Canterbury Regional Council
Encyclopedia
| Environment Canterbury Canterbury Regional Council |
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| Country: | New Zealand New Zealand New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga... |
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| Regional Council | |
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| Name: | Environment Canterbury |
| Chair: | Margaret Bazley Margaret Bazley Dame Margaret Bazley DNZM is a distinguished New Zealand public servant.-Career:Bazley commenced her career as a nurse, rising from a position as a charge nurse at Tokanui Hospital, Te Awamutu in 1961 to Director, division of nursing, Department of Health in 1978, a position she held until 1984.In... |
| Population: | |
| Land Area: | 44,638 km² |
| Website: | http://www.ecan.govt.nz |
| Cities and Towns | |
| Cities: | Christchurch, Timaru |
| Towns: | Kaikoura, Ashburton, Leeston, Rolleston, Fairlie, Temuka, Methven, Rakaia, Geraldine, Rangiora, Oxford |
| Constituent Territorial Authorities | |
| Names: | Christchurch Christchurch Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of... Hurunui District Hurunui District The Hurunui District is a political district on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island, north of Christchurch, New Zealand. It forms part of the Canterbury region and stretches from the east coast to the main divide. Its land area is .... Kaikoura District Ashburton District Ashburton, New Zealand Ashburton is a town and district in the Canterbury Region on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the third-largest centre in Canterbury, after Christchurch and Timaru. The area around Ashburton is frequently referred to as Mid Canterbury, which is also the name of the... Timaru District Timaru TimaruUrban AreaPopulation:27,200Extent:Former Timaru City CouncilTerritorial AuthorityName:Timaru District CouncilPopulation:42,867 Land area:2,736.54 km² Mayor:Janie AnnearWebsite:... Mackenzie District Mackenzie District Mackenzie District is a political district in New Zealand's South Island. It is part of the larger Canterbury Region.-Principal settlements:*Fairlie*Twizel*Cave*Mount Cook Village*Albury*TekapoAlso*Burkes Pass-Geography:See Mackenzie Basin,... Selwyn District Selwyn District The Selwyn District is a predominantly rural area in central Canterbury, on the east coast of New Zealand's South Island. It is named after the Selwyn River, which is in turn named after Bishop George Selwyn, the first Anglican bishop of New Zealand who, in 1843 and 1844, travelled the length of... Waimate District Waimate WaimateUrban AreaPopulation:2,835 Extent:Territorial AuthorityName:Waimate District CouncilPopulation:7,206 Land area:3,582.19 km² Mayor:John ColesWebsite:... Waimakariri District Waimakariri District The Waimakariri District is a political district of New Zealand, located in the South Island, on the eastern coast of north Canterbury. It is north of Christchurch and the Waimakariri River and is a part of the greater Canterbury region. The name is Māori for cold river.The district was established... Waitaki District Waitaki District The Waitaki district, in the Canterbury and Otago regions of New Zealand, straddles the traditional border between the two regions, the Waitaki River. It has a land area of 7,151.94 km² , divided 59.28% to Canterbury Region and 40.72% to Otago Region. It is the only district on the South... (part) |
| Websites: | http://www.ccc.govt.nz http://www.hurunuidc.govt.nz http://www.kaikoura.govt.nz http://www.ashburtondc.govt.nz http://www.timaru.govt.nz http://www.mackenzie.govt.nz http://www.selwyn.govt.nz http://www.waimatedc.govt.nz http://www.waimakariri.govt.nz http://www.waitaki.govt.nz |
Canterbury Regional Council is the regional council
Regions of New Zealand
The region is the top tier of local government in New Zealand. There are 16 regions of New Zealand. Eleven are governed by an elected regional council, while five are governed by territorial authorities which also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities...
for Canterbury, the largest region in the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. It is part of New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's structure of local government. It uses the promotional name Environment Canterbury, frequently abbreviated to 'ECan'.
