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Introducing a congestion charge along State Highway 1 in Ashburton would not fix the town's traffic problems says the mayor.
The Government has announced it will bring in legislation that will allow councils to introduce congestion charges in their regions.
Transport Minister Simeon … View moreIntroducing a congestion charge along State Highway 1 in Ashburton would not fix the town's traffic problems says the mayor.
The Government has announced it will bring in legislation that will allow councils to introduce congestion charges in their regions.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said councils will be able to apply to introduce “time-of-use schemes” that are focused on increasing productivity and improving the efficiency of traffic flow.
“Local councils will propose schemes in their region, with the NZ Transport Agency leading the design of the schemes in partnership with councils to provide strong oversight and to ensure motorists benefit from these schemes.”
Any scheme will require approval from the Government, he said.
But Ashburton mayor Neil Brown has immediately hit the brakes on the idea, saying it wouldn’t be the right fit.
“I don’t think it would work in Ashburton,” mayor Brown said.
Ashburton’s congestion occurs around the Ashburton/Hakatere River Bridge.
“The times people travel over the bridge are either going from home to work or school or from work and school back home.
“Those times are set, so putting a congestion charge on the bridge at those times would only inconvenience people.
“It would be collecting money and making no difference as people need to travel at those times.”
Congestion charging is aimed at reducing traffic at peak times by incentivising people to avoid peak times if possible, mayor Brown said.
“I think people already do that in Ashburton.
“I don’t think congestion charging will sort our issue.”
He said that the planned second bridge would alleviate some of the congestion along State Highway 1.
Congestion charging could be a tool to raise money for the second bridge but a more likely scenario is introducing a road toll.
“[The minister] has mentioned it multiple times before and he is not backing down on it,” mayor Brown said.
“He’s said they are going to bring them in and the planned roads of national significance will all be tolled.”
Ashburton’s planned second bridge is listed as a road of regional significance but the transport minister has strongly hinted that a toll could be an option to pay for its construction - whether it be on the existing State Highway 1 bridge or the second bridge.
Mayor Brown said he “remains neutral on tolls” until it is known how they will be implemented and who it will impact.
“The devil will be in the details as to whether it’s a good fit.
“But these big new infrastructure projects across New Zealand have to be paid for somehow.”
****What do councillors think?
Ashburton District councillors were asked if they felt congestion charging would be a good fit in Ashburton, or if a bridge toll was a better option.
About congestion charging, Tony Todd said: “Let’s wait until we have congestion.
“At the moment it’s not an issue”. Putting a tolling on one bridge would just divert cars to the non-tolled bridge so “it’s not an option”.
Carolyn Cameron would probably not support congestion charges given the cost of living pressures and that it could hurt businesses located in the CBD.
She is “sure a toll will be discussed” in the upcoming bridge conversations.
“I am hoping the Government will fund this bridge and the local community will not have to pay a toll to cross this essential piece of National infrastructure.
“In my view, this is a national project and the cost should not fall on local users.”
Richard Wilson is not a fan of congestion charges.
“The new bridge is an essential part of our national roading network and should be funded by all New Zealanders.
“Charges at peak times may result in extra costs to businesses and employees travelling to and from workplaces. We need to increase productivity in New Zealand not reduce it.”
Phill Hooper wants to wait and hear what the Government has to say about funding before giving tolls and congestion charges any thought.
Leen Braam said the region needs the second bridge: "Not only for Ashburton but also to have a better connection to and for the rest of the country.”
Liz McMillan said if having a toll is only way the Government would fund the bridge then she supported it, as long as it wasn’t a big cost for ratepayers.
Rob Mackle said he wouldn’t support either option.
No response was received from Russell Ellis and Lynette Lovett.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The removal of 31 bollards on a trial basis at a Canterbury picnic area has been signed off, but not everyone is happy about the compromise.
Ashburton's council faced a community backlash when it installed bollards at the Upper Hakatere … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The removal of 31 bollards on a trial basis at a Canterbury picnic area has been signed off, but not everyone is happy about the compromise.
Ashburton's council faced a community backlash when it installed bollards at the Upper Hakatere Reserve in February 2023, blocking cars from the area. It also introduced a camping ban in the upper reserve.
