Canterbury Water Management Strategy zone committees roll out progresses

Environment Canterbury council today appointed David Bedford, of North Canterbury, as the regional council representative on the Hurunui-Waiau water management zone committee. The committee is the first of the Canterbury Water Mangement Strategy’s locally-based groups to be set up.

In moving the nomination, commissioner Peter Skelton noted comments in a local newspaper around conflicts of interest. “I am entirely satisfied that commissioner Bedford does not have any conflict of interest in relation to his appointment to the Hurunui-Waiau zone committee.”

Council chief executive Dr Bryan Jenkins went over the issues under the Local Government Act around conflicts of interest. These included the fact that council appointees should not receive any pecuniary benefit from their decision-making, and that the Auditor-General made it very clear that each council representative brought their own experience to the council table. There needed to be no pre-determination in making decisions and in representing the council.

Zone committees are joint committees of the regional council and territorial authorities under the Local Government Act. Members are appointed for three years and community members, as opposed to council representatives, are paid with a nominal stipend and travel expenses covered. They have to live in the zone or have a special relationship with that geographical area. Positions are advertised and expressions of interest called for. Successful people will have the ability to work collaboratively and engage with the community.

Commissioner Donald Couch noted his portfolio commitments to tangata whenua and Ngai Tahu concerns regarding the Canterbury Water Management Strategy. “Details can be dealt with within the process and at zone level,” he said.

The purpose of the zone committees is to develop implementation programmes in their geographical area with strategies to met targets around ecosystem health and biodiversity; the natural character of braided rivers; kaitiakitanga; drinking water; recreational and amenity opportunities; water use efficiency and irrigation land area.

The other members of the Hurunui-Waiau committee are expected to be named in late May or early June, following consideration by an appointment committee. The appointment committee will be made up of two Environment Canterbury representatives, two Hurunui District Council representatives, a runanga representative, and a member of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy’s Water Executive.

Nominations for the Waimakariri water management zone committee have opened with applications due back by Friday, June 18, 2010. Nominations for zone committees in the Selwyn-Waihora and Ashburton zones are expected to be called for within the next month or so.

For further information: http://www.canterburywater.org.nz/overview/ www.canterburywater.org.nz