Councillor fails to get colleagues to give up free lunches

4:00AM Friday Nov 28, 2008
By Wayne Thompson

[Grant Gillon. Photo / Mark Mitchell]

A city councillor has been thwarted in a bid to make his colleagues buy their own lunches so the city could spend $25,000 on a community environmental centre.
"There's no such thing as a free lunch and in these tight economic times we need to send a signal to the ratepayers," said Grant Gillon at last night's North Shore City Council meeting.
He said he was appalled that the council was turning down a "worthy" application for $25,000 by the Kaipatiki Project, which wants to build a sustainable show home for its base.
"I will put my hand in my pocket to pay for my lunch so their application can be granted," said Mr Gillon, one-time Alliance MP, union official and firefighter.
He suggested the 15 councillors and the Mayor put $20 a week each into a fund to provide their meals at work.
The resulting saving in the council budget could go to the project.
But his motion was defeated 10 votes to three, despite support from Mayor Andrew Williams.
Opposing councillors said the project did not qualify for a community grant, and cutting lunches to save rates money was a matter for a separate debate.
Councillor Lisa Whyte said: "I don't care if you give me lunch or not, because I'm on a diet."
Mr Gillon said he would try again to have his suggestion adopted "because I don't think ratepayers should pay for our food".
Council chief financial officer Dale Lott said the proposed catering budget for the council chamber was $50,000 - half that of five years ago.
Once, councillors had a cooked meal during breaks but these days the menu was sandwiches, sushi and fruit.
The $50,000 also included catering for people who came to address a council meeting on business and were invited to lunch. The council had a similar budget for civic functions.
Other city councils also provide meals for elected members.
Waitakere City Council spokesman Wally Thomas said $40,000 was in the budget for feeding the Mayor and 14 councillors each year.
Councillors were given tea and coffee and a buffet of scones, biscuits, sandwiches, savouries and fruit at monthly council meetings, which could last more than four hours.
Mr Thomas said the lunch budget "like all areas of internal spending is being reviewed".
Manukau City has a budget of $45,000 for catering, but does not give councillors food unless a meeting runs over a normal meal time.
The budget covers Manukau's full council meetings, council committees and forums, as well as community board and planning hearings.
Auckland City spent $4739 on working lunches for council and committee members between July last year and the beginning of this year.
The bill covers three months of the former council and two months of the new council elected in October.
The new council has made changes to reduce catering costs.

Kauri dieback on the Shore

I am extremely concerned that the PTA Kauri dieback disease has spread to North Shore Kauri. Kauri are much loved NZ icons and our community treasures the stands in North Shore reserves.
It is imperative that North Shore City moves quickly to assist the ARC in whatever measures are necessary to fight this insidious disease and protect our Kauri. The City and the ARC cannot manage this task on our own, we need the help of residents and community groups.
I implore our local residents and reserve volunteers to help also by preventing the spread of the disease by thorough boot cleaning and washing before and afterwalking in our reserves. It is also important that the Parks Dept or the ARC are notified if any signs of Kauri dieback are noticed. (pic. A healthy kauri in Chatswood Reserve"

for Information on PTA disease (Kauri dieback)" 20th November 2008.

Development of commercial sites in heritage areas under review

Development of commercial sites in heritage areas under review

The North Shore City Council has begun a review of the way the District Plan deals with applications to alter or replace commercial buildings in heritage zoned areas.

At the same time, it is reviewing its schedule of commercial buildings which are currently listed for heritage protection.

North Shore City Council Strategy and Finance Committee Chair Grant Gillon says that the need for this review has been highlighted in the recent issues surrounding properties such as the 83 Hinemoa St residential apartment development, the Masonic Tavern redevelopment proposal and the redevelopment of 89 Vauxhall Rd.

He says that the review will cover the controls on development of buildings on commercially zoned land (Business 1, 2 and 9) in the heritage areas in Devonport, Northcote Point and Birkenhead.

The main issues to be covered in the review are:

Whether current controls on development in business zones require an appropriate amount of ground level floor space for business premises when existing buildings are replaced or altered.

Whether current controls ensure that any new or altered building is sympathetic with the surrounding buildings – both in terms of height and design.

Whether there are any additional commercial buildings in the heritage areas of Devonport, Northcote Point or Birkenhead which should be added to the council’s heritage schedule. The schedule, which is currently being reviewed, gives individual buildings heritage protection. Some commercial buildings are already on the schedule.

Councillor Gillon says that the council’s “District Plan Change 33” review process will investigate all possible ways of dealing with the issues.

“The most likely solution is that the council will change the existing provisions in the District Plan,” he says.

The first step in this process is to prepare a report under Section 32 of the Resource Management Act. The report sets out the costs and benefits of possible options for addressing the issues.

Now that the report has been drafted, the council has begun consulting the 500-odd people and organisations who could be affected by any change in the existing provisions.

The council has written to all owners of commercial buildings in heritage areas, and to their neighbours who might also be affected. Interested community organisations and heritage groups have also been contacted.

The letter explains the issues in more detail, and the full “Section 32” report is on the council’s website under www.northshorecity.govt.nz.

The council is asking any affected parties to email or telephone the council’s specialist heritage staff with any comments regarding the review. Feedback is required no later than 30 January 2009.

