MEETING MINUTES Committee Name: Venue: Community Consultative Forum Maitland Netball Meeting Room (Maitland Park, Maitland) Date and Time: Tuesday 30 May 2017 9.30am 12 noon TRIM: HW2011-662/5/28 MEMBERS PRESENT Cr Brian Adamthwaite Mr Rick Banyard Cr Linda Bowden Cr Melanie Dagg Cr Geoff Dingle Dr Troy Gaston Mr James Hopson Mayor Harold Johnson Ms Joan Lambert Cr Paul Le Mottee Mr William Lennox Mr Kevin McDonald Ms Jean McGarry Lake Macquarie City Council Property Owners Association Save the Williams River Coalition Cessnock City Council Medowie Progress Association University of Newcastle Williams River Water Users Association Dungog Shire Council Newcastle Older Women s Association Port Stephens Council Maitland Masonic Centre Hunter Region Botanic Gardens Lake Macquarie Sustainable Neighbourhood Alliance APOLOGIES Mr David Beins Cr David Compton Ms Anita Hugo Mr Joe Thompson The City of Newcastle Hunter Business Chamber Hunter Local Land Services
HUNTER WATER STAFF IN ATTENDANCE Jim Bentley Darren Cleary Victor Prasad Emma Turner Keiran Smith Nick Kaiser Managing Director A/Executive Manager Strategy and Planning Executive Manager Customer Services Regulatory Economist Public Affairs Manager Manager Media and Stakeholders Stephen Rainbow Declan Clausen (Secretary) Stakeholder Officer WELCOME Cr Geoff Dingle (Chairperson elected by the previous meeting of the CCF) opened the meeting at 9.36am, welcoming participants, and acknowledging apologies. AGENDA OVERVIEW AND CONFLICTS OF INTEREST No Conflicts of Interest were declared. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING The Consultative Forum endorsed the draft minutes of the Meeting held on 28 February 2017. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MEETING At the request of the Chair, the Secretary provided an update on the following Business Arising from the previous meeting: Item Water Wise Rules and Energy Efficiency Follow on response and actions At the February 2017 meeting it was requested that Hunter Water provide information on water and energy efficiency on its website. Since the meeting, a number of updates have been undertaken to increase the clarity of information publically available. This information is now available on the Save Water section of Hunter Water s website at www.hunterwater.com.au/save-water Modification of the Community Consultative Forum Charter At the February 2017 meeting of the Community Consultative Forum, the CCF endorsed a proposal to modify the Forum s Charter so that the position of Chairperson could rotate among Forum members. Hunter Water s Board subsequently adopted this amended Charter. A copy of the new Charter was circulated, and is also available on Hunter Water s website at www.hunterwater.com.au/ccf 2
Campvale Canal Investigations At the February 2017 CCF meeting it was requested that Hunter Water provide an update on investigations relating to Campvale Canal. A written report was circulated to members updating the CCF on progress. In discussion, it was requested that the September 2017 meeting of the Forum focus on Campvale Canal. Eagleton Quarry Submission At the February 2017 CCF meeting it was recommended that Hunter Water include reference to the CCF in its submission to the Department of Planning and Environment in its submission on the proposed hard rock quarry at Eagleton. This action was undertaken, and a copy of Hunter Water s submission was circulated to members. At the meeting, it was requested that a copy of the independent review of water assessment Hunter Water had commissioned be circulated. A copy is now available via the Department of Planning and Environment s Major Project website at: http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=7332 MANAGING DIRECTOR S REPORT The Chair invited Hunter Water s Managing Director, Jim Bentley, to provide a report: Strategic Direction Further to the discussion at the September 2016 and February 2017 Consultative Forum meeting, Mr Bentley provided an update on Hunter Water s Strategic Direction and circulated a summary of Hunter Water s recent 2017+3 Strategy. There were a number of questions for Jim Bentley: - Role of the Lower Hunter Water Plan, and request for clarification regarding future source augmentation - Role of data analysis in understanding water usage across the community. Mr Bentley committed to coming back to the Forum with further detail on our Digital Strategy at a future meeting - Role of sustainability and Hunter Water s definition of sustainability - Use of recycled water and rainwater, query about economics - Future of water industry overlap with energy and other sectors - Need to understand community values STRATEGY PRESENTATIONS Electricity Generation at Wastewater Treatment Facilities Darren Cleary, A/Executive Manger Strategy and Planning Mr Cleary presented research work Hunter Water had been undertaking on possible system changes that would allow electricity to be generated at major wastewater treatment plants. Presentation included analysis of Hunter Water s electricity consumption and carbon 3
