Our COVID recovery

Council’s COVID-19 Recovery Plan is well underway, with a wide range of support for the community undertaken or committed to.

Highlights

An Urban Centres Recovery Fund of $150,000 was established with funding allocated to the Hastings Business Association ($100,000), Havelock North Business Association ($40,000) and Flaxmere Retail Association ($10,000).

The Flaxmere Town Centre development plan is underway and a consultation process with the community is being worked on.

Council contributed $200,000 to the Hawke’s Bay Drought Recovery Fund with other support from the Crown, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, CHB District Council and Centralines creating a $1m fund to support drought-affected farmers.
Council continues to explore external funding opportunities as part of the government’s COVID-19 stimulus package.

Funding confirmed to-date includes:

• $9.3m for transport improvements including SH51 (Waipatu), safety improvements and new path/cycleways, creating the project “Jobs for Heretaunga” with a commitment to generating 158 jobs in relation to these works. The improvements to SH51 (Waipatu) have been long advocated by Council as necessary improvements to this section of the State Highway network.
• $130m announced for Hawke’s Bay as part of the Covid Response and Recovery Fund with $20m towards an inland port at Whakatu being the first project to be announced from this funding allocation.
• $27m signalled for Hawke’s Bay three waters. The allocation to Hastings is yet to be determined.

Council has adopted an Arts, Culture and Events Recovery Plan and allocated up to $300,000 for the delivery of programmes and events, the purchase of equipment and technology and installations. A significant investment in making Hastings a centre point for the celebration of Christmas is one of the key features of this plan.

Work is underway to develop a virtual rangatahi co-lab, a virtual space that connects our young people to services including information on health and wellbeing, cooking, education and employment, and events.
A Rapid Relief Fund was established during lockdown with $100,000 allocated for disbursement to organisations supporting the community through this difficult time. $65,000 was allocated to 14 organisations with about $20,000 claimed back from the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management.

An application has been made to the PGF for renovations to six of the district’s rural halls totalling $156,000, and an application was also made to the Marae Renovation Fund in conjunction with Te Taiwhenua o Heretaunga for $4.17m for the 18 Hawke’s Bay marae. A decision on the success or otherwise of this application is pending.

Council in partnership with Napier City Council and the Crown as shareholders in Hawke’s Bay Airport Limited announced $9m of shareholder loans to support the company through this difficult time and to enable the terminal expansion to be completed. Hastings’ share of this loan was $2.16m.

3 August 2020

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