3Public forum — Public forum including a presentation from Mauao Trailblazer.
4Acceptance of late items — Board considers any late items for inclusion.
5Confidential business to be transferred into the open — Any confidential items to be moved to open session.
6Change to order of business — Board considers any changes to the agenda order.
7.1Minutes of the Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao meeting held on 12 June 2025 — Confirmation of minutes from the previous meeting.
8Declaration of conflicts of interest — Members declare any conflicts of interest.
9.1Information Report — updated Memorandum of Understanding for Joint Management of Mauao June 2025 — Information report recording the renewal and signing of the MOU on 12 June 2025.
9.2Street Use and Public Places Review — Information report on the review of the Street Use and Public Places Bylaw 2018 and its implications for Mauao.
9.3Annual Report — Combined annual report covering 2022/23, 2023/24 and 2024/25 for presentation to Council.
9.4Project Updates November 2025 — Progress update on Implementation Plan projects and decisions sought, including establishing the Implementation Plan review working group.
10Discussion of late items — Discussion of any late items accepted earlier.
11Closing karakia — Formal closing karakia.
1. What's tracking or delivered
Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) renewed and signed by Mauao Trust and Tauranga City Council (TCC) on 12 June 2025, incorporating the Mauao Trust Strategic Plan 2021–2031 and a new annual Trust Operational Fund provision (item 9.1, p.18)
Placemaking and interpretation (F2): all 2021-approved elements installed by June 2024; additional seating, fencing and signage underway; 3 of 4 CCTV cameras installed, final one in progress (item 9.4, p.56) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported additional seating, fencing and signage were 'scheduled for completion by end of July 2025' (item 9.3, p.80) and that the final CCTV camera was 'in progress on existing power pole' (item 9.2, p.21). Both remain incomplete at the November 2025 meeting.
Pest control (S2): pulse baiting has achieved 0% rat populations; 730 rabbits controlled in 2024/25; plan to be formally documented and adopted by June 2026 (item 9.4, p.60) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported the May 2025 pest monitoring pulse recorded 'the largest percentage of rats since monitoring began in 2021' and that mice rose to 60% post-pulse (item 9.2, p.23). The current brief's report of 0% rat populations represents a reported improvement since that August finding.
Visitor numbers rising: over 1M in 2022/23, over 1.2M in 2023/24, over 1.3M in 2024/25, and over 500k for the first half of 2025 (item 9.3, p.44)
Comprehensive review of Te Mahere Whakamahinga ō Mauao (Mauao Implementation Plan) resolved and initiated in June 2025; working group to be formally established at this meeting (item 9.4, p.63)
2. What's at risk
⚠️ Safety-critical matter from the 6 August 2025 meeting not found in this meeting's papers. Aide's earlier brief reported: “HD Geo's 2025 risk assessment rates rockfall to track users as HIGH on Te Ara Waikorire, Te Ara Oruahine, western Te Ara Tūtanga (base track), and Te Ara O Tūtauaroa (goat track); campground rated HIGH for both rockfall to life and to assets — yet no detailed quantitative risk assessment has been completed for 20 years, while visitor numbers have grown to 1.37 million in 2024 (item 9.2, p.46, p.51)” This may be reported elsewhere (another committee, a later meeting or public-excluded papers); the item and page references above are to that earlier meeting's papers.
Annual report covers three financial years (2022/23, 2023/24, 2024/25) in a single document — the last report to Council covered 2021/22, meaning Council has had no formal annual report for three years despite the MOU requiring one annually (item 9.3, p.42)
Hang gliding and paragliding (F4): annual report and vehicle-access permission from the Bay of Plenty (BOP) Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club are both overdue; Mauao Trust has health and safety concerns; decision deferred pending resting-period decisions (item 9.4, p.57) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported the BOP Hang Gliding and Paragliding Club's annual report and vehicle-access permission were 'now overdue' and the decision deferred pending resting-period decisions (item 9.3, p.81). The current brief reports the same deferred status with no resolution in the intervening period.
