Minutes of Extraordinary Sustainable Napier Committee

Extraordinary Sustainable Napier Committee - 06 August 2020 - Open Minutes

Agenda Items

1. Three Waters Reform Programme - Memorandum of Understanding

Type of Report:	Contractual
Legal Reference:	N/A
Document ID:	951023
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Adele Henderson, Director Corporate Services Jon Kingsford, Director Infrastructure Services

1.1 Purpose of Report

Provide information to Council on the Memorandum of Understanding being the first stage of the Three Water Services Reform Programme

At the Meeting

The Director Infrastructure Services spoke to the report noting that the environment is very fast moving.

There has been much discussion at both regional and national levels in relation to water which has culminated in new legislation at the national level intended to address regulatory issues. It is recognised that there has been underinvestment in infrastructure across the country in part due to lack of available funding to invest in smaller areas. The government has announced a post-COVID-19 recovery package which includes significant investment in 3 waters. Central government is looking to take a partnership approach with local government in implementing the proposed reforms. The proposed implementation is anticipated to take place over a three year period, which funding being released in tranches over the time period, from an immediate provision to address COVID19 recovery and outstanding needs through to funding for later works.

The MOU is intended to bring other councils to the point that Hawke’s Bay is already at through the regional work undertaken over the last 18 months. The MOU is non-binding but outlines specific expectations as to how any funding provided would be used. It also requires that a delivery plan must be developed and lodged with the DIA within particular timeframes, and also provides for quarterly reporting against the plan.

In response to questions from councillors it was clarified that:

· It is ambiguous as to whether the funding can be used on currently planned works and clarification will be sought on this

· This is an extraordinary meeting of the Sustainable Napier committee to allow for the report to be brought to the Maori Committee on 14 August and Council on 27 August as the decision on participating in the MOU is required by end of August. Further decision making in relation to the funding will also be brought to Council.

· It would be difficult to consult given the very tight time frames within which Council must make its decision. The outcomes of the changes are very aligned with the direction Council is already pursuing.

· The other Councils in the region have yet to consider the MOU in a formal way.

· The wording of the MOU has been provided to all councils and it is expected that government would not be making any adjustments given the expectation that any signatory councils will have completed this by 31 August 2020.

· It is believed that the ability to provide for different and unique water supplies is recognised, and the ability to enshrine different levels of service is possible in most agreements where there is a regional aggregation/ shared ownership model being implemented.

· A number of principles were enshrined in the Hawke’s Bay regional review, one of which was protecting the interests of our communities. All the elected members and officers in the partner councils have ratified the principles, and central government have also been very interested in the regional work in Hawke’s Bay in developing their own thinking. Hawke’s Bay continues to take a leadership role in this space.

Committee's recommendation

Mayor Wise / Councillor Brosnan

The Sustainable Napier Committee:

a. Approve entering into the Memorandum of Understanding and associated Funding Agreement and Delivery Plan for the first stage of the Three Waters Services Reform Programme.

b. Note the Reform Programme is part of the Governments programme to reform current water service delivery, into larger scale providers, to realise significant economic, public health, environmental, and other benefits over the medium to long term, and that signing this MOU does not create any obligation upon Council with regard to future steps of this reform programme;

c. Note that details on the allocation of the funding will come back to Council as a separate paper. Details of the actual funding are only provided on the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding.

d. Delegate signing of the MOU to the Chief Executive, noting the attached is a template.

Carried

PUBLIC EXCLUDED ITEMS

Mayor Wise / Councillor Chrystal

That the public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting, namely:

Draft Public Excluded Limited Distribution minutes prepared by Simpson Grierson from meeting 13 February 2020

Carried

The meeting moved into committee at 9.30am

Approved and adopted as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

Chairperson .............................................................................................................................

Date of approval ......................................................................................................................

Meeting Date:	Thursday 6 August 2020
Time:	9.00am – 9.30am
Venue	Ikatere Boardroom Capeview Building 265 Marine Parade Napier