Group queries councillors' independence

Environment Canterbury (ECan) councillors have been challenged again about their independence on water issues.

The public were excluded from part of yesterday morning's council meeting while councillors received legal advice on their suitability to be on hearing panels determining river-flow regimes.

That followed a letter to ECan chairman Alec Neill from North Canterbury's Charwell Water Users Group, complaining about potential "bias" from the three councillors – Bronwen Murray, Jane Demeter and Rik Tindall.

The three were appointed in July last year to consider flows in the Conway River as part of a variation to the proposed Natural Resources Regional Plan.

Water is a sensitive topic at ECan. The Office of the Auditor-General is investigating four regional councillors holding water consents – Murray, Mark Oldfield, Pat Harrow and Angus McKay – for having potential conflicts of interest in water use.

The Charwell users group letter – signed by Karl Perkins, John Meuli and Jeremy Johnston – challenged the councillors and the time it had taken to get the review under way.

"We feel it is inappropriate to appoint those who have predetermined and published bias against irrigation and farming, and with no technical hydrological background which will be required to resolve the issues raised in the submissions."

The four-year delay to get decisions on more reliable irrigation was frustrating and disappointing, the letter said.

Deputy chairwoman, councillor Jo Kane, moved that legal advice from Wynn Williams & Co partner Margo Perpick be given to councillors confidentially.

Asked later by The Press for a copy of any legal advice tabled during the public-excluded session, Neill said it had been a verbal briefing. After the closed door session, Murray and Tindall stood aside as members of the panel. Demeter said she was happy to remain part of the panel if councillors agreed, however she missed out on the final vote.

Kane said excluding the public was "not about being secret". Legal advice was among the grounds for closing a meeting.

Councillors opted to appoint Robert Nixon and Andrew Fenemor to the panel.