Agenda of Strategy & Finance Committee - Wednesday, 21 February 2024

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Strategy & Finance Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 15 November 2023, commencing at 9.03am

Members

Present:

Councillor Vaughan Dennison (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood and Kaydee Zabelin.

Non Members:

Councillors Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.

Apologies:

Councillor Lew Findlay; Councillor Lorna Johnson (late arrival).

Councillor Lorna Johnson entered the meeting at 9.07am during consideration of clause 65. She was not present for clause 64.

Councillor William Wood left the meeting at 11.47am during consideration of clause 69. He was present when the meeting resumed at 1.02pm. He was not present for clauses 69.2 and 70.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad was not present when the meeting resumed at 1.02pm. He entered the meeting again at 1.17pm. He was present for all clauses.

	Karakia Timatanga
	Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb opened the meeting with karakia.

64-23

Apologies

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 64-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

Declarations of Interest

Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb declared a conflict of interest in item 17 (clause 76): 119 Highbury Avenue (part of Tui Park) - Proposal to grant a lease on Council land to Te Whatu Raranga o Highbury Weavers.

Councillor Billy Meehan declared a conflict of interest in Item 16 (clause 75): 154 Centennial Drive - Proposal to continue supporting the Palmerston North Canoe Club Incorporated by notifying the intention to grant occupancy via a commercial lease of Council land and building.

65-23

Confirmation of Minutes

Councillor Lorna Johnson entered the meeting at 9.07am.

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the minutes of the Strategy & Finance Committee meeting of 20 September 2023 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Clause 65-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, with 1 abstention, the voting being as follows:

For:

Abstained:

Councillor Lorna Johnson.

66-23

Quarterly Performance and Financial Report - Period Ending 30 September 2023

Memorandum, presented by Scott Mancer, Finance Manager and Andrew Boyle, Head of Community Planning.

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Quarterly Performance and Financial Report – Period Ending 30 September 2023’, and related attachments, presented on 15 November 2023.

Clause 66-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.

67-23

Treasury Report - quarter ending 30 September 2023

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee note the performance of Council’s treasury activity for the quarter ending 30 September 2023.

Clause 67-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

68-23

Panako Park - Decision on Reserve Classification and Future of the Girl Guiding New Zealand Hall

Report, presented by Aaron Phillips, Activity Manager - Parks.

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

1. That Council note, but set aside, the objections to the classification of Panako Park for the following reasons:

a. The matters of noise, safety, parking and alcohol consumption will be managed through lease provisions or physical road treatments.

b. There are overall community benefits from making the land available to a broader range of community uses.

2. That Council approve the classification of Panako Park, being Lots 1 and 2 DP 29836 contained in Certificate of Title WN9B/622, as Local Purpose (Community) Reserve, under delegation from the Minster of Conservation under Section 16(1) of the Reserves Act 1977.

3. That Council adopt Option 1A - ‘Proceed with classifying Panako Park as Local Purpose (Community) Reserve and purchase the Girl Guiding hall’ and approve unbudgeted capital expenditure of $45,000 in 2023/24 to purchase the Panako Park hall from Girl Guiding New Zealand and undertake repairs and maintenance, including removal of the derelict shed.

4. That Council approve the lease of the hall and land to Girl Guiding New Zealand on a temporary, month to month basis until the Awapuni Library and Community Hub proposed developments are determined.

5. That Council note, if the proposed Awapuni Library and Community Hub development does not proceed and/or require use of Panako Park, the Chief Executive will pursue options to sell the Panako Park hall to a community group and report back to Council on the associated land lease under the provisions of the Reserves Act 1977.

Clause 68-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting adjourned at 10.35am.
The meeting resumed at 10.49am.

69-23	Waterloo Park – Land Exchange Proposal Decision Report, presented by Aaron Phillips, Activity Manager - Parks. Councillor William Wood left the meeting at 11.47am. After discussion Elected Members chose to decline the land exchange, as this addressed the majority of community views submitted during the consultation process. This would allow for the enhancement of the space by way of a community orchard or similar and would provide an additional river entrance at a cost of $161,000 maximum.
	Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Brent Barrett. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 1. That Council decline the land exchange and develop the existing reserve as an accessway/community orchard.
	Clause 69.1-23 above was carried 10 votes to 2, with 1 abstention, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan. Against: Councillors Vaughan Dennison and Karen Naylor. Abstained: Councillor Orphée Mickalad.
	Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor. 2. That Council note that regardless of the decision on the exchange, a budget for additional car parking and a path connecting the new river entrance to the existing Manawatū River Shared Path has been forwarded to the draft 2024/34 Ten Year Plan.
	Clause 69.2-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.
*Not adopted by Council on 18 December 2023* *Clause 220.2-23*
	Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.
	Note: On a motion: “1. That Council note, but sets aside, the objections to the exchange of part of Waterloo Park for the following reasons: a. The matters of privacy, traffic, flooding and contamination will be dealt with through the plan change process. b. The green space provision in the area is significant. c. There is an alternative space for the establishment of a community orchard in Waterloo Park. d. There is no loss of green space as the area of reserve received in the exchange will be equal in size to the existing reserve and carparking will not be established on the land received in the exchange. e. The land received in the exchange would have a wider community benefit than retaining the existing strip of Waterloo Park. 2. That Council approve an application to the Minister of Conservation to exchange 1,300m² of Waterloo Park, being part of Part Lot 44 DP 22620 held in title WN8C/884, for new reserve land in the Roxburgh Crescent area. 3. That Council note that the exchange would only be given effect if the Minister’s approval is received and the rezoning of the Roxburgh Crescent area is approved.” the motion was lost 5 votes to 8, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Karen Naylor, Patrick Handcock and Debi Marshall-Lobb. Against: Councillors Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin and Billy Meehan.

70-23

2023 Housing and Business Development Capacity Assessment

Memorandum, presented by Tara Lennard, Planner and Sam Dowse, Senior Planner.

