Community and stakeholder engagement
Since late 2021 we have been talking to the community about what freshwater areas are important to them and whether they are happy with their current states. in 2022 we also ran online public engagement about long term vision and outcomes for freshwater.
We’ve been discussing issues and draft options with tangata whenua and advisory panels.
In the first three months of 2023 we went along to community events to discuss what we were doing and how people could be involved. During the following six months, we hosted engagement events across the region, inviting people to attend and provide feedback. At least two in-person events were held for each of the 13 freshwater management units and for those areas where change may have a greater impact, we held additional events either in-person or online.
We are assessing all the feedback received as we continue to develop policy options. We are now resetting our work programme and will ask our Council to approve a targeted release of draft changes later this year for a period of informal feedback.
In 2025, anybody will be able to make formal submissions on the proposed plan changes and can be heard in front of an independent freshwater hearings panel.
Freshwater Futures Community groups
In 2015, we set up three community groups in the Rangitāiki, Kaituna/Maketū and Pongakawa/Waitahanui catchments to provide input and advice as we worked on implementing the earlier versions of the National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management (2014 and 2017). They helped us to identify local community values and desired outcomes for freshwater. They were starting to look at issues and solutions in their catchments.
While the work programme has changed, the input they provided is still valuable . We met with them again in April 2023 and will continue to engage with them as we work through the process. There are also several other community groups in the region with an interest in freshwater who we have been in touch with.
Regional and Environmental Sector Organisation Forum
This Forum has representatives of primary sector and environmental organisations. It provides early feedback and advice as we develop policy options for freshwater management. They help us to engage with their wider membership.
Territorial Local Authorities (TLA) Freshwater Collaboration Group
This group includes staff from each of the district and city councils in the Bay of Plenty region. We share information and promote collaboration on freshwater management issues, particularly relating to district/city functions like water supply, wastewater and stormwater networks.
