Palmerston North City Council

 

Minutes of the Sustainability Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 18 June 2025, commencing at 9.01am

Members

Present:

Councillor Brent Barrett (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Debi Marshall-Lobb and Karen Naylor.

Non Members:

Councillors Billy Meehan and Orphée Mickalad.

Apologies:

Councillor Roly Fitzgerald (late arrival, on Council business) and Councillor Lorna Johnson.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison entered the meeting at 9.15am during consideration of clause 14.  He was not present when the meeting resumed at 11.13am.  He entered the meeting again at 11.34am during consideration of clause 18.  He was not present for clauses 12 and 17.

 

Karakia Timatanga

 

Councillor Brent Barrett opened the meeting with karakia.

 

12-25

Apologies

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the apologies.

 

Clause 12-25 above was carried 9 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

13-25

Presentation - Manawatū River Catchments Collective

Presentation, by Fiona Burke, Catchment Coordinator and Christine Finnigan, Nguturoa Linton Catchment Leader.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison entered the meeting at 9.15am.

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Sustainability Committee receive the presentation for information.

 

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

For:

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

 

14-25

Confirmation of Minutes

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the minutes of the Sustainability Committee meeting of 16 April 2025 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

 

Clause 14-25 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

15-25

Wastewater Treatment Plant - Nature Calls; Quarterly Update

Memorandum, presented by Mike Monaghan, Manager Three Waters and Anna Lewis, Project Manager – Wastewater Discharge Consent Programme.

Officers advised the budget update to the end of May is $883,181.

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the report titled ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant – Nature Calls; Quarterly Update’ presented to the Sustainability Committee on 18 June 2025.

 

Clause 15-25 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

16-25

Draft Stormwater Strategy

Memorandum, presented by Hilary Webb, Planner and Jono Ferguson-Pye, Manager City Planning.

Elected Members requested further engagement with key stakeholders before proceeding with public consultation.

 

Moved Grant Smith, seconded Leonie Hapeta.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee do not adopt the Draft Stormwater Strategy at this time and direct that further engagement occurs with key stakeholders, Rangitāne o Manawatū and Elected Members.

 

Clause 16-25 above was carried 9 votes to 1, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

Against:

Councillor Patrick Handcock.

 

 

Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Patrick Handcock.

 

Note:

On a motion:

“1.  That the Committee approve the Draft Stormwater Strategy for public consultation.

2.   That the Committee adopt either Option 1 or 2 as the preferred timeframe for public consultation and deliberations on the Draft Stormwater Strategy.”

the motion was lost 4 votes to 6, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Kaydee Zabelin, Patrick Handcock and Orphée Mickalad.

Against:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Leonie Hapeta, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison and Billy Meehan.

                        The meeting adjourned at 10.53am.

                        The meeting resumed at 11.13am.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison was not present when the meeting resumed.

17-25

Update on opportunities for native species re-introductions in the Turitea Reserve (2025)

Memorandum, presented by David Watson, Senior Climate Change and Sustainability Advisor.

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Committee receive the memorandum titled ‘Update on opportunities for native species re-introductions in the Turitea Reserve (2025)’ presented to the Sustainability Committee on 18 June 2025.

 

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

For:

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

 

18-25

Options of new indicators to include in the 2026 Sustainability Review

Report, presented by Olivia Wix, Communications Manager and David Watson, Senior Climate Change and Sustainability Advisor.

Councillor Vaughan Dennison entered the meeting again at 11.34am.

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

1.   That the Chief Executive continue using existing data, include additional data already collected, and draw on data from other organisations to support the 2026 Sustainability Review (Option 3).

 

Clause 18-25 above was carried 7 votes to 3, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Kaydee Zabelin, Patrick Handcock, Debi Marshall-Lobb, Vaughan Dennison, Billy Meehan and Orphée Mickalad.

Against:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Leonie Hapeta and Karen Naylor.

 

19-25

Committee Work Schedule

 

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Kaydee Zabelin.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1.   That the Sustainability Committee receive its Work Schedule dated June 2025.

 

Clause 19-25 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

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

 

 

Karakia Whakamutunga

 

Councillor Brent Barrett closed the meeting with karakia.

 

 

The meeting finished at 11.52am

 

 

Confirmed

 

 

 

 

 

Chair

 

 

 

 

 

Waid Crockett

Chief Executive