The Mayoral Forum met on 27 November 2020 and hosted a lunch for Canterbury MPs.
Significant agenda items are summarised on this page. View the full agenda.
Reform of Three Waters service delivery
Canterbury councils and Ngāi Tahu are working together to review Three Waters service delivery and evaluate potential options for the future. The Forum heard about RFP submissions and the tender evaluation process, and members agreed to move forward with the recommended consultant.
Regional response to the Essential Freshwater package
The region’s response to the Government’s Essential Freshwater reforms was discussed. Key points included:
- The CWMS has been building a strong foundation for water issues for over 10 years
- It’s important for the Forum to continue to work together and with our papatipu rūnanga partners on concerns about the fundamentals of the NPS, speak with one voice, and collaboratively work out how to address issues
- Although the current focus is on rural impacts, the reforms also have urban impacts
- There is a lot of concern around timeframes for implementation
- A lot of the public concern is not knowing the impacts, what it means for people
- There is a strong community view in some parts of the community that change is needed and long overdue, but other parts of the community view it differently and these views seem irreconcilable
The Forum agreed to set up an Essential Freshwater Steering Group to oversee the regional response. This group will include a representative from Ngāi Tahu.
Engagement with the new Government
The Forum discussed how best to engage with the new Government, and agreed that members would represent portfolios of interest in alignment with the Mayors’ Plan for Canterbury, and that letters would be drafted to Ministers in accordance with these portfolios.
Other agenda items included
- Confirming the revised Zone Committee terms of reference and the introduction of Letters of Shared Priorities and Zone Committee Action Plans for the Canterbury Water Management Strategy zone committees
- Approving the new Canterbury Mayoral Forum Communications Strategy 2020–2022
- An update from the Climate Change Steering Committee, including agreement to hold a facilitated workshop in early 2021 with representatives from Canterbury councils and Papatipu Rūnanga
- Agreeing to reallocated $60k from the Food and Fibre Innovation Programme to Leftfield Innovation to develop the Fresh and Processed Vegetables Action Plan
- An update from the COVID-19 Oversight Group
- Information on gravel management and land-based quarries in Canterbury
- An update from the Chief Executives Forum
- Confirming next year’s calendar for the Regional Forums
