The Waitaki District Council has formally accepted the government imposition of a Crown facilitator to help it "review and revise" its rejected Water Services Delivery Plan.
The newly elected council met for the first time on Tuesday, and, after extensive discussion, agreed to accept the facilitator "with some reservations" but also emphasising its "good faith" commitment to collaboration.
Local Government Minister Simon Watts last month announced the government’s intention to install former environment minister Amy Adams to the facilitator role, after the Department of Internal Affairs assessed the council’s water services delivery plan, required under the new Local Water Done Well legislation, as "sub-optimal".
While councillors voted unanimously to accept the new position, the terms of reference for the role state WDC will pay Ms Adams $1654 a day.
The Crown facilitator will be in place until the council completes a (water) asset condition assessment and updates its plan by June 30, allowing six months for the assessment and a further three months to amend the plan.
"We are concerned about the cost of the facilitator and we have raised the matter with the minister," Mayor Melanie Tavendale said.
"We will endeavour to provide the DIA with information to meet the requirements quickly, to reduce the cost of the Crown facilitator being borne by our ratepayers.
"However, I look forward to working positively and constructively with Amy Adams, and appreciate the expertise she will bring."
Under the terms of reference, a Crown facilitator can guide the council through the preparation of a plan or work with multiple councils to facilitate or negotiate a joint plan.
If requested and agreed upon, they can also provide a deciding role to help resolve challenges and ensure progress.
A media statement from WDC said the DIA analysis of its WSDP found the majority, 39 of 42 categories, met the legislative requirements.
"A single category regarding asset condition information was assessed as "may not meet the legislative requirements" with two "for discussion" by the panel, and a further three meeting requirements "subject to discussion".
That analysis is set to be released publicly at a later date.
However, Minister Watts told Allied Media he was appointing a Crown facilitator in recognition of "all of the factors" the council needed to address to submit an acceptable plan, beginning with undertaking the required asset condition assessment.
"The council has clearly faced difficulties in providing this information as required by legislation and also when specifically requested to do so by the Department of Internal Affairs officials before the plan was formally submitted.
He expects the Crown facilitator to provide valuable assistance in addressing the compliance issues identified in the assessment of the council’s plan "which reflect risks to the safety of the public and the environment".
"These include inadequate treatment, lead exceedances, eight long-term boil water notices, two untreated supplies, and abatement and infringement notices on the council’s wastewater plants, including dry-weather exceedances."
