Risk & Assurance Committee

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Stephen Armstrong (Chair)

Karen Naylor (Deputy Chair)

Grant Smith (The Mayor)

Mark Arnott

Lorna Johnson

Brent Barrett

Orphée Mickalad

Vaughan Dennison

William Wood

Leonie Hapeta

Kaydee Zabelin

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

Risk & Assurance Committee MEETING

 

11 June 2025

 

 

 

Order of Business

 

1.         Karakia Timatanga

2.         Apologies

3.         Notification of Additional Items

Pursuant to Sections 46A(7) and 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, to receive the Chairperson’s explanation that specified item(s), which do not appear on the Agenda of this meeting and/or the meeting to be held with the public excluded, will be discussed.

Any additions in accordance with Section 46A(7) must be approved by resolution with an explanation as to why they cannot be delayed until a future meeting.

Any additions in accordance with Section 46A(7A) may be received or referred to a subsequent meeting for further discussion.  No resolution, decision or recommendation can be made in respect of a minor item.

4.         Declarations of Interest (if any)

Members are reminded of their duty to give a general notice of any interest of items to be considered on this agenda and the need to declare these interests.

 

5.         Public Comment

To receive comments from members of the public on matters specified on this Agenda or, if time permits, on other Committee matters.

6.         Confirmation of Minutes                                                                                  Page 7

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

7.         Audit New Zealand 2024/25 Financial Year Audit Plan                            Page 13

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

8.         Business Assurance Accountability Report                                                 Page 41

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

9.         Strategic Risk Management Reporting January to March 2025 (Quarter 3) Page 69

Memorandum, presented by Stephen Minton, Risk Management Advisor.

10.       Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 Debrief                                                              Page 83

Memorandum, presented by Grace Nock, Manager Organisational Planning and Performance and David Murphy, General Manager Strategic Planning

11.       Wellbeing Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)                   Page 113

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

12.       Committee Work Schedule                                                                         Page 123

 

13.       Health and Safety Report, 1 January to 31 March 2025 (Quarter 3)     Page 125

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

14.       Karakia Whakamutunga      

15.       Exclusion of Public

 

 

To be moved:

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

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

General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

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

13.

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

Confidential Attachment 2

PREJUDICE THE SUPPLY OF SIMILAR INFORMATION:

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

ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF A PERSON:

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

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

16.

Presentation - Cyber Security

PREVENT DAMAGE TO THE PUBLIC INTEREST:

Withholding information is in the public’s best interest.

s7(2)(c)(ii)

17.

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

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

 

 

 

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

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

[Add Third Parties], because of their knowledge and ability to assist the meeting in speaking to their report/s [or other matters as specified] and answering questions, noting that such person/s will be present at the meeting only for the items that relate to their respective report/s [or matters as specified].

 

 

 


Palmerston North City Council

 

Minutes of the Risk & Assurance Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 12 March 2025, commencing at 9.01am

Members

Present:

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

Non Members:

Councillors Lew Findlay, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.

Apologies:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) (early departure).

 

Councillor Lorna Johnson entered the meeting at 9.04am after consideration of clause 1.  She was not present for clause 1.

Councillor Kaydee Zabelin left the meeting at 10.57am during consideration of clause 7.  She entered the meeting again at 10.59am after the consideration of clause 7.  She was not present for clause 7.

 

 

Karakia Timatanga

 

Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb opened the meeting with karakia.

 

1-25

Apologies

 

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the apologies.

 

Clause 1-25 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

                       Councillor Lorna Johnson entered the meeting online at 9.04am.


 

 

2-25

Confirmation of Minutes

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the minutes of the Risk & Assurance Committee meeting of 27 November 2024 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

 

Clause 2-25 above was carried 13 votes to 0, with 3 abstentions, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

Abstained:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Debi Marshall-Lobb and Billy Meehan.

 

3-25

Independent Health and Safety Audit

Memorandum, presented by Franz Assenmacher, Director, Safe on Site, Selwyn Ponga-Davis, Health and Safety Manager and Desiree Viggars, Manager Legal, Risk & Assurance/Legal Counsel.

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the Health and Safety Audit Report from the independent Auditor, presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 12 March 2025.

 

Clause 3-25 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

Exclusion of Public

4-25

Recommendation to Exclude Public

 

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

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

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

General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

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

8.

Health and Safety Report, 1 April to 30 June 2024 (Quarter 4)

Confidential Attachment 2

PREJUDICE THE SUPPLY OF SIMILAR INFORMATION:

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

ENDANGER THE SAFETY OF A PERSON:

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

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

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

 

Clause 4-25 above was carried 15 votes to 0, with 1 abstention, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

Abstained:

Councillor William Wood.

                       The public part of the meeting adjourned at 9.44am.

                       The meeting resumed in public at 10.26am.

6-25

Health and Safety Report, 1 October to 31 December 2024 (Quarter 2)

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

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Health and Safety Report, 1 October to 31 December 2024 (Quarter 2)’ presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 12 March 2025.

2.   That the Chief Executive release Attachment 2 as is practicable.

 

Clause 6-25 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

7-25

Audit NZ 2024 Management Report with Action Plan

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

Councillor Kaydee Zabelin left the meeting at 10.57am.

 

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Audit NZ 2024 Management Report with Action Plan’ presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 12 March 2025.

