Council

Tuesday 19 November 2019 at 10.30am

 

 

AGENDA

 


Council Meeting

19 November 2019

Northland Regional Council Agenda

 

Meeting to be held in the Council Chamber

36 Water Street, Whangārei

on Tuesday 19 November 2019, commencing at 10.30am

 

Recommendations contained in the council agenda are NOT council decisions. Please refer to council minutes for resolutions.

 

Item                                                                                                                                                                                   Page

Housekeeping

1.0       apologies (ngĀ whakapahĀ) 

2.0       DECLARATIONS OF CONFLICTS OF INTEREST (NGĀ WHAKAPUAKANGA)

3.0       Health & Safety Report - October 2019                                                                                                4

4.0       Council Minutes/Action Sheet/Council Working Party and Working Group Updates

4.1       Working Party Updates and Chairpersons' Briefings                                                                      8

5.0       Financial Reports

5.1       Approval to open an Australian currency bank account with ASB                                            9

5.2       Financial Report to 31 October 2019                                                                                                 11

6.0       Decision Making Matters

6.1       Confirmation of Governance Structure, Membership and Councillor Portfolios               14

6.2       Meeting Dates for the remainder of 2019                                                                                       15

6.3       Retrospective approval for council submissions                                                                            18

6.4       Manea Footprints of Kupe - Agreement regarding the fulfilment of a condition of funding            129

7.0       Operational Reports

7.1       Chief Executive’s Report to Council                                                                                                 135  

8.0       Business with the Public Excluded                                                                                                    166

8.1       Human Resources Report   

 


 

ACC - Accident Compensation Corporation

ALGIM - Association of Local Government Information Management

AMA - Aquaculture Management Area

AMP - Asset Management Plan/Activity Management Plan

AP - Annual Plan

BOI - Bay of Islands

BOPRC - Bay of Plenty Regional Council

CAPEX - Capital Expenditure (budget to purchase assets)

CBEC - Community, Business and Environment Centre

CDEM - Civil Defence Emergency Management

CEG - Co-ordinating Executive Group – Northland Civil Defence management team

CEO - Chief Executive Officer

CIMS - Co-ordinated Incident Management System (emergency management structure)

CMA - Coastal Marine Area

CPCA - Community Pest Control Areas

CRI - Crown Research Institute

DHB - District Health Board 

DOC - Department of Conservation

DPMC - Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet

ECA - Environmental Curriculum Award

ECAN - Environment Canterbury

EECA - Energy Efficiency Conservation Authority

EEZ - Exclusive Economic Zone

EF - Environment Fund

EMA - Employers and Manufacturers Association

EOC - Emergency Operations Centre

EPA - Environmental Protection Authority

ETS - Emissions Trading Scheme

FDE - Farm Dairy Effluent

FNDC - Far North District Council

FNHL - Far North Holdings Limited

FPP - First Past the Post – voting system for NRC elections

GE - Genetic Engineering

GIS - Geographic Information System

GMO - Genetically Modified Organism

HSNO - Hazardous Substances & New Organisms Act

HBRC - Hawke's Bay Regional Council

HEMP - Hapū Environmental Management Plan

Horizons - Brand name of Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Council

HR - Human Resources

HSWA - Health and Safety at Work Act 2015

IEMP - Iwi Environmental Management Plan

IPPC - Invited Private Plan Change: a process to allow Aquaculture Management Areas to be established

IRIS - Integrated Regional Information System

KDC - Kaipara District Council 

KPI - Key Performance Indicator

LATE - Local Authority Trading Enterprise

LGA - Local Government Act 2002

LGNZ - Local Government New Zealand

LGOIMA - Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987

LGOL - Local Government Online

LTP - Long Term Plan

LTFS - Long Term Financial Strategy

MCDEM - Ministry of Civil Defence & Emergency Management

MFE - Ministry for the Environment 

MHWS - Mean High Water Springs

MMH - Marsden Maritime Holdings Limited

MNZ - Maritime New Zealand

MBIE - Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment

MOH - Ministry of Health

MOT - Ministry of Transport

 

MPI - Ministry for Primary Industries

MSD - Ministry of Social Development

NCMC - National Crisis Management Centre

NES - National Environmental Standards

NDHB - Northland District Health Board

NZRC - New Zealand Refining Company (Marsden Point)

NGO - Non-Governmental Organisation

NIF - Northland Intersectoral Forum

NINC - Northland Inc.

NIWA - National Institute of Water and Atmosphere

NORTEG - Northland Technical Advisory Group

NPS - National Policy Statement

NZCPS - New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement

NZTA - New Zealand Transport Agency

NZQA - New Zealand Qualifications Authority

NZWWA - New Zealand Water and Wastes Association

OFI - Opportunity for Improvement

OSH - Occupational Safety & Health

OSPRI - Operational Solutions for Primary Industries

PCBU - Person Conducting Business or Undertaking

PDF - Portable Document Format

PPE - Personal Protective Equipment

RAP - Response Action Plan

RAQP - Regional Air Quality Plan

RCP - Regional Coastal Plan

RFI - Request for Information

RFP - Request for Proposal

RTC - Regional Transport Committee

RLTS - Regional Land Transport Strategy

RMA - Resource Management Act 1991

RMG - Resource Managers Group (Regional Councils)

RMZ - Riparian Management Zone

ROI - Return on Investment

RPMP - Regional Pest Management Plan

RPMS - Regional Pest Management Strategy

RPS - Regional Policy Statement

RSG - Regional Sector Group

RSHL - Regional Software Holdings Ltd

RTO - Regional Tourism Organisation

RWASP - Regional Water and Soil Plan

SIPO - Statement of Investment Policy and Objectives

SITREP - Situation Report

SMF - Sustainable Management Fund

SOE - State of Environment (or) State Owned Enterprise 

SOLGM - Society of Local Government Managers

SPARC - Sport & Recreation New Zealand

STV - Single Transferable Vote

SWAG - Surface Water Allocation Group

SWPA - Sustainable Water Programme of Action

TAG - Technical Advisory Group

Tier 1 - Site level plan or response for an oil spill

Tier 2 - Regional level plan or response to an oil spill

Tier 3 - National level plan or response to an oil spill

TLA - Territorial Local Authority – City & District Councils

TMP - Treasury Management Plan

TOR - Terms of Reference

TPK - Te Puni Kōkiri (Ministry of Maori Development)

TUANZ - Telecommunications Users Association of NZ

UNISA - Upper North Island Strategic Alliance

WDC - Whangarei District Council

WHHIF - Whangarei Harbour Health Improvement Fund

WRC - Waikato Regional Council

WSMP - Workplace Safety Management Practices

WWTP - Wastewater Treatment Plant

 

  


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 3.0

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Health & Safety Report - October 2019

ID:

A1255255

From:

Andree James, Health and Safety and Human Resources Advisor and Beryl Steele, Human Resources Manager

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

This report provides an overview of Health & Safety activity during the month of October 2019.  The number of incidents has increased due to Health & Safety Representatives and the new Advisor driving requests for improved reporting.  One serious ‘near miss’ is reported, stop work was discussed and controls will be implemented in November.  Chemical handling features highly for the month of October.

 

Recommendation / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

That the report ‘Health & Safety Report - October 2019’ by Andree James, Health and Safety and Human Resources Advisor and Beryl Steele, Human Resources Manager and dated 31 October 2019, be received.

 

 

Background / Tuhinga

 

Statistics rolling year September 2018 - October 2019

(showing a 12-month period)

Injury Related

Hazards

Loss time Injury

(LTI)

Accident Work

(ACC W)

Accident Not Work

(ACC NW)

Medical Treatment Incident

(MTI)

First Aid Treatment Incident

(FTI)

No Medical Treatment Incident

(NMTI)

Near Miss

Hazard

(HAZ)

Incident

(INC)

Security

(SEC)

1

10

0

1

2

1

18

18

9

2

 

 

 

Incident types reported for the Period September 2019 – October 2019

LTI

ACC W

ACC NW

MTI

FTI

INMT

Near Miss

HAZ

INC

SEC

0

0

0

0

2

1

6

11

1

0

 

 

 

 

Vehicle incident details

·    A trailer bounced off a tow ball as it was not locked in properly.  The driver stopped where visible and reloaded the trailer.  The handle of trailer was broken and needed replacement, but it was still usable.  This has now been fixed.

·    While leaving an underground carpark the driver took the corner too tightly and scrapped the rear right hand side of the vehicle against a parking lot bollard.

 

Chemical Hazard

·    The chemical hazard is rated high as, although we have appropriate measures in place to mitigate risk to our people and others who we have responsibility for as a PCBU, there is still the potential for people to be seriously hurt whether due to fire, explosion or poisonous gases.

 

Events of Note

·    Chemwaste in Auckland reported a fire due to Chemist failing to identify hazardous substance NRC had delivered via delivery service contractor HAZChem.  Chain of events categorises this as a serious Near Miss.  Another Near Miss occurred at the Re:sort Centre shortly after this event which highlights the requirement for a more robust segregation and identification process.  Controls to be approved by Group Manager.

·    The Health & Safety Strategy was launched by the Health & Safety Committee

·    A new Health & Safety Advisor commenced with the organisation

 


 

Training:

Topic

Dates

Pax

Length

4 Wheel drive Theory

September

27

1 day

Contractor Management

September

1

1 day

Chemical Handler

September

1

1 day

4 Wheel Drive Practical

October

27

1 day

Traffic Controller

October

5

1 day

STMS

October

1

2 days

Induction

October

2

1 hour

 

Projects:

A full review of the current Health & Safety Management System and its effectiveness is taking place with the initiative of carrying out a SafePlus assessment.  SafePlus is a joint initiative developed by WorkSafe New Zealand, ACC and the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) and provides a credible, nationally recognised and authoritative definition of what good health and safety looks like over and above minimum legal compliance.

 

Current Projects include:

Priority

Risk

Demand

Comfort

Contract Management

High

High

 

Councillor Induction

Low

High

 

Dept Specific Inductions

High

Low

 

ELT Day in the Life

Low

High

 

ELT Top 7 Action Plan

Low

Low

 

First Response Review

Low

Low

 

H&S Reporting

Low

High

 

HSNO

Medium

High

 

NRC Management Development Program H&S

Low

Low

 

People (Support)

High

Low

 

Policy Reviews

Medium

High

 

Review H&S Procedures

Medium

Medium

 

Risk Register

Medium

High

 

Safe Plus Accreditation

Low

Low

 

Tag and Test

Low

Managed - Low

 

Traffic Management Plan State highway

Medium

High

 

Training Records

Low

High

 

Volunteer Procedures

Medium

Low

 

 

 

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Dave Tams

Title:

Group Manager, Corporate Excellence

Date:

11 November 2019

  


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 4.1

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Working Party Updates and Chairpersons' Briefings

ID:

A1256984

 

Recommendation / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

That the report ‘Working Party Updates and Chairpersons' Briefings’ be received.

 

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council Working Party                         (Co-Chairs: Pita Tipene, Cr Paul Dimery)

The working party met on 12 September 2019.  The topics for discussion included:

Ÿ Presentations from Northland Inc and the Tane Whakapiripiri Project

Ÿ Continuity of the Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) over the council recess

Ÿ TTMAC review and membership

Ÿ MTAG update on Mana Whakahono a Rohe

Ÿ Funding for scholarships and for Iwi and Hapū Environmental Management Plans

Ÿ Northland Water Storage and Use Project

Ÿ Reviewing Freshwater Quantity Limits for Fully Allocated Water Bodies

Ÿ Appeals to the Proposed Regional Plan

Ÿ Updates on: Inter-regional Marine Pest Management Discussion Document; and Climate Change

Ÿ Report on the TTMAC marae-based hui hosted by Ngāti Kuri at Waiora Marae on 8 August.

Following discussion, the working party provided advice on the following next steps:

Ÿ That a paper be taken to council recommending that MTAG be able to reconvene for up to five meetings during the period of the election and coming-into-office of the new triennium council (2019-2022).

Ÿ That MTAG consider and provide advice about TTMAC membership and any other aspects of TTMAC. That advice will then be provided to the incoming council for their consideration when reviewing the governance structure.

Ÿ That staff and MTAG work together on identifying a preferred option for marine pest management (Inter-regional Marine Pest Management Discussion Document)

Ÿ That staff work with MTAG to develop recommendations on how tangata whenua values and interests are identified and reflected in the assessment of freshwater quantity limits for fully allocated water bodies.

Planning Working Party                                                                                                         (Chair: Cr Joce Yeoman)

The working party met on 18 September 2019. The topics for discussion included:

Ÿ Update on Central Government Policy Direction

Ÿ Update on Appeals for the Proposed Regional Plan

Following discussion, no further advice nor actions were required.

 

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Jonathan Gibbard

Title:

Group Manager - Strategy, Governance and Engagement

Date:

13 November 2019

  


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 5.1

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Approval to open an Australian currency bank account with ASB

ID:

A1254254

From:

Simon Crabb, Finance Manager

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

The latest investment report from council’s independent investment advisor (EriksensGlobal) showed council has New Zealand Dollar (NZD) $60M invested in its externally managed fund portfolio.

Of this NZD60M, the equivalent of NZD5.2M is invested in 3 managed funds that are denominated in Australian dollars.

It is proposed that council establish an Australian currency bank account to minimise its foreign exchange conversion fees, and its exposure to foreign exchange losses, when converting transfers between the 3 Australian dollar denominated fund managers into NZD.

In accordance with the Treasury management policy, Council has the responsibility to authorise the opening and closing of all bank accounts. As ASB currently provide councils transactional banking facilities for NZD transactions, it is recommended that the Australian currency bank account is established with the ASB.

