Agenda of Community Committee Meeting - Wednesday, 3 April 2024

3 April 2024

Community Committee

Membership:

Chairperson	Cr Margaret Murray-Benge
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Grant Dally
Members	Cr Tracey Coxhead Cr Richard Crawford Mayor James Denyer Cr Murray Grainger Cr Anne Henry Cr Rodney Joyce Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour Cr Allan Sole Cr Don Thwaites Cr Andy Wichers John Clements (Chair - Katikati Community Board) Laura Rae (Chair - Maketu Community Board) Peter Presland (Chair - Ōmokoroa Community Board) Kassie Ellis (Chair - Te Puke Community Board) Ross Goudie (Chair – Waihī Beach Community)
Quorum	Nine (9)
Frequency	Quarterly

Role:

Subject to compliance with Council strategies, policies, plans and legislation:

· To maintain an overview of Council’s community-led outcomes delivery, with a focus on the social, economic, cultural and environmental work programmes, as set out in the Long-Term Plan.

· To maintain an overview of Council’s local housing systems plan delivery, and make recommendations to Council and its Committees on appropriate actions to address priority matters.

· To maintain an overview of local climate change plans and make recommendations to Council and its Committees on appropriate actions to address priority matters.

· To receive reports from Convenors of Community Forums and make recommendations to Council and its Committees on appropriate actions to address priority matters arising from Community Forums.

· To administer specific funds of Council that contribute to improving community wellbeing.

Scope:

Social Wellbeing

· Monitor progress on Council’s community safety programme.

· Monitor (annually) local service delivery contracts relating to social wellbeing.

· Receive updates on the Community Events Fund allocations.

· Receive updates on the progress of local housing system plans.

· Receive updates on community emergency response planning and community resilience work.

· Consider and decide applications to the Community Matching Fund.

· Consider and decide applications to the Facilities in the Community Fund.

Environmental Wellbeing

· Receive updates on the Natural Environment and Sustainable Living Programme.

· Receive updates on the progress of local climate change plans.

· Monitor (annually) local service delivery contracts relating to environmental wellbeing.

· Consider and decide applications to the Community Matching Fund – ecological component.

Cultural Wellbeing

· Receive updates on the Creative Communities Scheme funding allocations.

· Receive updates on the cultural events supported by Council.

· Monitor progress on the Welcoming Communities programme and prioritise actions and activities.

Economic Wellbeing

· Receive updates (annually) from Priority One and Tourism Bay of Plenty.

· Monitor (annually) local service delivery contracts relating to economic wellbeing.

Delegations:

To receive the priority matters arising from Community Forums and make recommendations to Council and its Committees.

Power to recommend:

To Council and/or any Committee as it deems appropriate.

Power to sub-delegate:

The Committee may delegate any of its functions, duties or powers to a subcommittee, working group or other subordinate decision-making body subject to the restrictions on its delegations and provided that any sub-delegation includes a statement of purpose and specification of task.

Community Committee Meeting Agenda

3 April 2024

9 Reports

9.1 Community Forums Outcomes

File Number: A6081013

Author: Greer Golding, Governance Manager

Authoriser: Rachael Davie, Deputy CEO/General Manager Strategy and Community

Executive Summary

1. Council’s Community Forums provide informal opportunities for members of the public to bring topical, community issues to the attention of Council, for discussion in an open forum. This report is to summarise the outcomes of these forums.

Recommendation

1. That the Governance Manager’s report dated 3 April 2024, titled ‘Community Forums Outcomes’, be received.

Te Puke – Maketu Community Forum 28 February – Maketu community centre

Attendees:

- L Rae (Maketu Community Board Chairperson)

- T Hopping (Maketu Community Board Member)

- A Wichers (Te Puke Maketu Councillor)

- G Dally (Te Puke Maketu Councillor)

- M Murray Benge (Kaimai Councillor)

- R Crawford (Te Puke Maketu Councillor)

- J Denyer (Mayor)

- D Snell (Te Puke Community Board Member)

- N Chauhan (Te Puke Community Board Member)

- J Scrimgeour (Deputy Mayor)

- 6 members of the public

Motorcross track on 1423 No 2 Road

- Issues with dog control and attacking other animals.

- Charging for people using the motocross track query around whether the activity was legal.

- Concern for Council systems and problems escalating without things getting investigated.

- Action: Escalated to General Manager Regulatory Services to investigate.

Service Request 35067

- Operational matter regarding drainage and water quality

- Action: Escalated to Director Water Services

Disc Golf course at Donavon Park

- Group has been advised to present at Te Puke Community Board

- Reserves and Facilities Manager is aware of the request.

Pukehina Ratepayers Association

- Pukehina Ratepayers’ Association attended to give an update.

Service Request 33720

- Trimming of the wattles on Little Waihi Road was carried out but the process in which it occurred was being investigated.

Kaimai Community Forum

Attendees

- D Thwaites (Kaimai Councillor)

- T Coxhead (Kaimai Councillor)

- J Denyer (Mayor)

- M Murray Benge (Kaimai Councillor)

- A Henry (Kaimai Councillor)

- A Hughes (Ōmokoroa Community Member)

- Chairman of Kaimai/Omanawa Rural Ratepayers Association

- Three members of the public

Construction on Kaylene Place service request 34123

- Escalated to General Manager Regulatory Services

Rubbish bins

- Urban environment it’s the Council’s level of service to have rubbish bins.

- Outside of urban environments it is the idea that people take their rubbish bins.

- The Mayor explained that reserves in rural areas not included in the level of service.

