Support for new agency is strong

Support for the proposed new Southland Regional Development Agency is ‘‘strong, but not unanimous’’ according to an executive summary of public submissions.

The 62-page document, released on Tuesday, summarises a total of 105 submissions received during the process in July, highlighting key areas of support for the proposal, alongside issues raised by submitting groups and members of the public.

Headlining the summary’s ‘‘dominant themes’’ is the strong level of support for the formation of a new agency, which will absorb the staff and activities of existing regional development agency Venture Southland, while fostering the aims of the Southland Regional Development Strategy & Action Plan (SoRDS).

SoRDS has a target of increasing Southland’s population by 10,000, by 2025.

‘‘There is strong, but not unanimous, support for the option of a Southland Regional Development Agency,’’ the summary says.

‘‘Many submitters openly supported it, others assumed it in their submissions and concentrated on particular aspects of its operation or design. Some parties were opposed.’’

Aligning with that broad position of support was Invercargill Labour MP Dr Liz Craig, who stressed her submission was made as a ‘‘local ratepayer’’ rather than representative of Governmental policy.

Craig said she supported ‘‘the intent’’ of the proposal, although significant changes in detail would be required to create a true ‘‘whole-of-Southland’’ approach.

‘‘The issue overall is one of governance. This project is going to be the largest regional govern- ment spend for local councils over the next 10 to 15 years and, under the proposed model, the impression is given that shareholders could ‘ buy in’ to the new controlling council, raising the potential down the track for private capital influence over public funds.

‘‘I’d rather see a governance model where private or community trust investment is limited to the operational level for individual community projects.’’

Craig also expressed concern about the ability of any new agency to deliver effectively on SoRDS goals without support for ‘‘evidence-based workstreams’’ to that end.

‘‘The lack of attention to public infrastructure planning and development, such as housing and health services to support the proposed 10,000 migrants, has been the subject of public debate,’’ she said.

‘‘Consultation alone is not enough to ensure the SoRDS Action Plan will be effective, with further work being required to ensure each of its proposed workstreams are both evidence based, and likely to be more costeffective than possible alternatives.’’

Other key areas for consideration highlighted in the summary included the handling of tourism by any new agency; its approach to continued community development work already undertaken by Venture Southland; how the new agency would attract additional revenue; and retention of the Venture Southland brand, for which latter there was strong support.

Craig said she was confident an effective new agency would emerge from the process, given public concerns raised during the submission process were heeded.

Submissions will now be heard on Monday.