Agenda of Community Committee - Wednesday, 23 October 2024

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Community Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 28 August 2024, commencing at 9.00am

Members

Present:

Councillor Lorna Johnson (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood and Kaydee Zabelin.

Non Members:

Councillors Vaughan Dennison and Debi Marshall-Lobb.

Apologies:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) (early departure on Council Business), Councillors Billy Meehan and Debi Marshall-Lobb (early departure on Council Business), Councillor Lew Findlay.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) left the meeting at 10.29am during consideration of clause 16. He was not present when the meeting resumed at 1.06pm. He was not present for clauses 16 - 21 inclusive.

Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb left the meeting at 10.33am during consideration of clause 17. She entered the meeting again at 10.36am when it resumed. She was not present when the meeting resumed at 1.06pm. She entered the meeting again at 2.42pm during consideration of clause 20. She was not present for clauses 17 and 19.

Councillor Billy Meehan was not present when the meeting resumed at 1.06pm. He was not present for clauses 19 - 21 inclusive.

	Karakia Timatanga
	Councillor Lorna Johnson opened the meeting with karakia.

13-24

Apologies

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Patrick Handcock.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 13-24 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

14-24	Public Comment
	The following speakers individually made public comment on Item 7: Draft Health Promotion Policy: Healthy Beverages, Smokefree and Vapefree outdoor Areas and Sun Protection approval for consultation. They both spoke in support of the policy going out for consultation. Julie tabled further information (PowerPoint) that was presented to Elected Members, as appended to these Minutes. · Jose Gutry, Cancer Society of New Zealand · Julie Beckett, Te Whatu Ora The following speakers collectively made public comment on Item 6: New Public Toilet – End of Albert Street. They spoke in opposition to the recommended location for the public toilet. They tabled further information that was presented to Elected Members, as appended to these Minutes. · Rob Green · Nicola Quinn · Bill Forster
	Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Patrick Handcock. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1. That the Committee receive the public comments for information.
	Clause 14-24 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison. Note: Councillor William Wood declared a conflict of interest for public comment by Jose Gutry, he withdrew and sat in the gallery when Jose made comment and then returned to the table.

15-24	New Public Toilet - End of Albert Street Report, presented by Bryce Hosking, Group Manager - Property and Resource Recovery, Bill Carswell, Activities Manager – Property Services and Aaron Phillips, Activities Manager – Parks Infrastructure A motion was put to move Option 3 for officers to explore further options.
	Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Billy Meehan. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1. That the Chief Executive re-explores the construction location options to find a viable alternative location (Option 3).
	Clause 15-24 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison.
	Note: On a motion that: That the Chief Executive proceed with the construction of a new single-pan toilet at the end of Albert Street within the road reserve (Option 1). The motion was lost 5 votes to 7, the voting being as follows: For: Councillors Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood and Kaydee Zabelin. Against: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Lorna Johnson, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison.

16-24

Approval to consult on the draft Health Promotion Policy (Healthy Beverages, Smoke-free and Vape-free, and Sun Protection).

Report, presented by Lili Kato Policy Analyst.

The Mayor left the meeting at 10.29am

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee approve the draft Health Promotion Policy (Healthy Beverages, Smoke-free and Vape-free, and Sun Protection) for consultation.

Clause 16-24 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison.

17-24

Confirmation of Minutes

Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb left the meeting at 10.33am

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Billy Meehan.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the minutes of the Community Committee meeting of 20 March 2024 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Clause 17-24 above was carried 9 votes to 0, with 1 abstention, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Lorna Johnson, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin and Vaughan Dennison.

Abstained:

Councillor Patrick Handcock.

18-24

Papaioea Place Social Housing Redevelopment - Close-out Report

Memorandum, presented by Bill Carswell, Activities Manager - Property Services, and Bryce Hosking, Group Manager - Property and Resource Recovery.

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Patrick Handcock.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Community Committee receive the report titled ‘Papaioea Place Social Housing Redevelopment – Close-out Report’ presented on 28 August 2024.

Clause 18-24 above was carried 11 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Billy Meehan, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison.

The meeting adjourned at 10.46am.

The meeting resumed at 1.06pm.

The Mayor (Grant Smith), Councillors Billy Meehan and Debi Marshall-Lobb were not present when the meeting resumed.

19-24	Presentation: Neighbourhood Support Presentation, by Jim Seumanu, Group Contact Kathriona Benvie, Group Contact, and Alison Jarden, Manager. They presented on the activities and experiences in developing communities within their neighbours. They also tabled further information (PowerPoint) that was presented to Elected Members, as appended to these Minutes.
	Presentation: Palmerston North Youth Council Presentation, by Eva, Secretary and Malia, Co-Chair They presented on the current structure of the Youth Council and their activities and experiences over the past year. They tabled further information that was presented to Elected Members (PowerPoint), as appended to these Minutes.
	Presentation: Pasifika Reference Group Presentation, by Courtney Manu, Co-Chair, and Maggie Leota, Group Member. They presented a review of the past year and what the group will focus on for the 2024/25 year. They tabled further information that was presented to Elected Members (PowerPoint), as appended to these Minutes.
	Presentation: Seniors’ Reference Group Presentation, by Jim Jefferies, Chair, Joan Spencer, Group Member and Russell Hallam, Group Member. They presented on their activities over the past year and what the Group may undertake in future. They tabled further information that was presented to Elected Members (PowerPoint), as appended to these Minutes.
	Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Patrick Handcock. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1. That the Community Committee receive all the presentations for information.
	Clause 19-24 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin and Vaughan Dennison.

20-24

Te Whare Kouru - New Animal Shelter - Close-Out Report

Memorandum, presented by Bill Carswell, Activities Manager - Property Services, and Bryce Hosking, Manager - Property and Resource Recovery.

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Patrick Handcock.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Community Committee receives the report titled ‘Te Whare Kouru – New Animal Shelter – Close-Out Report’ presented on 28 August 2024.

Clause 20-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison.

21-24

Committee Work Schedule - August 2024

Moved Lorna Johnson, seconded Patrick Handcock.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Community Committee receive its Work Schedule dated August 2024.

Clause 21-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Lorna Johnson, Patrick Handcock, Brent Barrett, Rachel Bowen, Orphée Mickalad, Karen Naylor, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Vaughan Dennison.

	Karakia Whakamutunga
	Councillor Lorna Johnson closed the meeting with karakia.

The meeting finished at 3.10pm

Confirmed 23 October 2024

Chair

Memorandum

TO: Community Committee

MEETING DATE: 23 October 2024

TITLE: City Library Annual Report 2023-2024

Presented By: Linda Moore, Manager, City Library

APPROVED BY: Danelle Whakatihi, General Manager Customer & Community

RECOMMENDATION TO Community Committee

1. That the Committee receive the report titled ‘City Library Annual Report 2023-2024’ (Attachment 1) presented on 23 October 2024.

1. ISSUE

1.1 At the Community Committee on 24 May 2023, the Committee resolved a notice of motion:

“That the Community Committee receive its work schedule dated May 2023 including an annual report on Library Services”

1.2 The attached report details the wide range of library services and programmes provided by the City Library and gives examples of the positive impacts these services have for Palmerston North.

1.3 This memorandum highlights key elements from the annual report and provides an update from property on library facilities.

1.4 The report is attached as Attachment 1.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 The City Library is made up of the Central Library; four community libraries in Awapuni, Ashhurst, Highbury (Te Pātikitiki) and Roslyn; the Mobile Library and Blueprint. For the period that this annual report covers, Youth Space was also part of the City Library.

2.2 The City Library will reach the significant milestone of providing library services to the city for 150 years in 2026. Other milestones in 2026 include celebrating 30 years of being in the Central Library building and 15 years in Youth Space.

2.3 The City Library has played a vital role in neighbourhoods for many years. Following on from the Awapuni Library (which celebrated 35 years in 2022), the Ashhurst Library celebrated 30 years in their current location in December 2023. Two other community libraries reach milestones in 2028 – the Roslyn Library service will celebrate 75 years and the Te Pātikitiki Library will celebrate 20 years in their current location.

3. DELIVERing on Council’s goals

3.1 Council has four strategic goals for achieving the city vision: Small city benefits, big city ambitions. The work of the City Library sits primarily under Whāinga Goal Three: He hapori tuhonohono, he hapori haumaru A connected and safe community and Whāinga Goal Two: He tāone whakaihiihi, tapatapahi ana A creative and exciting city.

3.2 It is important to note that City Library activities and services also deliver to aspects of plans under Goal 1 and Goal 4.

4. THE CITY LIBRARY PLAN

4.1 The City Library plan states, “we want our libraries to provide opportunities for connection and learning. To achieve this purpose we will provide collections, services and programmes through all City Library locations and collect and protect community stories through the city archives”

4.2 The City Library kaupapa Te Ara Whānui o Te Ao translates as inspiring people to explore the pathways of the world. We deliver on the City Library Plan through our kaupapa and the six pouwhenua, or pillars, below:

READ: Literacy for all, reading for pleasure

CONNECT: People are connected with knowledge, ideas and each other

CREATE: Creative learning, learning for life

REMEMBER: Valuing the past to inform the future

PROSPER: Supporting the aspirations of the community

RESILIENCE: Sustainable and resilient

4.3 Our goal is to ensure that the City Library makes a difference community-wide under each of these six pou (see Appendix One of the attached report for details).

4.4 The City Library delivers a wide range of services and lifelong learning programmes under each of the pou.

5. CONNECT: People are connected to knowledge, ideas and each other.

5.1 We achieve this through providing library collections, programmes, and services that reflect community needs and interests, feature community voices, and create meaningful experiences. Examples of this include:

5.2 Play: We actively contribute to the delivery of the Recreation and Play Mahere Rēhia Plan through the Pop Up Play School Holiday series, the Library Walls Alive project, the Play Libraries project, participation in the Palmy Play Festival and the Puanga Passport to Play edition.

5.3 Outreach Connections: We continually review how services and programmes can be more inclusive, tailored to suit specific needs and taken to where people are. Initiatives have included those for adult literacy, use of the Nymbl App and programmes for the neurodiverse, rainbow, health and disability sectors of the community.

5.4 Home Service: This year 119 people were supported to receive long-term deliveries of library materials through Home Service.

5.5 Club Sandwich: Club Sandwich is a platform for clubs to describe who they are and what they do and an easy way for people to discover clubs and join 24/7. This year we improved the usability, navigation, reporting and accessibility of the site.

5.6 Te Reo Māori: The City Library supports te Reo Māori me ōna tikanga – the language and its cultural practices, in a variety of ways. This support includes Kōrero kawhe, the Manu hāpai waiata group, Te pūtake (a fortnighly delivery of te reo Māori books to kura) and programmes throughout Mahuru Māori - Te Wiki o te Reo.

5.7 Language Weeks: The City Library celebrates and acknowledges many language weeks, connecting our diverse community with library programmes and the community languages collection.

5.8 Youth Space: A safe, fun, inclusive and welcoming environment, where young people can spend time and explore opportunities through the provision of library services, youth mentorship, lifelong learning programmes and community events.

