Minutes of HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chair, Cr Rex Graham welcomed everyone to the meeting and James Palmer opened with a karakia.

The Chair noted that a quorum was not reached in accordance with clause 23 of Schedule 7 of the Local Government Act 2002, the quorum of the Group is that all Members must be present.

Clause 14.5 of the Terms of Reference states:

14.5 - In the event that a quorum cannot be achieved, the business at any meeting convened for the Joint Committee may be considered without further notice by a subcommittee of the Joint Committee. The recommendations of this subcommittee will be reported for final decision at the next Joint Committee meeting.

Resolution

CDE1/21 That the apologies for Mayor Craig Little and Cr R Barker accepted.

Graham/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee meeting held on 23 November 2020

CDE2/21

Resolution

Minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee meeting held on Monday, 23 November 2020, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Walker/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

4.	Call for Minor Items Not on the Agenda
	There were no Minor items for Discussion

Action Items From Previous HB CDEM Group Joint Committee Meetings

The item was taken as read.

CDE3/21

Resolution

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

Walker/Wise

CARRIED

Amendments to the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Plan: Controller and Recovery Manager Appointments

Ian Macdonald introduced the item which sought confirmation of the amendments to the Plan to replace Malcolm Smith with Russell Bond on the Local Controller Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list.

CDE4/21

Resolutions

That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee:

1. 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 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.

2. Approves a minor amendment to Appendix 5: Key Appointments of the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan pursuant to section 57 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and make appointments and changes to the roles of Local Controller as follows:

2.1. Remove the following from the Local Controller Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

Malcolm Smith

2.2. Add the following to the Local Controller Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group list:

Russell Bond

Walker/Wise

CARRIED

Group Plan Review: Communications and Project Plan

Natasha Blunden gave a brief overview of the Communications and Project Plan with discussions highlighting:

· The Communications and Project Plan outlines the suggested approach for the HBCDEM Group Plan review

· Next steps include holding the Hazard Risk Register workshop on 28 April (to re-start the Review) and seeking direction from the HBRC Māori Committee on 7 April .

· Aim to incorporate more Te Reo Māori into the Group Plan

· The Hazard Risk Register ranks hazards according to likelihood and consequence of occurring and can be given priority

· CDEM staff to engage with all TAs to brainstorm how to capture community views in the Group Plan.

CDE5/21

Resolutions

That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee:

2. That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee receive the Group Plan Review: Communications and Project Plan report.

3. That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee approve the Group Plan Review Communications and Project Plan attached to this report.

Walker/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Draft Budgets 2021 LTP

Ian Macdonald introduced the item with discussions traversing:

· Bronda Smith has been working closely with the Group Controller/Manager to develop the budgets

· Coordinating Executives Group endorsed a business case for an additional resource in the Lifelines and Recovery area which is a capability gap identified in the 2019 Capability Assessment Report, and funding for this has been included in Year 2 of the proposed HBRC Long Term Plan 2021-2031

· The CDEM reserve account will be rebuilt up to about $330k over the life of the LTP

· Challenging to understand the income lines and the impact it will have on the ratepayer – more clarity to be provided on this.

CDE6/21

Resolutions

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee:

2. Endorses the proposed budgets for the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group as included in the HBRC 2021-31 Long Term Plan.

Walker/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

Covid-19 Resurgence Planning Update

Natasha Blunden gave an update on the Covid-19 Resurgence Planning with discussions covering:

· Following consultation with regional response partners a new version was released on 9 March 2021 (v4)

· Monthly resurgence planning meetings are held on an ongoing basis to refine planning arrangements

· The Regional Resurgence Plan is a living document which will continue to be reviewed as regional planning for Covid-19 resurgence progresses

· Vaccination program very challenging – working closely with DHB and other authorities to assist with response capabilities

· Mayor Alex Walker thanked the CDEM staff for their ongoing work in a very challenging environment.

CDE7/21

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint committee receives and considers the “COVID-19 Resurgence Planning Update” staff report.

Walker/Wise

CARRIED

10.

Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Financial Report 2020-21 to February 2021

Ian Macdonald gave an overview of the current status of the Group budgets for 2020-21 highlighting:

· Currently on track with budgeting and expenditure

· A total under expenditure of $5,303 for this period, partially due to four staff vacancies

· Welfare costs have been claimed from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) for the Napier rain event 9 November 2020, totalling $23,700

· Overall, the Group is tracking for a small surplus at the end of the financial year and surplus amounts will be moved into the CDEM Reserve account.

CDE8/21

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee receives the “Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Financial Report 2020-21 to Feb 2021”.

Wise/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

11.

Verbal Discussion on Tsunami Alert (5 March 2021)

Ian Macdonald gave an overview of the Tsunami Alert following an earthquake event on 5 March 2021.

· There is a National Tsunami Advisory Warning Plan which sets response indicators (location, depth and magnitude of an earthquake)

· Under this National Plan, Regional CDEM Groups are not authorised to directly issue tsunami warnings (GNS and NEMA)

· Key message remains, when an earthquake is “long and strong, get gone”

· Different threat levels between regions – land threat versus beach and marine threat – Hawke's Bay was never under a land threat

· Emergency Management Alerts sent to different parts of regions but not Hawke's Bay as it was not under land threat

Actions arising from the event include:

· Website enhancements and testing - completed

· National and Group debriefs - completed

· Full review of templated social media messages and processes will be completed as soon as a new Public Information Manager has been appointed

· Monique Davidson (Chair, CEG Committee) gave a brief overview of discussions at the last CEG meeting on 22 February.

CDE9/21

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee receives the “Verbal Discussion on Tsunami Alert (5 March 2021)” report.

Walker/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

12.

Verbal Update from NEMA

Andrew Hickey gave an update on NEMA’s activities with discussions covering:

· Gary Knowles, appointed as Deputy Chief Executive, started today

· Roger Ball is currently acting National Controller

· NEMA’s Senior Executive Group would like to attend the CEG and Joint Committee meetings so that committee members can ask any questions they may have

· Changes coming to the Civil Defence Act, Civil Defence National Plan and the Roadmap with the National Resilience Strategy (Trifecta), including to Iwi engagement and how iwi fits into plans and strategies as well as potential changes around the powers of Controllers

· Monitoring evaluation/auditing also underway

· Yet to be determined whether Welfare functions sit with MSD or Civil Defence – currently under development

· NEMA is currently producing a strategic framework which will be shared with this Committee when available

· National Emergency Management conference will be held on 26 & 27 May in Wellington and registrations open next week.

CDE10/21

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee receives the verbal “Verbal update from NEMA” report.

Hickey/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

13.	Discussion of Minor Items Not on the Agenda
	There were no items raised for discussion.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 3.20pm on Monday, 22 March 2021.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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