Monitoring and Operations Committee Minutes

28 June 2023

Monitoring and Operations Committee

Open Minutes

Commencing: Wednesday 28 June 2023, 9.30 am

Venue: Mataatua Room, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Level 1, 5 Quay Street, Whakatāne and via Zoom

Chairperson: Cr Kevin Winters

Deputy Chairperson: Cr Ron Scott

Members: Cr Stuart Crosby

Chairman Doug Leeder

Cr Matemoana McDonald

Cr Jane Nees

Cr Lyall Thurston

Cr Andrew von Dadelszen

Cr Te Taru White

Cr Kat Macmillan

Cr Malcolm Campbell

Cr Ken Shirley

In Attendance: BOPRC: Reuben Fraser – General Manager, Regulatory Services, Chris Ingle – General Manager, Integrated Catchments, Staff Presenters – as listed in the minutes, Amanda Namana – Committee Advisor

External: John Gifford- Chair, Lakes Water Quality Society, Tom Kay – Forest and Bird NZ (via Zoom)

Apologies: Cr Toi Iti, Cr Paula Thompson, Cr Jane Nees (early departure), Cr Stuart Crosby (early departure)

1. Apologies

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Accepts the apologies from Cr Iti and Cr Thompson for absence, Cr Nees and Cr Crosby for early departure tendered at the meeting.

Nees/Thurston

CARRIED

2. Declaration of Conflicts of Interest

Cr Crosby and Cr White declared an interest in relation to Agenda item 8.5 – Forestry Compliance – a snapshot of risk, as Quayside Board Directors.

3. Minutes

Minutes to be Confirmed

3.1

Monitoring and Operations Committee Minutes - 7 March 2023

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Confirms the Monitoring and Operations Committee Minutes - 7 March 2023 as a true and correct record.

von Dadelszen/Scott

CARRIED

4. Presentations

4.1

Outcomes from the Lakes Water Quality Society Symposium - November 2022

Presentation: LakesWater Quality Society: Objective ID A4409743

John Gifford - Chair, LakesWater Quality Society presented this item.

Key Points

· LakesWater Quality Society: Te Kahui Kounga Wai had been operating for over 60 years

· Symposia were a well-supported and core part of the programme. They provided an opportunity to engage with and inform the community of latest science influencing water quality and catchment issues

· The Symposium 2022 document was nearing completion and would be made available to members

· Summarised the seven sessions held including key messages, issues and solutions

· Integrated land and water modelling was used to predict the impact of specific land uses on water quality

· Assessment of sediment cores using eDNA

· Outlined source contributions of nutrient loads in Lake Rotorua and the nutrient reductions that had been achieved

· Although gorse target reduction targets had been met, gorse weed was still an issue in places

· Invasive pest aquatic weeds continued to be a major issue for Rotorua lakes – when addressing any introduced aquatic pests, the earlier this work was undertaken, the higher chance there was for eradication

· A range of management procedures had been put in place for Lake Ōkāreka to improve plant biodiversity

· Highlighted opportunities for changing the way that catchments were used – pulling in information from different sources to identify how land could be used more effectively, including visualisation tools

· Alternative diversification of land use

· Role of forestry – an important land use change with significant benefits to water quality. There was also no other strategy except planting more trees which could meet the 2050 Net Zero Emissions goals

· Catchment change needed to be at the forefront of future thinking – sustainably increasing land value.

Key Points - Members:

· Commended the presentation summary and the leading edge of knowledge provided through the Symposium

· From a Māori perspective, Radiata Pine still provided sequestration for carbon and supported the concept that over time, this would turn into native forest and was a good alternative economy for land use

· Considered that alternatives for land use needed to be creative and courageous

· Needed to ensure that the effects of urban development on the Rotorua lakes were at the forefront of considerations for a future development strategy for Rotorua.

In Response to Questions:

· The core issue for landowners was revenue generation, so alternative land use options, combined with agencies such as Council having a long-term view of how land and water could be integrated, was important

· Needed to set high level policies to drive multiple outcomes in all catchments

· Land use changes should rely more on plants than animals to enhance value.

9.36 am – Cr McDonald entered the meeting.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the Presentation, Outcomes from the Lakes Water Quality Society Symposium - November 2022.

Crosby/White

CARRIED

4.2

Forest & Bird New Zealand - Making Room for Rivers

Presentation: Making Room for Rivers: Objective ID A4411152

Tabled Document 1 - Greater Wellington Regional Council - How Greater Wellington can work towards allowing more room for the region's rivers: Objective ID A4411145

Tabled Document 2 - Making Room for Rivers: Objective ID A4411150

Tabled Document 3 - Reanimating the strangled rivers of Aotearoa: Objective ID A4411151

Tom Kay - Freshwater Advocate - Forest & Bird NZ presented this item (via Zoom).

Key Points

· Tukua Ngā Awa Kia Rere (letting rivers flow)

· The Tūtaekurī River flow gauge failed during Cyclone Gabrielle with the river flowing at 1800 cubic metres per second

· Provided images of some of the most recent and severe flooding events across the country. These events were not just exacerbated by climate change, but also mismanagement of the environment including wetland loss, forest degradation and as a consequence of past river management. Coastal wetlands and flood plains were included in the conversation

· Putting stopbanks on gravel graded rivers removed space for them to spread gravel, and reduced their ability to naturally recharge groundwater

· Highlighted the extreme energy potential when water built up between narrow stopbanks – wider stopbanks created less energy in the water and was safer for the surrounding communities and wildlife

· The cost of damage to assets from the Auckland floods and Cyclone Gabrielle had been estimated at between nine and 14.5 billion

· Outlined some of the tools available to Council to help prioritise nature-based solutions and emphasise long-term thinking in Annual Plan and Long-Term Plan processes. This covered data collection and flood hazard modelling, planning measures, education to the public, reframing river/ flood management plans, climate hazard risk assessments, reframing flood and pest management plans and community conservation measures

· Encouraged councils to be smart and precautionary with future development and consideration of long-term managed retreats where necessary.

10.16 am – Chairman Leeder withdrew from the meeting.

Key Points - Members:

· Continued in-depth thinking around nature-based solutions was fundamental to long-term change

· Mātauranga Māori was a significant part of this concept and was driven by creating balance with nature to become part of the reset, and of the future solution.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the Presentation, Forest & Bird New Zealand - Making Room for Rivers.

Thurston/Macmillan

CARRIED

5. Reports

5.1

Chairperson's Report

Chair Cr Winters and General Manager Regulatory Services Reuben Fraser presented this item.

Key Points - Members:

· Acknowledged the level of local concern over build-up of aggregate behind the Whaeo dam in the Rangitāiki River.

In Response to Questions:

· Confirmed that the final date for applications for the Fast-track process was 7 July 2023

· Staff were trying to obtain an embargoed copy of the Toi Te Ora Public Health report going to the next Mount Maunganui Air Quality Working Party meeting to share with councillors. A briefing with Tauranga City Council Commissioners was also being arranged.

10.44 am - Chairman Leeder entered the meeting.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Chairperson's Report.

Winters/Macmillan

CARRIED

Decisions Required

5.2

Seddon Pump Station

Presentation: Seddon Pump Station: Objective ID A4411143

Principal Advisor Bruce Crabbe and General Manager, Integrated Catchments Chris Ingle presented this item.

Key Points:

· The graph provided in the presentation had been updated from the agenda version and showed a 200% increase from the previous average annual rainfall for the site

· The intention was that once the layout was complete, the riparian planting regime would be carried out.

Key Points - Members:

· It would be useful to be provided with complete financial implications including funding, and more information of actual costs

· Suggested to consider the increased rain and flood situation as a ‘new normal’ and make adjustments as things progressed – needed to take a realistic approach.

In Response to Questions:

· As with other pumping schemes across the region, costs would be allocated to the beneficiaries – in this case, the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme

· The fence would be upgraded as part of the project

· Many drainage areas relied upon gravity as the main discharge of drainage water, which is cheaper than pumping

· The reason for needing a pump station at this location was that the gravity drainage was no longer effective, due to river levels being elevated

· Designed discharge from the pump station was at 1000l/s

· The proposed riparian improvements would be subject to a review by an ecologist to ensure it met the appropriate permitted activity

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Seddon Pump Station;

2 Supports the proposed riparian improvements for the main contributor drains.

Thurston/White

CARRIED

11.18 am – The meeting adjourned.

11.35 am – The meeting reconvened.

Information Only

5.3

Climate Change Quarterly Report

Photograph: Motuhoa: Objective ID A4411133

Climate Change Programme Manager Nic Newman and Programme Coordinator Climate Change Niteshni Nitesh presented this item.

Key Points:

· A 2019 NIWA report projected that extreme rainfall events would become up to three times more likely for the Bay of Plenty, depending on what happened with global emissions

· Outlined the FutureFit web-based tool which assisted individuals in understanding their impact on the planet - 1000 people in the region had used the tool at the time the report was written

· A joint Regional Risk Assessment report would go to the Mayoral Forum on 11 August 2023 to look at actions from each council, responses to the risk assessment and how to work together in this space

· Approximately 25-30 people attended a workshop for Motohura Island Trust – the island was facing a number of climate change hazards, predominantly coastal erosion

· The number of homes being supported across the region through the sustainable homes programme was updated to 153, from the 103 on the dashboard when the report was written.

Key Points - Members:

· Understanding all of the benefits achieved, not just monetary amounts, would be useful to members.

In Response to Questions:

· Reassessment of the Transport Emissions Reduction Plan (TERP) would look at the most effective way to reduce emissions across the region, given the changing scene e.g. Vehicle Kilometres Travelled reduction, other emissions reduction plans, a new Government Policy Statement due for release and how the TERP would feed into the Regional Land Transport Plan.

· Progress on the joint Regional Risk Assessment would be reported to the next meeting.

· Adaptation conversations had all been instigated by the communities involved, rather than being led by Council - community readiness was a key consideration and it was important to communicate the support that was available.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Climate Change Quarterly Report.

Macmillan/Scott

CARRIED

5.4

Freshwater Farm Plan regulation implementation

Principal Advisor, Land and Water Jackson Efford presented this item.

Key Points:

· The national farm plan system would not be enough to achieve the scale of reduction required for Freshwater Management Units (FMU’s) that needed significant levels of contaminant reduction.

Key Points - Members:

· The biggest challenges for this implementation would be in the sheep and beef sector.

In Response to Questions:

· There were many factors to be considered in the timing of the implementation of each farm plan, including the expiration of existing nutrient management plans and if they aligned with national requirements

· Different FMU’s could be categorised as requiring low, medium or high contaminant reductions and Waihī Estuary was one of the highest

· The endorsement and training of the auditors and certifiers would have a national element. The administration would occur externally to Council, followed up with training to ensure the new rules were understood

· A compliance management strategy would need to be developed around how to regulate the farm plans

· Certifier and auditor roles sat outside Council’s function and farmers would choose their own auditor.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

2 Receives the report, Climate Change Quarterly Report.

Scott/Nees

CARRIED

5.5

Forestry Compliance - A snapshot of risk

Presentation: Forestry Compliance - A snapshot of risk: Objective ID A4407079

Compliance Team Leader, Land Use Fraser Toulmin and Compliance Manager - Land and Water Matthew Harrex presented this item.

Cr Crosby and Cr White declared an interest in this item and abstained from discussion and voting.

Key Points:

· 0.2% of the total Bay of Plenty land area was planted in forestry and on ‘Red Zone’ (Very High Erosion Susceptibility) land. This was a vastly different risk profile to the 12-13% of the Tairāwhiti region ‘Red Zone’ planted in forestry. Tairāwhiti had 74% of the total ‘Red Zone’ forest in New Zealand

· Wind throw was not considered slash in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management NPS-FM), but was a recommendation submitted to the recent Ministerial enquiry – ‘Land Use causing woody debris and sediment-related damage in Tairāwhiti and Wairoa’.

Key Points - Members:

· Management of the forest was the issue, rather than the forest itself.

In Response to Questions:

· There was non-compliance observed in forests in the region, but it was not Significant Non-Compliance. Where non-compliance was recorded, there were clear pathways to compliance being managed with the consent holder

· Through a desktop geospatial risk assessment there were three forests considered higher risk due to their proximity to water, infrastructure and communities. These were then inspected, with no Significant Non-Compliance observed. The risk of slash mobilising was considered very low

· Each complaint received from the public (2022/2023), where forestry was assumed to be at fault, was investigated and resulted in no non-compliance. This included flying of three entire catchments in the Western Bay of Plenty

· Future regulatory compliance reports would include a forestry section.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Forestry Compliance - A snapshot of risk.

Thurston/Nees

CARRIED

5.6

Waihī Estuary Focus Catchment Update

Presentation: Waihī Estuary Land Management Operations Update: Objective ID A4411144

Land Management Officers Claire McCorkindale and Thomas Grant presented this item.

Key Points:

· Provided a progress report card for environmental programme delivery in the Waihī Estuary of planned works and works completed since 2019

· The presentation also covered:

o Mangatoetoe Stream and Puanene Stream retirement

o Constructed treatment wetlands – initial contamination reduction

o Surface water quality catchment monitoring

o Event sampling and data sampling

o Partnership with Te Wahapū o Waihī.

In Response to Questions:

· Te Wahapū has a focus on Māori land lots where opportunities to develop environmental programmes had not been previously uptaken

· Requested regular water quality results from Waihī Estuary.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Waihī Estuary Focus Catchment Update.

Macmillan/Thurston

CARRIED

6. Presentations (Continued)

6.1

Te Wahapū o Waihī

Presentation: Te Wahapū o Waihī: Objective ID A4411140

Cr Te Taru White presented this item.

Key Points:

· The intention was to bring Mātauranga Māori along with western science to achieve the best possible outcome for the estuary and catchment

· The connection between Waihī Estuary and Maketū Estuary was strong

· Over 90% of seagrass and wetlands were gone and it was no longer swimmable

· High contaminant levels largely came from land use change

· The presentation also outlined:

o A Habitat Assessment Map

o Unique project of engagement

o Mana Motuhake, Mahinga Kai, Mahi Tahi, Mokopuna

o The Vision: He oranga te wahapū he oranga te iwi – the health of the estuary is a metaphor for the health of the people.

6.2

Reflections from Toi Moana on recent weather events

Compliance Manager – Land and Water Matthew Harrex presented this item.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Reflections from Toi Moana on recent weather events.

White/Thurston

CARRIED

1.25 pm – The meeting adjourned.

1.57 pm – The meeting reconvened.

6.3

Maritime Monitoring and Operations Report

Presentation: Maritime Navigation Safety Update: Objective ID A4399213

BOP Harbourmaster/Manager Jon Jon Peters presented this item.

Key Points:

· There had been approximately 20% cancellation of patrols due to weather, however infringements had increased 46% - attributed to the team being better trained to collect evidence

· Outlined the various student initiatives undertaken

· Identified a concerning lack of navigation lights on boats at night, and a lack of boating knowledge of maritime laws, bylaws and lifejacket use

· Outlined the challenges for the maritime team arising from the extreme weather events, including sinking boats

· Training exercises had been undertaken for oil spill response, airport and marina fires. These were a particularly dangerous place for a fire due to the unique measures that needed to be taken and how quickly the fire could spread in that environment

· An upcoming Search and Rescue exercise was scheduled to be held on 26^th July 2023.

Key Points - Members:

· A career path in maritime had the potential to be attractive to students that preferred a more hands-on type of learning, supported looking into other funding sources to encourage this

· Toi-Ohomai offered a Maritime Operations - Skipper Restricted Limits (SRL) Level 4 course.

In Response to Questions:

· The day-skipper two day course covered basic knowledge and was an initial career path into the industry – it was expected that students could return to their communities and share knowledge gained

· The Navigational Safety Bylaw Review sought to address the issue of boats anchoring in the harbour channel in the path of incoming ships. Currently this was allowed as long as the anchor was retrieved in time for the boat to safely move out the way, however as this was often not the case, a no-anchor zone was recommended

· The ideal situation would be if all recreational boat users were licensed and trained.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Maritime Monitoring and Operations Report.

Macmillan/Thurston

CARRIED

2.12 pm – Cr Nees withdrew from the meeting.

6.4

Rates Collection Update

Rates Manager Jo Pellew presented this item.

Key Points:

· Provided an update on latest collection figures (since the report had been released), which was now at 1.23% or around $1M remaining, i.e. approximately 8000 ratepayers.

In Response to Questions:

· There was a strong preference from customers for using internet banking/ direct debit

· Automatic payments were still acceptable.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Rates Collection Update.

Thurston/von Dadelszen

CARRIED

6.5

Customer Feedback Summary Report

Customer Contact Manager Rachael Burgess and Facilities and Information Team Leader Rebecca Immink presented this item.

Members’ Comments

· Would like to see a balance of positive and negative comments to better understand where the focus should be for overall improvement.

2.27 pm – Cr White withdrew from the meeting.

