Minutes of Corporate and Strategic Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chairman welcomed those present to the meeting, acknowledging Mr Barry Wilson who was attending his first meeting of the Committee as Maori Committee representative.

Chairman Wilson advised that he would be standing down as Chairman of this Committee and that the appointment of a new Chairman would be considered and decided at the 26 September Regional Council meeting.

Councillor Rose gave notice that he would excuse himself from the meeting at 11am in order to attend a funeral.

It was noted that Councillor Kirton was on leave and therefore not in attendance.

Councillor von Dadelszen and Mr Mohi gave notice that they would have to be excused from the meeting at 12.30pm today.

Mr Newman provided Councillors with a brief update on how the first of the Tukituki Choices public meetings went. There had been a large urban representation at the meeting, and Mr Newman felt the meeting had provided insights into the public perceptions and concerns. There had not been any substantive debate around the Science presented. Councillor Gilbertson, who had been present at the meeting, felt that the evening had gone well, however suggested that some concerns may be ‘headed off’ by talking about how pollution and polluters would be dealt with at the beginning rather than at the end. Three management issues associated with N are: the toxicity to native species, the effects on algal growth; and drinking water standards.

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

Trees on Farms Update

Mr Adye introduced the item, and noted that although there was support for the project it was made more difficult starting in the current financial climate.

Mr Leckie explained the process, including examination of the legal, taxation and intensification issues, the team had worked through in developing the Carbon Trading Strategy and Policy and Operational Plan presented for the Committee’s consideration today.

Mr Leckie noted, in response to a query, that returns stated in the Strategy are ‘hard dollar’ returns. It was suggested that more work be undertaken to calculate the ‘soft dollar’ returns as well. Mr Leckie went on to clarify the options for participation in the scheme, considered and developed by the TAG and included in their report. Mr Leckie reiterated that the return on investment and risks involved need to be part of the Councillors’ considerations in making decisions about the project proceeding, or not. This is a complex project with a long lead time that must be adequately resources to be successful.

It was stated that unless a specific project meets the environmental outcomes and investment requirements of the scheme, landowners would not be eligible to participate in the scheme.

Mr Powrie, Mr Drury, and Mr Newman provided further detail around rates of return, financial provisions in the Long Term Plan, staffing requirements, progressive implementation of the scheme and risks associated with carbon price changes in response to queries from Councillors.

It was suggested that the ‘vision’ for the scheme be included in the Operational Plan in order to give clarity.

C&S36/12

Resolutions

The Corporate and Strategic Committee recommends that Council:

1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted policy on significance 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 due to the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided.

2. Subject to further financial information being provided to Council to justify the implementation of the scheme:

2.1 Endorses the Operational Plan for the 2012/13 financial year.

2.2 Endorses the finalisation of a Carbon Trading Strategy and Policy based on the framework presented in “HBRC – An implementation approach and plan for market risk management for trees on farms programme from C02 NZ Ltd Partnership”.

2.3 Confirms the 2012-13 Trees on Farms budget provisions for planting and engaging staff.

2.4 Agrees an average rate of return of 5.5% across the Trees on Farms portfolio for contracts that will be negotiated for planting that is to occur in the 2013 winter, reflecting Council’s cost of money and the significant environmental benefits of the programme.

Gilbertson/Rose

CARRIED

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Corporate and Strategic Committee Held on 18 July 2012

C&S37/12

Resolution

Minutes of the Corporate and Strategic Committee held on Wednesday, 18 July 2012, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and accurate record.

McGregor/Scott

CARRIED

4. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Corporate and Strategic Committee Held on Wednesday 18 July 2012

It was noted that the Council’s submission on the LGA amendments was scheduled to be heard on Thursday 13 September, tomorrow.

There were no further matters arising from the minutes.

The meeting adjourned at 1030am and reconvened at 1045am with Councillor Rose having been excused.

Action Items From Previous Corporate and Strategic Committee Meetings

The paper was taken as read.

C&S38/12

Resolution

1. That the Committee receives the report “Action Items from Previous Corporate and Strategic Committee Meetings”.

Scott/Gilbertson

CARRIED

Call for General Business Items

Prosperity Study Phase 2 – Cr Dick

Feral Cats – Cr Gilbertson

Tuhoe Settlement – Cr Gilbertson

Canterbury Regional Council – Cr Gilbertson

Hawke's Bay Local Authority Shared Services

Ms Lambert provided Councillors with background information relating to the timing of events and the process to date, including advising that the next meeting of those considering the HB local authority shared services company is scheduled next week.

There was discussion around other ‘shared services’ type initiatives already established or being investigated by Council staff.

Ms Lambert provided an outline of the areas that stage 2 of the prosperity study might address in response to a query. It was suggested that councillors would value the opportunity to discuss Mr Winder’s stage 1 report in more depth.

C&S39/12

Resolutions

The Corporate and Strategic Committee recommends that Council:

2. Instructs the Chief Executive to liaise with staff from the region’s territorial authorities in developing the initial documentation for the establishment of a Hawke’s Bay Local Authority Shared Services company, and to bring this back to Council for further consideration.

von Dadelszen/Scott

CARRIED

National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management – Implementation Programme

Ms Codlin provided Councillors with the rationale for the implementation plan and an explanation of the expectations of Central Government in terms of implementation timeframes.

Mr Ide provided the ‘status’ of where Council staff are at in terms of meeting the required timeframes and further detail behind the various steps involved in implementing the NPS.

C&S40/12

Resolutions

The Corporate and Strategic Committee recommends that Council:

2. Adopts the Implementation Programme for the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

Scott/McGregor

CARRIED

10.

2011/12 Human Resources Report

Mr Moule highlighted various statistics from the report to Councillors.

It was suggested that the Human Resources section investigate initiatives to increase the number of Maori employees. It was also suggested it would be useful for the report to include the educational qualifications of staff, i.e. Bachelors’ degrees, Masters’ degrees and PhD.

C&S41/12

Resolution

1. That the Corporate and Strategic Committee receives the 2011-12 Human Resources report.

von Dadelszen/Mohi

CARRIED

11.

Public Transport Update

Mr Drury provided Councillors with highlights from the report. Councillor Dick advised that according to figures just in, August usage/patronage had increased to record levels.

C&S42/12

Resolution

1. That the Corporate and Strategic Committee receives the Public Transport Update.

Dick/Gilbertson

CARRIED

12.

General Business

Item

Topic

Councillor / Staff

Feral Cats
Councillor Gilbertson advised he had recently received an article about controlling feral cats as pests and suggested that HBRC should expend more effort in this area.

Cr Gilbertson

Canterbury Regional Council
Expressed his disappointment in Central Government’s recent decision to delay democratic elections for the Regional Council to 2016.

Cr Gilbertson

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 11.55am on Wednesday, 12 September 2012.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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