Agenda of Environment and Services Committee

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Regional Pest Management Plan Process, Timelines and Key Issues

Reason for Report

1. The Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Plan was last reviewed in 2013 and is due for review again by March 2018. In the past 10 years there have been significant changes in the pest management field including new pest initiatives, new legislation, new technologies, and incursions of new pests and increased public awareness of the importance of biosecurity.

2. In September 2014 the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) was amended with key changes to the Act being:

· Acknowledging a regional leadership and coordination role for Regional Authorities in biosecurity

· Addressing variations and inconsistencies in national and regional pest management plans,

· The potential to bind the Crown to regional objectives through ‘good neighbour’ rule obligations and

· Assigning lead accountability to a designated agency for a complex pest management issue where roles are unclear.

3. The Act also refers to a National Policy Direction for Pest Management (NPD) which came into effect on 24 September 2015. HBRC’s Pest Management Plan 2013 (RPMP) are inconsistent with the NPD. HBRC is required to notify MPI March 2017 how it will make the RPMP consistent with the NPD.

4. Adoption of the review timeline set out in this briefing paper will enable staff to advise MPI accordingly. This review will involve realigning and building on the current RPMS as well as exploring new opportunities to manage pests in the Hawke’s Bay region.

5. This briefing paper sets out the key issues staff propose to address as part of the review, seeks Council input to those issues, and seeks Council agreement to a proposed review timeline.

Key Regional Pest Management Plan issues

6. There are a range of key issues that are proposed to be discussed as part of the RPMP review. Some of these topics may generate significant community or stakeholder interest and early informal discussions on these issues will be important.

7. Staff seek guidance from Council on whether the following issues should be considered for inclusion in the RPMP review process:

Wide scale Predator control

8. HBRC has been controlling possums through its Possum Control Area (PCA) programme since 2000. There has been a very high level of support for the PCA programme, and a strong belief by most land occupiers within the programme that it is providing value for money for biosecurity ratepayers. The programme has grown to over 600,000ha and is performing well under the target of 5% residual trap catch (RTC) with an average of 2.3% RTC across all PCAs. To secure long term sustainability of the investment, staff have been focussing on reducing the cost of ongoing maintenance of low possum numbers; and managing the risk of complacency resulting in a potential lack of commitment from land occupiers to ongoing maintenance.

9. This success and landowner support for the PCA programme to date has provided the foundation to potentially further strengthen the outcomes achievable from this large scale programme through the integration of wide scale predator control into PCA’s.

10. HBRC have been exploring integrating large-scale predator control into PCA areas through the Poutiri Ao O Tane and Cape to City projects. The work done within these projects over the past several years is showing significant promise that, with commitment from land owners, control of predators including mustelids, feral cats, and possums at a low cost is achievable on a wide scale.

11. The PCA programme provided economic benefit to land occupiers because:

11.1. It is estimated that 7 possums eat the same amount of pasture as one sheep.

11.2. Possums are attracted to winter crops and prior to control, possums reduced their yield by as much as 25 to 30%.

11.3. There is reduced risk of bovine Tb in domestic stock.

12. If control is to include feral cats, additional economic benefit will arise from control of as they are a critical link in the lifecycle of the toxoplasmosis parasite. Toxoplasmosis causes abortion and barrenness in sheep resulting in significant economic losses. It can infect all warm-blooded animals.

13. The biodiversity benefits will be significantly greater with predators, in addition to possums, controlled to low levels. Particular benefits will arise within the broader ecosystem for invertebrates, lizards and native bird species recovery.

14. Central Government recently announced its vision of a predator free New Zealand by 2050. This vision was supported by an initial tranche of funding ($7m per annum for four years) to drive towards the goal. Cape to City is recognised by Government as developing the necessary technology and approach to make the vision achievable.

15. Staff suggest that the RPMP could be the mechanism to set out process and rules to transition the existing successful PCAs to Predator Control Areas. While the cost of establishing the necessary predator control trap infrastructure is expensive, staff believe that there could be willingness from other funders to invest in projects which result in enhancement of NZs biodiversity, but only if there was a mechanism in place to ensure that any initial investment was secure. Rules within the proposed RPMP similar to those that require land occupiers to maintain low possum numbers could provide the necessary security to attract investment to fund the establishment of the necessary infrastructure.

16. This investment may require a range of funding partners potentially including central government, community, philanthropic providers and Councils. Early discussions with philanthropic providers about their support for the potential opportunity will be key to the funding solutions success.

17. Staff seek endorsement from Council to continue discussions with organisations with the potential to assist central government in achieving their predator free NZ 2050 vision, and specifically consider how HBRC is able to test the feasibility of wide scale predator control within HB through inclusion of the concept and appropriate incentives and regulations into the proposed RPMP for consultation with the community.

Chilean Needle grass

18. Chilean needle grass (CNG) is a pest plant which poses a significant threat to the sustainability of farming in Hawke’s Bay, and to our environment. CNG is declared a pest in Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Strategy. Current measures (total control – occupier responsibility) may not be enough to mitigate the risk of this pest plant spreading to other locations across the region. A discussion with key stakeholders around further options to limit CNG spread is proposed.

19. Options including limiting the production of hay, tighter movement restrictions and placing CNG properties on a publicly accessible database. Some of these options to reduce the risk of ongoing spread of CNG may have implications for individual landowner property rights, and therefore will need to be discussed with the farming sector and the community.

Privet

20. Privet is currently listed as total control – service delivery with the aim of preventing significant adverse effects of privet on human health. Recent research suggests that although privet fragrance can be a minor irritant, privet pollen and scent should not be considered as a significant allergen. It also suggests that most people who are experiencing symptoms during the privet flowering season are reacting to the more allergenic pollens like grasses, weeds (mainly English plantain) or trees such as birch and olive.

21. Resources for the current privet control programme would be able to be redirected if the current budget for privet control were able to be more targeted. This could be achieved through for example, a requirement of an allergen test prior to removal of privet.

Feral Goats

22. Feral goats are currently declared a pest under the Site Specific Control section of RPMS. Site-specific goat Co-ordinated Management Areas (CMA) have been established to manage feral goat impacts on biodiversity and economic damage. These areas only currently cover a very small portion of the region.

23. Goats are a contentious issue as they are viewed as both a pest and a resource, depending on values or individual land occupiers, prevailing climate, environment and economic value of the goats at the time. One area that could be explored is the use of an RPMP boundary rule for feral goat control where a land owner wishes to protect activities on their land eg new planting. However effective control of feral goats in Hawke’s Bay hill country is very difficult and it is important that any potential regulatory intervention is practical.

Bees and apiary management

24. The strategic need for a more integrated mix of land use in Hawke’s Bay to drive stronger economic and environmental outcomes in the region is an important regional issue. In the hill country context part of the solution for reducing erosion and sediment impacts is appropriate tree crops. This is often in the context of tree crops on parts of the farm and not whole farm afforestation. One tree crop that has potential to drive better outcomes in this context is high UMF plantation Manuka. However a real barrier to plantation Manuka investment is the risk of rouge harvest of honey. This is where a plantation has hives placed by other than the plantation investors to harvest the honey. This potentially puts the plantation financial returns at risk and increases the disease risk for hives.

25. Staff believe there is value in exploring whether the RPMP has a role in managing the risks to a strong regional high UMF plantation industry in conjunction with the apiary industry and farming community.

Wasps

26. Wasps are not encompassed in the current RPMP. Wasps are a public health and nuisance issue, they predate on native invertebrates and bees and rob honey from hives. Wasp numbers are predicted to increase as a result of warmer temperatures and factors such as the recent establishment of the giant willow aphid. Control tools for wasps are limited and landscape scale control is currently not achievable because of cost. Staff believe there is value in considering wasps as a pest for possible inclusion under RPMP site specific pests.

Marine biosecurity

27. Marine biosecurity is a new and complex area of biosecurity management. Collective national coordination is important to successful marine biosecurity and revisions to the Act require HBRC to play a role on behalf of the community in this area alongside other regional authorities, industry and central government. What HBRCs role should be and the potential implications of this need to be discussed. Staff suggest the appropriate avenue for this discussion is through the RPMP review.

Regional Leadership and coordination for the horticulture sector

28. A range of agencies associated with the horticulture and pip fruit sector have had initial discussions with staff about the potential role of HBRC in regional leadership and coordination for proactively managing biosecurity risks to their industry. How the RPMP process might contribute to this needs to be considered and set in the context of national initiatives such as Government Industry agreements.

Proposed Regional Pest Management Plan Timeline

29. The proposed RPMP review is outlined below. In determining this programme two dates have been taken into account. Firstly, the Act and NPD requires that Council have a proposed RPMP notified before the expiry of the current RPMP in March 2018. Secondly so that the financial implications of Biosecurity activities can be taken into account in Council’s draft LTP in 2018-2028.

30. Staff propose that Council forms a subcommittee of the Environment and Services Committee to work with staff through the review process. It is proposed that this subcommittee is made up of between 2 and 3 elected members together with an equal number of representatives from Treaty of Waitangi Settlement Groups. The subcommittee would be called the Biosecurity Working Party.

24 August 2016	Environment and Services Committee	Regional Pest management plan review process, proposed timeline and key issues.
September 2016		Informal key stakeholder engagement commences.
February to June-RPMP updates	Biosecurity Working Party	Updates on informal RPMP stakeholder discussions and discussion on approach options.
June / July 2017	Environment and Services Committee	Approval of release of RPMP discussion document. Discussion document released for public comment.
July 2017	Biosecurity Working Party	Public consultation on RPMP discussion document through distribution to key organisations and interest groups, press articles, meetings with specific groups, and public meetings.
Late August 2017		Comments on discussion document close.
September 2017	Biosecurity Working Party	Submissions reviewed and heard by the Biosecurity Working Party.
November/December 2017	Environment and Services Committee	Consider Proposed RPMP and recommend adoption to Council subject to any changes agreed at the meeting.
December 2017		Council adopt Proposed RPMP for public notification and consultation.
January 2018		Proposed RPMP publicly notified.
January / February 2018	Biosecurity Working Party	RPMP made available to the public and meetings held with specific interest and sector groups.
Late February 2018		Submissions close.
March 2018		Submissions reviewed.
April 2018	Hearings Committee	Public submissions heard and considered by Hearings Committee and Hearings Committee report findings and propose final RPMP to Council.
May 2018	Council	Revised RPMP adopted by Council.
June 2018		Advice on Council decision publicly notified and provided to all submitters who then have 15 working days to refer to the Environment Court.

Decision Making Process

31. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded:

31.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

31.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

31.3. The decision does not fall within the definition of Council’s policy on significance.

31.4. There are no persons directly affected by this decision.

31.5. Options will be considered through the development of the RPMP as set out in the briefing paper.

31.6. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

31.7. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, Council can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendations

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Regional Pest Management Plan Process, Timeline and Key Issues” report.

2. The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

2.1. Agrees that the decisions to be made are not significant under the criteria contained in Council’s adopted Significance and Engagement Policy, and that Council can exercise its discretion 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.

2.2. Endorse HBRC staff taking a proactive role in exploring how HBRC and the Hawke’s Bay region can assist central government in achieving their predator free NZ 2050 vision, and specifically consider how HBRC is able to determine the feasibility of wide scale control of predators through inclusion of the concept and appropriate incentives and regulations into the proposed RPMP for consultation with the community.

2.3. Endorse the further consideration of the inclusion of changes to Chilean Needle grass, privet and feral goats; and the potential inclusion of bees and apiary management, wasps, marine biosecurity and regional coordination for the horticulture sector into the proposed Regional Pest Management Plan through informal stakeholder engagement.

2.4. Endorse the proposed approach and timeline for the Regional Pest Management Plan review, including the establishment of a Biosecurity Working Party, made up of 2 or 3 elected members and an equal number of representatives from Treaty of Waitangi Settlement Groups, as a subcommittee of the Environment and Services Committee.

