Sustainability Committee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sustainability Committee MEETING

 

19 February 2025

 

 

 

Order of Business

 

1.         Karakia Timatanga

2.         Apologies

3.         Notification of Additional Items

Pursuant to Sections 46A(7) and 46A(7A) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, to receive the Chairperson’s explanation that specified item(s), which do not appear on the Agenda of this meeting and/or the meeting to be held with the public excluded, will be discussed.

Any additions in accordance with Section 46A(7) must be approved by resolution with an explanation as to why they cannot be delayed until a future meeting.

Any additions in accordance with Section 46A(7A) may be received or referred to a subsequent meeting for further discussion.  No resolution, decision or recommendation can be made in respect of a minor item.

4.         Declarations of Interest (if any)

Members are reminded of their duty to give a general notice of any interest of items to be considered on this agenda and the need to declare these interests.

 

 

5.         Public Comment

To receive comments from members of the public on matters specified on this Agenda or, if time permits, on other Committee matters.

(NOTE:   If the Committee wishes to consider or discuss any issue raised that is not specified on the Agenda, other than to receive the comment made or refer it to the Chief Executive, then a resolution will need to be made.)

6.         Confirmation of Minutes                                                                                  Page 7

 

That the minutes of the Sustainability Committee meeting of 4 December 2024 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.

7.         Deliberations report on Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food security and resilience policy                                                            Page 13

Report, presented by Julie Macdonald, Strategy and Policy Manager.

8.         Wastewater Treatement Plant - Nature Calls: Quarterly Update             Page 45

Memorandum, presented by Mike Monaghan, Manager Three Waters.

9.         Committee Work Schedule                                                                           Page 51

10.       Karakia Whakamutunga     

11.       Exclusion of Public

 

To be moved: “That the public be excluded from the following parts of the proceedings of this meeting listed in the table below. The general subject of each matter to be considered while the public is excluded, the reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter, and the specific grounds under Section 48(1) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 for the passing of this resolution are as follows: General subject of each matter to be considered Reason for passing this resolution in relation to each matter Ground(s) under Section 48(1) for passing this resolution           This resolution is made in reliance on Section 48(1)(a) of the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 and the particular interest or interests protected by Section 6 or Section 7 of that Act which would be prejudiced by the holding of the whole or the relevant part of the proceedings of the meeting in public as stated in the above table. Also that the persons listed below be permitted to remain after the public has been excluded for the reasons stated. [Add Third Parties], because of their knowledge and ability to assist the meeting in speaking to their report/s [or other matters as specified] and answering questions, noting that such person/s will be present at the meeting only for the items that relate to their respective report/s [or matters as specified].

 

 

Minutes of the Sustainability Committee Meeting Part I Public, held in the Council Chamber, First Floor, Civic Administration Building, 32 The Square, Palmerston North on 04 December 2024, commencing at 9.00am

Members Present:	Councillor Kaydee Zabelin (in the Chair), The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson and Karen Naylor.
Non Members:	Councillors Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.
Apologies:	Councillor Brent Barrett; Councillor Debi Marshall-Lobb (absent on Council business).

 

 

	Karakia Timatanga
	Councillor Kaydee Zabelin opened the meeting with karakia.

 

43-24	Apologies
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Karen Naylor. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1.   That the Committee receive the apologies.
	Clause 43-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.

 

