Meeting: Council - 23 March 2018 Name of item: Chief Executive Officer s Report - Period: 20 January February 2018

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1 Meeting: Council - 23 March 2018 Name of item: Chief Executive Officer s Report - Period: 20 January February 2018 Author: Date of report: 09 March 2018 Document number: Kaela Allison - Accounting Support Officer A Purpose of the report Item: 9.1 The purpose of the report is to present the Chief Executive Officer s Report - Period: 20 January February 2018 for Council s consideration. Executive summary The Chief Executive Officer s report is a six weekly summary of Council activities, presenting an overview across all activities that Council undertakes. We have placed emphasis on relevant issues and pressures Council is experiencing whilst meeting its objectives to the community. Recommendation That Council notes the Chief Executive Officer s Report - Period: 20 January February ) Background We have structured the report to follow the committee structure of the Council, along with the addition of a section relating to the CEO office itself. The purpose of this structure is to enable the reader to easily locate items of interest. CEO Office Strategy Governance Corporate Operations As it is our desire that this report is easily understood by Elected Members and ratepayers alike, feedback is welcome as it allows us to improve. 2) Discussion and options The Chief Executive Officer s report is attached and covers a detailed overview of progress against Council s activities. His Worship the Mayor and Councillors feedback is welcomed. Reason for the recommendation This report is for information only. Document number A Page 1 of 3

2 3) Financial implications and budgetary provision There are no financial implications or budgetary provision needed as a result of this report. Manager: Shaun Clarke - Chief Executive Officer Attachment 1: Chief Executive Officer s Report Period: 20 January February Document number A Document number A Page 2 of 3

3 Compliance schedule: Full consideration has been given to the provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 S77 in relation to decision making, in particular: 1. A Local authority must, in the course of the decision-making process, a) Seek to identify all reasonably practicable options for the achievement of the objective of a decision; and b) Assess the options in terms of their advantages and disadvantages; and c) If any of the options identified under paragraph (a) involves a significant decision in relation to land or a body of water, take into account the relationship of Māori and their culture and traditions with their ancestral land, water sites, waahi tapu, valued flora and fauna and other taonga. 2. This section is subject to Section 79 - Compliance with procedures in relation to decisions. Compliance requirement State the level of significance (high or low) of the issue or proposal as determined by the Council s Significance and Engagement Policy State the relevant Council policies (external or internal), legislation, and/or community outcomes (as stated in the LTP) that relate to this decision. State whether this issue or proposal has a District wide relevance and, if not, the ways in which the appropriate Community Board s views have been sought. State the possible implications for Māori and how Māori have been provided with an opportunity to contribute to decision making if this decision is significant and relates to land and/or any body of water. Identify persons likely to be affected by or have an interest in the matter, and how you have given consideration to their views or preferences. State the financial implications and where budgetary provisions have been made to support this decision. Chief Financial Officer review. Staff assessment Low significance as this is an information report. No decision required; as this is an information report. As this is an information report this should have interest to all. No implications; as this is an information report. None; as this is an information report. None; as this is an information report. The Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report. Document number A Page 3 of 3

4 Chief Executive Officer s Report To Council Period: 20 January 2018 to 28 February 2018 Key Work Plan Areas: CEO Office Strategy Governance Corporate Operations Introduction Welcome to this CEO report, which provides an overview on the Council s activities for the period 20 January 2018 to 28 February Document number A Page 1 of 36

5 Chief Executive Officer s Report to Council 20 January 2018 to February Contents Introduction from Shaun Clarke, Chief Executive... 4 Highlights from this report... 5 CEO Office... 6 People and Capability... 6 Health, Safety & Wellbeing... 7 Staffing, Salaries and Training... 8 Communications Reports... 9 Strategy Planning District Planning Economic Development Community Wellbeing Governance Corporate Financial Information Audit & Risk Information Services LGOIMA Monthly Statistics Operations Customer Service Customer Experience Programme Regulatory Services Infrastructure and Asset Management Document number A Page 2 of 36

6 Welcome to the latest summary report of Council activities In this report we are aiming to present an overview across all activities that Council undertakes. As such we have placed emphasis on the relevant issues and pressures Council is experiencing whilst meeting its objectives to the community. The format of the report follows the Council s committee structure, along with the addition of a section relating to the CEO office itself. It is our desire that this report is easily understood by Elected Members and ratepayers alike, feedback is welcome as it allows us to improve. Document number A Page 3 of 36

7 Introduction from Shaun Clarke, Chief Executive In this second six-weekly reporting period of the year, we note the continued increase of economic wellbeing indicators in the District and a rising tempo of activity in the annual cycle for Far North District Council. We celebrate the arrival of new Councillor Kelly Stratford after a successfully administered by-election and continue with arrangements for the by-election to fill her former seat on the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Community Board. We look forward to supporting Councillor Stratford in her work for the District. In other news at the political level, we note the wins for the Far North District in the first round of announcements for the Tua Whenua Provincial Growth Fund (under Minister for Regional Economic Development and for Infrastructure, Shane Jones), and the prospect of other announcements in the near future. A number of individuals and teams of the Far North District Council have been involved in assisting the Minister to find worthy investment projects in our District, and this work is ongoing. In particular, to date, we note the role of Far North Holdings Limited in providing some well-prepared proposals. Challenges emanating from relatively strong economic activity in the District include management of the high (though settling) volumes of consent applications for commercial and residential developments. District Services continues to work hard at achieving turn-around of resource and building consents in the statutory timeframes, while also trying to raise the levels of customer satisfaction towards targets. At the moment, there are 30 commercial building applications alone in various stages of the pipeline. Residential applications are also high and extra resources are being brought in to handle the current volumes, while the team also establishes a programme to re-engineer our processes for efficiency. Corporate Services have experienced a peak in real estate activity in the midst of the Property File Digitisation contract, which has required special measures by both the contractor and FNDC to meet timing expectations on the provision of LIM reports (with data needing to be drawn from archives sent away for digitisation). This situation is now contained and the backlog is reducing. A substantial reorganisation of the Infrastructure & Asset Management Group is now well advanced with the Strategic Leadership Team, and promises to improve the capacity of FNDC in managing capital and maintenance programmes into the future. While FNDC continues work at the balance between operational delivery and improvements to organisational capacity, we note some worthy nominations for outstanding performance in our team. These include: Nga Kuri Auau events offering free microchipping and neutering to dogs, has been considered for the SOLGM Local Government Excellence Awards - Innovation in Policy and Regulatory Development Category Lets plan together is a cross media initiative encouraging community participation in the 10 year review of the District Plan. The Let s plan together Storymap was the winner of the New Zealand Spatial Enablement Award as well as the State Winner (for New Zealand) and finalist of the Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards in Adelaide. The Lets plan together project was also runner up in the 2017 ALGIM GIS Project of the Year and has been entered in to the SOLGM Local Government Excellence Awards - Innovation in Council Community Relations Category. Document number A Page 4 of 36

