Northland Mayoral Forum
1 September 2023
Northland Mayoral Forum Minutes
Meeting held in the Totara Board Room
Te Kona – Digital, Business and Learning Hub
74 Guy Road, Kaikohe
on Friday 1 September 2023, commencing at 10.00am
Tuhinga/Present:
WDC Mayor Vincent Cocurullo
(Chair) KDC Mayor Craig Jepson
NRC Chair
(From 10.07am via audio-visual link. Left 12.30pm)
FNDC Deputy Mayor Kelly Stratford
WDC Chief Executive Officer Simon Weston
FNDC Interim Chief Executive Officer Guy Holroyd
KDC Chief Executive Officer Jason Marris
NRC Tāhūhū Rangapū
- Chief Executive Jonathan Gibbard
I Tae Mai/In Attendance:
Part Meeting
Entity Chief Executive Officer Jon Lamonte
Entity A Establishment Board Chair Murry Bain
Entity A Council Interface Manager Catherine Harland
Te Whatu Ora Senior Advisor Endine Dixon-Harris
Te Whatu Ora General Manager Teei Kaiaruna
NRC Governance Specialist Chris Taylor
Secretarial Note: The Chair declared the meeting open at 10.00am and proceedings commenced
with a welcome and karakia by the FNDC Deputy Mayor.
Ngā whakapahā/Apologies (Item 1.0)
Moved (Cocurullo/Stratford)
That the apology from FNDC Mayor for non-attendance be received.
Carried
Confirmation of Minutes - 26 May 2023 (Item 3.1)
Report from Chris Taylor, NRC Governance Specialist
Moved (Cocurullo/Jepson)
That the minutes of the Northland Mayoral Forum held on 26 May 2023 be confirmed as a
true and correct record.
Carried
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Receipt of Action Sheet (Item 4.1)
Report from Chris Taylor, NRC Governance Specialist
The action sheet was noted.
Update: Housing activity and investment in the Northland region (Item 5.1)
Item 5.1 was withdrawn.
Secretarial Note: Item 5.3 was addressed prior to Item 5.2 to allow Entity A representatives to arrive.
Update from Chair of the new Establishment Board for Entity A, Murry Bain
ONZM (Item 5.2)
The new Entity A Establishment Board Chair, Murray Bain, was introduced to the Forum, who then
provided a synopsis of his professional career. To start the discussion it was questioned why there
was limited support for the Water Services Reform when it was likely to promote a ‘significant
increase in investment in Northland’ and ‘potentially lower costs for water’.
Key aspects of the following discussion included:
• WDC was in a unique position from the other councils and would be ‘hugely disadvantaged
by the entity created’, ‘losing income and assets with no compensation’. There was also the
potential for less money to be invested in the Whangārei district.
• FNDC had not confirmed its position on the water services reform in the current term.
• While KDC and FNDC acknowledged there needed to be major investment in three waters,
key concerns included that:
-
The councils would lose control of what is happening in their own areas.
-
The community would feel like it had a lack of say in the district’s assets.
-
A third party entity would create ’another barrier’.
-
Northland would have a minority shareholding compared to Auckland.
-
There remained a number of unknowns.
• As a matter of urgency the ‘no worse off component’ funding needed to be clarified to
ensure it corrected the financial challenges being faced by councils.
• It was stressed that the status quo was not an option going forward and Entity A and the
councils needed to work together to resolve any conflict and get the best outcome for
Northland.
• The Transition Unit was currently mid-way through a process of shifting authority out of
local government departments to an entity which would be accountable to the people it was
serving. It was stressed that the Entity ‘stands or falls on how well it serves its community’.
• Assurance was provided that forward growth was one of the highest priorities for Entity A.
• It was also noted that the general elections would play a part in the final outcome
In conclusion the Entity A Establishment Board Chair undertook to meet individually with
members of the Mayoral Forum to assist shaping processes going forward.
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Secretarial Note:
•
Item 5.3 was addressed prior to Item 5.2 to allow Entity A representatives to arrive.
•
Two documents were tabled, the presentation provided to Auckland Council, ‘South Island
Resource Recovery Ltd – Waste to Energy’ and the information document ‘Spittelau Heating
Plant, Vienna – Exterior Design’.
Update: Waste to Energy Initiative (Item 5.3)
KDC Mayor, Craig Jepson, provided a verbal update on the Waste to Energy Initiative. Key aspects of
the briefing and related discussion included:
• South Island Resource Recovery Ltd emphasised that a Waste to Energy Plant did not
diminish recycling in any manner. However, it did maximise the benefit from what could not
be recycled.
• The Auckland Mayor was promoting the upgrade of the rail network from Avondale north
which supported the establishment of a Waste to Energy Plant in Northland.
• The support and long term direction of government was critical given legislation was a key
driver. For example, countries with relatively high gate charges encouraged recycling.
• It was stressed that iwi and hapu need to be brought ‘on the journey’.
• It was further stressed that education was key to ensure the community understood the
benefits of a waste to energy plant compared to increasing volumes of waste going to
landfill.
In conclusion:
•
There was agreement that the upgrade of rail into Whangārei was critical and warranted a
media release.
•
A further Waste to Energy update to be included on the next Mayoral Forum Agenda to
allow the concept to be fully socialised with FNDC elected members prior.
Northland Mayoral Forum Terms of Reference (Item 5.4)
Report from Chris Taylor, NRC Governance Specialist
Item 5.4 ‘Northland Mayoral Forum Terms of Reference’ was addressed in conjunction with Item
5.10 ‘Administrative Support for the Mayoral Forum’ at the end of the meeting.
