Decision digest | Regional Strategy and Policy Committee
13 May 2015

Provisional LAP, Wiri prison sub-committee and reserve revocation go before committee

The main focus of today’s Auckland Council’s Regional Strategy and Policy Committee was the approval of the Provisional Auckland Local Alcohol Policy. The following is a digest of all decisions made.

The agenda is available on Auckland Council’s website and minutes will be added once confirmed. This meeting was also webcaston the council’s website and items will be available on demand within 24 hours of the meeting.

Items 1-8 are administrative items, excluding public input which is summarised below. There were no extraordinary items.

Item 9: Provisional Auckland Council Local Alcohol Policy (LAP) – Hearings Panel recommendations
The committee received recommendations on the Provisional LAP from the Local Alcohol Policy Hearings Panel. Discussion was held regarding how decisions were arrived at including evidence collated, sales data, and feedback received from more than 2,600 submissions from industry, health officials, Police and the public to name a few. Consistency and fairness across the policy was a key aspect to the final recommendations made.

“This has been a huge undertaking over the last three years, from the planning and drafting of the policy to the submission and hearings process. Achieving a balanced local alcohol policy to suit the entire Auckland region is what we believe has been achieved,” says Committee Chair Cr George Wood, who also sat on the hearings panel.
The Committee approved the Provisional LAP today. This decision will now be publicly notified and the confirmed Provisional LAP will be publicly available. Submitters on the Draft LAP will then have 30 days to lodge any appeals with the Alcohol regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA). A media release has will be issued on this decision.

Item 10: Wiri Prison – Social Impact Fund Allocations Committee
The Wiri Prison Social Impact Fund Allocations Committee, administered by the Department of Corrections, was set up to allocate funds to mitigate community impacts arising from having a correctional facility nearby. The fund is to be at least $250,000 annually.

The committee established an ad-hoc sub-committee, appointing councillors Filipaina and Penrose to join southern local board representation, and delegated the sub-committee power to make two appointments on behalf of Auckland Council to the Wiri Prison Social Impact Fund Allocations Committee.

Item 11: Reserve revocation and disposal recommendation report
The committee approved the revocation of the Reserves Act status for two pieces of land to enable sales of these land parcels. The parcels are in Otahuhu (238m2) and Orewa (143m2).

Item 12: Information items
Items that the committee received information on but were not discussed included a progress update on the Smokefree Policy implementation. Additionally a report on Parliament’s decision not to progress the Manukau City Council (Regulation of Prostitution in Specified Places) Bill was also tabled for the committee’s information only.

ENDS

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