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

1. That Council adopt the ‘2023 Palmerston North Housing and Business Development Capacity Assessment’ presented to Council on 15 November 2023, included as Attachment 1 of this memorandum, and make it publicly available.

2. That Council adopt the housing bottom lines in the 2023 Palmerston North Housing and Business Development Capacity Assessment, and insert these into Section 1 of the Palmerston North District Plan.

Clause 70-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.

The meeting adjourned at 11.59am.
The meeting resumed at 1.02pm.

Councillor William Wood was present when the meeting resumed.
Councillor Orphée Mickalad was not present when the meeting resumed.

71-23

Indicator framework for the Long Term Plan 2024-2034

Memorandum, presented by Kian Lee, Policy Analyst and Julie Macdonald, Strategy & Policy Manager.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad entered the meeting at 1.17pm.

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Lorna Johnson.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the report be laid on the table and referred to the Council meeting of 6 December 2023.

Clause 71-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

72-23	Procurement Policy Memorandum, presented by Paul Hollis, Procurement Manager. For the purposes of clarity, and to allow for flexibility, Elected Members requested the wording change detailed in recommendation 3.
	Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 1. That Council adopt the Procurement Policy (Attachment 1), noting that the Delegations Manual will need to be updated to reflect the new procurement principles. 2. That Council rescind the Local Impact Procurement Policy.
	Clauses 72.1-23 and 72.2-23 above were carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.
	Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Lorna Johnson. 3. For the Fostering Local Business and Upholding Te Tiriti Principles of the Procurement Policy, replace the word ‘include’ with the words ‘consider including’ in the ‘How Can We Achieve This’ section.
	Clause 72.3-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.

73-23

Opie Reserve - Proposal to support Te Kōhanga Reo O Ngāti Hineaute Ki Rangitaane O Manawatū Trust by notifying the intention to grant community occupancy via a lease of Council land

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee support Te Kōhanga Reo O Ngāti Hineaute Ki Rangitaane O Manawatū Trust by notifying the intention to grant community occupancy via a lease at Opie Reserve and part of Tui Park, Palmerston North, in accordance with the Support and Funding Policy 2022 and Section 54 of the Reserves Act 1977.

2. That the Committee note the land affected by the community occupancy lease to Te Kōhanga Reo O Ngāti Hineaute Ki Rangitaane O Manawatū Trust is described as Lot 81 DP 24258 and Sec 1 SO 452061.

Clause 73-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

74-23

21 Havelock Avenue (part of Bill Brown Park) - Proposal to support Papaioea Pasifika Community Trust by notifying the intention to grant a Licence Agreement of Council land

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee notify the public of its intention to support a proposed community garden activity to be coordinated by Papaioea Pasifika Community Trust in addition to their existing activities at 21 Havelock Avenue (part of Bill Brown Park), Palmerston North. This will be in accordance with the Support and Funding Policy 2022 and Section 54 of the Reserves Act 1977.

2. That the Committee note the land affected by the Licence Agreement to Papaioea Pasifika Community Trust is described as Lot 1 DP 40097.

Clause 74-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

75-23

154 Centennial Drive - Proposal to continue supporting the Palmerston North Canoe Club Incorporated by notifying the intention to grant occupancy via a commercial lease of Council land and building

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee propose to continue to support Palmerston North Canoe Club Incorporated by notifying the public of its intention to grant occupancy of Council land and building at 154 Centennial Drive, Palmerston North, in accordance with Section 54 of the Reserves Act 1977.

2. That the Committee note that the land affected by the occupancy of Palmerston North Canoe Club Incorporated is described as Part Lot 3 DP 1332.

Clause 75-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Note:
Councillor Billy Meehan declared a conflict of interest, withdrew from the discussion and sat in the gallery.

76-23

119 Highbury Avenue (part of Tui Park) - Proposal to grant a lease on Council land to Te Whatu Raranga o Highbury Weavers

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee grant a lease of the land and part building at 119 Highbury Avenue (part of Tui Park), Palmerston North described as Sec 1 SO 452061 to Te Whatu Raranga o Highbury Weavers, in accordance with Council’s Support and Funding Policy and Section 54 of the Reserves Act 1997.

Clause 76-23 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Note:
Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb declared a conflict of interest, withdrew from the discussion and sat in the gallery.

77-23

279 Albert Street (part of Hokowhitu Domain) - Proposal to grant a lease to Hokowhitu Bowling Club Incorporated

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee grant a lease of the land at 279 Albert Street (part of Hokowhitu Domain), Palmerston North described as Lot 18 DP 32630, and part of Lots 214, 215, 216, and 217 DP 791 to Hokowhitu Bowling Club Incorporated, in accordance with Council’s Support and Funding Policy and Section 54 of the Reserves Act 1977.

2. That the new lease to Hokowhitu Bowling Club Incorporated have an initial term of five (5) years with a right of renewal for a further five (5) years.

Clause 77-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

78-23

309 Main Street - Proposal to grant a lease on Council land to Senior Citizens Association Palmerston North Incorporated

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee grant a lease of the land at 309 Main Street, Palmerston North described as Lot 2 DP 40465 to Senior Citizens Association Palmerston North Incorporated, in accordance with Support and Funding Policy 2022.

Clause 78-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

79-23

Vautier Park - Proposal to grant a lease on Council land to Netball Manawatū Centre Incorporated

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee grant a lease of the land and part building at Vautier Park, Palmerston North described as Part Section 248 TN of Palmerston North WN 16B/1168 to Netball Manawatū Centre Incorporated, in accordance with Council’s Support and Funding Policy and Section 54 of the Reserves Act 1977.

Clause 79-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

80-23

Pioneer Reserve - Proposal to grant an easement on Council land to Powerco Limited

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

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

1. That Council grant an easement to convey electricity to Powerco.

2. That Council note that the requirements of Sections 119 and 120 of the Reserves Act 1977 have been satisfied in relation to public notification prior to the resolution to grant an easement to convey electricity over Pioneer Reserve.

