Minutes of Environment and Services Committee

1. WELCOME/APOLOGIES/NOTICES

The Chairman welcomed everyone to the meeting. Councillor McGregor advised he would be departing the meeting at 12.00. Councillors Dick and Scott advised they would be departing the meeting at 1.15.

2. CONFLICT OF INTEREST DECLARATIONS

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

3. CONFIRMATION OF MINUTES OF the Environment and Services Committee MEETING held on 15 August 2012

ESC10/12

Resolution

Minutes of the Environment and Services Committee held on Wednesday, 15 August 2012, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and accurate record.

Dick/von Dadelszen

CARRIED

4. Matters Arising from Minutes OF THE ENVIRONMENT and Services Committee held on Wednesday 15 August 2012

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

Action Items from Meetings

Biodiversity Strategy – Mr Maxwell confirmed a draft Terms of Reference would be available today. It was also noted that the four Councillors interested in participating in the Biodiversity Strategy Steering Group were – Councillors McGregor, Remmerswaal, Gilbertson and Kirton.

Blue Flag – European Standard – Councillor Kirton asked if staff would consider investigating the European Standard for Coastal and Marine Environments and report back. ACTION.

ESC11/12

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the report “Action Items from Previous Meetings”.

Wilson /Scott

CARRIED

6.	Call for General Business Items
	There were no items of General Business.

Chilean Needle Grass - "Taskforce" Update

Mr Leckie provided the meeting with an update on providing Taskforce as a chemical herbicide in the control of Chilean Needle Grass, which would require an increase in the current plant pest budget. He noted that this would be an interim measure until the next Plant Pest Strategy Review takes place. The following comments were noted:

· Economic & environmental studies on the benefits of using Taskforce have been carried out in the Marlborough region.

· A significant number of sheep & beef farms are affected by this plant pest;

· 90% of the 104 infested properties are in Central Hawke’s Bay;

· Present controls using Roundup only just keep the problem at bay. There have been six new infestations in the past two years. All properties over 4 ha are subject to a targeted rate.

· Staff were asked to provide a comprehensive update on the HBRC contingency fund provision.

· Responding to a question on whether this action would obviate the need for the pending Environment Court action, Mr Leckie advised the next mediation date was set for November and while this may go some way in alleviating the situation he could not state for sure, whether or not it would satisfy the applicants concerns.

ESC12/12

Resolutions

The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

1. Agrees to increase the plant pest budget (project 650) by $15,000 per annum to meet the cost of purchase of Taskforce for the control of Chilean needle grass (CNG) on private land.

2. Revises the plant pest incentive scheme operated under project 650 to meet 100% of the purchase cost of the chemical “Taskforce” for CNG control, and support land users who are required to control CNG through subsidising contractor application costs by 50% with a maximum grant of $3,000.

Gilbertson/McGregor

CARRIED

Makara Dam Repairs

Mr Mike Adye provided the meeting with an overview on the Makara Dam repair options. The group discussed various aspects of the report and the following was noted:

· A level of flood protection needs to be provided to the properties affected.

· Early documents show siltation was a major issue when the Scheme was established.

· Council staff would investigate the most appropriate course of action including accurate cost information and provide a report for the 5 December meeting.

· Council staff believe an appropriate level of maintenance has been provided over the 30 years since the dam has been constructed.

· At the time of construction a 70% subsidy was provided by Central Government. Staff were asked to investigate how much had been paid by the rate payers within the scheme and whether the level of the targeted rate was appropriate for the flood protection expected. ACTION.

· Mr Adye advised that the community would be kept informed and if required another public meeting would be held.

ESC13/12

Resolutions

That the Environment and Services Committee:

1. Receives the report titled “Makara Dam Repairs”.

2. Instructs staff to investigate further and report back to the December meeting of the Committee alternative options and their cost versus benefit for flood mitigation along the Makara Valley.

von Dadelszen/Wilson

CARRIED

carried 9/ 1

For: Kirton, McGregor, Remmerswaal, Paku, Rose,

Scott, von Dadelszen, Wilson , Dick

Against: Gilbertson

10.

Presentation of Science Work and Findings in the Tukituki Catchment

Dr Uytendaal provided a powerpoint update to the Committee. He presented the outcomes of investigations into nutrient management for the Tukituki River. The key aspects of this work are:

· The Tukituki is phosphorus limited. Phosphorus is the key nutrient to manage to control periphyton.

· Nitrate would be managed to avoid toxicity effects on key species such as inanga and trout.

· The results of this work are being incorporated into a sophisticated mechanistic model being developed by NIWA staff to predict the effects of land use change on nutrients in the Tukituki and periphyton growth.

