Coast councils needs ‘to sprint’ for key projects

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:

The West Coast Regional Council needs to "learn to sprint" rather than act "at snail's pace" with its key infrastructure projects in 2023.

However, key projects including the $56 million Westport flood resilience scheme, still need the green light from the Government.

Others such as the first stage of the Waiho (Waiau) River scheme at Franz Josef are stalled nearly a year after the contract was let due to a delay in affected party consent relating to a legal dispute.

The council's infrastructure governance committee, inaugurated last year amidst fears of losing up to $22m of Government money already allocated to council for projects, met this week to hear of progress on the major projects.

However, much of the finer detail was heard in-committee.

In opening, committee chairperson Frank Dooley noted a hard-hitting plea from West Coast dairy farmer Paul Berry to urgently address the threat posed by the Hokitika River to Westland Milk Products and Hokitika township.

That underlined the urgency the council had to move on in a number of areas, yet he had also read in a report recently "that we move at a snail's pace, and I think we have to learn to sprint".

"We have to be proactive."

Chief executive Heather Mabin updated a work plan for the yet-to-be approved $55m Westport scheme.

This had been sought "so we can hit the ground running" when the council got the go-ahead from the Government.

However, she said at this stage nothing was on the horizon as to when that might be.

"I was in contact with the Department of Internal Affairs last week. It hasn't changed: it will be part of the budget announcement later this year. We have set up a project team," Mabin said.

That team would be headed by Mike West, who oversaw the emergency housing project at Alma Rd in Westport, in the wake of the July 2021 floods.

As well, consultants Garry Williams, Matt Gardiner, and Steve Garner who had helped inform the $56m co-funding proposal in conjunction with the Westport Technical Advisory Group would be on the team.

Mabin said the council intended to have a work plan for Westport drafted by March 14.

The regional council had approved $700,000 of initial spending this year towards the project.

Any further urgent works signalled by Williams for Westport would be brought before council on March 14, she said.

Dooley, of Westport, said that was "music to the ears" but asked about the role of the Westport Joint Rating District.

Mabin said the project team would be responsible to her with reporting to the Infrastructure Resilience Group of MBIE.

At some point some recommendations regarding the Westport scheme would need to go before the joint committee.

"That is subject to the fact we do not know how much we have to spend."

Dooley said it would be wonderful news for Westport when it came.

*Public interest journalism funded through NZ On Air.