Bay water advisory groups appointed

Newdicks Beach, Maketu. Photo/file

Three new Freshwater Futures community groups, established to advise the Bay of Plenty Regional Council on decisions about water management in the Rangitaiki, Kaituna/Maketu and Pongakawa/Waitahanui catchments, have met for the first time this month.

The groups will help identify local community values for fresh water, inform local limit setting for water quality and quantity and assist in developing solutions for managing water in their catchment.

Regional Council chairman Doug Leeder said that the group members represent a wide range of interests in fresh water, as well as different stakeholder views.
"The groups will play an important role in helping us to implement the government's National Policy Statement for Freshwater Management. We look forward to hearing their views and ideas as we work towards setting local water allocation limits, managing over-allocation and ensuring water is used efficiently," Mr Leeder said.

"We've started with the Rangitaiki, Kaituna/Maketu and Pongakawa/Watahanui catchments this year but similar work will roll out in other Bay of Plenty catchments from 2017/2018," Mr Leeder said.

Group members were appointed following a call for expressions of interest.

Mr Leeder said the groups will meet regularly over the next two years to share knowledge and perspectives about fresh water in their catchment.

The outcomes of Freshwater Futures group discussions will be collated and shared with iwi and the wider community for their feedback. Public open sessions have been scheduled to follow community group workshops in each catchment as follows:

• Rangitaiki, 4.00-6.30pm Wednesday 18 November at Galatea Hall
• Kaituna/Maketū, 4.00-6.30pm Tuesday 1 December, The Orchard, Te Puke
• Pongakawa/Waitahanui, 4.00-6.30pm Monday 14 December, Pongakawa Hall

Regional Council will use feedback gathered from the new community groups, iwi and wider public to inform draft policies and rules in the Regional Water and Land Plan.
Freshwater Futures community group members are:

Kaituna/Maketu
• Barry Roderick
• Cor Verwey
• Hendrik Metz
• Hohepa Maxwell
• Ian Schultz
• Jessica Dean
• John Fenwick
• Julian Fitter
• Maria Horne
• Maria By de ley
• Mary Dillon
• Murray Linton
• Nick Webb
• Marc Fauvel
• Peter Ellery
• Richard Fowler
• Vivienne Robinson
• Warren Webber
• Morgyn Bramley
• Paula Thompson (Regional Councillor)

Pongakawa/Waitahanui
• Andre Hickson
• Bernie Hermann
• Bev Nairn
• Bruce Cameron
• Colin McCarthy
• Darryl Jensen
• Dennis Walker
• Geoff Rice
• Grant Rowe
• John Meikle
• John Garwood
• JC Cameron
• Julian Fitter
• Kevin Marsh
• Kura Paul-Burke
• Melv Anderson
• Mike Maassen
• Paul van den Berg
• Te Awhi Anderson Manahi
• Wilma Foster
• Jane Nees (Regional Councillor)

Rangitaiki
• Alamoti Te Pou
• Alan Law
• Atamira Nuku
• Bill Kerrison
• Bill Clark
• Cathy Brown
• Christina Bunny
• Daryl Christie
• Gareth Boyt
• George Johnston
• James Doherty
• John Gibson
• Kirsty Joynt
• Larry Wetting
• Linda Conning
• Mark Ross
• Matt Osborne
• Matt Gow
• Ngapera Rangiaho
• Nick Doney
• Robert Pouwhare
• Steve Brightwell
• Tom Lynch
• Wetini Paul
• Norm Bruning (Regional Councillor)