Implementation Plan review must be completed in time for funding requests to be considered in TCC's 2027–37 Long-term Plan (LTP); project initiation required by mid-December 2025, review process January–June 2026 (item 9.4, p.63)
Mauao Trust requested a fixed $30,000 annual operational fund in a letter to the Mayor and Chief Executive; the MOU now provides for a Trust Operational Fund subject to annual/long-term plan approval, but no quantum is confirmed (item 9.1, p.28; item 7.1, p.13) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported Mauao Trust had requested a fixed $30,000 annual operational fund but staff confirmed only $10,000 was set aside annually, with no resolution on the gap (item 7.1, p.13). The current brief reports the MOU signed 12 June 2025 now provides for a Trust Operational Fund subject to annual/LTP approval, but no dollar figure is confirmed.
Whare Manaaki project: two buildings with decks, pergolas and carparking occupy part of Mauao Historic Reserve and unformed road reserve; resource consent not yet lodged, road stopping not yet undertaken; target operational 'as early as possible in 2026' subject to all approvals (item 9.4, p.61)
Sponsorship framework (F12) not progressed since 2018 discussions; concessionaire standards (S1) also not progressed; both deferred to Implementation Plan review, while the report notes S1 'has the potential to make funds available for the management of Mauao' in the current financial environment (item 9.4, p.59) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported F12 Sponsorship Framework and S1 Concessionaire Standards were 'not progressed' with a report-back to Ngā Poutiriao targeted for 'end of 2025 calendar year' (item 9.3, p.83). The current brief reports both are now deferred to the Implementation Plan review with no separate end-of-2025 report-back.
Fatality Management Procedure (F10): scoping document with Mauao Trust for review; final plan to be adopted and implemented by end of 2025 — no confirmation that this deadline will be met (item 9.4, p.58) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported the F10 Fatality Management Procedure scoping document was with Mauao Trust for review and adoption was 'targeted for November 2025 meeting' (item 9.3, p.82). The current November 2025 brief reports the plan is still not adopted and the end-of-2025 deadline is unconfirmed, indicating the November target was not achieved.
Mauao resting period (F8): discussions ongoing for 'a number of years'; Mauao Trust still determining preferred rāhui periods; no timeline for resolution; hang gliding, events framework, and resting decisions are all interdependent and all unresolved (item 9.4, p.57–58) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported F8 Mauao Resting Period discussions were 'ongoing for a number of years' with no preferred period determined and the events decision-making framework also blocked pending the resting outcome (item 9.3, p.81, p.86). The current brief reports the same position with no resolution.
Events decision-making framework: Mauao Trust aspires to reduce active/sports events and make passive events the majority; no framework adopted since first raised in 2022; further discussion deferred until resting-period direction is provided (item 9.4, p.63)
Digital storytelling (S7): Arataki Cultural Trails App removed from App Store and Google Play; replacement solution under development by Takawaenga Māori Unit with no confirmed timeline (item 9.4, p.62)
Enabling legislation (Tauranga Moana Iwi Collective Redress and Ngā Hapū o Ngāti Ranginui Claims Settlement Bill) that would formally establish Ngā Poutiriao as joint administering body under the Reserves Act 1977 remains unenacted; TCC remains sole administering body until the Bill passes (item 9.1, p.21)
3. What's unmeasured or missing
No performance measures, targets, or outcome metrics are stated anywhere in the annual report for any of the operational work areas — pest control, restoration planting, visitor safety, Kaitiaki programme, or events management — despite three years of activity being reported (item 9.3, p.42–45)
The Implementation Plan states delivery is 'approximately two thirds complete in terms of the absolute number of projects' but provides no dollar figure for total spend to date, no budget-versus-actual comparison, and no assessment of whether remaining projects are funded (item 9.3, p.44)
The $3.8 million allocated in the 2021–31 Long-term Plan (LTP) for Implementation Plan projects is noted in the annual report, but no new funding was secured in the 2024–34 LTP; no analysis of the funding gap for remaining projects is provided (item 9.3, p.47)
The Kaitiaki Programme (F11) has no TCC budget for implementation; costs and funding sources described as yet to be identified; no timeline for when the programme will be fully operational (item 9.4, p.59) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported F11 Kaitiaki Programme had 'no TCC budget to support implementation' and Mauao Trust had been leading design for 'a number of years' with no cost estimate, funding source, or implementation timeline (item 9.3, p.83). The current brief reports the same position.