- Request for rubbish bins outside Precious Reserve accessway and by the tennis courts at Western Ave.

Issues with Rubbish Disposal

- Trade waste and how far away the current refuse stations are so far away.

Dangerous Parking

- Omanawa and McLarens Falls Road, it was explained that ‘no parking’ lines are only add through a subsequent bylaw review process. Discussions were had about monitoring illegal parking and that is outside the monitored area.

Other matters

- Request for raised pedestrian crossings, Kaylene Place District Plan query about the kindergarten going in.

- Query around density and antisocial behaviours.

- Discussion on tennis courts and the multiuse.

- Member Hughes gave update on Community Police presence in Ōmokoroa

Katikati – Waihī Beach Community Forum

Attendees

- J Denyer (Mayor)

- R Crawford (Te Puke Maketu Councillor)

- T Coxhead (Kaimai Councillor)

- R Joyce (Katikati Waihī Beach Councillor)

- A Henry (Katikati Waihī Beach Councillor)

- N Mayo (Katikati Community Board Member)

- R Goudie (Waihī Beach Community Board Chairperson)

- J Clements (Katikati Community Board Chairperson)

- 7 members of the public

RSA

- Update from the RSA

Kauri Point Ratepayers Association update

- Update regarding mowing in the area and acknowledgment Council has been communicating best and understand that staff are doing the best they can regarding the mowing.

- Plant and pest care group established and funding is going to come from BOPRC.

- Kauri Point Road pine trees closely monitored and when sometime in the future.

Other matters raised

- Insurance money from Waihī Beach pensior housing, Councillor Joyce explained insurance company was not willing to replace, offered upgrade for the ones that were able to be repaired. Mayor Denyer mentioned most of removal and recycling the materials will take up the insurance money for the inhabitable houses.

- Representation review update about pre-engagement events.

- Road and reserve maintenance

- Community resource recovery centre

Community Committee Meeting Agenda

3 April 2024

9.2 Empowering Communities - Report on How To Power Up Communiities To Deliver Local Wellbeing

File Number: A6022715

Author: Jodie Rickard, Community and Strategic Relationships Manager

Authoriser: Rachael Davie, Deputy CEO/General Manager Strategy and Community

Executive Summary

1. This report presents a piece of work completed by Inspiring Communities, supported by SociaLink, on how to power up communities to deliver local wellbeing.

2. The report is titled “Powering up Communities to Deliver Local Wellbeing” and is included as Attachment 1. The aim of this work is to help council shape how it will deliver on its key strategic priority “Empowering Communities”.

3. The report sets out six case studies of community-led organisations that are operating in communities across the country, and are working in partnership with other organisations, councils and central government agencies to deliver on local priorities. The report uses the case studies to identify what makes the organisations effective and sustainable. The term of these organisations used throughout the report is “Community Anchor Organisations.”

4. The key success factors are:

· Having a vision, high quality leadership, resourcing, collaborative support and community contribution,

· Starting small and building from success,

· Having self-belief, courage and self-determination,

· Proactively inviting participation and contribution, communicating regularly and widely, and having inspiring and collaborative local leadership,

· Using mixed funding sources, being supported to scale and grow, and leveraging community owned assets.

5. The report also identifies what councils can do to better support local anchor organisations. Council can :

· Pay more attention to relationships and relationship handovers,

· Look for community-led energy and support this,

· Collaborate with community rather than focussing on devolving aspects of council work,

· Enable local delivery of some council contracts and services,

· Enable communities to leverage community assets such as halls and community centres to deliver local services.

Recommendation

1. That the Community and Strategic Relationships Manager’s report dated 3 April 2024 titled ‘Empowering Communities – Report on how to power up communities to deliver local wellbeing’ be received.

2. That the report relates to an issue that is considered to be of low significance in terms of Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.

3. That Council endorses the report titled “Powering Up Communities to Deliver Local Wellbeing, in particular Section 4: “Opportunities for Councils to Better Support Local Anchor Organisations” (Pages 20-28, attached as Attachment 1, as key matters for consideration in determining how council will deliver on its strategic priority “Empowering Communities”.

4. That Council notes staff are preparing an implementation plan for the strategic priority “Empowering Communities”, setting out what council will do to deliver on this priority and how it will monitor progress. This work will be brought back to the Community Committee in due course.

Background: OUr Strategic Priority “EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES”

6. As part of the development of the Long Term Plan 2024-34, Council has adopted five Strategic Priorities, one being “Empowering Communities.”

7. This is a priority for Council, because we recognise that communities are best placed to achieve their own aspirations. How we structure the way we work and deliver our services needs to reflect this.

8. In order to effectively “empower communities” we need to first understand what kind of community-owned structures or organisations are good to have in place, for communities to have the capacity and capability to deliver services at the local level and achieve community outcomes.

9. We then need to examine how council works, and how we could potentially change our systems and processes, or introduce new ways of doing things, to support these community-owned organisations to be successful.

10. Once we have a good picture of this, we need a plan to roll out agreed changes to how we work.

THE CASE STUDIES OF COMMUNITY ANCHOR ORGANISATIONS

11. Council already has some good examples where our approach to service delivery empowers the community to deliver and achieve more, for example:

· The trial for the Katikati Community Resource Recovery Centre in Katikati.

· Service Delivery Contracts with community-led organisations.

· Community engagement done in partnership with community organisations (as was done for Phase 1 of the LTP).

· A network of community halls that are owned and operated by individual incorporated societies, with funding support via a targeted rate.

· Community based rates such as the town centre promotion rate.

