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Civic Affairs Committee
11 March 2025
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Part
A Reports
Mayoral Scholarship
Department: Executive Leadership Team
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
1 On
5 September 2023 the Civic Committee (the Committee) considered the Recognition
of Former Mayors report and asked for staff to investigate options and costs
for a possible Mayoral Scholarship and to provide a report to a future
committee.
2 Staff
have met with University of Otago Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka (the
University) several times during 2024 to discuss options for a scholarship and
for Council staff to understand the University’s criteria and scholarship
processes.
3 The
purpose of this report is to discuss the options and costs of a scholarship for
the Committee to decide on whether they wish to establish a Mayoral scholarship
with the University.
4 The
response from the University to the idea of a scholarship has been very
positive, and the University recognise the opportunity that a Mayoral
scholarship would provide in recognising the service of former Mayors, but also
cementing the important relationship between the Dunedin City Council (DCC) and
the University as two integral partners in supporting Dunedin’s
educational, social, economic, and cultural wellbeing.
5 The
University is clear that their scholarship programme is a fundamental priority
for them, and that a Mayoral scholarship would add to a programme that
recognises academic excellence, leadership qualities, ethnicity, financial
hardship, disability, and excellence in sporting or cultural pursuits.
6 Council
and University staff have discussed several factors that would need to be
considered in the establishment of a scholarship including – value,
frequency, timing cycle to align with DCC and University, level of tertiary
study, whether the scholarship would be an ‘official’ scholarship,
and selection processes.
7 Several
of the factors/variables for consideration are interlinked e.g the level of
tertiary study the scholarship (undergraduate, postgraduate, research etc) that
Committee wishes to support will determine the timing of applications and
selection in the year, or the value and frequency of the scholarship will
determine whether it becomes an ‘official’ University scholarship.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the Committee:
a) Approves the
establishment of a Mayoral Scholarship with the University of Otago -
Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka to be awarded by Council each Triennium
(commencing in 2025) for undergraduate study at a cost of $5,000 per annum for
3 years.
b) Authorises the CEO to
sign the final agreement with the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.
BACKGROUND
8 On
5 September 2023 the Civic Committee considered the Recognition of Former
Mayors report and asked for staff to investigate options and costs for a
possible Mayoral Scholarship and to provide a report to a future committee.
Moved (Cr Bill Acklin/Cr Marie Laufiso):
That the Committee:
a) Asks
staff to investigate options and costs for a possible Mayoral Scholarship and
provide a report to a future committee.
Division
The Committee
voted by division
For: Crs
Sophie Barker, Christine Garey, Marie Laufiso, Mandy Mayhem, Jim O'Malley,
Steve Walker, Brent Weatherall, Andrew Whiley and Bill Acklin (9).
Against: Crs Kevin
Gilbert, Carmen Houlahan, Cherry Lucas and Lee Vandervis (4).
Abstained: Nil
The
division was declared CARRIED by 9 votes to 4
Motion
carried (CAC/2023/001)
9 Council
staff met with a representative from the University through 2024 to discuss
options for a Mayoral Scholarship for consideration by Committee.
DISCUSSION
Official
University scholarships
10 To meet the
University’s criteria of an official scholarship, it would be required to
be awarded every three years for a period of three years, at a value of $3k or
more per annum and awarded in perpetuity (defined as five years or more).
11 Should the
Committee decide that the scholarship only be awarded at the conclusion of a
Mayoral term (to recognise the service of a former Mayor), the University would
not consider the scholarship to be official (due to the potential infrequency
of awarding the scholarship).
12 Official
scholarships are managed and held at University level, rather than at
departmental level, and would allow Mayor and/or Council the flexibility to
determine the focus on the scholarship each time it is awarded e.g.
environmental, legal, economics, medical.
13 An advantage of
an official scholarship is that it will likely determine the calibre of
students that might be considered, the prestige/mana associated with the
scholarship and for the DCC, and allow for the scholarship to appear on the
student’s academic transcript.
Value of the scholarship
14 The
University have suggested that the Committee may want to consider a value of
between $3k and $10k per annum. This is based on the range of many of the
current University scholarships.
15 The
option put forward by staff for the Committee to consider in this report is $5k
per annum for 3 years.
16 There
is currently no provision in the draft 9-year plan for a scholarship.
Frequency of the scholarship
17 As discussed
above, the frequency of the awarding of the scholarship has an impact on
whether it would be considered as an official University scholarship.
18 The University
can accommodate a scholarship that is awarded only at the conclusion of a
Mayors term in office, but the scholarship would not be considered as an
official University scholarship.
19 The option put
forward by staff for the Committee to consider in this report is for a Mayors
scholarship to be awarded each triennium on the basis that the prestige/mana of
the DCC having an official University scholarship is important to the
relationship between Council and the University.
Level of
tertiary study and annual timing of scholarship applications and awarding
20 Staff have
discussed with the University the timing and annual cycles of their scholarship
application and awarding processes and considered these in relation to the
timing of local government elections in October every three years.
21 Scholarship
timeframes and schedules are spread through the year depending on the level of
study e.g. undergraduate, postgraduate, research etc. The University have
advised staff that they feel the timing of the undergraduate scholarship
process best aligns with DCC’s local election schedule.