Update from the Chief Executives' Forum (Item 5.5)
Report from Simon Weston, WDC Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Chief Executives’ Forum
NTA Maintenance Contracts Review
• A meeting to be held as soon as practicable for Mayoral Forum and Regional Transport
Committee members to jointly receive a presentation on the Road Maintenance and
Renewals Contracts Review that FieldForce4 had undertaken. The review was complete and
the meeting would provide the opportunity to present the findings and conclusions, receive
feedback, confirm the decision making pathway and discuss the next steps.
• A separate meeting to be set up for each council to discuss its specific maintenance
contracts.
• As an aside, it was stressed that each council needed a clear process to ensure that elected
members had input into the development of the Regional Land Transport Plan.
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NTA – Section 17A Review
• Any further feedback to be provided as soon as possible to the WDC Chief Executive.
• (Similar to the maintenance contracts review) a meeting to be convened for the Mayoral
Forum and RTC members to discuss the outcome of the review and then separate meetings
with the individual councils.
• Appreciation was extended to the WDC Chief Executive for leading this process.
Three Waters Reform – council’s position post national elections
• There was general agreement that each council would need to discuss the matter and confirm its
position.
• An options paper to be brought back to the Northland Mayoral Forum in November.
Councils’ strategic approach to central government post elections
• There was general agreement that this needed to be a priority.
• It was noted Northland Inc also had strong connections in Wellington.
• While it would be ideal for the Ministers to come to Northland, if there were important
issues that need air time with the Ministers, a delegation should head to Wellington.
In conclusion the Chief Executives’ Forum was tasked with preparing Briefings for Incoming
Ministers (BIMs) based on the Mayoral Forum’s top five priorities and targeting the
relevant Ministers. BIMs to be followed up with a meeting with the relevant Minister.
Future delivery of Northland's transport programmes (Item 5.6)
Report from Chris Taylor, Governance Specialist
This was addressed in the previous Item 5.5.
Joint hosted council dinner with Ministers in Waitangi (Item 5.7)
• There was general agreement that it would be most effective if this was limited to the
Mayors/Chair/Deputies, local MPs and targeted Ministers.
• There would be merit developing a directory for Ministers detailing the contacts in each of
the councils for specific portfolios.
• The format to be a speed dating session followed by dinner.
Round the table - Strategic issues (FNDC/KDC/WDC/NRC) (Item 5.8)
It was suggested that greater effort should be devoted to collectively smoothing rules and
regulations to make the building process easier. It was advised that this would be addressed by the
Natural and Built Environment Act 2023 and one plan for the region.
Update: Te Whatu Ora Localities and Boundary Determination engagement
(Item 5.9)
Te Whatu Ora Senior Advisor, Endine Dixon-Harris, and General Manager, Teei Kaiaruna, were in
attendance to lead the briefing. Key aspects of the presentation and related discussion included:
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• The health system reform was in response to the 2016 Waitangi Tribunal Health Services and
Outcome Inquiry which identified the need for an equitable health system which focussed
on primary healthcare and well-being outcomes for all.
• The reformed health system was based on ‘localities’, which were defined as an area that
made sense to the community. The purpose of localities was to enable local communities to
influence the design, funding and delivery of their local health care services.
• Te Whatu Ora supported localities through partnering, working with local stakeholders,
providing resources/data, collaborations and alignment with hospital/specialist services.
• 12 prototype areas had been stood up to start implementing the locality approach. Taikorihi
was a prototype in the Far North.
• Concern was raised regarding the list of responsibilities tagged to local government (local
health planning, health promotion and public health, community health services,
environmental health and emergency management) given these were not within the core
roles of the sector and there was a continuing trend for it to receive unfunded mandate.
There was general agreement this need to be reworded to remove reference to
responsibility and clarify ‘one size does not fit all’ and that some councils chose to deliver
these services.
• The language also to be amended to reflect that local government did not have the expertise
to be making mental health assessments or determinations. However, it did have role in
supporting the well-being of the community.
• Te Whatu Ora was required to consult with local authorities and Māori to determine locality
boundaries. Once endorsed they would be submitted to the Minister to be gazetted.
• Concern was raised that the northern ‘envelope’ extending from Otahuhu to Cape Reinga
was too large. Within this area 8-10 localities were likely to come on line with three in
Northland.
• Further concern was raised that the number of people within a locality would be the basis
for costings and that Northland would continue to be underfunded. Assurance was provided
that rural adjusters had been developed to prevent this being the case.
Secretarial Note: Item 5.10 ‘Administrative Support for the Mayoral Forum’ was addressed in
conjunction with Item 5.4 ‘Northland Mayoral Forum Terms of Reference’. The NRC Governance
Specialist left the meeting for the duration of these items.
Administrative support for the Northland Mayoral Forum (Item 5.10) and
Northland Mayoral Forum Terms of Reference (Item 5.4)
1. Attendance limited to Mayor / Chair and Chief Executive of each council. Other councillors
able to attend by exception and upon request and agreement by the Mayoral Forum Chair.
If a Mayor/Chair is unable to attend then their Deputy will attend in their place.
2. Each Mayor/Chair is to make a decision as to whether they wish to circulate the Mayoral
Forum agenda to their broader councillors (this is not the responsibility of the secretary of
the Mayoral Forum).
3. NRC to continue to provide administrative support and that this be undertaken in close
connections with the relevant CEO for the Mayoral Forum Chair. This term that being the
WDC CEO who would stay closely connected to ensure clarity of process and support for
engaging with the Chair of the Mayoral Forum.
4. The main purpose of these meetings is to allow open and transparent communication
between the Mayors/Chair of the Northland councils without interference or disruption.
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Whakamutunga (Conclusion)
The meeting concluded at 1.00pm.
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Document Outline