In Response to Questions:

· There was no prominent theme regarding what type of pollution was being reported by customers.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Customer Feedback Summary Report.

von Dadelszen/Crosby

CARRIED

6.6

Capital Project Budgeting, Approval and Delivery Process

Principal Advisor, Finance Mark Le Comte presented this item (via Zoom).

Key Points - Members:

· Particularly in the local government sector, the issues around price versus delivery were the critical components - pricing and variation to price needed to be established at the start of the process.

In Response to Questions:

· Years with high delivery percentages were mainly attributed to large projects coming through the construction phase at the same time e.g. Kaituna River diversion, flood repairs and Regional House upgrade – all completed on time and within budget.

Resolved

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Capital Project Budgeting, Approval and Delivery Process;

2 Notes the process for capital project budgeting and delivery.

Macmillan/Scott

CARRIED

2.42 pm – the meeting closed.

Confirmed

Cr Kevin Winters

Chairperson, Monitoring and Operations Committee



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Authoriser:	Reuben Fraser, General Manager Regulatory Services

Chairperson's Report

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on key matters of interest for Monitoring and Operations Committee members including:

· Integrated Catchments Update

· Rotorua Air Quality Programme Update

· Mount Maunganui Air Quality Programme Update

· Regulatory Compliance Update

· Consents Update

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Chairperson's Report.

1. Purpose

The report provides an update on key matters of interest for Monitoring and Operations Committee members.

2. Matters of Potential Interest

2.1 Integrated Catchments Update

2.1.1 Rotorua Catchments - Environmental Programme and Care Group Work 2022-2023

There has been increased interest from landowners to restore indigenous biodiversity and retire unsuitable grazing land within the Rotorua Lakes Catchments in recent years. Council funding of these projects has been supported by funding made available by the Ministry for the Environment and the Ministry for Primary Industries, through their One Billion Trees fund.

Protection and restoration of 13 different priority biodiversity sites across six active environmental programmes has been implemented with the help of 12 care groups within the Rotorua Lakes’ catchments. Plant pest control, animal pest control and planting have improved biodiversity objectives through 120 ha of priority ecosystems. The work has been carried out in wetlands, geothermal areas and threatened bush ecosystems and has improved habitat for several rare and threatened native animal species.

The Sustainable Land Use Fund has enabled 27 different environmental programmes last year, with various landowners throughout the Rotorua Lakes’ catchments. The work has allowed unsuitable grazing land, flow pathways and seepage wetlands to be retired from farming. Most of the work has been focused in the upper Ngongotahā, Waiowhero, Utuhina, Hamurana and Puarenga stream catchments. Restoration of these sites has reduced nutrient loss to the lake and has improved wetland health and function. The revegetation and protection of steep areas and seepage wetlands in the upper catchments located above residential areas has improved landscape resilience. Revegetated landscapes and restored wetlands will slow water down in high rainfall events as the restored areas become established.

Over the past year, Toi Moana funding has contributed towards 19 ha of land use change and 42,337 native plants being planted. The Rotorua Catchments team will continue to work on these prioritised areas by working closely with farmers and the community.

2.1.2 Wallaby Fence Update

Despite the best plans to complete the wallaby containment fence at Whakarewarewa forest by the end of September 2023 the completion of the fence project is going to be delayed till later in 2024.

Due to the cyclone Gabrielle and unusual wet season the planned forest harvest in the fence corridor was delayed until the 2023/24 summer. Unharvested sections of the fence alignment presented unacceptable health and safety risks following two near miss events involving falling trees. Also, completing the fence before the harvest would mean that a significant section of the fence would need to be removed to allow for unimpeded harvest operations and would lead to doubling of fence completion costs. Also, due to delayed harvest the optimal fence alignment (that minimises traffic management costs and disruptions to SH5 traffic) had to be changed resulting in potentially significantly larger construction and traffic management costs (more than $200,000). The additional cost to complete the fence will be met from the approved MPI’s national wallaby funding for the North Island Wallaby Programme Operational Plan 2023/24.

Figure 1 Wallaby Fence progress, coloured sections are completed fenced areas

2.1.3 Protection of Kauri

Provisional positive test results have detected Phytophthora agathidicida (PA) – the pathogen responsible for kauri disease in the Kaimai Mamaku ranges. Some tracks and forests were closed immediately.

There is a National Pest Management Plan (NPMP) for the protection of Kauri. The NPMP includes rules and regulations covering stock exclusion, entering kauri forests, growing and moving Kauri trees, reporting sick trees and earthworks. Tiakina Kauri is the management agency charged with implementing the NPMP. The Regional Pest Management Plan includes this pathogen (referred to as kauri dieback) giving Council a mandate to undertake surveillance and support Tiakina Kauri.

Staff are working with landowners near the provisional positive detection site to restrict access to kauri stands on private lands and Te Papa Atawhai, following consultation with mana whenua, have closed access to the central Kaimai Range for the time being. As the extent and implications of this PA incursion become better understood, staff will update this Committee.

2.2 Rotorua Air Quality Programme Update

On 6 September 2023 the Rotorua Air Quality Working Party (RAQWP) will be presenting the Rotorua Air Quality Journey (2005 to 2023) to Rotorua Lakes Council. The working party includes members from Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand (Medical Officer of Health), Kainga Ora, Rotorua Lakes Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council and the Ministry for the Environment (Observer role). Collaboration between these agencies has contributed to improving Rotorua’s air quality. Central government has advised stricter National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NES-AQ) are coming. The Rotorua Airshed will not meet their proposed PM2.5 NES-AQ. In response, Rotorua Lakes Council RAQWP members have suggested reviewing their Rotorua Air Quality Control Bylaw 2017 to introduce stricter solid fuel burner regulations.

Compliance staff are actively enforcing non-complying solid fuel burners. The figures below are property addresses (not individuals) that have been served abatement and infringement notices to date. Staff engage with owners to progress compliant heating. Non‑complying solid fuel burners are being used across most Rotorua suburbs and in both owner-occupied and rental properties.

2022 Winter Enforcement		2023 Winter Enforcement
Abatement Notices	Infringement Notices	Abatement Notices	Infringement Notices
23	0	28	3

Table 1: 2022-2023 Rotorua non-compliance solid fuel burner figures

2.3 Mount Maunganui Air Quality Programme Update (June to August 2023)

2.3.1 PM₁₀ monitoring and exceedances in the current reporting period

The following provides an overview of the Mount Maunganui Airshed and the activities being undertaken to improve air quality and the wider environment in the Mount Maunganui industrial area. The information covers the period from mid-June to mid-August.

During this period, no breaches of the PM₁₀ National Environmental Standards for Air Quality (NES) were recorded within the airshed. The total number of breaches for the 2022/23 financial year remains at three, with application to the Ministry for the Environment having been submitted as exception circumstances for a breach recorded on 19/04/2023 (due to heavy sea fog). A decision on this is due by the end of August. An airshed is considered a polluted airshed if the airshed has meaningful PM₁₀ data for at least a 12-month period and the airshed’s average exceedances are more than one per year. An airshed is no longer considered to be a polluted airshed if there have been no exceedances over a five-year period.

The full list of PM₁₀ exceedances since the monitoring network was established is included in Appendix 1. Investigations of PM₁₀ exceedances continue to show a single pollution source is seldom the cause and the cumulative effect of emissions from multiple sources is generally responsible.

2.3.2 Mount Maunganui Air Quality Working Party

The Mount Air Quality Working Party held its second hui of 2023 on 17 July with Toi Te Ora, Cruise Lines International Association and Higgins Asphalt being guest presenters.

A dedicated webpage for the Mount Maunganui Air Quality Working Party, where reports, meeting agendas and minutes are stored can be viewed at: www.boprc.govt.nz/mount-industrial-air-quality-working-party.

Toi Te Ora – Air Pollution Health Risk Assessment Mount Maunganui and Air Quality Monitoring Review

Toi Te Ora (Te Whatu Ora) commissioned an independent health risk assessment[1] to answer questions regarding the potential scale of adverse health outcomes from existing air quality within the Mount Maunganui airshed. The commissioning of the report was driven by local interest and concerns regarding air quality impacts on human health, a large data set being available, the increasing global evidence showing air quality is a significant health issue and to assist in updating previous health impact estimates.

The study was asked to investigate and estimate the health impacts of several air‐borne pollutants including particulates, SO2, NO2, H2S, benzene, odour, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (where monitoring data was available). It used data from 2019 being a complete data set before Covid hit as the base year and compared Otumoetai with Mount Maunganui to estimate additional health impacts.

The study found the impacts of chronic air pollution in the area can be estimated and the health impacts from PM10, PM2.5 and NO2 are significant, with increased mortality, cardiovascular and respiratory hospitalisations, and restricted activity days.

Toi Te Ora commission an air quality monitoring review every four years and released the latest report[2] at the same time as the health risk assessment. This report summarises and reviews BOPRC air quality monitoring data from the Mount Airshed for the years 2019 through 2022. The focus is on particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM2.5) and sulphur dioxide (SO₂).

The monitoring data shows that ambient air quality in some parts of the Mount Airshed remains impacted by industry, port activities and traffic. However, there have been some notable reductions.

Of note, there has been a significant decline (48%) in measured concentrations of PM₁₀ at Whareroa Marae. The results indicate that improvements to on-site practices at some industrial locations are making a difference.

Annual PM₁₀ concentrations averaged over the seven monitoring locations in the Mount Maunganui Airshed have reduced by 15% since 2019. Annual levels of PM_2.5 measured at Totara Street have reduced by 35% over the last four years. Short-term levels of SO₂ have also reduced since 2019.

Higgins Asphalt – Bay of Plenty operations overview

Higgins are part of Fletcher Building employing 1900 people across New Zealand and Fiji with an excess of $62 million annual direct spend investment in the Bay of Plenty. Higgins build major horizontal infrastructure as well as provide maintenance services to the Port of Tauranga and 24 hours on call crews for road, footpath, and slip / emergency response.

Higgins operate an asphalt manufacturing plant in Hewletts Road in the Mount Maunganui airshed. Depending on demand this plant produces between 35 – 50,000 tonnes of asphalt per annum. The manufacture of asphalt requires discharge via a stack as part of the process. There is an associated odour and Higgins have engaged PDP consultants to assist with analysing and minimising air discharges associated with their Hewletts Road plant.

Higgins are currently operating their site discharges under expired consent (s.124) and are seeking an additional 10‐year term to continue to operate whilst plant upgrades are determined. The application proposes a reduction in total particulate discharge and a cap on annual tonnage production. PDP have undertaken a standard dispersion model to determine maximum contaminant emission rates and undertook odour monitoring around the site during normal operating conditions.

The resource consent application was publicly notified, received 34 submissions, and a hearing will be held in November.

2.3.3 Pollution Hotline Complaints Response

From 20 June to 14 August 2023, 14 calls were received through the Pollution Hotline relating to events within the Mount Industrial Airshed. Of these 12 related to air quality with eight of these relating to odour. Refer to the table below for specific details.

All urgent calls were responded to within 12 hours and non-urgent calls responded to within three working days.

Pollution Hotline Complaint Categories 20 June to 14 August 2023 – Mount Industrial Area
Category	# calls	% calls
Water and Land	1	7
Coastal	1	7
Air	12	86
Total	14	100
Pollution Hotline Complaint Sub-Categories 20 June to 14 August 2023 – Mount Industrial Area
Sub-category	# calls	% calls
Water & Land – discharges to water	1	7
Coastal – discharges	1	7
Air – dust	1	7
Air – odour	8	57
Air – smoke	3	22
Total	14	100

Table 2: Pollution Hotline calls by category, 20 June – 14 August 2023

2.3.4 Enforcement

No abatement notices were issued in the Mount Maunganui Airshed between 20 June and 14 August 2023.

During this period, four infringement notices were served on Ballance Agri-Nutrients Limited for discharging wastewater containing levels of dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) in exceedance of consented limits, to the Tauranga Harbour.

The company was issued with:

· Two infringement notices for breaching section 15(1)(b) of the Resource Management Act 1991 (fee of $750 each); and

· Two infringement notices for contravening Abatement Notice RA22-00079 (fee of $750 each).

All four notices have been paid.

Infringement fees for specific offences are set by the Resource Management (Infringement Offences) Regulations 1999.

2.3.5 Odour and pro-active monitoring

Odour continues to dominate service requests through the Pollution Hotline. The main industrial odour sources have been identified and since November 2022 the compliance team has undertaken daily pro-active odour assessments of key industrial locations. These involve outdoor odour assessments at known odour producing business locations. Within the Mount Maunganui airshed these include:

· Storage areas for Palm Kernel Expeller (PKE) and other bulk stock foods. These tend to be concentrated around De Havilland Way and Newton St and as well as odour are also a source of dust complaints.

· Bakels Edible Oils has occasional cooking oil odours at times of production.

· Greenmount Foods, odours mainly isolated to cooking seafood stock and poor storage of waste food products outside the factory.

· Ballance & Lawter Ltd with consented sulphur dioxide discharges.

· Higgins & Allied Asphalt, primarily when an asphalt mix is in production.

· Penguin Pools and their use of chemicals and resins in the fibreglass pool manufacturing processes.

· Tanks farms mainly at the Totara Street end of Hewletts Road, which can be odorous when tank filling is being undertaken.

A project is being undertaken to scrutinise industrial odours arising from within the Mount Maunganui Airshed and Truman Lane industrial area and investigate their causes and better ways to manage them.

Staff are currently mapping odour sources within the two areas and site visits are being made to the most problematic locations. This information will be used to aid the Council’s air quality management work in Mount Maunganui.

2.3.6 Consents

There are currently nine businesses that have applied for discharge consents within the Mount Industrial air shed. Three new applications are on hold pending the final Environment Court decision on Rule AQ R22 (Bulk Solid Materials) of the Air Chapter of the Regional Natural Resources Plan. Appeal parties are working through the interim decision released in February 2023. Once the final decision is made, these applications will progress, provided there are no further appeals.

We are awaiting further information to be provided for the Lawter application. The HR Cement application is progressing well, and a decision will be made within the next month.

Allied Asphalt are not applying for a like-for-like renewal of their existing consent but intend to install a new plant. This also triggers consent requirements from the City Council due to the proposed stack height. Allied have applied for a direct referral to the Environment Court. A court hearing date has not been set.

The hearing for Genera fumigation activities at the Port of Tauranga was held in the week of 19 June 2023. The hearing was adjourned for further refinements of the conditions and the Fumigation Management Plan. The hearing will reconvene in September.

A summary of where in the process each of the renewal application are at is outlined below:

Renewals:

· Lawter – Further information required.

· Waste Management – Further information required

· Allied Asphalt - Publicly notified, jointly with TCC on 12 May 2023, submission period ended on 12 June 2023.Direct referral to the Environment Court.

· Higgins – Publicly notified 27 April 2023, submission period ended 25 May 2023, hearing planned for November 2023.

· Genera Ltd – Hearing adjourned and to be reconvened in September.

The applications and technical documents for all notified applications can be found on the BOPRC Website: https://www.boprc.govt.nz/environment/resource-consents/notifications

2.3.7 Policy Matters

In February, the Environment Court released its interim decision on the appeal to Rule AQ R22 of Plan Change 13 – Air Quality (PC 13) pertaining to Bulk Solid Material handling in the Airshed. The PC13 interim decision identified unsealed yards as a previously unacknowledged important contributor to PM10 and noted the intent to direct Council (under s293 of the Resource Management Act) to make changes to PC13 to control PM10 emissions from unsealed yards in the Airshed.

The interim decision also noted that BOPRC will be required to consult with all parties to the PC13 appeal, air discharge consent holders within the Airshed and “other affected parties”, for which staff have identified the owners of unsealed yards within the Airshed.

The Court requested a memorandum in relation to the s293 process for unsealed yards, to include draft provisions to control PM10 discharges from unsealed yards, details of affected parties, and a timeline for the overall process.

The final PC13 appeal decision is expected soon, and when it is released, stakeholder engagement will be held, and submissions sought in the coming months. However, it is noted that it may contain additional or alternative requirements for the s293 process in respect to the management of unsealed yards. As the s293 process is part of the PC13 appeal, it is the Court that will decide on changes to PC13.

The release of the interim decision for the PC 13 appeal and the need to ensure consistency within the Regional Natural Resources Plan means there has been no change to the development of the high-level framework of provisions for Plan Change 18 – Mount Maunganui Airshed (PC18). However, the interim PC 13 decision has given Council staff direction on the likely final form of the s293 provisions to inform PC13, which will in turn shape the approach to PC18.

2.3.8 Communications

Toi Te Ora Health Report

Toi Te Ora Public Health published a health report on Monday 24 July, focused on air quality impacts in Mount Maunganui. General Manager of Regulatory Services, Reuben Fraser, was interviewed by One News and provided comment to Bay of Plenty Times.

Achilles Bulker

On Monday 24 July, a log vessel bound for China experienced steering problems departing from Port of Tauranga. The Achilles Bulker was eventually towed to Number One Anchorage. As the vessel was under fumigation with Phosphine, a 50m exclusion zone was established around the vessel. It was safely brought back to port on Tuesday 8 August. As part of our usual protocol, Tauranga Moana iwi were kept up to date on the situation. Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster, Jon Jon Peters, provided comment to Bay of Plenty Times about the situation.

Totara Street Air Quality Monitor Reskin

Our most visible air quality monitor in the Mount Maunganui industrial area was reskinned in early August.

A trailer with a painted door

Description automatically generated

Photos 1 and 2: A fresh new look to the Mount Maunganui air quality monitors

2.4 Regulatory Compliance Update

2.4.1 Enforcement

For this reporting period (1 July 2023-15 August 2023), Regional Council has issued 33 abatement notices and 5 infringement notices, totalling $3,100 in fines in relation to breaches of Regional Plan rules and/or Resource Consent conditions.

For the 2022-2023 financial year we issued 231 Abatement notices and 83 Infringement notices. This is up on the previous year total of 119 Abatement notices and 51 Infringement notices. The increase is due to a range of factors including taking a coordinated approach to significant non-compliance from dairy inspections, the first winter of the wood burner compliance programme in Rotorua, a step up in compliance of permitted activity water takes and on-site effluent treatment systems.

We currently have six matters before the courts in relation to RMA Enforcement.

On 31 July we received the sentencing decision for Legacy Funeral Homes in relating to discharges to air from their cremator. Legacy were convicted and fined a total of $70,000 for unlawful discharges of offensive and objectionable cremation smoke and ordered to pay reparation for emotional harm of $15,000 directly to three of the victims.

On 23 August we received the sentencing decision for Brooklyn Dairy Farm Limited for the discharge of farm dairy effluent to a storm water drain. Judge Kirkpatrick classified the offending as reckless and noted their poor compliance history in sentencing. The two farming companies were find a total $56,250.

2.4.2 Pollution Hotline and Complaints Response

· 232 service requests were received for the period 1 July to 15 August 2023. 28% of those service requests were received after-hours. This equates to an average of six jobs per day. Four of these were urgent service requests.

· 59% of all service requests during the period related to air quality concerns, the majority being odour (57 service requests) and smoke (63 service requests). Eight service requests related to agrichemicals sprays.

· 27% of service requests were substantiated (ie a confirmed breach of the RMA, Regional Plan, NES).

· 78% of service requests were actioned on the day of receipt. 99% were actioned within 3 working days. All four urgent service requests were actioned within 12 hours of receipt of the initial call.

2.4.3 Forestry Compliance Update

At the end of June a report was presented to the Monitoring and Operations Committee on forestry compliance across the region. One of the sites of concern was the Whitikau forest up the east coast where, due to economic downturn, forestry operators walked away from the site leaving a significant amount of felled trees on the ground. When the consent holder instructed that logging was to cease at Whitikau forest that is exactly what happened. There was a lot of machinery left on site along with all sorts of other equipment as well as significant environmental concerns.

Senior Compliance staff have been putting in a huge amount of work to get the consent holders to address this non-compliance. Out of town consent holders and foreign owners in India have made it very difficult to get them to take the non-compliance seriously and then release money to contractors (Kahu helicopters and the forest management and earthworks contractors) to remediate the site. There is zero financial benefit in this for the consent holder to remove the wood discarded during COVID so they were very close to just walking away, leaving machines and a trail of non-compliance behind them. This forest has a history of prosecutions with previous consent holders in the past. Staff have worked their magic over nine months, involving dozens of inspections and meetings. Kahu helicopters have removed the highest risk logs close to the waterways in steep gullies.

Additionally, there have been ground based machine operators making safe skid sites and hauler sites to prevent woody debris and sediment discharging to waterways. Below is a before and after photo of where the logging “bird’s nest” has been pulled back off the slope and some stormwater controls put in place.

Photo 3: ‘Before’ photo showing the logging “bird’s nest” on a slope

Photo 4: ‘After’ photo showing the logging “bird’s nest” has been pulled back off the slope and some stormwater controls put in place.

On 21 August State Highway 35 was closed due to debris movement out of Houpoto Forest. Both Toi Moana staff and forest operators are investigating causes and possible interventions. The current understanding is that the debris flow started mid-slope (an area of windthrown stems that were left behind during harvesting) and was not associated with any landing/skid failures. Soil and woody debris were then picked up along the way including cut stems that could not be reached during harvesting. Willie Ngamoki (compliance contractor for the East Cape) was able to quickly visit the site and report back.

Photo 5: Pine tree debris down into Motu River. Motu river Bridge, SH35, can be seen in the background.

2.5 Resource Consents Update

There has been an upturn in lodged resource consent applications lately, with 65 applications received in July 2023 compared to 45 in July 2022.

The resource consent for the development of a new marina at Ōpōtiki has been appealed by Ngāti Ira, and Ngāi Tamahaua has joined the appeal.

The Environment Court has released its decision on the Tauranga Bridge Marina consent appeal from Ngāti Kuku. The Court upheld BOPRC’s decision to grant consent for 35 years.

Following the public notification process, Allied Asphalt applied to have their resource consent application processed through direct referral to the Environment Court. The application is for a major upgrade to their plant which will reduce the adverse effects of their discharge to air and from their stormwater compared to their current operations. Both Tauranga City Council and BOPRC accepted that direct referral is appropriate for the circumstances. The next step in the process is for the s42A report to be provided to the applicant and all submitters before the applicant lodges a notice of motion with the Environment Court. We expect the report to be received by the end of August. Legal counsel acting for both councils have requested that the Court appoint a ‘friend of submitter’ to assist submitters with the process and Toi Moana staff are also providing advice. Information on the direct referral process is available on the Ministry for the Environment’s website.

Mediation for the hapū appeal on the Whanarua Bay community water supply is scheduled for November this year.

A hearing for approximately 294 resource consents for structures at Lake Rotoiti is scheduled for 28 and 29 August.

Ngāi te Rangi requested leave to present the Toi Te Ora Public Health Air Pollution Health Risk Assessment Mount Maunganui as evidence to the Environment Court in the Stellar Passage direct referral process. The Court indicated that it does not want to receive new evidence at this late stage in the process and indicated that the decision may be released in the near future but may be asked to make a formal decision.

Replacement resource consent applications have been received for the Whaeo dam in Galatea and the Kaimai Hydroelectric Power Scheme. Both applications are on hold for Cultural Impact Assessments.

A notice of judicial review has been submitted to the Court by Ngā Potiki. The notice seeks to quash BOPRC’s decision to grant a variation to the stormwater consent for EnviroWaste on a non-notified basis.

The Natural Built Environment Act (NBEA) and Spatial Planning Act (SPA) have been given royal assent. Immediate changes relevant to resource consents include limiting the duration and precluding public notification of freshwater consents, providing for fast track consents and allowing for an applicant’s compliance history to be considered in consent processing.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - Total PM10 Exceedances by Financial Year 2018-2023 ⇩



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Greg Corbett, Biosecurity Manager and Shane Grayling, Team Leader, Biosecurity
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:	To seek the Committee’s approval for the Regional Pest Management Plan 2023/24 Operational Plan and present the 2022/23 Annual Report.

Regional Pest Management Plan Annual report for 2022/23 and Operational Plan for 2023/24

Executive Summary

The Biosecurity Act 1993 requires the preparation an annual report on the implementation of the Regional Pest Management Plan for the Bay of Plenty Region 2020-2030. It also requires that Council reviews, and if appropriate amends, the Operational Plan for the Regional Pest Management Plan for the Bay of Plenty Region 2020-2030 (RPMP), each year.

Section 2 of this report summarises the 2023/24 Operational Plan for the RPMP which is attached for the Committee’s consideration and approval.

Section 3 of this report summarises the 2022/23 RPMP Annual report, which is attached to this paper.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Regional Pest Management Plan Annual report for 2022/23 and Operational Plan for 2023/24;

2 Approves the 2023/24 Operational Plan for the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan.

1. Introduction

This paper presents the Bay of Plenty Regional Pest Management Plan 2020-2030 (RPMP) Annual Report for 2022/23. It also presents an Operational Plan for the 2023/24 year for the Council’s approval.

1.1 Legislative Framework

The Biosecurity Act requires Council to provide regional leadership for pest management within its region (section 12B). Council delivers this role through the Biosecurity Activity within its Long Term Plan, which includes implementing the Regional Pest Management Plan (RPMP).

The RPMP became operative on 17 December 2020. Council’s Monitoring and Operations Committee subsequently approved an Operational Plan to implement the RPMP.

Section 100B(1) of the Biosecurity Act requires that the RPMP Operational Plan be reviewed annually and amended if necessary. The Operational Plan has been amended annually to reflect changes in the operating environment and the funding available to deliver individual pest programmes.

Section 100B(2) of the Act requires a report on the implementation of last year’s Operational Plan be prepared at the end of each financial year. This report must be provided to Council and then made publicly available.

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Healthy Environment	We develop and implement regional plans and policy to protect our natural environment.
The Way We Work	We look to partnerships for best outcomes.

Through the implementation of the RPMP Council aims to protect our natural environment from the most harmful pests threatening our region. In doing this work we look to partner with other organisations for mutual benefit.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

High - Positive

þ Cultural

Medium - Positive

þ Social

Medium - Positive

þ Economic

High - Positive

Pests can threaten our natural environment, regional economy, cultural values and affect how we lead our lives. Reducing or preventing the impacts of pests on these values are key drivers for the Biosecurity Activity and the RPMP. Secondary benefits of our pest management work include local employment and improving the connection of our communities to their environment.

2. Regional Pest Management Plan 2022/23 Operational Plan

The Monitoring and Operations Committee approved the original Operational Plan for the new RPMP at its meeting on 9 March 2021. The Biosecurity Act requires that the Operational Plan be reviewed annually and, if necessary, amended. Staff have reviewed the Plan and made minor amendments to reflect Council’s 2023/24 Annual Plan budgets and third-party contributions for the Biosecurity Activity.

The amended Plan is attached for the Committee’s consideration and approval.

3. Regional Pest Management Plan 2022/23 Annual Report

The Annual Report 2022/2023 is attached for the Committee’s information.

Overall, the report shows solid progress towards achieving RPMP objectives with the number of programmes determined to be ‘on-track’ (96%) exceeding Council Long Term Plan goal for 2022/23 of 85%. No new incursions of exclusion pests were detected and there was a significant reduction in the area infested by ‘eradication’ and ‘progressive containment’ pest plants. Council’s new pest plant data management system: Geopest has been instrumental in improving reporting, efficiency and programme management. The data within Geopest continues to be refined and improved every year.

Partnering with Māori, one of Council’s strategic priorities, continues to be a focus for the biosecurity activity. There are a number of examples of engagement with mana whenua through our work programmes including, but not exclusive to partnering with Te Arawa Lakes Trust to manage aquatic pests, including catfish, and supporting Ruawāhia 2B Trust to deliver wildling pine control on Mount Tarawera. The ‘Working with communities’ case study highlights Council working with iwi contractors within the Te Whānau a Apanui rohe to control pest plants, including Woolly nightshade and Wild ginger.

The LTP goal for 2022/23 relating to eliminating wallaby ‘satellite populations’ was not achieved last year. The goal measures progress in eliminating the seven satellite populations present outside the Containment Area as of 30 June 2021. An additional population is now at zero density or functionally extinct (i.e., only a single animal remains) bringing a total five of the seven populations now meeting the target (71%). Responding to increased wallaby sightings out of the Containment area and surveillance work have been prioritised over some planned work on satellite populations, that appear to be contained.

Part One of the report highlights the number of collaborative programmes and partnerships the biosecurity activity delivers. Collaboration and partnership is a real strength of the programme and shared decision making and operational delivery allows for better alignment between agencies and partners and the more efficient and effective pest management.

Six of the eradication species remained at zero density, which means they are not currently present in the region. Significant hunting effort for feral goats is showing good results in both the eradication and progressive containment areas, only two goats were found and controlled in the eradication zone, east of the Motu River.

Ornamental pond surveillance continued, and this year focussed around Galatea. Once again it proved to be a valuable surveillance tool and identified some new sites that were controlled.

4. Considerations

4.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are no significant risks associated with this matter.

4.2 Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts, noting that the pest management activities generally have positive effects on climate change, in particular the control of browsing animal pests such as wallabies.

4.3 Implications for Māori

Māori generally have a strong interest in managing pests through their kaitiaki role and are increasingly involved in the delivery of the RPMP. Collaboration continues with Te Arawa Lakes Trust to manage the catfish programme, undertake boat ramp inspections and manage aquatic pest plants. Strong relationships have been built, or maintained with hapū on Matakana Island, from Te Whānau a Apanui and with Ruawāhia 2B trust which affiliate with Ngāti Rangitihi, where Council have engaged hapū to manage biosecurity issues. These relationships are mutually beneficial and more opportunities will be investigated moving forward.

4.4 Community Engagement

INVOLVE

Whakaura

To work directly with affected communities throughout the process to ensure that their issues and concerns are consistently understood and fully considered in Council’s decision making.

One of the aims of Council’s biosecurity Activity is to increase the effectiveness pest management carried out by our communities and landowners. We do this by providing technical advice, best practice guidelines and look to engage in community events to inform and educate on key biosecurity issues.

4.5 Financial Implications

If the recommendation is adopted by Council, will it result in:

If the answer is ‘no’ to both questions please select the dropdown option 1 and complete appropriately.

If the answer is ‘yes’ to either question please select “Budget Implications” in the building block below and liaise with your Management Accountant in order to complete the Financial Impact table.

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and the operational plan fits within the allocated budget for the current LTP year.

5. Next Steps

Next Steps: What next? What resources are needed? Further analysis? Timeframes ahead. Any consultation planned. Remind Council of the process ahead. Next update to Council?

Conclusion: Short concluding remarks. Referring back to recommendations. No new content.

The new RPMP Operational Plan will be implemented, along with other pest management work supported through Council’s LTP.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - FINAL DRAFT - 2023-24 RPMP Operational Plan ⇩

Supporting Document 1 - RPMP Operational Plan Annual Report 2022-23 FINAL DRAFT ⇩



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Anna Dawson, Land Management Officer
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:

Kaituna FMU Land Management Update

Executive Summary

This is a summary of Land Management operations within the Kaituna Freshwater Management Unit, which corresponds almost exactly to the rohe of Te Maru of Kaituna River Authority. It includes an update work progress within the catchment, as well as plans for the future.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Kaituna FMU Land Management Update.

1. Introduction

This report provides an update and summary of operations within the ~60,000 hectare Kaituna Freshwater Management Unit (the rohe of Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority) from Ōkere Falls in the south to Maketū in the north. Te Awa o Ngātoroirangi/Maketū Estuary (the catchment’s receiving environment) is currently in poor ecological health due to high levels of nitrogen, phosphorous, E.coli and sediment. Significant load reductions of between 30 and 60% are estimated to be needed to restore Maketū estuary to a moderate state of health and improve safety for swimming and gathering kaimoana (shellfish).

We are now several years into the programme and a significant amount of work has been achieved within the catchment through voluntary, incentives-based projects with willing landowners. Land management activities and interventions are important delivery tools for achieving water quality improvements. The work is funded through the Long Term Plan 2021-31 in the Coastal Catchments Activity, and complements Council’s science, policy and regulatory teams’ efforts. There is good collaboration with Rivers and Drainage and the Engineering Teams where work overlaps. The catchments work is closely aligned with several projects in Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority’s action plan ‘Te Tini a Tuna,’ and also includes management of some of the Priority Biodiversity Sites identified in Council’s regional Biodiversity Programme.

1.1 Legislative Framework

The Land Management work arises out of Council’s Environmental Grants Policy which sets out how, where and to what extent grants, advisory services and community support are provided to achieve Toi Moana community outcomes and strategic priorities. The policy is based on statutory roles and responsibilities for Regional Councils set out in the RMA 1991 (including the NPS-FW & IB and NES-F and the Soils and Rivers Control Act, often through objectives, policies and methods set out in the Regional Natural Resources Plan.

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Healthy Environment	We work cohesively with volunteers and others, to sustainably manage and improve our natural resources.
Freshwater for Life	We deliver solutions to local problems to improve water quality and manage quantity.

The Land Management programme aligns with a number of community outcomes, including those related to Healthy Environments and Freshwater for Life. The way we work incorporates Partnerships with Māori and Community Participation.

Our Focus Catchments work is monitored in a number of different ways, including the Council’s ‘Swimmability’ KPI and through the Councils wider water quality monitoring programmes. Ultimately, the Focus Catchment Programme becomes a key link between voluntary land management action and the Council’s requirements to deliver the NPS-FM. It both complements and aligns with the legislative requirements and priorities of the Essential Freshwater Programme for Bay of Plenty, as well as other priorities such as biodiversity and care group support.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

High - Positive

þ Cultural

Medium - Positive

þ Social

High - Positive

þ Economic

High - Positive

Focus Catchments work contributes directly to positive environmental outcomes as its core purpose, with positive co-benefits around Cultural and Social well-beings.

2. Land Management Operations Update

2.1 Overview of Environmental Programmes

The following scorecard below provides an overall summary of physical works that have been undertaken in the Kaituna FMU since 2019 as well as a summary of planned works for the upcoming 2023/24 financial year.

2.2 Ford Road and Waitepuia sub-catchments

In 2019 the Focus Catchments were identified and the Environmental Grants Policy was amended to target resources to areas with known water quality problems. Since then, concerted engagement efforts have been put in by staff in these areas. All landowners have been contacted and offered support, with many choosing to adopt new sustainable management practices and complete land management works under Environmental Programme (EP) agreements. However, being a voluntary programme, the uptake can be challenging – particularly in these two catchments. This is largely related to the low-lying land and drainage networks, which restricts the opportunity for decent setbacks for drain upgrades, retirement, and restoration. There is also uncertainly around plan changes, regulations, and farm plan requirements so landowners do seem to be holding back until there is more clarity around these factors.

Engagement in the Ford Road/Waitepuia catchments has been positive (map below). Many landowners have entered into an EP with BOPRC of some scale. A large proportion of the properties within this catchment are kiwifruit orchard where opportunities to negotiate and implement EPs are often limited.

The largest EPs in the catchment include the Arawa Farm on Wilson Rd North, Papahikahawai Island, Maketū Spit, Te Pā Ika and Whakapoukorero. There are also a number of smaller agreements being implemented or under negotiation, and Te Pourepo o Katuna Wetland Creation capital project close to completion. There are links between work in this catchment and Council’s planned upgrade of the Ford Rd pump station, and the Rangiuru Business Park.

2.3 Te Arawa Farm EP

Te Arawa Management Ltd owns the Arawa Dairy Farm on Wilson Rd north, and has signed up to an ambitious five year EP to improve land use sustainability. To date, this includes changing practice to reduce modelled nitrogen losses by nearly 25%, protecting Whakapoukorero wetland, adopting best-practice drain management as part of a monitored experiment to test its effects on water quality and ecology, and the establishment of a constructed treatment wetland built to NIWA design guidelines.

The constructed treatment wetland is 75% complete, with on-ground works undertaken by Council’s Rivers and Drainage team. Progress has been stalled since high water levels in mid-2022 rendered the site unworkable. Staff aim to have the final 25% completed this earthwork season, which will treat the water running off the catchment east of Whakapoukorero wetland.

Several kilometers of drain on this farm form part of an experiment to test the effectiveness of ‘best practice’ on ecology and water quality. The re-battering, fencing and planting work is now complete and monitoring continues.

Whakapoukorero wetland is a Priority Biodiversity Site on the Arawa Farm at Maketū. Since 2017 some 22 hectares have been protected and restored, with a huge amount of voluntary effort put in by volunteers. This wetland is now in much better condition than it was pre-2017. Current works (in red) will add a further 5 hectares to the protected area.

Whakapoukorero wetland (blue), and new wetland extensions (red)

2.4 Other Wetland Projects

2.4.1 Papahikahawai, Te Pā Ika, Ford Island and Otaiparia wetland projects

Through the Kaituna River Re-diversion (reported on separately) several wetland creation, protection or enhancement projects have been undertaken in and around the lower river and upper Maketū estuary. These include Papahikahawai Island (15 hectares), Te Pā Ika (31), Otaiparia (13) and Ford Island (~8).

Works have continued over the last year to reduce pest plant and predator presence at Papahikahawai Island, Te Pā Ika, and Ford Island/Otaiparea. Planting has continued on Papahikahawai Island to prevent erosion and stabilise the chenier track and infill some open areas with salt marsh species. High river water levels throughout the last 12 months led to some concern around the survival of recently planted salt marsh species on Otaiparia however following a site visit in July the approximately 12,000 sea rush and oioi planted in 2022 are looking healthy.

2.4.2 Te Pourepo o Kaituna

This project has, in collaboration with Ngāti Whakaue ki Maketū, Tapuika Iwi Authority, Fish and Game NZ, Department of Conservation and Rivers & Drainage, created nearly 70 hectares of new wetland just downstream of the Tauranga Eastern Link bridge over the past five years.

Planting is currently underway to complete the remaining 5ha of grazing land that was previously being leased to the neighbouring dairy farm. A wetland education and planting programme in conjunction with the Maketū Ōngātoro Wetland Society was undertaken throughout August and 8 schools were involved in planting days. Planting of the remaining area is aimed to be finished by the end of summer.

Te Pourepo o Kaituna Wetland Creation Project, showing nearly 70 hectares of new wetland constructed since 2017.

2.5 Remeasurement of the Te Wharekaniwha Estate Block Sand Dune Ecological Restoration Project

In 2010, the Trustees and owners of Te Wharekaniwha Estate Block (formerly known as Te Tumu 7b2), BOPRC and Ngā Whenua rāhui entered into an agreement to restore the biodiversity and protect the cultural and ecological heritage of coastal sand dunes east of Pāpāmoa. Shore skinks and katipo were detected in higher numbers during the 2022-23 survey compared to 2011 and 2013 data. The introduced plague skink was detected for the first time during the 2022-2023 survey, albeit in low numbers.

2.6 Coast Care

Coast Care was again active in the Kaituna catchment in 2022/23 and with the help of Maketū Ōngātoro Wetland Society (MOWS) 10 sites were planted with 3,273 dune plant species. This work was carried out by 254 volunteers drawn from three local schools and the wider community. The schools programme delivered by MOWS in conjunction with Coast Care involved a significant educational element as well as the planting event. This season we also farewelled stalwart Restoration Coordinators Chris and Jayne Ward from the Kaituna Coast Care area after 12 years in the role.

3. Upper Kaituna Catchments

(Kopuaroa, Upper Kaituna, Parawhenuamea, Mangorewa, Waiari, Raparapahoe, Pāpāmoa, Ohineangaanga, Te Puke, Waiari, Rangiuru, Hururu)

Catchment support is now also being offered to the wider Kaituna River catchment (outside of Focus Catchment areas), based on a prioritisation matrix. This matrix uses many overlapping geospatial layers including; inherent biophysical risk associated with the property, land use type and intensity, size of property, presence of unfenced waterways and wetlands. This approach ensures works outside of focus catchments are being applied in a prioritised fashion to provide the best return on Council’s and co-funders’ investments. In the few months of actively working in these catchments we have seen a high uptake of EPs that are all moderate to large in size, despite the challenging economic environment. First planting of the year begins September 2023 for a property retiring 20 ha of steep gullies from a dairy grazing operation to native bush (photos below).

3.1 Environmental Programme numbers and engagement

There are currently 16 EPs underway with a further 10 under development. These include significant co-funding from MPI’s Hill Country Erosion Fund, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tauranga City Council’s Water Supply team and KEEP. During 2023/24 there are plans for 44,316 new plants to go into this area.

3.2 Lawrence Oliver Park Community Wetland

A new publicly accessible wetland development and restoration is planned for Lawrence Oliver Park in Te Puke. This low-lying reserve owned by WBOPDC was previously leased for grazing but given its close proximity to town and the popular Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway tracks, the site has been flagged for restoration and enhancement- including the construction of a biodiversity and treatment wetland. The project is at the design stages and will be delivered by a project team led by BOPRC and including WBOPDC, the Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway Society, Waitaha and Tapuika Iwi partners. If things go smoothly with design, consenting and procurement, then it may be possible to commence initial on the ground earthworks in late summer 2023. Fonterra has kindly committed $10,000 towards the project, and WBOPDC will also contribute. The design will be based on the NIWA Constructed Treatment Wetland Guidelines (similar to the Waihi estuary Focus Catchment treatment wetlands)- to ensure maximum water quality treatment potential. The Lawrence Oliver Park is also bisected by the Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme ‘Managh’s Drain’ which will be upgraded/enhanced DairyNZ best-practice drain standards after the wetland has been built.

Lawrence Oliver Park in Te Puke - the future location of a constructed wetland and biodiversity area alongside the Te Ara Kahikatea walkway.

3.3 KEEP (Kokako Ecosystem Expansion Project)

Kokako are an endemic species currently classified as: ‘At Risk – Recovering’.

The KEEP vision is to achieve long term sustainability of the kōkako population by creating linkages between existing populations.

The creation of corridors has been suggested as an ideal way to encourage dispersal and interaction between populations of kōkako.

The first target is to connect the Kaharoa Kōkako Trust and Ōtanewainuku Kiwi Trust project areas.

The group contains representatives from various community landcare groups, (including OKT and KKT), mana whenua, private enterprise, council, local landowners and QEII National Trust. Many landowners are passionate and actively involved in the KEEP project.

While biodiversity is this primary focus the active retirement of steep land to natives through environmental programmes will reduce erosion and run-off contaminants that benefit councils water quality objectives.

4. Community and Care groups

A large number of iwi and volunteer care groups are active within the Kaituna Catchments.

BOPRC also supports Predator Free Bay of Plenty. This initiative supports backyard trapping in urban areas. PFBOP have just opened their 4^th trap library in Te Puke at Tapuika Offices.

Kete Taiao Trapping dashboard for Kaituna Catchments.

4.1.1 Maketū Ōngātoro Wetlands Society

Maketū Ongatoro Wetland Society (MOWS) has been undertaking work under EPs for Maketū Spit, Dotterel Point, Newdicks Beach and Waihi Wetland Wildlife Management Reserve as well as playing a supporting role across a number of other initiatives. While noting that three of these EPs are just outside the Kaituna catchment, MOWS reported working 2,433 hours and volunteers reported spending an additional 408 hours at the sites. This includes 597 hours of pest plant control, 531 hours of animal pest control, and 666 hours of ecological monitoring. School groups also devoted 598 hours to planting and rubbish collecting. Over 341 pest animals were removed from the sites, including 211 rats and 27 mustelids. Approximately 2,100 plants were planted, most of which was alongside Coast Care during working bees.

4.1.2 Pendergrast Memorial Heritage Park

Two major milestones for this group – 1) the confirmation of their “Care Group” status with Bay of Plenty Regional Council. 2) is coming year is the celebration of the Park’s 10^th birthday. 1400 new trees planted this year and over 1100 volunteer hours contributed, a 40% increase over the previous year. As well as the usual valued input from Toi Ohomai students and contributions from Te Puke High School.

4.1.3 Paraiti Catchment Care Group

The Paraiti Catchment Care Group are currently working closely with New Zealand Landcare Trust and BOPRC to develop a sub-catchment plan to help them further focus their efforts to improve biodiversity and water quality on their properties.

In the last year the group clocked over 1100 volunteer hours towards their trapping and baiting programme. A number of the care group members also have individual environmental programme agreements to retire and plant marginal areas of farm in natives.

The group were recently involved in and fed back on a pilot workshop for the ‘Farming with Native Biodiversity’ project that is now being led by NZ Landcare Trust. They are actively working with the Kōkako Ecological Expansion Project and have plans to partner with Tapuika Iwi Authority for some of their bait operations.

Kete Taiao (BOPRC care groups) in purple, Predator free BOP volunteers in yellow

5. Considerations

5.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are no significant risks to this work programme at this time, although it should be noted that relatively low prices for dairy and kiwifruit may reduce the ability of landowners to commit to EPs in the near future. There is also an overlap between work carried out under EPs today and work that is likely to be required under FW-FPs from 2026. Council will need to determine how that overlap is managed.

5.2 Climate Change

Crtl + click for guideline material.

Planting and land retirement activities can help to sequester carbon and produce buffers for climate change adaptation.

Mitigation			Adaptation
Reduce GHG emissions	Produce GHG emissions	Sequester carbon	Anticipate climate change impacts	Respond to climate change impacts
☐	☐	☒	☒	☐

5.3 Implications for Māori

Catchment work spans the rohe of a number of different iwi/hapū and includes advice and support to Māori landowners consistent with Council’s Environmental Grants Policy. Consideration has been given to the aspirations of iwi/hapu in the work programmes of each focus catchment, with strengthening partnerships in various stages of engagement and development.

Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority is a co-governance partnership made up of iwi representatives from Tapuika Iwi Authority Trust, Te Kapu O Waitaha, Te Pumautanga o Te Arawa Trust, Te Tahuhu o Tawakeheimoa Trust, Ngāti Whakaue and council representatives from the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Western Bay of Plenty District Council, Tauranga City Council. The purpose of Te Maru o Kaituna is the restoration, protection, and enhancement of the environmental, cultural and spiritual health and wellbeing of the Kaituna River. A large number of the projects covered in this report are named as priority projects in Te Tini a Tuna – the authority’s action plan.

5.4 Community Engagement

INVOLVE

Whakaura

To work directly with affected communities throughout the process to ensure that their issues and concerns are consistently understood and fully considered in Council’s decision making.

The Focus Catchment Programme approach relies strongly on collaborative, voluntary work with landowners and community to achieve water quality objectives.

5.5 Financial Implications

This work fits within the allocated budget of the Coastal Catchments Activity. Demand remains high for incentivised land management work and new Government funding such as the Hill Country Erosion Fund will continue to increase the scale and quality of on-the-ground actions possible.

6. Next Steps

The Land Management team will continue to deliver its Kaituna FMU work programme priority actions with community, iwi/hapū and other relevant stakeholders.



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Shay Dean, Environmental Scientist
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:	To update Council on management of Priority Biodiversity Sites and highlight opportunities to improve biodiversity management in the region.

Biodiversity Operations Report

Executive Summary

· The Regional Council’s biodiversity programme enables landowners and community groups to protect Priority Biodiversity Sites (PBS) across our region.

· Twenty-one new Priority Biodiversity Site landowners have signed up to an Environmental Programme (EP) with Council in the past three years (not including Kaimai Mamaku Forests).

· The LTP target is to increase the percentage of all PBSs that are actively managed by 1% each year. This KPI has been met or exceeded for the past three years.

· Levels of management at PBSs have improved over the past three years with more sites having a good level of management compared to 2019/20.

· Funding from National Wilding Conifer Control Programme has significantly increased wilding pine control in areas containing frost flats (Upper Rangitāiki).

· An agreement between Council, Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust, Waikato Regional Council, and Department of Conservation has significantly improved pest animal management in the Kaimai Mamaku Forests.

· Future opportunities to improve biodiversity in the region will occur through the new NPS-IB and the possible development of biodiversity credit systems.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Biodiversity Operations Report.

1. Introduction

1.1 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Healthy Environment

We manage our natural resources effectively through regulation, education and action.

This kaupapa is aligned with the “A Healthy Environment” outcome in the Long-Term Plan 2021-31. This outcome highlights the need to protect and enhance our region’s biodiversity and to ensure the diverse range of ecosystems within the region are in a healthy state. The LTP contains a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to increase the percentage of all PBSs that are actively managed by at least 1% each year.

1.1.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

High - Positive

þ Cultural

Low - Positive

þ Social

Low - Positive

þ Economic

Low - Positive

1.2 Council’s role in biodiversity management

Council has developed a programme to enable landowners and community groups to protect Priority Biodiversity Sites across the region. Grants for biodiversity management in PBSs are applied through funding agreements/management plans called 'Environmental Programmes’ (EPs). Council committed approximately $2million to biodiversity management through EPs in 2022/23 [3].

Council grants for biodiversity management are targeted at 429 Priority Biodiversity Sites (PBSs) in accordance with Council’s Environmental Programmes Grant Policy. The PBSs were identified in collaboration with the Department of Conservation (DOC) to support our joint goal of maintaining and restoring a full range of our region’s ecosystems to a healthy functioning state[4].

This goal is reflected in the “A Healthy Environment” outcome within the Long-Term Plan 2021-31. This outcome mentions the need to protect and enhance biodiversity for our communities and ensure the diverse range of ecosystems in the region are in a healthy state. The LTP contains a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to increase the percentage of all PBSs that are actively managed by at least 1% each year.

Council’s support for landowners and care groups undertaking biodiversity management is supported by two methods in the RPS (26) facilitation and support of community based ecological restoration programmes; and (64) encouraging agencies and landowners to protect key sites. Proactive biodiversity management helps Council to meet our biodiversity obligations under the Resource Management Act and the new National Policy Statement on Indigenous Biodiversity.

The purpose of this report is to update Council on management of Priority Biodiversity Sites including progress against the Long Term Plan KPI mentioned above. Focus is given to Priority 1 PBSs including frost flats, and to pest animal control in the Kaimai Mamaku. New opportunities to improve biodiversity in the region are also highlighted.

2. Management of Priority Biodiversity Sites

2.1 New PBSs subject to EPs 2020/21 - 2022/23

Twenty four new Environmental Programmes were signed for Priority Biodiversity Sites in the past three years (See Table 1 below). Note this does not include a number of PBSs in the Kaimai Mamaku Forests EP.

Table 1 PBSs which are subject to Environmental programmes signed and implemented in the past three financial years.

Year	PBS name	Partners	BOPRC contribution (over 5 years)	Description	Management
22/23	Lake Te Hapua	Forest & Bird	$61,341 (3 yrs) Co-funded – Grommet Sisters Trust, others	Along northern edge of Lake Rotoiti.	Predator trapping
22/23	Te Arero Bay	Part of above programme	As above	As above	As above
22/23	Motuopae Island	Hurai Trust (Ngāi Tamarawaho hapū) Tauranga City Council	$23,290	Island in Waikareao Estuary	Predator trapping and pest plant control
22/23	Ongare Spit Estuary and Dunes	Landowner	$28,245	Saltmarsh in Tuapiro Estuary	Fencing, pest plant control, estuarine habitat restoration.
22/23	Stipa	Landowner	$20,250	Saltmarsh in Ōhiwa Harbour	Pest plant control and planting.
22/23	Tarawera Road Wetland	Pūtauaki Trust	$314,900	Wetland restoration near Kawerau. EP includes 4 PBS.	Fencing, pest plant control and planting.
22/23	Lamberts Wetland	Part of Pūtauaki Trust EP above	As above	As above	As above
22/23	Lake Tahuna Wetland	Part of Pūtauaki Trust EP above	As above	As above	As above
22/23	Lake Onerahi	Part of Pūtauaki Trust EP above	As above	As above	As above
22/23	Upper Waiopua Stream Kahikatea	Landowner	$49,380	Wetland/ Kahikatea -Whakatane	Pest plant and animal control and planting
21/22	Upper Waiopua Stream Kahikatea	Landowner & MfE	$36,000 (1 year) MfE paid other half	Wetland/ Kahikatea Whakatane Catchment	Deer exclusion fencing
21/22	Eight Mile Gate Wetland	Central North Island Iwi Holdings (CNI), Tipu Waiariki (Funding Partner), Timberlands	$35,000 – Same EP as Five Mile Gate	Wetland restoration – Rotorua Lakes	Pest plant control and planting
21/22	Matai Road Covenant	Landowner	$108,425	Large fragment of threatened forest type	Pest plant and animal control
21/22	Waipu Bay	Landowner Ngāi Tukairangi Trust	$27,480 (4 yrs)	Waipu Estuary	Pest plant control and planting
21/22	Titoki	Landowner	$8,265	Kahikatea forest, Whakatane	Pest plant and animal control, planting.
21/22	Tirohanga Pā	Landowner	$7,278	Wetland restoration - Tirohanga	Pest plant control and planting
20/21	Sulphur Bay (East of Stream / also known as Ngapuna	Rotorua Lakes Council	$68,000 (Co-funding Lotteries)	Geothermal - Rotorua	Pest plant control, planting and monitoring.
20/21	Five Mile Gate Wetland	CNI, Tipu Waiariki (Funding Partner), Timberlands	$35,000 – Same EP as Eight Mile Gate	Wetland restoration – Rotorua Lakes	Pest plant control and planting
20/21	Waihī Beach Bowentown	Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC)	$76,000	Sand dunes	Pest plant control and planting
20/21	Athenree Wildlife Refuge	DOC, WBOPDC, Ōtāwhiwhi Marae Trust, NZTA	$88,700	Estuarine wetland - Athenree	Pest plant control, planting, inanga spawning habitat
20/21	Steele Road Wetland A (Athenree Old Dump Willow Site)	Part of above programme	As above	As above	As above
20/21	Steele Rd Flood Plain (Steel Road Wetlands B)	Part of above programme	As above	As above	As above
20/21	Haroharo Wetlands Rotoiti Forest	Rotoiti 15 Ahu Whenua Trust	$560 (3 years)	Ephemeral wetland	Pest plant control and surveillance

2.2 Proportion of PBSs actively managed.

Council’s LTP 2021-31 includes a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) to increase the percentage of all PBSs that are actively managed, by at least 1% each year. Last financial year, 196 (46%) of the total 429 Priority Biodiversity Sites received some level of active management. This was one percent higher than the LTP target of 45% and a two percent increase from 2021/22.

Of managed PBSs, 35 (17.9%) sites received a low level of management, 94 (48%) received a moderate level of management, 54 (27.6%) received a good level of management, and 13 (6.6%) sites received an excellent level of management (these include predator free islands). The proportion of managed sites receiving a good or excellent level of management has increased 2.8% in the three years since 2019/2020.

Approximately 80% of all PBSs (managed and unmanaged) are thought to be fully fenced or otherwise stock proof.

2.3 Proportion of Priority 1 PBSs actively managed

PBSs containing the region’s most threatened ecosystem types (such as frost flats and geothermal habitats) are categorised as Priority 1 PBS’s. These are eligible for higher grant rates compared to Priority 2 and 3 PBSs and are the focus of more proactive engagement with landowners.

In 2022/23, 22 (46.8%) of the 47 Priority 1 PBSs were actively managed (with or without involvement of BOPRC). Of these 22, 6 (27%) received a low level of management, 10 (46%) received a moderate level of management, 6 (27%) received a good level of management, and zero (0%) sites received an excellent level of management. The proportion of Priority 1 PBSs receiving a good or excellent level of management was 1.95% higher in 2022/23 compared to 2019/2020.

It’s estimated that around 80-90% of Priority 1 PBSs are fully fenced or otherwise stock proof.

Figure 1 Percentage of Priority Biodiversity Sites managed by year.

Figure 2 Number of Priority Biodiversity Sites managed by year and by catchment area. Numbers in the bars indicate the number of managed PBSs in the Western Catchments, the Eastern Catchments, and the Rotorua Lakes Catchments.

Figure 3 Levels of management at managed Priority Biodiversity site by year

Figure 4 Levels of management at Priority 1 Priority Biodiversity Sites by year

3. Wilding pine control to protect frost flats

One of the most threatened ecosystem types are frost flats (Priority 1 PBSs). Frost flats are a unique ecosystem type that occur in places with extremely low nutrients where frosts can occur in any month of the year. Frost flats are only found only in the Hawkes Bay, Waikato, and Bay of Plenty regions.

Frost flats have been assessed as Critically Endangered at national level and identified as a national priority for protection of biodiversity on private land. Only 8% of New Zealand’s original frost flats remain and 77% of these occur in Bay of Plenty. Preserving our frost flats is critical to maintaining regional and national biodiversity.

Wilding pine invasion (Pinus contorta) is currently the single biggest threat to remaining frost flat ecosystems. Wilding pine invasion reduced frost flat extent by 16% between 2003 and 2020 and frost flats with less than 5% pine cover declined by 216.9ha (5.3%) between 2017 and 2020.

In 2020 our Council and partners (Hawkes Bay Regional Council, DOC, and private landowners) secured four years funding from the National Wilding Conifer Control Programme. The funding was aimed at wilding pine eradication in the ‘Rangitāiki Management Unit’ where frost flats occur in Bay of Plenty and Hawkes Bay.

$1.6million was secured, resulting in a total budget of ~$2million over four years. This significant increase in resources has enabled a scaling up of Pinus contorta control, including removal of many shelterbelts and large contorta stands. The National Programme will contribute $90,000 a year after June 2024, for three years at least, which will help to maintain the gains made to date for frost flat management.

BOPRC biosecurity staff have been leading the project across public and private land in both regions and this is set to continue. Our leadership and a collaborative approach to pine management across land tenures and jurisdictions has been a major benefit of national funding and will accelerate achieving frost flat protection.

Pest Management Agreements (under the Regional Pest Management Strategy) are being developed with landowners to ensure eradication work continues. Remaining intact frost flats must be treated every 3-4 years (the time it takes for Pinus contorta seedlings to reach maturity and produce cones).

4. Pest animal management in Kaimai Mamaku Forests

In May 2020 BOPRC, Waikato Regional Council (WRC), and DOC signed the ‘Towards Thriving Kaimai Mamaku Forests’ EP with Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust (MKMT). MKMT brings together kaitiaki, stakeholders and interest groups to improve the health of the Kaimai Mamaku for present and future generations.

The work being undertaken through this EP falls into four main actions:

1. Significantly increasing goat control efforts

2. Safegaurding Opuiaki kokāko population and improving forest health

3. Expanding predator control to link Ōtānewainuku and Ōtawa

4. Ensuring the Mokaihaha kokāko population thrives and improving forest health

A key focus of the programme has been on building capacity of iwi hapū to be active in their kaitiakitanga and build resilience on their tangata and the ngahere. This is also a key focus of the $19million Jobs for Nature (J4N) funding which was announced by the Minister of Conservation shortly after the EP was signed. The J4N funding was allocated through MKMT who have successfully engaged with hapū around the ranges to establish a series of intensive predator control projects.

5. Opportunities to improve biodiversity management

5.1 National Policy Statement for Indigenous Biodiversity 2023

A number of opportunities to improve biodiversity management in the region arise through the recent gazettal of the NPS-IB. For example:

· The requirement to develop regional biodiversity strategies presents an opportunity to deliver a coordinated approach to manage indigenous biodiversity in a way that reflects community aspirations.

· The requirement for District Councils to map Significant Natural Areas (SNA) to NPS-IB criteria presents an opportunity to achieve consistent SNA mapping across the region.

5.2 Biodiversity credit systems

An opportunity exists to unlock a new source of private sector money for conservation in the region through newly emerging biodiversity credit systems. Funds for biodiversity management would be raised through the sale of biodiversity credits to businesses wanting to invest in biodiversity protection and enhancement projects.

Proof of concept exists in a transaction of biodiversity credits (or units) between Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari (the seller) and Profile Group Limited (the buyer) in June 2022. This transaction was made possible by carbon management and certification company EKOS, who have been developing a mechanism for biodiversity credit transactions with support from Trust Waikato, the Wel Energy Trust, and the D.V Bryant Trust.

The New Zealand Government is currently taking submissions on what role it can and should play in the development of a national biodiversity credit scheme and how this would function. BOPRC could look to become an early adopter of the biodiversity credit systems using the frameworks developed by EKOS. The Manaaki Kaimai Mamaku Trust have expressed a keen interest in this space.

6. Considerations

6.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are several risks associated with the biodiversity programme at present.

· Meeting our LTP KPI is dependent on other agencies continuing to invest in the sites they currently manage. If DOC funding is reduced this could impact our ability to meet our KPI in a given year.

· High inflation is increasing site management costs.

· Reduced returns for the primary sector may influence landowner’s ability to enter into Environmental Programmes.

6.2 Climate Change

Climate change is a significant and growing pressure on biodiversity. Restoration and enhancement of ecosystems (including a full range of ecosystems) is important to maintain and enhance the resilience of our biodiversity to the effects of climate change. As well as improving the ability of ecosystems to withstand climate change, restoration and enhancement can increase carbon storage (healthy ecosystems store more carbon in their soils and vegetation) and help protect our communities from climate change impacts. For example, protecting and restoring coastal ecosystems helps protect against coastal erosion and storm surges.

6.3 Implications for Māori

Biodiversity is a very important kaupapa for Māori. Tangata whenua have long associations with the Te Taiao and have developed their expression of Mātauranga Māori through the practice of Kaitiakitanga. This fundamental principle is expressed in iwi management plans. Seventy five percent (by area) of privately owned Priority Biodiversity Sites are on Māori land, and of those 35% are protected through Ngā Whenua Rāhui kawenata. Many of our EPs support tangata whenua to restore the mauri of their taonga taiao.

6.4 Community Engagement

Engagement with the community is not required as the recommended proposal / decision [relates to internal Council matters only].

6.5 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this work fits within the allocated budget in the LTP ($2M per annum).

7. Next Steps

Council’s Land Management Officers will continue to support and enable landowners and community groups to maintain and restore PBSs in the region. This will help Council meet its LTP KPI to increase the number of PBSs under management and meet biodiversity obligations under the RMA and the new NPS-IB.



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Rosemary Cross, Senior Projects Manager - Rotorua Catchments
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:	Progress towards the achievement of the Incentives target.

Update on the Lake Rotorua Incentives Scheme

Executive Summary

The Lake Rotorua Incentives Scheme is a component of the Integrated Framework for the restoration of Lake Rotorua and is tasked with permanently removing 100 tonnes of nitrogen per year (tN/yr) from the lake.

Nitrogen is purchased from landowners who voluntarily undertake to reduce their property’s nitrogen leaching, additional to that required under the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Rules.

To date 35 tN/yr have been secured, with another 2 tN/yr pending. 25 tN/yr have been removed through converting land benchmarked as dairy and 10t/yr from land benchmarked as drystock.

The maximum price that can be offered under the Scheme is $400/kgN and many landowners require additional income to support the loss resulting from land use change. Options include sale of carbon to the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme, or subdivision.

Staff are confident that 50 tN/yr of the 100 tN/yr target can be achieved before the 2032 target required by the Regional Policy Statement. Beyond this, options include: Extending the Scheme’s timeframe; Increasing the price paid per kilogram of nitrogen; or acquiring multiple dairy farms and converting them to low N land uses (these last two would require additional funding).

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Update on the Lake Rotorua Incentives Scheme.

1. Introduction

The Lake Rotorua Incentives Scheme (“the Scheme”) has been operating since 2015 and is a component of the Integrated Framework for achieving the sustainable load of 435 tN/yr for Lake Rotorua (see Fig 1).

Fig. 1: Integrated Framework for the restoration of Lake Rotorua

The Integrated Framework recognises that the Incentives Scheme is a key part of sharing the cost of water quality improvement between rural landowners and the community. The Crown and Bay of Plenty Regional Council have contributed equally to the $40 million Incentives Fund.

The Scheme is designed to incentivise land use change and is tasked with permanently removing 100 tN/yr from the lake. The Scheme purchases nitrogen from landowners who voluntarily undertake to operate below their individual Nitrogen Discharge Allocation set by the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Rules (LRNR). The Scheme will pay up to a maximum of $400/kgN (at the lake). Purchased nitrogen is secured through a 999 year Encumbrance registered on individual property titles.

Originally the Incentives Scheme was set to end in July 2022, when the option of nitrogen trading became available to landowners. However, given the slower than anticipated uptake, this timeframe has been extended until at least 2027.

1.1 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Healthy Environment	We develop and implement regional plans and policy to protect our natural environment.
Freshwater for Life	We deliver solutions to local problems to improve water quality and manage quantity.
The Way We Work	We use robust information, science and technology.

1.1.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

High - Positive

þ Cultural

High - Positive

þ Social

High - Positive

¨ Economic

Medium - Positive

The Scheme is an integral part of the Integrated Framework and is designed to share the cost of water quality improvement between rural landowners and the community (economic well-being).

It strongly contributes towards the environmental well-being of the Lake Rotorua Groundwater catchment by assisting in delivering a sustainable nutrient load to Lake Rotorua. Significant modelling and monitoring underpins this statement.

The environmental improvements delivered by the Scheme contribute to improving the mauri of the Lake (cultural well-being) and a clean lake will promote recreational opportunities (social well-being).

2. Current Situation

2.1 Incentives Scheme progress to date

Initially the Scheme made steady progress with 10 deals, representing over 19 tN/yr, secured between 2016 and 2018. Most of these were with landowners who were actively considering land use change (or had already made changes since the benchmarking period) prior to the official launch of the Scheme.

Once deals with early movers were finalised it became increasingly difficult to get further agreements over the line, as landowners waited for the finalisation of the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Rules and, in some cases, for the commencement of nitrogen trading in 2022.

Progress declined until the 2021-22 financial year, when the number of deals again began to increase (see fig. 2). This increase was likely the result of the finalisation of the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Rules, the willingness of the Scheme to purchase smaller amounts of nitrogen and an increase in the price of carbon, which incentivised landowners to convert pastoral land to trees.

Post-Covid backlogs in the Māori Land Court and at LINZ have slowed down the finalisation of several Incentives deals but it is expected that progress will recover once these external issues have resolved.

Fig 2: Annual progress to date

2.2 Nitrogen removed by the Scheme

To date 31 deals have been finalised, representing the permanent removal of 35 tonnes of Nitrogen per year from the lake, at an average price of $386/kg and deals to remove a further 2 tN/yr are currently being finalised.

13 of the deals represent land benchmarked as “dairy” during 2001-04, that has either been wholly or partially converted to a lower N leaching land use (drystock, subdivision and/or trees), which has removed 25 tN/yr from the lake.

In total 6 dairy farms have been entirely converted to other land uses, removing 19tN/yr from the lake, with the other 6tN/yr coming from the conversion of land previously leased to dairy farmers or, partial conversion of dairy farms to a lower N leaching option.

The remaining 18 deals represent land that was operating as “drystock” during the benchmarking years which has been converted to trees, subdivision and/or lower intensity drystock, representing a saving to the lake of 10 tN/yr.

Figure 3 depicts the cumulative tN/yr removed from the lake by the Scheme since its inception.

Fig. 3: Cumulative tN/yr removed by the Incentives Scheme by reporting year.

2.3 Pipeline

The LRNR allocate nitrogen according to industry sector. Figure 4 shows the catchments where the highest allocations are sitting. Unsurprisingly, the catchments with the highest allocations (Waitetī, Ngongotahā Awahou and Puarenga) consistently fail to meet water quality standards.

