SECTION 3: Our activities in depth | Ko te hohonutanga ō ā ...€¦ · around roads. This year...

SECTION 3: Our activities in depth | Ko tehohonutanga ō ā tātou mahi

Our activities in depth – Groups ofactivities | Ko te hohonutanga ō ā tātoumahi – Ko ngā mahi-ā-rōpūHOW TO READ THIS SECTION

This section describes the council’s activities as grouped in the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan (LTP). Within each group of activities(GOA), work is structured into individual activities within activity areas. Each GOA includes the following sections.

WHY WE DO IT

Provides a brief description of the activities within the GOA and the objectives or purpose, plus the outcomes the activitiesprimarily contribute towards and any identified effects the activities had on the community.

WHAT WE DID

Features highlights, as well as some business as usual activities/areas for the year.

LOOKING FORWARD

Identifies key programmes of work within the activity for the 2017/18 year.

WHAT WE DELIVERED

Provides a description of the level of service, measure, target and actual result for each activity. Performance status is describedusing four categories as described in the key below. Commentary is provided for measures that were not achieved or wereachieved in part. Additional performance commentary is included if it provides useful context.

All components of the performance measure have been met, including meeting orexceeding a stated target for performance.

Achieved

One or more but not all of the components of a measure have been completed – this isfor work where the measure can be broken into more than one component.

Achieved in part

All components were not achieved.Not achieved

No work scheduled or data available in the current year.Not applicable

WHAT IT COST

Reports on the cost of the service including any variances.

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Community and services | Hapori mengā ratongaWHY WE DO IT

This group of activities ensures the purpose and principles oflocal government as prescribed in the Local Government Act2002 are met. As per section 10 of the Act, the purpose of localgovernment is to enable democratic local decision making andaction by, and on behalf of, communities within the Waikatoregion and to meet the current and future needs ofcommunities for good quality local infrastructure, local publicservices, and performance of regulatory functions in a waythat is most cost effective for households and businesses.

The governance of the council is the responsibility of thechairperson and councillors. Their role is to represent thecommunities that elected them as well as to consider theinterests of future generations and the region at large. Thisgroup of activities aims to support elected members in theirroles and to make robust decisions that promote communitywellbeing and manage the region’s natural resources in asustainable way. Good decision making requires high qualityevidence and open and transparent processes that encourageparticipation.

The community and services group of activities aims to givepeople opportunities to participate in decisions about ourregion so they feel part of the governance of the region andconsider themselves informed and connected, with a valuedrole to play.

Much of what this group of activities does is prescribed instatute. The main Acts are:

Local Government Act 2002

Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act1987

Local Electoral Act 2001

Local Authorities (Members’ Interests) Act 1968

Waikato-Tainui Raupatu Claims (Waikato River) SettlementAct 2010

Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Raukawa, and Te Arawa River Iwi WaikatoRiver Act 2010

Ngā Wai o Maniapoto (Waipā River) Act 2012

Ngāti Haua Claims Settlement Act 2014

Ngāti Koroki Kahukura Claims Settlement Act 2014

Waikato Raupatu Claims Settlement Act 1995.

The community and services GOA contributes to the following community outcomes:

COMMUNITY OUTCOMESACTIVITIESKey:∆ = Primary focus◊ = Contributes to

Vibrant communitiesStrong economyHealthy environment

◊∆Iwi partnerships

∆◊Community partnerships

∆Governance

∆Planning and reporting

WHAT WE DIDGOVERNANCE

The local authority elections were held in October 2016. Thenew council elected Alan Livingston as chairperson and TipaMahuta as deputy chairperson. Following an inductionprogramme which provided newly elected and re-electedcouncillors with the information, tools, and training required,council set about its work, reviewing and adopting itsgovernance structure, and confirming membership andappointments to those governance bodies.

Early in the triennium the council set its strategic direction toguide its work for the 2016-2019 term. The council has beeninvolved in the development of key plans for the region suchas the Waikato Plan, the Waikato Regional Land Transport Plan,and the Waikato Regional Passenger Transport Plan. All ofthese key projects have been undertaken in collaboration withour key stakeholders.

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IWI MĀORI ENGAGEMENT

Effective management of our co-governance relationships hasbeen one of our organisational priorities over the year.Community and services staff have continued to grow therelationships with our iwi Māori partners in a range of ways.

We fulfilled our obligations in relation to our joint managementagreements (JMAs). We have provided capability buildingopportunities with our partners through iwi presentations tocouncil, co-hosting the Mana Kaitiaki Conference (with Bay ofPlenty Regional Council), and funding the Dame TeAtairangikaahu Scholarship. The iwi hot desk atTai-ranga-whenua has been used by iwi, and has helped us ingrowing the relationship and expanding each other’s capabilityto work together.

We also developed a number of significant internal tools aimedat increasing the capability of our council staff and councillorsto engage effectively and confidently with Māori. The MāoriPartnership Approach is a high level strategy setting out ourgoals for our relationships and the Māori EngagementFramework provides a comprehensive roadmap to guidecouncil/Māori engagement. A significant development hasalso been the creation and implementation of Te Ara (our newMāori cultural learning pathway). Te Ara aims to build staffand councillor understanding and confidence in te ao Māoriengagement while also finding ways to strengthen relationshipswith Māori groups and individuals.

ENVIROSCHOOLS

In collaboration with the Toimata Foundation and our localauthorities, we provide schools with the facilitation, resources,workshops, professional development and support throughthe Enviroschools programme. A total of 135 schoolsparticipated in 2016/17, engaging 32,000 children in takingsustainable action. We partnered with kindergartenassociations who supported a further 47 kindergarten andearly childhood centres participating in the programme.

A total of 36 schools attended our ‘Whanaungatanga –Everything is Connected’ student celebration events this yearat two locations representing over 9000 students. Studentsparticipated in workshops led by the Department ofConservation, Smart Water and Waikato Museum along withother community groups and internal council services. Studentsalso presented to other schools on the actions they had beenleading including kauri dieback, food security and productionand design of eco products.

Opoutere School, Hamilton East School, Goldfields School(Paeroa), St Francis School (Thames) and NewcastleKindergarten all celebrated achieving Enviroschools GreenGold, reflecting that their practise is embedded, integrated,sustained and empowering.

ROAD SAFETY

Waikato Regional Council has continued to lead themulti-partnership Waikato Regional Education Group (REG) todeliver effective and targeted education initiatives for ourregion's priority issues across seven campaign plans.

Social media has continued to gain a growing audience inregional road safety, with over 12,500 followers on Facebookand a high engagement rate. Instagram and Snapchat platformshave been particularly effective in increasing our Waikatolearner driver audiences.

REG delivered the annual fleet management day on 18 May2017, with more than 80 attendees from regional businesses.The main focus this year was on electric vehicles. Successfulcampaigns were also delivered for heavy vehicles, motorcycles,alcohol, cycling and speed. The council was a key contributorto the education components of both the New ZealandTransport Agency Northern Coromandel Motorcycle and theWaikato Speed Management projects.

YOUNG ROAD USER PROGRAMME

Ruben is the popular mascot for our young road userprogramme and teaches children aged between three andseven years old (and their families) how to be safe on andaround roads. This year 397 lessons were delivered (52 in Māoriwith the balance a mix of bilingual and English) to a total of22,007 children in schools, preschools, kōhanga reo, te kurakaupapa, home-based learning venues and at communityevents. A new Ruben road safety story book with a matarikitheme, In Search of the Stars, was officially launched at theNgāruawāhia Library on 28 May 2017. Other popular resourcesinclude a wall poster song chart with English and te reo Māorilyrics, four Ruben smartphone apps including educationalgames and stories with road safety messages for children, aheight chart for promoting the use of booster seats untilchildren are 148 cm tall, and ‘hi vis’ backpack covers. The 4542members of the Road Stars’ Club received regular road safetyrelated newsletters.

STOCK TRUCK EFFLUENT

Stock truck effluent is a pollution on our roads that can impactour health and pollute our waterways. Waikato RegionalCouncil has continued to collaborate with the New ZealandTransport Agency to complete a feasibility study on stock truckeffluent disposal facilities around the region.

2017/18 ANNUAL PLAN

Local Government Act changes in 2014 have meant we onlyconsult on any significant changes we make to our long termplans. For the 2017/18 Annual Plan no formal consultationprocess was triggered, however targeted consultation wasconducted for three topics – Tauhei flood protection, OrchardRoad drainage district and Orton drainage area management.A total of 18 submissions were received with three submittersspeaking to their submissions. The 2017/18 Annual Plan wasadopted by the council on 7 June 2017.

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2018-2028 LONG TERM PLAN

The 2018-2028 Long Term Plan (LTP) process has begun, usingour Strategic Direction 2016-2019 as the starting point forconversations about how we might work together to achievedesired community outcomes. This year there was a focus onearly engagement with our community and providingopportunities for them to make their views known. We held astakeholder forum at the Don Rowlands Centre at Lake Karāpiroand met with key stakeholders around the region, talked withmany people at our Fieldays stand, and promoted an onlinesurvey to capture a wide range of views on how our prioritiesmatched up.

LOOKING FORWARDREPRESENTATION REVIEW

All local authorities must undertake a representation reviewat least once every six years. The council's last representationreview was undertaken in 2011/12, which means one is requiredin 2017/18, to take effect for the next triennial election in 2019(Local Electoral Act 2001).

This is an opportunity to review the structure of membershipand the way members are elected. It could affect the totalnumber of elected members, the boundaries of constituenciesand/or the names of the constituencies. Any member of thepublic can make a written submission which the council willconsider. If a person who makes a submission is not satisfiedwith the council’s amended proposal they can appeal againstit.

IWI PARTNERSHIPS

We have a number of existing joint management agreements(JMAs) resulting from Treaty of Waitangi settlement legislationthat support and enable participation by iwi Māori in councilprocesses. A joint iwi/council review of the JMAs has beencompleted and aligned with the timing of the Te Puni Kōkiriand the Ministry for the Environment, independenteffectiveness review of co-governance and co-managementarrangements, and River Iwi’s reviews. The findings of thesereviews will be considered by the council and action taken,where appropriate, to ensure we have enduring, effective andvalued partnerships with iwi Māori. The additional number ofTreaty settlements in the region and changes to Māoriparticipation arrangements outlined in the Resource LegislationAmendment Act 2017 will continue to focus our efforts in thisarea. Incorporating aspects of mātauranga Māori into relevantcouncil processes, systems and operational practice will alsocontribute to growing our partnership potential.

Key priorities for council alongside our iwi partners will bemaintaining our continued focus on advancing the Vision andStrategy for the Waikato River, and making a positivecontribution to the region's overall health and wellbeing.

PARTNERSHIPS

We will work closely with our partners, iwi Māori andstakeholders on key initiatives aligned to our strategic prioritiesthat help achieve a shared vision and positive outcomes for

the region. We're always looking for ways to make it easier forour partners to work with us. In 2017/18 we will focus onproviding council staff with improved systems, tools, processesand data to continue to work effectively and build meaningfulpartnerships in our communities.

REGIONAL SERVICES FUND

The Regional Services Fund was established as part of the2016/17 Annual Plan to collect a rate on behalf of local councilsto support surf life saving, coastguard and rescue helicopterservices in the Waikato. A review of the fund, including itscriteria, will be undertaken through the 2018-2028 Long TermPlan in collaboration with the Waikato Mayoral Forum.

STOCK TRUCK EFFLUENT STRATEGY

The New Zealand Transport Agency completed the stock truckeffluent feasibility study in June 2017, which will determinewhere the new stock truck effluent sites will be built over thenext six years. The regional stock truck effluent strategy willbe reviewed to go forward into 2017-2023. A stock truckeffluent disposal and treatment strategy will also be completedto consider viable, sustainable options for effluent collectionand treatment from the proposed disposal sites. We willcontinue to work with the New Zealand Transport Agency,Regional Transport Committee and regional working groupsto keep the programme on track.

ENVIROSCHOOLS

As a result of the Enviroschools programme review in 2016/17,we are looking to increase the participation of Enviroschoolsat secondary school level. A review to determine best practicefor this is due to commence in 2017. We will also conduct areview to determine the best approach to increase ourenvironmental education opportunities for te reo mediumschools.

