Minutes of Regional Council Meeting

1. Welcome/Prayer/Apologies/Notices

The Chairman welcomed everyone present to the meeting, and Councillor Beaven offered the prayer.

Cr Wilson gave notice that the HBRC does not agree with the sentiments expressed by the Mayor of CHBDC and values its relationship with NKII and its members.

Cr Wilson advised that processes for Agenda preparation in relation to late items and delegations. Mrs Hooper provided an outline of standing orders and legislation in relation to Agenda items, parties wishing to address Council, late items, processes for including items on agendas and dealing with items not on the agenda.

Mrs Lambert advised that discussions with NKII are ongoing and constructive, and a future meeting will be scheduled at a time mutually agreed between Council and the NKII Board.

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting Held on 18 December 2013

RC1/14

Resolution

Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 18 December 2013, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and accurate record as amended.

Beaven/Scott

CARRIED

4. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting Held on Wednesday 18 December 2013

Cr Wilson provided an update on item 12 Resolution 3 (pg 9), advising that several meetings had been held and discussions and investigations are continuing in an effort to resolve accommodation issues in Wairoa.

There were no further matters arising from the minutes.

Follow-ups from Previous Council Meetings

Ms Lambert provided an update on the follow-up items, including a correction to the Spatial Planning framework item being that the Spatial Planning project is scheduled to begin in the 2014-15 financial year and therefore will not be the subject of a report going to the Regional Planning Committee in February.

It was noted that a report on the costs of on-farm water storage will be presented at the February Environment and Services Committee meeting as advised in December.

RC2/14

Resolution

1. That Council receives the report “Follow-ups from Previous Council Meetings”.

Scott/Beaven

CARRIED

Call for any Minor Items not on the Agenda

RC3/14

Resolution

That Council accepts the following minor items not on the agenda, for discussion as item 12:

1. Cr Barker – use of prisoner labour

2. Cr Barker – fruitfly infestation in Whangarei

3. Cr Graham – update on Cityscape building

Wilson/Barker

CARRIED

Affixing of Common Seal

1. The Common Seal of the Council has been affixed to the following documents and signed by the Chairman or Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive or a Group Manager.

Seal No.

Date

1.1

Leasehold Land Sales

1.1.1 Lot 11

DP 13111

CT E3/553

- Agreement for Sale and Purchase

1.1.2 Lot 39

DP 6391

CT E2/1453

- Transfer

3748

3749

12 December 2013

16 December 2013

RC4/14

Resolutions

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. Confirms the action to affix the Common Seal.

Scott/Pipe

CARRIED

Proposed Amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

Mr Gavin Ide, Team Leader Policy, provided an overview of the paper which is recommending that Council lends its support to a local government sector-wide submission on the NPS for Freshwater Management. Many of the points raised in the submission are seeking clarification of the intention of clauses and practical application of the policies. These National standards do not preclude local communities determining the specific values they want to protect and/or promote in their local waterways. As per the RMA any values set locally can be more stringent than the National Standard bottom line but cannot be lower.

RC5/14

Resolutions

That Council:

2. Agrees to not lodge its own separate submission on the Government’s proposed amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

3. Agrees to inform Local Government New Zealand:

3.1. of its decision to not lodge its own separate submission on the Government’s proposed amendments to the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

3.2. that the Hawke's Bay Regional Council supports preparation of a Local Government sector submission; and

Councillor Barker moved an amendment, seconded by Councillor Belford; being an additional resolution:

3.3 that the Hawke's Bay Regional Council supports increasing standards of water quality and enhancements in measurement and management of our water resources.

Barker/Belford

CARRIED

The amendment was CARRIED and therefore became part of the substantive motion.

Scott/Pipe

CARRIED

NZ Energy Corp Oil Exploration in the Wairoa Area (Presentation by Dr Ian Brown)

Mr Iain Maxwell, Group Manager Resource Management, introduced Dr Ian Brown, General Manager Development and Corporate Affairs for NZ Energy Corp. Dr Brown provided a presentation covering the history of the company and current operations and investigations in the Wairoa area.

