On the question of how much involvement Horizons should have with economic development, Whanganui council asked it to continue its role of co-ordinating Accelerate25, the action plan arising out of Government's Manawatu-Wanganui Regional Growth Study. It wanted funding for this to come from Horizons' Centreport dividend, rather than rates.
Whanganui resident Nicola Patrick was also heard in a submission to the regional council's annual plan. Her response to Horizons' involvement in Accelerate25 was ... "yes, but ... ".
She's worried it will conflict with Horizons primary role - the sustainable management of natural resources.
Leading economic development could stop the council enforcing its own rules, Ms Patrick said, adding it was not clear how that conflict would be managed.
"It could indicate a desire to create jobs above environmental bottom lines."
For example, she said, the growth study talked of irrigation and increased dairying in Canterbury as a positive, without mentioning the resulting drop in water quality. It said long-term prospects for dairy farming were good - which she said was debatable given present low prices.
The study described Horizons' One Plan as initially being "an obstacle to intensification", but now - due to Horizons' "pragmatic approach" to its implementation - it was an "enabler".
Many consents were now being approved despite being outside One Plan limits, she said.
"It creates an unfair playing field for those farmers who have worked hard to adapt to the new limits." She noticed a recommendation in the study to change the One Plan to allow more nutrient leaching from coastal sand country.
Other aspects of the regional growth study which worried her were a suggestion mountain biking might be allowed within Tongariro National Park; the fact that arts was not mentioned as a tourist drawcard for Whanganui; and the dismissal of free range poultry and organic farming methods as fringe or "uncompetitive".