M e e t i n g M i n s
Pigeon Island
Where: QLDC Church Street Office, Ego Alley Meeting Room
Time: 1:00pm
Date: Thursday 28 July 2022
Quintin Howard, Mark Samways, Rory Cassidy, Tiana Prudden, Families
Who: of Pigeon Island Hut
Apologies Morgan Govender
Meeting Minutes
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MS opened to welcome everyone in attendance and note that it has been three months since the last meeting. Council records relevant to the hut
have been investigated since then
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Families express dismay about lack of communication since the last meeting
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MS continued to refresh that an LTO was granted in 1971 to the parents of the families present – original agreement was a peppercorn lease for
$1.00 – arrived at a position of holding over
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Families state that until recently, Council has been happy and not provided notice
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MS established that both parties retain the right to bring this to a close and that APL advised that intent was to continue for lifetime of parents
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MS reiterated that council would like to bring the occupation to an end, allowing the island’s Resource Management Plan to be enforced. Parks
department have been trying to apply the RMP but ministerial approval has not been obtained for the private hut. The hut is restricted but should
be available to the public. Course of action may entail hut management by QLDC to mitigate risk, access open to public and fulfilment of H&S
responsibilities to manage actions
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Families expressed concern about QLDC not having awareness surrounding what’s happening currently on the island (parties, dogs, raves) – How
will QLDC control this?
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MS – responded that QLDC are reactive to this and stated that’s when regulatory come in – we don’t have resources to be able to establish
system on site, so we are reliant on public to advise us of activities
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Families stated it is a difficult place to police and that the state of toilets were below average
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RC responded that improvements are underway. QLDC have increased expenditure on waterways/security/providing more updates.
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MS stated that private hut on reserve land will not get ministerial consent
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Families queried how this point was arrived at
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MS responded that QLDC facilities team went out to look at the hut and the agreement document was recovered within the same timeframe. This
was handed to leasing to investigate and formalize
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QH stated that the current agreement on table has expired – there is no legal route to go down except ministerial grant. QLDC aren’t in position to
grant extension and we are open on where we sit. Need to work through process regarding control of hut coming back to QLDC. Process of
control to be defined so that activity isn’t illegal
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MS – Facilities team was looking at it compliance related items on Pigeon island (investigating other work) when this cropped up
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QH - Now that we are aware of ministerial breach, we need to resolve. Most direct way forward is a letter. QLDC wish to formalize fixed term
occupation, however this is at QLDC’s own risk, and only for short time (3 months) from a legal viewpoint
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MS stated that QLDC were aware of fixtures (gas, toilet) which the families have the right to take
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Families asked what the intended use of the hut is beyond handover
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QH responded saying no decisions have been made on use – QLDC’s intention is to be compliant. Discussion will later go to council as to future
use. It is their control to determine use/purpose. Still a lot of decisions to be made (consenting paths for flushing toilet for example)
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MS asks the families if expiration date of 31 Oct provide sufficient time to clear out
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Families respond saying they would like the summer to clear out and use for family purpose
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MS stated that beyond expiration date everything will fall to council ownership, so you have right to remove what you need to before then
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QH – suggested families can book out hut for a few weekends in summer to fulfil their needs
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Families – normally we don’t open it during winter as it’s not suitable for use due to frozen pipes. Towards end of sept is more of a suitable time for
us to start going over. End of oct expiration is too soon and not suitable. Families state that they would like to chat with their group
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Families state that they would like to see this in writing, with reference to ministerial approval that the hut doesn’t have, reference to act,
breakdown of dates
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QH stated that formal notice will be issued and that QLDC will expect a response acknowledging and proposing time frame for settling. QLDC
would like to work together to resolve it based on time/removing equip/family use. QLDC will be reluctant letting families control the hut beyond this
time frame of expiration
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Families seek clarification on who can use the hut in the next few months
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QH states that QLDC can come to arrangement on use over Christmas in letting families use the hut. QLDC are open to it – if it allows you to have
last opportunities to use the hut for personal purpose
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Families state that Christmas to mid Jan was historically families use time – they’d like to incorporate this
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QH offers involvement from families for when time arrives to go to council to discuss future use. QLDC offer for families to be there to contribute to
the conversation – to recognise the history to recognise opportunities
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Discussion surrounding the wharf and moorings takes place. QH notes that if the structures are safe then a resource consent will be granted
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MS takes the conversation back to expiration date. QLDC would like to bring termination date to 31 Oct – recognizing summer periods to allocate
to family in addition to this.
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Families indicate busiest time is Christmas, Jan, early Feb, a little bit of March. Spring is rough and windy, so people don’t enquire
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Families agree that QLDC prepare letter outlining date, then they will come back to acknowledge – fine details on booking out to families to be
tuned
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QH stated that it will be good to have high level agreement
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MS - Position of QLDC will be granted (via a notice) from which it is suggested that families to go back to others. QH stated that QLDC is open to
wider discussions beyond the notice based on removal of items (compliance) and family time
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Families asked if they chose to use of Christmas, will they have had to empty out everything out by that date
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QH responded that QLDC has to make it safe and compliant beyond the date of termination. QLDC would like to hear plan is for families, to be
able to incorporate some flexibility
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Families indicated there are a lot of non-compliant elements in the house – steep stairs, glass and that vandalism does take place. Everything is
inside a locked gate. Also stated that there will be a lag while council makes it compliant. Families ask why they may not be able to use the house
over Christmas while it is being made compliant
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QH responded there is capacity for agreeing on a group of very limited people to use it, potentially with the incorporation of a waiver to solidify
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Families ask when the letter will come through
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MS responded next week.