Clause 80-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Amended by Council on 18 December 2023

Clause 220.1-23

81-23

Committee Work Schedule

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Strategy & Finance Committee receive its Work Schedule dated November 2023.

Clause 81-23 above was carried 13 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Deferral of item to the next Council meeting

The Chair advised the following item on the Agenda would be deferred to the Council meeting to be held on 6 December 2023:

· Deliberations on submissions - draft Interim Speed Management Plan (School Speed Limits)

	Karakia Whakamutunga
	Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb closed the meeting with karakia.

The meeting finished at 2.13pm.

Confirmed 21 February 2024

Chair

A white background with black text

Description automatically generated

Memorandum

TO: Strategy & Finance Committee

MEETING DATE: 21 February 2024

TITLE: Treasury Report - quarter ending 31 December 2023

Presented By: Steve Paterson, Strategy Manager - Finance

APPROVED BY: Cameron McKay, Chief Financial Officer

RECOMMENDATION TO COMMITTEE

1. That the Committee note the performance of Council’s treasury activity for the quarter ending 31 December 2023.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO COUNCIL

2. That Council note that at its meeting on 14 June 2023 it authorised the Chief Executive to borrow up to $37 million of additional term debt to fund the approved 2023/24 annual budget.

3. That to reflect the subsequent resolutions approving additional expenditure Council increase the authorisation to the Chief Executive to borrow, in accordance with delegated authority, up to $47 million (“the Borrowing”) of additional term debt by way of bank loan or loans or credit facilities or other facilities or the issue of stock for the Borrowing secured by the Debenture Trust Deed.

1. ISSUE

1.1 To provide an update on the Council’s treasury activity for the quarter ending 31 December 2023.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 The Council’s Annual Budget 2023/24 forecast additional debt requirements of $36.2m would need to be raised during the year to fund the $65.4m of new capital expenditure programmes (including assumed carry forwards from 2022/23). In June 2023 the Council resolved to specifically authorise the raising of up to $37m of additional debt.

2.2 Since then there have been a number of resolutions approving additional expenditure that will be funded from debt. Some of these have resolutions specifically approving increased debt, others do not (see clause 3.6 below).

2.3 Council’s Financial Strategy (updated version adopted 7 July 2021) contains the following ratios which the Council has determined to be prudent maxima:

· Net debt as a percentage of total assets not exceeding 20%

· Net debt as a percentage of total revenue not exceeding 200%

· Net interest as a percentage of total revenue not exceeding 15%

· Net interest as a percentage of annual rates income not exceeding 20%

2.4 The Treasury Policy (embracing the Liability Management and Investment Policy), adopted by the Council in August 2020, also contains a number of other criteria regarding debt management.

3. PERFORMANCE

3.1 Following the annual review published on 4 May 2023 Council’s S&P Global Rating’s credit rating remained unchanged at AA / A-1+.

3.2 Schedule 1 attached shows the details of Council’s debt as at 31 December 2023. Debt levels were within the policy parameters outlined in section 2 of this report.

3.3 The summarised term debt movements are shown in the following table:

Annual Budget for year (2023/24)

$000

Actual – 3 months (2023/24)

$000

Actual – 6 months (2023/24)

$000

Debt Balance at 1 July 2023

Plus New Debt #

Less Debt repayments #

220,000

36,193

220,228

33,077

(3,200)

220,228

58,077

(8,100)

Closing Gross Debt Balance

Comprising:

Bank advance (on call)

LGFA stock

256,193

250,105

4,900

245,205

270,205

270,025

Less:

Deposits held for debt repayment

Sum advanced to PN Airport Ltd

(5,000)

(19,500)

(8,000)

(19,500)

(8,000)

Net Council related term debt

$251,193

$222,605

$242,705

# A portion of the Council’s debt is drawn on a daily basis – daily drawdowns and repayments are not included in these figures but the net draw or repayment for the year to date is shown as part of new debt or debt repayment as appropriate.

3.4 Gross debt at 31 December 2023 was $270.2m compared with $220.2m at 1 July 2023.

3.5 The debt raised in the 6 months to 31 December is explained further in the following table:

	Position as at 1 July 2023 $m	Position as 31 December 2023 $m	Change YTD $m
Gross debt Less portion relating to PNAL	220.2 (5.0)	270.2 (8.0)	50.0 (3.0)
Gross debt relating to Council Less term deposit held to repay maturing debt	215.2 0	262.2 (19.5)	47.0 (19.5)
Net Council related debt	215.0	242.7	27.5

This shows net additional term debt of $27.5m was raised during the 6 months. This compares with the authorised total sum for the year of $37m mentioned in clause 2.1.

3.6 Although some of the Council resolutions approving additional expenditure have specifically referred to the need to authorise additional debt they have not all done so.

To ensure the Council has funds available when required it is necessary to confirm the Chief Executive has the authority required. It is recommended the Chief Executive’s delegation be increased by $10m to $47m.

3.7 A 10-year history of the gross & net debt is shown in the following graph:

3.8 Actual finance costs incurred by the Council depend on the actual debt levels and the interest rate. During the 6 months finance costs (including interest, line fees and the effects of payments relating to swaps) amounted to $5.59m compared with the budget for the year of $9.9m.

3.9 $472k of this expense relates to $20m raised on 14 August 2023 to prefund debt maturing on 17 April 2024. This was offset by unbudgeted interest income of $494k received from short term investment of $19.5m. A further $169k of this expense relates to the $8m of loans raised on behalf of Palmerston North Airport Limited (PNAL) and this was offset by $171k received from PNAL for the advance.

3.10 The effective weighted average interest rate for the year to date was 4.5% compared with the budgetary assumption of 4.2%.

