Community Group Terms of Reference

Community Group Terms of Reference for Rangitāiki Water Management Area

Purpose The community group will help the Bay of Plenty Regional Council (Council) achieve freshwater management in the Rangitāiki Water Management Area (Rangitāiki WMA) as set out in the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (NPS).

As a group you will identify your aspirations for the catchment and advise the Council on how these can be achieved by setting water allocation and quality limits in the Regional Water and Land Plan.

Functions and expectations

2.1 Specific function of the community group is to provide advice on:

 identifying values for freshwater

 translating values into freshwater objectives

 developing water allocation and quality limits for freshwater.

2.2 General functions

 Share knowledge and information about the Rangitāiki WMA by presenting community and sector views

 Provide perspectives and opinions about freshwater management

 Help define values and think about the possible future state of freshwater under different scenarios, while recognising the existing vision for the catchment

 Act as the channel for broader community input

 Inform decision-makers.

2.3 Expectations of community group members

 Explain their views clearly

 Listen to others

 Consider and actively discuss a range of information

 Understand, assess and balance a range of values in the Rangitaiki WMA

 Consider issues from multiple viewpoints and seek options cooperatively

 Assess trade-offs that are required to set water quantity and quality limits  Commit to finding an agreed way forward and seeking agreement with the group on its advice to Council

 Do work outside of meetings such as engaging with community groups and reading relevant documentation

 Have read pre-circulated background material and meeting agenda documentation.

2 Membership ‘Community’ refers to community members and organisation representatives who have a strong relationship to freshwater. Members need to be able to actively contribute to the group. The group needs to be representative. It should include a wide range of interests and backgrounds (eg age and gender), and members should come from different communities.

The group is expected to comprise a variety of members including (in randomly ordered list):

Community interests, eg: Local stakeholder interests, eg:

• Māori • Forestry • Land Trusts • Urban • Horticulturalists • Local Government • Rural • Youth/Schools • Fish and Game • Recreational • Electricity • Department of Conservation • Farm • Tourism • Forest and Bird • Environmental groups • Wood processing • Taiapure (fisheries management) (eg Care Groups) • Food gatherers.

It is expected members will be appointed for an initial term of two years.

Chairperson and facilitators 4.1 Chairperson The role of the chairperson will be to:  act as the media spokesperson

 liaise with decision-makers and stakeholders

 chair the community group

 ensure agenda is set and any agreements made by the group are recorded accurately

 foster a supportive atmosphere at meetings so the group strives for consensus or agreed opinion as the fair way forward

 fully participate as a member in the community group during workshop sessions

 maintain a focus on progressing this work

 ensure a fair and equitable process and adopt as neutral a stance as possible

 manage any member of the group that does not meet the Terms of Reference and the group’s principles

 close the group if it is no longer required.

4.2 Facilitators

The facilitators will help run the group meetings. Their role is to:  design productive and enjoyable meetings  help members input to group discussions

 suggest ways to work with different points of view

 support group members engaging with their communities where possible.

The facilitator(s) will act as a neutral support person to the community group. The facilitator will either be a regional council staff member or an independent professional. The facilitator is not a member of the community group.

Meetings The frequency and length of meetings will be discussed with the group at your first meeting. This is to determine what best suits the group and to ensure that all have commonly understood expectations. It is expected that the frequency and length of meetings will vary.

A quorum at a meeting consists of half or more of the total number of members.

Members are free to provide input to other public participation projects in the Rangitāiki catchment during this time also.

Authority Council will take into account the advice provided by the group, but retains the final decision-making and sign-off authority to any changes proposed or made to the Regional Water and Land Plan. The group does not have the authority to make decisions or to commit Council resources.

Any change must be consistent with Regional and co-governance frameworks.

The Rangitāiki River Forum (the Forum) is a co-governance forum for the Rangitāiki River. Its document Te Ara Whānui o Rangitāiki – Pathways of the Rangitāiki sets the vision, desired outcomes and objectives for the catchment, these will play an important part in managing freshwater in the Rangitāiki catchment. The Rangitāiki River Forum provides guidance to local authorities and Crown agencies on the management of the Rangitāiki River.

In carrying out its work, the Community Group will report to and seek direction from both the Forum and the Regional Council.

Administration The Council will provide administrative support, including organising meeting venues, setting agendas, the drafting and distribution of minutes and other practical support that will enable the group to carry out its purposes.

Reimbursement and honorarium Honoraria will be paid to members for time attending group meetings where those members are not being paid, or are not entitled to be paid, by another organisation or group.

As well reimbursements (eg travel expenses) will be paid to members for the actual cost incurred attending group meetings, where those costs are not being paid, or are not entitled to be paid, by another organisation or group. Not-for-profit sector interests and community interests may be eligible to receive honorarium and reimbursements, however all payments will by authorised by the Project Manager.