Minutes of Extraordinary Regional Council Meeting

1. Welcome/Karakia/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and Cr Hinewai Ormsby led the group in offering a karakia.

Councillor Jerf van Beek gave notice that he intends to put a notice of motion in relation to Stock Water to the next Council meeting.

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting held on 1 April 2020

RC40/20

Resolutions

Minutes of the Extraordinary Regional Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 1 April 2020, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Foss/Ormsby

CARRIED

8 April 2020 Update on Significant Organisational Activities

The item was taken as read, with queries and discussions covering:

· Significant staff deployed to support CDEM Group, particularly in the welfare response

· Hydrometric network is operating at 100%

· Planning underway for new ways of working once level 4 restrictions are relaxed as the country moves to level 3 and be

· Government has requested scenario modelling of response to a natural disaster occurring amidst Covid-19 response

· Increased surveillance and patrols of regional parks and river access in response to reports of freedom camping, broken locks and vandalised signage. Working with TLAs to find common solutions to issues with freedom campers – CDEM moving them on to camp grounds and referring to welfare assistance as required. Working with police to track movements using license plates. Twelve police check-points established yesterday in HB and more will be established today.

· Interim Risk Manager working with HBRC, particularly in the area of cyber security

· Water quality monitoring for human health is an essential service, the recreational monitoring season is finished, and ecological water monitoring is not deemed essential but may be reconsidered if Level 4 extended

· Regulation Drought situation reports from the Rural Advisory Group go to CDEM and staff will investigate how best to share updates with councillors

· Mahia community is having issues with visitors coming into the area intending to holiday and there’s now a traffic management plan in place with assistance from police

· Potential for HBRC Tukituki resource consents application issues to be addressed through the Resource Management Amendment Bill. Regional Council CEs writing to the Minister in relation to impacts of the Freshwater Reform package in light of Covid-19 impacts, particularly financial impacts.

RC41/20

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the 8 April 2020 Update on Significant Organisational Activities.

Barker/Ormsby

CARRIED

Interim Process for Committee Recommendations to Council

James Palmer introduced the item, which proposes a process to enable double-debate of decisions that would normally be considered by a Committee and not of an urgent nature.

RC42/20

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the “Interim Process for Committee Recommendations to Council” staff report.

2. Agrees that because this is a procedural decision, Council can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in it.

3. Agrees that for Decisions that would normally be considered by a Committee for recommendation to Council, resolutions will be written in such a way as to require confirmation of decisions by the next Regional Council meeting.

4. Agrees that if Decisions that would normally be considered by a Committee for recommendation to Council require urgency, the unanimously carried resolution will take immediate effect and not be subject to the process of double debate.

Barker/Foss

CARRIED

Environmental Certificates of Appreciation

James Palmer introduced the item, which was taken as read.

RC43/20

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the “Environmental Certificates of Appreciation” staff report.

2. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy, and that Council can exercise its discretion and make decisions on this issue without conferring directly with the community or persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

3. Subject to confirmation at the 15 April 2020 Council meeting, agrees to the reintroduction of Certificates of Appreciation being awarded annually, in the three categories of:

3.1. Environmental Leadership in Business – Te Hautūtanga Taiao me te Pakihi: Recognises business or local authorities that demonstrate kaitiakitanga, innovation or efficiency, or an ongoing commitment to environmental best practice.

3.2. Environmental Leadership in Land Management – Te Hautūtanga Taiao me te Whakahaere Whenua: Recognises land users who are committed to environmental stewardship and sustainability in their meat, fibre, forestry or other land use operations.

3.3. Environmental Action in the Community – Te Oho Mauri Taiao ki te Hapori: Recognises no-for-profit organisations or individuals that are taking action to protect or enhance the environment, or are increasing understanding of environmental issues.

Graham/Barker

CARRIED

Chief Executive’s Verbal Report on the HBRC Operational Response to Covid-19

James Palmer highlighted:

· Councils are being circumspect in relation to enforcement and prosecutions, acknowledging the current situation and pressures on courts. Prosecution of dairy farmer in Tutaekuri is going ahead.

· Discussions with Napier Port CE covered management of Covid-19 risks to staff and constraints on the business, and will be issuing trade data at the end of April and earnings guidance to NZX at the end of May. First 6 months as expected, however the second 6 months of the financial year to September 30 very uncertain. Wharf 6 construction on hold, however Port has provided a list of ‘shovel ready’ projects for consideration for the economic recovery programme.

· Processes are in place to document council staff time contributing to the CDEM Group response.

