Informal
Workshop Notes – Annual Plan 2022/23
Regional Council
Held: 9.30 am, Wednesday 27 April 2022, Council Chambers, Regional House,
1 Elizabeth Street, Tauranga and via Zoom
Chairperson: Chairman
Doug Leeder
Deputy Chairperson: Deputy Chairperson Jane Nees – via Zoom
Present: Cr
Paula Thompson – via Zoom
Cr
Matemoana McDonald
Cr
Norm Bruning
Cr
Bill Clark
Cr
Kevin Winters – via Zoom
Cr
Stuart Crosby
Cr
Andrew von Dadelszen
Cr
Lyall Thurston
Cr
David Love
Cr
Toi Kai Rākau Iti
Cr
Stacey Rose – via Zoom
In Attendance: Fiona McTavish – Chief Executive, Mat Taylor – General
Manager Corporate, Namouta Poutasi – General Manager Strategy &
Science, Sarah Omundsen – General Manager Regulatory Services, Chris
Ingle – General Manager Integrated Catchments; Karen Aspey - Director,
People & Leadership, Kataraina O’Brien – Director Strategic
Engagement, Jessica Easton Legal and Commercial Manager, Kumaren Perumal
– Chief Financial Officer, Mark Le Comte – Principal Advisor
Finance, Mereana Toroa – Finance Support Team Lead, Zhivan Alach – Organisational Performance
Manager, Graeme Howard –
Corporate Planning Lead, James Llewellyn – Transport & Urban Planning
Manager, Tone Nerdrum Smith – Committee Advisor
Apologies: Cr
Te Taru White
1. Introduction by Chairperson
Welcomed those present, both in person and
via Zoom. Advised that the Financial Fundamentals Presentation would be held in
Public Excluded, followed by the public Annual Plan Workshop. The 2022/23 Annual
Plan Workshop would be recorded, but not livestreamed, and the recording would
be made available on Council’s YouTube channel afterwards (100) Bay of
Plenty Regional Council - Annual Plan Workshop - 27 April 2022 - Zoom Recording
- YouTube
The table below sets out the general
subject of each paper to be considered while the public is excluded from the
proceedings of this workshop, the reason for excluding the public, and the
specific grounds under section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information
and Meetings Act 1987 for excluding the public:
Item
No.
|
Subject of each paper to be considered
|
Reason for excluding the public in relation
to each paper
|
Grounds under Section 48(1) for excluding the
public
|
When the paper can be released into the public
|
1
|
Financial Fundamentals Presentation
|
Withholding the information is necessary to enable any local
authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or
disadvantage, commercial activities; Withholding the information is
necessary to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs through the
free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to members or
officers or employees of any local authority, or any persons to whom section
2(5) applies, in the course of their duty.
|
48(1)(a)(i) Section 7 (2)(h); 48(1)(a)(i) Section 7 (2)(f)(i).
|
To remain in public excluded.
|
1.00 pm – The
Workshop reconvened following the Public Excluded section.
2. Workshop Papers
2.2
|
Budget Update
Mat Taylor – General Manager
Corporate provided a brief outline of the paper.
|
|
Guidance Provided
by Councillors:
Noted
the updated estimates for the Draft Annual Plan 2022/23, the forecast
reserves use, and rates
impacts for the next iteration of Draft Annual Plan 2022/23, due to be
presented at the 18 May 2022 deliberations.
|
2.3
|
Annual Plan and Long Term
Plan Decisions and Implications
|
|
Presented
by Zhivan Alach – Organisational Performance Manager, Karen Aspey - Director, People &
Leadership and Graeme Howard – Corporate Planning Lead.
Key Points:
·
Provided a recap of the guidance provided to
date.
|
|
Guidance Provided
by Councillors:
Noted the implications of previous decisions made, and guidance given,
over the past year in relation to the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan.
|
2.4
|
Financial Efficiencies
Achieved by Council
|
|
Presented
by Zhivan Alach – Organisational Performance Manager, Karen Aspey - Director, People &
Leadership, and Graeme Howard – Corporate Planning Lead.
Key Points/in Response to
Questions:
·
There was a high level of focus on fostering leaders
within the organisations, i.e. to recruit; retain and develop
·
Covid-19 had accelerated how the organisation
was working, e.g. working from home; audio visual meetings and reduction in travel
·
There needed to be a balance between work from
home and work in office
·
Although challenging to achieve tangible
measurement in efficiencies with increased working from home, anecdotal
evidence indicated increased efficiencies when there was a good balance
between personal/professional life
·
Council’s culture and staff
opportunities was a significant component in the relatively low staff
turnover.
|
|
Guidance Provided
by Councillors:
Noted the information contained within this paper regarding financial
efficiencies achieved in the recent past.
|
2.5
|
Draft Annual Plan 2022/23 -
Proposals for increases in expenditure
|
|
Presented
by Yvonne Tatton – Governance Manager, Sarah Omundsen – General Manager Regulatory
Services, Namouta Poutasi - General Manager Strategy & Science, James
Llewellyn – Transport & Urban Planning Manager
Key Points:
·
Clarified that the additional funding required
for the 2022 election was $285,530
·
Provided an outline of the process for
requests for additional funding towards the Regional Search & Rescue
Services (RSRS)
·
Noted that Tauranga City Council had a
contract in place with Surf Life Saving, which was ratepayer funded.
Key Points Chief Executive:
·
Provided an outline of the current situation
with regards to the temporary bus interchange required when the Tauranga
Civic Centre demolition commenced
·
The current business model meant Tauranga City
Council funded the public transport interchange and infrastructure, with
Regional Council funding the bus service
·
There were ongoing safety concerns at the Willow
Street bus interchange due to antisocial/aggressive behaviour
·
The bus service was currently operating at
lower levels of service (weekend schedule) triggered by the Omicron outbreak
and the shortage of drivers
·
Public transport patronage had not met the
projections, largely due to Omicron.
Key Points - Members:
·
Suggested approaching Department of Internal
Affairs regarding possible cost contribution towards the additional election
costs due to the continued appointment of Tauranga Commissioners, i.e. no
election in 2022
·
Concerned that Tauranga ratepayers were paying
rates for the RSRS, yet received less benefit than other parts of the region
·
Access for those with mobility issues to the
temporary bus interchange to be located in Durham Street was critical and
needed to form part of any negotiations between the various parties.
|
|
Guidance Provided by
Councillors:
1. Approved Increased
Local Government Election costs for 2022, whether to include additional $285,350
operational expenditure in the draft AP 2022/23 budget, funded through
General Rates.
2. Declined Regional
Safety and Rescue Services Funding, whether to include additional RSRS grant
funding of $51,000 in the draft AP 2022/23 budget, funded via the RSRS Targeted
rate.
3. Noted the potential expenditure that
is expected to come to Council for decision at the Annual Plan Deliberations
meeting scheduled for 18 May 2022 relating to:
a) Sustainable Homes Scheme – Loans;
b) Tauranga CBD interchange, additional $343,000 of operational
expenditure is anticipated for a full year, while the temporary Bus
interchange is in operation.
The timing, and the uncertainty of the
net effect on overall costs, means that it is suggested that this is funded
through reprioritisation of existing budgets rather than an increasing
Transport Targeted Rates in 2022/23.
|
1.57 pm - the workshop closed