The 10 zone committees were established in to implement the Canterbury Water Management Strategy and to develop action plans for their local areas. Photo: Supplied
The axe is hanging over Canterbury's 10 water zone committees, which have helped manage local water resources for more than 10 years.
Ashburton Water Zone committee chairperson Bill Thomas said the proposal from the Canterbury Mayoral Forum's review process to dismantle the committees raises questions of accountability and community input.
"They don't think [zone committees] are fit for purpose anymore and will restructure them out of existence.
"The new model - the way I see it - is like an inner circle of territorial authorities, ECan and mana whenua, and everyone else sits on the outside.
"I don't know where the accountability is going to be."
Thomas said the committees are a conduit between the community and the councils.
"I'm not saying zone committees have to stay, maybe they have served their purpose, but what's going to go in their place is a big question around how the community will question and challenge decisions on water issues."
Ashburton Water Zone committee chairperson Bill Thomas. Photo: Supplied
The zone committees, joint committee of the local district council and ECan, were formed in 2010 as part of the Canterbury Water Management Strategy.
Canterbury Mayoral Forum chairperson Nigel Bowen said the review, which started in 2023, considered how best to include local leadership in freshwater decision-making.
"Since then, extensive workshops and discussions have been held with Territorial Authorities, Papatipu Rūnanga, Environment Canterbury and zone committee members."
The review's report - presented to the Forum in November - acknowledged the zone committees' past contributions but called for a new leadership model.
Bowen said the Forum agreed zone committees "are in some places no longer the preferred option to support effective local freshwater leadership".
"A key finding from the review is that while some zone committees work well, an improved model is needed to better connect Territorial Authorities, Rūnanga and Regional Council at a leadership level, while providing connections to local communities and groups to reflect and meet local needs.
"Further work is needed to refine what an improved model might look like, with another report planned to go to the Forum in May seeking agreement to a proposed model."
Canterbury Mayor Forum chairperson and Timaru Mayor Nigel Bowen says an improved model is needed with the water zone committee's "no longer the preferred option in some places". Photo: Supplied
ECan will lead this work, while councils and Papatipu Rūnanga will help with the transition from zone committee to any new model, Bowen said.
"In the interim period, zone committees will continue to operate as per the existing model."
The proposed model supported by the Forum is for the zone committees to be replaced by core leadership groups in a model that creates regionally consistent membership and function.
Ashburton Mayor Neil Brown said the zone committees have potential but "need a purpose".
"What are we asking them to do?"
The rise of the catchment collectives across Mid Canterbury is also a factor to consider Brown said.
"What is the relationship between them and the zone committee, are they doing the same job and do you need both?"
LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