8 Highlights from this report 12 leaders and aspiring leaders have begun the SOLGM Accelerated Leadership Program. LTP Audit activities commenced in January. The Consultation Document and the supporting information will be proposed for adoption for consultation on 28 February Consultation will begin on 5 March 2018 and finish on 4 April The District Plan Review Lets Plan Together initiative has been entered into the Innovation in Council-Community Relations category at the McGredy Winder SOLGM Local Government Excellence Awards. Winners will be announced at a Gala Event on 12 April Proposed Plan Change 22 Inlet Estate Limited - A private plan change was publically notified for submissions on 7 February 2018 relating to rezoning approximately 3.5ha of Rural Living land to Residential. The Far North District showed healthy economic growth for the year 2017 with 2.9% increase in GDP and a 2.1% increase in total employment compared to Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway Fast Charge Stations have been installed in Kerikeri and Kaikohe and are regularly in use. Key stakeholders are being consulted in Coopers Beach, Waitiki Landing and Houhora. A by-election for the Community Board member vacancy in Bay of Islands / Whangaroa ward Kawakawa-Moerewa Subdivision is underway. Nominations open on 28 th February 2018 and close on 28 th March Within the Property File Digitisation project, the backlog of property files needed for the business and public is ongoing but expected to be cleared by the end of February. New Contact Centre software went live on Wednesday 24 January Positive feedback has been received from customers who have utilised the call-back option. Ten cruise ships docked in at Paihia during January Passenger / Crew numbers totalled 27,000. Broadspectrum have been awarded the added scope of the 6km dust seal extensions on Pipiwai Road and Ngapipito Road, following the Procurement Board Recommendation to the Council. Northland CDEM Group has committed a further $10k funding to run another Youth in Emergency Services Program to support community resilience to be held in Mangonui in May/June. Document number A Page 5 of 36

9 CEO Office People and Capability SOLGM Accelerated Leadership Programme Following the very positive feedback and results from FNDC attendees at the 2017 SOLGM Accelerated Leadership Programme, 12 leaders and aspiring leaders from Council will participate in the first two cohorts for As in the 2017 programme, the participants are drawn from across Northland representing NRC, WDC, Northpower and FNDC. Much of the feedback from 2017 participants reflected on the significant value of collaboration with leaders from other Councils. KPIs and Performance Reviews With the Chief Executive s KPIs in place, those for all staff can be seen to cascade down through the organisation. The M7 performance review system enables all staff to view the KPIs of their manager, their peers and their team, if they have one. This enables the congruency between individual, team and group performance goals. All managers and team leaders are able to access status reports on their team progress at any time. General Managers can view their entire group using a range of reports. Leaders Forum Cross functional collaboration and increasing the effectiveness of meetings are two core objectives for the Leaders Forum. These core behaviours underpin leadership in action, with the areas of people, communication and culture continuing to define the focus for the Tier 3 management team. The mandatory leadership KPI has been agreed and implemented for all Tier 3 managers, targeting their contribution and commitment to the Leaders Forum and with defined clear measurable outcomes. New Staff On boarding New starters with FNDC over the past 6 months will be interviewed by People and Capability to determine how they viewed their overall introduction and engagement with Council Operations. A robust on boarding structure is under development, aiming to ensure that new starters enjoy a positive introduction to FNDC. We want them to experience our core values of integrity, professionalism and manaakitanga from the start of their employment. The on boarding progress will be guided and monitored in the M7 performance review system to ensure that all stages of the process are carried out. Document number A Page 6 of 36

10 Learning & Development Activiy A wide variety of learning and development is planned across Council Operations. Staff from all groups are experiencing improvement in skills and knowledge which include Project Management, Planning, Civil Defence, Health & Safety, Leadership, Report Writing and Leading and Navigating Change. Identifying development needs is an important part of performance conversations between leaders and their teams. The details of the development plans are recorded and reviewed in the M7 online system. Health, Safety & Wellbeing Summary of Activities Recruitment for the new position of Health, Safety & Wellbeing Specialist has completed and the appointed will commence in March Replacement Head Fire Warden for Kaikohe being sought. Chemical Handling training being organised for Compliance team members. Incidents raised in PeopleSafe for the month of February 2018 included below Document number A Page 7 of 36

11 Staffing, Salaries and Training Current Staffing Levels Actual Head Count at 28 February 2018 Actual Full Time Equivalent (FTE) at 28 February Annual Plan Establishment (FTE) Salaries Budget Salaries Budget at 28 February 2018 Actual Salaries Spend at 28 February 2018 Actual vs Budget Total FY18 Salaries Budget $16,465,720 $16,600,271 -$134,552 $25,185,283 Training Financial Performance Financial Performance Current Year to 28 February Budget Previous Financial Year (FY17) Actual $246,441 N/A $385,335 Budget $609,452 $873,190 $574,168 Training Costs as % of Salaries Budget NZ Local Government Average Training Budget (% of salary costs) 1.49% 3.5% 4.00% Vacancies As at 28 February 2018 FNDC held the following vacancies: Department Number of Open Vacancies (FTE) CEO/Communications/People & Capabilities 3 Corporate Services 4 District Services 7 Infrastructure & Asset Management 3 Strategic Planning & Policy 1 FNDC TOTAL VACANCIES (FTE) * includes fixed term and casual roles 18 Document number A Page 8 of 36

