22. 10. 97
COMMUNITY SERVICES COMMITTEE
19 SEPTEMBER 1997
A meeting of the Community Services
Committee
was held on Friday 19 September 1997 at 3.00 pm
| PRESENT: |
Councillor Garry Moore (Chairperson),
Councillors Anna Crighton, Pat Harrow and Barbara
Stewart. |
| |
|
| APOLOGIES: |
Apologies for absence were received and
accepted from the Mayor and Councillors Carole Anderton,
Graham Condon, David Cox, Carole Evans, Ishwar Ganda,
Lesley Keast and from Councillor Pat Harrow for retiring
early. |
| |
Councillor Pat Harrow retired at 4.40 pm
and was absent for part of clause 3. |
The Committee reports that:
PART B - REPORTS FOR INFORMATION
1. THE CCC PLAN : 1998 EDITION RR 6123
The Committee received from the Financial Planning
Manager, Paul Melton, a report on the 1998 planning
process and plan timetable.
The report invited the Committee to prepare a planning
statement if considered appropriate for input into the 1998 plan
process.
2. REVIEW OF IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 1996/97 CORPORATE PLAN
The Committee received reports from Units for the
period ending 30 June 1997 as follows:
Canterbury Tourism Council
The Chief Executive, Jeanette Elliott, spoke to the report and
indicated the Canterbury Tourist Council had met the key
performance indicators for the period. She drew attention to the
decline in numbers at the Visitors Centre, especially in the
April-June period, reflecting the slowing in the growth of
international visitors to New Zealand.
The opportunity was taken for members to ask questions and
these covered topics relating to:
- The perception there was too much crime in Christchurch
and it was not a safe place to be. This was mentioned in
relation to the report on attendance at the Auckland
Easter Show by representatives of the marketing
department.
- Language difficulties occurred in sending representatives
to travel marts such as that in Geneva in May and the
desirability of having representatives fluent in the host
country languages.
- A question was asked in relation to the
Australian/Southern Region Joint Venture Promotion and
the possibility of trying to promote smaller operators as
well.
- Ms Elliott indicated that following the appointment of a
new Board in October, she anticipated reporting back
further on the issue of a co-operative promotion
structure for the South Island.
Canterbury Development Corporation
- Deborah Hatton, Brigid Lenihan and Tony Soutter attended
and answered questions concerning the work of the
Corporation and the Employment Services Unit during the
1996/1997 financial year.
- Questions raised related to:
- The revenue figure of $342,711 on page 9 of the
Employment Services Report related to the carryforward of
Job Skills money from the previous financial year.
- Councillor Stewart asked if it was possible for feedback
to be given on business losses to other centres
especially at the stage these first became known.
- It was suggested that for all future reports from units a
further column be added providing details of the
indicative budgets for the following financial year to
allow a three yearly comparison to be made. In addition,
costs on a per person basis were also suggested.
- The Chairperson indicated that the Canterbury Development
Corporation had been giving consideration to its future
performance indicators and he expected that a report on
these would come to the Committee in the future.
Communications and Promotions Unit
- Staff from the Unit spoke to the report which covered
City Promotion, Turning Point 2000 and Sister Cities
activities for the preceding year.
- Topics raised by members during discussion of the reports
were as follows:
- It was noted that the Christchurch City Council had not
as yet identified a specific project, outside the events
programme, for the year 2000. It was agreed that staff
would bring a report to the Community Services Committee
on possible options that the Council could undertake.
- In relation to Turning Point 2000, members noted with
concern that there was only one South Island
representative on the national body and it was asked that
details of the composition be provided to the Committee.
- Rae Knutson, Director Turning Point 2000, indicated that
the time had now arrived when deposits needed to be made
for some events. It was agreed that the matter be
reported back to the Committee for consideration as part
of the six monthly review.
- The Manager, Communications and Promotions Unit,
indicated that in her opinion there was a need to fund
the Canterbury Tourism Council on a longer term basis
rather than on the annual basis as done at present. She
suggested that confirmed funding for a three to five year
period would be appropriate and she would bring this
issue back to the Community Services Committee at budget
time. In addition, she indicated in her opinion the
efforts to establish Christchurch as a `brand' could be
strengthened and she intended to also report back to the
Committee on this topic.
- Councillor Anna Crighton raised the issue of the
Council's relationship with its Sister City of
Christchurch, Dorset and indicated in her opinion the
Sister City relationship was with the wrong city and
should have in fact been with Christchurch, Oxford with
which Christchurch, New Zealand had more definite links.
