Agenda of Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee

Wednesday 23 June 2021

Subject: Coastal Hazards Funding Model

Reason for Report

1. This item presents recommendations from the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee (Joint Committee) and seeks a recommendation from this Committee to the Council on how to progress next steps to implement the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy (the Strategy).

Officers’ Recommendations

2. Council officers recommend that the Committee considers the Joint Committee recommendations (following) alongside the findings of Raynor Asher’s Funding Review in order to recommend that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council embarks on the next stage of the process as recommended by the Funding Review.

Executive Summary

3. Following the completion of a review (Funding Review) to consider which Council should lead and fund the implementation of coastal hazard mitigation projects under the Strategy, the Joint Committee met to consider the report’s recommendations and recommend the way forward to the Partner Councils. It is now necessary for each of the Partner Councils to agree (or not) the findings of the Funding review to enable implementing the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy and its coastal hazard mitigation projects.

Joint Committee Recommendations

4. At their meeting on 4 June 2021, the Joint Committee formally received Mr Asher’s final report. By unanimous decision, the following resolution was passed.

That the Joint Committee:

1. Receives and considers the “Coastal Hazards Funding Review” staff report.

2. Endorses the findings of the review undertaken by Mr Raynor Asher QC titled “Review and Recommendations for the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee” as attached to the staff report, including the following key recommendations:

2.1. That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council takes charge of all aspects of the prevention and mitigation of coastal hazards on the Clifton to Tangoio coast

2.2. That the Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council enter into a memorandum of understanding setting out agreed positions on this arrangement

2.3. That an advisory committee is formed by elected representatives from Napier City Council, Maungaharuru-Tangitu Trust, Hastings District Council, Mana Ahuriri, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust to support forward work

2.4. That a Transition Plan is prepared to set out the timing and orderly process of transitioning functions to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council in accordance with the terms set out in the memorandum of understanding.

3. Recommends that the Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council agree in principle to the findings of the Funding Review for the purposes of commencing consultation under s.16 of the Local Government Act 2002.

Background /Discussion

5. Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy (the Strategy) seeks to put in place a long-term planned response for the effects of coastal erosion, coastal inundation and sea level rise through recommended “adaptive pathways” developed collaboratively with the community for the highest risk areas of the coastline between Clifton and Tangoio.

6. To date, the Strategy development process has been jointly and equally funded by Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (Partner Councils).

7. In the short to medium term, the pathways generally involve beach nourishment programmes, the construction of groynes (at Te Awanga and Haumoana) to reduce erosion losses, and the build-up of the beach crest to mitigate risks of overtopping and inundation. Consistent with the dynamic adaptive pathways planning approach, monitoring of these actions will determine their ongoing effectiveness, with trigger points set to determine when a different response becomes necessary as conditions change.

8. Significant capital and operational expenditure is required to implement the proposed pathways. Work undertaken this year to refine concept designs and costing suggests an approximate capital cost of $15m and annual operating costs of $3m to implement the first (short term) step of all pathways. These costs continue to be refined as design options are explored.

9. The Strategy’s Technical Advisory Group (TAG) is currently finalising information and details to prepare the Strategy for notification as a proposed Long Term Plan amendment. However, before this can occur, a decision is required on which Council (or Councils) should lead this next phase of the project.

10. Various workshops and proposals over the past 18 months have failed to achieve an agreed position between the Partner Councils on this question. Uncertainties in current legislation about the respective roles of each Council in the funding and implementation of works under the Strategy has contributed to the issue.

11. To facilitate an outcome, the Partner Councils collectively agreed that the Joint Committee should engage a retired judge to lead a Funding Review. Following a shortlisting and evaluation process, at their meeting on 27 November 2020 the Joint Committee appointed Mr Raynor Asher QC to lead the Review.

12. Mr Asher was appointed to the High Court Bench in 2005 and to the Court of Appeal in 2016. He retired from the Court of Appeal in 2019 and is now practicing as a barrister and arbitrator/mediator. Mr Asher was tasked with answering the following question:

12.1. Which Council or Councils should lead and fund the implementation of coastal hazard mitigation projects (including design, consenting, construction and maintenance cost) under the Strategy?