Fig 4: Nitrogen losses by sector and sub-catchment (July 2022)

Analysis of the latest available data shows that there is approximately 7 tonnes of allocated in-lake nitrogen not currently being used throughout the Lake Rotorua Catchment. This relatively small amount of un-used nitrogen indicates that further large-scale land use change is still required in order to achieve the 100 tN/yr target.

Potential deals continue to enter the Incentives pipeline, but as the Scheme is voluntary, the frequency of and number of deals is not predictable, as shown in figure 5. It will be important going forward to continue to focus on areas with high allocations, while retaining the agility to identify and broker deals as opportunities arise.

Fig 5: Actual and projected deals to 2027

2.4 Carbon Trading

The opportunity for landowners to convert pastoral land to trees and earn income from the NZ Emissions Trading Scheme (NZETS) has been somewhat of a gamechanger for the Incentives Scheme.

The price of carbon has climbed from $36/t in October 2020 to around $60/t at present. The price peaked at $88.50/t in November 2022 before uncertainty around Government policy caused the market to fall to the current price (see figure 6). Although the carbon market is expected to remain volatile, it is likely that the price will begin to rise again once policy settings become clearer.

Fig. 6: Mean monthly NZ carbon prices 2010-2023

3. Considerations

3.1 Risks and Mitigations

3.1.1 Nitrogen Trading

Nitrogen trading became available in July 2022 and has the potential to impact on the achievement of the Incentives target.

To date, there has been no uptake of this option, most likely for the following reasons:

· Most landowners can meet the 2027 target required under the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Rules without purchasing or leasing additional nitrogen;

· Trading requires both the landowner acquiring the nitrogen, as well as the landowner relinquishing the nitrogen, to obtain Resource Consents, and also requires an update to both landowners’ Nutrient Management Plans. This represents an additional cost for both landowners; and

· No formal trading platform has been established. Any trading undertaken in the catchment will be via individual agreements between landowners. The Regional Council has not facilitated trading because the preference is to support the success of the Incentives Scheme.

Trading may become more important closer to 2032 as individual nitrogen targets become harder to achieve.

3.1.2 Requirement for a 999-year Encumbrance

On occasions deals have fallen through because of landowner resistance to the requirement for a 999-year Encumbrance. Some landowners have indicated that the price offered for the nitrogen was not sufficient to justify encumbering their land. In general landowners agree that the nitrogen purchased by the Scheme should be secured in perpetuity but many baulk at the reference to a “999 year” term in the legal documentation.

3.1.3 Price

In many cases the maximum price of $400/kgN offered by the Scheme is insufficient to offset the loss of income resulting from the conversion of pastoral land. This has been exacerbated in recent years by rising interest rates, as well as a general post-Covid increase in costs. Therefore, an additional income stream is often required before landowners are willing to undertake large scale land use change. Options include sale of carbon to the ETS, as well as the subdivision of rural land.

3.1.4 National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land

A recent development which has the potential to impact on the achievement of the Incentives target is the National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL). The NPS-HPL effectively prevents the subdivision of rural land with Land Use Capability (LUC) classes 1, 2 or 3.

Although there is no LUC class 1 land identified in the Lake Rotorua Catchment, there are 456 ha of mapped LUC classes 2 and 3 land (see fig. 7).

Fig. 7: Extent of LUC classes 2 and 3 land in the Lake Rotorua Groundwater Catchment

It should be noted that, not only is the current LUC classification system mapped at a very broad scale, some of the land that is currently classified LUC classes 2-3 may have other constraints that prevent it from being utilized as “highly productive” land, e.g., seasonal waterlogging.

Subdivision is one of the few options available to rural landowners to fund large scale land use change and free up nitrogen to sell to the Scheme. Provisions in the Rotorua District Plan incentivise rural subdivision for water quality gains.

There is an exemption in the NES-HPL for the subdivision of rural land for water quality purposes, and an application for an exemption has been submitted to Rotorua Lakes Council for one landowner who has sold nitrogen to the Scheme.

However, anecdotally it appears that exemptions to the NES-HPL are rarely granted. If the current exemption application is refused, it may deter other landowners from accessing the subdivision option as a means of supporting land use change. This could impact the requirement for increased housing in the Rotorua District, while also affecting the achievement of the Incentives target.

3.2 Climate Change

The Scheme contributes to Climate Change mitigation. To date it has funded the planting of over 1.3 million trees. Using a conservative estimate of 10kg CO2e/tree/yr, this equates to over 13,000 t/CO2e/yr of sequestered carbon.

In addition, over 4,500 ha of land use change has been secured through the Scheme, which has reduced greenhouse gas emissions by completely or partially destocking pastoral land.

3.3 Implications for Māori

Of the 31 deals finalised to date, 11 have been with Māori landowners. These deals represent the removal of almost 20 tN/yr from the lake and 978 ha of land use change. Given that only 25% of land in the Lake Rotorua Catchment is Māori-owned, this is quite an achievement and a testament to the commitment of Māori to improved lake water quality.

3.4 Community Engagement

The Integrated Framework was developed through extensive consultation with the Lake Rotorua Stakeholder Advisory Group (StAG). The group was established in 2012 and included members from the:

· Lake Rotorua Primary Producers Collective;

· Lakes Water Quality Society;

· Te Tumu Paeroa;

· Forestry sector;

· Te Arawa landowners; and

· Small block owners.

Engagement with key stakeholders is ongoing and there is good support within the community for the continuation of the Scheme.

3.5 Financial Implications

Based on the current strategy, there is sufficient funding available within the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Programme to achieve the Incentives target. However, this may change if the strategy is amended going forward, at which time there may be a requirement to identify other funding sources.

4. Next Steps

Next steps may include:

· Extending the Scheme timeframe

· Increasing the price paid per kg of nitrogen

· Acquiring multiple dairy farms for conversion to a lower N leaching alternative

· Consideration of further regulation to achieve the target; or

· A combination of the above.



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Andy Bruere, Lakes Operations Manager
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:	To provide the annual report from the University of Waikato Toihuarewa Waimāori and Toihuarewa Takutai and present the Lake Rotorua Science Review report.

Annual Report of the University of Waikato Toihuarewa Waimāori and Toihuarewa Takutai, and Lake Rotorua Science Review Report

Executive Summary

The Bay of Plenty Regional Council supports the Toihuarewa Waimāori and the Toihuarewa Takutai via a 10-year agreement with the University of Waikato. The annual report as per that agreement is ready for presentation to Council.

In addition, Bay of Plenty Regional Council has recently completed the 5-year review of the science under-pinning the sustainable water quality solution for Lake Rotorua, as required by the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management provisions (previously known as Plan Change 10). Assoc Prof Ozkundakci has summarised the 11 modules of that Science Review into a single report and will present the outcomes of that work at this hui.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Annual Report of the University of Waikato Toihuarewa Waimāori and Toihuarewa Takutai, and Lake Rotorua Science Review Report.

1. Introduction

Bay of Plenty Regional Council has an agreement with University of Waikato to support two leaders of research and guidance in relation to two key business areas of the Regional Council, these positions are the Toihuarewa – Waimāori (Lake Freshwater Science) and Toihuarewa – Takutai (Coastal Science). The positions are held by Assoc Prof Deniz Ozkundakci and Prof Chris Battershill.

As part of the agreement with the University, an annual report is required to be presented. In addition to this report and annual presentation, Assoc Prof Ozkundakci has completed a Summary Report of the recent 5-year review of the science under-pinning the sustainable water quality solution for Lake Rotorua, as required by the Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management provisions (previously known as Plan Change 10). This summary is attached and will be presented at this meeting.

1.1 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Healthy Environment	Our environmental monitoring is transparently communicated to our communities.
Freshwater for Life	We collaborate with others to maintain and improve our water resource for future generations.

The Toihuarewa positions are a continuation of a long-term research relationship with the University of Waikato. These positions leverage research funding and resources to projects within the Bay of Plenty Region. They provide additional science resource that would not be possible through the use of our own staff and other consultants.

2. University of Waikato Agreement and Lake Rotorua Science Review

2.1 Science Chairs

Through the Regional Council’s agreement with the University of Waikato, each of the Toihuarewa positions is supported financially by the Regional Council along with support for other technical staff and stipends for students researching coastal and freshwater science themes within the region. Each position has provided a written report covering off their activities over the past 12 months and will present their report at this hui.

2.2 Lake Rotorua Science Review

As part of Lake Rotorua Nutrient Management provisions of the Regional Plan, the Regional Council is required to undertake a Science Review every 5 years, reviewing the specific performance of the plan provisions in meeting the water quality and land management objectives. The 2022 Science Review was undertaken by the Water Quality TAG producing 11 detailed module reports, that have been peer reviewed by an independent reviewer, Prof Warwick Vincent from Laval University, Quebec, Canada. This work has been summarised into a single report by Assoc Prof Deniz Ozkundakci, which is attached to this report. Prof Vincent has provided a brief recorded statement about the review and presented a Foreword to the report, outlining his role in the review and his view of the work presented.

Assoc Prof Ozkundakci will provide a verbal update on this work.

3. Considerations

3.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are no specific risks to be mitigated by the decisions of this report.

3.2 Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts.

3.3 Implications for Māori

A key component of the agreement with the University is that the Toihuarewa positions are working alongside iwi in the research programmes they are leading. This area of their work is on-going and these relationships will continually influence the direction and selection of research projects.

3.4 Community Engagement

INVOLVE

Whakaura

To work directly with affected communities throughout the process to ensure that their issues and concerns are consistently understood and fully considered in Council’s decision making.

There are various ways that the Toihuarewa positions connect with our communities. They are often involved in providing independent commentary on projects that the community are concerned about. There is a continual focus to attract funding and expertise to projects within the region and also to engage local students to grow through real research projects identified in our local environment.

3.5 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget.

4. Next Steps

The Toihuarewa Waimāori and Toihuarewa Takutai will continue to undertake research aimed at supporting local communities to understand and resolve technical problems within our region.

For the Lake Rotorua science review, the recommendations have been prioritised with the aim that “high” priority recommendations need to be addressed within the next 5 years, and other lower priority projects will be addressed as and when resources and funding may become available.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - Final PDF - Lake Rotorua Science Review summary revised 16June 2023 ⇩

Attachment 2 - . 2023.06.30 2022-2023 Annual report Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chair in Lakes and Freshwater Science 4 July 2023 ⇩



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Nic Newman, Climate Change Programme Manager and Niteshni Nitesh, Programme Coordinator Climate Change
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:	Reporting on the Climate Change Programme of Work

Climate Change Quarterly Report

Executive Summary

This report provides an update on climate change actions set out in the Climate Change Action Plan, for the last quarter. Delivery and reporting of these actions occurs through the Climate Change Programme.

Highlights from this quarter include:

· The latest project from the Community-led Adaptation initiative has begun. The Waihī Beach Surf Club board launched the project with a workshop on July 28^th, along with their partners and supported by Western Bay of Plenty District Council and BOPRC.

· The Regional Climate Risk Assessment is moving into implementation phase with Territorial Authority partners. Work across each Council in the region is detailed, as presented to the Mayoral Forum.

· The Sustainable Homes project is now supporting 173 low income households across the region with energy efficient heating through grants. While the second aspect to this initiative, loans, may finally have the legislative roadblock removed.

· Council’s preliminary green house gas emissions accounting for the 2022-2023 financial year is complete. This shows both a significant increase in gross emissions due to wet weather driven flood pumping, and for the first time, sequestration on Council land.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Climate Change Quarterly Report.

1. Introduction

Climate Change is a strategic priority and one of the three Impact Areas for Council. Our vision is to strengthen the long-term resilience and sustainability of the Bay of Plenty region through climate change action and awareness.

Council adopted a climate change position statement in the Long-Term Plan, and delivery of our climate change actions are being managed through the Climate Change Programme, ensuring coordinated delivery, monitoring, and reporting on the programme of work.

A dashboard is attached to this report to provide a snapshot of progress under the Programme.

1.1 Alignment with Strategic Framework

The projects highlighted in this report contribute principally to the Safe and Resilient Communities outcome via the partnerships way of working.

1.1.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

Medium - Positive

þ Cultural

Medium - Positive

þ Social

Medium - Positive

þ Economic

Medium - Positive

The projects highlighted in this report contribute positively across the well-beings.

2. Climate Change Programme

2.1 Programme highlights this period

2.1.1 Pathway to Net Zero

Toi Moana’s Green House Gas (GHG) accounting for the 22-23 financial year

Toi Moana’s GHG accounting for the 22-23 financial year is almost complete. Preliminary results show a gross emission increase of 52% compared to last year, primarily due to the increased energy required to mitigate flooding from recent heavy rain. There has also been an increase in diesel vehicle use and air travel (from post Covid lows). It also now shows carbon sequestration at Pāpāmoa Hills for this period, with ongoing reforestation effort acting as carbon storage. This storage will reduce Toi Moana net GHG emissions by 138 tCO2-e this year. Provisional result: Gross emissions (1687 tCO2-e) - Carbon stored (138 tCO2-e) = Net Emissions (1549 tCo2-e).

A graph of a graph

Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Note: results for all months before June 2022 are monthly averages of the year 2021-22 usage

Reducing gross emissions

In response to the increase in GHG emissions, Rivers and Drainage plans to electrify the diesel-powered Bell Rd C pump station and investigate the feasibility of electrifying two other smaller diesel pump stations currently in use in the lower Kaituna Catchment Control Scheme. Moreover, Toi Moana has also started using mobile electric submersible pumps during pump maintenance (where sufficient electricity is available). Mobile emergency pumps, required in areas where flooding occurs and where no electricity is generally available, will continue to be diesel-powered. Forecasting mobile pump run times, diesel usage, and GHG emissions is challenging as it requires predicting rainfall and flooding.

For our fleet emissions, a projection of our fleet electrification pathway is underway. This shows a potential 78% GHG emission reduction between 2022 and 2033 as our fleet moves to fully electric, as shown below. Note this does not account for growth in fleet numbers.

A graph showing a line of blue and green lines

Description automatically generated with medium confidence

Alongside this, work is underway with Council teams on vehicle use optimisation. The compliance team has agreed to be first movers. This involves initially discussing vehicle needs and transport emissions with the team, and then developing options to increase efficiency and reduce GHG emissions, considering policy and behavioural shifts.

Increasing carbon storage

The Pāpāmoa Hills reforestation effort will keep acting as carbon storage for the next 50+ years, storing up to 373 tCO2 per annum in 2036. Below is a 40-year projection showing the amount of carbon stored in Pāpāmoa Hill (green area) compared to Toi Moana’s annual gross emissions (orange area). This projection is an early estimate only; Toi Moana’s gross emissions projection will be updated once the projections of fleet electrification, flood pumps electrification, and carbon accounting conclude.

A graph with a line

Description automatically generated

We are now able to begin to calculate the reforestation effort required for Toi Moana to reach net zero by 2050, considering the current reduction initiatives (planned flood pump and fleet electrification). This early calculation shows that an area of 110 ha of native forest planted over 20 years would store enough carbon to match GHG emissions by 2050 and beyond, reaching net zero.

Note: this projection is an early estimate only; Toi Moana’s gross emissions projection (in orange) will be updated once the projections of fleet electrification, flood pumps electrification, and carbon accounting conclude.

The benefits of this work are multiple. They demonstrate that we are working to get our house in order along with significant co-benefits associated with sequestration such as recreation and biodiversity outcomes.

2.1.2 Staff Travel Plan

A staff commuter survey was carried out earlier this year and the insights from the survey have been used to develop a Staff Travel Plan. The Staff Travel Plan initiative is aimed at supporting sustainable travel for work-related journeys. It comprises actions to promote walking, cycling, public transport and carpooling. The Staff Travel Plan has some incentives e.g. guaranteed return home ride, free cycle maintenance check, installation of bike repair kit station, negotiated bike discounts, and give it a go bee card, but the primary focus has been on ‘softer’ measures e.g. promotions and networking. The aim is that the Staff Travel Plan will be low-cost, but highly visible, and contribute to a culture of sustainability within Toi Moana and relates to our climate change goals. The initiative also promotes local businesses in Bay of Plenty.

The benefit of this work is that it promotes a culture of sustainability within the organisation, and supports local businesses.

_{Image 1}_{- Staff commuter survey results
Image 2 – Tga staff take their bikes for check at Twisted Cycles}

2.1.3 Transport

There is a very dynamic national policy space in transport currently. Regional councils are reviewing their Regional Land Transport Plans (RLTPs) while waiting for national guidance from key documents like the Government Policy Statement on Land Transport, Investment Prioritisation Method, and State Highway Investment Plan. Waka Kotahi plans to release the National Public Transport Plan by year-end. The two transport projects listed in the climate action plan are subject to this dynamic environment.

