was still closed for earthquake
strengthening requirements. Therefore, there was no current baseline to set the
patronage figures on. This is being reviewed through the Property and
Facilities Activity Management Plan 2021-31.
12.4 The
area of neighbourhood parks per 1,000 residents is a longer-term indicator that
is expected to naturally fluctuate over and under the target, based on
subdivision progress. It is proposed to amend this target in the 2021/31 AMP so
that a more pragmatic indication of neighbourhood park supply is provided and
better reflects the amount of neighbourhood park land expected to be acquired
through growth.
12.5 The
library door count and resident memberships are not on track. Changes to these
performance measures are proposed in the 2021-31 Property and Facilities
Activity Management Plan. The numbers achieved in both of these measures are
above the national benchmark.
12.6 Founders
Park overall visitor numbers (i.e. attraction visitor, public event visitors
and booking visitors) are not on track (13% down on previous period) due to the
significant decrease in public events associated with the impacts of COVID-19,
however this masks an increase in visitors coming to the park as an attraction.
12.7 Attachment 2 (A2643329) lists all performance
measures, their status and commentary.
Conclusion
12.8 The review of
performance for the third quarter of 2020/21 for the Community and Recreation
Committee is included in this report, with project reports and performance
measure updates attached.
Author: Rosie
Bartlett, Manager Parks and Facilities
Attachments
Attachment 1: A2622482 -
Third Quarterly Report CAR - Project sheets ⇩
Attachment
2: A2643329 - Third Quarterly Report CAR - Performance
Measures ⇩