13. In undertaking his review, Mr Asher engaged with the Joint Committee, staff and councillors from each Partner Council, considered material developed to date under the Strategy, reviewed relevant historical information, legislation and case law, and has been assisted with local legal advice.

14. Mr Asher completed his review and presents his findings in the report “Review and Recommendations for the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee” attached.

15. The key recommendation of the report is that the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council should lead and fund the implementation of coastal hazard mitigation projects under the Strategy.

Financial Impact to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council- Indicative Example

16. In order to provide context of the potential financial impact and/or the ability of HBRC to fund this activity a Scenario was developed that represents the low end of investment to meet the current erosion and coastal inundation in each priority cell.

17. As noted, the first tranche of works proposed under the Strategy have been provisionally costed (un-inflated) at $15m in capital spent across years 2-8 (as per table 1 below) and up to $3.6m per annum in operating costs (as per table 2 below); the annual operating costs are largely the result of a proposed gravel re-nourishment programme. These costs provide a baseline to consider the potential financial impact for HBRC should the Joint Committee’s recommendations be adopted.

Table 1 - Uninflated Operating Costs over 2021-31 LTP

Table 2 – Uninflated Capital Expenditure

All dollars in 2020 $000’s un-inflated

18. When considering the rating impact, forecast operating and capital expenditure has been inflated using the 2021-31 LTP assumptions. Capital expenditure is modelled for repayment over a 20-year term. Table 3 below shows the rate requirement based on the illustrative expenditure above, including debt servicing.

Table 3 – Cost (as a result of Tables 1 and 2) to be collected from rates over 2021-31 LTP

19. The impact on rates is represented in Table 4 following, which shows the impact of the expenditure detailed above on Council’s planned total rate increases (general and targeted rates combined). The main impacts are in 2026-27 and 2028-29 where the renourishment budget is progressively introduced. The appropriate funding mechanism has not yet been determined, so these increases are indicative only as averages. The actual rating impact on particular ratepayers will vary significantly i.e. possible that ratepayers in CHB and Wairoa will not contribute.

Table 4 – Impact to (Total) Rates over 2021-31 LTP

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20. While a method of funding has not been yet been determined, the following Table 5 shows the per property impact if the proposed additional costs are funded in the same manner as the existing Coastal Hazards Strategy targeted rate. This is charged as a uniform fixed amount per rateable property on all Hastings District and Napier City properties.

Table 5 – Unit Cost of Uniformed Charge across Napier and Hastings Ratepayers

*Note that it is not intended to uniform annual charge this activity. The strategy suggests a private and public targeted rate. This information is provided for context only as to the relative magnitude of this activity compared to the current rates revenue.

21. The impact on Council’s debt levels and on the debt to revenue ratio is demonstrated below at Table 6.

22. The proposed borrowing does not adversely affect the Council’s peak of 158% in 2023-24 as the proposed borrowing occurs in later years where, based on the planned LTP expenditure, there is more capacity.

Table 6 – Impact on Debt and Debt to Revenue Ratio

23. Mr Asher also recommended that, along with assuming responsibility for leading future hazards mitigation projects, HBRC take over the management of existing coastal hazards mitigation assets held by Napier City Council and Hastings District Council. If enacted, this could see the transfer of existing rock revetments at Waimarama, Clifton, Cape View Corner and Ahuriri to HBRC. Ongoing projects such as the Westshore renourishment programme and resource consents held for the proposed rock revetment at Whakarire Avenue would also need to be considered.

24. The financial impact of this potential asset transfer has yet to be assessed as information on those assets is still being collated, but it is expected to be net-neutral from a ratepayer perspective i.e. existing assets would transfer with incumbent funding mechanisms.

25. It is noted that HBRC is also considering new spending (through a potential Long Term Plan amendment) on possum control and economic development. The collective impact of these new activities alongside coastal hazards will need to be assessed before a final Long Term Plan proposal is developed.

