The West Coast Regional Council’s reputation could be damaged by delays to its shovel-ready projects, it has been warned.
Committee chairman Frank Dooley said it had put projects up for funding, "but we’re not in a position to implement and complete".
There was a real risk of council having egg on its face if it could not follow through, he said.
Acting corporate services manager Marc Ferguson said potential reputational and non-performance issues over the delayed shovel-ready projects were at the top of the risk list.
Work on its risk register overall had 64 identified "high" risks, 20 "significant" risks, six "medium" and four low.
Mr Ferguson said it was now trying to formulate "controls".
"It’s felt the 94 risks that are identified are too much and there is quite a bit of duplication ... there’s definitely overlaps there," he said.
Realistically there could be 30 to 40.
Cr Dooley said the council risked a public loss of reputation, and a loss of confidence by the community, if its shovel-ready projects did not progress.
Cr Andy Campbell said a lot of infrastructure projects were on the table without tangible progress, including the Hokitika River protection bank near Westland Milk Products.
"People want them started and done."
Cr Peter Haddock agreed. While a lot of work had been done in the background, "we haven’t performed".
"I don’t know why it’s held up in the consenting stage or what ... but these projects need pushing along. Also the [risk] list is far too long," Cr Haddock said.
Cr Haddock noted the risk list should only be major risks, with the Alpine Fault an overarching one.
"Funding, lack of staff are all key issues," he said.
Cr Allan Birchfield said he was concerned the Waiho (Waiau) River scheme had incurred a lot of ongoing costs "but nothing’s happening".
Franz Josef and the Hokitika flooding issue were the priority in his view, he said.
Cr Cummings said the problem was a lack of cohesion around council gaining consents (from itself).
He was disappointed no relevant staff were at the meeting to address that.
He also expressed misgivings at the cost of external consultants for the projects, ahead of work on the ground.
Cr Peter Ewen said the fiscal risk of the infrastructure projects was the biggest for council in the current tightening economic climate.
Money council received for infrastructure projects needed to be ring-fenced immediately.
"It should not be there as a fiscal sum to weaponise against this council if something goes awry," he said.
"That will be the thing that central government will hone into if we are not looking after our fiscals properly".
Cr Dooley said the list should be reduced to what the council could realistically concentrate on in the next 12 months.
By Brendon McMahon
