Agenda of Economic Growth Committee - Wednesday, 30 August 2023

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Economic Growth Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 21 June 2023, commencing at 9.00am.

Members

Present:

Councillor William Wood (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, and Orphée Mickalad.

Non Members:

Councillors Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

Apologies:

Councillors Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson and Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad (early departure on Council Business) and Rachel Bowen (late arrival)

Councillor Lew Findlay entered the meeting at 9.05am during consideration of clause 20. He was not present for clauses 18 and 19 inclusive.

Councillor Rachel Bowen entered the meeting at 9.30am during consideration of clause 20. She was not present for clauses 18 and 19 inclusive.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad left the meeting at 10.30am after consideration of clause 21. He entered the meeting again at 1.25pm before the consideration of clause 24. He was not present for clauses 22 and 23 inclusive.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) left the meeting at 12.20pm after consideration of clause 23. He entered the meeting again at 1.47pm before the consideration of clause 27. He was not present for clauses 24 to 26 inclusive.

Karakia Timatanga

Councillor William Wood opened the meeting with a karakia

	Declarations of Interest
	Councillor Vaughan Dennison declared an interest in item 13 Tamakuku Terrace Six Monthly Update (clause 26) but would consider the item with an open mind.

18-23

Apologies

Moved William Wood, seconded Grant Smith.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 18-23 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Orphée Mickalad, Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

19-23

Confirmation of Minutes

Moved William Wood, seconded Grant Smith.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the minutes of the Economic Growth Committee meeting of 12 April 2023 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Clause 19-23 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

20-23	Palmerston North Airport Limited - Final Statement of Intent for 2023/24 to 2025/26 Memorandum, presented by Steve Paterson, Strategy Manager – Finance, Shelly Mitchell-Jenkins (Director), David Lanham (Chief Executive) & Jonathon Baker (Chief Finance Officer) from Palmerston North Airport Limited. Councillor Lew Findlay entered the meeting at 9:05am. Councillor Rachel Bowen entered the meeting at 9:30am. The Mayor moved a motion seeking additional information on investment options to enable the Airport to complete its masterplan and unlock future growth.
	Moved Grant Smith, seconded Mark Arnott. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1. That the Committee agree the Statement of Intent for Palmerston North Airport Limited for 2023/24 to 2025/26 (Attachment 2).
	Clause 20.1-23 above was carried 11 votes to 2, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Orphée Mickalad, Lew Findlay, Patrick Handcock and Kaydee Zabelin. Against: Councillors Brent Barrett and Karen Naylor.
	Moved Grant Smith, seconded Mark Arnott. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 2. That Council instruct the Chief Executive to prepare options/ business case for extra investment or shareholding to Palmerston North Airport Limited and present back to Council.
	Clause 20.2-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Orphée Mickalad, Lew Findlay, Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

21-23

Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) - Final Statement of Intent 2023/24

Memorandum, presented by David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer. Bobbie McFee, (Chair) and Jerry Shearman, (Chief Executive) from CEDA.

Moved William Wood, seconded Grant Smith.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee agree the final Statement of Intent 2023/24 submitted by the Central Economic Development Agency (Attachment 1).

Clause 21-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Orphée Mickalad, Lew Findlay, Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

Meeting adjourned at 10.30am.

Meeting resumed at 10.46am.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad was not present when the meeting resumed.

22-23

Palmerston North Strategic Networks 2023

Memorandum, presented by James Miguel, Senior Transport Planner and David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer.

Moved Grant Smith, seconded Patrick Handcock.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee lift the report “Palmerston North Strategic Networks 2023” from the table.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

2. That Council endorse the Palmerston North Strategic Networks 2023 (Attachments 1 & 2) to inform future Council decision-making on transport matters, including the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan and supporting documents

Clause 22-23 above was carried 9 votes to 3, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

Against:

Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott and Lew Findlay.

23-23	Central City Transformation - Streets for People Project Report, presented by Geoff Sneddon, Senior Project Manager and Hamish Featonby, Group Manager - Transport & Development. Officers raised an error in the Steering group’s Terms of Reference – Under Accountability – the Steering group will report to the Economic Growth Committee not the Strategy & Finance Committee.
	Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Rachel Bowen. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 1. That Council adopt the Terms of Reference (as amended) for the Central City Transformation Project Steering Group (Attachment 1). 2. That Council approve the Mayor’s recommendation for membership of the Central City Transformation Project Steering Group: The Mayor, Councillors Hapeta, Bowen, Dennison, and Handcock.
	Clauses 23.1 and 23.2-23 above were carried 9 votes to 3, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin. Against: Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott and Lew Findlay.
	Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Rachel Bowen. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 3. That Council receive the 60% Detail Design Plans (developed design) for the entire Central City Transformation (streets for people) project area (Attachment 2). 4. That Council delegate authority to the Chief Executive to vary the GST exclusive contract sum of Contract 3923 (Professional Services Design for City Centre Streetscape Upgrade) by $254,000. Noting that this will increase the contingency of the project from $96,000 to $350,000 and that this increase can be accommodated within the existing budget within Programme 2122.
	Clauses 23.3 and 23.4-23 above were carried 7 votes to 5, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Patrick Handcock. Against: Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott, Lew Findlay, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

The meeting adjourned at 12.20pm.

The meeting resumed at 1.25pm.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) was not present when the meeting resumed.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad was present when the meeting resumed.

24-23

Update on Infill Lighting Required to Achieve Compliance in P and V Categories

Memorandum, presented by Hamish Featonby, Group Manager - Transport & Development.

Moved William Wood, seconded Debi Marshall-Lobb.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the report titled ‘Update on Infill Lighting Required to Achieve Compliance in P and V Categories’ presented on 21 June 2023.

Clause 24-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors William Wood, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Vaughan Dennison, Roly Fitzgerald, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Orphée Mickalad, Lew Findlay, Patrick Handcock, Karen Naylor and Kaydee Zabelin.

25-23

Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update - June 2023

Memorandum, presented by Stacey Bell City Economist.

The Officer corrected two errors in Attachment 1 (page 178 of the agenda). In the graph Palmerston North Gross domestic product growth:

· the label in the chart should read Palmerston North not Manawatū Region, and

· The paragraph under the graph should read March 2023 not 2022.

Moved William Wood, seconded Debi Marshall-Lobb.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the following reports for information:

a. Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update – June 2023

b. Palmerston North electronic card spending report–March quarter 2023

Clause 25-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

26-23

Tamakuku Terrace Six Monthly Update

Memorandum, presented by Bryce Hosking, Group Manager - Property and Resource Recovery.