 

Recommendations / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

1.         That the report ‘Approval to open an Australian currency bank account with ASB’ by Simon Crabb, Finance Manager and dated 29 October 2019, be received.

2.         That an Australian currency bank account is opened with ASB Bank Limited

 

Considerations

1.         Options

No.

Option

Advantages

Disadvantages

1

Open an Australian dollar currency bank account with ASB.

 

Minimise foreign exchange conversion fees, and the exposure to foreign exchange losses when transferring investments between Australian dollar denominated fund managers.

No material disadvantage.

2

Do not open an Australian dollar currency bank account with ASB

No material advantage.

Incur foreign exchange conversion fees, and potentially exposure to foreign exchange losses, when transferring investments between Australian dollar denominated fund managers

The staff’s recommended option is 1.

2.         Significance and engagement

In relation to section 79 of the Local Government Act 2002, this decision is considered to be of low significance because it is part of council’s day-to-day activities and is in accordance with the approved Treasury Management Policy.

3.         Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

The activities detailed in this report are in accordance with council’s Treasury Management Policy, and the 2018–28 Long Term Plan, both of which were approved in accordance with council’s decision-making requirements of sections 76–82 of the Local Government Act 2002. The activities detailed in this report are also in accordance with council’s Operating Costs Reserve Policy

4.         Financial Implications

A foreign currency bank account will reduce losses associated with an adverse movement in the Australian:New Zealand (AUD:NZD) exchange rate between the date council receives monies from one Australian denominated fund manager and the date of reinvestment into another fund manager (which could be in either New Zealand dollars or Australian dollars). 

That is, Council will receive funds in Australian dollars and then will need to decide where to reallocate the funds.  By having an Australian dollar bank account it will mean: (1) there is no requirement to convert to NZ dollars upon receipt; (2) there is no requirement to convert back to Australian dollars upon payment if it is decided the funds should be reallocated to an Australian dollar fund manager ; (3) there is no time pressure to make a reinvestment decision to avoid an adverse AUD:NZ exchange rate and (4) there will be no unnecessary foreign exchange transaction costs to pay.

 At the time of writing, an Australian currency bank account has an interest rate of 0.00% per annum (i.e. no interest is payable to council by the bank). The comparable rate applicable to councils standard NZD transactional bank account is 0.25% per annum. It should be noted that council only holds its 30 day cashflow requirement with the ASB bank. All other working capital is held in a Managed Fund that has earnt 3.9% per annum for the 12 months to 30 September 2019.

5.         Implementation Issues

Councils ASB banking relationship manager will open the Australian currency bank account upon completion of the necessary paperwork - approximately 1 working day. There are no additional transactional costs for having an Australian currency bank account, but council will avoid having to pay for unnecessary foreign exchange transaction costs.

Being a purely administrative matter, Community Views and Māori Impact Statement are not applicable.

 

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Dave Tams

Title:

Group Manager, Corporate Excellence

Date:

12 November 2019

 


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 5.2

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Financial Report to 31 October 2019

ID:

A1256762

From:

Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

This report is to inform council of the year to date (YTD) financial result to October 2019.  Council has achieved a YTD surplus after transfers to and from reserves of $3.18M, which is $325K favourable to budget.

 

Recommendation / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

That the report ‘Financial Report to 31 October 2019’ by Vincent McColl, Financial Accountant and dated 5 November 2019, be received.

 

Report


Revenue

Year to date revenue is $19.3M, which is $726K or 3.9% above budget.

 

Expenditure

Year to date expenditure is $14.1M, which is $1.0M or 6.7% below budget. 

Note that across council there is a $319K favourable salaries variance predominantly due to delays in the recruitment of positions identified in the LTP and AP and the time to fill vacancies. Some of these have associated external funding.

Transfers to reserves

For the year to date there has been a net transfer to reserves of $1.95M compared to a budgeted net transfer to reserves of $532K.  This is predominantly due to:

Ÿ $1.07M higher than budgeted transfers to externally managed fund reserves representing reinvestment of gains above budgeted levels.

Ÿ $121K lower than budgeted transfers from the Investment and Growth Reserve due to economic development grants not occurring as budgeted.

Ÿ $101K higher than budgeted transfers to the Whangarei and Far North bus reserves due to higher NZTA subsidies than budgeted.

Capital Expenditure

Actual capital expenditure year to date of $1.46M is $207K lower than budgeted capital expenditure of $1.67M. At this stage there are no anticipated major variances to the $4.70M full year budgeted plan of work.

 

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Dave Tams

Title:

Group Manager, Corporate Excellence

Date:

07 November 2019

  


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 6.1

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Confirmation of Governance Structure, Membership and Councillor Portfolios

ID:

A1257598

From:

Chris Taylor, Governance Support Manager and Linda Harrison, Organisational Project Manager

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

This document acts as a ‘placeholder’ for the report ‘Confirmation of Governance Structure, Membership and Councillor Portfolios’ which was unable to be completed in time for the circulation of the main agenda due to the need for council to workshop the matter further on 13 November 2019.

The report will be sent out to members under separate cover.

 

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Jonathan Gibbard

Title:

Group Manager - Strategy, Governance and Engagement

Date:

13 November 2019

 


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 6.2

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Meeting Dates for the remainder of 2019

ID:

A1256388

From:

Chris Taylor, Governance Support Manager

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

The purpose of this report is to present for council consideration and approval a schedule of key meeting dates.  It concludes with the recommendation that council resolves to hold the meetings as detailed in the report.

 

Recommendations / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

1.         That the report ‘Meeting Dates for the remainder of 2019’ by Chris Taylor, Governance Support Manager and dated 4 November 2019, be received.

2.         That the programme of meetings for the remainder of 2019 be adopted.

 

Background / Tuhinga

The meeting calendar (included as Attachment 1) for the remainder of 2019 is based on the council’s agreed commitment to conduct council meetings on the third Tuesday of the month and, in general; Tuesdays and Wednesdays being the preferred days to conduct council business.  Please note that council is being requested to approve two dates, being a Monday, to allow its subordinate bodies to meet prior to the end of the year; given the high workload during the new council induction period.

Furthermore, when the council has confirmed its governance structure the meeting calendar will be updated to include all of its subordinate bodies and brought back to council for ratification. 

It is important to note that the meetings schedule is a fluid document, with the flexibility to change, add and delete meetings as required to ensure maximum efficiency.

Councillors will be informed in advance of changes to the calendar, with as much notice as is possible.

Considerations

1.         Options

No.

Option

Advantages

Disadvantages

1

Approve the meeting calendar for the remainder of 2019

Councillors have a schedule to work to and are able to plan their commitments well in advance.

Having a schedule in place manages the expectations of the public, council officers and other interested parties.

None apparent. 

2

Do not approve the meeting calendar for the remainder of 2019.

None apparent

Neither councillors nor council officers have a schedule of meetings to work to.

The staff’s recommended option is Option 1

2.         Significance and engagement

This is a purely administrative matter and part of the day to day operations of council; hence deemed to be of low significance.

3.         Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

The Local Government Act 2002, Schedule 7, Clause 19, refers to the calling of meetings, and requires that a ‘local authority must hold the meetings that are necessary for the good government of its region or district’.

Further considerations

This is a purely administrative matter; hence Community views, Maori impact statement, Financial implications and Implementation issues are not applicable.

 

Attachments/Ngā tapirihanga

Attachment 1: Meeting Calendar for the remainder of 2019  

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Jonathan Gibbard

Title:

Group Manager - Strategy, Governance and Engagement

Date:

06 November 2019

 


Council Meeting  ITEM: 6.2

19 November 2019Attachment 1

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Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 6.3

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Retrospective approval for council submissions 

ID:

A1256675

From:

Justin Murfitt, Strategic Policy Specialist

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

This report seeks retrospective approval for submissions lodged on behalf of council under authority delegated to the Chief Executive during the lead up to the local government elections. The submissions lodged under delegated authority during this period are attached. 

 

Recommendations / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

1.         That the report ‘Retrospective approval for council submissions  ’ by Justin Murfitt, Strategic Policy Specialist and dated 5 November 2019, be received.

2.         That council retrospectively approve the submissions attached to this item.

 

Background / Tuhinga

The Government embarked on a number of consultations that coincided with the lead up to local government elections. This meant council could not consider and approve draft submissions on these matters in a formal meeting prior to them being lodged. In light of this timing issue, council delegated authority to the Chief Executive Officer to approve draft submissions on council’s behalf during this period at its meeting of 17 September 2019. 

This resolution required that the draft submissions be circulated to elected members for comment prior to lodgement and that the final submissions will be provided to council for approval at its next meeting. This item fulfils the latter requirement. The relevant submissions lodged under delegated authority and requiring retrospective approval are submissions on:

Ÿ The Proposed National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land

Ÿ The Action for healthy waterways

Ÿ The National Policy Statement for Urban Development

Ÿ Product stewardship (priority products)

Ÿ Hazardous substances – review of the reassessment process.

These submissions are attached (Attachment 1-5).

Considerations

Options

No.

Option

Advantages

Disadvantages

1

Council does not provide retrospective approval

None

Submissions lodged would not have the endorsement of council

2

Council provides retrospective approval

The submissions lodged have the endorsement of council.

 

None

The staff’s recommended option is Option 2.

2.         Significance and engagement

In relation to section 79 of the Local Government Act 2002, this decision is considered to be of low significance when assessed against council’s significance and engagement policy because it is part of council’s day to day activities.  This does not mean that this matter is not of significance to tangata whenua and/or individual communities, but that council is able to make decisions relating to this matter without undertaking further consultation or engagement.

3.         Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

The decision is consistent with policy and legislative requirements.

Further considerations

Being a purely administrative matter, Community Views, Māori Impact Statement, Financial Implications and Implementation Issues are not applicable.

 

Attachments/Ngā tapirihanga

Attachment 1: NRC Submission - NPS Highly Productive Land (October 2019)

Attachment 2: NRC Submission - Action for Healthy Waterways (October 2019)

Attachment 3: NRC Submission - NPS Urban Development (October 2019)

Attachment 4: NRC Submission - Priority Products Discussion Document (October 2019)

Attachment 5: NRC Submission - HSNO Review of Assessment Process (September 2019)  

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Jonathan Gibbard

Title:

Group Manager - Strategy, Governance and Engagement

Date:

13 November 2019

 


Council Meeting  ITEM: 6.3

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Council Meeting  ITEM: 6.3

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Council Meeting  ITEM: 6.3

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Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 6.4

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Manea Footprints of Kupe - Agreement regarding the fulfilment of a condition of funding

ID:

A1256810

From:

Darryl Jones, Economist

 

Executive Summary / Whakarāpopototanga

The purpose of this report is to seek council approval that a condition of funding for the Manea Footprints of Kupe project has been satisfied by the negotiated text.  The negotiated text goes a long way towards but does not completely satisfy the intent of one of the conditions of funding put in place by council at its meeting on 19 February 2019.  Staff recommend that council approval be given.  Approval will allow Malcolm Nicolson, Chief Executive Officer, to sign the funding agreement for the Manea Footprints of Kupe project as all the other conditions of funding have been incorporated into the funding agreement.

 

Recommendations / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

1.         That the report ‘Manea Footprints of Kupe - Agreement regarding the fulfilment of a condition of funding’ by Darryl Jones, Economist and dated 5 November 2019, be received.

2.         That the condition requiring the funding agreement to contain an undertaking that Manea will be held in perpetuity for the benefit of the local community and that should it ever be sold into private ownership that council will be refunded its $500,000 funding allocation is considered satisfied by the text contained in Attachment 1 to agenda item 6.4 of the council meeting held on 19 November 2019.

 

Background / Tuhinga

At its meeting on 19 February 2019, council agreed to allocate $500,000 (excluding GST) as Enabling Investment funding from the Investment and Growth Reserve (IGR) to the Manea Footprints of Kupe project.  The project involves the establishment of a Cultural Heritage and Education Centre in Opononi, Hokianga.  The centre will preserve, communicate and celebrate Kupe’s voyage to the Hokianga, his journeys across Aotearoa, his departure, the stories of repopulation and progression of his descendants, the local culture and the places of historical significance.  Inside the centre, the stories (footprints) will be told using a combination of guided tours, 4D interactive performances and technology stations.  This will be complemented by taonga repatriated from private collections and over time, from various museums. 

The allocation of Enabling Investment funding from the IGR was made subject to a number of conditions being met.  One of those conditions (condition number d) iv.) was that the funding agreement between Te Hua o Te Kawariki Trust (the Trust), Manea Footprints of Kupe Ltd (MFKL), Far North Holdings Limited (FNHL) and council includes “an undertaking that Manea will be held in perpetuity for the benefit of the local community and that should it ever by sold into private ownership that council will be refunded its $500,000 funding allocation.”

Since February staff have been negotiating with the Trust, MFKL and FNHL on the terms of the funding agreement.  All the conditions associated with the funding allocation have been incorporated into the funding agreement except for d) iv.  The undertaking that the Trust and FNHL are willing to provide council is set out in Attachment 1.

Staff consider that the undertaking set out in Attachment 1, while going a long way, does not fully meet the requirements of funding condition d) iv.  Staff are therefore seeking council approval that the undertaking provide by the Trust and FNHL is sufficient to satisfy the condition of funding d) iv.

Approval will allow Malcolm Nicolson, Chief Executive Officer, to sign the funding agreement for the Manea Footprints of Kupe project as all the other conditions of funding have been incorporated into the funding agreement. 

Considerations

1.         Options

 

No.

Option

Advantages

Disadvantages

1

Agree that the undertaking in Attachment 1 satisfies the condition of funding d) iv.

