PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL
Community
Development Committee MEETING
5 June 2019
Order of Business
NOTE: The
Community Development Committee meeting coincides with the ordinary meeting of the Planning and Strategy Committee meeting. The Committees will conduct
business in the following order:
- Community Development Committee
- Planning and Strategy Committee
1. Apologies
2. Notification
of Additional Items
Pursuant to Sections 46A(7) and
46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, to
receive the Chairperson’s explanation that specified item(s), which do
not appear on the Agenda of this meeting and/or the meeting to be held with the
public excluded, will be discussed.
Any additions in accordance with
Section 46A(7) must be approved by resolution with an explanation as to why
they cannot be delayed until a future meeting.
Any additions in accordance with
Section 46A(7A) may be received or referred to a subsequent meeting for further
discussion. No resolution, decision or recommendation can be made in
respect of a minor item.
3. Declarations
of Interest (if any)
Members are reminded of their duty
to give a general notice of any interest of items to be considered on this
agenda and the need to declare these interests.
4. Public
Comment
To receive comments from members of
the public on matters specified on this Agenda or, if time permits, on other
Committee matters.
(NOTE: If the
Committee wishes to consider or discuss any issue raised that is not specified
on the Agenda, other than to receive the comment made or refer it to the Chief
Executive, then a resolution will need to be made in accordance with clause 2
above.)
5. Deputation
- Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Page 7
6. Confirmation
of Minutes Page 9
“That the minutes of the
Community Development Committee meeting of 1 April 2019 Part I Public be
confirmed as a true and correct record.”
7. Options
for Library Services in Highbury Page 13
Memorandum, dated 14 May 2019 presented
by the Manager - Libraries, Community, Linda Moore.
8. Committee
Work Schedule Page 53
9. Exclusion
of Public
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To be moved:
“That the
public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this
meeting listed in the table below.
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:
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General
subject of each matter to be considered
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Reason for
passing this resolution in relation to each matter
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Ground(s)
under Section 48(1) for passing this resolution
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This resolution is made in reliance on Section
48(1)(a) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
and the particular interest or interests protected by Section 6 or Section 7
of that Act which would be prejudiced by the holding of the whole or the
relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting in public as stated in the
above table.
Also that the
persons listed below be permitted to remain after the public has been
excluded for the reasons stated.
Chief Executive
(Heather Shotter), Chief Financial Officer (Grant Elliott), Chief
Infrastructure Officer (Tom Williams), General Manager – Strategy and
Planning (Sheryl Bryant), General Manager - Community (Debbie Duncan), Chief
Customer and Operating Officer (Chris Dyhrberg), General Manager - Marketing
and Communications (Sacha Haskell), Sandra King (Executive Officer) because
of their knowledge and ability to provide the meeting with advice on matters
both from an organisation-wide context (being members of the Council’s
Executive Leadership Team) and also from their specific role within the
Council.
Legal Counsel
(John Annabell), because of his knowledge and ability to provide the meeting
with legal and procedural advice.
Committee
Administrators (Penny Odell, Rachel Corser, Natalya Kushnirenko and Courtney
Kibby), because of their knowledge and ability to provide the meeting with
procedural advice and record the proceedings of the meeting.
[Add Council
Officers], because of
their knowledge and ability to assist the meeting in speaking to their report
and answering questions, noting that such officer will be present at the
meeting only for the item that relate to their respective report.
[Add Third
Parties], because of their knowledge and ability to assist the
meeting in speaking to their report/s [or other matters as specified] and
answering questions, noting that such person/s will be present at the meeting
only for the items that relate to their respective report/s [or matters as
specified].
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PALMERSTON NORTH CITY COUNCIL
Memorandum
TO: Community
Development Committee
MEETING DATE: 5
June 2019
TITLE: Options
for Library Services in Highbury
DATE: 14
May 2019
Presented By: Linda
Moore, Manager - Libraries, Community
APPROVED BY: Debbie
Duncan, General Manager - Community
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RECOMMENDATION(S) TO COMMITTEE
1. That the
memorandum dated 14 May 2019 and titled “Options for Library Services
in Highbury” be received.