Authored by:

Campbell Leckie

Manager

Land Services

Approved by:

Mike Adye

Group Manager

Asset Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Land Management 2016-17 Operational Plan

Reason for Report

1. The Land Management Team (LMT) has primary responsibility for the delivery of the sustainable land management function within Council and supporting the implementation of the Tukituki Plan Change 6. This Land Management Operational Plan outlines the range of activities that will be undertaken in the 2016-17 financial year to progress Council’s strategic goals of resilient communities, resilient ecosystems, resilient economy and a resilient organisation. An operational plan is prepared annually and staff report back on the plan within six months of the end of the financial year. The Operational Plan attached to this paper for Committee reference is available to other parties on request.

2. This agenda item seeks Council adoption of this Operational Plan for the 2016-17 financial year.

Comment

3. This Operational Plan should be read in conjunction with Council’s Long Term Plan 2015-25, specifically part 4 pages 36 to 42, and the 2016-17 Annual Plan.

4. Key work programmes included in the 2016-17 operational plan are:

4.1. Supporting the implementation of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management in Hawkes Bay.

4.2. Leading the development of a more strategic approach to hill country natural resource management.

4.3. Supporting the protection and enhancement of the region’s ecological assets and biodiversity.

4.4. Improving the environmental performance of forestry in the region.

Financial and Resource Implications

5. This Operational Plan takes into account the budget provision in the 2016-17 Annual Plan. The budget provision is expected to be fully expended if the programme of work set out in the Plan is completed.

Decision Making Process

6. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained in Part 6 Sub Part 1 of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded the following:

6.1. The decision does not significantly alter the service provision or affect a strategic asset.

6.2. The use of the special consultative procedure is not prescribed by legislation.

6.3. The decision does not fall within the definition of Council’s policy on significance.

6.4. There are no persons directly affected by this decision.

6.5. Options have been considered and consulted on through the development of Plan Change 6 and the Long Term Plan.

6.6. The decision is not inconsistent with an existing policy or plan.

6.7. Given the nature and significance of the issue to be considered and decided, and also the persons likely to be affected by, or have an interest in the decisions made, Council can exercise its discretion and make a decision without consulting directly with the community or others having an interest in the decision.

Recommendations

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Land Management 2016-17 Operational Plan” 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. Endorses the Land Management Team Operational Plan for the 2016-17 financial year.

Authored by:

Nathan Heath

Acting Manager

Land Management

Approved by:

Mike Adye

Group Manager

Asset Management

Attachment/s

Land Management Operational Plan 2016-17

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Flood and Drainage Schemes 2015-16 Annual Report, including River Asset Audits

Reason for Report

1. The reason for this report is to update the Councilors on land drainage and river control activities associated with flood control and drainage schemes administered by HBRC undertaken during the 2015-16 financial year.

2. The HBRC flood control and drainage schemes are separated into three main categories:

2.1. Rivers

2.2. Heretaunga Plains Waterways

2.3. Minor Schemes

Rivers

3. There are two major river flood control schemes that are actively managed and maintained by the HBRC, these being the Upper Tukituki Flood Control Scheme and the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Rivers.

Performance

4. An annual River Maintenance Audit was carried out by David Carruth, senior design engineer for the HBRC Regional Assets team, for both river schemes. These annual audits are carried out to:

4.1. observe progress of the major river works from year to year

4.2. observe potential issues that may affect the integrity of river control and flood containment infrastructure

4.3. ensure that the design philosophy is sound and is effective

4.4. assess the effectiveness of the major river works from year to year

4.5. gauge the effectiveness of particular design methods and techniques

4.6. observe failed areas and learn from these what works and what doesn’t

4.7. determine if the current maintenance is adequate to achieve the aims of the scheme and design assumptions

4.8. determine the effect on channel capacity and design grade

5. The findings of this audit were that all desired levels of service are being met. However, there are two areas of concern which must be monitored closely in the future, these being the occurrence of plant pests on stopbanks and river berm areas; and the prevalence of a recently identified insect pest, the Giant willow aphid. In addition to these two concerns, gravel aggradation in some parts of the Upper Tukituki scheme are causing concern, particularly with drainage issues in adjacent paddocks. How to best manage this is being considered in a separate review of the scheme.

6. Maintenance Works undertaken within the river schemes annually include:

6.1. 110 kms of stopbanks that are mown 2-3 times per year and sprayed to control plant pests

6.2. 486 kms of plant pest spraying on the edge protection and river berms

6.3. 1,350 hectares of river beach raking

6.4. Associated maintenance tasks such as inspections and repairs, tree removal, edge protection, fencing and tree planting

7. The physical works expenditure on the Heretaunga Flood Control Scheme – Rivers is approx. $750,000 and on the Upper Tukituki Flood Control Scheme is approx. $550,000 per annum.

Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme - Waterways

8. The Heretaunga Flood Control Scheme (HPFCS) - Waterways services approximately 33,000 hectares with the Heretaunga Plains and has nine catchment areas, known as:

8.1. Napier/ Meeanee/Puketapu

8.2. Brookfields/Awatoto

8.3. Pakowhai

8.4. Muddy Creek

8.5. Haumoana

8.6. Karamu

8.7. Raupare/Twyford

8.8. Tutaekuri/Waimate

8.9. Puninga

9. Within these schemes are assets include:

9.1. 19 pump stations with 50 individual pumps

9.2. 470 kms of open drains

9.3. 147 hydraulic structures such as floodgates, bridges, weirs, culverts, control gates etc.

9.4. 42kms of stopbanks

9.5. 5 flood detention dams

9.6. 2 generators

9.7. 8 tractor driven mobile flood pumps

10. Generally, every open drain within this network is mown 3-6 times a year and is sprayed twice. Other regular maintenance activities include channel excavation, weed boating, asset inspections and servicing, stopbank and dam mowing and pump maintenance and electrical work on the pump stations.

11. The physical works expenditure on the HPFCS – Waterways is approximately $1,500,000 per annum.

Minor Schemes

12. There are eleven separate minor drainage schemes throughout Hawkes Bay. These are:

12.1. Makara FCS

12.2. Porangahau FCS

12.3. Poukawa Drainage Scheme

12.4. Wairoa Drainage Schemes

12.5. Esk River Control Scheme

12.6. Whirinaki Drainage Scheme

12.7. Maraetotara Drainage Scheme

12.8. Te Ngarue River Control Scheme

12.9. Kopuawhara Flood Control Scheme

12.10. Kairakau Community Scheme

12.11. Opoho Scheme

13. These schemes are geographically well spread throughout the region and are maintained in accordance with their asset management plans and within Scheme budgets.

14. Liaison Groups are being continued, or set up, where there is sufficient interest from ratepayers. Staff meet with these groups annually to outline annual activities, budget and forward works program for the relevant Scheme.

15. The physical maintenance works expenditure on all of the Minor Schemes is approximately $145,000 per annum.

Items of Interest

16. There are a number of features and/or challenges that are happening within the schemes which are outside of standard maintenance works. These include:

16.1. Problem plant pests, particularly

16.1.1. Old man’s beard

16.1.2. Glyceria maxima

16.2. Problem Insect Pest

16.2.1. Giant willow aphid

16.2.2. Willow sawfly

16.3. Shading Trials

16.4. Regeneration of native plants under shrub willows, trial.

16.5. River berm grazing lease review

16.6. Spray trials

16.7. Adoption of ecological management and enhancement plans

16.8. Exotic and native tree planting

16.9. Vandalism and rubbish dumping

16.10. Potential new drainage/flood control schemes

Plant Pests

17. There are several plant pests throughout Hawkes Bay which are proving costly to control but the two of particular concern are Old man’s beard and Glyceria maxima.

Old Man’s Beard

18. Old Man’s Beard is present throughout the river schemes and to a lesser extent in the waterways. It grows on the berms amongst existing vegetation and has the potential to smother all plants to the highest canopy whilst also preventing the establishment of native plant seedlings.

19. Work is being focused on providing access to hard-to-reach areas in order to enable control to stop infestations from expanding.

Old Man’s Beard

Glyceria maxima

Glyceria Maxima

20. Glyceria maxima forms a dense monoculture within several locations of the HPFCS – Waterways and also in the Poukawa Minor Scheme area. This weed matures quickly, has a rapid growth rate, and overtops competitors. It sets many long-lived seeds and rhizomes spread outwards, breaking off and rooting in any damp spot. It is thus capable of spreading very quickly.

21. Chemical treatment is the only option for controlling this weed.

Giant Willow Aphid (GWA)

22. These insects are a relatively recent arrival to Hawke’s Bay having been first seen in 2013. They suck the sap from all species of willows, causing the tree to weaken, and secrete honeydew which attracts large numbers of wasps.

Giant Willow Aphid

23. Staff observe that mature willow trees on river berms are becoming increasingly stressed and appear to have weaker root systems; a major concern given their flood protection attributes. Staff attended the NZ Willow and Poplar AGM earlier this year to discuss this issue with scientists. Research is being carried out to identify GWA resistant species, but no obvious ones have been found as yet. Given that the rivers are just recovering from the effects of the Willow sawfly, the NZ Willow and Poplar Trust have advised that the best approach is to keep planting willows and continue to monitor science being undertaken.

Shading Trials

24. In conjunction with the HBRC Science Team, Asset Management staff have been experimenting with alternative ways to reduce macrophyte weed growth within the waterways.

25. This has involved the installation of a number of shade sails along some waterways in the Mutiny Road/Middle Road area south of Havelock North to mimic mature plants growing alongside the waterway and to measure the effect that this shading has on macrophyte growth.

26. This trial is only entering its second year but early indications are promising. The outcome of this trial is to prove that planting these waterways will not only benefit the biodiversity and ecological qualities but also lower the weed mass, thus reducing the need for chemical spraying in the future.

River Berm Grazing Lease Review

27. Staff have undertaken a review of the river berm grazing leases to ensure that these areas are being managed effectively. There is a lot of interest in alternative uses for this land and there is a need to ensure that current practice including cattle grazing is appropriate, both environmentally as well as financially. An alternative is planting the open berm areas with fodder crops such as lucerne. Work in this area has only just begun and is ongoing.

Spray Trials

28. HBRC spends a lot of money trying to kill macrophytes within our waterway scheme areas.

29. There are two main types: those that grow below the water, and those that grow above the water. Both types have the ability to choke waterways and reduce their water carrying capacity but require different removal applications. Mechanical removal methods include weed boating, manual weed-bar mowing or excavation by digger. These are expensive, can cause a lot of environmental damage to a waterway and create problems downstream when the weed is released. Therefore staff have been trying alternative chemical applications to remove the macrophytes before they grow too big and require mechanical removal.

Above water macrophytes:

30. Traditionally these have been controlled by glyphosate, but this kills grass on the waterway banks leading to loss of strength and eventual slumping. Several different chemicals were trialed with Metsulfuron proving the best with the added benefit of not killing grass therefore maintaining the root structure helping to reinforce the banks. Metsulfuron is being used widely for drain maintenance as a result of these trials.

Below Water Macrophytes:

31. Various chemicals have been used to control subsurface weeds in the past but these have proven to be either too expensive, or difficult to apply. Other chemicals that would control these weeds are not approved by the Environmental Protection Agency. Again after trialing several chemicals and application method it has been found that Diquat is the best but application must be carefully controlled.

Adoption of Ecological Management and Enhancement Plans

32. These plans are a big mind-shift away from the traditional focus by river engineers on the flood capacity of river systems. The asset management team sought and received approval form Council a number of years ago to take a more holistic approach to river management and recognise the other attributes that rivers and their corridors could provide to the Hawke’s Bay community. Ecological management and enhancement plans have recently been adopted for the Heretaunga Plains rivers and are programmed for completion for the Upper Tukituki rivers by the end of next financial year.

33. The plans focus on the physical activities and associated ecological effects” of the schemes and the maintenance work undertaken associated with the schemes. Where conflict between Scheme activities and notable ecological values may occur, a range of specific management controls are recommended. The plans also set out a strategy and prioritised plan for the enhancement of existing ecological values and for the creation of new ecological sites.

Exotic and Native Tree Planting

34. Every year approximately 12,000 exotic and 3,500 native trees are planted on scheme river berms, along with 2,500 willow poles. This is in addition to the thousands of native plants planted throughout the Heretaunga Plains within the Karamu and other waterways.