Central Government Direction

26. Councillors will be aware that Government has announced a proposed Climate Change Adaptation Act (CCAA); part of a suite of new legalisation being developed to replace the Resource Management Act.

27. The CCAA is expected to address the shortcomings in existing legislation associated with managed retreat and funding and financing adaptation to climate change effects.

28. At this stage, no definitive advice is available on when the proposed CCAA may be available for public comment or when Government expects the new legalisation to come into effect.

29. To date the standing direction from the Partner Councils has been to proceed with developing a local solution to the funding and responsibility questions facing the Strategy. It was considered desirable for the Strategy to continue its development path and to contribute to and inform, rather than wait for, central government direction.

30. It is, however, an option to defer decision-making on the Joint Committee’s recommendations until such time as the details of CCAA are known.

31. If this approach is taken, the Strategy would largely need to be ‘paused’, as significant further work cannot proceed until a decision is made on funding implementation.

32. Alternatively, if the Joint Committee’s recommendations are taken up, a mechanism should be developed to enable an efficient shift to any new funding and implementation model emerging from the CCAA. It is proposed that this matter is addressed in the Memorandum of Understanding recommended by Mr Asher. This would ensure that all Councils are clear on the response should the CCAA put in place a new framework that is inconsistent with the outcomes developed in Hawke’s Bay.

33. It is noted that the Strategy team is actively engaging with the Ministry for the Environment, including providing Mr Asher’s report. Opportunities for engagement in and contribution to the development of the CCAA are being actively pursued.

Decision-Making

34. The decision sought from all Partner Councils at this stage is an agreement in principle to the Joint Committee’s recommendations. With this agreement, the Strategy team will proceed to developing the next level of detail, including the particulars of a draft Memorandum of Understanding.

35. An agreement by the Partner Councils for HBRC to assume responsibility for implementing hazard mitigation projects under the Strategy is a departure from the status quo and would represent a significant new activity for HBRC.

36. Acknowledging this, Table 7 proposes a decision-making framework for the implementation of the Joint Committee’s recommendations. It sets out the key decision-gateways from the agreement in principle sought by this paper (Gateway 1), through to the final adoption of a Long Term Plan amendment (Gateway 7).

Table 7: Proposed decision-making framework

Gateway	Action	Description
1	Agreement in Principle	Secure agreement in principle to the Joint Committee’s recommendation that HBRC leads and funds the implementation of coastal hazard mitigation projects under the Strategy
2	Memorandum of Understanding	Sets out particulars of arrangement between Councils for implementing coastal hazards mitigation projects under the Strategy, including roles and responsibilities, transfer of assets, ongoing management, how Councils will work together in future, etc.
3	Financial analysis	Develop and workshop with Council: · Level of Service statements and measures, · Funding model · Overall impact across all rates · Revenue and Financing Policy · Budget
4	Pre-consultation feedback	Initiate pre-consultation with key parties to test ideas and concepts, present feedback to Council
5	Transition Plan	Develop detailed plan for orderly process of transitioning functions, assets and responsibilities from HDC and NCC to HBRC
6	Notify Long Term Plan amendment	Formal notification of proposed LTP amendment
7	Adoption of Long Term Plan Amendment	Review of submissions, hearings (if required) and adoption of final LTP amendment

Timeframes

37. The Strategy Team have scoped out a draft timeframe, presented in Table 8, for advancing the Joint Committees recommendations through to a proposed Long Term Plan amendment.

38. The key date in this schedule is the notification of a proposed Long Term Plan amendment in March 2022. Subject to the outcome of consultation, this would allow for the introduction of a new rating regime to fund Strategy implementation from July 2022.

