Agenda of Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Speed Management Plan - Summary of Submissions

PRESENTED BY: Peter Ridge, Acting Manager Strategy and Policy

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, General Manager Strategic Planning

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Speed Management Plan – Summary of Submissions’ presented to the Finance, Performance & Audit Committee on 4 March 2026.

1. ISSUE

1.1 The Council received 180 submissions on the draft Speed Management Plan. Fifteen submitters indicated they wish to make an oral submission.

1.2 This memorandum provides an initial summary of the key issues raised in the written submissions. A full analysis of the written and oral submissions will be provided to the Committee in April 2026.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 On 20 August 2025 the Council approved the draft Speed Management Plan for public consultation. The written submission period was open from 1 November to 15 December 2025. The Council received 180 written submissions during this time. The submissions are included in the agenda.

2.2 There were 33 proposals for variable speed limits around schools. Some proposals concerned multiple schools in the same area; in total, 40 schools were included in these proposals. In addition, there were two proposals relating to other speed limit changes:

· an intersection speed zone for Longburn-Rongotea Rd/Number 1 Line, and

· a 50km/h speed limit for Te Wanaka Road.

Submitters were able to submit on as many proposals as they chose, and also make general comments.

3. Summary of submissions

3.1 Table 1 provides a breakdown of the ‘raw’ number of submitters in support or opposed to each proposal, as indicated by their response on the online form. The number of submitters in support exceeded the number opposed for every proposal except for one – Turitea School.

3.2 While the vast majority of submitters said that the Turitea School proposal needed further work, analysis of their comments show they are largely supportive of the Council’s proposal, but request that it go further. Submitters note that there is no speed limit reduction on SH57/Old West Road, which is controlled by NZTA. As the road controlling authority for SH57, NZTA has stated that the entrance to the school is more than 150m away from the state highway; therefore, they are not required by the Speed Limits Rule to implement a variable speed limit on SH57 for Turitea School.

Table 1: Number of submissions on each proposal where "in support", "opposed", or "needs further work" was indicated

Proposal	In Support	Opposed	Needs Further Work
Ashhurst School	4	0	1
Awapuni School	5	1	0
Awatapu College and West End School	9	2	2
Bunnythorpe School	2	0	1
Carncot Independent School	3	1	2
Central Normal School	7	3	0
Cloverlea School	2	0	1
College Street Normal School	6	1	2
Cornerstone Christian School	6	2	0
Freyberg High School, Ross Intermediate & St Mary's School	9	3	2
Hokowhitu School & St James School	12	5	5
Kairanga School	4	0	1
Longburn Adventist College	4	0	1
Longburn School	7	0	2
Mana Tamariki	4	0	0
Manawatū Kura a Iwi	4	0	0
Milson School	7	0	1
Monrad Te Kura Waenga o Tirohanga & Te Kura o Takaro School	5	0	1
Our Lady of Lourdes School	4	0	0
Parkland School	5	0	0
Palmerston North Adventist Christian & Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School	6	0	0
Palmerston North Boys’ High School & Queen Elizabeth College	12	2	1
Palmerston North Girls’ High School	12	5	0
Riverdale School	9	1	0
Roslyn School	36	1	3
Russell St School	15	2	3
St Peters College	5	0	0
Te Kura Kaupapa Maori o Manawatū	4	0	0
Te Kura o Wairau	3	0	0
Terrace End School	4	1	0
Turitea School	2	0	14
Whakarongo School	4	1	1
Winchester School	3	1	1
Intersection Speed Zone – Longburn-Rongotea Road/Number 1 Line	32	8	7
Te Wanaka Road	28	5	3

3.3 A full analysis of the specific points of support or opposition will be completed for the next report to the Committee. However, some initial insights into the comments made by those who supported or opposed the proposals can be provided:

In support of proposed variable speed limits for schools

3.4 Submitters that support the proposed variable speed limit for schools note that slower speeds will protect children. They also express concern about unsafe driving.

Opposed to proposed variable speed limits for schools

3.5 Submitters opposed to the proposed variable speed limits for schools often take issue with the 30km/h variable speed limit. They instead argue that a 40km/h variable speed limit (as is in effect around some existing schools) is sufficient.

The proposals need further work

3.6 Those who submitted and suggested the proposals need further work often point to additional changes that they believe would make the environment safer for school children, such as new or upgraded school crossings, or extending the variable speed limits to other roads.

Engagement

3.7 Throughout the consultation period the draft Speed Management Plan was promoted through Council’s communication channels. In addition to the consultation page on the Council website the consultation document was made available at the Council’s Customer Service Centre and at each of its libraries. It was also directly provided to identified key stakeholders. Schools were provided with information that included details of the proposals and information that they could share with school families to encourage engagement and participation in the consultation process.

3.8 The consultation process was promoted with both ‘organic’ and promoted posts on social media platforms. A drop-in session was held at the City Library on 19 November 2025.

3.9 Social media promotion included organic posts on LinkedIn and Facebook, and paid ads on Facebook and Instagram. Screenshots of social media comments on both the organic and promoted posts are included as attachment 1. Across all posts and ads, 96 comments were made. These will be considered with the analysis of formal submissions in the report presented to the April committee meeting.

4. NEXT STEPS

4.1 Staff will provide analysis of all the issues raised in the written and oral submissions and provide advice and recommendations to the Committee in April 2026.

5. 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 1: He tāone auaha, he tāone tiputipu Goal 1: An innovative and growing city
The recommendations contribute to this plan: 3. Mahere tūnuku 3. Transport Plan The objective is: Provide a safe, low-carbon, integrated and multi-modal transport network.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Safe speed limits are a key part of managing the city’s transport network, for the benefit of all road users. Consultation on the draft Speed Management Plan, including the hearing of oral submissions, ensures that the Council understands the community’s views about these proposed changes before making a final decision.

Attachments

Draft Speed Management Plan Consultation Social Media Comments ⇩

Report

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: New Zealand Food Awards - Annual Report

PRESENTED BY: Jessica Papple, Manager Marketing

APPROVED BY: Danelle Whakatihi, General Manager Customer & Community

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee refer the continuation of Programme 2446 of up to $64k over three years to support the New Zealand Food Awards as part of the Annual Budget 2026/27 deliberations in May;

2. Decline the request to sponsor.

Problem or Opportunity	Should we continue to fund the New Zealand Food Awards post the 2025 sponsorship agreement?
OPTION 1:	Refer the continuation of Programme 2446 of up to $64k over three years to support the New Zealand Food Awards as part of the Annual Budget 2026/27 deliberations in May
Benefits	Maintains Council’s association with a nationally recognised industry event aligned to identified sector strengths. Supports continued promotion of Palmerston North and the Manawatū region’s food innovation ecosystem to a national audience. Provides opportunities for local businesses, researchers, and students to engage with national industry networks. The sponsorship aligns with Palmerston North’s established strengths in food science, research, and education. Hosting and supporting a national event reinforces the city’s reputation as a centre for food innovation. Hosting the event provides economic benefits for the city by bringing more visitors to the region. Demonstrates to event organisers that our venues are capable of hosting large conferences and business events.
Risks	Reduction in funding for other Council initiatives.
Financial	Requires funding of up to $64k over three years.
OPTION 2:	Decline the request to sponsor
Benefits	More funding is available for other Council initiatives.
Risks	Loss of national profile and reduced visibility for the city’s food innovation ecosystem. Potential reduction in opportunities for local businesses and researchers to engage with national food industry networks. Potential weakening of relationships with the New Zealand Food Awards and/or Massey University.
Financial	No financial impact on Council.

Rationale for the recommendations

1. Overview of opportunity

1.1 In 2023, Council approved $64k over a three-year sponsorship agreement (Calendar year 2023 – 2025) with the New Zealand Food Awards (NZFA).

1.2 The current sponsorship term with NZFA has concluded. Funding levels were staged across the term, with the highest investment in 2025, when the Awards were hosted in Palmerston North.

1.3 This report outlines the outcomes of Council’s sponsorship of the NZFA and presents sponsorship options for consideration over the next three-year period.

2. Background on the awards and sponsorship

2.1 The purpose of the New Zealand Food Awards is to recognise excellence and innovation across New Zealand’s food and beverage sector. Council sponsors the Awards because they align with the city’s identified sector strengths, particularly in food innovation, research, and technology.

2.2 The event provides an opportunity to present Palmerston North and the wider Manawatū region’s food ecosystem to a national audience, including businesses, researchers, and industry leaders. This raises the awareness of the region’s capabilities, facilities, and talent base for food innovation.

2.3 Council has supported the NZFA for over 10 years, including hosting the event in Palmerston North on two occasions.

Category Partner – Years 2023 and 2024

2.4 In 2023 and 2024, the Awards were held in Auckland, with Council participating as a Category Partner in the Hauora and Wellbeing category. This sponsorship was funded at $12,000 + GST per year.

2.5 As a Category Partner of the NZFA, we received formal recognition across the Gala Dinner. This included category naming and presentation rights, inclusion of Council branding across Awards collateral, access to communication opportunities through Awards channels and acknowledgment of our support at the Awards Dinner. Council was also allocated ten tickets to each Awards Dinner.

2.6 The partnership included acknowledgment in Awards-related media releases, promotional placement on the Awards website for the duration of the agreement, access to the Awards database, and social media posts through the Awards channels.

Strategic Partnership – 2025

2.7 In 2025, Council increased its involvement, becoming a Strategic Partner. This sponsorship included hosting the Awards Dinner in Palmerston North and supporting the Emerging Talent category, at a cost of $40,000 + GST.

2.8 As a Strategic Partner, Council received increased recognition, including brand presence at the Awards Dinner, an introductory address, and a Council brand message prior to category announcement. We were also allocated twenty tickets to the Awards Dinner. The partnership included digital and media recognition, access to communication opportunities through Awards channels, and the right of first refusal for the 2026 Awards.

2.9 As part of the 2025 programme, judging activities were relocated from Auckland campuses to Palmerston North, allowing judges to access Massey University’s Food Pilot facilities on the Manawatū campus.

2.10 The Awards Dinner format was refreshed to reflect its Palmerston North setting, rather than replicating the Auckland-based event. This allowed the programme to better showcase the city’s food innovation and research strengths, with the local food network featured through on-site activations and displays.

2.11 The NZFA programme was extended to include a networking breakfast held the day after the gala dinner. This included tours of local facilities such as the Fonterra Research and Development Centre, FEAST labs, and the Massey Food Pilot. These activities were designed to provide attendees with insight into food innovation happening in the city.

2.12 Council sponsored the newly created Emerging Talent category, which recognises individuals who demonstrate significant potential early in their careers in food science and technology. This category aligns with the city’s sector of strengths by supporting the education and food innovation sectors, particularly given Palmerston North’s role as the home of Massey University’s Food Technology degree and as a base for future food technologists.

Performance of the Awards

2.13 Participation in the New Zealand Food Awards provides opportunities for businesses and individuals to engage with national industry networks, including food companies, researchers, and sector organisations. These connections can support businesses’ collaboration, knowledge sharing, and increased visibility within the food technology sector.

2.14 An example of this is Eat Kinda, a Palmerston North-based food business and winner of the Below Zero and Novel categories of the 2023 New Zealand Food Awards. Eat Kinda developed a cauliflower-based ice cream, combining food science expertise with a focus on sustainability and inclusive eating. The business received support from Massey University through access to the Food Pilot, the New Zealand Food Innovation Network, and Massey Ventures, which helped it progress from concept to commercial production.

2.15 Since launch, the business has expanded into international markets. Participation in the Awards contributed to increased industry exposure and recognition.

Number of award entries overall and by Manawatū-Whanganui region

	2023	2024	2025
Total award entries	411	309	364
Manawatū-Whanganui entries	Less than 5	4	10
Number of products entered	182	151	179
Number of companies entered	124	89	138

Gala dinner attendance

1.1.1

	Venue	Attendance
2022	Central Energy Trust Arena	320
2023	Aotea Centre, Auckland	355
2024	Viaduct Events Centre	267
2025	Central Energy Trust Arena	281*
2025	Networking Breakfast and industry tours	72

*Of the 281 gala dinner attendees in 2025, 60 tickets were purchased or redeemed by finalists travelling from outside the Manawatū-Whanganui region, from as far afield as Pukenui in Northland to Dunedin.

3. Description of options

Option 1: Refer the continuation of Programme 2446 of up to $64k over three years to support the New Zealand Food Awards as part of the Annual Budget 2026/27 deliberations in May.

3.1 Council would be a Category partner in years 2026 and 2028 in the Emerging Talent: Food Science & Technology category at $12,000 + GST per year. Council would then become a Strategic partner in 2027 at $40,000 + GST, with the gala dinner hosted in Palmerston North to coincide with Massey University’s centenary year and related regional promotional activity.

3.2 Continued investment in the New Zealand Food Awards provides Council with an avenue to maintain and develop relationships within New Zealand’s agri-food sector.

3.3 Sponsorship signals support in the region’s role within New Zealand’s agri-food economy and support for initiatives related to innovation, skills, research, and industry development.