Vandalism and Rubbish Dumping

35. Vandalism and rubbish dumping continues to be a frequent problem that is unpleasant and expensive to monitor and clean up. As well as the bulk dumping of refuse, our waterways must cope with insidious inputs of rubbish (plastic, paper etc) from roadside drains and the like discharging into them. Unfortunately Council is often blamed for the mess that others create.

Potential New Schemes

36. Staff have been approached by several landowners who would be very keen to see new schemes set up in the Esk Valley and also the Puketitiri Rd Valley between Rotowhenua Rd and Brooklands Station. Both of these areas were investigated by HBRC staff in the past and will need to be looked at again in the near future.

37. Staff are also keen to establish a scheme in the Waimarama area to provide funding for ongoing management of the Waingongoro, Puhokio, and an unnamed stream flowing under Harper Road.

Financial Matters

38. Scheme operating accounts are generally in sound financial state. Details of these accounts will be presented to Council in the draft Annual Report 2015/16. A brief summary of the accounts is set out below.

Scheme	Closing Balance	Comment
Makara	$2,478	Desilting of No 1 dam undertaken during the year. Scheme financials reviewed following reconstruction of No 1 dam.
Paeroa	$117,868	Account balance is high. Discussions to be held with Wairoa District Council to determine what additional work would benefit the Scheme.
Porangahau	$114,907	Account balance is high. Levels of service and rating could be reviewed.
Poukawa	$44,676	Account balance at appropriate level.
Ohuia- Whakaki	$(23,289)	Major review of Scheme required, however this needs to be done in conjunction with majority ratepayer and their lessee. Current lease expires in 2018.
Esk	$104,749	Account balance is high, but rates reduced substantially in 2015/25 LTP.
Whirinaki	$24,296	Account balance at appropriate level.
Maraetotara	$6,800	Account balance at appropriate level.
Te Ngarue	$15,763	Account balance at appropriate level.
Kopuawhara	$4,164	Account balance at appropriate level. Close liaison with Scheme ratepayer committee ongoing.
Opoho	$14,199	Account balance at appropriate level. Close liaison with Scheme ratepayer committee ongoing.
Kairakau	$530	Account balance at appropriate level. Close liaison with Scheme ratepayer committee ongoing.
Upper Tukituki	$104,479	Account balance at appropriate level for current level of service, however scheme currently under review.
Heretaunga Pains - Rivers	$685,652	Account balance at appropriate level, with significant capital works programme planned to commence in 2017/18 year.
Heretaunga Pains – Drains	$1,639,388	Account balances for Brookfields Awatoto, Pakowhai, Muddy Creek and Raupare/Twyford areas are currently high. Finances for these areas need to be reviewed taking into account potential increases in levels of service, and need for replacement funding. Account balance for Tutaekuri Waimate area is significantly in debit ($80,224) because of increased weedboating. Staff will review levels of service and rating for 2018/28 LTP.

Decision Making Process

39. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Flood & Drainage Schemes 2015-16 Annual Report including River Asset Audits” report.

Authored by:

Dan Heaps

Senior Asset Manager

Schemes

Approved by:

Mike Adye

Group Manager

Asset Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Upper Tukituki Scheme Review

Reason for Report

1. A briefing paper entitled Upper Tukituki Scheme Review was prepared for the Environment and Services Committee at their meeting on 11 May 2016. The Committee agreed to leave the report to lie on the table until the next Environment and Services Committee meeting on 24 August 2016.

2. This paper adds to the content of that paper. The May briefing paper is attached for information as it is referred to within this update.

Additional information

3. Since preparing the briefing paper for the May meeting staff have sought and received legal advice on rating issues and progressed the completion of the Riverbed Gravel review.

Rating issues

4. A number of issues have been identified with the current basis for rating of the Scheme. These include:

4.1. Rating units that receive the same or very similar benefits but which have quite different rating treatment, resulting in adjacent properties, receiving the same or very similar benefit, being levied substantially different rates.

4.2. Soils of varying productive capacity and therefore value within one land parcel, being treated the same for rating purposes because the total value of the property is averaged over the whole property. For example; for a farm with a mixture of high and low productivity soils and where the low productivity soils are within the highest benefit rating class, the rates on that part of the farm are calculated on a land value potentially considerably higher than their actual value and productive capacity.

5. Under Clause 45 of the May paper, it states that “if Council determines that the Upper Tukituki Scheme should meet the cost of extracting gravel, then this will be an additional service provided and accordingly the current basis of rating should be reviewed to provide a fair and equitable basis for the costs to be distributed. This will require a complete review of the basis of rating for the Scheme.”

6. Legal advice received subsequent to this briefing paper being drafted does not support this statement. A summary of the legal advice received is set out below.

6.1. While fairness and equity are part of the considerations for any rating, they are not explicitly required under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002. There is no requirement (or even the practical ability) for a rating scheme to be perceived as perfectly fair. The nature of rating is that it is a tax assessed on categories and factors authorised by Schedules in the Act.

6.2. There is an ability to incorporate changes, including the removal of some of the significant inequities identified and the addition of additional services, into the current basis for rating, provided these changes are made and consulted upon through an annual plan or long term plan process.

6.3. This will involve the inclusion of the substantive terms of the basis for rating into the Financial Impact Statement within a draft annual or long term plan.

6.4. Council can determine the process they wish to work through to change the rating system. This could be a significant change in the 2017-18 year, or a series of changes over a number of years, to achieve a rating system that they believe appropriately allocates the cost of maintaining the Upper Tukituki Scheme across the Upper Tukituki rating area.

6.5. As part of this process financial provision for the cost of removal of gravel from rivers within the Scheme area can be included.

7. To date Councillors and staff have been liaising with a group of Upper Tukituki ratepayers regarding issues associated with the Scheme. It is proposed that ongoing liaison continues in conjunction with the HBRC Councillor for Central Hawke’s Bay, and the Chairman of the Environment and Services Committee, with the objective of the inclusion into the 2017-18 draft Annual Plan setting out the basis for rating for the Upper Tukituki Scheme. The content of this will be determined through ongoing discussion with the Upper Tukituki liaison group and Council.

8. Resolution of anomalies in the existing rating scheme will be considered in conjunction with determining reviewing the level of service provided by the scheme and therefore the level of funding needed for the Scheme to deliver that agreed level of service into the future. This will need to consider the willingness of Scheme ratepayers to fund gravel removal.

Gravel issues

9. Section 30 of the May briefing paper provided an update on progress with the gravel review process. Since the drafting of that paper, staff have received draft reports on Issue no 11 – RMA Issues; and Issue No 12 – Allocation and Financial Mechanisms; and have commissioned the preparation of a draft Riverbed Gravel Management Plan.

10. It is proposed that as part of the process of developing the draft Riverbed Gravel Management Plan, consultation occurs with key stakeholders including tangata whenua, gravel extractors, Fish and Game and Department of Conservation.

11. Upon completion of the draft Riverbed Management Plan it is proposed to consult by the end of the 2016-17 financial year on this document and key supporting documents through a “Special Consultative Process” as prescribed by the Local Government Act 2002.

12. Once this process is completed HBRC will be able to more proactively manage the region’s gravel resource, including using long term agreements for gravel extraction from rivers such as the Upper Tukituki rivers.

Makaretu

13. In some reaches of the Makaretu River gravel has accumulated to such an extent that relatively minor freshes in the river result in flows over adjacent land. Options to reduce the risk of flooding to adjacent land include the removal of gravel from the river bed, and/or the construction of stopbanks to contain the flows. These options need to be considered and developed to enable indicative costs for the preferred option to be estimated.

14. Initial design work on a stopbanking option has been completed. This together with possible funding options will need to be discussed with benefiting land owners to enable a preferred option to be included into the draft Annual Plan 2017-18. Subject to final agreement through the annual plan process work on this issue could be undertaken in the 2017-18 summer.

Ongaonga

15. Work to reduce the risk of flooding to Ongaonga has been designed and costs estimated. A funding proposal for this work is programmed to be developed and included as part of the draft Annual Plan 2017-18, with the work programmed to be constructed during the following summer.

Programme of work

16. Staff will continue to progress the work necessary to inform the above over the next several months with the objective to recommence discussions with the community group in November 2016.

Decision Making Process

17. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Upper Tukituki Scheme Review” report.

Authored by:

Gary Clode

Manager

regional assets

Mike Adye

Group Manager

Asset Management

Approved by:

Mike Adye

Group Manager

Asset Management

Attachment/s

1	11 May 2016 Upper Tukituki Scheme Review Report
2	Upper Tukituki Scheme Review Map

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: The Role of HBRC's Harbourmaster

Reason for Report

1. To provide the Committee background information on the role of the region’s Harbourmaster and to introduce the new Harbourmaster, Mr Martin Moore.

Background

2. At its inaugural general meeting the International Harbormaster’s Association adopted the following definition of what or who a Harbourmaster is:-

“A Harbourmaster is that person who, whatever may be his local title or office is the principal person who normally exercises jurisdiction at a place and in ways that meet the following criteria:

· That the jurisdiction is exercised over the water area of a port or port approach.

· That in the exercise of this jurisdiction he should possess an authority conferred on him by national law, regulation or rules.

· That the duties should encompass a legal and / or operational responsibility for the movement of shipping, and

· That the duties should involve him significantly in ensuring that shipping movements within the area of his jurisdiction are carried out safely.”

3. The modern day Harbourmaster, is by necessity, a hands on, multi-tasking individual responsible for the safe operation of all coastal waters (and most navigable inland ones) adjacent to each of the District Council’s areas of jurisdiction. In our case that is from Mahia in the north to Porongahau in the south and all coastal waters between.

4. Responsibilities for these stretches of water were passed from Central Government to Regional Councils in the Local Government Act of 1974. Clauses contained herein were later repealed by the Maritime Transport Act (MTA) of 1994 and further refined by the 2013 MTA Amendment Act and associated Maritime Rules.

5. Clauses within “the Act” allow for and demand that Regional Councils so empowered then create “Navigation and Safety Bylaws” with which to police and administer the safe conduct of individuals and companies within these waters. Our own Bylaw in Hawke’s Bay is presently being reviewed by the Manager Resource Use and staff within the Resource Management Group and will shortly go out to the general public for consultation, submissions and a further review before being presented to Council for adoption.

6. Whilst this Bylaw becomes the main instrument for administration purposes, the MTA remains the overriding tenet for governing conduct on the water. Other recent publications also have some bearing on how the Harbourmaster goes about his business.

7. In November 2015 Maritime New Zealand produced the Coastal Navigation Safety Review. This was produced following well documented marine casualties in Gisborne and Mount Maunganui and several near misses elsewhere. It is far reaching and covers not only geographical conduct but manning strengths, skills and fatigue management of ships and port company marine staff.

8. In conjunction with the Regional Councils and Port Companies, Maritime New Zealand recently (April 2016) produced the final NZ Port and Harbour Marine Safety Code. Whilst it should be emphasised this is just a code, non-compliance and any subsequent incident would not be a “good look”.

9. A good knowledge of the above mentioned legislation and codes as well as a practical understanding of the “ordinary practice of good seamanship” are therefore a bottom line for all experienced Harbourmasters.

10. Recreational boating in the various regions is the activity which is mostly likely to result in a serious event. Whilst the impact may not be as catastrophic environmentally, the repercussions on a personal scale are huge. Hence, it is also to this area that a large effort goes in terms of engagement, education and enforcement. A quick read through the Navigation and Safety Bylaw of any Regional Council will show over 75% of the publication dedicated to lifejackets and small boat conduct.

11. Our own are no exception, entering in to force in January 2012. As noted earlier we are now beginning the review period ready for implementation in 2017.

12. The intervening period has seen an encouraging uptake in the mandatory wearing of lifejackets when a vessel is underway, a development we will be continuing to drive home.

13. Maritime New Zealand are also committed to getting the safe boating message across to increasing numbers of the general public and have committed substantial funding nationally to this end. Council have been successful in securing a portion of this funding. Along with Council funding and the generous support of a locally based business, Firman’s Marine the “Safe Boating in Schools Programme” that has been running for a number of years will continue in Term 4 of this school year and into Term 1 of next year.