Table 8: Indicative timeframe

Task	Activity	Draft Timing
Funding Review	Funding Review undertaken to provide recommendations on responsibility for Coastal Hazards	Complete
	Joint Committee resolution and recommendation on Funding Review	Complete
	Partner Council in-principle decision on Funding Review	HDC, HBRC, NCC decision-making in progress
	Develop Memorandum of Understanding between Partner Councils on Funding Review outcome	August – September 2021
LTP Amendment	Preparatory work: · Level of service statement and measures · Funding model · Rates modelling · Budgeting · Revenue and Finance Policy · Auditing	September – December 2021
	Pre-consultation	September – November 2021
	Consultation on Strategy as LTP amendment	March 2022
	Finalise LTP following consultation	June 2022

39. If the timeframes in Table 8 are not met, the next opportunity to introduce a new rate to fund Strategy implementation will be July 2023 (i.e. the start of the 2023-2024 financial year).

Next Steps

40. If the recommendations to the Committee following are resolved as proposed, the Regional Council will consider and potentially resolve those as proposed on 30 June 2021.

41. Following Council resolving as proposed, staff will initiate preparation of a draft Memorandum of Understanding that sets out the detail of how the Councils will work together in practice under the new operational regime proposed by the Funding Review and the next key decision gateway for all Partner Councils.

Recommendations

1. That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and considers the “Coastal Hazards Funding Model” staff report.

2. The Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee recommends that Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

2.1. Agrees in principle to the outcome of the Funding Review and recommendations of the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee; being:

2.1.1 Endorses the findings of the review undertaken by Mr Raynor Asher QC titled “Review and Recommendations for the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee” (as attached), including the following key recommendations, for the purposes of commencing consultation under s.16 of the Local Government Act 2002:

2.1.1.1 That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council takes charge of all aspects of the prevention and mitigation of coastal hazards on the Clifton to Tangoio coast

2.1.1.2 That the Napier City Council, Hastings District Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council enter into a memorandum of understanding setting out agreed positions on this arrangement

2.1.1.3. That an advisory committee is formed by elected representatives from Napier City Council, Maungaharuru-Tangitu Trust, Hastings District Council, Mana Ahuriri, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Heretaunga Tamatea Settlement Trust to support forward work

2.1.1.4. That a Transition Plan is prepared to set out the timing and orderly process of transitioning functions to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council in accordance with the terms set out in the memorandum of understanding.

2.2. Directs staff to prepare a draft Memorandum of Understanding between the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council and Hastings District Council that details the proposed operational regime for implementing coastal hazards mitigation projects under the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy.

Authored by:

Simon Bendall

Coastal Hazards Strategy Project Manager

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

1 ⇩

Review and Recommendations for the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy Joint Committee

HAWKE’S BAY REGIONAL COUNCIL

Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee

Wednesday 23 June 2021

Subject: Te Karamū Project Update

Reason for Report

1. This item provides the Committee with an update on the progress of enhancement works undertaken as part of the Te Karamū Enhancement Review and Management Strategy 2016-25 (the Strategy) and presents the forward programme of work for the remaining years as required by the Strategy.

Executive Summary

2. In 2016 Council prepared a strategy for the enhancement projects along the waterways which has provided the backbone for planning and enhancement work for various stakeholders and the wider public.

3. Five years on we have undertaken a review of the Strategy to report how enhancement works along the Te Karamū are progressing against what was planned.

4. From the time the Strategy was implemented in 2016, progress has been made across all 7 zones as per ‘the Enhancement Strategy’. Of the 9.4ha of priority areas identified in the Strategy, to date 77% has been delivered (7.29 ha). This was reported to Council in September 2020, and with the 2021 planting season underway and due to deliver an additional 2.19ha of native planting, the target of 9.4ha of priority planting will be achieved by the end of winter 2021. A summary of the deliverables to date including this winter planting are shown in a table 1 following.

5. The 2019-20 winter planting period was impacted by Covid-19 which meant less planting was achieved using volunteers. Contractors were used to deliver the planting programme due to the uncertainty around large community events under the changing Alert Levels of Covid-19, while groups such as Forest & Bird and Fish & Game undertook their own smaller planting days with appropriate measures in place to manage the risks.

6. Various external factors have influenced the delivery of this Strategy and are identified in the Te Karamū Enhancement Review 2021-2025.

