Ministry may bring change for board

Press, 6 July 1985, Page 3

Ministry may bring change for board

Big changes in the North Canterbury Catchment Board’s functions may result from forming the new Ministry for the Environment, board members heard at a meeting yesterday. Planning, resource management, advisory, and legal functions about water and soil management were bound to be affected, said the board’s chief executive, Mr Ray Wood. A working party report about the new Ministry was “largely silent” on how it would work regionally, he said. “It just does not say how it will work away from Wellington. We should work with the (Canterbury) United Council on this.” The new Ministry would favour emphasis on environmental issues rather than the board’s policy of balancing development against conservation, Mr Wood said. “What is showing up now is that we may well have to consider the environment first, then go on to other demands.” The board’s chairman, Mr R. B. Johnson, said what

would happen when the Ministry was formed was probably the most important issue facing the board. “It needs to be shown that the changes will improve the administration of environmental decisions. It should not be happening for the sake of creating new groups of people to make decisions, instead of the present people,” Mr Johnson said. Mr P. D. Dunbar said he was concerned that the full depth of training given to staff in Government departments such as the Forest Service might not be recog-

nised by the new Ministry. The board decided to have staff prepare submissions to the New Ministry about retaining its present functions. While it was not opposed to the new Ministry, it wanted more information about how its regional policies would be implemented. It decided to have staff discuss submissions with the Canterbury United Council about regional services. Thq board also decided to ask for a meeting with the Minister for the Environment, Mr Marshall, his Under- Secretary, Mr Woollaston,aboutthenew Ministry.