14. The programme will continue to be taken into schools by the same team as previous years, the feedback for which has been tremendous. This opportunity for schools is provided at no cost to them, and merely has to be fitted into the school week.

15. Peer pressure from children exposed to the safe boating message in school has been mentioned as one of the reasons for the increased uptake of adult male boaties with the lifejacket message. We can also realistically expect by the time these children reach adulthood wearing a lifejacket at all times when in a boat will be second nature much as wearing a seat belt in a car is today.

16. The Breakwater Harbour that is Napier Port is a significant regional asset, and for this reason the Harbourmaster works from an office on the wharf adjacent to the Port’s Marine team and maintains regular contact with the pilots, tug and pilot boat crews. At the end of the day in the case of marginal weather it is the Harbourmaster who dictates whether the port is open or closed and controls traffic movement in and out.

17. The appointed Harbourmaster of a region is given the authority to exercise a wide ranging number of powers under the MTA, specifically Part 3A and the many clauses of section 33. Whilst most of these would most often apply in the Hawke’s Bay region to Napier port, wreck removal and the provision and maintenance of navigation aids could equally well apply anywhere.

18. In Napier Port, responsibility for the marine traffic management is a very apparent function of the job. But, what often flies under the radar is the Harbourmasters responsibilities towards the carriage by sea of hazardous goods and its stowage location on board. There are further obligations to ensure the secure lashing of cargo so that it may not fall overboard and become a hazard to navigation whilst on passage.

19. Napier Port is well served by a team of very experienced and competent pilots, all of whom have their credentials regularly scrutinised by the Harbourmaster to ensure they meet minimum criteria, he in turn is delegated to do this by Maritime New Zealand who must first deem him competent.

20. His delegation also allows for the preparation and regular updating of a Pilot Exemption Plan whereby masters of vessels which call regularly at Napier Port can be exempted from using a Pilot. Assessment of the man and the plan are then submitted to Maritime New Zealand for final endorsement.

21. Both Napier Port and the Regional Council (via the Harbourmaster) have a joint obligation to do an annual self-assessment to ensure compliance with the Harbour Safety Management System. This then leads towards a successful 5 yearly audit by Maritime New Zealand, in turn this signifies compliance with the Port and Harbour Code.

22. The berth allocation and husbandry of the inner harbour both recreational and commercial is more in the bailiwick of the Napier City Council, although the Harbourmaster does retain responsibility for the standard of vessels moored in there and the safe and social use of such facilities as the Pandora Pond.

23. All these functions are carried out against a back drop of the more mundane tasks of the day to day issuing of Hot Work Permits and arranging the removal of floating debris which may be constituting a hazard to navigation.

24. Exemptions to some of the clauses in the Bylaw and requests for event exclusion zones would also regularly cross the Harbourmaster’s desk, although these tend to be seasonal with more expected through the summer months.

Decision Making Process

25. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “The Role of HBRC's Harbourmaster” report.

Authored by:

Wayne Wright

Manager

Resource Use

Approved by:

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager

Resource Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Client Services 2015-16 Annual Report and 2016-17 Operational Plan

Reason for Report

1. This report provides the Committee with the achievements of the Resource Management Group’s Client Services Team over the 2015-16 year (Attachment 1: 2015-16 Annual Report), and an overview of the planned work programme for 2016-17 (Attachment 2: 2016-17 Operational Plan).

Client Services 2015-16 Annual Report Highlights

2. The attached annual report reflects a successful year for the Client Services team, the highlights of which include:

2.1. The extension of the ISO quality management system to the whole of the RMG group and successfully achieving Telarc accreditation in December.

2.2. The continuing development of the client services team in exploring continuous improvement to develop new services utilising technology, ie on line applications, consent portal and mapping tools for water information services; data integration and recognition at a national level with LAWA.

2.3. Passing the 10,000 milestone for financial assistance packages delivered by the Heatsmart programme.

2.4. Matrix management for business continuity.

2.5. Successful communications following regional charge consultation and inclusion of S36 in the charging section of the annual plan, leading to significant reduction in telephone calls and outstanding debt .

2.6. Best practice recognition in being invited to support ECAN in reviewing their water information services.

2.7. 100% achievement of statutory timelines for consents.

Client Services 2016-17 Operational Plan Highlights

3. The attached annual plan 2016-17 year will see Client Services further development in several areas.

3.1. There is a planned review that will look at the capacity and capability of the team to meet future challenges especially in the areas of data and quality management.

3.2. The development of open data to assist and empower self-managing clients.

3.3. The delivery of a modern, fit for purpose regulatory system. This project will determine the RM system specification, product evaluation, selection and planned implementation by engaging staff members from the client services team.

3.4. The Heatsmart programme will respond to any required changes in the programme that are consequential to the upcoming ministerial review of National Emission Standards due for publication in December this year.

3.5. Water Information Services will target 85% of water take consents to be reporting via the web and telemetry and by 10^th November ensure that 5 – 10 ltr/sec are compliant in their metered reporting. The team will also be contributing to the national programme for setting standards for the coding of water use data.

Decision Making Process

4. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Client Services 2015-16 Annual Report and 2016-17 Operational Plan” report.

Authored by:

Mark Heaney

Manager

Client Services

Approved by:

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager

Resource Management

Attachment/s

1	Client Services Annual Report 2015-16
2	Client Services Operational Plan 2016-17

Client Services Annual Report 2015-16

Attachment 1

Appendix 1: Client Services 2015 - 2016 Annual Report

Reason for Report

1. This report is to provide Councilors with an overview of Client Services activities over the July 2015 – June 2016 period.

Background

2. Client Services provided administrative support to regulatory services that include consents and resource use (compliance). Consents team liaison is through the management of the consents database and the general administration of consent holder queries. Client Services liaises with the Compliance team to ensure consent conditions are being met (based on data management) and managing enquiries and complaints in relation to managing air quality and horticultural smoke emissions through the pollution hotline.

3. The service interfaces directly with ratepayers and consent holders across the region with responsibility to calculate charges under Section 36 of the Resource Management Act for consent holders, to recover 35% of the cost of providing science work across the region. The data used to calculate these charges, and the charging methodology is dependent on high quality data management and good communication with internal and external customers.

4. The Client Services team also manage two projects Heatsmart, and Water Information Services. The continued development of the services provided will be assisted by quality and data management staff working across the wider Resource Management Group.

Quality Management

5. Client Services provides a quality management function across the Resource Management Group, providing an internal and external audit programme that gives assurance to a nationally recognised standard. There was an established and maintained system for the Science Team certified to ISO.9001.

6. This quality management programme has now been extended to Client Services, and the accreditation through Telarc for the whole of RMG (that was confirmed in December) is a significant achievement, not only in maintaining the high standard for the for the science team, but also extending the achievement to the Consents, Resource use and Client Services.

7. The achievement of ISO 9001:2008 for the whole Resource Management Group (RMG) came in December 2015 after a 3 day external audit that covered re certification for the Environmental Science Section and the certification of the RMG.

8. Client Services, Consents and Resource Use have had a six month introduction period to Quality Management and while there have been some teething problems as staff learned new systems, we are starting to see some progress.

9. The use of the new automated Audit Schedule has taken over the manual task of reminding staff that they have an audit due and appears to be working well. Our audit team is yet to realise the full benefits that auditing provides our group so this will be an area that is concentrated on over the next 12 months.

Data Management

10. Client Services provides an overarching data management coordination role to address a legacy of fragmented development and system acquisition that is now being streamlined to ensure that data integrity is on a path of continuous improvement. Given the complex and evolving nature of data management and information technology an adaptive and iterative approach has been taken to development. During the last 2 years the main focus has been on developing capacity and infrastructure and some of the benefits of this should be able to be realised in the near future. Continued review of progress and reassessment of near term goals will be required to ensure that the vision remains applicable and progress is documented. The focus has been on laying strong foundations on which to build, consolidation of what we have, and working with other councils to share data as part of a federated data system. The work undertaken means that while there are still improvements to be made we have the basis to be able to realise some of the benefits of new technologies and improve our provision of data to the wider community.

11. The council now has the infrastructure available to allow the sharing of the majority of our environmental monitoring data with the public and other interested parties. Work is required to develop tools to facilitate this and additional work will be required to make some of the data available via the available infrastructure. There are National projects that will also be relevant in this area, and any systems we implement will be complementary to these and get support from them once they become available. The National systems will take time to develop and local systems will be important in the interim.

12. The data that council holds is being used more frequently and in different ways to how it has been historically. Improving data management within RMG will enable efficiencies to be realised for data analysis and ensure that data provided via web services is the best available and appropriate for reuse.

13. Over the last two years progress has been made to improve the data processing and storage in the Water Quality area. This was an area where a need had been identified for improvements through the quality management system and some scoping and assessment had been done. Existing systems have been used and the system that is being set up is consistent with many other Regional Councils in New Zealand. The old water quality database (Puddle) has been linked with time series database and quality coded data is now stored in an archive file. A quality coding process is being implemented and automation will be added once it becomes available and the National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS) are published. We have made a significant contribution to the NEMS for water quality measurements and have been working closely with Horizons Regional Council who have been a leader in this area. There is still more work to do, but our systems are aligned with other Councils and expected to be in line with the NEMS when that is released. The approach mirrors the protocols Hydrology already use and the systems have been set up to allow other teams to migrate into the same architecture. Groundwater quality are now starting to move into the same system.

14. Steady progress has been made automating the systems for calculating the Section 36 charges and now the RMG component of the data processing takes significantly less time than it previously did.

15. Recreational water quality graphs for the website are now produced automatically, removing the manual processing previously required.

16. An automated water allocation tracking system for our catchment and water management zones has been mapped and prototyped, but it is envisaged to be operational by November 2016.

17. Quality code mapping of some parameters has been undertaken for Hydrology, converting data quality codes from internal codes to NEMS automatically over the whole Hydrology dataset. As NEMS are developed for more parameters this work will need to be repeated, but the methods were built to allow easy reuse.

18. Quality code association from excel sheets to data extracted direct from Puddle has been done for Fresh Water Quality, similar work will need to be done in the near future for Coastal Water Quality and Groundwater Quality, but the same methods should be able to be reused.

19. Some water use data process improvements have been made, predominantly to facilitate data checking and identification of potential issues, such as inconsistent reporting over time, or unexpectedly low use being reported.

20. The main projects proposed to be worked on in the next 18 months fall into the broad areas of data availability and data management, there is also a project to re-evaluate the regulatory system. (See Appendix 2 – Client services 2016 - 2017 Operational Plan).

The Heatsmart Programme

21. The programme continues to deliver a valued service to ratepayers and is on target to deliver the volumes required to meet NES emission targets by 2020.

22. The programme has completed 1706 financial assistance package for ratepayers in the 2015 - 2016 year. 172 properties were insulated, 475 had clean heat loans and 1059 received the clean heat grant.

23. HBRC is over half way to meeting target volumes for converting non-compliant solid fuel burners, having supported the replacement of 8968 fires to August 15th 2016. Increased activity was anticipated in 2016, the phase out year for fires installed between 1996 and 2005.

24. The programme is still successfully meeting targets without recourse to regulatory penalty. Six compliance infringements were however issued for outdoor burning, 3 orchards and 3 domestic, a further case for prosecution is being pursued. Education and social marketing remain the priority means of achieving the NES, however should they be required, enforcement tools are in place.

25. The programme is funded by borrowing from the bank to re-lend as loans, grants and loan subsidy for clean heat, and operational costs are largely covered by the targeted rate. The interest rate is fixed for a ten year term and drawn down as required (interest rates currently being 5.0 %). The next draw down will be in December 2016, at which time the interest rate may change.

Heatsmart - Summary Activity Report 2015 -2016
Loan Type	Ann Plan		Actual	Budget	Actual	Actual
Loan Type	Budget Volumes	Actual Volumes	Over Target 100%	$000	$000	Over Target 100%
Insulation Loans	160	173	108%	352	420	119%

Clean Heat Loans	500	476	95%	1,700	1,607	95%

Clean Heat Grants	1,000	1,059	106%	609	644	106%

TOTAL	1,660	1,708		2,661	2,672

26. Annual insulation loans numbers are slightly higher than planned and the value of loans has risen above the average that was used for budgeting ($2200 < $2427).

