Minutes of Strategy and Recovery Committee Meeting

Thursday, 2 May 2024

Te Hui o Te Kaunihera ā-Rohe o Heretaunga

Hastings District Council: Strategy and Recovery Committee Meeting

Ngā Miniti
Minutes

Kua Tae ā-tinana:
Present:

Chair: Councillor Wendy Schollum

Councillors: Ana Apatu, Marcus Buddo, Alwyn Corban, Malcolm Dixon, Damon Harvey, Henry Heke, Kellie Jessup, Eileen Lawson (Deputy Chair), Tania Kerr, Simon Nixon, and Kevin Watkins

Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst

Hastings District Rural Community Board Chair Appointee: Jonathan Stockley (RCB Chair)

Heretaunga Takoto Noa Māori Standing Committee Appointee: Ngaio Tiuka

Kua Tatū:
In attendance:

Chief Executive: Nigel Bickle

Deputy Chief Executive - Bruce Allan

Group Manager: Asset Management - Craig Thew

Group Manager: Planning & Regulatory Services - John O’Shaughnessy

Group Manager: Strategy & Development – Craig Cameron

Group Manager: Community Wellbeing & Services – Rebekah Dinwoodie

Group Manager: Marketing, Communications & Engagement - Naomi Fergusson

Director – Growth & Development – Raoul Oosterkamp

Compliance Manager – Sam Hayes

Manager - Community Development – Thompson

Manager 'Business Projects' Planning and Delivery - Dean Ferguson

Manager Residential & Commercial Development – Jennifer Bainbridge

Financial Improvement Analyst - Jess Noiseux

General Counsel: Scott Smith

Cyclone Recovery Programme Manager – Annette Hilton

Recovery & Special Projects – Gus Charteris

Operations Manager – Category 3 Voluntary Buyout Office – David Elliott

Principal Advisor Infrastructure – Brett Chapman

Principal Advisor: District Development - Mark Clews

Manager: Democracy & Governance Services – Louise Stettner

Democracy & Governance Advisor: Lynne Cox

Democracy & Governance Advisor: Caitlyn Dine

Ngaio Tiuka gave an opening karakia.

1. Apologies – Ngā Whakapāhatanga

That apologies for absence from Isabelle Crawshaw be accepted.

That apologies for lateness from Councillor Nixon be accepted.

Leave of Absence had previously been granted to Councillor Fowler.

2. Conflicts of Interest - He Ngākau Kōnatunatu

There were no declarations of conflicts of interest.

Councillor Nixon joined the meeting at 9.02am.

3. Confirmation of Minutes - Te Whakamana i Ngā Miniti

Councillor Watkins/Councillor Lawson

That the minutes of the Strategy and Recovery Committee Meeting held Tuesday 9 April 2024 be confirmed as an accurate record.

CARRIED

4.	Petition - To Remove Fluoride from Hastings Drinking Water
	(Document 24/124)
	Group Manager: Craig Cameron gave the Committee a brief overview of the process for this petition as laid out in the report at A). The Chair welcomed the Lead Petitioner, Angela Hair and Lizzie Freeman who spoke to their petition. It was also noted that the updated petition numbers were 624.
	Councillor Watkins/Councillor Apatu A) That the Strategy and Recovery Committee receive the report titled Petition - To Remove Fluoride from Hastings Drinking Water dated 2 May 2024. B) That the tabled Petition regards the Removal of Fluoride from drinking water be received. C) That the Committee note that Council’s position on this issue is that regardless of any views (councillors or community) the decision to remove fluoridation does not sit with Council but with the Director General of Health. D) That the Committee direct that this petition should be forwarded to the Council’s General Counsel for noting. CARRIED

Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Report Q3 February - April 2024

(Document 24/5) (Attachment CG-17-32-00062)

Recovery & Special Projects Manager, Gus Charteris introduced the report and gave a PowerPoint presentation (CG-17-32-00088). Gus Charteris along with a number of staff updated the meeting in regard to their relevant sections of the report.

Councillor Heke left the meeting at 9.46am and returned at 9.50am.

Councillor Lawson left the meeting at 10.12am and returned at 10.14am.

Councillor Heke left the room at 10.22am and returned at 10.23am.

Councillor Heke left the meeting at 10.32am and returned at 10.40am.

Mayor Hazlehurst/Councillor Watkins

A) That the Strategy and Recovery Committee receive the report titled Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Report Q3 February – April 2024.