12. We wanted to understand more about successful community-owned organisations and how they operated to potentially be able to do more activities like the examples above, and to empower communities to deliver services.

13. There are many formal and informal community groups and organisations that deliver great things for their communities. But not all are organised, resourced, mandated or strategically positioned to take on an ‘overarching’ community organising and support role. Organisations that play this role are defined as community anchor organisations. The term describes a multi-purpose, community-led and based organisation that takes on a range of roles and functions in, for and with their community. Community anchor organisations truly operate to empower communities, and for this reason it’s of interest to Council how these organisations operate and how they are successful.

14. We decided to undertake six case studies of community anchor organsations operating around the North Island, carry out indepth interviews with them, and then identify common themes that made them successful.

15. The six chosen case studies and their location are set out below:

Case Study Communities Who Shared their Journey and Learning	Location
Focus Paihia (FP)	Bay of Islands
McLaren Park Henderson South Community Trust (MPHS)	West Auckland
The Community Led Development Trust (TCLDT)	Whanganui
Environment Network Manawatū (ENM)	Palmerston North
Te Puna Oranga o Ōtaki (TPOoŌ)	Ōtaki
Paekākāriki Housing Trust (PHT)	Paekākāriki, Kāpiti

what we learnt

16. The six organisations above share some common approaches to the way they work. These organisations:

· work relationally and collaboratively with others to strategically enhance wellbeing for their people and place – not just their organisation.

· build both connections and relationships with mana whenua and weaving cultural understanding and ways of working into their mahi.

· take on a variety of roles and use different levers at different times to respond, support, and catalyse collaborative local solutions to address local wellbeing challenges and outcomes (e.g. through convening, service delivery, brokering, fund holding, advocacy, coinvestment, mentoring etc).

· work in locally-determined ways, with no single recipe or structural model that framed or shaped success.

· work with similar values, mindsets and practices (e.g. inclusion, participation, innovation, holistic, culturally responsive).

· intentionally work in ways that link social, environmental, economic and cultural wellbeing.

· succeed because the quality of the people leading and involved - both in and alongside each anchor organisation. It is people, vision, resourcing and structures that combine to enable effectiveness and impact.

17. These community anchor organisations offer significant benefits to their public sector partners (local and central government). They bring:

· Access to relationships – they are fantastic conduits for others wanting to understand, engage and support local needs and aspirations,

· Context Expertise – insights, knowledge and understanding about local people, local whenua, what’s happening and why, along with local solutions,

· Fast action on the ground – the ability to deliver quickly – less red tape!,

· Trust, kaitiakitanga and community goodwill – the ability to leverage resources, contributions and commitments at short notice,

· Appetite for risk and innovation – an ability to be creative and adventurous, a ‘can do’ spirit, with out of the box solutions,

· Local co-investment capacity – working through an anchor organisation, communities can directly invest time, money, land, access to capital, equipment and materials, knowledge and networks and more. When added to investment from the public sector and philanthropic agencies, much more becomes possible then if agencies work alone.

opportunities for Council

18. The report identifies some opportunities for council to consider. These are set out from Page 20 to 28 in the report, and cover the following:

· Paying attention to relationships, including handovers the case study participants highlighted the challenges of staff turnover within the public sector, and relationships not being passed on to a new staff member.

· Collaboration not devolution - Many anchor organisations noted the significant professional (content) expertise within councils and the range of roles and levers that local government has at its disposal, that community doesn’t. While locally determined pathways are valued, it is recognised that wellbeing is more strongly enabled when the strengths of both communities and councils are brought together.

· Localised service delivery and social procurement - While on one hand, a one-size-fits-all scaled delivery of local and central government contracts tends to be cost effective and more administratively efficient, generic corporate responses can preclude the ability for local anchors and community-based enterprises to explore new local service provision opportunities as a way to enable multiple wellbeing outcomes. The case study participants were keen to look at services like rubbish removal, clean streetscapes and facilities, community engagement, parks maintenance, recycling and composting services, local service design and health and wellbeing hubs– enabling greater ownership of local places, more tailored and holistic wellbeing responses, new local jobs and community income generation.

· Don’t expect from others what you’re not doing yourself – it was noted that sometimes the expectations of community anchor organisations to engage with communities and mana whenua were greater than what councils themselves were doing. It was also noted that council commitments to collaboration needed to be organisation-wide – not just sitting with one person or a small team of council. From the community anchor’s point of view, the partnerships can’t be switched on or off at council’s discretion – it needs to be consistent.

· Spot local collaborative energy and see how you can support it – rather than set up council determined structures and processes to deliver on local wellbeing outcomes, see where there is energy/capacity in different local communities to do and take on more. Determine how this can be supported through advice, connections, information, mentoring, funding and relationship development over time. Starting small is fine, with collaboration assisting potential impact and mitigating risks for both sides.

next steps

19. Staff intend to use this work to inform development of an implementation plan to give effect to the strategic priority “Empowering Communities”. The implementation plan will set out how and what actions we will take to change our systems and processes, and potentially introduce new systems and processes that truly empower communities. As noted in the recommendations for this report, that work will be brought back to council in due course.

significance and engagement

20. The Local Government Act 2002 requires a formal assessment of the significance of matters and decision in this report against Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy. In making this formal assessment there is no intention to assess the importance of this item to individuals, groups, or agencies within the community and it is acknowledged that all reports have a high degree of importance to those affected by Council decisions.

21. The Policy requires Council and its communities to identify the degree of significance attached to particular issues, proposals, assets, decisions, and activities.

