Agenda of Sustainable Napier Committee

Sustainable Napier Committee - 10 September 2020 - Open Agenda Item 1

Agenda Items

1. Communication and Engagement Strategy - All Waters

Type of Report:	Operational
Legal Reference:	Local Government Act 2002
Document ID:	960322
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Natasha Mackie, Manager Community Strategies

1.1 Purpose of Report

This report provides the Communication and Engagement Strategy which provides a framework for all communication and engagement approaches and activities associated with Council’s water programme, both capital and operational for the next two years.

Officer’s Recommendation

The Sustainable Napier Committee:

a. Approve the All Waters Communication and Engagement Strategy for implementation

1.2 Background Summary

Following Council’s confirmation that water is its top priority late last year, it requested that a Communication and Engagement Plan be developed. The development of the plan was initiated in early 2020, but was interrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic. As the Council was able to return to business following lockdown, the strategy development recommenced.

A working group comprising staff and Councillors Simpson and Crown developed the strategy and framework.

1.3 Issues

The complexity of the work programme with multiple projects across all waters – water supply, stormwater and wastewater, along with operational programmes necessitated the development of a framework to ensure visibility of all of the work and a consistent approach to communications and engagement.

There is a significant expectation from the community that the focus on water should provide results quickly. Some of the work to be implemented will address some of the issues, however the complexity of the infrastructure means that some solutions will take time and may require multiple attempts to achieve success.

The Napier City Councils programme of work coincides with the Three Waters Review (at a regional level) and the Three Waters reform work (at a national level). This poses potential for confusion at the local level and has been factored in to the strategy.

1.4 Significance and Engagement

Water is of high interest to the community. A high proportion of the community has been affected by the changes to the water services, particularly water supply, and the resulting impacts. Council has made water its top priority and has allocated additional funding to address infrastructure asset issues, compliance with regulations and to resolve specific issues such as dirty water. This additional spending has an impact on all ratepayers with an increase in rates now and into the future. Additional costs for 2020/21 have been consulted on through the Annual Plan process and future rates increases will be consulted on through the Long Term Plan consultation and subsequent Annual Plan consultation processes as appropriate. The overall matter of water is of interest to key stakeholders, particularly Māori. Each project may involve specific stakeholders and affected parties. A full stakeholder plan will be developed as one of the first actions as the strategy is implemented following Council approval. A plan for each project will identify any specific stakeholders and engagement approaches associated with the project.

1.5 Implications

Financial

Where possible, existing communication tools will be utilised. All costs associated with the communication and engagement activities for the strategy and subsequent projects will be funded from existing budgets.

Social & Policy

Water services affect everyone – from business and community through to whanau and individuals. Council acknowledges the importance of the effective delivery of water services and has made it a top priority with significant investment in its water programme.

Government policy and reform may affect the delivery of water services in the future, Council has identified its intent to champion effective water services for the Napier community through any reform processes.

Risk

Several risks have been identified and include:

· Misinterpretation and potential confusion of information

· An unwillingness from the community to participate in engagement

· High expectations from the community to fix issues fast

· Potential for continued criticism around Council’s response to water issues

· Programme delivery disruptions

· Government reforms of water services affecting Council’s delivery of its water programme

The risks and mitigation strategies are outlined in the Strategy attached.

1.6 Options

The options available to Council are as follows:

a. To approve the All Waters Communication and Engagement Strategy (preferred)

b. To amend the All Waters Communication and Engagement Strategy

c. To not approve the All Waters Communication and Engagement Strategy

1.7 Development of Preferred Option

The All Waters Communication and Engagement Strategy has been developed by a working group comprising Council staff and Councillors Crown and Simpson with input from the whole Council. The water programme has commenced and the Strategy will ensure the community have visibility of this work and are provided with consistent and clear information about the water programme. The framework developed allows for new projects and activities to be included as they come on line.

1.8 Attachments

a All Waters Communication and Engagement Strategy ⇩

Sustainable Napier Committee - 10 September 2020 - Open Agenda

Sustainable Napier Committee

Open Minutes

Meeting Date:

Thursday 30 July 2020

Time:

10am – 10.40am

11.30am – 11.30am

Venue

Large Exhibition Hall

Napier War Memorial Centre

Marine Parade

Napier

Livestreamed to Council’s Facebook via Zoom

Present

Mayor Wise, Councillor Price (In the Chair), Deputy Mayor Brosnan, Councillors Browne, Crown, Mawson, McGrath, Simpson, Tapine, Taylor and Wright

In Attendance

Interim Chief Executive, Director Community Services, Director City Strategy, Manager Communications and Marketing

Chief Financial Officer

Manager Environmental Services

Manager Property

Team Leader Policy Planning

Team Leader Transportation

Policy Planner/ Analyst

Policy Planner

Strategic Planning Lead

Administration

Governance Team

Apologies

Councillors Brosnan / Crown

That the apology from Councillors Boag and Chrystal be accepted.

