Lose consent application approach could be improved

A disappointed West Taieri farmer is contacting for the Otago Regional Council to do improved so he can accomplish his dream of setting up a lose to preserve his cattle warm and dry.

The council claims it will find methods to improve its assistance.

Fred Doherty, of Outram, reported he had anticipated the method to get the consents necessary to create a wintering lose in the middle of his 90ha sheep and beef farm to be “simple and fundamental” but it experienced been “discouraging” and designed substantially additional high-priced by purple tape.

“It is been a dream of mine to be ready to set my inventory inside of for winter and to know that no matter what character throws at them, they are secure, warm and dry and your farm is acquiring looked right after.”

He experienced a powerful attachment to his land, which had been owned by family members because 1912.

The proposed drop would be about 45m long and 18m broad and property about 150 of his yearling cattle.

He contacted the council in September past calendar year and questioned what information was expected to protected the 4 consents needed.

Mr Doherty filled out most of the software and booked an appointment to see a consents officer. He and a consents officer “went as a result of each individual web page” at the council in November.

The officer assisted him complete some sections, this sort of as GPS co-ordinates on the farm.

Mr Doherty paid the $1750 application payment and was instructed the council focus on was to approach it within just 21 performing times.

Mr Doherty expected to get acceptance prior to Christmas but Mr Doherty was posted a rejection letter dated December 15.

The letter said the application was incomplete as it “does not have info expected by the 4th schedule of the Source Administration Act/the NES-F and the Otago H2o Plan 2020”.

The software remaining declined was annoying as he experienced met the consents officer before submitting it and concluded everything he was asked for.

The letter also encouraged if he applied once again he may possibly find it effective to routine a pre-software conference to ensure all the info required was regarded as in an application.

“I did that,” Mr Doherty mentioned.

The application rate would be refunded minus “costs incurred accessing your application”, the letter explained.

“They are heading to demand me for stating no.”

The refund was however to be paid out, he stated.

The letter lacked “goodwill” and experienced a “confrontational” tone.

The council was “procedure pushed” fairly than “end result driven”.

“They are not trying to support me at all. They could be a little bit much more user-friendly.”

A new drop would be valuable to his cattle and the surroundings so the council need to be working to enable him make it transpire, he mentioned.

“It frustrates me due to the fact I’m seeking to do anything very good for the surroundings, fantastic for the animals — good for almost everything — and it’s like I’m attempting to be shut down.”

If he was trying to get consent for a dairy conversion, he would fully grasp the method getting far more demanding since the herd measurement would raise, but his stocking amount would keep on being the exact.

The extended the process took, it delayed his ability to capture the effluent of his herd in the get rid of and use it as fertiliser.

“It is a win, gain, gain. I’m hoping to boost the entire world — at not an inconsiderable value — and I come to feel like there is no will in the planet to make it come about.”

He did not have to have the lose crafted to satisfy any obligations but desired to for “peace of intellect” when it got “chilly, moist and dreadful”.

He planned to send the council a image of the inventory standing in a paddock on the bitterest day this winter to exhibit what its absence of action had attained.

He planned to reapply and would want to spend another $1750 software price, he explained.

To development a new application, he experienced used a guide from Invercargill.

“They’ll acquire detect of him because he has letters guiding his identify.”

In hindsight, he should really have used a consultant from the outset.

“It was never heading to perform but the council did not explain to me that. They just explained to me to fill out the types and the job would be carried out. It frustrates the hell out of me and I feel they can do better.”

He needed the council to be the most effective in New Zealand and be able to produce outcomes.

“At the second it feels like it’s them compared to us and it shouldn’t be like that. Indeed, there is policies but we really should all be singing off the exact same … hymn sheet and be having stuff performed.”

He thought as he filed the very first software beneath new freshwater restrictions the council was “floundering” to deal with the policies “dumped” on them by central Federal government.

Mr Doherty needed it to be apparent Southern Rural Daily life approached him for comment, as he did not want to antagonise the council and reduce his possibilities of acquiring the consents.

Council consents manager Joanna Gilroy explained the consents have been expected under the council’s Program Alter 8, which was introduced final year and aimed to make improvements to h2o top quality in Otago.

“We recognise that as a new approach there are items that can be improved and we will acquire on board feedback and responses from customers.

“On this celebration, we admit that this process would have benefited from a one place of get hold of and a web-site take a look at when the ask for for assistance was originally obtained,” Ms Gilroy claimed.

“Subsequent a recent internet site visit and suggestions furnished to Mr Doherty we are now working to progress the software.”

The council was looking for to offer as substantially assist as achievable for these new consent sorts, and the web site stop by reflected this method, she explained.

“We get on board Mr Doherty’s frustrations with the system and will carry on to seek ways to increase the support we offer to our buyers. We strongly really encourage any person wanting at making use of for this form of consent to call us as early as possible, and we will get out on internet site to guidance them and provide all the data we can.”

Mr Doherty explained the past make contact with he experienced with the council was the letter declining his application dated December 15.