27. Clean Heat Loans are down, but this is offset by an increase in the number of grants

28. The current scheme balance of $529,000 favorable is the balance of the amount borrowed to cover loan book requirements in 2015 and is to carry the programme forward into the next financial year and the next draw down in December 2016.

The Water Information Services Project (WIS)

29. WIS processes and stores water take data submitted to HBRC by consent holders. WIS is also responsible for implementing the national water metering regulations which require all takes of 5l/sec or higher to have water meters installed by November 2016.

30. In 2009 HBRC had 500 water meters installed and reporting to Council.

Rate Of Take	Meter Installation Deadline
20l/sec and higher	10 November 2012
10l/sec-19.99 l/sec	10 November 2014
5l/sec-9.99l/sec	10 November 2016
New Consents of 5l/sec or higher granted from 10 November 2010	Immediate

31. WIS provides the stewardship and management of legal requirements related to water take, use and measurement. It has established a programme to verify the installation and operation of water meters in accordance with government regulations by liaising with industry nationally to establish a set of “verification standards”. This ensures meter installation continues to provide data that meets best practice quality standards.

32. Data was originally being collected and used mainly for compliance monitoring purposes. It was gathered primary via fax, email and post; telemetry was just being introduced on surface water takes with low flow conditions.

33. In June 2016 we now have over 1800 consents with metering and reporting requirements with potential for a further 200 coming online at the end of 2016.

34. Sixty-nine outstanding water meter installations have now been passed to Compliance for follow up.

35. Reporting methods have shifted from primarily email and fax to mainly telemetry and web entry via the Council website. As of the year end HBRC has 753 consent holders reporting via the web and 721 via telemetry 1474 in total; while less than the 1500 target, there has been a shift in the number of consents held generally, with 64 consents being surrendered, and 177 consents being changed or new. The Twyford global consent saw an amalgamation of consents, making up the difference between 1474 and the target of 1500.

36. While data is still being used for compliance monitoring it is now also being stored and used by Science, Consents, Policy, MfE, LAWA and increasingly consent holders themselves. This is for a range of purposes including modelling, allocation limit setting and consent granting and environmental reporting.

37. Ensuring Council receives quality water use data is becoming more important as community expectations around water management grows. To ensure the data provided is of high quality, WIS will undertake quality coding using the National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS) for Telemetered Water Use Data and use this as a base for coding data.

38. When the WIS project started water meters were often perceived in a negative light and a hindrance to businesses rather than another management tool for consent holders and they were installed only as means to meet “compliance” rather than being used as a water management tool. As a result data quality was variable as people placed different levels of priority on collecting good reliable data sets for submission to Council. While irrigation efficiency has been a focus for the irrigation industry for many years now, there has been considerable progress in understanding and achieving efficient water use within the industry.

39. WIS understands that one of the best ways we can improve data quality without increasing regulation (e.g. forcing the installation of telemetry devices) is by educating consent holders on how they can use their meters and the data produced to make smart decisions for greater irrigation efficiency.

40. HBRC already expects consent holders to be operating efficient systems through our policy and consenting framework. Allocations for 7 or 28 day volumes as well as annual volumes are calculated based on crop type and hectares to be irrigated assuming that the system used has an 80% efficiency. However, we could do more.

41. INZ is also actively promoting efficient irrigation through programs such as SMART Irrigation (Sustainably Managed, Accountable, Responsible and Trusted irrigation). “SMART irrigators aim to minimise their environmental footprint through efficient water use, and must also run a profitable business. This allows them to reinvest in new and improved technologies which ensure sustainable and responsible irrigation over time”.

42. Although progress has been made, it would seem that there are still many consent holders who are still operating with less than desirable practices. This is demonstrated by comments made to Council staff about system operations and maintenance as well as the number of consent breaches.

43. The recently adopted PC6 for the Tukituki catchment requires most farms to produce Farm Environmental Management Plans as would those signing up for RWSS water. A component of this will be proving that irrigation is efficient.

Decision Making Process

23. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and takes note of the Client Services January-July 2016 Annual Report.

Client Services Operational Plan 2016-17

Attachment 2

Appendix 2: Client Services 2016 - 2017 Operational Plan

Reason for Report

1. This report is to provide Councilors with an overview of Client Services planned activities for the July 2016 – June 2017 period.

Background

2. ‘Business as usual’ will see Client Services provide administrative support to regulatory services that include consents and resource use (compliance).

3. The service will interface directly with ratepayers and consent holders across the region with responsibility to calculate charges under Section 36 of the Resource Management Act for consent holders, to recover 35% of the cost of providing science work across the region. The data used to calculate these charges, and the charging methodology is dependent on high quality data management and good communication with internal and external customers.

4. The Client Services team will also manage two projects Heatsmart, and Water Information Services.

5. The continued development of the services provided will be assisted by quality and data management staff working across the wider Resource Management Group.

6. A significant procurement project over the next eighteen months will see the engagement of Client Services staff in supporting the definition of the functional specification for a new Resource Management Data Management system, the evaluation of product following an RFP process, and the implementation of the new system should the business case justify the replacement.

Quality Management

7. Client Services includes a quality management role across the Resource Management Group, providing an internal and external audit programme that gives assurance to a nationally recognised standard. There is an established and maintained system for the Science Team that is compliant and certified to ISO.9001 standards externally audited by Telarc. Quality control will also be applied to contract management across the Resource Management Group.

8. Other areas that the quality team will be focusing on over the next 12 months are:

· LGOIMA process – how do we ensure we meet our statutory timeframes.

· Customer Feedback – how do we ensure we meet our timeframe targets.

· Creation of a Quality Dashboard – an RMG ‘home page’ for all things quality including stats on how we are tracking, an RMG events and communication calendar, which may replace the need for the monthly report to managers, monthly report to the GM and the quarterly report to all staff.

· Competency Matrix – connect this to staff training, personal and professional development and section training budgets.

· Moving from ISO 9001:2008 to ISO 9001:2015. This will be starting in November when our external auditor has completed our audit.

9. Additional resource is likely be required to manage the additional workload that comes with RMG wide ISO accreditation, the continued management of our quality system, improvement to processes, and audits.

10. The quality management system activity requires coordination to ensure consistency across the group and input to the four RMG teams. Combining with the development of data management capacity may be beneficial to both functions and to the wider group and developments may lead to interest to extend to other areas of council eg. Strategic Planning, ICT and Asset management.

Data Management

11. Client Services provides an overarching data management coordination role to address a legacy of fragmented development and system acquisition that is now being streamlined to ensure that data integrity is on a path of continuous improvement.

12. Making Council data more available and discoverable should reduce the information requests received by council and allow external parties to obtain information relevant to them more easily. Additionally the work that Council does in collecting and analysing the data will become more apparent, and there is the possibility for the data to be reused by others.

13. Work in this area includes:-

· Develop and publish easy to use web applications to view and download RMG environmental data. Provide appropriate documentation with these applications to allow the data to be interpreted and to explain how further information can be obtained.

· Ensure that any RMG data provided via web services has appropriate metadata and potential users have access to information to assess its fitness for purpose, for example quality codes, and relevant project or site limitations.

· Increase the amount and types of Environmental Data being provided via web services that form the federated data system, and work with other agencies to expand this system.

· Work with other councils and agencies to ensure the availability and consistency of regulatory and environmental data and to share tools for interacting with it. This is a focus of the EMAR Federated Data working group, and is linked to other national projects and initiatives regarding data availability and interoperability.

14. Ongoing Data Projects

· LAWA is refreshing the water modules in September 2016, work is commencing to change the method of data provision for all of the water modules over to using web services, and to update the data shown on LAWA at the same time.

· LAWA Groundwater Module. HBRC are the lead agency for this module and also providing FND support to it. The module is currently at the scoping stage, but significant work will be involved preparing and supporting the data request and module specification and implementation. Currently this module is programmed to be available by December 2016.

· LAWA Water Quantity Module Re-evaluation. HBRC were the lead agency for the LAWA Water Quantity module and a project is commencing to re-evaluate and identify, scope and potentially implement improvements to this module. No timescales have been set for this project as yet.

· Tukituki Plan Change Implementation. This project will need continued support as it moves towards significant milestones in the middle of 2018. New systems need to be developed to support the monitoring, evaluation, reporting, improvement framework, ideally automating as much as possible and minimising the amount of manual processing required.

Regulatory system re-evaluation

15. Budget has been allocated for this project to commence in late 2016. IT have indicated that this is likely to be a project that will require significant RMG support over an extended (18 month plus) period.

16. This work was originally programmed for 2013 but was postponed as an assessment at that time confirmed that the current system was still fit for purpose in providing adequate support for staff to meet organisational needs. Some two years later, developments in technology and data management have demonstrated a change option is now potentially viable and desirable, so the review is recommencing. The review will be defined by being end user driven, and underpinned by strong leadership. More detailed activities have been planned to address in parallel the many user needs and issues across Council.

17. The project will be substantial and include a business process review along with a comprehensive review of the available ‘off the shelf’ and bespoke software options. The review is being driven by a range of factors, including a need to improve the efficiency of business processes, the demands of resource management regulations and the desire to deliver new or better services to our customers.

18. The re-evaluation of the Regulatory System will require significant input and resourcing from RMG in order to ensure that any changes will meet the needs of the group. For Council to obtain the maximum possible benefit from the assessment and any subsequent system changes other areas of Council, notably Land Management must be included within this assessment, and ideally a whole of council approach would be taken for some of the components, for example contacts.

19. The full regulatory system is significantly larger than just the resource consents database (DAISY), and councils regulatory functions extend into other acts than just the RMA. The potential solutions that have been assessed previously both include modules that relate to areas that are outside of RMG in the current council structure. The system requirements need to be identified and this should be done including groups from the wider council. As part of this the linkages into other systems will need to be understood because additional systems will be required to complete the suite of council systems, for example currently there are strong linkages between the current regulatory system and environmental data systems and these would need to be maintained, similar linkages and requirements will exist for other teams and groups.

20. Additional resourcing has been identified for RMG Data Management. The scope of this role is currently being fully defined, but will need to be able to support the variety of areas that RMG Data management spans.

21. In order to keep up with rapid change, technology gains and increasing demands for data, Client Services (on behalf of RMG) will focus on not only getting the best from existing resources but investing in additional capacity and capability as a ‘hub’ for data management.

The Heatsmart Programme

22. The plan for the Heatsmart programme currently extends to 2020 in terms of anticipated volumes and budget

23. The target for 2016-17 financial year is 1160 finance assistance packages, with 293 having been completed this year to date.

24. The programme is relatively stable in its 5th year, or halfway through what was planned as a 10 year programme to improve Air Quality in Hawke’s Bay. It is driven by the desire to meet the targets set by Government in the National Environment Standard (NES) for air quality.

25. Outstanding progress has been made not only in being ahead of planned volumes for the conversion of noncompliant solid fuel burners, but also in terms of improving the service to customers using technology for online applications, streamlining processes and utilising a customised data base.

26. The facility to financially support rate payers is supported by a targeted rate, and a subsidised loan facility as a voluntary additional rate on properties. The staffing has high loyalty, and excellent customer service reputation both with the public and our approved suppliers.

27. Development opportunities include:

· Staffing is flexed by demand, utilising casual finance staff during May – September, and between October and February the flow is reversed to support peak activity in the rates department.

· The introduction of automated application forms on line will allow increasing loan volumes to be managed effectively without additional resource being required. Processing time will be reinvested in communication that will include the facility to provide daily loan balances and an annual statement of loan account.

· Possibility of the NES requirements changing after December 2016, which could precipitate a regulatory response, potentially involving the introduction of a ‘no visible smoke’ rule which would assist enforcement; offset by a reduced targeted rate for compliance.

28. Staffing levels, skill mix and peak time flexing combined with increased automation will ensure that increasing loan volumes are managed with existing resources.