3.4 Investment in the New Zealand Food Awards enables Council to participate in a national agri-food sector programme, maintain sector relationships, and align with activity relevant to a significant regional industry.

Option 2: Decline request.

3.5 Annual judging of the New Zealand Food Awards would remain based in Palmerston North, using Massey University’s specialist facilities. This arrangement maintains the current location of the judging process and results in a recurring programme of awards-related activity.

3.6 The gala dinner is proposed as a complementary activity following the annual judging process. Event organisers have stated that, without funding, the New Zealand Food Awards gala dinner would be less financially viable in Palmerston North due to limited ability to offset venue, production, and delivery costs. In this scenario, organisers may reduce the scale of the event or consider an alternative host city with greater access to commercial sponsorship and more efficient infrastructure.

4. Next Steps

4.1 Chief Executive to confirm funding outcome with New Zealand Food Awards post Annual Budget deliberations.

5. 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?		No
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to: Whāinga 1: He tāone auaha, he tāone tiputipu Goal 1: An innovative and growing city
The recommendations contribute to this plan: 2. Mahere whakawhanake ohaoha 2. Economic Development Plan The objective is: Attract and support major events and activities.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Sponsoring the annual New Zealand Food Awards attracts a nationally significant event aligned to the city’s food innovation strengths. The event contributes to economic development through visitor spend and national exposure, while also delivering other benefits through industry connection and profile-raising for the city.

Attachments

Nil

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Setting Council's Risk Management Appetite and Tolerance Levels

Presented By: Stephen Minton, Risk Management Advisor and Desiree Viggars, Manager Legal, Risk and Assurance

APPROVED BY: Cameron McKay, General Manager Corporate Services

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Council

1. That Council re-confirm the risk appetite and risk tolerance levels as noted in section 4.1 and 4.2 of the memorandum titled ‘Setting Council’s Risk Management Appetite and Tolerance Levels’ presented on 4 March 2026.

2. That Council agree to review risk appetite and tolerance levels triennially hereafter.

1. ISSUE

1.1 The Risk Management Framework requires the Council to adopt risk appetite and tolerance levels. The levels describe the amount and category of risk the Council is willing to accept to pursue its goals and the level of risk the Council should endure without significantly affecting its ability to achieve its objectives.

1.2 The levels were presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee in March 2024 where current levels were agreed with the request “That the Committee review risk appetite and tolerance levels annually” (Clause 4-24). They were reconfirmed by the Risk & Assurance Committee in March 2025 (Clause 9-25).

1.3 This paper provides that opportunity and sets out Officer recommendations to Council.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Effective risk management means attempting to control, as much as possible, future outcomes by acting proactively rather than reactively.

2.2 Council’s Risk Management Policy outlines its policy statement and objectives along with the roles and responsibilities of Officers. This policy is operationalised through the Council's Risk Management Framework, a structured approach that Council follows to identify, assess, and manage risks that could affect its objectives or goals.

2.3 Council’s Risk Management Framework was developed using ISO:31000 International Risk Management standards. The Risk Policy and Framework were presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 18 October 2023 for information and remains current. Both are next due for review in quarter two 2026.

2.4 The Risk Management Framework describes the Council's risk appetite and tolerance, which allows Officers to manage identified risks appropriately, escalates risks outside of the Council's tolerance levels for approval, and assists in good decision-making.

2.5 Officers created risk appetite and tolerance levels based on several factors, including legislative requirements, acceptance level of tolerance, cost of compliance with tolerance, current maturity of risk management in the organisation and peer review where data exists.

2.6 The risk matrix (Figure 1) determines the Council's risk ratings and should be read in conjunction with the likelihood and consequence tables in Attachment 2.

2.7 The data used to determine the consequence and likelihood tables is largely subjective and the risk ratings are therefore largely qualitative.

Figure 1: Risk Matrix

CONSEQUENCE

Minor

(1)

Moderate

(2)

Serious

(3)

Major

(4)

Severe

(5)

LIKELIHOOD

Almost Certain (5)

Medium

High

Very High

Extreme

Likely (4)

Medium

High

Very High

Extreme

Possible (3)

Low

Medium

High

Very High

Unlikely (2)

Low

Medium

High

Rare (1)

Low

Medium

2.8 The Council uses a five-scale risk matrix, relatively common across organisations, which provides more insight into levels of severity. Apart from those risk categories that are rated at the absolute lowest levels of our tolerance (e.g. health and safety harm to our people), most tolerance levels for organisations will be slightly higher than the absolute minimum given this five-scale graduality. Because of this increased granularity, and in the sphere of subjective assessments, most risk appetite and tolerance levels are relatively conservative.

2.9 The Risk Management Framework defines risk appetite as the amount of risk the Council is willing to accept or retain, on a broad level, in order to achieve its objectives/goals.

It also defines risk tolerance as the level of risk-taking acceptable to achieve a specific objective or manage a category of risk.

The difference between the two is that risk appetite is a broad-based description of the desired level of risk that Council will take in pursuit of its goals, whereas risk tolerance reflects the acceptable variation in outcomes related to specific measures linked to objectives the Council seeks to achieve.

Also, risk tolerance will not always be seen as a hard line; there may be circumstances where an appropriately authorised, informed decision with the conscious knowledge that tolerance may be exceeded will be made.

2.10 The Risk Management Framework categorises risk appetite into three broad bands: averse, neutral, and seeking. These are defined below.

Averse:

Avoidance of risk must be the priority, with minimal risk exposure and maximum treatment effort required.

Any uncertainty or risk that remains after treatment efforts (controls and/or mitigation) should only be allowable where necessary to achieve goals.

Neutral:

Risk exposure is not preferred but is recognised as part of achieving objectives.

Treatments to minimise risks and uncertainties are expected to be in place where reasonably considered necessary.

Seeking:

The organisation is actively seeking to take on more of this risk/uncertainty as it relates to and enhances the achievement of goals.

3. Peer data

3.1 Information has been obtained on the risk tolerance settings of other New Zealand councils. Direct comparison across all areas is a challenge for a number of reasons, including 1) different definitions of the risk category, 2) different consequence and likelihood settings, 3) different risk matrix settings (e.g. 4X4 verse our 5X5), 4) different external context in some risk categories for some councils, and 5) interchange use of tolerance and appetite descriptions.

3.2 Comparing Palmerston North City Council’s appetite settings shows, with extrapolation across risk category descriptions, that they are broadly in line with the settings of other councils. The category with the greatest correlation is health and safety, and there are no categories that are seen as obviously out of alignment with other councils. There are a few examples where other councils on certain risk categories are pushing their appetite towards the neutral/seeking phases. For example, one council has a risk appetite for people and capability of ‘Open’, which maps to Palmerston North City Council’s rating of 6 to 7 (refer section 4.1 below)

4. Setting Council’s risk appetite and tolerance levels

4.1 Officers recommend maintaining the risk appetite for Council at the existing settings. This, outlined below, broadly follows other councils and general expectations of a publicly funded local government entity; that is, tending to the conservative/aversion side of the matrix.

Risk Category	Risk Appetite
	Averse			Neutral			Seeking
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
Financial
Legal/Compliance
Environmental
Health, Safety & Wellbeing
Reputational
Service Delivery
Performance and Capability
Cultural
Strategic

For risk category descriptions, refer to Attachment 1 to this memorandum.

4.2 Setting Council’s Risk Tolerance

Officers recommend maintaining the risk tolerance for the Council at the current levels. The risk matrix should be referenced while reviewing the risk tolerance levels. This risk matrix will help guide users to the level of likelihood and relevant consequences acceptable to Council.

Risk Category	Risk Tolerance
Financial	Medium
Legal/Compliance	Medium
Environmental	Medium
Health, Safety & Wellbeing	Low
Reputational	Medium
Service Delivery	Medium
Performance and Capability	Medium
Cultural	Medium
Strategic	Medium

(The terminology of risk tolerance maps to the risk rating (low, medium, high, etc.).

4.3 Ultimately, risk tolerance, versus risk appetite, is the final determinant on the amount of risk the Council is prepared to take, setting the line to which it endeavours not to cross.

4.4 The tolerance levels determine in part the degree of mitigation required to maintain risk within these levels, generally involving increasing or decreasing costs and/or consequences depending on the level set. For example, if a risk category had an extremely high appetite and tolerance, there may be zero cost to implement controls and mitigation, albeit with increasing levels of costly events occurring.

4.5 The Risk Management Framework requires escalation of risk tolerance breaches to an appropriate Officer level for acceptance and remedial actions/management. This involves explaining the current state and proposed actions to reduce the risk through new and/or improved controls and mitigation, or in a worst-case scenario, ceasing the activity if the risk is considered unacceptable.

4.6 Implications on risk appetite and risk tolerance if different to recommendations:

Risk Category	Implications
Risk Category	Increased Appetite & Tolerance	Decreased Appetite & Tolerance
Financial	· Increased potential financial losses · Reduced costs (through non-delivery of services/activities and reduced mitigation costs) · Increased legal disputes · Increased public disquiet · Greater occurrences of project costs blowouts · Greater opportunities for fraud (internal & external)	· Increased financial costs through control/mitigation implementation · Reduced financial losses, albeit at cost of implementation of controls · Requirement for higher buffers/contingencies to mitigate unforeseen events · Increased insurance requirements and resultant premium costs · Slower delivery of outcomes due to burdensome processes and procedures
Legal/ Compliance	· Increased defensive litigation · Increased legal defence costs · Appointment of a commissioner · Judicial or Ombudsman adverse rulings · Increased legal fines and adverse litigious outcomes	· Increased legal advice costs · Increased internal legal resource costs · Increased cost through transfer of legal risk
Environmental	· Increased measurable, reversible damage to the environment · Breaches of environmental protection legislation and regulations · Potential public discourse at environmental inaction and/or damage · Higher recovery costs	· Decreased measurable, reversible damage to the environment · Higher mitigation/compliance costs · Perceived imbalance from the public of costs versus environmental protections · More opportunities for realising co-benefits · Restrictive growth opportunities
Health, Safety and Wellbeing	· Causing death or serious injury to our people · Increased incidence of health & safety events · Breaches of Health & Safety at Work Act 2015, and potentially prosecution · Increased absenteeism, and resultant decreased productivity	· Not applicable (already lowest level)
Reputational	· Increased public disquiet across the city · Ineffective community engagement · Increasing loss of public trust	· Additional resource and increased engagement requirements · Increased costs for community well-being and activity delivery to meet broader level of satisfaction · Increased costs to meet goals · Increasing conflicts between priorities
Service Delivery	· Reduced activities provision · Provision of services not meeting community expectations and low customer satisfaction · More regular suspension of activities and services	· Significant increase in costs to meet greater service delivery goals · Potential stifling of innovation, including productivity gains
Performance and Capability	· Higher turnover rates · Continuous loss of corporate knowledge · Reduced technical expertise · Not seen as an employer of choice, actual or perceived	· Increased remuneration costs · Increased costs for benefits and wellbeing provisions
Cultural (including spiritual matters)	· Causing cultural/spiritual offence · Undermine relationships with Maori and cultural/ethnic representatives/groups · Not fulfil fully our Treaty commitments and obligations	· Increased operational costs of control/mitigation for avoidance · Increased advisor resourcing within Maori Advisory, Community Development or consultancy costs · Strengthened cultural resilience and resultant costs, including cultural events, engagement, etc. · Increasing conflict in priorities across segments of the community

4.7 Risk appetite and tolerance levels would not be expected to change in any material way over time. Circumstances that may give rise to adjustments are significant systemic changes to the strategic direction, regulatory or legislative changes, changes in expectations of the community, major adverse events triggering reassessment or change on governance body (Elected Members).

In short, risk appetite and tolerance should be reviewed whenever the organisation’s context, capability, or strategic objectives change in a way that affects its ability or willingness to take on risk.

Accordingly, it is proposed that levels are reviewed and reconfirmed on a triennial basis.

5. NEXT STEPS

5.1 Officers will continue to embed risk management in Council processes.

5.2 Risk appetite and tolerance will be presented to the Finance, Performance & Audit Committee on a triennial basis.

5.3 Officers will continue to report on strategic risks to the Finance, Performance & Audit Committee.

6. Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?		No
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these 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 this plan: 14. Mahere mana urungi, kirirarautanga hihiri 14. Governance and Active Citizenship Plan The objective is: Oversee Council operations and communicate outcomes and decisions to our communities.
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The risk management system is one of the aspects that assists in ensuring Council can fulfil the tasks required to achieve its purpose and objectives. These objectives will cover all aspects of the organisation, including strategy, tactics, operations and compliance. The risk appetite and risk tolerance guide the parameters within which to operate.

Attachments

1.	Risk Categories ⇩
2.	Risk Consequence and Likelihood Tables ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Health and Safety Report, 1 July to 30 September 2025 (Quarter 1)

PRESENTED BY: Selwyn Ponga-Davis, Health and Safety Manager

APPROVED BY: Sarah Morris, General Manager People & Capability

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Health and Safety Report, 1 July to 30 September 2025 (Quarter 1)’ presented on 4 March 2026.