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1. ISSUE
An opportunity for Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) to
engage with the community on the provision on library services in Highbury
arose through a delegation to Council from Te Aroha Noa Community Services (Te
Aroha Noa) indicating their intention to re-develop their facilities into a
community hub. This opportunity to seek feedback on the possibility of the
co-location of library services within the Te Aroha Noa community hub also sat
alongside an opportunity to address concerns raised by submissions to the 10
Year Plan with regards to improving access to library services in Highbury
(from the current Te Pātikitiki building) in terms of both visibility from
the road, and the safety and ease of access into the building.
2. BACKGROUND
Te Aroha Noa is a community development agency which has
been providing an increasingly extensive range of family/whanau, early
childhood, health, education and youth development services over thirty years.
On 4 September 2017, Te Aroha Noa made a deputation to the
Planning and Strategy Committee of Council presenting a preliminary plan and
cost estimates for the redevelopment of their existing facilities into a
community hub seeking support and planning assistance from Council.
Council resolved “That the proposal from Te Aroha Noa
Community Services be referred for consideration via the Long-Term Plan
process”. This resulted in two programmes being added to the 10 Year Plan
under the Connected Communities Strategy Priority One: “To develop,
provide and advocate for services and facilities that create a connected,
welcoming and inclusive community where people are connected with each other
and the services, facilities and support they need to prosper”.
1. Operational
Programme 1493: Highbury Community Hub
2. Capital
New Programme 1503: Highbury Community Hub Fitout
Both programmes are dependent on the outcome of the
community engagement and feasibility study being undertaken by Te Aroha Noa and
the community engagement undertaken by PNCC.
Council also resolved” That the request for planning
and assistance be referred to the Chief Executive for immediate
consideration” and as a result, officers from across Council have been in
on-going discussions with Te Aroha Noa to provide this assistance.
3. COMMUNITY
ENGAGEMENT
With specific regard to the provision of library services in
the Highbury community, discussions have confirmed that the Palmerston North
City Library and Te Aroha Noa share common goals and aspirations in providing a
community space in Highbury that:
1. Provides
access to information and services that is universally accessible –
available, flexible, inclusive and equitable
2. Enhances
community connectedness
3. Strengthens
community and neighbourhood identity
4. Enhances
and supports a vibrant and resilient community
5. Gives
people a place to belong – Turangawaewae – that enhances the mana
and rangatiratanga of individuals and whanau
6. Encourages
transformative change through collective impact
7. Has
an enduring presence in supporting the values and daily practices that enhance
community wellbeing
In addition, both organisations share a commitment to the
process of co-design with the community, both in relation to the development of
facilities, and in the facilitation and delivery of programmes and activities.
3.1 Community
Engagement undertaken by Te Aroha Noa
Te Aroha Noa held a community hui on 22 September 2018 that
was designed to explore the future of a Highbury community hub. A variety
of data collection methods were used to ensure that everyone could have their
views heard, stalls were set up to create a ‘market place’ feel;
and the architect’s concept for what the physical community hub might
look like was available to view.
As part of the exploration of the idea of co-location, Te
Aroha Noa produced a possible floorplan which indicated how the library
collection might fit in the space with areas for meetings, computers, toilets,
showers, and shared community space within the proposed Te Aroha Noa community
hub.
While the community engagement undertaken by Te Aroha Noa
did not specifically explore including the library in the community hub, they
did ask questions about the frequency of visiting the library and where people
got internet access if they didn’t have it in their own home. These
findings will be included as part of the feasibility study that Te Aroha Noa is
currently preparing.
3.2 Community
Engagement undertaken by Palmerston North City Council
The Palmerston North City Council (PNCC) currently provides
Public Library Services in Highbury through the Te Pātikitiki Library
located on Highbury Avenue and visitation and use continues to grow. The
library averaged 385 visitors per week in the 16/17 year; 428 visitors per week
in the 17/18 year and the current average visitor count per week for 18/19 is
581. The team has a strong focus on delivering on Council’s strategic
outcomes especially those relating to community connectiveness, access to
information and community wellbeing.
Feedback from the community during the 10 Year Plan process
indicated that there were concerns about the visibility of the Te
Pātikitiki Library from the street and also concerns about safe access via
the paths and through the gardens immediately surrounding the building.