It was indicated that this was a very sensitive topic
that could perhaps be considered as part of the Sesqui
celebrations in the year 2000. In relation to Sister
Cities activities, staff indicated they considered the
policies regarding Sister Cities needed updating and
would be providing a report on this in future.
Housing
- The Property Manager reported that a total of $2.187m had
been transferred to the Housing Development Fund as an
operating surplus.
- The Housing Service Delivery Review was currently being
undertaken and a seminar for the Committee was planned
when this was finished.
- Members raised questions relating to:
- The provision of budget figures for the subsequent year
as a comparison.
- The possibility of incorporating a performance indicator
which would provide costs on a per tenant basis as a
performance indicator.
- The issue of establishing what current income levels were
for tenants to ascertain what changes, if any, have taken
place since the original letting. (Note: It was indicated
that the Wellington City Council had recently undertaken
a survey of this nature. Associated with this, however,
would be the necessity to decide what to do when this
information had been received and this was highlighted as
a policy area which would need further examination.)
- The Housing Manager updated members on the current
situation regarding the policy decision to allow dogs
into Council housing in accordance with a defined set of
conditions and he advised that three applications had
been received of which two had been agreed to after
consultation. Future budgets made provision for
processing applications in respect to some 30 dogs per
annum.
- The Property Manager advised that Mr Alun Wilkie was
providing architectural services without charge in
respect to the upgrading of the motels purchased for the
YMCA and it was agreed that the Property Manager would
draft a letter of appreciation from the Council to Mr
Wilkie for the Chairperson to sign.
Art Gallery
- The Director of the Robert McDougall Art Gallery spoke to
the report and drew the attention of members to three key
issues in the operating results for the year. These
related to net operating expenditure being 3.2% above
budget, caused by an additional one off personnel cost
plus the undertaking of a major touring exhibition. Net
cost of exhibitions were slightly over budget due to an
extra exhibition of work by Bill Sutton and the target of
total visitors was 95% of budget due to disruptions
during upgrading of the Art Gallery. This was also
reflected in the cost per visit at $7.15 but satisfaction
levels had risen at some 3% in the annual residents
survey.
- Leisure and Community Services Unit
- The Senior Community Development Advisor, Martin Maguire,
attended the meeting and spoke to the report in relation
to the Community Group Assistance and Child Care outputs
of the Unit.
- Performance indicators for these outputs had been met and
actual expenditure was under budget.
- There was general agreement that the performance
indicators as shown did not clearly reflect the work done
by the Unit or the outcomes expected of it by its
customers. Mr Maguire indicated staff were consulting
with their customers on what outputs they expected and it
was anticipated that revised performance indicators would
be submitted through the forthcoming Annual Plan process.
- The Committee agreed that Councillor Close, Councillor
Moore, the Mayor, the Children's Advocate, Principal
Policy Analyst and Senior Community Development Advisor
should attend a fundraising function organised for early
October by the Commissioner for Children, for the Neil
Williamson Trust, as representatives of the Council.
Library
- The Libraries Manager reported that for the first time,
total issues for the year exceeded 5 million. While
revenue had been down, the average cost per transaction
had now also for the first time fallen to below $2.
- It was agreed that the Libraries Manager would discuss
with the Senior Community Development Advisor what
support the Library could provide to refugees in
Christchurch and that refugee organisations such as PEETO
should also be consulted.
- The Libraries Manager indicated that official
celebrations and a public gala day were planned for late
October and early November to celebrate the completion of
the refurbishment of the Central Library. In addition a
further joint programme with the NZISS was planned for
commencement shortly.
PART C - REPORT ON DELEGATED DECISIONS TAKEN BY THE
COMMITTEE
3. SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT
| |
REVIEWING THE EFFECTIVENESS,
EFFICIENCY AND ECONOMY OF THE COUNCIL'S OPERATIONS |
RR 6121 |
The Chairperson sought the approval of the Committee to
introduce a supplementary report on the above topic. The reasons
why the report had not been included in the main agenda and why
it could not wait for the next meeting were explained to the
Committee.
It was resolved that the report be received and
considered at the present meeting.
Due to lack of time, however, the Committee subsequently
agreed that the report be considered further at the October
meeting of the Committee.
The meeting concluded at 5.30 pm.
CONSIDERED THIS 22ND DAY OF OCTOBER 1997
MAYOR
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