The transport team is continuing work to investigate a Transport Emissions Reduction Programme (TERP). This effort builds on existing work to lower emissions through setting RLTP priorities, identifying funding opportunities, improving public transport, influencing spatial planning, and promoting leadership in staff travel planning.

The Public Transport Committee approved a feasibility study to scope the decarbonisation of the urban and regional bus fleet in the Bay of Plenty. This is to align with the current government mandate, which stipulates that from 2025 onwards new buses will have to be zero emission, with the entire bus fleet in New Zealand to be zero emission by 2035. As of 2023, the local and urban fleet is made up of 166 buses, five of which are electric. Depending on the feasibility study conclusions, Regional Council will need to decide whether to adopt a policy where all new contracts are operated with decarbonised buses starting in 2024.

The feasibility study is being delivered in 4 components, with the first two now completed in November 2022: Baseline assessment, Technical assessment, Programme business case, Detailed business case.

Since commencing the Feasibility Study, in August 2022 the Government agreed to replace the Public Transport Operating Model (PTOM), within the Sustainable Public Transport Framework (SPTF). While these substantial reforms aim to support the public transport sector with the adoption of zero emission vehicles, the potential changes need to be understood and woven into the Bay of Plenty’s feasibility study. Staff are actively involved in these reforms with staff representing the Regional sector at national level working groups via the Transport Special Interest Group (TSIG). Once the implications of the SPTF are fully understood, BOPRC will progress with the programme business case to further progress the feasibility study.

The benefit of this work is that we are progressing local low emissions transport planning and connecting and balancing a very dynamic national policy environment.

2.1.4 Sustainable Homes

As of July 2023, BOPRC has supported 173 low-income households throughout the region to upgrade to lower emission and energy efficient heating. The aim of this project is to help make Bay of Plenty homes more energy efficient, reduce households draw on the national grid and associated indirect greenhouse gas emissions and target financial assistance to lower income households. This is achieved through the Sustainable Homes Scheme grants, in partnership with other funders. This work is delivered by Sustainable Options https://www.20degrees.org.nz/3-minute-video/

_{Image 3:}_{Graphical analysis for number
of homes supported through Sustainable Homes Grant}

The second aspect to this work, Sustainable Homes Loans, has been delayed. However, On 8 August 2023, the Minister of Commerce and Consumer Affairs announced that Cabinet has agreed to exempt Councils' voluntary targeted rate schemes from the Credit Contracts and Consumer Finance Act 2003 (CCCFA) through regulations which are expected by the end of the year. BOPRC, along with several other Councils and partners, has been advocating for this for the last couple of years. Administrative requirements under CCCFA made it prohibitively expensive to offer loans for efficient heating, solar power and insulation under our Sustainable Homes Scheme. Once the exemption regulations are promulgated, staff will confirm whether Councillors still wish to proceed with Sustainable Homes Scheme loans in the new year; because of the long delay in establishing these loans, this may be a consideration for the next Long Term Plan process.

The benefit of this work is direct practical interventions that enable both energy efficient heating in homes and target assistance to low income households, with associated health and social well-being benefits.

2.1.5 Regional Risk Assessment Implementation

The risk assessment Technical Working Group, including staff from the territorial authorities and a Te Whatu Ora Health NZ representative, gave a joint presentation to the 11 August Mayoral Forum on progressing next steps following the public release of the regional risk assessment at the 21 April Mayoral Forum.

The purpose of the regional risk assessment is to provide a regional overview of current and future climate risks to inform adaptation planning at a range of scales and by a range of parties and to support any further assessments at a district or local scale. This comprehensive common baseline provides a platform for more detailed local and sector level assessments and adaptation planning, as illustrated in Figure 1 below (noting that there are also many feedback loops between the various levels that have not been included in the diagram in the interests of simplicity).

The following sections summarise the main areas of focus for each council, both current and planned, that flow from the regional risk assessment, as presented to the Mayoral Forum.

At a regional level, BOPRC initiated and funded the regional risk assessment project and continues to co-ordinate and support the risk assessment Technical Working Group. At the local level, a key initiative is the Community Led Adaptation Fund supporting flax roots climate change adaptation planning directly by communities, at their scale (see Section 0). The natural hazards programme continues to provide a strong regional evidence base. The River Scheme Sustainability Project is considering how to manage flood risk under a changing climate over a 100 year time horizon. Through the Integrated Catchments programme, BOPRC is working with landowners to build the resilience of terrestrial, coastal & marine, freshwater ecosystems in the face of a changing climate. This work ranges from mapping the potential for land reclamation and saltmarsh restoration, best practice drain management, supporting land retirement and mitigating the impact of the increasing range and number of invasive species. Staff are now beginning to work with TA partners as they begin to undertake local risk and vulnerability assessments.

To date, Tauranga City Council’s focus has been on ensuring resilient infrastructure and urban planning. The Council is finalising its first Climate Action and Investment Plan, which will go to Commissioners for adoption in August 2023. This will be a proactive response plan to the identified impacts of climate change, including a set of resilience goals supported by a roadmap of actions put forward within the Council’s Long-term Plan 2024-2034. In the near term, the aim is to continue to build resilience in Council assets and to develop a localised climate change risk and vulnerability assessment which will inform future community adaptation planning. A Dynamic Adaptive Pathway Planning (DAPP) framework for flood mitigation is being developed as a pilot in the Mount North area.

The key piece of work for the Western Bay of Plenty related to the regional climate change risk assessment is building an understanding of the community’s knowledge of natural hazards exposure and risk. This work has been initiated through the inclusion of targeted questions in the LTP consultation survey. This will allow communication and engagement on the possible future risks of climate change and the available adaptation options to be targeted to better meet the needs of each community. It is expected that partnering with key community organisations and groups will be essential for improving overall community awareness and normalising conversations around risk mitigation and adaptation.

Currently lake water levels in the Rotorua District are close to 1970’s levels, generating issues such as localised flooding, raised groundwater levels, lake margin erosion, undermining of embankments and road foundations, increased infiltration into the wastewater network and increased flood risk due to higher tail water (at river mouths and upstream of elevated lake levels). A risk assessment to the wellbeing of the lakes communities and a possible adaptation feasibility study, led by a joint working party comprising Rotorua Lakes Council, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Te Arawa Lakes Trust and relevant stakeholders has been proposed by the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes Strategy Group. This working party will investigate various workstreams and possible interventions in the short, medium and longer term with the objective of better managing risk associated with climate change forecasts, including potential lake control options, improved urban stormwater management, streams capacity and associated costs.

In the Whakatāne District, Climate change adaptation requires understanding of the natural hazards and the risk they pose to communities now and in the future. The emphasis has been to update natural hazard assessments with the latest available climate change forecasts. This information will underpin discrete plan changes to the Whakatāne District Plan. Each plan change will introduce new and revised natural hazard risk zones and make approved risk reduction proposals easier to implement. The information, together with the regional climate change risk assessment, will also inform a Whakatāne District Climate Change Risk Assessment which is at the planning stage.

Ōpotiki District Council is in the process of carrying out work to understand how policy requirements relate to the organisation, the district and the community. This is being done alongside understanding the regional risk assessment with the aim of creating a district level understanding of key risks and hazards, and creating an action plan the organisation can use and move forward from. From an Ōpōtiki District perspective, key items of focus will be risk to existing major infrastructure and ensuring resilience of key infrastructure along the coastline.

For Kawerau District, high water table drainage on council and private land is causing damage to roading infrastructure and properties. Specific areas have additional drainage being installed and other areas are being considered. There is a lack of funding and resources to develop and install solutions. High water table effects on drinking water supply are causing high mineral content in some water sources.

Going forward, the Technical Working Group established through the risk assessment project will be a key mechanism for supporting a joined-up response around climate risks. This group has built a solid knowledge base, strong connections and relationships, with the unique involvement of the health sector which has been beneficial to all involved. and enables opportunities for collaboration and cross-council support to be identified.

The benefits of this work include: a collaborative platform with the Territorial Local Authorities, a common understanding of climate risk, shared expertise and knowledge, and a regional approach that allows for local differentiation.

2.1.6 Community-led Adaptation Planning

This initiative, under the Climate Change Programme, seeks to support communities who are ready to begin the first steps in their own adaptation planning.

In the last quarter, the latest project funded with the Board of the Waihī Beach Surf Life Saving Club has begun. The Club was identified as at risk in a report completed for Surf Life Saving New Zealand by GNS. The project seeks to understand the impacts of predicted climate changes and develop a plan to enable Waihi Beach Lifeguard Services to continue to provide essential services to the community.

The first workshop was held on July 28^th. Invited attendees through the Board included: Surf Life Saving NZ, Waihī Beach Community Board, The Police, Coast Guard, Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Emergency Management Bay of Plenty. BOPRC are supporting the project with technical adaptation planning expertise.

_{Image 4:}_{Waihī Beach Lifeguard Services Chairwoman
opens the Adaptation Planning Workshop}

The workshop aims were to establish a shared understanding of the climate hazards faced by the club and how these could impact the club’s objectives and operation. Workshop attendees contributed their own observations and records to complement hazard information from both Regional and District Councils. These were then mapped against how they could impact the club’s objectives, over time. The outputs of the first workshop will inform the next step which is to begin to explore options and pathways to address the risks over time. Workshop 2 is planned for August 31.

_Photo:_{Staff help to match climate hazards faced by the club against the club’s
objectives}

The benefit from this project, and wider initiative, is that communities are empowered to understand climate risks to things they value and to take ownership for planning and managing those risks. A complementary benefit is that strong communities contribute to a thriving region.

2.1.7 Business support Initiatives

EECA is continuing development of the Bay of Plenty Regional Energy Transition Accelerator (RETA), with the four workstreams progressing well and due for completion by the end of August:

- Demand assessment workstream has finalised the sites to be included and their thermal energy demands. Results from the other workstreams will be built into the decarbonisation pathways for the region.

- Electricity workstream has completed ‘phase 1’ (capacity available across the region) and are just starting ‘phase 2’ (analysing the connection options and costs for each load site).

- Biomass workstream final report is nearly complete, incorporating interviews with various stakeholders.

- Geothermal workstream has looked at the list of sites to assess applicability at a high level.

Bay of Connections and Priority One have helped connect EECA with businesses to inform the Demand assessment workstream, and the BOPRC Consents and Geothermal teams have provided information to support the Demand assessment and Geothermal workstreams, respectively. A report back session on the four workstreams is tentatively scheduled for late September. The BOP RETA report will be finalised following the report back session.

The Tourism Bay of Plenty Low Carbon Programme, the Green Room | Te Rūma Kākāriki, is now working with operators in the Whakatāne District. The programme is a 12-week course involving an initial launch event and workshop, a face-to-face session preferably at the premises of the organisation, online workshops on applicable topics, and a celebration event where participants share their progress. Each participant also has access to the course facilitators by phone and email for specific help during the course. So far, the programme has been, or is currently being delivered in:

- Tauranga City: 21 organisations have completed the course; a further 10 are underway.

- Waihī Beach, Katikati, Te Puna and surrounds: 18 completed; 1 is underway.

- Te Puke, Maketū, and surrounds: 1 completed, 1 underway.

- Whakatāne: 15 completed; 3 underway.

Work on the Western Bay of Plenty Circular Economy project continues, with workshops recently undertaken with the Healthcare and Food & Beverage Manufacturing sectors. Bay of Connections assisted with business connections in the Food & Beverage Manufacturing sector. A Construction sector workshop was held in late June 2023, hosted by Priority One.

The benefit from this work is that Council is helping to prime the pump and connect businesses to enable them to take responsibility for understanding and addressing their emissions transitioning to a low carbon future.

3. Considerations

3.1 Risks and Mitigations

Climate Change is listed on Council’s Key Risk Register, due to the impact this will have on our council’s decision-making processes over the longer term. An internal audit review of climate change programme will take place in the calendar year 2023.

3.2 Climate Change

The Climate Change Programme delivers, monitors, and reports on Council’s response to climate change in terms of priorities and actions around both mitigation and adaptation. This report highlights progress in the last quarter against the programme.

3.3 Implications for Māori

Climate Change could potentially have significant impact on whānau, hapū and iwi in the region. Many marae in the Bay of Plenty region are located in coastal or low lying areas, or next to rivers, potentially exposed to flooding and coastal hazards.

The economic livelihood of many of the region’s hapū and iwi are linked to natural resources, through activities such as farming, forestry, aquaculture & tourism.

Council’s regional climate risk assessment demonstrated risk to Māori through case studies to help build understanding and highlighted current and future risks for Māori. The funding we provide for community adaptation planning is supporting a number of hapū and iwi to develop their own climate change understanding and response. The majority of applicants for this funding are hapū, demonstrating the connection of people and place are at the forefront of adaptation in our region.

3.4 Community Engagement

EMPOWER

Whakamanahia

The Community led Adaptation funding allows communities to lead the process to develop their own adaptation plans.

CO-OPERATE

Mahi Ngātahi

The Regional Risk Assessment implementation work is being carried out in a co-operative manner with Territorial Authorities.

There is no community engagement required in relation to the content of this paper. However, engaging with our community around climate change and specific actions related to climate change is a core part of our climate change work programme.

3.5 Financial Implications

The projects highlighted in this report are all within budget and here are no material unbudgeted financial implications from this report. The wider Climate Change Programme is operating within Long Term Plan 2021-2024 budget.

4. Next Steps

Staff will continue to report to the Monitoring and Operations Committee quarterly on progress of the Climate Change Programme.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - Climate Change Programme Overview September 2023 ⇩



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Daniel Batten, Rivers and Drainage Operations Manager
Report Authoriser:	Chris Ingle, General Manager, Integrated Catchments
Purpose:	Report on Rivers and Drainage Operations activities, as outlined in the Environmental Code of Practice 2019.

Environmental Code of Practice for Rivers & Drainage Maintenance Activities - 2022-2023 Annual Review

Executive Summary

Rivers and drainage scheme routine operational works are generally authorised by permitted activity under the Regional Natural Resources Plan, subject to a range of conditions including that works are carried out in accordance with the Environmental Code of Practice for Rivers and Drainage Maintenance Activities.

One of the requirements of the Code of Practice is to report annually to Council. This report covers rivers and drainage maintenance activities for the 2022-2023 financial year.

Overall, 868 separate rivers and drainage maintenance activities were carried out during the 2022/2023 financial year (see attachment 1, Table of Completed Works), and 10 complaints were received and investigated (see attachment 2, Complaints Register).

36 Hapū and Iwi Management Plans (see attachment 3, Hapū and Iwi Management Plans) are currently in existence and these guide and inform operations activities and consultation.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Environmental Code of Practice for Rivers & Drainage Maintenance Activities - 2022-2023 Annual Review.

1. Introduction

The Environmental Code of Practice 2019 (ECoP) covers maintenance activities undertaken by the Rivers and Drainage Operations Section of Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC), on the major river schemes and drainage control schemes in the Bay of Plenty region.

The purpose of the ECoP is to set out operational procedures that will apply to all maintenance activities on major rivers and drainage schemes, regardless of whether an activity requires a consent or not.

Section 6.2.6 of the ECoP requires an annual report, covering the following:

a. Number of complaints and corrective action(s) taken

b. Summary of recommended changes to procedures resulting from comments made in checklists

c. Analysis of types of work carried out, and any areas where complaints or problems continue to occur

d. Recommendation whether an independent audit is required

e. Listing of authorised Iwi Management Plans

This review is not a formal audit. An audit is to be undertaken once in every five year period, of at least 3% and up 10% of any works carried out in a single year.

This annual review covers the period from 1 July 2022 to 30 June 2023.

1.1 Legislative Framework

Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Act 1941

Land Drainage Act 1908 and the Rangitāiki Land Drainage Act 1956

Resource Management Act 1991

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

Safe and Resilient Communities

We support community safety through flood protection and navigation safety.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

þ Environmental

Low - Positive

þ Cultural

Medium - Positive

þ Social

High - Positive

þ Economic

High - Positive

The Rivers & Drainage Operations activities provide and maintain important, long-term infrastructure which supports our community by protecting people, property and livelihoods from flooding and land drainage issues.

2. 2022-2023 Review

2.1 Rivers and Drainage Operations Activities

Rivers and Drainage Operations team undertake a range of activities, as listed in Part 4 of the ECoP.

Activities include, but are not limited to: vegetative protection works, hard engineering protection works, river channel maintenance works, drainage management, habitat enhancement works and flood protection maintenance works.

Major capital works, (e.g., pump station and stopbank construction projects) are not covered by the ECoP, as they are generally covered by project-specific resource consents involving environmental best practice.

2.2 Review of procedures

2.2.1 Complaints

Minor concerns and enquiries are not recorded, and generally can be addressed verbally. A complaint is considered major, or formal, where some investigation and written acknowledgement is required.

Formal complaints are recorded in the Complaints Register. The register includes details of when the complaint was received, complainant’s details, investigation, remedial actions and information provided back to the complainant.

