Minutes of Hawke's Bay Regional Council meeting

1. Welcome/Karakia/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting and Councillor Thompson Hokianga opened with a karakia.

Resolution

RC52/25 That the apologies for absence from Councillor Charles Lambert be accepted.

Ormsby/Siers

CARRIED

Councillor Martin Williams offered some reflections of his time on the Council, including all that has been achieved over this past triennium.

2. Confirmation of Minutes of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council meeting held on 30 July 2025

RC53/25

Resolution

Minutes of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council meeting held on Wednesday, 30 July 2025, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

van Beek/Harding

CARRIED

4.	Public Forum
	There were no speakers.

5.	Call for minor items not on the Agenda
	There were no minor items raised.

3. Conflict of Interest Declarations

Councillor Xan Harding declared an interest in item 11 Water Security Action Plan Development due to his role on Heretaunga Sustainable Water and will excuse himself for that item’s discussion and decisions.

19.

CE Performance and Remuneration Review / New 2025 - 2026 KPI's

The chair motioned to go into Public Excluded.

RC54/25

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 19 CE Performance and Remuneration Review / New 2025 - 2026 KPIs 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

CE Performance and Remuneration Review / New 2025 - 2026 KPIs

s7(2)(a) Excluding the public is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons.

s7(2)(f)(ii) Excluding the public is necessary to maintain the effective conduct of public affairs by protecting councillors and/or council employees and contractors/ consultants from improper pressure or harassment.

s7(2)(i) Excluding the public is necessary to enable the local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).

Employee performance reviews and salary negotiations are private matters between the employer and employee only.

The public interest is served by the CE’s salary being declared in the Council’s Annual Report each year.

van Beek/Harding

CARRIED

18.

Confirmation of 30 July 2025 Public Excluded Minutes

RC55/25

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting being Confirmation of Public Excluded Minutes Agenda Item 18 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	Grounds under section 48(1) for the passing of the resolution	Reason for passing this resolution
NIWE Pump Station Upgrades Project funding	s7(2)(i) Excluding the public is necessary to enable the local authority holding the information to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations)	The projects are subject to ongoing negotiations and tender processes that could be prejudiced by the release of sensitive pricing information.

van Beek/Harding

CARRIED

The meeting moved into public excluded session at 12.45pm and out of public excluded session at 1.50pm

Fit for the Future Action Plan

Dr Nick Peet introduced Geoff Henley (online) and Krystal Black from Alacrity Lab, who presented a draft action plan via presentation (attachment 1), developed following councillor feedback during a previous workshop. Key points included:

· The Fit for the Future action plan outlines steps to improve HBRC’s effectiveness, efficiency, and alignment with regional priorities, transitioning to a more place-based and community-enabled delivery model.

· HBRC has been performing reasonably well, however the organisation has been under pressure with increased expectations and resource constraints.

· HBRC’s strategic plan needs to be realigned focusing on fewer, sharper priorities; and service levels should be adjusted to fit within available resources with increased community involvement.

· Five strategic shifts proposed are to refine purpose, priorities, decision-making, integration and delegation.

· Action plans include essential actions, structural supports, and quick wins.

· Tier 3 connections and leadership forums will provide avenues to enhance cross-unit collaboration.

· Decision-making supports aim to reduce bottlenecks and empower timely decisions.

· Councillors discussed the frequency of reporting, and Nic Peet recommended quarterly updates with flexibility for informal briefings and a structured monitoring schedule for the incoming Council.

RC56/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and approves the Fit for the Future Action Plan.

2. Notes that the Chief Executive will proceed with implementation and will provide the incoming Council with a reporting and monitoring schedule.

3. 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.

Roadley/Siers

CARRIED

10.

Ahuriri Regional Park Masterplan

Chris Dolley, Jon Kingsford, and Bart Leslie from HBRC, alongside NCC Deputy Mayor Annette Brosnan (Ahuriri Regional Park Joint Committee Chair), and Connie Mills (NCC Strategic Planning Lead) spoke to the item. Discussions included:

· The Masterplan was previously presented in April 2025 to HBRC, prior to it going out for community engagement and a number of changes have been made in response to community feedback.