12 Communications Reports News Media The Communications Team: Issued nine media releases during the reporting period. Six of these were about by-elections to fill councillor and community board seats in the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Ward. The other three were about: A private plan change proposal that would be the first step towards a residential subdivision being established in Kerikeri The Far North Youth Council which is seeking new members The Ministry of Health s decision to approve a subsidy for the new Kerikeri Wastewater Scheme Support to Business Units The Communications Team provided a high level of communications and stakeholder engagement support to business units during the reporting period. Communication issues included: The Long Term Plan Disruptions to water supply services Delays in issuing Land Information Memoranda (LIM) Reports The Bay of Islands-Whangaroa Ward By-election Support to the Mayor The Communications Team supported the Mayor in the writing of four newspaper columns about the: Relationships the Council is building with the new Government and the likelihood of significant investment in Northland under the Provincial Growth Fund Significance of the Ministry of Health confirming a subsidy for the Kerikeri Wastewater Project Challenges and opportunities the building boom is creating for the District and the Council Support the Council and Far North Holdings Ltd provide to the District s tourism industry Document number A Page 9 of 36

13 Targeted Publicity The Communications Team designed and produced the following publications: Five issues of Haka Korero, a weekly newsletter with great news to jump up and down about. The newsletter is designed to foster a greater appreciation of Council projects and services that make the Far North a great place to live and visit. It is distributed to staff, elected members and local news media. One issue of Great People, a fortnightly newsletter that celebrates Council staff and their achievements on behalf of elected members and communities. The newsletter is distributed to Council staff and this edition provided updates about the work of the Project Management Office. Full page newspaper adverts and a brochure to promote the Long Term Plan Strategy Planning Long Term Plan Audit activities commenced in January and at the time of writing are almost complete ahead of consultation. The Consultation Document (CD) and the supporting information on which the CD relies will be proposed for adoption for consultation on 28 February Consultation will begin on 5 March 2018 and finish on 4 April Policies and Bylaws On 22 June 2017 Council adopted a Policy and Bylaw Review Work Programme for the 2017/2018 year. The table below provides updates on this work programme. Table 1: Update on review work in progress Policy / Bylaw Adopted timeframe for completion as at 22 June 2017 Status Use of the July Sep Completed Hundertwasser Fund 2017 Policy Elected Members Allowances and Reimbursements Policy Policy on Māori Participation Council s Decisionmaking Processes. July Sep 2017 July Aug 2018 Completed Initiation Commentary On 10 August 2017, Council revoked this policy because it was made redundant On 7 December 2017, Council adopted a revised policy Engagement Plan in development. Document number A Page 10 of 36

14 Policy / Bylaw Policy Framework (or Strategy) that recognises Te Tiriti o Waitangi / the Treaty of Waitangi Building Permits Maori Land Policy Dog Control Policy and Bylaw Wastewater Drainage Bylaw Trade Waste Bylaw Rating Relief Policies Significance and Engagement Policy Class 4 Gaming and TAB Venues Policy Public Places Liquor Control Bylaw 2003 Maritime Facilities Bylaw Adopted timeframe for completion as at 22 June 2017 Status Commentary Jul Aug 2018 Initiation Engagement Plan in development. Oct Dec 2017 Completed On 15 February 2018, Council revoked this policy because operational guidelines is considered a better approach. July Sep 2017 Deferred On 11 October 2017 the Strategy Committee resolved that the draft bylaw be left to lie on the table and that Terry Greening, Elected Members and staff organise a workshop on the draft dog control bylaw and dog policy with Community Representatives. Post the workshop/s, staff to prepare a report on next steps for council Meetings with stakeholders are occurring. Oct Dec 2017 Deferred On 11 October 2017 the Strategy Committee resolved that the draft bylaw be left to lie on the table, that Council staff organise workshop(s) with elected members and community representatives, and that a subsequent report be brought back to the Strategy Committee. On 15 February 2018 Council resolved to consult on an amended draft bylaw April June 2018 New to the work programme New to the work programme New to the work programme New to the work programme Deferred Consultatio n as part of LTP Consultatio n as part of LTP Initiation Initiation On 11 October 2017 the Strategy Committee resolved that the draft bylaw be left to lie on the table, that Council staff organise workshops with elected members and community representatives, and that a subsequent report be brought back to the Strategy Committee Staff have reviewed the Bylaws of other councils and met with colleagues in Whangarei and will present findings to the working group in March. Review required every 6 years, component of the Long Term Plan Review required every 3 years The Gambling Act 2003 now requires councils to review this policy every 3 years. Council s policy was last reviewed 30 October The review of this policy is a priority The Local Government Alcohol Reform Amendment Act 2012 requires Council to review this bylaw before 18 December 2018, or else it will lapse Oct Dec 2017 Deferred This review is currently not a priority because there is no legislative timeframe for this review Document number A Page 11 of 36

15 Policy / Bylaw Mooring Charges Bylaw Adopted timeframe for completion as at 22 June 2017 April June 2018 Status Deferred Commentary This review is currently not a priority. There is no legislative timeframe for this review. Council does not have any active moorings. It is consulting on removing charges from its fees and charges alongside its Consultation Document on the LTP. Potential to revoke the bylaw as unnecessary. In addition to the above, during February 2018 the Chair of the Te Hiku Community Board has requested support for a potential Bylaw / Bylaw safe zone on Te Oneroa a Tohe / 90 Mile Beach to control vehicles on the beach. Sustainable District Strategy and Spatial Plan Following on from the Spatial Plan workshop in December 2017 a Web based storymap will be rolled out in April to seek feedback from Councillors. A Draft Sustainable District Strategy is planned for the 4 th Quarter in preparation for consultation with key stakeholders in the financial year This was previously reported as being available in the 3 rd quarter however it has been identified that there is a need for further engagement with internal stakeholders prior to bringing a draft to Council and scenario development (tentatively scheduled for May) with elected members and stakeholders. Open Spaces Strategy Background research is currently underway for the development of the Open Spaces Strategy for the Far North District. The research includes a review of 12 existing Open Spaces Strategies completed by other Councils. District Planning District Plan Review The District Plan Review Let s plan together project has been entered into the Innovation in Council-Community Relations category at the McGredy Winder SOLGM Local Government Excellence Awards. Winners will be announced at a Gala Event on 12 April The Let s plan together project took the Spatial Enablement Award at the Spatial Excellence Awards in Wellington in November 2017 beating 14 other organisations, including Wellington City Council and the New Zealand Police. Document number A Page 12 of 36

