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Meeting of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee

 

 

Date:                 Monday 23 November 2020

Time:                1.30pm

Venue:

Council Chamber

Hawke's Bay Regional Council

159 Dalton Street

NAPIER

 

Agenda

 

Item       Title                                                                                                                        Page

 

1.         Karakia/Welcome/Notices/Apologies 

2.         Conflict of Interest Declarations  

3.         Confirmation of Minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group held on 31 August 2020

4.         Action Items from Previous HB CDEM Group Joint Committee Meetings                   3

5.         Call for Minor Items Not on the Agenda                                                                        7

Decision Items

6.         Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Annual Report 2019-20                                                    9

Information or Performance Monitoring

7.         Regional Drought Relief Fund                                                                                     29

8.         COVID-19 Resurgence Planning and Napier Flood Response and Recovery          35

9.         Discussion of Minor Items not on the Agenda                                                            37  

 

 


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HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 23 November 2020

SUBJECT: Action Items from Previous HB CDEM Group Joint Committee Meetings        

 

Reason for Report

1.      Attachment 1 lists items raised at previous meetings that require action, and each item indicates who is responsible, when it is expected to be completed and a brief status comment. Once the items have been reported to the Committee they will be removed from the list.

Decision Making Process

2.      Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.

 

Recommendation

That the HB CDEM Joint Committee receives the “Action Items from Previous CDEM Coordinating Executive Group Meetings” report.

 

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

Group Manager/Controller

 

 

Attachment/s

1

Action Items for November 2020 meeting

 

 

  


Action Items for November 2020 meeting

Attachment 1

 

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HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 23 November 2020

Subject: Call for Minor Items Not on the Agenda

 

Reason for Report

1.      Standing order 9.12 states:

A meeting may deal with an item of business that is not on the agenda where the meeting resolves to deal with that item and the Chairperson provides the following information during the public part of the meeting:

(a)   the reason the item is not on the agenda; and

(b)   the reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.

Items not on the agenda may be brought before the meeting through a report from either the Chief Executive or the Chairperson.

Please note that nothing in this standing order removes the requirement to meet the provisions of Part 6, LGA 2002 with regard to consultation and decision making.

2.      In addition, standing order 9.13 allows “A meeting may discuss an item that is not on the agenda only if it is a minor matter relating to the general business of the meeting and the Chairperson explains at the beginning of the public part of the meeting that the item will be discussed. However, the meeting may not make a resolution, decision or recommendation about the item, except to refer it to a subsequent meeting for further discussion.

Recommendations

1.     That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee accepts the following “Items of Business Not on the Agenda” for discussion as Item 9:

Topic

Raised by

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Annelie Roets

GOVERNANCE ADMINISTRATION ASSISTANT

Ian Macdonald

Group Manager/Controller

  


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HB CDEM Group Joint Committee  

Monday 23 November 2020

Subject: Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Annual Report 2019-20        

 

Reason for Report

1.      The purpose of this report is to provide a draft of the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Annual Report for 2019-20 for the Committee to comment on and approve.

Officers’ Recommendation

2.      That the Committee adopt the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Annual Report for 2019-20 with any amendments, as attached to this report.

Background /Discussion

3.      In the last few years the Group has produced an annual report.  The main purpose of this report is to help facilitate the governance and management of the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group as a shared service arrangement between the five Hawke's Bay councils and partner agencies.

4.      The report attached to this paper is a slimed down version of previous years due to ongoing response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  Once the Committee is happy with the content further work will be done on formatting the final version.

5.      Should the Committee adopt the 2019-20 Annual Report, this will be distributed to the Group’s member councils for inclusion on a suitable council meeting and be available online to the public.

Options Assessment

6.      The committee may decide to:

6.1.      Adopt the report as recommended

6.2.      Adopt the report with amendments; or

6.3.      Not adopt the report.

Strategic Fit

7.      The recommendations are consistent with the Group Plan in that they help provide for the effective governance of the Group in seeking to achieve its vision of “A Resilient Hawke's Bay”.

Financial and Resource Implications

8.      The are no significant resource implications from the recommended decisions in this report.

Decision Making Process

9.      Committee is required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

9.1.      The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

9.2.      The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

9.3.      The decision does not fall within the definition of significance the Administrating Authority’s (HBRC) policy on significance and engagement

9.4.      No persons can be identified who may be affected by this decision.

9.5.      The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

9.6.      Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, the Committee can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision

 

Recommendations

That the Committee:

1.      Receives and considers the “Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Annual Report 2019-20” 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.      Adopts the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Annual Report 2019-20 as attached to this report (or with amendments).

 

 

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

Group Manager/Controller

 

 

Attachment/s

1

HBCDEM Annual Report 2020

 

 

  


HBCDEM Annual Report 2020

Attachment 1

 

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HB CDEM Group Joint Committee  

Monday 23 November 2020

Subject: Regional Drought Relief Fund        

 

Reason for Report

1.      This item provides an update on the Regional Drought Relief Fund and discusses recommended next steps.

Executive Summary

2.      The Regional Drought Relief Fund (RDRF) which totalled $1,026,302.65, has distributed $977,614 to assist our rural community with costs related to animal feed transportation and welfare.