6. PROSPER: Supporting the aspirations of the community

6.1 We achieve this through supporting individuals to grow their skills, often through partnerships that contribute to collective impact while helping to grow a strong and sustainable voluntary and community sector. Examples of these partnerships include:

6.2 Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa: Off the Page This annual series is in its 19th year. The programme includes panels, readings, discussions and creative writing workshops.

6.3 Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa: Latin America and Spain Film Festival (LASFF) Now in its 21^st year, LASFF is a three week festival programme which included film screenings, a performance by children’s theatre Group Sábados Teatreros and the opening of the Brasília Photo Exhibition

6.4 Massey University Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa: Children’s University This is a programme that supports and encourages tamariki to participate in learning experiences outside of the classroom.

6.5 Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School (PNINS): First Voice A celebration of writing by PNINS students from non-English speaking backgrounds.

6.6 Digital Futures Aotearoa Recycle-a-Device (RAD) Club: RAD is a charitable initiative that works to address key digital gaps in an innovative programme that gives back to the community.

6.7 Dignity: We partnered with Dignity in 2020 to support their vision of achieving period equity across Aotearoa and provided over 1,000 free period products for our community.

7. READ: Literacy for all, reading for pleasure

7.1 We achieve this through providing library collections, programmes and services (including outreach services) that support children, young people and their families in learning and educational success, career readiness and in life. Examples of this include:

7.2 Library Collections: We curate multi-format collections that support the recreational and learning needs of the many readers of all ages and stages who use the City Library. There are a range of formats in our collections to suit a variety of reading styles and needs including standard or large print, CD or MP3, eBooks and audiobooks on the Libby and Borrow Box apps and books in a range of languages including Te Reo Māori.

These collections will increasingly become digital. More of our spending has moved to purchasing access to online subscriptions and databases, eBooks, streaming media and downloadable content. We offer a wide variety of streaming services, apps and eResources that are available 24/7.

7.3 He Taonga te Pūmahara Memory Matters collection: We connected with Alzheimers New Zealand to work towards completing the Dementia Friendly Recognition Programme. Our dementia friendly collection He Taonga te Pūmahara Memory Matters includes materials specifically curated for people with dementia and memory loss and their caregivers.

7.4 Writers and Readers Winter Series: This year we launched our inaugural winter celebration of writers and readers, showcasing writers both in the Manawatū, and across Aotearoa.

7.5 Children’s Reading Programmes: our children’s reading programmes continued to respond to changing whānau and individual reader needs. We provide multiple ways to participate. Tamariki can complete the programme via in-person (kanohi ki te kanohi) book chats in English or languages other than English (including NZ Sign Language) and/or through online activities on our Beanstack reading platform. The immersive Te Ao Māori approach of our Te Reo Māori programme incorporates Te Ao Māori with waiata, kōrero, whanaungatanga, and pānui pukapuka i roto i te reo Māori.

8. CREATE: Creative learning, learning for life

8.1 We achieve this by being a primary point of social access to information, lifelong learning, and creative expression through the innovative use of technology and digital resources. Examples of this include:

8.2 Technology rich learning: We deliver technology rich learning, providing access to a wide range of digital resources and tools for our community. Programmes and activities are designed to support skill development in Science, Technology, Art, Maths, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (STEAM-IE). Examples include LibLab; digital sessions at the Winchester School Innovation Hub and MiLife; Code Club and Game Jam.

8.3 Virtual Reality (VR): We deliver regular VR sessions with Big Brothers Big Sisters Manawatū and Parafed. We have also taken the VR kits to IPU, UCOL, Highbury Whanau Centre, schools and retirement villages, using the opportunity to discuss technology, digital services and library programming.

8.4 Blueprint: Technology continues to drive many new business and work opportunities and Blueprint offers access to tools, resources, and support for the community to invent, prototype, and bring their ideas to life. Examples of projects in Blueprint include: a DIY electronics power supply; sensory and tactile beanbags for early childhood education; an automatic seed planting robot; and wooden silhouettes of native birds for children to decorate and attach to the school fence.

9. REMEMBER: Valuing the past to inform the future

9.1 We achieve this through connecting the community with mana whenua and the bicultural foundations of the city; diverse local culture; history through heritage and archival collections (both physical and digital); and local history and heritage programmes.

9.2 Archival and Heritage collections: The collections held in the Ian Matheson City Archive (IMCA) are a significant part of both our local heritage and the national documentary heritage of New Zealand. These collections have an important place alongside the natural, built and cultural heritage which reflects our Palmerston North identity. The Community Archives were moved to an offsite storage facility in February 2023 after discovering a leak in their former storage area. Changes were made to the current archive space in the Central Library to better utilise the space by relaying the collections for better space efficiencies and effectiveness.

9.3 Manawatū Heritage: Development work this year focussed on increasing the capacity of Manawatū Heritage. This will enable Manawatū Heritage to be a one stop shop for the archival and heritage collections; making it an invaluable resource for historians, researchers and students.

9.4 Back Issues: We have coordinated the ‘Back Issues’ series, a weekly history feature with strong visual images for the Manawatū Standard for the past three years and all articles have been uploaded to Manawatū Heritage.

9.5 Genealogy: Family history and finding out about our ancestors is a key part of understanding our own migration stories. Making genealogy databases such as Ancestry available in our library spaces, running family history programmes and working with genealogical groups helps us to provide this service.

9.6 Oral Histories: As new migrants come to Palmerston North it is important that their stories are collected and become part of our city’s history. Oral histories are an excellent way of recording these stories and we work with volunteers and other groups to co-ordinate, record and make these stories available.

9.7 Local History Week and Heritage Month: For the second year, Local History Week was held in March and led into the annual Heritage Month. Heritage Month builds on the success of the Local History Week with activities delivered by both the library team and heritage partners across the city. The programme was very successful with 2050 attendees across 80 programmes and activities.

10. RESILIENCE: Sustainable and resilient

10.1 An important characteristic of a resilient community is social connectedness and having the skills and knowledge to be sustainable. We support these skills through a number of initiatives including the Palmy Crop swap, kai resilience and sustainability workshops delivered by Environment Network Manawatū (ENM).

11. Performance Indicators

11.1 The City Library captures a wide range of performance metrics which are compared to the previous year’s data to measure any changes. The majority of indicators show an increase (see p4 of the City Library Report)

12. Emerging LIbrary trends

Emerging library trends relevant to the work of the City Library include:

12.1 Societies are increasingly more diverse making delivering universal services and achieving equity more complicated

12.2 The digital divide is persistent and getting more serious, even as connectivity improves

12.3 Regulation of digital spaces is accelerating but without consideration of how libraries support access to information

12.4 An increasingly uncertain world intensifies challenges and complicates the delivery of services as libraries are seen more frequently in a crisis response role providing dry, warm (or cool) spaces, electricity and internet connections for those who no longer have these at home.

13. CHALlenges

We are facing a number of challenges:

13.1 Long-Term Sustainability: Ensuring the City Library has the financial resources to support its current work and to meet the future growth of the city.

13.2 State of facilities: The current state of City Library facilities at all locations is impacting daily operations and services to our public.

13.3 Storage issues for physical archives: Proper archival storage is needed for long-term preservation and efficient access and management of the city’s archives. Current archive facilities, conditions, locations and service arrangements are not up to archival standards.

13.4 Digital storage for Manawatū Heritage: Digital archive storage following digital archive preservation, data sovereignty and accessibility best practices is needed for the current and future digitised and born-digital city archival collections.

13.5 Staff retirements – retaining knowledge and training up new staff: The City Library is facing a generational shift requiring succession planning for long-serving, highly-skilled workforce who are retiring. We are working on growing and developing our current workforce to gain the experience and skills required to help ease this transition.

13.6 Diversity of skills: Modern libraries require teams with a range of skillsets and backgrounds who are people-focussed and grounded in lifelong learning. Our team needs to be well-versed in professional librarianship, tech-savvy, and have the soft skills required to navigate a range of social and societal challenges.

13.7 Digital content divide: A new content divide is emerging for those that do not have access to either Wi-Fi or a device on which to read. For content that is read online and not downloadable, we will need to continue to provide both fast and reliable internet access and Wi-Fi and internet-connected devices in all of our library spaces.

14. opportunities

We are focusing on the following areas of opportunity:

14.1 Refreshing and Re-energising Library Spaces: We have an opportunity to adapt and energise library spaces for new uses in keeping with changing collections, services, programmes; the interests and needs of our community; and the changing ways that they use library spaces.

14.2 Workforce Capacity and Development: We are tracking emerging trends across the future work of libraries and using that information to determine the training staff will need. This includes recruiting skilled people for new workstreams where additional support is required.

14.3 Equitable access and inclusion: Ensuring our resourcing model and library services are designed to eliminate barriers to access, provide public and staff opportunities for growth, and develop and support equitable access to the collections, programmes and services we offer.

14.4 Data and Metrics: Improving our data systems to better collect data and use statistics to make informed decisions about what the City Library should or should not do.

14.5 Promotion and marketing: Strategically promoting library programmes and services to increase awareness and use of our libraries; and to support the role and value of the City Library network to our community.

14.6 Improving sustainability and resilience: As a resource, libraries have a long history of sustainability. We are at the start of our journey of being deliberate and intentional with the impact of our consumption and the role we play in supporting social resiliency.

15. Facilities

A current overview of the City Library facilities is as below:

Central Library

15.1 The renewals and maintenance strategy for the Central Library building has meant that only essential Health and Safety or compliance work has been undertaken on the building between 2013 -2021.

15.2 Since 2021, through the 2021-31 LTP, there was an increase in both the renewals and maintenance budgets for the facility. However, significant assets are at end of life and are failing – escalators, lifts (both public and staff) and the building management system (BMS).

15.3 Whilst not considered a dangerous building, the building was identified as being earthquake prone in 2018.

15.4 The seismic solution for the Central Library provides an opportunity to maximise space, flexibility, sustainability and efficiency. This may include space provision for Youth Space and the physical collections of the Ian Matheson City Archive.

15.5 The seismic strengthening solution for the Central Library also provides the opportunity to consider how the building functions, position it for the future, and replace failing assets throughout the building. This is one of the key considerations in a partial rebuild being the preferred option.

15.6 Consideration will need to be given to decanting the building before the rebuild and finding temporary homes for the Central Library, the Ian Matheson City Archive, and Blueprint.

Community Libraries

15.7 Our community libraries are in better condition than the Central Library and have also seen an increase in investment since 2021, with more planned preventative maintenance and renewals.

15.8 Most recently in 2023 the Awapuni and Roslyn Libraries were closed to address maintenance issues, noting that we lease these buildings, they are not council owned. Many of the maintenance issues were the landlord’s responsibility.

16. NEXT STEP

16.1 The next annual report on library services will be provided for information at the end of 2024/2025.

17. 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: Whāinga 3: He hapori tūhonohono, he hapori haumaru Goal 3: A connected and safe community
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of action/actions in: 8. Mahere Whare Puna Mātauranga 8. City Library Plan The action is: Provide city libraries that connect, curate and provide access to knowledge, ideas and works of the imagination that are primarily focused on meeting the needs of communities with the greatest needs and changing needs of communities. Provide library programmes that support the development of literacy in all forms.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	By providing library facilities, services, activities and programmes that nurtures literacy, lifelong learning and access to knowledge. Fostering vibrant community interactions and enhances community wellbeing through social connectedness and community cohesion.