22. In terms of the Significance and Engagement Policy this decision is considered to be of low significance because the decision is building on the strategic priority already set by council and does not have any significant financial implications.

Engagement, Consultation and Communication

23. The report will be distributed widely across the community-led sector and with other organisations interested in this space.

24. Staff are intending to present at a community wellbeing conference in November this year, on the approach Council is taking to Empowering Communities and community-led delivery of local priorities.

Interested/Affected Parties	Completed/Planned Engagement/Consultation/Communication Or Insert/refer to/attach to report Engagement Plan
Taituara and LGNZ	The report has been distributed to the workstreams in both organisations involved in community wellbeing work.	Planned	Completed
Inspiring Communities Network	Inspiring Communities have an extensive network, they will distribute the report through their channels.
Local Western Bay / Tauranga based community-led organisations	The report will be distributed to our service delivery contract holders, and through SociaLink’s networks.
Funders	We are intending to discuss the report and its findings directly with local philanthropic funders.

Issues and Options Assessment

25. Council may choose not to endorse this piece of work as a key document for its approach to delivering on its strategic priority Empowering Communities.

Option A

That Council endorses the report, and notes development of implementation plan for the Strategic Priority “Empowering Communities”.

Assessment of advantages and disadvantages including impact on each of the four well-beings

· Economic

· Social

· Cultural

· Environmental

Advantages

· The report uses a robust research method to determine success factors, and therefore provides a good basis from which council can consider its approach.

· The report is broad enough for council to be flexible in how it chooses to respond

· Endorsing the report as a key document enables staff to move forward with implementation of the strategic priority, using the key success factors set out in the report as the basis for this work.

Disadvantages

· There are no identified disadvantages.

Costs (including present and future costs, direct, indirect and contingent costs).

The key cost associated with this option is the staff time / resourcing required to progress this work. As the work is about implementing council’s strategic priority Empowering Communities, it had already been anticipated that this would be a focus for the organisation with the expectation that further work on this be completed.

Option B

That Council does not endorse the report.

Assessment of advantages and disadvantages including impact on each of the four well-beings

· Economic

· Social

· Cultural

· Environmental

Disadvantages

· Lack of direction on implementation of strategic priority.

Costs (including present and future costs, direct, indirect and contingent costs).

There is no cost associated with this option.

Statutory Compliance

26. The recommendations in this report are in alignment with the previous adoption by Council of its strategic priorities, in particular the strategic priority “Empowering Communities.”.

Funding/Budget Implications

27. There are no financial / budget implications arising from this report.

28. Council has an existing budget line for community planning work and for investing in local priority actions. This work will help to inform how this budget is used over the next 3 years.

Attachments

1. Powering Up Communities to Deliver Local Wellbeing ⇩

Community Committee Meeting Agenda

3 April 2024

9.3 Western Bay of Plenty Youth Profile and Climate Change Initiatives

File Number: A6034996

Author: Jodie Rickard, Community and Strategic Relationships Manager

Authoriser: Rachael Davie, Deputy CEO/General Manager Strategy and Community

Executive Summary

1. This report provides an overview of youth in the Western Bay of Plenty, with a focus on climate change action. It has been prepared to support the development of Council’s delivery programme for two of its strategic priorities: Responding to Climate Change and Empowering Communities.

2. Understanding the profile of youth in the Western Bay, and what’s important to them, is a first step in developing a plan for how Council involves youth in climate change action. We know that climate change action is important to young people – this work will inform how we engage youth in our communities in climate change action.

Recommendation

1. That the Community and Strategic Relationships Manager’s report dated 3 April 2024 titled ‘Western Bay of Plenty Youth Profile and Climate Change Initiatives’ be received.

2. That the report relates to an issue that is considered to be of low significance in terms of Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.

3. That the Community Committee notes the youth profile, attached as Attachment 1 to this report, will be used to inform Council’s community development approach with youth and priorities for engagement with youth on climate change action.

Background

1. Youth profile

3. The full youth profile is attached as Attachment 1 to this report. The report also includes some examples of work completed by Ministry for the Environment, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and Tauranga City Council on youth engagement in climate change action.

About Young WBOP Residents:

· Young WBOP residents are an educated, multilingual segment of the population, having higher proportions of high school qualifications than older ages in WBOP. However, WBOP is above the national average of 14.2% of young people without formal qualifications, with 18.2%.

· The WBOP economy relies more on young people than the national average, with more 15-19-year-olds and 20-24-year-olds in the workforce than the national average.

· Relatively more young people in WBOP are employed as sales assistants, salespersons, and hospitality workers than those of all ages. Only 1.5% of young people in WBOP are employed in public administration and safety, compared to 2.7% of all ages.

· WBOP young people are more likely to be self-employed, but less likely to receive student allowance than the national average.

· Young people in the Western Bay are a more ethnically diverse group than older age groups. 27% of young people (aged 15-29 years) are Māori, compared to 19.2% across all age groups. 13.5% of young people are Asian, compared to 6.5% across all age groups.

Activities of WBOP Residents that are relevant for this work

· WBOP residents tend to use less favourable heating sources for the environment and human health than the national average. 72% of WBOP residents use a heat pump or electric heater, compared to 91.4% of New Zealanders. Wood burner use in WBOP accounts for 50.3% of the district and is much larger than the national average of 32.3%.

· WBOP households rely more on private motor vehicles than the national average. 97.8% of WBOP households had one car or more compared to 93.9% of NZ households.

· A significantly greater proportion of young WBOP residents work or study at home than the national average, with 14.10% and 14.00% respectively, compared to the 3.80% and 6.10% of young New Zealanders. More young New Zealanders use active modes of transport to get to work or school than young WBOP residents.