3.      Applications to the fund closed 30 September 2020, leaving $48,688.70 remaining in the fund.

Background

4.      On 12 March 2020, the Ministry for Primary Industries classified the 2019-20 drought as a large-scale adverse event for the entire North Island.

5.      The Hawke's Bay Rural Advisory Group (RAG) was the lead group for the drought response working under the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence and Emergency Management Group (HBCDEM) structure.  The RAG is made up of representatives from rural and primary sector businesses, agencies and councils.

6.      The RAG worked closely with the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and the HBCDEM to co-ordinate activities, information and support for rural people impacted by the drought and national lockdown. 

Funding

7.      On 19 May 2020, the region’s mayors and Regional Council chairman launched the RDRF, in response to the critical shortage of feed, as a result of the severe and prolonged drought in Hawke's Bay. The purpose of this fund was to “leave no one behind” and support the stock feed requirements of as many landowners as possible through the winter by offering a payment towards the cost of transporting feed to farm.

8.      The fund initially accrued $1 million including contributions from Ministry for Primary Industries ($500k), Regional Council ($200k), Central Hawke's Bay District Council ($50k), Centralines ($50k), Hastings District Council ($200k).  The RAG administered the fund held in Trust by the Hawke's Bay Disaster Relief Trust.

9.      In addition to this government funding, the fund received a one-off donation of $191.30, and our community raised $14,798 through a GiveaLittle campaign, promoted by the 'Digging deep for farmers' drive created by the RAG communications team.

10.    A further $11,560 was added to the RDRF which was remaining from the Hawke’s Bay Producers Adverse Event Trust which was de-registered in 2014.

11.    The RAG agreed to commit $10,000 from the RDRF towards the East Coast Rural Support Trust (RST), to support their work in providing ‘critical care’ personal and financial support to vulnerable farming families. This small amount of funding was available for immediate use to supply feed, for veterinary support or additional on farm labour.

Initial funding criteria

12.    The terms of reference for the RDRF were clear from the outset that the funds raised will support the cost of transporting feed to the region.

13.    The RAG initially agreed on the following criteria.

13.1     Funding is for transportation of feed

13.2     Invoices must be dated on or after 19 May 2020 (when the RDRF was announced)

13.3     Farm must be in the Hawke's Bay region

13.4     Farm must have feed/plan budget

13.5     Farm size: Between 20ha-150ha, can claim up to $400

13.6     Farm size: Greater than 150ha, can claim up to $1,350

13.7     Farms that received free donated feed (via Rural Support Trust) would have to share their portion of the transport costs, at the end of spring

13.8     Funding can only be applied for once.

14.    Given the urgency of the feed requirement, the application process was managed as a high trust model of targeted assistance in much the way that the government COVID-19 wage subsidy was applied.

Obtaining funding

15.    People were to apply for funding through the online form on a Regional Council website or drop into any HBRC office to complete an application form.  They were asked to attach proof of feed transport cost (a recent invoice), along with a bank deposit slip.

16.    For small block owners (less than 20ha), the RAG and Regional Council organised three separate 'lifestyle feed runs' over three consecutive weekends during May.  Feed was purchased and transported into Hawke’s Bay from all over the country (Christchurch, Gisborne, Tauranga, Inglewood, New Plymouth and Feilding) and sold online to small block owners.

17.    We sold out of feed within 48 hours for each run, which showed the level of need.  On the pickup days, we relied on volunteers to help load the bales.  This included; Napier Tech Rugby, East Coast Young Farmers, Regional Council staff, Civil Defence staff, regional councillor Will Foley, and RAG leaders.

18.    Furthermore, the RST organised for donated feed from around the country to be transported into the region and allocated to those in need.  The RDRF paid those transportation costs.

Funding criteria review July 2020

19.    Initially, the RAG believed demand was going to exceed supply given the scale of the drought and the estimated number of eligible properties; hence modest limits based on farm size were initially agreed.  After five weeks, only 103 applications, totalling $125,550 had been received.  Feedback suggested that the amounts being offered were too small to make a difference and so people were not applying.

20.    In July 2020, the RAG met to review its fund criteria given the low uptake of the fund.  The feedback at that meeting from RAG participants was that the amounts being offered were too low, many had arranged feed prior to the RDRF being announced (and so missed out on the support payment) and so the RAG made the following adjustments.

21.1     Allow those that organised feed early access to the fund (the eligibility date was shifted to 12 March 20, when the adverse event was declared by MPI)

21.2     Not to on-charge transportation costs to the recipients of donated feed

21.3     Fund transportation of stock to properties outside the region to graze, and then back again

21.4     To increase the limits

21.4.1    Farm size:  Between 20ha-150ha, could claim up to $1,000 (up from $400)

21.4.2    Farm size:  Greater than 150ha, could claim up to $5,000 (up from $1,350)

21.5     To automatically top up to the new limits those who had already applied by depositing the difference into their accounts ($224,980)

21.6     To confirm that applications will close end of September 2020.

21.    These criteria changes, along with new direct marketing initiatives developed to promote the RDRF, via the RAG communications team, increased uptake in the subsequent weeks.