Attachments

City Library Annual Report 2023-2024 ⇩

Report

TO: Community Committee

MEETING DATE: 23 October 2024

TITLE: Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan

PRESENTED BY: Amy Viles, Acting Manager Community Development

APPROVED BY: Danelle Whakatihi, General Manager Customer & Community

RECOMMENDATIONS TO Council

1. That the Council endorse the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan and accept the Options Report; and

2. That the Council approves the reallocation of the existing $30K of implementation budget towards .3 FTE, for a Community Development Advisor – Age Friendly to: guide the Council’s commitment to be an Age Friendly City, develop a Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan and to coordinate the internal and external implementation of actions from that plan.

Summary of options analysis for

Problem or Opportunity	Council’s 31 May 2023 resolution was to establish an Age Friendly Programme and to develop an Age Friendly plan. The draft Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan is now completed and is presented for endorsement (appended to this report at Attachment 1). This report outlines the options for the Committee to consider the continuation of the Age Friendly work.
OPTION 1:	The Council endorse the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan and refer an additional budget of $50K (.5 FTE) for the development and implementation of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan to the Annual Budget deliberations. NB: Option 1 would see a total budget allocation of $80K, including $30K of existing implementation budget (already allocated in the Long-Term Plan) and an additional $50K per annum (.5 FTE) for a Community Development Advisor - Age Friendly to: · guide the Council’s commitment to be an Age Friendly City; · develop a Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan; and to · coordinate the internal and external implementation of actions from that plan.
Community Views	Community engagement with key partners and stakeholders has been completed throughout the development of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan. Feedback demonstrates support for this direction to be supported by Council.
Benefits	Funding a .5 FTE for the Community Development Advisor - Age Friendly role will ensure a continuation of the work to date, the development of a coordinated Palmerton North Age-Friendly Implementation Plan, ongoing wider community engagement, and will confirm Council’s previously stated commitment to be an Age-Friendly community. There will also be additional budget of $30K to support the implementation of actions. The Palmerston North Age-Friendly Action Plan delivers on strategic aspirations within the current Connected Communities Plan, Transport Plan, Urban Design Plan, Housing Plan and Social Housing Guidelines.
Risks	Agreeing to this option has budget implications.
Financial	$30,000 annually has been budgeted through the LTP for implementation only. Under Option 1, additional budget of $50K would be utilised to fund the appointment of a .5 FTE role to develop an Age Friendly Implementation Plan and to guide the Council’s commitment to be an Age Friendly City (as outlined above).
OPTION 2:	The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan is endorsed by Council, and Council approves the reallocation of the existing $30K of implementation budget towards .3 FTE for a Community Development Advisor - Age Friendly to: · guide the Council’s commitment to be an Age Friendly City; · develop a Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan; and to · coordinate the internal and external implementation of actions from that plan.
Community Views	Community views have not been sought for this option; however key stakeholders have advocated to Council for a commitment to be an Age Friendly City and this option allows for a level of support towards that commitment.
Benefits	This option has no future budget implications and allows for the continuation of the work. Funding a .3 FTE for a Community Development Advisor – Age Friendly role will ensure a continuation of the work to date, the development of a coordinated Palmerton North Age Friendly Implementation Plan, a level of ongoing community engagement, and will confirm Council’s previously stated commitment to be an Age Friendly community. The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan delivers on strategic aspirations within the current Connected Communities Plan, Transport Plan, Urban Design Plan, Housing Plan and Social Housing Guidelines.
Risks	Option 2 would result in the implementation of delivery of actions at a slower rate than Option 1. The community may view a slower delivery (from the previous .5 fixed term role) as a reduction in commitment by Council to the commitment to be an Age Friendly City.
Financial	No additional financial cost, as Option 2 recommends a reallocation of budget from the age friendly implementation budget to age friendly co-ordination (via staffing .3 FTE allocation). Additional community aspirations for community projects, initiatives or events may be eligible for consideration through the Community-led Initiatives Fund.
OPTION 3:	The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan is endorsed by Council, and Council does not approve the reallocation of the existing $30K of implementation budget towards .3 FTE for an Community Development Advisor - Age Friendly, in effect, maintaining the status quo of $30K implementation budget and no FTE towards a role.
Community Views	Feedback from key community partners and key stakeholders demonstrates support for a dedicated role within Council to support the implementation of age friendly actions.
Benefits	This option has no future budget implications and allows for the continuation of the work. Council will continue to demonstrate a commitment to Age Friendly membership and to the implementation of the actions in the plan.
Risks	Option 3 could result in a scaled-back delivery of actions. There would be no dedicated role towards the development of an Age Friendly Implementation Plan and to engage with internal and external stakeholders on the implementation of actions.
Financial	There are no financial implications for this option as budget is already allocated for implementation through the Long-Term Plan.
OPTION 4:	The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan is not endorsed by Council and the Implementation Plan is not developed to deliver the actions outlined in the plan.
Community Views	Staff understand that Option 4 would not be supported by key community partners and stakeholders.
Benefits	There are financial benefits identified for this option for Council as the $30K allocated for age friendly implementation could be reallocated to other activities.
Risks	Relationships with partners and stakeholders could be damaged by the perception that Council has gone back on the commitment to be an Age-Friendly community.
Financial	There are financial benefits to not spending the allocated implementation budget, as this could be reallocated to other activities.

Rationale for the recommendations

1. Overview of the problem or opportunity

1.1 This report presents the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan for Council endorsement. Four options are presented for consideration to proceed with the development of the Implementation Plan.

1.2 If Council is to maintain membership of Age Friendly Aotearoa (AFANZ) and support the Age Friendly programme and subsequent Action Plan beyond October 2024, then funding the implementation of the plan is necessary. As a requirement of the AFANZ membership, Council shall:

a. demonstrate that it is taking credible and tangible steps towards developing an age friendly strategy or action plan for their community,

b. be leading the Age Friendly strategy or plan for their community.

1.3 Requirement ‘a’ is underway and demonstrated. The commitment to requirement ‘b’ requires ongoing resourcing by Council. Given these membership requirements, ongoing resourcing is required to drive the development of any Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan.

1.4 It is important to note, that there are no set requirements for Council to maintain membership status to Age Friendly Aotearoa New Zealand (AFANZ). AFANZ provides recommendations and guidance to member local authorities. The actions outlined in the Action Plan are self-identified by Council officers following the community engagement process.

2. Background and previous council decisions

2.1 On 14 September 2022, the Age Friendly Palmerston North community group made a presentation to the Community Development Committee to request that Council agree to commence the process of becoming an Age Friendly City as soon as possible, by allocating resource either via the next Annual Plan or Long-Term Plan. As a result, the Committee resolved that the request be referred to the Long-Term Plan process.

2.2 On 15 March 2023, at the Community Committee meeting, Council's Seniors’ Reference Group highlighted its support for the city pursuing Age Friendly status during its annual presentation.

2.3 A report titled ‘Age Friendly Status and Funding’ was presented to the Community Committee on 24 May 2023, in response to the Committee’s resolution of 15 March 2023 that the Chief Executive investigate what is required to apply for Age Friendly status and funding. The Community Committee on 24 May 2023 resolved:

‘To refer a programme to develop an Age Friendly strategy/plan to the Annual Budget deliberations.’

2.4 Subsequently, on 31 May 2023, Council resolved:

‘To establish an Age Friendly Programme to develop an Age Friendly strategy/plan with a budget of $50K in 2023/24 and refer ongoing costs of $30K annually to the Long-Term Plan deliberations.’

2.5 A .5 FTE position for a fixed term of 12 months was established to undertake community engagement and develop a Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan. Officers presented an Age Friendly Progress Report in 1 May 2024 to Council, presenting a summary of the age friendly work to date, including the community engagement plan and community feedback following the engagement process. The fixed term position to complete this work ended in August of this year.

2.6 As described in the earlier scoping report presented to the Community Committee on 24 May 2023, becoming an Age Friendly City requires Council to join the membership network and commit to a process of developing and implementing an Age Friendly Action Plan in collaboration with community partners. Palmerston North City Council successfully joined the Age Friendly Aotearoa New Zealand (AFANZ) membership network in September 2023.

World Health Organisation (WHO) 8 Age Friendly Domains

2.7 The Age Friendly Framework, endorsed by Age Friendly Aotearoa New Zealand (part of the Office for Seniors through the Ministry of Social Development) includes the eight domains of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Age Friendly Framework, which are:

1. Open Spaces & Buildings

2. Housing

3. Transport

4. Civic Participation & Employment

5. Social Participation

6. Respect & Inclusion

7. Communication & Information

8. Health & Community Support Services

World Health Organisation Age Friendly Principles

2.8 The WHO Age Friendly Principles provide the following guidelines:

1. Age friendly environments are free from physical and social barriers and supported by policies, systems, services, products and technologies that:

• promote health and build and maintain physical and mental capacity across the life course;

• enable people, even when experiencing capacity loss, to continue to do the things they value.

2. Age friendly practices help build older people’s abilities to:

• meet their basic needs;

• learn, grow and make decisions;

• be mobile;

• build and maintain relationships; and

• contribute.

3. In doing so, age friendly practices:

• recognise the wide range of capacities and resources among older people;

• anticipate and respond flexibly to ageing-related needs and preferences;

• respect older people’s decisions and lifestyle choices;

• reduce inequities;

• protect those who are most vulnerable; and

• promote older people’s inclusion in and contribution to all areas of community life.

2.9 The Office for Seniors suggest that the development of an Age Friendly Plan is guided by the following steps (as outlined in the preceding report dated 24 May 2023 ’Age Friendly Status and Funding’ and the ‘Age Friendly Progress Report’ dated 1 May 2024):

Step 1. Get started. Connect with others, set up a steering group and check any funding that might be available.

Step 2. Assess how age friendly your community is. Before you can develop an age friendly plan, you need to understand your community’s current situation.

Step 3. Develop a plan for communities to work towards becoming age friendly. The plan should focus on your own specific strengths, cultures, and needs.

Step 4. Implement the plan. With the assessment and planning done, you can now start to implement your age friendly actions.

Step 5. Evaluate your age friendly programme. Evaluating the programme is key to understanding what is working well, what is not, and what to focus on next.

2.10 Council’s Age Friendly programme development is currently at the end of Step 3:

· a community engagement process has been completed and evaluated;

· an internal staff working group has been established and has considered community engagement feedback; and

· a draft Action Plan has been completed for endorsement.

2.11 Officers are ready to move to Step 4, develop an Implementation Plan, for the implementation of age friendly actions and to ascertain which areas can be considered within the scope of existing budgets and/or those that may require additional resourcing.

2.12 The Action Plan has identified age friendly actions that Council could deliver as either an existing activity that will continue in its current form (Continue), an existing activity that will be enhanced to reach more people and increase its impact (Enhance) or a new action that is not already being undertaken (New).

2.13 While some actions may be achieved by approaching ongoing initiatives with an age friendly lens, others will require direction from Council.

