Tony Hay - OIR No. 1 – Climate Change
Tony Hay made this Official Information request to Marlborough District Council
The request was partially successful.
From: Tony Hay
Dear Marlborough District Council,
Background:
My name is Tony Hay and I am the owner, along with my wife, of 42 Lakings Road, Springlands, Blenheim.
On the 26th March 2019 I approached the Marlborough District Council (MDC) to discuss the removal of two and possibly a third tree on council road reserve “the berm” to the south of my property. I have subsequently asked for all 3 trees to be removed as the third tree regularly interferes with my electricity power line.
The question is why after having purchased the property in 2005 would I now be making the request. The answer is pretty simple as I detail below.
I bought the property in 2005 and at the time thought the trees could do with some upper branch pruning. This was carried out by Robert Hutchingson of the Councils Reserves Section. Since then the Council has through their contractor, Nelmac, carried out trimming of the lower branches on an ad hoc basis as well as maintaining branch clearance around my power line, as required by law and requested by me. The trees may well have been inspected periodically to make sure they were still standing but little attempt was made to “manage them, their shape, their height, their size, and their width”. Issues with the upper branches had not been addressed since 2005 until recently, which I will cover in later OIRs.
Two years ago I was becoming increasing aware that the consequences of the climate change crisis will cause an increase in abnormal weather events. The prime minister Jacinda Ardern called this “one of the greatest challenges of our time”. Parliament has recognised “the devastating impact that volatile and extreme weather will have on New Zealand and the wellbeing of New Zealanders”.
My Questions:
Climate Change is a priority of the New Zealand Government. Does the Marlborough District Council accept that the world is undergoing Climate Change and that they have fully signed up to the Government’s commitment on this subject?
If the answer to the above question is Yes, does the Marlborough District Council accept that at some stage Blenheim will be subjected to a severe weather event?
If the answer to the above question is Yes, does the Marlborough District Council take this into consideration in their planning and decision making?
Does Council believe that Climate Change will have an effect on Health and Safety in a severe weather event. If the answer to this is Yes, does the Marlborough District Council take this into consideration in their planning and decision making?
Yours faithfully,
Tony Hay
From: MDC
Marlborough District Council
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From: Tony Quirk-8077
Marlborough District Council
I refer to your email of 14 February and indicate the information I have
received is as follows:
1. Acceptance by MDC – Council accepts that the world is undergoing
climate change. It has signed the Local Government Leaders’ Climate
Change Declaration in 2015; has an across-Council working group; and a
climate change action plan. Council has a climate change page on its
website.
2. Severe Weather Event – Council cannot predict weather events.
3. Planning and Decision Making Consideration – Council does take into
account the effects of climate change in its planning and decision making.
4. Health and Safety – Severe Weather Event – There are expected to be
a number of factors related to changes in the climate including severe
weather that may affect people’s health and safety.
5. Consideration – Council does take into account the effects of
climate change in its planning and decision making, (repeat of 3 above).
This completes the request.
Tony Quirk
District Secretary
[1]cid:image001.png@01D5CD43.F8403CC0
Phone: 03 520 7400
15 Seymour Street, PO Box 443
Blenheim 7240, New Zealand
[2][email address]
[3]www.marlborough.govt.nz
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This email, including any attachments, is confidential and may contain
legally privileged material and is only for the use of the intended
recipient. If you are not the intended recipient then any use,
dissemination, distribution or copying of this message is strictly
prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify us
immediately and delete the original message. This email does not
necessarily represent the views of the Marlborough District Council. Thank
you.
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References
Visible links
2. mailto:[email address]
3. http://www.marlborough.govt.nz/
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From: Tony Hay
Dear Tony Quirk-8077,
Thank you for your reply. It is good to see that the Marlborough District Council has some high ideals. However, referring to Official Information Request “Tony Hay - OIR No. 10 – Electricity (Hazards from Trees) Regulations 2003” I would have to question whether the Council is living up to them. In my option they are falling well short.
Yours sincerely,
Tony Hay
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