7. The last 12 months has seen focus on coordinating, supporting, and enabling the community, partners, and corporate sponsors involvement in this project. There has been a significantly increased community desire to be involved, requiring a significant volume of community engagement and planning.

8. The implementation plan approved by Council in 2016 has being updated to reflect an increase in demand and priorities, to keep pace and align with the expectations of this highly valued community initiative, but also to be aware of the original expectations and drivers set in the original document. This is shown as the attached Te Karamū Enhancement Review 2021-2025.

Table 1- Summary of planting to date including this year 2020-21.

Zone	2016 Strategy Planting Target (Ha)	Actual Planting 2016-20 (Ha)	Planting 2020-21 (Ha)	Percentage of 2016 Strategy Target actually delivered (%)- (without this year planting)	Remaining Planting to achieve 2016 strategy target (ha)
Zone 1 - Whakatū	1.3266	0.397	0.1	30%	0.9296
Zone 2 - Ruahāpia	4.9250	4.2908	0.45	87%	0.6342
Zone 3 – Twyford	0.00	0.0115		0%	-0.0115
Zone 4 - Waipatu	1.1062	0.7427		67%	0.3635
Zone 5 - Havelock	0.2480	0.2480	0.47	100%	0
Zone 6 - Irongate	0.6734	0.6734	0.12	100%	0
Zone 7 - Awanui, Kārewarewa, Paritua	1.1672	0.8464	1.05	73%	0.3208
Total	9.4464	7.2908	2.19	77%	2.2366

Strategic Fit

9. The Enhancement Strategy shares the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s vision for a region with a ‘healthy environment and a resilient and prosperous community’, now and for future generations, with an overarching purpose ‘to improve habitat and ecosystem health whilst providing flood and erosion protection’.

10. The Enhancement Strategy provides a toolbox to enable the Karamū Stream and its tributaries to be maintained as a highly valued asset to Hawke’s Bay, providing a vision for:

10.1. A balancing of values where grazing, native vegetation, and recreational areas support a rich and abundant ecosystem that is accessible and easily managed

10.2. A network of clean healthy waterways, connecting and unifying the residents of the Heretaunga Plains

10.3. An asset and resource that supports the cultural, commercial, social and recreational needs of the community.

11. This enhancement programme also directly aligns to the values outlined in the Hawke’s Bay Regional Parks Network Plan for the management of open space and contributes to the Hawke’s Bay Biodiversity Strategy 2015-2050.

12. A Strategic fit of the Te Karamū Enhancement work within the catchment is shown in the infographic attached. The Te Karamū program is one of many significant works undertaken within the catchment which will improve many values, including water quality in the future years.

Background

13. The Karamū can be divided into eleven sub-catchments comprising of over 238 kilometres of waterways. These waterways have evolved through a series of transformations over time, influenced by changing land use, urbanisation, impacts of plant and animal pests, channel realignment, as well as other natural and human-induced changes.

14. The catchment also serves to convey stormwater away from the Heretaunga Plains, including the expanding urban areas of Hastings and Havelock North as well as the commercial and industrial areas surrounding them.

15. The catchment and particularly its primary waterways are becoming increasingly valued as a biodiversity corridor, for landscape views and as public recreational areas.

16. The ‘Te Karamū Catchment Review and options for Enhancement (2004)’ report provides thorough analysis and detailed recommendations for the management of The Karamū catchment. Part of the information formally approved in 2004 included a “Rough Order Cost Estimation” and it was recommended that staff would develop further detailed proposed work programs over time.

17. In 2007 a draft Karamū Revegetation Strategy and Concept Plan was developed. Community support, engagement and awareness has grown with the maturing of the initial enhancement project and the 2016 strategy assists to further progress and direct the management of this valuable assets by the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) on behalf of residents of Hawke’s Bay.

18. In 2016 Council approved the Te Karamū Strategy, primarily intended as a guide to open space development and management of public land within the Karamū catchment which is owned or managed by HBRC.