2. young people want to engage in climate change action

4. The Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) conduct indepth analysis of New Zealander’s attitudes to energy use and climate change.

5. Their research “Exploring how New Zealanders relate to energy use and climate change” (March 2022) reveals that different generations think about climate change, how it will impact them, and what their role is very differently.

6. Young New Zealanders rank climate change as the highest of the environmental issues. However, only 36% of 18-19 year olds believe they’re doing all they can to address the impacts of climate change.

7. The insights show young people know they can do more and want to know how to have an impact.

8. The study also notes that for those earning less, there are many other competing concerns. Lower income earners need to be empowered with smaller steps.

9. The Western Bay Youth Profile (Attachment 1) also includes examples from the Ministry for the Environment, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, and Tauranga City Council of youth engagement in climate change action. These provide a good basis for WBOPDC to consider its actions, recognising what else is happening locally to engage youth in climate change action.

3. what we are currently doing

3.1 Bay of Plenty Impact Challenge

10. We have partnered with Tauranga City Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council to arrange a sub-regional version of the Impact Challenge. The impact challenge is a national programme that supports youth-led collective and community action. It is one of the programmes offered by charity organisation Inspiring Stories, alongside the Festival for the Future, the Impact Awards, and the Future Leaders programme.

11. Participants are supported with micro-grants alongside mentoring and development activities to bring their communities together to explore solutions to enhance community resilience to climate change. Once an idea is developed, participants can then apply for a larger grant to deliver the project with their community. Grants are awarded in a participatory process which includes the applicants themselves.

12. Key objectives of this initiative are:

· to empower and support rangatahi to learn more about what climate change means for the future of their communities,

· to improve communication and understanding between Councils and rangatahi,

· to develop rangatahi potential and capacity to lead, and

· co-create a sustainable platform for ongoing engagement and skills development opportunities with our young people.

13. The sub-regional challenge is currently recruiting participants and will run through until October, as outlined below.

Month	Key milestones
February	Project establishment and coordinator recruitment
March–April	Participant recruitment and introductions
May-July	Coaching and mentoring of participants, supporting participant events
July	Festival for the Future
August	Coaching and mentoring of participants to progress ideas from events to bigger scale projects
SeSeptember	Ideas submitted for Impact Prize grants
OOctober	Coaching and mentoring for grant winners

3.2 Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador

14. As part of ongoing professional development, Energy & Carbon Analyst Jacob Everett applied for and was selected to be a 2024 Max Thabiso Edkins Climate Ambassador of the Global Youth Climate Network, which is a volunteer initiative of the World Bank Group.

15. The program aims to:

· Honor the legacy of the late Max Thabiso Edkins, a charismatic climate

leader passionate about empowering youth.

· Equip ambassadors with in-depth knowledge of climate change and new skills to implement climate actions in their communities.

16. As one of the 150 successful applicants out of over 3,100 youth leaders worldwide, Jacob will:

· Attend 14 online learning sessions on various climate topics including

energy and blue economy from World Bank Group partners.

· Implement three climate actions in the community using his new knowledge and skills.

3.3 University of Waikato Impact Lab support for Climate Action Festival

17. September 2023 marked the Western-Bay sub region’s inaugural Climate Action Festival, a week-long celebration of local climate action in our communities. The festival; a collaborative effort between Tauranga City Council, Western Bay of Plenty Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Te Whatu Ora, Priority One, and Beca, was coordinated and delivered by Envirohub.

18. For the 2024 festival, which shall also be held in September, a group of five University of Waikato students taking a Trimester A elective paper titled “The Impact Lab” will be supporting the development of the festival programme. The group will undertake research, analysis and evaluation of the 2023 festival and submit a strategy plan outlining recommended opportunities for improving the festival. They will then work with Envirohub on the early planning stages for the 2024 festival.

19. A second group of students will take over planning, preparation, and delivery in Trimester B, based on the recommendations of the Trimester A cohort. They will also provide a final report outlining their reflections of the event and any further improvement opportunities identified through the delivery phase.

4. future Opportunity

4.1 Youth home heating ambassadors

20. As part of the work developing a youth profile for the district, it was identified that:

· Climate change is a high priority for youth,

· Youth are interested in leading climate action, and

· Households in the Western Bay of Plenty District rely more on less efficient household heating sources than the national average. e.g. 20% of households in Te Puke East use fixed gas heaters as their primary heating source, compared with 8% of WBOP and 12% of NZ households.

21. Off the back of these insights, staff are exploring a potential opportunity to appoint local youth as clean heating ambassadors; to raise awareness of alternative heating sources and connect households with relevant organisations for funding and heating assessments. The early thinking is that the ambassadors would align with Sustainability Option’s 20 Degrees Programme and act as key links to schools, tertiary institutions, and industry, thereby promoting and improving uptake of cleaner heating options across the wider district.

22. Mobilising energy efficiency improvements would support the social, economic, and environmental wellbeing within ambassador’s communities by bringing down household energy costs, improving the health of whanau across the district, and reducing the environmental impacts associated with energy consumption.

23. This work would also align with Council’s “Enabling Housing” Strategic Priority, which has a focus on housing quality and ensuring residents live in a warm, dry, healthy home.

24. Staff are intending to do more work on this opportunity in the next few months.

Significance and Engagement

25. The Local Government Act 2002 requires a formal assessment of the significance of matters and decisions in this report against Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy. In making this formal assessment there is no intention to assess the importance of these items to individuals, groups, or agencies within the community and it is acknowledged that all reports have a high degree of importance to those affected by Council decisions.

