Minutes of Environment and Services Committee

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chairman welcomed everyone present to the meeting including members of the public.

There was a request of the Chief Executive, to consider recording Committee meetings as is done for Council meetings, which had general support of all Committee members. In response to the request costs of recording meetings will be discussed with Council through the Annual Plan process.

ESC37/16

Resolution

That apologies from Councillor Rick Barker for absence and Councillors Rex Graham and Debbie Hewitt for lateness be accepted.

Wilson/Dick

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

Items of Business Not on the Agenda Which Cannot be Delayed

The Committee raised the significance of the title change of this agenda item.

Mrs Liz Lambert advised under the new Standing Orders adopted by Council, the meeting may only deal with an item of business that is not on the agenda through a report from either the Chief Executive or the Chairperson. The meeting then resolves to accept those items that cannot be delayed as per the reason(s) provided by the Chair or Chief Executive. This replaces what used to be called “Minor Items” or “General Business” as there is no provision under Standing Orders for such discussions.

ESC38/16

	Item Name	Reason not on Agenda	Reason discussion cannot be delayed
1.	Car Parking Allocation	Ad hoc request	Councillor concerns

Accepted from the Chair

The Chairman invited Chief Executive Andrew Newman to provide an update on the Havelock North Water Contamination inquiry and investigations.

9.15 am Councillors Graham and Hewitt joined the meeting

Mr Newman provided an update on the status of the prosecution of Hastings District Council for non-compliance with its resource consent conditions for water supply bores in Brookvale Road. Advice HBRC received during discussions with the Government-appointed Inquiry board reinforced the need for the HBRC investigations to proceed, so HBRC staff continued the investigation and chose to lay charges against HDC for the breach of their resource consent conditions following extensive technical work and legal advice from Jonathan Krebs.

The Inquiry re-convened this week, focussing on the Brookvale bore 3 in response to a request from HDC to re-open the bore to supply water to Havelock North, and pressure put on HBRC to withdraw the prosecution on the basis it was getting in the way of completing the Inquiry.

Mr Newman and HDC Chief Executive Mr Ross McLeod met and agreed that HDC would not contest the issue of Infringement Notices for the breaches of condition 21 for Brookvale bores 1 and 2 if the prosecution was withdrawn by HBRC. The breaches and infringement notices relate specifically to the condition of the bore heads and the take and use of water from Brookvale bores 1 and 2, not the water contamination. Neither the withdrawal of the prosecution proceedings nor the infringement notices indicate or rule out any cause of the water contamination.

The Inquiry would now proceed, focussing on determining the source of the contamination.

Environment and Services Committee Chairman's Report

The report was taken as read.

The Committee discussed the items listed on the attachment and endorsed the more strategic focus the Committee Chairman had outlined for the Committee over the term.

Discussions traversed on the relationship between the Environment & Services Committee, the Tutaekuri, Ahuriri, Ngaruroro and Karamu catchments Group (TANK), and the Regional Planning Committee. The Committee also discussed other areas of work that the Committee Chair considers are strategic priorities and would like to see further developed.

ESC39/16

Resolution

That the Environment & Services Committee receives and notes the “Chairman’s Report”.

Graham/Beaven

CARRIED

Biosecurity Working Party Appointments

Mr Mike Adye provided an update on the Hawke’s Bay Regional Pest Management Plan Biosecurity Working Party at the last meeting on 24 August 2016 and sought 2-3 nominations from the Committee to participate in that Working Party.

Mr Adye noted that the tangata whenua representation had not been confirmed.

Mr Adye invited Mr Campbell Leckie to speak to the timeframes and the funding of the Working Party Group and the responses to public enquires on wasp control.

The Committee member participants agreed to be members of the Biosecurity Working Group are Councillor Rex Graham, Councillor Fenton Wilson and Councillor Tom Belford.

ESC40/16

Resolutions

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Biosecurity Working Party” 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 Agrees that the Terms of Reference for the Biosecurity Working Party will be developed and confirmed by the Environment and Services Committee.

2.3 Confirms the appointments of Councillors Tom Belford, Fenton Wilson and Rex Graham as members of the Biosecurity Working Party.

Belford/Beaven

CARRIED

Review of Use of Heretaunga Plains Scheme River Berm Land

Mr Mike Adye introduced Mr Stephen Cave and provided an update and sought endorsement into investigating opportunities for reviewing the use of the river berm land across the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control Scheme.

Mr Cave outlined the scope of the project and the project programme which is scheduled to be completed by October 2017 and considered as part of the 2018-28 Long Term Plan.

The Committee discussed grazing stock on the river banks which is a key aspect of the project due to the increasing pressure from the public to ensure stock do not have access to the waterways. It was noted that grazing leases on the river berm land provide an annual income to the Scheme.

ESC41/16

Resolutions

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Review of use of Heretaunga Plains Scheme River Berm Land” report.

2. The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

2.2. Endorses the process proposed to review the use and opportunities associated with the Heretaunga Plains Flood Control and Drainage Scheme – Rivers river berm land, being to:

2.2.1. Complete an inventory of all of the current uses of river berm land.

2.2.2. Investigate best practice options throughout NZ, and work with public and Māori groups to understand their respective aspirations to find and assess solution options.

