The advisory groups help prepare and recommend draft planning provisions for fresh water and land.
The aim is to include policy and rules in the Tasman Resource Management Plan.
The Council has set up Freshwater and Land Advisory Groups (FLAG) for the Waimea Plains and Takaka Catchments. This will enable greater involvement by the community and stakeholders in developing the water quantity and quality management provisions for water resources in these areas.
The purpose of the groups will be to consider the existing and potential future water quantity and/or quality challenges in the water management areas and develop solutions for managing water allocation and the water quality effects of land use activities. The advisory groups will prepare and recommend to Council draft planning provisions including policy and rules in the Tasman Resource Management Plan.
The process for the FLAG groups is outlined below.
| Milestone / Task | Description |
|---|---|
| Milestone 1 |
Nominations for FLAG membership are called and members are selected by Council. |
| FLAG Task 1 |
Understanding the local water resources. What state are our water resources in? How are they currently used? What are the threats and opportunities? |
| FLAG Task 2 |
How do we want our water resources to be? Identifying the local values and uses of water and the objectives for future water management. |
| Milestone 2 | Uses, values and management objectives agreed. |
| FLAG Task 3 |
How are we going to achieve our objectives? Identifying the methods of management including limits on water uses and land management. |
| Milestone 3 | Management methods tested and agreed. |
| FLAG Task 4 | Drafting the Plan change and identifying funding needs. |
| Milestone 4 | Draft Plan change reported to Council for adoption. |
Once Council has agreed to notify the Plan change, the formal process in Schedule 1 of the Resource Management Act is followed.