26. The Policy requires Council and its communities to identify the degree of significance attached to particular issues, proposals, assets, decisions, and activities.

27. In terms of the Significance and Engagement Policy this decision is considered to be of low significance because the decision is the decision is building on the strategic priorities already set by council and does not have any significant financial implications.

Engagement, Consultation and Communication

Interested/Affected Parties

Completed/Planned
Engagement/Consultation/Communication

Insert/refer to/attach to report Engagement Plan

Local youth

Through the work of Inspiring Stories and Envirohub, local youth will lead delivery of initiatives, and hopefully be able to engage yount people in initiatives that are of interest to them.

Planned

Completed

Issues and Options Assessment

Option A

That Council notes the youth profile and that it will be used to inform Council’s community development approach with youth, with a focus on climate change action.

Assessment of advantages and disadvantages including impact on each of the four well-beings

· Economic

· Social

· Cultural

· Environmental

Advantages

- Provides an evidence base for community development and climate change work, responding to Council’s strategic priorities “Empowering Communities” and “Responding to Climate Change”.

Costs (including present and future costs, direct, indirect and contingent costs).

There are no costs associated with this option.

It is intended that any future project implementation will be funded from existing budgets.

Option B

That Council does not note that the youth profile will be used to inform Council’s community development approach with youth, with a focus on climate change action

Assessment of advantages and disadvantages including impact on each of the four well-beings

· Economic

· Social

· Cultural

· Environmental

Disadvantages

Removes the evidence base that can guide part of council’s work programme that is responding to its two strategic priorities “Empowering Communities” and “Responding to Climate Change.”

Costs (including present and future costs, direct, indirect and contingent costs).

There are no costs associated with this option.

Statutory Compliance

28. The recommendations in this report align with progressing the implementation of council’s two strategic priorities “Empowering Communities” and “Responding to Climate Change.”

Funding/Budget Implications

29. There are no financial implications from this report. Any future projects or inititiaves will be funded from existing budgets.

Attachments

1. Western Bay of Plenty Youth Profile 2024 ⇩

Community Committee Meeting Agenda

3 April 2024

9.4 Delegation of decision making for facilities in the community fund 2024

File Number: A6001381

Author: Jason Crummer, Senior Recreation Planner

Authoriser: Rachael Davie, Deputy CEO/General Manager Strategy and Community

Executive Summary

1. Approval to open the Facilities in the Community Fund for applications is sought.

2. This report also looks to establish a ‘Facilities in the Community’ Working Party with the appropriate delegation of decision-making powers, to enable distribution of grants, from the Facilities in the Community Fund to successful applicants for the 2024/25 period.

Recommendation

1. That the Senior Recreation Planner’s report dated 3 April 2024 titled ‘Delegation of Decision Making for Facilities in the Community Fund 2024’ be received.

2. That the report relates to an issue that is considered to be of low significance in terms of Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy.

3. That the Facilities in the Community Fund be advertised for applications between 15 April and 19 May.

4. That, pursuant to Clause 32 Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002, Council delegates Councillor _____ (representing the Te Puke-Maketu Ward), Councillor _____ (representing the Kaimai Ward) and Councillor _____ (representing the Katikati-Waihi Beach Ward), the power to make decisions in respect of applications to the Facilities in the Community Fund 2024/25, including but not limited to the following powers:

a. To award grants according to the purposes and guidelines of the Facilities in the Community Fund 2024, within the allocated contestable budget of $100,000; and

5. To make payments to grant recipients as soon as practicable after the award decisions have been made.

Background

3. Council has established the ‘Facilities in the Community Fund’, which is a contestable fund of $100,000 let every two years.

4. The Fund is enabled through the collection of Financial Contributions (FINCO’s) for Reserves which are calculated at 2% per annum. There is strict eligibility criteria relating to the spending of this funding to ensure it meets the intended purpose of the collection of FINCO’s.

5. Eligibility for funding is reliant on strict requirements, as outlined below:

a) The proposed recreational facility must be available to the public.

b) If there is any limit to public access, such as during school hours, this must be agreed by Council and clearly stated on any signs.

c) The facility must be a significant response to population growth.

d) The facility must not duplicate existing or proposed facilities on Council land in the locality.

e) The facility does not replace an existing facility within the local community.

f) The facility is vital to the recreational activity.

g) The facility will be identified by Western Bay of Plenty District Council signage that is easily visible from the road.

h) For a facility development worth more than $100,000, a Feasibility Study will be required to demonstrate the viability of the proposal.

facilities in the community fund 2022 working party

6. It is requested that Council nominate a working party member representing each Council Ward, to form the Facilities in the Community Fund 2024 Working Party. In 2022, Deputy Mayor Scrimgeour (representing the Maketu - Te Puke Ward), Councillor Dean (representing the Kaimai Ward) and (then) Councillor Denyer (representing the Katikati - Waihi Beach Ward) oversaw the distribution of the Facilities in the Community Fund.

7. The Facilities in the Community Fund is proposed to be open to receive applications from 15 April until 19 May 2024. The Working Party will meet in June to make decisions and applicants will be advised of the outcome thereafter.

8. Council will receive a full report of allocations made by the Working Party from the Facilities in the Community Fund in August 2024.

Significance and Engagement

9. The Local Government Act 2002 requires a formal assessment of the significance of matters and decision in this report against Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy. In making this formal assessment there is no intention to assess the importance of this item to individuals, groups, or agencies within the community and it is acknowledged that all reports have a high degree of importance to those affected by Council decisions.