16 State Winner (for New Zealand) of the Asia Pacific Spatial Excellence Awards hosted by the Spatial Industries Business Association (SIBA),Geospatial Information & Technology Association (GITA),and Surveying and Spatial Sciences Institute (SSSI) and is currently a finalist for the Asia Pacific for the same award. The project was runner up in the 2017 ALGIM GIS Project of the Year at ALGIM s Autumn GIS and IRM Conference in Wellington. Council received an invitation by Jack Dangermond, CEO of Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI), to share images of work with him to use in his plenary talk at the 2017 ESRI User Conference in San Diego. Let s plan together Project was presented at the New Zealand ESRI Users Conference in August The Let s Plan together Project is being presented at the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors Conference Nelson 2018 A fresh set of objectives and policies for the new District Plan are being drafted. This new framework provides the strategic direction of the new plan and how the plan will achieve sustainable management for our District s natural and physical resources. The development of the draft policy framework will reflect the requirements of National Planning Standards (NPS) currently being finalised by the Ministry for the Environment. The Standards are likely to contain both mandatory content and optional provisions. The Planning Standards will be notified for feedback in June and will be followed by a 10 week public submission process. The draft new District Plan policy framework will also be made available for public feedback in the second half of 2018 and will be accompanied by a series of information and feedback sessions thorough the District. Statutory notification of a Proposed District Plan will take place after the finalisation of the National Planning Standards, which is likely to occur in April 2019, to ensure alignment. Proposed Plan Change 22 Inlet Estate Limited A private plan change was publically notified for submissions on 7 February 2018 and relates to rezoning approximately 3.5ha of Rural Living land to Residential. Proposed Private Plan Change 22 Inlet Estate Limited proposes to change the zoning of 17 and 17A Kerikeri Inlet Road from Rural Living to Residential. It is expected the resulting development would be similar in character and density to the neighbouring Orchard Estate. If the private plan change goes ahead, resource consent for subdivision and land use will be required. The concept is to create 38 residential lots; shared private vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle access; and a communal area owned and managed by a residents society. Document number A Page 13 of 36

17 Submissions close 5.00pm Thursday 8 March Submissions will then be summarised and notified along with a call for further submissions. A further submission may only support or oppose a submission already made. Economic Development Tuawhenua Provincial Growth Fund Applications for a number of economic development projects were lodged for funding from the Tuawhenua Provincial Growth Fund. To date the following projects in the Far North District have been selected for funding: $2.3 million for a Kawakawa tourism hub Te Hononga $4.6 million for Manea Footprints of Kupe, a cultural heritage tourism and education centre in Opononi $9 million to upgrade the Waipapa Intersection on SH 10. In addition, the Provincial Growth Fund will provide $450,000 towards a two-year pilot to test the validity of establishing an indigenous tōtara wood industry in Northland and an announcement was made that there will be a transport and logistics strategy that covers the future of the upper North Island ports, including whether the Ports of Auckland should move. The rail line to Northport and Marsden Point as well as upgrading the North Auckland rail line will also be considered. I anticipate that there will be a series of announcements rolled out over the ensuing weeks and months that deliver further investment into our district. The CEOs of the four Northland Councils and their staff, the Iwi CEOs consortium, Northland Inc, FNHL and the Northland Transport Alliance are all working together to prepare additional business cases that deliver Northland Forward Together and align to the Fund s purpose. This work has the potential to impact on our delivery of Council projects as staff reshape previous work or turn their minds to new initiatives that were previously thought unaffordable. However the opportunity to realise gains for our communities is worth the effort and I will keep Council informed of any risks to our business as usual. A summary of the Fund, investment tiers and high level criteria can be found here with further information available on the MBIE website. Document number A Page 14 of 36

18 Northland Forward Together Snapshot of individual project status and actions as at 28 February 2018 Projects Active Recreation and Sports Facilities Lead Council NRC Status In Progress Contact Centre FNDC In Progress Northland One Voice Collaboration Regional ICT Programme Regional GIS Viewer NRC FNDC NRC In progress In progress and offtarget Needs Intervention Actions to be taken Public consultation on a regional Sporting Facilities Rate during the Northland Regional Council LTP process. Projects identified for FNDC are: 1. Te Hiku Sports Hub, Kaitaia and Sportsville and 2. Lindvart Park, Kaikohe. The regional rate will cover one project from each Northland Council. This project is a joint procurement initiative between Kaipara and Far North District Councils, with provision for other Northland Councils to join the procurement and share lower implementation costs. Go live date is expected late January, now implementation issues are being resolved and nearing completion. Retraining of call-centre staff is well underway. Kaipara District Council has expressed satisfaction with the software, and future integration with Skype for Business is planned. The system will improve waiting times with customer options available. The workforce management system will be configured and installed approximately three months after the system goes live. Information packs and specific information relating to the 11 targeted areas has been developed the coalition government ministers. Key areas of interest are: a. Four laning SH1 to Whangarei b. Investment in digital infrastructure c. Support far Tourism d. Improvement of rural road network e. Iwi settlements f. Capital investment to improve management of drinking water, wastewater, storm water and flood waters g. Affordable and sustainable drinking water and wastewater for small rural communities h. Flood scheme upgrade to improve Kaitaia s resilience i. Sustainable forestry planning/strategy and development of value added industry j. Regional airport for Northland and future of Kaitaia and Bay of Islands airports k. Social issues, employment, health, education and crime This work is on-going, with a focus on regional GIS. Commitment by Northland Councils elected members and CEs. FNDC will be reviewing early 2018 the benefits of this initiative and how to progress Document number A Page 15 of 36