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 Monthly incidents rose from 162 in Quarter 4 (April to June) to 180 in Quarter 1 (July to September). Frontline Working (CR1) remains the highest risk category across both quarters, accounting for 45-46% of incidents. Peaking in September, greater awareness and reporting had increased but highlighted the need for ongoing mitigation efforts (enhanced security, kaimahi training, process changes).

1.2 Notable events over Quarter 1 period:

· Frontline awareness and situational training delivered to Central Energy Trust Wildbase Recovery (July).

· 3 Steps for Life training opportunity (August). Introduced our kaimahi to life saving skills for people in cardiac arrest.

· Investigation training for a select group of Health & Safety Representatives.

· SiteWise (prequalification system that grades health and safety capability and publishes that information in a database) and Duress Alarm training for kaimahi involved in frontline working.

1.3 Current activities:

· Safety Management Framework progressing to SLT during the second half of 2025; Health & Safety Reporting platform transition to ServiceNow is underway for improved data capture and insights.

· Management consideration on the operating hours or ways of working for the external I-site toilets (rough sleepers and alleged drug misuse); the Lone Worker program of work tied in with that risk exposure.

· Frontline Working risk mitigation also included induction/training on trespass procedures and engagement of security contractors for mobile patrols (City Library, I-site, Youth Space).

1.4 Next priorities

· Upon the recruitment of a Security Advisor (early 2026) the opportunity to seek safety design improvements in static features will be considered.

· Develop role against Government guidelines, Protective Security Requirements and Crowded Places Strategy.

2. HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT

2.1 This report includes year on year comparative data, as well as Quarter 1 2025 standalone data. Hazards – anything that can cause harm (this includes a person’s behaviour); Incidents – any unplanned event/occurrence resulting or having the potential for an injury, ill-health, damage or other loss; incidents that almost cause an injury or fatality, ill-health, damage or other loss are labelled as Near Misses. Some incidents can also be notifiable.

A. Hazards, Incidents and Near Misses Reported

Table 1: Hazards, Incidents and Near Misses

Quarter	Sep-24		Dec-24		Mar-25		Jun-25		Sep-25
Quarter	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON
Hazards^{^[1]}	57	0	73	7	69	7	94	1	66	2
Incidents^{^[2]}	78	9	108	6	97	9	156	6	166	14
Near Misses	16	2	17	1	16	2	33	2	20	3

Key: PNCC = Staff / Kaimahi; CON = Contractor

· The Total Incidents (12 Months) are reflected in the below graphs by month and business group.

Graph 1

Graph 2

· The number of incidents by month/quarter and group are graphed below – provides visibility on the events reported during Quarter 1 2025, categorised by business group.

Graph 3

2.2 Comments

· Frontline Working (Critical Risk 1) focus still dominates, indicating persistent exposure in operational areas. Attributed to verbal abuse, suspicious activity and aggressive individuals – particularly in public facing roles.

o The September 2025 spike, particularly in Frontline Working, can be attributed to increased incidents and improved incident reporting mechanisms and audits.

· Hazards and Incidents – during the 1 July to 30 September 2025 period the following risks were identified and addressed.

o Frontline Working (Critical Risk 1)

§ Aggressive and threatening behaviour towards kaimahi (cleaners, parking officers, gardeners) and trespass breaches.

Corrective Action: De-escalation training, lockdowns, Police involvement.

§ Emergency door lock button repeatedly triggered accidentally within Front of House.

Corrective Action: Flip cover installed.

§ Underage alcohol offered to minors near Youth Space.

Corrective Action: Safe transport arranged for minors with guardians.

§ Hazardous substance inhalation and public defacement by members of the public.

Corrective Action: Police notified; offensive material removed.

§ Wheelie bin arson attempts.

Corrective Action: Secure Parks and Reserves storage implemented.

§ Indecent Acts witnessed by kaimahi.

Corrective Action: Police apprehended offender; security patrols increased.

§ Aggression by homeless individuals near I-Site/Square.

Corrective Action: Considering environmental design changes to discourage sleeping.

o Work Environment (Critical Risk 2)

§ Congestion and welding hazards at Albert Street Depot.

Corrective Action: Signage and shields erected; tidied and improved storage.

o Driving (Critical Risk 7)

§ Forklift near-miss with contractor.

Corrective Action: Awareness raised; responsibility acknowledged.

o Hazardous Substances (Critical Risk 10)

§ Asbestos dust risk during pipe cutting.

Corrective Action: Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) review required.

o Powered Tools and Plant (Critical Risk 11)

§ Lock Out/Tag Out non-compliance.

Corrective Action: Re-inductions, signage upgrades, retraining.

§ Concrete saw misuse (no water, worn blade).

Corrective Action: Reinforce SOP adherence.

§ Cremator door seal damage from oversized cremation flames.

Corrective Action: Seal replaced; PPE and extinguishers available.

· Overall risk management actions were taken for all incidents. Further emphasis on SOP compliance, training, and environmental design changes were recommended to reduce recurrence.

B. Critical Risks

· Critical Risk 1 – Frontline Working – remains the top risk category still with 116 events making up for the 152 total Critical Risk events reported. 42 Police notifications and 9 Trespass notices were issued in Quarter 1, an increase of 14 notifications on the previous quarter (Quarter 4 - 37).

· 35 events involved frontline worker Verbal Altercation (VA) and/or Physical Danger (PD).

Graph 4

· For more information on the individual events please refer to the confidential Critical Risks report (Attachment 2).

C. Investigations

2.3 During 1 July to 30 September (Q1) 2025 PN City Council classified nil incidents as ‘notifiable’. WorkSafe investigation information remains on the report for 12 months or until actions are completed.

Table 2: Investigations

Investigations occurred this quarter	0
Previous investigations (last 12 months)
Number of remedial actions required	0
Number of remedial actions completed	0

D. Training

2.4 Group performances during Quarter 1 reflect fluctuations that can be attributed to seasonal or cyclic factors, such as training lapses occurring at differing times of the year. For more expansive information on training for Quarter 1, please refer to the Training Update schedule (Attachment 3) appended separately.

· Training Course/s delivered Internally – Quarter 1 # of Courses: 13

o Duress Alarm – frontline working kaimahi (includes Contact Centre, Front of House, Council Chambers, Wildbase, Building Services, etc).

o Hazardous Substances Training General – job specific refresh for Cleaners.

o Chainsaw Basic Handling and Safety training.

o Site Safety and Health & Safety Inductions.

o Floor/Fire Warden Training – Concentrated within the CAB.

o Situational Awareness & De-escalation Training – addressing frontline working kaimahi across the wider organisation.

o PeopleSafe: How to Tell Your Story training.

· Training Course/s delivered Externally – Quarter 1 # of Courses: 21

o Confined Space and Gas Detection renewals.

o Driver’s Licence/Endorsements renewals.

o Fire Extinguisher Training and Competency.

o First Aid.

o Health & Safety Representative: Stage 1 training; Hazard and Risk Management training.

o Fire Risk Assessment refreshers.

o Health & Safety Management Lead Auditor specific training.

o National Certificate in Horticulture, Level 4.

Table 3: Training

Date / Quarter	Dec-24	Mar-25	Jun-25	Sep-25
Number of Courses	15	12	26	34
Staff / Kaimahi attending	52	227	215	161

3. 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?		No
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 this plan: 9. Mahere haumaru hapori, hauora hapori 9. Community Safety and Health Plan
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Providing information to Council about the ongoing progress towards the good performance of the organisation regarding health and safety.

Attachments

1.	Health & Safety Dashboard report, Q1 2025 ⇩
2.	Health & Safety Critical Risks report, Q1 2025 - Confidential
3.	Training Update for Q1 2025 ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Health and Safety Report, 1 October to 31 December 2025 (Quarter 2)

PRESENTED BY: Selwyn Ponga-Davis, Health and Safety Manager

APPROVED BY: Sarah Morris, General Manager People & Capability

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Health and Safety Report, 1 October to 31 December 2025 (Quarter 2)’ presented to the Finance, Performance and Audit Committee on 4 March 2026.

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1 Monthly incidents rose slightly from 180 in Quarter 1 (July to September 2025) to 189 in Quarter 2 (October to December 2025).

· Following September’s spike in Q1 incident trends stabilised across the Q2 period and the organisation continued to demonstrate a strong and improving reporting culture, particularly in high-risk customer-facing environments such as our libraries. Frontline Working (Critical Risk 1) remains the primary exposure area with no new major risks emerging.

· The organisation ended 2025 in a stable critical risk position, with a stronger reporting culture and progress across key security, systems and safety priorities. Work completed during the quarter establishes a strong foundation for 2026, enabling capability uplift (stabilised training) and ongoing growth of risk and safety controls (safety protocols).

1.2 Notable events over the Q2 period:

· Targeted Hazard & Risk Management and Accidents & Investigation training for a select group of Health & Safety Representatives.

· Gold SiteWise accreditation achieved for 2025 – 2026.

· WorkSafe audit on hazardous substances (Depot) completed (November).

· An Opsec audit of protective security measures conducted during the period (December) also.

1.3 Current activities:

· Safety Management Framework is on track for presentation to SLT early 2026 (Q3).

· Health & Safety reporting platform – ServiceNow is in the early stages of development for consideration - planned for the first half of 2026.

· Security portfolio continues to transition to Health & Safety; integrating safety-in-design principles for public spaces and leveraging role recruitment (proposed for early February/March 2026).

1.4 Next priorities:

· Security enhancements are progressing at an accelerated pace, driven by external audit recommendations arising from protective security findings and the planned recruitment of a Security Advisor.

· Develop role against Government guidelines, Protective Security Requirements and Crowded Places Strategy.

2. HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT

2.1 This report includes year on year comparative data, as well as Q2 2025 standalone data. Hazards – anything that can cause harm (this includes a person’s behaviour); Incidents – any unplanned event/occurrence resulting or having the potential for an injury, ill-health, damage or other loss; incidents that almost cause an injury or fatality, ill-health, damage or other loss are labelled as Near Misses. Some incidents can also be notifiable.

A. Hazards, Incidents and Near Misses Reported

Table 1: Hazards, Incidents and Near Misses

Quarter	Mar-25		Jun-25		Sep-25		Dec-25
Quarter	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON	PNCC	CON
Hazards^{^[3]}	69	7	94	1	66	2	80	4
Incidents^{^[4]}	97	9	156	6	166	14	170	19
Near Misses	16	2	33	2	20	3	32	8

Key: PNCC = Staff / Kaimahi; CON = Contractor

· The Total Incidents (12 Months) is reflected in the below graphs by Month and Business Group.

Graph 1

Graph 2

· The number of incidents by Month/Quarter and Group is graphed below – provides visibility on the events reported during Q2 2025, categorised by business group.

Graph 3

2.2 Comments

· Frontline Working (Critical Risk 1) remains the most dominant and persistent risk, consistent with patterns noted in broader SLT reporting. Q2 shows escalating behavioural risk (more complex, sustained patterns of aggression) from members of the public and increased strain on frontline roles.

o Q2 incidents indicate a noticeable rise in both severity and scale, marked by heightened aggression across parks, campgrounds, events, and roadways. The corrective actions taken in Q2 reflect a move toward more robust responses (increased Police engagement and enhanced signage/traffic controls) and more structured security and risk‑management practices (improved Front of House security‑sensitive environment).

· Hazards and Incidents – During the 1 October to 31 December 2025 period the following risks were identified and addressed.

o Frontline Working (Critical Risk 1)

§ Persons frequenting campground verbally/physically aggressive, over-staying and exceeding conditions of stay.

Corrective Action: External services contacted to provide services; Police notified/in attendance; verbal Trespass Notice actioned; longer trespass bans to be considered.

§ Members of the public/transient persons frequenting our parks and reserves, verbally abusive and physically threatening.

Corrective Action: Police notified; de-escalation training utilised.

§ Dangerous weapon found unattended in a public area.

Corrective Action: Police notified; CCTV footage bookmarked.

§ Security consideration due to the unmonitored vulnerability of Front of House at the time of events occurring nearby.

Corrective Action: Ensure appropriate risk assessments are in place to manage security vulnerabilities.

§ Parking Officers verbally abused/physically threatened by members of the public – using vehicles and other items to threaten.

Corrective Action: Body Worn Cameras initiated; Police notified.

§ Members of the public harassing/harming wildlife within parks and reserves.

Corrective Action: Situations will continue to be monitored; Trespass notices will be issued where required.

§ Large truck and trailer transporter caught safety cones from an inner-city worksite.

Corrective Action: Roading team to consider clearer redirection signage for excessively large vehicles.

§ Lack of event signage resulted in a person travelling through where they should not.

Corrective Action: Parks staff placed temporary signage/barriers at the event entrance where bollards were removed.

o Work Environment (Critical Risk 2)

§ Designated CAB carparks for shift workers are being impeded/used by contractors.

Corrective Action: Building Custodian held a meeting with contractors to ensure the designated spaces are not used.

§ Worker observed persons and a large dog (wearing a vest and being prepared to work during the Christmas parade) exit a vehicle in the restricted access CAB basement.

