Latest news with #CraigPauling
Scoop
2 days ago
- Business
- Scoop
Rates Rise Trimmed To 5.8% For Canterbury Ratepayers
Canterbury ratepayers are set to get some relief, with the regional council slashing its proposed average rate rise to 5.8 percent. Environment Canterbury consulted on an average rate rise of 9.9 percent, after signalling a rates hike of 15.5 percent in last year's 2024/34 Long Term Plan. But staff found further savings, following cuts to public transport funding, allowing councillors to endorse a revised rate rise of 5.8 percent during annual plan deliberations on Tuesday, May 28. The council has been under pressure from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to increase bus fares, with less funding available for public transport. Chairperson Craig Pauling said the annual plan had produced a good outcome for the region. ''I was pleased with council's detailed and good-spirited debate, and our consistent focus on strategic outcomes for Waitaha. ''We don't always get the things we want, and some of the decisions we had to make were unfortunately the result of changing government policies and investment priorities. ''But I feel we've landed in a good place for the region.'' Pauling said public transport, river resilience and biodiversity remained priorities for the council, despite the pressures of the economic climate and changing government policy. The council was forced to rethink its investment in public transport due to reduced funding from central government. As signalled in the consultation, bus fares will increase, with the flat fare trial coming to an end in February next year. Standard adult fares will increase from $2 to $3 from July, with increases for child fares, total mobility card holders and community service card holders. A two-zone fare structure in be introduced in February, with Waimakariri and Selwyn bus users paying $3 to travel within their own own district and $4 to travel into Christchurch. A proposed two-year trial to establish a third zone linking Darfield, Kirwee and West Melton with Rolleston was dropped following submissions. Councillor John Sunckell proposed the council go ahead with the trial, funding $150,000 a year from reserves to reduce the targeted rate. But staff noted it was not eligible for NZTA funding and proposed investigating further support for the Malvern Community Vehicle Trust. The council will meet again on June 25 to adopt the annual plan.
RNZ News
3 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Rates rise trimmed to 5.8% for Canterbury ratepayers
Chairperson Craig Pauling says the annual plan has produced a good outcome for the region. Photo: Supplied / Environment Canterbury Canterbury ratepayers are set to get some relief, with the regional council slashing its proposed average rate rise to 5.8 percent. Environment Canterbury consulted on an average rate rise of 9.9 percent , after signalling a rates hike of 15.5 percent in last year's 2024/34 Long Term Plan. But staff found further savings, following cuts to public transport funding, allowing councillors to endorse a revised rate rise of 5.8 percent during annual plan deliberations on Tuesday, May 28. The council has been under pressure from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency to increase bus fares, with less funding available for public transport. Chairperson Craig Pauling said the annual plan had produced a good outcome for the region. ''I was pleased with council's detailed and good-spirited debate, and our consistent focus on strategic outcomes for Waitaha. ''We don't always get the things we want, and some of the decisions we had to make were unfortunately the result of changing government policies and investment priorities. ''But I feel we've landed in a good place for the region.'' Environment Canterbury chairperson Craig Pauling. Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Pauling said public transport, river resilience and biodiversity remained priorities for the council, despite the pressures of the economic climate and changing government policy. The council was forced to rethink its investment in public transport due to reduced funding from central government. As signalled in the consultation, bus fares will increase, with the flat fare trial coming to an end in February next year. Standard adult fares will increase from $2 to $3 from July, with increases for child fares, total mobility card holders and community service card holders. A two-zone fare structure in be introduced in February, with Waimakariri and Selwyn bus users paying $3 to travel within their own own district and $4 to travel into Christchurch. A proposed two-year trial to establish a third zone linking Darfield, Kirwee and West Melton with Rolleston was dropped following submissions. Councillor John Sunckell proposed the council go ahead with the trial, funding $150,000 a year from reserves to reduce the targeted rate. But staff noted it was not eligible for NZTA funding and proposed investigating further support for the Malvern Community Vehicle Trust. The council will meet again on June 25 to adopt the annual plan. - LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
‘One-stop Shop': How RMA Reforms Could Shake Up Local Government