3.11 The Council has entered financial instruments related to its debt portfolio utilising swap trading lines established with Westpac, ANZ and BNZ. The details of these are shown in Schedule 2 attached.

The value of these instruments is measured in terms of its ‘mark-to-market’, i.e. the difference between the value at which the interest rate was fixed and the current market value of the transaction. Each of these transactions was valued at the date they were fixed and again at the reporting date. Financial reporting standards require the movement in values to be recorded through the Council’s Statement of Comprehensive Income (Profit & Loss Account). They have been revalued as at 31 December 2023. The latest valuation is an asset of $8.9m compared with an asset of $11.7m as at 30 June 2023.

3.12 The Council’s Treasury Policy contains guidelines regarding the measurement of treasury risk as follows:

· Funding and liquidity risk is managed by the Council maintaining a pre-set portion of its debt in a range of maturity periods, e.g. < 3 years, 3 - 7 years, 7 years +.

· Interest rate risk is managed by the Council maintaining the ratio of debt that is subject to floating versus fixed interest rates within pre-set limits.

3.13 The position compared to the policy is illustrated in the graphs in Schedule 3 attached.

3.14 The funding and liquidity risk position can be summarised as follows:

· Council’s liquid position complies with policy.

· Since 30 June 2023 $55m of term debt has been raised and $8.1m of bank debt has been repaid. In addition, $3.1m was raised on behalf of PNAL and $3m on-lent to them.

3.15 The interest rate risk position describes the portion of the overall forecast debt that is fixed versus floating and can be summarised as follows:

· There is significant uncertainty about forecast levels of future debt – this very much depends on a number of factors including future Council decisions on the proposed capital expenditure programme and Government decisions on the future structure of the provision of three waters. This means it has been prudent to consider various debt scenarios (including one that excludes waters related debt) when assessing interest rate risk exposure.

· Because the future debt levels are so uncertain our risk management strategy has been to use the forecast debt figures from 2021-31 Long-Term Plan, as updated through the 2022/23 & 2023/24 Annual Budgets but reduce them by 30%. This reduction is a mechanism to ensure the Council’s portfolio does not become over-hedged.

· More recently the Council has been considering its debt forecasts for the draft of the Long-term Plan. It the light of this the debt forecasts currently assume the debt will not exceed LGFA’s 280% debt/revenue ratio limit and the interest rate risk position is being managed within this framework.

3.16 The Treasury Policy also contains requirements in relation to counterparty credit risk – this relates to investments and financial risk management instruments.

The position as at 31 December 2023 is shown in Schedule 4 attached.

3.17 The schedule shows that the short term BNZ investment of $19.5m (in place to fund maturing debt in April 2024) exceeds the policy sub-limit of $15m. The investment was entered because of the favourable interest rate obtained. As the Council has only a small BNZ exposure for derivatives the total exposure to the bank does not exceed the total limit. It is proposed to remove the sub-limits when the policy is next reviewed as they are, on reflection, of no particular value.

Council’s credit lines with the banks include a $18m three-year credit facility with Westpac Bank (maturing 31 October 2025) and a revolving $25m three-year facility with ANZ Bank (maturing 31 March 2026).

4. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS

4.1 Gross finance costs for the quarter (including interest, line fees and the effect of swaps) was $5.59m compared with budget for the year of $9.9m. The net finance cost (after considering the interest income from term investments and the advance to Palmerston North Airport Ltd) is $4.65m.

4.2 In conjunction with Council’s treasury advisors hedging instruments are regularly reviewed in an effort to ensure the instruments are being utilised to best advantage as market conditions change. The level of hedging cover is also reviewed as the forecasts of future debt levels are revised.

4.3 Council’s borrowing strategy is continually reviewed, in conjunction with Council’s treasury advisors, to ensure best advantage is taken of Council’s quality credit rating.

4.4 A further performance report will be provided after the March 2024 quarter.

5. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?		No
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 5: A Driven & Enabling Council
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Managing the Council’s treasury activity is a fundamental component of day to day administration of the Council.

Attachments

Schedules 1 to 4 ⇩

A white background with black text

Description automatically generated

Memorandum

TO: Strategy & Finance Committee

MEETING DATE: 21 February 2024

TITLE: Elected Member Expenditure 2022/23

Presented By: Scott Mancer, Finance Manager

APPROVED BY: Cameron McKay, Chief Financial Officer

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Strategy & Finance Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Elected Member Expenditure 2022/2023’, presented to the Strategy & Finance Committee on 21 February 2024.

1. ISSUE

1.1 This report is presented annually in accordance with the Elected Member Expenses Policy. Section 10 states: Reporting of Expenses: All expenses (including the cost of taxis) claimed by Elected Members are to be reported annually to the Strategy & Finance Committee (or equivalent committee). This will include all discretionary expenditure of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor, including credit card expenses.

1.2 This report covers the financial year from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 At its meeting of 16 November 2022, Council gave delegation to the Chairperson of the Strategy & Finance Committee or the Chair of Risk & Assurance Committee to approve expenses, including credit card transactions incurred by the Mayor. Credit card expenses are approved retrospectively.

2.2 Furthermore, the expenditure reported here is subject to audit undertaken by Audit NZ through the audit of the annual report. Their scope includes reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency, and testing for a lack of probity or financial prudence. Findings are then reported to the Risk & Assurance Committee. These findings are due to be presented to committee on 6 March 2024. There are no findings in relation to sensitive expenditure, or internal controls in relation to items contained within this report.

2.3 This report, therefore, adds a level of good practice by providing a summary of the expenses of the Mayor and Deputy Mayor to the Strategy & Finance Committee in a regular and timely manner.

3. EXPENDITURE

3.1 In Table 1 below is a summary of relevant expenditure from the Mayoral Office, Mayor’s Discretionary, Mayor’s Relief Fund and Elected Member Support. The Mayoral Office budget includes items for Citizenship Ceremonies and Civic Awards. The summary presents only the controllable expenditure for these budget lines for the 2022/23 financial year.

