Decision digest | Regional Strategy and Policy Committee

2 July 2015

Auckland Council’s interest in expanding ultrafast rural broadband was tabled at today’s Regional Strategy and Policy Committee meeting along with an update about the earthquake-prone buildings legislation. The committee also discussed the establishment of a political governance group to oversee the Weed Management Policy and a recent submission to the Productivity Commission Inquiry. 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 alsowebcast on 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 was no local board input and no extraordinary items.

Item 5: Public Input

5.1 Wiri Business Association presentation on Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) programme

Audrey Williams, Manager of the Wiri Business Association, gave a presentation on the association’s recent successes and barriers to realising their goals. The presentation included statistics on growth in business, working with the local residential community and the reduction in crime in the area. Their slogan is “Wiri means business.” Ms Williams asked for one contact at council they could go to when dealing with issues in the area.

Item 9: Registration of Interest for the Expansion of Rural Broadband

Earlier in the year, central government announced funding to extend broadband coverage from the initial 2011 funding as coverage was still poor in some areas. With a focus on growth and development, the government has committed additional funding to extend Ultrafast Broadband Coverage, Rural Broadband coverage and Mobile Black Spot Coverage to enhance use by tourists in remote areas.

The committee discussed Auckland Council’s Registration of Interest document supporting the expansion of Broadband services in rural Auckland and how work would continue within the council’s Broadband political working party to develop alternative approaches to supplying broadband in rural areas. Staff also mentioned the development of a Digital Enablement Plan to support the ROI and in line with MBIEs recommendation.

The committee gave approval for the ROI to be submitted to the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment.

Item 10: Earthquake-Prone Building Legislation Update

Council’s Building Control staff presented the committee with an update on the earthquake-prone building legislation which is currently going through parliament. Auckland falls into the low risk category when it comes to earthquakes so the region has been given 15 years to assess a buildings earthquake risk, the main concern being facades, awnings and unreinforced brick masonry. Council has carried out around 7,500 assessments across Auckland and nearly 1,000 buildings have been identified as earthquake prone.

A recent announcement by the Select Committee’s report to Parliament requires notices to be placed at the entrance of earthquake-prone buildings stating if it is below the minimum standard and to what level - red more extreme risk, orange lower risk.

Auckland Council has had meaningful dialogue with Local Government NZ on the wider aspects of the legislative change and supports further involvement of staff in the group. Regional Strategy and Policy Chair Cr George Wood said “By working with government we have made good progress with concerns we had in the original legislation. The use of notices on earthquake-prone buildings is something we will be talking to government further on.”

Staff requested permission to submit further on the legislation and this was supported by the committee.

Item 11: Establishment of a Weed Management Policy Implementation Political Advisory Group

A discussion was held regarding the forming of a political governance group to oversee the implementation and delivery of the Weed Management Policy. It was decided that the Regional Strategy and Policy chair plus five councillors, a member of the Independent Maori Statutory Board and between six to ten local board members would achieve the best geographical spread. The policy is designed to improve current council and council controlled organisations’ weed management practices.

Item 12: Productivity Commission inquiry ‘more effective social services’

The committee was asked for retrospective endorsement of Auckland Council’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry on “more effective social services.” Council’s submission focused on partnership with government, iwi, local government, community and private sector organisations to really achieve great outcomes. A one size fits all approach to social services delivery was a concern raised in council’s submission as Auckland’s situation cannot necessarily be seen in the same context as other cities or towns.

Item 13: Information Items

Two information items were noted but not discussed:

• Local approved product policy implementation

• Strategy and Policy forward work programme update

ENDS

© Scoop Media