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 21 May 2019, commencing at
1.30 pm

PRESENT

Chairperson	Cr Chris Staynes
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Christine Garey	Cr Andrew Whiley
Members	Cr David Benson-Pope	Cr Rachel Elder
	Cr Doug Hall	Cr Aaron Hawkins
	Cr Marie Laufiso	Cr Mike Lord
	Cr Jim O'Malley	Cr Lee Vandervis
	Cr Kate Wilson

IN ATTENDANCE

John Christie (Director Enterprise Dunedin), Sue Bidrose (Chief Executive Officer), Dave Tombs (General Manager Finance and Commercial), Fraser Liggett (Economic Development Programme Manager), Des Adamson (Business Relationship Manager), Antony Deaker (Film Dunedin Coordinator), Suz Jenkins (Finance and Operations Manager), Chanel O’Brien (Business Development Advisor Skills and Entrepreneurship), Benje Patterson (Business Analysis Consultant), Louise van de Vlierd (Team Leader, Visitors Centre) and Andrea Jones (Communications Team Leader)

Governance Support Officer                  Wendy Collard

1       Public Forum

1.1       Climate Change

Max Harvey and Trevor Waikawa addressed the meeting on Climate Change Action.  Mr Harvey commented on the level of carbon emissions in the atmosphere and the number of species which were at risk of extinction in the world with 4000 of them in New Zealand.

Mr Harvey requested that Council declare a climate and ecological emergency as other cities in New Zealand and the world had done.  He commented that the city needed to take more action and provided suggestions on how this could be achieved which included commissioning a report of the state of the environment; banning of single use plastics; and investing in solar energy.

Messrs Harvey and Waikawa responded to questions.

1.2      Startup Dunedin Trust

Cr Doug Hall left the meeting at 1.51 pm.

Donna Hall, Sarah Ramsay and Scott Mason from Startup Dunedin Trust spoke to a PowerPoint presentation on Startup Dunedin Project which included the number of programmes, mentors and the demographics of users of the Ecosystem. 

Ms Ramsay commented on the Startup Dunedin Trust commented on their strategy and achievements.  She commented that the main objective for this year was coaching, creating opportunities for founders to pitch their ideas to potential funders including venture capitalists and angel investors.  Ms Ramsay provided a background to investment funding such as Angel Investment.

Moved (Cr Chris Staynes/Cr Andrew Whiley):

That the Committee:

Extends the Public Forum.

Motion carried (ED/2019/008)

Ms Hall, Ms Ramsay and Mr Mason responded to questions.

2          Apologies

Moved (Cr Chris Staynes/Cr Andrew Whiley):

That the Committee:

Accepts the apologies from Cr Conrad Stedman, Cr Damian Newell and Mayor Dave Cull.

Motion carried (ED/2019/009)

3          Confirmation of agenda

Moved (Chairperson Chris Staynes/Deputy Chairperson Andrew Whiley): That the Committee: Confirms the agenda without addition or alteration In regard to Standing Order 2.1, Option C be adopted in relation to moving and seconding and speaking to amendments. That Item 6 – Startup Ecosystem be taken before Item 5 to allow for the Start Up Dunedin Trust members to be present. Motion carried (ED/2019/010)

4          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/Amends if necessary the Elected Members' Interest Register attached as Attachment A; and

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

Motion carried (ED/2019/011)

Part A Reports

6          Startup Ecosystem
	A report from Enterprise Dunedin sought approval for a Grow Dunedin Partnership (GDP) funding decision in line with GDP’s approvals and delegation. The report noted that on 28 March 2019, GDP resolved to allocate $150,000, from a proposed 2019/20 operating budget of $360,000 included in the 10 -Year Plan to the Startup Dunedin Trust (SUDT) to support the development of the startup ecosystem. The investment built on 2018/2019 activities and would further develop Dunedin startup businesses. The Economic Development Programme Manager (Fraser Liggett) and the Business Development Advisor Skills and Entrepreneurship (Chanel O’Brien) spoke to the report and responded to questions.  Ms O’Brien made positive reference to the work the SUDT did facilitating and coordinating the growth of the Dunedin startup ecosystem.
	Moved (Cr Andrew Whiley/Cr Christine Garey): That the Committee: a)         Approves $150,000 funding to the Startup Dunedin Trust for the 2019/20 financial year from proposed 2019/20 Grow Dunedin Partnership operating budgets. b)        Notes this investment will attract $25,000 of funding from Callaghan Innovation for continuation of the Challenger Series. Motion carried (ED/2019/012)

Cr Doug Hall returned to the meeting at 02:56 p.m.

5          Enterprise Dunedin Activity Report
	A report from Enterprise Dunedin provide an update on a selection of Enterprise Dunedin activities to April 2019. Cr David Benson-Pope left the meeting at 02:57 p.m. The Economic Development Programme Manager (Fraser Liggett) and the Finance and Operations Manager (Suz Jenkins) spoke to the report and responded to questions.
	Moved (Cr Christine Garey/Cr Andrew Whiley): That the Committee: a)         Notes the Enterprise Dunedin Activity Report. Motion carried (ED/2019/013)

7          Items for Consideration by the Chair

Councillor Hawkins requested with urgency a report on the progress of the initial actions of Te Ao Turoa – The Environment Strategy. Councillor Hawkins also requested that Council give consideration to the declaration of a climate emergency. Councillor O’Malley requested that the report requested by Councillor Hawkins include the economic impact of shifting Dunedin’s carbon neutral goal from 2050 to 2035.

Resolution to exclude the public

Moved (Chairperson Chris Staynes/Cr Mike Lord):

That the Committee:

Pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, exclude the public from the following part of the proceedings of this meeting namely:

General subject of the matter to be considered	Reasons for passing this resolution in relation to each matter	Ground(s) under section 48(1) for the passing of this resolution	Reason for Confidentiality
C1  Film Dunedin update	S7(2)(b)(ii) The withholding of the information is necessary to protect information where the making available of the information would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information. S7(2)(h) The withholding of the information is necessary to enable the local authority to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities.	S48(1)(a) The public conduct of the part of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding exists under section 7.

This resolution is made in reliance on Section 48(1)(a) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, and the particular interest or interests protected by Section 6 or Section 7 of that Act, or Section 6 or Section 7 or Section 9 of the Official Information Act 1982, as the case may require, which would be prejudiced by the holding of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting in public are as shown above after each item.

Motion carried (ED/2019/014)

Adjournment of meeting
	Moved (Chairperson Chris Staynes/Cr Rachel Elder): That the Committee: Adjourns the meeting. Motion carried (ED/2019/015) The meeting adjourned from 3.31 and reconvened in non-public at 3.38 pm

The meeting moved into non-public at 3.38 pm and concluded at 4.12 pm.