Corrective Action: Staff to be reminded to liaise with Health & Safety Representatives/Health and Safety team first – to check CCTV before reporting.

o Working at Height (Critical Risk 3)

§ Falling from height – When neighbouring private business workers are operating at risk.

Corrective Action: Mitigation resulted in a moral obligation to report such incidents; feedback/concerns ought to be relayed to the private business operating the business site.

o Breaking Ground (Critical Risk 4)

§ Digging out trench – damage to sewer lateral sustained.

Corrective Action: Plans/Geographic Information System are to be checked but this procedure does not always locate services.

o Working with Mobile Plant (Critical Risk 6)

§ Trailer with jockey wheel missing sat placed on block of wood.

Corrective Action: Trailer tagged out and reported.

o Driving (Critical Risk 7)

§ Contractor hydro vac vehicle struck an overhead cable whilst driving with the boom up.

Corrective Action: Work stop placed on hydro vac contractor until procedures could be confirmed; contractor investigation findings also to be shared.

o Working Around Water (Critical Risk 9)

§ Boating – Especially when contractors are involved at our work sites.

Corrective Action: Policy requires two people are to be present when using a boat; persons are also to be inducted and aware of requirements.

o Hazardous Substances (Critical Risk 10)

§ Glue fumes during remedial carpet work carried out by a contractor.

Corrective Action: Material Safety Data Sheet checked – glue was non-hazardous. In future consider completing work on a weekend or arrange for kaimahi to hybrid work/work remotely from another location.

§ Fibreglass rods may splinter or shed small fibres when people touch them.

Corrective Action: Emergency management tape applied around both stands of the fibreglass rods; temporary fencing erected to prevent people from getting closer. A plan is being developed to permanently fence the work.

§ Underground sewage sludge pipe ruptured onsite during works on the surface above.

Corrective Action: Kaimahi completed emergency repairs. Concrete pipe to be disposed of.

§ Chemical and chlorine lock up shed contained multiple unlabelled and unrecognisable containers.

Corrective Action: Chemicals shed was emptied and new register system implemented.

o Asset Failure (Critical Risk 12)

§ Staff lift operating dangerously – dropping/jolting, not level with the floor upon exiting.

Corrective Action: Situation is being monitored by leadership / technician as a result of lodged service requests.

§ Lack of air conditioning within buildings, especially over the summer period, may impact kaimahi/members of the public.

Corrective Action: Consider air conditioning installation, especially within buildings already utilising open doors/windows/fans for ventilation.

§ Depot fire alarm went off. Staff in the yard were confused on process – no communication provided.

Corrective Action: Safety Plan review – Property and Depot manager to provide feedback on separate alarms.

B. Critical Risks

· Critical Risk 1 – Frontline Working – remains the top risk category still with 110 events during Q2 (Q1 – 116) making up for 152 (same as Q1) total Critical Risk events reported. 40 Police notifications and 3 Trespass notices were issued in Q2, a notification decrease on the previous quarter (Q1 - 51).

· 30 events involved frontline worker Verbal Altercation (VA) and/or Physical Danger (PD).

Graph 4

· For more information on the individual events please refer to the confidential Critical Risks report (Attachment 2).

C. Investigations

2.3 During 1 October to 31 December (Q2) 2025 PN City Council classified nil incidents as ‘notifiable’. WorkSafe investigation information remains on the report for 12 months or until actions are completed.

Table 2: Investigations

Investigations occurred this quarter	0
Previous investigations (last 12 months)
Number of remedial actions required	0
Number of remedial actions completed	0

D. Training

2.4 Group performances during Q2 reflect fluctuations that can be attributed to seasonal or cyclic factors, such as training lapses occurring at differing times of the year. For more expansive information on training for Q2, please refer to the Training Update schedule (Attachment 3) appended separately.

· Training Course/s delivered Internally – Q2 # of Courses: 2

o Basic Site Safety 1

o Duress Alarm training 11

· Training Course/s delivered Externally – Q2 # of Courses: 13

o Hazard & Risk Management 5

o First Aid 19

o First Aid – Stop the Bleed 34

o Endorsements: R, T & W 12

o Confined Space & Gas Detection 11

o Accident & Event Investigation 10

o Electrofusion Jointing PE Pipe 9

o Height Safety – Introduction 1

o Improving H&S Culture Essentials 1

o Managing Mental Ill Health in the Workplace Essentials 1

o OPSEC – Situational Safety Workshop 21

o Permit to Work Training Issuer/Receiver 1

o Playground Safety Inspections Level 2 6

Table 3: Training

Date / Quarter	Mar-25	Jun-25	Sep-25	Dec-25
Number of Courses	12	26	34	15
Staff / Kaimahi attending	227	215	161	143

3. 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?		No
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 this plan: 9. Mahere haumaru hapori, hauora hapori 9. Community Safety and Health Plan
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Providing information to Council about the ongoing progress towards the good performance of the organisation regarding health and safety.

Attachments

1.	Health & Safety Dashboard report, Q2 2025 ⇩
2.	Health & Safety Critical Risks report, Q2 2025 - Confidential
3.	Training Update for Q2 2025 ⇩

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Wellbeing Report, 1 July to 30 September 2025 (Quarter 1)

PRESENTED BY: Connie Roos, Manager Employee Experience and Wayne Wilson, Manager People Operations

APPROVED BY: Sarah Morris, General Manager People & Capability

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Wellbeing Report, 1 July to 30 September 2025 (Quarter 1)’ presented to the Finance, Performance & Audit Committee on 4 March 2026.

1. ISSUE

1.1 Wellbeing continues to be a focus area for leadership at all levels of Council and is core to our Employee Experience.

1.2 Employee initiated turnover and lost time is included in this report.

Wellbeing Activities

1.3 Free hearing checks were held on site January to August 2025.

1.4 Blood pressure checks were delivered across multiple Council sites. Participant feedback was consistently positive.

Table 1

Quarter 1 Wellbeing Report – Prevent Harm	Q1 2025	YTD	Average Quarter for 2024/25 FY
Wellness space usage	1664	1664	1737	The comparative data shows continuous and active utilisation of the wellness space. The decision was made this quarter to allow Te Manawa kaimahi (staff) to be able to access the CAB gym following appropriate induction.
Biennial health / eye check	17	17	14	There has been a slight increase from 15 to 17 checks this quarter. People Operations are exploring avenues to make this process less administratively heavy.

Table 2

Quarter 1 Wellbeing Report – Provide Support	Q1 2025	YTD	Average Quarter for 2024/25 FY
Vitae – On-site services	239	239	200	Vitae On-site Support staff visit I-site, FoH, Depot and Awapuni Material Recovery Facility to conduct informal wellbeing check-ins.
Reflect and Learn sessions	5	5	7	Sessions to assist staff to deal constructively with high conflict incidents in front facing customer roles.

Table 3

Quarter 1 2025 – Enhance Wellbeing	Year to date Number of attendees	Target to be completed by end of FY 25/26
Creating Cultures of Respect (attendees)	19	30	This training encourages positive workplace relationships by addressing unacceptable behaviours such as bullying and harassment that could create internal and unhealthy conflict.
Challenging Conversations & Resilience (attendees)	0	N/A	EEx is currently exploring alternative solutions to this training that are more cost-effective while still delivering high quality learning.
Tools for Change (attendees)	0	N/A	This training helps employees to identify thinking styles, recognise thinking traps and manage responses to change. Most staff (61%) previously attended this training, so this course is now offered on demand. No targets set.
Manager Completion of Leading Through Change (Manager attendees)	13	15	One way to support employees’ wellbeing is to provide managers with the skills to lead their team through change. A significant percentage of People Leaders previously attended this training (97%), so this course is now offered annually for new People Leaders.
Change Ready: Implementer Essentials	83	100	To enable use of Palmerston North City Council’s Change Management Framework, we now offer Change Ready: Implementer Essentials, a practical, role-specific workshop on applying our change practices. This workshop supports wellbeing and psychological safety along the change journey. A total of 118 kaimahi (staff) are trained to date, since April 2025.
Situational Awareness and De-escalation training	8	N/A	Situational Awareness and De-escalation training is an offering developed by the Health and Safety team. This course is offered on demand.
Wellbeing Presentation (attendees)	23/23 (100% of new starters)	90% of new starters	This presentation helps to orient new starters to the wellbeing support available here at Council. This presentation is presented to all staff who attend Orientation Day.

1.5 Unmind is a tool that takes a proactive, preventative approach to mental health. This includes wellbeing and mood trackers, courses and short videos focused on wellbeing. Unmind has a total uptake of 50%. The benchmark compared to similarly sized organisations is 33-39%. Top completed Unmind activity in this quarter are in sleep tools and personal growth exercises.

Offboarding Data

1.6 The offboarding data represents the number of people that have completed the survey, not the number of people who have left.

Graph 1

Graph 2

1.7 The above graphs present the top three and bottom three rated agree/disagree questions in the offboarding survey and compares them to the benchmarked Local Government average. This approach represents a change to the previous report as this information can provide an indication of what was perceived as working well and what isn’t.

1.8 In addition, overall sentiment expressed in the open-ended offboarding survey responses is mixed, with a generally positive tone regarding people, team culture, and work-life balance, alongside clear areas of negative sentiment related to career development, consistency of management practice, and aspects of organisational culture.

Table 4

Offboard survey participation	Number of responses	Response Rate	Target
Q1	11	55%	>49%
Previous FY	20	32.8%	>49%

1.9 The Offboarding Survey Response rate above presents the quarterly response rate, as well as the total number of responses received each quarter. This table also includes both the Ask Your Team New Zealand Local Government response rate (49%) for exit surveys and our Council target response rate. The table above indicates that over the last quarter there was a response rate of 55% in the offboarding survey. It is noted that of the 20 eligible terminated staff during this quarter 1 (5%) did not receive the survey in time.

Table 5: Turnover

Year	19/20	20/21	21/22	22/23	23/24	24/25	25/26 Sep 1/4
Employee Initiated	85	120	123	114	95	62	20
%	14.1%	20.9%	19.8%	18.8%	14.6%	9.2%	15.2%
Other			13	8	14	8	1
%			2.1%	1.3%	2.1%	1.2%	0.6%

Table 6

Month	Employee Initiated Turnover for Month	Turnover Previous 12 Months	Percentage (annual)
Oct 24	8	90	13.7%
Nov 24	6	89	13.4%
Dec 24	3	83	12.5%
Jan 25	8	83	12.5%
Feb 25	2	75	11.4%
Mar 25	7	77	11.8%
Apr 25	5	71	10.9%
May 25	1	65	9.7%
Jun 25	5	62	9.2%
Jul 25	4	60	8.9%
Aug 25	6	58	8.6%
Sep 25	2	56	8.4%

Table 7: Turnover by Group (12 months to September 2025)

Corporate Services	5	10.4%
Customer & Community	23	12.6%
Development & Regulatory	8	9.6%
Infrastructure	18	6.7%
People & Capability	1	2.0%
Strategic Planning	3	11.5%
Headquarters	1	20.0%

1.10 Turnover is still trending lower.

1.11 There were no areas of concern in the last 12 months.

Table 8: ACC Lost Time (Days)

Period	Sep 24	Dec 24	Mar 25	Jun 25	Sep 25
Work
Injuries	8	6	7	6	9
Days Off	180	51	135	95	129
Non-Work
Injuries	13	15	8	6	10
Days Off	306	188	139	90	99
Total
Injuries	21	21	15	12	19
Days Off	486	239	274	185	228

1.12 In the September quarter work injuries made up 56.6% of lost time.

1.13 The 10 non-work accidents resulted in 99 lost days.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Wellbeing is interconnected with a variety of individual and systemic factors which makes it a difficult area to report on. The above metrics have been recorded with that in mind.

3. NEXT STEPS

3.1 Explore opportunities in the wellbeing space to prevent harm, provide support and enhance wellbeing.

3.2 Mental Health Awareness Week will be 6-10 October. Employee Experience will be promoting the wellbeing tools and resources available to all kaimahi (staff), with each day focusing on a different facet of the 5 ways to wellbeing and an associated Unmind course. Additionally, korero cards will be distributed to all sites to encourage connection and conversations about wellbeing.

4. 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?		No
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to this plan: 14. Mahere mana urungi, kirirarautanga hihiri 14. Governance and Active Citizenship Plan The objective is: N/A
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural wellbeing	Providing information to Council about the ongoing progress towards the good performance of the organisation regarding wellbeing. The wellbeing of our kaimahi (staff) directly relates to how the strategic direction is implemented.

Attachments

Nil

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Wellbeing Report, 1 October to 31 December 2025 (Quarter 2)

PRESENTED BY: Connie Roos, Manager Employee Experience and Wayne Wilson, Manager People Operations

APPROVED BY: Sarah Morris, General Manager People & Capability

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Wellbeing Report, 1 October to 31 December 2025 (Quarter 2)’ presented on 4 March 2026

1. ISSUE

1.1 Wellbeing continues to be a focus area for leadership at all levels of Council and is core to our Employee Experience.

