Agenda of Great Barrier Environment Committee

I hereby give notice that an ordinary meeting of the Great Barrier Environment Committee will be held on:

Date:

Time:

Meeting Room:

Venue:

Wednesday, 25 February 2015

10.00am

Claris Conference Centre
19 Whangaparapara Road
Claris
Great Barrier Island

Great Barrier Environment Committee

OPEN AGENDA

MEMBERSHIP

Chairperson	Susan Daly
Deputy Chairperson	Jeff Cleave
Members	Izzy Fordham
	Judy Gilbert
	Christina Spence

(Quorum 3 members)

Guia Nonoy

Local Board Democracy/Engagement Advisor

17 February 2015

Contact Telephone: (09) 373 6218

Email: Guia.Nonoy@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Website: www.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Great Barrier Environment Committee

25 February 2015

ITEM TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

1 Welcome 5

2 Apologies 5

3 Declaration of Interest 5

4 Confirmation of Minutes 5

5 Leave of Absence 5

6 Acknowledgements 5

7 Petitions 5

8 Deputations 5

9 Public Forum 5

10 Extraordinary Business 5

11 Notices of Motion 6

12 Infrastructure and Environmental Services Update Report 7

13 Auckland Council weed management practises on Great Barrier Island 43

14 Update on Aotea Great Barrier Ecology Conversations 53

15 Community group and agency reports 55

16 Consideration of Extraordinary Items

1 Welcome

Chairperson SP Daly will welcome everyone in attendance. Deputy Chair JC Cleave will lead a karakia.

2 Apologies

At the close of the agenda no apologies had been received.

3 Declaration of Interest

Members are reminded of the need to be vigilant to stand aside from decision making when a conflict arises between their role as a member and any private or other external interest they might have.

4 Confirmation of Minutes

That the Great Barrier Environment Committee:

a) Confirm the ordinary minutes of its meeting, held on Wednesday, 24 December 2014, as a true and correct record.

5 Leave of Absence

At the close of the agenda no requests for leave of absence had been received.

6 Acknowledgements

At the close of the agenda no requests for acknowledgements had been received.

7 Petitions

At the close of the agenda no requests to present petitions had been received.

8 Deputations

Standing Order 3.20 provides for deputations. Those applying for deputations are required to give seven working days notice of subject matter and applications are approved by the Chairperson of the Great Barrier Environment Committee. This means that details relating to deputations can be included in the published agenda. Total speaking time per deputation is ten minutes or as resolved by the meeting.

At the close of the agenda no requests for deputations had been received.

9 Public Forum

A period of time (approximately 30 minutes) is set aside for members of the public to address the meeting on matters within its delegated authority. A maximum of 3 minutes per item is allowed, following which there may be questions from www members.

At the close of the agenda no requests for public forum had been received.

10 Extraordinary Business

Section 46A(7) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“An item that is not on the agenda for a meeting may be dealt with at that meeting if-

(a) The local authority by resolution so decides; and

(b) The presiding member explains at the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public,-

(i) The reason why the item is not on the agenda; and

(ii) The reason why the discussion of the item cannot be delayed until a subsequent meeting.”

Section 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 (as amended) states:

“Where an item is not on the agenda for a meeting,-

(a) That item may be discussed at that meeting if-

(i) That item is a minor matter relating to the general business of the local authority; and

(ii) the presiding member explains at the beginning of the meeting, at a time when it is open to the public, that the item will be discussed at the meeting; but

(b) no resolution, decision or recommendation may be made in respect of that item except to refer that item to a subsequent meeting of the local authority for further discussion.”

11 Notices of Motion

At the close of the agenda no requests for notices of motion had been received.

Great Barrier Environment Committee

25 February 2015

Infrastructure and Environmental Services Update Report

File No.: CP2015/00775

Purpose

1. To inform the Great Barrier Environment Committee (the Committee) about the activities of the Infrastructure and Environmental Services (I&ES) department from November 2014 to the end of January 2015.

Executive Summary

2. This report is a regular update to inform and update the Committee on the Great Barrier environment work programme. The report also informs the Committee on regional programmes that impact on the local board area.