SMARTYGRANTS

The council launched an online funding application systemcalled SmartyGrants in early 2017. SmartyGrants improves theway the public can apply for grants and funding, making theapplication process easier and more transparent. The first stageof roll-out has focused on the contestable council funds whichinclude the Environmental Initiatives Fund, Small ScaleCommunity Initiatives Fund and Enviroschools. The focus for2017/18 will be on bringing additional sponsorship and grantapplication processes onto the SmartyGrants system.

DEVELOPMENT OF THE 2018-2028 LONG TERM PLAN

The 2018-2028 Long Term Plan (LTP) development will buildon this year’s early community engagement opportunities andcontinue in 2017/18. We’ll be determining how to prioritiseour work across a wide range of activities to make sure wedeliver on a number of long term outcomes for the region. Theformal consultation period for the draft LTP will take place inMarch 2018, before the final 2018-2028 LTP is adopted at theend of June 2018.

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WHAT WE DELIVERED

There are five performance measures for community and services. Four measures were achieved (80 per cent) for the 2016/17year and the remaining one measure (20 per cent) was not achieved. Detailed commentary for these measures can be foundin the following tables.

ACTIVITY: GOVERNANCE

Level of service: To provide governance processes that are robust and transparent for the regional community

CommentaryActualTargetPerformance measure

Official information requests

A total of 131 official informationrequests required a response in2016/17. All requests were respondedto within statutory timeframes.

100%, achieved

2015/16: 96.5%,

not achieved

100%Percentage of official informationrequests responded to withinstatutory timeframes

2014/15: 100%, achieved

Council meeting agenda - public availability

A total of 135 council agendas werepublicly available two workings day ormore before the meeting.

100%, achieved

2015/16: 99%,

100%The percentage of council agendasthat are publicly available twoworking days or more before themeeting

not achieved

2014/15: 100%, achieved

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ACTIVITY: PLANNING AND REPORTING

Level of service: To produce high quality, fit for purpose and accessible long term plans and annual plans to encourageparticipation in decision making by the regional community


Audit opinion

The 2016/17 Annual Plan, incorporating anamendment to the 2015-2025 Long Term Plan,

AchievedAchievedLong term plans and annualreports receive ‘unmodified’ auditopinions and the 2015/16 Annual Report both received

an unmodified audit opinion.2015/16: achieved

2014/15: achieved

ACTIVITY: IWI PARTNERSHIPS

Level of service: To provide opportunities for tangata whenua in the region to be actively involved in decision making


Iwi partner satisfaction

An online survey was sent to five iwi partners and threeresponses were received. The survey included threequestions about their satisfaction of our collaborative

78%, not achieved

2015/16: notachieved

90%Percentage of iwi partners*satisfied with ourcollaborative relationships,joint decision makingprocesses andco-governance arrangements

relationships, joint decision making processes andco-governance arrangements. Of the three responses, 100per cent were satisfied with our collaborative relationship,

2014/15: new LTPmeasure for2015/16Source: annual satisfaction

survey

67 per cent were satisfied with our joint decision makingprocesses and 67 per cent were satisfied with ourco-governance arrangements. This equates to an overallresult of 78 per cent which is below the 90 per cent target.

The Hauraki Māori Trust Board were not surveyed as thereis no JMA in place.

As part of the 2018-2028 LTP, staff will work with our iwipartners to develop a performance measure that is a moremeaningful representation the work that's being achieved.

*Waikato-Tainui, Raukawa, Maniapoto, Te Arawa, Tūwharetoa and Hauraki Māori Trust BoardSE

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ACTIVITY: COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS

Level of service: To collaborate with other agencies and the people of the Waikato to leverage funding for projects thatdeliver economic, environmental and social outcomes


External funding

A methodology to assess external fundingleveraged was developed. The 2015/16result of 19 per cent was retrospectivelycalculated and is the baseline for 2016/17reporting.

19.3%, achieved

2015/16: 19%, notachieved*

2014/15: new LTP measurefor 2015/16

Increasing trendPercentage of externalfunding leveraged relative toregional council contribution

The 2016/17 result of 19.3 per cent is anincrease of 0.3 per cent from 2015/16.

*The result in the 2015/16 Annual Report was 'not achieved'. However, as 19% was retrospectively calculated, it has beenreported above to show the trend result.

WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR COMMUNITY AND SERVICES

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000

1,0491,0971,097General rates

6,4566,5336,533UAGC

57702701Targeted rates

424405379Government grants

-27-Fees and charges

179190199Other income

8,1658,9548,909Total income

7,8169,3008,791Operating expenditure

349-346118Operating surplus / (deficit)

Total funding from / (to) reserves

-205346179General

-73--101Stock truck effluent implementation

-27834678Total reserve transfers

710196Increase / (decrease) in retained earnings

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EXPENDITURE

Ruben the Road Safety Bear

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT – COMMUNITY AND SERVICES

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000

Sources of operating funding

7,6307,6567,505General rates, uniform annual general charge, rates penalties

70169456Targeted rates (other than a targeted rate for water supply)

379455459Subsidies and grants for operating purposes

199213159Fees, charges and targeted rates for water supply

---Internal charges and overheads recovered

---Local authorities fuel tax, fines, infringement fees, and other receipts

8,9099,0188,179TOTAL OPERATING FUNDING

Applications of operating funding

6,0926,8925,786Payments to staff and suppliers

---Finance costs

2,1891,9852,042Internal charges and overheads applied

---Other operating funding applications

8,2818,8777,828Total applications of operating funding

628141351Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding

Sources of capital funding

---Subsidies and grants for capital expenditure

---Development and financial contributions

---Increase / (decrease) in debt

---Gross proceeds from sale of assets

---Lump sum contributions

Other dedicated capital funding

---Total sources of capital funding

Application of capital funding

Capital expenditure

---- to meet additional demand

-65- to improve the level of service

173157164- to replace existing assets

455(22)182Increase / (decrease) in reserves

---Increase / (decrease) of investments

628141351Total applications of capital funding

(628)(141)(351)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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Emergency management | Tewhakahaere raru ohotataWHY WE DO IT

The emergency management activity aims to:

provide strategic guidance on land use and development(both future and existing)

minimise the risks to communities from hazards throughwarnings, education and advice

ensure that arrangements, standards and processes forresponse are in place and that emergency managementstaff have the capability to respond

work with others to ensure people in the region can meettheir own needs during and after emergencies

diminish the effect of an emergency event on the regionand ensure that people receive early support to enablerecovery

reduce the long term consequences of an emergency event,enabling communities to quickly restore everyday functionsof life such as returning to homes and reopening businesses.

How this group of activities contributes to community outcomes is outlined in the table below.



∆Waikato CDEM Group

∆WRC emergency management

∆∆Resilient development

WHAT WE DID

CIVIL DEFENCE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

This year the Civil Defence and Emergency Management(CDEM) Group has been kept busy with numerous activations.Response teams were deployed to several events within theWaikato region. These have included floods, ex tropicalcyclones, tsunami and a significant water supply issue. OurWaikato team was also heavily involved in assisting otherregions with their declared events, including the Kaikōuraearthquake and the Edgecumbe flood.

Outside of activations, the Group Emergency ManagementOffice (GEMO) of the Waikato CDEM Group has continued tosupport and coordinate activities throughout the region.November 2016 saw the adoption of a new Waikato CDEMGroup Plan. Providing a high level strategic direction, the groupplan communicates the vision of “We are all civil defence” –an aspirational goal to encourage and empower people,organisations and communities of the Waikato to be moreresilient to hazards through collaboration.

As always, there have been a number of initiatives undertakento engage with our communities. These have includedcommunity information sessions, the development ofcommunity response plans and the incorporation of

educational multimedia into our social media campaigns. Inaddition, the Red Cross Hazards App has been successfullyadopted and incorporated into our suite of public alertingtools.

Construction has begun on a new building to locate theEmergency Coordination Centre. This is being designed toImportance Level 4 (IL4) specification, to ensure continuity ofresponse during and after a major emergency event.

This past year has seen the new CDEM Amendment Act 2016enacted. This has resulted in the commencement of audits ongroup and local recovery plans.

The addition of a new service level agreement with HamiltonCity Council and the maintenance of an existing agreementwith Waikato District Council, has provided for a more efficientdelivery of CDEM activities. We have continued to workalongside our CDEM partners and stakeholders to provide acoordinated emergency management service that makes useof our resources in the most efficient and effective way.

WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL EMERGENCYMANAGEMENT

Significant rainfall events occurred during March and April2017 which tested the new Regional Flood ResponseManagement Plan. The new structure provides clear processes

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and communications for flood and recovery managementbetween local flood response teams and regional floodresponse operations. Overall the new plan worked very welland also showed us where we can improve.

Two relatively minor responses to marine oil spills wererequired within Kāwhia and Whitianga harbours this year. Fullscale marine oil spill exercises and training events wereconducted to ensure our expertise and knowledge remainsable to respond effectively and efficiently to events.

RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT

The following key outcomes and achievements were carriedout during the year:

Tsunami risk investigation in Mercury Bay, Cooks Beach,Hot Water Beach, Kuaotunu and Opito Bay was conductedas part of the East Coast Coromandel Tsunami RiskMitigation project. This work is jointly managed with theThames-Coromandel District Council and Thames ValleyCivil Defence. It included three well attended public opendays.

Supporting the Taupō and Waikato district councils in theirdistrict plan reviews or variations relating to natural hazards(primarily river flooding).

Assisting the Waikato and Thames-Coromandel districtcouncils to manage a number of urgent coastal erosionissues.

Responding to a record of 500 information requests fromthe public via email or phone. This reflects the upturn inthe economy and housing market (primarily due to thegrowth of Auckland).

The Waikato Regional Policy Statement (RPS) naturalhazards implementation project was significantly advancedin partnership with the Science and strategy directorate.

LOOKING FORWARD

CDEM GROUP

The Waikato CDEM Group will continue to implement theWaikato CDEM Group Plan. Focus remains on increasingcapability through risk reduction, organisational readiness,community resilience, response and recovery. Working closelywith partners and stakeholders, effort remains on providing acoordinated emergency management service.

Relocation into the new Emergency Coordination Centre willoccur towards the end of the calendar year.

As a result of the CDEM Amendment Act 2016, a full timerecovery manager will be added to the team. Further changesto CDEM legislation are expected. Results and implications ofthe ministerial review on better responses to natural disastersand other emergencies in New Zealand, will also becomeknown.

Lastly, a new website aimed at community collaboration andpreparedness is scheduled for release in the coming year. Thiswill enhance our community engagement and strengthenCDEM activities.

WRC EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

This activity continues to ensure the council is prepared formarine oil spill and flood response events, and is able tosupport the Waikato CDEM Group. Tier 1 audits for marinerefuelling sites, training and exercises will be undertaken in2017/18. The floods of March and April 2017 have providedvaluable information to ensure the regional flood responseframework can be revised and updated. Key changes that willbe revised include:

rostering of the regional flood response team

communication protocols

other actions to enhance both local and regional floodresponse.

The significant rainfall events also provide opportunities onhow we can better respond to flood events. These opportunitieswill be addressed over the 2017/18 year.

RESILIENT DEVELOPMENT

A number of projects have been identified to implement theRegional Policy Statement and Regional Plan Review, as wellas fulfilling the priorities in our Strategic Direction 2016-2019.The work required for these projects will be identified in early2017/18.

A key project for 2017/18 will be developing and implementinga council ‘hazards portal’ to provide hazard information to thepublic and stakeholders. The hazard portal’s aim is to provideresources that communities can use to be better informed onhazards.

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WHAT WE DELIVERED

There are six performance measures for emergency management. One measure was not applicable (17 per cent) for the 2016/17year and the remaining five measures were achieved (83 per cent). Detailed commentary for these measures can be found inthe following tables.

ACTIVITY: WAIKATO CDEM GROUP

Level of service: To provide the community with a region-wide coordinated response from government, non governmentorganisations and community based responders in the event of a civil defence emergency to reduce the impact on peopleand the economy


Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) - ministry assessment

This measure is not applicable for 2016/17as no assessment is due. However, in

Not applicable, noassessment due

Noassessmentdue

Overall percentage score fromthe Ministry of CDEM assessmentof the Waikato CDEM Group'scapability (5 yearly assessment)

between the five yearly capabilityassessment, the Ministry of CDEM runs a

2015/16: not applicable,no assessment due

self-evaluating national exercise. The aim isto test each region’s preparedness andoperational response. This year, CDEMresponded to Exercise Tangaroa – asimulated earthquake and tsunami.2014/15: 71.3%, achieved

Operative Group CDEM Plan review

The Waikato CDEM Group Plan was adoptedby the Waikato CDEM Joint Committee on28 November 2016. Implementation of theplan continues to be actioned.