1.2 Employee initiated turnover and lost time is included in this report.

Wellbeing Activities

1.3 Mental Health Awareness Week was in 6-10 October. Employee Experience have promoted wellbeing tools and resources available to all kaimahi (staff), with each day focusing on a different facet of the 5 ways to wellbeing and an associated Unmind course. Additionally, kōrero cards were distributed to all sites to encourage connection and conversations about wellbeing. Feedback was generally positive.

Quarter 2 Wellbeing Report – Prevent Harm	Q1 2025	YTD	Average Quarter for 2024/25 FY
Wellness space usage	1673	3337	1737	The comparative data shows continuous and active utilisation of the wellness space.
Biennial health / eye check	10	27	14	There has been a decrease from 17 to 10 checks this quarter. People Operations are now utilising ServiceNow to make it easier for kaimahi (staff) to apply for these health and eye checks.

Quarter 2 Wellbeing Report - Provide Support	Q1 2025	YTD	Average Quarter for 2024/25 FY
Vitae – On-site services	225	464	200	Vitae Onsite Support staff visit I-site, FoH, Depot and Awapuni MRF to conduct informal wellbeing check-ins.
Reflect and Learn sessions	13	18	7	Sessions to assist staff to deal constructively with high conflict incidents in front facing customer roles.

Quarter 2 Wellbeing Report – Enhance Wellbeing	Year to date Number of attendees	Target to be completed by end of FY 25/26
Creating Cultures of Respect (attendees)	28	30	This training encourages positive workplace relationships by addressing unacceptable behaviours such as bullying and harassment that could create internal and unhealthy conflict.
Tools for Change (attendees)	0	N/A	This training helps employees to identify thinking styles, recognise thinking traps and manage responses to change. Most staff (61%) previously attended this training, so this course is now offered on a demand basis. No targets set.
Manager Completion of Leading Through Change (Manager attendees)	13	15	One way to support employees’ wellbeing is to provide managers with the skills to lead their team through change. A significant percentage of People Leaders previously attended this training (97%), so this course is now offered annually for new people leaders.
Change Ready: Implementer Essentials	89	100	To enable use of PNCC’s Change Management Framework, we now offer Change Ready: Implementer Essentials, a practical, role-specific workshop on applying our change practices. This workshop supports wellbeing and psychological safety along the change journey. A total of 124 kaimahi are trained to-date, since April 2025.
Situational Awareness and De-escalation training	8	N/A	Situational Awareness and De-escalation training is an offering developed by the Health and Safety team. This course is offered on demand.
Wellbeing Presentation (attendees)	42/45 (93% of new starters)	90% of new starters	This presentation helps to orient new starters to the wellbeing support available here at Council. This presentation is presented to all staff who attend Orientation Day.

1.4 Unmind is a tool that takes a proactive, preventative approach to mental health. This includes wellbeing and mood trackers, courses and short videos focused on wellbeing. Unmind has a total uptake of 50%. The benchmark compared to similarly sized organisations is 33-39%. Top completed Unmind activity themes in this quarter are in body exercises, relaxing tools and daily boosts (including suggested content to align with Mental Health Awareness Week).

Offboarding Data

1.5 The offboarding data represents the number of people that have completed the survey, not the number of people who have left.

1.6 The above graphs present the top three and bottom three rated agree/disagree questions in the offboarding survey and compares them to the benchmarked Local Government average. This indicates that more work needs to be done to create a culture of respect at Council for kaimahi (staff). Additionally, these graphs illustrate the variability in response patterns across reporting periods. For example, in the previous quarter, one of the highest-rated agreement items in the offboarding survey was: “I am satisfied with the way I was supported by my manager.” In the current quarter, this item has shifted significantly and now sits within the bottom three ranked items. Conversely, the statement “My own performance targets were aligned with the strategic objectives of Council” was among the lowest-rated items last quarter. In the current quarter, it has moved into the top three ranked items.

Offboard survey participation	Number of responses	Response Rate	Target
Q1	11	55%	>49%
Q2	7	28%	>49%
Previous FY	20	32.8%	>49%

1.7 The Offboarding Response rate above presents the quarterly response rate, as well as the total number of responses received each quarter. This table also includes both the Ask Your Team New Zealand Local Government (LGO) response rate for exit surveys and our Council goal response rate. Participation rate decreased significantly compared to Q1, and it is noted that of the 25 eligible terminated staff during this quarter 4 (16%) did not receive the survey in time for them to complete it. Please note that the proximity to the end of the year break may have affected completion rate.

1.8 The Quarter 2 open-ended responses reflect a mixed sentiment profile, with strong positive feedback regarding team experience and community connection, alongside negative sentiment concentrated around leadership capability, workplace culture, remuneration, and organisational change.

Turnover

Year	20/21	21/22	22/23	23/24	24/25	25/26 Sep 1/4	25/26 Dec 1/4
Employee Initiated	120	123	114	95	62	20	15
%	20.9%	19.8%	18.8%	14.6%	9.2%	15.2%	9.2%
Other		13	8	14	8	1	1
%		2.1%	1.3%	2.1%	1.2%	0.6%	0.6%

Month	Employee Initiated Turnover for Month	Turnover Previous 12 Months	Percentage (annual)
Jan 25	8	83	12.5%
Feb 25	2	75	11.4%
Mar 25	7	77	11.8%
Apr 25	5	71	10.9%
May 25	1	65	9.7%
Jun 25	5	62	9.2%
Jul 25	4	60	8.9%
Aug 25	6	58	8.6%
Sep 25	2	56	8.4%
Oct 25	6	54	8.2%
Nov 25	4	52	7.9%
Dec 25	11	60	9.2%

Turnover by Group (12 months to Dec 2025)

Corporate Services	3	6.1%
Customer & Community	23	13.0%
Development & Regulatory	7	8.4%
Infrastructure	24	9.1%
People & Capability	2	4.2%
Strategic Planning	3	12.0%
Headquarters	1	20.0%

1.9 Turnover is still low despite a bump in December.

1.10 There were no areas of concern in the last 12 months. The Library had 9 terminations but 4 were retirements.

ACC Lost Time (Days)

Period	Dec 24	Mar 25	Jun 25	Sep 25	Dec 25
Work
Injuries	6	7	6	9	4
Days Off	51	135	95	129	114
Non-Work
Injuries	15	8	6	10	9
Days Off	188	139	90	99	96
Total
Injuries	21	15	12	19	13
Days Off	239	274	185	228	210

1.11 In the Dec Quarter work injuries made up 54.3% of lost time. Of the 4 work-related injuries only one was a new injury and accounted for 32.2 days of lost time.

1.12 The 9 non-work accidents resulted in 96 lost days.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 Wellbeing is interconnected with a variety of individual and systemic factors which makes it a difficult area to report on. The above metrics have been recorded with that in mind.

3. NEXT STEPS

3.1 Explore opportunities in the wellbeing space to prevent harm, provide support and enhance wellbeing.

3.2 A proposed approach for psychosocial risk assessments has been developed and is being piloted.

4. 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?		No
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to this plan: 14. Mahere mana urungi, kirirarautanga hihiri 14. Governance and Active Citizenship Plan The objective is: N/A
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Providing information to Council about the ongoing progress towards the good performance of the organisation regarding wellbeing. The wellbeing of our kaimahi (staff) directly relates to how the strategic direction is implemented.

Attachments

Nil

Memorandum

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Six-monthly report on International Relations and Education Activities

PRESENTED BY: Gabrielle Loga, Manager International Relations and Kunal Chonkar, International Relations and Education Advisor

APPROVED BY: David Murphy, General Manager Strategic Planning

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Committee receive the ‘Six-monthly report on International Relations and Education Activities’, presented on 4 March 2026.

1. ISSUE

1.1 The purpose of this memorandum is to update the Finance, Performance and Audit Committee on the Council’s key international relations and education activities in the six months from April 2025 to October 2025 and their contribution to the relevant goal, strategy and plan.

2. BACKGROUND

2.1 On 11 June 2025, Council approved the following goals set for the city’s international relations and education in 2025-2026:

· Goal 1: Foster deeper engagement with strategic international partners to enhance the city’s profile as a preferred destination for education, tourism, and investment.

· Goal 2: Strengthen local economies through the promotion of tourism, international education, and facilitation of business connections and investment opportunities.

· Goal 3: Promote research collaboration, innovation and entrepreneurship to increase the city’s diversification and resilience against future challenges.

2.2 This report outlines the key international relations and education activities since May 2025 and measures them against the agreed goals. It also provides an updated activity schedule from the International Relations and Education Annual Plan 2025-2026.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

3. Highlights of the global/national context

3.1 Global instability and the threat of conflict remained elevated through the second and third quarters of 2025, particularly in the Indo-Pacific. Ongoing major-power competition, regional military activity, and unresolved conflicts elsewhere in the world continued to disrupt global trade routes, supply chains, and investor confidence. For New Zealand, this reinforced the importance of diplomacy, regional partnerships, and economic resilience rather than reliance on any single market or geopolitical alignment. For Palmerston North, this global context strengthens the value of city-to-city relationships, education diplomacy, and international engagement as long-term stabilising tools that support trade, talent attraction, and institutional cooperation beyond short-term shocks.

3.2 New Zealand’s export performance in 2025 remained comparatively strong but increasingly exposed to global volatility. While demand for high-quality food, education, and services held up, exporters faced uncertainty from trade tensions, supply chain disruptions, and changing regulatory environments. This highlighted the need to move beyond volume-based exports toward higher-value, knowledge-intensive and services-based offerings. Palmerston North, with its concentration of AgriTech, food innovation, logistics, and education institutions, is well positioned to contribute to this shift by supporting export-ready businesses, applied research partnerships, and international students as part of New Zealand’s broader export ecosystem.

3.3 The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continued to grow in importance as a strategic and economic partner for New Zealand. As one of the world’s fastest-growing regions, ASEAN offers diversified demand, a growing middle class, and increasing openness to collaboration in education, sustainability, and innovation. For New Zealand, deepening ASEAN ties helps balance exposure to larger, more volatile markets. For Palmerston North, stronger ASEAN engagement translates into opportunities to attract students, build institutional partnerships, host delegations, and connect local firms, particularly in AgriTech, food innovation, education, and urban solutions, to rapidly growing Southeast Asian markets.

3.4 Vietnam emerged as a particularly important market within ASEAN, with continued economic growth, urbanisation, and demand for trusted international partners. In 2025, Vietnam’s appetite for high-quality food products, skills development, research collaboration, and sustainable technologies aligned closely with New Zealand’s strengths. For Palmerston North, Vietnam presents concrete opportunities for education pathways, applied research links, workforce development partnerships, and city-level cooperation, building on meaningful people-to-people and sustainable institutional connections rather than purely transactional trade.

3.5 As the economic need for diversification and sustainability became more pronounced in 2025, New Zealand’s national strategy increasingly emphasised spreading risk across markets, embedding sustainability into trade, and growing sectors that are resilient, low-emissions, and knowledge-based. At a city level, Palmerston North has translated this strategy into action by supporting internationally connected education and research, fostering innovation-led businesses, and positioning the city as a credible, outward-looking hub that contributes to national resilience while delivering local economic and social benefits.

4. activitiy OutCome Report

AgriTech and Food Innovation Connection with Nancy, France

4.1 On 11 April 2025, Palmerston North City Council facilitated an international engagement meeting between Palmerston North and Nancy (France) to explore collaboration opportunities in the AgriTech and Food Innovation sector. The activity aligned with Council’s objectives to support economic diversification, innovation-led growth, and international connectivity by strengthening relationships between local and international research, education, and innovation ecosystems.

4.2 The engagement brought together senior representatives from Crown Research Institutes, universities, commercialisation entities, incubators, and startups from both cities. The meeting confirmed a strong alignment between Palmerston North’s research-led agri-food innovation ecosystem and Nancy’s FoodTech Grand Est cluster, with both cities sharing a focus on sustainable food systems, applied research, and commercialisation.

4.3 The activity resulted in the identification of multiple priority collaboration areas, including alternative proteins, fermentation technologies, smart farming, food system resilience, sensing and imaging technologies, animal health, and climate-adaptive food testing. These areas align with Palmerston North’s existing strengths and provide a platform for future innovation, research, and commercial partnerships.

4.4 Agreed next steps include facilitating direct connections between participating organisations, supporting follow-up discussions to scope pilot projects or exchanges, and exploring opportunities for Palmerston North/New Zealand participation in Nancy’s Food Innovation Days in 2026. This event was identified as a practical mechanism to showcase local capability, support soft-landing opportunities, and deepen international partnerships.

4.5 Overall, the activity contributed to Council’s international relations and economic development outcomes by advancing high-value relationships, increasing international visibility of Palmerston North’s innovation ecosystem, and laying the groundwork for future collaborations that support productivity, sustainability, and long-term economic resilience.