Proposed legislation to replace the Resource Management Act (RMA) could bring sweeping changes for local councils. Amid speculation the Government is looking at local government amalgamation as part of the legislation, some believe many council functions could be stripped from them leaving them wondering what functions would be left at a local level. But Environment Canterbury chairperson Craig Pauling firmly believes there is a future for separate district and regional councils. ''There needs to be a partnership between local, regional and central government and we (ECan) are good at bringing people together. ''If you are in Kaikōura, your main focus is Kaikōura, but at a regional level my focus is Canterbury.'' Among the proposed changes is compliance, monitoring and enforcement (CME) functions to go to ''an Environment Protection Authority-type regulator''. A single regional plan is proposed, which would bring together ECan's seven regional plans, four river plans, the 10 District Plans and the various spatial plans developed by local councils. Mr Pauling believes there needs to be something at a regional level for planning and consenting, ''but you can still have delivery of services done at a local level''. He says the proposed changes could lead to a ''one-stop shop'' for consents, instead of developers having to apply to ECan and local councils for different consents for the same development, but is not convinced a unitary authority is the answer. ''You shouldn't have a student marking their own exams.'' A single spatial plan chapter for the region is expected to have legislative clout. But whether this will prevent housing developments, such as the proposed Ohoka sub-division, near Kaiapoi, appearing outside of a designated urban area remains uncertain. ''I suspect not because of the premise in the RMA reforms for private property rights,'' ECan deputy chairperson Deon Swiggs says. ECan is continuing preparation work for a new Canterbury Regional Coastal Environment Plan and a single regional plan. Former ECan chairperson Peter Scott blasted his colleagues last month for ''wasting money'' in allowing staff to continue planning work in the face of change. But Mr Swiggs said staff were conducting research and analysis which will help to inform future plans, regardless of the planning framework. ''We still have work to do and we need to get on and do it,'' Mr Swiggs said. ''The work of our staff will endure regardless of what planning frameworks we have in place in the future.'' In November, ECan voted to delay notifying the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement until January 2026, while it awaits more certainty with RMA reform. The council is also waiting for advice from the Environment Minister on whether it can notify a plan change to the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan designed to resolve issues arising from a Supreme Court ruling in 2023. Local Government Minister Simon Watts said amalgamation is a local decision and the Government will not force councils to amalgamate. He said the RMA replacement legislation will include provisions relating to the roles, responsibilities and processes of local government. "I have asked my officials to work with the sector on what that could mean for councils." RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said the new legislation "will provide a radical transition to a far more liberal planning system with less red tape" and an emphasis on property rights.
Scoop
22-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Public Transport Woes For Canterbury's Big Growth Areas
It is back to the drawing board on proposed bus services in the Selwyn district as Canterbury's regional council struggles with growing demand and limited funds, chairperson Craig Pauling says. Residents have expressed the need for more public transport in housing growth areas, including Selwyn in Canterbury, but submissions to ECan's 2025/26 annual plan indicated Selwyn residents did not want to pay the proposed targeted rate for it. Meanwhile, nearly $1 billion of Government transport funds has been allocated to a single project, the Woodend Bypass, while just $220m was allocated to public transport. The council also has been under pressure from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to increase bus fares, amid a growing demand and a reduction in public transport funding in the 2024/27 National Land Transport Programme (NLTP). ECan confirmed last month it will increase the standard adult fare from $2 to $3 in the Greater Christchurch area from July 1. Child and youth fares, and charges for community service and total mobility card holders will also increase. In the annual plan, ECan proposed moving to a two-zone or three-zone fare structure from February next year. Under the proposal, Waimakariri bus users would pay $3 to travel within the Waimakariri district and $4 to travel into Christchurch. The third zone, if adopted, would apply in the Selwyn district to support population growth. Environment Canterbury is proposing an average rates rise of 9.9 percent. The regional council is due to resume its annual plan deliberations on Tuesday, May 27, after receiving more than 740 submissions. The Selwyn District Council received a large number of submissions in last year's Long Term Plan calling for more bus