An independent consultant was commissioned by PNCC to
undertake an engagement process to seek community views on the existing Te
Pātikitiki Library (see Appendix One). The output from this
community engagement process will inform the further development of library
services in Highbury.
There were three key drivers for the community engagement:
1. The opportunity to consider a partnership
with Te Aroha Noa through the co-location of library services within their
proposed community hub
2. The condition of the Te Pātikitiki building
(see Appendix Two)
3. The opportunity to address concerns raised
around the visibility and ease of access to the Te Pātikitiki Library
Views were sought on:
· The strengths of
the current library
· How services could
be improved
· The value of the
library to the community
· The preferred
location of the library and the impact, if any, of moving the library to be
part of the Aroha Noa community hub
Key themes from community feedback indicated that:
1. The
strengths of the current library were seen as:
· The staff are
friendly and helpful
· It is open to
anyone who wants to use it
· It is a real
community hub for the neighbourhood
· There is always
something to read and to access Wi-Fi and/or computers
· The
library’s general location and ease of car parking and access for those
with mobility issues
2. Options
for improving the Te Pātikitiki Library building were stated as:
· Having the library
more visible from the street
· Having meeting
rooms available for groups to use
3. Options
for improving services were suggested, including:
· Extending opening
hours
· More community led
programmes for all ages but more programmes for adults was seen as being
particularly important
· Increased access
to new technologies
4. The
community values the library for:
· Encompassing
community and what it means to be Highbury
· Being “our
place” and fostering a sense of belonging
· The manaakitanga,
support and guidance of the staff
· Being Council run
and an independent and neutral space
· The history and
heritage of Te Pātikitiki
The community has a strong preference for the Te
Pātikitiki Library remaining independent and not co-locating in the
proposed Te Aroha Noa community hub, as indicated by the majority of
respondents who live in the Highbury area stating that they would either not
use, might not use or would use the library less if it moved into Te Aroha Noa.
The main reasons given by those opposing the move included
personal preferences for the Te Pātikitiki Library in its current
location, and its relaxed setting with good parking which was safe for children
and convenient for older people and those with mobility issues.
The conflict associated with having a library which is
non-sectarian and neutral co-located within a faith-based centre delivering
social services was a considerable concern.
A number of respondents highlighted the potential loss of
the history and heritage values embodied in the Te Pātikitiki Library,
which would be lost if it was co-located.
The library was seen as the heart of the community and key
for new community members to make connections and friends in the area.
4. NEXT
STEPS
Based on the outcome of the
community engagement undertaken by PNCC to understand the full extent of the
issues and any opportunities for the location and delivery of library services
in Highbury, the next steps are to:
1. Undertake a detailed
building assessment of the Te Pātikitiki Library building in Highbury,
including exploring options to improve visibility and access.
2. Actively engage with the
team at Te Aroha Noa to explore ways council can assist and support the
development and delivery of multi-disciplinary library programmes and services
that encourage life-long learning and skill development, enhance community
wellbeing and encourage active citizenship.
5. Compliance and administration
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Does the Committee have
delegated authority to decide?
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Yes
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Are the decisions significant?
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No
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If they are significant do they
affect land or a body of water?
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No
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Can this decision only be made
through a 10 Year Plan?
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No
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Does this decision require
consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?
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No
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Is there funding in the current
Annual Plan for these actions?
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Yes
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Are the recommendations
inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?
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No
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The recommendations contribute
to Goal 3: A Connected and Safe Community
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The recommendations contribute
to the outcomes of the Connected Community Strategy
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The recommendations contribute
to the achievement of action/actions in the Community Services and Facilities
Plan
The action is:
· To develop,
provide and advocate for services and facilities that create a connected,
welcoming and inclusive community where people are connected with each other
and the services, facilities and support they need to prosper
· To provide
library services in spaces and places that suit the community; are
accessible, welcoming to all people (including those who are socially
isolated) and that are maintained and delivered in response to identified
needs
· That library
outreach services are responsive to community needs
· To identify
opportunities for, and develop, a community hub in Highbury
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Contribution to strategic
direction
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Community engagement for
options for library services in Highbury
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Attachments
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1.
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Appendix One: Te Pātikitiki - Options for service ⇩ 
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2.
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Appendix Two: Te Pātikitiki Library - Memo from PNCC
Property Manager ⇩ 
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