10. The Policy requires Council and its communities to identify the degree of significance attached to particular issues, proposals, assets, decisions, and activities.

11. In terms of the Significance and Engagement Policy this decision is considered to be of low significance because it is largely a process matter to appoint Working Party members who will ensure timely distribution of funds.

Engagement, Consultation and Communication

Interested/Affected Parties

Planned
Engagement/Consultation/Communication

Council

Council will receive a full report of allocations made from the Facilities in the Community Fund in August 2024.

General Public

The grant availability, details of the application process, and announcement of the funding period being open will be advertised through Council’s usual communication channels (targeted emails to stakeholders, website advertising, media release).

All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their application in writing within two weeks of decisions being made.

ISSUES AND OPTIONS ASSESSMENT

Option A That the Community Committee establishes a ‘Facilities in the Community’ Working Party with the appropriate delegation of decision-making powers, to enable distribution of grants, from the Facilities in the Community Fund to successful applicants for the 2024/25 period.
Assessment of advantages and disadvantages including impact on each of the four well-beings · Economic · Social · Cultural · Environmental	Advantages · Enables Council to consider applications and make timely final decisions outside of formal meetings and their respective schedules. · Avoids taking time away from other Community Committee meeting agenda items. · Creates efficiency by reducing the number of people involved in the decision-making process.
	Disadvantages · Doesn’t provide the Community Committee with an open forum and input into the decision-making process.
Costs (including present and future costs, direct, indirect, and contingent costs).	Nil
Other implications and any assumptions that relate to this option	Nil

Option B That the Community Committee does NOT establish a ‘Facilities in the Community’ Working Party with the appropriate delegation of decision-making powers, to enable distribution of grants, from the Facilities in the Community Fund to successful applicants for the 2024/25 period.
Assessment of advantages and disadvantages including impact on each of the four well-beings · Economic · Social · Cultural · Environmental	Advantages · Enables the Community Committee to consider applications and make decisions through an open forum.
	Disadvantages · Decisions can only be made at formally scheduled Community Committee meetings, causing potential delay in those decisions. · Risk of the decision-making process taking time away from other Community Committee meeting agenda items. · Risk of complicating the decision-making process by having too many views and opinions in the room.
Costs (including present and future costs, direct, indirect, and contingent costs).	Nil
Other implications and any assumptions that relate to this option	Nil

Statutory Compliance

12. Council’s delegation of decision-making power to the ‘Facilities in the Community’ Working Group in respect of applications to the Facilities in the Community Fund 2024/25 is in accordance with Clause 32 Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act (LGA) 2002.

13. The Facilities in the Community Fund 2024 will be undertaken in accordance with section 82 of the LGA 2002 and is consistent with the goals and approach of the Recreation and Open Space Activity Plan.

Funding/Budget Implications

14.

Budget Funding Information	Relevant Detail
$100,000	$100,000 has been allocated to the Facilities in the Community Fund for the 2024/25 period. This is within current budgets and is funded by Financial Contributions for Reserves which are calculated at 2% per annum

Community Committee Meeting Agenda

3 April 2024

10 Information for Receipt

10.1 Digital Inclusion Initiatives

File Number: A6024185

Author: Sam Wilburn, Community Outcomes Advisor

Authoriser: Jodie Rickard, Community and Strategic Relationships Manager

Executive Summary

1. The purpose of this report is to inform Council’s Community Committee of the Digital Enablement project, Tu Mai Digital, which is operating in the Western Bay of Plenty District. Tu Mai Digital is a programme that was developed in response to concerns in the Western Bay of Plenty around the impact of digital exclusion for individuals, families and whānau on low incomes. This was particularly highlighted during the Covid-19 lockdowns.

2. Tu Mai Digital is a collaboration of organisations working together targeting a community need and navigating the digital economy. Formally operating under Poutiri Trust, (who acts as the contracting entity and fund holder), Tu Mai Digital’s purpose is to work with WBOPDC communities to connect and guide so they are participating digitally. Key activities include providing affordable internet connectivity, devices, training, and guidance around the numerous community programs that are available to help whanau participate. The following organisations are programme partners:

· SociaLink (Community Organisation)

· Poutiri Wellness Centre (Community Organisation)

· Mercury (Power company)

· WBOPDC (District Council)

· Katikati Community Centre (Community Organisation)

· Accessible Properties (Community Organisation)

· Families Achieving Balance (Charitable Trust)

· Huria Trust (Charitable Trust)

3. Tu Mai Digital is designed to leverage existing resources and create partnerships with businesses, social service providers and the telecommunications sector. For Council, the programme provides an opportunity to connect people with services we already provide and partnerships we already have in place (such as Skinny Jump, available through our libraries). It also provides a way for Council to repurpose its digital devices (laptops and old mobile phones) that would otherwise become e-waste.

4. Our funding, contributing to the coordinator role and device supply, has enabled Tu Mai Digital to take the step from being a ‘pilot’ programme to becoming an established programme. We have partnered with Poutiri Trust to put the coordinator role in place – another example of council working in partnership with local community providers to meet needs.

Recommendation

1. That the Community Outcomes Advisor’s report dated 3 April 2024, titled ‘Digital Inclusion Initiatives’, be received.

Background

5. Digital exclusion was a known issue for New Zealand, but COVID-19 revealed the scale in terms of the number of households and students without devices or connections. New Zealand, like many other countries that have invested in internet infrastructure, still has groups that are digitally disadvantaged. This includes some school-aged children who do not have internet access in their homes, people with disabilities, older age groups and those living in low socio-economic communities. Affordability of devices and connections remains a barrier that needs to be overcome.