Allows funding agreement to be signed and project to advance on schedule

Potential risk that council grant funding may benefit the private sector

2

Disagree that the undertaking in Attachment 1 satisfies the condition of funding d) iv. 

Consistent with council recommendation

Places the project in jeopardy of tipping over

Forces the proponents to fund alternative sources

The staff’s recommended option is Option 1.  Staff believe that it will be extremely difficult to get any further undertakings from the Trust and FNHL in relation to this condition of funding.  Fully satisfying the condition of funding d) iv is complicated by:

Ÿ the terms of the Funding Agreement between the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment and the Trust, MFKL and FNHL,

Ÿ the split in the current ownership profile between FNHL (land and building) and the Trust (the experience fit out), and

Ÿ by the allocation by the proponents of council’s funding to the development of the experience component of the project rather than to the purchase of the land or the construction of the building. 

A major reason why the council made the decision in February 2019 to support the project was because of the positive economic benefits it would bring to the Hokianga area.  This rationale has not changed, and it is for this reason staff recommend that council accepts the undertaking as fulfilling funding condition number d) iv.  This decision is considered as an exception to the funding condition requiring the repayment of council’s funding if the investment is ever sold into private ownership.  This condition is put in place to fulfil the objective and requirement of the IGR criteria that Enabling Investment funding is used for the construction of public or community held infrastructure. 

2.         Significance and engagement

In relation to section 79 of the Local Government Act 2002, this decision is considered to be of low significant when assessed against council’s Significance and Engagement Policy as the allocation of funding from the IGR has been specifically considered and provided for in council’s Long Term Plan.

3.         Policy, risk management and legislative compliance

The activities detailed in this report are in accordance with the IGR criteria, the Long Term Plan 2018-2028, and council’s decision-making process as prescribed in the Local Government Act 2002.

Further considerations

4.         Community views

The project has considerable support from the local community.  Several community meetings were held in developing the proposal, with feedback incorporated into the layout and design.

5.         Māori impact statement

The project is being led by Te Hua o Tw Kawariki Trust who represent four local marae who are invested in the project.  The project will showcase Māori culture and contribute to economic development in the Hokianga area.  There is no known opposition to this project from Māori.

6.         Financial implications

At its meeting on February 2018, council agreed to fund the $500,000 contribution from the IGR by agreeing to a discretional transfer of $500,000 from the Community Investment Fund (CIF).  This decision was made because it was assessed that there was insufficient funds in the IGR to cover the investment requested.  Such a transfer from the CIF to the IGR is allowed under the Long Term Plan 2018-2028 provided the CIF balance does not fall below $12.5 million.  The CIF balance as at 30 September 2019, i.e. prior to any transfer to the IGR to support the Manea Footprints of Kupe project, is just over $15.5 million. 

Subsequent to this decision, at its meeting on 20 August 2019, council agreed to record an impairment loss of $819,933 in 2018/19 in relation to the outstanding amount owed by Resources Enterprises Limited (REL).  Booking an impairment loss does not discharge REL of their liability to fully repay the loan principal and related interest payments.  Council is taking action to try and recover the outstanding balanced owed by REL, $860,580 as at 20 August.  Should REL repay the outstanding balance, the impairment loss will be reversed, and the cash received transferred to the IGR.

Table 1 shows the total funding available for the three years 2019/20 to 2021/22 assuming all commitments, obligations and arrangements are maintained, and that council does not recover any of the outstanding balance owed by REL 

The analysis shows that the IGR will have a negative balance of around $360,000 at the end of June 2022.  The implication is that any further Enabling Investment funding allocated by council during this period will need to be financed by a transfer from the CIF to the IGR. 

It also indicates that council may need to make a one-off transfer from the CIF to the IGR at some point in the future to ensure that the IGR balance does not go into negative.  The timing of when this transfer is required depends on the timing of any funds received into the IGR from REL, and the timing of payments out of the IGR to meet existing funding commitments.  The current estimate is that the IGR will have a positive balance of around $350,000 at 30 June 2020. 

In relation to current funding commitments, the analysis assumes that Northland Inc allocates $300,000 for Project Development in each of the three years, this being the maximum amount provided for by the IGR criteria.  Over the past five years, the maximum amount provided for Project Development funding has never been allocated, with the amount allocated averaging around 80% of the maximum. 

 


 

Table 1. Investment and Growth Reserve Cash Flow Balance
Cumulative value for the three years 2019/20 – 2021/22
based on current funding commitments and settings

7.         Implementation issues

The project is being implemented by Far North Holdings Limited who have been involved in developing a number of infrastructure projects in the Far North so no implementation issues are envisaged. 

 

Attachments / Ngā tapirihanga

Attachment 1: Undertaking provided to satisfy condition of funding d)iv  

Authorised by Group Manager

Name:

Jonathan Gibbard

Title:

Group Manager - Strategy, Governance and Engagement

Date:

13 November 2019

 


Council Meeting  ITEM: 6.4

19 November 2019Attachment 1

Attachment 1

FUNDING AGREEMENT FOR MANEA FOOTPRINTS OF KUPE

Clause relating to the fulfilment of condition of funding d)iv

 

9.    Repayment of Funding if Manea Footprints of Kupe is sold to a private operator

a)   The Recipient is a registered charitable trust, and the development of the Project is consistent with the Recipient’s charitable purposes under the Charitable Trust Deed dated 15 December 2006 (“Trust Deed”).  In accordance with the Trust Deed, a resolution of the Trust Board, and various agreements entered into by the Recipient:

i.  the Recipient leases the land and buildings comprising the Project (“Property”) from FNHL, the initial landlord for the Project; 

ii. the Recipient has an irrevocable option to purchase the Property from FNHL.

b)   The Recipient intends that the Project will be developed, operated, and, once the Recipient is financially able to purchase the Project, owned and held by the Recipient for the benefit of the local community served by the Council in accordance with the Recipient’s charitable purposes.  

c)   The sale of the Project (or any part of it, including the Property) to a private operator is not consistent with the Recipient’s charitable purposes under the Trust Deed, and as at the date of this Agreement the Recipient has no intention to do so. 

d)   Notwithstanding paragraph c) above, the Recipient undertakes to the Council that:

i.  if the Recipient sells the Project or any part of the Project owned by the Recipient (“Sale Property”) to any third party; and

ii. that third party will not hold the Sale Property for the benefit of the local community served by the Council, then, to the extent that the Recipient is entitled to retain any net proceeds of the Sale Property, the Recipient will repay to Council from those net proceeds received by the Recipient any funding received by Council under this Agreement.

e)   Should FNHL sell the Property to a third party who is not holding the Property for the benefit of the local community served by the Council, FNHL will repay to Council from the net proceeds received, the funding provided by Council under this agreement under the following terms. 

i.    During the period in which clause 3.17 of the Funding Agreement between Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (“Ministry”) and Te Hua o Te Kawariki Trust and Far North Holdings Ltd and Manea Footprints of Kupe Limited (“PGF Agreement”) is applicable, currently until 30 April 2040 as at the date of this agreement, Council will be repaid the funding it has provided from the net proceeds remaining once the Ministry and FNHL have been repaid for the amount of co-funding they have contributed to the Project.     

ii.   Once the period in which clause 3.17 of the PGF Agreement is no longer applicable, FNHL would take a priority return on the proceeds for any un-paid rent it is due, thereafter the net proceeds received will be split according to the proportions invested by both parties; FNHL $1.175m and NRC $500k, i.e. 70% /30%, up to the amount Council is repaid in full.

f)    If the Property is transferred or sold by FNHL to the Trust, then the guarantee outlined in clause 9e) is discharged.

 

 

 

 


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                         item: 7.1

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Chief Executive’s Report to Council

ID:

A1254379

From:

Malcolm Nicolson, Chief Executive Officer

 

Recommendation / Ngā mahi tūtohutia

That the report ‘Chief Executive’s Report to Council’ by Malcolm Nicolson, Chief Executive Officer and dated 31 October 2019, be received.

 

7.1.1   Highlights

Elections and New Council Induction

Following the elections the new council has been sworn in and an intensive induction programme is currently underway.

Pōwhiri mo ngā Kaunihera hou o Te Taitokerau

In partnership with Te Parawhau – mana whenua of Whangārei - staff welcomed the new Councillors and their whānau at Water Street offices in Whangārei.  Te Parawhau acknowledged both the Council and the Tumuwhakarae/Chief Executive for upholding tikanga and te reo Māori within the pōwhiri process.  A progressive and positive beginning for the new Council and for all that attended to support the event.

ALGIM Awards

Northland Regional Council won the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) in  Innovation award for the creation of the Northland Civil Defence operational overview - a dashboard for civil defence created by Rebecca Norman in the GIS team.

NZ Biosecurity Awards

Kane McElrea, the Northland Regional Council’s Biosecurity Manager – Partnerships and Strategy, edged out two other finalists from Land Information New Zealand and AgResearch to clinch the ‘emerging leader’ award at the recent New Zealand Biosecurity Awards in Auckland.

Congratulations also to Te Roroa Commercial Development Company, which was also recognised  by being awarded the ‘New Zealand Biosecurity Department of Conservation Community Kahiwi Award’ for its Kauri Dieback Response Plan.


 

NZ River Awards 2019 – Mangakahia River

Mangakahia River was a top three finalist for this year’s New Zealand River Awards River Story Award.  The finalist entry profiled the environmental work of dairy farmer Andrew Booth and the considerable effort he has put into fencing, planting and effluent management on the farm adjoining the Mangakahia River.  NRC has supported the environmental work on the Booth farm through a FEP (Farm Environment Plan) and two environment fund grants.

7.1.2   CEO’s Office

Council Property Update

Ÿ A Sale & Purchase Agreement to purchase a Whangarei CBD property has settled and freehold ownership is now Council’s.

Ÿ A Sale & Purchase Agreement to sell a Whangarei Industrial Area property has gone unconditional, and will settling in mid-November.

Ÿ ARCO Group Ltd, Head Contractor for the redevelopment at 8 Kensington Avenue, are running slightly ahead of schedule.  Demolition is largely complete.  Sale of Childcare land has been completed.

Ÿ Kaipara District Council has signed an ‘Agreement to Lease’ (ATL) for approximately two-thirds of the Kaipara Service Centre (KSC)floor area.  The KSC developed design is close to completion, with progress currently tracking to have council consider the project design, budget and KDC ATL at the December monthly meeting.

Upper North Island Strategic Alliance (UNISA)

Ÿ UNISA CE’s are to consider their response to the Upper North Island Supply Chain Study (ports, rail and roads) recommendation involving Northport, Port of Tauranga and Ports of Auckland.

Ÿ UNISA Councils continue to support an Upper North Island marine pest management pathway plan promoted by Council.

Current Legal Proceedings

Department

Description

Status

Consent decision appeal

Replacement consents for, and new consents for an expansion of, Doug’s Opua Boat Yard in Walls Bay, Ōpua.

No further progress to report.  A progress report in respect of a High Court appeal is to be provided to the Environment Court by 30 April 2020.

Consent decision appeal

Replacement discharge consents for East Coast Bays Wastewater Treatment Plant (Taipā)

One joint appeal received from a number of parties, including Ngāti Kahu.  Awaiting direction from the Court regarding formal mediation process.

7.1.3   Corporate Excellence

Regional Software Holdings Limited

RSHL indicated in the annual report a need to undertake a reinvestment in the IRIS product to ensure that solution and technology remains current and fit for purpose. RSHL has identified that development of the roadmap for the next generation of IRIS (IRIS NG) is a strategic priority.  Work is well underway to issue a Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI) document through the Government Electronic Tenders Service portal (GETS), with an advance notice issued on 1 November.  

The REOI is inviting expressions of interest from suitably qualified providers to partner with RSHL for the delivery and maintenance of a fully integrated, modular and digitally enabled platform for the regional council sector.  Currently the six shareholding council and four other councils are participating in the REOI process in some capacity.

The key objective of this process is to develop long term financial projection for the Regional Software Holdings Ltd shareholders and customers.

Fraud Declaration

I am not aware of any fraud nor am I investigating any incidence or suspected incidence of fraud at this time.

7.1.4   Regulatory Services

CONSENTS IN PROCESS

During September and October 2019, a total of 126 Decisions were issued.  These decisions comprised:

September 2019 (62)

October 2019 (64)

Ÿ Moorings

2

Ÿ Moorings

7

Ÿ Coastal Permits

28

Ÿ Coastal Permits

15

Ÿ Air Discharge Permits

1

Ÿ Air Discharge Permits

0

Ÿ Land Discharge Permits

7

Ÿ Land Discharge Permits

3

Ÿ Water Discharge Permits

0

Ÿ Water Discharge Permits

1

Ÿ Land Use Consents

18

Ÿ Land Use Consents

26

Ÿ Water Permits

3

Ÿ Water Permits

4

Ÿ Bore Consents

3

Ÿ Bore Consents

8

The processing timeframes for the September 2019 consents ranged from:

Ÿ 303 to four calendar days, with the median time being 28 days;

Ÿ 162 to four working days, with the median time being 20 days.

The processing timeframes for the October 2019 consents ranged from:

Ÿ 470 to one calendar days, with the median time being 28 days;

Ÿ 313 to one working days, with the median time being 20 days.

Forty-three applications were received in September 2019

Thirty-six applications were received in October 2019

Of the 114 applications in progress at the end of October 2019:

•    41 were received more than 12 months ago (most awaiting further information from the applicant);

•    20 were received between six and 12 months ago (most awaiting further information from the applicant);

•    53 less than six months.

Appointment of Hearing Commissioners

No commissioners were appointed in September and October 2019.

