Council Begins On Environmental And Sustainability Project For Central Hawke's Bay

Friday 21 September 2018

The Central Hawke’s Bay District Council is beginning a project to identify how Council and the community can best incorporate environmental and sustainable practices into everyday life.

Work will begin to develop an Environmental and Sustainability Strategy that aims to positively improve the Council’s environmental footprint in the delivery of services for the Central Hawke’s Bay Community and to identify how the community can support this effort.  Council is committed to working collaboratively with community partners across the region on this project.

The project is in response to the significant number of ideas about protecting and enhancing the natural environment shared through Project THRIVE.  The development of an Environmental Strategy will help to determine the way Council delivers its services in the future and will identify further initiatives that may form part of Council’s services to support and improve Council’s and Communities environmental footprint.

Protecting the environment is already a significant part of Council’s business.  Council recognises there are opportunities to be involved in other activities that complement work already underway through the District Plan and Waste Minimisation and Management Plan.  Council is fortunate to be supported by Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and community groups delivering sustainable initiatives and environmental programmes to the community.

Suggestions made through Project THRIVE have been included in plans for the project including:

·         Advocacy to Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to support Biodiversity Strategy

·         Work with Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for waterway improvements

·         Tree planting and environmental improvements

·         Energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean energy

·         Sustainable building practices

·         Waste management

“There are many fabulous ideas in our council and community about how we can all live more sustainably”, says Mayor Alex Walker. “Plastic use, composting, water conservation, recycling of grey water – we heard about these things many times during Project Thrive and now we have an opportunity to bring them together and discuss how we can deal with them as council, and as community.”

Successful delivery of the project will see the development of an Environmental and Sustainability Strategy and an Action Plan for the five years 2018-23.  At the end of the project Council will have a thorough understanding of environmental and sustainable issues, direction for the future and a clearly articulated position about its role and contribution towards environmental and sustainable practices for the Central Hawke’s Bay.

The project will be delivered in two phases, the first stage will include mapping Council’s current environmental and sustainability activities and practices, identifying any gaps or issues, linking existing plans and actions, suggesting solutions, and/or recommending where sustainable practices can be incorporated into Council services.  The aim is to enhance existing activities and seek opportunities for community partnerships and different ways of working together.

The second phase will be the implementation of the Strategy with clear timelines and accountabilities in relation to delivering successful environmental and sustainability outcomes for the community.

A draft of the Strategy for consultation with the community is expected to be available by March 2019.  Consultation will occur at the same time as the 2019/20 Annual Plan. 

12 October 2018

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