20 August 2019
Northland
Regional Council Minutes
Meeting held in the Council Chamber
36 Water Street, Whangārei
on Tuesday 20 August 2019,
commencing at 10.30am
Present:
Chairman, Bill Shepherd
Deputy Chairman, David Sinclair
Councillors:
John Bain
Justin Blaikie
Paul Dimery
Mike Finlayson
Penny Smart
Rick Stolwerk
Joce Yeoman
In Attendance:
Full Meeting
Independent Financial Advisor
Chief Executive Officer
GM - Environmental Services
Governance Support Manager
Part Meeting
GM
- Corporate Excellence
GM
– Strategy, Governance and Engagement
Finance
Manager
Compliance
Monitoring Manager
Natural
Resources Monitoring Manager
Strategy
Policy and Planning Manager
Financial
Accountant
Policy
Specialist
The Chair declared the meeting open at 10.30am.
Apologies (Ngā
whakapahā) (Item 1.0)
There were no apologies.
Declarations
of Conflicts of Interest (Nga whakapuakanga) (Item 2.0)
It was advised that councillors should make declarations
item-by-item as the meeting progressed.
Health and Safety Report (Item 3.0)
ID:
A1224420
Report from Beryl Steele, Human Resources Manager
|
Moved
(Dimery/Yeoman)
That the report ‘Health
and Safety Report’ by Beryl Steele, Human Resources Manager and dated 2
August 2019, be received.
Carried
|
Confirmation of Minutes - 16 July 2019 (Item 4.1)
ID:
A1221472
Report from Chris Taylor, Governance Support Manager
|
Moved (Sinclair/Stolwerk)
That the minutes of the council
meeting held on 16 July 2019 be confirmed as a true and correct record
(subject to the inclusion of Councillor Smart’s reason for abstaining
from voting being included in all three resolutions pertaining to Item 5.1:
Proposed Regional Plan – Decisions on Genetically Modified Organisms
Submissions).
Carried
|
Working Party Updates
and Chairpersons' Briefings (Item 4.2)
ID:
A1197721
Report from Sally Bowron, Strategy, Governance and
Engagement Team Admin/PA
|
Moved (Bain/Yeoman)
That the report ‘Working
Party Updates and Chairpersons' Briefings’ be received.
Carried
|
Secretarial
Note: Council extended praise to staff involved in securing funding for the
Sustainable Hill Country and Regional Priorities (SHaRP) project.
Council Working Group
Update (Item 4.3)
ID:
A1227847
Report from Bruce Howse, Group Manager - Environmental
Services
|
Moved (Blaikie/Finlayson)
That the report ‘Council
Working Group Update’ be received.
Carried
|
Receipt of Action
Sheet (Item 4.4)
ID:
A1227892
Report from Chris Taylor, Governance Support Manager
|
Moved (Shepherd/Stolwerk)
That the action sheet be
received.
Carried
|
Externally Managed Investment Funds: 2018/19
Performance and Proposed Allocation of Gains
(Item 5.1)
ID:
A1221565
Report from Simon Crabb, Finance Manager
|
Moved (Sinclair/Bain)
1. That
the report ‘Externally Managed Investment Funds: 2018/19 Performance
and Proposed Allocation of Gains’ by Simon Crabb, Finance Manager and
dated 30 July 2019, be received.
2. That
$854,205 of Community Investment Fund gains earned in 2018/19 is reinvested
into the Community Investment Fund and $34,000 of Community Investment Fund
gains earned in 2018/19 is allocated to the Investment and Growth Reserve.
3. That $160,669 of Property Reinvestment Fund gains earned in
2018/19 is reinvested into the Property Reinvestment Fund, and $612,096 of
Property Reinvestment Fund gains earned in 2018/19 is allocated to the
Operating Costs Reserve.
4. That $519,101
of Infrastructure Investment Fund gains earned in 2018/19 is allocated to the Operating Costs Reserve,
and no Infrastructure Investment Fund gains earned in 2018/19 are reinvested
back into the Infrastructure Investment Fund.
5. That $66,826 of net depreciation funding and $853,499 of debt
repayment funding are transferred into the Infrastructure Investment Fund.
6. That $1,131,196
of funding representing the Operating Costs Reserve is invested into NZ
registered bank fixed rate term deposits with rolling maturity profiles
ranging from 30 to 180 days.
7. That the
Operating Costs Reserve is renamed to the Opex Reserve.
Carried
|
Resource
Enterprises Limited (REL) - Loan Impairment
(Item 5.2)
ID:
A1221898
Report from Simon Crabb, Finance Manager
|
Moved (Shepherd/Bain)
1. That
the report ‘Resource Enterprises Limited (REL) - Loan Impairment’
by Simon Crabb, Finance Manager and dated 30 July 2019, be received.