services. But Mr Pauling said without Government funding, it is difficult for the council to fund an extension of bus services to Darfield, Kirwee and West Melton. With Selwyn residents not keen on paying increased targeted rates to establish a third zone, the council will need to look at other option. There is also interest in extending services to Ashburton and Amberley. Before NZTA Waka Kotahi funding could be approved, ECan needed to provide a business case, which could include a trial, and this took time and money. The 2024/27 NLTP allocated $1.8 billion to the Canterbury region, around 5% of the nationwide budget, even though Canterbury is around 13% of the population. The inclusion of proposed housing developments in Waimakariri and Selwyn in the Government's Fast-track Approvals Act could pose a headache for ECan, if these are approved, deputy chairperson Deon Swiggs said. Several proposed developments, such as Ohoka, near Kaiapoi, were outside the designated urban areas in the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan, which was adopted last year. ''When you get out of sync development, we don't have the planning in place to respond,'' Mr Swiggs said. Bus patronage has returned to pre-earthquake levels, but ECan is struggling to rebuild its bus fleet. Electric buses have been added to the core routes, including the Orbiter, number 3 (Airport to Sumner) and number 7 (Queenspark to Halswell) bus routes to increase bus frequency. ECan is proposing to invest in the number 1 (Rangiora to Cashmere) and number 5 (Rolleston to New Brighton) bus routes, if it gets support from NZTA. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Otago Daily Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
'One-stop shop': How RMA reforms could shake up local government
Proposed legislation to replace the Resource Management Act could bring sweeping changes for Canterbury councils. Amid speculation the Government is looking at local government amalgamation as part of the legislation, some believe many council functions could be stripped from them, leaving them wondering what functions would be left at a local level. But Environment Canterbury chairperson Craig Pauling firmly believes there is a future for separate district and regional councils. ''There needs to be a partnership between local, regional and central government and we (ECan) are good at bringing people together. ''If you are in Kaikōura, your main focus is Kaikōura, but at a regional level my focus is Canterbury.'' Among the proposed changes is compliance, monitoring and enforcement (CME) functions to go to ''an Environment Protection Authority-type regulator''. A single regional plan is proposed, which would bring together ECan's seven regional plans, four river plans, the 10 District Plans and the various spatial plans developed by local councils. Pauling believes there needs to be something at a regional level for planning and consenting, ''but you can still have delivery of services done at a local level''. He says the proposed changes could lead to a ''one-stop shop'' for consents, instead of developers having to apply to ECan and local councils for different consents for the same development, but is not convinced a unitary authority is the answer. ''You shouldn't have a student marking their own exams.'' A single spatial plan chapter for the region is expected to have legislative clout. But whether this will prevent housing developments, such as the proposed Ohoka sub-division, near Kaiapoi, appearing outside of a designated urban area remains uncertain. ''I suspect not because of the premise in the RMA reforms for private property rights,'' ECan deputy chairperson Deon Swiggs says. ECan is continuing preparation work for a new Canterbury Regional Coastal Environment Plan and a single regional plan. Former ECan chairperson Peter Scott blasted his colleagues last month for ''wasting money'' in allowing staff to continue planning work in the face of change. But Swiggs said staff were conducting research and analysis which will help to inform future plans, regardless of the planning framework. ''We still have work to do and we need to get on and do it,'' Swiggs said. ''The work of our staff will endure regardless of what planning frameworks we have in place in the future.'' In November, ECan voted to delay notifying the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement until January 2026, while it awaits more certainty with RMA reform. The council is also waiting for advice from the Environment Minister on whether it can notify a plan change to the Canterbury Land and Water Regional Plan designed to resolve issues arising from a Supreme Court ruling in 2023. Local Government Minister Simon Watts said amalgamation is a local decision and the Government will not force councils to amalgamate. He said the RMA replacement legislation will include provisions relating to the roles, responsibilities and processes of local government. "I have asked my officials to work with the sector on what that could mean for councils." RMA Reform Minister Chris Bishop said the new legislation "will provide a radical transition to a far more liberal planning system with less red tape" and an emphasis on property rights. By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