22 Undergraduate
scholarship applications come into the University by mid-August, panels meet in
early/mid-September, and scholarships awarded late September/early October.
23 Based
on the University’s advice, the option put forward by staff for the
Committee to consider in this report is for a Mayoral scholarship to be awarded
to an undergraduate embarking on their tertiary studies.
Selection Process for the awarding of the scholarship
24 The University
has well established processes regarding the advertising, administration, and
awarding of its scholarship programme. University staff have advised that
should the Committee decide to establish a Mayoral scholarship, they would work
with the DCC to develop the scholarship in time for the 2025 undergraduate
scholarship round.
25 The University
would also provide all the administrative requirements of managing the
scholarship and undertake all of the advertising.
26 University staff
have advised that the Mayoral scholarship selection panel would consist of the
Mayor, one other DCC representative, and members of the University.
OPTIONS
Option One – Establish a Mayoral Scholarship with the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu
Waka to be awarded each Council triennium (commencing in 2025) for
undergraduate study at an annual cost of $5,000 for 3 years - Recommended Option
27 This
option would allow for the Mayoral scholarship to become part of the
University’s official scholarship programme.
28 Staff
would begin more detailed discussions with University staff to ensure all of
the agreements are in place for the University to advertise the Mayoral
scholarship in line with the University’s undergraduate scholarship timelines
for 2025.
29 The funding for
this option in not currently included in draft 9 Year Plan (9YP) budgets.
Advantages
· Provides
a new opportunity to support the relationship between Council and the
University of Otago
· Supports
a student entering undergraduate study at the University of Otago
· Would
meet the criteria to become an official University scholarship as can be
awarded in perpetuity.
· Partially
aligns with the desire to develop a scholarship to recognise the service of
former Mayors.
Disadvantages
· Would
add $5k per annum to Council’s operational expenditure.
· May
not align with the desire to use the scholarship to recognise the service of
former Mayors.
Option Two – Establish a Mayoral Scholarship with the
University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka to be awarded at the end
of a Mayor’s term in office, for undergraduate study at an annual cost of
$5,000 for 3 years.
Impact assessment
30 The funding for
this option in not currently included in draft 9 Year Plan (9YP) budgets. Note
that it is not clear when the first scholarship would be awarded, nor the
frequency of the awarding of the scholarship in the future.
Advantages
· Provides
a new opportunity to support the relationship between Council and the
University of Otago
· Supports
a student entering undergraduate study at the University of Otago
· Aligns
with the desire to develop a scholarship to recognise the service of former
Mayors.
Disadvantages
· Would
add $5k per annum to Council expenditure at the end of a Mayors term in office.
· The
scholarship would not be an official University of Otago scholarship.
· Would
potentially not financially support a student entering undergraduate study at
the University each triennium.
Option Three – Do not establish a Mayoral scholarship
- Status Quo
Impact assessment
31 There is no
financial impact for Council with this option
Advantages
· There
is no increase to Council expenditure with this option
Disadvantages
· Does
not support a new opportunity to support the relationship between Council and
the University of Otago
· Does
not support a student entering undergraduate study at the University of Otago
· Does
not provide an opportunity to recognise the service of former Mayors.
NEXT STEPS
32 Should the
Committee decide to establish a Mayoral scholarship with the University, staff
will work with the University to ensure that the scholarship established in
time for the end of the current Council triennium in October 2025.
33 Should the
Committee decide to establish a Mayoral scholarship, funding will be added to
the draft 9YP budgets.
Signatories
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Author:
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Robert West - General Manager Corporate Services
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Authoriser:
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Scott MacLean - General Manager, Climate and City Growth
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Attachments
There are no attachments for
this report.
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SUMMARY OF CONSIDERATIONS
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Fit with purpose of Local Government
This decision enables democratic local
decision making and action by, and on behalf of communities.
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Fit with strategic framework
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Contributes
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Detracts
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Not applicable
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Social Wellbeing Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Economic Development Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Environment Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Arts and Culture Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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3 Waters Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Future Development Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Integrated Transport Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Parks and Recreation Strategy
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☐
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☐
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✔
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Other strategic projects/policies/plans
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✔
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☐
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☐
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The establishment of a Mayoral scholarship with the
University of Otago would support and cement the relationship between the DCC
and University.
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Māori Impact Statement
There is no know impact for
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Sustainability
There are no known implications for sustainability
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Zero carbon
There
is no impact on DCC or city-wide emsssions
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LTP/Annual Plan / Financial Strategy /Infrastructure
Strategy
The budget for a Mayoral scholarship will be added to the
draft 9YP budget if Committee decide to establish the scholarship.
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Financial considerations
The financial impact of establishing a Mayoral scholarship
are shown above in the Options section of this report
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Significance
The decision is considered low in terms of the
Council’s Significance and Engagement Policy
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Engagement – external
Staff have met with University of Otago staff in the
development of this report
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Engagement - internal
There has been no internal engagement
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Risks: Legal / Health and Safety etc.
There are no identified risks
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Conflict of Interest
There are no known conflicts of interest
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Community Boards
There are no implications for Community Board
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