B) That the Strategy and Recovery Committee note the key strategic risks identified in the Cyclone Gabrielle Recovery Report Q3 February – April 2024 relate to:

· Affordability of the infrastructure rebuild.

· The complex (and often new) nature of recovery work e.g. the Category 3 Voluntary Buy-out.

· Availability of external resources to commence and/or complete programme of works.

C) That the Strategy and Recovery Committee note the strategic actions being taken to manage or mitigate key strategic risks noted under 2.2. above include:

· Ongoing conversations with Central Government about the role it can play in helping to fund cyclone recovery work.

· Robust project management, including ongoing monitoring and regular reporting to ensure Council has the information to make effective decisions.

· The use of best practice procurement processes.

· Careful sequencing of programme of works to match capacity of external resources.

D) That a Governance Advisory Oversight Group (with representation from Council, affected communities of interest, independent transport infrastructure expertise and other relevant professional disciplines) is established to provide governance oversight and direction over Hastings District transport infrastructure rebuild and recovery.

CARRIED

The meeting adjourned at 10.45am and resumed at 11.00am.

Category 3 Property Voluntary Buy-out: Demolition & Disposal

(Document 24/136)

Manager – Recovery & Special Projects, Gus Charteris and Operations Manager – Category 3 Voluntary Buyout Office, David Elliott both spoke to the report, gave a PowerPoint presentation (CG-17-32-00088) and responded to questions from the Committee.

Councillor Harvey left the meeting at 10.55am and returned at 11.02am.

Councillor Dixon/Councillor Nixon

A) That the Strategy and Recovery Committee receive the report titled Category 3 Property Voluntary Buy-out: Demolition & Disposal dated 2 May 2024.

B) That the Committee approve up to $10 million budget for demolition, site remediation, and disposal related costs to come from the $50 million allocation approved by Council for the Category 3 Voluntary Buy-out Programme.

C) That the Committee notes if additional funding for demolition, site remediation, and disposal related costs is required beyond $10 million, a further paper will come to Council for additional approvals.

D) That the Committee delegate the Chief Executive to prudently administer the budget in Recommendation B) in accordance with Councils adopted Procurement Policies and Contract Management Procedures.

CARRIED

Community Wellbeing Subcommittee Chair's Report

(Document 24/154)

Group Manager: Community Wellbeing & Services, Rebekah Dinwoodie along with Chair of the Community Wellbeing Subcommittee spoke to the report and responded to questions from the Committee.

Councillor Dixon/Councillor Lawson

That the Strategy and Recovery Committee receive the report titled Community Wellbeing Subcommittee Chair's Report dated 2 May 2024.

CARRIED

8. Minor Items - Ngā Take Iti

There were no additional business items.

9. Urgent Items - Ngā Take WhakahihirI

There were no extraordinary business items.

Recommendation to Exclude the Public from Items 11 and 12

SECTION 48, LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL INFORMATION AND MEETINGS ACT 1987

Councillor Watkins/Councillor Lawson

THAT the public now be excluded from the following parts of the meeting, namely;

11 Sale of Council Land Asset

12 Update on Council Planning and Investments to enable Residential and Commercial Growth

The general subject of the matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this Resolution in relation to the matter and the specific grounds under Section 48 (1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this Resolution is as follows:

GENERAL SUBJECT OF EACH MATTER TO BE CONSIDERED

REASON FOR PASSING THIS RESOLUTION IN RELATION TO EACH MATTER, AND PARTICULAR INTERESTS PROTECTED

GROUND(S) UNDER SECTION 48(1) FOR THE PASSING OF EACH RESOLUTION

11 Sale of Council Land Asset

Section 7 (2) (i)

The withholding of the information is necessary to enable the local authority to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).

Section 7 (2) (h) - enable any local authority holding the information to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations).

Section 48(1)(a)(i)

Where the Local Authority is named or specified in the First Schedule to this Act under Section 6 or 7 (except Section 7(2)(f)(i)) of this Act.

12 Update on Council Planning and Investments to enable Residential and Commercial Growth

Section 7 (2) (h)

The withholding of the information is necessary to enable the local authority to carry out, without prejudice or disadvantage, commercial activities.

To protect third party commercial interests.

Section 48(1)(a)(i)

Where the Local Authority is named or specified in the First Schedule to this Act under Section 6 or 7 (except Section 7(2)(f)(i)) of this Act.

CARRIED

________________________

The meeting closed at 12.20pm

Confirmed:

Chairman:

Date: