Silt Recovery Taskforce wins national award for collaboration excellence

The Silt Recovery Taskforce has received the Collaboration Excellence Award at the Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) Awards, recognising local government staff who are effectively collaborating regionally or nationally with other councils to deliver projects.

 The award also recognised efforts made to build partnerships and manage relationships.

 A joint initiative of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Hastings District Council, the taskforce demonstrated exceptional teamwork and industry collaboration in managing silt and debris recovery across Hawke's Bay.

 It established silt sites, worked closely with landowners, contractors, central and local government, local officials and broader impacted regional councils and industry, all sharing learnings with industry groups.

 Regional Council Chair Hinewai Ormsby says the award is a testament to the region as a whole.

 “This award reflects the extreme circumstances our community needed to overcome, and demanded radical collaboration and courage to work differently in the face of adversity.”

 Hastings District Council Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst congratulated everyone involved in the project.

 “This has been an enormous task that was badly needed to help our impacted communities deal with the enormity of the damage inflicted by the cyclone.

 Silt Recovery Taskforce Lead Darren de Klerk says he is extremely proud of the work achieved by the taskforce.

 “We have 15 jobs left and have moved nearly 2,400,000 cubic metres of silt and that’s taken a dedicated multi agency team effort. As we near the end, of what was a massive job, I want to thank everyone involved along with the community for their patience and support.”

The taskforce achieved notable outcomes, including:

• Supporting over 50 community meetings and direct engagement with affected landowners.

• Repurposing materials like orchard posts, concrete, and green waste for future use. Almost 12,500 broken orchard and vineyard fenceposts found new homes.

• Sharing expertise with national groups such as Wasteminz, Waikato Civil Defence, and the Gisborne District.

• Developing innovative solutions, including land recontouring, topsoil creation, and recycling water tanks.

• Establishing zones and networks of contractors both supporting the Silt Taskforce and landowners individually.

The taskforce’s efforts not only restored landscapes but also provided employment, strengthened community ties, and contributed valuable lessons for disaster recovery across Aotearoa.

26 November 2024

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