Achieved

2015/16: not achieved


ImplementAn operative Group CDEM Planis reviewed within statutorytimeframes and is given effect toby the Waikato Regional Council

Group Emergency Coordination Centre (ECC) - emergency response

The Group Emergency Coordination Centre(GECC) was activated seven times this

Achieved60 minutesThe time taken for the GroupEmergency Coordination Centre(ECC) to be activated in response financial year. Each activation saw the GECC2015/16: achievedto a civil defenceevent/emergency

in full monitoring or operational modewithin the target response time.


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ACTIVITY: WAIKATO REGIONAL COUNCIL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

Level of service: To reduce the environmental impact of marine oil spills by having a safe, coordinated and effective planin place and maintain an effective readiness to respond


Marine oil spill - planning and response

A successful desktop marine oil spill exercise wasconducted in March 2017. Due to weather

AchievedAchievedMarine oil spill planning andresponse capability is maintainedto Maritime NZ audit standardsand legislative requirements

conditions, the equipment deployment phase ofthe exercise occurred in May 2017. A successful2015/16: achieved

response was made to a Whitianga Harbour2014/15: new LTPmeasure for 2015/16

vessel sinking in September 2016 and a boatgrounding in March 2017.

Level of service: To provide the community with timely flood event information and situation reports and to respondeffectively to flood events to lessen the adverse effects


Flood warning service - customer satisfaction

The annual satisfaction survey was conducted by asummer student in November 2016. Feedback from

93%, achieved90%Percentage of customerssatisfied with the WaikatoRegional Council’s floodwarning service

flood warning customers indicated a 93 per centsatisfaction rating level with the service provided. Thisis a decrease of approximately 7 per cent from the2015/16 survey. The decrease is primarily due to issues

2015/16: 100%,achieved

with the automated text alert system in Hydrotel which2014/15: 96%,achieved

Source: contact databasesurvey

has now been rectified. The March and April floodevents showed that the system worked well.

Level of service: To provide in-kind support to the Waikato CDEM Group to enable the Waikato community to be kept safeand resilient during emergencies


Providing support to the Waikato CDEM Group

Ongoing support is provided to the WaikatoCDEM Group. The service level agreement

AchievedAchievedWaikato Regional Council providessupport to the Waikato CDEMGroup in accordance with theservice level agreement

(SLA) is currently being reviewed by theCDEM Group and a formal review will be2015/16: achieved

completed in 2017/18 as per the SLAprogramme.2014/15: new LTP

measure for 2015/16

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WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000

1,3731,4271,427UAGC

1,1711,2691,271Targeted rates

408207173Fees and charges


3,0923,0223,282Total income


-111-74-89Operating surplus / (deficit)


-5874-174Civil defence

-5874-174Total reserve transfers

-169--263Increase / (decrease) in retained earnings

EXPENDITURE

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT – EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000



1,2711,2761,173Targeted rates (other than a targeted rate for water supply)

---Subsidies and grants for operating purposes

584326328Fees, charges. and targeted rates for water supply

155155155Internal charges and overheads recovered





---Finance costs

1,2409991,045Internal charges and overheads applied

--Other operating funding applications


213207128Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding










Capital expenditure




114(51)40Increase / (decrease) in reserves


213207128Total applications of capital funding

(213)(207)(128)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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Flood protection and control works |Ngā mahi hei ārai, hei ārahi hoki i ngāwaipukeWHY WE DO IT

The council undertakes this group of activities to reduce therisks to communities from flooding and other risks associatedwith rivers, streams and their catchments. Its objective is tosafeguard the economic and social wellbeing of the region andto enhance the environment. Approximately seven per cent(or 167,000 hectares) of the region is at direct risk of floodingand risks are increasing over time due to climate change, landuse change and regional development.

The land drainage activity is a statutory requirement resultingfrom local government reorganisation in 1989 which made ita regional council responsibility to manage certain drainageareas under the Local Government Act 1974.

Flood protection and river management activities are alegislative requirement under the Soil Conservation and RiversControl Act 1941. The act requires the council to minimise andprevent damage from flooding or erosion. It also gives thecouncil the authority to do works that control the flow of watertowards, within and from watercourses, prevent the overflowof banks and reduce damage caused by such events.

The Flood protection and control works GOA contributes to the following community outcomes:



∆◊◊Flood protection

∆◊Land drainage

◊◊∆River management

WHAT WE DID

A significant feature of the 2016/17 year has been the extendedperiod of wet weather over the February to May constructionseason following a series of adverse rainfall events includingthose associated with ex-tropical cyclones. This led to a reducedperiod over which works could be undertaken due to poor siteconditions. A number of river and flood protection works willbe carried forward into future years as a result. The flooding,which was most severe in the Piako and lower Waikato Rivercatchments, resulted in remediation works in excess of $1million being required. These works will be funded fromregional disaster damage reserves.

Work continues to ensure our stopbanks are performing asexpected. Works programmes and design reviews in this lastyear have resulted in the upgrade of 18.5km of stopbanks with92.1 per cent now being above design levels. This compareswith 85 per cent in 2011/12 when this measure was initiallyreported.

The 2016/17 works programme has involved the completionof a range of projects across most major catchments, with keyflood control related achievements including the following:

Waihou Piako – Stocks inlet bay upgrade, Scott’s floodgatereplacement, Hikutaia floodgate replacement, Pipiroa toPauls Wharf stopbank upgrade and seven other stopbankupgrades. Progress made with the Piako Scheme Reviewincluding completion of cross section surveys on both rivers.Reviews were completed for the Komata and Puriri rivers.

Lower Waikato – Five stopbank upgrades, two pump stationupgrades commenced (Onewhero and Orchard Road), anumber of stopbank and pump station investigations anddesigns commenced and a range of capital renewalscompleted.

Lake Taupō – substantial completion of the Tauranga-Taupōscheme review.

Waipā – scheduled maintenance of the Ōtorohanga floodscheme completed.

Coromandel – Graham’s Creek flood protection scheme wasfully completed and formally commissioned in August 2016.

A range of routine river management activities have occurredwithin all major river catchments, these being directed atachieving both stability and capacity of river channels throughactivities such as bank protection works and removal ofobstructions.

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In regard to land drainage, we have continued to maintain theextensive network of land drainage across the region in orderto maintain the levels of service agreed with communities.

LOOKING FORWARD

Works programmes comprising ongoing operationalmaintenance, renewals and new capital works will continuein 2017/18, with activities occurring across all managementzones in the region.

As noted, a portion of the annual programme in specific zones(Waihou Piako, Lower Waikato and Coromandel, in particular)is associated with response and remediation measures arisingfrom flood events that occurred in March and April 2017.

Capital works planning and/or construction is expected to beprogressed in a number of locations, subject to the grantingof consents and other approvals. These works include:

Lower Waikato -– $1.2 million programme of stopbankupgrades, three new pump station upgrades (Saxon’s,Huntly North, Austin’s), progress in identifying additionalmitigation measures for Lake Waikare and theWhangamarino wetland.

Waihou Piako – Pauls Wharf floodgate replacement, PaulsWharf to SH2 stopbank upgrade, Reservoir Canal pumpstation inlet, Heale Street pump station outlet, Paeroa MainDrain pump station works, completion of Piako Schemereview and Campbells/Factory catchment reviews. Progresswith Muggeridge's pump station (Ngātea).

Lake Taupō – completion of Tongariro River scheme review.

WHAT WE DELIVERED

There are four performance measures for flood protection and control works. A total of three measures were achieved (75 percent) and one measure was achieved in part (25 per cent). Detailed commentary for these measures can be found in the followingtables.

ACTIVITY: FLOOD PROTECTION

Level of service: To provide the standard of flood protection agreed with communities (as set out in zone plans and associateddocuments)


Flood protection and control works - mandatory measure

Three of the three measurable criteria have been achieved.AchievedAchievedMajor flood protection andcontrol works aremaintained, repaired and Major flood protection has been maintained, repaired and

renewed as follows:2015/16:achieved in part

renewed to the keystandards defined in thelocal authority’s relevant

2014/15: newmandatory LTPmeasure for2015/16

planning documents (suchas its zone managementplan, annual worksprogramme or long termplan)

Maintained (part one): Percentage of planned maintenancecompleted

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Target: 80 per cent

Result: 84.2 per cent of the planned maintenanceprogramme was achieved.

Maintained (part two): Percentage of stopbanks maintainedto above the design flood height

Target: 92 per cent

Result: 92.1 per cent of stopbanks are above the designflood level. This year council utilised Lidar surveyingtechniques to obtain data to determine which stopbanksare above the design flood height. This technique was usedfor 18.6 per cent of stopbanks reported. The remaining datawas obtained using traditional surveying techniques.

Repaired: Flood damage identified, prioritised and a repairprogramme agreed. High priority works undertaken as soonas practicable

Target: achieved

Result: achieved. Claims to the Disaster Reserve Fund havebeen made by Lower Waikato and Waihou Piako zonesfollowing the March/April flood events.

Renewed: Total kilometres of embankment renewed eachyear

Target: 10km

Result: 18.503km of stopbank have completed ‘As built’survey data this year. This includes 11.654km of as builtsurvey associated with the Hauraki Rail Trail cyclewayproject which was carried out by Hauraki District Council.

ACTIVITY: RIVER MANAGEMENT

Level of service: To achieve a balance between maintaining channel capacity, channel stability and environmental valuesin the management of priority rivers and streams in each management zone


River instability enquiries

A total of 96.5 per cent of enquiries were responded to on aprioritised basis. The two instances that occurred outside thetimeframe included a wrong customer phone number beingrecorded which took time to resolve and an enquiry taken by anew staff member who was unaware of the process.

96.5%, achieved

2015/16: notapplicable

2014/15: 100%,achieved

95%Percentage of riverinstability enquiriesresponded to withinthree days, andappropriate actions takenon a prioritisation basis

A new corporate supported system, utilising IRIS, wasimplemented in January 2017 and enquiries prior to this weremigrated to the new system. These enquiries were documentedin a spreadsheet which was used to track enquiries, recordresponses and other details.

Priority rivers and streams proactive monitoring

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The following proactive monitoring of streams and rivers wascompleted for 2016/17:

Achieved in part

2015/16:achieved

AchievedProactive monitoring(inspections, surveys andscheme reviews) ofpriority rivers andstreams on a cyclical

Routine river inspections:

basis as per the agreedwork programme Target: 80 per cent

2014/15: new LTPmeasure for2015/16

Result: a total of 240 rivers were planned for inspection atthe start of the year. A target of 80 per cent was set in orderto balance the need to reprioritise work as a result ofunforeseen weather events during the year. At year end,235 (97.9 per cent) have been inspected, achieving the 80per cent target.

Cross section survey contract:

Target: achieved

Result: achieved completion of cross section surveys for theselected key channels in Piako and Waihou.

Scheme reviews:

Target: achieved

Result: achieved in part. Reviews are in progress for Piakoand Tauranga Taupō rivers but their completion was delayeddue to the March/April flood events. A consultant wasengaged to undertake the Tauranga Taupō review and stage1 has been completed. The Piako review was on track forcompletion prior to the flood events. These events providedan opportunity for further calibration of the flood modeland a decision was made to undertake this work. This alongwith additional data capture post flood, have delayeddelivery of the final scheme review. Hydraulic modellinghas now been completed and final results are expected inearly 2017/18.

ACTIVITY: LAND DRAINAGE

Level of service: To provide reliable water table management on land within drainage schemes for the purpose of maintainingpastoral production


Surface water removal

A total of two incidents were reported includingconsiderable areas that ponded for more than three daysduring the March/April weather event. Lake Ngāroto has

two, achieved

2015/16: notapplicable

<5Number of reported incidenceswhere it takes more than threedays to remove surface waterafter events with up to a 10%annual exceedance probability continued to cause issues with ponding, and a review

of the resource consent that Waipā District Council hasto manage the levels of the lake is underway.

