A pilot project to maintain Hamilton’s indigenous biodiversity will be continued and completed following the October meeting of Hamilton City Council’s Community, Services and Environment Committee.

The Local Indigenous Biodiversity Pilot is an innovative collaboration across several organisations, with the key outcome to increase the level of biodiversity in the city from 2% to 10%. The pilot is a joint project involving Hamilton City Council and Waikato Regional Council, stemming from the Hamilton District Plan appeals process.

In speaking in support of the report, Waikato University’s Professor Bruce Clarkson told the Committee the city was already leading the way in terms of biodiversity, and the 10% target could be achieved through ongoing collaboration involving the community and relevant stakeholders – and by using existing resources. The pilot promotes a Collective Impact Framework, in which participants share a common agenda of increasing biodiversity. Staff will also develop a Local Indigenous Biodiversity Strategy, based on the Collective Impact Framework, for consideration by the Council in September 2019. The Community Services and Environment Committee will monitor the pilot and strategy through quarterly reports.

The Committee dealt with two related items on how the Council can apply for and obtain external funding for some of its key projects in the recently adopted 10-Year Plan. Staff presented a report outlining the External Funding Programme Plan, which aims to raise $20.5M in funding over the next 10 years towards the city’s Destinations Playground programme, developments at Hamilton Zoo and Waiwhakareke Natural Heritage Park, and also the creation of new themed gardens at Hamilton Gardens. The Committee also endorsed a recommendation from staff that Council partner with Momentum Waikato to apply for $24M in funding from the Government’s Provincial Growth Fund which is intended to stimulate economic growth in regional areas. The joint application is expected to be submitted in the next two weeks.

The Council will publicly consult on the Draft Neighbourhood and Amenity Reserves Management Plan (NARMP), which outlines a proposed strategic approach to management of several dozen of the city’s smaller parks and reserves. Under the Reserves Act, the Council is legally obliged to have management plans for all publicly owned parks and reserves, and submissions on the NARMP will be taken over a statutory two-month consultation period commencing in November. Hearings, if needed, will be held under the auspices of the Regulatory and Hearings Committee

In his General Manager’s Report, Deputy Chief Executive Lance Vervoort recommended a deferral of the West Town Belt Masterplan to the Committee’s June meeting to ensure consultation does not occur during the festive season, and staff can do the thorough job required on a significant piece of work. The Committee will then make a recommendation to Council regarding approval of the masterplan.

The Committee also received its quarterly report on Civil Defence Emergency Management, with the report noting a continued emphasis on training and upskilling staff and public education on emergency preparedness.

Tuesday's meeting of the Committee was its first with Maangai Maaori, Olly Te Ua and Te Pora Thompson-Evans present.

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