Minutes of HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee

1. Welcome/Karakia /Apologies

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

2. Conflict of interest declarations

There were no conflicts of interest declared.

3. Confirmation of Minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee held on 25 November 2024

Resolution

Minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee held on Monday, 25 November 2024, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Hazlehurst/Walker

CARRIED

HB CDEM Transformation Programme update

The Chair, Hinewai Ormsby, introduced Matt Boggs who spoke to the item. Discussions noted:

· The Strategy puts community at the heart of emergency management for HB and will be operationalised by the Coordinating Executives Group (CEG)

· The details of roles and role responsibilities in the local and regional CDEM structure are still being finalised. Hawke’s Bay needs both local and regional emergency management delivered by accredited, professional workforce.

· About 95% of Hawke’s Bay people live where the hazards are – rivers, roads, and bridges – with one road in and out.

· Significant investment is required, in the 7 areas of Māori partnerships, community connections, infrastructure and assets, training and exercising, performance and assurance, planning, and service level agreements.

· Findings from the Cyclone Gabrielle enquiries are woven in at a high level and aligned to NEMA and central government direction of the Emergency Management System Improvement Programme (EMSIP).

· Lifelines and emergency services agencies provide visibility of their activities via their membership on the Coordinating Executives Group (CEG) and updates to those meetings.

· Mana whenua engagement is ongoing, including at governance, organisational and community levels.

· The aim is to get the systems we need, not just the ones we can afford.

· The ‘group’ and ‘council’ roles and responsibilities need to be clearly defined.

· A more detailed operational dashboard (for CEG) will include financials.

CDE7/25

Resolutions

That the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Joint Committee:

1. Receives and notes the HB CDEM Transformation Programme update staff report and HB CDEM Transformation dashboard.

2. Approves the HB CDEM Transformation Strategy as proposed, for implementation by the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group.

Hazlehurst/Walker

CARRIED

National Emergency Management Agency update

The Chair introduced Dave Gawn, NEMA CE, who provided an update that covered:

· Applaud transformation strategy work which aligns with direction of central government. It is important that regions are self-reliant.

· Emergency management is under-resourced across the entire country.

· The Emergency Management System Improvement Programme (EMSIP) will provide a plan to uplift emergency management and improve the system across the board, with the key element being that community is at the heart.

· NEMA reviews looked at 28 of the 82 reviews of the North Island severe weather events.

· There is no Common Operating Picture (COP) at a national level. NEMA is developing a business case for rolling this out, for as little as central Government can afford. There are inequities within some regions regarding affordability; often the communities most at risk.

· A new National Emergency Management Facility is under construction and an investigation into an alternative facility in Auckland. A workforce of 600 will be required to manage the continuation of government in Auckland should an event like Hikurangi affect Wellington.

· The Emergency Management Assistance Team is to be rebranded as Regional Support Teams, who will provide a 24/7 immediate capability across higher functional levels in an advanced specialist space to support regions as and when they are required.

· National Assurance Capability has just brought on Stefan Michie (who starts next week) and will provide support and assurance to Government and the regions nationally.

· The recovery stream needs to be brought into the transformation strategy as this area is weak across the country.

· The Plan and Investment roadmap is due in Cabinet by early April 2025, aligned with the Emergency Management Bill, with the intent to deliver the Bill by September 2025. There will be opportunity for targeted engagement.

· NEMA is working on the National Space Weather Response Plan and has developed and published the first plan for Hikurangi, alpine fault or space weather events.

· In terms of emergency management training, SIMS courses need to be better aligned.

Dave Gawn the left meeting at 2.48pm

CDE8/25

Resolution

That the HB CDEM Coordinating Executive Group receives and notes the National Emergency Management Agency update.

Wise/Little

CARRIED

HB CDEM Group Controller appointments

Shane Briggs introduced the item and discussions covered:

· Need to have at least 3 group controllers (preferably 4) for HB.

· Once a controller is appointed they have the power to act whether they are trained or not, and can work under the supervision of another controller.

· HB funds 2 Response & Recovery Aotearoa NZ) (RRANZ) Controller Development programmes per year, run twice per year in Auckland and Christchurch. The programme is beneficial but doesn’t give you all the tools required. Once appointed, controllers are required to attend regional Controller meetings, lead exercises annually, participate in training and development and undergo 360-degree feedback every three years.

CDE9/25

Resolutions

That the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee:

1. Receives and considers the HB CDEM Group Controller appointments staff report.

2. Endorses the outlined Controller selection process, with the understanding that it will be further developed into a formal policy.

3. Notes that feedback on the outcome of the process will be provided to the Joint Committee after its initial implementation.

Walker/Wise

CARRIED

Local Controller removal

Shane Briggs introduced the item, which was taken as read.

CDE10/25

Resolutions

That the Hawke’s Bay Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee:

1. Receives and considers the Local Controller Appointments staff report.

2. Agrees to the removal of Michael Hardie as a Local Controller for the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group.

3. Agrees to amend Appendix 5: Key Appointments of the Hawke’s Bay CDEM Group Plan pursuant to section 57 of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002 to remove Michael Hardie as a Local Controller.

Walker/Little

CARRIED

Collective achievements post Cyclone Gabrielle

Shane Briggs introduced the item and staff representatives of each of the councils presented slides (attached) outlining details of their achievements. Due to time constraints the slides from the HB Regional Recovery Agency and Emergency Services (NZ Police, FENZ, Hato Hone St John) were not discussed.

CDE11/25

Resolution

That the HB CDEM Group Joint Committee receives and notes the Collective achievements post Cyclone Gabrielle report and presentation.

Little/Walker

CARRIED

Confirmation of 25 November 2024 Public Excluded Minutes

CDE12/25

Resolutions

That Hawke’s Bay Regional Council excludes the public from this section of the meeting being Confirmation of Public Excluded Minutes Agenda Item 8 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

Confirmation of 25 November 2024 Public Excluded Minutes

In considering the candidates for Controller the names, experience and qualifications will be made available which, if made public would breach the privacy of the individuals concerned.

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.

Walker/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

9. Confirmation of 25 November 2024 Public Excluded Minutes

CDE13/25 Public excluded minutes of the HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Joint Committee meeting held on 25 November 2024, a copy having been circulated prior to the meeting, were taken as read and confirmed as a true and correct record.

Walker/Wise

CARRIED

Resolution

CDE14/25 That the meeting moves out of Public Excluded session.

Little/Hazlehurst

CARRIED

The meeting went into public excluded session at 3.48pm and out of public excluded session at 3.49pm

Closure:

There being no further business the Chair declared the meeting closed at 3.50pm on Monday 27 January 2025.

Signed as a true and correct record.

Date: 24 March 2025 Chair: Hinewai Ormsby