Minutes of Regional Council Meeting - Wednesday, 27 July 2022

1. Welcome/Karakia/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and Councillor Will Foley led the group to open the meeting with a karakia.

Resolution

RC56/22 That the apology for early departure from Councillor Jacqueline Taylor is accepted.

Ormsby/Foss

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Regional Council meeting held on 29 June 2022

RC57/22

Resolution

Minutes of the Regional Council Meeting held on Wednesday, 29 June 2022, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Ormsby/van Beek

CARRIED

Follow-ups from previous Regional Council meetings

James Palmer introduced the item, which was taken as read, and advised that a map with the locations of the ‘billion trees’ plantings, which is a sub-set of the work Council does in relation to erosion control and forestry planting, was shared with councillors by Iain Maxwell and will be included in next month’s follow-ups for sharing with the public.

· Following guidance from the RPC on 14 September 2022, including timeframes, a review of tangata whenua remuneration will be initiated.

RC58/22

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the Follow-ups from previous Regional Council meetings.

Foley/Foss

CARRIED

Significant organisational activities looking forward through August 2022

James Palmer introduced the item and noted, in particular, the continued impacts of Covid-19 and successful marine plant pest survey undertaken in the Inner Harbour and successful grant funding for the toilet facilities at Waitangi Regional Park. Queries and discussions covered:

· Enterprise asset system is delayed due to resource constraints, however that doesn’t impact on delivery of asset management projects

· Once the Memorandum of Understanding for stormwater management with Napier City Council has been finalised, the Asset Management team will commence a similar exercise with Hastings District Council.

· The Biosecurity team is systematically re-commissioning the wireless leghold network in Mahia and working toward meeting the 2050 predator free contractual milestones by August/September this year and then transitioning the project to the community.

· There were some issues with the Whakakī weir and opening the Rahui channel which are being resolved by the Integrated Catchments and Asset Management teams.

· Information on the Old Mans beard pest control project will be provided by the Biosecurity team.

· Farm forestry plans are property based and so transferrable to any land.

· Monitoring of roading network impacts associated with gravel extraction activities is undertaken and any remediation carried out in conjunction with relevant TLA.

· All of the poles sold by the nursery were harvested and will continue to try to meet increased demand through the nursery expansion project.

· The satellite imagery of the Wairoa area is available publicly via the website and the link will be provided to councillors.

· Plan Change processes are behind (red) due to impacts of Covid-19 on the ability of staff to hold consultation meetings and the Policy team is working to bring the schedule back on track.

· TANK and Tukituki dashboards are a tool for the community to be able to see the real-time environmental data for the catchment

· TANK decisions are now expected by 31 August.

· Pinus contorta control work made significant progress with the Jobs for Nature funding but with the loss of that funding the Pinus contorta is regaining ground.

· Recovery Manager at Wairoa District Council is Courtney Hayward.

RC59/22

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the Significant organisational activities looking forward through August 2022 staff report.

van Beek/Taylor

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
Wharf 6	Cr Barker
Climate change	Cr Barker
Weeds in Clive River	Cr van Beek

Draft Regional Public Transport Plan – adoption for consultation

Katrina Brunton introduced the item, advising that the Regional Council is required to have a Regional Public Transport Plan by legislation, including the 3 yearly review cycle. Points of note included:

· Staff worked with MR Cagney to develop the network plan, which addresses issues with the current network identified by network users including infrequency as well as considering how to meet future carbon and vehicle kilometres travelled reduction requirements.

· Draft RPTP proposes a step change from a coverage model to a frequency model for Napier and Hastings, and introduces a CHB-Hastings peak service in 2025 and a community-based service for Wairoa.

· Consulting on the ‘principles’ of the draft Plan and the changes therein, and any additional funding requirements from 2024 will be the subject of consultation through the 2024-2034 Long Term Plan.

RC60/22

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Draft Regional Public Transport Plan – adoption for consultation 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 it.

3. Adopts the draft Regional Public Transport Plan, as amended to incorporate the Proposed Public Transport Network Plan endorsed by the 10 June 2022 Regional Transport Committee meeting, for public consultation.

3.1 That the Chief Executive is delegated, in consultation with the Regional Transport Committee Chair, to make minor wording changes as appropriate and including an additional Policy regarding the place of ‘on demand’ transport, before notifying the Plan.

4. Delegates to the Regional Transport Committee:

4.1. the hearing of verbal submissions

4.2. to make decisions on the submissions received by way of recommendations to the Regional Council for the adoption of the Regional Public Transport Plan in its final form.

Williams/Kirton

CARRIED

Report and recommendations from the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee

Councillor Hinewai Ormsby, as Chair of the Committee, introduced the item and it was noted:

· Acknowledged manuhiri from Mana Ahuriri and Napier City Council that attended to mark the establishment of the Ahuriri Regional Park joint committee.

· The presentation of the State of the environment (SoE) 3 yearly synthesis report and a desire for future SoE reports to weave matauranga Māori throughout.

· The SoE report, along with two other documents, has been entered into the Plain Language awards.

· Need for the Council to develop matauranga Māori and cultural monitoring capacity for inclusion in all environmental reporting.

RC61/22

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Report and recommendations from the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee.

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 these issues without conferring directly with the community or persons likely to have an interest in the decision.

Ahuriri Regional Park development framework

3. Agrees to the establishment of the Ahuriri Regional Park Joint Committee comprising of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council and Mana Ahuriri Trust.

