Southern tour ECan councillors

Environment Canterbury councillors have headed south today, for the first of a number of tours throughout the Canterbury region. The region runs from Kaikoura District to the Waitaki catchment.

Chairman Sir Kerry Burke said the council would spend three days on tour in South Canterbury, concluding with a full council meeting to be held in Timaru Thursday afternoon (March 6). Further tours around the region have been planned with a northern tour taking place later in the month.

With a number of new councillors around the table following last year's local body elections, Sir Kerry said the priority was for councillors to meet representatives of agencies ECan was working with.

"Throughout Canterbury the regional council is working increasingly closely with local communities and organisations. In recent years the pressures on natural resources and complexity of the issues has grown to the point where a higher degree of co-operation is required among the communities and various agencies involved."

It was also important that regional council representatives from outside South Canterbury had an understanding of the council's activities in the area.

Following a visit to Arowhenua Marae on Tuesday, the council heads up to Lake Tekapo, visiting Raincliff Station and Lake Opuha. Their itinerary then includes the proposed Tekapo Regional Park and briefings on rabbits, wilding conifers and water issues. After travelling down the Waitaki River they will stop at Waimate, before heading to Timaru for further site visits on Thursday. They will also visit the Fonterra site at Clandeboye.

For further information: Sir Kerry Burke, ECan Chairman, 027 542 5848, or 03 355 8104 or ECan South Canterbury Crs Bronwen Murray 027 206 2878 or Mark Oldfield 0274 374 360.