3.2 Uncontrollable expenditure includes overheads and internal staff time.

3.3 Table 1 includes expenditure from Tables 2 & 3. It also includes only some expenditure from Tables 4 & 5, as some expenditure is covered from other budgets such as Governance, Events or International Relations when Elected Members are on official Council business.

3.4 Even though expenditure items are over budget in Tables 2 & 3, overall expenditure has remained under budget. Overall total controllable expenditure was $145k versus a budget of $160k for the year.

3.5 The comparative figures for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years in Table 1 below have been restated. This has been due to an inconsistency in applying of the filters for ‘controllable’ expenditure. In error, Internal Expenditure was accidentally included in previous reports. The correct figures are presented below.

Table 1: Comparative totals for the previous three financial years

Financial year	Total controllable expenditure	Budget
2020/21	128,272	143,405
2021/22	90,685	156,216
2022/23	145,142	160,125

Table 2: Mayor’s Office budgets (sensitive expenditure only)

	22/23 Actual	22/23 Budget	21/22 Actual
Hospitality	22,451	23,880	17,949
Training	6,650	8,460	4,300
Travel and Accommodation	27,595	22,860	6,362
Gifts	6,490	Not separately budgeted	5,884
Taxi Charges	3,597	Not separately budgeted	-
SUB - TOTAL	$66,784	$55,200	$34,495
Other Expenses*	78,358	104,925	56,190
GRAND TOTAL	$145,142	$160,125	$90,685

* Other Expenses includes items related to the running of the Mayor’s Office activity and covers expenditure items like consultancy, media support, venue hire (Citizenship/Civic Awards/Duke of Ed. Awards, etc.) as well as discretionary fund grants and donations

Table 3: Discretionary Fund budgets (Mayor)

	22/23 Actual	22/23 Budget	21/22 Actual
Mayoral Discretionary Fund	16,458	11,076	11,223
Mayoral Relief Fund	8,292	4,940	4,931
(Donations received)	(3,352)	-	(8,732)
TOTAL	$21,398	$16,016	$7,422

4. Sensitive expenditure

4.1 Tables 4 & 5 provide a summary of the sensitive expenditure as the policy for both non-credit card and credit card transactions respectively.

Table 4: Sensitive expenditure (by Mayor, Deputy Mayor) excluding credit card transactions

	GRANT SMITH	ALEISHA RUTHERFORD [to Oct 2022]	DEBI MARSHALL-LOBB [from Oct 2022]
Hospitality	19,218	15	-
Travel and accommodation	27,435	83	-
Training	4,650	-	550
Gifts	5,796	-	-
Internet	25	438	-
Taxi Charges	3,343	264	-
TOTAL	$60,467	$800	$550

Table 5: Credit card (by Mayor, Deputy Mayor)

	GRANT SMITH	ALEISHA RUTHERFORD [to Oct 2022]	DEBI MARSHALL-LOBB [from Oct 2022]
Hospitality	7,304	-	-
Travel and accommodation	4,796	148	-
Gifts	4,081	62	-
Training	286	639	-
TOTAL	$16,467	$849	-

5. expense claims

5.1 Below is a summary of all expense claims made by all Elected Members. There is an overlap with expenses stated in tables above.

Table 6: Reimbursements (all Elected Members)

	Travel & Accomodation	Hospitality	Internet/Phone	TaXI Charges	Total
Aleshia Rutherford	83	15	438	-	$536
Karen Naylor	48	-	-	-	$48
Billy Meehan	-	-	-	283	$283
Brent Barrett	-	36	-	-	$36
Orphée Mickalad	414	-	-	-	$414
Patrick Handcock	223	-	-	-	$223
Rachel Bowen	193	54	-	-	$247
Roly Fitzgerald	583	-	-	37	$620
William Wood	832	-	-	-	$832

Table 7: Elected Member taxi use – invoiced to Council

	TaXI Charges
Aleisha Rutherford	$264
Brent Barrett	$82
Patrick Handcock	$11
Rachel Bowen	$321

6. NEXT STEPS

Annual reporting to the Committee will continue next year.

7. Compliance and administration

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?		No
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 5: A Driven & Enabling Council
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in Governance and Active Citizenship
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Open and transparent governance contributes to trust and reputation of the Council.

Attachments

NIL

A white background with black text

Description automatically generated

Memorandum

TO: Strategy & Finance Committee

MEETING DATE: 21 February 2024

TITLE: Speed Management Plan - process update

Presented By: Peter Ridge, Senior Policy Analyst

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, Chief Planning Officer

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Strategy & Finance Committee

Interim Speed Management Plan (school speed limits)

1a. That the Committee request the Chief Executive provide a report outlining the options for using the $833K budget originally provided for implementing the interim Speed Management Plan (school speed limits).

1b. That the Committee note that the $833K budget originally provided for implementing the interim Speed Management Plan (school speed limits) will not be spent.

Full Speed Management Plan

2a. That the Committee proceed with the development of the full Speed Management Plan and determine that the hearing of submissions on the draft full Speed Management Plan be set for 10 April 2024 (Option 1).

2b. That the Committee determine that work on the draft full Speed Management Plan remains on hold, pending a staff report to the Committee on the details of changes to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule (Option 2).

2c. That the Committee:

- determine that work on the draft full Speed Management Plan remains on hold, pending a staff report to the Committee on the details of changes to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule; and

- subject to staff obtaining confirmation that the approach is legally compliant, direct the Chief Executive to install active warning signage at the intersections of Valley Views/Turitea Road and No. 1 Line/Longburn-Rongotea Road in lieu of proceeding with the proposals for establishing intersection speed zones at those locations (Option 3).

1. ISSUE

1.1 The purpose of this memorandum is to provide the Committee with a summary of the current state of work for developing a speed management plan, the impact of the recent decisions by the Government, and options for next steps.

