Submission seeks to reduce cost burden on small councils

The Central Otago District Council (CODC) has made a submission on proposed legislation for the management of vehicle-based freedom camping, to advocate for the best interests of its community.

The Self-contained Motor Vehicles Legislation Bill has had its first reading and is currently before the Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee.

CODC has made a submission and Senior Strategy Advisor Alix Crosbie will present to the Select Committee on 7 November.

While Council is generally supportive of the overall intention of the Bill and its measures, it seeks further amendments and direct engagement to address concerns with potential impacts in Central Otago.

“Central Otago is a popular destination, for obvious reasons,” says Ms Crosbie. “We also have one of the smallest populations relative to the area – with just 14,500 ratepayers maintaining nearly 10,000 square kilometres. Some of the policy settings are designed for larger councils and will have a disproportionate impact here.”

These measures, outlined in more detail in the submission that can be found on the CODC website, include:

• Council recommends the funding challenges for smaller local authorities, and how these are managed on land managed by crown agencies, be brought into scope and addressed before finalisation of the Bill. CODC recommends funding approaches be developed using a district, regional and national lens to ensure costs are spread appropriately.
• Council seeks to work in partnership with crown agencies to proactively manage responsible camping in the district by the provision of sites and infrastructure for compliant vehicles. This will require a funding mechanism for the provision of infrastructure and to enable responsible camping at appropriate sites. Non-compliance can be addressed through the enforcement measures laid out in the bill.
• Council recommends Central Government to assist in the considerable legal cost of drafting a bylaw through the provision of a standard bylaw that can be adapted by individual councils.
• Council recommends a standardised signage scheme is developed to provide clarity to campers.

To tune in to the 7 November Select Committee hearing head to the Economic Development, Science, and Innovation Committee Facebook page here: Economic Development, Science and Innovation Committee | Wellington | Facebook. Ms Crosbie is expected to speak at 3.25pm.