44-24	Hearing of Submissions:  Draft Food Security and Resilience Policy 2024
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Leonie Hapeta. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1.   That the Sustainability Committee receive the submissions and hear submissions from presenters who indicated their wish to be heard in support of their submission. 2.   That the Committee note the Procedure for Hearing of Submissions, as described in the procedure sheet.
	Clause 44-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.
	The Committee considered submissions on the Draft Food Security and Resilience Policy 2024 with supporting oral statements including additional tabled material. The following persons appeared before the Committee and made oral statements in support of their submission and replied to questions from Elected Members. Sally Darragh (Health New Zealand I Te Whatu Ora, Community and whanau wellbeing team, National Public Health Service) (39) Sally spoke to their submission and made the following additional comment: ·    This policy is something that ensures the health and wellbeing of the community, and food security is a human right, so it’s good for Council to be involved in working in this space to improve the health of the community.  ·    It is important to Health New Zealand that there are other external partners involved in public health. Josephine Gutry (Cancer Society Manawatū) (29) Josephine spoke to their submission and made the following additional comments: ·    This policy provides pathways for Council to initiate change in our food environment.  It’s important action is taken to lessen the burden on the environment and our health system. ·    With 15-20% of New Zealand’s population facing food insecurity and almost 500,000 people reaching out to food banks monthly, while hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food is wasted each year, there is no better reason to have a policy that will help support the community to reach food security and decrease environmental strain. ·    Palmerston North City Council could follow the example of other major cities in New Zealand and make their mark in achieving a policy that prioritises health and the environment. Dana Kunaiti (Niuvaka Trust) (48) Dana spoke to their submission, including a PowerPoint presentation (appended to these Minutes).  She made the following additional comment: ·    Links to all four goals – this is needed in the community.  It’s about valuing and supporting the aspirations of communities, providing opportunities across all of the Council’s goals/outcomes.  Daniel Morrimire (Environment Network Manawatū and Ora Konnect) (50) Daniel spoke to their submission and made the following additional comments: ·    He was fortunate enough to grow up in an environment where his family had the opportunity to grow and harvest their own food which supported them financially.  Many people these days do not have that ability.  Environment Network Manawatū supports a number of community garden initiatives. ·    Food security and food resilience is really important; food is one of the four main things humans need to live (food, water, air, housing) and is a fundamental human right. ·    This is an overarching policy that they hope will affect and influence Council’s decisions in other areas relating to localised food production.  Local government has an important role to play in ensuring that local spaces and communities are supported to get involved in food resilience, and removing barriers to this happening. Leana Hamlin (35) Leana spoke to her submission including a PowerPoint presentation (appended to these Minutes).  She made the following additional comments: ·    The greatest investment we can make is to protect and work alongside our land, our home and our earth.  We all have a duty to protect, nourish and cherish these kaupapa.  Too often profit over people seems to prevail.  Here in Aotearoa every human has the right to adequate food and Council must ensure that this policy will uphold the strong tikanga surrounding that, regardless of age, ethnicity, monetary wealth or status.  ·    We need to start advocating and actioning sustainable and organic practices that respect nature and ensure our food is as pure as it was made to be.  The future of food starts with conscious choices today.  Our country exports fruit, vegetables and meat costing less overseas, yet we have to pay almost triple the prices just to eat our own kai on our own whenua.  This needs to be addressed for our region with a stronger, louder voice. ·    Hands in the soil is not just about gardening, it’s about connection – with ourselves, our food and our earth, and it helps individuals to slow down from this fast paced rat race we call life.  Council needs to be able to remove barriers in place that make it too hard for these things to occur. ·    Funding to support community initiatives in the sector and collaboration needs to be more supported and spread more across the board.  Barriers need to be removed in regards to accessing funding. ·    The policy states that outcomes will be evident though wellbeing indicators, monitoring and annual reporting – this is where whakawhanaungatanga comes in – watching what people do, not what they say or write.  Data reporting with funding in this policy needs to be kept under own initiatives.  Transparency is key; misappropriation of funding and reporting needs to be monitored.  When funding is received the reporting needs to be more in depth. Rebecca Culver (Just Zilch) (38) Rebecca spoke to their submission and made the following additional comments: ·    We want to make sure Palmerston North is a friendly place, known for its kindness – this policy is one thing we can do towards this.  We have the opportunity to really make a difference for the public and local businesses. ·    Recommended data collation and analysis by Council, and sharing this information – if food is going to waste, how many kilos and can we rescue that food?  If it’s food that’s being utilized by the public, is there data we can collect around that?  Just Zilch collects this information currently but it would be good to have a central collation point for all community organisations and for this to be facilitated by Council. ·    Preferred method for achieving an implementation plan and tracking of policy implementation for progress – a report would be great as people wider than just the organisations involved could read it.

