notice of meeting notice is hereby given of the meeting of the … · notice of meeting notice is...

NOTICE OF MEETING

Notice is hereby given of the Meeting of the Finance and Policy Committee

to be held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building,

101 Esk Street, Invercargill on Tuesday 9 June 2015 at 4.00 pm

His Worship the Mayor Mr T R Shadbolt JP Cr N D Boniface (Chairman) Cr G J Sycamore (Deputy Chair) Cr R L Abbott Cr G D Lewis Cr D J Ludlow Cr L S Thomas

EIRWEN HARRIS MANAGER, SECRETARIAL SERVICES

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A G E N D A

Page

1. APOLOGIES

2. PUBLIC FORUM

3. MONITORING OF SERVICE PERFORMANCE

3.1 LEVELS OF SERVICE 1 JULY 2014 TO 30 APRIL 2015 5

4. MONITORING OF FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE

4.1 REPORT OF THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATESERVICES

4.1.1 Financials to 30 April 2015 15

6. ACTIVITY PLAN REVIEW

N/A.

7. DEVELOPMENT OF POLICIES/BYLAWS

N/A.

11. PUBLIC EXCLUDED SESSION

Moved, seconded that the public be excluded from the following parts ofthe proceedings of this meeting; namely

(a) Report of the Chief Executive(b) Report of the Director of Finance and Corporate Services

The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public isexcluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter,and the specific grounds under Section 48(1)(d) of the Local GovernmentOfficial Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of thisresolution are as follows:

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General subject of each matter to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter

Ground(s) under Section 48(1) for the passing of this resolution

(a) Appointment of Non-Elected Member for Venture Southland Joint Committee

Protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons

Section 7(2)(a)

(b) Investment Property

Enable any local authority holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations)

Section 7(2)(i)

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TO: FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE FROM: DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE

SERVICES MEETING DATE: TUESDAY 9 JUNE 2015

LEVELS OF SERVICE REPORT – 1 JULY 2014 TO 30 APRIL 2015 Report Prepared by: Melissa Short – Strategy and Policy Manager SUMMARY Reporting on the Corporate Services levels of service measures for the period comprising 1 July 2014 to 30 April 2015. RECOMMENDATIONS That the report be received. IMPLICATIONS 1. Has this been provided for in the Long Term Plan/Annual Plan?

The report monitors performance in relation to levels of service measures identified in the Long Term Plan and Annual Plan.

2. Is a budget amendment required?

No

3. Is this matter significant in terms of Council’s Policy on Significance?

No

4. Implications in terms of other Council Strategic Documents or Council Policy?

No

5. Have the views of affected or interested persons been obtained and is any further public consultation required?

No FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS No financial implications result from this report.

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DEMOCRATIC PROCESS

Democratic Activities 1 July 2014 to 30 April 2015

2014/15 Annual Plan adopted before 1 July 2014. Achieved. Annual Plan adopted on 17 June 2014.

2013/14 Annual Report adopted before 1 November 2014. Achieved. Annual Report adopted on 31 October 2014.

Consultation:

• Dog Control Policy and Bylaw • Establishment of the Representation Review Advisory Panel. • Long Term Plan submission hearings

DESTINATIONAL MARKETING Please note, the following information and graphs are supplied by Venture Southland. The figures are adapted from the Commercial Accommodation Monitor from commercial accommodation providers whom are GST registered and earn in excess of $30,000 per annum. Hence this data does not include statistics on visitors staying with friends and family, bed & breakfast accommodation, homestay, bach/crib rentals and freedom camping. Southland (by RTO) Both the year end and month of March had increases in visitor nights. For the year ended March 2015 compared with the previous year:

• Guest nights rose 8.3% percent to 395,111 • International guest nights rose 11.8 percent to 110,003 • Domestic guest nights rose 6.2 percent to 285,108 • The average length of stay dropped from 1.74 nights to 1.72 nights • The overall occupancy rate rose from 31.8 percent to 32.3 percent (highest level in

three years)

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Please note - the figures that have been provided are for the year ended January 2015. All figures are from Commercial Accommodation Monitor – RTO and TLA Guest Night Comparison by

Southland RTO

Invercargill TLA Gore TLA Southland

TLA Annual Guest Nights YE March 2015 395,111 286,183 34,878 589,997

% Change 8.3% 7.0% 9.2% 16.5%

Invercargill TLA For the year ended February 2015 compared with the previous year:

• Guest nights rose 7.0 percent to 286,183 • The average length of stay decreased by 1.75 nights to 1.73 nights • The overall occupancy rate increased by 40.27 percent to 40.48 percent

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Other Regional TLAs

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Media Results Southland stories from famils (familiarisation) facilitated by Venture Southland have featured in a number of national and international magazines, newspapers, international websites and television shows.