The 3^rd China – New Zealand Mayoral Forum

4.6 Palmerston North participated in the 3^rd China-New Zealand Mayoral Forum and Festival, held in Chengdu, China from 19 – 22 May 2025. The event was co-hosted by the Chinese People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and Global Cities New Zealand (GCNZ), marking the tenth anniversary of the China–New Zealand Mayoral Forum mechanism, which first began in 2015. Palmerston North has previously participated in the first forum in Xiamen (2015) and the second in Wellington (2017)

4.7 The Mayor led a delegation of five delegates from Palmerston North City Council, Central Economic Development Agency, Manawatū Charitable Trust Rōpu, and Rangitāne o Manawatū, Te Matatini group of fifteen members. In his capacity as President of Global Cities New Zealand, Mayor Smith also represented the national association.

4.8 The theme of the 2025 Forum was “Mapping Out a New Decade of Sister City Relationships.” Delegates from 22 cities across China and New Zealand participated, focusing on strengthening bilateral subnational ties. Discussions and exchanges covered areas such as economic cooperation, education, cultural exchange, tourism, innovation, and urban governance. The Mayor emphasised the importance of reconnection and enhancing people-to-people links to support ongoing cooperation in education, trade, research and cultural exchanges.

4.9 Palmerston North’s participation in the 3rd China–New Zealand Mayoral Forum in Chengdu strengthened the city’s international relationships and reaffirmed its commitment to sister-city collaboration. The delegation engaged in strategic dialogue with Chinese counterparts on economic, educational, cultural, and innovation opportunities, shared best practice in subnational diplomacy, and explored avenues for future cooperation. The Forum highlighted the importance of people-to-people connections in building mutual understanding, enhancing bilateral engagement, and advancing Palmerston North’s broader objectives for international engagement, regional development, and global profile-building.

4.10 The Forum and Palmerston North’s contribution received positive coverage across major national and regional Chinese media platforms, including China Daily (English and Asia editions), People’s Daily, Xinhua News, QQ News, Sohu, Weixin News, and regional outlets such as Good Morning Chengdu. This coverage amplified the city’s international visibility and reinforced its reputation as an active and credible partner in international cooperation.

4.11 Participation in the Forum supports the City’s strategic objectives to raise its international profile and strengthen global networks that deliver benefits for local economic, education, research, and cultural sectors. The delegation’s involvement aligns with Council’s commitment to leadership in subnational diplomacy and to pursuing collaborative opportunities that contribute to long-term regional growth and resilience.

Figure 1: CEDA CEO presenting on investment opportunities in Palmerston North/Manawatū

Figure 2: Palmerston North delegation featured at the China NZ Mayoral Forum

Remembering For Peace: 80 Years On from the Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibition

4.12 On 4 August 2025, an opening ceremony was held at the City Library to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The ceremony brought together government officials, local business leaders, and institutional representatives. Proceedings included a welcome address by Mayor Smith, followed by pre-recorded remarks from Mihara City Mayor Okada and Minister Oshima of the Embassy of Japan. A reflection was shared by the grandson of a Hibakusha (atomic bomb survivor). Following the formal proceedings, attendees viewed the exhibition displayed within the library.

4.13 The exhibition marked the 80th anniversary of the bombings through visual and educational displays. Featured materials included a series of posters containing photographs and detailed historical accounts of the events that occurred in Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. The exhibition also featured a display of the Samurai armour gifted to the city by Mihara, symbolising Japan's cultural heritage and resilience. The exhibition opened to the public on 5 August 2025 and remained at the City Library for one month before being relocated to Massey University and subsequently to IPU New Zealand, extending its reach across local educational institutions.

4.14 Several weeks following the opening ceremony, the city received one thousand paper cranes or ‘senbazuru’ from Mihara City. These cranes had been part of Mihara's Peace Memorial Ceremony held on 2 August 2025. The display of one thousand paper cranes from Mihara City at the City Library, further strengthened the sister-city relationship and encouraged community participation through interactive engagement. Collectively, these activities increased public awareness of the humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons, strengthened international and institutional partnerships, and demonstrated the value of civic-led remembrance initiatives in fostering peace and global connection.

Figure 3: Display of 1000 ‘Senbazuru’ from Mihara and make-your-own crane table for the public

ASEAN Forum 2025: 50 Years + $50 Billion

4.15 In 2025, New Zealand marked 50 years of dialogue relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), celebrating half a century of diplomatic, economic, and cultural engagement. To highlight this milestone, the ASEAN Forum 2025: “50 Years + $50 Billion” was held in Auckland, co-hosted by the ASEAN New Zealand Business Council and supported by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Asia New Zealand Foundation, and ANZ Bank. The Forum brought together national leaders, ASEAN representatives, business leaders, and stakeholders to explore deeper economic connectivity, trade opportunities, and regional partnership priorities.

4.16 While Palmerston North was not the primary host, the city’s participation reflected its strategic commitment to international cooperation, trade engagement, and regional connectivity. City representatives engaged with ASEAN delegates and business leaders through networking and information exchange, reinforcing local interests in aligning economic, education, and innovation sectors with emerging opportunities from ASEAN–New Zealand relations. The Mayor also hosted a dynamic Business Panel Discussion with business leaders from Vietnam, Malaysia, and New Zealand to explore market trends, sector opportunities, and practical advice for businesses operating across New Zealand and ASEAN. These engagements strengthened Palmerston North’s profile within national initiatives that support business linkages and regional integration.

4.17 Participation in the ASEAN Forum reinforced the city’s commitment to strengthening ties with Southeast Asia and leveraging regional opportunities for local growth. The Forum celebrated five decades of ASEAN–New Zealand dialogue and highlighted pathways for enhanced trade, digital innovation, supply chain resilience, and improved market access for New Zealand businesses. Engagement facilitated knowledge sharing, developed people-to-people and business networks, and positioned Palmerston North to expand economic, cultural, and educational partnerships within the ASEAN region.

4.18 More broadly, Palmerston North’s involvement in ASEAN-related activities, both direct and via national coordination, aligns with Council’s internationalisation objectives, including expanding global trade links, promoting local business opportunities abroad, and raising the city’s profile in dynamic regional markets. These efforts support strategic goals to foster economic growth, deepen global networks, and strengthen Palmerston North’s role as an active partner within Asia-Pacific economic corridors.

Figure 4: Business Panel Discussion at ASEAN Forum 2025

Visit by Embassy of Vietnam to Palmerston North

4.19 On 8 September 2025, the newly appointed Ambassador of Vietnam, Mr Phan Minh Giang, visited Palmerston North. Mayor Smith welcomed the Ambassador and his delegation to the city for discussions on potential areas of cooperation, including education and research partnerships, trade and economic development, and agricultural collaboration between Palmerston North and Vietnam. The conversation also acknowledged the broader regional and strategic context underpinning bilateral relations between New Zealand and Vietnam.

4.20 The delegation visited UCOL and Massey University to explore collaboration opportunities with polytechnic universities in Vietnam and discuss the potential for joint degree programmes with Vietnamese tertiary institutions. These discussions align with New Zealand's broader educational engagement with Vietnam, following the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries in February 2025.

4.21 The visit strengthened Palmerston North's relationship with the Embassy of Vietnam and reinforced the city's position as a hub for international education and global engagement. It provided an opportunity to highlight Palmerston North's innovation and research capabilities, particularly in the agri-food and tertiary education sectors, which present significant opportunities for Vietnamese collaboration given the strategic focus on educational and agricultural partnerships.

4.22 This engagement aligns with Council's objectives of fostering international partnerships, promoting economic and educational exchange, and enhancing the city's global connections. Direct engagement with the Vietnamese Ambassador enables Palmerston North to strengthen collaboration across multiple sectors while exploring trade and agricultural opportunities that benefit both regions. These relationships are expected to lead to future student exchanges, joint research projects, and institutional partnerships that enhance the city's international profile.

Figure 5: Visit by the new Ambassador of Vietnam

Visit by U.S. Embassy to Palmerston North

4.23 On 23 September 2025, Mr David Gehrenbeck, Chargé d'Affaires at the U.S. Embassy, visited Palmerston North accompanied by Mrs Lauren Gehrenbeck, and Ms Kathryn Plummer, Public Engagement Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy. The visit provided an opportunity to strengthen bilateral ties and explore areas of mutual interest between the United States and the Palmerston North region across economic development, education, and research sectors.

4.24 The delegation's programme included visits to key regional institutions and businesses. At Moana New Zealand, discussions focused on the company's operations and innovation in the aquaculture sector. The visit continued to Massey University, where the delegation met with senior leadership from the College of Sciences and School of Veterinary Science to discuss research collaboration opportunities and international education partnerships. The delegation also met with Council staff and the Central Economic Development Agency to discuss regional economic development priorities and investment opportunities.

4.25 The visit concluded with the delegation’s attendance at the talk and book launch of 'General Lucian K. Truscott: Quite a Talent for Fighting' by Professor Glyn Harper at the City Library. During the event, Mr Gehrenbeck spoke about the enduring military connections between the United States and New Zealand, highlighting the historical and contemporary significance of defence cooperation between the two nations. His remarks underscored the shared values and partnership that continue to define the bilateral relationship.

4.26 Following the visit, several connections have been facilitated. CEDA has established contact with the U.S. Embassy's commercial team regarding investment possibilities at Te Utanganui, positioning the region to attract potential U.S. investment in logistics and distribution infrastructure. Additionally, connections have been made between Massey University's Business School and the American Chamber of Commerce in New Zealand, creating pathways for enhanced business education collaboration and commercial partnerships.

4.27 This engagement reflects Palmerston North's growing profile as a centre for international dialogue and collaboration. The visit enabled direct discussions on areas of strategic importance, including aquaculture innovation, veterinary science research, and tertiary education partnerships. These connections align with Council's objectives of fostering international relationships and positioning Palmerston North as an active participant in global networks that generate tangible economic and educational benefits for the region.

Figure 6: The U.S. Embassy delegation with Council staff and Massey University representatives

Visit from the Malaysian High Commission to Diwali Mela

4.28 On 1 November 2025, Ms Nadzatul Hilmi, Counsellor of Training and Culture and Mr Abdul Ampuan Tajudin, Education Attaché, at the High Commission of Malaysia attended Diwali Mela in Palmerston North. Their attendance reflected Malaysia’s continued engagement with this particular event and support for Palmerston North for three consecutive years.

4.29 During the visit, Ms Hilmi and Mr Tajudin met with the Mayor, the Manager International Relations and representatives of the Manawatū Malaysian Council, providing an opportunity to strengthen relationships between the High Commission, the city, and the Malaysian community in the region. Discussions highlighted the value of education linkages, the ongoing people-to-people connections, as well as the many opportunities for trade and investment between Palmerston North and Malaysia.

4.30 The presence of senior representatives from the High Commission of Malaysia, together with their engagement with civic and community leaders, supported Palmerston North’s international relations objectives by reinforcing links with ASEAN partners and enhancing the city’s profile as a welcoming community.

Figure 7: Malaysian High Commission delegates welcomed by PNCC and Manawatū Malaysian Council

INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION

5. Overview of the global, national AND LOCAL context

5.1 New Zealand’s international education sector has demonstrated strong recovery and growth within a highly competitive global environment. In 2024, international student enrolments reached 83,425, a 21% increase on 2023 and 72% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels.

5.2 Globally, international student mobility is being reshaped by tightening immigration and work-rights settings in traditional destination countries such as the United States of America, United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. In this context, New Zealand is increasingly positioned as a stable, high-quality, and welcoming study destination. China and India remain New Zealand’s largest source markets, accounting for 34% and 14% of enrolments respectively, followed by Japan (9%) and South Korea (4%).

Figure 8: New Zealand International Student Enrolments 2013-2024 (Source: ENZ)

5.3 In July 2025, the Government released the International Education Going for Growth Plan, setting a strategic target to double the sector’s economic contribution from $3.6 billion in 2024 to $7.2 billion by 2034. The plan responds to global competition for students by strengthening New Zealand’s value proposition as a study destination.

5.4 International education remains one of New Zealand’s largest export sectors and a significant contributor to local economies and community vitality. International students are high-value participants who live, shop, travel, and engage locally, enriching communities while building long-term international goodwill through their experiences in New Zealand. According to the New Zealand International Student Expenditure Survey 2024, the average international student reported annual living expenditure of $45,776, excluding tuition fees (see Figure 9). Postgraduate international students make an additional contribution through research and innovation, strengthening New Zealand’s global knowledge networks. Many former international students also continue to act as long-term ambassadors for New Zealand, supporting enduring international connections and economic opportunities. The New Zealand International Student Expenditure Surveys for 2024 and 2025 are attached as Attachment 1 and 3.

5.5 Realising the international education sector’s potential, the International Education Going for Growth plan aims at three objectives:

· Raise awareness of New Zealand as a study destination from 40% in 2024 to 42% in 2027 and 44% by 2034.

· Grow student enrolments from 83,400 in 2024 to 105,000 in 2027 and 119,000 by 2034.

· Increase the proportion of prospective students rating New Zealand among their top three choices of study destination from 18% in 2024 to 20% in 2027 and 22% in 2034.

