MINUTES OF A meeting

 of the Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance

Joint Committee

Date:                          Tuesday 24 October 2017

Time:                          1.00pm

Venue:

Council Chamber Hawke's Bay Regional Council 159 Dalton Street NAPIER

Present:                     T Aitken (CHB DC)

A Apatu (HB DHB)

K Atkinson (HB DHB)

P Bailey (HBRC)

T Belford (HBRC)

S Burne-Field (CHB DC)

S Hazlehurst (HDC)

K Price (NCC)

C Tremain (Acting Chair)

K Watkins (HDC)

K Wise (NCC)

S Nixon (HDC Alternate)

In Attendance:          L Hooper – HBRC Governance Manager

J Palmer – HBRC CE

I Maxwell – HBRC Group Manager Resource Management

R McLeod – HDC CE

W Jack – NCC CE

N Jones – HB DHB

C Thew – HDC

J Kingsford – HDC

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

James Palmer, acting as Chair to open the meeting, welcomed everyone to the meeting.

There was discussion about the appointment or election of a Chairperson for the Joint Committee and agreement reached that Chris Tremain be invited to act as Chair for today’s meeting, and that an Independent Chair be sought rather than electing one of the member agency representatives.

Mr Tremain introduced the purpose of the Joint Committee as established out of the Working Group tasked with implementing the recommendations of the Havelock North Government Inquiry.

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflict of interest declarations.

Ms Ana Apatu advised that she has agreed to participate on the HDC-HBRC “Gastro Outbreak Community Assistance Scheme” application assessment panel and so will consider whether that precludes her appointment to the Joint Committee when the District Health Board is making its appointments.

3.	Member Agency Appointments
	The intent of the item is to confirm those appointments made to date, by member agencies. Discussion traversed: · Maori representation and whether representatives from the Regional Planning Committee be sought – to enable wider PSG involvement, which was agreed to by those present · Additional stakeholder groups that may be invited to join the membership of the Joint Committee, e.g. Drinking Water Assessors, and note that all ‘other appointments’ will need to be agreed by the participating councils. · The District Health Board has yet to appoint representatives, and will do that once the Board has met and formally adopted the Terms of Reference and agreed participation on the Joint Committee. · No representatives of Wairoa District Council present.
DWG1/17	Resolutions That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee: 1.      Receives and notes the “Member Agency Appointments” staff report. 2.      Confirms the following appointments to the Joint Committee by Member Agencies, being: 2.1.      Councillors Tim Aitken and Shelley Burne-Field representing Central Hawke’s Bay District Council, and Mayor Alex Walker as Alternate 2.2.      Councillors Sandra Hazlehurst and Kevin Watkins representing Hastings District Council, and Councillor Simon Nixon as Alternate 2.3.      Councillors Paul Bailey and Tom Belford representing Hawke’s Bay Regional Council 2.4.      Councillors Keith Price and Kirsten Wise representing Napier City Council 3..        Notes that representative appointments for the Hawke’s Bay District Health Board and Wairoa District Council are still to be confirmed. Tremain moved from Chair CARRIED

4.	Independent Chairperson’s Appointment and Election of Deputy Chairperson
	Indications from the group support the appointment of an Independent Chair and so the process for such an appointment to be undertaken was discussed. A suggestion was made that Mr Tremain consider the JC Chair role, and seek appointment of a replacement Chair for the Joint Working Group. There is an expectation that the inquiry will give a significant regional work programme to the Joint Working Group, which will in turn require Governance oversight and direction from the Joint Committee. An invitation was extended, to representatives present, for membership on the Appointments Panel – with willingness expressed by Paul Bailey, Sandra Hazlehurst, Kirsten Wise and Tim Aitken, all of which were accepted.
DWG2/17	Resolutions That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee: 1.      Receives and notes the “Independent Chairperson’s Appointment and Election of the Deputy Chairperson” staff report. 2.      Agrees to the appointment process for an Independent Chairperson for the DWGC; being: 2.1.     Establishment of an Appointments Panel consisting of Paul Bailey, Sandra Hazlehurst, Kirsten Wise, and Tim Aitken, with Kirsten Wise to act as Chair of said Panel. 2.2.     Appointments Panel to establish criteria for the role and seek expressions of interest 2.3.     Appointments Panel to short-list candidates if required, and carry out interviews of those shortlisted 2.4.     Appointments Panel to make recommendation for appointment, including remuneration, to the DWGC. 3.      Defers appointment of the Deputy Chairperson of the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee until after appointment of the Independent Chairperson is confirmed. Tremain moved from Chair CARRIED

5.	Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee Terms of Reference
	Discussions covered: · the purpose of the joint committee, including to continue the oversight provided by the Inquiry Panel once it’s finished its process · the legal responsibilities of agencies to deliver responsibilities and services as legislated, and collaboration between them · the JC as part of the Governance structure of each of the member councils · potential for cost sharing for the commissioning of work by the JC where required · communication flows to the public – from the JWG, individual agencies, representatives on the JC, HBRC as administering authority for the JC · agreement reached that case by case consideration will be given to communications and media releases, based on individual messages and who is best, possibly geographically, to speak on behalf of the group · Representatives on the JC are accountable for ensuring that the agency that appointed them collaborates and contributes to the efficient delivery of safe drinking water to the region. · JC sets the Terms of Reference and work programme priorities for the JWG. · Each agency is still legally responsible for the functions it is legislated to provide. · Suggestion that once the JWG provides the JC with the work it’s been doing, members will better understand what the Governance role and purpose entails · Various amendments as proposed and highlighted in the attachment to the agenda, were agreed for recommending back to councils and the DHB for adoption.
DWG3/17	Resolutions That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee: 1.      Receives and notes the “Terms of Reference” staff report. 2.      Agrees the finalised Terms of Reference as amended by today’s meeting for referral back to each Member Organisation for agreement and adoption. Tremain moved from Chair CARRIED

6.	Joint Working Group Work Plan
	Next meeting will consist of a series of briefings on the Work Plan. Queries and discussion traversed: · Issues will be brought to the JWG for discussion and information sharing · JWG Terms of reference need to be reviewed and re-set at the next meeting. · Inquiry’s report to government scheduled 8 December – with possible legislative change to follow.
	Recommendation That the Hawke’s Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee receives and notes the “Joint Working Group Work Plan” report.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 2.55pm on 24 October 2017.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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