6. The current approach by WBOPDC consists of leaning on our Libraries Framework to bring to life Digital Enablement initiatives. Libraries are key infrastructure elements and will continue to play a strong role and serve the needs of families, children, and the elderly.

7. The Digital Divide Pilot Project (DDPP) was developed in response to concerns in the Western Bay of Plenty about the impact of digital exclusion for individuals, families and whānau on low incomes during Covid lockdowns. This project brought together a collaboration of community organisations with the aim to increase digital enablement. This project highlighted the need for this community investment to continue.

8. WBOPDC original involvement with the pilot project was re-purposing of corporate laptops and created an opportunity to recycle a device. Recycling a device gets fit-for-purpose laptops into the hands of those who need them most whilst concurrently providing digital training/upskilling and we also tackle the e-waste issue.

PILOT PROGRAMME OUTCOMES AND RECOMMENDATIONS (MARCH 2021 - JANUARY 2022)

9. The Digital Divide Pilot Project (DDPP) was developed in response to concerns in the western Bay of Plenty about the impact of digital exclusion for individuals, families and whānau on low incomes during Covid lockdowns.

10. Funding was obtained from the Covid-19 Western Bay of Plenty Recovery Fund to provide 50 Chromebook devices to 50 low-income families. The project involved SociaLink as coordinator partnering with Trustpower now Mercury who provided 50 free internet connections, seven social service providers who identified and supported the families and Kanorau Digital who provided Chromebook education and support. It commenced in March 2021 and concluded 28 January 2022. The pilot project post activity report identified the need for a coordinator role to be established to support ongoing inequities experienced by a significant number of people in our immediate communities.

11. A pilot project was established and involved SociaLink as coordinator partnering with Trust Power now Mercury, who provided 50 free internet connections, seven social service providers who identified and supported the families and Kanorau Digital who provided Chromebook education and support. The pilot project commenced in March 2021 and concluded 28 January 2022. The pilot project post activity report identified the need for a coordinator role to be established to support ongoing inequities experienced by a significant number of people in our immediate communities.

12. Post pilot project saw the establishment of a steering group with key community stakeholders. Through this steering group a dedicated coordinator role was established, advertised, and filled.

ESTABLISHMENT OF TU MAI DIGITAL

13. The Digital Enablement project has been rebranded as “Tu Mai Digital”. Tu Mai Digital is currently operating in the Western Bay of Plenty District with its initial focus being on the Te Puke-Maketū ward.

14. Tu Mai Digital is a collaboration of community-led organisations working together targeting a community need navigating the digital economy. Formally operating under Poutiri Trust, (who acts as the contracting entity and fund holder), Tu Mai Digital’s sole purpose is to work with WBOPDC communities to connect and guide so they are participating digitally. Key activities include providing affordable internet connectivity, devices, training, and guidance around the numerous community programs that are available to help whanau participate.

15. Tu Mai Digital is designed to leverage existing resources and create partnerships with businesses, social service providers and the telecommunications sector. For Council, the programme provides an opportunity to connect people with services we already provide and partnerships we already have in place (such as Skinny Jump, available through our libraries). It also provides a way for Council to repurpose its digital devices (laptops and old mobile phones) that would otherwise become e-waste.

16. Our funding, contributing to the coordinator role and device supply, has enabled Tu Mai Digital to take the step from being a ‘pilot’ programme to becoming an established programme. We have partnered with Poutiri Trust to put the coordinator role in place – another example of council working in partnership with local community providers to meet needs.

17. The current Steering Group organisations are:

· SociaLink (Community Organisation)

· Poutiri Wellness Centre (Community Organisation)

· Mercury (Power company)

· WBOPDC (District Council)

· Katikati Community Centre (Community Organisation)

· Accessible Properties (Community Organisation)

· Families Achieving Balance (Charitable Trust)

· Huria Trust (Charitable Trust)

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

18. Provide equitable access to digital inclusion and reduce the disadvantages for the most digitally excluded communities in te Moana a Toi ki tahu-makaka-nui, Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga Moana.

19. Establishment of a community-led digital inclusion program to respond to needs with the aim of supporting at least 75 high needs households in the 2023-2024 year.

20. Establishment of community and industry partnerships for a sustainable approach to reducing inequities.

21. Establish multi-funder sustainable future for the Western Bay of Plenty.

22. Responsible disposal of e-waste.

PROGRESS OVERVIEW

23. Due to funding constraints some Western Bay District Schools have been provided devices for a variety of education programs.

· Waihi Beach Primary School (general classroom use)

· Te Kura o Maketu (general classroom use)

· Katikati High School (alternate education program)

24. Marae Training for 25 Koeke partnering with Te Puke Library to deliver smart device basics at the Makahae Marae quarterly.

25. Identified 11 families to work with early in 2024. Five families now connected.

26. Partner with Accessible Properties to provide connectivity as Seddon Street social housing development is tenanted.

SUMMARY

27. Tu Mai Digital with the support of key stakeholders will continue to deliver and establish this digital inclusion program, work with community partners to test the program throughout the Western Bay and priority locations; Katikati, Ngāti Ranginui, Ngāi te Rangi and Te Puke. Keep working to establish infrastructure and sustainability of the program through longer-term funding opportunities for future sustainability.

28. The programme, through its coordinator, is looking for opportunities to form new partnerships and relationships through leveraging existing relationships throughout the economic sectors and social sector.

29. The programme will be woven into Councils existing programmes and future programmes, such as digital education programmes run through our libraries.