Moved William Wood, seconded Debi Marshall-Lobb.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Tamakuku Terrace Six Monthly Update’, presented on 21 June 2023.

Clause 26-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

NOTE:

Councillor Vaughan Dennison declared an interest in this item and stated he would consider the item with an open mind.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) entered the meeting at 1:47pm.

27-23

Work Schedule - June 2023

Moved William Wood, seconded Debi Marshall-Lobb.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive its Work Schedule dated June 2023.

Clause 27-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Exclusion of Public

28-23

Recommendation to Exclude Public

Moved William Wood, seconded Debi Marshall-Lobb.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

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:

General subject of each matter to be considered		Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter	Ground(s) under Section 48(1) for passing this resolution
17.	Te Utanganui Central New Zealand Distribution Hub - Master Plan	Privacy, Third Party Commercial and Prevent Improper Gain or Advantage	s7(2)(a), s7(2)(b)(ii) and s7(2)(j)

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.

David Norman and Sarah Jenkin (GHD consultants) and Jerry Shearman (Chief Executive – CEDA) because of their knowledge and ability to assist the meeting in speaking to the report and answering questions, noting that such persons will be present at the meeting only for the item that relate to their respective report.

Clause 28-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The public part of the meeting finished at 1.57pm

Confirmed 30 August 2023

Deputy Chair

Memorandum

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 30 August 2023

TITLE: Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update - August 2023

Presented By: Stacey Bell, City Economist

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO Economic Growth Committee

1. That the Committee receive the following reports for information:

a. Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update – August 2023 (Attachment 1)

b. Palmerston North electronic card spending report – June Quarter 2023 (Attachment 2)

1. ISSUE

1.1 This memorandum presents a summary of the key themes in the Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update to June 2023, and the Palmerston North City Centre Quarterly electronic card spending (retail and selected tourism sectors) for the June 2023 quarter.

1.2 The quarterly economic update is prepared in-house, utilising data from a range of sources to provide the most up-to-date information available on the city economy. This includes national and global data, where appropriate, to inform of broader conditions that are impacting on local economic conditions.

1.3 The attached quarterly economic update is designed so that the first and final pages provide an overview of economic conditions in the city, with greater detail included in the body of the report. We take this approach to convey the main points concisely, while retaining detailed analysis on aspects of economic performance that are of interest. The contents of this report will continue to be developed over time to meet the needs of Committee.

1.4 A focus topic is also included within the quarterly update, to highlight the contribution of key sectors to our city economy. The focus topic for the August quarterly report is the Palmerston North retail sector.

1.5 The Palmerston North City Centre Quarterly electronic card spending report is also prepared in-house and provided as a resource to the city retail sector. This report includes information on retail spending across the city and by precinct, as well as data on retail flows, customer loyalty, and the origin of customers that are spending in Palmerston North. The electronic card spending report is now included within quarterly economic reporting to provide more detailed information of retail spending trends in the city.

2. Palmerston NOrth Quarterly economic update – August 2023

2.1 Economic performance in the city has exceeded national performance over the five years to June 2023, with GDP growing by 19.6% compared with 13.7% nationally.

2.2 Over the year to June 2023, GDP increased by 2.6% in Palmerston North to reach a total value of $6.36b. Catching up from a period of lower growth, the national economy grew by 3.1% over the year.

2.3 The number of people employed in the city increased by 462 in the year to June 2023, to a record 36,423 residents. This is an increase of 1.3% over the year. Earnings data for the June quarter is not released until 7 September. Annual earnings growth in the city to the year ended March 2023 was 8.5%. This city data compares with a 2.6% increase in jobs nationally over the year to June and an 8.7% increase in earnings over the year to March 2023.

2.4 The annual average unemployment rate in the city increased from 3.4% in the year to March 2023, to 3.7% in June. This compares with a national annual average unemployment rate of 3.4% in June.

2.5 The increase in the unemployment rate might be interpreted as negative. However, labour market conditions continue to be tighter than we would like, with businesses continuing to struggle to find labour. With record employment of residents in the city, the increase in the unemployment rate likely reflects an increase in the number of people available for work in Palmerston North (an increase in the labour force). Labour market data and population estimates for Palmerston North released in September and October will provide further insight into the state of the labour market in the city.

2.6 Net international migration into New Zealand for the year ended June 2023 reached a near record of 86,800, driving estimated population growth of 2.1% for the country over the June 2023 year. This growth is substantially higher than foreseen by the Reserve Bank of New Zealand or the Treasury. This increase in working migrants will be helping to ease labour market conditions across the country, putting upward pressure on the unemployment rate while, at the same time, delivering record levels of employment as vacancies are able to be filled due to the increased availability of workers.

2.7 The number of people receiving Job Seeker support increased by 2.1% over the year to June 2023. This is an increase of 60 to a total of 2,856 Job Seekers. Recipients experiencing psychological or psychiatric conditions contributed to the total increase in Job seekers. Reflecting the tight labour market conditions, the number of work ready Job Seekers fell by 24 over the year, while Job Seekers suffering with health conditions or disability increased by 84.

2.8 Retail spending increased by 7.5% in the June 2023 year. Tourism-related expenditure continues to drive the increase. Accommodation spending increased 41.0% over the year, while spending on arts, recreation and visitor transport rose 28.2%, and spending at cafes, restaurants, bars and takeaways increased 19.4%. In contrast, spending on other consumer items, which includes big-ticket items such as cars and motorcycles, fell by 19.0%. National retail spending increased by 12.2% over same period, reflecting the recovery of parts of the country hit harder by economic restrictions in the June 2022 year.

2.9 Tourism spending increased by 12.6% to a total of $305.7 million in Palmerston North in the June 2023 year. Domestic spending was up by 8.3%, while international tourism spending increased by 111.2% over the year. This compares with a 31.7% increase in tourism spending across the country. Domestic tourism spending increased by 10.9% over the year, while international spending grew by 301.0%.

2.10 New dwelling consents continue to strengthen in 2023 after a weaker 2022. Consents for new dwellings in the city peaked over the year to July 2020, with a record 572 consents for new dwellings issued over that year.

a. There was a total of 486 consents for new dwellings issued in the city over the year to June 2023. Activity has been particularly strong in 2023 with 260 new dwellings consented in the first six months of the year. This compares with 170 new dwelling consents issued over the first six months of 2022.

b. A total of $435.0m in consents were issued over the year to June 2023, an increase of 40.9% compared with the year ended June 2022. Residential consent values increased 19.0% compared with the previous year, while non-residential construction values were up 87.6% over the same period. The increase in consent values is driven by a mixture of public investment in housing and healthcare, and private investment in housing and commercial activities.