 

45-24	Draft Food Security and Resilience Policy 2024 - Summary of Submissions Memorandum, presented by Julie Macdonald, Manager Strategy and Policy.
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Patrick Handcock. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1.   That the Committee receive the summary of submissions for the Draft Food Security and Resilience Policy 2024, presented to the Sustainability Committee on 4 December 2024.
	Clause 45-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.

 

46-24	Confirmation of Minutes
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Patrick Handcock. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1.   That the minutes of the Sustainability Committee meeting of 16 October 2024 Part I Public be confirmed as a true and correct record.
	Clause 46-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Patrick Handcock. 2.   That the minutes of the Sustainability Committee meeting of 16 October 2024 Part II Confidential be confirmed as a true and correct record.
	Clause 46-24 above was carried 8 votes to 0, with 2 abstentions, the voting being as follows: For: Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan. Abstained: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillor Leonie Hapeta.

                       The meeting adjourned at 10.19am.

                       The meeting resumed at 10.41am.

47-24	Community Gardens - simplified process Report, presented by Aaron Phillips, Activities Manager Parks and Amy Viles, Manager Community Development. After discussion Elected Members moved that the proposed simplified process be made a Council policy rather than an interim measure.
	Moved Grant Smith, seconded Karen Naylor. The COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS 1.   That Council approve the Palmy Community Garden Guide 2024 (Attachment 1). 2.   That Council delegate authority to the Chief Executive to issue permits to community gardens.
	Clause 47-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.

 

48-24	Nature Calls Quarterly Update Memorandum, presented by Mike Monaghan, Manager Three Waters.
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Karen Naylor. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1.   That the Committee receive the report titled ‘Nature Calls Quarterly Update’, presented to the Sustainability Committee on 4 December 2024.
	Clause 48-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.

 

49-24	Committee Work Schedule
	Moved Kaydee Zabelin, seconded Leonie Hapeta. The COMMITTEE RESOLVED 1.   That the Sustainability Committee receive its Work Schedule dated December 2024.
	Clause 49-24 above was carried 10 votes to 0, the voting being as follows: For: The Mayor (Grant Smith) and Councillors Kaydee Zabelin, Roly Fitzgerald, Patrick Handcock, Leonie Hapeta, Lorna Johnson, Karen Naylor, Vaughan Dennison, Lew Findlay and Billy Meehan.

 

	Karakia Whakamutunga
	Councillor Kaydee Zabelin closed the meeting with karakia.

 

 

The meeting finished at 11.34am.

 

Confirmed 19 February 2025

 

 

 

Chair

 

 

 

 

REPORT

TO:                                Sustainability Committee

MEETING DATE:           19 February 2025

TITLE:                             Deliberations report on Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food security and resilience policy

PRESENTED BY:            Julie Macdonald, Strategy and Policy Manager

APPROVED BY:            David Murphy, General Manager Strategic Planning

 

RECOMMENDATION TO Council

1.   That the Committee recommend Council adopt Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food security and resilience Policy, Attachment 2 of this memorandum.

 