2.14 The Action Plan provides a starting point for Palmerston North to become an Age Friendly City and to respond to current needs. Specifically, it identifies actions Council could directly deliver, through the Implementation Plan and for the support of community aspirations outside of Council’s direct remit.

Outline of the community engagement process

2.15 The basis of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan was a community engagement process over six co-design workshops and a community survey. The six co-design workshops were attended by a total of 150 people, with 312 surveys received.

2.16 The engagement followed a community-led development approach and the plan established meaningful relationships with a wide range of key stakeholders (mana whenua, community organisations and relevant community groups). Benefits of the co-design process has meant that stakeholders have been involved in the development of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan. Outlined details of the community engagement methodology can be located in the appendix of the Age Friendly Progress report to Council on 1 May 2024.

The strengths of the community engagement process

2.17 Joining the Age-Friendly Aotearoa Network, an inter-regional Council group consisting of Ministry of Seniors and Age-Friendly Council staff nationally. This required an initial stocktake of what was already being done as an age-friendly community.

2.18 Building on the successful initial application to join the network, it was important to take time to learn what other Councils had committed to in becoming an Age-Friendly Community and the process they followed.

2.19 Having a pre-workshop period of engagement with community providers, to connect with organisations, learn about the characteristics and needs of their communities and their current service provision.

2.20 The guidance and input from Melissa Hemi, Kaihanga Kaha for Opal Community & Kaumātua Services Coordinator was invaluable in the development of the engagement process, and key in ensuring that the PNCC Age-Friendly Co-Design Kaumātua Workshop honoured the partnership between Palmerston North City Council and mana whenua Rangitāne o Manawatū.

2.21 Facilitation for each workshop was designed with the community to meet the needs of participants, with considerations given to diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. Locations used were easily accessible and familiar to the participants. Each workshop adopted a world café methodology (small, facilitated group discussions), creating an informal discussion space where participants were free to explore the eight WHO Age Friendly domains.

2.22 The purpose of the workshops was to develop a common understanding of how people experience living in our city, the benefits and barriers, and possible solutions. The end goal was for participants to advise on specific features, improvements, or actions, that formed the basis for the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan.

2.23 For the Matua Ola workshop with the Pasifika community, groups were placed according to the Pasifika community represented, with a language translator for each (Tongan, Samoan, Cook Island and Niuean). Key to the Matua Ola engagement, was the Talanoa process starting with a tatalo (prayer), time to share ideas and experiences of what was important to them, Matua Ola feeling heard and listened to, cultures being valued and respected and sharing food together.

Weaknesses of the community engagement approach

2.24 Limitations in capacity meant that no workshops were held in rural areas, and there was limited representation from Retirement Villages and Rest Homes in the survey undertaken. One rest home and three retirement villages were visited, to offer an opportunity to participate in the survey.

2.25 Rural communities engaged through their local community library, where the initial interest shown in the survey did not result in many surveys being returned.

Key findings

2.26 Key findings have highlighted areas directly related to the work of Council, areas Council may have influence to advocate and areas that are outside of the work of Council. Workshop participants and survey respondents recommended actions that centred on the need for an age-friendly and disability-friendly lens (that is mana enhancing and culturally relevant) to be applied to all of Council’s services and city planning.

2.27 Key themes that emerged from all workshops included concerns with transport, housing, accessibility, social isolation, health, a need for connected, inclusive communities and clear, accurate, user-friendly and relevant information that was appropriate to an age-friendly audience.

2.28 Concerns were raised in the Age Friendly community workshops of difficulties accessing stairs and ramps into public buildings and that outdoor seating was not suitable for older people when at an inadequate height and clearance space, and missing backrests. Concerns about footpath safety were also expressed, where regular Council footpath maintenance was needed to address broken footpaths and tree roots impacting on the integrity of the footpath. Further feedback from the workshops can be located in the appendix of the Age Friendly Progress report to Council on 1 May 2024.

Demographics

2.29 Population projections detailed within the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan signal an ageing population in Palmerston North which will have an impact on citywide planning for this sector. In the next decade there will be more older people (aged 65+) than children (aged 1-14) in Palmerston North.

2.30 The fastest growing group is people aged over sixty-five. The ageing population is driving an increase in the number of one-person households in Palmerston North. This projected population growth, increasing diversity, changes in our city’s average household size, and the number of residents in particular age groups, mean that demand for the number of houses and core infrastructure services will increase. More information regarding both Council and Census data can be accessed through the Action Plan.

Strategic Alignment

2.31 The Age-Friendly Action Plan delivers on strategic aspirations within the current Community Support Plan, Transport Plan, Urban Design Plan, Housing Plan and Social Housing Guidelines. Council goals align with the WHO Age Friendly Principles and 8 Domains (outlined on page 5 & 6 of this report):

Whāinga 1: He tāone auaha, he tāone tiputipu PNCC Goal 1: An innovative and growing city

· A city that fosters pride, and supports the aspirations of people and communities

· Safe and affordable transport options for people.

Goal 1 aligns with the Age Friendly Framework Domains of Housing, Respect & Inclusion, Social Participation, and Transportation.

Whāinga 2: He tāone whakaihiihi, tapatapahi ana

PNCC Goal 2: A Creative and Exciting City

· City that connects people and where creativity is built into our cityscape

· Arts and cultural facilities that are well supported and invested in

· Our unique heritage preserved and promoted

· Opportunities to celebrate our many cultures

· Access to well-managed events and activities throughout the city and our neighbourhoods

· Places across the city and its neighbourhoods for communities to participate in play and recreation.

Goal 2 aligns with the Age Friendly Framework Domains of Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, Social Participation, Respect & Inclusion, and Community Support and Health.

Whāinga 3: He hapori tūhonohono, he hapori haumaru

PNCC Goal 3: A connected and safe community

· Access to services and facilities that are inclusive and appropriate for needs

· The support they want to live healthy lives

· Access to healthy and affordable housing

· Opportunities to contribute to the design of their city.

Goal 3 aligns with the Age Friendly Framework Domains of Outdoor space and buildings, Housing, Transport, Respect and Social Inclusion, Social Participation, Civic Participation & Employment, Communication & Information, Community Support and Health

Whāinga 4: He tāone toitū, he tāone manawaroa

PNCC Goal 4: A sustainable and resilient city

· A resilient city and communities, prepared for the impacts of climate change.

Goal 4 aligns with the Age Friendly Framework Domains of Outdoor Spaces and Buildings, Housing, Transport, Respect and Social Inclusion, Social Participation, Civic Participation & Employment, Communication & Information, and Community Support and Health.

3. Description of options

Option One

3.1 Option 1 would see the endorsement of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan and a total budget allocation of $80K, including $30K of existing implementation budget (already allocated in the Long-Term Plan) and an additional $50K per annum .5 FTE for an Community Development Advisor – Age Friendly to:

· guide the Council’s commitment to be an age friendly city;

· develop a Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan; and to

· coordinate the internal and external implementation of actions from that plan

3.2 Feedback from community partners and stakeholders demonstrates support for this direction to be supported by Council.

3.3 Funding a .5 FTE for the Community Development Advisor Age Friendly role will ensure a continuation of the work to date and the development of a coordinated Palmerton North Age Friendly Implementation Plan, ongoing wider community engagement, and will confirm Council’s commitment to be an Age Friendly City.

3.4 The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan delivers on strategic aspirations within the current Community Support Plan, Transport Plan, Urban Design Plan, Housing Plan and Social Housing Guidelines.

3.5 $30,000 annually has been budgeted through the Long-Term Plan for implementation only.

Option Two

3.6 Option 2 would see the endorsement of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan and approval for the reallocation of the existing $30K of implementation budget towards a .3 FTE Community Development Advisor -Age Friendly, for the development of an Age Friendly Implementation Plan.

3.7 Similar to Option 1, by funding a .3 FTE for the Advisor role, Council will ensure a continuation of the work to date and the development of a coordinated Palmerton North Age Friendly Implementation Plan, ongoing community engagement, and a confirmation of Council’s commitment to be an Age Friendly City.

Option Three

3.8 The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan is endorsed, and Council does not approve the reallocation of the existing $30K of implementation budget towards .3 FTE for a Community Development Advisor - Age Friendly.

3.9 In this option, Council maintains the status quo of the $30K implementation budget allocated in the Long-Term Plan with no FTE allocation towards a role.

3.10 Option 3 could result in a scaled back delivery of actions as there would be no dedicated role within Council towards the development of an Age Friendly Implementation Plan or to engage with internal and external stakeholders on the delivery of that plan.

3.11 This option carries no financial risk or benefit as the budget has been allocated.

3.12 Option 3 has potential for reputational risk against expected delivery.

Option Four

3.13 The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan is not endorsed by Council and the Implementation Plan is not developed to deliver the actions outlined in the plan.

3.14 There are financial benefits identified for this option for Council as the $30K allocated for age friendly implementation could be reallocated to other activities, however the budget has already been adopted in the Long-Term Plan.

3.15 The age friendly work would not continue, which carries reputational risk should this option be chosen.

4. Analysis of options

Option One

4.1 Option 1 represents the greatest opportunity for community impact and to achieve Council’s goal to achieve WHO Age Friendly status and to maintain membership to Age Friendly Aotearoa New Zealand (AFANZ).

4.2 Option 1 also best addresses the predicted needs of the increasing ageing population of residents aged 65+ years and increasing urbanisation.

4.3 $30,000 has been allocated in the Long-Term Plan budget from Years 1-10 for the implementation of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan. There are a significant number of Actions outlined in the report. While many of the actions are outlined to continue, many of these actions require an age friendly advocate to ensure that an age friendly lens is applied. Outlined in the Action Plan are multiple actions across 8 Age Friendly Domains.

4.4 Option 1 has additional financial cost to Council that are not budgeted for in the Long-Term Plan. At the time of the Long-Term Plan deliberations, the Action Plan and associated recommendations were not complete, which meant that the resource implications were not fully understood in time for inclusion in the Long-Term Plan.

Option Two

4.5 Under this option, an Advisor would be able to progress the implementation of the Age Friendly actions both internally, across divisions of Council and externally, with community stakeholders.

4.6 Under this option, budget to implement the actions will have been reallocated to FTE, so the financial cost of the delivery of all specific Council actions will need to be considered within each existing budget or be considered in future annual budgeting planning.

4.7 While there is no additional financial cost to Council, the development of the Age Friendly Implementation Plan would be progressed at a slower rate.

4.8 Some community projects, initiatives or events may be considered for grant funding, if eligible (for example a Seniors Forum may be eligible for funding through the Community-led Initiatives Fund should the event be community-led by a relevant community organisation).

4.9 The Office for Seniors has a fund available for the initial work of becoming an Age Friendly City. The fund supports organisations with grants between $5,000 to $15,000. The funds may be used for operational costs related to the development of a strategy or plan, and/or the implementation of new projects or initiatives in support of a strategy or plan.

4.10 Council was successful in receiving $5,000 of funding in November 2023 from this fund. Council will be eligible again in 2026 to apply to this fund for implementation and initiative costs. The fund opens annually in August/September and officers will apply again when eligible in 2026.

4.11 Community views have not been sought for this option, however key stakeholders have advocated to Council for a commitment to be an Age Friendly City and for Council to maintain a dedicated position to progress this work.