29. The programme is still successfully meeting targets without recourse to regulatory penalty. However, six infringement notices have been issued this year. Education and social marketing remain the priority means of achieving the NES, however should they be required, enforcement tools are in place.

30. The programme is funded by borrowing from the bank to re-lend as loans (with a 50% subsidy for clean heat), and grants, operational costs are largely covered by the targeted rate. The interest rate for loans is fixed for a ten year term and drawn down as required (interest rates currently being 5.0 %). The next draw down will be in December 2016, at which time the interest rate may change.

31. Emerging issues revolve around the NES In 2017 the national emission standards will be reviewed by the MfE and any changes may need to be incorporated into an HBRC air plan change.

32. The ongoing relationship with EECA is managed through an MOU. The relationship is now focused only on insulation only and is limited by the available funding for subsidy, provided by EECA. There is an allocation to encourage landlords to insulate homes by 2019 where EECA contributes to costs. Most loans provided by HBRC (an estimated 160 this year) are not related to this landlord incentive scheme. They are (as originally intended) to provide funding at cost as part of a voluntary targeted rate scheme. The limited EECA allocation for landlords is likely to be used by June 2017. This year EECA will continue to provide monitoring for quality of installations carried out in Hawkes Bay at no cost to HBRC, as part of the MOU.

The Water Information Services Project (WIS)

33. This project will continue to manage water take data received by HBRC, and maintain web entry and telemetry systems that encourage consent holders to accurately report their water use and coordinate the implementation of water metering across Hawke’s Bay.

34. In June 2016 we have over 1800 consents with metering and reporting requirements with potential for a further 200 coming online at the end of 2016.

35. Reporting methods have shifted from primarily email and fax (125 currently using these methods) to mainly telemetry and web entry via the Council website (over 1450). 200 have not yet begun reporting/not required to as their consents have not yet been given effect to.

36. The data is still being used for compliance monitoring but is now also being stored and used by Science, Consents, Policy, MfE, LAWA and increasingly consent holders themselves. This is for a range of purposes including modelling, allocation limit setting and consent granting and environmental reporting.

37. Ensuring Council receives quality water use data is now more important than ever as community expectations around water management grows. To ensure the data provided is of high quality, WIS will undertake quality coding using the National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS) for Telemetered Water Use Data and use this as a base for coding data.

38. Future strategic goals and objectives for WIS:

· Improved Data Quality:

Encouraging consent holders to use the data for their own purposes, rather than just collecting data as a means to satisfy compliance requirements, will result in improved quality. The higher the importance the data is to their everyday business the more likely they are to collect ‘real’ data (currently we know data some data is synthesised and averaged by manually reporting consent holders) and in some cases consent holders will want real time data and will choose to voluntarily install telemetry devices.

· Reduced Consent Breaches:

Reducing the number of irrigation consent non-compliance incidences is a benefit for all. Lower rates of non-compliance will reduce resourcing requirements for the Resource Use team as well as benefit the resource itself. We will continue to target education toward those who are identified as breaching consent conditions and work with these people to improve their knowledge and performance.

· Improved Public Perception:

By providing consent holders with the right connections and incentives for continued learning and systems improvements, Council will be able to advertise the support and success of growers who are using the resource efficiently. This will help to improve the public perception of irrigators and raise awareness of why irrigation is important for the region’s economy.

· Economic Development:

An area which has not been focused on (other than for RWSS) in the context of irrigation efficiency but is an area of opportunity for HBRC, is a facilitation role for economic development within the Agriculture and Horticulture sectors. Financial gains can be made by improving systems and scheduling. Reduced costs for applying water (pumping costs, maintenance etc) and timing the application of the right amounts (crop requirements) can drive improved business profitability.

· Working in partnership

WIS in a position where it can identify those who would benefit from education. WIS also has a strong working relationship with Irrigation New Zealand (INZ) through the Blue Tick Accreditation Scheme and National Metering Group.

HBRC sees their role not as the main educator but as a facilitator/coordinator to link water users with the appropriate training programs and professionals to improve irrigation practices.

WIS staff do have appropriate skills, qualifications and industry connections to be able to provide additional support (on farm if required) to consent holders in the absence of INZ staff in the region.

WIS will continue to collate, store and display data for consent holders and other end users.

By facilitating and supporting INZ with efficiency education, data quality will improve allowing WIS to ensure it is providing quality data to end users.

Conclusion

39. Having increased the resource, consolidated the inputs from compliance, and automated process, no additional resource will be required to manage this project for the next eighteen months.

Summary of Client Services Plan for 2016 - 2017

40. The year will be primarily focused on structural review and implementation of change to achieve greater efficiency.

41. The team evolution will continue to strengthen capacity and capability across services, especially in the areas of quality and data management.

42. The team will be closely engaged in the project to specify functionality for a new regulatory system, they will evaluate products against the specification (RFP) and make recommendations for the procurement (if appropriate) of a replacement system. Implementation will be managed as the last phase of the project.

43. Heatsmart will review the impact of an NES review and modify current policy and procedure if required while delivering financial support to meet ratepayer demand for loans and grants.

44. Water Information services will be focused on the new meters installed by November and will be advancing the work started on national environmental monitoring standards and the quality coding of water information.

Decision Making Process

45. Council is required to make a decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements contained within this section of the Act in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and takes note of the Client Services January-July 2016 Operational Plan report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Science 2015-16 Annual Report and 2016-17 Operational Plan

Reason for Report

1. This report highlights the achievements of the Resource Management Group’s Environmental Science team over the last (2015-16) financial year and the proposed operational work programmes for the current 2016-17 year.

Science 2015-16 Annual Report Highlights

Unspecified Research & Grants

2. Six applications were made to Envirolink during this period, of which 5 projects were funded. A total of $57,695 funding was received by HBRC. HBRC made a contribution of $10,750 to the Envirolink pool in the same period.

State of the Environment Reporting

3. The summary 5-year State of the Environment report was delivered in 2015. Various technical State of the Environment reports supporting the summary report were also completed.

Air and Climate

4. The PM₁₀ monitoring sites in the Napier, Hastings and Awatoto airsheds were expanded to include PM_2.5monitoring.

5. Air quality monitoring data was successfully introduced onto the LAWA portal.

6. A year-long project of PM₁₀ screening monitoring was completed in Ahuriri. Samples were collected on a one day in three basis.

7. Emissions inventories for the Napier, Hastings and Awatoto airsheds were produced by Environet Ltd.

8. Air dispersion modelling was undertaken by Golder Associates of scenarios of outdoor burning of biomass produced from orchard activities.

9. A source apportionment study commenced in the Awatoto airshed and the collected particulate samples are being sent to GNS for constituent analysis.

10. A research project conducted with NIWA examined the influence of climate modes on Hawke’s Bay seasonal climate and a methodology was developed for the findings to be incorporated into NIWA’s seasonal forecasts for the region.

11. Climate briefings to primary sector representatives and government agencies took place from spring onward in addition to monthly climate SoE reporting.

12. Advice on current climate and climate change was provided to help inform Mohaka and TANK plan changes.

Coastal

13. SoE monitoring: State of the Environment monitoring of sediment, hard and soft shore ecology and nearshore water quality has been completed in line with project plans.

14. The Recreational Water Quality Monitoring programme has been completed.

15. Investigations into the water quality and ecology of the Waitangi and Ahuriri estuaries and the nearshore coastal environment has been undertaken to support the TANK plan change process.

16. Estuarine monitoring in the Tukituki Estuary has been completed as part of the Tukituki implementation plan.

17. Marine information needs: A report has been completed and presented to Council outlining the current state of knowledge in the subtidal marine area and a strategy going forward.

18. The coastal team has assisted the consents team with reviews of consents, especially around discharges to the coastal environment in particular stormwater discharges.

19. Staff have contributed to working groups associated with stormwater in the TANK catchments, and as part of the NCC Thames/Tyne consent.

20. Staff have completed the 5-year 2009-2013 State of the Coastal Environment report.

Groundwater Quantity and Quality

21. A steady state groundwater model has been completed for the Heretaunga Plains. Recharge and irrigation demand modelling is completed for climate change scenarios on both the Heretaunga Plains and upper catchments. These projects contribute to the integrated groundwater and surface water modelling that is scheduled for delivery to relevant TANK stakeholder meetings, beginning December 2016.

22. Lysimeter data (5 sites) and groundwater tracer samples (23 sites) were captured, to support policy regarding allocation and groundwater quality in Heretaunga Plains and Ruataniwha Basin. A cropping lysimeter has been designed in collaboration with NIWA and GNS Science: this will provide knowledge of groundwater recharge in Papanui catchment.

23. Groundwater quality data collection was undertaken in Taharua/Mohaka catchment, to support policy development.

24. Groundwater quality data were collected at 50 monitoring sites and reported on the HBRC web site. Data collection for the National Groundwater Monitoring programme has been completed. 20 new groundwater quality monitoring sites have been developed in the Ruataniwha plains to provide monitoring information as part of plan change 6 implementation.

Surface Water Quantity

25. Upper catchment surface flow modelling is completed and calibrated, to provide input data to the Heretaunga Plains groundwater model.

26. A spatial oxygen-flow report has been drafted and peer reviewed by NIWA. This represents a new methodology for undertaking instream assessments. The final report is scheduled to be complete in time for relevant TANK stakeholder meetings.

27. Concurrent flow gaugings and sampling for water chemistry tracers were completed to evaluate interactions with groundwater for the lower Tukituki River, Paritua-Karewarewa and Tutaekuri-Waimate River.

Land Science

28. During 2015/16 approximately 300,000 hectares of central Hawkes Bay was mapped for soil properties.

29. Approximately 400,000 hectares of central Hawkes Bay was modelled using SedNetNZ. A model that identifies sources and transport of sediment.

30. The Mohaka and Wairoa catchments were surveyed in order to identify location and type of wetlands.

31. New Land Science strategy completed. This will be presented to Council at the Regional planning meeting on the 21^st of September.

32. Satellite monitoring of land use and land use change pilot programme completed. Awaiting results.

Water Quality & Ecology

33. The Water Quality and Ecology team completed 6 State of the Environment technical reports, summarising 10 years of data.

34. Water quality and ecology data has been quality coded and integrated with Hilltop Software, which involved a massive data migration from the existing Puddle server.

35. Extensive investigation into water quality patterns in the Papanui priority subcatchment, as well as collecting comprehensive water quality samples from throughout the Porangahau and Maharakeke Priority subcatchments, to help land management and local community prioritise mitigations as part of the Tukituki PC6 Implementation programme.

36. Undertook shade trials in small drains of the Heretaunga Plains investigating effectiveness of vegetation shading options as an alternative for managing nuisance aquatic plant (macrophyte) growth. A strong effect of shading was demonstrated, and supported the concept of being able to use shade as an option in our toolbox of drainage maintenance (aquatic weed control).

37. We demonstrated the effectiveness of novel floating ramps, and obtained financial support from nine regional councils around New Zealand to produce the required moulds to mass produce plastic versions of these ramps that would prove a cheap and efficient option for improving fish passage around the region (and country).

38. A water quality monitoring program has commenced on Whakaki Lake in collaboration with the Whakaki Lake Trust.

39. Provided expert advice to the TANK and Mohaka plan change processes.

Science 2016-17 Operational Plan Highlights

Unspecified Research & Grants

40. Applications will be made to Envirolink during this period, and a further contribution will be made to the Envirolink pool.

State of the Environment Reporting

41. A 2-year State of the Environment report will be delivered in this period, covering the years 2013-2015.

Air and Climate

42. HBRC is responsible for monitoring, managing and reporting air quality under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) and the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NESAQ). Air quality in Hawke’s Bay is very good most of the time, but levels of fine particulates occasionally exceed health guidelines in winter. HBRC has a programme of monitoring to track trends in the region’s air quality and compare it with health guidelines.

43. HBRC monitors fine particulates (PM₁₀ and PM_2.5) continuously in the Napier, Hastings and Awatoto airsheds to determine compliance with the NESAQ and for State of the Environment (SoE) reporting.

44. Samples of particulate are being collected at Awatoto and analysed by GNS to determine contributions of various source emissions to particulate concentrations. This will continue until May 2017.