The walkway plan (S3) has not been prepared; implementation is stated as subject to 'available funding' with no funding identified; report-back to Ngā Poutiriao not due until June 2026 (item 9.4, p.60) 🕐 Prior brief (6 August 2025) reported no formalised walkway plan had been prepared and day-to-day management was ongoing without one, with report-back not due until June 2026 (item 9.3, p.84). The current brief reports the same position unchanged.
The Street Use and Public Places Bylaw review (item 9.2) is an information-only report; no assessment is provided of how the proposed removal of the music/singing permission clause (clause 20.1(d)) will interact with Ngā Poutiriao's authority over activities on Mauao (item 9.2, p.40–41)
The recommendation at item 9.4(b) contains placeholder text ('insert name(s)') for working group members from both Mauao Trust and TCC — no names are proposed in the agenda, leaving the resolution incomplete as drafted (item 9.4, p.54)
4. Questions to ask
The annual report covers three years in one document — what governance or accountability mechanism will ensure the MOU's annual reporting requirement is met on time going forward? (item 9.3)
The hang gliding club's annual report and vehicle-access permission are both overdue — what is the current safety status on Mauao for this activity, and what happens if the club continues to operate without permission? (item 9.4)
The Trust Operational Fund is now in the MOU but no quantum is confirmed — when will a dollar figure be put to Council through the annual plan, and is $30,000 (the Trust's requested amount) the working assumption? (item 9.1)
No new LTP funding was secured for Implementation Plan projects in the 2024–34 LTP — how will the remaining one-third of projects be funded, and which projects are at risk of not being delivered? (item 9.3)
The Fatality Management Procedure is due for adoption by end of 2025 — is that deadline still achievable, and what is the liability position if a fatality occurs before the procedure is in place? (item 9.4)
The recommendation at 9.4(b) has blank placeholders for working group members — will names be confirmed at this meeting, and if not, when will the working group be constituted given the mid-December 2025 project-initiation deadline? (item 9.4)
The enabling Bill that would formally vest joint administering body status in Ngā Poutiriao remains unenacted — what is the current status of the Bill, and does its absence create any legal risk for decisions made by Ngā Poutiriao? (item 9.1)
5. What you're endorsing by accepting
Receiving and approving the three-year combined annual report (2022/23–2024/25) as the formal MOU-required report to Council — accepting that three years of reporting obligations are discharged in a single document (item 9.3)
Recording that the MOU was renewed and signed on 12 June 2025, including the new Trust Operational Fund clause (clause 5.4) that commits Council to consider an annual fund to Mauao Trust through future annual plan and LTP processes (item 9.1)
Establishing the Implementation Plan working group and directing staff to commence the review — locking in a January–June 2026 review timeline that must feed into TCC's 2027–37 LTP funding decisions (item 9.4)
Receiving the Street Use and Public Places Bylaw review update — noting without objection the proposed removal of the music/singing permission clause and its replacement with a general nuisance clause, which will affect how activities on Mauao are regulated (item 9.2)
Coverage
Analysed: Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao and Mauao Trust joint meeting — 28 November 2025 — Source ⓘ Dense formatting in this document means some details might not have made it in. Check the source PDF to be sure.
Prior briefs checked: Ngā Poutiriao ō Mauao and Mauao Trust joint meeting — 6 August 2025