2. That an
impairment loss of $819,933 is recorded in the 2018/19 accounts to reflect
that there are sufficient indicators of impairment as meeting the
requirements to be assessed under the reporting standards.
Carried
|
Secretarial Note: In making its decision, council
took into account it could have originally provided funding to REL in the form
of a grant.
Request for Approval
to Carry Forward Operational Budget from the 2018/19 Financial Year into the
2019/20 Financial Year (Item 5.3)
ID:
A1220587
Report from Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant and
Simon Crabb, Finance Manager
|
Moved (Sinclair/Stolwerk)
1. That
the report ‘Request for Approval to Carry Forward Operational Budget
from the 2018/19 Financial Year into the 2019/20 Financial Year’ by Vincent
McColl, Financial Accountant and Simon Crabb, Finance Manager and dated 31
July 2019, be received.
2. That
council approves the operational expenditure carry forwards from the 2018/19
financial year into the 2019/20 financial year of:
a. $16,900
for iwi environmental management plans;
b. $10,170
for the Water Street mural;
c. $35,000
for Freshwater NPS implementation; and
d. $10,000
for the digital asset management project.
Carried
|
Request for Approval
to Carry Forward Capital Expenditure Budget from the 2018/19 Financial Year
into the 2019/20 Financial Year (Item 5.4)
ID:
A1220677
Report from Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant
|
Moved (Sinclair/Finlayson)
1. That
the report ‘Request for Approval to Carry Forward Capital Expenditure
Budget from the 2018/19 Financial Year into the 2019/20 Financial Year’
by Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant and dated 31 July 2019, be received.
2. That
council approves the carry forward of $1.1M capital expenditure budget from
the 2018/19 financial year into the 2019/20 financial year.
Carried
|
Special Reserves at
30 June 2019 (Item 5.5)
ID:
A1220735
Report from Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant
|
Moved (Yeoman/Sinclair)
That the report ‘Special
Reserves at 30 June 2019’ by Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant and
dated 31 July 2019, be received.
Carried
|
Regional Rates
Collection - 2018/19 (Item 5.6)
ID:
A1222450
Report from Simon Crabb, Finance Manager
|
Moved (Sinclair/Stolwerk)
That the report ‘Regional
Rates Collection - 2018/19’ by Simon Crabb, Finance Manager and dated 31
July 2019, be received.
Carried
|
Draft Financial
Result to 30 June 2019 (Item 5.7)
ID:
A1221361
Report from Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant
|
Moved (Sinclair/Stolwerk)
That the report ‘Draft
Financial Result to 30 June 2019’ by Vincent McColl, Financial
Accountant and dated 31 July 2019, be received.
Carried
|
Update to Delegations (Item 6.1)
ID:
A1222713
Report from Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant and
Anan Thiru, Accounts Assistant - Treasury and Projects
|
Moved (Bain/Stolwerk)
1. That
the report ‘Update to Delegations’ by Vincent McColl, Financial
Accountant and Anan Thiru, Accounts Assistant - Treasury and Projects and
dated 1 August 2019, be received.
2. That
council approve the updated bank and cheque signatory delegations, as
outlined in Attachment 1 (pertaining to Item 6.1 of the 20 August 2019
council meeting agenda).
Carried
|
Northland Water
Storage and Use Project: Council approval to progress and execute the project (Item 6.2)
ID:
A1225761
Report from Darryl Jones, Economist
|
Moved (Blaikie/Yeoman)
1. That
the report ‘Northland Water Storage and Use Project: Council approval
to progress and execute the project’ by Darryl Jones, Economist and
dated 2 August 2019, be received.
2. That
council provides delegated authority to the Chief Executive Officer to progress and execute the Northland Water Storage and Use
Project (in accordance with the funding agreement signed between council
and MBIE).
Carried
|
Freshwater Quality
Management Units for Northland (Item 6.3)
ID:
A1226903
Report from Ben Tait, Policy Specialist - Water
|
Moved (Yeoman/Smart)
1. That
the report ‘Freshwater Quality Management Units for Northland’ by
Ben Tait, Policy Specialist - Water and dated 6 August 2019, be received.
2. That
council approves the recommended (interim) freshwater quality management
units, as presented in this report, for the purpose of developing a plan
change to give effect to the water quality planning requirements of the
National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2017 (NPS-FM).
Carried
|
Secretarial Note: An error was noted in the report
that the assessment and decision on modelling tool(s) for determining what
catchment interventions (and costs) are needed to achieve aspirational water
quality objectives would occur June – October 2020 (not 2019).
Assessing Freshwater
Quantity Limits for Fully Allocated Water Bodies
(Item 6.4)
ID:
A1227408
Report from Ben Tait, Policy Specialist - Water and
Susie Osbaldiston, Groundwater Management Specialist
|
Moved (Yeoman/Stolwerk)
1. That
the report ‘Assessing Freshwater Quantity Limits for Fully Allocated
Water Bodies’ by Ben Tait, Policy Specialist - Water and Susie
Osbaldiston, Groundwater Management Specialist and dated 7 August 2019, be
received.
