Minutes of Extraordinary Regional Council Meeting

1. Karakia /Welcome/ Apologies/Notices

Mike Paku, Māori Committee Co-chair, offered a karakia to open the meeting.

Resolution

RC63/20 That the apology for absence from Councillor Charles Lambert is accepted.

Ormsby/van Beek

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

Cr Will Foley declared an interest in Item 10. Drought Relief Fund as a farmer affected by the drought.

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Extraordinary Regional Council Meeting held on 13 May 2020

RC64/20

Resolution

Minutes of the Extraordinary Regional Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 13 May 2020, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Barker/Ormsby

CARRIED

Rex Graham joined the meeting at 9.09am

20 May 2020 Update on Significant Organisational Activities

James Palmer introduced the item, which was taken as read. Queries and discussions traversed:

· Pigsty Wetland restoration and protection project on true right bank of Ngaruroro River near Whanawhana jointly with HBRC, landowner and Fonterra contributing $40,000 in the first year. Query whether there’s a Māori name for the wetland that can be used.

· With the delays caused by Covid-19 the Annual Plan process timelines are now adoption of the supporting information and consultation document 27 May, and adoption of the final annual plan on 29 July

· Expressway underpass at Ahuriri is under water at high tide and staff are investigating options for protection works with NZTA

· Engagement with tangata whenua undertaken through the workshop on 14 May in relation to council’s 2020-21 Annual Plan and regional environmental recovery

· Wairoa Rivermouth is being actively monitored with view to opening

· Havelock North tree damage to sewer main resulted in sewerage overflow into a stream and an infringement notice being issued to HDC, WDC was issued an infringement notice for disposal of wastewater outside of consent conditions and their delayed response resulting from failure of the alarm system, and an abatement notice is being prepared for NCC requiring immediate repair of several leaks in the Awatoto outfall pipe.

RC65/20

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the 20 May 2020 Update on Significant Organisational Activities.

Foss/Kirton

CARRIED

CE’s Verbal Update on the HBRC Operational Response to Covid-19

Requests for welfare assistance have declined significantly, CDEM Group is now staffed mainly by CDEM staff and planning transition to the Caring for all communities model of operation

Nearly all field based staff are operating from Dalton Street and Guppy Road as normal. Key staff have been inducted to Dalton Street in bubbles for a two week period before gradually bringing more staff back and resumption of full operations.

RC66/20

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the “CE’s Verbal Update on the HBRC Operational Response to COVID-19”.

Barker/Ormsby

CARRIED

Call for Minor Items Not on the Agenda

Recommendation

That Council accepts the following “Minor Items Not on the Agenda” for discussion as Item 9

Topic	Raised by
Covid recovery welfare fund	Cr Kirton
Meeting with Minister	Cr Graham
Audit of HB CDEM activities	A Tapine
Update on Erosion Control scheme in Wairoa area	M McIlroy

Procurement Policy Amendments to Support the HB Economic Recovery

Jessica Ellerm introduced the item, which presents amendments to the Council’s Procurement Policy to assist local businesses and seeks further feedback on additional provisions that might be incorporated. Queries and discussions covered:

· Weighting for local companies in tender assessment processes potentially to be increased to 15% while taking care to maintain independence and prevent ‘favouritism’

· Query whether there is potential to assess Lifecycle costs through an environmental lens through the policy review

· Procurement policy is a live document, subject to ongoing review and updating including independent review currently under way

· Procurement decisions are made in accordance with transparent, methodical process to insure rigour and that criteria is consistently applied and is auditable

RC67/20

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the “Procurement Policy Amendments to Support the HB Economic Recovery” staff report.

2. 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 or persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

3. Agrees support for the proposed amendments to support the region’s economic recovery for inclusion in the HBRC Procurement Policy.

Barker/Williams

CARRIED

10.

Drought Relief Fund

Iain Maxwell introduced the item, providing most recent rainfall statistics and advising that dry conditions are forecast to continue through May. Queries and discussions covered:

· Inter-year drought impacts will continue through next spring and beyond, and extend through to GDP for the region

· Minister Damien O’Connor visiting the region and announced additional Central Government funding to match regional contributions made by Centralines, CHB, HBRC and HDC

· Regional Disaster Damage Reserve is specifically for response to events such as Drought, while contingency funding is more ‘general’ and will potentially be required by Council to fund deficit resulting from Covid-19 impacts

· Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust was recently formed, with up to 7 trustees to set on its Board of Trustees

· Significant Council resources put into the covid-19 welfare response, with the assistance provided through the welfare response for the benefit of all the region’s vulnerable communities

· Movement of feed between regions and biosecurity controls

· The only part of the region that has escaped the Drought is Wairoa, however even they will be affected by a lack of finishing stock coming to them from farms that have had to reduce stock numbers due to the lack of feed.

RC68/20

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the “Drought Relief Fund” staff report.

3. Agrees to contribute $200,000 to the Regional Drought Relief Fund, held in Trust by the Hawke’s Bay Disaster Relief Trust, to be funded from the Regional Disaster Damage Reserve.

4. Requests that staff work with the Hawke’s Bay Rural Advisory Group to develop appropriate criteria for applications to the fund, for later approval by Council.

Graham/Williams

CARRIED

Summary Report from the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

Councillor Jerf van Beek introduced the item, highlighting the difficulty the Committee is experiencing to agree a funding model.

RC69/20

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the “Summary Report from the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee”.

van Beek/Barker

CARRIED

Discussion of Minor Matters Not on the Agenda

Topic	Raised by
Covid recovery welfare fund – requesting a paper looking at options to provide welfare support to the most distressed parts of our community, linked to rates remission and payment of rates	Cr Kirton
Audit of HB CDEM activities - withdrawn	A Tapine
Update on Erosion Control scheme in the Wairoa area - withdrawn	M McIlroy
Meeting with Minister Damien O’Connor – discussed a raft of drought related issues with a focus on water storage	Cr Graham

Mike Paku offered a karakia to close the meeting.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 11.09am on Wednesday, 20 May 2020.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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