A set net control for Arkles Bay, final review decisions on Alcohol Bans and an update on Animal Management discussed by committee. The decision digest is below.
Auckland Council committee members met today to discuss whether a set net control should be made at Arkles Bay and heard confirmation of the existing regional alcohol bans to remain after 31 October. The 2014/15 Animal Management Annual Report and an update on activities of the Animal Management unit was presented to the committee. The following is a digest of decisions made.
The agenda is available on Auckland Council’s website and minutes will be added once confirmed.
Items 1-8 are administrative items, and there was no extraordinary business.
Item 5: Public Input
Neil Henson presented to the committee as a member of the Hibiscus Coast and Bays community on set netting at Arkles Bay. The current all year round set netting ban works well in the area due to recreational users of the bay throughout the year and the community wishes the ban to stay in place.
Jillian Warman also spoke to the committee as a resident of Arkles Bay who uses the beach frequently. She also supports the keeping of a set net control at Arkles Bay all year round.
Item 6: Local Board Input – Hibiscus and Bays Local Board: Set netting
Local Board Chair Julia Parfitt and member Greg Sayers also presented to the committee on set netting supporting the continuation of a complete ban at Arkles Bay. Signage is in place, it is clear to the community that at no time are you able to use a set net at this bay and therefore there are no safety and nuisance issues.
Item 9: Investigation of a set net control for Arkles Bay
Following an investigation by council staff, options were put forward to the committee today to seek a decision on whether or not a set net control under the Public Safety & Nuisance Bylaw should be made for Arkles Bay. Set netting at Arkles Bay has been prohibited for the past eight years under the Rodney District Council Set Net Prohibition - Arkles Bay Bylaw. This bylaw will be revoked 31 October 2015.
Discussion around the various options included concerns around public safety and nuisance issues of which there was evidence before the Rodney District Council bylaw was in place. To protect the safety of beach users at Arkles Bay, options given to the committee included a seasonal set net control and a year round control and they discussed the various ramifications of both, including regional consistency.
Cr Calum Penrose, Chair of Regulatory & Bylaws said, “The committee had to consider whether introducing set controls on a specific beach would set a precedence. The current Public Safety and Nuisance Bylaw manages issues of public safety in the Arkles Bay area and indeed the entire region. This bylaw deals with any issues of nuisance on the beach such as obstruction and can be enforced all year round and additional rules under the Navigational Safety Bylaw deal with water safety.”
The Regulatory and Bylaws Committee agreed to make a seasonal set net control under the Public Safety & Nuisance Bylaw 2013 to prohibit set netting at Arkles Bay within 200 metres (seaward) of the Mean High Water Spring from Labour weekend to Easter annually. An additional motion was included to ensure any set net controls set by council clearly set out that this does not prohibit customary fishing rights, in accordance with the Fishing (Kiamoana Customary Fishing) Regulations 1988.
Item 10: Hearing Panel Decision Report on Review of Alcohol Bans 2015
The committee was presented with the report from the Hearings Panel on which existing alcohol bans are to be retained after 31 October 2015. To keep alcohol bans, evidence was needed of alcohol-related crime or disorder which was sought through historic data, Police data and public submissions.
The committee approved the recommendations to retain seven existing regional bans and lapse seven existing alcohol bans that do not meet the new threshold under the governments criteria.
Under the Alcohol Control Bylaw 2014, Local Boards were given the delegated authority to review bans in their areas by 31 October and each board is making their final decisions on those alcohol bans that will remain in place as of 31 October 2015.
Item 11: Update on Animal Management Activity
The committee received a presentation on the 2014/15 Animal Management Annual Report and an update on the activities and actions of the Animal Management unit.
Highlights included the 100 percent dog adoption rate from the Animal Management shelters in the past two months. Over the past year, dog adoption averages has increased from 95 to 98 percent. The committee also heard how council was working with Hurrah to provide a number of free de-sexing of dogs in South Auckland.
The Animal Management unit is also working hard at educating dog owners, early childhood groups and the wider community on dog safety and dog behavioural issues across the region.