45. PM₁₀ screening monitoring for a year will commence in Clive to provide information for this area, as significant monitoring has not previously been undertaken.

46. Gases associated with traffic will be monitored at busy roadside locations in Napier and Hastings over eight weeks in winter 2017.

47. The Air Quality Monitoring Strategy will be reviewed upon the Ministry for the Environment completing its review of the NESAQ.

48. Work will continue with NIWA on the provision of tailored seasonal forecasts for Hawke’s Bay that build on recently completed research into the influence of climate modes on the region’s climate.

Coastal

49. SoE monitoring: The coastal team will continue SoE monitoring of sediment quality/ Hard and soft shore ecology and nearshore water quality in line with project plans.

50. The coastal team will continue to collect water quality and ecological information around the Waitangi and Ahuriri estuaries and the nearshore coastal environment to feed into the TANK plan change.

51. The coastal team will continue to collect water quality and ecological information around the Tukituki Estuary and the nearshore coastal environment to feed inform the Tukituki implementation plan.

52. Marine information needs: The coastal team will follow-up with recommendation made in the recent gaps analysis report on the coastal marine area.

53. The coastal team will continue to assist the consents team with reviews of consents, especially around discharges to the coastal environment in particular stormwater discharges.

Groundwater Science - Quantity and Quality

54. There are 3 groundwater science projects in the Long Term Plan designed to inform and meet the RRMP and NPSFM policies and objectives, with key activities summarised following.

55. The team will continue to measure groundwater levels and groundwater quality at existing monitoring sites, and complete annual SoE technical reporting.

56. The groundwater monitoring level well network will be expanded over the 2016-17 financial year by drilling new monitoring bores.

57. The groundwater level and groundwater quality network will be reviewed, and some sites may receive higher frequency monitoring.

58. Groundwater quality will continue to be measured for microbiological, chemical and physical parameters every quarter and reported on the hbrc.govt.nz website.

59. Water quantity and quality modelling for the Upper TANK catchments will continues and groundwater flow modelling for the Heretaunga Plains will advance. Calibration of the groundwater model will be followed by integration with SOURCE inputs and routing of surface water throughout the Heretaunga Plains. The model is scheduled to be fit for scenario testing from December 2016.

60. Groundwater quality modelling for Heretaunga Plains is to be developed and the model is scheduled to be fit for scenario testing from December 2016.

61. Water age and tracer data will be collected to support the Heretaunga Plains groundwater modelling and contaminant transport modelling.

62. An innovative cropping lysimeter will be installed. Lysimeter data is planned to be available on the HBRC website in 2017.

63. A qualitative assessment of potential sources and pathways of nutrient contamination in the Ahuriri catchment will be made, which will also evaluate the need for additional hydrological investigation and groundwater monitoring or modelling to support future planning initiatives for managing water quality in the Ahuriri catchment.

64. Water quality in the Taharua catchment will be reported, and in collaboration with Bay of Plenty Regional Council, a piezometric survey to identify groundwater catchment boundaries in the Taharua and Rangitaiki catchments will be completed.

65. Water quality data will be collected and reported in the Papanui catchment to inform policy implementation. A geochemistry isotope study of the Papanui will also be reported, intended to identify sources of nutrients (phosphorus) in groundwater for the Papanui catchment.

66. Geological modelling of the Ruataniwha basin will occur in early 2017.

67. Minimum flows will be revisited during the TANK Plan Change, and flow-ecology investigations are underway to inform decisions for the Karamu catchment.

68. Surface water level measurements will continue at existing sites. The network will be expanded in the Ruataniwha basin to monitor the effectiveness of Plan Change 6. Some additional sites may be required to fill gaps identified in a review of the monitoring network by NIWA.

Land Science

69. Soil mapping (S-map) of the region will continue. Landcare Research (with input from HBRC staff) have completed southern and central Hawke’s Bay (over 3,000 observations) and will now move in to the northern areas of the region (TANK, Mohaka, Wairoa). TANK to be completed by September 2016.

70. A new SoE riparian monitoring programme will begin following the methodology used by Auckland Council and Waikato Regional Council. It is likely that this methodology will be the one selected by National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS), Environmental Monitoring and Reporting (EMaR) for monitoring riparian condition.

71. Individual catchment issue investigations are underway focused in areas such as Papanui, Ahuriri, Poporangi, Whakaki and Whangawehi. It is expected that other isolated issues will arise throughout the region and throughout the year.

72. The Taharua/Mohaka monitoring and investigative programme continues in support of the Mohaka plan change.

73. Land Science will continue to support TANK plan change process with nutrient loss modelling, sediment modelling, land use and land use change data, wetland inventory and riparian mapping. We will also regularly present on different aspects of land issues to the TANK stakeholder group and at public meetings.

74. The Soil Quality Monitoring SoE programme continues. Having recently completed the establishment of 93 sites across the region, Land Science will begin to revisit sites for the first time.

75. Continue to develop monitoring strategies for land use and land use change monitoring. A 3 year pilot project to monitor land use and landuse change via satellite across a 60km² area centred on the Heretaunga Plains comes to an end in September. The results will be reviewed and a decision made whether to carry on in to the Tukituki catchment or develop a new approach.

76. Erosion monitoring will continue across the Hawke’s Bay region. Land Science is currently applying the SedNetNZ model across the region. The model determines where sediment is coming from in the environment, how much sediment is being produced from these areas, how much comes from hillslope erosion and how much from river bank erosion and can also predict sediment load reduction with the application of farm plans.

77. A new wetland SoE programme will be established, beginning in the Tukituki Catchment. Eventually the programme will be rolled out across the region with an estimated 50-70 sites. The wetland monitoring will record plant species, bird species, water level, water quality, soil nutrient levels etc. We will return every 5 years to repeat the exercise and build up a wetland condition trend over time. We will be moving in to the TANK area to set up sites next year.

78. Begin regional peat/organic soil monitoring programme. Although we only have approximately 8,000 hectares of peat/organic soils across the region it is thought they are under intensive pressure and we may be in danger of losing this valuable resource. This programme will show the current, and in time, the future condition of these soils.

79. Contribute to national panels concerned with S-map, National Environmental Monitoring Standards (NEMS), Environmental Monitoring and Reporting (EMaR).

Coastal

80. Recreational Water Quality Monitoring: The coastal team will monitor recreational water quality at sites throughout the region for twenty weeks until March 2017. Faecal source tracking samples will be sent to ESR for analysis when appropriate.

81. SoE monitoring: The coastal team will continue SoE monitoring of sediment quality/ Hard and soft shore ecology and nearshore water quality in line with project plans.

82. The coastal team will continue to collect water quality and ecological information around the Waitangi and Ahuriri estuaries and the nearshore coastal environment to feed into the TANK plan change.

83. The coastal team will continue to collect water quality and ecological information around the Tukituki Estuary and the nearshore coastal environment to feed inform the Tukituki implementation plan.

84. Marine information needs: The coastal team will follow-up with recommendation made in the recent gaps analysis report on the coastal marine area.

85. The coastal team will continue to assist the consents team with reviews of consents especially around discharges to the coastal environment in particular stormwater discharges.

Water Quality & Ecology

86. The Water Quality and Ecology team will continue to monitor surface water quality in rivers and streams and align monitoring with current best-practice as described by the ongoing Environmental Monitoring and Reporting (EMaR) programme.

87. Use Hilltop Software to allow for quality assurance and coding of data to occur in a robust and timely fashion, and support Science’s ISO 9001 accreditation.

88. Continue a work programme to assist with the assessment of in-stream ecological values and standards with a focus on developing and trialing techniques on measuring ecological health in a robust fashion.

89. Work closely with the Cawthron Institute to explore trait based metrics and improve predictive MCI (Macroinvertebrate Community Index) models for the Hawke’s Bay Region.

90. Explore options for optimizing our lakes monitoring program to include gathering information on the shallow lake systems that are currently not meeting NOF bottom lines. E.g. using webcameras to collect environmental information.

91. Continue monitoring lake water quality in the Tutira lakes on behalf of Ministry of Primary Industries, Biosecurity to document water quality in the long-term in response to the Hydrilla eradication programme.

92. Monitor surface water quality for a range of microbiological, physical and ecological parameters in the Tutira lakes and lakes Waikaremoana and Waikareiti.

93. Add 10 new monitoring sites to our Tukituki WQ programme to support PC6 implementation.

94. Complete investigative studies into pressures on water quality and ecological health in the Porangahau and Maharakeke streams (Tukituki), and commence sampling in the Tukipo/Kahahakuri Streams, to support the Tukituki Priority Catchment program being managed by Land Management.

95. Continue with shade trials in small drains of the Heretaunga Plains investigating effectiveness of vegetation shading options as an alternative for managing nuisance aquatic plant (macrophyte) growth. This will include experimenting on ways to establish effective shade using native species as efficiently as possible, and explore the potential of Miscanthus as a rapid way to establish shade.

96. Test how effective our newly designed floating ramps are at providing fish passage for inanga and other native fish.

97. Undertake targeted investigations in priority catchments to support land management initiatives with a focus on the Whangawehi Stream and Whakaki Lake catchments.

98. Contribute to environment science annual reporting, which will include two separate reports providing water quality and ecology information for the region’s major river catchments, and monitored lakes; being a combined report covering the 2014 and 2015 calendar years and a separate report covering the 2016 calendar year.

99. Provide expert advice and support to the TANK and Mohaka plan change processes to allow for robust water quality limits to be set in line with NPSFM (2014) requirements.

Decision Making Process

100. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “2016-17 Science Operational Report and Plan”.

Authored by:

Andy Hicks

Team Leader

Water Quality and Ecology

Dr Barry Lynch

Principal Scientist / Team Leader

Land

Jeff Smith

Team Leader/Principal Scientist

Hydrology/Hydrogeology

Dr Kathleen Kozyniak

Principal Scientist

Climate & Air

Approved by:

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager

Resource Management

Dr Stephen Swabey

Manager

Science

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Services Committee

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Subject: Resource Use/ Consents 2015-16 Annual Report and 2016-17 Operational Plan

Reason for Report

1. This report provides the Committee with the achievements of the Resource Management Group’s Resource Use and Consents teams over the 2015-16 year and an overview of their planned work programmes for 2016-17.

Resource Use 2015-16 Annual Report Highlights

2. The Council Enforcement Policy, in part states: “The Council aims to educate wherever possible, and only use enforcement action when education alone is inappropriate. Council uses this policy as opposed to using low level enforcement, such as infringement notices, whenever a rule is breached.”

3. The Resource Use team continue to follow this policy and has done so for a number of years, this is reflected in the relatively small number of enforcement actions taken within the Region. Despite this, there have been occasions where more stringent enforcement action has been deemed necessary and we have not shied away from making hard enforcement decisions when required.

4. Enforcement activities are not the only functions of the Resource Use Team, we regularly engage in a number of non-enforcement activities such as:

· Dairy and other industry liaison groups

· Organisation and delivery of the annual dairy awards

· National wastewater working groups

· National environmental compliance conference

· Hazardous wastes and unwanted agrichemical collection

· Various special interest groups, school and special events education

· Regional and national oil spill response teams

· Investigative best practice network

5. Enforcement Action in 2015/16 was similar to the previous year with the exception of prosecutions that numbered 6, with none in the previous year. That figure included 3 prosecutions for reasonably large incidents relating to Te Mata Mushrooms Limited and the Waihi Dam sediment discharge.

*Enforcement Action*	*12/13*	*13/14*	*14/15*	*15/16*
Abatement Notices	36	110	7	8
Infringement Notices	59	52	29	21
Prosecutions	3	2	0	6
Enforcement Orders	0	0	0	1

6. The Council operates a 24/7 0800 Pollution hotline, where the bulk of pollution incidents are reported by members of the public. Calls outside of business hours are attended to by duty officers, who are all members of the resource use team and warranted environmental officers.

7. The number of incidents received and investigated rose substantially over the previous year, the increase is attributed to the increased number of odour complaints received regarding Te Mata Mushrooms. This is depicted in the following table that shows an increase in air incidents by approximately 130 on the previous year.