2014/15: two,achieved

This measure was on hold in 2015/16 while weinvestigated a corporate based enquiry system. Thisresulted in us continuing to use the current system.

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WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR FLOOD PROTECTION AND CONTROL WORKS

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000



--75Government grants


14-13Investment income

1,0747901,093Other income

18,71118,08318,386Total income


933-397-2966Operating surplus / (deficit)


-1,103147879Watershed

41-7452Peninsula

860-70West Coast

-204205457Waihou

3852301,097Piako

304154-8Drainage

-26-132657Regional disaster recovery

-112-133-132Zone disaster recovery

-6313972932Total reserve transfers

302--34Increase / (decrease) in retained earnings

EXPENDITURE

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT – FLOOD PROTECTION AND CONTROL WORKS

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000




75--Subsidies and grants for operating purposes

1,141833833Fees, charges. and targeted rates for water supply

1,2671,2871,228Internal charges and overheads recovered





---Finance costs




3,2756,9706,160Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding










Capital expenditure


1,4162,1941,449- to improve the level of service

9,8108,2217,069- to replace existing assets

(7,951)(3,445)(2,358)Increase / (decrease) in reserves


3,2756,9706,160Total applications of capital funding

(3,275)(6,970)(6,160)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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Integrated catchment management |Te whakahaere ā- tōpū i te rauwiringawaiWHY WE DO IT

Integrated catchment management activities arecatchment-wide by nature, with the benefits experienced bothlocally and downstream. The on-the-ground catchment worksoften span more than one territorial authority, and for thisreason regional councils are deemed the most appropriatemanagement agency for these 'public good’ services.

The activities within this group are a mix of statutoryrequirements and non-regulatory measures to implementmethods in the Regional Policy Statement and achieve gainsin the council’s land and water strategic priority. Council isrequired under the Resource Management Act 1991 toestablish, implement and review its methods for maintainingthe region’s indigenous biodiversity. Biosecurity is a statutoryrequirement under the Biosecurity Act 1993. The reorganisationof local government in 1989 gave regional councils statutoryresponsibility under the Soil Conservation and Rivers ControlAct 1941 for erosion and soil conservation works previouslyadministered by catchment boards. As a result, Waikato

Regional Council became responsible for soil conservation (orcatchment management) works across the region.Environmental Farming Systems is a non-regulatory service.

Overall, integrated catchment management aims to increase:

environmental values from soil stability leading to reducedsedimentation of rivers, harbours and estuaries andimproved water quality, and pest management to protectand enhance indigenous biodiversity

community safety through reduced flooding of rivers andharbours and more stable rivers and catchments andreduced adverse human health effects of animal and plantpests

economic values by protecting the region’s natural resourcesfrom plant and animal pests capable of adversely affectingproductive land

recreational values from improved navigable access toharbours and preservation of access to waterways and thecoast, as well as protection of heritage sites and landscapesof significance

cultural values such as rehabilitation of kaimoana gatheringgrounds.

The Integrated Catchment Management GOA contributes to the following community outcomes:



◊◊∆Catchment planning and management

◊∆◊Biosecurity

◊◊∆Biodiversity

◊∆◊Environmental farming systems

WHAT WE DIDBIODIVERSITY

Geothermal, wetland and karst ecosystems have been keyfocuses for 2016/17. Management works have been conductedat several high profile, high priority geothermal sites includingOtumuheke, Craters of the Moon and Tokaanu geothermalwalkway. A willow management plan has been developed forToreparu wetland (west coast) and we are in the process ofdeveloping management plans for several wetlands on the

shores of Lake Taupō. Workshops have been held with NewZealand’s top karst experts to identify and prioritise Waikato’skey karst landscapes and ecosystems. Karst landscapes arerare, they are typically formed of limestone sinkholes andcaves.

Natural Heritage Team staff have been liaising with colleaguesthroughout the organisation to promote the integration ofbiodiversity considerations across the range of activities weundertake.

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The Natural Heritage Partnership Programme provided$918,310 from three funds to 91 community environmentalprojects in 2016/17.

Natural Heritage Fund grants totalling $594,000 were paidout to four community projects in 2016/17:

Maungatautari Ecological Island for maintenance of thepredator-proof fence

Moehau Environment Group for integrated pest control over13,300 hectares in northern Coromandel

A Rocha Aotearoa to restore Mt Karioi as a seabird mountain

Ōtorohanga Kiwi House for the construction of a predatorproof fence.

A total of 31 applications were made to the 2016/17Environmental Initiatives Fund (EIF) round, totalling $780,054in requested funds. Three applications were deferred to theSmall Scale Community Initiatives Fund, leaving 28 EIFapplications totalling $755,785 in requested funds. Grantstotalling $178,310 were made to 16 community projects.

The Small Scale Community Initiatives Fund received 71applications, and 45 grants were made totalling $146,000 to45 projects.

The Beachcare programme continues to receive high levels ofcommunity engagement on coastal restoration projectsthroughout the Coromandel Peninsula and the west coast.

We have conducted koi carp fertiliser trials, partnered withthe Coastal Restoration Trust and Ministry for the Environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL FARMING SYSTEMS

The team has provided substantial support to theimplementation of Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora:Proposed PlanChange 1 by taking the lead role in explaining it to farmers andpotential submitters, and then in developing the supportsystems for farm environment planning. The support systemsinclude a Farm Environment Plan Guide, draft catchmentprofiles for three pilot catchments and providing landmanagement and soil conservation training for farmconsultants.

Outside of the Waikato-Waipā catchments, support wasprovided for the establishment of the Piako River Forum,ongoing work with the Matamata based People, Planet, Profitinitiative and multiple research projects relating to sustainablefarming. Staff provided significant support to the council’spresence at the NZ Agricultural Fieldays, with this year’s focuson Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora.

BIOSECURITY

The 2016/17 wilding conifer program in the Tongariro area hasbeen successfully completed. This programme has now beenrunning for over 15 years with a management area greaterthan 10,000ha. It is regarded as one of the biosecurity pestplants team’s successes as plant numbers have been kept low

for a number of years. The success of this programme willprotect the iconic and natural landscape of the TongariroNational Park from the impacts of wilding conifers.

The complex velvetleaf programme in the Waikato is in itssecond year of intensive management after a large increasein infected properties was identified in 2016. This year’sprogramme involved property inspections, trialling controloptions for pasture and working with infected landowners tomanage their velvetleaf infestations. Success of the programmerelies on collaboration with the nationally led Ministry forPrimary Industries long term plan and continuing to partnerwith landowners, contractors, industry, AgResearch and theFoundation for Arable Research.

Waikato Regional Council, Department of Conservation andHorizons (Manawatu-Wanganui) Regional Council have signeda 10 year management agreement to maintain the biodiversitygains made through the former TBfree programme in thenorthern Pureora area. The agreement focuses on possum andgoat control throughout 85,000 hectares of public conservationand private land.

CATCHMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

The Lake Taupō Zone Plan review was completed. Zone planreviews are underway for the Waihou/Piako, Lower Waikatoand Waipā zones, and a light review is underway for theCoromandel Zone. These are expected to be completed in2017/18.

The Whangamata mangrove consent environmental monitoringand management plan was reviewed in consultation withstakeholders and the local community. This plan sets theframework for the final stages of mangrove clearance atWhangamata, including revised removal methodology andmonitoring based on learnings from previous stages.

The Ryan's Forestry Block harvest and replanting occurred thisyear. A Forest/Woodlot Management Plan has begun, with theview to harvesting the Kauoiti forest in the near future.

In the Waihou/Piako zone, catchment new works that werecompleted include 20,479m of fencing and 133,823 plantings.Fifty landowners worked with us to complete environmentalprotection agreements and 30 properties were inspected formaintenance of historic fencing agreements with only onenon-compliance.

The Lower Waikato Zone completed 9235m of fencing and78,338 plantings. A total of 50.56ha of land was retired frompasture and catchment works were completed on 22 properties.

Implementation of the Waipā Catchment Plan began in 2015/16and this year works of approximately $1 million for soilconservation in priority catchments occurred. This work wasco-funded by the Waikato River Authority (WRA). In addition,we have continued implementation of the large WRA partfunded Waipā Rerenoa and Mangaotama Wetland restorationprojects and provided assistance to other WRA funded projectsin the Waipā area including working with landowners, iwi andthe community.

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The second year of the Hill Country Erosion Fund project wascompleted successfully across the priority catchments in theWest Coast Zone, with both the council and the Ministry forPrimary Industries funding budgets being fully utilised.

The Lake Waikare Whangamarino Wetland CatchmentManagement Plan was initiated and is due for completion in2017/18.

Catchment works in the Lake Taupō Zone focused on wetlandprotection and enhancement. This included 1080m of riparianprotection (e.g. fencing, planting). Maintenance inspectionsof previous agreed works with landowners resulted in a highlevel of compliance (over 9 per cent).

Upper Waikato Zone staff have progressed 63 maintenanceprogrammes this year. This signifies a strong commitment tocontacting and working with as many landowners as possible.This ongoing contact is an important focus in the UpperWaikato Zone. The new works established 12,593m of fencingprotecting (including 3500m of riparian protection).

LOOKING FORWARDCATCHMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Extensive Waikato River Authority co-funded work is beingundertaken in collaboration with landowners and iwi to reducesoil erosion and improve water quality within the priority 1Waipā soil conservation catchments, located near Honikiwiand Te Pāhu. This work includes willow removal, fencing,erosion control, bush retirement, afforestation and riparianplanting. Subject to a further successful Waikato RiverAuthority funding decision, it is proposed to expand thisprogramme to complete $1.5 million of work in the 2017/18year. This includes two new projects on the Puniu River andTangirau Wetland.

The harbour catchment planning identified for the west coastin 2017/18 involves review of the current information for thethree west coast harbours to identify opportunities to informfuture planning, and development of catchment managementplan(s) for priority harbour catchments.

In the Upper Waikato Zone, prioritisation work has seen thedevelopment of a potential joint project between Te ArawaRiver Iwi Trust (TARIT) and council. Our focus will be oncatchment health, with TARIT offering both a culturalperspective and iwi approach to any projects in the prioritycatchment. The initial focus has been the Whirinaki River.

Other key projects for 2017/18 include:

preparation and delivery of implementation plans forWharekawa, Whangapoua, Tairua and Whangamata harbourand catchment management plans

delivery of the Coromandel focus catchment project in theWharekawa and Waitekuri sub catchments

completion of Forest/Woodlot Management Plan andprocurement options related to Kauoiti Forest

Waikato-Waipā Restoration Strategy

completion of zone plan reviews

development of a Catchment New Works Policy inaccordance with the Lake Taupō Zone Plan

Lake Waikare Whangamarino Catchment Management Plan.

ENVIRONMENTAL FARMING SYSTEMS

This activity will be focused on working with Beef + Lamb NZand farm consultants to support farmers in priority 1sub-catchments to complete farm environment plans, asrequired by Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed Plan Change 1.We will also be providing training for farm consultants toenable their participation in approving farm environment plans.

In preparation for the intended plan change in the Haurakiarea, we will be working with industry and community groupsto prepare farmers. Promoting sustainable farming practicesthrough a range of extension initiatives – including the EffluentExpo, supporting research, and making information availableto farmers – will continue in 2017/18.

BIODIVERSITY

In partnership with the Department of Conservation, iwi Māori,landowners, community groups and others, we are developinga predator-free Waikato programme in line with the nationalPredator Free 2050 initiative. Anticipated early achievementsinclude longer term commitments by the council, inconjunction with our partners, to advance predator-freeopportunities at selected landscape-scale sites.

An agreement by Waikato Regional Council and theDepartment of Conservation, alongside iwi, landowners andcommunity groups to build on recent pest controlachievements in Pureora Forest, has emerged as an earlypriority. Continued support for a community-led predator-freeHauraki-Coromandel initiative is also likely to lead to national,as well as regionally significant, outcomes.

During 2017/18, our staff will refine our support for communitygroups based on a better understanding of their needs. Ourrelationships with partners and stakeholders will have evolvedas it becomes clearer how the council’s services can augmentthe inputs of others, leading to further progress towards thevision for a predator free New Zealand.

