Council I 30 September 2026 (B)

Summary of the meeting (30 September 2026 – Council I, B)

1) China overseas trip and international education cooperation

• The Council considered and approved a proposal for the Deputy Mayor to travel to China to represent the city and the international education sector.
• The trip includes:
  • Participation in the 2026 “Maritime Silk Road International Cultural Tourism Festival” in Fuzhou (27–30 November 2026)
  • Followed by a two-day program in Kunshan to explore new sectors and develop educational programs for local schools
• Officials explained the trip supports an ongoing education partnership, building on earlier visits, including agreements signed in 2024 involving:
  • Palmerston North Boys’ High School
  • Fuzhou Schools No. 4 and No. 13
• Reported outcomes to date include increased student exchange and training of specialists from China.
• International education sector participation:
  • Confirmed through IEM
  • One representative will join the Palmerston North delegation under a “one plus two” format (one council employee plus the sector representative)
• Funding clarification:
  • The trip is not funded by the Council
  • Organisers cover round-trip flights (for the Deputy Mayor and one council employee) and provide local accommodation, transport, and meals in the host cities
• “Maritime Silk Road” terminology:
  • Clarified that the name is used by organisers and relates to China’s cultural/soft-side promotion, historically linked to Silk Road themes
  • The Council is not engaging in disputed-seas discussion
• The related recommendations were approved with the recorded decision: 8 for, 5 against.

2) Governance appointments (District Licensing Committee and hearing officers)

Governance manager Hannah presented items including:

• Item 16: appointment/recruitment process for the District Licensing Committee (DLC), including continuity planning and acknowledging outgoing long-serving members
• Item 17: extension of external hearing officers’ mandates for one year, with full recruitment next year

Key background points:

• Two DLC members were noted as not seeking reappointment, prompting a full recruitment process in case other candidates are available.
• Discussion covered recruitment timing and whether successors should have been prepared earlier:
  • Officials argued there were fewer hearings during the earlier period, limiting practice opportunities
  • Continuity remains important

Questions raised by councillors included:

• Contingency planning if key persons become unavailable, and the breadth of the external list
• Whether DLC selection should reflect entertainment/restaurant industry experience, and how selection criteria are balanced under legislation
• Whether elected members may apply, and rules around deputy-chair eligibility (only an elected deputy can be deputy chair)
• Whether staffing should be increased:
  • Officials highlighted expected workload peaks (anticipated around March next year)
  • They argued for reserves to manage peak demand

Voting on governance appointments (several separate votes)

• DLC recruitment process (starting hiring): 14 for, 0 against
• Delegation of authority to appoint an independent member to the selection panel: 13 for, 1 against
• External case commissioners (hearing officers) reappointment/recruitment: 14 for, 0 against
• Temporary appointment to CEDA Electoral College: 13 for, 0 against

3) Council meeting schedule, attendance reporting, and work plan

The Council adopted:

• A revised meeting calendar for Nov 2026 – June 2027
• Meeting attendance statistics for elected members (1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026)
• The Council’s work schedule as of September 2026

Scheduling notes included:

• Cancelling the Audit Committee financial performance meeting on Nov 4, replacing it with a board meeting
• Clarification on postponement timing (e.g., if issues aren’t exhausted, it shifts to a specified afternoon later in November)

4) Regent Theatre seismic strengthening update (budget/cost concerns and reporting corrections)

The property/project team (including Glen Bunney and Donna Matthews) provided an update on seismic retrofit options for the Regent Theatre.

Key operational points:

• Correction: the deadline for carrying out the work is 2034 (not 2037)
• The project is being structured into work packages, including:
  • Seismic strengthening
  • Heritage preservation
  • Waterproofing
  • Engineering modernization
• Two strengthening scenarios were discussed (e.g., 50–67% vs above 67%), alongside efforts to reduce required indicators without compromising final outcomes
• Because the theatre/regional facility must remain operational, timing and closure decisions require careful coordination

Budget confusion and councillor pushback

• Councillors raised concerns that documents appeared to reference a $40 million figure tied to the LTP, and questioned why costs seemed to be expanding versus earlier expectations.
• Staff clarified:
  • “Current long-term plan” wording was misleading
  • The $40 million relates to a draft new LTP (2027–2037) rather than the currently approved plan
• Councillors also questioned cost categorisation (e.g., allocation between seismic strengthening vs items such as equipment/IT/communications, contingency, professional costs, etc.).
• Multiple councillors requested clearer breakdowns and indicated more complete reporting would be provided in November.

Decision

• The Council adopted the recommendation to adopt the “Regional Theater Seismic Strengthening Update” (dated 30 September 2026), passing 13 for and 1 against.

5) Review of electoral representation options (voting methods and cost clarification)

The Council considered options for reviewing representation, including discussion of possible approaches and costs.

Key points raised:

• Whether the Council could decide voting methods (e.g., in-person vs mail):
  • Response indicated voting-method changes would be outside the representation review scope and would require a separate process
• A staff correction noted clarified cost assumptions, including whether focus groups would be required.

Decision

• An option was advanced/approved, with the recorded vote: 14 for, 0 against.

6) Globe Theatre Trust founding agreement amendment

The Council considered amendments to the Globe Theatre Trust Statutes, focusing on clauses 5.1 and 5.4.

Discussion included:

• Appointment processes and the rationale for council-related appointments versus board appointments
• One councillor opposed the change, arguing the organisation is council-controlled and appointments should remain firmly under council influence
• Others described the change as a low-risk way to introduce “fresh blood” through a simpler volunteer/co-optation mechanism

Decision

• The amendment passed: 10 for, 4 against.

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Presenters / contributors (as named in the subtitles)

• Counselor/Casey Consolas Casey — International Relations Manager / International Relations and Education Manager
• Deputy Mayor Debbie Marshall Law
• Gabriel Loga — referenced as previously involved (not clearly indicated as a current presenter)
• Hannah — Governance Manager
• Glen Bunney — Property Manager / real estate and project management office manager
• Donna Matthews — Project specialist / lead manager overseeing work at the Regent Theatre
• Anna — Management Manager
• Councilor met / Councillor Johnson — referred to reporting on items (specifically asked to report on another recommendation)
• Scott — referenced regarding confirming numbers in relation to the LTP