Geographic coverage and responsibilities
Its main office is in ChristchurchChristchurch
Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's second-largest urban area after Auckland. It lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula which itself, since 2006, lies within the formal limits of...
with smaller offices in Timaru and Kaikoura. The area of its jurisdiction consists of all the river catchments on the east coast of the South Island from the Clarence River, north of Kaikoura
Kaikoura
Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 180 km north of Christchurch.Kaikoura became the first local authority to reach the Green Globe tourism certification standard....
, to the Waitaki River
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large river in the South Island of New Zealand, some 110 km long. It is the major river of the Mackenzie Basin.It is a braided river which flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki. These are ultimately fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo,...
, in South Canterbury. The region includes the Canterbury Plains
Canterbury Plains
The Canterbury Plains are an area in New Zealand centred to the south of the city of Christchurch in the Canterbury Region. Their northern extremes are at the foot of the Hundalee Hills in the Hurunui District, and in the south they merge into the plains of North Otago beyond the Waitaki...
, north and south Canterbury
Canterbury, New Zealand
The New Zealand region of Canterbury is mainly composed of the Canterbury Plains and the surrounding mountains. Its main city, Christchurch, hosts the main office of the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Regional Council - called Environment Canterbury - and the University of Canterbury.-...
, the major braided river
Braided river
A braided river is one of a number of channel types and has a channel that consists of a network of small channels separated by small and often temporary islands called braid bars or, in British usage, aits or eyots. Braided streams occur in rivers with high slope and/or large sediment load...
s of the South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
, (the Waimakariri River
Waimakariri River
The Waimakariri River is the largest of the North Canterbury rivers, in the South Island of New Zealand. It flows for 151 kilometres in a generally southeastward direction from the Southern Alps across the Canterbury Plains to the Pacific Ocean....
, the Rakaia River
Rakaia River
The Rakaia River is in the Canterbury Plains in New Zealand's South Island. The Rakaia River is one of the largest braided rivers in New Zealand...
and the Rangitata River
Rangitata River
The Rangitata River is one of the braided rivers that helped form the Canterbury Plains in southern New Zealand. It flows southeast for 120 kilometres from the Southern Alps, entering the Pacific Ocean 30 kilometres northeast of Timaru...
) the Mackenzie Basin
Mackenzie Basin
The Mackenzie Basin , is an elliptical intermontane basin, located in the Mackenzie and Waitaki Districts, near the centre of the South Island of New Zealand. It is the largest such basin in New Zealand...
and the Waitaki River
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large river in the South Island of New Zealand, some 110 km long. It is the major river of the Mackenzie Basin.It is a braided river which flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki. These are ultimately fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo,...
.
The Canterbury Regional Council is responsible for a wide variety of functions including public passenger transport, regional biosecurity, river engineering, environmental monitoring and investigations, regional policy and planning and for considering applications for certain resource consent
Resource consent
A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act . Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans...
s - land use consents (including beds of waterbodies), coastal permits, water permits, and discharge permits. Canterbury Regional Council has strategic responsibilities for air, water and transport.
Last councillors
Canterbury Regional Council was governed by 14 elected councillors who were elected on a first-past-the-post basis from eight regional constituencies.On 24 September 2009, Alec Neill
Alec Neill
Alexander George Neill is the former Chairman of the Canterbury Regional Council and a former New Zealand National Party politician. He was an Electorate Member of Parliament from 1990 to 1996, and a List Member for two terms in 1999, and from 2001 to 2002. He was born in Dunedin, and attended St...
became Chairman after the previous Chairman, Sir Kerry Burke
Kerry Burke
Sir Thomas Kerry Burke served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1987 to 1990. He was a member of the Labour Party, and served throughout the second term of the Fourth Labour Government.-Early life:...
, lost a motion of no confidence adopted 8 votes for to 6 against from the other councillors. Burke remained a regional councillor
Sir Kerry Burke had been re-elected chairperson in October 2007. The councillors' vote was initially tied between Burke and Alec Neill. Sir Kerry Burke has been an elected councillor since 1998 and was the Chairman from 2004.
In the October 2007 local government elections
New Zealand local elections, 2007
Triennial elections for all 73 cities, districts, twelve Regional Councils and all District Health Boards in New Zealand were held on 13 October 2007...