Other key projects include:

supporting community groups undertaking biodiversityrestoration through the Natural Heritage Partnership andBeachcare programmes

identifying priority sites and promoting biodiversityconservation as an integral part of our resourcemanagement activities

improving our ability to monitor environmental changes asa result of our management

contributing to the development and implementation ofmanagement plans for Waikato wetlands and shallow lakes.

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BIOSECURITY

A discussion document for the future direction of the Waikatoregion’s biosecurity programme will be developed in 2017/18.It will go through public consultation which will lead into areview of the Regional Pest Management Plan. This will includeproposing an inter-regional marine biosecurity pathwaymanagement plan.

Other key projects for 2017/18 include:

implementation of the velvetleaf long term managementplan for the region and providing support to the nationalvelvetleaf programme

additional emphasis on the containment programme forthe highly invasive pest plants alligator weed and yellowflag iris

work with communities and partners to develop a long termapproach to the predicted withdrawal of large scaletuberculosis (TB) management operations in the Waikatoregion

developing a dama wallaby implementation plan forcontainment of the pest in the Waikato.

WHAT WE DELIVERED

There are 10 performance measures for integrated catchment management. A total of 10 measures were achieved (100 percent). Detailed commentary for these measures can be found in the following tables.

ACTIVITY: BIOSECURITY

Level of service: To control plant and animal pests within the Waikato region to maintain and enhance biodiversity andprotect agricultural productivity and community health


Possum control ground

The following operations were conductedachieving an average of 2.52 per cent:

2.52%, achieved

2015/16: 2.93%, achieved

<5% residual trapcatch (RTC) forground control

Average number ofpossums caught for every100 traps set for possumoperations

Arohena sector 2 – 2.44 per cent RTC2014/15: 3.87%, achieved

Waikite Valley – 3.1 per cent RTC (includestwo sectors: sector 1 – 2 per cent and sector2 – 4.21 per cent)

Piopio East – 2.27 per cent (includes twosectors: sector 1 – 2.73 per cent and sector 2– 1.82 per cent)

Aria – 0 per cent

Whitehall – 3.18 per cent

Te Miro – 4.11 per cent

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No results were received for the North WestWaikato (north, central and south) priority pestcontrol areas. Control in these areas has beenextended into the 2017/18 financial year due tocontract completion being held up as a resultof extreme weather events and late contractcommencement.

Possum control aerial

A total of one aerial operation was conductedin Piopio East achieving 0.2 per cent RTC.

0.2%, achieved<3% RTC aerialcontrol

Average number ofpossums caught for every100 traps set for possumoperations 2015/16: 0%, achieved

2014/15: 1.12%, achieved

Tūī count in Hamilton

There are now more than 25 times the numberof tui in Hamilton since The Hamilton Halo*

AchievedAchievedIncreasing trend in thenumber of tūī in Hamilton

project started in 2007. Our monitoring shows2015/16: not applicable that tui have increased significantly in the greenareas of the city since the last biennial surveyin 2014, by approximately 50%.2014/15: new LTP

measure for 2015/16

Eradication of pest plants

All known sites were inspected and a controlprogramme was undertaken which resulted in

AchievedAchievedReducing trend in thenumber of known sites foreach species of eradicationpest plant*

a reducing trend and zero density beingachieved.2015/16: achieved

2014/15: new LTPmeasure for 2015/16

*The Hamilton Halo project aims to bring native birds, such as tūī and bellbirds, back into Hamilton. The 'halo' is a ring drawnaround Hamilton, taking in key sites where tūī breed. The halo's radius is approximately 20km, as this is how far tūī will flyto feed.

**Plant pests with limited distribution or density. The eventual goal is eradication at known sites in the region, although‘zero density’ is more practical to achieve.

ACTIVITY: BIODIVERSITY

Level of service: Work with partners, stakeholders and community to maintain and enhance indigenous biodiversity


Habitat condition score

A total of 15 sites are under activemanagement. Ecological response trendsover time are available for eight sites whichall show an improving trend in habitatcondition.

Achieved

2015/16: not achieved


AchievedImproving trend in thehabitat condition* score ofsites under activemanagement**

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An additional draft management plan hasbeen developed for a major coastal site andeight candidate sites have been identifiedfor plan development in the upcomingfinancial year.

*Habitat condition – as measured using an existing rapid assessment process which has set, repeatable criteria for measuringtrends in the health of our managed biodiversity sites.

**Active management means the site has a management plan in place for biodiversity enhancement purposes which includesactions and defined roles/responsibilities for implementing the actions.

Level of service: To collaborate with other agencies and the people of the Waikato to fund projects that deliver economic,environmental and social outcomes for the region*


Funding agreement milestones achieved

Council awarded 18 Environmental InitiativesFund grants in 2015/16 totalling $269,900. Of

100%, achieved100%Projects funded through theEnvironmental Initiatives Fundand Natural Heritage Fund these, four grantees have completed their2015/16: 100%, achievedachieve milestones as per thefunding agreement

projects and achieved the milestones as perthe funding agreement. The remaining 14 are


yet to be reported. Grants totalling $178,310were made to 16 projects for 2016/17.

*Share level of service with Community partnerships.

ACTIVITY: ENVIRONMENTAL FARMING SYSTEMS

Level of service: Work with partners, stakeholders and community to promote land management practices to improveenvironmental and agricultural sustainability


Agricultural extension programmes

AgResearch has completed a surveyof participants in extension events,

66%, achieved30%Percentage of people (as surveyed) whoparticipate in extension* programmesorganised by Waikato Regional Council showing 66 per cent had put in2015/16: not achievedwho make a change in agriculturalpractice within 12 months of attendance

place at least one activity in relationto the event topic.


*Extension programmes are educational or advisory programmes including field days, workshops, training courses and expos.

ACTIVITY: CATCHMENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT

Level of service: Work with partners, stakeholders and community to improve soil conservation and water quality


Soil conservation and remediation - sites identified

Waikato regional prioritisation project hascompleted the Phase 2 update used to identifypriority sub-catchments and sites for soilconservation and remediation.

Achieved

2015/16: achieved


Achieved

Waihou-Piako,West Coast andCoromandel

Identify prioritysubcatchments and sites forsoil conservation andremediation

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Ongoing updates will continue beyond theproject to improve our information andknowledge including bringing in new modelsas they become available e.g. SedNet.

Unstable land reduction - Waipā

Excellent progress has been made implementingfencing and planting to control erosion and

AchievedAchievedReducing area of unstableland in Waipā Priority Onecatchments reduce unstable land in the Waipā Priority One2015/16: achieved catchments, with the total reduction for 2016/17

being 348ha. This is an improvement from the2015/16 result of 91ha.2014/15: new LTP

measure for 2015/16

Catchment scheme works - compliance with zone plans

Property inspections are undertaken during theyear according to the schedule in place for eachzone. Properties not meeting the requiredstandards are recorded and remedial worksprogrammed in consultation with the propertyowner. A total of 149 property inspections havebeen completed with 87.8 per cent of inspectedcompartments in effective condition.

87.8%, achieved

2015/16: 92.4%,achieved

2014/15: 90%, achieved(target was 90%)

70%Percentage of sampledcatchment scheme works*maintained in effectivecondition to the standardsset out in the zone plans

*A rotating sample of approximately 60 properties (10 per cent of all catchment scheme works) are selected and inspectedto assess scheme condition every year. Works include fencing, planting and erosion control structures.

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WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000


6681,5361,536UAGC




24-28Investment income

1,8122941,009Other income

21,66620,76521,956Total income


303-1,119331Operating surplus / (deficit)


30113333Watershed

5731195Peninsula

37237346West Coast

121--576Waihou

96-118Piako

-37-37-37Regional disaster recovery

-37-37-37Zone disaster recovery

-92734-236Biosecurity

-3356-25Natural Heritage

635-61Environmental initiatives

161716Koi carp digestor

2211,11936Total reserve transfers

524-367Increase / (decrease) in retained earnings

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EXPENDITURE

Photo: Robert Hos, Hamilton Halo Photo Competition

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT – INTEGRATED CATCHMENT MANAGEMENT

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000





1,415789550Fees, charges. and targeted rates for water supply






---Finance costs




1,041560665Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding










Capital expenditure




684190283Increase / (decrease) in reserves


1,041560665Total applications of capital funding

(1,041)(560)(665)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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Public transport | Ngā waka kawetangata tūmatanuiWHY WE DO IT

Waikato Regional Council provides a public transport systemto:

give the public an alternative to private vehicle travel

provide access for the transport disadvantaged

support urban growth objectives

reduce congestion by reducing vehicle movements

provide rural communities with better access to essentialservices

enhance access to special events.

How this group of activities contributes to community outcomes is outlined in the table below:



∆Public transport

WHAT WE DID

This year has seen a number of bus service improvements andprojects implemented including:

enhanced bus services for Raglan, Huntly, Ngāruawāhia,Morrinsville and Paeroa

implementation of a concession fare in partnership withthe University of Waikato

deployment of approximately 40 new buses in Hamilton

development of an enhanced real-time passengerinformation system, including a smartphone applicationand on street displays for deployment in the coming months

a comprehensive network reliability review

advanced a comprehensive review of the region’s farestructure and ticketing products

commenced a review of the Regional Public Transport Plan

reviewed public transport levels of service for north Waikatoin partnership with key stakeholders.

In collaboration with other regional councils, it was announcedduring the year that a better ticketing system was on its way.Working together to procure a new provider has resulted incost savings for ratepayers and increased benefits forpassengers. The new ticketing system will be rolled out in2017/18.

During the year the BUSIT team continued to play a large partin regional events through operational support and promotion.More than 14,292 passengers were carried on BUSIT’s free parkand ride services to the Balloons over Waikato Night Glow.

Passengers were also carried to Fieldays and Lions rugby tourgames at FMG Stadium Waikato, with high patronage for theseevents too. These services were co-funded by Fieldays, WaikatoRugby Union and Hamilton City Council to reduce trafficcongestion for these events, and deliver passengers directlyto the gates.

LOOKING FORWARD

The Waikato Regional Public Transport Plan 2015-2025 wasadopted in March 2015 and includes an enhanced level ofservice to passengers. The majority of changes signalled in theplan will take place on Hamilton routes and will beimplemented over the next six months. Key enhancementsinclude implementation of:

the new ticketing system

real-time information system upgrade

frequency and route improvement on the orbiter service

enhanced bus services for the Rototuna and Flagstaffsuburbs

a total of five additional routes within Hamilton operatingon weekends and public holidays

deployment of a bus fleet with consistent livery, on-boardWiFi and increased capacity

additional peak capacity via the deployment of four doubledecker buses.

In addition, service level reviews for Waipā, Taupō,Matamata-Piako and South Waikato will be advanced over thecourse of the next six months.

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WHAT WE DELIVERED

There are four performance measures for public transport. One measure was achieved (25 per cent) and the remaining threemeasures were not achieved (75 per cent). Detailed commentary for these measures can be found in the following tables.

ACTIVITY: PUBLIC TRANSPORT

Level of service: To provide the Waikato community with an efficient and reliable public transport system that enables analternative to private vehicle travel and access to essential services


Public transport - customer satisfaction

A total of 98 per cent of customers were ‘satisfied’ or betterwhich is the highest public transport satisfaction level achievedsince records began. The survey was performed in September2016.

98%, achieved

2015/16: 97%,achieved

95%Percentage of customerswho are ‘satisfied’ orbetter with thepassenger transportservice

2014/15: 96%achieved

Source: Bus User Satisfaction Survey

Public transport - patronage growth in Hamilton

Patronage on urban Hamilton services for the 2016/17 year hasdecreased 2.9 per cent compared to the previous year. Thispatronage decrease was across the majority of the routes. Most

-2.9%, not achieved

2015/16: -6.2%, notachieved

1%Patronage growthincrease on contractedHamilton services

of the annual decrease was in the first six months. We haveseen patronage growth in the last six months improve across

2014/15: -2.04% notachieved

services in Rototuna, and as a result of the University ofWaikato concession and special events, primarily the Lionsrugby series and World Masters Games.

Most of the Hamilton patronage decline was on the City Shuttleand Orbiter service. Proposed changes to the Orbiter serviceincluding frequency improvements, new buses and increasedcapacity should see improvements in patronage. A review ofthe City Shuttle is underway.

