Emissions from old landfill a concern

Andy Cranston

Opinion

I have long been a supporter of the Olympic Pool redevelopment. It is in fact one of the first things I was involved in and over many years it has been a frustration to many of us that it seemed to be such a long-term project going nowhere fast. The barrier has of course been the financial challenge and it has been very discouraging to see it constantly being added to.

The generous announcements of last week have been exciting and I am very much looking forward to seeing this initiative come to fruition.

There are criticisms out there as to whether it is the best use of money but if we are to be as attractive and resourced as other regions, the resource of a pool is an important element. It is very important that we are able to offer tamariki a learn-to-swim facility of note. It is a much-loved and well-used facility that is sadly well past its best and in its current state, at its life's end.

On Thursday the Sustainable Tairawhiti Committee, which is whole of council, meets. We will be discussing and seeking to endorse the development of the draft Motu Catchment Plan. This will be developed with significant community consultation and iwi engagement. We are also looking to get to a final agreement with Gisborne Holdings Ltd on the statement of intent.

The other paper of note is the council's Greenhouse Gas emissions inventory. AECOM was commissioned to calculate the council's greenhouse gas emissions over the 2018/19 year. The finding are emissions of 20,678,331 kg CO2e. The main sources were the closed Paokahu landfill, 59 percent, purchased goods and services, 21 percent, Waiapu landfill, 5 percent, wastewater treatment, 4 percent, and fleet fuel 2 percent.

The Paokahu landfill seems a very significant and concerning contributor, especially with the knowledge that it has been closed for so long and its impact is still of such note. I am sure this will warrant further discussion.

On Wednesday we have another of our Revenue and Finance Policy workshops, which have been valuable to our overall understanding of this crucial element of our complex business.

Public consultation is ongoing at the moment. This week there are four evening drop-ins scheduled for anyone to come into the council and share their views. Of note is to have your say on the desired location of the Endeavour models. But there are other issues we are seeking input into. The heavy traffic route options need to be discussed and options really understood. Linked to this is the extension of the cycle/walkway from Kaiti School to the inner harbour.

Over all of these issues we are aware of mixed options, opinions and views, and we need the feedback to ensure we are fully aware of all aspects, advantages and disadvantages of offered alternatives.

Not everyone will be able to call in, so there are other options of hardcopy forms at the council, library and Te Puia. Your opinions can also be submitted electronically.

We do need to hear from as many people as possible, so please take the opportunity to share your views. These are difficult decisions and as councillors tasked to make the end decisions, we really want to have the confidence that we are doing so with the knowledge that we have heard from you and listened to your concerns. All these issues will have impacts and those impacts need to be well aired to give us the clarity to make well-informed decisions.