Minutes of Hawke's Bay Regional Council meeting

1. Welcome/Karakia/Apologies/Notices

The Chair welcomed everyone and … opened the meeting with a karakia.

Resolution

RC66/25 That the apologies for absence from Councillor Martin Williams and Tania Hopmans be accepted.

Ormsby/Siers

CARRIED

2. Conflict of Interest Declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council meeting held on 27 August 2025

RC67/25

Resolution

Minutes of the Hawke's Bay Regional Council meeting held on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

van Beek/Roadley

CARRIED

4.	Public Forum
	There were no speakers.

Call for minor items not on the Agenda

Recommendations

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council accepts the following minor items not on the agenda for discussion as item 16.

Topic	Raised by
Parting comments from councillors not seeking re-election	Crs Xan Harding & Will Foley

Biosecurity Annual Report 2024-25 and Operational Plan 2025-26

Richard Wakelin introduced the item and the team of Matt Short, Mark Mitchell and Jolene Townshend, who delivered a presentation (attached).

· An overview was provided, of the Council’s biodiversity activities delivered over the 2024-25 financial year and looking ahead to what the programme will deliver in the coming year.

· It was suggested that future reports include the numbers of pests killed.

· Staff provide support by was of advice and traps to community groups wanting to undertake feral cat eradication.

· The Regional Pest Management Plan will be reviewed and updated in 2026.

RC68/25

Resolutions

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Biosecurity Annual Report 2024-25 and Operational Plan 2025-26 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. Adopts the Biosecurity Operational Plan 2025-26.

Kirton/van Beek

CARRIED

Procurement Policy and Strategy

Graham Pomeroy introduced the item, which was taken as read, noting his satisfaction that the updated Policy and Strategy are best practice, fit for purpose for the Council environment and meet the requirements of the current government direction. Assisted by a presentation (attached), queries and discussions covered:

· Council is required by LGA s14 to have an ethical, planned and prudent procurement policy and it applies to all staff and councillors.

· The new policy is aligned to the Progressive Procurement Supplier Guide’s four key focus areas.

· The importance of decision-making through the procurement process being documented to show how and why decisions have been made was stressed.

· The reality is that the regional council plays a part in ensuring the economic viability of the region but is not solely responsible.

· There needs to be a balance of criteria and broader outcomes in addition to price – to ensure the right people with the right skills are engaged to do the right job.

· Suppliers are selected based on a thorough due diligence process which includes assessing their reliability, financial stability, and ability to meet contract requirements.

· Supply panels were discussed, including how they operate and membership; a risk being that those on a panel get a fair share of work.

RC69/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the August 2025 Procurement Policy report.

3. Agrees that the August 2025 procurement policy replaces the September 2020 procurement policy and is subsequently implemented with the incorporation of feedback provided by councillors at today’s meeting.

Roadley/Harding

CARRIED

Delegation changes under the Resource Management (Consenting and other system changes) Amendment Act 2025

Katrina Brunton introduced the item, which was taken as read, and Sophia Edmead, noting that the changes to Council’s delegations, largely related to consenting, are required as the result of legislation which requires that the functions are directly delegated by Council to the appropriate staff level.

Part of the larger RM reform package will include further changes to freshwater farm plan requirements and staff will communicate the full suite of changes to landowners once they’ve all been received. Staff need to have the whole package of reforms before they can assess what’s necessary in the way of potential plan changes.

RC70/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Delegation changes under the Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025 staff report.

3. Adopt the changes to the delegations to staff as shown in highlight in Delegation Changes under Resource Management (Consenting and Other System Changes) Amendment Act 2025.

Harding/van Beek

CARRIED

Reimagining Flood Resilience and 2025-26 Funding

Nic Peet introduced the item, which was taken as read, which seeks Council’s approval of additional funding for the Reimagining Flood Resilience project. Louise McPhail noted that the technical support for the community groups is critical to being able to fulfill the independent flood review recommendations.

· Proposals from the community groups will undergo an initial assessment by the TAG for viability before then being put to the Steering Group to agree, or not, that the technical assessment is to be undertaken on the proposal.

RC71/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Reimagining Flood Resilience and 2025-26 Funding staff report.

3. Approves additional expenditure of $0.5 million, to be funded through an internal loan of $150,000 and $350,000 from the Heretaunga Rivers operating scheme reserve.

4. Requires regular reporting of expenditure at the project level, including technical assessments made, to Council.

Kirton/van Beek

CARRIED

10.

Delegation of the Pākōwhai NIWE Project procurement

Andrew Caseley introduced the item, which was taken as read, and noted the criticality of the procurement continuing through the election period to enable work to continue on the Pākōwhai project.