 

Clause 7-25 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

                       Councillor Kaydee Zabelin entered the meeting again at 10.59am.

8-25

Wellbeing Report, 1 October to 31 December 2024 (Quarter 2)

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

 

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Wellbeing Report, 1 October to 31 December 2024 (Quarter 2)’ presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 12 March 2025.

 

Clause 8-25 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

 

 

9-25

Setting Council's Risk Management Appetite and Tolerance Levels

Memorandum, presented by Stephen Minton, Risk Management Advisor.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) left the meeting at 11.16am.
The Mayor (Grant Smith) entered the meeting again at 11.26am.

 

Moved Vaughan Dennison, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

1.   That Council reconfirm the risk appetite and risk tolerance levels as noted in section 3.1 and 3.2 of the memorandum titled ‘Setting Council’s Risk Management Appetite and Tolerance levels’, presented to the Risk and Assurance Committee on 12 March 2025.

 

Clause 9-25 above was carried 13 votes to 3, the voting being as follows:

For:

Stephen Armstrong, The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Karen Naylor, Mark Arnott, Vaughan Dennison, Leonie Hapeta, Orphée Mickalad, William Wood, Kaydee Zabelin, Lew Findlay, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock and Billy Meehan.

Against:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Lorna Johnson and Debi Marshall-Lobb.

 

10-25

Strategic Risk Management Reporting October 2024 to December 2024 (Quarter 2)

Memorandum, presented by Stephen Minton, Risk Management Advisor.

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the following updated strategic risk assessment

·    Strategic Risk 7: Failure to Attract and Retain Staff

and the Strategic Risk Dashboard (section 3.2).

 

Clause 10-25 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

11-25

Committee Work Schedule

 

Moved Karen Naylor, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

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

 

Clause 11-25 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

 

Karakia Whakamutunga

 

Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb closed the meeting with karakia.

 

 

The meeting finished at 11.47am.

 

Confirmed 11 June 2025

 

 

 

Chair

 

 

 


 

Memorandum

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

TITLE:                             Audit New Zealand 2024/25 Financial Year Audit Plan

Presented By:            Scott Mancer, Manager - Finance, Desiree Viggars, Manager - Legal, Risk & Assurance and Debbie Perera, Audit Director - Audit New Zealand

APPROVED BY:            Cameron McKay, General Manager Corporate Services

 

 

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Risk & Assurance Committee

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

 

 

1.         ISSUE

1.1       Palmerston North City Council must undergo a legislative audit at the completion of each financial year. This report outlines the key focus areas for the upcoming audit as well as the attached Audit Plan.

2.         BACKGROUND

2.1       Council’s appointed auditor is Debbie Perera, Audit Director, Audit New Zealand.

2.2       For the upcoming audit, the following areas have been highlighted as a key focus, based on work that the Office of the Auditor General has undertaken in planning for the audits of the Local Government sector.

2.3       Key focus areas for 2024/25 Audit:

i)        Valuation of infrastructure assets – Water, Wastewater & Stormwater

ii)       Fair value assessment of infrastructure assets (non-valuation year) – Roading, Parks and Reserves, Waste Management

iii)      Fair value of investment property

iv)     Accounting for impairment, capitalisation of costs and recognition of completed assets

v)      Risk of management override of internal controls

2.4       Other areas of focus across the Local Government Sector:

i)        Amendments to disclosure of audit fees

ii)       Mutual liability Riskpool Scheme

iii)      Local Water Done Well

iv)     Benchmark reporting

v)      Fraud risk

vi)     Legislative compliance

vii)     Service performance information

2.5       The attached audit plan outlines the full detail of the items above, including further details on the full plan. The timetable is included in the table below, as well as in the attachment.

Table 1:  Audit Timeline

Date

Planning meetings

February & March 2025

Interim audit begins

14 April 2025

Risk & Assurance Committee – Audit Plan

11 June 2025

Audit of Revaluations

23 & 30 June 2025

Draft financial statements available for audit (including notes) with actual year-end figures

31 July 2025

Final audit begins

4 August 2025

Final financial statements available, incorporating all agreed amendments

19 September 2025

Annual Report available, including Chair and Chief Executive’s overview or reports

19 September 2025

Verbal audit clearance given

24 September 2025

Risk & Assurance Committee – Annual Report

1 October 2025

Audit Opinion issued

8 October 2025

Draft report to Council issued

20 October 2025

 

 

 

3.         NEXT STEPS

3.1       The end of year audit will be undertaken by the auditors and any new issues (if applicable) will be reported to the Risk & Assurance Committee following the adoption of the Annual Report 2024/25.

3.2       The Annual Report 2024/25 is scheduled to be approved for adoption by the Risk & Assurance Committee on 1 October 2025 and adopted by Council on 8 October 2025.

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?

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 Business Assurance function of Council aims to enable Council to succeed by building trust and confidence in the core controls that are relied on by management and governance.

 

Attachments

1.

2025 Audit Plan - Palmerston North City Council

 

  

 


 


 



























 

Memorandum

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

TITLE:                             Business Assurance Accountability Report

Presented By:            Desiree Viggars, Manager - Legal Risk & Assurance

APPROVED BY:            Cameron McKay, General Manager Corporate Services

 

 

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Risk & Assurance Committee

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

 

 

1.         ISSUE

The Business Assurance Charter requires that follow-up procedures for review recommendations are undertaken regularly and reported to the Risk & Assurance Committee.