19. Enhancement has involved re-creating patches of native vegetation, protecting existing native vegetation, removing stock from berm areas, creating wetlands at tributaries and within river berm areas, improving access for maintenance and public use, providing advice and encouragement for neighbours, including marae, to engage in enhancement activity and providing opportunity for engagement and education of school and community groups.

20. Te Karamū Stream and its tributaries are a highly valued asset and resource that supports the cultural, commercial, social and recreational needs of the community in the Hawke’s Bay.

21. The Te Karamū Enhancement Strategy identifies the following as 4 key focus strategies:

21.1 Strategy 1: Control Plant Pests (Strategy 1a) and Animal Pests (Strategy 1b) and Prevent Re-Establishment

21.2 Strategy 2: Protect and Preserve Existing Animals and Plants that are Desirable

21.3 Strategy 3: Re-Establish an Indigenous Ecosystem

21.3.1 Every 5km there should be a core sanctuary which is approximately 6.25ha (250m x 250m)

21.3.2 Every 1-2km there should be habitat which is approximately 1.56ha (125m x 125m) to provide habitat for most plants, lizards, insectivorous birds and invertebrates and resource-rich ‘stepping stones’ for larger frugivorous or honey-eating birds; and

21.3.3 Every 200m there should be groves of natives which are 0.01ha (10m x 10m) to provide groves of trees, finer-grained stepping stones, and feeding stations.

21.4 Strategy 4: Protect and Enhance Cultural, Social and Recreational Values (including engagement with mana whenua).

22. Apart from the delivery of the programme, consideration has been given to:

22.1 The future for the Karamū strategy beyond the 10-year timeframe and incorporating new regulations and TANK plan changes

22.2 Proposed in the 2021-31 Long Term Plan (LTP) is a new Karamū Catchment Coordinator to start in the first year of the LTP. The addition of a full-time resource to the Karamū catchment would see additional collaboration with interested stakeholders and volunteers

22.3 Connectivity (e.g. project identified and funded in LTP: cycle connection between Havelock North and the Wineries Ride in Bridge Pa.).

Review of Te Karamū Strategy 2021-2025

23. Te Karamū Enhancement Review 2021-2025 identifies progress made to date on each of the key focus strategies and proposes future development of Te Karamū in the Implementation Plan 2021-2025.

24. Various external influences have resulted in minor changes to program’s focus, and where best to prioritise future capital expenditure on planting. These priorities could be considered under the following objectives:

24.1. General alignment with the Implementation Plan 2021-2025: Re-establish an Indigenous Ecosystem

24.2. Focus on riparian planting as this is likely to have the most positive impact on improvement of water quality

24.3. Create buffer strips to help prevent and reduce the impact of cattle breaches. (Since the commencement of the 2016 strategy all cattle grazing on Council owned land within the Te Karamū stream edges has been eliminated.)

24.4. Incorporate recreational trails and accessways along restored margins in locations where ecological and cultural values will not be adversely impacted

24.5. Undertake planting in areas where bank stabilisation is necessary to minimize erosion.

25. Therefore, rather than consider completing the target planting in each zone as it was mapped in 2016, further analysis has been undertaken regarding where planting will best meet all of the above objectives. The results of this analysis are outlined in the attached plan “Te Karamū Enhancement Review 2021-2025 specifically the Implementation Plan Deliverables”.

26. This plan identifies six “Focus Areas” (A to F) that are aligned with the nested, forest patch configurations. It seeks to bolster planting in those areas that are considered to be a Core Sanctuary or fill in the gaps along the river corridor that are Habitat or Groves. The clusters are also aligned with areas of known public or mana whenua interest.

27. Within each cluster, various individual projects are identified. These have been aligned with the other objectives such as bank stabilisation or where there are gaps in existing riparian vegetation.

28. Proposed development of the following zones has been scoped and prepared for planting in 2021 with further opportunity to continue the development of these planting zones into the coming years ending in 2025.