· The Masterplan, dating back to 2018, stems from the Ahuriri Estuary and Coastal Edge initiative and primarily focuses on stormwater improvements linked to the shared resource consent for urban stormwater discharge into the estuary. It also integrates biodiversity enhancement and cultural narratives into the area referred to as Lagoon Farm.

· Members expressed strong support, highlighting the Masterplan’s importance to wellbeing and infrastructure.

· A follow-up was suggested to monitor stormwater treatment effectiveness.

· It was clarified that adoption does not commit Council to funding for Ahuriri Regional Park, however placeholder funding has been signalled for 2028 in the Long Term Plan, subject to future budget decisions.

RC57/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and adopts the Masterplan, noting that the adoption of the Masterplan does not commit Council to funding implementation Placeholder funding has been signalled in the Long Term Plan, in 2028, but this will be subject to future budget decisions.

2. Requests that a report be out to Council to consider funding provisions to support the first stage of Ahuriri Regional Park implementation ahead of the 2027 LTP.

Ormsby/Williams

CARRIED

14.

Napier-Hastings Future Development Strategy

Katrina Brunton spoke to the item, noting:

· 90% of the Napier-Hastings Future Development Strategy (FDS) has now been formally adopted by all three councils—HBRC, NCC, and HDC.

· There are a few areas where each of the councils differ – Riverbend Road and Middle Road which HBRC excluded. HDC excluded Middle Road and Wall Road. Lastly NCC included Riverbend Road, Middle Road and Wall Road.

· A formal adoption of the updated FDS reflecting the above differences is now being sought.

· A query was raised regarding inconsistencies in the FDS data tables, specifically the apparent shortfall in Greenfield capacity despite figures suggesting sufficient supply. Staff will follow up with clarification.

· The FDS has undergone a legal review, with legal counsel confirming it meets legislative requirements.

· It was clarified that district councils must give effect to the FDS through plan changes, while the regional council must ensure alignment of the FDS with its Regional Policy Statement.

· NCC is already progressing its district plan, including rezoning Riverbend Road, which must now be considered in line with the FDS.

· Councillors expressed strong support for reserving HBRC’s position, with concerns about hazard risks and the importance of maintaining alignment with the FDS’s core objectives.

· A recommendation was proposed to adopt the FDS while reserving HBRC’s position on future planning or consenting processes for residential Greenfield sites excluded by HBRC, such as Riverbend Road.

RC58/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Napier Hastings Future Development Strategy 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. Notes the final Napier Hastings Future Development Strategy takes into account the decisions made by the Partner Councils (Hastings District Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Napier City Council) to adopt or approve a Future Development Strategy that included or excluded future residential greenfield sites as summarised in the following table.

	NCC	HDC	HBRC
Riverbend Rd – NC4b	Included	Included	Excluded
Middle Road – HN3a & HN3b	Included	Excluded	Excluded
Wall Road – H5	Included	Excluded	Included

4. Adopts the final Napier Hastings Future Development Strategy, reserving its position in relation to any future planning or consenting processes regarding the residential Greenfield sites excluded by HBRC.

Williams/Kirton

CARRIED

The meeting adjourned at 2.55pm and reconvened at 3.05pm with Councillor Thompson Hokianga now online.

Procurement Plan for Wairoa

Chris Dolley, Andrew Casely, and James Park spoke to the item highlighting:

· This item proposes to delegate authority to the Chief Executive for key procurement decisions on the Wairoa project, including contractor engagement and contract approval, subject to pricing and land access.

· The project is advancing alongside land access negotiations, design finalisation, and consenting, requiring strategic sequencing to avoid delays.

· Engagement with one of four pre-qualified Category A contractors (Heb, Fulton Hogan, Higgins, and Goodman) will begin under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) model. Two contracts will be signed with the selected contractor – one for advisory/design input, and one for construction—conditional on pricing and land access.

· The urgency is driven by the need to begin in work the 2025–26 summer construction season, with delays potentially pushing completion to 2027–28. Councillors acknowledged the importance of timely flood protection.

· Financial risks were discussed, including the $4.5 million already spent.

· Councillors agreed to amend the recommendation to clarify that construction cannot proceed until land access is secured.