1.2 While there is little new information about the upcoming changes to the Speed Limits Rule since the letter from the Minister of Transport in December 2023, there are opportunities for the Council to make progress with some aspects of the proposals. This memorandum sets out options for the Committee to consider.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Council began developing a speed management plan in September 2022 in response to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule 2022. This Rule gave effect to the previous Government’s Road to Zero road safety strategy, which set targets for road controlling authorities to reduce speed limits on roads around schools. The Rule required road controlling authorities to prepare a speed management plan (as part of a regional approach) by 30 June 2024.

2.2 We developed a parallel approach to meet these targets. The first stream of work set out proposals for reducing speed limits on roads around schools using a combination of variable and permanent speed limit reductions (in accordance with the Speed Management Guide published by NZTA Waka Kotahi).

2.3 The second stream of work identified a selection of speed limit changes to be included in the first full Speed Management Plan (full SMP). These changes were focussed on roads where a speed limit change would likely achieve an improved safety outcome without significant infrastructural interventions. We also included two high-risk intersections where an intersection speed zone would produce a safer environment.

2.4 We staggered the development and consultation for each stream, with the interim Speed Management Plan (interim SMP (school speed limits)) released for consultation in May 2023. The full SMP followed with consultation starting in September 2023.

2.5 In December 2023, the Minister of Transport advised road controlling authorities that the Government intends to develop a new Government Policy Statement on Land Transport and replace the current Setting of Speed Limits Rule. This work will be started as part of its 100-day plan, and consequently the Minister has encouraged the Council to consider the details of the new Rule before making any final decisions on its draft Speed Management Plan. The Minister has also revoked the deadlines set by NZTA Waka Kotahi, removing the requirement to reduce speed limits on roads around schools by 30 June 2024, and to produce a full speed management plan for certification by 29 March 2024.

2.6 A copy of the December 2023 letter from the Minister is included as Attachment 1. The letter indicates the Minister considers it undesirable for councils to apply public money and resources in developing speed management plans at this time. We also received a letter from NZTA Waka Kotahi, which is included as Attachment 2.

2.7 The Council intended to deliberate on submissions to the interim SMP (school speed limits) at its meeting on 18 December 2023. However, after receiving the correspondence from the Minister of Transport and the Chief Executive of NZTA Waka Kotahi, the Council decided to reconsider the deliberations in 2024 once more information about the changes to the Rule was received. The Council had planned to hear submissions on the full SMP at an extraordinary meeting of the Strategy & Finance Committee on 8 February 2024. However, the Chair of the Committee made the decision to defer those hearings for the same reason.

2.8 This memorandum is provided to the Committee as an opportunity to review the current state of work, and to decide if part of the work on the speed management plans should resume, or if all work on the speed management plans should remain on hold.

3. Current state of work

Government direction

3.1 At the time of writing this report, the Government has made no further public announcements about its work in this space since December 2023. NZTA Waka Kotahi has not provided further detail about the planned changes to the Setting of Speed Limits Rule.

Staff reporting and analysis

3.2 Staff are not actively working on the development of the speed management plans, or on further analysis of the submissions.

Budget and programmes

3.3 The Council has a budget of $833K allocated to the implementation of the proposed school speed limits. This is comprised of $425K funding from NZTA Waka Kotahi with the balance coming from the Council. If not spent by 30 June 2024, the funding from Waka Kotahi will expire and be forfeit.

3.4 Initial indications from NZTA Waka Kotahi suggest that projects with a focus on pedestrian safety are likely to be approved for this funding. For example, raised pedestrian crossings at school entrances which are designed to improve safety for students travelling to and from school may be approved by Waka Kotahi.

4. Analysis

Interim Speed Management Plan (School Speed Limits)

4.1 The Government has removed the targets and the deadlines for school speed limits (40% of schools covered by slower speed limits by 30 June 2024, and 100% by December 2027). While this alters the timeframes that were driving the development of the interim SMP (school speed limits), the proposals are valid recommended speed limits that could still be implemented.

4.2 However, the Government has indicated that changes to the Speed Limits Rule will introduce new or additional criteria, such as considering economic impacts. The Government may also impose different requirements or remove the need to address speed limits around schools or set different expectations for addressing road safety around schools. The scope of potential changes to the process for setting speed limits around schools is quite broad and could affect the speed limits that staff recommend. However, details of these changes have not yet been released.

4.3 The Council decided on 18 December 2023 to pause work on the interim SMP (school speed limits) until the new Speed Limit Rule was released. With no new information at this stage, the Council’s decision remains in effect and staff will undertake no further work on the interim SMP (school speed limits) until the details of the new Speed Limits Rule are known and have been reported back to the Committee.

4.4 As noted in paragraph 3.4 above, it may be possible to redirect the existing funding that was set aside for implementation of the school speed limits to new road safety programmes such as raised pedestrian platforms. We have provided two possible recommendations.

4.4.1 If the Committee wishes to see this funding used for implementing alternative road safety treatments such as raised pedestrian platforms, then recommendation 1a will request staff to provide an options report for how this budget could be spent.

4.4.2 If the Committee does not want the implementation funding to be used for alternative road safety treatments, then recommendation 1b will direct staff to not spend this budget. The funding from Waka Kotahi will most likely expire at the end of this financial year.

Full Speed Management Plan

4.5 While the Government has removed the targets that apply to speed limit changes around schools, it is not clear what impact the changes signalled by the Government will have on other speed limit changes.

4.6 In public statements and the December 2023 letter, the Minister has indicated that the new Speed Limits Rule will require road controlling authorities to have regard to economic impacts – including travel times – and the views of road users and local communities are taken into account when setting speed limits. However, from these statements, we expect much of the existing process to develop SMPs will remain.

4.7 The December 2023 letter from the Minister included a specific expectation of councils (as RCAs):

I consider it is undesirable for RTCs and RCAs to apply public money and resources in developing speed management plans only to have to revisit the plans when the new Rule takes effect. Given this, if you have not already finalised your speed management plan, I encourage you to consider the new Rule before making final decisions.