2.         BACKGROUND

Follow-up is a process by which internal auditors evaluate the adequacy, effectiveness, and timeliness of actions taken by management on reported observations and recommendations, including those made by external auditors and others. This process also includes determining whether senior management and/or the Committee have assumed the risk of not taking corrective action on reported observations.

Where an external review/audit has been completed and reported to the Risk & Assurance Committee, the recommendations form part of the accountability report.

Attached is the report that shows the status of each agreed action. As items are reported as completed, they fall off the following report. 

3.         NEXT STEPS

A six-monthly accountability report will be reported to the Risk & Assurance Committee.

As further reviews are completed (as per the Business Assurance Plan) and reported to the Risk & Assurance Committee, their recommendations will form part of future accountability reports presented by Business Assurance.

4.         Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?

If Yes quote relevant clause(s) from S4.8 – TOR for Risk & Assurance Committee

Yes

Are the decisions significant?

No

If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?

No

Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?

No

Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?

No

Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these actions?

Yes

Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?

No

The recommendations contribute to:

All goals.

The recommendations contribute to this plan:   

14. Mahere mana urungi, kirirarautanga hihiri

14. Governance and Active Citizenship Plan

Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being

Business Assurance aims to help the Council succeed by building trust and confidence in the core controls relied on by management.

 

Attachments

1.

Accountability Report April 2025

 

  

 





























 

Memorandum

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

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

Presented By:            Stephen Minton, Risk Management Advisor

APPROVED BY:            Cameron McKay, General Manager Corporate Services

 

 

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Risk & Assurance Committee

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

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

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

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

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

and the Strategic Risk Dashboard (section 3.4).

 

1.         ISSUE

1.1       Council agreed on 11 strategic risk statements at the Risk & Assurance Committee on 6 March 2024. All assessments were completed and presented progressively during the calendar year 2024.

 

1.2       Officers will undertake iterative reviews of the strategic risks at least annually.

 

2.         BACKGROUND

2.1       Officers have completed an iterative review of Strategic Risks listed in the recommendation above. This review has considered any new or emerging contextual aspects of the risk, and progress on the detailed action plan/considerations articulated in the last assessment.

2.2       The ‘Conclusion & Action Plan/Considerations’ commentaries have been updated. The individual action plans are unchanged save for the outcomes from the 2025 SafePlus audit on Health and Safety. A current update on the action plans has been created and included. Progress of the detailed action plans is within the expected timeframes. While key controls and action plans/considerations are unchanged from the last report, Officers still consider them to be current in the existing risk environment.

3.         Strategic risk dashboard

3.1       Since the last report in March, there have been changes in the residual risk ratings Strategic Risk No’s 4 and 6 as detailed below:

Strategic Risk

Previous

New

Failure to adapt to the effects of climate change

High

Medium

Major failure of health, safety and wellbeing policies and procedures

Medium

Low

 

3.2       While there continues to be a body of work required on climate change adaption, the principal contextual driver in reduced residual risk has been a view of the statistical data indicating that the Manawatū region is at reduced risk from climate change effects (rainfall) relative to other parts of New Zealand.

3.3       The residual risk for Health, Safety and Wellbeing strategic risk has been reduced following the independent external review/audit which categorised the Council as ‘Performing’ as well as operating in the top quartile in New Zealand. As in 3.2 above, there continue to be actions to be progressed.

3.4       The strategic risk dashboard is set out below. The risk ratings have been determined based on the current risk environment and consequences of the risk event, the controls and their effectiveness, and the reliance on individual controls.


 

Strategic Risk Dashboard                                                    As at MAY 2025

Risk Name

Raw Risk

Residual Risk

Target Risk

Risk 1: Failure to meet financial obligations

Extreme

Medium

Medium

Risk 2: Failure to deliver on key projects and programmes

Extreme

Medium

Medium

Risk 3: Failure to manage and protect Council information

Extreme

High

Medium

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

Extreme

Medium

Medium

Risk 5: Ineffective relationship and stakeholder engagement

Very High

Medium

Medium

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

Extreme

Low

Low

Risk 7: Failure to attract and retain staff

Very High

Medium

Medium

Risk 8: Failure to meet legal obligations

Extreme

High

Medium

Risk 9: Significant disruption to Council’s continuity and/or lifeline utility disruption

Extreme

Very High

Medium

Risk 10: Failure to manage critical/strategic assets

Extreme

High

Medium

Risk 11: Loss of public trust

Very High

High

Medium

 

4.         NEXT STEPS

4.1       Further Strategic Risks will be assessed and presented to the Committee going forward, with a focus on those risks deemed to have changes in the control/mitigation scene or new/emerging changes to the risk context.

4.2       The Committee is reminded that reviews may also be triggered if there is a significant change in one of the following parameters:

4.2.1    Significant change in the internal or external context, including major organisational or process changes (Reference Risk Management Framework, Section 4.3.1 for external and internal context descriptors).

4.2.2    Major risk event that is deemed to have an influence on the strategic risk.

4.2.3    Substantial control or mitigation failure.

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 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 objectives cover all aspects of Council, including strategy, tactics, operations and compliance. The Risk Management Framework sets out the basis for managing risk across Council and a large part of this is culminated through the creation of risk registers and the strategic risk assessments.

