Minutes of a meeting of the

Nelson City Council

Te Kaunihera o Whakatū

Held in the Council Chamber, Civic House, 110 Trafalgar Street, Nelson on Tuesday 5 October 2021, commencing at 9.05a.m.

 

Present:              Her Worship the Mayor R Reese (Chairperson), Councillors Y Bowater, T Brand, M Courtney, J Edgar (Deputy Mayor), M Lawrey, R O'Neill-Stevens, B McGurk, G Noonan, R Sanson and T Skinner

In Attendance:    Chief Executive (P Dougherty), Group Manager Infrastructure (A Louverdis), Group Manager Environmental Management (C Barton), Group Manager Community Services (A White), Group Manager Strategy and Communications (N McDonald) and Governance Advisers (J Brandt and K McLean)

Apology:             Councillors K Fulton and P Rainey

 

Karakia and Mihi Timatanga

1.       Apologies

Resolved CL/2021/206

 

That the Council

1.        Receives and accepts apologies from Councillors K Fulton and P Rainey.

Her Worship the Mayor/Edgar                                                        Carried

 

2.       Confirmation of Order of Business

There was no change to the order of business.

 

3.       Interests

There were no updates to the Interests Register, and no interests with items on the agenda were declared.

4.       Hearing Submissions to the Representation Review – Final Proposal

Document number R26276, agenda pages 5 - 11 refer.

Her Worship the Mayor advised that a submission was received after the agenda had been published, however it was provided before the closing date. The submission was tabled (A2748049).

Resolved CL/2021/207

 

That the Council

1.    Accepts an additional submission to the Representation Review – Final Proposal from:

·         Adam Lloyd (A2748049).

Skinner/Courtney                                                                          Carried

Attachments

1    A2748049 - Representation Review Public Engagement Feedback - Adam Lloyd 15Sep2021

 

Nelson Citizens Alliance representative, Murray Cameron, spoke to the submission. He said that the Alliance’s preference was for four wards as per option 6. He felt that the number of survey responses was low and noted the average age was 65+. He said that the Alliance was in support of wards. In regards to option 4A, Mr Cameron recommended getting external/independent input. He felt that option 4A would result in a lack of accountability, and would not be as fair as having four wards. He highlighted reasons in favour of option 6. He felt that if there was a Māori ward in Nelson, there should also be an Italian ward.  

Mr Cameron agreed with the proposed geographical boundaries for option 6, and said that he was aware of the Electoral Act rule regarding 10% deviation from District average population per councillor.

5.       Public Forum

5.1.     Nelson Tasman Housing Trust - Housing Reserve

Document number R26279

Carrie Mozena, Director, Nelson Tasman Housing Trust, spoke about the Housing Reserve. She said that the Nelson Tasman Housing Trust (NTHT) was in support of Phase One to get prompt action on building affordable housing in Nelson, in support of prioritising projects that can commence in the next 12 months, and in support of the Housing Reserve being enduring. Ms Mozena noted that the NTHT was ready to put in an application to the Phase One grant application round. She spoke about NTHT’s standards regarding sustainability. Ms Mozena said that NTHT felt that it was important that grants go to registered Community Housing Providers to ensure long-term success.

Ms Mozena spoke about grant release conditions. She said Council needed to be mindful that delays could sometimes not be prevented. Ms Mozena explained how registered community housing providers were set up to ensure enduring affordability, e.g. through progressive home ownership models.

 

5.2.     Habitat for Humanity – Nelson Affiliate - Housing Reserve

Document number R26280

Nick Clarke, General Manager, Habitat for Humanity – Nelson Affiliate, spoke about the Housing Reserve. He said that his organisation was in support of the Phase One approach and would apply for grant funding. He spoke about Habitat for Humanity (HfH) – how it works, relationships with clients, funding approaches, housing models and quality.

In regards to project timeframes, Mr Clarke noted it was important to bear the current COVID-19 environment in mind, and its impacts on the supply chain, which in turn could impact deadlines and/or the resource consent process. Mr Clarke noted his reservations about making funding available for entities other than registered community housing providers.

When asked about the requirement to commence construction within 12 months, he felt that this should be made subject to the consenting process.

  

5.3.     MP for Nelson  – Rachel Boyack - Housing Reserve

           Rachel Boyack spoke about the Housing Reserve. She acknowledged its origins and that it was desirable to reinvest it in similar type housing. She said Nelson’s biggest need was social housing, as well as affordable rentals, affordable first home ownership and emergency accommodation. She said that she agreed that private developers were not appropriate unless there was a caveat that they were working in partnership with a Community Housing Provider.

