Minutes of Regional Planning Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

KARAKIA – W WILSON

Chairman Waaka welcomed all present to the meeting

Resolution

RPC5/14 That the apologies for absence be received from Messrs N Baker, R Spooner and Councillor R Graham

Beaven/F Wilson

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Planning Committee Held on 14 May 2014

RPC6/14

Minutes of the Regional Planning Committee held on Wednesday, 14 May 2014, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and accurate record.

Scott/Hopmans

CARRIED

4. Matters Arising from Minutes of the Regional Planning Committee Held on 14 May 2014

There were no matters arising from the minutes.

5.	Follow-ups From Previous Regional Planning Committee Meetings
	There were no follow ups from the Previous Regional Planning Committee meeting

6.	Call for Any Minor Items Not on the Agenda
	1. Update by Mr M Mohi, Chairman of the Maori Committee

National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management – Progressive Implementation Report 2013-14

Mr Ide presented this agenda item on the Council’s progressive implementation of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM) covering the 2013-14 financial year time frame.

Mr Ide noted that annual reporting on the Programme was required until the programme was completed and the NPSFM was fully implemented as relevant in Hawke’s Bay’s regional policy statement and regional plans. The Progressive Implementation report would also be included in Council’s Annual Report.

In response to a question, Mr Ide confirmed that the NPSFM does not specifically require the Programme to be updated but it was the staff view it was important to report on changes or revisions. Mr Ide also confirmed that the 2014 NPSFM now requires councils to adopt revised progressive implementation programmes before 31 December 2015.

The Committee discussed the process involved in reporting on progress and noted that each time a new Plan was introduced, the report would need to be reported on from the commencement of the project.

The Committee also sought clarification on the Key Implementation milestones and activities for the 2011 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management as set out in Attachment 1 of the agenda item.

Concern was expressed by the Committee in regard to the Implementation of Water Measuring Regulations and sought clarification on Council policies in relation to the lapse provision for the use of water or lack of use of water as consented. The Committee noted that if water had not been used as consented, the consent holder was required to demonstrate why this had occurred.

Ms Codlin confirmed that an article would be prepared for the Horticulture NZ newsletter outlining policies around water – this was another good way of making all consent holders fully aware of their rights.

Ms Codlin advised that the intention was to update all the timeframes and the report would be kept alive by updating the changes which had been implemented by way of an agenda item to the Committee.

Ms Codlin also confirmed that in the Regional Plan there was a series of monitoring programmes which are undertaken by Scientists in the Resource Management Group.

Ms Codlin also noted that the State of Environment (SoE) Report would be completed this year and science reporting would be updated as part of the Report.

RPC7/14

RPC8/14

Resolutions

That the Regional Planning Committee:

1. Receives the “National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management – Progressive Implementation Report 2013-14” report.

F Wilson/Dick

CARRIED

2. Recommends that Council:

2.1 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.

2.2 Agrees that the content of the report’s attachment be re-formatted and published as part of the Council’s 2013-14 Annual Report.

Pipe/Scott

CARRIED

Regional Planning Committee Annual Activity Reporting 2013-14

Ms Bate presented the agenda item and sought comments from the Committee on the draft Regional Planning Committee Annual Report for 2013-14.

The Committee discussed the Draft report, noted amendments suggested and agreed it was important that the format of the report gave readers a clear set of workstreams and answers the Committee had achieved over the last year in a user friendly style. A suggestion was put forward and noted that a diagram be included in the report illustrating Council’s plan changes and policies and outlining where the Regional Planning Committee is involved in in plan change processes.

Committee members noted that there SOLGM offers a one day training course on how the RMA works. Committee members ought to consider the value of attending that course in the near future.

RPC9/14

Resolutions

That the Regional Planning Committee

1. Receives the draft report and provides feedback and suggested amendments to staff.

2. Instructs staff to proceed with the publication and distribution of the finalised report as amended.

F Wilson/Kirikiri

CARRIED

New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement: Regional Coastal Environment Plan Gaps Assessment

Mr Ide updated the Committee on a report prepared by Mr Rob van Voorthuysen to undertake a gap assessment of the Regional Coastal Environment Plan against the 2010 New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement.

Mr Ide advised that there had been a long delay before the Minister of Conservation had approved the RCEP in June 2014.

Mr Ide summarized the work programme priorities suggested by Mr van Voorthuysen and noted that the consultant’s suggestions did not commit Council to any or all of the suggested actions.

The Committee discussed the report, the requirements to establish a set of standards from which Council could undertake a leadership role, the Regional Planning Committee’s role in progressing the Gap Analysis suggestions and was it going to be prioritized.

Mr Ide advised that prioritizing amendments to the RCEP to give effect to the NZCPS need to be considered as part of the Council’s overall work programme for strategy and planning activities. A separate report elsewhere in the agenda discusses that programme and how the Council might review that programme through the Long Term Plan process.

In response to a question why the Gap Analysis had not previously been presented to one of the Council’s other Standing Committees, Mr Ide referred to the Committee’s own Terms of Reference and its responsibilities for preparation and review of resource management policies and plans. Mr Ide advised that given the Terms of Reference, it was very appropriate that the Gap Analysis was presented to the Regional Planning Committee and not one of the other Council committees.

