Minutes of Finance & Audit Committee

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Finance & Audit Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 18 March 2020, commencing at 9.01am

Members

Present:

Councillor Susan Baty (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas and Tangi Utikere.

Non Members:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Zulfiqar Butt and Aleisha Rutherford.

Apologies:

Councillors Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan and Karen Naylor.

Councillor Aleisha Rutherford left the meeting at 11.05am during consideration of clause 14. She entered the meeting again at 11.18am at the conclusion of clause 14. She was not present for clause 14.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison was not present when the meeting resumed at 3.50pm. He was not present for clauses 16 to 18 inclusive.

Councillor Lew Findlay QSM was not present when the meeting resumed at 3.50pm. He was not present for clauses 16 to 18 inclusive.

11-20

Apologies

Moved Susan Baty, seconded Tangi Utikere.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 11-20 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

The meeting adjourned at 9.02am

The meeting resumed at 10.46am

12-20

Confirmation of Minutes

Moved Susan Baty, seconded Patrick Handcock ONZM.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the minutes of the Finance & Audit Committee meeting of 19 February 2020 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Clause 12-20 above was carried 12 votes to 0, with 1 abstention, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

Abstained:

Councillor Leonie Hapeta.

13-20

Audit New Zealand Report to Council

Memorandum, presented by Stuart McKinnon, Chief Financial Officer.

Moved Susan Baty, seconded Leonie Hapeta.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the interim 2018/19 Management Report from Audit New Zealand be received.

2. That the final 2018/19 Management Report from Audit New Zealand be received.

Clause 13-20 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

14-20

Palmerston North Airport Ltd - Interim Report for 6 months to 31 December 2019

Memorandum, presented by Steve Paterson, Strategy Manager - Finance.

Councillor Aleisha Rutherford left the meeting at 11.05am.

Moved Susan Baty, seconded Grant Smith.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

1. That the Interim Report and Financial Statements of Palmerston North Airport Ltd for the period ended 31 December 2019 be received.

Clause 14-20 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillor Aleisha Rutherford entered the meeting at 11.18am.

15-20	Palmerston North Airport Ltd - Draft Statement of Intent for 2020/21 Memorandum, presented by Steve Paterson, Strategy Manager - Finance.
	Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Grant Smith. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 1. That the Palmerston North Airport Ltd (PNAL) draft Statement of Intent (SOI) for 2020/21 be received and the associated presentation, including the preliminary assessments from the Board Chair and Chief Executive of the impact of COVID-19 on the company, be noted.
	Clause 15.1 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.
	Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Grant Smith. 2. That PNAL be advised the Council supports the proposed direction and implementation strategy and that an updated version of the SOI be prepared for Council consideration following the Board’s consideration of the potential impact of COVID-19 on the budgeted financial position.
	Clause 15.2 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.
	Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Grant Smith. 3. That PNAL be advised that in the interests of supporting the proposed Terminal Development Plan, the Council is prepared to consider an amendment to the dividend policy, though the nature of that policy will need to be considered in the light of the updated financial forecasts.
	Clause 15.3 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lew Findlay QSM, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

The meeting adjourned at 12.02pm.

The meeting resumed at 3.50pm.

When the meeting resumed Councillors Vaughan Dennison and Lew Findlay were not present.

16-20	Fees and Charges Review Report, presented by Steve Paterson, Strategy Manager - Finance.
	Moved Susan Baty, seconded Brent Barrett. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 1. That the Fees and Charges Review report be received and the current status of fees and charges be noted. Trade waste 2. That the proposal to adopt updated fees and charges for Trade Waste services effective from 1 July 2020 as attached in Appendix 2, be approved for public consultation and the Chief Executive be authorised to undertake the necessary consultative process under sections 82 and 150 of the Local Government Act 2002. Planning & Miscellaneous 3. That the Statement of Proposal (and the associated summary) to adopt updated fees and charges for Planning Services and Miscellaneous Services effective from 1 July 2020 as attached in Appendix 3, be approved for public consultation and the Chief Executive be authorised to undertake the necessary consultative process under sections 83 and 150 of the Local Government Act 2002. Building 4. That the fees and charges for Building Services, as proposed in Appendix 4 be adopted and following public notification take effect from 1 July 2020. Environmental Health 5. That the fees and charges for Environmental Health Services (in terms of regulation 7 of the Health (Registration of Premises) Regulations 1966) as proposed in Appendix 5, be adopted and following public notification, take effect from 1 July 2020. Animal Control 6. That the fees and charges for the Impounding of Animals (in terms of section 14 of the Impounding Act 1955) and for Dog Registration and Dog Impounding (in terms of sections 37 and 68 of the Dog Control Act 1996) as proposed in Appendix 6 be adopted, and following public notification, take effect from 1 July 2020 and that the preferred owner application and suggested process to retain preferred owner status – current preferred owner fee be deleted. Amended by Council on 25 March 2020 Clause 35-20 Burial & Cremation 7. That the fees and charges for Burial and Cremation, as proposed in Appendix 7 be adopted and following public notification, take effect from 1 July 2020. Service Connections 8. That the fees and charges for Service Connections, as proposed in Appendix 8 be adopted and take effect from 1 July 2020. Sportsfields 9. That the fees and charges for Sportsfields as proposed in Appendix 9 be adopted and take effect from 1 July 2020. Bulk Water Filling Station 10. That the fees and charges for the Bulk Water Filling Station as proposed in Appendix 10 be adopted and take effect from 1 July 2020.
	Clause 16-20 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Renee Dingwall, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.
	Moved Tangi Utikere, seconded Lorna Johnson. An amendment was made that the words “and that the preferred owner application and suggested process to retain preferred owner status – current preferred owner fee be deleted” be added to Clause 16.6. The motion was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:
	For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Renee Dingwall, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

17-20

Transforming PNCC's Business Continuity Practice

Memorandum, presented by Miles Crawford, Risk Manager.

Moved Susan Baty, seconded Brent Barrett.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Finance & Audit Committee note progress made in developing Council’s business continuity arrangements.

Clause 17-20 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Zulfiqar Butt, Renee Dingwall, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford and Tangi Utikere.

18-20

Committee Work Schedule

After discussion Elected Members requested a business continuity planning update be added to the work schedule for April 2020 with respect to COVID-19.

Moved Patrick Handcock ONZM, seconded Lorna Johnson.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Finance & Audit Committee receive its Work Schedule dated March 2020.

2. That a business continuity planning update be added to the work schedule for April 2020 with respect to COVID-19.

Clause 18-20 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting finished at 4.35pm

Confirmed 22 April 2020

Chairperson