Minutes of HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

MINUTES OF A meeting of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

Date: Friday 13 December 2013

Time: 10.00 am

Venue:

Council Chamber

Hawke's Bay Regional Council

159 Dalton Street

NAPIER

Present: PB Butler – Mayor, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council

B Dalton – Mayor Napier City Council

C Little – Mayor Wairoa District Council

F Wilson – Chairman Hawke’s Bay Regional Council

T Kerr – Hastings District Councillor

In Attendance: J Freeman – Chief Executive, Central HB District Council

P Freeman – Chief Executive, Wairoa District Council

W Jack – Chief Executive, Napier City Council

R McLeod – Chief executive, Hastings District Council

E Lambert – Interim Chief Executive, HBRC

I Macdonald – Group Manager/Controller, HBCDEM

A Hickey – MCDEM

Nigel Simpson - HBCDEM

M Drury – Committee Secretary

1. WELCOME/APOLOGIES/NOTICES

Mr Macdonald opened the meeting at 10.10am and welcomed all present.

An apology was received from Mayor Yule and Mr McLeod advised Councillor Kerr would stand in for Mayor Yule.

CDE4/13

Wilson/McLeod

CARRIED

2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3.	Call for General Business
	1There were no general business items called for.

Election of Chairman

Mr Macdonald updated the Committee on the voting requirements contained in clauses 24 and 25, Part 1 of Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002 and outlined the two voting systems one of which the Committee would adopt.

The Committee resolved to adopt voting system A for the election of the Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Civil defence Emergency management Joint Committee.

CDE5/13

Resolutions

That the Joint Committee:

1. Resolves to adopt voting system A for the election of the Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Joint Committee as detailed in clause 25(3) Part 1 to Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002.

Wilson/Kerr

CARRIED

Mr Macdonald called for nominations for the position of Chairman.

Mayor Peter Butler nominated Councillor Fenton Wilson, seconded by Councillor Tania Kerr.

There being no further nominations, Councillor Wilson was declared Chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Joint Committee.

Councillor Wilson then assumed the Chair.

Review of the Joint Committee Terms of Reference

Mr Macdonald advised that the current Terms of Reference the Committee was operating under were dated August 2003 and as a result of developments within the group and structural changes, it was now necessary for the Terms of Reference to be updated.

Mr Macdonald noted the significant changes and updates that were recommended for the Committee’s consideration with particular emphasis on the addition of new sections to assist the Group to meet ongoing objectives.

The Committee discussed the proposed recommendations and noted amendments. The Committee also discussed the requirement for a casting vote. Mr Macdonald confirmed that the quorum of the meeting had not changed.

Mr Macdonald confirmed that changes made to the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 meant that the provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 with regard to committees being dissolved at the end of the triennium did not apply to the Joint Committee following the elections.

In response to a query, Mr Macdonald advised that the CDEM Group Plan would come to this Committee for deciding on submissions and once the Minister of CDEM had made comment the Committee would then give final approval.

Confirmation was also given that although the Group work programme and administrative and related services pursuant to section 24 of the Act would be funded by a Targeted Rate the rate would not be applicable to Rangitikei or Taupo ratepayers.

CDE6/13

Resolutions

That the Joint Committee:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are consistent with the Group Plan and that the Committee can exercise its discretion under Sections 79(1)(a) and 82(3) of the Local Government Act 2002 and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision due to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided.

2. Resolves to adopt the Terms of Reference as contained in Attachment B to this report following amendments discussed by the Committee.

Dalton/Kerr

CARRIED.

Review of Group Information Pamphlets for Group Members and Local Politicians

Mr Macdonald updated the Committee on two booklets which were being prepared, one to assist the public understand how the civil defence emergency management is delivered in Hawke’s Bay and the other providing more specific information to mayors, councillors and senior council staff and their roles during an emergency.

The Committee discussed the two booklets, noting that An Introduction to Civil Defence and Emergency Management in Hawke’s Bay would be targeted towards the media, new Council staff and would also be of immense benefit to the volunteer organisations in the region.

Mr Macdonald advised that the draft Public Information handbook for Elected Officials and Senior Managers had been developed from a document produced by Napier City Council and would serve as a training booklet for staff prior to an emergency. The Committee considered the title of this booklet was incorrect and sought an amendment to the title and a well defined description of what would happen in the case of a declaration whether it be local or regional.

CDE7/13

Resolutions

That the Joint Committee:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision due to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided.

2. Endorses the booklet titled Public Information Handbook for Elected Officials and Senior Managers noting amendments discussed by the Committee.

Kerr/Butler

CARRIED

General Correspondence

Mr Macdonald outlined two items of general correspondence which had been received by the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group – a letter outlining the Ministry’s intention to complete a capability assessment on the Group in 2014/15 and the second relating to the decommissioning of the CDEM high frequency (HF) radio network.

Mr Macdonald also advised a spreadsheet had been prepared listing the recommendations from the previous Capability Assessment report which was undertaken in 2010 where a number of issues were identified. Progress on these recommendations would be updated and included in a report for the next Committee meeting.

Mr Hickey gave the Committee a brief overview of the points which had been marked in the last Capability Assessment report and noted that some of the recommendations had already been improved on through various resources. It had been noted that in the last year there had been an improved collaborative intent to work together in the region.

Mr Hickey outlined the 5 main target areas that the Groups were marked on – relationships, understanding of roles and responsibilities, culture, structure and funding (not an issue in Hawke’s Bay) and noted it was never the intention to rank groups throughout the country.

The Committee discussed both letters, noting that it was critical to determine the priorities to be worked on and not attempt to do everything at once. Workshops would also be undertaken to ensure that full discussions have been undertaken prior to the next assessment programme.

The Committee also noted that portable phones were decreasing in price and this could be an option for future communication outside the regional area during an event. Mr Macdonald will investigate funding options which would be included in Council’s Long Term Plan process.

CDE8/13

Resolution:

1. That the Joint Committee receives the report and notes the correspondence.

Wilson/Dalton

CARRIED

8.	Update on Review of Group Plan
	Mr Macdonald updated the Committee on the progress of the Group Plan Review and noted that public consultation on the Plan closed at 5.00pm today. To date there had been 4 submissions received with no serious issues raised at this time. Mr Macdonald also acknowledged the involvement of all Committees in the preparation of the Plan. The Committee noted that the Plan would be presented to the February Committee meeting including any recommendations received from the consultation process, it would then be given to the Minister for final approval and then declared operative by the Committee.
	Resolution: 1. That the Joint Committee receives the report.
9.	General Business
	There were no items of general business.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 11.00am on Friday 13 December 2013.

DATE: ................................................ CHAIRMAN: ...............................................