Agenda of HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

Meeting of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee

Date: Monday 22 November 2021

Time: 1.30pm

Venue:

Council Chamber

Hawke's Bay Regional Council

159 Dalton Street

NAPIER

Agenda

Item Title Page

1. Welcome/Karakia/Notices/Apologies

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group held on 30 August 2021

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 Review 9

7. Regional Drought Relief Fund 55

Information or Performance Monitoring

8. National Emergency Management Agency Verbal Update

9. Discussion of Minor Items not on the Agenda 57

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 22 November 2021

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 CDEM JC November 2021 meeting

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 22 November 2021

Subject: Call for Minor Items Not on the Agenda

Reason for Report

1. This item provides the means for committee members to raise minor matters they wish to bring to the attention of the meeting.

2. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council standing order 9.13 states:

2.1 “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.”

Recommendation

That the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee accepts the following “Minor Items Not on the Agenda” for discussion as Item 9:

Topic	Raised by

Authored by:

Leeanne Hooper

Team Leader Governance

Approved by:

Desiree Cull

Strategy & Governance Manager

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 22 November 2021

Subject: Hawke’s Bay CDEM Review

Reason for Report

1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Joint Committee with an opportunity to discuss and endorse the report of ContextusSolutions Ltd commissioned by the local authority CEs to review the current CDEM Group operational response framework, processes and structures. This review sought to identify if the system was performing optimally to meet current and future needs. The review was undertaken Ross McLeod and was in the context of the events of 2020.

Discussion

2. The attached report outlines the background of the review, the methodology used and contains the terms of reference agreed by the CEs. It recognises a number of strengths in Hawke’s Bay’s CDEM set up but also makes a series of recommendations aimed at further strengthening Response and Recovery arrangements.

3. A presentation will be given by the report author to the Committee at the meeting.

4. The change programme currently being developed seeks to operationalise the recommendations of the report in a structured and logical manner, using the expertise contained within the councils and other partner agencies. This is still work in progress, but an outline of current thinking and work is as follows.

Change Programme

5. The Councils’ Chief Executives and the CDEM Coordinating Executive Group (CEG) have commissioned a change programme to address the recommendations contained in the Review Report. An overall management and coordination workstream and eight issue specific workstreams are being established as follows.

Workstream	Workstream focus areas
Phase A Workstreams
1. Programme Management and Quality Control	Overall coordination and direction for the change programme and workstreams.
2. Operating Framework and Response Structure	Examine operating framework and response structure. Engage with key stakeholders and make recommendations to CEG and Joint Committee on proposed changes to framework and structure.
3. Common Operating Platform/Shared Emergency Operating Systems Development	Develop a fit-for-purpose common operating platform/shared information system for use by Hawke’s Bay CDEM partners/agencies.
4. Group Work Programme Review and Rebalancing	Examine CDEM work programme to ensure required focus on response preparedness and recovery.
5. GECC and EOC Operational Resourcing, Training and relationship support Review	Based on outcomes from 2 above, ensure response structure is adequately resourced. Make improvements required to training, and to support arrangements for key personnel (including Mayor/HBRC Chair and Controllers)
6. Council Collective Responsibility and Resource Commitment Monitoring	Monitor resourcing and agency collaboration and participation.
Phase B Workstreams
7. Welfare Arrangements Revision	Examine welfare coordination, management and delivery arrangements taking account of the response structure directions from workstream 2 above. Make recommendations as appropriate to Welfare Coordination Group CEG, key partner agencies and Joint Committee on any proposed changes to welfare arrangements.
8. Recovery Capability Development	Examine recent recovery work. Engage with key partner agencies. Develop and recommend improvements to recovery arrangements, including how recovery is commenced and resourced during the response phase.
9. Building Assessment Process Standardisation	Engage key partners and make recommendations to ensure building assessment processes are consistent and meet regulatory requirements.

6. Councils and CDEM partner agencies are being asked to allocate resourcing to each of the workstreams. To date, the council Chief Executives and agency regional heads have been proactive in making resource available.

7. The priority workstreams are the Response Structure/Operating Framework workstream and the Common Operation Platform/Shared Information Systems workstream. This is because they provide the foundation for other workstreams to build on. They are being initiated prior to the Christmas break, with recommendations due to be reported to CDEM Coordinating Executive Group (CEG) and Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee mid-2022.