Summary of options analysis

Problem or Opportunity	Council has consulted with the community on a draft Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food security and resilience policy [the Policy]. The Committee can deliberate on the submissions made and then recommend that Council either adopt the Policy (as recommended in Attachment 2) or not adopt the Policy and bring this work to a close.
OPTION 1:	Recommend Council adopt the Policy
Community Views	Views on a proposed Policy were sought through a research and engagement phase, and then a formal submissions process. Most submitters were in support of the proposed policy, and Option 1 responds to that support.
Benefits	Council has made various commitments to support food security outcomes through funding and expressions of support for a policy. Formal commitment to a policy would provide certainty for the community about Council’s intentions and provide direction for implementation of actions in support for food security and resilience.
Risks	Food security and resilience are broad topics and there is a wide range of activities that would progress desired outcomes. A risk of formalising a policy is to increase expectations for further Council action.
Financial	There are no financial issues associated with this option, beyond those which may emerge from future work to implement an adopted policy.
OPTION 2:	Not recommend Council adopt the Policy
Community Views	Views on a proposed policy were sought through a research and engagement phase, and then a formal submissions process. Most submitters were in support of the proposed policy. Option 2 responds to the views of those submitters who did not support the proposed policy.
Benefits	Declining to commit to a policy at this stage would provide certainty for the community about Council’s intentions in response to food security and resilience issues.
Risks	There has been significant research, engagement, and consultation in the development of this work to date. There is a risk that relationships with community partners will be harmed if Council declines to progress work that it has consistently signalled it will support.
Financial	There are no financial issues associated with this option.

 

Rationale for the recommendations

1.         Overview of the problem or opportunity

1.1       Council has consulted with the community on its draft Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food security and resilience policy [the Policy]. Submitters wishing to speak to their submissions were heard by the Sustainability Committee on 4 December 2024.

1.2       This memorandum provides advice to inform deliberations of the Committee in response to submissions received on the proposal (Attachment 1).

1.3       This memorandum recommends that the Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food security and resilience policy is adopted with amendments as marked (Attachment 2).

2.         Background and previous council decisions

2.1       The policy development process began in October 2023, following an earlier presentation from Environment Network Manawatū and the Manawatū Food Action Network. The presenters advocated for Council to take a leadership role in developing a policy to support city wellbeing.

2.2       The research and engagement stage of the policy process identified areas where direction provided through a Council policy could support city food security and resilience in accordance with the newly adopted strategic direction. This research report is published on Council’s website.

2.3       During the policy development process, Council resolved to fund Environment Network Manawatū (through the Sector Lead Partnership Agreement for the Environmental Initiatives Fund) an additional $30,000 per annum to support food security projects (reference 94-24 2F(2)).

2.4       At its meeting on 21 August 2024 the Sustainability Committee approved for consultation the draft Policy.

2.5       The draft Policy summarised the proposed objectives as:

‘We want to be a city where every resident has access to nutritious and affordable food, and where the community is resilient in the face of food-related challenges. We also want to be part of building a sustainable and inclusive food system that enhances the wellbeing of all residents. The purpose of this policy is to inform and guide Council’s actions in support of food security and resilience in our community’.

2.6       The background to the development of the draft Policy is described in more detail in the report to the Sustainability Committee of 21 August 2024.

3.         Consultation on the Draft policy

3.1       Consultation on the draft Policy was open from 7 October to 8 November 2024. A summary of submissions was presented to the Sustainability Committee on 4 December 2024, alongside the hearing of those wishing to speak in support of their submissions.

3.2       Most submitters were positive about the proposed Policy, highlighting support for:

·    The significance of food security issues

·    The importance of collaboration and support for current initiatives and services

·    The appropriateness of Council providing leadership in this area

·    food security as a core concern of local government

 

3.3       Submitters who did not support some or all of the proposed policy highlighted:

·    Affordability issues for ratepayers

·    The inappropriateness of Council’s involvement in this area

·    That this policy is a waste of resources

·    That resources would be better spent on core Council activities

 

3.4       Rangitāne o Manawatū provided a statement in response to the proposed policy, noting potential for alignment with the Rangitāne o Manawatū Iwi Environmental Management Plan 2021.

4.         Description of options

4.1       The Committee has two options:

Option 1:  Recommend Council adopt the Policy        

Option 2:  Not recommend Council adopt the Policy

Advice on each of these options is in section 5 of this report. More detailed discussion and response to issues raised by submitters is provided in Attachment 1.