 

Attachments

1.

Legend

 

2.

Strategic Risk 2: Programme & Project Delivery

 

3.

Strategic Risk 4: Climate Change Adaption

 

4.

Strategic Risk 6: Health, Safety and Wellbeing Failure

 

5.

Strategic Risk 10: Management of Critical Assets

 

  

 

















 

Memorandum

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

TITLE:                             Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 Debrief

Presented By:            Grace Nock, Manager Organisational Planning and Performance and David Murphy, General Manager Strategic Planning

APPROVED BY:            David Murphy, General Manager Strategic Planning

 

 

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Risk & Assurance Committee

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 Debrief’, presented to the Risk & Assurance Committee on 11 June 2025.

 

 

1.         ISSUE

Following the completion of the 2024–2034 Long-Term Plan (LTP), a debrief was commissioned to understand what supported successful delivery and where improvements could be made to strengthen future planning cycles. The attached report summarises findings from interviews with Elected Members and staff and provides clear recommendations to inform the 2027–2037 LTP process.

2.         BACKGROUND

In 2024, Council initiated an internal review to evaluate the systems, structures, and processes that shaped the development of the 2024–2034 LTP. The review aimed to document lessons learned, identify strengths and constraints, and support organisational improvement ahead of the next LTP cycle. Interviews were conducted throughout 2024 by the Business Assurance team with 35 participants, including 12 Elected Members, and 23 staff involved in various aspects of LTP delivery. Although interviews were completed in 2024, analysis and reporting has been completed in 2025.

The report identifies areas where Council has made meaningful progress, such as improved engagement, collaboration, and transparency. It also highlights structural and operational challenges. Some of the difficulties encountered include compressed timeframes, limited application of project management principles, or a need for formalised prioritisation frameworks.

 

 

3.         NEXT STEPS

The attached report includes a comprehensive summary of findings and a table of recommended actions to guide future LTP implementation. These actions will be reviewed closely by the Organisational Planning and Performance team, and wider LTP team, as preparations begin for the 2027-2037 LTP. Staff will work with the Senior Leadership Team and Council to incorporate these improvements into the design of the next LTP programme.

4.         Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?

4.8 Risk & Assurance Committee Terms of Reference

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

Whāinga 2: He tāone whakaihiihi, tapatapahi ana
Goal 2: A creative and exciting city

Whāinga 3: He hapori tūhonohono, he hapori haumaru
Goal 3: A connected and safe community

Whāinga 4: He tāone toitū, he tāone manawaroa
Goal 4: A sustainable and resilient city

The recommendations contribute to this plan:   

14. Mahere mana urungi, kirirarautanga hihiri

14. Governance and Active Citizenship Plan

The objective is: Base our decisions on sound information and advice.

Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being

The LTP debrief supports Council’s aspiration to make well-informed and strategic decisions, grounded in robust information, effective systems, and meaningful community engagement. By identifying the challenges and strengths experienced during the 2024–2034 LTP process, the report provides practical insights that can strengthen decision-making and process improvement for the 2027-2037 LTP.

 

Attachments

1.

Long-Term Plan 2024-2034 Debrief

 

  

 


 


 




























 


 

Memorandum

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

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

Presented By:            Connie Roos, Manager Employee Experience and Wayne Wilson, Manager People Operations

APPROVED BY:            Sarah Morris, General Manager People & Capability

 

 

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Risk & Assurance Committee

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

 

 

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.

Prevent Harm

1.3       During World Hearing Week (3-7 March) free hearing checks were offered to kaimahi. These proved popular, with 30 people making bookings, and more on the waitlist. Therefore, a hearing therapist has been invited back to Council sites to continue to offer hearing checks to interested kaimahi, which will continue into next quarter.

Quarter 3 Wellbeing Report – Prevent Harm

Q3 2025

YTD

Average Quarter for 2023/24 FY

 

Wellness space usage

1849

5285

1536

The comparative data shows continuous and active utilisation of the wellness space, which includes gym usage. 

Biennial health / eye check

13

43

26

There has been a slight increase from 11 to 13 checks this quarter. It is assumed that the holiday season has impacted uptake. The criteria for these checks have now changed to anyone that hasn’t had one in the last 24 months.

 

Provide Support

1.4       Cross functional collaboration between Employee Experience and Health & Safety continue to lead into increased coordinated training offerings to support our people in the frontline. This work will continue into the next quarter.

Quarter 3 Wellbeing Report – Provide Support

Q3 2025

YTD

Average Quarter for 2023/24 FY

 

Vitae – On-site services

319

559

224

On-site services involve Vitae Officers visiting sites to conduct informal wellbeing check-ins. We have arranged increased visits at some sites as a response to events occurring in this quarter.

Reflect and Learn sessions

5

23

11

Sessions are designed to assist staff to deal constructively with high conflict incidents in front facing customer roles. The Employee Experience team has been working with specific teams to offer individual sessions rather than group sessions as an individual approach may be more appropriate for some services.

 


 

Enhance Wellbeing

Quarter 3 2025

Year to date

Number of attendees

Target to be completed by end of FY 24/25

 

Creating Cultures of Respect (attendees)

24

45

In the previous year this training was known as Creating Respectful Workplaces. It has received a revamp by the provider with an increased focus on creating positive and respectful organisational culture. 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)

23

30

This workshop is designed to provide employees with practical information and frameworks to deal successfully with situations evoking strong emotional responses.