2.11 The housing market is showing signs of stabilisation, as house prices in the city remain relatively unchanged in 2023. House sales volumes continue to be suppressed due to higher interest rates and tougher financial conditions, however the fall in sales in Palmerston North over the year to July 2023 is significantly less than the fall in national sales volumes.

a. Sales volumes fell 9.5% in Palmerston over the year to July 2023, compared with a fall of 17.3% nationally.

b. The average number of days to sell increased to 62 days in the Manawatū-Whanganui Region, compared to 48 days nationally.

c. The average house price in Palmerston North was $638,036 in July 2023. Average house prices in the city fell 11.4% over the year, compared with a fall of 10.1% nationally. Average prices in the city remain 27.4% above the pre-pandemic average price of $500,702. This compares with an increase in average house price of 25.6% nationally since February 2020.

d. The median house price in Palmerston North was $640,000 in July 2023. Median house prices in the city fell 5.4% over the year compared with a 4.9% fall nationally. Median house prices in the city remain 21.9% above the pre-pandemic median price of $525,000^{^[1]}.

2.12 The number of families awaiting public housing in the city fell by 17.7% over the year to June 2023, to a total of 627. This compares with a 7.3% decline in families on the public housing register nationally. Since March 2020, the number of families on the waiting list in the city has increased by 37.5%, compared with a 51.6% increase nationally.

2.13 Annual average rental prices increased by 6.3% over the year to June 2023 compared to a 4.9% increase nationally. The number of rental properties formally rented in Palmerston North increased by 183 over the year, to a total of 7,770. Note, the number of properties formally rented in the city has declined since the peak of 7,839 in March 2023.

2.14 Headline inflation fell to 6.0% in New Zealand in the year to June 2023, driven by lower prices for international travel and petrol prices. On the other side of the equation, higher food prices and housing and household utility costs put upward pressure on inflation.

2.15 Off the back of falling inflation, the Reserve Bank of New Zealand (RBNZ) held interest rates at 5.5% in August, citing the likelihood of interest rates having to remain elevated for longer in order to bring inflation back within the 1-3% target range. It also highlighted the possibility of a further 25 basis point rate rise later in the year. The RBNZ now expects inflation to fall back into range in the September quarter 2024, with unemployment expected to rise to 5.3% in the December quarter 2024.

2.16 The retail sector is one of the city’s key sectors, directly contributing $506.5m in GDP to the Palmerston North economy and employing 8,671 staff. This equates to 8.2% of GDP in the city and 15.2% of total employment. In the year to March 2022, the retail sector was estimated to generate a further $222.4m in GDP across the city economy. Further detail on the Palmerston North retail sector is included within the attached report.

2.17 The Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update - August 2023 is attached as Attachment 1.

3. Palmerston North electronic card spending report – June 2023

3.1 Total electronic card spending was $366.0 million in Palmerston North in the June quarter 2023. This is an increase of 3.9% compared with the June quarter 2022 and is above quarterly national growth of 3.8%. Of total electronic card spending in Palmerston North, 56.0% was spent in the city centre.

3.2 Total spending in Palmerston North totalled $1,489.3 million in the year to June 2023, an increase of 7.5% compared with the previous year. This compares with a 9.0% increase in spending in the city centre and a 12.2% increase in electronic card spending nationally, over the same period.

3.3 The annual growth rate for the city indicates a real increase^{^[2]} in spending relative to the inflation rate of 6.0%. Strong annual growth in national spending over the year to June 2023 continues to be influenced by the impact of prolonged lockdowns and restrictions on economic activity in the upper half of the North Island over the year to June 2022.

3.4 The loyalty rate, explained as the percentage of spending by Palmerston North residents at local retailers, was 81.2% over the year to June 2023. This compares with 82.0% the previous year.

3.5 There was a $300.5 million net gain from spending flowing into the city, compared with spending flowing out of the city over the year to June 2023. This represents a 10.7% increase in retail spending coming into the city, compared with the previous year.

3.6 Spending in the Palmerston North City Centre increased by 9.2% over the year to June 2023. Spending across the rest of Palmerston North and Terrace End increased by 6.6% and 0.5% respectively over the same period. The lower annual growth rate for Terrace End in the June 2023 year is explained by the relative strength of spending in this part of the city throughout Covid-19. The rest of Palmerston North covers all locations outside Terrace End, the CBD and Broadway Avenue.

3.7 Spending on accommodation, and arts, recreation and visitor transport, increased strongly over the year to June 2023, increasing by 41.0% and 28.2% respectively.

3.8 Reflecting the impact of rising interest rates and higher living costs on demand for big items^{^[3]}, other consumer spending in the city fell by 19.4% over the year to June 2023. This compares with an increase of 4.6% nationally.

3.9 The Quarterly Economic Card Spending Report for June 2023 is attached as Attachment 2.

4. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual: To receive city economic performance data		Yes
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant, do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 1: An Innovative and Growing City
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Economic Development The action is: Implement Inward Investment Strategy
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Reporting on economic trends in the city and Manawatū region and the longer-term outlook for growth, is important for encouraging local business to invest in growing their business and attracting new businesses to the city.

Attachments

1.	Palmerston North Quarterly Economic Update - August 2023 ⇩
2.	Palmerston North Electronic Card Spending Report - June Quarter 2023 ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 30 August 2023

TITLE: Economic Reporting Work Schedule (2023-2027)

Presented By: Stacey Bell, City Economist

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO COMMITTEE

1. That the Committee receive the report titled Economic Reporting Work Schedule (2023-2027) dated 30 August 2023.

ISSUE

1.1 Council officers have reviewed the economic reporting work schedule to ensure the programme is fit for purpose and optimises the inward investment objectives of Council and the business community.

1.2 This memorandum presents the economic reporting schedule for 2023-2027. Officers have consulted with the Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) to avoid duplication and to ensure that economic reporting supports the combined inward investment activities of council and provides for industry needs. The revised economic reporting schedule aligns with the strategic priorities of Council and CEDA, as described in the following sections.

1.3 Another purpose of economic reporting is to ensure that Council is informed of economic conditions that impact on our communities. Providing robust economic data and analysis to support the decision making function of Council, has been a central consideration in the development of this economic reporting work schedule.