Public transport - patronage growth in satellite towns

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Patronage on satellite services at the end of the 2016/17 yearhas decreased 0.5 per cent. The decrease in patronage wasacross the majority of satellite routes. However, a large portion

-0.5%, not achieved

2015/16: -1.60%, notachieved

1%Patronage growthincrease on contractedcommuter servicesbetween satellite townsand Hamilton of this decline was offset by a 4.0 per cent increase on route

20 (Cambridge) and 1.9 per cent on the 23 (Raglan) service.2014/15: 3.35%achieved

The implementation of the new Public Transport OperatingModel contract for Raglan in April, has provided additionalweekday service and service on a Sunday and public holidays.This additional service is contributing to the growth inpatronage of the Raglan service.

Farebox recovery

Farebox recovery (FBR) was 35.16 per cent which is below thetarget of 42 per cent, due to lower than anticipated patronageand fare revenue. In comparison to last year, patronage

35.16%, not achieved

2015/16: 37.59%, notachieved

42%Proportion of totalservice costs that arecovered by passengerfares (farebox recovery)

decreased 2.4 per cent and fare revenue decreased 4.5 percent. In addition, the FBR decrease is compounded by higherservice costs (associated service improvements) and higherthan budgeted indexation costs.

2014/15: 38.96%achieved

The farebox recovery ratio is expected to increase over thecoming financial year as lower service costs are realised withthe implementation of new bus contracts in Hamilton andbased on recent trends over the last 6 months it appears likelythat patronage and revenue will be subject to some increasescompared to the year just gone.

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WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORT

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000


9,2319,2479,652Government grants

713687690Local share - buses

641463026197Fares and other income

22,87123,11723,400Total income


-360-261-338Operating surplus / (deficit)


360241317Public transport

-2020Prior year surplus

360261337Total reserve transfers

0--1Increase / (decrease) in retained earnings

EXPENDITURE

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT - PUBLIC TRANSPORT

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000


---General rates, uniform annual general charge, rates penalties


9,6529,3079,594Subsidies and grants for operating purposes

6,8437,8327,691Fees, charges. and targeted rates for water supply


451515Local authorities fuel tax, fines, infringement fees, and other receipts




---Finance costs

893830882Internal charges and overheads applied



(129)27542Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding










Capital expenditure



428661,571- to replace existing assets

(557)207(1,551)Increase / (decrease) in reserves


(129)27542Total applications of capital funding

129(275)(42)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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Resource use | Te whakamahinga o tetaiaoWHY WE DO IT

The resource use group of activities implements ResourceManagement Act 1991 (RMA), Building Act 2004 and navigationsafety regulatory functions. Consenting and compliance

increases the likelihood of successful implementation of thecouncil’s policies and rules. Providing maritime services ensuresthe region’s waterways are safe and navigable.




◊◊∆Consent processing

◊∆Compliance monitoring

◊◊∆Investigations and incident response

∆Maritime services

WHAT WE DID

CONSENT PROCESSING AND COMPLIANCE

A total of 1136 resource consent applications and 39 Certificatesof Compliance were processed to completion this year, whichis slightly higher than the long term average. Of these, all butfour were processed in accordance with the timeframes setout in the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA) discountregulations, with timeframe compliance at 99.6 per centcompared to the annual plan target of 95 per cent.

We administer over 10,000 resource consents across the regionat some 4400 sites. This year 1360 of these sites weremonitored (90 per cent of the annual plan target). In addition,more than 1100 farms were monitored for compliance withRegional Plan permitted activity dairy effluent rules.

Approximately 8 per cent of the sites monitored were foundto have significant non compliance with consent conditions.

INVESTIGATIONS AND INCIDENT RESPONSE

We continue to offer an ‘all hours’ 0800 number to hear fromthe public. In 2016/17 a total of 1479 calls were taken frommembers of the public notifying us of potential breaches ofenvironmental regulation. All calls were responded to. Fromthese calls and proactive monitoring there has been a total of368 formal enforcement actions taken for breaches of theRMA. These include 75 abatement notices, 210 formal warnings,75 infringement notices and eight prosecutions.

At the SOLGM Local Government Excellence awards held inApril 2017, staff won the Innovation in Organisation and PeopleDevelopment category with the project: Basic InvestigativeSkills for Local Government Training Programme. The BasicInvestigative Skills (BIS) programme helps councils preparetheir compliance and enforcement staff with skills and toolsto consistently and transparently gather information wheninvestigating possible breaches of the RMA, make gooddecisions and take the right action. The programme has beencontinuously refined since Waikato region trialled it in housein 2006, and it has since been rolled out to 25 councils andsome 500 recipients.

MARITIME SERVICES

A total of 10 infringements, and three formal warnings wereissued for breaches of the Navigation Safety Bylaw. There werethree formal investigations into boating incidents – vesselscapsized on both the Kāwhia Bar and in the Tairua bar, and aminor collision between rowing skiffs on Karāpiro. Theseinvestigations resulted in one formal warning.

LOOKING FORWARD

The resource use group of activities is focusing on preparingfor implementation of Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora: Proposed PlanChange 1. Implementation will focus on working with industryand sectors to help landowners understand the proposedrequirements.

Creating approval, certification and audit systems forindustry schemes and rural professionals.

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Preparing to process and monitor resource consentapplications.

Building IT systems to support landowners to lodge theirregistration, nitrogen reference points, and farmenvironment plans and developing environmentalmonitoring and reporting tools to track our progress.

While the plan still has a submission and hearing process togo through, the implementation plan actions will adjustaccordingly.

Demands on ‘business as usual’ work in the activity continueto grow as the community’s awareness and expectationsaround positive environmental outcomes increase. Up to 1000resource use consent applications are expected and we willcontinue to monitor both consented and permitted activities.

We will maintain our response to the growing number ofnotifications from members of the public about environmentalincidents and, where appropriate, investigate and respond toinstances of non-compliance. We will also continue to processcertain Building Act consents on behalf of all North Islandregional councils and make our waterways safe and navigablethrough the implementation of a regional bylaw and legislation.

The Navigation Safety Bylaw is scheduled to be reviewedinternally in 2018, which may prompt a full review involvingpublic consultation.

WHAT WE DELIVERED

There are six performance measures for resource use. Five measures were achieved (83 per cent) and the remaining measurewas achieved in part (17 per cent). Detailed commentary for these measures can be found in the following tables.

ACTIVITY: CONSENT PROCESSING AND COMPLIANCE MONITORING

Level of service: To efficiently and effectively deliver consenting processes under the Resource Management Act 1991 toenable the lawful use of natural and physical resources


RMA consent processing - discount timeframes

Actual timeframe compliance with the discount regulationtimeframe for the 2016/17 year was 99.6 per cent.

99.6%,achieved

>95%Percentage of resourceconsents processed inaccordance with ResourceManagement Act 1991timeframe discount regulations In total 1136 applications were processed to completion. Of

these there were 15 that were processed outside the statutoryRMA timeframe. However, 11 of these were subject to the

2015/16:99.7%,achieved

queued priority process (i.e. they were applications to take2014/15:99.66%achieved

water where the applications needed to be processed inpriority order) and so do not trigger the discount regulations.

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Four applications were processed outside of the statutorytimeframe by 1 day, 3 days, 9 days and 19 days and thereforereceived a discount.

Consent compliance monitoring - priority 1, 2 and 3

A number of factors influenced the result of the compliancemonitoring targets being ‘Achieved in part’. Most significant

Achieved inpart

Priority 1sites -100%

Monitor compliance ofconsented resource users on aprioritised basis

of these was the increase in the number of sites requiringmonitoring – approximately 700 more compared to 2015/16

Priority 1 sites2016/17:100%

Priority 2sites -75%

Priority 1 sites - high priority(100%)

Priority 2 sites - average priority(75%)

due to an increase across all consents with the most significantincrease being consents held by farming operations and inparticular farm water consents. There were also a number ofstaff vacancies that required filling during the course of theyear. However, given these factors the number of sitesmonitored increased significantly from the 2015/16 year withsimilar levels of resource.

2015/16:100%Priority 3

sites -25%Priority 3 sites - low priority

(25%)2014/15:100%

Priority 2sites -2016/17: 67%

2015/16: 59%

2014/15: 69%

Priority 3sites -2016/17: 23%

2015/16: 13%

2014/15: 23%

ACTIVITY: INVESTIGATIONS AND INCIDENT RESPONSE

Level of service: To take appropriate action in response to notifications of non-compliance


Environmental incidents - response service

A dedicated incident response teamcontinues to provide service during

100%, achieved100%Maintain a 24 hour 7 day aweek response service forenvironmental incidentsreported to council

business hours. A roster based readyresponse team has also been maintained2015/16: 100%, achieved

enabling an incident response service2014/15: not applicable - newmeasure

during non-business hours. Collectivelythese two teams continue to provide a24/7 response service.

Notification of non-compliance - response to public

More than 1400 notifications ofnon-compliance from the public wereresponded to.

100%, achieved

2015/16: 100%, achieved

100%All notifications ofnon-compliance from thepublic are responded to*


* Options for response include:

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desktop response

immediate site inspection

planned site inspection

phone call only

referred to external contractor

referred to Investigations

referred to other agencies.

ACTIVITY: MARITIME SERVICES

Level of service: To maintain safe and navigable waterways in the region to protect the people using them


Grade 1 aids - operational after failure

All Grade 1 navigation aids are operational andmonitored using telemetry. Faults are reported

AchievedAchievedGrade 1 aids* to navigationare operational within 24hours of failure and notifiedto Maritime NZ

to Maritime NZ and promulgated through thenotices to mariners. The Opito aid was2015/16: achieved

damaged by weather and the wharf headlight2014/15: new LTPmeasure for 2015/16

at Whangamata, which had an intermittentfault, were both successfully repaired.

Navigational incidents - response

A 24 hour 7 day a week response wasmaintained. Call outs included vessel sinkings

AchievedAchievedMaintain a 24 hour 7 day aweek response fornavigational incidents** in Whitianga and Coromandel, debris removal2015/16: achieved from the Cobham Drive bridge in Hamilton and

from the Tairua harbour beach and assistance2014/15: new LTPmeasure for 2015/16

was provided to the NZ Police squad to assistwith recoveries.

* Considered to be of primary navigational significance

** Navigational incidents are those Waikato Regional Council has jurisdiction over, for example an oil spill or debris in a river.Incidents are reported to us from Maritime NZ or NZ Police.

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WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR RESOURCE USE

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000


1,7671,7411,742UAGC


6,1506,1866,002Fees and charges


14,06014,31414,008Total income


-168--1,669Operating surplus / (deficit)


310-118Permitted activity monitoring

0--Complaints and enforcement

General reserve

50Pior year surplus reserve

0--Building act contingency

360-118Total reserve transfers

192--1,551*Increase / (decrease) in retained earnings

*Healthy Rivers Implementation costs have been funded through a carryover of funding from the previous financial year.

EXPENDITURE

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT - RESOURCE USE

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000




10--Subsidies and grants for operating purposes


7--Internal charges and overheads recovered





---Finance costs




(172)1,048316Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding










Capital expenditure




(752)559(219)Increase / (decrease) in reserves


(172)1,048316Total applications of capital funding

172(1,048)(316)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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Science and strategy | Pūtaiao me terautakiWHY WE DO IT

The collection and management of information on naturalresources, the community and economy enables the councilto effectively respond to emerging issues and new challenges.This is critical to sustaining growth and maintaining, orimproving, the environmental and ecological health and theuse of resources for future generations. The knowledgegenerated in this group of activities informs the council’sstatutory functions under the Resource Management Act 1991and Local Government Act 2002.

Another key purpose of this group of activities is the consistentdelivery of high quality regional strategy and resourcemanagement policy advice that enables the direction of keyregional issues to be influenced, the region to be strategicallypositioned and the council to meet its legislative requirementsand ensure environmental quality is well managed.

Ensuring the region and Waikato Regional Council are wellpositioned to respond to future drivers is a key purpose of thisgroup of activities. The council is operating in an increasinglydynamic and complex external environment. It is importantto look beyond the immediate issues that we are facing andidentify actions we can take to improve environmental,economic and community outcomes in an integrated way.



