Review recommends Environment Canterbury be sacked

Two independent reviews have just been released. The first is of the Far North District Council, and has found they have overcome most of their long-standing previous problems, and no intervention is needed.

But a very different fate is recommended for Environment Canterbury (the Canterbury Regional Council):

The Review Group has therefore come to the conclusion that an entirely new institutional approach is needed for the management of freshwater in the Region.  This will involve a fundamental reform of the structure of decision-making within the Region for all freshwater-related matters.  The Review Group recommends that the Government create a new Canterbury Regional Water Authority (CRWA) to assume all water related responsibilities in the Canterbury Region. This recommendation reflects the fact that issues associated with water management in Canterbury will be enduring and will therefore require the full and on-going attention of a specialist body.

So first they recommend they lose their most important function – water management.

But further:

The Review Group therefore recommends that the existing council be replaced by a temporary Commission as soon as practicable under special legislation.  This Commission will give ECan and the Region breathing space to allow the CWRA to be soundly established.

In other words, sack the Council.

The Government is going to consider the recommednations, before responding.