Extraordinary Council Meeting

24 May 2022

Northland Regional Council Minutes

 

Annual Plan Deliberations held in the Council Chamber

36 Water Street, Whangārei

on Tuesday 24 May 2022, commencing at 1.00pm

 

 

Tuhinga/Present:

Chairperson, Penny Smart

Councillors:

Terry Archer (via audio visual link)

Justin Blaikie

Jack Craw (via audio visual link)

Colin Kitchen (via audio visual link)

Amy Macdonald (via audio visual link)

Marty Robinson

Rick Stolwerk

Joce Yeoman

 

I Tae Mai/In Attendance:

Full Meeting

Independent Financial Advisor (via audio visual link)

Tumuaki - Chief Executive Officer

Pou Taumatua - GM Corporate Services

Pou Whakaritenga - GM Regulatory Services

Pou Tiaki Pūtaiao – GM Biosecurity (via audio visual link)

Human Resources Manager

Corporate Strategy Manager

Transport Manager (via audio visual link)

Policy Specialist

Corporate Systems Champion

Management Accountant

Governance Specialist

 

Secretarial Note: The Chair declared the meeting open at 1.02pm.

Ngā whakapahā/Apologies (Item 3.0)

There were no apologies.

Nga whakapuakanga/Declarations of Conflicts of Interest (Item 4.0)

It was advised that councillors should make declarations item-by-item as the meeting progressed.

 

 

 

 

Secretarial Note:  The Corporate Strategy Manager provided a presentation outlining:

·        The main points of consultation;

·        The consultation approach;

·        Submissions received; and

·        Recommendations and next steps.

 

Council Deliberations on the Annual Plan 2022/23 Consultation Document and Supporting Information (Item 5.1)

Report from Nicola Hartwell, Corporate Planner and Kyla Carlier, Corporate Strategy Manager

Moved (Robinson/Kitchen)

1.         That the report ‘Council Deliberations on the Annual Plan 2022/23 Consultation Document and Supporting Information ’ by Nicola Hartwell, Corporate Planner and Kyla Carlier, Corporate Strategy Manager dated 26 April 2022, be received.

Carried

It was further moved (Stolwerk/Craw)

2.         That council support the provision of an additional $1.7M toward design and build of a maritime vessel to replace the current vessel (the Waikare), for a total cost of $3.3M, as proposed in the Annual Plan 2022/23 supporting information.

Carried

It was further moved (Stolwerk/Archer)

3.         That council support borrowing the full amount of $3.3M required to design and build a maritime vessel that will replace the current vessel (the Waikare), and repay it over 15 years via the Council Services Rate beginning in 2023/24, as proposed in the Annual Plan 2022/23 supporting information.

Carried

Secretarial Note: Recommendation 3 was based on the current interest rates.  However, since rates were changing rapidly there may be a need for council to revisit the decision closer to implementation.

It was further moved (Macdonald/Yeoman)

4.         That council support the $1.6M set aside for the design and build of the maritime vessel be placed in council’s Long Term Fund, as proposed in the Annual Plan 2022/23 supporting information.

Carried

It was further moved (Craw/Stolwerk)

5.         That council supports the reallocation of CityLink funds set aside in 2022/23 year for T2 lanes (now delayed), and an increase to the targeted Whangārei transport rate of $188,216 per year from 2022/23, to maintain and improve the services provided by Whangārei CityLink, as proposed in the Annual Plan 2022/23 supporting information.

Carried

Secretarial Note: Recommendation 5 was based on a 3% inflation rate in accordance with the requirements of Waka Kotahi.

It was further moved (Stolwerk/Robinson)

6.         That council supports an increase in total rates revenue from the 13.79% stated in the Long Term Plan 2021/31 to 13.89% (0.1%) for 2022/23. 

Carried

It was further moved (Yeoman/Blaikie)

7.         That the Group Manager – Corporate Services be given delegated authority to approve any consequential amendments to the final Annual Plan 2022/23 as a result of council decisions on submissions and any minor accuracy and grammatical amendments.

8.         That council notes that the amounts set out in the report are based on best estimate forecasts at the time of writing, and that the CEO be given delegated authority to approve changes required to revise the financial statement and rating information within the final Annual Plan 2022/23 to give effect to the council’s deliberations, with final amounts presented for council approval in June 2022.

Carried

It was further moved (Yeoman/Blaikie)

9.         That council does not make any changes to the Annual Plan 2022/23 as a result of the submissions received on these topics: Genetically modified organism/engineering; marine biosecurity fee.  

Carried

 

Council deliberations on the User Fees and Charges 2022/23 (Item 5.2)

Report from Robyn Broadhurst, Policy Specialist

Moved (Stolwerk/Blaikie)

1.         That the report ‘Council deliberations on the User Fees and Charges 2022/23’ by Robyn Broadhurst, Policy Specialist and dated 27 April 2022, be received.

2.         That council supports the inflationary increase of 2.4% to fees and charges contained in the User Fees and Charges 2022/23, as set out in the schedule.

3.         That council supports the Draft User Fees and Charges 2022/23 as consulted and with the additional amendment set out in recommendation 4, and direct staff to prepare the final user fees and charges for council adoption in June 2022.

4.         That council supports the removal of the notes relating to tables 3.6.2 and 3.6.4 ‘Where there is a need for two officers to attend, the costs of both officers will be recovered’.

5.         That the Group Manager – Corporate Services be given delegated authority to approve any consequential amendments as a result of council decisions on submissions and any minor accuracy and grammatical amendments.

Carried

 

Whakamutunga (Conclusion)

The meeting concluded at 1.26pm.