Tools for Change (attendees)

0

30

This training helps employees to identify thinking styles, recognise thinking traps and manage responses to change. Both Tools for Change and Leading Through Change are internal courses run by Principal Advisor Change Management. This training has been presented to 61% of all staff and will now be held on a quarterly basis only.

Manager Completion of Leading Through Change (Manager attendees)

11

15

One way to support employees’ wellbeing is to provide managers with a toolset to lead their team through changing environments. Due to the significant number (97%) of People Leaders that have attended this training, both the occurrence of this training and the target will decrease compared to previous FY.

 

Quarter 3 2025

Year to date

Number of attendees

Target to be completed by end of FY 24/25

 

Situational Awareness and De-escalation training

102

50

Situational Awareness and De-escalation training is an offering developed by the Health and Safety team. This training package aims to provide our people with all the key information and skills when working on the frontline to keep them safe. As part of the investigative correction actions following a serious attack by a member of the public, a condensed version of this training was offered to Infrastructure kaimahi. The focus in this quarter was to deliver this training rather than the full Situational Awareness and De-escalation training package. See Health & Critical Risks report, Q3 2025 for more details.

Wellbeing Presentation (attendees)

59/66 (89% of new starters)

90% of new starters

This presentation helps to orient new starters to the wellbeing support available here at Council. This presentation was first created in February 2023 and 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 44%. The benchmark compared to similarly sized organisations is 33-39%. Top completed Unmind Shorts in January to March are: (a) What Neurodiversity Really Means (a short explaining Neurodiversity), (b) Never Too Late (a sleep tool) and (c) Morning Goal Setting (a goal setting tool). Employee Experience is working with the Digital team to enable single sign on to simplify ease of access. 

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.

1.7       The Offboarding Survey Results graph presents the reasons that people choose to leave Council. People may choose more than one reason for leaving in the survey and these reasons are included in the first graph above. For example, while there is a total of 8 reasons recorded in the above graph over the quarter there has only been 3 completed offboarding surveys (as detailed in the Offboarding Survey Response Rate graph below). For the last financial year, the most common reason for someone to leave Council was Career Development Opportunity. This financial year so far, the most common reason for someone to leave Council is Manager/Supervisor, followed by Career Development Opportunity, and personal reasons unrelated to work. This will develop further as the financial year continues. Please note that the number of responses is low which impacts the data above.

1.8       The Offboarding Survey Response rate above presents the quarterly response rate, as well as the total number of responses received each quarter. This graph also includes both the New Zealand Local Government (LGO) response rate for exit surveys and our Council goal response rate. The graph above indicates that over the last quarter there was a response rate of 18% in the offboarding survey. This is a similar result than the previous quarter. We are aiming to reach the LGO rate of at least 47%.  The team have analysed the data to have a better understanding of contributing factors resulting in low participation rates. Participation rate continues to drop, and it is noted that of the 17 eligible terminated staff during this quarter 9 (53%) did not receive the survey in time, and of the 8 that did receive the survey 3 (36%) completed it. This reconfirms that the manual process is not working, and it is assumed that low participation rates in the offboarding survey will continue until an alternative process can be identified. The Employee Experience team will work cross-functionally in the new financial year to re-explore more sustainable solutions until we have appropriate information systems in place.

Turnover

Year

18/19

19/20

20/21

21/22

22/23

23/24

24/25

SEP 1/4

24/25

DEC 1/4

24/25

MAR 1/4

Employee Initiated

67

85

120

123

114

95

19

 

15

 

17

%

12.0%

14.1%

20.9%

19.8%

18.8%

14.6%

11.7%

9.1%

10.2%

Other

 

 

 

13

8

14

2

2

2

%

 

 

 

2.1%

1.3%

2.1%

1.2%

1.2%

1.2%

 

1.9       This quarter there have been 2 others, 1 abandonment and 1 dismissal.

Month

Employee Initiated Turnover for Month

Turnover Previous 12 Months

Percentage (annual)

Jan 23

14

127

20.0%

Feb 23

9

130

20.6%

Mar 23

9

128

20.3%

Apr 23

11

126

19.9%

May 23

7

119

18.8%

Jun 23

8

114

18.0%

Jul 23

10

112

17.7%

Aug 23

8

112

17.7%

Sep 23

5

105

16.6%

Oct 23

8

105

16.9%

Nov 23

7

104

16.7%

Dec 23

9

105

16.4%

Jan 24

8

99

15.7%

Feb 24

10

100

15.9%

Mar 24

4

95

15.2%

Apr 24

11

95

14.7%

May 24

7

95

14.5%

Jun 24

8

95

14.6%

Jul 24

6

91

14.2%

Aug 24

8

91

14.2%

Sep 24

4

90

14.1%

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

78

11.8%

Apr 25

5

72

10.9%

 

Turnover by Group (12 months to Dec 2024)

Corporate

6

12.0%

Customer & Community

20

10.8%

Development & Regulatory

13

15.3%

Infrastructure

32

12.1%

People & Capability

5

10.2%

Strategy & Planning

3

11.5%

Headquarters

0

0

 

Turnover has continued to decrease since February 2023.