1.4 The following section describes the scope, purpose and timing of economic reporting for the period 2023-2027. The audience for the reports is also identified, alongside how each workstream aligns with the goals and objectives of Council.

Discussion

2.1 Economic reporting of Council supports the following functions:

a. Supports advocacy to investors and central government partners;

b. Provides up-to-date and robust evidence to support labour market planning and inform actions to attract and retain workers;

c. Monitors the economic performance of the city and region against our strategic objectives and priorities; and,

d. Delivers economic research and reporting to inform local government decision making.

Economic reporting schedule

3.1 The tables below describe the economic reporting work schedule over the period 2023-2027. The following categories are included:

a. Quarterly Research and reporting (see Table1)

b. Annual reporting (see Table 2)

c. Biennial reporting (see Table 3)

d. 3 - 5 yearly sector profiles (see Table 4)

TAble 1: Quarterly research and reporting work schedule

	scope	Audience	Strategic priorities
Quarterly economic updates	Overview of economic performance (city and region) including a focus topic/sector	Committee Community Business	Create and enable opportunities for growth and employment Achieve a positive city reputation – quarterly economic updates will be used to promote city successes
Palmy Bid and the regional retail report	Quarterly retail snapshot across the city’s retail precincts	Committee Palmy Bid Retail sector	Support priority and growth sectors
Dashboards	Monitoring indicators	Committee Community Business investors	Create and enable opportunities for employment and growth

Table 2: Annual Research and reporting work schedule

	SCOPE	Audience	TIMING	STRATEGIC Priorities
City economic structure report	In depth analysis and reporting of industry structure, including growth trends across sub sectors	Committee CEDA Investors Business community Government^{^[4]}	Annually in March	Create and enable opportunities for employment and growth Enable the development of an investment prospectus
Support industry to prepare their own sector profiles i.e. the technology and innovation sector	Provide support to industry groups via the availability of in-depth structural research	Business community CEDA inward investment Advocacy	When required	Create and enable opportunities for employment and growth Achieve a positive city reputation
Annual snapshot	Annual update of key economic indicators for the city	CEDA Community Business Investors	Annually in January	Create and enable opportunities for employment and growth Achieve a positive city reputation

TAble 3: Biennial Reporting

SCOPE

Audience

TIMING

Strategic priorities/comments

Manawatū Regional economic structure report

In depth analysis and reporting of industry structure, including growth trends across sub sectors

Committee

MDC

investors

Business community

Government

Biannually in March

Consistent with the strategic objectives of Council and CEDA.

Timing developed in conjunction with CEDA to provide for their inward investment function

3.4 Table 4 shows that the sector profile work schedule has been condensed to focus on the priority sectors. These are logistics and distribution, agri-food (from paddock to plate), and tourism. To ensure all sectors in our city and region are promoted and supported, in-depth analysis of the city economy will be undertaken annually to enable Council and industry to respond promptly to emerging inward investment opportunities and to promote the contribution of industry sectors to the regional economy.

3.3 Key topics included within each quarterly economic update also provides an opportunity to promote the contribution of sectors to the regional economy. The August quarterly update profiles the contribution of the retail sector to the city economy.

3.5 The sector profile schedule has been reviewed in conjunction with CEDA to ensure we are focusing our efforts on delivering in-depth analysis and reporting to foster growth across our three priority sectors: logistics and distribution, agri-food and tourism.

3.6 Officers have also identified that up-to-date economic research needs to be readily available to enable city and regional leaders to respond promptly to investment opportunities across all industries. The economic structure research will enable Council, CEDA, and regional partners to be responsive to the breadth of investment opportunities that arise across all industries, supporting the diversification, and therefore the resilience, of the regional economy.

3.7 Another reason for preparing sector profiles is to understand the contribution of for-purpose organisations and volunteers to the social and economic fabric of the region. For this reason, officers propose to continue to undertake a sector profile for the for-purpose sector to align with the 5-yearly release of the Non-profit institutions data.

3.8 As shown in Table 4 below, officers propose that the logistics and distribution sector profile is updated this financial year. This sector has been prioritised due to increasing inward investment opportunities in the sector. This decision has been made in consultation with CEDA and their understanding of opportunities in the sector.

Table 4: Sector profile work schedule

	scope	audience	timing	strategic objective
Logistics and distribution (3-yearly)	Wholesale trade and transport, postal and warehousing	Committee Industry Investors Government Trade partners International partners	2023/24	Create and enable opportunities for employment and growth Achieve a positive city reputation
Agri-food (3-yearly)	Paddock to plate		2024/25
Tourism (3-yearly)	Health, retail, sports, business, entertainment events. Tourism, friends and family		2025/26
For purpose organisations (5-years)	In-depth analysis of the for-purpose sector (not-for-profit sector) including the social and economic value of activities to the region.	Council Community development team Community service providers Government	2026	Develop, provide, support or advocate for services, facilities and events that create a connected, welcoming, and inclusive community

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?		Yes
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 1: An Innovative and Growing City
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in The action is: Implement Inward Investment Strategy
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Reporting on economic trends in the city and Manawatū region and the longer-term outlook for growth, is important for encouraging local business to invest in growing their business and attracting new businesses to the city. This is also important to support advocacy to central government, for the interests of the city and wider region.

Attachments

Nil

Memorandum

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 30 August 2023

TITLE: Overseas mission to the United States of America and the Netherlands 2023

Presented By: Gabrielle Loga, International Relations Manager and Jerry Shearman, Chief Executive, Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA)

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO Economic Growth Committee

1. That the Committee receive the report titled Overseas mission to the United States of America and the Netherlands 2023 presented on 30 August 2023.

1. ISSUE

1.1. This memorandum is a joint report by Palmerston North City Council and Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) on the overseas mission to the United States of America and the Netherlands in June 2023 and the outcomes of the visits.

1.2. Council approved the Mayor to lead a small delegation to visit the City’s partners in the United States of America (USA) and the Netherlands in June 2023.

1.3. The delegation consisted of:

· Mayor Grant Smith, Palmerston North City Council

· Mayoress Michelle Smith, Palmerston North City Council

· Councillor Roly Fitzgerald, Palmerston North City Council /Rangitāne o Manawatū

· Jerry Shearman, Chief Executive, Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA)

· Associate Professor Hone Morris, Massey University (USA only)

· Professor Chris Anderson, Massey University (the Netherlands only)

· Gabrielle Loga, International Relations Manager, Palmerston North City Council

· Kate Harridge, International Relations and Education Advisor, Palmerston North City Council

1.4. The purpose of the visit to the USA was to:

· Deliver the 40-year anniversary taonga Rangiotu wahaika to Palmerston North’s sister city Missoula, Montana;

· Reconnect in person with key partners in Missoula including Arts Missoula, the University of Montana, Downtown Missoula BID, and the Missoula Native American tribes.