Consents Decisions and Progress on Notified Applications in Process, Objections and Appeals

The current level of notified application processing activities at the end of October 2019 is (by number):

Ÿ Applications Publicly/Limited Notified During Previous Month

1

Ÿ Progress on Applications Previously Notified

2

Ÿ Hearings and Decisions

2

Ÿ Appeals/Objections

2

COMPLIANCE MONITORING

The results of compliance monitoring for the period 1 September – 31 October 2019 (and year-to-date figures) are summarised in the following table and discussed below.

Classification

Total

Full compliance

Low risk

non-compliance

Moderate non-compliance

Significant non-compliance

Not exercised during period

Air discharges

50

37

8

1

2

2

Coastal permit

72

48

9

12

0

3

Discharge permit

161

115

19

13

6

8

FDE - Discharge permit

287

177

0

66

41

3

FDE - Permitted activity

65

45

0

9

10

1

Land use consent

82

59

8

5

1

9

Water permit

178

93

66

9

0

10

Total

895

574

110

115

60

36

Percentage

64.2%

12.3%

12.8%

6.7%

4.0%

YTD

3,010

2167

312

232

133

166

Percentage

70%

10.4%

7.7%

4.4%

5.5%

Coastal

The majority of consents monitored during the reporting period related to coastal structures and coastal discharges from municipal sewage treatment plants, industrial sites and boat maintenance facilities.

Contractors were engaged to remove asbestos from historic oyster farm structures in the coastal marine area at Parua Bay, Whangārei Harbour, following a complaint from a member of the public.  Over a tonne of material containing asbestos was removed from the foreshore and surrounding coastal fringe.

Waste Management

Ÿ Twenty incidents involving the discharge of hazardous substances and 33 enquiries regarding contaminated land were received and responded to.

Ÿ 347.8 kg of hazardous waste was disposed of during the reporting period.

Ÿ Information was provided to LGNZ on hazard risk to closed landfills in Northland.  The prompt provision of this information ahead of the deadline by the NRC, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Nelson City Council was acknowledged.

Water, Waste, Air and Land Use Compliance Monitoring

Ÿ Aupōuri Groundwater Monitoring

Following the granting of 17 water take consents by the Environment Court, NRC has taken responsibility for all monitoring required by the Groundwater Monitoring and Contingency Plan that forms part of the consents.  Significant staff and equipment resource is required and costs of these will be recovered from the consent holders in accordance with council’s Charging Policy.

Ÿ Air monitoring

Staff are continuing to improve processes for attending and investigating complaints in regard to smoke and odour.  A number of brochures for ‘burning activities’ have been produced that the team can use to educate and encourage the general public to burn within the relevant regional rules, and how to burn without causing a nuisance.  Education and training by our officers for our main contractor, Armourguard, is ongoing to ensure that its officers have all the necessary tools and information while inspecting burning sites on behalf of NRC.

Ÿ Waste Management

Waste Management staff attended a number of workshops, closed regulator forums and Contaminated Land Special Interest Group meetings during September. Staff were engaged in sessions to discuss matters of national consistency including the National Environmental Standards for contaminated land.

Farm dairy effluent (FDE) monitoring

The following is a summary of the FDE monitoring for the current season to date, with tables comparing this season’s and last season’s results.

•    Consented FDE discharges

A total of 469 consented farms have been visited and reported on.  This is about 75% of the total consented farms to be visited.

Full Compliance

Moderate Non-Compliance

Significant Non-Compliance

This Year

Last Year

This Year

Last Year

This Year

Last Year

299

305

104

125

66

80

64%

60%

22%

24%

14%

16%

•    Non-consented FDE discharges

A total of 157 non-consented farms have been visited and reported on.  This is about 77% of the total non-consented farms to be visited. 

Full Compliance

Moderate Non-Compliance

Significant Non-Compliance

This Year

Last Year

This Year

Last Year

This Year

Last Year

109

124

23

29

25

38

69%

65%

15%

15%

16%

20%

Environmental incidents

There were no incidents recorded during the reporting period that resulted in a significant environmental impact.

ENFORCEMENT

Abatement notices, infringement notices and formal warnings

The following enforcement actions were taken during the period:

 

Infringement Notice

Abatement
Notice

Total

Nature of Offence

No. Offences

No. Notices

No. Offences

No.  Notices

No.  Offences

No. Notices

Burning & smoke nuisance

2

2

5

7

5

9

Earthworks/land use

1

1

1

1

1

2

Farm dairy effluent

33

56

45

46

53

102

Hazardous substances, spills and refuse

2

2

4

6

4

8

Illegal activity in coastal marine area

0

0

1

1

1

1

Other air discharge

0

0

1

2

1

2

Other water discharge

1

1

0

0

1

1

Sediment

1

1

2

2

2

3

Sewage

1

1

0

0

1

1

Total

41

64

58

65

68

129

Other Enforcement

Ÿ Dumping and burning of demolition waste, Kaikohe

Charges were laid against two companies and one individual (associated with one of the companies) and a landowner for the dumping and burning of demolition waste near Kaikohe.  One of the companies and the landowner attended a sentencing hearing on 15 August 2019 in the Kaikohe District Court.  The judge delivered his reserved decision on 3 September 2019.  The landowner, Jason Bill, was fined $14,400 on two charges, and Yakka Demolition was fined $36,000 on two charges.  The other company has elected jury trial, which is scheduled for two weeks commencing on 11 November 2019 in the Kaikohe District Court.

Ÿ Enforcement Order – Paihia wastewater treatment plant

Following a pre-hearing conference/settlement conference held on 4 March 2019, the Environment Court issued Enforcement Orders against the Far North District Council (FNDC) on 20 March 2019.  The orders set out milestones to complete an upgraded wastewater treatment plant.  FNDC has met the first four milestones – achieving the fourth one ahead of schedule.

Ÿ Farm dairy effluent – Maungakaramea

Charges have been laid against a farm owner and his company, as well as the farm manager, for offences which occurred in September 2018.  The farm has a poor history of compliance with regional rules for animal effluent disposal.  Pleas have not yet been entered.  The matter was brought before a judge on 14 August 2019 in the Whangarei District Court.  The farm owner and his company intimated guilty pleas and asked for more time to agree on the summary of facts with NRC.   Council is awaiting a court date for sentencing of all parties.

Ÿ Farm dairy effluent – Maromaku

Charges have been laid against a farm owner, his company and a farm manager for offences which occurred in September 2018.  The farm has a poor history of compliance with regional rules for animal effluent disposal.  The company has entered guilty pleas, with the remaining parties pleading not guilty.  A case review hearing was held on 14 August 2019.  A hearing date has been scheduled for January 2020 in the Whangārei District Court.

HYDROLOGY

Rivers/Rain situation

Ÿ October was quite a dry month for the West Coast with the area receiving 40-80% of the expected rainfall according to long term medians.  Kāeo, Bay of Islands, the eastern hills, Whangārei and Bream Bay received around normal rainfall totals.  This low rainfall to the west - higher to the east pattern is in contrast to many previous months this year, which have generally seen south-westerly winds delivering more rain to the west than the east.  The October rainfall distribution was influenced mainly by a system from the North Tasman mid-month delivering rain from a north-easterly direction, and is notable as one of very few weather systems of this type this year so far.  The lack of this type of weather system is a driver for the dry weather experienced in Northland this year.

Ÿ River flows for September were near average on the West, but generally below average on the East, with many rivers recording flows in the range of 60-80 % of the long-term average for the month, and rivers around Whangārei and the Wairua catchment recording 40-60 % of the long-term average.  For October, river flows in many areas were at or above the long-term average, the exception being the Awanui Catchment. The mid-October weather event is responsible for the average/above average Northland river flows, and made October the first month this year to have more stations recording above average flows than below average flows.

Hydrology Projects

Ÿ Water level sensors have been installed in the Waihopo Stream and Ngāwha as part of the Northland Water Storage and Use Project.

Ÿ Civil Defence CIMS4 (Coordinated Incident Management System) training has been undertaken by Hydrology staff.

NATURAL RESOURCES DATA

Ÿ Coordinating LAWA requests (key dates for delivery across May to December 2019):

Ÿ LAWA Recreational dataset – the review of updated overall bacterial risk grades is due in November 2019.

Ÿ LAWA Groundwater Quality Module (EMaR) – currently checking the trend and state results for Northland. The module is expected to go-live in December 2019.

Ÿ LAWA Annual Refresh of Lakes, Rivers, Can I Swim water quality, and Water Quantity data – all final datasets have been confirmed and loaded to LAWA for Rivers, Lakes and Macroinvertebrates. The module went live in September 2019.

Ÿ Implementation of the biological database KiECO will start early December 2019.

Ÿ Survey 123 for electronic data collection – further work is still required in connecting the spatial and environmental databases before the final release to the field operation teams. The expected starting date is December 2019 with the collection of electronic field measurements for the Recreational Swimming Water Quality Programme.

Ÿ The Environmental Data Collection and Management quality system has been submitted to align the quality system structure for monitoring with the data management lifecycle.

COASTAL/WATER QUALITY FIELD OPERATIONS

Ÿ Coastal water quality sampling of the Whangārei, Bay of Islands and Kaipara harbours and southern estuaries (Mangawhai, Waipū and Ruakaka) was carried out. 

Ÿ The monthly river water quality, priority catchment, and periphyton sampling programmes were undertaken.

Ÿ The quarterly coastal water quality buoy deployments at Hātea River and Waitangi Estuary were undertaken.

Ÿ Our quarterly coastal litter monitoring programme was undertaken at Pohe Island, Whangārei Harbour. Less rubbish was recorded this survey than the previous surveys.

NATURAL RESOURCES SCIENCE

Freshwater quality and quantity

Ÿ Aupōuri Aquifer – Bore Survey: The Aupōuri Aquifer is a valuable groundwater resource north of Kaitāia. There is increasing demand for water use from the aquifer predominantly for irrigation of avocado orchards. Over the next three months a survey will be undertaken across the Aupōuri Peninsula to obtain accurate information on bore locations, elevations, groundwater levels and conductivity levels (an indicator of salinity). The information gained will be valuable in constraining and validating groundwater models in the future.

Ÿ SPI (Standardised Precipitation Index) maps have been used for monitoring rainfall-based dryness/drought over the past two years. SDI (Standardised Discharge Index) maps have been developed for streamflow-based drought monitoring and are currently being tested.  

Freshwater ecology

Ÿ A large part of October was taken up with preparing data to inform the council’s submission to the draft National Policy Statement – Freshwater Management (NPS-FM).

Ÿ A catchment investigation has been initiated in the Waiaruhe River to investigate elevated ammoniacal nitrogen levels in the upper catchment.

Ÿ The Whangārei Catchment Group has approved funding for fish barrier remediation this summer to barriers caused by flood protection devices in the Raumanga Stream.

Air quality

Ÿ Ambient PM10 monitoring results for August and September 2019 for the Whangārei and Marsden Point airsheds and Kawakawa township show that compliance was met with the National Environmental Standards for Air Quality.  PM2.5 monitoring results for Whangārei were within the Ambient Air Quality Guideline value.

Ÿ Council’s CO2-e (carbon dioxide equivalent) emission for 2019 until September is 294.4 tonnes, which is 4.6 percent (i.e. 12.9 tonnes) higher than the same period in 2018. The increase is mainly attributable to increased air travel in 2019.

Coastal

Ÿ A remotely piloted aircraft system (RPAS) survey and habitat assessment of Ruakaka Estuary have been completed.  The images collected by the RPAS have been used to create a digital elevation model that can be used to monitor sedimentation rates in the future.  Other outputs include a map of the substrate in the estuary and maps of different habitat types (e.g. mangrove, saltmarsh and shellfish habitats).  The digital elevation model, habitat maps and a technical report are available on our website.

Ÿ Ruakaka Estuary has been identified as a marine significant ecological area (SEA) in the Proposed Regional Plan and so the habitat assessment will serve as a baseline assessment of this SEA.  This will enable council to assess the effectiveness of the Proposed Regional Plan at maintaining the values of the SEA.

Digital elevation model of Ruakaka

Substrate map of Ruakaka Estuary

Saltmarsh habitat in Ruakaka Estuary

Cockle habitat in Ruakaka Estuary

7.1.5   Environmental Services

HIGHLIGHTS

New Zealand Association of Resource Managers

2019 NZARM conference held in Waitangi 15-17 October. The collaborative conference organisation team consisted of NRC, DairyNZ, Hancock Forest Management Ltd. (NZ), and a number of contributors and sponsors.

Overall, NZARM conference committee and NRC highly praised for organisation, facilitation, and quality of speakers and field trips. This comment was fairly typical of the feedback received

“Absolutely fantastic.  Highlight of my working year.  Heard, saw so many things that I want to pass onto colleagues.  Waitangi pōwhiri was wonderful – I felt the weight of history.  Todd Hamilton – inspiring job!!  NRC staff – outstanding in all ways!”

Pest Control Hub

The pest control hub is a user friendly portal for customers to learn more about Northland’s worst pests, how to control them, and the rules regarding their control.  The webpage also provides a way for the public to report new pests and incidents increasing the regions ability both to detect new pests early and manage existing ones.  In 2017, Northland Regional Council’s Pest Control Hub won the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) award for Web & Digital Project of the Year and was runner up for Excellence in Innovation Award.  Recently the Hawke’s Bay and Southland regional councils have indicated they wish to adopt the concept and design for their own pest management rules.  Further information about the Northland Pest Control Hub can be found at https://www.nrc.govt.nz/environment/weed-and-pest-control/pest-control-hub/?classification=0&orderby=Views

Land Management

LTP KPI Progress

Measure

Required

Latest Result to date for 2019/2020

Area (ha) of land being actively managed under a sustainable farm environment plan

Increase from 25,000 ha p.a.

