UNCONFIRMED

 

 

MINUTES OF A meeting of the Hearings Committee

 

 

Date:                          Wednesday 13 July 2011

 

Time:                          4.55pm

 

Venue:

Mohaka Room

Hawke's Bay Regional Council

159 Dalton Street

NAPIER

 

Present:                     C Scott - Chairman

E von Dadelszen

F Wilson

M Black

 

In Attendance:          D Lew – Group Manager – Resource Management

                                    M Miller – Manager - Consents

                                    M Drury – Minute Secretary

 


1.       WELCOME/APOLOGIES/NOTICES 

          Chairman Scott welcomed all present

          Apologies were received from Messrs Gilbertson and Mohi.

von Dadelszen/Wilson

CARRIED

2.       CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

          There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3.

Hearing Panel and Pre Hearing Meeting Key Performance Indicators

 

Mr Lew outlined the reasons why the KPI guidelines had been prepared and said the intention of them was to aid Hearing Panels in their own continuous improvement process and not to be a mechanism whereby the  Hearings Panel’s performance could be criticised.

The Committee noted that as a result of recent amendments in the RMA, timelines were now extremely important and there would be a large amount of pressure place on Hearing Panels to meet the time frames set.

The Committee also noted that responses to the post hearing survey to be handed out at the completion of the hearing may not give an accurate indication of how the hearing was undertaken.    The Committee observed that the survey was not handed out to independent Commissioners and agreed that for the process to improve, it was important that all members of the Hearings Panel were surveyed.

Following further discussion, the Committee agreed that hearing panels key performance outcomes are to deliver good and sound decisions that are going to stand Council in good stead in the future.   In order to achieve these, the Committee requested that the KPIs be reworded and crafted as guidelines.  These guidelines should assist in ensuring good practice, monitor performance and indicate ways to improve.  The Committee agreed  that this agenda item lay on the table.

 

HC1/11

Resolution:

That the Hearings Committee agrees this agenda item lay on the table while the Committee awaits further information.

 

Scott/von Dadelszen

CARRIED

 

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman adjourned the meeting at 5.30pm on Wednesday, 13 July 2011.

 

Signed as a true and correct record.

 

 

 

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