 

 

 

5.         Analysis of options

Option 1:  Recommend Council adopt the Policy        

5.1       Council has consulted the community on its proposed policy. This consultation confirmed Council’s stated support (through earlier discussions at Committee) for a formal commitment to food security and resilience.

5.2       Attachment 1 provides a detailed analysis of the submissions made, staff response to those submissions, and recommendations for further changes to the proposed policy.

5.3       Submitters raised a variety of arguments in favour of amendments to the proposed policy.

5.4       Staff recommend the following changes to the Policy:

·     Addition of ‘food rescue’ to the list of current responses by the community to food security issues in the ‘Introduction and purpose’ section.

·     Amendment of the introduction to the ‘Objectives’ section (with changes shown in red and by strikethrough):

We want to be a city where every resident has access to healthy and nutritious and affordable food, and where the community is resilient in the face of food-related challenges. We also want to be part of building a sustainable and inclusive food system that enhances the wellbeing of all residents. The purpose of this policy is to inform and guide Council’s actions in support of food security and resilience in our community.

·     Amendment of the proposed Objectives (with changes shown in red) to read:

1.    Equitable access to healthy, nutritious, and culturally appropriate food.

2.    A resilient community with reliable access to food.

3.    Local food systems that are environmentally sustainable and socially equitable.

4.    Public spaces that support food production alongside other community use.

5.    Communities and organisations that are supported to deliver food security and resilience services and initiatives.

6.    Community-led educational opportunities that enable individuals, whānau, and communities to enhance their knowledge and skills.

7.    Less food is wasted.

8.    An engaged and connected community working together.

·     Change of the principle ‘Partnership’ to ‘Relationships’ to better reflect the intention and to respond to Rangitāne o Manawatū concern that use of ‘Partnership’ here as a principle could diminish the status of the Council-iwi partnership:

Partnership Relationships – We will be relationship-centred in our actions, in recognition that many others also work to improve community wellbeing.

5.5       Council has now made a longstanding commitment to policy-making in this area, and the community can reasonably expect to see an implementation plan and action.

5.6       The risk of proceeding to adopt the recommended Policy is that expectations for Council action may exceed the level of commitment shown by Council to implement a policy. This risk can be mitigated by prompt attention to the development of an implementation plan, with clear expectations for action.

Recommendation

There are notable benefits of proceeding with Option 1; Option 1 is therefore recommended.

Option 2: Not recommend Council adopt the Policy

5.7       Given that there is no current adopted policy addressing food security and resilience policy, there will not be a decrease in the current commitment by Council if the policy process is discontinued.

5.8       The risk of this option is for damage to Council relationships with community partners and interested parties who have participated in the project to date. There will not be an agreed framework for future discussions with the community on potential Council actions to support food security and resilience outcomes.

5.9       A further risk is that opportunities to address food security and resilience identified through the policy process will not be addressed. These include, for example, opportunities for changed Council civil defence or parks practices.

Recommendation

5.10     The benefits of proceeding with Option 1 outweigh the benefits of Option 2; Option 2 is therefore not recommended.

6.         Conclusion

6.1       Council consulted with the community on a proposed Te kaupapahere mō te tūwhita me te manawaroa o te kai Food Security and Resilience Policy. The community response to the proposal was generally supportive, with a range of views expressed by submitters. Many responses were primarily focused on actions Council could take to implement the Policy.

6.2       Several amendments to the draft Policy are proposed and shown in Attachment 2.

6.3       The report recommends that the Draft Food Security and Resilience Policy is adopted (Attachment 2).

7.         Next actions

7.1       If adopted, the community will be notified and provided with information about any amendments made to the draft proposed for consultation. The Policy will be published to the Council’s website.

7.2       If Council adopts the Policy, staff will proceed with the next phases of the policy – to develop an implementation plan and request Senior Leadership Team approval of this plan.

8.         Outline of community engagement process

8.1       Consultation on the draft Policy was open from 7 October to 8 November 2024. Notification of the consultation was made through public notices, posters around the city, a social media campaign, and media release. A primary method for sharing information about the proposed policy was the distribution of material by Environment Network Manawatū and other community networks (including Te Pū Harakeke Flax Pānui).

