Minutes of Regional Council Meeting

1. Welcome/Karakia/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed everyone, and Pieri Munro led the group in offering a karakia to open the meeting.

Resolution

RC1/21 That the apology for absence from Michael Paku, Māori Committee Co-Chair, be accepted.

Barker/van Beek

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting held on 16 December 2020

RC2/21

Resolution

Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 16 December 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

Significant Organisational Activities Looking forward through February 2021

The item was taken as read, and Council staff who worked over the Summer holidays were acknowledged, in particular the RoadSafe, Recreational Water Quality Monitoring, Works Group and Plant Pest teams. Discussions covered:

· Chillean Needle Grass discovered in the riverbed gravel along the length of the Tukituki so issued a notice of direction to suspend all gravel extraction, except where it would be contained (e.g. concrete foundation), from the catchment as a measure to inhibit the spread. Social media being used to inform and educate the public and a verbal update on control measures will be provided to next week’s Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee meeting.

· Drone inspections as a safer option for collecting data in relation to riparian fencing and query whether this provides an opportunity to capture data about riparian planting as well.

· Properties in Tukituki that have not supplied Farm Environmental Management Plans are being followed up by Compliance and may face prosecution if non-compliance persists.

· High resolution photography of riparian planting on 217 sites across the region is under way and query whether that includes urban waterways as well as how sites were chosen.

· Request for update on progress on Hotspots funded projects e.g. Whakaki, Ahuriri, Whatuma, Karamu and Coastal – which will go to a future Environment & Integrated Catchments Committee meeting.

· Request for update on CHBDC level of compliance as a result of wastewater treatment improvements.

· High E.coli readings over the holiday period in Mangawhio Lagoon (3,010) and Whangawehi Lagoon in relation to safety for food gathering - monitored by Ministry for Primary Industries in liaison with Public Health arm of the District Health Board

· Request for details of January 21-22 WDC wastewater discharge malfunction and Compliance response, Compliance team has been investigating multiple events

· Paritua and Karewarewa streams both dry currently, and Council’s lowflow monitoring has revealed flows tracking only a few days behind where they were last year.

RC3/21

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the Significant HBRC Activities Looking Forward through February 2021 staff report.

Barker/Foley

CARRIED

Follow-up Items from Previous Regional Council Meetings

Item was taken as read, with the items relating to LGOIMA requests and draft HBRC/NCC consent conditions distribution requiring further action.

James Palmer advised that resource consent applications for Pettigrew Green expansion not lodged yet and HBRC staff have been asked to contact the project engineers to initiate discussions in relation to planned HBRC flood protection works in the area.

RC4/21

Resolution

That the Council receives and notes the “Follow-up Items from Previous Regional Council Meetings” staff report.

Barker/Ormsby

CARRIED

Call for Minor Items not on the Agenda

Recommendations

That Council accepts the following “Minor Items Not on the Agenda” for discussion as Item 12.

Topic	Raised by
Social Ecology	Cr Martin Williams
SH2 Land Cultivation	Cr Jerf van Beek
HPUDS	Cr Rex Graham

Regional Economic Development Review

The Chairman introduced the item, introducing Gus Charteris as the author of the Review report. Discussions covered:

· James Palmer provided context, advising that late 2019 the CEs across the 5 HB councils initiated the review of Economic Development funding investment across local government leading into councils developing their LTPs. Business HB has requested increased funding and is currently in process of engagement with staff with the view to winding up as current funding model no sustainable.

· Review found no major gaps in services being delivered by Government, however those activities are not always being supported with adequate resources to be delivered effectively

· Matariki (forum & vehicle to represent HB as a unit, at the national level) is still evolving and part of that evolution needs to be development of a ‘fit for purpose’ outcome/output framework with participants all having their own resources, processes and priorities. Matariki is not an entity on its own, with its own resources.

· relationship between the Matariki Executive Steering Group (ESG) and Governance Group (GG) needs to be clarified including whether GG discussions go to ESG as directions for action / commissioning work or just advice

· frustration expressed that Matariki does not appear to have any ‘runs on the board’

· in NZ and internationally, moving to more interventions focused on start-up/ entrepreneurs and clusters of firms to do new things they haven’t previously

· scoping of stage 2 iunder way and may be discussion point for upcoming ‘regional’ day in order to get input from the region’s governors

· councillors, central government and private funding, including in kind, provided to progress Matariki activities however as this review is about local government funding of economic development specifically the Review is being funded jointly by the 5 HB councils

· Need a strong economy in order to fund and resource the ambitious environmental work programme HBRC wants to undertake

· suggested stage 2 should include investigation into the climate resilience aspects of potential delivery platforms

· Sustainability and social inclusion are pillars of Matariki

RC5/21

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the “Regional Economic Development Review” staff report and the accompanying Giblin Group report Review of Local Government Investment in Business and Industry Support across the Hawke’s Bay Region dated December 2020.