Ospri NZ Verbal Update on HB Tb Management & Covid-19 Response

Amended as resolved 15 April 2020

Fenton Wilson (Director), Kevin Crews (Head of Disease Management) and Steve Stuart (CE) joined the meeting to provide an update on the OSPRI management of the Tb outbreak in HB and associated issues. Queries and discussions covered:

· ~~Effectively~~, the breakdown of relationships and channels of communication has ~~been found to be at the core of~~ contributed to how and why the Hawke’s Bay outbreak occurred

· 2016, when the model changed, management of the transition areas was ad hoc through Tb Free committees with representation from city/district and regional council as well as Ospri and farming community

· Learnings from internal and external reviews of processes leading to the outbreak include weak spots in buffer zones now identified for targeted management

· Funding for six years of intensive, targeted Ospri pest management in HB to work toward eradication of Tb from the region

· No ability for OSPRI to levy landowners for pest control, and a national approach including legislative change is required

· Close to 800,000 hectares under PCA and the sharing of data between HBRC and OSPRI should facilitate more effective pest management, and OSPRI gave an undertaking to share their information and data with councillors

Verbal Covid-19 Situation Updates

Updates from participants covered:

· Mike Paku – As Chair of Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga, advises the Taiwhenua is operating essential services and has established GP clinic which is testing for Covid-19. The welfare response includes a NKII Kai Hau Kai initiative that distributed seafood acquired under coastal hapū customary fishing permits.

· Michelle McIlroy – road checks should help alleviate community anxiety by stopping ‘visitors’ from coming into communities, particularly Mahia. Wairoa CDEM and taihwneua working together to identify and fill gaps in the welfare response.

· Apiata Tapine – beneficial to see more formal communications between CDEM and Māori communities in Wairoa which will assist with the recovery response.

· Will Foley – still no significant rain, CHB community has sent a video message to Silver Fern Farms Takapau. Will has been appointed to the HB Rural Advisory Group Feed Team for the drought response with freight becoming an issue.

· Craig Foss – acknowledges the courage and lateral thinking about solutions happening in the region and nationally exploring ways to recover over the next couple of years, and the work of Rick Barker in the CDEM response.

· Hinewai Ormsby – involved in Te Puni Kokiri marketing campaign especially around papakāinga living; HB Tourism Board has resolved to offer a membership holiday to members, survey results highlighted assistance most wanted around the financial guarantee scheme, any future government packages and long term marketing support; HB Tourism working with the Business Hub and Business HB are developing workshops in those areas; planning the recovery strategy for the sector

· Martin Williams – priority has been work on Water Security with the governance group; workshop on transport solutions for the region to feed into the transport study and Regional Land Transport Plan has been rescheduled as virtual meeting later in April; and report back from the Climate Change working party

· Neil Kirton – substantial financial reset under way for HBRC; Hohepa has had a Covid-19 positive result to add to the substantial complexities of managing the organisation’s response

· Jerf van Beek – 72% through the Harvest on the Heretaunga Plains and 18% through the export packaging/sending; have had issues with staff lockdown breaches and addressing those directly with relevant employers; excess produce has been provided to a nearby marae and has established a collection point for NKII; starting to plan for better drought resilience

· Charles Lambert – 15 people in his bubble, looking forward to working on local Wairoa projects to aid recovery once level 4 restrictions lifted, remains concerned about the Tb outbreak in Maungaharuru, in relation to DHB the PPE distribution to frontline workers is under way and still in the CE recruitment process

· Rick Barker – regional leaders’ meetings continue and have proven very effective at problem solving and providing a cohesive response, police taking a tougher line on enforcing level 4 restrictions; new CDEM welfare system is online ahead of schedule and working in parallel to existing system; community compliance has been fantastic on the whole and needs to continue to finish the job

10.

HBRC’s Engagement with the Crown’s Covid-19 Economic Recovery Programmes

RC44/20

Resolutions

That Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 10 HBRC’s Engagement with the Crown’s Covid-19 Economic Recovery Programmes with the general subject of the item to be considered while the public is excluded; the reasons for passing the resolution and the specific grounds under Section 48 (1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution being:

GENERAL SUBJECT OF THE ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED

REASON FOR PASSING THIS RESOLUTION

GROUNDS UNDER SECTION 48(1) FOR THE PASSING OF THE RESOLUTION

HBRC’s Engagement with the Crown’s Covid-19 Economic Recovery Programmes

s7(2)(b)(i) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of the information is necessary to ensure a trade secret is not disclosed.

s7(2)(i) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of the information is necessary to enable the local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).

The Council is specified, in the First Schedule to this Act, as a body to which the Act applies.

Barker/Foss

CARRIED

The meeting went into public excluded session at 12.12pm and out of public excluded session at 2.25pm

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 2.25pm on Wednesday, 8 April 2020.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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