Infrastructure had 12 terminations in Rubbish and Recycling and the Contact Centre had 10 terminations.

ACC Lost Time (Days)

Period

2020 Ave/ Qtr

2021 Ave/ Qtr

2022 Ave/ Qtr

2023 Ave/ Qtr

2024 Ave/ Qtr

 

Mar 25

Work

 

 

 

145.4

116.3

 

134.5

Non-Work

 

 

 

116.1

230.7

 

138.7

Total

233.6

379.6

325.8

261.5

347.0

 

273.2

 

1.10     The number of days lost due to work accidents is 134.5 or 49.2% of all lost time due to accidents. 

1.11     There were 5 work related accidents in the quarter resulting in 39.5 lost days.

1.12     The other 95 days were for injuries that occurred prior to the quarter. 

1.13     The 7 non-work accidents resulted in 138.7 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.

2.2       The Employee Experience team continue to review the provision of Mental Health/Resilience training to identify opportunities and improvements to capture our workforce and equip our people with skills and tools.

3.         NEXT STEPS

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

3.2       In April we will be releasing our Tuia te Whakaaro Staff Engagement survey. This survey has been designed to understand where our organisation is placed against our aspirational state for ‘A Great Place to Work’. Part of the survey measures on Health, Safety and Wellbeing which will be a good indicator of where the organisation is placed regarding these factors.

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

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 

 


 

Committee Work Schedule

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

TITLE:                             Committee Work Schedule

 

 

RECOMMENDATION TO Risk & Assurance Committee

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

 

 

COMMITTEE WORK SCHEDULE – JUNE 2025

11 June 2025

 

Business Assurance six-monthly accountability report

General Manager Corporate Services

 

Finance & Audit Committee                     16 December 2020                                 Clause 68.2

11 June 2025

LTP Debrief

General Manager Corporate Services

General Manager Strategic Planning

 

6 March 2024

Clause 11-24

11 June 2025

1 October 2025

Health and Safety Quarterly Update

Q3 January to March 2025

Q4 April to June 2025

General Manager People & Capability

 

 

11 June 2025

1 October 2025

Wellbeing Quarterly Update

Q3 January to March 2025

Q4 April to June 2025

General Manager People & Capability

 

 

11 June 2025

1 October 2025

Strategic Risk Management Reporting

General Manager Corporate Services

 

Terms of Reference

11 June 2025
1 October

2025

Review of Contract Management Framework

General Manager Corporate Services

To be actioned once Internal Audit role is filled

26 April 2023 Clause 2-23

1 October 2025

Review Annual Report

General Manager Corporate Services

 

Terms of Reference

2025

Review of Cyber Security

General Manager Corporate Services

 

6 March 2024

Clause 11-24

2025

Review of Legal Compliance Framework

General Manager Corporate Services

 

26 April 2023 Clause 2-23

As required

Fraud and Whistleblowing Policy Quarterly Update

General Manager Corporate Services

26 April 2023 Clause 12-23

2026

 

Business Assurance six-monthly accountability report

General Manager Corporate Services

 

Finance & Audit Committee                     16 Dec 2020                                 Clause 68.2

2026

Annual review of Council’s Risk Management Appetite and Tolerance Levels

General Manager Corporate Services

 

6 March 2024

Clause 4-24

 

TBC

Local Water Done Well - Assets and Liability Assessment

General Manager Corporate Services

Pending regional CCO investigation

 


 

Memorandum

TO:                                Risk & Assurance Committee

MEETING DATE:           11 June 2025

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

Presented By:            Selwyn Ponga-Davis, Health and Safety Manager

APPROVED BY:            Sarah Morris, General Manager People & Capability

 

 

RECOMMENDATION(S) TO Risk & Assurance Committee

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

 

1.         EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.1       Management continues to prioritise staff safety and wellbeing, particularly in relation to Critical Risk 1 – Frontline Working, which consistently dominates incident reporting. Quarter 3 continues to emphasise proactive incident reporting, targeted training and ongoing system reviews.

As with the previous quarter, Quarter 3 still shows a strong commitment to improving staff safety through policy, training, and internal process enhancements. The rise in incident reporting reflects greater transparency and engagement rather than a decline in safety performance.

Management is proactively addressing critical risks with strategic partnerships, thorough incident reviews and structured training programs.

1.2       The following are notable highlights over the 1 January through to 31 March 2025 quarter.

·    Approximately 70 Infrastructure staff completed FAST (Frontline Awareness and Safety Training) sessions post investigation corrective actions.

·    Collaboration with Partners. Support for front-facing staff continues during early 2025. The evaluation of an alternative Health and Safety reporting platform remains part of the Quarterly Business Review process.

MWLASS HSW practitioners’ forum and tour of Resource Recovery occurred in March.


 

·    As part of the CR 1 – Frontline Working – program of works a review during the quarter was conducted with our Cleaning staff (Infrastructure). This is part of the SafePlus recommendations of our Lone Worker (Critical Risk 8) and front-facing critical risks, as part of our Risk Assurance Program.

1.3       Looking ahead:

·    Following the post-audit review in late January 2025, the Safety Management Framework is set for implementation mid-2025. Feedback is ongoing for the updated Drug and Alcohol Policy.