Recommendations

That the Great Barrier Environment Committee:

a) Notes the information in the Infrastructure and Environmental Services update report.

Discussion

3. This report and attachments specifically detail the activities delivered by the three units of I&ES (Stormwater, Solid Waste and Environmental Services) within the local board area which support and contribute to the Great Barrier Local Board outcome – The environment is at its best here.

4. The committee partially agreed its environment work programme at its September 2014 meeting (resolution number GBESP/2014/29), with further decision-making to support a sustainability stocktake and community pest coordinator delegated to the Committee Chair and Deputy Chair. The work programme is funded from the board’s biosecurity pest management and environmental enhancement budget lines, and is made up of the following projects;

· Management of leptinella population at Awana;

· Water quality monitoring at Tryphena;

· Community Pest Coordinator;

· Sustainability stocktake;

· Weed survey;

· Weed management and rodent monitoring at Kaitoke;

· Rabbit control; and

· Rainbow Skink monitoring.

5. An update on the local environment work programme is appended as Attachment A, with highlights noted in Table 1 below.

Project
Community Pest Coordinator and Water Quality Technician	Advertisements for these two roles were placed in the Barrier Bulletin in November 2014. However, the preferred candidates have advised that it is too costly to establish themselves as contractors for the small value of the work. Staff are investigating the possibility of an existing Great Barrier supplier to Council subcontracting this work.

Table 1: Highlights – Local Environment Work Programme

6. Local environmental initiatives are also supported through regional funding. Information on regional programmes on Great Barrier is appended as Attachment B, with highlights noted in Table 1 below.

The Environment Is At Its Best Here

Healthy Waterways and Thriving Ecosystems

· The results of the ground truthing exercise for presence of kauri dieback on Great Barrier Island confirmed kauri dieback at two sites near an existing known site. Due to weather events in June 2014, it was not possible to access all sites. This information will be used by the Department of Conservation and the joint kauri dieback management programme to determine next steps for managing kauri dieback on Great Barrier. A copy of the report is appended as Attachment C.

Zero Waste

· The governing body has recommended that a targeted rate for waste collection services for the Hauraki Gulf islands be set at $418 for the 2015/2016 financial year. Feedback on this targeted rate will be sought as part of the consultation on the Long-term Plan.

Table 2: Highlights – Regional Environment Work Programme

Consideration

Local Board Views

7. The committee has full delegation to consider matters relating to biodiversity and biosecurity, water quality, and waste management. Therefore, it is the appropriate forum for reporting of activities delivered by the I&ES department.

Maori Impact Statement

8. While this report is for information only and does not require any decision making, it is recognised that environmental management, water quality and land management has integral links with the mauri of the environments and concepts of kaitiakitanga.

General

Implementation Issues

9. There are no implementation issues arising from this report. Although the water quality monitoring programme funded by the board is not being delivered by the I&ES department, it has been included in this report to provide a comprehensive update on the board’s entire environment work programme.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Local Environment Work Programme	11
b View	Regional Environment Work Programme	15
c View	Groundtruthing for kauri dieback on Aotea Great Barrier 2014	17
d View	Local Board Biosecurity updates January & February 2015	39

Signatories

Author

Emma Joyce - Relationship Advisor

Authorisers

John Dragicevich - Manager Infrastructure and Environmental Services

John Nash – Relationship Manager/ Senior Local Board Advisor

Great Barrier Environment Committee

25 February 2015

Auckland Council weed management practises on Great Barrier Island

File No.: CP2015/01816

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to provide the Great Barrier Local Board with information on weed management practises used by parks, biosecurity and Auckland Transport on Great Barrier Island

Executive Summary

2. The Great Barrier Local Board chair and deputy have requested that officers report to the February 2015 Environment Committee outlining the current practice, intentions and recommendations re weed control on Great Barrier operated by parks, biosecurity and Auckland Transport.

3. The request results from concerns expressed about herbicide use, both observations by board members and comment they have received from the community. It also links to proposals to increase chemical use to reduce costs.

