Palmerston North City Council

 

Minutes of the Risk & Assurance Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 11 June 2025, commencing at 9.02am

Members

Present:

Stephen Armstrong (in the Chair) and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood and Kaydee Zabelin.

Members Present Online:

 

Non Members:

Councillor Lew Findlay.

Apologies:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) (absent on Council business), Councillor Brent Barrett (late arrival), Councillor William Wood (early departure).

Councillor Orphée Mickalad left the meeting at 9.19am during consideration of clause 14.  He entered the meeting again at 9.40am during consideration of clause 15.  He was not present for clause 14.

Councillor William Wood left the meeting at 9.37am after consideration of clause 14.  He entered the meeting again at 11.38am after consideration of clause 22.  He was not present for clauses 15 to 18 inclusive, and 22.

Councillors Brent Barrett and Debi Marshall-Lobb entered the meeting at 11.20am during consideration of clause 19.  They were not present for clauses 12 to 18 inclusive.

 

Karakia Timatanga

 

Councillor Kaydee Zabelin opened the meeting with karakia.

 

12-25

Apologies

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the apologies.

 

Clause 12-25 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

 

13-25

Confirmation of Minutes

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the minutes of the Risk & Assurance Committee meeting of 12 March 2025 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

 

Clause 13-25 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

 

14-25

Audit New Zealand 2024/25 Financial Year Audit Plan

Memorandum, presented by Scott Mancer, Manager - Finance, Desiree Viggars, Manager - Legal, Risk & Assurance and Debbie Perera, Audit Director - Audit New Zealand.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad left the meeting at 9.19am.

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the Audit Plan for the 2024/25 Financial Year from our appointed auditor – Audit New Zealand, presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 11 June 2025.

 

Clause 14-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

                       Councillor William Wood left the meeting at 9.37am.

15-25

Business Assurance Accountability Report

Memorandum, presented by Desiree Viggars, Manager Legal Risk & Assurance/Legal Counsel.

Councillor Orphée Mickalad entered the meeting again at 9.40am.

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Business Assurance Accountability Report’ and its attachment, presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 11 June 2025.

 

Clause 15-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

 

16-25

Wellbeing Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)

Memorandum, presented by Connie Roos, Manager Employee Experience and Wayne Wilson, Manager People Operations.

 

Moved Leonie Hapeta, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Wellbeing Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)’ presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 11 June 2025.

 

Clause 16-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

 

17-25

Committee Work Schedule

 

Moved Leonie Hapeta, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Risk & Assurance Committee receive its Work Schedule dated June 2025.

 

Clause 17-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

 

Exclusion of Public

18-25

Recommendation to Exclude Public

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

That the public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting listed in the table below.

The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter, and the specific grounds under Section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as follows:

 

General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

Ground(s) under Section 48(1) for passing this resolution

13.

Health and Safety Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)

Confidential Attachment 2

PREJUDICE THE SUPPLY OF SIMILAR INFORMATION:

Releasing this information could negatively effect similar confidential information or discourage people from sharing such information; and

ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF A PERSON:

Sharing this information could put someone’s health and safety at risk

s7(2)(c)(i) and s6(d)

16.

Presentation - Cyber Security

PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST:

Withholding information is in the public’s best interest.

s7(2)(c)(ii)

17.

Confirmation of the minutes of the Risk & Assurance Committee meeting of 12 March 2025 Part II Confidential

For the reasons set out in the Risk & Assurance Committee of 12 March 2025, held in public present.

 

This resolution is made in reliance on Section 48(1)(a) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and the particular interest or interests protected by Section 6 or Section 7 of that Act which would be prejudiced by the holding of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting in public as stated in the above table.

Also that the persons listed below be permitted to remain after the public has been excluded for the reasons stated:

Amit Yadav, Principal Cybersecurity Executive Advisor, Security Operations & Program Management, Verizon Business Group – to co-present Item 16.

 

Clause 18-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

The public part of the meeting adjourned at 10.09am.
The public part of the meeting resumed at 11.37am.

Councillors Brent Barrett and Debi Marshall-Lobb were present when the public part of the meeting resumed. 

22-25

Health and Safety Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)

Memorandum, presented by Selwyn Ponga-Davis, Health and Safety Manager.

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Health and Safety Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)’ presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 11 June 2025.

 

Clause 22-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, with 2 abstentions, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

Abstained:

Councillors Brent Barrett and Debi Marshall-Lobb.

Councillor William Wood entered the meeting again at 11.38am.

23-25

Strategic Risk Management Reporting January to March 2025 (Quarter 3)

Memorandum, presented by Stephen Minton, Risk Management Advisor.

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the following strategic risk assessments:

·    Strategic Risk 2: Failure to deliver on key projects and programmes

·    Strategic Risk 6: Major failure of health, safety and wellbeing policies and procedures

·    Strategic Risk 10: Failure to manage critical/strategic assets

and the Strategic Risk Dashboard (section 3.4).

 

Clause 23.1-25 above was carried 12 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Brent Barrett, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Lew Findlay and Debi Marshall-Lobb.

 

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

·    Strategic Risk 4: Failure to adapt to the effects of climate change

 

Clause 23.2-25 above was carried 8 votes to 4, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood and Debi Marshall-Lobb.

Against:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Lorna Johnson, Kaydee Zabelin and Lew Findlay.

The Chair advised the report titled ‘Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 Debrief’ will be deferred to the Council meeting of 6 August 2025.

 

Karakia Whakamutunga

 

Councillor Kaydee Zabelin closed the meeting with karakia.

 

The meeting finished at 12.11pm

 

Confirmed 1 October 2025

 

 

 

Chair