RC59/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Delegation of the Wairoa NIWE Project procurement staff report.

3. Agrees to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to:

3.1. Approve the procurement plan for the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) Wairoa Project after seeking the support and approval of National Infrastructure Funding and Finance Company Limited (NIFF) for the procurement plan given the Crown is fully funding the Wairoa Project up to a maximum of $70m.

3.2. Enter into an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) agreement with the preferred tenderer to advance planning, finalise the design and refine the cost estimate of the project subject to land access being secured.

3.3. Upon successful completion of 3.2, enter into the construction contract(s) to construct the flood mitigation works necessary to deliver the project subject to the cost of the construction falling within the project budget ceiling of $70m.

4. Notes

4.1. The currently proposed weighting on non-price and price attributes in the evaluation process for selecting the preferred contractor.

4.2. The approach to meeting the broader outcomes of the Wairoa Project and particularly the objective of providing project related social and economic benefit to the Wairoa District that the procurement plan seeks to enable.

Roadley/Williams

CARRIED

16.

Update on the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) Flood Resilience Programme

Chris Dolley, Andrew Casely, and James Park spoke to the item, which was taken as read, and highlighted:

· The pump station project should have an agreement over the next couple of weeks with construction expected to be completed by late 2026 or early 2027.

· Compatibility with existing infrastructure is being addressed and planning includes ensuring availability of key spare parts, given the age of existing pump stations built in the 1950s.

· Appreciation was expressed for the team’s work, and congratulations extended to the project team.

RC60/25

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the Update on the North Island Weather Events (NIWE) resilience programme staff report.

Roadley/Williams

CARRIED

Councillor Martin Williams left the meeting at 3.24pm and joined online at 3.26pm

2024-25 Carry forwards

Chris Dolley, Chris Comber, Megan McKenzie, and Pip O’Connor spoke to the item highlighting:

· Operating and capital carry forward items were reviewed, distinguishing between genuine carry forwards and new funding requests, with particular focus on transparency and process integrity.

· Payroll remediation and Reimagining Flood Resilience, were identified as new activities not previously approved in the Annual Plan and proposed to be funded from unspent reserves.

· A $4.3 million general fund surplus was reported, primarily due to investment gains and interest income, reducing the need for general rate drawdown.

· Staff clarified that the surplus reflects a general funding position, not a surplus from the general rate line alone, and includes $1.8 million in investment income.

· Most carry forwards relate to externally funded projects, including $59 million for the NIWE programme, with remaining items supported by targeted rate reserves or undrawn loan funding.

· Hawea Historical Park is loan-funded and part of an existing commitment with four hapū; further information about the project will be provided to the Māori Committee meeting on 3 September.

· An additional $500,000 was requested for the Reimagining Flood resilience funding to support technical work in response to community input. Councillors noted this does not fit neatly within the carry forward framework.

· Councillors expressed concern about including new activities in the carry forward paper and recommended these be brought back as separate papers.

Councillor Williams left the meeting at 3.49pm

· Council agreed to remove ‘Reimagining Flood Resilience’ and ‘Payroll’ from the carry forward recommendations and requested separate funding requests be put to the Corporate and Strategic Committee meeting on 10 September 2025.

RC61/25

Resolution

1. That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the 2024-25 Carry forwards staff report.

3. Approves the carry forward of all expenditure requests from the 2024-25 budgets to 2025-26 budgets, as below with the removal of ‘Reimagining Flood Resilience’ and ‘Payroll’

Harding/Siers

CARRIED

Funding remaining Cyclone Gabrielle recovery work

Chris Dolley, Jon Kingsford, Chris Comber and Megan McKenzie spoke to the item highlighting:

· Some cyclone recovery work was paused earlier this year to reassess financial risks after receiving lower-than-expected signals from insurance providers.

· So far, $67.8 million has been spent on recovery efforts, with a further $14.2 million in work still to be completed, including infrastructure repairs and costs related to the coroner’s inquiry.

· $5.6 million may be recoverable through insurance and government support (NEMA), though no claims have been confirmed yet.

· The total projected cost of the cyclone response is $82 million, with $52 million in expected income, leaving a $30 million funding gap.