4. The Auckland Regional Pest Management Strategy 2007-2012 developed under the Biosecurity Act 1993 provides the statutory framework for weed management in the Auckland region. The council is reviewing this strategy and intends to replace it with a regional pest management plan, to reflect amendments to the Biosecurity Act.

5. Officers have workshopped proposals for this new plan with the board and it provided feedback in August 2014. This feedback included reinforcing its support for minimising agri-chemical use and concern at the lack of awareness and compliance in some instances with best practice for herbicide use, particularly around waterways.

6. In its presentation to the Auckland Council Budget Committee on the draft Auckland Council Long-term Plan, the board expressed its concern about proposals to reduce parks weed management costs by increasing chemical spraying. It suggested that instead, the current berm mowing service levels be lowered and that saving from that be applied to continue with largely mechanical weed management in parks. Councillors expressed their interest in this approach. As these budgets are separate, a process to achieve this would need to be agreed.

7. Attachment A provides responses to the board’s request for information on current weed management practice. Three separate responses have been received from Auckland Council Local and Sports Parks, Environmental Services Biosecurity and Auckland Transport. No specific recommendations are included at this point other than that the report be received.

Recommendation/s

That the Great Barrier Environment Committee:

a) Receives the report on Auckland Council weed management practises on Great Barrier Island.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	Great Barrier weed management reports from Auckland Council Local and Sports Parks, Environmental Services Biosecurity, and Auckland Transport	45

Signatories

Author	John Nash – Relationship Manager/Senior Local Board Advisor
Authoriser	Karen Lyons - Manager Local Board Services

Great Barrier Environment Committee

25 February 2015

Update on Aotea Great Barrier Ecology Conversations

File No.: CP2015/01860

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to update the Great Barrier Environment Committee on the proposed discussions with its community on the island’s future ecology.

Recommendation/s

That the Great Barrier Environment Committee:

a) Receives the report on the proposed Aotea Great Barrier Island ecology conversations.

Discussion

2. At its 26 November 2014 meeting the Great Barrier Environment Committee passed resolutions confirming its intention to commence the proposed Aotea Great Barrier ecology conversations in the new year and allocate up to $20,000 to engage an independent party to lead on the project. Further details of the project can be found on the agenda for that meeting.

3. Since that time discussions have been held with possible providers and two people have agreed to lead the project. Further information can be provided at the committee meeting if there are additional developments to report.

4. Once engagement processes are complete this will be formally announced and communicated to residents, ratepayers and stakeholders.

Attachments

There are no attachments for this report.

Signatories

Author	John Nash – Relationship Manager/ Senior Local Board Advisor
Authoriser	Karen Lyons - Manager Local Board Services

Great Barrier Environment Committee

25 February 2015

Community group and agency reports

File No.: CP2015/01643

Purpose

1. The purpose of this report is to provide a place where Great Barrier community groups and agencies with an interest or role in the environment or the work of the Great Barrier Environment Committee, can have items considered as part of the committee’s agenda.

Executive Summary

2. At its 27 February 2014 meeting, the Great Barrier Environment Committee “agreed to create a community reports item on its meeting agenda to enable community groups and agencies with an interest in the environment on Great Barrier to have material formally considered by the committee noting that this approach may be discontinued at any time if the committee finds it necessary”.

3. Although the preference is that reports be submitted in time for inclusion on the agenda, the option of material being pre-circulated to the committee and other interest groups is available at the chair’s discretion.

4. The recommendation against reports included on the agenda will be that the report be received. It is up to the committee whether it wishes to pass any additional resolutions to action these requests if appropriate once it has considered the material provided.

5. The items received and approved for inclusion on this agenda are attached to this report as outlined below.

Recommendation/s

That the Great Barrier Environment Committee:

a. Receives the final report from Emma Cronin on Migratory Seabird Advocacy across the Pacific: the Black Petrel Case Study, Environmental Initiatives Fund December 2014 final report from Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust and the Windy Hill Sanctuary annual report.

Attachments

No.	Title	Page
a View	A report on a study trip supported by the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust by Emma Cronin	57
b View	Environmental Initiatives Fund December 2014 final report from Windy Hill Rosalie Bay Catchment Trust	93
c View	Windy Hill Sanctuary annual report	99