9,945 hectares

Kilometres of waterway protected by Efund

New Measure – Increase
(from baseline data)

(220 km 2017/18 year)

155 km
(Efunds granted but
not yet signed off)

Number of Wetlands funded via Efund annually

13

13

Staff have been concentrating on efund applications and FEP completions, targets should still be met moving forward.

Farm Plan and Environmental Fund Update

Farm Environment Plans 2019/2020

Environment Funds 2019/2020

FEPs Commenced
2019/20

FEPs Completed
2019/20

No. of Environment Funds Granted

Amount Granted

40

43

147

$1,010,764*

*This includes MfE fund proportion of Hātea projects.

Hātea Project

An unveiling ceremony for the Hātea Catchment water quality interpretation sign was held at Otuihau Reserve on 20 September to coincide with World Rivers Day on 22 September.  Kaumatua from local iwi and members of the Otuihau Working Group spoke at the ceremony, with some local community members (including a pre-school) attending.  This financial year $113K ($42K NRC funds & $71K MFE funds) has been granted for projects with further projects worth c. $45,600 being scoped.

Whangārei Harbour Catchment news

A project at Mair Park, run by the Whitebait Connection and funded by the Whangārei Harbour Catchment Group, recorded inanga spawning in the Hātea River for the first time in many years.  This project created artificial spawning habitat that was used successfully by the fish.  The project has prompted further work by Whitebait Connection in conjunction with WDC to create long term habitat for further spawning along with signage for public advocacy.

Waimā Waitai Waiora – Freshwater Improvement Fund

Objective

Status

Te Kawa Waiora

Contract signed with Reconnecting Northland to deliver this project over the next two years. Recruitment for the 3 project team/researcher positions advertised.

Farm Environment Plans

13 FEPs completed, our annual KPI is 40.

Landowner grants

Total budget for landowner grants this financial year is $341K. $60K has already been allocated. To ensure we meet our KPI of planting 100,000 native riparian plants this year we are looking to tender this contract. We are currently scoping the parameters and confirming the locations for this. Tender should be advertised before Christmas. Remaining budget will be allocated to fencing at planting sites.

Communications and engagement

Still working with external communications agency, Level, to finalise key messaging and engagement tools for the project.

One of our project partners, Living Water, is contributing further funding to assist in the development of 12 short videos about the catchment, harbour, people and mahi. These will be promotional videos that will be used/shared by all project partners.

Water quality monitoring

3 new water quality monitoring sites were added to the NRC network in May 2019

Project team are working with Te Orewai hapū to develop a mātauranga monitoring pilot project. Initial field work to begin in November 2019.

Other mahi

The project was proudly promoted at the recent NZARM conference, many delegates from around the country were impressed and very interested by the Mana Enhancing Agreement.

Million Metres Stream Project have relisted the project for further fundraising this year see - https://millionmetres.org.nz/open-project/waima-waitai-waiora-restoring-the-wairoa-river-and-its-tributaries

Sustainable Hill Country and Regional Priorities

Three new LMA staff and one project lead position have been recruited and started this month.  Now the NZARM conference is complete, the focus has shifted to developing the project implementation plan and communication plan. 

BIODIVERSITY

CoastCare

CoastCare dune planting has now finished for the year.  Planning is underway for 2020 planting and provisional plant numbers for spinifex and pingao have been received.

A Conservation Week planting day was held at Mapere, Ahipara with Ahipara Takiwā, Te Rūnanga o Te Rarawa, Ahipara School and the Department of Conservation.  Spinifex, grown from seed collected at Ahipara, was planted on the foredune and flax and some trees, grown in Kaitaia, were planted in the backdune.

A planting day was held at Hukatere with Pukenui School, planting spinifex onto the edge of dune blow-outs to help close them in and keep the sand in the dune area.  Planting was finished off by tourists staying at nearby campsites.

Other CoastCare working bees have been held to weed and repair fences and access ways in preparation for summer.

Planning for this coming summer’s Far North Kaitiaki ranger programmes is well underway.  Programmes will be running in Karikari Peninsula, Doubtless Bay, Ahipara and Kaimaumau via collaboration between FNDC, DOC, NRC and iwi, with funding from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).


 

FIF Dune Lakes Project

Objective

Status

Aquatic weed and pest fish control

All community consultation has been completed. There is unanimous support for herbicide operation to proceed. Herbicide purchase will occur in Nov-Dec 2019. Supplier met with delays in shipment requiring the operation to be postponed until September 2020. Three legal pest/grass carp fishing permits have now been obtained from MPI, DOC and Fish and Game. Field work planned for summer, collaborating with DOC. The grass carp contractor has been sourced. We attended the MPI-led review of Check, Clean Dry on October 31. Year 3 iwi-partnership contracts have been signed for the year.

Fencing

A 300m fence at Lake Ngatu is the last to be complete via Ngai Takoto getting an Occupation Plan from FNDC for riparian planting the paper road currently encroached on by this farm. Lakes Shag, Waingata and Ngakeketo have been added to regular water quality monitoring schedule.

Sediment and nutrient mitigation

Planning is underway with iwi landowners towards the remedial sediment and nutrient control at Lakes Ngatu (eight drains) and Waihopo (one major drain) for FY 2020/21 delivery (Project Year 4). Meeting at Lake Ngatu on 12 November.

Māori Lakes Strategy

Success of first iwi-hosted TAG hui in Kaitāia has led to offers from Te Roroa and Te Uri o Hau for future hosting.

A marae-based overnight wananga for project iwi was held on 14-15 October to progress the Māori Lakes Strategy.  Five education events have been planned for Autumn 2020.  Te Ao Māori version of fish ID guide being produced.  Further gear purchasing.  School kits being developed.

Budget: $150,000 from this budget is being carried over to the next financial year due to the herbicide operation being delayed

BIODIVERSITY

Biodiversity staff attended a weekend three-day marae based Bioblitz survey run by Ngāti Manu over an extensive area of forest, wetlands and estuary in the Karetu Valley.  Nearly 300 plant and 33 bird species were recorded and reported on by the team.  The survey was the first in a series of three knowledge building wānanga in conjunction with iwi, Northland Polytech, Auckland Museum and others which will flow into capacity building and marae-based training for young local Māori.

Terrestrial Environment Fund applications are being prepared for the next delegated authority meeting which is expected to be fully subscribed.  Several biodiversity plans for Top 150 wetlands and other private property with high biodiversity values are in progress. 

Biosecurity

Incursions

Ÿ Mycoplasma bovis

Biosecurity staff are assisting with the Mycoplasma bovis response following a surge in suspicious test results from the latest round of bulk milk samples taken from individual farms.  Over a period of six weeks during September and October, two days per week were dedicated to assisting the response.  Nationally, only 3% of suspicious bulk milk test results progress to a farm being declared positive for M. bovis, but the testing is critical to the ongoing success of the response. 

The Government along with the dairy and beef industries maintain that eradication of the disease is possible as there is only one strain present indicating a single source of infection.  Latest updates are available at https://www.mpi.govt.nz/protection-and-response/responding/alerts/mycoplasma-bovis/.

Ÿ Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) Incursion Response Training

Ministry for Primary Industries staff conducted a workshop with council staff on the Biosecurity NZ Incursion response structure and process.  This is very similar to the Coordinated Incident Management System (CIMS).  The training explained how regions can assist MPI in responses to new to New Zealand incursion pests and diseases.  The training was well received by the staff who attended, and a stocktake of skills across council is expected to provide information for the national capability network.

WILD ANIMAL CONTROL

Wallaby Sighting

A second wallaby sighting near Waimamaku, South Hokianga has been investigated using aerial thermal surveillance and trail cameras.  In June 2019, an aerial Thermal Animal Detection System (TADS) operator observed and captured footage thought to be of a wallaby within the coastal area of the Northern Waipoua forest.  An instant response was initiated by staff, however, a ground hunter deployed the following morning with a trained wallaby dog could not find the animal and DNA testing of scats from the area detected only possum.  In August 2019 a specialist contractor was employed to complete ground hunting over a 10-day period, and trail cameras were deployed for surveillance.  The hunting and camera traps were unsuccessful in detecting a wallaby, but staff remain vigilant and will respond to any further sightings.  Additional aerial surveillance will be conducted in conjunction with other wild animal control and surveillance programmes.

Feral Deer – Farm Escape Response

Staff have supported a successful response to an escaped farmed deer in Pukenui, Far North.  A passing motorist took a photo of the stag from SH1 and reported the sighting to council staff in Kaitāia.  The Northland deer response team initiated a response and investigated capture and destruction options.  The stag has since been destroyed.

Photo of an escaped stag taken by
 a passing motorist on SH1 Pukenui

Feral Deer – High Risk Deer Farm

A deer farm in Hikurangi has been identified as high risk and there is evidence of escaped deer.  The Department of Conservation has conducted two fence inspections and found the farm fences to be non-compliant with permit conditions.  A contractor is scheduled to visit the farmer to discuss fencing repairs and a plan is being developed to search and either recover or destroy escaped animals.  Council staff are drafting a Notice of Direction (NOD), should the farmer fail to repair the fence breaches within the agreed time frame.  Both this and the Pukenui farm will be audited by Operational Solutions for Primary Industries (OSPRI) for compliance with new deer farm National Identification and Tracing (NAIT) scheme.  This scheme requires animals to be tagged and the farm registered in the system.

Feral Pigs

Requests for assistance dealing with feral pigs have been frequent in recent months but are now slowing down, possibly because of the warmer weather.  Landowners who have high numbers of feral pigs on their land have been issued with pigs traps to use on loan and in some instances contract hunters have been used to reduce pig populations.

BIOSECURITY PARTNERSHIPS

Tutukaka High Value Area Highlights

Ÿ Trap Monitoring:  Historical trap data has been compiled for entry in to the Trap.NZ and it will be uploaded in the next month.  This is a landmark achievement and will enable a historical assessment of trapping success in the area.

Ÿ Kiwi Monitoring:  Telemetry signals have been picked up from all four monitored birds with one expected to hatch a nest soon.

Ÿ Public Engagement:  An afternoon was spent at Ngunguru School with a film crew as part of a CORE education (run by Ministry of Education) programme.  They were making video resources to share with other schools to show them how Earth Ed (a specialist science and mathematics facility providing real world Earth Science educational experiences) operates and interacts with parents, Ngāti wai, Tutukaka Landcare and other stakeholders.  There will be a video released that the Landcare group can share.

Ÿ Kauri Dieback:  Further progress was made in October with mitigating the risks of kauri dieback on the Te Araroa Trail.  Signage and markers were installed on the new track re-alignment (210 m) that avoids the kauri grove on the section of the trail between Clements Road and Tutukaka Department of Conservation reserve.  The old trail was officially closed with locked gates, and signs directing walkers along the new route.  A large number of walkers have been observed using the new trail, with positive feedback that it is clearly marked and very comfortable underfoot.  The new boot cleaning station at the entry to the trail is getting regular use by walkers and appears to be working well.

Ÿ Weed Control:  A Wild Ginger campaign was run in October on the Ngunguru Hall billboard and Facebook page.  Consequently, many hours have been spent responding to and visiting leads, advising them wild ginger control, and supplying herbicide.  The core team have outlined their objectives and finalised their budget for the year.

Ÿ Species Enhancement:  The release of four kiwi from Limestone Island in Matapōuri was done on 25 October.  It was a spectacular evening with a moving mihi from Kawiti Waetford (a Matapōuri hapū representative and internationally acclaimed opera singer) setting the tone for the happy event shared with ~300 visitors hailing from Auckland to Kaitāia, and many places in between. 

It was also a significant day for the local deaf community, with one of these released birds the first kiwi to have a Te Reo and sign language name.  Not only did they celebrate Pikiake's naming but also the opening of a Māori sign-language school that will teach hearing Te Reo speakers to translate between the hearing and deaf world. 

Kawiti Waetford (Matapōuri Hapū) and
Julia Brady (Department of Conservation)
 at the kiwi release.

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/northern-advocate/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503450&objectid=12279810 

It is pleasing to report that all four released kiwis were located (via their radio transmitters) to be within 100 metres of their release burrows, the following morning.

 

Mike Camm addressing an enthusiastic community of
around 300 at the kiwi release

Whangārei Heads High Value Area Highlights

Ÿ Weed Action:  Weed action has seen many local groups form and contribute to a wide range of weed threats in the district. The input from individuals and community is immense and they are backed by the Weed action coordinator with technical knowledge and the right tools to tackle the sites.  An example of this is the Reotahi Reserve which is having a large series of weeds tackled systematically.  The efforts put in by individuals shows great dedication.

Ÿ Kiwi Assessment:  Signals from eight of the nine monitored Whangārei Heads birds picked up this month with four either nesting or just off nests.   Signals from three of the four recent releases have been picked up.

Ÿ Sponsorship:  New sponsorship and support acknowledged from Onerahi and Whangārei Lions and Pārua Bay School.

Ÿ Biodiversity:  It’s kiwi hatching season! 

A Biosecurity Officer handling chicks who are benefitting from pest control at Whangārei Heads

Western Northland Pest Control

Ÿ Taharoa Domain / Kai iwi Lakes Pest Control:  Time has been spent upgrading the bait station and trapping network at Taharoa Domain / Kai iwi Lakes before commencement of a toxin operation targeting possums and rats in October.

Mid-North High Value Area Highlights

Ÿ Pest Control:  Work continues in the High Value Area with more DOC 200 traps, SA2 traps and toxin deployed to new groups.  Trials of new self-resetting traps and bait stations are underway and showing positive results.