Councillor Gillon says that this is only the first step in a lengthy process. “If the community feedback makes it clear that the council should undertake a review of the relevant District Plan provisions for smaller business areas, a formal submission process will be undertaken.”

new North Shore Disability Strategy

North Shore City Council approves new North Shore Disability Strategy

18 November 2008

Yesterday the North Shore City Council gave its approval to the first ever Disability Strategy for the North Shore.

The strategy is an over-arching document which outlines ways in which disabled people can be supported to achieve their potential and take a full and active role in the North Shore Community..

The strategy, subtitled “Creating a city that values people of all abilities” was developed in partnership with council and under the leadership of a steering group of disabled people.

Council Strategy and Finance Committee Chair Grant Gillon says that the strategy is a collaborative document, and that every agency and individual has a part to play in its implementation.

“The strategy challenges disabled people to realise their potential – and it challenges our entire community to support disabled people as they work to achieve their objectives.”

Disability Steering Group Chair Sonia Thursby says the strategy is a significant development for North Shore City.

“Many groups and individuals in the disability sector have had input into the strategy and the action plan which is the implementation document.

“We now look forward to people becoming more aware and therefore attitudes changing. This is a very positive step towards an inclusive North Shore.”

Councillor Gillon says that the Disability Steering Group which led the development of the strategy was created because of the need to take a big picture approach to disability issues.

However, he says, that does not mean that the council or the wider community will take their attention away from the everyday ways in which changes can be made to improve the lives of disabled people.

“We must never forget that with this strategy the steering group is asking the council, the whole community and government to help create a city that demonstrates that it values all its people equally.”


FACTS

Nearly one in five people living in the North Shore live with impairment and the majority of disabled people have more than one impairment.
Disease or illness, and accidents or injuries are the most common causes of disability for adults. The most frequent of accident or injury causing disability happens at work.
Disability increases with age, with 45% of adults aged 65 years and over living with an impairment.
The New Zealand Mental Health Survey (Ministry of Health, 2006) shows that about half of New Zealanders will experience a mental illness and/or an addiction at some time in their lives, with one in five people affected within any one year.
The World Health Organisation has identified that depression is set to become the second leading cause of disability in the world by 2020.

Contacts:



North Shore City Council Strategy and Finance Committee Chair Grant Gillon 09 480 1835, 027 476 4679.

Important Issues Face Council

Despite the recent media given to North Shore City Council (NST 18 Nov. p.3) the Council and officers are functioning extremely well.

There are many more important issues facing our City in these uncertain times and there is much to do. For example, where do we find $30 million for the cycle network over the next 10-15 years (when each $1m increase in spending or debt interest payments equates to about 1% increase in rates) or the many tens of millions for the proposed Albany library or Northern Recreation Centre or $12 million extra for wastewater requirements?

Under Andrew William’s mayoralty, Council has scrutinised the budget, almost line by line, for savings but at the same time continued to develop high quality services. We have tried to improve consultation and liaison with our communities and recently Council has signed or is developing many Memoranda of Understanding and new policy strategies including with the NZ Fire Service, North Shore Pacifica, Ngati Whatua. Delegations have been restored to our community boards in an attempt to deliver decision-making close to the community. In addition, the commercial airport proposal at Whenuapai has been shelved and new parks purchased, helping to protect and enhance North Shore communities and lifestyles. Of importance, are the new district plan change proposal and the heritage strategy both designed to protect our heritage zones. We have worked hard to improve access to bus services on the Bus Lanes, enhance ecological initiatives and develop ferry services at Beach Haven and Birkenhead and ensure the Birkenhead Library project proceeds as required.

However, Council is political and there will always be differences in policy and more councillors than positions to fill leading inevitably to some disenchantment, grumbling and frustration. But, I am ever hopeful that will not distract most from Council delivering on our residents’ expectations of us focusing on providing quality services, improved facilities and at as low a cost as possible.

North Shore Community Groups to Benefit from New Initiatives

North Shore’s community groups are set to benefit from a new Council policy to provide for increased grants for consent application charges, says Harbour Ward Councillor and Chair of the Strategy and Finance Committee, Grant Gillon.

"The policy (proposed by Grant Gillon and seconded by His Worship Andrew Williams) allows community boards to provide a grant for both building and resource consent fees." Grant Gillon said.

"North Shore’s groups are going through hard times in the current economic situation and need some support to continue providing services to our community”

Community groups embarking on building or other capital projects might need to gain a resource consent to comply with the Resource Management Act as well as a building consent to ensure compliance with the District Plan. Until now, they have only been able to get a grant to cover resource consent and not building consents.

“Even then the cap is on the grant at $1000. This policy has not changed since 1999 and charges have risen considerably over the last 9 years”

" Recently, a local playcentre was stung with huge compliance costs to renovate their playground and I was disappointed that the Birkenhead/Northcote Community Board was only able to offer the maximum $1000 assistance. This new proposal lifts the cap to $2500 to cover both resource and building consents with the objective of providing extra assistance to community groups. " said Grant Gillon.

“The groups still need to apply through their community boards as is the present policy." Grant Gillon said.

"I was disappointed that some councillors opposed the new limits and wanted to retain them at $1000. Fortunately for our valued community groups the majority view supported the increase," Grant Gillon said.