North Canterbury News: November 24, 2022

Three Waters funding sought
By DAVID HILL
Local Democracy Reporter
The Waimakariri District Council will seek
ThreeWaters funding, while maintaining
its opposition to the proposed reform.
Councillorsvoted unanimously at an
extraordinary meeting on Tuesday,
November 22, to authoriseafunding
application to the Department of Internal
Affairs (DIA) for $5.54 million of ‘‘Better
Off’’funding.
The application was approved with the
insertion of clausesinto the draft funding
agreementdesignedtoprotect thecouncil’s
opposition the government’s proposed
reform programme.
The clauses wereprepared by law firm
Anderson and Lloyd and protect the
council’s membershipoflobby group
Communities 4Local Democracy.
MayorDan Gordonsaid the funding was
agood opportunity for the council to
completesome projects which it would
otherwise not be able to do in the short
term.
The original draft agreementfrom DIA
contained clauses whichappeared to
prevent councilsfrom opposing the reform
agenda.
‘‘They are apparently standard wording
in DIA agreements, so perhaps theyhaven’t
been read closely enough in the past,’’ Mr
Gordon said.‘‘Butthe clauses from
Anderson and Lloyd havepreserved our
principles around Three Waters.’’
Waimakariri District Council strategy,
engagement and economic development
general manager Simon Hart said initial
indications fromDIA staffsuggested the
new clauses may not be acceptable to DIA.
‘‘We sought some advice and we were
givenseveral options, we couldproceed as
planned with the newclauses,orwecould
delete the offendingDIA clauses, we could
just go with the standard agreementornot
proceed at all.’’
Mr Hartsaid the recommendation was to
proceed with the newclauses ‘‘andwecan
always revisit it, if it is rejected’’.
Should the application be successful,the
council will place afocus on climate
change projects.
Elderly persons’ housing, the Kaiapoi to
Woodend cycle way, the Rangiora civic
precinct project and aKāinga Nohoanga
Strategy projectinMaori Reserve 873 were
also included.
Cr Philip Redmond saidhewas initially
going to oppose the funding application,
but changedhis mind on the basis of the
new clauses being inserted.
An assurance from Opposition Three
Waters Spokesperson Simon Watts that
National would not require the money to be
repaid, shoulditwin nextyear’selection,
had alsohelped to sway his vote.
‘‘Weare effectivelyreceiving adeposit
towards our assetsand evenifwe were to
turnthis payment downwewon’t
necessarilylose it, if there is no change of
government.
‘‘But if we don’t acceptitnow and there
is achange of government, the money
probably wouldn’t be offered again.’’
The WaimakaririDistrict Councilis
eligible for up to $22.18 million of ‘‘Better
Off’’ funding, includingupto$5.54 million
in the first tranche.
The ‘‘Better Off’’ funding is for afive­year
programmeand projects wouldbesubject
to finalapproval fromthe council’s utilities
and roadingcommittee and will likely be
consideredaspart of the council’s annual
planprocess.
Publicinterest journalism is funded by
New Zealand on Air.
NEWS
North Canterbury News, November 24, 2022 19
Attention on climate change
By DAVID HILL
Local Democracy Reporter
Environment Canterbury's (ECan)
councillors expressed their individual
commitments to workfor the environment
at the first ordinary meetinglast week.
The environment, climate change, water
quality, public transport,mana whenua
representation and central government
reformwere the common themes,as13
councillorsgave their maiden speeches.
North Canterbury’s Grant Edgesaid his
focus was supporting urbangrowth,
transport initiatives, and the development
of integrated approachesto‘‘whole of
catchment systems’’ as ECan developsan
integrated planby2024.
‘‘Our rivermanagement transition from
the status quo ‘protection philosophy’ to a
climate adaptive multi­values approach
requires urgent actioninthe faceof
increased frequency and intensity of storm
events.’’
Cr Edge said he believed integrating aTe
Ao Māori indigenousworld viewinto
ECan’splanning process would capture
Tangata Whenuaand Tangata Tiriti values
and ensure they were understood.
Such acollaborative approach lined up
with Environment Minister DavidParker’s
sentiments when he announced legislation
to replacethe Resource Management Act
last week.
‘‘[Minister Parker] said he hopes that Te
OrangaoTeTaiao (thehealthand
wellbeing of the environment) will be at the
heart of the new Natural and Built
Environments Bill.
‘‘Te Oranga oTeTaiaoplaces greater
emphasis on understanding the
interconnectionsbetween different parts of
the environment, including people.’’
Cr Greg Byrnes spoke of his ‘‘love’’ for the
environment, while Cr Joe Davies reflected
on Canterbury’s early settlers who landed
at Lyttelton in December 1850.
NgāiTahu councillor Iaean Cranwell
Cr Grant Edge
addressed the chamber in Māori, while Cr
Tutehounuku Korako saidthere needed to
be ‘‘a common vision for both Mana
Whenua and TangataTiriti communities’’.
Cr CraigPauling, in the chairinthe
absence of Cr Peter Scott, said the new
council term offered‘‘our greatest
opportunity to honour our commitment to
the environment’’.
Cr Scott, Mid­Canterbury councillor Ian
Mackenzieand North Canterbury’s Claire
McKaywill make theirspeechesatthe
Decembermeeting.
Councillorsalso voted on council
appointmentswith placesontwo
committees beingcontested.
Voting for the audit, finance and risk
committee saw adeadlock, with the final
two spots on the committee drawn out of a
container.Avote for chairperson, saw Cr
Edge defeat Cr Sunckell by eightvotes to
seven.
Voting for the two positions on the
Greater Christchurch Partnership
Committeesaw CrsEdgeand Southworth
defeat Cr Swiggs by asinglevote.CrScott
was also appointedasECan chairperson.
Therewill be more appointments made at
the December meeting.
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