Policies

This policy aims to raise awareness of the adverse health effects of regularly consuming sugar sweetened drinks. It encourages the provision of healthy beverage choices at Council venues, to contribute to improved health for those within Council, and to model good health behaviours for the wider community.

It was developed in consultation with MidCentral DHB.

A review will be planned from 2024-25.

This policy outlines the scope, principles and guidelines for Palmerston North’s global city partnerships, and a clearer approach to international visiting delegations.

It also guides Council's engagement with the diplomatic corps, trade offices, and other agencies that facilitate international relations, and provides direction for Council's role in international relations activities.

This policy will be reviewed in 2022-23.

A local alcohol policy sets out the policies that will guide the decisions of the District Licensing Committee when it issues alcohol licences.

We adopted a provisional policy on 28 April 2021 which was appealed to the Alcohol Regulatory and Licensing Authority (ARLA).

The Council decided on 6 November 2024 to discontinue the current policy and withdraw from the appeals process. This means that the Council does not have a local alcohol policy in effect.

The Council has also decided that it will begin development of a new local alcohol policy under the amended Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012. The amended Act removed the appeals process. Developing a new local alcohol policy means that Council will be able to make the final decision about its policy without having to make it subject to an appeal before it can be adopted. A new policy will also be based on the most recent evidence of alcohol-related harm.

The local approved products policy will guide the decision making of the Psychoactive Substances Regulatory Authority if needed in future.

In 2014 the Council adopted a draft policy to determine the places in the city that psychoactive products could be sold.

Changes to the law regarding the sale of psychoactive products means that there are now no products being legally sold in Palmerston North or anywhere else in New Zealand. However the provision for local authorities to develop local approved products policies is unchanged.

This policy was reviewed in 2022 with no changes. It will next be reviewed in 2026-27.

These guidelines are designed to help with decision making about local area traffic management.

This policy will be reviewed in 2023-24.

This policy enables Council to consider requests for corporate naming rights to Council-owned recreational facilities.

It will be reviewed in 2023-24.

We’re making a commitment to reflect a playful, fun and flexible approach in all our public spaces, facilities, events and activities.

The policy will guide Council’s decision-making and commitment to provide a range of play opportunities in several operational areas:

• Parks and reserves planning, management and development
• Facility programming and development e.g. at libraries and aquatic centres
• Urban design response to public space infrastructure development
• Placemaking activities such as street activation
• Community events and activities
• Support to strategic partners such as Rangitāne o Manawatū and Sport Manawatū

A review will be planned from 2024-25.

This policy guides how we manage applications for the use of public space (except casual and informal use, such as a picnic in the park). These are high-level guidelines that can apply to the full spectrum of activities.

Public space is any outdoor area under Council control, including the Square, Railway Land, reserves, parks, riverbanks, and verges.

We developed the policy because we want our public space to play host to unique activities, increasing opportunities for social interaction and visible public life. We also want to protect our public spaces for everyone to access and enjoy.

Assessment criteria

In considering an application to use public space, and particularly where there are competing applications for the use of public space or high demand for a public space, the Council will consider whether the event or activity:

• supports the achievement of the Council’s goals
• is accessible to the wider community
• adds to the variety of events or activities available in Palmerston North
• enhances any precinct identities (e.g. Broadway as a hospitality precinct)
• provides an experience (rather than a simple commercial exchange)
• does not significantly limit the availability of space for general community use

The purpose of these criteria is to inform Council decision-making, rather than to provide an exhaustive list of necessary criteria.

This policy is about the provision of wastewater services to residential properties and trade premises. It incorporates those that are, or may be in the future, serviced by pressure sewerage systems.

Pressure sewer systems are an accepted alternative to conventional gravity sewer systems.

Conventional wastewater systems use gravity flow to move sewage from your home to a central treatment plant. A pressure sewer system instead pumps sewage from a small pump station at each property. The combined power of each individual pump moves the sewage to the treatment plant.

This is an advantage in areas with poor ground conditions, because you don't need to bury the pipes as deep.

Each pump station has a grinder. This breaks down the solids in raw wastewater before pumping it into the Council sewer mains. 

This policy sets out the core values and strategic principles we apply to Council procurement.

Procurement is the process that we use to acquire and manage the goods and services we need to run our organisation and deliver outcomes and services to our community.

The process:

• starts with identifying needs, and then planning the best way to meet them
• continues through sourcing the goods/services/ works and managing the contract
• ends with the end of either the contract or the asset’s useful life.