2. That
council supports this project and endorses the initial project milestones and
timetable for assessing alternative freshwater quantity limits for fully
allocated water bodies identified as (a) likely being under reasonably
foreseeable significant future demand pressure, or (b) showing significant
adverse effects resulting from current allocation.
Carried
|
Draft Productivity
Commission Report on Local Government Funding and Financing (Item 6.5)
ID:
A1226950
Report from Justin Murfitt, Strategic Policy Specialist
|
Moved (Yeoman/Blaikie)
1. That
the report ‘Draft Productivity Commission Report on Local Government
Funding and Financing’ by Justin Murfitt, Strategic Policy Specialist
and dated 6 August 2019, be received.
2. That
council authorise staff to draft a submission based on key submission points
outlined in this report.
3. That
the submission be approved, under delegated authority by the Chief Executive
Officer, and lodged with the Productivity Commission by 29 August 2019.
Carried
|
Secretarial
Note: Appreciation was extended to the Strategic Policy Specialist for
collating the submission.
Environment Fund
Over-allocation (Item 6.6)
ID:
A1227954
Report from Lorna Douglas, Eastern Coast Manager
|
Moved (Shepherd/Yeoman)
1. That
the report ‘Environment Fund Over-allocation’ by Lorna Douglas,
Eastern Coast Land Manager and dated 8 August 2019, be received.
2. That
for 2019/20 council approves an over-allocation of the Land/Biodiversity
component of the Environment Fund budget ($941.4 K) by up to 20% ($188.3 K).
3. That
council amends the current Environment Fund criteria to allow the council
chairperson (or nominee) to approve up to 100% funding for Top 150 wetlands
and dune lakes projects.
Carried
|
Initial Restructure
of Managed Funds (Item 6.7)
ID:
A1228715
Report from Dave Tams, Group Manager, Corporate
Excellence
|
Moved (Shepherd/Bain)
1. That
the report ‘Initial Restructure of Managed Funds’ by Dave Tams,
Group Manager, Corporate Excellence and dated 12 August 2019, be received.
2. That
the managed funds be restructured into the Long Term fund and Short Term fund
as per the advice from Eriksen and Associates.
3. That
council, post the 2019 elections, workshop the fund manager choices with the
council’s independent investment advisors.
4. That
council approves the initial SIPO as a means of establishing the restructured
managed funds.
Carried
|
Secretarial Note: In making its decision, council
took into consideration whether this was business as usual (being within the
pre-election period).
Chair's Report to Council (Item 7.1)
ID:
A1228589
Report from Bill Shepherd, Chairman
|
Moved (Shepherd/Sinclair)
That the report ‘Chair's
Report to Council’ by Bill Shepherd, Chairman and dated 12 August 2019,
be received.
Carried
|
Chief
Executive’s Report to Council (Item 7.2)
ID:
A1221518
Report from Malcolm Nicolson, Chief Executive Officer
|
Moved (Shepherd/Sinclair)
That the report ‘Chief
Executive’s Report to Council’ by Malcolm Nicolson, Chief
Executive Officer and dated 31 July 2019, be received.
Carried
|
Reporting on Long
Term Plan 2018-2028 Performance Measures for the Year Ended 30 June 2019 (Item 7.3)
ID:
A1227484
Report from Kyla Carlier, Corporate Planning Manager
|
Moved (Finlayson/Yeoman)
That the report ‘Reporting
on Long Term Plan 2018-2028 Performance Measures for the Year Ended 30 June
2019’ by Kyla Carlier, Corporate Planning Manager and dated 7 August
2019, be received.
Carried
|
Business with Public
Excluded (Item 8.0)
Moved
(Shepherd/Sinclair)
1.
That the public be excluded from the proceedings of this meeting to
consider confidential matters.
2.
That the general subject of the matters to be considered whilst the
public is excluded, the reasons for passing this resolution in relation to
this matter, and the specific grounds under the Local Government Official
Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution, are as
follows:
Item No.
|
Item Issue
|
Reasons/Grounds
|
8.1
|
Confirmation
of Confidential Minutes - 16 July 2019
|
The public
conduct of the proceedings would be likely to result in disclosure of
information, as stated in the open section of the meeting.
|
8.2
|
Human
Resources Report
|
The public
conduct of the proceedings would be likely to result in disclosure of information,
the withholding of which is necessary to protect the privacy of natural
persons, including that of deceased natural persons s7(2)(a).
|
3.
That the Independent Financial Advisor be permitted to stay during
business with the public excluded.
Carried
|
Conclusion
The meeting concluded at 11.56am.