19 Provision of GIS Services to KDC Whanaketia te Whenua LIDAR capture for Northland Four Waters Digital Enablement Plan Joint Procurement / Contracts Health and Safety Rates Harmonisation NRC FNDC NRC WDC Northland Inc. WDC WDC In Progress In Progress In Progress In progress and offtarget In progress In progress In progress and offtarget WDC In progress In progress In progress. Eagle Technology engaged to undertake a detailed evaluation of migration of KDC data, and build an internal viewer. Four Sub projects: Rating Policy Deliverables are integrated and dependant with rates harmonisation study Collective Treaty of Waitangi training First combined training session in February 2018 Papakainga Policy and Handbook - Handbook now in use by Northland Councils Access to Māori Land On-line geospatial data completed. CAA compliance issues resolved and the data capture, weather dependant, fly-overs are expected to be completed by the end of April Eleven work streams make up this project. Six are in progress and on track; however the resourcing and conflicting priorities have seen some work streams not progress as planned. Resource budget for project to be developed and each Council to review current budgets re available funds and resources that can be allocated to shared services projects. A stocktake of the project is scheduled to be reported to Northland CEOs early 2018, along with the Havelock North Stage 2 findings and implications Five sub projects: RBI2 Roll-out Business development from RBI2 Building human capability development Digital deprivation Community broadband initiatives Refresh of digital enablement plan and gap analysis of RBI2 and MBSF to be completed. Principle adopted by all Councils, schedule of opportunities to be developed, including ICT contracts. Health and Safety policies under assessment by Human Resources. Document number A Page 16 of 36

20 Projects with a lower priority /not commenced at this stage Building Accreditation FNDC Lower Priority High levels of building applications being received by KDC, WDC, and FNDC has led to this project being placed on hold. Web-based customer services (on-line transactions) Un-assigned Lower Priority Common systems, automated processes need to be in place first. Commercial Property Management NRC Lower Priority On hold at present Payroll Un-assigned Lower Priority On hold at present Records Management Un-assigned Lower Priority Dependant on common meta data standards and taxonomy standards under the Regional ICT Project. Shared Rating System WDC Dependency on current project Dependant upon Rates Harmonisation Project recommendations. Community Wellbeing Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway The Crimson Coast Electric Vehicle Highway is well underway. Kerikeri Fast Charge Station and Kaikohe Stations are installed and regularly in use. Key stakeholders are being consulted in Coopers Beach, Waitiki Landing and Houhora. The next round of EECA funding has opened we will be applying for more charging stations (on the West Coast) and electric vehicles for the FNDC fleet. Digital Enablement Communication continues with UBF2/2+ and RBI2 partners identifying gaps and working with them to ensure a smooth rollout in the Far North District. We are also working with Communities/Iwi/Hapu to identify Community Connectivity opportunities off the new infrastructure and initiatives that might fit the Provincial Growth Fund and the Minister of Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media s aspirations. Nga Kuri Auau o Kaikohe An application has been submitted to the McGredy Winder SOLGM Local Government Excellence Awards in the Better Regulation and Policy Award category. A crosscouncil project that pulled together staff from Community Policy and Development, Compliance, Strategic Planning, Communications and volunteers from across all council doing flyer and poster drops for the event and pre-event. The awards gala is on 12 April in Auckland. Document number A Page 17 of 36

21 North Hokianga Community Development Staff met with interested people in Kohukohu to profile the Dark Sky Reserve. It was well received and they are supportive. The next communities will be Panguru, Motuti, Mitimiti and Pawarenga. Kohukohu want the Kohukohu Community Development Plan to be reviewed as part of all of North Hokianga approach. The Draft Broadwood Community Development Plan is ready for consultation and was to have been socialised with the community at the North Hokianga Show, which unfortunately was cancelled due to weather. Provisional Local Alcohol Policy The Alcohol Regulatory and Licencing Authority have delivered its decision on Council s Provisional Local Alcohol Policy (PLAP). The appeal against the on-licence hours of 8am to 1am the following day (clause 3.4 of the PLAP) was dismissed. The Authority has determined that the off-licence hours of 9am to 10pm (clause 4.5 of the PLAP) is unreasonable because of the 9am opening time and directed that it be reconsidered; but the Authority dismissed the appellant s argument that 10pm closing or Sunday off licence trading is unreasonable. Where the Authority directs a territorial authority to reconsider an element of a provisional local alcohol policy, the territorial authority may resubmit the policy to the licensing authority with the element deleted or replaced by a new or amended element, or it may abandon the provisional policy. Kai Ora The Kai Ora Fund was developed in 2015, between Te Tai Tokerau Primary Heath Organisation (TTPHO) and FNDC as an initiative to support communities and groups to improve access to healthy food, increase food security and promote economic development in the Far North District. The fund has run annually since 2015 and the success of many of the projects has led to other funders (TPK, Manaia PHO and Northland Inc) joining the project to enable it to grow, develop and cover a larger geographical area. The deadline for applications for this year s funding round is Wednesday 21 March Iwi Management Plan Ngāti Kuri have completed their Iwi Management Plan to Draft stage. Council received an electronic copy on 19 February, which staff will evaluate and provide feedback. Their next step will be kaumatua and hapū endorsement for finalised copy. It will then be given to Council. Document number A Page 18 of 36

22 Total Far North District Economic Wellbeing Indicators The Far North District showed healthy economic growth for the year 2017 with both GDP and total employment increasing. The Far North District s total GDP was $1,828m for the year 2017, a 2.9% increase on The three largest GDP growth contributors were Manufacturing (+$10.3m), Construction (+$9.8m), and Health Care and Social Assistance (+$8.2m). employment for 2017 was 22,928, a 2.1% increase on This is the highest total employment for the Far North District since 2008 (23,116). The leading contributors to total employment were Accommodation and Food Services (+178), Construction (+104), Manufacturing (+63), and Retail Trade (+63). Annual GDP Growth: Far North District, 2007 to % Far North District Northland Region New Zealand 4.0% 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% Source: Infometrics, Regional Economic Profile, Far North District Annual Total Employment Growth: Far North District, 2007 to % Far North District Northland Region New Zealand 3.0% 2.0% 1.0% 0.0% 1.0% 2.0% 3.0% 4.0% Figures are inflation adjusted to 2010 prices. Source: Infometrics, Regional Economic Profile, Far North District Document number A Page 19 of 36