The Committee noted that it was important that Tangata Whenua representatives were kept up to date on all relevant information presented to other Council Committees or Council meetings. It was agreed options should be investigated so that Tangata Whenua representatives on the Committee were kept fully informed of wider Council activities relevant to the RMA in order to be pro-active iwi partners and become involved in the early stages of any initiatives.

Following a suggestion, the Committee agreed it would be advantageous for a representative from the Office of Treaty Settlements to give the Committee an overview of the law relating to the Marine and Coastal area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011 and any other relevant information about Treaty claims and Settlement processes in Hawke's Bay.

The Committee noted that the attendance of Mr Mohi, Maori Committee Chairman at the Committee’s meetings would also be extremely beneficial, but the Committee’s current Terms of Reference would not entitle Mr Mohi to be a full member of the Committee.

RPC10/14

Resolutions

The Regional Planning Committee:

1. Receives the staff report and provides any feedback on matters arising from the consultant’s Gap Assessment report.

2. Considers the Gap Assessment report as part of its consideration of the Resource Management Planning Programme for the Long Term Plan process.

3. Recommends that Council:

3.1. 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.

3.2. Receives the consultant’s report titled ‘Gap Analysis of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s Regional Coastal Environmental Plan against the NZCPS 2010’ (dated August 2014 prepared by Mr Rob van Voorthuysen).

3.3 Extends an invitation to the Office of Treaty Settlements to present to the Regional Planning Committee an overview of the law relating to the Marine and Coastal Area (Takutai Moana) Act 2011.

Barker/Brown

CARRIED

10.

2014 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management

Mr Ide presented an overview of the recently released amended 2014 version of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPSFM). The presentation included a 3 minute YouTube video produced by Ministry for the Environment about the recent NPSFM amendments.

Mr Ide advised that the NPSFM does not apply to geothermal or coastal water with the amended NPSFM now requiring regional councils to recognise the national significance of fresh water for all New Zealanders and te Mana o te Wai.

Mr Ide outlined the impacts of the revised NPSFM and noted that several of the changes have the potential to have significant implications for HBRC.

The Committee discussed the implications for HBRC particularly in light of the ongoing science work underway.

RPC11/14

Resolutions

That the Regional Planning Committee:

1. Receives the report titled 2014 National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management.

2. Considers the implications of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management when considering the Resource Management Planning Programme for consideration in the Long Term Plan process.

Scott/Beaven

CARRIED

11.

Resource Management Planning in Long Term Plan

Ms Codlin presented this agenda item which requested that the Committee consider the resource management planning programme that is anticipated to be considered as part of the Long Term Plan process.

Ms Codlin outlined the draft Resource Management Planning programmes for consideration in the Long Term Plan 2015-25. Ms Codlin also noted that Council had received a grant of $80,000 from MfE as a contribution to the RPS Change – Outstanding Freshwater Bodies project which had not yet commenced. This project would be undertaken in conjunction with Auckland Council and it was hoped to develop a set of criteria and a methodology for standardized identification across NZ of outstanding freshwater bodies.

Ms Codlin advised that feedback by the Committee on the draft planning programme or any other planning programmes was required for 15 October 2014 meeting so it could be considered as part of the Long Term Plan development process.

RPC12/14

Resolutions

That the Regional Planning Committee:

1. Receives the report titled Resource Management Planning for the Long Term Plan.

2. Considers the draft Resource Management Planning programme in Attachment 1 and reports back at the October meeting on any additional planning programmes that it would like Council to consider as part of the Long Term Plan development process.

F Wilson/Pipe

CARRIED

Councillor Dick left the meeting at 3.15pm

12.

Resource Management Planning Project Update

Mr Ide updated the Committee on Council’s various resource management projects currently underway and answered questions from the Committee.

Resolution

1. That the Regional Planning Committee receives the report titled ‘Resource Management Planning Projects Update’.

Scott/F Wilson

CARRIED

13.

RMA Section 35A Requirements

Ms Bate gave an overview of the requirements in section 35A of the Resource Management Act 1991 to keep and maintain records of iwi and hapu in the region which is only applicable if a hapu requests the crown or local authority to include the relevant information. These records are for RMA use only, but could be useful reference for other Council projects.

Ms Bate confirmed that HBRC already keeps records of iwi authorities and marae/hapu groups and from time to time additional references may be made to online resources from other organisations.

Ms Bate gave a powerpoint presentation which illustrated the development of a pilot GIS based application to improve the way information for s35A RMA purposes is stored and accessed. The pilot application is being led by HBRC with the four main Hawke's Bay TLAs also contributing information and staff time.

In response to a query, Ms Bate confirmed that the website application is currently being developed and the layers of information contained within the site are only for internal Council use at this time.

RPC13/14

Resolution

1. That the Regional Planning Committee receives the “RMA Section 35A Requirements” report.

F Wilson/Barker

CARRIED

Mr W Wilson left the meeting at 3.35pm

14.

Minor Items Not on the Agenda

Item

Topic

Councillor / Staff

Update by Mr M Mohi, Chairman of the Maori Committee

Mr Mohi gave the Committee a brief outline of proposed arrangements for the 2017 Matatini Kapa Haka Festival which will be held in Heretaunga.

Mr Mohi also outlined proposed training courses to be held in conjunction with DOC. These would be for young adults who would be funded through the course and then work back with their own rōpū. The courses would be held at EIT and would span a 2 year time frame.

T Waaka

Closure:

KARAKIA K BROWN

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 3.45 pm on Wednesday, 20 August 2014.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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