Kawerau District Council’s gambling venues policies are
almost four years out of date.

A report to the
council’s audit and risk committee on Monday showed that
of 30 policies it holds, nine are out of date, however,
seven of these are not required by legislation.

The
council is required by law to have a Class 4 Gambling Venues
Policy and a Board Venues Policy and to review both every
three years. The Kawerau council’s policies were due for
renewal in December 2020.

A Class 4 Gambling Venues
Policy is used by the council to guide it on decisions
around numbers and locations of gambling venues and the
number of gambling machines to be allowed in the
district.

The current policy caps the number of
machines at a maximum of 54, with a sinking lid policy of
reducing that number if an organisation reduces its number
of machines or ceases to hold an operating licence. No
relocation of class 4 gambling venues is
allowed.

Board venues are premises where the main
activity is racing or sports betting, such as a TAB. The
council’s current policy allows for one such venue in the
central business district.

The council must consult
with the community and create a social impact statement as
part of the renewal process.

The other policies
overdue for renewal covered management of street trees,
library membership, graffiti and vandalism, methamphetamine
building contamination, Easter trading, procurement and
cemetery memorials, ornamentation and multiple
internments.

The report identified two other policies
which were due for renewal by the end of June. These are the
Dangerous, Insanitary and Affected Buildings Policy, a
review of which has been completed and is expected be put
before council on Wednesday, and a Backflow Prevention
Policy, which is potentially no longer necessary due to
changes in legislation.

The council’s Community
Awards Policy is also due for renewal in November, bringing
the number of policies that are due for renewal by the end
of the year to 12.

The report identified that the
council had previously employed a policy analyst-strategic
planner who was responsible for reviewing the existing
policies. To reduce costs the position was not reinstated,
and the responsibility fell to managers in each area of
council the different policies guided.

The report
recommended having one comprehensive system showing all
policies, a history of reviews, including previous versions
to prevent policies becoming out of date.

Regulatory
and planning group manager Michaela Glaspey said it would be
worth reviewing the list of policies as there were probably
some that were no longer
needed.

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