2.2.3. Prepare an options report for the 2018-28 Long Term Plan process.

Kirton/Graham

CARRIED

The meeting adjourned at 10.42 am and reconvened at 11.01 am - with Councillor Fenton Wilson absent

Ministry for Primary Industry Future of Our Fisheries Submission

Mr Oliver Wade introduced himself and provided an update on the Ministry for Primary Industry’s document ‘The Future of Our Fisheries’ and outlined the draft submission Council wishes to submit before the 23 December 2016 deadline.

11.03 am Councillor Wilson re-joined the meeting

A hard copy of the submission was tabled.

The Committee discussed the draft submission and provided comments to Mr Wade.

Councillors Hewitt and Kirton expressed their interest in working with the Committee Chairman and council staff to finalise the submission.

ESC42/16

Resolutions

1. That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “MPI Future of our Fisheries Submission” staff report.

2. The Environment and Services Committee recommends that Council:

2.2. agrees to lodge a submission generally following the content of the draft submission tabled, and that the Environment and Services Committee Chairman with Councillors Hewitt and Kirton will work with Council staff to finalise and lodge that submission by the 23 December 2016 deadline.

Graham/Beaven

CARRIED

Biodiversity Strategy Implementation

Ms Keiko Hashiba introduced herself to the Committee and provided a powerpoint presentation on the Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Strategy Implementation, outlining the plan development, establishment of a forum and a trust, ecosystem mapping and prioritization, and the challenges.

A copy of the Implementation Planning Group members was tabled.

The Committee discussed the level of private landowner buy-in into the Strategy and put forward landowner names they believed would be beneficial to play a part in the Strategy. Ms Hashiba welcomed additional names from the Committee to act as landowner champions.

The Committee also discussed the challenges of having no budget allocated for this work apart from $40,000 set aside for internal staff time. Ms Hashiba advised the Committee a business case outlining the total costs and benefits and costs to Council associated with putting the Implementation Plan into action, would be put forward in the 2018 Long Term Plan. It was noted that a business case for the ecosystem mapping and prioritisation would be put forward for the 2017/18 Annual Plan.

Ms Hashiba also advised that on behalf of the Implementation Planning Group, Council applied in July 2016 to the DIA Environment and Heritage Fund for $42,000 but were declined as they believed it was core Regional Council business.

ESC43/16

Resolution

That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Biodiversity Strategy Implementation” staff report.

Beaven/Graham

CARRIED

Waterway Maintenance Approach

Mr Mike Adye provided an update on the issues and challenges associated with the drainage network the Asset Management team deals with across the Heretaunga Plains and urban areas.

12.04pm Councillor Neil Kirton left the meeting

12.05pm Councillor Paul Bailey left the meeting

12.07pm Councillor Paul Bailey re-joined the meeting

12.08pm Councillor Neil Kirton re-joined the meeting

The Committee discussed the effects of glyphosate, the chemical used to control weed growth, an alternative chemical to glyphosate, and the alternative methods the staff have been exploring and trialing to control unwanted vegetation.

The Committee requested a report on the use of glyphosate by staff be brought to a future meeting and updated the recommendation to reflect this.

ESC44/16

Resolution

That the Environment and Services Committee receives and notes the “Waterway Maintenance Approach” report and requests a more substantial report on the appropriateness of glyphosate use by HBRC.

Belford/Beaven

CARRIED

10.

Verbal Update on CHB Waste Water Consents

Mr Malcolm Miller introduced himself and Principal Consents Planner Mr Paul Barrett to the Committee and provided an update on the CHB Waste Water Consents.

Mr Barrett advised the Committee there were two consent applications in progress; the Otane wastewater discharge consent and the Waipukurau wastewater discharge consent.

The Otane wastewater discharge consent expired in September 2015, CHBDC applied for a resource consent within the appropriate timeframes, and are able to continue to operate under the old consent while the consent replacement application is processed. It was noted the process is on hold while the applicant undertakes consultation with local landowners and other parties. Council would be updated prior to Christmas on the progress.

The Waipukurau wastewater discharge consent process is on hold, CHBDC would be doing further Ammoniacal Nitrogen (AN) sampling over the summer months to align with the monitoring of AN under the AN guideline values set out in the Tukituki Plan Change 6 and would be completed by March 2017.

The Committee discussed the statutory timeframes of the expired consents and suggested Council put in place a system twelve months prior to consents expiring.

ESC45/16

Resolution

That the Environment and Services Committee receives the “Verbal Update on CHB Wastewater Consents” report.

Belford/Beaven

CARRIED

11.

Items of Business Not on the Agenda Which Cannot be Delayed

Car Park Allocation – Councillor Dick

Councillor Dick raised concern in regards to the allocated car parks for Councillors in the staff carpark, a concern shared by other Councillors who were also finding their allocated parks not available upon their arrival for meetings. A request was put forward to have this investigated further.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12.38pm on Tuesday, 13 December 2016.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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