24 Jul 2018

Council stands by environmental record despite community criticism

11:43 am on 24 July 2018

A lower North Island council is so confident of its environmental track record it would welcome a government inquiry, despite complaints about water quality.

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Photo: 123RF

Horizons (Manawatu-Wanganui) Regional Council chairman Bruce Gordon said they had cracked down, having successfully prosecuted a number of polluters.

However, some Horowhenua locals are so concerned with the poor water quality they have written to Environment Minister David Parker asking him to install an independent commissioner at the council.

"I would welcome minister Parker to send people in to look at the way in which we do our business, to see if elected members have failed in any way whatsoever, and if we have by all means appoint a commissioner," Mr Gordon said.

Some people from Horowhenua said their request to the minister was a last resort after having been ignored by the council.

Mr Gordon said the council was doing everything it could to help the community but it was not being helped by the community itself.

Rachel Keedwell, the Palmerston North councillor for Horizons, said business and farming interests were well-represented on councils but the environment was not.

"We do need to do a bit more work, so I don't know how an independent commissioner would work if they're only one voice," Dr Keedwell said.

"But in terms of an independent viewpoint of watching what's going on, I don't see that as being a bad thing."

She would like to see the council take more environmental action.

First-term councillor for Whanganui, Nicola Patrick, was also unsure what having an independent commissioner could mean.

She understood members of the community needed a voice they could trust on the regional council when it came to environmental matters.

"We need to listen hard to these messages of the need for improvement."

Tararua councillor John Barrow said having an independent commissioner would be an advantage if from a neutral position.

"I suspect the commissioners will not alter anything because at the end of the day we're elected to represent the communities and the best interest of those communities and that largely falls down to the economic wellbeing."

Mr Parker was not considering putting in an independent commissioner but last month met with the council, Fish and Game and the Environmental Defence Society.