Agenda of Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

2 October 2017

Page No.

1. Apologies

Nil

2. Interests

2.1 Updates to the Interests Register

2.2 Identify any conflicts of interest in the agenda

3. Civil Defence Emergency Management Group - 20 September 2017 4 - 6

Document number A1837318

Recommendation

That the Group

Confirms the minutes of the meeting of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, held on 20 September 2017, as a true and correct record.

4. Deliberations on the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan 7 - 228

Document number R8336

Recommendation

That the Group

Receives the report Deliberations on the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan (R8336) and its attachments (A1828074, A1829672, A1830216, A1827975); and

Approves the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan as amended (A1827975); and

Approves the amended draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan to be sent to the Minister of Civil Defence for comment.

Civil Defence Emergency Management Group

2 October 2017

REPORT R8336

Deliberations on the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan

1. Purpose of Report

1.1 To provide information to assist Council in deliberating on the proposed Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management (CDEM) Group Plan.

2. Summary

2.1 The CDEM Group needs to review its Group Plan to meet the requirements of legislation. In line with this a review was scheduled to be undertaken in 2017.

2.2 The review required public consultation on the draft, along with hearings and deliberations. Public consultation and hearings on the draft have concluded and the Committee now needs to:

a) Consider submitters’ comments on the draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan

b) Determine any amendments to the draft Group Plan (within the scope of the submissions)

c) Set out reasons or any decisions and convey these to submitters.

3. Recommendation

That the Group

Receives the report Deliberations on the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan (R8336) and its attachments (A1828074, A1829672, A1830216, A1827975); and

Approves the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan as amended (A1827975); and

Approves the amended draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan to be sent to the Minister of Civil Defence for comment.

4. Background

4.1 The purpose of the Group Plan is to set out how the CDEM Group will enable the effective, efficient and coordinated delivery of CDEM across the region and address the requirements of the CDEM Act 2002 to state and provide for:

· local authorities’ membership of the CDEM Group

· hazards and risks to be managed by the CDEM Group

· CDEM measures necessary to manage the hazards and risks

· objectives of the CDEM Group Plan and their relationship to the CDEM Strategy

· the cost and resource sharing arrangements among member councils for the CDEM Group and its activities

· arrangements for declaring states of emergency including transitional periods

· arrangements for cooperation and coordination between CDEM Groups, and the period for which the CDEM Group Plan remains in force

· arrangements for recovery management and planning

4.2 The Group Plan is a high level plan supported by a range of other strategic documents and operational plans, which provide greater commentary and detail on CDEM matters.

5. Discussion

Legislative requirements

5.1 In reaching a decision regarding the proposed amendments to the draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan the Committee needs to determine that the draft Group Plan and proposed amendments meet the requirements of the CDEM Act, including the CDEM Amendment Act 2016, and CDEM National Plan 2015.

5.2 The Civil Defence Emergency Management Amendment Act 2016 came into force in November 2016. It was introduced to strengthen recovery planning by providing a greater emphasis on the timely, coordinated and effective recovery phase/s following the response phase of an emergency.

5.3 The Amendment Act introduced specific provisions that: provide a mandate for the roles and responsibilities that apply for the duration of the recovery from an emergency; strengthen recovery planning; and ensure a seamless transition from the response to an emergency to the initial recovery period by ensuring that appropriate and effective statutory powers and arrangements are available.

5.4 The review of the Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan commenced early in 2017 so as to meet the Ministry of Civil Defence Emergency Management’s (the Ministry) requirement for Group Plan’s to be reviewed every five years. The Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan was last reviewed in 2012.

5.5 The Ministry has subsequently stated a requirement for all CDEM Groups to review their Groups Plans so as to accommodate the provisions under the 2016 Amendment Act and for that process to be completed by 1 June 2018. This requirement will be met via the current review of the Group Plan.

Summary of Submissions

5.6 A total of 10 submissions were received plus one late submission which was accepted by the Group at the Civil Defence Emergency Management meeting on the 20 September 2017. Copies of submissions have been attached (A1828074 – Attachment One - Submissions).

5.7 The majority of submitters suggested minor text refinements, additions or amendments to the draft Group Plan. These included requests to provide for more local information and to consider the protection of heritage assets and processes, animal welfare, the needs of the rural sector, communications and improvements to partnership opportunities among other things.

5.8 As the Nelson Tasman Group’s review process began prior to the release of the Ministerial guidelines, staff at the Ministry agreed to provide the Group with feedback through the consultation process. In line with this, Ministry staff have provided a comprehensive submission speaking to the objectives of the draft guidelines, to inform the Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan and ensure that it meets the Ministry’s recently updated objectives.

5.9 Officers have sought to balance the need to produce an accessible and readable document that is easily followed and understood by the public with the requirement of the Ministry to provide detailed technical information that integrates with national strategy and meets legislative requirements.

5.10 Additional technical information and commentary can be found in a number of supporting operational plans and strategic documents. This provides a source of supplementary information that address some of the submitters’ concerns. Where possible the draft Group Plan has sought to balance information with readability and this has influenced staff recommendations on the proposed amendments (A1829672 - Attachment Two – Staff recommendations).

Draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan - attachments

5.11 Two versions of the draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan have been attached:

1) Designer version which went out for public consultation. Submitter comments and reference to page numbers refer to this version (A1830216 – Attachment Four) and;

2) Updated text version, in word, which show the recommended amendments highlighted in red (A1827975 – Attachment Three).

6. Conclusion

6.1 There is a statutory requirement to adopt an updated Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan by 1 June 2018. In line with the current process and timeline officers recommend that the Committee consider the proposed amendments (as detailed in the attachment A1827975) to the draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan, make any changes necessary and approve the draft to be presented to the Minister of Civil Defence for comment.

Gabrielle Thorpe

Policy Adviser

Attachments

Attachment 1: A1828074 - Submissions ⇩

Attachment 2: A1829672 - Staff recommendations ⇩

Attachment 3: A1827975 - Text version - draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan ⇩

Attachment 4: A1830216 - Designer version - draft CDEM Group Plan (Circulated separately) ⇨

Important considerations for decision making

1. Fit with Purpose of Local Government

The recommendation supports the strengthening of the draft Group Plan in line with legislative changes and requirements of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act 2002.

Deliberations on submissions allow Council to consider the community views on the draft Nelson Tasman Civil Defence Emergency Management Group Plan and make changes to the Plan based on this feedback.

2. Consistency with Community Outcomes and Council Policy

The recommendations in this report support the following Community Outcome:

Our communities are healthy, safe, inclusive and resilient

3. Risk

There is a risk that Council will make decisions on the draft Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan in response to submissions that some submitters do not agree with.

4. Financial impact

There is no financial impact contained with this report.

5. Degree of significance and level of engagement

This matter is of medium significance because it relates to planning for civil defence emergency management across the region.

6. Inclusion of Māori in the decision making process

Maori were consulted through the submission process on the draft Group Plan.

7. Delegations

The Civil Defence Emergency Management Group has responsibility for the development, approval, implementation and monitoring of the Nelson Tasman CDEM Group Plan and regular review of the Plan.