In a compromise between the council and locals, Hakatere reserve working group agreed to remove some of the bollards to allow parking in the picnic area on a trial basis. The height of the remaining bollards will be reduced.
However, camping would remain prohibited at the upper Hakatere reserve.
Working group chairperson councillor Russel Ellis said some Hakatere Huts residents were still not happy with the decision of no camping and they wanted all the bollards removed.
Councillor Lynette Lovett said she was also aware of some mixed feelings among the hut holders but ultimately it came to the council to make the decision.
The decision made “was a good compromise” she said.
“We have to look at what the ones living down there want and we also have to look at the wider community of Ashburton that goes down there and enjoys that space as well.”
The working group’s recommendation – to remove some of the bollards and that camping remains prohibited on the reserve - was approved by council on Tuesday, after it had revoked the previous decision based on an incorrect recommendation on June 26.
The bollards will be removed and the situation will be monitored over summer.
Additional 'no camping' signage will also be placed at the picnic area.
New signs at the entrance to Upper Hakatere Road will direct campers to the Lower Hakatere camping site and picnickers to the upper site.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A councillor fears it might be “too little, too late” for a Canterbury lake as council officials investigate whether a new resource consent could replenish its depleted water levels.
The Ashburton District Council called for a report to … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A councillor fears it might be “too little, too late” for a Canterbury lake as council officials investigate whether a new resource consent could replenish its depleted water levels.
The Ashburton District Council called for a report to understand the potential costs and implications of applying for the consent to re-establish the Balmacaan Stream diversion to help top up Lake Camp.
The lake's water level has dropped considerably, sparking a community campaign to restore its historic water source – a diversion of the Balmacaan Stream, which had a resource consent up until 2020.
Councillor Rob Mackle said he was frustrated that a potentially drawn-out and expensive fresh resource consent application process would have no guarantee of being approved.
“I have grave concerns that this process going forward is going to be too little too late.”
Chief executive Hamish Riach said the report will take at least a month to collate all the information.
It had been made abundantly clear the need for “various studies and reports to be done as part of any consent application”, Riach said.
As well as considering a myriad of things for the application, the report will consider the time required to prepare the paperwork and how long it could take for Environment Canterbury (ECan) to process it.
“Our report will try to canvass all of that process, try to put an estimate of cost on it and give you an idea of time.
“It might even reflect on the chances of success.”
It will also consider impacts as if it was publicly notified, and any objections or appeals could mean the process could take years and have "significant costs”.
Councillor Russel Ellis was cautious of giving “false hope to those who most want this” as the council was only investigating the application, not committing to undertaking it.
Mayor Neil Brown said the report only outlined the work and cost that will be required, and there would be “one more decision after that” if the council wanted to proceed with an application.
At the Lake Camp workshop a week earlier, councillor Mackle grilled ECan, DOC, and Fish and Game representatives over what he described as inaction, going as far as accusing them of “turning their backs on the lake” - a claim they all refuted.
ECan advised the councillors at the workshop that in relation to Lake Camp there are three activities that require resource consent when applying the rules set out within the Resource Management Act and the Canterbury Water and Land Regional Plan: the taking of water; discharging it to another waterway; and the works/building of a structure in a waterway.
Riach said the workshop made it clear the diversion required consent.
“There is no path I can see for really quick, 'needs to be done now' action [as this] involves a complicated and potentially contentious consent.
“It also requires a permit from DOC, so the consent is not the only regulatory approval that is needed.”
Without the consent and approval to reinstate the diversion “nothing will happen” Riach said.
Councillor Lynette Lovett believed the council “has the responsibility to look at it” for the benefit of the community and the whole district.
Councillor Carolyn Cameron didn’t want to enter an “exercise in futility” but supported the report outlining the expectations for any application to help councillors and the community understand what is required.
Councillor Richard Wilson wants the report to thoroughly consider all aspects and what is involved in the process to fully understand the risks and ramifications so the councillors can make an informed decision.
Councillor Liz McMillan said that after hearing from the public and a lot of different people, seeking the report is moving in the right direction.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton may not have a Māori ward, but that hasn't stopped councillors weighing in on the national debate.
