Economic Development Committee

MINUTES

 

Minutes of an ordinary meeting of the Economic Development Committee held in the Edinburgh Room, Municipal Chambers, The Octagon, Dunedin on Tuesday 11 September 2018, commencing at 1.05 pm

 

PRESENT

 

Chairperson

Cr Chris Staynes

 

 

 

 

Deputy Chairpersons

Cr Christine Garey

Cr Andrew Whiley

 

 

 

Members

Cr David Benson-Pope

Cr Doug Hall

 

Cr Aaron Hawkins

Cr Marie Laufiso

 

Cr Mike Lord

 

 

Cr Jim O'Malley

 

 

Cr Lee Vandervis

 

 

 

IN ATTENDANCE

John Christie (Director Enterprise Dunedin) Dave Tombs (General Manager Finance and Commercial), Sandy Graham (General Manager Strategy and Governance), Simon Pickford (General Manager Community Services), Suz Jenkins (Finance and Operations Manager), Chanel O’Brien (Business Development Advisor Skills and Entrepreneurship), Des Adamson (Business Relationship Manager) and Catherine Irvine (Senior Strategy and Policy Officer)

 

Governance Support Officer       Jennifer Lapham

 

 

 

1       Public Forum

 

 

1.1      Mr Rodger Hodgkinson

 

      Mr Hodgkinson spoke to the Committee regarding the development of a 5 star hotel in Dunedin.  He suggested that the Dowling Street Carpark would be the most appropriate site for the development of a hotel and outlined the synergies it would have with the proposed waterfront development and also the headquarters of the Otago Regional Council.

 

During the presentation Cr Laufiso entered the meeting at 1.17 pm

 

      Mr Hodgkinson responded to questions from the Committee on his proposal.

 

 

 

1.2    Start Up Dunedin Trust

 

 

Ms Sarah Ramsey (Chair of the Start Up Dunedin Trust) and Nigel Bamford, Scott Mason and Casey Davis Bell provided an overview of the activities of Start Up Dunedin and explained the role of the Start Up Dunedin Trust. 

 

 

Moved (Cr Aaron Hawkins/Deputy Chairperson Andrew Whiley):

That the Committee:

a)         Resolve to extend the public forum beyond 30 minutes.

Motion carried (ED/2018/026)

 

 

The Committee sought clarification on a number of matters in relation to the request for additional funding.

 

 

1       Apologies

 

Moved (Cr Chris Staynes/Cr Andrew Whiley):

That the Committee:

 

Accepts the apologies from Mayor Dave Cull, Crs Rachel Elder, Damian Newall and Cr Kate Wilson for absence and Cr Laufiso for lateness.  

 

 Motion carried (ED/2018/027)

 

2       Confirmation of agenda

 

 

Moved (Chairperson Chris Staynes/Deputy Chairperson Christine Garey):

That the Committee:

 

Confirms the agenda with the following alteration

 

In regard to Standing Order 21.1, Options C be adopted in relation to moving and seconding and speaking to amendments.

 

Motion carried (ED/2018/028)

 

 

3       Declarations of interest

Members were reminded of the need to stand aside from decision-making when a conflict arose between their role as an elected representative and any private or other external interest they might have.

 

 

Moved (Cr Chris Staynes/Cr Andrew Whiley):

That the Committee:

 

a)     Notes  the Elected Members' Interest Register and,

b)     Confirms the proposed management plan for Elected Members' Interests.

Motion carried (ED/2018/029)

Part A Reports

5       Enterprise Dunedin July to September 2018 Activity Report

 

In a report from Enterprise Dunedin a updated was provided on the activities of Enterprise Dunedin activities during the period July to September 2018.

 

Moved (Cr Andrew Whiley/Cr Doug Hall):

That the Committee:

 

a)     Notes the Enterprise Dunedin 1 July to 30 September 2018 Activity Report.

Motion carried (ED/2018/030)

 

6       Enterprise Dunedin Cruise Update Report

 

In a report from the Team Leader Visitor Centre (Louise van de Vlierd)  the results of the 2017/18 Cruise season and forecasts for the 2018/19 season (due to start 1 October 2018) were provided.