4.12 Option 2 is the option that is recommended by officers, as it will provide some scope to implement actions, within existing budgets.

Option Three

4.13 There is some risk that work across the 8 Age Friendly Domains outlined in the report will not sustain an age-friendly lens without a role dedicated to the delivery of the work and that the actions will be difficult to implement.

4.14 If Option 3 is chosen, then each group or division within Council will need to consider how they could best develop and implement the recommended age friendly actions in the plan relevant to the 8 Age Friendly Domains. How this will be communicated to community will need to be established. Under this option, Community Development Advisors would continue to provide support for community organisations to access community funding and develop community-led projects, initiatives and events.

4.15 There is a risk that relationships with key community partners and stakeholders could be impacted by a perceived reduction in commitment by Council.

4.16 However, this option also has no budget implications and allows for the continuation of the work and Council will continue to demonstrate a financial commitment to Age Friendly membership and to the implementation of the actions in the plan.

Option Four

4.17 There is a financial benefit to Council from budget of $30K that has already been allocated for Age Friendly implementation in Years 1-10 of the Long-Term Plan being allocated to another activity.

4.18 With this option there is a risk that relationships with key community partners, stakeholders as well as the wider 65+ community could be damaged by the perception that Council has gone back on the committed already undertaken.

4.19 Community feedback shows support for an Age-Friendly commitment and action to be provided by Council and Council has already demonstrated a commitment to be an Age Friendly City through the Long-Term Plan budget and the Oranga Papaioea City Strategy.

5. Conclusion

5.1 As a result of the co-design process, the draft Action Plan has been completed. The Action Plan is designed to provide a road map for Council and the community to progress towards becoming an Age Friendly City.

5.2 Palmerston North City Council has made a commitment to further work towards WHO Age Friendly status. The ongoing process to become Age Friendly does not involve an end point achievement of a status or accreditation, rather it includes a commitment to the ongoing process and membership.

5.3 Therefore, there are no set requirements for Council to maintain membership status to Age Friendly Aotearoa New Zealand (AFANZ). AFANZ provides recommendations and guidance to member local authorities. The actions outlined in the Action Plan are self-identified by Council officers following the community engagement process.

5.4 The Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan seeks to clarify areas where the Palmerston North City Council is responsible for delivering actions aligned to the eight WHO Age Friendly domains. Specifically, it identifies actions Council could directly deliver, through the Implementation Plan, while acknowledging a joint responsibility to also support the community to deliver on the implementation of their own aspirations outside of Council’s direct remit.

5.5 Success of the Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan will depend on an age-friendly lens being incorporated into Council services and planned developments. While some actions may be achieved by approaching ongoing initiatives with an age friendly lens, others will require direction from Council.

5.6 The stepped development process outlined above demonstrates that Council’s Age Friendly programme development is currently sitting at Stage 3 of 5 stages, where community engagement has been completed and evaluated, an internal staff working group has been established to consider community engagement feedback, an Action Plan has been completed for endorsement and we are ready to move to Step 4, to develop an Implementation Plan.

5.7 Given all of the information detailed above, officers recommend proceeding with Option 2. Although Option 1 represents the greatest opportunity for community impact and to achieve Council’s goal to achieve WHO Age Friendly status, it also carries additional financial cost, with a total budget allocation of $80K. Option 2 still enables Council to continue to progress the age friendly work towards the implementation of actions and it carries no further unbudgeted financial cost to Council.

5.8 Option 2 provides adequate resourcing to enable the full development of an Age Friendly Implementation Plan and the execution of that plan within realistic timeframes.

6. Next actions

6.1 If Option 1 or 2 is chosen, then an Age Friendly steering group will be responsible for developing an Implementation Plan based on the actions identified, coordinating implementation and reporting, meeting regularly to review progress, identifying gaps and opportunities for future delivery and collaboration, advocating for change on key issues and securing support and resources.

6.2 A collaborative approach will be essential to the success of this plan. This will involve both cross functional collaboration across divisions within Council and collaboration with community partners, working together on the delivery of the actions identified in the plan. At a community level, the Seniors Reference Group and Age Friendly Palmerston North community group are trusted partners who provide expert advice on age friendly areas of interest and concern, by providing support and advice.

6.3 The Age Friendly Programme aligns with work currently being undertaken by Council including the:

a. the Accessibility Audit and the future work of the Accessibility Charter

b. endorsement of the Enabling Good Lives principles

c. commitment to the Urban Design Protocol.

The Accessibility Audit of Council-owned buildings highlighted that some buildings or part of the building are inaccessible or limitedly accessible. This is an issue for both the aged community and for those living with disabilities.

6.4 In the development of a Palmerston North Age Friendly Implementation Plan, officers will continue to look at opportunities to align the plan with these three areas.

6.5 If Option 3 is chosen, then each group within Council will need to consider how they could best develop and implement the recommended actions in the plan relevant to the 8 Age Friendly Domains. How this will be communicated to community will need to be established.

6.6 If Option 4 is chosen, then no further actions will be taken, other than to feedback to community partners and stakeholders.

7. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide? If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from Delegations Manual		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 objectives?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to: Whāinga 3: He hapori tūhonohono, he hapori haumaru Goal 3: A connected and safe community
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of objective/objectives in: 7. Mahere tautāwhi hapori 7. Community Support Plan The objective is: Support for-purpose organisations and communities of interest and deliver programmes to promote community wellbeing. Specific action: Participate in the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) Age-friendly Cities and Communities programme.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The Age-Friendly Action Plan delivers on strategic aspirations within the current Community Support Plan, Transport Plan, Urban Design Plan, Housing Plan and Social Housing Guidelines, and Council Goals 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Attachments

Palmerston North Age Friendly Action Plan ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Community Committee

MEETING DATE: 23 October 2024

TITLE: Summary of Community Funding Allocations 01/07/2023 - 30/06/2024

Presented By: Cindy Nguyen, Community Development Advisor, and Amy Viles, Manager Community Development

APPROVED BY: Danelle Whakatihi, General Manager Customer & Community

RECOMMENDATION TO Community Committee

1. That the Committee receive the report titled ‘Summary of Community Funding Allocations from 01/07/2023 - 30/06/2024’ dated 23 October 2024.

1. ISSUE

1.1 Council wishes to see an annual overview of all community funding.

2. BACKGROUND

1.2 Palmerston North depends on having a capable and sustainable community and voluntary sector to support a connected, safe and vibrant community. To this end, the Council funds a wide range of community groups, organisations and individuals via several contestable initiative-specific and outcomes-focused grant programmes.

1.3 In May 2021, as a result of the Business Assurance Review of community grants and events funding, it was determined that a yearly report on the performance of all grants be presented to the Council with recommendations for change where applicable.

1.4 This is the fourth yearly report.

1.5 This report has been prepared by Community Development team, with input from Council’s Events, Marketing, Resource Recovery, Youth Services, and Strategic Planning teams, as well as Te Pū Harakeke and Sport Manawatū.

3. DISCUssion

Overview

3.1 This report will provide information and analysis on the performance of Council’s community funding programmes delivered in the 2023/2024 financial year.

3.2 The funding programmes (also referred to as Grants or Fund) included in this report are:

a. Strategic Priority Grants

b. Community-led Initiatives Fund

c. Community Development Small Grants Fund

d. Community Training Fund

e. Creative Communities Scheme

f. Arts Event Fund

g. Major Events Fund

h. Sports Event Partnership Fund

i. Sponsorship Funds

j. Natural and Cultural Heritage Incentive Fund

k. Palmerston North Youth Council Scholarships and Grants Fund

l. Resource Recovery Fund

m. Active Communities Fund

Graph 1 below shows the overview of funding programmes and their budgets in this report.

Graph 1

3.3 This report will provide an overview of each fund for the 2023/2024 financial year, comment on trends seen over the previous three years of the funding programme where applicable, and comment on the future of each fund.

3.4 Following the overview by the fund, this report will provide insight into overall themes across the funding programmes.

Context

3.5 Contestable community funding is a tool used to support community development, as a mechanism to devolve resources into the community to support community-led activity. For the Council, other benefits of grant funding processes include facilitating interactions between the Council and the community as opportunities to build relationships, providing the Council with intel via applications and reporting as to the challenges and opportunities present in communities, and providing capability-building opportunities for the community sector. A common challenge of contestable community funding approaches is oversubscription, with demand outstripping supply, particularly as community and voluntary sectors grow in size and capability. As the Council cannot afford to fund all requests, staff draw on guidelines, policy and expertise to prioritise available funding. Staff also use a range of other tools to support capacity and capability building in the community and voluntary sector.

3.6 In 2018, Council began moving funding administration to the cloud-based software SmartyGrants. This saves both Council and grant recipients time and resources, allowing the Council to focus on getting the best outcomes for the community. It also ensures staff can easily access application data and preserve information for the future. There are now 17 active funding programmes administered on this software.

3.7 The policy guiding the administration of Council’s funding programmes is the Support and Funding Policy 2022, which was endorsed by the Council in April 2022.

3.8 It is noted that this report includes a snapshot only of the Active Communities Fund, and the Sports Event Partnership Fund, as detailed information on these funds is reported on separately by Sport Manawatū.

Information by fund

3.9 Strategic Priority Grants (SPG)

Purpose: To activate the potential of the community sector to deliver on the Council’s strategic direction, specifically Goals 2, 3 and 4, through three-year funding agreements.

The Strategic Priority Grants (SPG) programme is the Council’s largest funding stream available for the for-purpose sector. With three-year funding agreements, it provides organisations with a higher level of certainty in their operations than annual or project-specific funding. It is also one of the few funding programmes available for back-office costs, and many SPG recipients rely on this funding to contribute to staff salaries and overheads.

Budget 2023/2024: $1,510,524

Allocation process: Once every three years, a staff panel assesses SPG applications received via SmartyGrants according to the criteria and principles in the funding policy. Due to demand and the relative complexity of the applications, the allocation process involves multiple steps, including initial individual staff assessments, a small group assessment and ranking stage, and a full panel moderation stage.

2023/2024 Year: This was the second year of the 2022/2025 three-year contract period. In the first year, funding was allocated to 43 groups. However, funding recipient Manawatū Reuniting Refugee Families Trust (MRRFT) ceased operation in 2023 and their SPG funding allocation for years 2 and year 3 have been incorporated into the Manawatū Multicultural Council (MMC)’s Sector Lead funding allocation, to continue working with multi-ethnic communities including refugees. MMC was assessed by staff to be best placed to continue to deliver against the priority for refugee communities. Therefore, from the second year of the Strategic Priority Grants round 2022/2025, there are now 42 funded groups who have continued their SPG contracts into the final year, including 7 sector leads: Community Arts Palmerston North Incorporated, Creative Sounds Society Incorporated, Environment Network Manawatū, Manawatū Multicultural Council Incorporated, Ora Konnect, Te Pū Harakeke Community Collective Manawatū and Housing Advice Centre (Palmerston North) Incorporated.

Performance data submitted by SPG recipients this year continuously demonstrates the significant impact and role the SPG recipient organisations, and their facilities and services, have on the day-to-day lives of the community.