The Ashburton District Council plans to vote against a remit this week from Local Government NZ that would challenge the … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton may not have a Māori ward, but that hasn't stopped councillors weighing in on the national debate.
The Ashburton District Council plans to vote against a remit this week from Local Government NZ that would challenge the Government's new Māori ward polling rule.
The Ashburton District did not consider adding a Māori ward during its representation review as it is one of a dozen councils that did not have a sufficient Māori electoral population, less than 5% of the general voting population, to qualify for a Māori ward.
New legislation requires councils that established Māori wards without a referendum to now decide whether to keep their ward or get rid of it.
If they wish to keep their Māori ward, the council must hold a binding poll at the 2025 local body elections.
Minister of Local Government Simeon Brown said it put an end to the divisive changes under the previous Government and gave the choice back to communities.
However, the new policy has been met with opposition with local leaders set to debate the topic at the Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) conference in Wellington this week.
Two of the eight remits being considered by LGNZ members relate to Māori wards.
Members will vote on whether local government constituencies and wards should not be subject to referendum and the entrenchment of Māori wards seats for local government.
The remits were discussed at the Ashburton District Council meeting on Tuesday, with the councillors voting not to support either of the remits.
Councillor Richard Wilson said it should be “one person one vote”.
“I don’t support picking our democracy by race.
“Everybody in this room represents everybody in the district regardless of race, creed, social background, everything.”
Councillor Tony Todd said the Government is allowing communities to have a say on Māori wards.
“It was during the last government, where Minister [Nanaia] Mahuta changed the rules and in my mind she was the one who overreached and brought it on to councils only to make the decision.
“It should be a community decision whether we have Māori wards or not.”
A majority of the councillors voted not to support the Māori ward referendum remit.
There was a unanimous vote not to support the remit on the entrenchment of Māori wards.
Todd said a Government should not entrench anything into law.
Wilson agreed, saying it should be up to the Government of the day to make decisions because things can change over time.
Ashburton has also pushed a remit for ‘graduated driver licensing system’, which would provide greater testing capacity in key locations throughout New Zealand.
The council also voted to support three other remits: Giving local government greater power to stop the deterioration of empty buildings; appropriate funding models for central government initiatives; and GST revenue sharing with local government.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton’s bike skills park project has the wobbles, with a $400,000 hill to climb.
A funding grant application for the detailed design of the learn-to-ride cycling facility in the Ashburton Domain was denied and delayed the progress of the … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton’s bike skills park project has the wobbles, with a $400,000 hill to climb.
A funding grant application for the detailed design of the learn-to-ride cycling facility in the Ashburton Domain was denied and delayed the progress of the project.
Ashburton deputy mayor Liz McMillan is on the project’s working group that is looking at forming a trust so that the group can apply for its own funding.
“We applied for quite a bit of funding but we didn’t get it so now we are looking at options,” McMillan said.
The project needs $400,000 to push ahead.
“It’s not a small amount of money and the longer we wait the more it is going to go up probably,” McMillan said.
The Ashburton District Council approved the Ashburton Domain as the location last year and then approved the initial concept plans in May.
The design and construction of the bike skills park will be paid for by the local service clubs and community organisations driving the project.
A bike skills park working group, a combination of clubs, organisations, and council representatives, had produced the initial concept design.
They have already received resource consent and need to complete the detailed design – which will include a second cost estimate, before going out for tender.
“The next step is getting the funding for the detailed design and to get a project manager on board to steer the project.
“We have a good plan in place. It’s just the funding going forward,” McMillan said.
“It’s just how it is at the moment, there are a lot of people looking for funding and a lot of projects out there.”
The “group of groups” are going to form a trust to make it an easier process to apply for funding grants McMillan said.
Councillor Tony Todd is also on the working group and is helping start the process of forming a trust that he had estimated will take about two months and then they can start applying to the various charity grants.
There is no timeline attached to the project as yet while they look to secure funding McMillan said.
“We want to get all the funding before we start building it.”
The bike skills park in the Ashburton domain is for the community to learn cycling skills and road safety.
It will have a flat street circuit, a 3m wide asphalt ‘road’ with line marking to enable two-way traffic, that will feature a range of road signs and crossings reflecting common Ashburton traffic features – including a rail crossing.