8.2       Consultation material was posted on the Council’s website along with an online submission form. We also co-ordinated with Environment Network Manawatū to run a drop-in session at the Central Library at the beginning of the consultation period. Printed copies of the consultation document and submission form were made available at the Customer Service Centre, Central Library, and all other community libraries.

8.3       There was early engagement with Rangitāne o Manawatū through Te Whiri Kōkō. A formal response from the Kairaukaha Taiao was provided to the Sustainability Committee on 4 December 2024 alongside the 53 submissions. Six of these submitters were heard at that this Committee meeting.

9.         Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?		No
Are the decisions significant?		No
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		No
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these objectives?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to:   Whāinga 1: He tāone auaha, he tāone tiputipu Whāinga 3: He hapori tūhonohono, he hapori haumaru Goal 3: A connected and safe community Whāinga 4: He tāone toitū, he tāone manawaroa Goal 4: A sustainable and resilient city
The recommendations contribute to this plan:    7.  Mahere tautāwhi hapori 7.  Community Support Plan AND 9. Mahere haumaru hapori, hauora hapori 9. Community Safety and Health Plan AND 12. Mahere taumanu para 12. Resource Recovery Plan
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	The recommendations contribute to our objectives for our community to have: •   access to services and facilities that are inclusive and appropriate for their needs •   the support they want to live healthy lives •   community social service groups and facilities that are well supported and invested in •   a circular economy with more resource recovery and less waste •   a healthy, thriving, ecosystem, including native biodiversity and food security •   access to relevant information and education to support more sustainable choices •   natural environment-focused community groups and facilities that are well supported and invested in.

 

Attachments

1.	Analysis of submissions ⇩
2.	Draft Policy for adoption ⇩

  

 

 

Memorandum

TO:                                Sustainability Committee

MEETING DATE:           19 February 2025

TITLE:                             Wastewater Treatement Plant - Nature Calls: Quarterly Update

Presented By:            Mike Monaghan, Manager Three Waters

APPROVED BY:            Chris Dyhrberg, General Manager Infrastructure

 

RECOMMENDATION TO Sustainability Committee

1.   That the Committee receive the report titled ‘Wastewater Treatment Plant – Nature Calls: Quarterly Update’ presented to the Sustainability Committee on 19 February 2025.

1.         ISSUE

1.1       The Nature Calls Project Team completed the concept design and development of the resource consent application to Horizons Regional Council (Horizons) in late 2022.  This was the culmination of four years of work developing the Best Practicable Option (BPO), which comprises highly treated wastewater being discharged to the Manawatū River or to land.

1.2       Quarterly updates for the project were requested by Council.  This report provides an update on the project for the period from October to December 2024.

2.         Summary

2.1       The Nature Calls project continues to solidify the project planning as we wait for the release of the National Wastewater standards first draft. This is to ensure that only no regrets work is completed before we can get more certainty on the direction provided by the proposed standards. The standards currently being developed by Taumata Arowai will provide discharge standards for wastewater operators across New Zealand. The Nature Calls project will need to consider these standards when assessing discharge options.

2.2       The project team have mapped out different scenarios for our approach post the draft standard release considering best and worst-case consenting circumstances and potential programmes associated with each.

2.3       Engagement with iwi has also been a focus, with a regular meeting with the project delivery team now being established.

3.         Best Practicable Option (bpo) update

3.1       The project has progressed through Step 1 of the BPO, the review of the long list. The Step 2 draft short list was prepared for a workshop with Elected Members in December; this workshop has been deferred to February 2025 to work through these options in further detail. 

3.2       The project team are awaiting the release of the draft National Wastewater standards prior to progressing further work. 

