Minutes of HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

1. Welcome/Apologies/Notices

The Chair, Mayor Alex Walker, welcomed everyone to the meeting.

Resolution

CDE7/20 That the apologies for absence from Cr Rick Barker be accepted.

Little/Graham

CARRIED

Resolution

CDE8/20 That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee confirms the appointment of Mayor Alex Walker as Deputy Chair.

Graham/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee meeting held on 23 March 2020

CDE9/20

Resolution:

Minutes of the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee meeting held on Monday, 23 March 2020, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Graham/Wise

CARRIED

Action Items from Previous HB CDEM Group Joint Committee Meetings

Item 3: 2018-19 Annual and Financial Report: Annual Report 2018-19 has been circulated to the 5 Councils respectively (Napier City Council, Hastings District Council, Wairoa District Council, Central Hawke’s Bay District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council). Ian Macdonald to write a letter of recommendation from the Chair of this Committee be sent to the Regional Councillors to accept the Annual and Financial Report for the year 2018-19 from the CDEM Group and how this money is going to be prioritised to build up a reserve for the Civil Defence Fund

CDE10/20

Resolution:

That the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee receives the “Action Items from Previous HB CDEM Group Joint Committee Meetings” report.

Graham/Wise

CARRIED

Call for Minor Items not on the Agenda

Recommendations

There were no “Minor Items Not on the Agenda” for discussion.

Amendments to the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group Plan: Controller and Recovery Manager Appointments

Ian Macdonald introduced with discussions covering:

· Juanita Savage appointed to replace Libby Young. Recommend that Juanita be appointed as HB Local Controller in Wairoa.

· Have not yet appointed a Group Recovery Manager for the region

· Mike Adye is appointed as the Group Recovery Manager under the Group Plan and can exercise the transitional powers, but not in a position to commit to an extended period as recovery manager for COVID-19

· To allow for the powers under the transition notice to be exercised in situations where there is a gap between the state of emergency ceasing and a Recovery Manager being appointed, it is recommended that the CDEM Group Manager/Controller be appointed as an alternate Recovery Manager

· An audit by Crown Law of all Group Plans during the COVID-19 national state of emergency recommended specific delegation to the Group Controllers

· Amend the Functions and Powers delegated to Group Controllers by adding section 85 of the Act to item 5 to read Emergency Powers s85(1), 86-92 and s94

· Andrew Hickey gave the Committee guidance in the approach to appoint a recovery manager

· When appointing a Recovery Manager solely for Covid-19, the powers still sits with the appointed Recovery Manager under the Group Plan, in this instance, Mike Adey as only one Recovery Manager can be appointed

· Under the Covid Health Response Act, states that in future when there is any escalation in Covid response required, that powers sit with the enforcement agencies (Border, Immigration, Customs and Police).

CDE11/20

Resolution:

That the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee:

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 the committee 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. Agrees to make a minor amendment to Appendix 5: Key Appointments of the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan pursuant to section 57 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 and make appointments and changes to the roles of Hawke’s Bay Local Controller and Recovery Manager as follows:

2.1. Add the following to the Hawke’s Bay Local Controllers list:

Juanita Savage

2.2. Remove the following from the Hawke’s Bay Local Controllers list:

Libby Young

2.3. Add the following to the Hawke’s Bay Group Recovery Managers List

Ian Macdonald (Alternate)

2.4. Amend the Functions and Powers delegated to Group Controllers by adding section 85 of the Act to item 5 to read Emergency Powers s85(1), 86-92 and s94

3. Authorises Ian Macdonald to act in the statutory role of Group Recovery Manager for the purpose of exercising the powers of the Notice of National Transition Period for COVID-19 dated 13 May 2020 and any subsequent extension.

Hazlehurst/Little

CARRIED

Financial and Results Based Accountability Report

Ian Macdonald gave an update on the financial implications of the COVID-19 response and the current state of the Hawke's Bay CDEM Group budgets: Discussions traversed:

· The report should be considered an interim report as significant costs related to COID-19 response are yet to be invoiced or paid

· Ongoing process of monies being claimed back from central government – half of the resulting overspend can be managed within the existing CDEM reserves

· Number of costs related to COVID-19 response are yet to be invoiced or paid

· A claim for $520,000 has already been lodged with the National Emergency Management Agency and a further claim of approximately $200,000 is currently being compiled

· Current unbudgeted expenditure of $562,244, $340,000 of which can be offset from the existing CDEM reserves, remainder of approximately $220,000 can either be addressed through increasing the regional CDEM targeted rate or borrowing against the reserves. This amount will increase.

· Discussions to be held with the Group Manager Corporate Services to discuss how to absorb the “loss”.

· Council likely to propose in the Long Term Plan for an increase in the Civil Defence Emergency Management rate.

· A full set of accounts for the 2020-21 year will be available in July-August

· The Committee acknowledged the magnificent work the HB CDEM team has done through the Covid-19 response

Alison Prins gave an update on the Results Based Accountability Report with discussions covering:

· First time a Results Based Accountability Report has been done - achieved the main objectives of the response in that the emergency welfare needs of individuals and the community

· report was used to monitor the success or otherwise of the welfare response as it progressed and needs to be read in conjunction with the operational Action Plan which sets out the aim and objectives of the response

· Great value in the work which has been done

· The response has been exceptional and all parties worked in a coordinated way

· Proposed to draft a media statement to update on the CDEM response.

CDE12/20

Resolution:

That the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee receives and notes the “Financial and Results Based Accountability Report” for the Covid-19 response.

Little/Wise

CARRIED

8.	Discussion of Minor Items not on the Agenda

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairperson declared the meeting closed at 2.11pm on Monday, 8 June 2020.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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