Hawke’s Bay Regional Council has agreed in principle to lead work on the next phase of the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazard Strategy 2120.

This move follows a recent report which found that the Regional Council is the best placed local government entity to collect rates and lead the work of the Strategy, which looks at how Hawke’s Bay can respond to the risks of coastal hazards and the effects of climate change.

Chair of the Joint Committee and Regional Councillor Jerf van Beek says this move is precedent-setting.

“The Regional Council has shown that it’s time to act by making this decision, which is New Zealand-leading, and I’m proud to be part of this project,” says Councillor van Beek.

“To keep the Clifton to Tangoio Coastal Hazard Strategy 2120 moving forward we have needed to make a decision around the leadership, and that has been a long process. The Joint Committee, made up of mana whenua representation and elected members from the Regional, Napier City and Hastings District councils, recommended the Regional Council should lead the implementation of the Strategy based on a funding review.

“Receiving clear guidance from the funding review and getting support from the Regional Council to follow that guidance is fantastic.”

Chis Dolley, Regional Council Asset Management Group Manager, says this decision provides a clear path forward for the Strategy.

“Now this decision has been made, we’ve got a few things to work through with the other councils and Post Settlement Governance Entities to make the transition of leadership,” says Mr Dolley.

“We will be preparing a memorandum of transition that sets out the detail of how the councils will work together in practice and this will inform a transition plan.

“There’s a significant amount of work still to be done on the wider Strategy ahead of going to consultation including studying environmental impacts, public and private benefit, who pays and how it can most fairly be funded by ratepayers, as well as other finer details.”

Hastings District Council has formally endorsed the funding review recommendations. Napier City Council is making its final decision early August.

The Strategy is currently tracking towards a wider public consultation process, in the form of a proposed Long Term Plan amendment, in the first half of 2022.

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