Walking the Talk on Sustainability

For the first time, the Waitaki District Council has addressed the big sustainability issue in their plans for the future. They are walking the talk with a workshop for elected members and managers on Wednesday 8 April.

Mayor Alex Familton, who will be opening the workshop, is pleased about the range and calibre of speakers who will be presenting. “These people have come from all over the country to respond to a request from Council that we would like to hear more of the science around issues of sustainability, and that we are ready to listen and engage”.

Late last year Council put a team in place to look at ways of engaging with the community on topics such as climate change, peak oil, water shortage, etc. Tanya Winter has been working with Dugald McTavish from Hampden Energy Group to put the workshop together. She explains, “This workshop is the start of a process. It will provide an opportunity for Council staff and elected members to hear from some experts in their fields, and to ask questions and seek clarification before deciding how to engage the wider community”. Ms Winter says this workshop is a prelude to a wider community forum to be held later this year.

The morning will include presentations from scientists, an engineer and a geologist. It will move on to a solutions approach in the afternoon under the theme “Looking for a way through”, where Councillor Chrissie Williams from Christchurch City Council will be accompanied by Tony Moore, CCC’s Sustainability Advisor. They will present a case study on their Council’s approach to a developing sustainability plan.

The day will finish off with a practical session which looks closer to home and what it all means for the Waitaki District.