Council selects hearing panel

The council has selected the hearing panel for the proposed Southland Water and Land Plan.

The hearing panel members are: Environment Southland councillors Lloyd McCallum, Nicol Horrell and Maurice Rodway, and Rob van Voorthuysen who was appointed as the independent chair. An iwi representative will be confirmed in due course.

Environment Southland chief executive Rob Phillips says the appointment of the hearing panel is an important stage in the statutory plan process, which will allow it to progress next year.

All of those on the hearing panel were required to complete the comprehensive hearing commissioner training through the Ministry for the Environment. Commissioners must be accredited to sit on RMA hearing panels.

The proposed Southland Water and Land Plan was formulated following an extensive public engagement period last year to seek ideas and feedback on a working draft document.

The statutory consultation process began on 3 June when the plan was first notified. Submissions closed on 1 August, with more than 800 submissions received.

A summary of submissions will be made available and then further submissions will be called for. At this time, those who have already submitted may comment on other submissions - either supporting or opposing them.

The hearing is scheduled for 2017. The hearing panel will consider all the submissions and hear any submitters who wish to speak to their submissions, before making final decisions.