, four new regional councillors were elected on platforms promoting better management of water resources and opposition to the Central Plains Water
Central Plains Water
Central Plains Water, or, more fully, the Central Plains Water Enhancement Scheme, is a large-scale proposal for water diversion, damming, reticulation and irrigation for the Central Plains of Canterbury, New Zealand....
scheme. The four were: David Sutherland and Rik Tindall, who stood as "Save Our Water" candidates, and independent candidates Jane Demeter and Eugenie Sage
Eugenie Sage
Eugenie Sage is a New Zealand politician and environmentalist. Since the , she is representing the Green Party in Parliament.-Political career:...
.
The other councillors were Mark Oldfield, Bronwen Murray (South Canterbury Constituency), Ross Little, Jo Kane, (North Canterbury), Carole Evans (Christchurch North), Pat Harrow, Alec Neill
Alec Neill
Alexander George Neill is the former Chairman of the Canterbury Regional Council and a former New Zealand National Party politician. He was an Electorate Member of Parliament from 1990 to 1996, and a List Member for two terms in 1999, and from 2001 to 2002. He was born in Dunedin, and attended St...
(Christchurch West), and Bob Kirk and Sir Kerry Burke
Kerry Burke
Sir Thomas Kerry Burke served as Speaker of the New Zealand House of Representatives from 1987 to 1990. He was a member of the Labour Party, and served throughout the second term of the Fourth Labour Government.-Early life:...
(Christchurch South).
Richard Budd, a long-serving regional councillor, lost the Christchurch East ward to Sutherland and Tindall
Commissioners
In March 2010, the Government sacked the ECan councillors and replaced them with commissioners:- Margaret BazleyMargaret BazleyDame Margaret Bazley DNZM is a distinguished New Zealand public servant.-Career:Bazley commenced her career as a nurse, rising from a position as a charge nurse at Tokanui Hospital, Te Awamutu in 1961 to Director, division of nursing, Department of Health in 1978, a position she held until 1984.In...
(Chair) - Hon. David CaygillDavid CaygillDavid Caygill, CBE is a former New Zealand politician. After being New Zealand's youngest city councillor at 22 , he was an MP from 1978 to 1996, representing the Labour Party...
(Deputy Chair) - David Bedford
- Donald Couch
- Tom Lambie
- Professor Peter Skelton
- Rex Williams
The commissioners held their first public meeting on 6 May 2010.
Chief Executive
Dr. Bryan JenkinsBryan Jenkins
Dr Bryan Jenkins is an Australian environmental planner. He has a Ph.D in environmental planning from Stanford University, a Master's degree in civil engineering from Adelaide University and a Master of Administration from Monash University.-Biography:...
has been the chief executive since June 2003. Dr Jenkin's contract was for a term of five years. Canterbury Regional Council was required by the Local Government Act 2002 to have a contestable process with external applicants in order for Dr Jenkins to apply for another five year term. On 17 March 2008, Sir Kerry Burke released a media statement that Dr Jenkins had been reappointed for a further term of five years.
Regional Policy Statement
The Canterbury Regional Policy Statement became operative in 1998.In 2006, a mandatory 10-year review of the Regional Policy Statement commenced.
Regional Plans and Water Conservation Orders
Canterbury has the following 'operative' regional plans.- The Natural Resources Regional Plan (NRRP)
- Canterbury Regional Council Transitional Regional Plan, October 1991.
- Transitional Regional Plan for Nelson-Marlborough Region
- Waimakariri River Regional Plan
- Opihi River Regional Plan
- Waitaki Catchment Water Allocation Regional Plan
The Natural Resources Regional Plan (PNRRP) proceeded in two stages. Chapters 1 to 3 (Overview, Ngai Tahu and Air Quality) were publicly notified in June 2002. Chapters 4-8 were publicly notified in July 2004. Chapters 1 to 3 were decided on in September 2007 and some aspects of this large and detailed plan were appealed to the Environment Court. Hearings into Chapters 4-8 started in late 2007 and continued throughout 2008. The Canterbury Natural Resources Regional Plan chapters on Ngai Tahu and natural resources, air quality, water quality, water quantity, beds of lakes and rivers, wetlands and soil conservation were operative from 11 June 2011, replacing the older Canterbury Regional Council Transitional Regional Plan (October 1991), which was a collection of rules and bylaws predating the Resource Management Act 1991, and was the operative plan for most of the region, except the Waitaki catchment
Waitaki River
The Waitaki River is a large river in the South Island of New Zealand, some 110 km long. It is the major river of the Mackenzie Basin.It is a braided river which flows through Lake Benmore, Lake Aviemore and Lake Waitaki. These are ultimately fed by three large glacial lakes, Pukaki, Tekapo,...