8. Progress within the change programme will be reported to CEG and the Joint Committee regularly. Major changes arising out of the workstreams will be reported to CEG in the first instance and the CDEM Group Joint Committee where significant decisions are required. While elements of the change programme are still being fully scoped, the aim at this point is to complete change programme implementation by end 2022.

9. The change programme may be impacted by the ongoing support to the COVID-19 response and the need for key staff to be prepared and capable for concurrent emergency events which may occur.

Next Steps

10. The change management program will be finalised and presented with the report to the next CEG meeting for endorsement. In the meantime, work will continue as appropriate.

11. The implementation of the change program will be reported back to the CDEM Group Joint Committee at future meetings.

Decision Making Process

12. Council and its committees are 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:

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

12.2. Given the operational nature of the issues to be considered and decided, the CDEM Group Joint Committee can exercise its discretion and make these decisions without consulting with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendation

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee:

1. Receives and notes the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Review staff report.

2. Endorses the ContextusSolutions Ltd “Strengthening CDEM in Hawke’s Bay” report and recommendations.

3. Directs the CDEM Coordinating Executive Group to develop a change programme, subject to refinement during implementation, that actions the recommendations of the “Strengthening CDEM in Hawke’s Bay” report.

4. Directs the CDEM Coordinating Executive Group to formally report change programme progress to future Joint Committee meetings.

Authored and Approved by:

Ian Macdonald

Group Manager/Controller

Attachment/s

1 ⇩

Strengthening Civil Defence Emergency Management in Hawke’s Bay

Strengthening Civil Defence Emergency Management in Hawke’s Bay

Attachment 1

PDF Creator

HB CDEM Group Joint Committee

Monday 22 November 2021

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), established by and managed through the Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust, totalled $1,026,302.65.

3. $977,614 was distributed to assist our rural community with animal feed transportation and welfare costs. Applications to the fund closed 30 September 2020, leaving $48,688.70 remaining in the fund.

4. On 23 November 2020, the HB CDEM Joint Committee meeting agreed to the remaining funds being used to fund the development of a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy.

5. With the Regional Drought Resilience Strategy now completed, the RDRF has $10,691.64 remaining.

6. Hawke’s Bay Regional Council staff are recommending that the Hawke's Bay Disaster Relief Trust use the remaining $10,692 to fund the East Coast Rural Support Trust (RST).

Background/Discussion

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. The RAG worked closely with HBRC staff and HBCDEM to co-ordinate activities, information and support for rural people impacted by the drought and national COVID lockdown. 

10. 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 the farm.

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

12. 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.

13. 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.

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

15. On 23 November 2021, Hawke's Bay CDEM Joint Committee agreed to use the remaining $48,688.70 to fund a Regional Drought Resilience Strategy in partnership with the primary sector, MPI, councils and industry, facilitated by HBRC.

16. Please note HBRC received late submissions that were granted due to technical complications, therefore at the end of the drought and once all payments were made, $44,615.89 remained in the RDRF.

17. In April 2021, the final report 'Drought Resilience Strategy 2021-2026 – learning the lessons from the 2020 drought' was delivered by contractor Douglas Birnie. The report identified eight potential actions; one of which was developing a regional drought risk indicator “traffic light” tool, which has been completed and published on the HBRC Farmers Hub webpage. The production of the strategy, the associated workshops and strategy implementation plan cost $33,924, leaving $10,691.64 in the RDRF.

Next Steps

18. HBRC is recommending the Hawke's Bay Disaster Relief Trust use the remaining $10,691.64 in the RDRF to fund the RST, to support their ongoing work in providing 'critical care' personal and financial support to vulnerable farming families.

Decision Making Process

19. 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.

Recommendations

That Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee:

1. Receives and considers the “Regional Drought Relief Fund” 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. Commits the remaining $10,691.64 from the Regional Drought Relief Fund (RDRF) to the East Coast Rural Support Trust to support their work in providing 'critical care' personal and financial support to vulnerable farming families.

Authored by:

Jolene Townshend

Senior Advisor Integrated Catchment Management

Approved by:

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager Integrated Catchment Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

Item	Topic	Member/Staff
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