· Promote Palmerston North’s international reputation and interests through international trade, connections and cooperation.

1.5. Arts Missoula kindly provided accommodation for the delegation for the duration of the visit through their funding and generous sponsorships from Missoula local businesses.

1.6. Palmerston North City Council and the City of Wageningen in the Netherlands were encouraged and supported to pursue a strategic partnership by Massey University and Wageningen University and Research. The liaison has also been supported by the New Zealand Embassy in the Hague as well as the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Wellington. The visit to the Netherlands sought to formalise this bilateral city partnership.

2. BACKGROUND

MISSOULA, MONTANA, USA

3. Economic connections

Tour of Downtown Missoula with Linda McCarthy, Executive Director

3.1 The delegation was given a thorough tour of the award-winning Missoula downtown area. It is a healthy, thriving and beautiful city centre with several hotels and is undergoing revitalisation with a significant private investment from both local and out-of-state investors.

3.2 The purpose of the tour was to showcase the developments and how the city was being revitalised. It was also to learn best practices from Downtown Missoula Partnership, its role and leadership in the city’s revitalisation.

3.3 Downtown Missoula Partnership is a hybrid organisation that has multiple functions including advocacy, implementation of the Downtown Master Plan, downtown marketing and events, beautification of the city centre, cleaning and maintenance, safety and policing, homeless outreach, anti-graffiti taskforce, and fundraising. It is comprised of the Missoula Downtown Association, Missoula Business Improvement District, and the Missoula Downtown Foundation. Its mission is to lead and nurture the development and maintenance of Downtown Missoula as a vibrant place where people are inspired to live, work, shop and play.

3.4 The Downtown Missoula Partnership employs nine full-time, six seasonal staff and engages nearly 50 community-oriented board members.

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Whakaahua 1- Downtown Missoula with new student accommodation

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Whakaahua 2 - At Missoula Downtown Partnership office with Linda McCarthy

Destination Missoula

3.5 The delegation met with Barbara Neilan and Destination Missoula where we discussed the synergies between the two regions and shared information on several topics including destination management plans, funding and implementation. The issues and opportunities identified are similar and we will look to promote each other’s region.

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Whakaahua 3- Meeting with Barbara Neilan at Destination Missoula

Missoula Economic Partnership

3.6 The delegation met with Grant Kier, president and Chief Executive of the Missoula Economic Partnership, and most of the team at the Missoula Economic Partnership. Both Missoula Economic Partnership and CEDA have a similar function. However, CEDA also carries the function held by Destination Missoula and Missoula Economic Partnership has a role in social housing. Both organisations have a mixed funding model of Council and external funds. The clear messaging from the meeting was that the alignment of developers, investors, Council, and third-party interests is vitally important. CEDA will connect with the Missoula Economic Partnership and look to see what is workable in terms of aligned economic development initiatives, learnings, and what we can look to progress in terms of a commercial activity, including New Zealand Trade and Enterprise in the conversation.

Montana Chamber of Commerce & Tourism office

3.7 The delegation visited the Montana Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Office, which is based in Helena, the state capital of Montana since 1889. The purpose of the visit was to further broker the state view and exposure to New Zealand, Palmerston North, and the sister city relationship with Missoula. There was a brief presentation on Palmerston North – Manawatū and a discussion followed. This is a work in progress relationship and is not as well-cultured as the city to city relationship between Palmerston North and Missoula. Nonetheless, it is a worthwhile opportunity to keep the conversation going and explore any potential initiative along the way.

3.8 From there, the delegation went on to have a city tour on an open-air train. The tour showcased the cathedral, the Old Fire Tower, the opulent mansion district including the Governor’s homes and the downtown walking mall area. It was helpful to see the beautiful and historic Helena which in turn helped form a deeper understanding of its characteristics and its culture.

Whakaahua 4- Present to Montana Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Office

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Whakaahua 5 - Montana State Capitol Building

4. Education

GROW Cultural Competence Training observation at Jeannette Rankin Elementary School

4.1 The International Education and Relations Advisor observed Dr. Udo Fluck of Arts Missoula deliver the GROW Cultural Competence Training Programme to two third grade classes at Jeannette Rankin Elementary School. GROW – the Global Respect of Others in the World – outreach programme infuses the existing social studies curriculum with interactive, tailor-made seminars that offer cultural knowledge, content and perspectives to enable learners to be “global-ready”. GROW’s unique pedagogical approach, age-appropriateness, and engaging content creates a fun learning environment for students at the 3^rd, 7^th and 11^th grade level across Missoula. The GROW programme is the only educational K-12 outreach programme of its kind in the United States. A similar programme would be greatly beneficial to Palmerston North’s local students across all levels.

Meeting with Missoula College, University of Montana

4.2 The delegation visited Missoula College which is the junior college of the University of Montana and met with Tom Gallagher, Dean & Associate Provost for Workforce Development and Grace Gardner, Director of Academic Affairs. There was a robust discussion about many topics including student exchanges, internships, and staff exchanges. These are all under the same covenant of the partnership agreement between Massey University and University of Montana. The prospect of a co-qualification that is issued and acknowledged by both universities was mentioned.

4.3 As the vocational and technical education sector in Montana is undergoing the process of centralisation, Jerry Shearman from CEDA has linked them up with a former senior leadership team member of Te Pūkenga to understand the pros and cons of what Te Pūkenga has gone through.

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Whakaahua 6 - Meeting Tom Gallagher and Grace Gardner at Missoula College

Meeting with Missoula County Public Schools

4.4 The International Education and Relations Advisor and Dr. Udo Fluck visited the Missoula County Public Schools and met with the Superintendent and K-12 Academic and Community Services Director. They had a very fruitful discussion in which a 3-week cultural and education exchange was tentatively agreed. The intention is for students in Palmerston North and Missoula to exchange and homestay on a reciprocal basis to keep costs at a minimum. Students would attend classes, participate in extracurricular activities, visit tertiary providers, and live with a local family during the 3-week period. More information and curriculum mapping are required to determine the best age of participating students, timing, and how to provide/recognise credits while the students are studying abroad.

