Central Hawke's Bay Adopts its First Environmental and Sustainability Strategy

Friday 31 May 2019

Central Hawke’s Bay District Council has adopted its first Environmental and Sustainability Strategy, which sets the direction for how it will manage its impact on the environment for years to come.

The strategy is a key deliverable of Project Thrive, to deliver on the communities’ aspirations for Central Hawke’s Bay - a proud and prosperous district made up of strong communities and connected people who respect and protect our environment and celebrate our beautiful part of New Zealand.

Developed alongside the community with the support of a community reference group and external expertise, the Environmental and Sustainability Strategy will deliver on the council’s commitments made in the 2018-21 Long Term Plan. It captures activities and initiatives that the Council can influence, coordinate or facilitate, and in some instances deliver.

The strategy has four priority areas: Managing our impact on waterways, increasing recycling and reducing waste to landfill, conserving water and managing climate change.

To deliver on these priority areas, the strategy focuses delivery around four key themes. Each theme features an assessment of ‘where we are now and where we are going’, and includes a table of actions to help the council, and the community, bridge the gap. These four themes are:

1) Leading the way in environmental sustainability

2) Ensuring environmental vitality through our way of working

3) Connecting our people and place

4) Building a sustainable economy 

Some of the actions in the strategy are already underway, for example the council’s review of the District Plan and the Solid Waste Management and Minimisation Plan which goes out for public consultation in July. An important next step is to establish a Community Environmental and Sustainability Group. The group’s first task will be to review the actions outlined in the strategy and assess whether priority can be given to specific projects.

Mayor Alex Walker says: “This strategy is our commitment to plan and review everything we do through the lens of environmental sustainability and the interests of our communities. It was developed in partnership with our community and delivers on our local aspirations to protect our beautiful natural landscapes and resources for generations to come. “We recognise that no single organisation can bring about a healthy environment on its own, which is why the new community reference group will play such an important role in the successful delivery of this strategy. We want local plans and local solutions for local issues.”

The strategy can be viewed on our website www.chbdc.govt.nz -Ends

Authorised by Group Manager – Customer and Community Partnerships: Doug Tate Media contact Doug Tate, Group Manager – Customer and Community Partnerships | T 06 857 8060, M 027 422 9977

31 May 2019

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