23 Governance Support to Elected Members Governance team staff are working with the Governance Committee to finalise their elected member performance through the setting of key performance indicators and a position description outlining key responsibilities of the elected members. This work has been placed on hold due to the work associated with the Terms of Reference for the Committees structure. An elected member skills matrix is a work in progress and will assist in defining professional development needs for 2018 and possible committee / portfolio management opportunities. By-election in Bay of Islands / Whangaroa ward Kawakawa-Moerewa Subdivision A by-election for the Community Board member vacancy is underway. Nominations open on 28 th February 2018 and close on 28 th March Voting packs will be sent to households from 2 May 2018 with polling closing at midday on 24 th May Document number A Page 20 of 36

24 Corporate Financial Information Statement of Operational Performance for the period ending 28 February 2018 Actual YTD as % of Total Annual Budget Actual YTD Budget YTD Total Annual Budget $000's Operational income Rates - general (excl water supply rates) 54,314 54,094 81,141 67% Rates - penalties 842 1,528 2,082 40% Fees & charges (inc water supply rates) 10,395 9,709 14,964 69% Central govt subsidies - operational 4,936 4,755 7,624 65% Other income ,360 59% Corporate income allocation 0 0 Capital income Central govt subsidies - new works 1,148 2,444 12,003 10% Central govt subsidies - renewals 6,247 7,327 14,896 42% Other contributions 0 0 5,025 0% Development contributions Total operating income 78,708 80, ,096 57% Operational Expenditure Payroll related costs 11,349 11,137 17,059 67% Other staffing related costs 766 1,033 1,558 49% General expenses 3,874 4,775 6,959 56% Rate remissions 2,781 1,934 2, % Contractor & professional fees 18,908 22,187 35,490 53% Grants and donations ,464 46% Allocations (direct and indirect) 8,504 10,167 15,172 56% Interest costs 1,914 2,205 3,308 58% Sub-total operational expenditure 48,771 54,344 83,175 59% Depreciation and other asset costs 20,579 20,380 30,569 67% Gain/Loss on Disposal Total operating expenditure 69,350 74, ,745 1 Net operating surplus/(deficit) 9,358 5,723 25,351 37% Statement of Capital Performance for the period ending 28 February 2018 Actual YTD Total Annual Budget YTD Budget $000's Actual YTD as % of Total Annual Budget Capital Works District Facilities 3,095 4,598 12,275 25% Environmental Management ,012 1% Strategic Planning % Roading & Footpaths 13,079 19,481 37,212 35% Wastewater 5,828 7,416 24,878 23% Stormwater ,189 51% Waste Management % Water Supply ,987 15% Governance & Strategic Administration 1,242 1,765 6,284 20% Total Capital Works 24,591 33,690 87,935 28% Document number A Page 21 of 36

25 Audit & Risk Risk Management The Business Improvement Advisors are completing IDEATE risk assessments with Tier Three managers across FNDC. The current teams completing the process are the Resource Consents Team, Building Consents Team, Community Development and Policy Team and the Financial Management and Management Information Teams. Risk Dashboards are provided to Tier Three Managers to manage accordingly, with their General Managers. The Business Improvement Advisors are also providing improvement support in areas such as RFS process design & reengineering, programme management and facilitation of a continuous improvement programme, Resource Management Act amendments and the required changes from this, public consultation processes for the LTP and business continuity planning. Internal Audit The Internal Auditor is completing the second internal audit, being a review of our information security. A report in the form of a dashboard will be provided to the Corporate Committee. Work is also being completed, to support the CEO s continuous improvement KPI, to develop a single repository to collate and track recommendations that are provided from assessments such as internal audits, 17 A reviews and external reviews. Information Services Property File Digitisation Progress on clearing the backlog of files is on-going and nearing completion targeting End of February for the last of the property files needed for the business and public. Currently there are 40 outstanding requests representing files requested 26/02/2017 For 10 days now the vendor has been processing property files related to LIMS in the contract 24 hour turnaround All other aspects of the project including forward scanning of applications by BC, RC and Compliance teams is working as expected Regular communications have been going out to the business and public and the project has responded to articles and requests for information from the press IM teams have been actively training real estate users on getting electronic files Document number A Page 22 of 36

26 LGOIMA Monthly Statistics Data as of 28 February 2018 Latest statistics for official information requests processed by the organisation appear below Month # Requests / Month # Requests responded to < 20 days # Requests responded to within permitted time extension # Requests not responded to within time Ombudsmen Investigations (if any) Jan Feb 4 4 remain open Document number A Page 23 of 36

27 Operations Customer Service Community and Customer Services The Community and Customer Services Department provides operational services in the area of the Contact Centre, front counter customer services, i-sites, Libraries, Housing for the Elderly and Cemeteries. Contact Centre Project New Contact Centre software went live on Wednesday 24 January Positive feedback has been received from customers who have utilised the call-back option. Some minor issues are being followed up including an issue with the transfer over of services to Phone Plus which presented a problem on Tuesday 13 February between 8am and 9am when Contact Centre staff had their training meeting; this had not been an issue previously. New customer contact channels are being considered including web chat and social media. Customer Services An unusually high volume of calls was received via the Contact Centre early February, mainly due to the water supply breakages that affected greater parts of Kaitaia township and the impacts of the flooding / road closures around the District affecting transport / tourists etc. Front counter customer services staff are experiencing an increase in the number of non-financial customer queries while over the counter payments continue to be steady. The number of RFSs created for January increased compared to January last year from 4197 to Of the 4423 created in January, 3908 were closed - 88%, a slight drop from 91% in December i-sites A fairly busy time with a total of 63 cruise ships expected to dock in at Paihia between October 2017 and April While some cruise ship visits were cancelled due to the weather conditions, passenger / crew numbers for those that did visit in January 2018 (ten ships) totalled 27,000. Hokianga and Kaitaia i-sites have experienced steady numbers with good retail sales however the weather has also affected a number of the activities and events on offer. Document number A Page 24 of 36