There were 7,089 ‘services’ delivered, including programmes, events, projects, workshops, engagement hui, and more. This figure is a significant increase on the services delivered in the previous year (Graph 2). There was also an increase in the total number of volunteers, from 1,528 volunteers in 2022/23 to 2,073 volunteers reported as supporting the activities delivered by the groups during this year 2023/24, demonstrating a significant level of civic engagement and community connectivity underpinned by these groups (Graph 2).

Graph 2

To date, 95% of all clients of services we funded, reported being highly satisfied or satisfied with the programme or service they received or participated in.

In terms of outcomes achieved, the data shows that 92% of clients reported an increased sense of community connection, 93% of clients reported an increase of confidence and/or that they had gained new skills, knowledge and experience, and 96% of clients reported that they had received information and advice to meet their needs (it is important to note that not all organisations have all outcomes measured, outcomes are measured relevant to the services delivered).

Sector Leads: A review of Sector Leads trial was presented to the Community Committee meeting on 22 November 2023. The Council approved the continuation of the Sector Leads Partnership model in principle, as per the Support and Funding Policy 2022, and noted that appropriate budget would be established for Sector Lead partners within the draft 2024-2034 Long-Term Plan.

Future of the fund: As resolved in the 2024-2034 Long-Term Plan strategic outcomes, staff are currently running the new round Strategic Priority Grants 2025-2028. The round opened 9 September to 4 November 2024. Results will be notified to applicants in March 2025. Sector Lead organisations have completed performance reviews with staff and contract negotiations will be undertaken within the same timeframe for the new round SPG 2025-2028.

3.10 Community-led Initiatives Fund

Purpose: To provide communities with the resources to deliver their own small-scale community-led initiatives, including events and projects, that will primarily benefit Palmerston North communities of identity, place, or interest.

This fund is to support initiatives provided by the community for the community. Open year-round, it gives Council flexibility to support community-led initiatives as they emerge.

Budget 2023/24: $193,787

Allocation process: Applications are received via SmartyGrants, and assessed by a panel of two officers, including a first full assessment and a second peer review assessment.

2023/2024 Year: The Community-led Initiatives Fund saw 32 eligible applications and 29 of these were successful with total allocated amount of $183,144.

Epic Music Foundation received the largest grant of $15,000 for the ‘Equitable Music Tuition’ project - a community-based initiative which provides itinerant music lessons at two primary schools in Palmerston North - Te Kura O Takaro and Terrace End School over a 4-term period. The Palmy PRIDE programme and City Mission Palmerston North’s parenting programme received grants of $10,594 and $10,044 respectively, to support their initiatives in support of rainbow communities and families. $1,350 was the smallest grant allocated to support the Philippine Central Association to hold their ’Festival of Talents‘ bringing the diversity performances together.

This year, it was pleasing to see a continuation of the diverse number of applications seen in previous years (Graph 3). The amount requested from this fund was over $250,000, doubling the amount requested in the 2021/22 financial year (Graph 4).

Graph 3

Graph 4

This year, the outcomes engine will continue to be applied in the Community-led Initiatives Fund application form and in the acquittal report, to assist in the evaluation of outcome achievement.

To date, 16 successful recipients have completed their funded initiatives and their acquittal reporting. The reports show the initiatives funded made a strong contribution to Council’s Goals 2 and 3 by: increasing whānau and community connectedness, celebrating city diversity, providing opportunities for communities to achieve their aspirations and to celebrate their culture. There was a total of 6,950 attendees and 553 volunteers involved in the initiatives, and 95% of attendees were satisfied with the initiative they participated in.

Future of the fund: Staff will continue to work with community groups to develop new initiatives for funding and encourage a diversity of applications.

3.11 Community Development Small Grants Fund

Purpose: To provide funding for essential administration expenses to enable local not-for-profit community groups to operate. Groups may apply for grants of up to $5,000 to cover costs related to audit or financial review, communication, energy, insurance, volunteer expenses, rent or stationery. Organisations seeking funding must contribute to either Goal 2, 3 or 4.

Budget 2023/2024: $233,140 (excluding $10,000 for Te Pū Harakeke’s administration costs.)

Allocation process: Grants are allocated through a contestable process once a year, administered by Te Pū Harakeke. Te Pū Harakeke appoints a community panel to meet with applicants and make allocation decisions.

To maintain consistent alignment with the Support and Funding Policy 2022, the Allocation Committee continued to place an emphasis on the support priority “groups which have a need for administrative funding” again in this funding period. This meant some groups who had received grants in the past but had very large operating budgets or had very large reserves were deprioritised, ensuring that the funds went to the groups that needed it most.

2023/2024 Year: 64 applications were received in total, and 56 of these were successful in receiving an allocation of funding. Of the 56 approved applications, the average amount requested was $4,514 and the average amount allocated was $4,130. Of the 56 approved applications, 20 were also Strategic Priority Grants 2022-25 recipients.

Feedback from recipients, via accountability reports from last year, show that 94% ‘strongly agreed’ or ‘agreed’ that the application and assessment process was efficient, and that they were better able to meet their essential administration expenses for operation as a result of receiving the grant.

Future of the fund: The contract for the administration of Small Grants has been incorporated in the Sector Lead partnership agreement with Te Pū Harakeke for 2022/2025. That contract requires that administration of the fund is undertaken in alignment with the Support and Funding Policy 2022.

3.12 Community Training Fund

Purpose: This fund supports Sector Lead groups to provide affordable training opportunities for staff, volunteers and board members of community groups to build capacity and capability in the arts, environment and social sectors.

Budget 2023/2024: $19,323

Allocation process: Funding is available throughout the financial year or until funds run out. Sector Lead groups use SmartyGrants to apply for funding prior to offering training to community groups. Applications are assessed by Council officers.

2023/2024 Year: 13 training workshops were delivered, at a total cost of $16,963. There were total of 286 attendees throughout the year. The following table shows the range of training workshops delivered:

Training session	Descriptions/Outcomes	Number of attendees
Introduction to Te Tiriti o Waitangi	To enhance community organisations’ knowledge of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and how the principles of the Treaty should be implemented in the workplace.	16
Implementation of Te Tiriti o Waitangi	A collaboration with Rangitāne o Manawatū. Raising levels of cultural sensitivity for participants which will directly influence their work relationships.	18
Communities using IRD	To support participants how to get an IRD number and navigating the different forms that are available.	12
Karakia and Whakawhanaungatanga	In-depth breakdown on the purpose, intent, and benefits of karakia; and whakawhanaungatanga in relation to inner peace and common ground.	20
Positive Volunteering	Fostering a stronger volunteering culture, leading to a higher number of volunteers, retention rates, and retained knowledge in the sector.	33
Managing Volunteers	Organisations have better personnel management skills, leading to increased capacity and better outcomes in their area of work.	30
Te Rangimarie Marae Visit	The full and rich history of the marae in Palmerston North.	22
Grants Workshop	Organisations around the sector are always reliant on external funding, including grants. However, the range of grants they apply for is often limited. The applications themselves are also not necessarily of a high quality. This workshop aimed to improve both outputs.	19
Local Food Resilience	A focus on bioregional localities food systems and strategies. Identifying community scale food resilience assets and needs. Looking at opportunities to rekindle local food culture. Creating a bioregional food inventory. Strengthening local food economy by identifying and engaging in local food systems and developing partnerships.	18
Project Waitangi – Te Tiriti o Waitangi	Two sets of Te Tiriti o Waitangi trainings this year, each with two workshops (four workshops in total).	46
Addressing Family Harm with Disabled People	Upskilling front line workers and volunteers who work with vulnerable clients. The workshop aim is to have better understanding, knowledge and skills when addressing Family Violence and Sexual Violence against tāngata and whānau whaikaha Māori, Deaf, disabled people, Adults at Risk (across the lifespan) and families in the Palmerston North area.	40
Xero and Finance for Charities	Using Xero, as well as more general topics such as budgets, and preparing for board reports.	12

Future of the fund: The fund will continue to support community groups with opportunities to build their capacity and capability. The community sector is always seeking to learn new and innovative ways to help do their work.

Moving forward, Sector Lead organisations will be encouraged to use the Community Training Fund to support the organisations in their sector.

3.13 Creative Communities Scheme (CCS)

Purpose: This grants programme is a partnership between Creative New Zealand and the Council. The fund supports local arts projects that create opportunities for the local community to engage with and participate in arts activities. While Creative New Zealand set the priorities for this fund, the local allocation panel has the option to also consider the outcomes outlined in the Council’s Strategic direction to achieve Goal 2: A creative and exciting city and Goal 3: A connected and safe community.

Budget 2023/2024: The total fund pool for 2023/24 was $111,045, made up of a $36,093 Council contribution, $68,220 from Creative NZ, $6,732 carried forward from 2022/2023.

This year, Creative New Zealand has also added the ‘CCS Festival Fund 2023/24’ specifically for established art-focused festivals, which celebrate the experiences, stories, cultures and regional identities of New Zealanders. The fund is for festivals that have occurred at least once in the past five years and is intended to help the sector adapt following so much Covid-19 disruption. The total budget available to be allocated for CCS Festival Fund 2023/24 is $21,118.39.

Allocation process: This process is determined by the Creative Communities guidelines set by Creative NZ. A panel is made up of community representatives and two Elected Members, with two funding rounds per year (allocation decisions in September and March of each year).

2023/2024 Year: A total of 46 applications were received across the two rounds, with 35 projects funded including 2 applications for Festival fund. The total allocated amount for the Creative Communities Scheme was $100,120.33 and an additional $21,118.39 for the CCS Festival fund.

The average grant awarded this year for the Creative Communities Scheme was approximately $3,000 per application. The unspent amount will be carried over to the 2024-2025 financial year.

Grants ranged from $640.75 to support an open mic type concert that gives musical theatre lovers the chance to perform in front of an audience, to $9,000 for a project called “Samoan educational song resources”, by Hokozoo Productions, which includes a recording of Samoan songs for children/adults to embrace the Samoan language and culture.

The Festival Fund was fully allocated to two applicants in Round 1: Manawatū Jazz & Blues Festival 2024 ($10,000.00) and Manawatū Summer Shakespeare ($11,118.39).

Three-year trend: As demonstrated in Graph 5 below, there was an increase in Ngā toi Māori, theatre and visual arts projects this year, with a significant increase in music and craft/objects projects, following a decline in 2022/23. There was a decrease in multi-artform, literature, dance and inter-arts projects. There was also an increase in the number of applications that included people of multiple ethnicities (Graph 6).

As shown in Graph 7, the amount allocated funding continues to be roughly half of the amount requested from applicants. The number of applications received, 46, is more than the last 2 years, which suggests that the sector is developing. It is noted that the gap between the amount requested and the amount allocated is reducing, suggesting that applications are becoming more realistic, and indicating more substantial projects are starting to move to larger funds like the Arts Event Fund and Creative Arts Grants. The Creative Communities Committee is still able to refer applicants directly to these funds where appropriate.

Future of the fund: The Creative Communities Scheme remains a popular and effective funding stream to support small-scale art initiatives and local artists to grow.