emissions, as well as likely level of investment required to maintain current operations versus expenditure to replace with new processes. There were a number of questions on the presentation, including a request for further information on the economics of the proposal as it becomes available, and the role of partnerships with the University of Newcastle. GENERAL BUSINESS Mr Kevin McDonald Resignation from the Community Consultative Forum Mr Kevin McDonald, representative from the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens, announced his intention to resign from the Community Consultative Forum. Mr McDonald has served on the Forum as a representative from a range of different organisations for 25 years, originally as a representative of the University of Newcastle, then as a representative of the Association of Environmental Education, and as a representative of the Hunter Region Botanic Gardens. Mr McDonald was complimentary of his experiences on the Consultative Forum, citing site visits and as independent Chairman of the Citizen Committee established to overview the use of mine workings for disposal of treated wastewater. By round of applause, the CCF thanks Kevin for his decades of participation and wished him the very best in retirement. Mayor Harold Johnson Retirement from Dungog Shire Council Mayor Harold Johnson announced that he would not recontest the 2017 local government election in Dungog Shire, and subsequently would not be a member of the Forum. The Forum thanks Cr Johnson for his participation as a representative of Dungog Shire, and wished him the very best in retirement. Cr Geoff Dingle Port Stephens Gardenland Cr Dingle requested an update on the Port Stephens Gardenland development. Hunter Water took the subject on notice and would circulate further updates. PRESENTATIONS Hunter Water Operating Licence and Customer Contract Emma Turner, Regulatory Economist Further to previous presentations, Ms Turner provided the Forum with an update on the new Operating Licence scheduled to commence from 1 July 2017. It was noted that a number of representatives from the Forum had direct involvement in the IPART driven process to review Hunter Water s current Operating Licence. Emma outlined the proposed changes, which primarily improved clarity around customer rights and responsibilities, and improved rebates and conditions. 4
Reputation Tracking Nick Kaiser, Manager Media and Stakeholders Mr Kaiser presented to the Forum on the results of a trial of monthly corporate reputation tracking, and the lessons gleamed about Hunter Water s customers and broader community. The presentation included a summary of the different views and opinions from different demographics of Hunter Water s customer and community base, including the varying views of young consumers vs older generations, and the views of people living in the more metropolitan LGAs vs those in more rural council areas. BUSINESS ARISING FROM MEETING Item Actions Community Consultative Forum Charter Eagleton Quarry Submission Hunter Water to propose changes to September meeting pending any changes required by its new Operating Licence and Customer Contract It was requested that a copy of the independent review of water assessment Hunter Water had commissioned be circulated. A copy is now available via the Department of Planning and Environment s Major Project website at: http://majorprojects.planning.nsw.gov.au/index.pl?action=view_job&job_id=7332 Use of Digital Technology Port Stephens Gardenland Campvale Canal A future meeting of the CCF to receive a briefing on Hunter Water s Digital Strategy. Given agenda items requested for discussion in September, this is tentatively scheduled for February 2018 Hunter Water to provide updates on developments It was requested that the September Meeting focus on issues specifically related to Port Stephens, including Campvale Canal investigations and a Williamtown PFAS update DETAILS OF NEXT MEETING Cr Dingle was nominated to remain Chair for the September meeting of the Forum. It was agreed that the role of Chair would cycle between members every second meeting. It was requested that the September meeting of the Forum focus on issues related to Port Stephens including Campvale Canal investigations, and Williamtown PFAS update. Cr Melanie Dagg also requested that an update be provided on the provision of Backlog Sewer including at North Rothbury. It was requested that a future meeting be briefed on Hunter Water s understanding of Good Development, and that a future meeting include a tour of Chichester Dam. The next meeting will be held on Tuesday 19 September 2017. MEETING CLOSE Meeting closed at 11.58am. 5