Meeting with the University of Montana

4.5 The delegation spent one whole day at the University of Montana. The schedule included a meeting with the Associate Professor Laurie Slovarp from the School of Speech, Language, Hearing and Occupational Sciences; a visit to the Payne Family Native American Center and their planetarium; a campus tour with the Global Engage Office; and a tour of the soon-to-be-completed Montana Museum of Arts and Culture. It was a great opportunity to share information and learn about opportunities for Indigenous exchanges and potential international students and staff exchanges.

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Whakaahua 7- Learning about Native American culture with Michelle Guzman at the Native American Center

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Whakaahua 8 - At the Payne Family's Native American Center, University of Montana

Whakaahua 9 - Campus tour with Donna Anderson, Executive Director of Global Engagement and Michelle Guzman at University of Montana

Whakaahua 10- Visit to the soon-to-be-completed Montana Museum of Arts & Culture at the University of Montana with Director/Professor Rafael Chacon

5. Indigenous connections

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Whakaahua 11- Prof Hone Morris welcomed by the local tribe

Visit to Salish Kootenai College

5.1 The delegation visited the Salish Kootenai College which is a private tribal land-grant community college in Pablo, Montana. It mainly serves the Bitterroot Salish, Kootenai, and Pend d’Oreilles tribes. Its mission is to provide quality post-secondary educational opportunities and support for Native Americans, locally and nationally, to achieve their academic and career goals.

Whakaahua 12 - Sculpture of Native American man from scrap car metal at Salish Kootenai College

5.2 The college has strong programmes in Health. Historically, cohorts of nursing students have chosen to undertake an overseas placement as part of their course. This overseas experience has been entirely student-led and arranged. Palmerston North can offer these nursing students placements with more pastoral support through UCOL Te Pūkenga and Massey University.

5.3 Salish Kootenai College has existing links with Massey University on Indigenous studies. During this visit, Associate Professor Hone Morris from Massey University gave a powerful presentation on his research into Indigenous languages, highlighting the tribal connections between the Native Americans and Māori.

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Whakaahua 13 - Meet with Tim Ryan, Chair of Culture & Language Studies at Salish Kootenai College

Meet with Indigenous Made Missoula

5.4 The delegation was greeted at the Payne Family’s Native American Centre by a staff member who gave a traditional song and welcome. They then met and received a presentation from Latisha Buck Elk Thunder and Dacia Red Thunder Griego, founders of Indigenous Made Missoula.

5.5 Indigenous Made Missoula is a social enterprise dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable space for Indigenous artists to express themselves through traditional and contemprary art and design. It was founded in response to a lack of resources and economic opportunities for indigenous artists in Missoula. Through their platform, Indigenous Made Missoula aims to bridge artists with opportunities, collaborations, and resources that support cultural preservation, economic growth, self-determination of indigenous communities and fostering sustainable development. They are proud to be led and owned by indigenous women who are deeply connected to the community and driven by a passion for empowering and uplifting indigenous creativity.

5.6 There is much to explore and connect Indigenous Made Missoula with Rangitāne and other Māori businesses in the space of indigenous business and indigenous women in leadership.

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Whakaahua 14: Meeting with founders of Indigenous Made Missoula June 2023

6. Sport & Cultural Connections

The Missoula Maggots Rugby Club

6.1 Established in the spring of 1976, the Missoula All Maggots Rugby Club is one of the top rugby teams in north-western United States. With its long connection with Palmerston North, New Zealand, the Maggots uniform is basic black with white collars, a colour scheme adopted from the All Blacks.

6.2 The Maggots play at the Maggot Rugby Park located in the southwest Missoula in the Fort Missoula Park complex with its full-sized pitch and views of the mountains. They recruit all skill levels and focus on developing rugby as a sport in K-12 schools. They also host the famous rugby tournament Maggotfest attended by clubs from all over the world, United States and Canada with a focus on both competition and the social aspects of rugby.

6.3 On 3 June, the Maggots welcomed the delegation with a rugby game at the Maggot Rugby Park and a special hāngī prepared at the clubhouse. It showcased how much the Maggots value their connections with New Zealand and with Palmerston North. During the story sharing and the gift presentation, there was a strong request for assistance with rugby coaching at all levels and interest in sport exchange programmes.

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Whakaahua 15- The 5th incarnation of the traditional Maggot Bus, the Missoula All-Maggots clubhouse on wheels

Visit to the Missoula Children’s Theatre

6.4 The Mayor-led delegation visited the Missoula Children’s Theatre on 5 June 2023 and was welcomed by Executive Director, Mike Morelli and International Tour Director, Terri Elander. The delegates were given a tour of the theatre and an insight into the United States’ largest touring children’s theatre.

6.5 The Mayor indicated a strong synergy between the Missoula Children’s Theatre and Palmerston North’s Centre Point Theatre. There is a potential opportunity for the Missoula Children’s Theatre’s tour team to send their “little red truck” to New Zealand to work with the team at Centre Point and local students in the Lower North Island.

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Whakaahua 16- Meeting with Mike Morelli and Teri Elander at the Missoula Children's Theatre

Tour of the new Public Library

6.6 Linda McCarthy, Executive Director of Downtown Missoula Partnership met with the delegation once again and gave the delegates a tour of the Missoula Public Library, which was named Public Library of the Year in 2022 by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

6.7 The new Missoula Public Library was officially opened to the public in 2021. It was designed by a local Montana A&E architecture firm, who is also responsible for the beautification of the new Missoula International Airport, and a Minneapolis based design company MSR. The new library boasts four elaborate levels with a luxurious rooftop lounge and many sponsored spaces. It hosts a great collection of books and media assets, stunning views, interactive educational spaces, ultra-comfortable chairs, and regular community events. The impressive building cost US$35 million with US$5 million being pledged. The donors are acknowledged on the prominent pledge wall at the entrance of the library.

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Whakaahua 17- Makerspace in the Missoula Public Library

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Whakaahua 18- Ample educational spaces in the new Missoula Public Library

7. City’s key partners: Arts Missoula & City Council

Arts Missoula Arts and Culture Awards Reception 2023

7.1 The delegates were honoured guests of Arts Missoula at the 2023 Arts and Culture Awards Reception where the 41-year sister city relationship between Missoula and Palmerston North was profiled. It was very meaningful to celebrate the importance of the arts by honouring those who have made significant contributions to the Missoula art community as well as to witness the first John Engen Cultural Ambassador award given to Tom Bensen, retired Executive Director of Arts Missoula. Furthermore, the evening was a fantastic engagement event where Palmerston North was featured in a raffle.

