‘Step too far’ to appoint commissioner

Tensions flared in the Waitaki District Council chamber in Oamaru on Tuesday as veteran councillor Jim Thomson threatened to resign as chairman of the district plan review (DPR) subcommittee, following a divisive debate over how to handle procedural matters related to the proposed Waitaki district plan.

The discussion was sparked by a formal request from a group of landowners — submitted through legal representation — asking the council to extend the statutory submission period for the plan by 15 working days beyond the current deadline of May 9.

The plan, notified on March 1, is already partially in legal effect and outlines the long-term land-use rules across the district.

District plans are typically reviewed every 10 years, and work on the current Waitaki version began in 2023.

In response to the landowners’ request, council staff — advised by legal counsel — recommended two actions: extending the submission period by five working days and appointing an independent commissioner to oversee any further procedural matters.

Cr Thomson, who has led the DPR subcommittee for over two years, took exception to the idea of handing procedural control to an external appointee.

"To me, this is a step too far," he said.

"If council chooses to support it, I will be tendering my resignation as chair. This is not a good option for our district."

Cr Thomson argued existing staff delegations were sufficient to manage procedural matters until the full panel of commissioners was appointed to assess submissions. He stressed despite the complexity of the Resource Management Act (RMA), decisions should remain locally driven.

Mayor Gary Kircher echoed his concern.

"The Resource Management Act was originally designed for local decision-making," he said.

"This would remove that."

Council director of natural and built environment Roger Cook said the proposal to appoint a commissioner was not a reflection on the DPR subcommittee’s performance.

He commended Cr Thomson for navigating the draft plan through "very tricky situations".

Council heritage and planning manager David Campbell said while a commissioner could help keep procedural decisions at "arm’s length", the council ultimately retained authority over the plan.

Mr Campbell said the five-day extension would allow the landowners’ planning consultant "breathing space" to complete submissions.

The draft plan, which has been in the public domain since early 2024, will continue through its statutory review process. Public submissions are now due by May 15.