Councils’ united approach to flood recovery earns national award

A cross-council programme that supported flood-affected Hawke’s Bay residents to make unavoidable life-changing decisions after Cyclone Gabrielle has won a national award for collaboration.

The Hastings and Napier Voluntary Buy-out Programme (VBO) - a joint initiative by Hastings District Council, Napier City Council and Hawke’s Bay Regional Council - received the Taituarā Local Government Excellence Award for Collaboration at a ceremony last night.

The programme, which provided a pathway for homeowners in Category 3 flood zones to relocate, was the first of its kind in New Zealand, and the first to be fully implemented and completed. It has since become the national template for similar recovery programmes in other regions including Auckland, Gisborne, Nelson, and Wairarapa.

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the award recognised what councils could achieve when they worked together for their people.

“Councils don’t do this kind of work for the accolades, and we know that not every step of the way has felt right to every person affected. But this award recognises the enormous efforts of our teams to design and deliver a fair, fast, and compassionate programme – one that’s now helping other councils avoid starting from scratch. That saves time, stress, and money for all involved,” Mrs Hazlehurst said.

“From the beginning, our focus was on helping people move forward with clarity and dignity. That’s why we moved quickly; because we knew our residents couldn’t begin to rebuild their lives until they had certainty about what came next. The speed and thoroughness of the VBO process reflected the urgency and seriousness of the situation.”

The programme was built around a clear, replicable four-phase process (Information, Valuation, Offer, Completion) and relied heavily on personalised, face-to-face engagement. The appointment of dedicated Category 3 connectors to support each household was seen as a critical factor in the programme’s success and is now being adopted elsewhere.

Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said the programme stood out not just for what it achieved, but for how it was delivered. “This was a regionally-led response that succeeded because it was collaborative, empathetic, and action-focused. I’m proud that our work is helping shape best practice for future disaster recovery in Aotearoa New Zealand,” she said.

Hawke’s Bay Regional Council developed a robust land classification process, providing the foundation for the programme. It provided rapid, rigorous assessments to guide the categorisation of properties; work that helped give homeowners confidence in the decisions being made.

The awards, run annually by Taituarā - Local Government Professionals Aotearoa,aim to share innovation and success across the sector, encouraging councils to learn from one another rather than reinventing the wheel.

“Ultimately, that benefits ratepayers across the country,” said Mrs Hazlehurst. “We hope the VBO continues to serve as a useful model for others, even as we remain focused on what’s still ahead here in Hawke’s Bay.”

13 June 2025

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