AnnualReport 20102011

Chairman’s Report
I have pleasure in presenting
this Chairman’s Report on the
activities of Harbour Sport
during 2011.
Firstly may I thank the
Trustees of Harbour Sport,
a knowledgeable and
experienced group of
volunteers who contribute
significantly to the
governance and development
of Harbour Sport. To Pete
Smallberger, Kate Shevland, Brett O’Riley, Anthony Ford,
Graeme Perigo, Lynne Coleman and Ian Jones, many thanks
for your contribution. To those new Trustees this year, Michael
Goudie, Helen Varney, (Education) Ted Benton (Education)
and Tim Holdgate (Rodney), we thank you for volunteering
to be a vital part of this Regional Sports Trust as we seek to
guide Harbour Sport in supporting sport and recreation in the
local community.
Impacting Harbour Sport significantly this year has been
the key change from working with two local councils to
one Auckland Council and Five Local Boards. Harbour Sport
has had to operate at a higher strategic and regional level
with Auckland Council as well as at a more community and
operational level with the Local Boards. The exact role of
each of the entities grows in clarity with time, but it is clear
that Harbour Sport has needed to influence significantly at
both Council and Local Board levels.
The Harbour Sport Board has been able to spend time on blue
sky thinking and consideration of big picture issues which
affect Harbour Sport and the Harbour Region.
As part of continuing consultation of Harbour Sport’s
stakeholders, key stakeholders were surveyed this year with
good results for Harbour Sport.
A few quotes from the survey:
• Understanding of their environment and the community
partnerships they have forged over a long period of time is
their major strength.
• Harbour Sport is very much the information hub for our
region. They connect sports and have worked hard at
creating a sporting community of practise. They are very
proactive in linking sport with council and have taken a
leadership role across the wider Auckland region. Their
expertise in strategic and business planning has impacted
positively on our sport and KiwiSport has opened many
opportunities.
• For us it is their honest concern about sport and our
needs, the fact that they do their homework and have
facts available to support their suggestions and have good
quality people
• Great, well meaning organization that is a credit to its
Region.
• I think their key strength is that they have identified
where they can add value and where the sports really
need assistance. So they aren’t trying to do our jobs for
us, nor are they acting like a sport social welfare system.
They provide expertise, assistance and also try to hook us
up with others who can help us progress.
• We have found Harbour Sport to be supportive and
understanding of the mutual role we play together to
deliver and grow sport participation in our Community.
Their staff are capable and enthusiastic and we enjoy a
strong relationship. Harbour Sport has been and continues
to be a significant resource to our code as we seek to
evolve, improve and grow. We have benefited hugely from
their assistance.
• I believe every Harbour Sport staff member I have had to
deal with has a genuine interest in what they are doing
and are always willing to help to the best of their ability.
Partners are vital in an organisation that role models
partnership and good business relationships. May I thank our
key partners with whom we have worked this year, particularly
as it has continued to be a difficult economic period. Thank
you also to SPARC, a key partner supporting our work in the
community. To Auckland Council, Waitemata District Health
Board and Ministry of Health we thank you for your confidence
in the work that we do.
Thank you to the staff at Harbour Sport who work tirelessly to
advocate, influence and develop sport and recreation in the
Harbour Region.
This year I step down from my role as Chairman of Harbour
Sport after three years. I have thoroughly enjoyed the
opportunity to work with the Trustees and Staff at Harbour
Sport. There is no doubt that the role of the Regional Sports
Trust is even more integral to the sports community and the
community as a whole as sport and recreation organisations
battle funding issues, participation and growth requirements,
community health and obesity issues, infrastructure needs
and the value of sport as a community connector, social
enabler and indicator of wellbeing.
Roger Hill
Chairman
“Where too much sport is never enough”
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