• Taste Magazine (Nick Russell) – Where to eat in Southland - May 2015 • NZ Herald (Jane Jeffries) – The Catlins – May 2015 • Regional News (Wellington Tabloid) Invercargill – May 2015 • Taste Magazine (Nick Russell) – Southern Farmers Market - May 2015 • NZ Gardener (Jo McCarroll) – A Gardener’s Road Trip to Southland – May 2015 • LeBackpacker Instagram (Johan Lolos) - May 2015 • RV Travel Lifestyle (Derryn Hinch) – Southern Road Trip – May/June 2015 • Taste Magazine (Nick Russell) – Garden to Table - May 2015 • IMP German TV Production – NZ From above – January 2015 • Wilderness Magazine (Matthew Pike) – Welcome Rock Trails – April 2015 • Wilderness Magazine (Alastair Hall) - Stewart Island, Southern Circuit – June Edition

(Out now) Media Familiarisation During spring and early summer Venture Southland hosted a number of media famils to Southland. Along with our domestic media famils, Venture Southland works with Tourism New Zealand on an International Media Programme. Below is a list of the areas that were explored along with the journalists name and publications they are associated with.

• Gone Fishin (Graeme Sinclair) – Bluff, Stewart Island, Riverton & Invercargill • IMP Japanese Media – Southland Autumn Feature - Bluff oyster, Blue River Cheese &

Mutton birds • Frommers Travel Guide (Kate Fraser) – Invercargill, Bluff and Stewart Island

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• LeBackpacker (Johan Lolos) May 2015 – Southern Scenic Route, Invercargill, Stewart Island & Western Southland

• Tourism New Zealand (Shona Cobham) – Stewart Island (Prince Harry Visit) and Invercargill

• Outdoors with Geoff (Geoff Thomas) – Northern Southland and Bluff Oyster Festival • MoreFM with Lana & Jase Drive Show – Stewart Island and Invercargill

Trade Shows and Famils The utilisation of trade channels such as inbound operators (IBOs) is a recognised format for driving sales to commissionable products (businesses that charge and offer commission to distribution channels) and building brand recognition in an affordable manner. Trade activities for the period include: • RTO IBO Training – Auckland • TRENZ (Tourism Rendezvous NZ) - Rotorua • Pre-TRENZ Famil – Bastiaan Brunning • TNZ North America Market Update – Queenstown (IMA) • North America Agent Famil – Southland Bill Richardson Transport World The tourism team meet and advised a variety of tourism sector operators. A key product that has been consulted with recently is the Bill Richardson Transport World. This has included assistance in becoming Trade ready (including pricing and packaging), trade introductions and famils (TNZ, Pacific Destinations, NA Agent Famil, Pre-TRENZ, Freedom Tourism, ID Tours NZ, dmASIA, Relaxing Journeys, Tourism Waitaki, Pure Southern Lands), and media famils (Fairfax Jo McCarroll, Southland Times, Frommers Travel Guide, NewZealand.com). Transport World was also launched at TRENZ, which attracted a variety of interest. As Transport World is seen as a complement to virtually every visitor market to Invercargill, the spread of promotional activity is very wide. TRENZ 2015 The Tourism team had with 51 appointments secured with international inbound operators from Australia, China, UK, Continental Europe, Japan, Thailand, Brazil & the USA. TRENZ 2015 was in Rotorua, and Southland received active interest, particularly on itinerary packages through the region, new products (such as Transport World, Welcome Rock Trails and the Around the Mountains Cycle Trails, Tussock Country Glamping, and Villa Rouge) and key points of difference (particularly our seafood and the Southern Scenic Route). Opportunities exist for trade in high standard accommodation (4+), and commissionable products and packages.

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Tourism Liaison Committee This committee, comprised of tourism regions and sector representatives meets quarterly to discuss the local tourism industry, and the challenges and opportunities that it encounters. In May 2015 the committee met in Riverton at Te Hikoi, where representatives from tourism sectors and regions discussed;

- The positive performance of industry in all sectors - Regional/sector development activities - The review of the visitor strategy. Key focuses are on appropriate product/experience

development, cohesive and definitive marketing and a sustainable industry with stakeholder involvement.

