Minutes of Environmental Sustainability Committee

Palmerston North City Council

Minutes of the Environmental Sustainability Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Elwood Room, Conference & Function Centre, 354 Main Street, Palmerston North on 09 September 2020, commencing at 9.03am

Members

Present:

Councillors Brent Barrett (in the Chair), Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Aleisha Rutherford and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

Non Members:

Councillors Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Bruno Petrenas and Tangi Utikere.

Apologies:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) (early departure on Council business) and Councillor Lew Findlay QSM.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) entered the meeting at 9.04am at the conclusion of clause 11. He left the meeting at 9.39am during consideration of clause 13. He was not present for clauses 11 and 13 to 18 inclusive.

Mr Chris Whaiapu left the meeting at 10.53am during consideration of clause 17. He was not present for clauses 17 and 18.

11-20

Apologies

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Vaughan Dennison.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Committee receive the apologies.

Clause 11-20 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford, Tangi Utikere and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) entered the meeting at 9.04am

12-20

Presentation - Horizons Regional Council

Dr Jon Roygard, Group Manager Natural Resources & Partnerships and Ms Rachel Keedwell, Chair of Horizons Regional Council updated the Committee regarding the Biodiversity Programme.

Horizons have one of the largest areas of hill country in New Zealand and the highest proportion of highly erodible land of any region. Land use is predominantly sheep and/or beef farms (approximately 45%). Around one third of the region is in native cover; the Department of Conservation administer 18% of the region.

Non-regulatory programme delivery over the last year included (in a COVID interrupted year) the planting of more than 5 million trees, over 300km of stream fencing, possum control on about 40% of the region as part of an over 1.5 million hectare programme, supporting 13 community projects in the Freshwater Programme (eight in the Manawatū) and supporting 27 community biodiversity projects.

A review of the biodiversity programme including an overhaul of the strategy around this programme was being undertaken, with plans to leverage on existing resources in biosecurity teams to provide greater biodiversity outcomes. Biodiversity partnerships included grant funded projects at Turitea Reserve, Manawatū Estuary, Awahuri Park and Massey Hill.

COVID recovery projects included an urban pest control programme. Funding of $18.4 million (toward work totalling $27 million) had been received for stream fencing and planting, the enhancing of fish populations through fish passage repair and the restoration of Lake Horowhenua.

Horizons and Palmerston North City Council were working across a range of biodiversity projects including Te Apiti Manawatū Gorge, Turitea Reserve and the work of the Manawatū River Leaders Accord, with room for further alignment of programmes.

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee receive the presentation for information.

Clause 12-20 above was carried 16 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford, Tangi Utikere and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

13-20

Presentation - Environment Network Manawatu

Ms Helen Lehndorf, Food Action Co-ordinator and Ms Madz BatachEl, Coordinator of Environment Network Manawatū updated the Committee with a snapshot of what is happening in the food resiliency sector in the Manawatū through the work of the Manawatū Food Action Network (MFAN).

MFAN was established in 2016, initiated by social service and environmental groups. The focus of the network included connecting, educating and empowering people around food, along with working to increase collaboration, education and awareness, build capacity and avoid duplicating efforts – essentially bridging food security organisations with food resilience initiatives.

Scope of interest included food security, food banks, localising food, Māori food sovereignty, food rescue, harvest capture, food resiliency, community gardens, community food education, crop swaps and composting. To date activity had consisted of meetings to network and share ideas, a social media presence and two development projects to accelerate efforts.

Opportunities to do more in the local food resiliency space included looking at ways to increase visibility/storytelling/outreach, bridging food security work with food resilience work, fostering and supporting urban agriculture, keeping food out landfill (food rescue/home and community composting) and food resiliency social enterprise to create ethical, positive employment opportunities for our local people.

MFAN would like to work with Palmerston North City Council to minimise food waste to landfill, and also suggested Council support of MFAN initiatives via committing to co-fund government fund applications in the Long Term Plan. Council could also assist with providing clearer pathways to support of community food initiatives (for example utilising ‘scrap’ land for urban regenerative agricultural projects), and through public-facing support and guidance with getting projects going.

The General Manager Marketing & Communications commented that there were opportunities for Council to support the work being done by MFAN, utilising its communication channels to emphasise the work being done in the food space across the city, particularly in and around the food resiliency directory. Ms BatachEl commented that Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Nelson City Councils’ communications teams were doing great work in this space.

The Mayor (Grant Smith) left the meeting at 9.39am

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee receive the presentation for information.

Clause 13-20 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

14-20

Confirmation of Minutes

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the minutes of the Environmental Sustainability Committee meeting of 12 February 2020 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

Clause 14-20 above was carried 14 votes to 0, with 1 abstention, the voting being as follows:

For:

Councillors Brent Barrett, Susan Baty, Rachel Bowen, Zulfiqar Butt, Vaughan Dennison, Renee Dingwall, Patrick Handcock ONZM, Lorna Johnson, Billy Meehan, Karen Naylor, Bruno Petrenas, Aleisha Rutherford, Tangi Utikere and Mr Chris Whaiapu.

Abstained:

Councillor Leonie Hapeta.

15-20

PNCC Corporate Emissions Inventory and Management Plan

Memorandum, presented by David Murphy, City Planning Manager.

During discussion Elected Members requested that the report be adjourned to discuss at Council meeting on 23 September 2020, to enable technical questions to be answered more fully.

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the item of business under discussion be adjourned to Council meeting on 23 September 2020.

Clause 15-20 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

16-20

Update on practical options to increase solar electricity generation

Memorandum, presented by David Murphy, City Planning Manager.

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the memorandum entitled “Update on practical options to increase solar electricity generation” reported to the Environmental Sustainability Committee on 9 September 2020 be received.

2. That it be noted that practical options to increase solar electricity generation on Council properties will continue to be investigated as part of asset management planning.

3. That it be noted that the viability of practical options to increase solar electricity generation on private property is best addressed as part of the development of the Low Carbon Roadmap so it can be assessed against other tools and policy options to reduce carbon.

Clause 16-20 above was carried 15 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting adjourned at 10.23am
The meeting resumed at 10.42am

17-20

Progress Towards Actions in the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2019

Memorandum, presented by Mike Monaghan, Water and Waste Operations Manager and Natasha Hickmott, Rubbish & Recycling Engineer.

During discussion Elected Members noted that whilst robust reporting on the individual activities and actions in the waste management and minimisation space was occurring, a synthesis of the overall picture of how well Council was tracking towards the goal of increasing waste diversion to 48% by 2025 would be useful.

Mr Chris Whaiapu left the meeting at 10.53am

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Karen Naylor.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the memorandum entitled ‘Progress Towards Actions in the Waste Management and Minimisation Plan 2019’ reported to the Environmental Sustainability Committee on 9 September 2020 be received.

2. That the Chief Executive report annually on percentage waste diversion from landfill, and on total tonnes of waste sent to landfill.

Clause 17-20 above was carried 14 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

18-20

Committee Work Schedule

Moved Brent Barrett, seconded Aleisha Rutherford.

The COMMITTEE RESOLVED

1. That the Environmental Sustainability Committee receive its Work Schedule dated September 2020.

Clause 18-20 above was carried 14 votes to 0, the voting being as follows:

For:

The meeting finished at 11.09am

Confirmed 9 December 2020

Chairperson