·    Still awaiting the release of the Customer Code of Conduct for frontline workers. Also awaiting the formulation of an internal focus group for critical management guidance. Work was conducted on reviewing Lone Worker procedures across PN City Council.

1.4       The following are updates on topics previously reported on or queried.

·    Critical Risk 1 – Frontline Working – Opsec Solutions partnership.

Opsec training refreshers were delivered, particularly focused on de-escalation for frontline staff (approximately 70), within the Customer & Community business group.

Following a pilot (call centre and communications training about challenging phone conversations and emails) session introduced to business units in March; feedback is progressing.

·    The revised suite of Safe Operating Procedures for water treatment is in the final phase of implementation. The corresponding manual will now be updated to ensure alignment and consistency across all documentation.

·    At the March 2025 Risk & Assurance Committee meeting, Elected Members wanted to see ACC information in the report, which is provided in Table 1 below. Elected Members are asked to note that ACC lost days information is reported on within the Wellbeing report and therefore that aspect will not be reported within this report going forward for reasons of duplication.

Table 1:  ACC Lost Time (Days)

Period

2020

Ave/Qtr

2021

Ave/Qtr

2022

Ave/Qtr

2023

Ave/Qtr

2024

Ave/
Qtr

 

Mar 25

 

 

 

Work

 

 

 

145.4

116.3

 

134.5

 

 

 

Non-Work

 

 

 

116.1

230.7

 

138.7

 

 

 

Total

233.6

379.6

325.8

261.5

347.0

 

273.2

 

 

 

 

The number of days lost due to work accidents is 134.5 or 49.2% of all lost time due to accidents. 

There were 5 work related accidents in the quarter resulting in 39.5 lost days.

The other 95 days were for injuries that occurred prior to the quarter. 

The 7 non-work accidents resulted in 138.7 lost days.   

2.         HEALTH AND SAFETY REPORT

2.1       This report covers the period 1 January through to 31 March 2025. The information included in Table 2 below is discussed at the Officers and Operations Health and Safety Committee meetings.

A.        Hazards, Incidents and Near Misses Reported

Table 2:  Hazards, Incidents and Near Misses

Quarter

Mar-24

Jun-24

Sep-24

Dec-24

  Mar-25

PNCC

CON

PNCC

CON

CON

CON

PNCC

CON

PNCC

CON

Hazards

83

4

56

4

57

0

73

7

69

7

Incidents

80

7

80

19

78

9

108

6

97

9

Near Misses

7

0

13

7

16

2

17

1

16

2

Key:  PNCC = Staff / Staff; CON = Contractor

2.2       Comments:

·    The most reported Story Type category continues to be CR1 – Frontline Working. A significant decline was observed during the month of January. Events reported remain focused on Customer & Community and Infrastructure. Addressing critical risks continues to be a priority through ongoing collaboration and training efforts. February saw an increase in events across Customer & Community, Development & Regulatory, and Infrastructure. Internal de-escalation training has been specifically rolled out to high-risk and lone working staff; further training is being investigated.

·    The number of incidents by month / quarter and group is graphed below, providing visibility on the events reported during Quarter 3 2025, categorised by business group.

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

·    Hazards and Incidents. During the 1 January to 31 March 2025 quarter the following risks were identified and addressed.

Frontline Working (Critical Risk 1)

Ø Multiple incidents involving verbal threats or confrontational behaviour towards staff (in-person and remotely) have highlighted the need for de-escalation training, safeguarding of personal information, and emotional wellbeing support.

Ø Close calls involving vehicles encroaching on work zones led to the removal or redesign of exposed garden areas to eliminate the hazard.

Ø Staff were involved in providing emergency assistance during a public medical event, demonstrating the value of preparedness in high-stress situations.

Ø Repeated instances of the public entering restricted areas (CAB) have led to a recommendation to enhance building signage and directional cues.

Ø Increased poor behaviour in certain public-facing areas (Isite vicinity) prompted a review under the Lone Worker and front-facing staff Risk Assurance Program (part of the SafePlus recommendations) to identify control improvements going forward.

Ø Incidents involving Police at a public campground resulted in the enforcement of trespass protocols to maintain a safe environment.[1]

Ø To support the wellbeing of staff working late, changes were made to provide safer parking options to reduce exposure to personal safety risks.

Breaking Ground (Critical Risk 4)

Ø Multiple discrepancies between service markings and actual underground utilities (e.g. gas, power, telecommunications) were identified, some leading to potential strike risks. Hydro excavation, cross-verification with service providers, and stand-over procedures were employed to mitigate further risk.

Working with Mobile Plant (Critical Risk 6)

Ø Ignition of trapped gas during work with an angle grinder triggered a review of hot work permit processes and an emphasis on identifying gas sources prior to work commencement.

Ø An incident involving unsafe elevation of staff via plant machinery prompted updates to operating procedures and reinforcement of safe practices during Toolbox talks.

Hazardous Substances (Critical Risk 10)

Ø Improper handling practices were identified. Refresher training and toolbox talks were conducted to reinforce PPE use, containment procedures, and proper disposal.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Compliance

Ø To help prevent potential incidents, and reiterating our expectations, reminders were issued to all temporary and contract workers regarding the consistent use of appropriate PPE as part of ongoing safety reinforcement.