Ÿ Landcare Groups:  Z Energy Good in the Hood fundraising has been completed for Z Kaitāia and Z Taipā to support Mangatete Landcare and Doubtless Bay Landcare Groups.  Two new groups have also started in the Mid-North:

Ÿ Rangitāne Stream – buffering the Kerikeri Peninsula.

Ÿ Upper Pungaere Road Trappers – adjacent to Puketī Forest.

Ÿ Pest Control:  Interest in pest control continues to gain momentum with new contacts being made for future work.

Dog handler and pest detection dogs are
always popular at workshops

Piroa-Brynderwyn High Value Area Highlights

Ÿ Pest Control:  A new 70 ha possum control block (using cyanide) is underway in an area between Waipū Cove and Lang's Beach.

Ÿ Trap Lines:  Positive feedback has been received from the Bream Tail Farms trapping co-ordinator about the nodes/hub set up on traps on the Farm.

Ÿ Weed Action:  The Piroa-Brynderwyn action group have adopted four overarching goals to add to their five-year plan.  These include: fostering grass roots community involvement, providing resources for weed action, monitoring and reporting results.

Ÿ Public Engagement:  Activities of the Weed Action Group have included:

Ÿ Lang’s Beach Reserve weeding volunteer event.

Ÿ “Dirty Dozen” calendar production highlighting the top 12 pest plants.

Ÿ Waipū Street Market (Labour Weekend) information stand for trapping and weed action groups.

Ÿ Baldrock Road Trapping Workshop:  This neighbourly trapping workshop was attended by 16 locals.  A Biosecurity Officer demonstrated trap types and talked about pest animals and trapping techniques.  The demonstrations are aimed at encouraging local landowners to support each other and form trapping rosters.  This southern area lies close to the virtual frontier barrier where the aim is to slow down pest re-invasion from Auckland into Northland.

Ÿ Upcoming Activities:  Further planned activities include a Kiwi coast led trapping workshop at Mangawhai, hosted by Marunui Conservation.

Tiakina Whangārei – Communities, Kaitiakitanga, Conservation

Tiakina Whangārei is a community led urban initiative helping people connect with their environment through conservation activities, while supporting existing work to protect and enhance Whangārei’s native biodiversity.

Ÿ Community Champion: The process of setting up a Community Champion for the Tiakina project has been initiated.

Ÿ Trapping: A property that borders Pukenui Forest has been set up with a trapping network.

Ÿ Public Awareness and Education: Council staff attended public events including:

Ÿ Growers Market stall

Ÿ Two Conservation Week events held at the Whangārei Public Library and Kiwi North in September

Tiakina Whangārei stall at Kiwi North
 Conservation Week event

New Zealand Association of Resource Management (NZARM) Conference

shoe shine Matt

Biosecurity precautions were emphasised at the New Zealand Association of Resource Management (NZARM) conference.

 

 

 

 

An NRC Land Management Officer getting
serious about biosecurity hygiene at the
NZARM conference field trip to Ngāti Hine Forests

Paparoa Primary School Possum Purge 2019

Recently featuring on TV1’s Seven Sharp, Paparoa Primary School held their 11th Annual Possum Purge four-day fundraiser in September, concluding with a community gala day at the Paparoa showgrounds on 8 September. 

Twenty-one teams participated in this year’s fundraiser, with 1,098 possums recovered (up from 852 possums in 2018).  The possum fur will be sold to raise much needed funds for school resources.   In the lead up to the Possum Purge, staff spoke to three combined school classes about the benefits of integrated pest management, demonstrating various pest traps, and delivered six Trapinator possum traps as council sponsorship for event prize giving.  Fourteen kauri dieback packs were also supplied for teams entered in school fundraiser. 
A link to the Seven Sharp article can be found at https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/paparoa-possum-purge-sees-school-kids-pitch-in-pest-cull

Settlers Day – The Kauri Museum, Matakohe

Dargaville biosecurity staff participated in Settlers Day, hosted by the Matakohe Kauri Museum on Saturday 5 October 2019.  Staff assisted the public with 74 enquiries on seven different animal pests including possum (20), stoat (17), rat (17), and feral/stray cat control (15).

BIOSECURITY FUND 2019

The deployment of pest control materials for 87 biosecurity fund projects across Northland is nearing completion.

Ngāwha Corrections Facility are continuing to provide inexpensive DOC 200 boxes to council for community pest control projects.

 

A load of DOC 200 boxes being collected from Ngāwhā Prison with more awaiting transport.

This year’s Biofunds are already showing excellent results.  Some highlights:

·    Fonterra Biofund (Kauri) has already caught 300+ possums along with mustelids and feral cats.

·    Millington Road Biofund (Whangārei) has caught a staggering 500+ pests including three ferrets.

·    Matawaia Kura Biofund have installed traps and are catching possums and feral cats around the Matawaia Marae.

 

 

The first possum caught with the Matawaia
Marae biofund grant involving tamariki
from the kura to restore the local ngahere.
Photo Credit: Padre Brown

·   Whangaruru School’s Biofund grant will help them protect a local īnanga spawning site and other associated biodiversity value areas.  The school will begin with rodent control, monitoring, and riparian planting about the spawning site.  School students have also been helping another council supported group at the local Otetao Reti Marae around monitoring Awa health and pest monitoring.

Biofund recipient, Whangaruru School newsletter article.

 

·    Donnelly’s Crossing Community Group Biofund:   Biofund activities are not just restricted to pest animals, this community group have been tackling pest plants.

 

 

 

Before and after…

Donnelly’s Crossing Community Group have put their Biofund grant to good use removing morning glory from this old rail building.  Photo credit: Rick Smith

Kauri DieBack

Kauri Dieback Management Plans

Kauri dieback management plans continue to be developed for all positive sites as well as those that are identified as medium-high risk.  All landowners / managers receive advice and a basic management plan about how to best protect their kauri and forest from kauri dieback and other diseases.

Kauri Dieback Surveillance Programme

Staff are in the process of contacting landowners with unhealthy kauri found through previous aerial surveillance in preparation for site inspections and soil sampling.

Kauri Dieback Awareness and Education

Awareness activities have included:

Ÿ Christian Renewal School:  Kauri dieback staff visited the Whangārei school to raise awareness around Kauri dieback and the effects.

Ÿ Dargaville and Herekino Pig Hunting Competitions:  The Biosecurity Wild Animal Control Officer attended the competitions on 1 September and 15 September working alongside Department of Conservation staff at both events giving out advice, information and hygiene equipment. 

Ÿ Northland Pig Hunting Club Ted Shortland Competition:  Kauri dieback staff attended the competition on 15 September and continue to sponsor prizes as well as provide hygiene equipment and advice.

Ÿ Food, Water and Ngahere Security Hui, Otangaroa Marae:  Staff attended the hui to promote the awareness of kauri dieback with the local whānau and community and provide hygiene kits and other informational resources.

Emerging Technology – Remote Sensing

Staff attended a Remote Sensing Workshop in Auckland on Friday 13 September.  The workshop aimed to review current kauri remote sensing projects and discuss technical solutions to apply this technology to kauri forest management.  In attendance were various remote sensing experts, scientists, kauri dieback programme partners and other stakeholders.

Indigenous Biosecurity Hui

A Biosecurity Officer attended an Indigenous Knowledge and Values Hui Taumata on biosecurity held at Paparoa Marae in Tauranga.  In attendance were indigenous peoples from around the globe.  The hui provided a space for indigenous people to share their work in managing and protecting their natural biodiversity and related work in biosecurity. 

Treaty of Waitangi Workshop

Several staff attended a two-day Treaty of Waitangi workshop held at Waitangi.  The course was led by Moea Armstrong and Hori Parata.

Kauri Dieback Mitigation Advice

Kauri dieback mitigation advice has been provided to a variety of landowners and community groups when activities affect kauri or the potential spread of kauri dieback including:

Ÿ Waipoua Forest Sanctuary Committee before they undertake roading upgrades and maintenance through the Waipoua forest.

Ÿ Māna whenua of Ōtetao Reti marae to build a marae Kauri Dieback strategy.

Ÿ A group with developing a mountain bike track in Waitangi.

Ÿ A landowner undertaking a major property development in the Waipapa area.

MARINE BIOSECURITY

Hull Surveillance Programme

The 2019/2020 Hull Surveillance Programme started on 8 October 2019 with 150 vessels surveyed in the Bay of Islands to date.  There was a single incident of Mediterranean fanworm found on a hull in Matawhi Bay, Russell.  Trace back found that this vessel had come from Whangārei where there is an established population, and the vessel was immediately directed to clean and remove the pests. The dive contract is a two-year term and will be retendered at the end of the coming survey season.

Table 1:  Hull Surveillance Programme Results (8/10/2019 – 29/10/2019)

2019/2020 Hull Surveillance Programme Results
08/10/19 – 29/10/19

Total this month

Total YTD

Pathways Plan Compliance

 

 

Number of vessels surveyed this month

150

150

% Pathways Plan Compliance*

46%

46%

Vessels found with Marine Pests

 

 

Sabella spallanzanii (fanworm)

1

1

Styela clava (clubbed tunicate)

0

0

Undaria pinnatifida (Japanese kelp)

0

0

Eudistoma elongatum (Australian droplet tunicate)

0

0

Pyura doppelgangera (sea squirt)

0

0

*    This is the percentage of vessels surveyed that complied with the acceptable level of ‘light fouling’ as defined in the Marine Pathways Plan.

Ōpua Sabella Incursion

The latest phase of diving in our eradication attempt for Sabella in Ōpua is now complete.  Divers systematically searched all structures in the marina and wider area, as well as a considerable area of the seafloor and the majority of vessel hulls and moorings in and around the marina.  Staff are analysing the data in collaboration with a science working group from Cawthron and Biosecurity New Zealand to determine the feasibility of a continued step-wise eradication programme compared to transitioning towards a long-term management programme.  In the meantime, Council will continue working with stakeholders and local mooring owners with response updates, media releases, and encourage boaties in the area to be vigilant and limit any further spread. 

Successful Grant to Study Early Detections of Marine Pests Using Molecular Tools

A medium Envirolink advice grant has been awarded for a study to investigate the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool for the detection of marine pest species.  In collaboration with scientists at the Cawthron Institute, marine biosecurity staff will be collecting and analysing water samples throughout Tutukaka Harbour during November to detect the presence of pest species that may only be present in extremely low densities.  It is hoped this programme will add confidence to the assumed eradication of Mediterranean fanworm in the harbour as indicated by the past five years’ diver surveillance.  This will benefit the community by reassuring the marina and its users that we have the best available monitoring tools to make decisions.

Cawthron’s Successful MBIE Bid

The marine biosecurity team at Cawthron Institute have been successfully awarded a grant by the NZ Government’s Endeavour Fund for their research proposal ‘A toolbox to underpin and enable tomorrow's marine biosecurity system’.  The goals of this 5-year research programme are to develop:

1.   New and environmentally-friendly tools that prevent marine pests getting a foothold in our marinas, ports and harbours;

2.   High-tech molecular tools that can detect marine pests at low densities - before the ‘horse has bolted’; and,

3.   Simulation models and software to assist managers to better allocate effort and resources to prevent impacts from marine pests and diseases.

The project team involves collaborators and partners from over 20 organisations, including stakeholders from government, Māori, industry, and education providers.  We are looking forward to collaborating with Cawthron and tangata whenua in Northland over the coming years.

Inter-Regional Marine Pest Pathway Plan

The Top of the North (TON) partnership met on the 27 September and again on the 22 October in Auckland to discuss a range of issues, including our work towards identifying a preferred option for marine pest management across the regions following recent feedback collected during a consultation process.  A summary of the feedback can be found at  https://www.bionet.nz/control/marine-pests/marinepests/

Auckland On Water Boat Show

The Marine Biosecurity Team attended the Auckland On Water Boat Show alongside other members of the Top of the North (TON) Partnership between 2-6 October.  The stand was manned by Auckland, Northland, Waikato and Bay of Plenty council biosecurity staff as well as Biosecurity New Zealand.  The team greeted several thousand visitors who were keen to learn about marine pests and how to reduce the risk of spreading them throughout the northern regions.  Staff reported a high level of awareness by Auckland boat-owners of the rules that apply in Northland, and promoted the message of “Clean below, Good to go”.

New-to-New Zealand Marine Species Found

Clavelina oblonga

Clavelina oblonga, a colonial ascidian native to the southern Atlantic coast of North America and the Caribbean Sea, was recently detected in Smokehouse Bay, Great Barrier Island, as part of Auckland Council’s regular marine pest surveillance programme.  It is unclear at this stage how widespread the incursion is, but it is likely that it will become more obvious as sea temperatures rise during the summer months.  We are educating Northland’s marine users about this coastal invader and encouraging anyone who encounters a marine pest to notify the regional council as soon as possible.  It is crucial that boat owners are vigilant to the issue of marine pests; under regional council rules vessels entering Northland and moving between harbours must have no more than ‘light fouling’ on their vessel.

Tutukaka Crab-Trapping Response

NorthTec students on work-experience with the marine biosecurity team have been successfully trapping invasive Japanese Paddle Crabs (Charybdis japonica) in Tutukaka Marina during September and October.  We anticipate that this work will continue as a delimitation study with input from local community members and NRC staff.  C. japonica is a highly aggressive invasive crab species which is established in a small number of Northland harbours.

PEST PLANTS

Eradication Plants

Ÿ Batwing Passionflower – Kamo Reserves (Te Ngahere contract 16 – 20 September 2019):  A team grid searched in four main lines through designated.  Council’s Collector app (on their GPS) was used to mark the location of adults, juveniles and estimates of seedlings, and the track logs recorded.  4 mature plants, 91 juveniles, and 72 seedlings were found.

