Scoop has an Ethical Paywall
Work smarter with a Pro licence Learn More

Local Govt | National News Video | Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Search

 

ORC adopts 2017-18 Annual Plan

ORC adopts 2017-18 Annual Plan

Significant investment in emergency management capability across Otago has been confirmed with the adoption of the Otago Regional Council’s annual plan today.

ORC Chairman Stephen Woodhead said that the proposal to allocate additional resources to making Otago more resilient received strong support from the community during the consultation undertaken earlier this year.

“The Alpine Fault is just one of the natural hazards that exist in our region,” he said during the Council’s debate on the annual plan adoption. “Our community needs to be better prepared for all kinds of disruptive events. We are building on the establishment of Emergency Management Otago last year to support this important work.”

Instead of district and city councils each employing their own emergency management officers, the staff are now employed by ORC but continue to be based in the districts. ORC will collect a uniform targeted rate of $25.89 to meet this cost and fund Emergency Management Otago’s increased activity in 2017-18.

The Council also voted to confirm funding for a new subsidised public bus service in the Wakatipu that will provide cheap and convenient transport options for residents and visitors.

ORC’s contribution boosts funding already confirmed by Queenstown Lakes District Council and the NZ Transport Agency. It enables more frequent services linking communities across the Wakatipu, with extended hours and a trial of $2 fares.

Cr Woodhead said that ORC had brought forward its scheduled review of passenger transport in the Wakatipu in response to the district’s rapid growth, to ensure there was “a fit for purpose subsidised public transport system”.

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading

Are you getting our free newsletter?

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.

The Council had also responded to community requests for a permanent and full-time staff presence in the Queenstown area, and would be looking for premises to reopen an office there, supplementing staff already based permanently in Alexandra, Cromwell and Wanaka.

Cr Woodhead said the Council was delighted to have received 825 submissions, which were considered by the hearings panel. He said that the plan adopted today reflected the community’s preferences expressed through the consultation process, and the “turning tide” of acceptance that the Council had to be more active in water management.

Rural water quality limits come into force in 2020 and deemed permits (permits to take water) expiring in 2021.

By 2020 rural landholders need to limit the amount of E.coli, nitrogen, and phosphorous going into waterways, To support them and monitor progress, a programme of environmental risk assessments on rural properties over the next three years will start in 2017-18.

ORC also plans to accelerate its minimum flow-setting process to have all minimum flows needed for the replacement of deemed permits set by 2019.

Cr Woodhead said minimum flows ensure that economic use of water continues while enough water remains in the region’s rivers. The flow-setting process would give irrigators certainty on how much water is available for their use.

“The wider community can also be assured that recreational, cultural and ecological values will be protected as a result of this process,” Cr Woodhead said.

“This annual plan is showing that we are adapting to the community’s needs. We are not here to please everybody but overall we have moved a significant distance. Where there are needs, we are anticipating, we are reacting and we are resourcing up.”

The Annual Plan also includes additional funding for research into lake snow, scoping work for the restoration of Lake Hayes, Tomahawk Lagoon, and Lake Tuakitoto; and the continuation of the wallaby control work to prevent the pest animal becoming established in Otago.

The cost of the additional activity is being offset by a $1.5 million special dividend this year from Port Otago in addition to the $7.5 million they were already providing.
ENDS

© Scoop Media

Advertisement - scroll to continue reading
 
 
 
Parliament Headlines | Politics Headlines | Regional Headlines



Gordon Campbell: On Dune 2, And Images Of Islam


Depictions of Islam in Western popular culture have rarely been positive, even before 9/11. Five years on from the mosque shootings, this is one of the cultural headwinds that the Muslim community has to battle against. Whatever messages of tolerance and inclusion are offered in daylight, much of our culture tends to be hostile to Islam when we’re sitting in the dark, with popcorn.
Any number of movie examples come to mind, beginning with Rudolf Valentino’s role (over a century ago) as the romantic Arab hero in The Sheik...
More


 
 


Government: One-stop Shop Major Projects On The Fast Track

The Coalition Government’s new one-stop-shop fast track consenting regime for regional and national projects of significance will cut red tape and make it easier for New Zealand to build the infrastructure and major projects needed to get the country moving again... More

ALSO:


Government: GPS 2024: Over $20 Billion To Get Transport Back On Track
Transport Minister Simeon Brown has released the draft Government Policy Statement (GPS) on Land Transport, outlining the Coalition Government’s plan to build and maintain a transport system that enables people to get to where they need to go quickly and safely... More

ALSO:

Government: Humanitarian Support For Gaza & West Bank

Winston Peters has announced NZ is providing a further $5M to respond to the extreme humanitarian need in Gaza and the West Bank. “The impact of the Israel-Hamas conflict on civilians is absolutely appalling," he said... More


Government: New High Court Judge Appointed

Judith Collins has announced the appointment of Wellington Barrister Jason Scott McHerron as a High Court Judge. Justice McHerron graduated from the University of Otago with a BA in English Literature in 1994 and an LLB in 1996... More

 
 
 
 
 
 

LATEST HEADLINES

  • PARLIAMENT
  • POLITICS
  • REGIONAL
 
 

InfoPages News Channels


 
 
 
 

Join Our Free Newsletter

Subscribe to Scoop’s 'The Catch Up' our free weekly newsletter sent to your inbox every Monday with stories from across our network.