6.       Mayor's Report

Document number R26277

There was no Mayor’s report.

 

7.       Phase One of the Housing Reserve

Document number R26236, agenda pages 12 - 27 refer.

Her Worship the Mayor vacated the Chair and invited Deputy Mayor Edgar to assume the chair.

Senior Adviser – City Development, Gabrielle Thorpe, presented the report, supported by Group Manager Environmental Management, Clare Barton.

Ms Thorpe answered questions raised during the public forum about the ability of private developers to apply for Phase One grant funding, and the envisaged timeframe. Ms Thorpe noted that the intent was to make funding available to whomever put forward a project that best met the criteria, and that this could include private developers. She explained that the 12-24 months’ timeframe for start of construction was to ensure no one would be disadvantaged, and to factor in possible delays due to resource consenting or COVID-19, thus removing the need for exception reporting to Council, should delays arise.

Ms Thorpe clarified that Phase One grants would be eligible for proposals for affordable rentals and affordable home ownership.

During discussion about the evaluation criteria, suggestions were made to narrow the evaluation criteria to allow only registered Community Housing Providers to apply, as this was considered more in line with the the Long Term Plan 2021-31 consultation document, which stated:

‘Council sees the Reserve as a community asset for which it has a stewardship role’.

It was further suggested to shorten the project readiness timeframe to 12 months, and to make universal design a must-have. Officers recommended against narrowing the criteria.

The meeting was adjourned from 10.42a.m. until 10.55a.m.

 

Exclusion of the Public

Resolved CL/2021/208

 

That the Council

1.        Excludes the public from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting.

2.        The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter and the specific grounds under section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as follows:  

Brand/Courtney                                                                            Carried

 

Item

General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

Particular interests protected (where applicable)

7

Phase One of the Housing Reserve – legal advice

Section 48(1)(a)

The public conduct of this matter would be likely to result in disclosure of information for which good reason exists under section 7.

The withholding of the information is necessary:

·   Section 7(2)(g)

     To maintain legal professional privilege

The meeting went into confidential session at 10.56a.m. and resumed in public session at 11.11a.m.

The only business transacted in confidential session was for the Group Manager Environmental Management, Clare Barton, to note the legal advice received regarding the scope of who could access the Housing Reserve. In accordance with the Local Government Official Information Meetings Act, no reason for withholding this information from the public exists therefore this business has been recorded in the open minutes.

Discussion continued on two evaluation criteria: the project readiness timeframe and the eligibility of who could apply for Phase One grant funding.

It was agreed to change the wording in the evaluation criteria to read as follows:

The Phase One of the Housing Reserve is only open to proposals from Community Housing Providers registered with the Community Housing Regulatory Authority and/or local iwi trusts with a local presence that are well-positioned to deliver new affordable housing in Whakatū Nelson. Individuals are not eligible for funding and applications will not be considered’.

During discussion on the project readiness section of the evaluation criteria, officers noted that a higher weighting would be given to those projects that would be ready sooner. It was agreed to leave the wording for project readiness unchanged.

 

 

Resolved CL/2021/209

 

That the Council

1.    Receives the report Phase One of the Housing Reserve (R26236) and its attachment (A2748972); and

2.    Approves Phase One as set out in this report (R26236), including its proposed value of $2 million as grant funding; and

3.    Notes Council may agree to approve funding to an aggregate total in excess of $2 million if applications that meet the specified objective and criteria are received; and

4.    Approves the process, objectives, and outcomes for Phase One as set out in this report (R26236) (A2748972); and

5.    Approves the evaluation criteria as set out in attachment 1 (A2748972), subject to the discussed amendments being made to the evaluation criteria; and

6.    Approves, in recognition of the housing crisis that Nelson is facing, that officers’ recommendations on Phase One funding applications be brought directly to Council; and

7.    Notes that officers will continue to investigate the use of the Housing Reserve and report on this to the Urban Development Subcommittee with final sign off by Council.

Edgar/O'Neill-Stevens                                                                   Carried

      

           Deputy Mayor Edgar vacated the Chair and Her Worship the Mayor Reese resumed the Chair.

 

Karakia Whakamutunga

 

There being no further business the meeting ended at 11.37a.m.


 

Confirmed as a correct record of proceedings by resolution on 19 October 2021, with amendments made as per document (A2773385).

Resolved CL/2021/221

 

That the Council

1.    Confirms the amended minutes of the meeting of the Council, held on 5 October 2021, as a true and correct record.

Her Worship the Mayor/Edgar                                                        Carried