There were 10 complaints received in the 2022/2023 financial year. The details of complaints were varied, including:

· The Lower Kaituna scheme received various complaints throughout the 2022/23 year, mainly relating to repetitive rainfall events and elevated river levels causing flooding and inhibiting drainage.

· Two complaints regarding the general maintenance of scheme drains were received. In both cases, action was taken to remediate as soon as possible.

· A complaint about stock escaping into a cut and carry area and waterway of the Whakatāne River was received through the Compliance Team. The stock were immediately removed, and staff worked with the farmer to ensure fencing was adequately restored.

· Riverside Dr residents have expressed concerns around river edge excavations to create inanga spawning areas. A detailed response was provided to the complainant, and the Reference Group remains informed.

· Two complaints in relation to assets not managed or under the control of BOPRC, were received. In both cases, BOPRC staff are working with affected landowners to provide advice, and have referred to the appropriate groups to respond.

Some complaints were referred to other teams within the organisation to be resolved.

All minor complaints have been responded to directly, and where appropriate, procedures have been put in place to prevent similar events.

2.2.2 Consultation

Landowners and occupiers are consulted or notified (where appropriate) when works are proposed on their property or boundaries. Consultation is undertaken by phone (or in person if appropriate) by the Works Coordinator/Foreman responsible for the job.

Significant effort is being applied to collaborating with Iwi/Hapū groups for works planned in their respective rohe to improve consultation/collaboration (refer 2.4 below).

Works Notifications are sent via email on a weekly basis, outlining the river, location, river distance, and type of works planned for the following week. At present there are 82 recipients of the weekly notification and this number grows as collaborative discussions take place with Iwi/Hapū teams. All work sites in the notification are also uploaded to ArcGIS, and an embedded link in the weekly notification email shows where the planned works are located on an aerial photo-map.

Consultation with landowners is an informal process and is not recorded.

2.2.3 Recommended changes

The current version of the ECoP has been in place since 2019, and this is its fourth annual review. An annual review is a requirement of the ECoP.

It has previously been recommended that more efficient internal reporting on completed works commence to assist with future reporting. Processes and procedures are being put in place to ensure completed works are accurately recorded, and the TechOne Asset Management module will encapsulate all works for more thorough reporting.

2.2.4 Analysis of works

Works continue to be recorded using the Fulcrum data collection application and Drains App, whilst the organisation transitions to a TechOne Asset Management system which will capture data and report on activities taking place within the schemes. Both systems are used to record works.

A summary of the types of rivers and drainage works completed during 2022/2023 follows. A detailed list of completed works by scheme can be found in Attachment 1.

	Types of Works	Total Completed (All Schemes)
1.	Vegetative protection works	104
2.	Hard engineering protection works	30
3.	River channel maintenance works	173
4.	Drainage management	383
5.	Flood protection works	178

The Operations team is proactively implementing habitat improvement works wherever this is practicable in conjunction with planned maintenance or construction works. Examples include the Kopeopeo inanga ponds at Ferry Road, Whakatāne, and stream riparian enhancement works on Ngongotahā Stream. Often this work involves school students growing and planting native plants at these sites as part of their school environmental programmes.

The Operations team is aware of the effects management hierarchy required by the NES/NPS for freshwater and this thought process is used when erosion repair works are being investigated by the team. Softer repair methods involving vegetative, nature-based solutions are prioritised over harder engineering options.

Significant rainfalls for the year 2022/23 have had an impact on planned maintenance works. As some works are weather dependent, they have been delayed until a break in the weather has allowed, however critical works have been prioritised and progressed.

There have also been an increase in reactionary works, due to the number of weather events, and the impacts on low lying land, leading to an increase in Drainage Management and Hard Engineering Protection Works across the region.

2.2.5 Independent Audit

An Independent Audit is recommended at 5-yearly intervals so is not required at this time.

A review of the ECoP is underway currently as recommended in the April 2017 Flood Repair Project Review prepared by Christensen Consulting Ltd, and to implement applicable requirements from the National Works in Waterways Guideline.

2.2.6 Hapū/Iwi Resource Management Plans (HIMP)

Hapū/Iwi Resource Management Plans (HIMP) are documents developed and approved by hapū and/or iwi. These plans describe resource management issues of importance to them as tangata whenua.

The plans may also contain information relating to specific cultural values, historical accounts, descriptions of areas of interest (hapū/iwi boundaries/rohe) and consultation/engagement protocols for resource consents and/or plan changes.

A list of HIMPs are included in attachment 3.

3. Considerations

3.1 Climate Change

While matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature, river scheme asset planning and operational activities are focused on adapting to climate change impacts, particularly applying ‘room for the river’ thinking, for ongoing community resilience and safety. Favouring nature based solutions is more positive from a carbon emissions perspective, as are planting projects associated with habitat improvement projects.

3.2 Implications for Māori

Council acknowledges that the relationships it has with Māori are central to the fulfilment of its statutory responsibilities and will continue to utilise a range of different mechanisms to engage with the wider Māori community and ensure Māori views are appropriately represented in the decision-making process.

At an operational level, efforts to engage with Māori are ongoing through various forums including the established co-governance groups (e.g. Rangitāiki River Forum and Te Maru o Kaituna).

At an operational level staff are working hard to work more collaboratively with Iwi/Hapū to discuss and agree on work programmes and working with Iwi/Hapū contractors if resources and skills are appropriate. Collaborative hui have been held with Hapū river committees including Ngāti Ira, Ngāi Tamahaua, Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Manawa, Ngāti Rangitihi, Te Uru Taumatua, and Tapuika.

3.3 Community Engagement

INFORM

Whakamōhio

To provide affected communities with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problems, alternatives and/or solutions.

3.4 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within allocated budgets.

4. Next Steps

Continue to deliver planned works and services in keeping with the Rivers and Drainage Asset Management Plan and Environmental Code of Practice 2019.

Attachments

Attachment 1 - 2022-2023 Table of Completed Works ⇩

Attachment 2 - 2022-2023 Rivers & Drainage Operations Complaints Register ⇩

Attachment 3 - Hapu and Iwi Management Plans ⇩



Report To:	Monitoring and Operations Committee
Meeting Date:	5 September 2023
Report Writer:	Jo Pellew, Rates Manager
Report Authoriser:	Mat Taylor, General Manager, Corporate
Purpose:	To provide an overview of the commencement of the 2023/24 rating year and an update on how this has progressed.

Rates Collection Update

Executive Summary

This report provides an overview of the commencement of the 2023/24 rating year and an update on how this has progressed.

The report covers several key areas.

· Rates have now been assessed for the 2023/24 rating year; totalling $91.9m The due date for payment is 20 October 2023.

· Invoices will be sent over a two-week period, a staged release across the region to ensure timely delivery of invoices especially for our rural customers.

· Over 26,000 direct debit arrangements were recalculated for the 2023/24 rating year, these were for weekly, fortnightly, and monthly frequencies.

· A targeted campaign commenced in August to encourage ratepayers onto direct debit. This has yielded positive results with over 1,000 new customers signing up in the first week.

Recommendations

That the Monitoring and Operations Committee:

1 Receives the report, Rates Collection Update.

1. Introduction

We detail what has been completed since the Rates Collection Update June 2023 report and preparation for the next tranche of work following the release of the invoices, and customer contact with respect to rating queries.

Rates have been successfully assessed for the region in July following the adoption of the 2023/24 Annual Plan, and Rates Resolution. The rates assessed are in line with budgeted expectations.

The Rates Invoice and Assessment are being sent in September and will be done in a similar manner to that of the previous rating year, but with a shortened two-week timeframe to ensure timely delivery to ratepayers.

In August, a direct debit promotion was undertaken to encourage ratepayers to sign up for direct debit, with an incentive draw, and this has shown to be very popular, with over 1,000 ratepayers signing up in the first week of the campaign to direct debit.

1.1 Legislative Framework

The Local Government (Rating) Act 2002 (“LGRA”) and the Rating Valuations Act 1998 (“RVA”) are the primary enactments governing the setting, assessment, and collection of rates by Local Government.

In addition to complying with this rating specific legislation, Council also needs to ensure that the rating function and process complies with the Local Government Act 2002 (“LGA”) and the Privacy Act 2020 (“PA”).

1.2 Alignment with Strategic Framework

A Vibrant Region

We work with and connect the right people to create a prosperous region and economy.

The Way We Work

We deliver value to our ratepayers and our customers.

We continually seek opportunities to innovate and improve.

We provide great customer service.

1.2.1 Community Well-beings Assessment

Dominant Well-Beings Affected

¨ Environmental

þ Cultural

Medium - Positive

þ Social

Medium - Positive

þ Economic

Medium - Positive

Collecting rates in-house has a positive effect on social and economic well-being. The economic benefit of the in-house collection includes less cost to ratepayers as internal costs are lower than paying other organisations a commission to collect revenue on our behalf.

Positive social benefits include the community having more awareness about the work that we do and engaging with us more, the public receiving an improved customer experience and equity across the region as council will have control over rating policies and be able to apply a more consistent and holistic view of the Bay of Plenty community.

Cultural benefits include direct engagement with Māori landowners and greater control over rating policies for Māori land. Bay of Plenty Regional Council can decide how to rate whenua Māori, including decisions on rates arrears, remissions and consolidation of whenua Māori land blocks or multiple dwellings for rating purposes.

2. Rates Status update

2.1 Rates updates for 2023/24 rating year.

2.1.1 Rates assessment

Following the adoption of the 2023/24 Annual Plan and Rates Resolution, rates for our region have now been assessed for the new rating year. Total rates assessed for the 2023/24 rating year were $91.9m. To date, we have received almost $4 million in payments for the current instalment (as at 21 August 2023).

Ensuring the integrity of our rates assessment required collaboration with all territorial authorities in the region. This cooperative approach enabled us to gather current and accurate rating data, forming the basis of our assessment process.

An integral part of this process involved conducting integrity checks and data analysis on the gathered information. This step was critical in ensuring that properties subject to rating are done so correctly. We conducted a series of reviews to mitigate the potential for inaccuracies within our rating assessments. This approach ensures that ratepayers are invoiced correctly based on their property's location and relevant rating factors.

2.1.2 Rates Invoicing

Rates invoices will be lodged with DX Mail and emailed from Monday, 4 September. We continue to offer both print or email delivery of invoices, depending on the ratepayer’s preference.

Invoices will be sent in a staged release as they were last year but within a shorter timeframe to ensure timely delivery, especially for our ratepayers that receive post by rural delivery.

Table 1 below provides the schedule timetable of Invoices being sent. This is when printed notices are lodged with DX Mail and emails are released on an hourly basis, at 1,000 emails per hour during the hours of 9am to 3pm to support our frontline contact centre and will continue until such time as all emails have been sent.

Table 1: Invoice schedule timetable

Local Authority	Mail lodgement and email release date
Whakatāne	Monday, 4 September 2023
Kawerau	Monday, 4 September 2023
Ōpōtiki	Monday, 4 September 2023
Taupō	Monday, 11 September 2023
Rotorua	Monday, 11 September 2023
Western Bay of Plenty	Monday, 11 September 2023
Tauranga	Tuesday, 12 September 2023

This communication campaign for the current rating year builds upon our past engagement efforts. Our approach remains consistent, utilising familiar channels such as social media, newspapers, our website, and other established mediums.

Included within the Rates Invoice and Assessment package is a rates newsletter insert. This newsletter serves to detail the range of activities we undertake throughout the region. We have included a blurb in the newsletter reminding customers that they will receive a separate invoice from their respective local authority.

2.1.3 Rates Instalment

As we prepare for when the invoices have been sent out, there are two large pieces of work that the rates team will be focused on. The instalment peak period and the subsequent penalty process for those that have remaining balances. The due date for payment of rates is Friday, 20 October 2023.

The instalment planning includes preparing for the increased customer contact and establishing a complete understanding on the changes to our rates from last year, with the activities that we provide.

We are creating internal key messages that we can convey to our customers for their information, referencing the Annual Plan and the activities that were discussed as part of this process as being impacted by either inflationary pressures or operational costs.

Penalty Date

The penalty date is Tuesday, 31 October 2023. For customers who have not made a payment arrangement, and their rates instalment remains unpaid, a 10% penalty will be applied to their rates account. Notification will be provided to the ratepayer of this detailing the amount due including the penalty.

We have provision within our Rates Remission policy, for a penalty to be remitted where the following criteria can be demonstrated.

· a request has been made on compassionate grounds, where there has been significant disruption to the ratepayer such as the death, illness, an accident of a family member or other ‘one off’ event; or

· matters outside the ratepayers’ control such as delayed delivery of sales notice or sale pf property coincided or was close to penalty date; or,

· delay in full payment being received to council by the due date which was outside of ratepayers’ control, such as bank processing delays; or

· an internal processing error has contributed to the ratepayer receiving a late payment penalty; or

· for another reason, not outlined above for which it would be fair and reasonable to remit all or part of the penalty. Ratepayer must provide supporting evidence for this request to be considered.

The penalty remission only applies when the instalment has been paid.

In our first year of collecting rates, a pragmatic approach was used with penalty remission to allow for ratepayers that were not aware of the change in the way they paid their rates, or paid the wrong council, this year will differ as we move away from the view of being transitional to being that of transactional.

2.1.4 Direct Debits

Over 26,000 direct debit arrangements were recalculated as part of our annual process, this were for weekly, fortnightly, and monthly frequencies, and was completed on 25 July.

To date, there are now 37,467 active direct debits (as at 21 August 2023), this number has grown in the last month, due to a direct debit promotion that we are running to encourage ratepayers to sign up to direct debit by 30 September 2023. There is a prize draw which is available to all customers who are on direct debit. This follows a similar campaign that was run last year of which a significant number of ratepayers signed up for this payment method.

We encourage this payment option as it is a way for customers to spread out their assessed rates over the rating year, enabling a more affordable way to pay. It is understandable that there are those that choose not to use this method and we have other ways to pay, which is detailed on our website and on the invoice that ratepayers receive.

Direct Debits are promoted as a preferred payment method, as it is a simple process for both the customer and council, enabling steady cash flow, is a simple processing function and an easy process for recalculating payments once a year.

The pie graph below shows the preference of frequency of the direct debit payment that customers have set up to pay their rates.

2.1.5 Rates Collection

For those customers who have not made an acceptable payment arrangement for their previous years rates, prior to 30 June 2023, we have initiated collection action for recovery of this payment.

This action involves contacting either the mortgage holder of the property, with a Mortgagee Advice, or where there is no mortgage, this debt is referred to Baycorp Collections.

This process is detailed in the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002, section 62 Recovery of rates if owner is in default. The intent is for council to not to have to enact this section as we look for ways to work with the ratepayer to seek payment, but where all efforts have been exhausted, this approach is taken.

If after a period of three months following the notification to the mortgage holder, we send a formal demand, and they are required to pay the rates on behalf of the customer.

For those referred to Baycorp Collections, a collection strategy is then undertaken as per their processes. With their assistance, they will look to seek an acceptable payment plan, or full payment from the ratepayer, or they will provide us with advice as to legal recovery.

There are currently 3,400 customers that have had mortgagee advice, or their debt sent to Baycorp Collections.

3. Considerations

3.1 Risks and Mitigations

There are no risks in relation to this service delivery performance update.

3.2 Climate Change

The matters addressed in this report are of a procedural nature and there is no need to consider climate change impacts.

3.3 Implications for Māori

Rating Māori land can be complex. Collecting our own rates, gives Bay of Plenty Regional Council greater control and enables it to apply equity and fairness across the region. With our engagement and strengthening relationships we can address economic disparity and rebuild trust, forging better relationships with local Iwi, Hapū, Trusts and owner/occupiers.

With greater control over rating policies, Bay of Plenty Regional Council will have the ability to decide how to rate whenua Māori including decisions on rate’s arrears, remissions and consolidation of whenua Māori land blocks or multiple dwellings for rating purposes.

3.4 Community Engagement

Engagement with the community is not required as the recommended proposal / decision [relates to internal Council matters only].

Rates collection is a statutory process under the Local Government (Rating) Act 2002. Information provided to customers around the rating process is done so under the Act requirements.

3.5 Financial Implications

There are no material unbudgeted financial implications and this fits within the allocated budget.

4. Next Steps

The Rates team expect to experience high volume contact with ratepayers over the next three months with the release of the invoices, the instalment due date and penalty date.

No new initiatives will be undertaken over this time, and a review will be completed at the end of this period to identify any areas of improvements or changes that could be implemented for the 2024/25 rating year.

A Rates Collection report will be provided at the next Monitoring and Operations committee in November 2023 detailing this period, and points of note to share with the committee as to the second year of collecting rates in-house.

[3] In addition to expenditure on our Coast Care and Estuary Care programmes.

[4] PBSs represent the most important of those ecological areas considered significant under S6 RMA, the Regional Policy Statement and District Plans.

Chairperson	Cr Kevin Winters
Deputy Chairperson	Cr Ron Scott
Members	All Councillors
Quorum	Seven members, consisting of half the number of members
Meeting frequency	Quarterly