3.3       The project team have identified two potential pathways post draft-standards for the purposes of programme and cost management.  These include:

·     An Optimistic Pathway - this approach assumes the following:

- That the draft standards will result in a significant reduction in Resource Management Act (RMA) approvals.  It must be noted that there is little guidance from Taumata Arowai to indicate that the RMA will be amended in parallel with the draft standards being prepared.  However, a ‘permitted’ approach to wastewater discharge standards at the end of the pipe may result in a more permissive consenting pathway; and

- A more permissive consenting pathway could result in a shortened programme and budget required to prepare and submit a resource consent application.  This could also reduce programme and budget for the post-lodgement process.

·     The Conservative Pathway – this approach assumes the following:

- That a BPO process and consenting pathway similar to the current consent is required, despite the draft standards providing additional guidance.  This pathway is similar to what was followed previously but looks to streamline process and utilise previous work wherever possible. 

4.         horizons regional council

4.1       An update to Horizons Regional Council was provided on 20 December 2024 as per the quarterly commitment to provide updates on the project.

4.2       The Project Manager met with the Processing Planner at Horizons in January 2024 to discuss the implications of the draft wastewater standards and the project.  Due to the uncertainty for Horizons as the regulator as well as Council as a result of the draft standards, it was agreed that the project team would reconnect with Horizons post-release of the standards.

5.         IWI INVOLVEMENT

5.1       A regular meeting has been established with representatives from Rangitāne, Te Tūmatakahuki and Ngāti Whakatere. The purpose of these meetings is to provide an opportunity to integrate iwi into the project’s development and delivery, as the project progresses.

6.         BIOSOLIDS STRATEGY UPDATE

6.1       The project conducted site investigations of the Awapuni landfill southern slopes to confirm the infiltration capacity of the soil. This testing determined the current soil layer meets infiltration requirements.

6.2       A meeting with Horizons will be arranged to communicate this. Reducing the requirement for additional clay capping layer reduces cost to prepare the slopes for biosolids remediation. Further planning works are also required to define the slope preparing activities.

7.         ORGANISATIONAL STRUCTURE

7.1       The organisation structure presented to Council has been established, with regular reporting and updates to the groups. The Project Oversight Committee meetings have started on a monthly basis to provide senior management direction on the project.

8.         RISK

8.1       The following top risks have been identified and are being actively managed by the project team:

Risk	Risk Level	Mitigations	Residual Risk
National Wastewater Standards  Could change consenting requirements.  Cannot make objective decisions on consenting strategy if unknown.  Potential regretful spending and/or delays.	¢ EXTREME	• Rework programme timeline and accept time delays, continuing with no regrets works only • Monitor standards progress	¢ VERY HIGH
LTP budget  Cannot find a solution that meets the LTP FY24-34 budget.  Current consented option is over the LTP budget.  If too high, may not secure funding for the project.	¢ EXTREME	• Introduce fatal flaw screening on estimated option cost • Adjustment of weighting of BPO selection considered with input from EMs (workshop now planned)	¢ VERY HIGH
Ratepayer affordability  Ratepayers unable to afford the proposed scheme caused by estimated high capital and operational cost of the proposed Nature Calls scheme.	¢ EXTREME	• Council has set LTP budget cap, with instructions to reduce further if possible • BPO process introduced fatal flaw screen based on budget and BPO selection weightings to be adjusted	¢ VERY HIGH
Iwi relationships The project does not engage and consult with Iwi. Caused by the failure to recognise and fulfil obligations under the Treaty of Waitangi.	¢ EXTREME	• Iwi represented on Project Oversight Committee • Iwi involvement and consultation in operational project in place with regular fortnightly meetings established • Regular updates to Te Whirekoko meetings • Identified and engaged with all iwi with affected rohe	¢ HIGH

 

9.         BUDGET

9.1       At the end of December 2024, a total of $529,910 has been spent YTD from the revised $2.1M Nature Calls budget for 24/25 (previously $3M).

9.2       Project spend to date is $12.2M which includes $5.8M of operational costs and $6.4M of capital costs since FY17-18.