Carried

Conflicts of interest

Cr Tapine noted that he sits on the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council (HBRC) Regional Planning Committee which considers these matters, so there may be a perceived conflict. The meeting agreed that this did not require specific management in this instance.

Public forum

Eastern Screen Alliance – Daniel Betty and Derek Slade

The Eastern Screen Alliance representatives spoke to the international film context, noting that NZ is one of the only countries in the world currently fully open for business; a number of films are expected to use NZ in the near future. There is high demand for streaming services, and NZ has stable fast internet. There is a lot of pressure on the NZ screen industry as the international community looks to the country to provide options.

A number of films and short films are already being filmed in the Hawke’s Bay, and the Eastern Screen Alliance exists to attract further screen business into the area. They have a direct link to the NZ Film Commission, and work with them in scouting and procuring locations and other needs for the film industry.

While Hawke’s Bay holds many of the attractions of other international locations it does not currently have a film industry. There are a number of extremely talented people with international careers now living in the Hawke’s Bay. A regional film studio is required to attract and capitalise on opportunities for the area.

A movie set creates hundreds of jobs, and the Alliance would be partnering with the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Social Development to support this. The Alliance has also been approached by international experts to develop a NZ trade school teaching film specific skills including set construction, lighting, sound, makeup and special effects. It was noted that local suppliers benefit form film studios in the area – for example the Mitre 10 Mega nearby Weta Workshops would process significantly larger orders for the film sets than other business orders.

The Alliance are already exploring whether enough accommodation is available in the Hawke’s Bay and partnering with local providers to arrange cheaper rates for longer stays while filming.

There would also be opportunity to enable community film events. The aim is to boost the local economy as much as possible.

Grip HQ are the largest equipment provider for film in Australasia and are looking to partner with the Eastern Screen Alliance in creating a studio. The partners require Hastings, Napier and Wairoa to support the proposed facility, which could be largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The team are finalising their business case which they will bring back to Council.

In response to questions from the councillors it was clarified that:

· It is asked of Council to support establishing a regional film office here in the area to work alongside the studios, and which the international market will come to. This regional office would facilitate consents and local requirements.

· The Eastern Screen Alliance are aware that talking to HBRC is important as they oversee one of the main regional development levies.

· Every film studio in NZ to date has essentially been a retro-fit and it is largely amenity value that is worked through (as it is often buildings like old cool stores that are used). Building from the ground up is more challenging due to District Plan requirements. Recently in Auckland the decision was made that the activity was industrial, which doesn’t work for the industry as while they require large buildings they also require a quiet location, privacy and so on. The Alliance have submitted to the District Plan processes locally.

· While initially skilled personnel would need to be brought in to the studio, the educational aspect and ensuring tiers of trainees is extremely important. The Alliance have already met with EIT to build a partnership with the intent to offer courses.

· A collaborative approach is required as international companies come to NZ for the vista and outdoors rather than a studio, but a studio is required to make sure that there is a location when the weather is less than ideal. The key is to attract the companies to Hawke’s Bay vistas. Access from the airport and port will be important. As well as the studio itself, the site would contain other ancillary buildings.

· The site would ideally be within 20 km of accommodation providers.

· The team are acutely aware of the carbon footprint of an enterprise of this scale and are actively working through the impacts.

· There are around 8 film offices currently including Taranaki and Bay of Plenty (BOP) as well As Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch; it is a growing area due to the current interest in NZ.. All the regional offices work together closely. As an example of funding support, the BOP office is supported by the five councils in the area either directly or via their tourism offices.

· The team have spoken to the Provincial Growth Fund, and the ownership structure of the enterprise is still being worked through. Potential revenue based on a study about 4 weeks ago show strong positive benefits both directly and indirectly from studios.

Announcements by the Mayor

Hawke’s Bay Tourism has recently received $700k funding from central government, and will shortly launch a round campaigning to draw domestic tourism into Hawke’s Bay.