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. Endorses Council’s participation in the second stage of the review process with a more detailed investigation of the recommendations set out in the Giblin Group report.

4. Endorses Council’s engagement with Treaty Partners and other regional stakeholders on the opportunity to create an enduring Economic Development Delivery Platform with the appropriate scale and mandate to better guide and direct economic development activity to priority areas and issues.

5. Supports the opportunity to embed a partnership with Māori in the new Economic Development Delivery Platform.

6. Endorses the five councils’ commitment to keeping the Hawke’s Bay Business Hub open with the potential assignment of the lease to one of the five councils.

Williams/van Beek

Barker abstained

Kirton against

CARRIED

Affixing of Common Seal

The Common Seal of the Council has been affixed to the following documents and signed by the Chairman or Deputy Chairman and Chief Executive or a Group Manager.

Seal No.

Date

1.1

Leasehold Land Sales

1.1.1 Lot 2

DP 457672

CT 595486

- Agreement for Sale and Purchase

4434

15 December 2020

1.2

Staff Warrants

1.2.1 S. Anton

(Delegations under s. 34A(1) and s.38(1) Resource Management Act 1991; Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (s.86-91); Section 177 of the Local Government Act 2002 and Section 71B of the Building Act 2004

1.2.2 M. Teikamata

M. Cadwallader

(Delegations under Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941; Land Drainage Act 1908

4433

4435

4436

11 December 2020

16 December 2020

RC6/21

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

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 or persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

2. Confirms the action to affix the Common Seal.

Barker/van Beek

CARRIED

Report from the 4 December 2020 Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee Meeting

The item was taken as read, with a query asking what the “six principles of safe drinking water” are.

RC7/21

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the “Report from the 4 December 2020 Hawke's Bay Drinking Water Governance Joint Committee Meeting”.

Barker/Ormsby

CARRIED

10.

Report from the 11 December 2020 Regional Transport Committee Meeting

Martin Williams introduced the item as Chair of the Committee, which was taken as read, highlighting the impending release of the updated Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) for public consultation. Discussions traversed:

· New RLTP looking to reduce carbon emissions through innovative public transport initiatives

· KiwiRail participation on the Committee needs to be more active

· Looking at ways to have direct line of sight and Cycling Governance Group involvement in RTC

· Funding approved for Wairoa driver licensing entities for a further year, and potentially two years, including training new driving instructors.

RC8/21

Resolution

1. That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the “Report from the 11 December 2020 Regional Transport Committee Meeting”, including that the following reports were provided to the Regional Transport Committee:

1.1. The draft Regional Land Transport Plan

1.2. Transport Manager’s December 2020 Report

1.3. Public Transport Update December 2020

1.4. RoadSafe Hawke’s Bay December 2020 Update

1.5. NZTA Central Region – Regional Relationships Director’s December 2020 Report

1.6. Verbal Napier Port and Port Related Activities Impacting Regional Transport

1.7. Deputation by Guy Wellwood on behalf of the Federation of Rail Organisations of NZ.

Williams/Barker

CARRIED

11.	Councillors' Reports from December 2020 Meetings of Outside Bodies
	There were no meetings to report.

12.

Discussion of Minor Matters not on the Agenda

Topic	Raised by
Social Ecology – thought fostered by discussions at Environmental awards presentation and deputations to EICC recently, and how to foster networking amongst environmental groups in the region for example hosting a yearly event for groups to share their initiatives/work and ideas Council funds Dr Edgar Burns, social ecologist, who will present at May Environment & Integrated Catchments Committee	Cr Martin Williams
SH2 Land Cultivation Alerted to activity on SH2 by adjacent landowner and has spoken to Compliance staff about ways to discourage this happening, particularly where sediment is entering nearby waterways, potentially through the farming community	Cr Jerf van Beek
HPUDS Community concerns that housing being developed on productive land and wants to advocate that HPUDS puts provisions in place to protect productive soils and prevent further residential, commercial or industrial development on the Heretaunga Plains	Cr Rex Graham

Pieri Munro led the group in offering a karakia to close the meeting.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 12.40pm on Wednesday, 27 January 2021.

Signed as a true and correct record.

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