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Whakaahua 19- 2023 Arts Missoula Arts & Culture Awards Reception

7.2 Afterwards, the delegation attended the first Downtown Tonight as part of the Missoula 2023 summer event series in Caras Park. It is a great community gathering with live music and food trucks. It also helps to boost the local economy and promote locally made products with Missoula Makers Collective Market featuring 30 local artists each week.

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Whakaahua 20-" Downtown Tonight" at Caras Park

Unveiling of the Sister City Bench

7.3 On 4 June, Missoula Mayor Jordan Hess hosted a public ceremony in Caras Park to welcome Mayor Grant Smith and the full delegation to Missoula as well as to formally accept the 40^th anniversary taonga Rangiotu wahaika. The wahaika was commissioned by Palmerston North City Council to celebrate the 40 years of friendship between Missoula and Palmerston North and was ceremonially gifted to Missoula during the virtual commemoration in September 2022. Councillor Roly Fitzgerald presented the taonga to Mayor Hess and the people of Missoula.

7.4 The delegation was also welcomed by Aspen Decker, a Salish and Kootenai artist in the Salish language. Aspen gifted Palmerston North with one of her original ledger art pieces showcasing the Salish culture.

7.5 Another special item of the event was when Mayor Hess, on behalf of Missoula unveiled the Sister City Bench which was carved by the pony keepers at Missoula Carousel. The beautiful carvings on the bench cleverly combined common characteristics of both cities such as having a river running through it and showcased features of both cultures including the silver fern, Palmerston North coat of arms, and the grizzly bear. The Sister City Bench will be placed in Caras Park where the Missoula community can access and enjoy it while learning about the 40 years connection Missoula has with Palmerston North.

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Whakaahua 21- Unveiling Sister City Bench June 2023

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Whakaahua 22- Exchange of city taonga June 2023

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Whakaahua 23- Delegation singing Te Aroha to the Missoula public

7.6 The event was well attended by guests and the public. It was followed by a Mayoral welcome dinner for the delegation which was also a networking event with other Missoula city leaders.

Meeting with the Missoula City Council

7.7 For the very first time, a Palmerston North delegation was welcomed at the Missoula Council Chamber and met with city councillors. The delegates enjoyed a coffee breakfast with almost all of Missoula councillors, some city officers, and two news reporters. Councillor Fitzgerald opened with a karakia. Mayor Grant Smith and CEDA CEO Jerry Shearman presented on the sister city link and the economic basis for our economy. The discussion was around how we can move to add value to the strong people-to-people diplomacy the sister city brings to activating some commercial opportunities including tourism and starting with investigating some small exchanges of regional products. This meeting signifies the deepening of the friendship between Missoula and Palmerston North as well as ensures the sustainability of the connections going forward.

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Whakaahua 24- Mayor Grant Smith presented a city present to Gwen Jones, President of Missoula City Council

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Whakaahua 25- Meet with Missoula City Councillors

Visit to Missoula Water Treatment Plant

7.8 The delegation had a meeting at the Missoula Water Treatment Plant and robust discussion around their Mullan Build Project with City Engineer Kevin Slovarp along with other key staff members of Missoula Water. There was relevant learnings and IP sharing with the upcoming upgrades of the water treatment plant in Palmerston North.

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Whakaahua 26- Exchange learnings and knowledge with Missoula Water

International Voices podcast July 2023

7.9 Five members of the delegation were invited to The Trail Studio to talk about the visit to Missoula commemorating the 40^th anniversary celebration and how sister cities benefit not only local government, but also deliver many advantages to the academic, economic, and tourism sectors. The recording was broadcast as the July release of the International Voices podcast by Arts Missoula Global (Listen Here)^{^[5]}.

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Whakaahua 27- At The Trail recording studio

8. THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Official meeting at the New Zealand Embassy to the Netherlands in The Hague

8.1 Due to other important commitments, Wageningen Mayor Floor Vermeulen could not welcome the delegation in Wageningen on Friday 9 June 2023. However, it was proposed that the two cities’ delegations should meet at the New Zealand Embassy in the Hague.

8.2 On the day of arrival, Her Excellency Ambassador Susannah Gordon and New Zealand embassy staff welcomed the Palmerston North Mayoral delegation, the Wageningen Mayoral delegation and representatives from Wageningen University and Research and Massey University. It was a very positive two-hour meeting followed by networking. The main discussion was how we could continue to grow the links between the two cities, supporting the strategic partnership between the two universities. It was concluded that Palmerston North and Wageningen will work together to build a collaborative alliance of university cities with the purpose to share research and exchange knowledge in the areas like campus enhancement, student housing, climate action, renewable energy and sustainable development.

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Whakaahua 28- Meet with Wageningen Mayor Floor Vermeulen, HE Ambassador Susannah Gordon, and embassy staff in The Hague

8.3 Discussion around the 2024 Boma E Tipu Agri Summit was prominent in the general idea of a small cluster of Agri-universities potentially involved. There were also discussions relating to keeping Te Utanganui, Central New Zealand Distribution Hub on the radar given the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands is the largest seaport in Europe and the world’s largest seaport outside of East Asia. It is important to have the city’s partners aware of Palmerston North’s key developments given a good number of logistics and distribution players are headquartered in the Netherlands.

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Whakaahua 29- Mayoral exchanges of gifts June 2023

Visit to Wageningen City Hall

8.4 Following the productive meeting in the Hague on Friday 9 June 2023, International Relations Manager Gabrielle Loga and Massey University’s Professor Chris Anderson were invited to visit the Wageningen City Hall on Monday 12 June 2023.

8.5 They were given a tour of the new city hall and given a crash course on the structure of local government in Wageningen and in the Netherlands in general. They visited Mayor Vermeulen’s office and got introduced to the Wageningen Board of mayor and aldermen as the municipal executives met to discuss issues around city parking and transport. They were then given a presentation on Wageningen’s Roadmap to Climate Neutrality by Climate Policy and Sustainability Policy Officer Robin Smale. The presentation reflected an ambitious plan for Wageningen to be climate neutral by 2030-2040 and highlighted many similar challenges that Palmerston North faces.

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Whakaahua 30- Wagengingen City Centre

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Whakaahua 31- Wageningen Climate Neutrality Roadmap 2030-2040

9. NEXT STEPS

MISSOULA, MONTANA, USA

Economic connections

9.1 Share insight of the Missoula Downtown development with relevant stakeholders and discuss with PalmyBID on ideas for Missoula Day 2023.

9.2 Link up relevant organisations in both cities to share learnings, best practices, and promote each other’s regions.

9.3 Connect Missoula and Palmerston North airport companies to share learnings and exchange best practices from their recent airport development.