Announcements by the Chairperson

Nil

Minor Matters

Nil

Announcements by the management

Wastewater Outfall Repair project

Budget has been allocated and the project team has been convened. Contract negotiations are underway. The emergency response plan is in hand and will be submitted to HBRC tomorrow. The specialist divers are scheduled for the last week in August or the first week of September depending on their previous job.

Pipeline Protection Submissions

About 25 submissions were received. Two may be slightly challenging but are largely referring to the Pan Pac outfall; it appears they may be based on a misunderstanding of the exclusion zone vs seabed ownership.

Confirmation of minutes

Councillors Taylor / Wright

That the Minutes of the meeting held on 13 February 2020 were taken as a true and accurate record of the meeting.

Carried

Agenda Items

1. Napier City Council Submission to the TANK Plan Change

Type of Report:	Legal and Operational
Legal Reference:	Resource Management Act 1991
Document ID:	944236
Reporting Officer/s & Unit:	Kim Anstey, Planner Policy/Analyst Jon Kingsford, Director Infrastructure Services

1.1 Purpose of Report

The purpose of this report is to authorise Council Officers to lodge a submission to the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s (HBRC) Proposed Change 9 to the Regional Resource Management Plan (RRMP). This plan change seeks to improve the management of fresh water in the Greater Heretaunga Catchments and is commonly referred to as the TANK plan change.

The Napier City Council submission will address the key points discussed at the Council workshop on June 25 and identified in section 1.3 below. A copy of the submission will be provided to Council prior to lodgement before the submission close date of August 14, 2020.

At the Meeting

The Policy Planner/ Analyst spoke to the report providing background to Council’s proposed submission to the TANK plan change. The submission is due Friday 14 August 2020.

Hastings District Council are putting a separate submission in but the appendix outlining the relief sought is the same as Napier’s.

In response to questions from councillors it was clarified that:

· The current supply of potable water should remain secure throughout the change.

· The potential implications of point 12 will be followed up on; this was an amendment requested by Hastings District Council.

It was noted that the process to work through the TANK plan change has been long and required a huge amount of work from a large variety of people.

Committee's recommendation

Councillors Taylor / Crown

The Sustainable Napier Committee:

a. Authorise Council Officer’s to lodge a submission that addresses the key points of submission at section 1.3 below.

Carried

The meeting adjourned at 10.40am to allow the open agenda of the Future Napier Committee to proceed.

The meeting was reconvened at 11.30am

PUBLIC EXCLUDED ITEMS

Councillors Taylor / Tapine

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

1. Land Acquisition & Road Stopping - McLeod Road

Carried

The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public was excluded, the reasons for passing this resolution in relation to each 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 were as follows:

General subject of each matter to be considered.	Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter.	Ground(s) under section 48(1) to the passing of this resolution.
1. Land Acquisition & Road Stopping - McLeod Road	7(2)(i) Enable the local authority to carry on, without prejudice or disadvantage, negotiations (including commercial and industrial negotiations)	48(1)A That the public conduct of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting would be likely to result in the disclosure of information for which good reason for withholding would exist: (i) Where the local authority is named or specified in Schedule 1 of this Act, under Section 6 or 7 (except 7(2)(f)(i)) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987.

The meeting moved into committee at 11.30am

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

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

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

Extraordinary Sustainable Napier Committee

Open Minutes

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

Present

Mayor Wise, Councillor Price (In the Chair), Deputy Mayor Brosnan, Councillors Boag, Browne [from 9.17am], Chrystal, Crown, Mawson [from 9.02am], McGrath, Simpson, Tapine [from 9.05am], and Wright

In Attendance

Director Corporate Services, Director Infrastructure Services, Manager Communications and Marketing

Communications Specialist

Administration

Governance Team

Apologies

Councillors Brosnan/ Wise

That the apologies from Councillor Taylor and apologies for lateness from Cr Browne, Mawson, Tapine be accepted.

Carried

Conflicts of interest

Nil

Public forum

Nil

Announcements by the Mayor

Nil

Announcements by the Chairperson

Nil

Minor Matters

Nil

Announcements by the management

Nil

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 ..................................................................................................

Committee Members	Mayor Wise, Councillor Price (In the Chair), Deputy Mayor Brosnan, Councillors Boag, Browne, Chrystal, Crown, Mawson, McGrath, Simpson, Tapine, Taylor and Wright
Officers Responsible	Director Infrastructure Services, Director City Strategy
Administration	Governance Team
	Next Sustainable Napier Committee Meeting TBC

Meeting Date:	Thursday 10 September 2020
Time:	10am
Venue:	Large Exhibition Hall War Memorial Centre Marine Parade Napier