Ordinary Council Meeting Minutes

9 April 2020

 

MINUTES OF Far North District Council
Ordinary Council Meeting
HELD ELECTRONICALLY VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS
ON Thursday, 9 April 2020 AT 10:01

 

PRESENT:              Mayor John Carter (HWTM), Deputy Mayor Ann Court, Cr David Clendon, Cr Dave Collard, Cr Felicity Foy, Cr Mate Radich, Cr Rachel Smith, Cr Kelly Stratford, Cr Moko Tepania, Cr John Vujcich

IN ATTENDANCE: Mike Edmonds (Kaikohe-Hokianga Community Board Chairperson), Adele Gardner (Te Hiku Community Board Chairperson) and Belinda Ward (Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board)

STAFF PRESENT: Shaun Clarke (Chief Executive Officer), Andy Finch (General Manager Infrastructure and Asset Management), Dean Myburgh (General Manager District Services), William J Taylor, MBE (General Manager Corporate Services), Darrell Sargent (General Manager Strategic Planning and Policy)

1            Karakia Timatanga – Opening Prayer

Councillor Foy commenced the meeting with a prayer.

His Worship the Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and explained that we are in extraordinary times. He explained that the environment for the future is different. The expectation will be that when we move out of level 4, that we will most likely be in level 3 which is still with reduced services.  

As this is the Council’s first virtual meeting members were reminded of the following points to help ensure the virtual meeting runs smoothly:

  1. Please remain muted unless speaking.
  2. Say your name if you would like to move or second a motion.
  3. Voting on items will be recorded by division to ensure everyone’s vote is heard and understood.
  4. The draft minutes appear on screen so everyone knows where the meeting is up to.
  5. There is a chat window that does not form part of the recording, please utilise it to signal a desire to speak to items.
  6. Standing orders apply in the same way they apply for physical meetings.
  7. Members should keep comments short and succinct.

2            Apologies and Declarations of Interest

There were no apologies or declarations of interest.

3            Deputation

There were no requests for deputations.

4            Confirmation of Previous Minutes

4.1         Confirmation of Previous Minutes

Agenda item 5.1 document number A2863486, pages 12 - 29 refers.

Motion  

Moved:       Mayor John Carter

Seconded:  Cr Moko Tepania

That Council:

a)      confirms the minutes of the Council meeting held 26 February 2020 as a true and correct record subject to the word ‘of’ in bullet point 5 under mayoral announcements being changed to ‘from’.

b)      confirms the minutes of the Extraordinary Council meeting held 3 March 2020 as a true and correct record.

c)      confirms the minutes of the Extraordinary Council meeting held 10 March 2020 as a true and correct record.

In Favour:       Hon John Carter, Deputy Mayor Court, Crs David Clendon, Dave Collard, Felicity Foy, Mate Radich, Rachel Smith, Kelly Stratford, Moko Tepania and John Vujcich

Against:           Nil

CARRIED

5            Public Excluded

RESOLUTION TO EXCLUDE THE PUBLIC

Resolution  2020/1

Moved:       Mayor John Carter

Seconded:  Deputy Mayor Ann Court

That the public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting.

The general subject matter of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter, and the specific grounds under section 48 of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as follows:

General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

Ground(s) under section 48 for the passing of this resolution

7.1 - Confirmation of Previous Minutes - Public Excluded

s7(2)(a) - the withholding of the information is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons

s7(2)(h) - the withholding of the information is necessary to enable Council to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities

s7(2)(i) - the withholding of the information is necessary to enable Council to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations)

s48(1)(a)(i) - the public conduct of the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding would exist under section 6 or section 7

7.2 - Rates, water and rent payment options – COVID-19 Level 4 shutdown

s7(2)(f)(i) - free and frank expression of opinions by or between or to members or officers or employees of any local authority

s17(d) that the information is or will soon be available to the public.

s48(1)(a)(i) - the public conduct of the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding would exist under section 6 or section 7

7.3 - Request for funding of development of a supplementary water source for Kaikohe

s7(2)(i) - the withholding of the information is necessary to enable Council to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations)

s48(1)(a)(i) - the public conduct of the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding would exist under section 6 or section 7

In Favour:       Mayor John Carter, Deputy Mayor Ann Court, Crs David Clendon, Dave Collard, Mate Radich, Rachel Smith, Kelly Stratford, Moko Tepania and John Vujcich

Against:           Cr Felicity Foy

Carried

 

At the conclusion of the public excluded discussion the meeting confirmed the report and following resolution regarding the Rates, Water and Rent Payment Options – COVID-19 Level 4 Shutdown:

That Council as interim measures, pending further Council amendment:

a)    approve the following actions be taken on a case by case basis in relation to rates, water and rental payments affected by the COVID-19 Level 4 shutdown:

a.    remit penalties on rates and water accounts if the customer meets current policy criteria.

b.    provide delayed payment options for up to six months (or two rates instalments) for customers using the following criteria:

                              i.   Commercial (Non-residential) customers:

1.    A 30% reduction in revenue; or

2.    Qualification for a Government support package; or

3.    Qualification for a mortgage ‘holiday’ from the bank.

                                         ii.    Residential (owner/occupied) customers, where the property is the residence:

1.    Evidence of loss of employment; or

2.    Payment from an employer under the government support package; or

3.    Qualification for a mortgage ‘holiday’ from the bank; and

                                        iii.    For lease/rent payments under an ADLS lease with clause 27.5 a ‘fair proportion’ of rent not payable be determined case by case

                                       iv.    That the same proportion apply to other lease payments where the customer can show a COVID-19 shutdown related drop in income.

c.     payment plans must be entered into with the Debt Management team and be maintained throughout the shutdown and beyond;

d.    any actions approved would only be available to customers who are not in arrears with Council as at 1 July 2019 (arrears are determined as more than 1 instalment owing).

And that information detailing the number of customers receiving support is included in the Revenue Recovery report on a quarterly basis.

 

6.1         Approval of financing options

Agenda item 6.1 document number A2869093, pages 30 - 32 refers.

motion

Moved:       Mayor John Carter

Seconded:  Cr Mate Radich

That Council:

a)      approve the following actions;

i)        increase the floating cash facility with the ASB by $10m to $30m; and

ii)       increase the overdraft limit with the ASB to $10m.

iii)      delegate any other actions necessary to secure funds for Council to the CEO.

AMENDMENT

Moved:       Cr John Vujcich

Seconded:  Cr Dave Collard

That iii) delegate any other actions necessary to secure funds for Council to the CEO, be removed from the motion.

In Favour:       Mayor John Carter, Deputy Mayor Court, Crs David Clendon, Dave Collard, Felicity Foy, Mate Radich, Rachel Smith, Kelly Stratford, Moko Tepania and John Vujcich

Against:           Nil

CARRIED

The amendment became the substantive motion

motion

Moved:       Mayor John Carter

Seconded:  Cr Mate Radich

That Council:

a)      approve the following actions

i)       increase the floating cash facility with the ASB by $10m to $30m; and

ii)      increase the overdraft limit with the ASB to $10m.

In Favour:       Mayor John Carter, Deputy Mayor Court, Crs David Clendon, Dave Collard, Felicity Foy, Mate Radich, Rachel Smith, Kelly Stratford, Moko Tepania and John Vujcich

Against:           Nil

CARRIED

7            Karakia Whakamutunga – Closing Prayer

8            Meeting Close

The meeting closed at 2:20pm.

 

The minutes of this meeting were confirmed at the Extraordinary Council meeting held on 23 April 2020.

 

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CHAIRPERSON