Ÿ Batwing Passionflower – Hurupaki School:  Staff have continued searches of the school and surrounding area after an Enviroschools discovery of the plant in July. To date juvenile plants have been found, with one adult plant also located on a property in Dip Road.

Ÿ Rhamnus – Matakohe (Te Ngahere contract 8 – 11 October 2019):  Te Ngahere had a team of four on site at Matakohe for three days. The team grid searched management units finding a total of 20 mature stems with associated juveniles.  All located plants were treated with Trichloram.

Ÿ Mile-a-minute – Whangārei: Thirty mile-a-minute sites have been visited in October.  Some sites had not been visited in a very long time so plants were found at various stages of maturity. Two large sites were found.

 

A large clump of mile-a-minute treated by the Pest Plant
team at Portland Road.  This site will need to be revisited
again in 6 – 8 weeks to check die-off.

Manchurian Wild Rice Best Practice Day – Dargaville, 15 October 2019

NRC’s Manchurian Wild Rice Officer facilitated the annual Manchurian Rice Grass Best Practise Day in Dargaville on 15 October.  This workshop is a get-together of all interested parties dealing with the National Interest Pest Response (NIPR) weed.  Participants came from Ministry for Primary Industries, NIWA, Auckland Council, and Waikato Regional Council (bad weather interrupting flights prevented Wellington Regional Council staff from attending).  The day was a huge success and well supported by Northland pest plant contractors and a local landowner Kerry Perreau.  

Kerry’s passion is to find new innovative ways to deal with the invasive weed.  His technique involving a single spray treatment, burning, followed by spading, uses far less chemical than traditional methods involving multiple spray applications and is yielding outstanding results.

 

 

 

 

NRC’s Manchurian Wild Rice Officer with Kerry Perreau’s spader

National Pest Plant Accord Training

Three staff from the Pest Plant team attended National Pest Plant Accord training in October.  This training is essential to implementation of Northland nursery surveillance.

PEST FISH

Turtle Sightings

Turtle sightings have been becoming more common, with two wild caught turtles being brought into the council for rehoming in October.  Multiple sightings are being reported by the public at AH Reed Memorial Park and turtle trap options are being investigated.

RIVERS

LTP Projects

Rivers

Comments

Awanui

Works are under contract and will commence weather permitting.  Landowner liaison continuing for overall scheme.  

Matangirau

Following the strong meeting turnout 30 August, we have met on site with the landowers to get feedback and refine the cut and fill areas.

Kawakawa – Taumārere

Staff have met with the Otiria Marae committee to progress sites of significance and fish survey request.  Preparation is on track for works as planned.

Whangārei

Woods Road Flood wall is approximately 95% complete.  Waiting on remediation of driveway surfaces and as-builts.  A quantity of gravel was removed from the Waiarohia channel to provide backfill for the wall foundation.

Panguru

Detailed design finalised. Archaeological assessment complete.  The final modelling report is complete.  Draft resource consent complete.  17 of 18 affected landowners have given written consent for works to be done on their property.  Request for tender out the week of 29 October.

Kaihu

Scoping for the tree removal in Kaihū River is underway.  Quotes from different contractors regarding tree removal are sought.  Planning underway for clearing works upstream of Parore cut.

NATURAL HAZARDS

Work Streams

Status

Comments

Awanui Flood Model

90%

Calibration of the hydrological model is completed and peer reviewed.  Flood maps incorporating the scheme design are expected to be completed by December 2019. Currently, DHI is completing status-quo models.

Coastal erosion flood mapping

Planning phase

Proposal received from Tonkin and Taylor, and in final stages of approval. The project, which involves updating erosion lines at the 30 existing erosion sites, mapping 10 new sites and mapping erosion across the entire Northland Coastline, will start mid-November.

Coastal flood hazard mapping

Planning phase

Request for proposal currently in draft form and expected to advertised as open tender early November. The project will involve coastal flood hazard mapping for entire coastline, at a range of sea level rise scenarios, to be used for regulatory hazard maps and climate change adaptation planning.

Region-wide flood mapping

Planning phase

Tender documents are in preparation.  A quote request will be issued in December 2019. We are getting in touch with a consultancy in Australia to get an estimate of the work involved and necessary requirements to prepare the input data.

Kerikeri Model

 

Near completion to release online. Model runs are completed and are being reviewed for release early next year.

Northland Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) Capture 

Ÿ Capture is completed.  Latest processing progress reported as 91.5% complete. 

Ÿ RPS Australia Asia Pacific remain confident for pre-December delivery for final datasets. 

Ÿ Processing of preliminary dataset now complete and delivery expected by week ending 3/11/2019. Once received NRC to undertake further QA/QC and liaise with RPS as required.

Ÿ NRC have received and approved invoices for 100% completion ($220k) and Submission of unclassified point cloud ($130k)

Climate Change Response

Risk assessment workshop was held on 29 October with guest facilitators and staff from all Northland councils. Northland climate change risk assessment under development by NRC; Stage one 75% complete; Stage 2 in data collation and methodology development phase. NRC to coordinate GIS-based risk analysis which will then inform the Regional Adaptation Strategy and associated LTP work program, due August 2020. Māori engagement process being developed in conjunction with Māori Relationship managers, MTAG and Te Huinga. Communications plan in development. Next regional adaptation group meeting to be held 18th November at NRC.

 

7.1.6   STRATEGY, Governance And Engagement

PROPOSED REGIONAL PLAN

Mediation on appeals relating to Council’s decisions on the Proposed Regional Plan (excluding GE/GMOs) were held in September and October, with further mediation scheduled for later this month (November) and early next month (December).  The mediation process is managed by the Environment Court, and involves all apellants and those registered as interested parties.  Council is required to provide a ‘progress report’ back to the Environment Court and appellants/interested parties before the end of the year.

With regards to GE/GMOs, there was one appeal (lodged by Whangarei District Council and Far North District Council) against the Council’s decision to not include provisions governing the release of GMOs in the coastal marine area, within the Proposed Regional Plan for Northland.  The period for filing s274 notices (to become a ‘party’ to the appeal) closed on 25 October 2019, with a total of twenty-six s274 notices received.  At the time of writing, Council is awaiting a direction from the court with regards to the next steps in this process.

NATIONAL INITIATIVES

Consultations

During the reporting period, the Government released a number of proposals for consultation, including:

Ÿ Proposed National Policy Statementon Urban Development

Ÿ Proposed National Policy Statement of Highly Productive Land

Ÿ Regulated Product Stewardship (Priority products for waste minimisation)

Ÿ Hazardous substances – improvements to the reassessment process

Ÿ Action for healthy waterways (freshwater reforms).

Council resolved to delegate authority to lodge submissions on these proposals to the CEO given the timing of these consultations coincided with local government elections.  The resolution requires retrospective approval from the following Council meeting. Item 6.3 in the formal agenda seeks retrospective approval from Council.

Climate Change Response (Zero Carbon) Amendment Bill

After considering around 10,000 submissions, the Environment Select Committee has reported back to the House of Representatives with recommended amendments to the Bill. The Committee’s final report is available here:

https://www.parliament.nz/en/pb/sc/reports/document/SCR_92789/climate-change-response-zero-carbon-amendment-bill

One of the key recommendations relates to requirements for organisations (such as councils) to report to the Minister and the Climate Change Minister on climate change risks – the Committee recommends that reporting under the Bill align with the Task Force on Climate-Related Financial Disclosures (TCFD) framework. Notably, this framework was designed for financial institutions rather than public sector organisations. The Bill has since passed its third reading.

Climate Change Response (Emissions Trading Reform) Amendment Bill

This Bill introduces a range of well-signalled reforms to the Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS).  A more recent change includes a delay on the pricing of agricultural livestock and fertiliser emissions until 2025 (instead of more immediate pricing at the processor level).  This is on the basis that the government and agricultural sector will work together to progress emissions reduction ‘on farm’ – if insufficient progress is made by 2022 the government can bring the sector into the ETS at processor level before 2025.  A further ‘default position’ allows the government to bring ruminant emissions into the ETS at the farm scale by 2025 with an obligation to account for 5% of these emissions.  It is expected the Bill will be referred to Select Committee after the first reading, which will allow submissions to be made.

Resource Management Act Amendment

The Government proposes several changes to the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) through the Resource Management Amendment Bill (the Bill).  This Bill proposes a new freshwater planning process intended to assist implementation of the pending revision of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management 2020.  The Bill is also intended to:

Ÿ repeal some of the changes made by the Resource Legislation Amendment Act 2017

Ÿ improve RMA processes

Ÿ increase maximum infringement fees under the RMA

Ÿ enable the Environmental Protection Authority to undertake enforcement action under the RMA

Staff recommend Council lodges a submission on the Bill.  A supplementary item was tabled at the Council meeting of 6 November, given submissions closed on 7 November 2019.

DISTRICT PLANNING

The Whangārei District Council is to hold hearings (late November – early December) on a suite of changes to the district plan relating to the urban environment.  Council submitted on a number of these proposals (under staff delegations) and staff will likely attend the hearings to present evidence in support of the Council position, which primarily sought greater emphasis on the management of natural hazards.  

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Investment and Growth Reserve – Projects Report

Project

October update

Future developments/ reporting

Resources Enterprise Limited (REL)

Worked with lawyers to submit application for summary judgement with the High Court on quantum owed to us by REL and guarantors.  

Continue to work with lawyers and REL on repayment of debt. 

Northland Water Storage and Use

Consultant has held a large number of 1-1 meetings with landowners, has almost completed the water supply modelling, and has identified many potential storage sites. Further meetings of Project Steering Group and Project Advisory Group held.

Conclude supply and storage assessment, and get results checked by third party; undertake drop-in days in command areas; development of commercial case.

Manea Footprints of Kupe

Worked with Trust and FNHL to finalise funding agreement.

Seek council approval (at this meeting) to accept negotiated funding agreement.

Hundertwasser Art Centre (Whangārei)

Monthly progress report for August and September received. 

Awaiting invoice for second payment of $500,000 (due at 50% completion).

Te Hononga / Kawakawa Hundertwasser Park Centre

Request for third payment received.

Awaiting further evidence of progress in line with funding agreement before third payment is made.

Extension 350

Annual report for 2018/19 and first quarterly report for 2019/20 received.  First quarterly invoice paid.

Continue receiving progress reporting and invoicing as per funding agreement.

Extended Regional Promotion

Report due for second six-months 2018/19.

Next report due for first six-months 2019/20 due in February.

Twin Coast Cycle Trail (TCCT)

Nothing to report.

Awaiting further progress report on remaining four easements to complete funding commitment. 

Other Activities

•    Northland Inc/Council quarterly workshop held on 10 September.

•    Twenty-fifth issue of Northland Economic Quarterly released 26 September and available online at www.nrc.govt.nz/economicquarterly.

•    Meeting with district councils, NTA and NZTA to discuss actions in follow-up to the Twin Coast Discovery Route Implementation Plan Preliminary Design and Delivery for the Northland Walking and Cycling Strategy.

CouncilMARK

After receiving and commenting on a second Draft, NRC feedback is being provided to the CouncilMARK Independent Assessment Board for further consideration before a rating is awarded.  We have been advised that the Board is meeting on 25 November and it will be around one to two weeks after that before Council hears back from them on the outcome.

Section 17A Service Delivery Reviews

In accordance with requirements of the Local Government Act 2002, Council is preparing to undertake two service delivery reviews by 30 June 2020.  Preliminary investigations have been conducted on both the Investment Property and Maritime activities.  Resulting work is currently being scoped with external consultants to ensure that the reviews undertaken are independent and impartial.  Council will receive a full report on the outcomes in due course.

ONLINE CHANNELS

Most popular post on Facebook – An educational post about the increasing reports of freshwater turtles being found or sighted in the wild, our rules around snake-necked and red-eared slider turtles, and the negative impacts they can have on our environment if left uncontrolled.  The post reached over 14,000 people and engaged with more than 300 people (Reach – number of unique people who saw the post, Engaged – number of people who ‘reacted’, commented or shared post)

Key Performance Indicators

Jun-19

Jul-19

Aug-19

Sep-19

Oct-19

WEB

 

 

 

 

 

# Visits to the NRC website

23,100

23,200

25,900

27,400

23,500

E-payments made

2

24

16

17

12

# subscription customers (cumulative)

1,184

1,202

1,153

1,156

1,159

SOCIAL MEDIA (CUMULATIVE)

 

 

 

 

 

# Twitter followers

1,448

1,460

1,471

1,477

1,486

# NRC Facebook fans

8,641

8,756

8,955

9,001

9,053

# NRC Overall Facebook Reach

138,600

167,300

203,100

160,100

128,300

# NRC Engaged Daily Users

4,753

9,264

11,300

9,956

8,900

# CDEM Facebook fans

16,900

17,000

17,000

17,100

17,100

# CDEM Overall Facebook Reach

49,800

66,400

21,400

49,300

44,200

# CDEM Engaged Daily Users

6,514

6,317

2,154

2,652

3,626

# Instagram followers

802

853

890

925

960

ENVIROSCHOOLS / EDUCATION

Final Project Pest Control course for 2019

On 19 September, the third and final Project Pest Control assessment workshop was held at Lonsdale Park, near Kāeo.  50 senior students from Kaitāia Abundant Life School, Kaitāia College, Northland College, Okaihau College and Opononi Area School attended the NCEA based workshop.  Council’s Biosecurity team worked with Can Train NZ to assess skills and knowledge on animal pest biology, impact and control, trapping, possum skinning and machine plucking.  Pest control contractors and staff also led a session on careers in the industry.