 

Moved (Cr Christine Garey/Cr Mike Lord):

That the Committee:

 

a)     Notes the Enterprise Dunedin Cruise Update Report.

Motion carried (ED/2018/031)

 

7       Film Dunedin

 

In a report from the Economic Development Programme Manager (Fraser Liggett) approval was sought approval for a Grow Dunedin Partnership recommended funding decision.

On 8 June 2018, the Grow Dunedin Partnership resolved to allocate $100,000 from an agreed and existing 2018/19 operating budget of $362,634 to film activities.

The purpose of the funding was to maintain existing film activity and over time increase levels of service and resourcing from the current 0.25 full time equivalent (FTE) Film Dunedin Coordinator role to 1.0 FTE.

 

Moved (Cr Aaron Hawkins/Cr Christine Garey):

That the Committee:

 

a)     Approves $100,000 from existing 2018/19 Grow Dunedin Partnership operating budgets for Film Dunedin activity.

Motion carried (ED/2018/032)

 

8       Start-Up Ecosystem

 

In a report the Business Development Advisor Skills and Entrepreneurship advised that approval was sought for a Grow Dunedin Partnership recommended funding decision.

On 12 July 2018, Grow Dunedin Partners resolved to allocate $150,000, from an agreed and existing 2018/19 operating budget of $362,634 to support the development of the start-up ecosystem.

The proposed 2018/19 investment will be matched by $50,000 funding from CreativeHQ/ Callaghan Innovation for the Challenger business incubator programme.

 

 

Moved (Cr Andrew Whiley/Cr Christine Garey):

That the Committee:

 

a)     Approves $150,000 for measures to support the start-up ecosystem from existing 2018/19 Grow Dunedin Partnership operating budgets;

b)     Notes this investment will attract $50,000 from Callaghan Innovation for the delivery of business incubator services during 2018/19.

Motion carried (ED/2018/033)

 

9       Submission on the phase out of single use plastic shopping bags

 

In a report from the Group Manager Waste and Environmental Solutions (Chris Henderson) a draft Dunedin City Council (DCC) submission to the Ministry for the Environment’s Discussion Document on the proposed phase out of single use plastic shopping bags was attached.

The Government was considering phasing out single-use plastic shopping bags in New Zealand as one of many steps to reduce the negative environmental impacts of plastic. At the same time, the Government would work toward a longer-term goal of taking a ‘circular economy’ approach to waste – designing for less waste and cycling resources, like plastics, back into the economy.

There were 10 proposed options and the draft submission supported option 1, the mandatory phase out of sale or distribution of single use plastic shopping bags.

The DCC submission notes the first option aligns with the DCC’s support for local grass root initiatives and petitions calling for the ban of single use plastic shopping bags.

 

Following discussion Moved (Cr Aaron Hawkins/Cr Jim O'Malley):

That the Committee:

 

a)         Approves the draft submission with the following amendment.

               1       The phase out of single use plastic shopping bags would contribute           positively to the DCC’s goal of becoming a zero-waste city.

               2      The DCC recognises that behavioural change at an individual scale is       important in addressing our waste challenge, but only one part of it.

The transition from a linear economy to a circular one will also require collective solutions, at a district and national scale, and a greater contribution to structural change from industry.

To that end, we welcome the subsequent consultation announced on       the wider use of tools within the Waste Minimisation Act.

3.      As the consultation document mentions, our preferred option will be more of a challenge for those on lower incomes. It is important that the disproportionate impacts on both cash and time poor citizens are adequately mitigated.

4.      The DCC supports the weight limit being set at 70 microns, without exemptions for any particular category of retail business.  This would help ensure a level playing field across the sector, and a consistent approach for consumers to help reinforce the shift towards alternatives.

Motion carried (ED/2018/034) on a Division

 

For:          Crs David Benson-Pope, Christine Garey, Doug Hall, Aaron Hawkins, Marie Laufiso, Mike Lord, Jim O'Malley, Andrew Whiley and Chris Staynes (9).

Against:     Cr Lee Vandervis (1).

 

The division was declared CARRIED by 9 votes to 1

 

 

10     Items for Consideration by the Chair

 

 

 

 

There were no items notified. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The meeting concluded at 3.42 pm .

 

 

 

 

 

 

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C H A I R P E R S O N