*Incidents*	*12/13*	*13/14*	*14/15*	*15/16*
Air	247	356	367	499
Coastal	42	58	35	35
Groundwater	11	7	14	11
Land	122	79	58	59
Surfacewater	176	149	121	134
Navigational safety	13	18	9	7
Total	611	667	604	745

8. A further breakdown of infringement notices by premises type is as follows:

*Infringement Notices*	*15/16*
Horticulture	2
Residential	6
Industrial	3
Processing	2
Building	1
Dairy	2
Animal processing	1
Navigational safety	4
Outdoor burning [included above]	6

9. Activities that took up a significant amount of the team’s time, this year, are as follows:

Waihi Dam sediment discharge

10. This incident came to Council’s attention in the week before Christmas and the investigation, prosecution of 2 parties still continues. Court action may not be finalised until sometime in the 2017 calendar year.

Te Mata Mushroom farm odour discharge

11. The prosecution of this company commenced in early 2015 with complaints continuing to be made after that time and additional charges being laid. The court process was protracted and dealing with the company was troublesome.

Central Hawke’s Bay municipal wastewater plants

12. The CHB District Council has had problems with complying with the conditions of their upgraded resource consents for discharges from these facilities. Abatement notices were served on them requiring them to take steps to rectify the problems faced. This has been a long process working with the District Council to achieve a favourable outcome.

Pan Pac TMT kiln malfunctions

13. PanPac had some operational problems with the operation of a new kiln and that caused some concern with local residents and their employees and unions. While not strictly a Regional Council issue, in the absence of any harmful discharge beyond the boundary of the plant, we took an active part in discussions between residents, PanPac, District Health Board and WorkSafe in an effort to allay fears that residents may have.

14. In addition to pollution response and enforcement, a major component of the Resource Use team’s work is resource consent monitoring.

15. Monitored consents fall into 2 categories; those that require a monitoring visit and those that are water takes and are monitored electronically via telemetry.

16. Consents monitored by visits are reported here.

17. 881 resource consents were monitored during the year, 90.5% of those consents were non-compliant at the time of monitoring. The non-compliance includes items such as a report due by a specified date that was not met or where a water take for volume or rate has been exceeded. These consents cannot achieve full compliance in that years reporting even if the non-compliance is a technical one off event. The remainder that were required to make changes to their activities to comply, were all able to do so and become compliant within that time.

18. The requirement to recover 70% of actual and reasonable monitoring costs was achieved by recovering 77% of those costs.

19. 89% of all scheduled monitoring/inspection/reports was achieved against the required target of 90%. Under normal circumstances the additional 1% would have been surpassed but for the resource hungry investigations into the Waihi Dam and Te Mata Mushroom incidents.

20. The retiring Harbourmaster was replaced near the end of the year, by the previous deputy, and that enabled a seamless transition in the navigational safety area. There were no specific major challenges in the year with the Harbourmaster working closely with the Port and overseeing a very successful school navigational safety education programme.

21. Council also operated an unwanted agrichemical collection service throughout the year and collected a total of 11,940 kg of unwanted chemicals. This service will no longer be carried out by Council but by a third party, with more emphasis being placed on ‘user pays’ than in the past.

Resource Use 2016-17 Operational Highlights

22. The coming year will incorporate business as usual in terms of compliance monitoring and pollution response call outs. To a degree we have no control over when people call and what they report but we do analyze the nature of calls and the time of year they are most likely.

23. Challenges for the coming year are as follows:

Outdoor burning

24. After 3 years of the burning rules being in place, there has been an increased awareness by the public around when and where they can and cannot burn. Much of our time in 2015/16 was spent explaining how the rules for domestic burning and horticulture burning for disease control and orchard redevelopment differed. There is some public disquiet over this and Council is working with industry to address this.

Waihi Dam Court action

25. It is expected that resolution of this matter will take most of the year to achieve as the matter progresses through the Court system.

Te Mata Mushrooms

26. The prosecution matter was concluded earlier in the year but the final date for the company to have lodged a new resource consent application falls at the end of December. Odour complaints continue to be reported and that is expected to increase over the summer months while the company addresses the odour issues.

Whakatu Wool Scour

27. There have been long running issues with the discharge of odour and particles from this plant. The amalgamation with another company has been held up by legal appeals and this has delayed the closure and the moving of the plant. Even in the event of an early resolution in favour of the amalgamation, the plant will not be closed soon as new infrastructure is required at the new site. The matter is currently in front of a hearing committee and despite the outcome of that, residents are frustrated by the lack of progress and complaints are expected to continue.

Central Hawke’s Bay Wastewater Treatment

28. The treatment plants at Waipukurau and Waipawa have not been operating as envisaged and desired. This resulted in enforcement action being taken last year and modifications made. The District Council is in the process of seeking a consent change and also enlarging their Waipukurau ponds capacity. A considerable amount of time will be spent monitoring this consent and plant operations.

RWSS

29. In the likely event this will proceed, there is a substantial amount of resource consent monitoring that will be required during the site preparation, construction and operation for the scheme.

Plan Change 6

30. There is a great deal of data being generated as businesses prepare for the changes. Much of this data will determine whether or not an enterprise can operate as a permitted activity or have to seek a resource consent. We will play a large role in collating this data and visiting farms to make that assessment.

Navigational Safety Education

31. The past 2 years have seen a very successful navigational safety education programme undertaken in primary and intermediate schools. This has been funded jointly by HBRC and from a grant from Maritime New Zealand. Increased funding has been gained from MNZ and this will result in growth to the programme and more young people being involved. One of the aims of the programme is to have every child in Hawke’s Bay go through the programme at least three times before they leave secondary school.

Staffing

32. With retirement, redistribution of work, and increased work being required for Plan Change 6, additional staff will be required to meet our obligations. Resource Use work has evolved from purely monitoring resource consents and attending pollution incidents. Staff are now very involved in working closely with industry groups such as the dairy and horticulture industries to achieve positive environmental outcomes. This impacts on both our ability to offer sufficient time for consent monitoring and to cost recover according to a regime that is over 10 years old. The recovery regime will be evaluated with a view to introducing necessary change in the 2016/2017 year.

Consents 2015-16 Annual Report Highlights

33. The Consents team have continued with their core project work, processing resource consents along with other supporting Council work through the year.

34. 506 resource consent applications were processed through to being issued over the year. All applications were processed within the statutory number of working days. This achievement satisfies one of the teams KPIs - to issue 100% of consents within the statutory timeframes.

35. Of the 506 consents processed 499 were processed as non-notified applications. Seven of these were processed as limited or publically notified applications. Four of these were part of the application by PanPac and were processed together as one application.

36. As a comparison Figure 2 shows the consents processed by each of the regions over the past few years.

37. The non-notified applications issued during the year have commonly included bore permits, domestic and other waste water discharges and surface and ground water takes.

38. Among the water takes processed was the group of Ruataniwha groundwater takes that were reviewed to align with Plan Change 6. Also the Twyford global consent for the semi-confined groundwater takes was issued. One water permit was issued for water bottling purposes during the year.

39. Other activities consented included the provision to take emergency water from the Tukituki catchment, the discharge of geothermal water from the Morere hot springs, the discharge of contaminated soils, Waihi Dam repair works and coffer dams, TB Free possum control 1080 discharges, stormwater management for the Mahia rocket launching site, stormwater management for industries over the Heretaunga Plains unconfined aquifer area, discharge of fruit dump water, Twyford Global consent (semi-confined zone), land use consents for the extended area to be supplied irrigation water via the RWSS, change of condition to the RWSS consents to include macroinvertebate community (MCI) monitoring farm dam storage, river bridges and crossings, coastal protection works, oil exploration bore for TAG oil.

40. Four applications were consented via limited or public notification processes. One, NCC stormwater discharge via the Thames and Tyne Drains into the Ahuriri Estuary, was resolved via a prehearing process and did not proceed to a hearing. The Group Manager Resource Management is delegated to grant consents that are notified but where there is no need for a hearing.

41. Three hearings were held during the year. These were for PanPac (relocation and extension of discharge point and mixing zone and the extension of the coastal outfall structure), MLBH (irrigation take from groundwater in the Bridge Pa area, and CPM (asphalt plant discharge to the air in Omahu Road). These applications were all limited notified. In all cases Clr Scott chaired the hearings. Clrs Beavan, Wilson and Hewett and Maori committee members Brian Gregory and Roger Maaka sat on one or more of these hearings.

42. Two of these decisions have been appealed to the Environment Court. During the year staff attended a mediation meeting for each of these appeals to discuss whether issues could be resolved ahead of going before the Environment Court. The Pan Pac meeting did not resolve any issues at the time. The CPM meeting led to amended conditions but the appellant (McCains) have recently retreated from agreeing to these.

43. There are other notified applications that have been in process during the year which are not yet finalised. These include the Ngaruroro River surface water take replacement applications, the Twyford global (unconfined groundwater zone), and the Whakatu Woolscour air discharge.

44. The Ngaruroro River group expired in May 2015 and were applied for in advance of expiry to retain s124 rights. These applications were notified and a number of submissions were lodged. A prehearing meeting was held during the year. Resolution of this had not been achieved by the end of the financial year. The Twyford group has been placed on hold at the applicants request pending more parties bringing their water into the global consent. The Whakatu Wool Scour application was heard on 22 July.

45. In addition to consenting work staff have been involved in the Tukituki Plan Implementation Strategy.

46. The Consents process became Telarc registered during the financial year. This requires establishing and maintaining good process. Many have been in place but this Quality Management status requires that the consents team is actively maintaining and improving processes. An improvement achieved during the year has been making resource consents available via the internet.

Consents 2016-17 Operational Plan Highlights

47. For the consent team consents it is anticipated that 2016/2017 will be business as usual. There are no groups of consent expiring in this period so no extra work load is anticipated. Key consents anticipated are the Port of Napier port extension and channel dredging for larger ships, the Te Mata Mushrooms resource consent application, Watchmans Road/Napier Airport access activity,

48. Resource management systems review. A project has commenced and will continue through this year looking at the nature and adequacy of the Council’s current consents data base and other data management systems. A comprehensive review of the current systems is intended in order that Council can determine the best options for future resource consent process and data management.

Decision Making Process

49. Council is required to make every decision in accordance with Part 6 Sub-Part 1, of the Local Government Act 2002 (the Act). Staff have assessed the requirements in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only and no decision is to be made, the decision making provisions of the Local Government Act 2002 do not apply.

Recommendation

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Resource Use/ Consents 2015-16 Annual Report and 2016-17 Operational Plan” report.

Authored by:

Wayne Wright

Manager

Resource Use

Malcolm Miller

Manager

Consents

Approved by:

Iain Maxwell

Group Manager

Resource Management

Attachment/s

There are no attachments for this report.

	Agenda item	Follow-up item	Person Responsible	Status/Comment
1.	Follow-ups	A further update requested on the ground water quality at the next meeting for the Otane Wastewater Resource Consent Application.	M Miller / I Maxwell	Paper to the Environment & Services Committee 24 August 2016.
2.	Follow-ups	Seek a meeting with the PCE to talk about Oil & Gas Exploration regulation.	Cr Wilson	Meeting has taken place. Verbal update at the Environment & Services Committee 24 August 2016.
3.	Follow-ups	Harbourmaster to attend the next E&S meeting and present his work.	W Wright / I Maxwell	Paper to the Environment & Services Committee 24 August 2016.
4.	Biosecurity Operational Plans for 2016-17	Mr Adye to email the Committee an update on the recent velvet leaf incursion.	C Leckie / M Adye	Email sent on 15 June 2016 to Committee members. Attached for reference.
5.	Upper Tukituki Scheme Review	Requested this item lay on the table and is reported on at the next E&S meeting.	M Adye / L Lambert	Paper to the Environment & Services Committee 24 August 2016.
6.	Cape to City Update	HBRC to explore options on formally recognising the Maraetotara Tree Trust for their efforts over the years.	C Leckie / M Adye	The Maraetotara Tree Trust to attend and present at the Environment & Services Committee 24 August 2016.

1	Follow-up Items from Previous Environment & Services Committee Meetings
2	Update on Velvetleaf Incursion 2016