ESC14/12

Resolution

1. That the report be received.

Wilson /Gilbertson

CARRIED

Ohuia Drainage Scheme

Mr Adye provided the Committee with an overview of the current situation affecting the Ohuia drainage scheme. He confirmed that the new pump house will house three pumps to provide for an additional pump to be installed should that be desirable in the future.

It was noted that the scheme would continue to be in deficit for the next 10 years.

ESC15/12

Resolutions

The Environment and Services 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. Agrees to proceed with the replacement of the Ohuia Pump station at an estimated cost of $375,000 subject to the agreement of all ratepayers to the Scheme, subject to staff being satisfied that there is general agreement from Scheme ratepayers.

3. Delegates the Chief Executive to secure loan funding of approximately $180,000 (but not exceeding $200,000) against the Ohuia Drainage Scheme to meet the portion of the cost of the project not funded from other sources.

Wilson /McGregor

CARRIED

11.

Views on Petrochemical Management from Taranaki Region Tour

Mr Maxwell provided an update on the visits HBRC staff had made to Taranaki Regional Council (TRC).

The Committee discussed various aspects of the report and the following was noted:

· Mr Maxwell advised that it would be necessary for this region to have its own capability should this industry move into this region.

· The use of radioactive material is governed by the Ministry of Health.

· Resource Consents would clearly require the appropriate standards relevant to our region.

· TRC are presently producing a document entitled Regulating Hydraulic Fracturing (HF), HBRC staff intend to utilise this document when it is available.

ESC16/12

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the report.

Wilson /Scott

CARRIED

Councillor McGregor exited the meeting at 12.05 pm.

12.

Update on Winter Air Quality Results & Heat Smart Update

Dr Kathleen Kozyniak provided the Committee with a powerpoint presentation on Winter Air Quality in the region. This highlighted that the region was on track to reach NES standards for Air Quality within the Air Sheds by 2020.

This was followed by a brief update from Mr Mark Heaney on the Heat Smart programme including the Good Wood initiative.

ESC17/12

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the report.

Kirton/Wilson

CARRIED

The meeting broke for lunch and 12.30 pm and resumed at 1.15 pm.

Councillor Dick exited the meeting at 12.30 pm.

13.

Provision of Vector Management Services in Hawke's Bay

This report highlighted the need to bring forward the contract to provide Vector Management Services in Hawke’s Bay, to the end of financial year 2013.

It was highlighted that the good relationship with Animal Health Board would continue.

ESC18/12

Resolution:

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the report.

Wilson /Scott

CARRIED

Councillor Scott exited the meeting at 1.30 pm.

14.

2011/12 Flood Control and Drainage Scheme Reports

Messer’s Gorst and Olsen presented their reports for the year ended 30 June 2012, copies of which had been circulated earlier.

It was noted that the demand for gravel had slowed due to the current economic situation.

Mr Adye advised Sediment Transport Modelling has been largely completed as part of the programme of work on the gravel resource in HB. The findings of the strategy will be presented to Council at a future meeting.

It was noted that all schemes had been affected by significant increases in the cost of insurance cover.

Mr Olsen provided slides of the recent replacement of the pump building housing for the County Drain. This had been efficiently undertaken by Cottages NZ.

ESC19/12

Resolution:

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the 2011/12 Flood Control and Drainage Schemes Annual Reports.

Gilbertson/Kirton

CARRIED

15.

2011/12 Biosecurity Annual Report - Pest Animals and Plants

Campbell Leckie updated the Committee on the Pest Animals and Pest Plants Annual report for the year ended 30 June 2012 and the following comments were noted:

· Approximately 25,000 ha in northern Wairoa do not participate in any PCA programme.

· Chew card technology is used in this region for monitoring.

· Rook numbers continue to decline.

· Good results from urban pest management programmes with increased bird life being evident.

· The Biosecurity Law Reform Act 2012 was passed into law in September 2012.

· Focus to be given to Privet eradication within the next Plant Pest Strategy Review.

· Continuing best practice approach to mitigating the impact of Argentine Ant infestations.

ESC20/12

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the Pest Animals and Plants reports for activities undertaken during the 2011/2012 financial year.

Kirton/von Dadelszen

CARRIED

Councillor Scott returned to the meeting at 02:30 pm.

16.	Statutory Advocacy Update
	Gavin Ide informed the Committee on statutory advocacy in which Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has been involved.
ESC21/12	Resolution 1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the Statutory Advocacy Update report. Wilson /von Dadelszen CARRIED
17.	General Business
	There were no items of General Business.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 2.50 pm on Wednesday, 17 October 2012.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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