Graph 5

Graph 6

Graph 7

3.14 Arts Event Fund

Purpose: To invest in events that contribute to Council’s vision for the City, in particular, Goal 2: A creative and exciting city. Council recognises the opportunities that arise from hosting significant art events in Palmerston North, both in terms of economic growth and in developing the city as a culturally rich city where people have the opportunity to express their creativity and cultural identity. To be considered for funding the event must:   

· Have the arts as a central focus.   

· Be of significant regional, national or international importance.   

· Be accessible to the community.   

· Positively profile the city of Palmerston North; and   

· Provide an economic benefit for Palmerston North.  

Budget 2023/2024: $50,000

Allocation process: The Arts Event Fund is open all year until allocated. Applications are received via SmartyGrants, and assessed by a panel of two officers, including a first full assessment and a second peer review assessment.

2023/2024 Year: Of the five applications to the fund, four were successful, and one was declined. The unsuccessful application was a small-scale concert by Chamber Music New Zealand, and this was instead supported with Arts Initiative budget. A total of $55,000 was requested over the five applications assessed. The successful projects included:

· Manawatū Horowhenua Pae Taiohi Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Competition (Manawatū Horowhenua Māori Teachers Incorporated) was supported with $15,000 towards this biennial regional Kapa Haka competition for Secondary Schools of Manawatū and Horowhenua held at the Fly Palmy Arena. The sold-out event featured more than 250 performers entertaining an audience of 2500 with another 1000 watching the performances streamed online. Top place getters Manukura (1st) and Te Piringa (2nd) went on to represent Manawatū - Horowhenua at the National competition in Nelson in June 2024. 

· PNDA 24th Annual Dance Festival (Palmerston North Dance Association) was supported with $10,000 to host their seven-day multi-genre dance championships at the Regent on Broadway. This year’s event was held in collaboration with Manawatū Performing Arts Competition Society (MPACS) celebrating their 100th anniversary. Guest artists from MPACS provided performances in vocal, instrumental, piano, speech & drama, musical theatre and highland dance. The competition attracted 2000 young performers and their families from Auckland, Taranaki, Hawkes Bay, Wellington and the top of the South Island. 

· Manawatū Jazz & Blues Festival 2024 (Manawatū Jazz Club) was granted $15,000 to support delivery of the 54th annual jazz and blues festival in Palmerston North, comprising public concerts at the Globe Theatre, workshops and 'Cafe Scene' artists. This year’s festival was impacted by the loss of music icon and festival organiser, Roger Fox, immediately prior to the event. A total of 1812 attendees included performers and audience from Taranaki, Hawke’s Bay, the Wellington region and Christchurch. An economic impact report on the event estimated direct expenditure by attendees of $117,701 and added value to the region of $82,391.

· NZ Blues, Roots & Groove Festival 2024 (Aotearoa Jazz Education and Performance Charitable Trading Trust) was granted $10,000 to support the national four-day event celebrating blues, roots and groove music, to be held in the first week of September each year. The loss of Roger Fox also impacted this event, with an organising committee supported by Gerry Keating, Globe Theatre Manager, taking over at short notice. An economic impact report is expected but was not available at the time of this report.

Three-year trend: Funding for the arts remains under pressure with Creative New Zealand’s funds reduced, and their change in focus away from event-based funding. This has contributed to organisers of local art events seeking higher levels of support from the Arts Event Fund. This year the fund was swiftly allocated and closed in early December 2023.  As the table below shows, a modest investment can provide significant economic return to the community, in addition to the wellbeing benefits and enhancement of the city’s reputation that comes from hosting and attending these events.

Event	Arts Event Fund	Total Attendance	Direct Expenditure	Value Added
Manawatū Horowhenua Pae Taiohi Secondary Schools Kapa Haka Competition	$15,000	3750	Not available	Not available
PNDA 24th Annual Dance Festival	$10,000	2000	Not available	Not available
Manawatū Jazz & Blues Festival 2024	$15,000	1812	$117,701	$82,391
NZ Blues, Roots & Groove Festival 2024	$10,000	787	Not available	Not available

Future of the fund: In 2024/2025, officers will continue to maximise the available funds to support the arts community, including supporting larger events to pathway into the Major Events Fund and the Creative New Zealand large grants where appropriate. Officers will work with event organisers on economic impact reports for each event to demonstrate the return on investment. The Arts Event Fund will also be in the scope of the review of Events funding alongside the Major Events Fund and Sports Event Partnership Fund.  

3.15 Major Events Fund

Purpose: To support the attraction, development and growth of events in Palmerston North. The objective of the Major Events Fund is to support Event Producers to deliver world-class events that drive sustainable growth in domestic visitation and promote Palmerston North’s unique identity to a wider audience. A specific focus on events that increase visitor nights, increase tourism spending and economic activity is targeted.

Budget 2023/2024: $286,000

Allocation process: A cross-section assessment panel consisting of two council officers and a Central Economic Development Agency (CEDA) representative receives and approves applications throughout the financial year via SmartyGrants until funds are fully allocated. Multi-year funding can be approved by the panel if this will assist in event growth and economic benefit.

2023-2024 Year: All grant recipients were awarded a single year of funding to re-align to the Long-Term Plan. This officer decision ensured funding was available throughout the cycle.

2023/24 Funding Allocations:

Gravel and Tar Cycling Classic	Greasy Chain Trust	$30,000
NZ Cycling Criterium	Performance Advantage	$25,500
Manawatū Art Trail	Square Edge Community Arts	$30,000
Armageddon Expo	Beyond Reality	$30,000 (final year of 3)
NZ Young Performer Awards	PACANZ	$22,000
Palmy Drag Fest	Palmy Drag Ltd	$20,000
Kiwibots VEX National Championships	NZ Robotics Charitable Trust	$10,000
Davis Cup – World Cup of Tennis	NZ Tennis	$30,000
Pasifika Fusion 2024	Malamalama Moni Aoga Amata EFKS Palmerston North Inc.	$30,000
Central District Field Days	Stuff Events	$30,000

Another event was successful in grant funding based on information received in their application along with successful prior delivery but cancelled prior to grant funding payment. NZ Rural Games also receives non-contestable funding of $75,000 cash and $25,000 in kind support and is not included the allocations of the Major Events Fund.

There were an additional five unsuccessful applications to the fund. Assessors found a number of these applicants either did not match aims and criteria of the fund or did not assist in the aspirations of a fully rounded and dispersed calendar of events for the city.

Three-year trend: Many applicants do not meet the specific criteria set out in the Support and Funding Policy to drive additional visitation to Palmerston North and these event organisers need help to increase visitation to the city with specific marketing guidance and support to demonstrate economic impact through robust data collection and analysis. New organisers and events are beginning to emerge within the major event sector within the city which is a promising sign that the aims of the fund will continue to be delivered through increased economic activity and city vibrancy.

Future of the fund: Staff will maintain a targeted focus on economic benefits and events that help promote the city to a national audience and drive visitation to the city. Improved standardised reporting and reporting metrics would enable a clear and consistent approach for all funding requests which could be extended to other funding sources within council. The loss of a number of post-Covid funding streams from Central Government is a concern as organisers will be looking to all grant funders including Palmerston North City Council to fill in the gaps created by this reduction.

3.16 Sports Event Partnership Fund (via Sport Manawatū)

Purpose: To support operational costs for sports events hosted in Palmerston North that have an economic benefit and enhance community connectedness and health.

Budget 2023/2024: $280,952 (plus $25,000 funds retained from 2022/2023 as a carryover due to last minute event cancellations).

Allocation Process: This fund is fully administered by Sport Manawatū with a cross-sector assessment panel which includes Sport Manawatū staff, a Council officer and a CEDA representative.

2023/2024 Year: This fund has proven a great asset to the city given that it continues to support community events, raises the profile of the city by hosting national-level events in world-class facilities, and activates the local economy in ways that only sporting events can.

28 events received grant funding totalling $289,421, providing an estimated $11,615,686 of economic benefit to the city based on economic impact modelling from applicant information, representing a 4,000% return on investment to the city.

Future of the fund: The retention aspect of the fund is under threat from other cities with similar funds and new facilities purposefully built to attract the events Palmerston North currently hosts. This gives great leverage and bargaining power to some events currently funded and that Sport Manawatū aims to retain. For this reason, Sport Manawatū expects to reduce the number of events currently supported so that they can afford to retain events that maximize the value add to the city. Furthermore, the city must present a united front so that Sport Manawatū can present a better offer to the events we support. This may enhance the city’s worth to event participants, who may influence organisers’ decision in retaining events in Palmerston North.

3.17 Sponsorship Fund

Purpose: To associate the Council with initiatives (including activities, projects or events) which improve the city’s reputation and national presence.

The fund priorities are to invest in initiatives that:

· contribute to outcomes to achieve goal one of the Council's strategic direction

· is innovative, delivering something new or addressing an issue that affects the people of Palmerston North in line with the Council’s strategic goals

· is of significant regional or national importance

· positively profiles the city of Palmerston North

· provides a quantifiable economic benefit (e.g., activities, projects or events that attract more than 200 visitors to the city who stay at least one night).

Budget 2023/2024: $54,100

Allocation process: Applications are received via SmartyGrants, and assessed by a panel of officers, including a first full assessment and a second peer review assessment.

This fund opens at the start of the financial year and remains open until it is fully allocated. A maximum of $10,000 is available per application. Staff have discretion to award up to 50% of the total funding to an eligible proposal.

2023/2024 Year: 13 applications were received, 9 were successful in receiving funding. Across these 9 successful applications, the whole $54,100 fund was allocated. The fund was again fully allocated within six months of the financial year. The majority of applications were event related, ranging from conference sponsorship to support for economic events.

Future of the fund: This fund will continue to be used to support initiatives that profile Palmerston North. Council will use this fund as an incentive in attracting conference, business and city initiatives.

3.18 Natural and Cultural Heritage Incentive Fund (NCHIF)

Purpose: To fund the protection, promotion and strengthening of heritage buildings or other objects listed in the District Plan and the trimming and maintenance of notable trees. The NCHIF has four categories:

a) Strengthening Palmy History: to support owners of earthquake-prone heritage buildings and street character buildings that require strengthening with the costs of feasibility studies, working drawings and structural works;

b) Protecting Palmy History: to support owners looking after our most significant heritage buildings and sites, with funding for conservation, maintenance, repair, and restoration of scheduled heritage buildings and sites;

c) Promoting Palmy History: to support community-led heritage education, research or promotion projects; and

d) Notable Palmy Trees: to support notable tree owners with the costs of minor maintenance and trimming.

Given the requirements of the Building (Earthquake-prone Buildings) Amendment Act 2016, the priority for this fund is earthquake-strengthening listed heritage buildings.

Budget 2023/2024: $156,000 to support funding categories a-d above.

Allocation process: For fund categories a-c, applications are assessed by one officer and peer-reviewed by another officer. All applications are assessed against several criteria set out in the Heritage Funding Guidelines.

2023/2024 Year: See Graph 8 below. Key insights include:

· There was one application for Promoting Palmy Heritage, consistent with the low uptake in previous years

· Applications for Strengthening Palmy Heritage were relatively low and of lower value than previous years

· Applications for Protecting Palmy Heritage have been steadily increasing over the past three years

· Funding for notable trees remains consistent with historical trends

· The majority of funding applications are able to be accepted with further information about the project’s deliverables.