4. Adopts the Terms of Reference as proposed, allowing only for minor immaterial changes.

5. Appoints councillors Hinewai Ormsby and Neil Kirton as the Regional Council’s Joint Committee representatives, and Councillor Martin Williams as the alternate.

6. Agrees to share the costs of the Joint Committee with Napier City Council.

State of the Environment synthesis report

7. Adopts the Hawke’s Bay State of Our Environment Report 2018-2021 for publication.

Reshaping of the Protection and Enhancement programmes

8. Approves the request to implement the new delivery model for the Protection and Enhancement Programme, to include a contestable community Environmental Enhancement Fund along with an expanded Targeted Catchment Work programme.

Reports for information received

9. Notes that the following reports were provided to the Environment and Integrated Catchments Committee:

9.1. Regenerative agriculture research project

9.2. Right Tree Right Place: Year 1 Report and Year 2 Programme

9.3. March/April 2022 double rain events – Flood scheme impacts, recovery and lessons learned

9.4. Gravel Extraction - current situation and new global consent

9.5. Karamū Urban Catchment Advisor

9.6. Catchment Engagement framework for policy implementation

9.7. Deer management.

Ormsby/Barker

CARRIED

Local Government NZ Annual General Meeting - Voting On Remits

The item was taken as read and voting by HBRC’s delegates, Hinewai Ormsby and Martin Williams, decided as follows.

Remit 1 – Central government funding for public transport – Oppose

Remit 2 – Review of government transport funding – Support

Remit 3 – Illegal street racing – Abstain

Remit 4 – Bylaw infringements – Oppose

Remit 5 – Density and proximity of vaping retailers – Abstain

10.

Affixing of the 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

Staff Warrants

1.1.1 C. Hart

(Delegations under Resource Management Act 1991 (Sections 34A(1) and 38(1); Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (s.86-92) and Local Government Act 2002 (s.177))

1.1.2 J. Anderson

(Delegations under Resource Management Act 1991 (Sections 34A(1) and 38(1); Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941; Land Drainage Act 1908; Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (s.86-92) and Local Government Act 2002 (s.177))

1.1.3 J. Kingsford

(Delegations under Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941; Land Drainage Act 1908; Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (s.86-92) and Local Government Act 2002 (s.177))

4507

4508

4509

5 July 2022

8 July 2002

8 July 2022

RC62/22

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.

van Beek /Barker

CARRIED

Jacqueline Taylor left the meeting at 3.10pm

11.	Councillors' reports from meetings of outside bodies
	Will Foley advised that Future Farming Trust is holding an event on 11 August 2022, 630pm at ToiToi. The guest speaker is the Honourable Damian O’Connor, Minister of Agriculture, and commentator Rod Oram. All councillors have been invited.

12.

Discussion of minor items not on the agenda

Topic	Raised by
Very successful opening of Wharf 6 last Friday, an outstanding achievement brought in under budget, however felt that the role of the Regional Council in enabling that project was under stated.	Cr Barker
Climate Change – agrees with the statement that in 20 years time the regional council’s role will be defending the region from the impacts of climate change. The Regional Council needs to think very carefully about how to get on top of the climate change response including proceeding with the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazards Strategy at pace. James Palmer added that the HB CDEM Coordinating Executives Group meeting yesterday heard from Fire & Emergency NZ in relation to potential fire risks this coming summer and working with HBRC GIS to map risks and resources to respond to wildfires in light of recent bushfires and increased risks that climate change have brought.	Cr Barker
Weeds in the Clive River The Rowing community has brought problems with floating clumps of weed to the attention of staff, and suggests that the issues be re-investigated. Chris Dolley added that staff are aware of the issues and are undertaking investigations into the best way to clear the weed from the river.	Cr van Beek

13.

Napier Port presentation

RC63/22

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 13 Napier Port presentation, with the general subject of the item to be considered while the public is excluded. The reasons for passing the resolution and the specific grounds under Section 48 (1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are:

General subject of the item to be considered

Reason for passing this resolution

Grounds under section 48(1) for the passing of the resolution

Napier Port presentation

s7(2)(b)(ii) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of that information is necessary to protect information which otherwise would be likely unreasonably to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplied or who is the subject of the information.

s7(2)(j) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of the information is necessary to prevent the disclosure or use of official information for improper gain or improper advantage.

The Council is specified, in the First Schedule to this Act, as a body to which the Act applies.

That Alasdair MacLeod (Chair), Todd Dawson (CE) and Kristen Lie (CFO), representing Napier Port, remain in attendance for this item as subject matter experts.

Kirton/van Beek

CARRIED

14.

Chief Executive performance and remuneration review

RC64/22

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 14 Chief Executive performance and remuneration review with the general subject of the item to be considered while the public is excluded; the reasons for passing the resolution and the specific grounds under Section 48 (1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution being:

General subject of the item to be considered	Reason for passing this resolution	Grounds under section 48(1) for the passing of the resolution
Chief Executive Performance and Remuneration Review	7(2)(a) That the public conduct of this agenda item would be likely to result in the disclosure of information where the withholding of the information is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons.	The Council is specified, in the First Schedule to this Act, as a body to which the Act applies.

That Lawrence Yule remains in attendance for this item as subject matter expert.

Kirton/van Beek

CARRIED

The meeting went into public excluded session at 3.27pm and out of public excluded session at 5.05pm

Closure:

There being no further business the Chairman declared the meeting closed at 5.05pm on Wednesday, 27 July 2022.

Signed as a true and correct record.

Date: ................................................ Chair: ...............................................