28 Libraries The report to the Kaikohe Hokianga Community Board recommending the Kaikohe Library close on Saturdays was not supported. Therefore, other options, including the possibility of hosting regular community programmes, will be considered. This matter will be reconsidered following community feedback received as part of the LTP consultation process on the recommendations from the Library Strategy and Service Delivery Review. ebook and eaudiobook downloads are still increasing which is an indication that the libraries are getting the correct material and more people are enjoying the convenience of downloading these resources from anywhere. Some users have provided feedback that, with the smart phone apps, the collections are easy to access from holiday destinations. Te Ahu Museum The Far North Regional Museum Trust held their AGM on 12 February. The Trust has appointed 3 new trustees. The main priority for the museum trust is the Pioneer House project and an application for funding of approx. $200,000 to the Lottery Environment and Heritage fund. The funding will be for the cleaning, decontaminating and rehousing of the museum collection currently residing in Pioneer House. Other priorities for the Trust and museum staff include the creation of a strategic plan and appropriate policy documents e.g. Acquisition and Deaccessioning. Cemeteries The number of enquiries regarding cemeteries across the district have decreased significantly with enquiries relating mainly to cemetery records and burial plots. Housing for the Elderly Council owns and rents out 147 Housing for the Elderly units and bedsits across the District. In total, there are currently 6 vacancies (5 in Kaitaia / Ahipara and 1 in Kerikeri) and 89 applicants on the waiting list. Inspections are currently underway as to which of the vacated units will be ready for tenanting and when. Document number A Page 25 of 36

29 Customer Experience Programme Customer Satisfaction Metrics Closed RFS As at 31 January 2018 we are sustaining a CSI for Closed RFS of 78%, achieving the 2017/18 minimum target (78%). A key enabler for pushing past this mark is engaged teams showing accountability and focussing on prioritising and completing actions to improve the experience for their customers. Building and Resource Consents and Inspections The 3 month baselines and targets for building and resource consenting processes (explored in November 2017) have been difficult to achieve. The volume of applications being received and teams overcoming resource constraints has significantly impacted the surveying process and service delivery and, therefore, customer satisfaction with these services. The remedial actions being taken including staff and contractor supplementation, along with process re-engineering are expected to improve outputs significantly. Customer Service Centres For the 4 month period ending 31 January 2018, 81.5% of our customers who visited the front counter, reported being very satisfied with the service and 18.5% are somewhat satisfied. The survey volumes we saw dipping in October and November increased satisfactorily during December and January, resulting from front counter teams enhancing their processes for gathering customer feedback. Continuous Improvement through action planning The coordinated effort to capture and deliver actions to improve our services is seeing results. There is clear evidence of pockets of improvement emerging where teams are seeing value in the action planning sessions, have identified issues, and then worked on implementing effective solutions. One stand-out team is Transport Operations - their CSI has leapt from 66% (April 2017 baseline) to 81% in January This can be attributed to increased engagement from roading management, their contractors, and interventions from support staff to improve the RFS processing. Document number A Page 26 of 36

30 Regulatory Services Compliance The compliance group received close to 700 Requests for Service (RFSs) in the month of January, the majority (324) of which related to animal management and parking. The administration team received 174 RFSs, the monitoring and building compliance team received 165 and the environmental services team received 32. The majority of RFSs for the group have been responded to within the required timeframe. The animal management team continue to focus on the dog pound projects for the district. The Temporary Dog Pound facility in Okaihau is near completion and dogs will be relocated from Kaitaia to Okaihau. The Okaihau facility will be the main dog pound for the district, with the Kaitaia facility serving as an overflow when required. Council invited Elected Members to a tour of the temporary dog pound facility on the 22 nd February 2018 to view progress of the facility before dogs are placed onsite. The environmental services team continue to work with food business operators in transitioning over to new food control plans. By the end of March 2018, all food businesses like restaurants, cafes, bakeries and food manufacturers need to transition to new food control plans. So far, 230 food businesses have transitioned over. The building compliance and monitoring officers continue to use the new investigative tool (case notes) and the number of new investigation cases opened steadily increases. 27 cases were opened in the month of January. The Parking Enforcement Officer serving the entire district has been asked to increase efforts around the Paihia area particularly along Marsden Road which is designated as a State Highway. Council is working with the New Zealand Transport Authority (NZTA) to clarify parking enforcement delegations along state highways. The compliance monitoring officers continue to assist the Northland Regional Council in visiting summer bathing sites across the district, collecting samples, testing samples and posting warning signs where necessary. Building Consents Management Building consents received and issued to the end of January 2018 show a trend that the number of building consents issued continues to be higher than previous years. The percentage of commercial and more complex residential applications is also increasing. Building consents issued within the 20 day statutory time frame presently sits at 90% and the issue of CCCs for completed projects within the same time frame at 98%. Building statistics shows that the eastern areas continue to be dominant in building consent numbers and also with the higher building project values. Document number A Page 27 of 36

31 Some of the larger building projects for the Far North include, Mitre 10 Building, Quail Ridge Recreation centre, Rawene Hospital Addition, Kaikohe District Court Up-grade, Kawakawa Hospital Upgrades, Kerikeri Aged Care Apartments. The high percentage and size of building projects has had an impact on the demand for building inspections. It is due to the demand that we have now on a temporary bases have extended the notice to book an inspection from 24hrs to 72 hrs. The turn around time from booking an inspection until the inspection is carried out is presently on an average of 4 days. Resource Consents Management Overview January saw a reduction in the amount of new resource consent applications received compared to previous years. The eighteen received are a lower amount than the four year average and the annual forecast. Hopefully this lull will allow our planners time to catch up on the backlog. We are certainly managing to get more decisions out and processing statutory days are reducing, in line with the team s plan. Competencies In response to the Building / Resource Consents Assurance and Enhancement Plan received on the Resource Consents Department will be conducting a detailed analysis of our current competency base, both in the Resource Consents team and the Admin Support team. In the first instance this will involve the creation of a skills matrix for each officer that will allow us to gain an overall picture of the level of competence within the teams. In addition there will be an analysis of the various levels of complexity of resource consent with a focus on the department s ability to process complex, commercial applications. The matrix will highlight any gaps, not only in our competency and capability, but also in our various processes. The Building Consents department have also been consulted with to try and provide consistency in the way we intend to report our findings. Recruitment There has been a recruitment drive over the preceding four months that has resulted in the Resource Consents team now being at full capacity with two additional fixed termers. The priority is now to upskill those new to the role and to ensure that existing officers have access to the appropriate training and development. Part of this will revolve around working towards full professional membership of the New Zealand Planning Institute by all officers. Further movement within the team over the coming months is a possibility and so we are approaching recruitment with a long term, forward projecting approach. Document number A Page 28 of 36