RC6/14

Resolution

1. That Council receives the “NZ Energy Corp Oil Exploration in the Wairoa Area” report.

Barker/Beaven

CARRIED

The meeting adjourned at 10.35am and reconvened at 10.50am

10.

Monthly Work Plan Looking Forward Through February 2014

Mrs Lambert, in response to queries, advised that work on the Makara Dam has begun and that there is a Councillor fieldtrip to CHB scheduled on 21 February. Ms Lambert confirmed that the submission to the Local Government Commission on the reorganisation proposal will cover the principles agreed at the December Regional Council meeting, and that Council would consider the submission at the 12 February Environment and Services Committee meeting to allow any amendments prior to Council’s adoption of the final version at its 26 February meeting.

Mr Adye, in response to queries, advised that discussions between Council (HDC and HBRC) engineers and WOW engineers are ongoing, a long term strategy for the Coast is being developed and that the Komar report is expected by early March.

RC7/14

Resolution

1. That Council receives the Monthly Work Plan Looking Forward Through February 2014 report.

Scott/Belford

CARRIED

11.

Chairman's Monthly Report

The Chairman tabled his report, covering the December-January period and provided some additional detail in relation to Waipatiki.

RC8/14

Resolution

That the Chairman’s monthly report for January 2014 be received.

Hewitt/Graham

CARRIED

12.

Minor Items not on the Agenda

Item	Topic	Councillor / Staff
1.	Use of prisoner labour Query why HBRC doesn’t use prisoner labour and request for report.	Cr Barker
2.	Fruitfly infestation in Whangarei Fruitgrowers are very worried, and requests that if the infestation is more widespread all HB agencies are actively preparing their response. Planning workshop upcoming within the fruit industry.	Cr Barker
3.	Update on Cityscape building Dominion article prior to Christmas Negotiations have not yet started, but intent is that NCC, HBRC and Cityscape sit down together to negotiate (without lawyers).	Cr Graham

13.

HBRIC Ltd Staff Remuneration Request

RC9/14

Resolutions

1. That Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 13 HBRIC Ltd Staff Remuneration Request with the general subject of the item to be considered while the public is excluded; the reasons for passing the resolution and the specific grounds under Section 48 (1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution being as follows:

GENERAL SUBJECT OF THE ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED	REASON FOR PASSING THIS RESOLUTION	GROUNDS UNDER SECTION 48(1) FOR THE PASSING OF THE RESOLUTION
HBRIC Ltd Staff Remuneration Request	7(2)(a) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of the information is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons.	The Council is specified, in the First Schedule to this Act, as a body to which the Act applies.

2. That Dr Andy Pearce, HBRIC Ltd Chairman be present for this item as the representative of the Board of Directors making the request.

Hewitt/Scott

CARRIED

14.

Independent Assessment of the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme for Council

RC10/14

Resolutions

1. That Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 14 Independent Assessment of the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme for Council with the general subject of the item to be considered while the public is excluded; the reasons for passing the resolution and the specific grounds under Section 48 (1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution being as follows:

GENERAL SUBJECT OF THE ITEM TO BE CONSIDERED	REASON FOR PASSING THIS RESOLUTION	GROUNDS UNDER SECTION 48(1) FOR THE PASSING OF THE RESOLUTION
Independent Assessment of the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme for Council	7(2)(i) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of the information is necessary to enable the local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).	The Council is specified, in the First Schedule to this Act, as a body to which the Act applies.

2. That the following representatives of the companies vying for the Assessment projects be present for the presentation of their Expression of Interest for Councillors’ evaluation.

2.1 KPMG; Troy Newton, Jesse Phillips and Julia Jones

2.2 Deloitte; Alan Dent, David Morgan, Paul Munro and Paul Callow

2.3 Nimmo Bell; Dr Brian Bell

2.4 McDermott Miller; Richard Miller and Dr Derek Milne

Hewitt/Scott

CARRIED

The meeting went into public excluded session at 11.00am and out of public excluded session at 4.30pm

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 4.30pm on Wednesday, 29 January 2014.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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