and the Kaikoura
Kaikoura
Kaikoura is a town on the east coast of the South Island of New Zealand. It is located on State Highway 1 180 km north of Christchurch.Kaikoura became the first local authority to reach the Green Globe tourism certification standard....
area.
There are also four Water Conservation Order
Water Conservation Order
A water conservation order is a legal ruling to protect aspects of water bodies. It may be to protect the quantity of the water itself or for any issues relating to the water body as a whole.-New Zealand:...
s (WCOs) that apply in Canterbury: the Rakaia River WCO, the Lake Ellesmere (Te Waihora) WCO, the Rangitata WCO and the Ahuriri River WCO.
Resource consents
Canterbury Regional Council issues and supervises the most resource consentResource consent
A resource consent is the authorisation given to certain activities or uses of natural and physical resources required under the New Zealand Resource Management Act . Some activities may either be specifically authorised by the RMA or be permitted activities authorised by rules in plans...
s under the Resource Management Act 1991 of any of the 16 regional councils
Regions of New Zealand
The region is the top tier of local government in New Zealand. There are 16 regions of New Zealand. Eleven are governed by an elected regional council, while five are governed by territorial authorities which also perform the functions of a regional council and thus are known as unitary authorities...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. In the year ended 30 June 2006, Environment Canterbury processed 3,381 applications, more than double the number processed by any other consent authority (Environment Waikato had the next highest number; 1,384 applications in 2006). By January 2005, Canterbury Regional Council had issued over 14,000 resource consents. The conditions of individual consents can be viewed on line by using the six-digit "CRC" number.
In October 2004, Canterbury Regional Council had a 'backlog' of unprocessed applications due largely to the notification of applications to take groundwater in highly allocated groundwater zones.
The 'backlog' or number of applications for consents being processed, is recorded daily on the Environment Canterbury web site. An upward trend appears to have ended in the middle of 2008, with numbers unprocessed slowly declining into 2009. The sharp increase in applications in June 2007 was due to the review of 400 existing resource consents in the Rakaia-Selwyn groundwater allocation zone.
Criticism
Canterbury Regional Council received the lowest rating given by rural ratepayers in a Federated Farmers survey on local authorities. The grade took into account the council's level of approachability, degree of bias, provision of roads, value for money, and implementation of the RMA.In October 2009 the Government announced a review of ECan under Section 24A of the Resource Management Act. The reason cited was that a delay in processing resource consents "is holding the Canterbury region back". In March 2010, after the release of the "Creech Report" the government chose to appoint a panel of commissioners to replace the elected Councillors, as described above.
See also
- Provinces of New ZealandProvinces of New ZealandThe Provinces of New Zealand existed from 1841 until 1876 as a form of sub-national government. They were replaced by counties, which were themselves replaced by districts.Following abolition, the provinces became known as provincial districts...
- Territorial Authorities of New ZealandTerritorial authorities of New ZealandTerritorial authorities are the second tier of local government in New Zealand, below regional councils. There are 67 territorial authorities: 13 city councils, 53 district councils, and the Chatham Islands Council...
- Water pollution in Canterbury
External links
- Environment Canterbury
- Canterbury Regional Council Canterbury Regional Council Department of Internal Affairs Local Councils website.
- List of Plans Ministry for the Environment list of Canterbury Regional Council plans. NB This list is not up to date.
- Community Profile Department of Internal Affairs Local Councils website - community profile. ("Creech Report")