RC72/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council:

1. Receives and considers the Delegation of the Pākōwhai 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) Pākōwhai Project.

3.2. Undertake a traditional procurement tender process, to select a preferred tenderer(s) to construct the project works.

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 $50m.

van Beek/Roadley

CARRIED

11.

End of Triennium wrap-up and Interim Delegations to the Chief Executive

Nic Peet introduced the item, which was taken as read, which is required for the interregnum period.

RC73/25

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 and persons likely to be affected by or to have an interest in the decision.

2. Delegates, for the period between the public notice of the final election result and the inaugural meeting of the new Council on 29 October 2025, all of Council’s responsibilities, duties, and powers, for all matters that cannot reasonably wait, except those that cannot be legally delegated, to the Chief Executive.

Harding/Foley

CARRIED

12.

Affixing of Common Seal

1. 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 M. Hernandez-Majia

(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))

1.1.2 H. Campbell

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

4614

4615

26 August 2025

4 September 2025

1.2

Plan Changes

1.2.1

Plan Change 7 under the Hawke’s Bay Resource Management Plan.

4616

15 September 2025

In response to a query in relation to PC7, Katrina Brunton advised that affixing the seal is an procedural step in the process and Council refusing to affix it would have no practical implications. The Plan Change is already been made operative as per Environment Court decision and that implementation issues are being considered by the Consents team in relation to addressing consent conditions globally where possible.

RC74/25

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/Mackintosh

Harding abstained

CARRIED

17.

Wairoa NIWE Projects - Project Alternatives

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 17 Wairoa NIWE Projects - Project Alternatives 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:

RC75/25

General subject of the item to be considered	Grounds for the passing of the resolution	Rationale for excluding the public
Wairoa NIWE Projects - Project Alternatives	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 project is subject to ongoing negotiations and tender processes that could be prejudiced by the release of sensitive pricing information.

van Beek/Hokianga

CARRIED

18.

Strategic Projects - Briefing to the outgoing Council

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting, being Agenda Item 18 – Strategic Projects briefing to the outgoing Council 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:

RC76/25

General subject of the item to be considered

Grounds for the passing of the resolution

Rationale for excluding the public

Strategic Projects - Briefing to outgoing council

s7(2)(b)(ii) Excluding the public is necessary to prevent the disclosure of information which would unreasonably damage the commercial position of the person or company who supplied or who is the subject of the information.

s7(2)(c)(ii) Excluding the public is necessary to prevent disclosure of information which is subject to an obligation of confidence (or which any person has been or could be compelled to provide) and would damage the public interest.

s7(2)(g) Excluding the public is necessary to prevent disclosure of information that is legally privileged.

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).

s7(2)(j) Excluding the public is necessary to prevent the disclosure or use of official information for improper gain or improper advantage.

The matters being discussed are subject to internal and external legal advice and therefore legally privileged.

2. That Julia Haydon-Carr (Project Manager), Liz Read (Reputation Matters), Chris and James (Simpson Grierson Legal advisors), be permitted to remain at this meeting, after the public has been excluded, because of their roles and expertise in the proposed strategic project and its delivery.

van Beek/Hokianga

CARRIED

19.

Confirmation of Public Excluded Minutes of the meeting held on 27 August 2025

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting being Confirmation of Public Excluded Minutes Agenda Item 19 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:

RC77/25

General subject of the item to be considered

Grounds for the passing of the resolution

Rationale for excluding the public

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

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

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/Hokianga

CARRIED

The meeting went into public excluded session at 12.56 and out of public excluded session at 3.30pm

The meeting adjourned at 3.30pm and reconvened at 3.45pm with Councillor Charles Lambert having left the meeting.

13.

Reimagining Flood Resilience Project update

Louise McPhail and Simon Bendall spoke to the update, which was taken as read, noting that to date 67 people have signed up to be on the Community Reference Groups. Women, Māori, Pacifika and under 45s are under represented currently so more targeted invitations are being sent out and councillors are encouraged to forward the information to any suitable people in their communities. Tonkin + Taylor is leading the Community Reference Groups process. The project focus will be on getting the reference groups up and running and then appointing new councillors, as required, to the Steering Groups after the election.

RC78/25

Resolution

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the Reimagining Flood Resilience project update.

van Beek/Siers

CARRIED

14.

IRG Work Programme close-out

Andrew Casely, Jon Kingsford, Thomas Petrie and James Park introduced the item, which was taken as read, and delivered a presentation (attached) about the projects delivered.

RC79/25

Resolution

That the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council receives and notes the IRG Work Programme close-out staff report.

Foley/van Beek

CARRIED

15.

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

Andrew Casely introduced the item, which was taken as read, and provided a brief overview of the status of the projects.

RC80/25

Resolution

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

van Beek/Roadley