4.8 There are three options for the Committee with regard to the full SMP:

4.8.1 It can choose to proceed with the development of the full SMP (2a); or

4.8.2 It can leave this work on hold until more information is known about the upcoming changes to the Speed Limits Rule (2b).

4.8.3 It has the opportunity to implement some aspects of the full SMP in an alternative manner such as the installation of intersection speed zone (ISZ) signs at Valley Views/Turitea Road, and No. 1 Line/Longburn-Rongotea Road as active warning signs (2c).

Option 1 – Proceed with the development of the full SMP

4.9 If the Committee chooses to proceed with the development of the full SMP, then it would begin by continuing with the hearing of submissions. The Committee could decide to defer deliberating on the submissions until the detail of changes to the Speed Limits Rule are known.

4.9.1 The advantage of this approach is that the Council would be in a good position to decide about the proposed speed limit changes once the Government has developed its revised Speed Limits Rule, because it would have heard from submitters. Proceeding with hearings would not commit the Council to making any specific decision until the new Speed Limits Rule is released, but it could raise expectations amongst submitters that Council will be making a decision after the hearing.

4.9.2 The disadvantage of this approach is that the Government may require the Council to restart the entire process to make a new speed management plan. If the new Speed Limits Rule is substantially different from the current process, then we may be required to restart our process. The Government has not given any indication that it is planning to fundamentally replace the speed management plan process, albeit they will be looking for different outcomes.

4.9.3 There is a risk that different submissions may have been made on the proposal if the Rule was different, or if the community were aware that it was to be changed. The details of the changes may also not be released until after the hearings, meaning submitters presenting at the hearings may be unaware of how those changes would affect their views. It is possible the hearing could become dominated by a conversation about the direction of the new Speed Limits Rule and its impact on the decisions to be made by the Council, as opposed to the merits or otherwise of the Council’s draft SMP.

4.9.4 This option could mean the Council is seen as ignoring the direction of the Minister, given the content of the December 2023 letter.

Option 2 – Leave the full SMP on hold

4.10 If the Committee chooses to leave this work on hold, then staff would not resume preparation for the hearing of submissions, and would await further information from NZTA Waka Kotahi. While no announcement dates have been shared, there is an expectation that a draft Government Policy Statement may be released late February or early March. This would likely provide some indication of the changes being proposed to the process for setting speed limits. However, it is still unclear when specific details may be known, or the timeframe for implementing the new Speed Limits Rule.

4.10.1 The advantage of this approach is that the Council would avoid undertaking work that may be either unnecessary or non-compliant with a changed Speed Limits Rule. It would also avoid a hearing while there is uncertainty about the future of the new Rule.

4.10.2 This option would ensure the Council is seen to be responding to the direction of the Minister, given the content of the December 2023 letter.

4.10.3 The disadvantage of this approach is that it would add further delay to introducing speed limit changes. Many of the proposed speed limit changes were for safety reasons, and those safety risks will continue to be present if the speed limit changes are deferred longer.

Option 3 – Leave the full SMP on hold and implement Intersection Speed Zone signs for Valley Views/Turitea Road and No. 1 Line/Longburn-Rongotea Road as active warning signs

4.11 If the Committee decides to leave the development of the full SMP on hold, we may still be able to implement some elements of the proposals in an alternative way. The draft full SMP proposed ISZs for Valley Views/Turitea Road, and No. 1 Line/Longburn-Rongotea Road. It might be possible to install these same signs, but, instead of implementing them as legal speed limits, they could be implemented as active warning signs.

4.12 ISZs are designed to improve safety at high-speed intersections, by legally reducing the speed limit on the main road when traffic is waiting to enter or leave the intersection from the side roads. An ISZ implemented in this way is a legal speed limit which can be enforced by Police.

4.13 If the ISZ signs were instead installed as an active warning sign, they would not be a legal speed limit and the Police would not be able to enforce any speeding infringements issued if drivers did not comply with the speed limit on the electronic sign. However, they could achieve a similar outcome in prompting drivers to reduce their speed.

4.13.1 The advantage of this option is that the safety of the intersections could be improved by providing a clear signal to drivers to reduce their speed. It would also make use of the existing 2023/2024 funding for the installation of the ISZs.

4.13.2 The disadvantage of this option is that it is an unconventional use of this type of signage, and there is some uncertainty whether such an approach would be compliant with the Traffic Control Devices Rule. If the signs were installed and they were later found to be non-compliant then NZTA Waka Kotahi could direct the Council to remove the signs.

4.13.3 Advice from NZTA Waka Kotahi on this matter is inconclusive. A legal opinion may be appropriate to provide confidence that this option is compliant. This would reduce the risk that the signs are found to be non-compliant and give assurance that this approach is valid.

4.14 The diaram below provides a visual summary of the options discussed above:

A diagram of a smp

Description automatically generated

Figure 1: Visual summary of the options for both interim SMP and full SMP

5. Recommendations

5.1 If the Committee would like more information about the options for using the funding that was set aside for implementation of the interim SMP (school speed limits), then it should move recommendation 2a to request a report from staff on those options and costs. Alternatively, the Committee could move recommendation 2b if it wishes to direct staff not to spend the funding on alternative road safety treatments for the interim SMP (school speed limits).

5.2 There are three possible recommendations for the Committee to choose from with regards to the draft full SMP. These are provided in an ‘either/or’ format for the Committee to consider and move accordingly.

6. Next Steps

6.1 Staff will continue to liaise with NZTA Waka Kotahi and the Ministry of Transport. We will provide updates to Elected Members on any changes to the Speed Limits Rule. Once we have more clarity on the changes to the Rule, we will report to the Committee with advice on how to proceed with the draft interim SMP (school speed limits).