32 The Admin Support team has also now finished its recruitment process and has a full team. Business Improvements We are trying to work smarter with the resources that we currently have. Both the Resource Consent and Admin Support team have been closely reviewing the various procedures followed during the resource consent process. So far this has resulted in the following business improvements: System mapping and analysis Introduction of new training manuals Review and correction of existing training manuals Correction of workflow errors within Pathways (of which there are many) Review of the duty planning service Accurate financial reporting A major change in the second stage lodgement process that will result in long term efficiencies across the department. Further improvements are planned and will be implemented in a staged manner to allow current improvements (for example the new second stage lodgement process) to have time to take effect. The department plans to produce a business improvement plan with short, medium and long term improvements. Any changes will be planned, mapped and analysed for effectiveness. Measures taken into account will be, amongst other things, processing days and costs. Consultants We have been quite reliant on external consultants to assist us in the last year. In many ways we are fortunate that we have that facility to use. However, as the Department enters a more settled stage we plan to reduce our reliance on these external services, favouring instead to use them for specific applications where, for example, we require specialised input, or there could be a possible conflict of interest. We also intend to continue to maintain good working relationships with all our consultants as they are, obviously, a very useful resource in times of high demand on council. Document number A Page 29 of 36

33 The table below shows the consultants on our books (and RC s being processed): Consultant RC s being processed 1. Barker and Associates 3 2. SET Consultants 5 3. Sanson and Associates 8 4. LMD Planning 4 5. Lands and Survey 1 6. Opus Consultants 2 7. Element Planning 2 8. Zenith Planning 1 Financial Situation Below is an excerpt of the District Services Operations report for the Resource Consents Department for January YTD Full Year Actual Actual Budget Variance Commitment Funds Available Forecast Budget Variance MTD YTD YTD YTD WY WY WY WY Total Operating Income Total Operating Expenditure NET OPERATING SURPLUS/ (DEFICIT) 95, , , ,503 1,545,000 1,545, , ,965 1,337, , ,482 1,159,710 2,309,157 2,310,454-1,297-30, , , , , ,454-1,297 The figures in this report do not take into account monies held in the RC pre-payment account and so, when read alone, are not an accurate representation of the true financial status of the department. Document number A Page 30 of 36

34 The pre-payment account holds all deposits received for RC applications until the final invoice is sent out. This account requires monthly reconciliation and the current balance must be taken as income earnt and so read in addition to the report shown above. The pre-payment account currently has a balance of $370, Plans are in place for the reconciliation process and the reporting process to be simpler and more accurate in order to easily obtain an overview of the current financial situation. This will include reporting on invoices issued, paid and outstanding. Document number A Page 31 of 36

35 Infrastructure and Asset Management Infrastructure Projects Kerikeri / Waipapa Strategic Road Network SH10 Waipapa Roundabout & Klinac Lane Link Road NZTA are undertaking a review of their economic case and expect it to be completed early March The Programme Business Case can then be signed off and the next phase Detailed Design can commence. The construction start date has slipped slightly and is now expected early Traffic Modelling for Kerikeri and Waipapa new roads This work must be undertaken to justify subsequent implementation of any of the Kerikeri Waipapa roading projects. A justification had previously been prepared to obtain funding support from NZTA for the modelling work but this requires a redraft to satisfy new Business Case Criteria. Once approved by NZTA, the traffic modelling will be procured through competitive tender. Traffic counts are presently being undertaken and will provide the very latest data for the traffic modelling work. Funds have been allocated in the 2018 LTP for pre-implementation activities. Kerikeri Ring Road, Butler Road to Clark Road extension This project is on hold pending confirmation of need and priority through traffic modelling work as stated above. Roads and Footpaths Slips Current Slips Information as at 26 February Three packages of work are currently being tendered. These are a combination of Emergency works and Resilience Slips with a combined budget of 2.5m. Package one has been tendered and is awaiting sign off Package two is out to tender and closing on the 22nd of March 2018 Package three is being designed and will be out to tender in March 2018 Document number A Page 32 of 36

36 The spend to date for the three packages for investigation and design is $275k Package 1 sites are: Pawarenga 6696 Pawarenga 7649 Pawarenga 2580 Pawarenga Road RP 785 Package 2 sites are: West Coast Road Rp West Coast Road Rp West Coats Road Rp West Coast Road Rp 9010 West Coast Road Rp 9310 West Coast Road Rp13160 Package 3 sites are: Callaghan Road Rp 57 Broadwood Road 800 Larmers Road Rp 1970 Waitohue Road Rp 5400 Six further resilience sites with a total value of $233k have been completed (location), and work is nearly complete reinstating the Motuti Slip site at a cost of $180k. Document number A Page 33 of 36

37 Forestry Strengthening Two contracts are currently under way: i. Broadspectrum is delivering pavement strengthening on Pipiwai Road and Ngapipito Road. ii. Far North Roading is delivering the pavement strengthening on Matawaia Maromaku Road. This contract is scheduled to be completed by 24/05/2018. These contracts are tracking within budget and programme (The Forestry Resilience Package 1 received an extension of time of 75 working days on account of the dust seal variation). Both contracts are expected to be complete by May Sealing Broadspectrum have been awarded the added scope of the 6km dust seal extensions on Pipiwai Road and Ngapipito Road, following the Procurement Board Recommendation to the Council. Consultation with landowners is being assisted by FNDC s Senior Maori Development Advisor, Ted Wihongi and Adrienne Tari in order to sign land access agreements with adjacent residents. Preparation work is well advanced and Chip sealing operations are scheduled to commence at the end of February. Water/Wastewater Rawene / Omanaia Waste Treatment Plant Physical works contract has been placed on the Government Electronic Tender Service on 12 February Tenders close on 12 March A site visit with John Harding for Ministry of Health and Virginia McLaughlin and Zane Jones from the Northland District Health Board has been undertaken. The communication plan for stakeholder engagement communications is being updated. Document number A Page 34 of 36