Minutes of Environment and Services Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chairman welcomed everyone present to the meeting.

ESC26/14 Resolution

That the apologies from Councillors Graham (overseas on leave) and Scott (attending a funeral) be accepted.

Beaven/Pipe

CARRIED

Secretarial note: Ms Maihi-Caroll’s absence was noted.

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Environment and Services Committee Held on 11 June 2014

ESC27/14

Resolution

Minutes of the Environment and Services Committee held on Wednesday, 11 June 2014, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and accurate record as amended.

Wilson/Belford

CARRIED

4. Matters Arising From Minutes of the Environment and Services Committee Held on 11 June 2014

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

Follow-Ups From Previous Committee Meetings

Councillor Wilson advised that an invitation to the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment has been extended, and Mr Maxwell added that when she is in Hawke’s Bay, HBRC will see if other meetings can be organised to provide as many opportunities as possible for the public to participate.

Councillor Barker arrived at 9.10am

In relation to conditions for resource consents for outdoor burning, staff distributed the ‘Good Practice Guide, Minimise Smoke Emissions from Outdoor Burning’ to Councillors with the agenda for this meeting.

ESC28/14

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the “Follow-ups from Previous Committee Meetings” report.

Wilson/Pipe

CARRIED

Call For Any Minor Items Not on the Agenda

The Environment and Services Committee accepts the following minor items not on the agenda, for discussion as item 13:

Councillor Wilson – OSPRI Funding

Councillor Pipe – Cruise New Zealand Conference

Councillor Belford – Lochinvar Station

Councillor Belford – Board of Inquiry Appeal

Councillor Belford – Royalties

Councillor Hewitt – Central Hawke’s Bay Update

Update on Karamu Enhancement Work

Mr Adye introduced Mr Clode, who gave a powerpoint presentation and provided an update on the Te Karamu Catchment Review and Options for Enhancement which is a significant project adopted by Council in February 2004. He outlined the project’s objectives and work carried out since 2007 and provided an update on new work proposed including negotiation for the possible purchase of a parcel of land in the vicinity of the confluence of the Karamu and Ruapare Streams.

Discussions traversed the poor water quality from both urban and rural sources in the Karamu waterway currently, and that HDC is working on the storm water issues to remedy the situation and bring Te Karamu back to health.

In response to a question on the cost of the project, Mr Clode discussed the original proposal in 2004 was for total project works costing $14m made up of $5m construction costs, $8m enhancement costs and $1m land taking costs. Physical works initially started in 2007 with an allocation of $100,000 per annum plus an additional $10,000 for maintenance, increasing by $10,000 each year to cover the previous year’s enhancement work. The annual amounts have remained more or less the same for the past eight years and recently an additional $40,000 per year was allocated specifically for use on marae based enhancement work in the Karamu catchment. With regard to the expected purchase cost for the land, Mr Adye advised that this could be between $200,000 and $300,000.

Committee members discussed the proposed plans around the Pakowhai area, the removal of the floodgates and carrying out work around the Pakiaka urupa which is a culturally significant area. Mana whenua hold grievances over the way this sensitive burial area was handled in the past. Negotiations with the landowner and HDC are continuing as is planning for this area. This location is rich in history with some wonderful stories associated with the area.

ESC29/14

Resolutions

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

The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

2. 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.

3. Delegates authority to the Chief Executive to purchase land in the vicinity of the confluence of the Karamu and Raupare Streams to enable the facilitation of the removal of the old Karamu flood gate structure, provide for the possible expansion of the Pakowhai Regional Park, and potentially to enable an area to be set aside for an urupa; with 70% of the funding being sourced from the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme – Rivers, and 30% from the community facilities borrowing provision.

Barker/Dick

CARRIED

Land Management Operational Plan 2014-15

Mr Adye introduced Mr Nathan Heath, who gave a powerpoint presentation and provided commentary on an overview of HBRC’s land management team (LMT) which has primary responsibility for the delivery of the sustainable land management function within Council. The land management operational plan outlines the range of activities that will be undertaken in the 14/15 financial year to progress Council’s strategic objective of more viable and resilient farming systems in the region through sustainable land use.

The meeting adjourned at 10.15am and reconvened at 10.30am.

In responding to a query on the team structure, Mr Heath discussed the reorganised structure of the LMT to better enable the team to deliver their roles and responsibilities. The team is matrix managed and works alongside Land Science. Mr Maxwell explained, the role of the Land Science team in identifying issues, providing ‘tools’ for on-farm use in addressing issues and also monitoring the effectiveness of interventions to resolve those issues.Two staff from Land Science develop tools and the LMT do the ground work and engage with the community groups and individuals.

Key work programmes included in the 2014/15 operational plan are:

· Supporting policy Implementation of PC6 in the Tukituki Catchment.

· A more strategic approach to management of the hill country resource.

· The capacity building, research priorities and strategic relationship management critical to the effective long term delivery of Councils strategic objectives.

ESC30/14

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. Adopts the Land Management Operational Plan 2014-15 including any amendments agreed by the Committee.

Belford/Hewitt

CARRIED

Compliance Reporting Update

Mr Maxwell introduced Mr Wayne Wright, who gave a powerpoint presentation and provided commentary on an overview of the resource consent monitoring, pollution incident, education and navigational safety work undertaken by Council staff as well as related statistics for the 2013-14 financial year.

The Committee discussed the statistics for the 2013/14 year as included in the report.

It was suggested that the Committee receive more regular reports on the Council’s compliance activities, and Mr Maxwell advised that a Compliance Strategy is proposed to be brought to the next Environment and Services Committee meeting for consideration prior to being progressed and implemented through the 2015-25 Long Term Plan process.

ESC31/14

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the “Compliance Reporting Update” report.

