Cyclone Gabrielle: Government proposes cost-sharing arrangement with councils

Owners of Category 3 properties will be offered a voluntary buyout. Photo / Paul Taylor

Hawke’s Bay’s five councils will hold a series of extraordinary meetings this week to confirm if they want to accept a cyclone recovery cost-sharing agreement with the Government.

Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson announced plans for voluntary Category 3 property buyouts, flood protection and transport infrastructure repairs on Monday.

The announcement came without specifics, other than that councils “will now be asked to ratify the package”.

In a subsequent joint press release, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, Napier City Council, Hastings District Council, Wairoa District Council and Central Hawke’s Bay District Council confirmed they will now consider the cost-sharing offer.

“As the offer from the Crown would provide funding support to all five councils, the region will need to unanimously agree for the deal to be finalised,” the joint release said.

There were no mentions of estimated costs or who would be paying for what.

“Even with the support of Government funding, some councils will need to engage with their communities on the package, including where they need to consider the voluntary buyout of Category 3 residential properties,” the release continued.

“If the Crown’s offer is accepted, the priority for the region will be on establishing a team to work directly with those impacted property owners who wish to take up the voluntary buyout offer.”

Neither the Government nor the councils could provide a definite timeline for what happens from here. But there would be “a significant focus” on providing clarity for those people with Category 3 properties “over the coming weeks”.