Save Our Springs petition on song
council could not decline to process water consent applications it received.
‘‘It would be illegal for council to do that,’’ he said.
Save Our Springs campaign coordinator Kevin Moran said the online petition had attracted 13,014 signatures. It seemed like ‘‘common sense’’ that no new consents should be issued until the Water Conservation Order application had been processed by a special tribunal, he told the councillors.
About 50 people gathered outside the council office before the presentation where drums kept beat with chanting by the participants.
Inside the council chamber, many of those participants performed a waiata called Te Waikoropupu¯ before the petition was presented to the mayor.
Kempthorne thanked the attendees, saying their passion for preserving the springs was clear.
‘‘It’s the same around the council table,’’ he said.
While the council would have to follow due process and deal with any water consent applications, Kempthorne said he understood no applications were likely to be lodged until the Water Conservation Order application process was complete along with work by the Takaka Freshwater and Land Advisory Group.
‘‘So, I think you’re going to get what you’re wanting but through a different process,’’ he said.
Outside the meeting, Moran said he was ‘‘absolutely stoked’’ by the number of people who had signed the petition. ‘‘It’s brilliant.’’
The petition was one of two; the second would form part of the group’s submission to the Water Conservation Order application, Moran said.
Nga¯ti Tama ki Te Waipounamu Trust and Andrew Yuill have applied for the Water Conservation Order for Te Waikoropupu¯ Springs and associated water bodies. The application is open for submissions until March 14 with a hearing scheduled to be held at Takaka from April 17.
More than 13,000 sign up to voice concerns over treasured taonga