The street circuit connects to the existing pump track that will be reformed, with, an elevated lookout and seating area.
There will also be an off-road woodland trail circuit, located around the existing trees, connecting to the street circuit over a cattlestop.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton could be compelled to pick a neighbour under the Government’s new water reforms.
The Local Water Done Well bill, expected to pass in Parliament this month, replaces the scrapped Labour government’s Three Water reforms.
Councils will… View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton could be compelled to pick a neighbour under the Government’s new water reforms.
The Local Water Done Well bill, expected to pass in Parliament this month, replaces the scrapped Labour government’s Three Water reforms.
Councils will then have a year to submit plans for funding and how they will ensure financial sustainability for water services into the future - Council-Controlled Organisations (CCOs) and joint-council arrangements.
Local Government Minister Simeon Brown said water CCOs would be able to borrow up to five times what they took in through water rates - about twice what councils can borrow on their own - subject to "prudent credit criteria".
Councils will likely need to amalgamate services to achieve scale and cost efficiency, or the Government could make them, Minister Brown said.
"My message to councils is clear. Get on board with these changes quickly.”
That could put Ashburton in the middle of its wider region.
To the north, Selwyn is part of the Greater Christchurch Partnership, while Timaru is aligned with the other South Canterbury councils - Mackenzie and Waimate.
Ashburton District Council chief executive Hamish Riach said the council is looking at its options.
"The work that we are doing at this stage sees all options being openly considered.”
That included South Canterbury, central Canterbury, “any other solution”, he said.
Mayor Neil Brown said the key aspect is that assets remain locally owned.
"There is an opportunity we could go on our own or something more Mid Canterbury orientated.
"We can set up a CCO or keep it in-house to keep it Ashburton orientated, or we could have some shared services with others.
More information was coming to the council to steer its decision-making, Mayor Brown said.
Councils will also be able to borrow up to 500% could be beneficial - "but it’s still borrowing and you have to pay for it – it’s not free.”
Rangitata MP James Meager said the new water policy maintains council ownership and control of water assets and provides flexibility rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
"Ashburton is considering how this might work for them, and I know the South Canterbury councils have been in discussion with Ashburton and Waitaki councils to see how a joined-up approach might work.
"There might also be room for other innovative, local Mid Canterbury-alone solutions which could work for Ashburton.
"Ultimately, the choice should be up to councils and communities as to what works best for them.”
Access to the new models means that Ashburton "could, in theory, better manage debt and make key investments in water infrastructure without drastically hiking rates”, he said.
Photo: The new reserviour tanks that were part of the Methven Water tretament upgrade by the Ashburton District Council last year. PHOTO JONATHAN LEASK/LDR
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Vanessa Wright is hoping the council listens to the pleas of the community to take action at Lake Camp before it’s too late.
Ashburton councillors will meet on Tuesday (August 20) to discuss the future of the shrinking Canterbury lake and whether … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Vanessa Wright is hoping the council listens to the pleas of the community to take action at Lake Camp before it’s too late.
Ashburton councillors will meet on Tuesday (August 20) to discuss the future of the shrinking Canterbury lake and whether any action will be taken.
Lake Camp’s water level has dropped considerably, sparking a community campaign to restore its historic water source – a diversion of the Balmacaan Stream, which had a resource consent up until 2020.
Wright, a hutholder at the Lake Clearwater Village, acknowledges the expert opinion of Environment Canterbury (ECan) and DOC that the Lake Camp’s lowering levels are due to the drought conditions - the same conditions affecting other local lakes.
However, unlike the other lakes, Wright said Lake Camp has a small catchment area and can’t fill back up without the Balmacaan Stream diversion.
“With spring just around the corner, something needs to happen to get the snow melt into the lake or it will just keep draining away.
“Without the water coming out of that diversion, the lake will not fill up – unless we have another flood event.”
The fear is that when there is no inflow, it will stagnate, she said.
Wright and other community members believe the district council should lead the action to restore the stream diversion – with almost 1900 people signing a petition to save Lake Camp.
Lake Camp is a recreation reserve owned by the Department of Conservation but vested in the Ashburton District Council to administer.