 

B.         Critical Risks

2.3       Table 3 below (along with the Critical Risk Total numbers graph) has been included to provide clarity on the number of Critical Risk events and the Story Type category each event relates to.

Table 3:  Critical Risks

No.

Critical Risk

Near Miss

Incident

Total: 57

1

Frontline Working

6

36

42

2

Work Environment

 

 

 

3

Working at Height

1

 

1

4

Breaking Ground

 

2

2

5

Confined Space

1

 

1

6

Working with Mobile Plant

2

5

7

7

Driving

1

2

3

8

Lone Worker

 

 

 

9

Working Around Water

 

 

 

10

Hazardous Substances

 

 

 

11

Use of Power Hand-tools / Plant

 

1

1

12

Asset Failure

 

 

 

 

·    For more information on the individual events please refer to the confidential Critical Risks report (Attachment 2 – pages 14 to 19 of this report).


 

2.4       Comments:

·    In summary our Critical Risk focus – Frontline Working (CR1) – remains the top risk category with 42 of 57 total critical risk events. 13 Police notifications and 4 Trespass notices were issued in Q3, a slight increase from the previous quarter. Incidents include Verbal and Physical threats, requiring expanded de-escalation training and Lone Worker reviews. Police support and Trespass notice information is provided further down.

·    Police support to Council continues. During Quarter 3 there were 13[2] notifications made to Police (up on Quarter 2 – ten).


 

·    Four[3] Trespass Notices have been actioned during Quarter 3 (up one on Quarter 2).

·    The graphs below identify Critical Risks involving Verbal Altercation (VA) and / or Physical Danger (PD) when staff are Frontline Working. Again, for more information on the individual events please refer to the confidential Critical Risks report (Attachment 2 – pages 14 to 19 of this report).

·    Near Miss incidents:

·    For more information on notable individual Near Miss events of interest please refer to the confidential Critical Risks report (Attachment 2 – pages 18 and 19 of this report).

C.        Manual Handling

2.5       Several proactive Manual Handling measures continue to be applied across Council.

·    Manual Handling education (stretching, warm-up / cool-down), which is covered during a staff’s onboarding process – workstation set-up and onboarding induction; the early reporting of discomfort and pain and injury is also covered during Health and Safety inductions.

·    Move at Work / Manual Handling training occurs annually with refresher training every three years (next occurrence is August 2025). There is also an online self-booking manual handling course available via The Sauce.

·    Monitoring – Manual Handling incidents are reviewed, and additional training / supervision initiated as needed.

·    A refresh on Manual Handling training options used over recent years (onsite via an external provider, internally, and virtually) is being considered.

D.        Investigations

2.6       WorkSafe investigation information remains on the report for 12 months or until actions are completed.

Table 4:  Investigations

Investigations occurred this quarter

0

Previous Investigations (last 12 months)

Number of remedial actions required

0

Number of remedial actions completed

0

2.7       Comments:

·    During the 1 January to 31 March (Q3) 2025 period PN City Council classified nil incidents as ‘notifiable’.

E.         Training

2.8       Summary information on Health and Safety training undertaken in the last 12 months is shown below as reported in PeopleSafe and delivered internally by Health and Safety – there may be some miniscule lag due to information being filtered through our systems on time. For more expansive information on training for Quarter 3, please refer to the Training Update schedule (Attachment 3 – pages 20 to 24 of this report).

Table 5:  Training

Date

Jun-24

Sep-24

Dec-24

Mar-25

Number of events

16

16

15

12

Staff / Staff attending

104

133

52

227

2.9       Comments:

·    Infrastructure FAST sessions completed for Infrastructure staff as part of the investigation corrective actions following a serious attack by a member of the public. (Refer paragraph 1.2 on page 1, and incident #2 on page 14 within the confidential Critical Risks report – Attachment 2.)

·    Correction carried out to reflect First Aid training types (e.g. Stop the Bleed vs. standard First Aid). Historical PeopleSafe system data (Infrastructure) did not differentiate between the two previously – Stop the Bleed training is for remote work and chainsaw activities, etc.

·    As mentioned in para 1.4 on page 2, Customer & Community training numbers increased during the month of March due to Opsec refreshers – de-escalation refreshers primarily rolled out to high-risk Frontline Working staff within our libraries.

·    At the March 2025 Risk & Assurance Committee meeting, Elected Members reiterated that management ensures training for staff is prioritised.

Council will note that although there were 15 training events held during the previous quarter (Quarter 2), Quarter 3 (12 training events) saw a significant increase driven by FAST sessions and Opsec refreshers.

As previously alluded to within the report, public behaviour and threat management continue to be focus areas for expanded de-escalation training and internal support processes.

·    Staff and management remain invested on focussing on Critical Risk 1 – Frontline Working. Internal de-escalation training continues to be specifically rolled out to high-risk and lone working staff; additional training options also continue to be explored as well.

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?

Yes

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

The objective is: Co-ordinate and support community safety and harm reduction.

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, Q3 2025

 

2.

Health & Safety Critical Risks report, Q3 2025 - Confidential  

 

3.

Training Update for Q3 2025

 

  

 












[1] Refer footnotes 2 and 3 on pages 7 and 8.

[2] Includes 3x PeopleSafe mobile app incidents that occurred at a camping ground.

[3] Includes 2x PeopleSafe mobile app incidents that occurred at a camping ground.