Vibrant communitiesStrong economyHealthyenvironment

◊◊∆Environmental information

∆Environmental monitoring

◊∆Resource management policy

◊∆Regional strategy and development

◊∆Integration and infrastructure

∆◊Social and economic information

WHAT WE DID

WAIKATO PLAN

The Waikato Plan, to be launched in November 2017, aims toensure our region reaches its full potential and in doing sothat all communities are as successful as they can be. TheWaikato Plan has involved the region's councils, centralgovernment and other private and public agencies, and createsone plan that gives us all one collective voice about importantissues that affect us now and over the next 30 years.

WAIKATO FRESHWATER STRATEGY

A Waikato Freshwater Strategy, adopted by the council in June2017, provides a strategic platform to enable water to be bestused to realise cultural, commercial and communityexpectations and requirements over the next 50 years andbeyond. The strategy provides the basis to refresh Waikato

Regional Council’s freshwater programme, and will be thefoundation to work with others to achieve our strategic priorityof managing fresh water more effectively to maximise regionalbenefit.

HEALTHY RIVERS/WAI ORA: PLAN CHANGE 1

Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora is a regional plan change to improvethe Waikato and Waipā rivers and tributaries. It is our statutoryresponse for these catchments to the National Policy Statementfor Freshwater Management and Te Ture Whaimana o Te Awao Waikato, the Vision and Strategy for the Waikato and Waipārivers. A total of 1024 submissions were received to the planchange. A portion of the plan change relating to the LowerWaikato was subsequently withdrawn and is anticipated to benotified in late 2017.

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The project was a finalist in the 2017 Local Government NewZealand EXCELLENCE Awards. Judges said “this is afundamental democratic principal of having faith in thecommunity. It showed leadership from the council and becauseof this level of engagement it will endure”.

SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INFORMATION

‘Your Environment-What matters?’ was a survey of 1250Waikato residents which found water quality continues to bethe most important environmental concern. Waikato peopleare increasingly concerned about the state of the environmentdue to long term impacts of global warming, urban sprawl,population increase, land use and over consumption of naturalresources. The survey results provide us with an understandingof people’s environmental awareness, and this helps usevaluate the effectiveness of current policies and understandbarriers to people undertaking environmentally beneficialbehaviours.

REGIONAL ROAD SAFETY STRATEGY

Road safety in the Waikato is a nationally significant issue,with road deaths and serious injuries in the region accountingfor more than 20 per cent of the national road toll each year.The Regional Land Transport Plan identifies road safety as oneof three strategic priorities for transport in the region and theRegional Road Safety Strategy as the key implementation toolfor the road safety objective.

The Regional Road Safety Strategy was reviewed incollaboration with relevant stakeholders and partners beforebeing approved by the Regional Transport Committee andadopted by the council in July 2017. The strategy guides theroad safety effort undertaken in the region. Implementationof the strategy will be overseen by the multi-agency RegionalRoad Safety Forum.

REGIONAL CYCLING PROGRAMME BUSINESS CASE

A multi sector Regional Cycling Programme Business Case hasbeen completed, providing a strong evidence-based and anagreed approach to regional priorities and future actions acrossa range of key stakeholders working in cycling. The approachrecognises that a shared regional vision and coordinatedapproach to planning, funding and promotion of regionalcycling will help to achieve benefits of increased contributionto economic growth in addition to improved road safety forcyclists, better health, an active and connected communityand increased vibrancy of the region. Regional cycle trails havebeen recognised as a valuable and important cycling andeconomic development opportunity for the region by theRegional Transport Committee, the Waikato Mayoral Forum,in the Waikato Plan, and as an opportunity for the WaikatoMeans Business strategy to realise economic benefits for theregion.

REGIONAL ACCESS AND MOBILITY PROGRAMMEBUSINESS CASE

A multi-sector Regional Access and Mobility ProgrammeBusiness Case (PBC) has been undertaken, with a ‘transition’document completed which outlines that more region-specificevidence and more high-level stakeholder buy-in is requiredto complete the PBC.

Stakeholders have recognised that access and mobility isdiverse. While interests overlap, no one organisation hasresponsibility for access and mobility, so a high level ofcross-sector collaboration is needed to develop this PBC. Thisproject is continuing into 2017/18.

LOOKING FORWARDCENTRAL GOVERNMENT NATIONAL DIRECTION

Ongoing implementation of central government direction,including Resource Management Act legislative change, isexpected to occur throughout 2017/18, along with theintroduction of a national direction on air quality measurement,biodiversity, natural hazards and stock exclusion to waterbodies. Further amendments to key national direction settingdocuments related to freshwater management is also expected.

UPPER NORTH ISLAND STRATEGIC ALLIANCE (UNISA)

The current focus has been the influence of Auckland and theincreased growth and transport demand in the upper NorthIsland. As part of seeking integrated land use and transportplanning, UNISA members have started discussions with portstakeholders as a first step toward the scoping of a jointapproach. Further scoping work may include a review of the2013 Upper North Island Freight Story, and discussions withother stakeholders and central government agencies.

This year will see further work in this space and continuedbuilding of existing relationships with Auckland and our otherregional neighbours to leverage common interests andalliances.

HAURAKI GULF MARINE SPATIAL PLAN

The Sea Change – Tai Timu Tai Pari Hauraki Gulf Marine SpatialPlan will be implemented within existing work programmeswhere it has been programmed and budgeted. Any new workwill be assessed and scoped through the 2018-2028 Long TermPlan process.

IMPLEMENTING THE WAIKATO PLAN

The Waikato Plan was adopted by the Joint Committee in Juneand our council in July 2017. We will lead a number ofimplementation actions of the Waikato Plan and be part of theleadership group that will drive outcomes for the region. Formore information and to review progress, go towww.waikatoplan.co.nz.

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FACILITIES FUNDING FRAMEWORK

On behalf of the Waikato Mayoral Forum we are facilitatingthe development of a Facilities Funding Framework. Thisframework will enable all councils in the region to have anagreed process to fund facilities where beneficiaries are spreadover more than one district. The framework is due forcompletion in September 2017 and will be recommended bythe Waikato Mayoral Forum for adoption by each council.

FUTURE PROOF GROWTH MANAGEMENT STRATEGYREVIEW

The Future Proof strategy is being updated in two phases. Thefirst phase is now complete and updates population andhousehold projections, aligns the strategy with the RegionalPolicy Statement and the Waikato Plan, and updates the agreedland use settlement pattern to take account of the growth inthe northern Waikato. The second phase, to be undertaken in2017, will take account of the National Policy Statement onUrban Development Capacity requirements.

WAIKATO FRESHWATER STRATEGY IMPLEMENTATION

Strategy implementation will continue in 2017/18 with a focuson assessing and scoping implementation recommendationsfor consideration in the 2018-2028 Long Term Plan. Thestrategy also enables the council to forward an integratedadvocacy case in regard to the better use of water to centralgovernment.

HEALTHY RIVERS/WAI ORA: PLAN CHANGE 1

Proposed Plan Change 1 Waikato and Waipā River Catchmentscontinues as an organisation priority, with 2017/18 expectedto see the beginning of the hearings process. This will be inpreparation for the release of council decisions on the planchange in 2018/19.

In awaiting the outcome of the Hauraki Iwi Treaty Settlement,preparatory work will be undertaken for Healthy Rivers HaurakiCoromandel. It is expected the settlement will give greaterdirection to support Healthy Rivers/Wai Ora in the easterncatchments.

HE TAIAO MAURIORA | HEALTHY ENVIRONMENTS

The review of the Waikato Regional Coastal Plan will continueto progress in 2017/18, with engagement expected tocommence. The review of parts of the Waikato Regional Planwill also begin, along with gap analysis and informationgathering. Engagement in this process will be focused andtargeted, acknowledging the need to involve communities,landowners, iwi Māori and stakeholders.

UNDERSTANDING OUR COASTAL MARINE AREAS

Information gathering on the coastal marine area, particularlywater quality, will continue in 2017/18. This work will focus oninforming the Waikato Regional Coastal Plan review,

contributing to implementing the Sea Change – Tai Timu TaiPari Hauraki Gulf Marine Spatial Plan and the developmentand review of coastal state of the environment monitoringprogrammes.

WAIKATO BIODIVERSITY INVENTORY

A region-wide biodiversity inventory of terrestrial ecosystemswill be completed by June 2018. This inventory will providebaseline information to allow a more systematic and explicitprioritisation of biodiversity resources on private land in theWaikato region.

LOCAL INDIGENOUS BIODIVERSITY – SOURCE TO SEA

The Waikato Regional Policy Statement requires the councilto maintain or enhance indigenous biodiversity. Localindigenous biodiversity strategies (LIBs) is an implementationmethod to give effect to this policy and takes a strategicpartnership approach to biodiversity management. The LIBsprogramme will continue to work in an integrated mannerwith integrated catchment management staff, landowners,and external stakeholders to deliver increased biodiversitygains for the region.

REGIONAL LAND TRANSPORT PLAN (RLTP)

The RLTP is a legal requirement under the Land TransportManagement Act and is the key strategic transport planningdocument for the region. It sets the strategic policy directionfor land transport in the Waikato over the next 30 years, andis also the funding bid to central government for all transportactivities in the region. The RLTP has a life of six years, with amid-term review after three years. The current RLTP wasadopted by the council in 2015 and the mid-term review willbe completed by April 2018.

REGIONAL PUBLIC TRANSPORT PLAN (RPTP)

Under the Land Transport Management Act, we are requiredto have a RPTP in place at all times. The RPTP identifies thepublic transport services the council will provide over the next10 years, as well as identifying the policies, procedures,information and infrastructure to support the delivery of theseservices. The current plan was adopted by the council in 2015and is being reviewed in 2017/18.

PASSENGER RAIL

Strategic partners – including Hamilton City Council, WaikatoDistrict Council, Auckland Council and Waikato RegionalCouncil – have agreed to progress work on transportconnections between Hamilton and Auckland. This will bescoped in 2017/18 and reported to the Regional TransportCommittee.

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WHAT WE DELIVERED

The total number of science and strategy measures is seven. Six measures were achieved (86 per cent) and the remaining onemeasure was not achieved (14 per cent). Detailed commentary for all these measures can be found in the following tables.

ACTIVITY: ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION

Level of service: Provide high quality and timely information, indicators and advice to key decision makers and the community


Indicator monitoring - natural resources

All natural resource indicators havebeen updated as per the schedule.

AchievedAchievedChanges and trends in naturalresource availability are analysed andreported as per the monitoringschedule from Page 76 2015/16:achieved

2014/15: 95%, achieved

Data collection and analysis quality control

NIWA has undertaken a field auditof our water quality field collection

AchievedAchievedExternal audit shows good qualitycontrol of data collection and analysisas per schedule* procedures which showed good

quality control of our data collection.2015/16: achieved


*Internal schedule not published in Annual Report.

ACTIVITY: SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC INFORMATION

Level of service: Provide high quality and timely information, indicators and advice to key decision makers and the community


Indicator monitoring - community and economy

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All social and economicindicators have been updated asper the schedule.

Achieved

2015/16: achieved

AchievedChanges and trends in social andeconomic indicators are analysed andreported as per schedule from Page 76

2014/15: 100%,achieved

ACTIVITY: REGIONAL STRATEGY AND DEVELOPMENT

Level of service: To coordinate and implement economic development initiatives in a way that protects environmentaloutcomes


Annual Report - regional economic development strategy

Work has started on the Annual Reportand we intend to present the report at

Not achievedAchievedPrepare an annual report onprogress against the regionaleconomic development strategyimplementation plan

the first Waikato Means BusinessSteering Group of the new financialyear.

2015/16: achieved


ACTIVITY: INTEGRATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE

Level of service: To work with partners and stakeholders to implement policy and seek alignment on key policy, plans andstrategies


Key stakeholder survey - contribution towards planning

Support is provided to district councils as and whenthey work on plan reviews and plan changes, andto all district councils as they implement theWaikato Regional Policy Statement.

100%, achieved

2015/16: not applicable

2014/15: not applicable -same measure butsurvey was different

80%Percentage of key stakeholderssatisfied with Waikato RegionalCouncil’s overall contributiontowards planning processes(source: survey of keystakeholders)

A survey was sent to 11 territorial authorities andthree responses were received. The survey includeda question about their satisfaction with ourcontribution towards their planning processes. Ofthe three responses, a total of 100 per cent weresatisfied.

