Minutes of Audit and Risk Committee - Tuesday, 28 January 2025

MINUTES OF Central Otago District Council
Audit and Risk Committee HELD IN Microsoft Teams
AND LIVE STREAMED VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS ON Tuesday, 28 January 2025 AT 9.30 am

PRESENT: Mr B Robertson (Chair), Her Worship the Mayor T Alley, Cr S Browne, Cr S Feinerman, Cr T Paterson

IN ATTENDANCE: P Kelly (Chief Executive Officer), L Fleck (General Manager - People and Culture), J Muir (Group Manager - Three Waters), S Righarts (Group Manager - Business Support), D Scoones (Group Manager - Community Experience), P Morris (Chief Financial Officer), Q Penniall (Infrastructure Manager), W McEnteer (Governance Manager)

1 Apologies

Apology

Committee Resolution

Moved: Robertson

Seconded: Paterson

That the apology for lateness received from Cr Browne be accepted.

Carried

2 Public Forum

There was no public forum.

3 Confirmation of Minutes

Committee Resolution

Moved: Robertson

Seconded: Alley

That the public minutes of the Audit and Risk Committee Meeting held on 16 December 2024 be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Carried

4 Declarations of Interest

Members were reminded of their obligations in respect of declaring any interests. Cr Paterson declared an interest in the Manuherekia Valley Community Hub item and Cr Feinerman declared an interest in the Ida MacDonald Roxburgh Pool Punawai Ora item. However, as no decisions were being made on their inclusion in the Long-term Plan they did not step aside from discussion.

Note: Cr Browne joined the meeting at 9.34 am.

5 Reports

25.1.2 The consultation document and supporting material for the 2025-34 Long-term Plan

To consider recommending to Council that the 2025-34 draft Consultation Document for the Long-term Plan and supporting information to the Consultation Document be provided to Audit New Zealand.

The Committee went through the draft consultation document and discussed any items that were unclear to them. It was noted that three waters were taken out after year three and if they were to come back in for the full nine years it would change the financial strategy.

They then made several suggestions for changes to draft consultation document which are as follows:

· Include comment about why rates are proposed to rise.

· Remove water services as a consultation item, as it will consulted on independently from the Long-term Plan. It will remain as a key item to be noted in understanding the consultation document and the Long-term Plan. This includes the mention on p.201 of the attachments document.

· In addition, add a sentence in the foreword to say that budgets in the three waters space would not substantially change in Year 1 and 2, regardless of what the future water arrangements looked like.

· Discussion on the roading programme, not as a consultation item but as a discussion point.

· The pictures on items 4/5 and 8/9 should be different.

· On page 206 of the attachments document, the fifth column should read “Rates Contribution” and there should be a total at the bottom of each column of the table.

· On p.220, there was a query if the pie chart was correct. Staff would check that it was correct.

· On p.222, there should be a note that ratepayers can use the rates tool is identify what their proposed rates are for next year.

· It was noted that hyperlinks would be added as available.

· A note for the community to check their own rates on the rates calculator.

Committee Resolution

Moved: Robertson

Seconded: Alley

That the Audit and Risk Committee

A. Receives the report and accepts the level of significance.

B. Recommends to Council that the draft Consultation Document be provided to Audit New Zealand for audit as required under the Local Government Act 2002, subject to the amendments received at the meeting.

C. Recommends to Council that the following supporting information to the Consultation Document be provided to Audit New Zealand to facilitate the audit:

(a) Infrastructure Strategy

(b) Financial Strategy

(d) Fees and Charges

(e) Significance and Engagement Policy

(f) Revenue and Financing Policy

(g) Rates Remission and Postponement Policy

(h) Liability Management Policy

(i) Investment Policy

(j) Prospective Financial Statements and Prospective Funding Impact Statements

(k) Community Outcomes Development

(l) Significant Forecasting Assumptions and Risks

(m) Capital Expenditure for Activity Groups

Carried

6 Date of The Next Meeting

The date of the next scheduled meeting is 14 February 2025.

The meeting closed at 11.20 am.

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CHAIR / /