MEDIA ADVISORY
18 February 2013

Banks Peninsula Zone Committee Focused on Finalising Zip

The Canterbury Water Banks Peninsula Zone Committee will meet for its first monthly public meeting for the year on Tuesday, 19 February, in Akaroa.

The committee will begin the meeting by offering members of the public a chance to contribute to the meeting before receiving an update from the Regional Committee, which considers regional issues of environmental restoration and repair; land use impacts on water quality; as well as water storage, distribution and efficiency options.

A key focus for Tuesday’s meeting will be on finalising its draft Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for water management to present to councils.

The ZIP includes ten chapters, with each chapter focussing on a different priority area for water management. Its recommendations are designed to enable present and future generations the greatest environmental, cultural, social and economic benefits from the region’s water.

At its meeting in December last year, the committee considered the community and stakeholder feedback it received via public meetings and on-line submissions.

The committee will then receive a presentation on the projects receiving support from the Immediate Steps Biodiversity fund, which is administered by the committee, and consider new projects to receive funding.

Next, the committee will discuss the process and timing for appointment of community members as each committee three year tenure comes to an end.

Environment Canterbury, the relevant Territorial Authority, and Ngai Tahu will make recommendations to the Canterbury Mayoral Forum on how the committees should be structured, after feedback has been sought from zone committee members.

Following this, the committee will receive a report from Environment Canterbury regarding the Wairewa Sub-Regional Chapter. The committee will be asked to consider the formation of a working party to focus on the development of the Wairewa Sub-Regional Chapter that will feed in to Environment Canterbury’s proposed Land and Water Regional Plan.

The committee will finish the meeting by receiving a presentation on Environment Canterbury’s Natural Environment Recovery Plan (NERP) and how it relates to the Banks Peninsula Zone Implementation Programme.

NERP is being led by Environment Canterbury in partnership with CERA, Ngai Tahu, Ngā Papatipu Rūnanga, CDHB, DoC, and Territorial Authorities. It will contribute to a number of CERA’s earthquake Recovery Strategy’s goals, and engage multiple stakeholders.

It will be based on evidence and information collated from research, investigations and monitoring, and from groups and individuals in the community. The committee will discuss NERP in the context of the Banks Peninsula ZIP.

The Banks Peninsula Zone Committee typically meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Zone Committee meetings are open to the public.

Meeting details
Banks Peninsula Zone Committee meeting
4pm, Tuesday, 19 February.
Akaroa Sports Complex, 28 Rue Jolie, Akaroa

Link to agenda: http://ecan.govt.nz/publications/Council/bp-water-mgmt-committee-agenda-19-02-2013.pdf

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