The Hawke's Bay Regional Council will today consider a request by the Hawke's Bay Regional Council Investment Company to put a timeframe on the moratorium on the Ruataniwha Water Storage Scheme, until May 31.
Councillors agreed at a meeting on December 14 last year to halt activities related to the scheme, including expenditure on the design, development or construction other than work currently committed or contracted.
This did not apply to expenditure needed for HBRIC to comply with its statutory obligations, defend or maintain the value of both its assets and the current water sales contracts or meet the costs of any council requests.
The moratorium also required HBRIC not to enter any new arrangement that would commit either the company or HBRC to future expenditure or obligation, and called on the company to desist from taking any further steps towards acquiring DOC land under the Public Works Act.
However, the moratorium did not impact court proceedings under way for HBRIC.