9.3       The project spend for 24/25 is detailed below.

Cost Line	FY Revised Budget	Committed	Forecast	Actual
FY25 TOTAL	$2,100,000	$1,804,978	$2,020,000	529,910
BPO	1,756,857	933,880	1,170,000	302,600
Biosolids Strategy	343,143	1,899	100,000	42,354
Project Management	543,000	279,158	370,000	184,956

 

10.       Compliance and administration

Does the Committee have delegated authority to decide?		Yes
Are the decisions significant?		Yes
If they are significant do they affect land or a body of water?		Yes
Can this decision only be made through a 10 Year Plan?		No
Does this decision require consultation through the Special Consultative procedure?		No
Is there funding in the current Annual Plan for these objectives?		Yes
Are the recommendations inconsistent with any of Council’s policies or plans?		No
The recommendations contribute to:   Whāinga 4: He tāone toitū, he tāone manawaroa Goal 4: A sustainable and resilient city
The recommendations contribute to this plan:    13. Mahere wai 13. Water Plan The objective is: Lodge resource consent application for future discharge of Wastewater Treatment Plant
Contribution to strategic direction and to social, economic, environmental and cultural well-being	Lodging for resource consent allows Council to continue to provide its wastewater services and allows for future proofing the city.

 

Attachments

Nil 

 

 

Committee Work Schedule

TO:                                Sustainability Committee

MEETING DATE:           19 February 2025

TITLE:                             Committee Work Schedule

 

RECOMMENDATION TO Sustainability Committee

1.   That the Sustainability Committee receive its Work Schedule dated February 2025.

Estimated Report Date	Subject	Officer Responsible	Current Position	Date of Instruction & Clause number
19 February 2025	Draft Food Security and Resilience Policy – deliberations	General Manager Strategic Planning		21 August 2024 Clause 23-24
19 February 2025 16 April 2025 18 June 2025	Wastewater Treatment Plant -Nature Calls: Quarterly Report	General Manager Infrastructure		Council 29 May 2024 Clause 95.11 -25 (rec 2)
16 April 2025	Manawatū-Whanganui Climate Joint Action Committee Update	General Manager Strategic Planning	Subject to agenda of Joint Committee or any changes at a national level	Climate change plan ongoing
19 February 2025 16 April 2025	Annual Sector Lead Report: Environment Network Manawatū	General Manager Customer & Community	Deferred to allow for adequate data collection	Terms of Reference
16 April 2025	Local Water Done Well – hearings	General Manager Infrastructure		Terms of Reference
18 June 2025	Draft community-focused city-wide climate action plan	General Manager Strategic Planning		Climate change plan ongoing action #5 16 October 2024 Clause 34-24
18 June 2025	Resource Recovery Services Review	General Manager Infrastructure		21 August 2024 Clause 28-24
	PNCC Organisational Emissions Inventory 2024/25 Annual Report	General Manager Strategic Planning	Council 8 October	Climate change plan ongoing action #1
	Waste management and minimisation plan 2019 - annual progress update for 2024/25 FY	General Manager Infrastructure	Council 8 October	9 Sept 2020 Clause 17-20
	Citywide Emissions Inventory 2024 Annual Report	General Manager Strategic Planning	Council 8 October	Climate change plan ongoing action #3
	Low Carbon Fund Allocations 2024/25	General Manager Strategic Planning	Council 8 October	21 August 2024 Clause 24-24
2025	Options to enable inclusion of organisational and community-wide sustainability indicators in the 2026 Sustainability Review	General Manager Corporate Services/CFO		22 May 2024 Clause 15
2025	Progress report on the city-wide stormwater strategy	General Manager Strategic Planning		16 October 2024 Clause 42-24
TBC 2026	Develop a city-wide stormwater strategy	General Manager Strategic Planning	Prior to the development of 2027 FDS	Council 29 May 2024 Clause 95.7 -24 2F(3)