Barker/Wilson

CARRIED

10.

Land Science Soil Quality Update

Mr Maxwell introduced Dr Barry Lynch, who gave a powerpoint presentation and provided commentary on an overview of the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Soil Quality Monitoring (SQM) programme, including an example of how it relates to topical issues such as cadmium accumulation in soils.

Dr Lynch’s presentation highlighted:

· The soil quality of our region is monitored to detect trends, both positive and negative, in soil quality. The soil is literally the foundation of every aspect of human life. It provides many services, not just as a medium in which to grow crops or pasture, but also as a buffer against nutrients/pollutants reaching adjacent surface water bodies or shallow groundwater, or providing an ecological habitat in its own right.

· Over 30% of Hawke’s Bay’s gross regional product or GDP can be attributed to the three basic primary sectors of horticulture, pastoral farming and forestry (Hughes 2013). This is approximately $1.8 billion per year, a figure that would be unattainable and unsustainable without careful management of the soil.

· Soil can take thousands of years to form but its structure and its chemical composition can be degraded relatively quickly. By monitoring the quality of our soils regularly, we can identify early that a particular land use on a particular soil type may need investigating further.

Council reports on environmental trends through annual State of Environment reports.

ESC32/14

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the “Land Science Soil Quality Update” report.

Barker/Belford

CARRIED

11.

Statutory Advocacy Update

Ms Bate presented this agenda item which reported on proposals forwarded to the Regional Council and assessed by staff acting under delegated authority as part of the Council’s Statutory Advocacy project between 5 June and 31 July 2014.

Responding to a question, Ms Bate confirmed that HBRC will be submitting in support of the Whakatu Arterial Link project which will provide a road between Havelock North, State Highway 2 North, Pakowhai Road, the Expressway and the Port of Napier.

Ms Bate also confirmed HBRC will not be submitting on an application to redevelop an ex-service station in Kennedy Road or the proposed residential development of a portion of the former Napier Hospital.

It was noted that hearings will begin in the next few months on the Plan Change 10 to the Operative City of Napier District Plan and that hearings had commenced on a topic by topic basis for the proposed Hastings District Plan.

ESC33/14

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the Statutory Advocacy Update report.

Wilson/Pipe

CARRIED

The meeting adjourned at 12.40pm and reconvened at 1.10pm.

12.

Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Inventory – Current State of Knowledge

Mr Maxwell introduced Ms Keiko Hashiba, Resource Analyst Land, who gave a powerpoint presentation and provided commentary on an overview of the biodiversity inventory carried out as part of the development of the Regional Biodiversity strategy.

Ms Hashiba advised that a range of stakeholders are engaged in the development of the HB Biodiversity Strategy. Mr Maxwell confirmed a meeting is scheduled to take place in September to continue discussions on the draft strategy.

Ms Hashiba also advised the Committee of the key findings on vulnerable species. The tally of extinct species continues to rise. Several species have been lost from the region permanently. The main causes of decline include predation and grazing from introduced mammals, habitat loss and modification. A process to identify species on which the region can focus its conservation effort is needed. ‘Indicator species’ could include species that represent a taxonomic group, threatened species, or habitat types such as terrestrial, freshwater, and coastal/marine, or species that are susceptible to, and good indicator for, certain threats and pressures.

Habitat loss is severe from the foothills of the main ranges down to the coast where most land is under private ownership. Remaining indigenous habitats in such landscapes are generally fragmented and vulnerable to ongoing threats such as land-use activities and introduced pests.

The Committee discussed the sand dunes and the underestimated value they provide to the coast. In responding to a question, Ms Hashiba advised the sand dunes have reduced since the 1970s due to coastal residential development.

ESC34/14

Resolution

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives the Science Report ‘Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Inventory – Current State of Knowledge’.

Dick/Wilson

CARRIED

13.

Minor Items Not on the Agenda

Item	Topic	Councillor / Staff
1.	OSPRI Funding TBfree NZ and National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) ear mark cattle to track every movement mainly TB in herds, are reviewing how funding for the control of vectors for bovine TB in HB. Currently HBRC contribute 10% of the programme in HB which equates to approximately $610,000 per year. 70% is sourced from targeted and 30% sourced from general funding.	Councillor Wilson
2.	Cruise New Zealand Conference Councillor Pipe attended the conference recently in his role as trustee on the Hawke’s Bay Tourism Board, speakers presented on topics including Port infrastructure required, itinerary planning and predicted growth in the cruise industry.	Councillor Pipe
3.	Lochinver Station Asked whether the sale of the Station will impact on any of HBRC’s work in the Mohaka catchment. The Station is 13,800ha in total, with 400ha in the Taharua catchment and 2,524ha in the Ripia catchments. 835ha of the Ripia area is in grass and the rest is in native vegetation. 79% of the property is in BOP Regional Council’s area and 21% is in HBRC’s area of that 9% is being farmed. Historically, the Station has been positively involved in the Mohaka/Taharua work programmes and stakeholder participation.	Councillor Belford
4.	Board of Inquiry Appeal Sought an update on where the Appeal process is at, however there is nothing to report at this time.	Councillor Belford
5.	Royalties LGNZ publication raises suggestion that local Councils be paid royalties by the Oil and Gas industry. LGNZ will hold a Forum on 4 September 2014 in Wellington to discuss the sharing of royalty payments with the local communities where extraction occurs.	Councillor Belford
6.	Central Hawke’s Bay Update Recently attended a WW1 exhibition in Waipawa which took one year to create, a Papanui Catchment Group meeting with Land Management Teams where an update of the region and buy in from the community was received and a public meeting about the CHB pathways development and closure of vehicle access to the river.	Councillor Hewitt

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 2.10pm on Wednesday, 13 August 2014.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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