Level of service: To provide certainty to the regional community through a robust, integrated and consistent transportplanning framework


Operative regional land transport plan and regional public transport plan - meet statutory requirements

The 2015 Regional Land Transport Plan (RLTP) and 2015Regional Public Transport Plan (RPTP) are fully operativeand monitored in line with statutory requirements. The

Achieved

2015/16:achieved

AchievedHave an operative regionalland transport plan andregional public transport planin place at all times and review,monitor and report on them in RLTP is reported through to the Regional Transportline with statutoryrequirements

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Committee at regular intervals and implementation ofthe RPTP is reported through to the Hamilton Joint PublicTransport Committee at every meeting.

2014/15:achieved

A review of the RLTP commenced in 2016 and a draft2018 RLTP is planned to be available for publicconsultation by December 2017.

A review of the RPTP has also commenced in line withstatutory requirements and a draft 2018 RPTP is plannedto be available for public consultation in early 2018.

ACTIVITY: RESOURCE MANAGEMENT POLICY

Level of service: To provide certainty to the regional community through a robust, integrated and consistent environmentalplanning framework


RMA compliance

Compliance with RMA legislative planning requirementsoccurred as follows:

Achieved

2015/16: achieved

AchievedCompliance with RMAlegislative planningrequirements

Plan change 1 was notified to meet legislative requirements,proceeding through RMA statutory process.2014/15: new LTP

measure for 2015/16 Statutory review of the Regional Coastal Plan commencedand is progressing in accordance with RMA requirements.

Regional Plan review has commenced in accordance withRMA requirements.

Resource Legislation Amendment Act is being implementedas required.

Plan monitoring requirements are being met through planreviews and plan change processes.

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SCHEDULE OF ENVIRONMENTAL INDICATORS MONITORED FOR 2016/17.

Detailed information of each indicator is available on the Waikato Regional Council website www.waikatoregion.govt.nz/indicators.

CommentaryFrequencyofreporting

IndicatorThemeSubject

Benzene levels in our air have continued to show adecreasing or levelling trend. Levels measured in 2016 inHamilton were below the national guideline.

AnnuallyBenzene levelsAir qualityAir

Monitoring of sediment-dwelling animals in three estuariesshows that most of the sites are moderately healthy. There

AnnuallyCoastal biologyNaturalcharacter andbiodiversity

Coasts

were only slight changes in estuarine health between 2012and 2015 at the monitored sites. Current year results arenot available due to the time it takes to analyse samples.

Nine of the 15 large geothermal systems in the region areclassified for development. Five of these have large

Every 5years

Geothermalenergy and waterresource

Geothermalresource

Geothermal

electricity generation consents with a total estimatedcapacity in 2002 of 1520MW(e). A 2013 estimate reducedthis to 1020MW(e). Reassessment of two plants in 2016has further reduced the estimate of their combined totalfrom 220MW(e) to 150MW(e).

Nitrate concentrations commonly exceed drinking waterguidelines in groundwater. About 13 per cent of the 110regional groundwater monitoring wells had concentrations

Every 2years

Nitrate ingroundwater

GroundwaterInlandwater

exceeding the maximum value for potable use. High nitrateconcentrations are related to intensive land use, particularlymarket gardening and livestock farming. Nitrateconcentrations are increasing in many areas.

Most areas in the Waikato region are under low stress, withless than 10 per cent of available groundwater being used.Seven areas in the Waikato region are under high stress,

Every 2years

Groundwateravailability

with more than 30 per cent of available groundwater beingused. The aquifer allocation pressure does not take intoaccount the allocation status of any connected streams andrivers which may restrict any further allocation ofgroundwater even if the aquifer is in the low stresscategory.

From 1990-2016 an average of 357 applications per yearhave been issued for well construction. A total of 250applications were received in 2016, slightly down from theprevious year.

AnnuallyGroundwaterwell construction

Micro-organisms are contaminating some of ourgroundwater. Micro-organisms are more commonly foundin wide diameter wells, which are more difficult to seal

Every 4years

Micro-organismsin groundwater

from surface influences or poorly completed wells. Shallowwells and wells near potential sources of micro-organismssuch as septic tanks, offal holes and stockyards are morelikely to be contaminated. Drinking water guidelines areexceeded when E.coli are found to be present. E.coli weredetected in 17 of the 81 wells sampled.

Pesticides are contaminating some of our groundwater.The concentrations of most pesticides detected are wellbelow drinking water guideline levels. Pesticides are more

Every 4years

Pesticides ingroundwater

likely to be found in vulnerable, shallow, unconfined

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aquifers where use of relatively mobile and persistentpesticide chemicals is high. Most pesticide contaminationis because of poor management practices and historic use.

Water quality for ecology in Lake Taupō is largelysatisfactory to excellent.

AnnuallyLake Taupō’swater quality -ecology

Lakes

Water quality for ecological health is generally good acrossthe region, but in areas where land use is more intensive,water quality for ecological health is poorer.

AnnuallyRiver waterquality

Rivers andstreams

Water quality for contact recreation (such as swimming)is generally good in rivers and streams in the Taupō andCoromandel areas and in the upper Waikato River. In otherparts of the region where land use is more intensive, riverwater quality for contact recreation is generally poorer.

AnnuallyRiver waterquality forcontactrecreation

Freshwater wetlands used to cover approximately110,000ha of the region, today only approximately 27,500ha (or 25 per cent) remain making up roughly 1 per cent of

Every 5years

Extent ofwetlands

Wetlands

the region. A total of 86 per cent of the remaining wetlandsare in the Waikato, Matamata-Piako and Hauraki districts.The wetlands have changed significantly with deciduoushard woods (willows and alders mainly) having displacednative species.

In total approximately 62 per cent of the regions remainingfreshwater wetlands are in some form of legal protection.Since 1996 on average 6.5ha of wetlands in private

Every 5years

Protectedwetland areas

ownership have been protected each year. Hauraki andMatamata-Piako districts have the highest proportion oftheir remaining wetlands protected in some form. Taupōand Waikato districts collectively have one third of the totalarea of unprotected wetlands.

Within the districts, Thames-Coromandel has the highestproportion of land in some form of protection (40 per cent)

Every 5years

Protected nativevegetation areas

BiodiversityLand andsoil

while Waipā has the least (3 per cent). A total of 18 per centof the region is in some form of legal protection, 89 percent of this area is administered by Department ofConservation and 8 per cent is in private ownership, theremainder is made up of local council reserves. Between1996 and 2016 the amount of QEII covenants in the regionincreased from 4,500 to 14,000ha an average rate of 477haper year. Between 1996 and 2016 the amount of landprotected by Ngā Whenua Rāhui kawenata in the regionincreased from 899 to 15,255 hectares, an average rate of763 ha per year.

In 2011/12, average nitrogen fertiliser use for dairy farmswas 109kg N/ha/yr, while on sheep and beef farms averagenitrogen fertiliser use was 4kg N/ha/yr. Average nitrogen

Every 3years

Fertiliser use onfarms

Soil

loss for dairy farms was 42kg N/ha/yr, while on sheep andbeef farms average nitrogen loss was 11kg N/ha/yr.Nitrogen losses for sheep and beef farms exceed fertiliserinputs due to nitrogen inputs from clover.

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In 2014, over 50 per cent of the soil samples from dairyfarms and about 15-20 per cent of soil samples on sheepand beef farms show phosphorus fertility exceedingindustry recommendations for optimum growth. Yearlyaverage phosphorus run off in 2011-12 was 1.8 kg P/ha/yrfor both sheep/beef and dairy farms. Current year resultsare not available as we are reliant on data from an externalprovider.

Only 10 per cent of the regional soils achieved all sevensoil quality indicators. These results are similar to the

AnnuallySoil quality

preceding four years. Some land uses are harder on soilthan others, and soil type influences how resilient they areto the impact of land use.

As at June 2016 there were 180,300 people employed byWaikato businesses and organisations representing anincrease of 2.4 per cent since 2015. The largest sectors by

AnnuallyEmployment bysector

Resource useEconomy

employment count were wholesale and retail trade,business and finance services followed by health care andsocial services. The proportion employed by business andfinance services is significantly lower in the Waikato regionthan in the rest of New Zealand. The proportion employedby dairy farming and processing is much higher in theWaikato region than in the rest of New Zealand.

The data is from Statistics New Zealand’s BusinessOperations Survey 2016.

The median household income in the Waikato region was$1486 per week for the year ended June 30, 2016. Thenational median was slightly higher at $1534 per week.Waikato household incomes have been steadily increasingover the last two years.

AnnuallyHouseholdincome

As at 31 March 2017, 5.7 per cent of people in the Waikatoregion reported that they were unemployed, the same asthe national average. In the past 20 years the

AnnuallyUnemploymentrate

Communitycharacteristics

People

unemployment rate in the Waikato region has ranged froma low of 2.8 per cent (December 2007) and a high of 12.2per cent (March 1992). Between 1991 and 2007,unemployment rates for both the Waikato region and NewZealand decreased. Between 2007 and 2012 the rateincreased, but has not returned to the higher level of theearly 1990s.

Next update due in 2019 following the 2018 Census.Every 5years

Educationalqualifications

Landcare groups are voluntary community groups takingaction locally to enhance natural resources such as water,soil, biodiversity and coastlines. The number of groups hassteadily increased. There are now 48 landcare groups inour region.

AnnuallyLandcare groupsCommunityparticipation

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WHAT IT COST

EXPENDITURE FOR SCIENCE AND STRATEGY

2015/16Last year

$000

2016/17Annual Plan

$000

2016/17Actual$000

20,48319,98019,980General rates

1,9441,4481,448UAGC


2,1232,4922,176Fees and charges

250250250Investment income


25,97425,67525,424Total income


1,5582171,719Operating surplus / (deficit)


-508-508-508Cycling Centre of Excellence

0--Healthy Rivers Internal Loan

---Shoreline change impact

335--Hauraki plan change 2

100--Waikato water strategy

0--River restoration strategy

0--73Contaminated land fund

1,300291543Prior year surplus

1,227-217-38Total reserve transfers

2,785-1,681Increase / (decrease) in retained earningsSE

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EXPENDITURE

Scientists testing coastal water quality.

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT – SCIENCE AND STRATEGY

2017 Actual$000

2017 LTP$000

2016 LTP$000



---Targeted rates (other than a targeted rate for water supply)








---Finance costs




4,2753,008911Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding










Capital expenditure



1,4141,5571,792- to replace existing assets

2,8601,081(1,081)Increase / (decrease) in reserves


4,2753,008911Total applications of capital funding

(4,275)(3,008)(911)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

---Funding balance

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FUNDING IMPACT STATEMENT – WHOLE OF COUNCIL

2017Actual$000

2017Annual Plan

$000

2016Annual Report

$000

2016Annual Plan

$000


42,76443,37741,55842,089General rates, uniform annual general charge, rates penalties

38,36438,36739,63639,169Targeted rates (other than a targeted rate for water supply)

11,09810,55510,30710,870Subsidies and grants for operating purposes

19,91318,98720,58518,589Fees, charges. and targeted rates for water supply

7,7776,8407,0216,870Interest and dividends from investments


120,149118,486119,344117,947TOTAL OPERATING FUNDING


111,017109,152108,793109,742Payments to staff and suppliers

----Finance costs

----Other operating funding applications

111,017109,152108,793109,742Total applications of operating funding

9,1329,33410,5518,205Surplus / (deficit) of operating funding


----Subsidies and grants for capital expenditure

----Development and financial contributions

----Increase / (decrease) in debt

----Gross proceeds from sale of assets

----Lump sum contributions


----Total sources of capital funding


Capital expenditure

----- to meet additional demand

1,4162,757-1,706- to improve the level of service

12,86216,57511,97811,571- to replace existing assets

(6,405)(11,768)(1,733)(6,802)Increase / (decrease) in reserves

1,2591,7703061,730Increase / (decrease) of investments

9,1329,33410,5518,205Total applications of capital funding

(9,132)(9,334)(10,551)(8,205)Surplus / (deficit) of capital funding

----Funding balance

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SECTION 3: Our activities in depth | Ko te hohonutanga ō ā ...€¦ · around roads. This year...

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