Table 2: Te Karamū Enhancement Planting Programme 2021

Water Body	Zone	Site ID	Bank	Location Description	No. Plants	2021Ha
Karamū	Havelock	22-47	Right	D/s from St Georges Rd bridge	500	0.1
Paritua	Upper Catchment	39-00	Both	Sileni Estates Winery, 2016 Maraekakaho Rd	300	0.15
Karamū	Awanui	30-52	Left	U/s from bridge at 74 Anderson Rd)	300	0.15
Karamū	Whakatū	08-58	Right	Hawea - new area, D/S new road bridge	337	0.1
Karamū	Havelock	22-21	Left	D/s from St Georges Rd bridge (Bostock)	1600	0.2
Karamū	Havelock		Right	U/s from St Georges Rd Bridge (Riverbend)	800	0.1
Irongate	Irongate		Right	D/s from Awanui/Irongate/Karamū Stream confluence (F&B)	1500	0.12
Karamū	Havelock	21-31	Left	U/s from Southland Drain confluence	600	0.07
Karamū	Ruahāpia	11-10	Right	Ruahāpia - opposite marae	204	0.05
Karamū	Ruahāpia		Left	D/S of Bridge Ruahāpia	800	0.3
Awanui	Awanui	23-17	Left	U/s of Awanui/Irongate/Karamū Stream confluence	3000	0.7
Awanui	Awanui		Left	Kārewarewa (Aero club on hold)	2000	0.05
Karamū	Waipatu	12-10	Right	U/s from SH2 bridge ( 2 volunteers )	1000	0.05
Karamū	Waipatu		Right	Mangateretere	500	0.05

				Total	13,441	2.19

29. It is anticipated that between 2.91ha and 3.6ha will be planted each year (through the 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 planting season), which will total approximately 12.64 ha of additional habitat establishment. The Implementation Plan 2021-2025 shows proposed development in each of the focus areas.

30. The 2020-2021 Budget for the Te Karamū Enhancement is $681,245 of which $452,575 is for capital delivery and $228,670 is for operations and maintenance of established sites.

31. The Te Karamū Enhancement capital budget is used to retire invasive tree species (mulching the material where possible for planting usage), weed clearing, preparation of new planting sites, fencing where required, ground preparation, plants, stakes, tree guards etc. Where possible, additional wetlands are created with inclusion of fish passages and consideration of fish and bird habitat. This is in collaboration with the science, schemes, engineering and biodiversity teams.

32. The Te Karamū Enhancement operational budget is spent on maintenance of the planted areas which are delivered through contracts to ensure that planted areas are well-maintained and survival rates are high. Plant maintenance is intensive over the first three years, dropping off as plants cover over the site, reducing weed growth. A palette of successful plant species has been identified for specific locations to minimize loss. Higher areas of amenity e.g. below Mary Doyle require a higher level of service for mowing, scrub bar work and spraying. These areas have become treasured park-like sites along the Karamū for many walkers, cyclists and locals. Consideration has been given to future Hawke’s Bay Trail cycle connections to Bridge Pa and the ‘Wineries Ride’ in the coming years.

Next Steps

33. A Karamū Catchment Coordinator position is identified in the LTP to complement this important work and build on external relationships with aiding groups, businesses, clubs, schools and individuals.

34. To continue progressing the Te Karamū Enhancement Strategy while fostering goodwill and enthusiasm of all key stakeholders in the future development of the identified Focus Areas identified as A to F on the attached Plan.

Decision Making Process

35. Staff have assessed the requirements of the Local Government Act 2002 in relation to this item and have concluded that, as this report is for information only, the decision-making provisions do not apply.

Recommendation

That the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee receives and notes the “Te Karamū Project Update” staff report.

Authored by:

Russell Engelke

Team Leader Open Spaces

Martina Groves

Manager Regional Assets

Approved by:

Chris Dolley

Group Manager Asset Management

Attachment/s

1 ⇩	Te Karamū Enhancement Strategy Review 2021-2025
2 ⇩	Te Karamū Revised Implementation Plan Strategy 3 Deliverables
3 ⇩	Te Karamū Central Catchment Infographic

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