- 2016 iSITE Conference bid for Invercargill - Regional promotional initiatives

ENTERPRISE Please note, the following information and graphs are supplied by Venture Southland. Graph of number of people employed in Southland.

Source: Household Labour Force Survey (Data collected quarterly)

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Source: Household Labour Force Survey (Data collected quarterly)

• Southland unemployment levels remain one of the lowest in the country at 4.2%. • The numbers of people employed in Southland increased size of the labour market in

southland increased in the March quarter to 54,600 from 53,700 • Southland’s unemployment rate and worker participation rate continue to be amongst

the lowest and highest, respectively, in the country. • This equates to a tight labour market where employers are struggling to find the right

skills to fill positions. • This coupled with future demographic challenges, mean that Southland’s labour

market is currently constraint and will only get tighter into the future. • The development of a regional labour market strategy, which focuses on youth

engagement, up skilling of people within the region to match job opportunities, retention of staff and attraction of migrants is critical.

• The Southland Labour Market Strategy has been completed and actions and key areas of focused are currently being developed. This strategy outlines future action required to ensure the region has appropriate levels of workforce to ensure the regional economy can continue to grow.

• A key action from the Strategy is the Southland Youth Futures programme, a coordinator for this initiative was put in place at the beginning of March and is working with key stakeholders on actions to create a clear and support pathway for youth to enter agricultural careers.

• The 2015 Southland Business Survey showed that recruitment was the number one strategic issue for Southland businesses (over 50% say that this is the number one challenge).

• The business survey has indicated high levels of confidence in the Southland economy (87% were confident about the Southland economy).

• While confidence in the economy is high, reduced dairy pay-outs are likely to affect this.

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INVESTMENT PROPERTY 1 July 2014 to

30 April 2015 Investment Property Activity

Investment Property transactions (purchases and sales)

Purchase - 116 Esk Street and 30 Deveron Street, Invercargill

(Settled - 17 September 2014)

Purchase - 16 Don Street, Invercargill

(Settled - 1 October 2014)

Sale - 48 Windsor Street, Invercargill

(Settled - 12 December 2014)

Sale - 40 Colyer Road, Awarua

(settled 29 January 2015)

Sale – 101 Inglewood Road

(settled 27 March 2015)

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TO: FINANCE AND POLICY COMMITTEE FROM: THE DIRECTOR OF FINANCE AND CORPORATE

SERVICES MEETING DATE: TUESDAY 9 JUNE 2015

FINANCIAL RESULTS TO 30 APRIL 2015 Report Prepared by: Dean Johnston – Director of Finance and Corporate Services SUMMARY For the ten months to 30 April 2015, Finance and Policy was $77,843 under budget. RECOMMENDATIONS That the financial results to 30 April 2015 be received. IMPLICATIONS 1. Has this been provided for in the Long Term Plan/Annual Plan?

Yes

2. Is a budget amendment required?

No

3. Is this matter significant in terms of Council’s Policy on Significance?

No

4. Implications in terms of other Council Strategic Documents or Council Policy?

No

5. Have the views of affected or interested persons been obtained and is any further public consultation required?

No REPORT For the ten months to 30 April 2015, Finance and Policy are $77,843 under budget. The reasons for this are:

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Democratic Responsibility: Democratic Responsibility is $70,106 under budget for the then months. Councillors are $6,786 under budget but in this, the Council contingency is $36,426 under budget whilst the legal fees are $38,578 over spent for the period to date. Finance and Corporate Services: Finance and Corporate Services are $445,048 under budget. The main reason for this is that expenditure is $496,020 ahead of budget for the ten months. This variance is expected to reduce over the rest of the year as a lot of these are due to timings compared to actual budget. Grants and Subsides: Grants and Subsidies are $124,871 under budget for the ten months. This is all due to timing differences between the drawdown of grants and the budget and this will correct itself by year end. Halls and Theatres: Halls and Theatres are $11,022 over budget due to the Myross Bush Hall being $26,052 overspent. This will be taken out of their reserve at year end to correct this overspend. Special Projects Special Projects are $473,220 overspent on budget due to the loans and reserves yet to be drawn down. This will occur at year end to correct itself.

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