Graph 8

Three-year trend: The key Annual Plan Performance Measure is an “Increase in investment in earthquake-prone heritage buildings.” Three-year trends in Graph 9 below show that:

· Support for maintenance and repairs on heritage buildings has dipped below the five-year peak in 2021/22

· Notable tree maintenance is consistent with the three-year average

· Investment in earthquake-prone buildings is less than in previous years. This is likely due to the small number and smaller average value of applications compared to previous years. Whilst there has been a larger average value in applications for earthquake-prone buildings, the number of applications has been less than previous years

· Promoting Palmy Heritage received a couple of larger-value applications compared to previous years.

Graph 9

3.19 Palmerston North Youth Council Scholarships and Grants Fund

Purpose: To celebrate the contribution made by young people in our city through active participation and leadership in their given field. Inspire young people to take up growth opportunities and enable access to these opportunities.

Administrating the fund also provides a development opportunity for the Youth Council who learn about financial transparency and sound decision-making. Funding categories include sports, arts, academic excellence, and community contribution. Applicants must be aged 12-24.

Budget 2023/2024: $8,500

Allocation process: Once a year, allocation decisions are made by a scholarships committee, which consists of 5 to 7 Youth Councillors (who represent a range of schools, ages, and interests) plus a council officer who oversees the process and supports the young people to make transparent and sound decisions.

The amount awarded to successful applications is variable based on the amount requested but is typically between $500 (minimum) and $1,150 (maximum) per applicant. The assessment process includes an initial application review, an interview with shortlisted applicants and a moderation session through SmartyGrants. Assessment criteria were based on 4 key areas: purpose, access to other forms of funding, visibility, and viability. Candidates are not eligible to receive funding if they have received the Youth Council Scholarship and Grants Fund previously or lived outside of Palmerston North City Bounds.

2023/2024 Year: Applications were open for three months, there were 81 applications with a total amount requested of $76,480. There were 8 successful applications, across arts, sports and academic aspirations. A total of $15,350 was requested and the total fund of $8,500 was allocated. $1,300 was awarded to Academic endeavours, $2,700 to young people pursuing Arts endeavours and $4,500 towards Sports Aspirations.

Fund Allocation:

Successful applications this funding round included supporting Palmy young people to represent and perform on a world stage; participating in VEX IQ World Championships in Texas; A Secondary Schools Choir Tour of China; Being selected as a NZ delegate to the 2024 UK IAgrM Leadership Development Programme run over two months in the UK, Netherlands and Belgium.

The fund also supported young people to equitably access and participate in opportunities presented to them; attending NZ Spirit of adventure leadership journey; having the ability to continue dance mentorship; attend a recording mentorship with a nationally known recording artist and develop an EP. The fund continues to fill a gap in support for young people wanting to pursue opportunities in Sport, including Dance.

Future of the fund: This fund will continue to be used to celebrate and support the aspirations of young people of our city.

3.20 Resource Recovery Fund (RRF)

Purpose: To support initiatives that reduce the amount of waste going to landfill. Local small businesses and not-for profits are invited to apply for projects that align with the funds key support priorities: waste diversion, education programs, community events, trials and pilot programs and research and development. The fund is supported by goals in the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2019, and successful applications align with this guiding document.

Budget 2023/2024: $45,199 (including $5,199 that was unspent from a previously awarded project.)

Allocation process: Applications are received once per year. Applications are assessed by two council officers, an assessor and a peer reviewer.

2023/2024 Year: For the third round of the Resource Recovery Fund, $48,835 was allocated to four of the six applicants. The total amount requested was $75,835. The successful projects were:

· Environment Network Manawatū’s successful repair cafe was supported for the third year in a row, being awarded $12,000 towards organisation of this initiative. As this project has been a success for three consecutive years and fulfils specific actions in the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2024, future years will be funded outside the resource recovery fund, allowing this portion to be contestable by projects.

· Just Zilch’s storage capacity increase was awarded $7,335 to support expansion of their storage warehouse. This will allow more food to be rescued and distributed to the community.

· Precycle’s expansion of Sustainable is Attainable to the Manawatu, an initiative that has been successful in Timaru and Hawkes Bay. The first phase of this project is to gather data from local businesses and industry, which will then be used to develop alternatives for waste and by products, preventing it from going to landfill. Precycle was awarded $7,500 towards this phase of the project.

· Mason Brothers Honey successfully requested $15,000 for Project Clean Comb which is an initiative to wash and reuse plastic honey frames that would normally be thrown away.

Future of the fund: Goal 2.1 of the 2024 Waste Management and Minimisation Plan specifies provision of the Resource Recovery Fund. This is funded through Councils allocation of the Ministry for the Environments Waste Levy. Councils long-term plan includes budget to continue this fund annually for the next 10 years.

The Resource Recovery Fund is publicised via a media release, key stakeholder (Environment Network Manawatū) newsletters, radio interviews, newspaper advertising, as well as on social media channels.

Applicant numbers and the total amount requested decreased this round, however the fund remained oversubscribed. Even with the repair cafe being funded via another budget in the future, applications in this round suggest that the fund would still be oversubscribed. Over the three years the fund has been available, the average amount applied for is $11,790 and the average amount allocated is $10,142.

3.21 Active Communities Fund (administered via Sport Manawatū)

Purpose: To remove financial barriers to enable Palmerston North residents to be more active, more often.

Budget 2023/2024: $10,000 per year, plus $1,221.27 unspent funds carried over from previous financial years.

Allocation process: Residents apply to the fund via an application form, which is assessed by a panel composed of Sport Manawatū, Replay Sport, Best Care Whakapai Hauora and two other advisors (community members).

2023/2024 Year: There were 32 applications on behalf of 40 people during the year. 25 applications were approved, benefiting 33 residents. The average amount allocated was $380 per application or $288 per beneficiary. Figures do not include GST.

Future of the fund: Sport Manawatū advises that the impact this fund produces is difficult to describe in words. The fund is currently promoted by the Sport Manawatū website, by some monthly publication (e.g. Fluxx), and by word of mouth. Sport Manawatū may use other methods of promotion at the Panel’s discretion.

4. Summary

4.1 Council has a good range of fund types, catering for a wide variety of community needs and aspirations, at different levels. This report has demonstrated the significant role grant funding plays in the city, with over $2.9 million dollars allocated annually to support communities to achieve their wellbeing aspirations.

4.2 2023/2024 has continuously seen strong demand for funding across the board. This need could be seen in September at the Palmerston North Community Funding Expo 2024, with more than 200 community members and 20 funders in attendance.

4.3 Event funding has been identified as an area of opportunity to improve processes and outcomes.

5. NEXT STEPS

5.1 Officers will continue to work to ensure Council’s funds are accessible as possible to the community, including facilitating the Palmerston North Community Funding Expo in collaboration with other funders, reviewing application forms and developing information resources for the community.

5.2 The next annual report for the 2024-2025 financial year will be provided in the third quarter of 2025.

6. 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 objectives?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to: Whāinga 3: He hapori tūhonohono, he hapori haumaru Goal 3: A connected and safe community
The recommendations contribute to the achievement of objective/objectives in: 7. Mahere tautāwhi hapori 7. Community Support Plan The objective is: Administer grants in line with the community funding policy. Note due to the range of funds included this report relates to outcomes and actions under multiple plans across Goals 2, 3 and 4.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Providing funding to community helps Council deliver its strategic objectives in a range of areas and provides critical support to the local for-purpose sector.

Attachments

Nil

Lorna Johnson (Chair)
Patrick Handcock (Deputy Chair)
Grant Smith (The Mayor)
Brent Barrett	Orphée Mickalad
Rachel Bowen	Karen Naylor
Lew Findlay (QSM)	William Wood
Billy Meehan	Kaydee Zabelin

	Estimated Report Date	Subject	General Manager Responsible	Current Position	Date of Instruction & Clause number
1	~~23 Oct 2024~~	~~Annual Report on Library Services~~	~~Customer & Community~~		24 May 2023 Clause 22-23
2	~~23 Oct 2024~~	~~Disability Reference Group – Annual Presentation~~	~~Customer & Community~~		Invitation to present 4 Nov 2020 Clause 41-20
3	~~23 Oct 2024~~	~~Develop an Age Friendly Plan~~	~~Customer & Community / Strategic Planning~~		31 May 2023 Clause 88.15-23
4	~~23 Oct 2024~~	~~Annual Report - Community Funding Allocation 2023/24~~	~~Customer & Community~~		~~Rec 1c of the Community Grants & Events Funding Review - May 2021~~
5	4 Dec 2024	Develop a Community Housing Partnership Plan	Strategic Planning		31 May 2023 Clause 88.9-23
6	4 Dec 2024	Draft Health Promotion Policy - Hearing	Strategic Planning		28 August 2024 Clause 16-24
7	19 Mar 2025	Draft Health Promotion Policy – Final Staff Report	Strategic Planning		28 August 2024 Clause 16-24
8	19 Mar 2025	Welcoming Communities Annual Report	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
9	19 Mar 2025	Annual Sector Lead Report: Housing Advice Centre	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
10	19 Mar 2025	Annual Sector Lead Report: Manawatū Multicultural Centre	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
11	19 Mar 2025	Annual Sector Lead Report: Te Pū Harakeke Community Collective Manawatū	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
12	19 Mar 2025	Annual Sector Lead Report: Te Tihī o Ruahine Whānau Ora Alliance	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
13	19 Mar 2025	Annual update on the implementation of the accessibility programme	Infrastructure		20 Mar 2024 Clause 11.2-24
14	21 May 2025	Property options in Roslyn to support the delivery of community services	Customer & Community		Council 29 May 2024 Clause 95.G47-24
15	21 May 2025	Youth Wellbeing and Youth Development – Annual Progress Report	Customer & Community		Council 29 May 2024 Clause 95.2F(1) -24
16	13 August 2025	Pasifika Reference Group – Annual Presentation	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
17	13 August 2025	Seniors Reference Group – Annual Presentation	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
18	TBC 2025	Actions and resources required to sign up to the Accessibility Charter	Customer & Community		22 Nov 2023 Clause 38-23
19	TBC 2025	Progress report on social housing development at Summerhays St	Strategic Planning / Infrastructure		Council 1 May 2024 Clause 66-24
20	TBC 2025	Options to deliver social housing within the current Revenue and Finance Policy limit	Strategic Planning / Infrastructure		20 March 2024 Clause 10-24
21	TBC 2025	Annual report on Library Services	Customer & Community		24 May 2023 Clause 22-23
22	TBC 2025	Disability Reference Group – Annual Presentation	Customer & Community		Terms of Reference
23	TBC 2025	Annual Report Community Funding Allocation 2024/2025	Customer & Community		Rec 1c of the Community Grants & Events Funding Review - May 2021
24	TBC 2024/2025	Expressions of Interest for a partnership-based approach to providing a natural burial site in PN	Infrastructure		22 Nov 2023 Clause 47 Council 1 Jun 2022 Clause 60-22
25	TBC	New Public Toilet – End of Albert Street – Alternative Locations	Infrastructure		28 August 2024 Clause 15-24