9.4 Connect with local companies in Palmerston North to identify appropriate products and arrange for a consolidated consignment to Missoula.

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Whakaahua 32- With the team at Worden's Market & Deli, the only specialty wine store in Missoula 2023

Education connections

9.5 Invite Dr. Udo Fluck to Palmerston North to deliver the GROW programme to our local schools and guest lecture at our tertiary providers.

9.6 Discuss with relevant stakeholders to invite nursing students from Salish Kootenai College to consider Palmerston North as a viable placement option for their course.

9.7 Discuss with International Education Manawatū (IEM) about establishing a cultural immersion and education exchange agreement with Missoula County Public Schools.

Indigenous connections

9.8 Explore the viability of Indigenous exchange for students and staff at Te Putahi a Toi, Massey University and the Native American Centre.

9.9 Explore the viability of bringing Massey’s Toioho ki Āpiti exhibition, which showcases the work of Massey University students from the Bachelor of Māori Visual Arts programme, to Missoula

9.10 Connect Indigenous Made Missoula with Māori businesses that promote Māori arts and culture as well as the role of Indigenous women in leadership

Sport and Cultural connections

9.11 Connect the Missoula All Maggots Rugby Club to the local Manwatū rugby community to explore the opportunity for sport exchanges with them

9.12 Discuss with CentrePoint theatre the possibility of bringing the Missoula Children’s Theatre tour to New Zealand

9.13 Link Rob Tapper, Director of the University of Montana Jazz Programme with Roger Fox from Manawatū International Jazz Festival to discuss potentially visiting Jazz Ensemble in the near future.

City-to-city connection

9.14 Continue to cultivate deeper friendship with Arts Missoula Global and Missoula City Council

9.15 Link up Missoula Water with Palmerston North water management team to exchange ideas and share learnings

WAGENINGEN, THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

9.16 Wageningen and Palmerston North released a joint Statement of Intent (included as attachment 2) to cooperate on creating a network of university cities that could work together on solutions for the tertiary sector and on wider issues faced by cities around the world.

9.17 A virtual meeting has been set up between Mayor Vermeulen, Mayor Smith, representatives from Wageningen University and Research, Massey University and city officers on 20 September 2023. Mayor Vermeulen will present his draft proposal on the university city alliance.

10. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual		Yes
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 1: An Innovative and Growing City
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Economic Development The actions are: - Promote Palmerston North’s interests to global city partners - Facilitate international economic and education partnerships
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The Innovative and Growing City Strategy includes the following: The 2023 overseas mission to Missoula, USA and Wageningen, the Netherlands helps to promote the city’s international reputation, deepens existing partnerships, explores and enhances potential collaboration in education, business and investment, and sustainable development.

Attachments

1.	Final Itinerary - June 2023 Overseas Mission ⇩
2.	Joint Statement of Intent-PNCC-Wageningen-June 2023 ⇩

Committee Work Schedule

TO: Economic Growth Committee

MEETING DATE: 30 August 2023

TITLE: Work Schedule - August 2023

RECOMMENDATION TO Economic Growth Committee

1. That the Economic Growth Committee receive its Work Schedule dated August 2023.

Committee Work Schedule 2023/2024

	Estimated Report Date	Subject	Officer Responsible	Current Position	Date of Instruction & Clause no.
1	~~30 Aug~~ 25 Oct 2023	Road Maintenance Contract (six-monthly report on work programme and performance)	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Delayed due to staff resources.	16 March 2022 Clause 4-22
2	~~30 Aug 2023~~	~~Quarter 4 Economic Report April-June 2023~~	~~Chief Planning Officer~~		~~Terms of Reference~~
3	25 Oct 2023	PN Airport – Annual Report for 2022/23	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
4	25 Oct 2023	CEDA – Annual Report for 2022/23	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
5	25 Oct 2023	PN Airport –Statement of Expectation for 2024/25	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
6	25 Oct 2023	Streets for People Update (6 monthly)	Chief Infrastructure Officer		Terms of Reference
7	25 Oct 2023	International Relations and Education Activities – 6 month update	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
9	~~25 Oct 2023~~ Early 2024	Vogel Street Safety improvements – community feedback and analysis.	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Delayed due to staff resources.	12 April 2023 Clause 14-23
10	6 Dec 2023	Quarter 1 Economic Report July-Sept 2023	Chief Planning Officer	Present to Council	Terms of Reference
11	6 Dec 2023	Tamakuku Terrace Six Monthly Update	Chief Infrastructure Officer	Present to Council	Terms of Reference
13	April 2024	CEDA – Six Month Report and draft SOI	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
14	April 2024	PN Airport – Six Month Report and draft SOI	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
15	April 2024	International Relations and Education Activities – 6 month update	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
16	April 2024	Quarter 2 Economic Report Jan-March 2023	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
17	June 2024	Streets for People Update (6 monthly)	Chief Infrastructure Officer		Terms of Reference
18	June 2024	Quarter 3 Economic Report Jan-March 2023	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
19	June 2024	Tamakuku Terrace Update (6 monthly)	Chief Infrastructure Officer		Terms of Reference
20	June 2024	PNAL - Final Statement of Intent for 2024-27	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
21	June 2024	CEDA - Final Statement of Intent for 2024-27	Chief Planning Officer		Terms of Reference
22	~~August 2023~~	Sector Profiles: Construction (full and summary) Agriculture (full and summary) Manufacturing (full and summary) Education (full and summary) Defence (summary) Non-Profit (summary) Research, Science & Innovation (full and summary)	~~Chief Planning Officer~~	~~Future of sector profiles to be reported back to committee~~

[2] Real increase refers to the increase in spending over and above the rate of inflation.

[3] Other consumer spending includes car retailing, motorcycle retailing, trailer and other motor vehicle retailing, and retail commission based buying and selling.

[4] Government includes central government investment in addition to the function of Ministries to provide for the needs of the city such as labour market development and public housing needs etc.

[5] https://internationalvoicesudofluck.transistor.fm/episodes/july-2023-delegation-members-from-missoula-s-sister-city-palmerston-north-new-zealand-talk-about-the-many-benefits-twinned-cities-bring-to-their-communities

Leonie Hapeta (Chair)
William Wood (Deputy Chair)
Grant Smith (The Mayor)
Mark Arnott	Lorna Johnson
Brent Barrett	Debi Marshall-Lobb
Rachel Bowen	Billy Meehan
Vaughan Dennison	Orphée Mickalad
Roly Fitzgerald