Figure 9: Snapshot of International Student Expenditure 2024

Figure 10: Estimates of average annual international student expenditure by region

5.6 International education is a significant contributor to the economic and cultural vitality of Palmerston North and the wider Manawatū-Whanganui region. International students studying at local schools and tertiary institutions — including Massey University, UCOL, Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, and IPU New Zealand — live, study, and participate locally, contributing to the vibrancy of the city while building long-term international connections. On average, an international student in Palmerston North and Manawatū spends approximately $36,391 per year on living costs, excluding tuition fees, with expenditure flowing directly into accommodation, retail, hospitality, and transport sectors (See Figure 10).

5.7 Consistent with the national trend, China and India remain the region’s largest source markets for international students, followed by Japan, the United States, and Vietnam. Immigration New Zealand provides monthly regional-level data on valid international student visa holders across all study types (see Figure 12); however, this data does not disaggregate by institution or territorial authority, and student numbers fluctuate throughout the year due to arrivals, programme completions, and changes in visa status. Annual higher education enrolment data (see Figure 13 and Figure 14) for Palmerston North/Manawatū campuses is provided to Council in alignment with Tertiary Education Commission reporting requirements.

Figure 11: Manawatu-Whanganui International Student Enrolments 2013-2024 (ENZ)

Valid international student visa holders who are studying in Manawatu-Whanganui
	6 Oct 2024	3 Nov 2024	1 Dec 2024	5 Jan 2025	2 Feb 2025	3 Mar 2025	6 Apr 2025	4 May 2025	1 Jun 2025	5 Aug 2025	1 Sep 2025	7 Oct 2025
Polytechs	130	128	125	124	145	182	177	177	180	188	187	191
PTEs	239	246	237	205	241	237	279	277	267	256	262	259
Schools	198	207	123	43	153	255	237	242	245	228	227	224
Universities	778	704	529	424	479	810	795	854	839	919	850	897
Total	1345	1285	1014	796	1018	1484	1488	1550	1531	1519	1526	1571

Figure 12: Valid international student visa holders in Manawatu-Whanganui 2024-2025 (INZ)

5.8 It is also important to note that official datasets capture only students holding valid student visas and exclude short-term students studying for three months or less. Palmerston North schools are estimated to host around 400 short-term international students annually, though variations in reporting limit the precision of aggregate figures.

Student headcount as at 15 April each year
		Massey University	UCOL	Te Wānanga o Aotearoa	IPU New Zealand	Total Higher Education
2019	Domestic	4,598	2,949	534	65	8,146
	International	1,367	217	0	243	1,827
	Total	5,965	3,166	534	308	9,973
2020	Domestic	4,310	3,003	494	42	7,849
	International	1,335	175	0	177	1,687
	Total	5,645	3,178	494	219	9,536
2021	Domestic	4,133	3,164	493	49	7,839
	International	1,098	151	0	137	1,386
	Total	5,231	3,315	493	186	9,225
2022	Domestic	3,814	3,108	378	31	7,331
	International	896	150	0	138	1,184
	Total	4,710	3,258	378	169	8,515
2023	Domestic	3,182	2,678	514	31	6,405
	International	836	185	0	161	1,182
	Total	4,018	2,863	514	192	7,587
2024	Domestic	2,830	3,984	517	21	7,352
	International	965	174	0	173	1,312
	Total	3,800	4,158	517	194	8,664
2025	Domestic	2,650	3,610	548	16	6,824
	International	1,060	191	0	197	1,448
	Total	3,705	3,801	548	213	8,272

Figure 13: Student headcount numbers 2019-2025 (Source: Individual providers)

Equivalent full-time students as at 15 April each year
		Massey University	UCOL	Te Wānanga o Aotearoa	IPU New Zealand	Total Higher Education
2019	Domestic	3,080	1,860	484	61	5,484
	International	952	130	0	181	1,263
	Total	4,031	1,990	484	242	6,747
2020	Domestic	2,969	1,908	471	48	5,397
	International	911	108	0	144	1,162
	Total	3,880	2,016	471	192	6,559
2021	Domestic	2,851	1,934	469	37	5,291
	International	726	99	0	123	947
	Total	3,576	2,033	469	160	6,238
2022	Domestic	2,528	1,675	356	30	4,589
	International	584	45	0	103	732
	Total	3,112	1,720	356	133	5,321
2023	Domestic	2,202	1,486	423	26	4,137
	International	602	63	0	150	815
	Total	2,804	1,549	423	176	4,952
2024	Domestic	1,855	2,174	405	16	4,450
	International	680	107	0	140	927
	Total	2,535	2,281	405	156	5,377
2025	Domestic	1,780	1,813	480	13	4,086
	International	730	188	0	155	1,073
	Total	2,515	2,001	480	168	5,164

Figure 14: Equivalent full-time student numbers 2019-2025 (Source: Individual providers)

5.9 Overall, international education continues to support employment, strengthen people-to-people connections, and enrich the region’s cultural fabric, with students from over 50 countries contributing to community life. Local education providers are actively growing their international student cohorts in line with the Government’s International Education Going for Growth Plan, with particular emphasis on partnerships across Asia and Europe. As enrolments continue to recover, Palmerston North and the Manawatū-Whanganui region are well positioned to benefit from sustained economic activity, global connectivity, and long-term international goodwill.

6. Activity outcome report

Guiyang Global Youth Summer Camp

6.1 In July 2025, 19 secondary students from Palmerston North participated in the inaugural Global Youth Summer Camp in Guiyang, China, marking a significant milestone in the 33-year sister city partnership between the two cities. The 10-day programme, held during the Term 2 school holidays, represented an evolution of the relationship from formal diplomatic ties to meaningful cultural exchange that shapes the next generation of global citizens.

6.2 Unlike conventional student tours, the programme offered authentic cultural immersion through homestays with families from Guiyang No. 6 High School. Students experienced daily life in a city of over 6 million people, creating transformative cross-cultural connections. The programme included traditional crafts such as wax dyeing, visits to ancient towns, interactions with ethnic minority groups, and a performance at Guiyang's renowned Roadside Music Concert. Most significantly, students formed genuine friendships with their Guiyang counterparts, navigating language barriers through shared experiences, laughter, and contemporary cultural exchanges.

6.3 The programme's impact extends beyond cultural appreciation. Participating students returned with enhanced communication skills, greater cultural awareness, and an international network that may provide future educational and professional opportunities. The experience demonstrated the practical value of sister city relationships in developing globally competent young people who understand interconnectedness and cross-cultural collaboration. Feedback from students and their families has been overwhelmingly positive, with many describing the experience as life changing.

6.4 The success of this pilot programme has established a foundation for annual exchanges, with plans for reciprocal visits by Guiyang students to Palmerston North in August 2026. The initiative also opens pathways for expanded educational collaboration, including potential high school student recruitment opportunities and revitalised tertiary-level research exchanges between institutions in both cities. This aligns with Council's broader international education objectives and the national Going for Growth Plan.

6.5 The Global Youth Summer Camp was coordinated by Palmerston North City Council in partnership with Guiyang Municipal Government, with support from the Guiyang Foreign Affairs Office and the Department of Education. The programme demonstrates how sister city relationships create tangible benefits beyond diplomatic goodwill, serving as an investment in future partnerships, innovations, and solutions that will benefit both communities for generations to come.

6.6 The programme received local and national recognition through features in the July 2025 edition of Focus on Manawatu and the September 2025 edition of the Global Cities New Zealand newsletter.

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Figure 15: Students getting into the groove at the Roadside Music Concert

Waseda Short-Term Study Programme

6.7 The sixth cohort of 15 students participated in a two-week programme in Palmerston North from 9 to 30 August 2025. Students were hosted by Awatapu College, Palmerston North Boys High School, and Palmerston North Girls High School. The students studied English, attended regular classes, participated in extracurricular activities and lived with local homestay families.

6.8 During the programme, students were introduced to local tertiary education opportunities. Activities included a tour of Massey University, meetings with international student support staff, participation in a campus ‘Amazing Race’, and an information session on New Zealand’s tertiary education system. The cohort also visited UCOL, where they undertook a campus tour and participated in hands-on group activities with English language learners. These experiences provided students with insight into New Zealand’s education system and the study pathways available in the region.

6.9 A seventh cohort of students will participate in a three-week programme in Palmerston North from 9 to 29 August 2026. Due to limited flight availability between Japan to New Zealand during the Easter period, no cohort will be hosted in April 2026.

6.10 This programme supports economic development by generating additional revenue for local schools. The short-term exchange has also facilitated longer-term educational outcomes, with Palmerston North Boys' High School enrolling Waseda students in one-year, fee-paying international programmes. This initiative strengthens international educational partnerships and enhances Palmerston North's profile as a destination for international students, contributing to the city's economic and educational objectives.

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Figure 16: Waseda students and English language learners at UCOL after their group activity

City Welcome Session

6.11 On 22 August 2025, Council hosted a City Welcome Session for new international students in the Council Chamber. The event was coordinated by the International Relations and Education Advisor and Community Development Advisor (Welcoming Communities), in partnership with Rangitāne and the Maori Advisory team.

6.12 The session brought together nearly 100 students from nine local education institutions: Massey University, UCOL, IPU New Zealand, ETC, Pathways Bible College, Awatapu College, Freyberg High School, Palmerston North Boys' High School, and Palmerston North Girls' High School.

6.13 The event provided an opportunity to formally welcome international learners to the city and acknowledge their contribution to the community. Participating students received goodie bags, and the session facilitated connections between students, Council representatives, and local cultural leaders.

6.14 The Welcoming Communities programme aims to foster a sense of belonging and integration for newcomers, including migrants, former refugees, and international students, through partnerships with local iwi and key community stakeholders. This aligns with broader Council objectives of promoting inclusivity, cultural exchange, and community engagement in Palmerston North.

6.15 Following positive feedback from education providers and participants, Council plans to establish this as an annual event, with the next session tentatively scheduled for August 2026.

Figure 17: City Welcome Session participants in the Council Chamber

Visit by Embassy of Japan to Palmerston North

6.16 On 5 September 2025, Council hosted Ms Takako Taguchi, Director of the Japan Information and Cultural Centre at the Embassy of Japan, during her visit to Palmerston North.

6.17 The visit focused on engaging with Japanese language students at Palmerston North Boys' High School and Freyberg High School. Ms Taguchi observed Year 9, 10, and 12 Japanese language classes, during which she promoted the Japan Exchange and Teaching (JET) Programme and the Japanese-Language Proficiency Test (JLPT). These initiatives encourage students to deepen their understanding of Japanese language and culture while exploring future opportunities to study or work in Japan.

6.18 The visit aligns with Council's objectives of fostering international partnerships and promoting cultural exchange. Palmerston North maintains a strong relationship with the Embassy of Japan, strengthened through the sister city connection with Mihara. Discussions during the visit explored potential areas of future collaboration, including food security and resilience education and disaster management expertise. This engagement reflects Palmerston North's commitment to cultural diversity and to maintaining and expanding its relationship with Japan.

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Figure 18: Director of Japan Information Culture Centre speaking to PNBHS students

International Education Forum

6.19 On 5 May 2025, Council hosted the International Education Forum in the Missoula Room, bringing together education providers from across the region to discuss strategic priorities for international education in Palmerston North. The forum was attended by representatives from Massey University, UCOL, IPU New Zealand, ETC, Whakarongo School, Palmerston North Boys' High School, Palmerston North Girls' High School, Freyberg High School, Awatapu College, Queen Elizabeth College and International Student Ministry. Mayor Smith opened the forum, emphasising Council's commitment to the international education sector and the city's ambition to position itself as a competitive study destination.

6.20 Key discussion areas included student recruitment priorities, accommodation challenges, market focus, pathways and retention, regional marketing, and student experience. Providers expressed strong consensus on prioritising long-term student enrolments over short-term groups, with accommodation capacity, particularly homestay availability, identified as a critical constraint. Schools highlighted their focus on markets including South Korea, Thailand, Norway, Germany, and Switzerland, while tertiary providers outlined diversification strategies targeting Nepal, Africa, India, and selective recruitment from China. Concerns were raised about student retention, with international students often relocating to Auckland after initial enrolment in Palmerston North.

6.21 The forum resulted in several action items to enhance the region's international education offering. These included developing a coordinated regional recruitment roadshow in partnership with Education New Zealand and relevant embassies, creating promotional materials highlighting complete educational pathways from primary to tertiary level, and reinstating Mayoral City Welcome events for international students. Participants also discussed the need for improved student experience initiatives, including holiday activities, sports tournaments in partnership with Sport Manawatū, and the development of an international student calendar of events.

6.22 A significant outcome of the forum was the decision to disestablish the International Education Leadership Group (IELG) that was stood up post-Covid due to declining engagement and duplication with International Education Manawatū (IEM). Moving forward, Council's International Relations and Education Advisor will attend IEM meetings quarterly to ensure coordination between Council initiatives and provider activities. This streamlined approach aims to improve communication and strategic alignment across the sector.

6.23 Council has committed to hosting this forum annually to establish priorities for international education over the next 12 months and ensure continued collaboration among providers. The forum format enables strategic dialogue between education institutions and Council, facilitating coordinated approaches to sector challenges and opportunities. This annual engagement reflects Council's ongoing investment in international education as a key economic and cultural contributor to the region.