6.2 If the Committee decides to proceed with the development of the full SMP (option 1), then hearings for oral submissions will be scheduled for 10 April 2024 (the next ordinary meeting of the Committee).

6.3 If the Committee decides to leave the full SMP on hold (option 2), then staff will await further information from NZTA Waka Kotahi and the Ministry of Transport on the changes to the Speed Limits Rule. Once we have more clarity on the changes to the Rule, we will report back to the Committee with advice on how to proceed with the draft full SMP.

6.4 If the Committee decides to proceed with installing active warning signage at the intersections of Valley Views/Turitea Road, and No. 1 Line/Longburn-Rongotea Road (as indicated by option 3), then staff will first get confirmation that this type of sign can be legally operated as an active warning sign. If that confirmation is received, then staff will proceed with the installation of the signs using the existing budget.

7. Compliance and administration

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 Transport The action is: progressively review speed limits throughout the City on a staged basis
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	This report sets out the latest information about the development of the speed management plans and provides advice for the Committee on how it can proceed with the development of those plans. This information is intended to put the Council in the best possible position to make decisions about speed limits in a timely manner.

Attachments

1.	Letter from Minister of Transport Speed Limits Rule ⇩
2.	Letter from NZTA Waka Kotahi Speed Limits Rule ⇩

A white background with black text

Description automatically generated

Committee Work Schedule

TO: Strategy & Finance Committee

MEETING DATE: 21 February 2024

TITLE: Committee Work Schedule

RECOMMENDATION TO Strategy & Finance Committee

1. That the Strategy & Finance Committee receive its Work Schedule dated February 2024.

COMMITTEE WORK SCHEDULE – FEBRUARY 2024
Item No.	Estimated Report Date	Subject	Officer Responsible	Current Position	Date of Instruction/ Clause number
1.	~~February 2024~~	~~Quarterly Performance & Financial Report (quarter 2 ending 31 December 2023)~~	~~Chief Financial Officer~~		~~Terms of Reference~~
2.	~~February 2024~~	~~Treasury Report (quarter 2 ending 31 December 2023)~~	~~Chief Financial Officer~~		~~Treasury Policy~~
3.	~~February 2024~~	~~Elected Member Expenditure 22/23 Financial Year~~	~~Chief Financial Officer~~		~~Elected Members Expenses Policy 2022~~
4.	~~February 2024~~	~~Treasury Policy Review~~	~~Chief Financial Officer~~	To Council meeting on 14 February	~~Treasury Policy~~
5.	~~February 2024~~	Rates review	Chief Financial Officer	To Council meeting on 14 February as part of LTP consideration	Terms of Reference
6.	~~February 2024~~	~~Draft Palmerston North Animals and Bees Bylaw 2024 – Hearings~~	~~Chief Planning Officer~~		~~Council~~ ~~18 December 2023~~ ~~Clause 227~~
7.	~~February 2024~~	~~Draft Palmerston North Dog Control Policy 2024 – Hearings~~	~~Chief Planning Officer~~		~~Council~~ ~~18 December 2023~~ ~~Clause 226~~
8.	May 2024	Draft Palmerston North Dog Control Policy 2024 – Deliberations	Chief Planning Officer
9.	May 2024	Draft Palmerston North Animals and Bees Bylaw 2024 – Deliberations	Chief Planning Officer
10.	May 2024	Quarterly Performance & Financial Report (quarter 3 ending 31 March 2024)	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
11.	May 2024	Treasury Report (Quarter 3)	Chief Financial Officer		Treasury Policy
12.	14 August 2024	Quarterly Performance & Financial Report (quarter 4 ending 30 June 2024)	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
13.	14 August 2024	Treasury Report (Quarter 4)	Chief Financial Officer		Treasury Policy
14.	August 2024	Draft Waste Management and Minimisation Bylaw – Approval for Consultation	Chief Planning Officer		11 August 2021 Clause 21
15.	November 2024	Quarterly Performance & Financial Report (quarter 1 ending 30 September 2024)	Chief Financial Officer		Terms of Reference
16.	November 2024	Treasury Report (Quarter 1)	Chief Financial Officer		Treasury Policy
17.	November 2024	Vegetation Framework to include a Tree Policy focused on Council administered streets and public spaces	Chief Planning Officer		Committee of Council 9 June 2021 Clause 31.8
18.	TBC	Report back at the conclusion of the Te Apiti Three Bridges Loop Track investigations and design work with a view to applying to Te Ahu a Turanga Recreation Fund for implementation works	Chief Infrastructure Officer		20 September 2023 Clause 58.3

Attachments

NIL

Vaughan Dennison (Chair)
Karen Naylor (Deputy Chair)
Grant Smith (The Mayor)
Mark Arnott	Lorna Johnson
Brent Barrett	Orphée Mickalad
Lew Findlay (QSM)	William Wood
Patrick Handcock (ONZM)	Kaydee Zabelin
Leonie Hapeta

Submission No.	Submitter
43	Tone of the Gods
58	Paul Godbaz
62	Maurice Job
69	Kelvin Grove Community Association
73	Heather Meikle
74	Kathryn Dixon

Submission No.	Submitter
12	James Beard
23	Royal Forest & Bird Protection Society of New Zealand Incorporated (via Teams)
24	Palmerston North Youth Council
29	Environment Network Manwatū

1.	Submissions (circulated separately) ⇨
2.	Procedure Sheet ⇩

Does the Council 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?		No
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to Goal 5: A Driven & Enabling Council
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in (Not Applicable) The action is: to enable Council to exercise governance by reviewing financial performance and operating performance and provide accountability for these to the public.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	As above.

1.	December month end financial dashboard ⇩
2.	FY 2024 Quarterly Report to Strategy & Finance Committee December 2023 ⇩
3.	FY2024 Quarterly Report - Appendix 1 Peformance Measures December v2 ⇩
4.	FY2024 Appendix to Report to Strategy & Finance Committee December 2023 ⇩