Minutes of Economic Development Committee

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Economic Development Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 16 April 2018, commencing at 9.04am

Members

Present:

Councillor Adrian Broad (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke, Leonie Hapeta, Duncan McCann, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

Non Members:

Councillors Susan Baty, Jim Jefferies, Lorna Johnson and Bruno Petrenas.

Apologies:

Councillor Lew Findlay QSM.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison entered the meeting at 9.08am at the conclusion of clause 12. He was not present for clause 12.

Councillor Karen Naylor entered the meeting at 9.32am during consideration of clause 14. She was not present for clauses 12 and 13.

12-18

Apologies

Moved Adrian Broad, seconded Duncan McCann.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 12-18 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Adrian Broad, Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke, Leonie Hapeta, Jim Jefferies, Lorna Johnson, Duncan McCann, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison entered the meeting at 9.08am

13-18

Presentation - FMG Group

Presentation from Colin Philp, Chief Information Officer and Colin Wright Communications Manager, FMG.

Mr Philp provided an overview of FMG stating that it was started in 1905 by farmers for farmers and that 113 years on it is still 100% New Zealand owned and operated. As a Mutual it was owned by its farming members and their profits are reinvested back into the Mutual and provincial New Zealand. FMG first came to the Manawatu in 1978 and on 8 February 2018 moved into its purpose built building in Palmerston North and now has over half of its workforce based in the Manawatu.

As an advice-led insurer they use some of their profits to provide specialised risk advice enabling their clients and members to reduce or remove risk of damage to their property.

FMG support provincial New Zealand through community investment with their guiding principle being supporting rural leadership and achievement. In the Manawatu they support or are involved with over 130 events per year. The biggest give back is through the rural wellbeing programme Farmstrong in partnership with the Mental Health Foundation and ACC.

Moved Tangi Utikere, seconded Leonie Hapeta.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Economic Development Committee receive the presentation for information.

Clause 13-18 above was carried 14 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Adrian Broad, Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke, Vaughan Dennison Leonie Hapeta, Jim Jefferies, Lorna Johnson, Duncan McCann, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

14-18

Presentation - Building Clever Companies (BCC)

Presentation from Dean Tilyard, Chief Executive and Dave Craig Marketing Manager, BCC.

Councillor Karen Naylor entered the meeting at 9.32am.

Mr Tilyard and Mr Craig provided an update on BCC, stating that they have two main objectives; to stimulate the development of an entrepreneurial eco-system and to provide pathways for entrepreneurs and tech start-ups to grow. They do this through a number of programmes.

The cost of technology had declined meaning that it is a lot more accessible to start-up businesses which means that companies can grow a lot faster, BCC receives over 400 applications per year for their programmes.

They highlighted Biolumic, a start-up company that has created the world’s first UV Crop Enhancement System. Founder Dr Jason Wargent first met with BCC in 2012 and in 2013 formed the company. To date they have received over $7million in funding that has allowed them to run testing in Mexico, California and Spain and now investing in upgrading their glasshouses and are recruiting more scientists.

The challenge for BCC is to hold onto these type of companies in Palmerston North and this involves having good partnerships with a number of companies. BCC has an ambition aim to over the next 24 months to have 500 students involved, 1700 attendees at their events and have 90 start-ups engaged and their focus will be on AgriTech.

Moved Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke, seconded Leonie Hapeta.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Economic Development Committee receive the presentation for information.

Clause 14-18 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Adrian Broad, Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Jim Jefferies, Lorna Johnson, Duncan McCann, Karen Naylor, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

15-18

Presentation - GoShift

Presentation, from Ross McCarthy, Strategic and Engagement Manager GoShift.

Mr McCarthy outlined that GoShift was a partnership between central and local government to improve the performance, consistency and levels of service across the building consent system.

The aim of GoShift was to allow customers to have a better experience by connecting all the different Council systems nationally to bring consistency for the customer by using standardised forms, shared online services etc. Currently 21 Councils were involved with the aim to get more involved.

GoShift was not a vendor and therefore not a competitor to Council’s current system provider. The year ahead would involve:

- Shared QMS being implemented

- Accreditation improvements

- On-boarding more Councils and

- Shifting the focus from regional to national

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Economic Development Committee receive the presentation for information.

Clause 15-18 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

16-18

Confirmation of Minutes

Moved Adrian Broad, seconded Lorna Johnson.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the minutes of the Economic Development Committee meeting of 12 March 2018 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Clause 16-18 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

17-18

Committee Work Schedule

Moved Adrian Broad, seconded Gabrielle Bundy-Cooke.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Economic Development Committee receive its Work Schedule dated April 2018.

Clause 17-18 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting finished at 10.13am

Confirmed 14 May 2018

Chairperson