Source: Environment Canterbury Regional Council
Canterbury Regional Council (Environment Canterbury) has agreed a new committee structure that streamlines its business and focus on its three core services.
At the Council meeting today (24 July 2024), the existing five current standing committees have been formally discharged and two new standing committees have been created.
The new Strategy and Policy Committee will provide advice and report back to Council on the development of positions or approaches on current or emerging issues of local, regional and national significance.
The Regional Delivery Committee will have governance oversight of the organisation’s delivery, including the three core services. It will receive performance and financial reporting at core service level.
All Councillors will be members of both committees.
Council voted to defer appointing chairs and deputy chairs, and appointment of Councillors to lead core service roles for the Regional Delivery Committee, until the next Council meeting.
Representation ahead of next elections
Council’s decisions also featured representation arrangements ahead of the 2025 and 2028 local body elections. Council locked in its initial proposal, Option 3, which retains the existing overall structure for representation, but with changes to the boundaries of the current Mid Canterbury/ Ōpākihi and South Canterbury/ Ōtuhituhi constituencies.
This means the Ashburton district would be combined with South Canterbury/ Ōtuhituhi to form an expanded Mid-South Canterbury/ Ōtuhituhi constituency. The Selwyn district would form its own constituency, Selwyn/ Waikirikiri. Formal public consultation will open on 2 August 2024.
Helping the community stay in touch with Council business
Council also discussed enhancing public awareness of council decision making. This work stems from the Ombudsman’s 2023 report Open for Business: a report on the Chief Ombudsman’s investigation into local council meetings and workshops.
Some of the ways Council will be doing this include making all briefings and workshops public by default and livestreaming council meetings, and briefings and workshops where practicable, by the end of the year.
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