Funding update, October 20

22.    At the close of the fund, $977,614 was dispersed to support our rural community with costs related to animal feed transportation and welfare. The fund totalled $1,026,302.65, which leaves $48,688.70 remaining.

23.    The lifestyle feed runs supported 333 farmers who bought 4,902 bales of feed. The total cost of transportation for the lifestyle feed totalled $14,798.

24.    We received 289 online applications from farmers who claimed a total of $794,650.

Northern HB

Mid-HB

Southern HB

4

173

112

25.    33 of these applicants were on farms sized between 20ha-150ha, and 255 were farms sized greater than 150ha.

26.    The donated feed transportation costs totalled $149,800.  This covered the cost of transport only and note the cost of the actual feed.  This change resulted in a greater supply of donated feed being able to come to the region.

27.    The A&P showgrounds was used as the staging area for incoming donated and lifestyle feed over the past five months.  The RDRF contributed approximately $13,000 for costs associated with this including distribution and collection logistics (labour and forklift diesel costs), and repairs to the showgrounds access road, which was damaged by the feed transport trucks.

Building resilience in our rural communities

28.    Recent reporting by NIWA outlines scenarios ahead of the region with a changing climate.  The indications are we will have increasing frequency and intensity of volatile weather events including drought, and storms.

29.    Farmers believe about 65% of New Zealand’s agriculture will be moderately or severely impacted by climate change in the next 30 years, according to a survey (MPI, 2019).

30.    There is a need to help farmers and rural communities prepare for and manage through drought, so they can pursue a prosperous and sustainable future.

31.    In order to do this, the development of a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy (RDRS), in partnership with the primary sector, MPI, councils and industry is being proposed. HBRC is prepared to facilitate the development of the strategy and would like to utilize the small amount of remaining funding in the RDRF to begin this work.

32.    This strategy will pull together existing knowledge on managing for drought across a broad range of areas, such as alternate land use options, the use of trees on farms, reticulation, on-farm water storage and ongoing advice to landowners.

33.    To achieve this, we see this work being split into three phases:

Phase one:  Initial scoping to develop a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy

34.    Before writing a RDRS we need to better understand:

36.1     the current thinking of those affected by this drought, including the primary sector and other supporting services

36.2     what historical resilience efforts have been made and the impact these have had

36.3     what information is available now that would help support drought resilience

36.4     best methods for engaging with our rural communities

35.    Council contracted AgFirst Pastoral (HB) Limited to deliver this initial thinking and this has been completed, reported and paid for by HBRC.

Phase two:  Development of a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy

36.    HBRC are currently scoping the work with an industry professional, with the strategy development proposed to occur over the summer months.  It is proposed to draft the strategy, run workshops and then issue a final report in Feb 2021.  It is proposed to use the remaining RDRF money to run this process, with HBRC project managing the work.

Phase three:  Development of an integrated Drought Resilience Action Plan

37.    After the strategy has been developed and socialised there is a need to create a focused implementation plan or action plan that sets out how we will set about operationalising the strategy and the processes and pathways that will achieve that.  This will be the more significant and ongoing body of work that includes things like farmer field days, workshops and monitor farms. 

Next Steps

38.    Hawke's Bay should expect more frequent drought events like 2020, and we need to prepare and support our rural communities by developing a RDRS and an integrated action plan.

39.    HBRC are seeking the agreement of the fund contributors and then the Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust to use the remaining $48,688.70 to fund the development of a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy.

Decision Making Process

40.    Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.

 

Recommendation

That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee receives and notes the “Regional Drought Relief Fund” staff report including the proposal to spend the residual funding of $35,549 on a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy.

 

 

Authored by:

Jolene Townshend

 Senior Advisor Integrated Catchment Management

 

Approved by:

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager Integrated Catchment Management

 

 

Attachment/s

1

Statement of Financial Performance for the period ending 16 November 2020

 

 

  


Statement of Financial Performance for the period ending 16 November 2020

Attachment 1

 

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HB CDEM Group Joint Committee  

Monday 23 November 2020

Subject: COVID-19 Resurgence Planning and Napier Flood Response and Recovery        

 

Reason for Report

1.      The purpose of this report is to provide a place holder for a information only verbal update on the following:

1.1.      COVID-19 Resurgence planning

1.2.      The Response and transition into recovery for the November Napier flood event.

Decision Making Process

2.      Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision making provisions do not apply.

 

 

Recommendation

That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee receives and notes the “COVID-19 Resurgence Planning and Napier Flood Response and Recovery” staff report and associated verbal update.

 

 

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

Group Manager/Controller

 

 

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.


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HB CDEM Group Joint Committee   

Monday 23 November 2020

SUBJECT: Discussion of Minor Items not on the Agenda        

 

Introduction

This document has been prepared to assist the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee members to note any Minor Items to be discussed, as determined earlier in the Agenda.

 

Item

Topic

Member/Staff

1.  

 

 

2.  

 

 

3.