Friendly School Agreement Signed between Palmerston North and Fuzhou schools

6.24 Following the signing of a Letter of Intent to cooperate in education between the cities of Fuzhou and Palmerston North in December 2024, education collaboration between the two cities progressed further with the signing of a Friendly School Agreement (Attachment 2) between Queen Elizabeth College and Fuzhou No. 4 High School Juyuanzhou campus in December 2025.

6.25 The Friendly School Agreement establishes a framework for cooperation between the two schools, with a focus on fostering student and teacher exchanges, cultural understanding and educational collaboration. Importantly, the arrangements also support international student recruitment pathways, creating opportunities for students from Fuzhou to study in Palmerston North. These pathways strengthen the city’s attractiveness as a destination for international secondary students.

6.26 This development demonstrates a tangible outcome of the 2024 Letter of Intent and highlights the role of international education as both a people-to-people connector and an economic enabler. It aligns with Palmerston North’s internationalisation and economic development objectives by strengthening education linkages with New Zealand’s biggest student source market, enhancing the city’s global profile, supporting additional revenue for local education providers as well as contributing to sustainable income streams for local economy.

Figure 19 - Queen Elizabeth College's principal signed Friendly School Agreement in Fuzhou

7. 2025-2026 annual plan – SUMMARY UPDATE

Timeline	Planned Activities	Status /Outcomes
July 2025	Guiyang Global Youth Summer Camp	Completed
August 2025	Atomic Bomb Poster Exhibition, commemorating the 8^th anniversary of the U.S. bombing of Hiroshima-Nagasaki	Completed
	Facilitate Waseda Study Group	Completed
	ASEAN Forum 2025: 50 Years + $50 Billion	Completed
September 2025	Support City Welcome Session	Completed
September 2025	Launch 25/26 Global Ambassador Programme	Cancelled due to lack of response and personnel change
October 2025	Support Diwali Mela	Completed
October 2025	Support the Latin American and Spanish Film Festival	Completed
1. November 2025	Support City Welcome Session	Completed
December 2025	Fuzhou International Friendship Cities Tourism & Cultures Festival	Postponed by partner to 2026
December 2025	Guizhou Gui-Series Brand Launch Event in Guiyang 17 December 2025	Declined
January 2026	Preparing for February events	Progressing
February 2026	Support the Lunar New Year Celebration	Progressing
	Host an economic development-focused delegation from Missoula to Palmerston North	Progressing
	Host a 2-day programme for the diplomatic delegation during the 2026 Festival of Cultures	Progressing in partnership with CEDA
March 2026	Support Holi – Festival of Light	Not yet started
March 2026	Taipei Smart Cities Summit & Expo	Progressing
April 2026	Regional International Education Forum	Not yet started
May 2026	Lead an Education Mission to Japan, South Korea and Thailand	Under reconsideration
June 2026	Annual Plan 2026-2027	Not yet started

8. 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 1: He tāone auaha, he tāone tiputipu Goal 1: An innovative and growing city
The recommendations contribute to this plan: 2. Mahere whakawhanake ohaoha 2. Economic Development Plan The objective is: - Support international education and promote Palmerston North’s interests to global partners - Promote Palmerston North’s interests to global city partners - Facilitate international economic and education partnerships with city institutions - Manage official delegations and relationships with the diplomatic corps - Participate in international forums and events
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The 6-monthly report on International Relations and Education Activities outlines the progress of actions in the International Relations Chapter, which contributes to the Economic Development Plan and Innovative and Growing City Strategy.

Attachments

1.	ENZ - International Student Expenditure Survey 2024 ⇩
2.	QEC - Fuzhou Friendly School Agreement 2025 ⇩
3.	ENZ - International Student Experience Survey 2025 ⇩

Committee Work Schedule

TO: Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

MEETING DATE: 4 March 2026

TITLE: Committee Work Schedule

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Finance, Performance & Audit Committee

1. That the Finance, Performance & Audit Committee receive its Work Schedule dated March 2026.

Summary

COMMITTEE WORK SCHEDULE – MARCH 2026
	Estimated Report Date	Subject	Officer Responsible	Current Position	Date of Instruction

1.	~~TBC~~	~~Breakdown of Fees and Charges – Planning Services~~	~~General Manager Corporate Services~~	Briefing papers 3/12/25	4 June 2025 Clause 86-25
2.	~~4 March 2026~~ 5 August 2026	Business Assurance six monthly accountability report	General Manager Corporate Services	Alignment with Committee schedule	16 December 2020 Clause 68.2
3.	~~4 March 2026~~	~~Annual review of Council’s Risk Management Appetite and Tolerance Levels~~	~~General Manager Corporate Services~~		6 March 2024 Clause 4-24
4.	~~4 March 2026~~	~~New Zealand Food Awards - Annual Report~~	~~General Manager Customer & Community~~		31 May 2023 Clause 88.12-23
5.	~~4 March 2026~~ ~~4 March 2026~~ 3 June 2026 2 September 2026 2 December 2026	Health and Safety Quarterly Update ~~Q1 July to September 2025~~ ~~Q2 October to December 2025~~ Q3 January to March 2026 Q4 April to June 2026 Q1 July to September 2026	General Manager People & Capability	Alignment with Committee schedule
6.	~~4 March 2026~~ ~~4 March 2026~~ 3 June 2026 2 September 2026 2 December 2026	Wellbeing Quarterly Update ~~Q1 July to September 2025~~ ~~Q2 October to December 2025~~ Q3 January to March 2026 Q4 April to June 2026 Q1 July to September 2026	General Manager People & Capability	Alignment with Committee schedule
7.	~~4 March 2026~~ 5 August 2026	International Relations and Education Activities – six monthly update	General Manager Strategic Planning	Alignment with Committee schedule	Terms of Reference Council Clause 203-23
8.	~~4 March 2026~~	~~Speed Management Plan – Hearings~~	~~General Manager Strategic Planning~~		28 May 2025 Clause 21
9.	~~4 March 2026~~	~~Speed Management Plan – Summary of Submissions~~	~~General Manager Strategic Planning~~
	1 April 2026 3 June 2026 2 September 2026 2 December 2026	Strategic Risk Management Reporting Q2 October to December 2025 Q3 January to March 2026 Q4 April to June 2026 Q1 July to September 2026	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference
10.	~~4 March 2026~~ 1 April 2026	Tamakuku Terrace six monthly update FINAL	General Manager Infrastructure	Awaiting final costs and reconciliation in order to be a full and final report of the project	Terms of Reference
11.	1 April 2026	Palmerston North Airport Limited – Six Month Report and draft SOI	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference
12.	1 April 2026	Traffic situation and calming options for Ascot and Pahiatua Streets	General Manager Infrastructure	Following specialist staff recruitment	Economic Growth 11 June 2025 Clause 16-25
13.	1 April 2026	Speed Management Plan – Deliberations	General Manager Strategic Planning		20 August 2025 Clause 33
14.	1 April 2026	Featherston Street – Investigate options for bus and vehicle pick-ups in green road reserve outside PNBHS	General Manager Infrastructure		Council 14 May 2025 Clause 78.10
15.	1 April 2026	CEDA – Six Month Report and draft SOI 2026-29	General Manager Strategic Planning		Terms of Reference
16.	1 April 2026 3 June 2026 2 September 2026 2 December 2026	Economic Report Q2 October-December 2025 Q3 January-March 2026 Q4 April-June 2026 Q1 July to September 2026	General Manager Strategic Planning		Terms of Reference
17.	13 May 2026 5 August 2026 4 November 2026	Quarterly Performance Report Q3 January to March 2026 Q4 April to June 2026 Q1 July to September 2026	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference Council 5 June 2024 Clause 104-24
18.	13 May 2026 5 August 2026 4 November 2026	Quarterly Treasury Report Q3 January to March 2026 Q4 April to June 2026 Q1 July to September 2026	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference
19.	13 May 2026	City Central Indicative Business Case (CCIBC) Update	General Manager Strategic Planning		19 June 2024 Clause 42-24
20.	13 May 2026	Food HQ Innovation Limited – Director’s company progress report	General Manager Infrastructure	Alignment with Committee schedule	6 September 2023 Clause 143-23
21.	3 June 2026	Economic Profile: Agri-food (3 yearly)	General Manager Strategic Planning		30 August 2023 Clause 35-23
22.	3 June 2026	Palmerston North Airport Ltd - Final Statement of Intent for 2026-2029	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference
23.	3 June 2026	Additional lease or MaaS options to the PN City Council fleet	General Manager Corporate Services		20 August 2025 Clause 38
24.	3 June 2026 2 December 2026	Road Maintenance Contract (six monthly report on work programme and performance)	General Manager Infrastructure		16 March 2022 Clause 4-22
25.	3 June 2026	City Economic Structure Report (annually)	General Manager Strategic Planning
26.	3 June 2026	CEDA – Final Statement of Intent for 2026-2029	General Manager Strategic Planning		Terms of Reference
27.	5 August 2026	Review of cyber security	General Manager Corporate Services	Overview of Cyber Security status was provided at June 2025 meeting; an audit to be scoped in 2026	6 March 2024 Clause 11-24
28.	5 August 2026	Review of Legal Compliance Framework	General Manager Corporate Services		26 April 2023 Clause 2-23
29.	5 August 2026	2026-2027 Annual Plan – International Relations Activity	General Manager Strategic Planning		Council 5 June 2024 Clause 102-24
30.	2 September 2026	Review Annual Report	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference
31.	7 October 2026	Palmerston North Airport Ltd – Annual Report 2025/26	General Manager Corporate Services		Terms of Reference
32.	7 October 2026	Revenue & Finance Policy review	General Manager Corporate Services
33.	7 October 2026	Delegation Manual – Fees & Charges review	General Manager Corporate Services	Review alongside the Revenue and Financing Policy	8 May 2024 Clause 24
34.	7 October 2026	CEDA – Annual Report 2025/26	General Manager Strategic Planning		Terms of Reference
35.	2 December 2026	Road Maintenance Contract (six monthly report on work programme and performance)	General Manager Infrastructure
36.	2 December 2026	CEDA - Statement of Expectations 2027-2030	General Manager Strategic Planning		30 August 2023 Clause 37-23
37.	2 December 2026	Economic Profile: For purpose organisations (5 yearly)	General Manager Strategic Planning		30 August 2023 Clause 35-23
38.	Early 2026	Ratepayer Assistance Scheme - Progress of implementation	General Manager Corporate Services	Awaiting Minister decisions on business case	6 August 2025 Clause
39.	Before LTP 2027	Review the effects of the changes to the rating system	General Manager Corporate Services		Council 10 June 2024 Clause 111-24
40.	March 2027	Economic Profile: Tourism (3 yearly)	General Manager Strategic Planning		30 August 2023 Clause 35-23
41.	June 2027	Economic Profile: Logistics and Distribution (3 yearly)	General Manager Strategic Planning		30 August 2023 Clause 35-23 Schedule
42.	June 2027	Manawatū Regional Economic Structure Report (2 yearly)	General Manager Strategic Planning		30 August 2023 Clause 35-23
43.	October 2027	Review of Procurement and Investment Policies - ethical investing	General Manager Corporate Services		3 September 2025 Clause 133-25
44.	As required	Fraud and Whistleblowing Policy quarterly update	General Manager Corporate Services	When new matters arise	26 April 2023 Clause 12-23
45.	TBC	Review of Contract Management Framework	General Manager Corporate Services	To be reviewed with Business Assurance work plan	26 April 2023 Clause 2-23
46.	TBC	Report back on Investment options for Palmerston North Airport Ltd	General Manager Corporate Services		6 December 2023 Clause 197-23
47.	TBC	City Centre (Streets for People) 6 monthly update	General Manager Infrastructure	Paused until Steering Group reconvenes	Terms of Reference 28 February 2024 Clause 18-24
48.	TBC	Annual presentation: The Factory

[1] Includes PeopleSafe mobile app hazards identified during the quarter also.

[2] Denotes incidents that fall under more than one Story Type, Group and Critical Risk but have not been double counted in totals.

[3] Includes PeopleSafe mobile app hazards identified during the quarter also.

[4] Denotes incidents that fall under more than one Story Type/Group/Critical Risk, not double counted in totals.

Vaughan Dennison (Chair)
Karen Naylor (Deputy Chair)
Grant Smith (The Mayor)
Mark Arnott	Bonnie Kuru
Brent Barrett	Debi Marshall-Lobb
Lew Findlay (QSM)	Billy Meehan
Hayden Fitzgerald	Orphée Mickalad
Leonie Hapeta	William Wood
Lorna Johnson	Kaydee Zabelin

Submission No.	Submitter
170	Steve Wrathall
19	Chris Teo-Sherrell
173	St James Catholic School
40	Turitea School
45	Catherine Millar
137	City to Sea Rail Trust - Manawatū
157	Max The Plumber Ltd
177	Peter French
179	RACE Group & Kikiwhenua Group Ltd
73	Fraser Ponsford
78	Richard Woolgar
145	Lorraine Cook

1.	Procedure Sheet ⇩
2.	Submissions (attached separately)