Zone and Regional Water Management Committees get the Green Light

The Mayoral Forum, at its meeting yesterday, gave a green light for the introduction of zone and regional water management committees proposed by the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.

Since recommending formation of the committees in its November strategy document, the Strategy Steering Group has since worked up the operational detail.

“These committees are the backbone of the Strategy and will comprise local people seeking local solutions for the best use of the water resource,” says Bede O’Malley, chairman of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy Steering Group and Mayor of Ashburton.

“The local councils want to get zones in their areas up and running quickly and the Mayoral Forum wants to support their enthusiasm to move forward.

“The Mayoral Forum believes that this collaborative, community-driven approach is the way to go. We need to bring stakeholders together and move past the traditional conflicts. The Canterbury Water Management Strategy does this,” he says.

No decision has been made about which zones are likely to be the first away. Several areas have expressed an interest in starting promptly.

“We want to reward their enthusiasm and once resources are in place we will be encouraging them to get on with things,” he says.

The Mayoral Forum has also endorsed the work of the Steering Group - a multi-stakeholder group that has done much of the development work on the Canterbury Management Strategy over the last two year.

“The Forum is looking to have this group remain together working on the Strategy through to the completion of its development phase,” he says.

In making these decisions the Mayoral Forum has taken account of the recently published review of ECan which recommends the formation of a Canterbury Regional Water Authority.

Mayoral Forum chair and Christchurch City Mayor, Bob Parker said that the decision to proceed was unanimous amongst the mayors.

“The Canterbury Water Management Strategy has been a priority for us for some time now. Whatever is eventually decided about the Water Authority proposal, we believe the planning that will take place through the zone and regional committees is absolutely essential. It is a vital building block and will not close of any future structural options.

“At this point we are agreeing the authorisation of the zones and regional committees to get underway. The actual authorisation will come from the local councils in each zone area together with the regional council.

“The Steering Group, on our behalf, is currently examining, in depth, how the implementation programmes these committees produce will be authorised. This includes complex RMA-related issues. We have been of the view for some time that there is a need for legislation and have been working on its development. We are very pleased to see that Government is also thinking the same way.

“I’m also pleased that now all but one of the councils of the region have individually endorsed the strategy. I am hopeful that the last one will do so very soon. They will have a major role in the success of their local zone groups and their enthusiasm to make them work is very encouraging.

“In endorsing the Strategy they are also supporting its thrust, which includes recognition of the Strategy’s Fundamental Principles and the four well-beings – cultural, economic, environmental and social – contained in them. We want to be clear that we are supporting a balanced approach to development that is at the heart of the Strategy,” he says.

The mayors expect to have a close working relationship with Central Government over the coming months as the programme rolls out and decisions are made following the Environment Canterbury review.

These matters are very important and require our close attention says Mayor Parker.

ENDS

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