Final WaiFencing course for 2019

On 5 September and 17 October, WaiFencing skills and assessment workshops were held on Rangiputa Station and Karikari Peninsula, respectively.  The NCEA based courses were attended by senior students from Kaitāia Abundant Life School, Kaitāia College, Northland College and Taipā Area School.  Skills and knowledge learnt and assessed included:  excluding stock from waterways, new fence construction, fence repair, fencing knots and ties, battening, electric fencing and identification of fencing tools and materials.  The assessment workshop ended with fencing off a waterway.

School communities facilitated

Despite the school holidays, 53 school communities were visited by Enviroschools facilitators during September and October.

MARKETING AND ENGAGEMENT

Events

Rivers and Natural Hazards attended the Ngāti Hine Festival at Otiria marae on 19 October, with information and advice on the Taumare Flood Management Scheme.

MĀORI ENGAGEMENT

Ngā Whakamahere o Te Taiao - Iwi Hapu Environmental Management Plans (IHEMP) Fund

Council has funding for an IHEMP - a plan developed by hapū and entities that are approved/endorsed by an Iwi authority.  These plans describe resource management issues of importance to tangata whenua and also contain information relating to specific cultural values, historical accounts, descriptions of areas of interest (Iwi/ Hapū boundaries/rohe) and consultation/engagement protocols for resource consents and/or plan changes. 

Information pertaining to this funding has gone live on the Council website and information has been distributed via NRC’s hapu/iwi database, with a close-off date for applications to this fund closing on 16 November 2019.

Te Taitokerau Māori and Council (TTMAC) Working Party – Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG)

At the final meeting of TTMAC before council elections, a recommendation that the Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) continue over the recess period between the outgoing Council and establishment of the new governance structure was endorsed. 

The Māori Technical Advisory Group (MTAG) offers an enhanced avenue for Māori participation in Council and provides significant benefit as it enables a Māori worldview to be applied to better inform Council programmes of work, policy and procedures.

Recent discussions and progress being made on Council work streams and programmes are listed below:

Ÿ Development and implementation of Mana Whakahono ā Rohe

Ÿ TTMAC governance review; terms of reference and membership

Ÿ Development of resource consent processes, including more consistent protocol relating to cultural impact assessments

Ÿ Inter-regional marine pest management project

Ÿ Review of the Resource Management Act

Ÿ Reviewing the freshwater quantity limits for fully allocated water bodies

Ÿ Implementing the National Policy Statement for Freshwater requirements for setting water quality objectives and limits and significance of “te mana o te wai”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL INFORMATION (LGOIMA) REQUESTS

Month

LGOIMA requests
received 2018/19

LGOIMA requests
received 2019/20

July

15

15

August

20

22

September

7

16

October

5

29

November

10

 

December

9

 

January

11

 

February

15

 

March

9

 

April 

12

 

May

19

 

June

11

 

TOTAL LGOIMA REQUESTS RECEIVED

143

82

Total LGOIMA requests not responded to within 20 working days*

1

1

* REQ.596134 – Request copy of advice provided to council re Resource Enterprises Limited.  Due to having to seek agreement from an external party to release certain information, the request was not responded to within 20 working days.

7.1.7   Customer Service – Community Resilience

CUSTOMER SERVICES

Telephone Inbound Call Statistics & Enquiries

 

October 2019

Target

Call volume via Customer Services

2,541

 

Conversion rate

98.1%

>95%

Average wait time

4 sec

 

Calls answered in under 30 sec

96.8%

>90%

Inbound calls this October were almost 20% higher than the same month last year. The increase was across all enquiry types with all departments generally being very busy.

Satisfaction Monitoring

•    Feedback Cards, Compliments and Complaints

Feedback cards have been included with compliments and complaints, as appropriate.

Compliments received

Total

Service provided by a specific person

·    P Maxwell - Consents

1

 

Overall service

·    Biosecurity (2x)

·    Consents

·    Maritime

·    Transport

5

 

Quality of information

·    Monitoring

·    Consents

2

Total compliments recorded

8

Complaints received

Total

Standard of service provided

·    Transport

1

Disagree with decision or process

·    Transport

1

Lack of information or communication

·    Transport

1

Staff / contractor behaviour or attitude

·    Transport

·    Biosecurity

·    Monitoring

3

Total complaints recorded

6

All three staff/contractor behaviour complaints related to driving.  The biosecurity complaint was from a woman who was frustrated by one of our vehicles slowing her down as it gave way to pedestrians in an Auckland carpark.  One complaint was that one of our monitoring contractors was following too closely, and the third complaint was about a Citylink driver not stopping for a light change.

Two of the other transport complaints related to bus services not running to standard timetables which were affected by roadworks.

The final complaint was from a person wanting to use a Total Mobility card for purposes that did not apply to the terms and conditions.

All complaints have been investigated, and actioned where appropriate.

Regional Offices

Temporary leased office space has been secured in both Dargaville and Waipapa to accommodate additional staff based in these areas.  The Waipapa office will be an operational office and customers will continue to be serviced from the office in the Warehouse complex.  The Dargaville ‘pop-up office’ will operate from February 2020 and will give council a customer facing presence in the main street until the new office is completed.

CIVIL DEFENCE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

CDEM Group and Coordinating Executive Group (CEG)

The Northland CDEM Group and Coordinating Executive Group will next meet on Monday 25 November.  With the recent elections there will be several changes to the representation on the CDEM Group, including a new chairperson.

Warnings and Activations

MetService weather watches were monitored throughout the month.   No responses were required.

Tsunami Siren Network

The six-monthly, region-wide test of the full Northland tsunami siren network occurred at the beginning of daylight saving on Sunday 29 September.  Arrangements were put in place to use Survey 123, an electronic tool, to collate the survey responses from those that monitorined sirens in various locations.   The responses are being collated and the outcomes will be evaluated.   A tsunami siren assest managemnt plan for the region has also been developed.

Emergency Management System Reforms

MCDEM are hosting a CEG chairs and regional managers meeting on 13 and 14 November in Wellington, with the focus on the Emergency Management System Reforms.  The establishment of the new National Emergency Management Agency, whIch will replace MCDEM will be outlined.  Although no definite time frame is available at this time, establishment of the NEMA is likely to occur within this financial year and potentially as early as Christmas.  A number of the recommendations outlined in the Techinical Advisory group report are being progressed and the work programmes associated with the recommendations will also be discussed.

Meetings and Workshops with Partner Agencies

The fourth Welfare Co-ordination Group meeting for the year was held on 8 November.

Northland CDEM professionals and controllers travelled to Papatoetoe and Ardmore to observe the NZ Urban Search and Rescue exercise in late October.  The exercise is a trial run for the five-yearly international accreditation and involved working rescue scenarios alongside the establishment of coordination facilities.  The group gained valuable insights into the USAR methodologies and practices.

In late October MPI conducted three workshops in the region focusing on animal welfare in a disaster.

TRANSPORT

Regional Transport Planning

Ÿ The National Transport Working Group tasked with reviewing the compilation and content of Regional Land Transport Plans (RLTP) and Regional Public Transport Plans continue to work with the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport in an effort to streamline both documents.

Ÿ With the need to commence work on the 2021/2027 RLTP’s rapidly approaching, early agreement by all parties has become urgent. 

Government Policy Statement

Ÿ The planned release of the Draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) in December 2019 has been delayed to February/March 2020. This document is the government’s objectives for the land transport system.

Ÿ Delays in the release could potentially adversely affect the RLTP compilation process with the prescribed time period as all RLTP’s must be seen align with the government’s objectives.

Regional Transport Committee

Ÿ Due to the Local Government Elections held during the month of October 2019, there was no Regional Transport Committee meeting held.

Ÿ The next meeting is scheduled for 2 December 2019.

Passenger Transport Administration

Total Mobility

Total Mobility (TM) figures are reported one month in arrears, due to the required information being unavailable at the time of the agenda deadline.

 

Total Clients

Monthly Actual Expend

Monthly Budgeted Expend

Monthly Variance

Year/DateActual Expend

Year/Date Budgeted Expend

Annual Variance

Aug 2019

1,529

$20,300

$25,000

-$4,700

$40,948

$50,000

-$9,052

Sept 2019

1,538

$19,531

$25,000

-$5,469

$60,479

$75,000

-$14,521

Regional Contracted Bus Services Operational Statistics (due to the report deadlines, statistics are a month behind)

September 2019
(revenue ex GST)

Actual

Budget

Variance

Year/Date Actual  

Year/Date Budgeted 

City Link Passengers

 32,559

30,010

2,549

96,193

91,371

CityLink Revenue 

 $39,598

$40,514

 -$916

 $123,449

$123,351

*Mid North Link Passengers (introduced revised 01-05-19)

 152

144

8

574

468

*Mid North Link Revenue (introduced revised 01-05-19)

 $612

$720

-$108

$2,214

 $2,340

Hokianga Link Passengers (introduced revised 01-05-19)

59

72

-13

184

234

Hokianga Link Revenue
(introduced revised 01-05-19)

$540

$939

-$399

$1,785

$3,051

Far North Link Passengers

491

621

-130

1,608

1,987

Far North Link Revenue

$1,192

$1,552

 -$360

$3,721

$4,968

Bream Bay Link Passenger
(Started 01-08-19)

47

24

23

132

54

Bream Bay Link Revenue
(Started 01-08-19)

$305

$86

$219

$799

$195

CityLink Reduced Fares

The reduction in fares in October 2018 is due to the implementation of the new electronic ticketing system, which continues to have positive results in regards to increasing passenger numbers.


 

World Car Free Day
This year’s World CarFree Day officially fell on Sunday 22 September.  Due to no CityLink services on a Sunday, the event was held Friday 20 September.  An average of 1,200 passengers normally use the service each day. This rose to 2,500 on CarFree Day, an increase of 1,300.  This was a very successful exercise.

Road Safety Update

September and October has been a busy period for road safety activity. The New Zealand Police have run a number of road policing campaigns targeting Restraints, Impairment, Distractions, Speed (RIDS). The Police CVST (Commercial Vehicle Investigation Teams) involving Northland and Auckland Police teams have been very proactive targeting the heavy freight sector.

Media campaigns during September and October have targeted “Young Drivers, Distractions, Alcohol and Speed”.

Since July 2019, 65 motorcycle have attended the ACC Ride Forever motorcycle courses in Northland and subsidised by Northland Regional Council.  For the same period in 2018 there had been 55.  With increased promotion by both ACC and road safety partners these training numbers should keep increasing.  There have been five motorcycle deaths on Northland roads this year.

A successful Driver Reviver/Fatigue Stop was held north-bound on the Friday prior to Labour Week where around 300 motorists stopped.  The events provide an opportunity to engage with drivers and passengers around road safety and particularly fatigue management.  The large number of road safety partners that support this initiative is appreciated by motorists.

The Government has planned to release their new “Road Safety Strategy –Road to Zero” in November 2019.

As at the end of October 2019 the number of deaths on:

Ÿ Northlands roads was 25 compared to 27 for the same period in 2018 (18 of this year’s deaths have been on State Highways); and

Ÿ National roads was 274 compared to 305 for the same period in 2018.

Maritime

There were three cruise ships that called to the Bay of Islands.

Forty-five incidents were recorded for October, including three oil spills of minor nature, and the usual offences.  Maritime featured in local media after assisting with several weather-related incidents.  The weather event saw several vessels break free from moorings - one particularly large vessel was recovered, with assistance from Maritime Staff, after going aground in the Bay of Islands.

The Tuia 250 fleet arrived in Whangārei without incident.  The council vessel Ruawai was in attendance with a member of Whangārei constabulary and the event organiser on board.

The council vessels are all operating without fault.  Rolling maintenance of ATON is on-going, and the maritime team provided on water monitoring services to other departments.

The Northern Region Harbourmaster meeting was attended by the Harbourmaster and deputy to coordinate summer safety campaigns.

STCW (Safety, Training, Certification and watchkeeping) refresher training was completed by the Harbourmaster and deputy to maintain Master’s licence currency.

The Coastal plan mediations were attended by staff with progress made regarding appeals surrounding recreational protected anchorages and sewage holding tank pump out limits.

The Marsden Point Oil Spill Response group meeting was held on 30 October.  Along with Maritime NZ representatives, this group is developing oil response options for Marsden Point.

Staff are continuing to work with the owner of several vessels currently located in Mangonui which are causing issues, one of which has sunk.

A project to upgrade a number of Pile moorings (approximately 30) in Kerikeri inlet is progressing.

 


Council Meeting                                                                                                                                                          ITEM: 8.0

19 November 2019

 

TITLE:

Business with the Public Excluded

 

Executive Summary

The purpose of this report is to recommend that the public be excluded from the proceedings of this meeting to consider the confidential matters detailed below for the reasons given.

Recommendations

1.              That the public be excluded from the proceedings of this meeting to consider confidential matters.

2.              That the general subject of the matters to be considered whilst the public is excluded, the reasons for passing this resolution in relation to this matter, and the specific grounds under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution, are as follows:

Item No.

Item Issue

Reasons/Grounds

8.1

Human Resources Report

The public conduct of the proceedings would be likely to result in disclosure of information, the withholding of which is necessary to protect the privacy of natural persons, including that of deceased natural persons s7(2)(a).

3.              That the Independent Financial Advisor be permitted to stay during business with the public excluded.

Considerations

1.    Options

Not applicable. This is an administrative procedure.

2.    Significance and Engagement

This is a procedural matter required by law. Hence when assessed against council policy is deemed to be of low significance.

3.    Policy and Legislative Compliance

The report complies with the provisions to exclude the public from the whole or any part of the proceedings of any meeting as detailed in sections 47 and 48 of the Local Government Official Information Act 1987.

4.    Other Considerations

Being a purely administrative matter; Community Views, Māori Impact Statement, Financial Implications, and Implementation Issues are not applicable.