The council adopted a 30-year Lake Camp and Lake Clearwater plan in 2022, which discusses how it will protect the area’s environment.
The goals include avoiding further degradation and restoring the mauri (life force) of the natural environment, protecting the special character of the area, and valuing the social importance of the area.
According to the plan, the council will monitor the recreational use and “undertake action as necessary to ensure use is sustainable and values are protected”.
“The over-arching purpose of this plan is to ensure appropriate action is taken in a timely manner," the document says.
Wright said the council must take action in step with its plan.
The councillors will discuss what, if any, actions could be taken, at Tuesday's council meeting.
It comes on the back of a council workshop last week, where experts spoke about the natural fluctuations of the lake's levels over time.
The recommendation to be tabled is: “council, should it decide to pursue an application for consent to divert Balmacaan Stream into Lake Camp, call for an officer’s report to understand the costs and implications”.
If the council chose to act, Wright said the community had offered to donate time or money to help.
According to DOC and ECan reinstating a diversion will require a new resource consent, and Fish and Game advised it would most likely need to be for a new diversion at a different location on the stream.
In the workshop last week, ECan surface water science manager Elaine Moriarty said the region is dry, which was impacting the lake’s levels.
Even with a diversion in place, there wasn't sufficient water to flow down it, she said.
“It’s sad to see it but it’s not an unnatural event."
Meanwhile, Mt Somers farmer Duncan Humm continues to question the need for a resource consent to restore the diversion at Lake Camp.
Humm sat in public gallery at the Ashburton District Council’s workshop last week and feels the resource consent will to see people waste thousands of dollars.
“Imagine if everyone could just agree on a course of action and then the money could be better spent on actual conservation work.
“With the swipe of a pen and the will to be proactive, they could benefit the environment.
“It shouldn’t need a resource consent as the works required to reinstate the existing intake are minor, the water isn’t fundamentally taken – just diverted in the catchment.
“From what I could tell, there are no tangible negatives whatsoever only positive environmental benefits.”
The stream had been diverted for over 50 years, and should be allowed to be restored, quickly, without expensive and time-consuming red tape, he said.
ECan and DOC were adamant that under the RMA, reinstating a diversion would require a new resource consent.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Extending livestreaming to more meetings is being considered by the Ashburton District Council in a bid to enhance public accessibility and transparency.
Environment Canterbury voted to make all of its briefings and workshops public by default at a … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Extending livestreaming to more meetings is being considered by the Ashburton District Council in a bid to enhance public accessibility and transparency.
Environment Canterbury voted to make all of its briefings and workshops public by default at a council meeting in July.
The regional council is rolling out plans to have all its meetings, and some briefings and workshops, livestreamed from September.
The decision followed recommendations from the Ombudsman’s 2023 report into the way councils conduct their business.
In that report, Chief Ombudsman Peter Boshier said he was pleased that the majority of councils he investigated livestream meetings as it "greatly" improved transparency.
In Ashburton, the council has been livestreaming its meetings since 2019.
Democracy and engagement group manager Toni Durham said the Ombudsman's meeting recommendations relate mostly to full council and standing committee meetings, which the council already livestreams.
“His recommendations also apply to workshops and briefings, which we don’t currently livestream, but we are considering how we make more of them publicly accessible.”
The full council meetings, audit and risk, and public hearings are livestreamed.
The six-weekly activity briefing meetings, where each department provides an update on work programmes and budgets, are considered workshops where no decisions are made and are not livestreamed.
It’s unlikely the resources are available to livestream meetings for groups such as the Biodiversity Advisory Group and the Road Safety Co-ordinating Committee, Durham said.
The Ombudsman had investigated eight councils (Ashburton was not one of them) over concerns local government was using closed-door workshops to make decisions free from public scrutiny.
The findings, published at the end of October, confirmed that some councils had been closing all workshops to the public by default.
It highlighted Local Government Act requirements that councils should conduct business in an “open, transparent, and democratically accountable manner”.
Chief executive Hamish Riach had said this was the case in Ashburton.
The Ombudsman report made 25 recommendations that the council was reviewing, Durham said.
“To give effect to many of the recommendations there will be resourcing implications which we are working through,” Durham said.
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