ECan longterm plan submissions closing

SUBMISSIONS on Environment Canterbury’s 201828 longterm plan close on Monday.

In year 1 of the plan the council has proposed spending $31.2 million on freshwater management; $9.5 million on biodiversity and biosecurity; $27.7 million on regional leadership; $70.2 million on public transport and urban development; $25.2 million on hazards, risk and resilience; and $3.9 million on air quality.

And a 4.5% cap on the increase in the rates take in years 1, 2 and 3 has been proposed.

In 24page consultation document produced by the council notes during a preconsultation phase in March last year, the council was advised freshwater management should remain its top priority, but that indigenous biodiversity also needed ‘‘to be elevated to a higher priority’’.

The draft plan proposes implementing new braided rivers and wetlands programmes from year 1 of the 10year plan as well as consolidating targeted rates for pest control.

It also proposes the wilding conifer control programme be expanded from year 2 of the plan to cover the maintenance of areas previously cleared.

A slight increase in spending on emergency management in the first two years of the plan has also been proposed.

Climate change integration — a new programme of work proposed in the plan — amounts to 2% of the roughly $25 million of projected 201819 spending in its hazards, risk and resilience portfolio.

Sixtysix percent of spending in the portfolio is earmarked for flood protection and control works.

Several bus routes could be scrapped in Christchurch to save money and in its consultation document the council has proposed three options to address financial concerns in the public transport portfolio, including a mix of changes to routes, fares and rates.

This will be the first longterm plan the council has produced since the Environment Canterbury (Transitional Governance Arrangements) Bill was passed by Parliament in 2016 and the council moved to a mixed model of governance at the last election.

The previous Nationalled government removed democratically elected councillors in 2009 and replaced them with seven commissioners the following year.