Climate study to take three years

Jinty MacTavish
Jinty MacTavish
A climate change study to be undertaken by the Dunedin City Council is to be carried out over three years after all, after a last-minute compromise that will save $170,000.

The council had planned the study examining how best to respond to the threats posed by climate change, including a major study on the future of South Dunedin and four other city "hot spots".

The work was to be carried out over three years, but councillors at last month's annual plan hearing voted to complete the study in two years following arguments led by Cr Jinty MacTavish.

That was despite uncertainty over the cost of the extra workload, with estimates ranging from $50,000 to $170,000 at last month's meeting.

However, a report to yesterday's full council meeting from council acting chief executive Athol Stephens showed condensing the three-year project into two years would cost an extra $170,000 overall.

The report came after Cr John Bezett last week signalled a move to restore the three-year timetable, prompted by concerns about the extra cost.

He won support for the move at yesterday's meeting, but only after securing a short adjournment to reach agreement with other councillors on two additional recommendations.

One of the resulting resolutions required the council's new sustainability adviser, Michelle Hayward, to present an updated work programme to councillors in time for the 2012-13 annual plan process.

Details of the timing and funding requirements of the projects would be needed for the 2012-13 and 2013-14 annual plan hearings.

The second resolution required staff to consider the impact climate change could have on new capital projects before details were presented to councillors in future, and how the effects could be dealt with.

Cr MacTavish said she decided to accept the compromise after discussing the "enormous" workload faced by Ms Hayward, including a study of peak oil in Dunedin, which risked being disrupted.

"We are not going to be losing an enormous amount by going back to the three-year timeframe," she said.

The additional resolutions meant staff across all council departments would have to consider climate change in the same way when planning future infrastructure projects, she said.

Cr Andrew Noone, chairman of the council's infrastructure services committee, said he was "relaxed" about the move, which reflected what already happened during the design phase.

- chris.morris@odt.co.nz

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