· $14.2 million has already been funded through reserves and rates. The remaining $15.8 million will be covered by an internal loan, with repayments planned over the next three years.

Councillor Williams rejoined online at 4.01pm

· Most of the $14.2 million has already been temporarily loan-funded while awaiting $12 million in expected reimbursements, and will be used to repay short-term borrowing.

· Staff explained the complexity of the claims process and noted that some costs may not be covered due to differences between insurance and government funding criteria.

· There is a need to strengthen financial resilience and explore options such as increasing disaster reserves and considering self-insurance or shared insurance models in the next Long Term Plan.

RC62/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Loan funding final Cyclone Gabrielle repairs staff report.

3. Agrees to approve spending the remaining $14.2M in expenditure, to be funded from an internal loan. The balance of the loan and its impact on rates will be addressed in the next Long-Term Plan (LTP).

Harding/van Beek

CARRIED

Councillor Xan Harding left the meeting at 4.09pm

11.

Action plan for Water Security

Richard Wakelin shared a presentation (attachment 2) and highlighted:

· The Water Security Action Plan outlines HBRC’s priorities for improving regional water resilience, focusing on areas where the Council has direct influence.

· Key actions include partnering with Lincoln Agritech, engaging with TLAs and industry on water efficiency, exploring land use interventions, and continuing operational projects like aquifer recharge and water storage.

· A dedicated project management role will be established to coordinate initiatives and provide regular reporting to Council.

· $1 million in loan-funded operating expenditure is available through the LTP, with initial use proposed for the Lincoln Agritech collaboration.

· Councillors recommended adding columns to the action plan to show estimated costs and responsible parties (e.g. HBRC, industry, TLAs) for each action.

Councillor Martin Williams left the meeting at 4.24pm

· Collaboration with Irrigation New Zealand led to regional workshops and the development of a standardised water use data format.

· The Water Information Services team monitors ~1,900 consents and supports complex water take tracking, while the Water Advisor promotes efficient use in the horticulture and irrigation sectors.

· A peer review of the Lincoln Agritech proposal is planned to ensure alignment between expected outcomes and investment before funding is committed.

· Councillors emphasised the importance of including external initiatives like the Tukituki Water Security Project in future planning.

RC63/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Action plan for Water Security staff report.

3. Endorses the Water Security Action Plan.

Siers/Mackintosh

CARRIED

12.	Biosecurity Annual Report 2024-25 and Operational Plan 2025-26
	This item was deferred for consideration at the Regional Council meeting on 24 September 2025.

13.

Delegations for staff under the Fast Track Approvals Act

Paul Barrett and Brandon Baillie spoke to the item, highlighting:

· Council is establishing staff delegations under the Fast Track Approvals Act (FTAA) to enable prompt responses to the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) and expert panels, due to the Act’s tight statutory timeframes.

· These delegations empower staff to provide input, suggest expert panel members, and review draft conditions without needing repeated approval from the Council or Chief Executive.

· The Council’s role under the Act is advisory only—it does not make final decisions but contributes feedback when invited.

· The delegation model is consistent with Resource Management Act (RMA) practices and reflects similar approaches adopted by other regional councils.

RC64/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Delegations for staff under the Fast Track Approvals Act staff report.

3. Adopt the delegations to staff set out in Delegations under Fast Track Approval Legislation.

van Beek/Siers

CARRIED

15.

Affixing of the Common Seal

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

Seal No.

Date

1.1

Staff Warrants

1.1.1 G. Holder

(Delegations under Resource Management Act 1991 (Sections 34A(1) and 38(1); Maritime Transport Act 1994 (Section 33G(a); Biosecurity Act 1993 (Sections 103 and 105); Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 (s.86-92) and Local Government Act 2002 (Section 177))

4613

18 August 2025

RC65/25

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.

Ormsby/Foley

CARRIED

The group offered a karakia to close the meeting.

Closure:

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 4.38pm on Wednesday, 27 August 2025.

Signed as a true and correct record.

Date: by HBRC resolution on 24 September 2025 Chair: Hinewai Ormsby

Attachment 1 – Item 6: Fit for the Future Action Plan presentation