Issue 4: The future of the Lake Taupō Protection Project
Option 1: Governance undertaken by the Lake Taupō Protection Project Joint Committee and oversight of the agreements undertaken by the Lake Taupō Protection Trust (preferred option)
This option would have the Lake Taupō Protection Project Joint Committee oversee the Lake Taupō Protection Project. The committee would meet at least four times a year and would have two representatives from each of the following organisations: Taupō District Council, Waikato Regional Council, Tūwharetoa Maori Trust Board and the Crown.
The Lake Taupō Protection Trust would continue to have oversight of the agreements and would be be responsible for ensuring that landowners uphold what they have committed to in the contracts.
| Advantages | This arrangement has worked well in the past. Keeps options open should the partners wish to extend the focus of the trust or should changes need to be made to address new circumstances. There is the ability to widen the scope of the trust to be responsible for other water quality improvement activities, such as managing phosphorus etc. The Trust has a charitable status. This means that it does not have to pay income tax. The rules which describe which trusts are able to receive a charitable status have now changed. This means that if the Lake Taupō Protection Trust were to be wound up and a new entity were to be established in the future, the new entity would be unlikely to receive a charitable status. The Lake Taupō Protection Trust has established relationships with landowners in the Lake Taupō catchment. |
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| Disadvantages | This option is more expensive than the lowest cost option. The higher cost is a result of costs associated with running a trust, such as trustee and audit costs. |
| Costs | On average this option would cost Taupō District Council$252,129 per annum. The total cost of this project would be funded 66% by Taupō District Council and 34% by Waikato Regional Council. This option would have no impact on Council debt. |
| Levels of service | This option would see no change in levels of service. |
Option 2: Governance undertaken by the Lake Taupō Protection Project Joint Committee and management of the contracts undertaken by a partner organisation (Taupō District Council or Waikato Regional Council).
This option would have the Lake Taupō Protection Project Joint Committee oversee the Lake Taupō Protection Project. The committee would meet at least four times a year and would have two representatives from each of the following organisations: Taupō District Council, Waikato Regional Council, Tūwharetoa Maori Trust Board and the Crown.
Taupō District Council or Waikato Regional Council take over the management of the contracts. They would be responsible for ensuring that landowners uphold what they have committed to in the contracts.
NOTE
There is a background report for this topic which assesses the options. The report is titled Section 17A review for the Lake Taupō Protection Project and can be viewed in the Additional Information section below.
| Advantages | This is the least expensive option. |
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| Disadvantages | The partner organistations are not currently administering nitrogen reduction agreements. The partner organistations do not have established relationships with landowners relating to the nitrogen reduction agreement. |
| Costs | On average, this option would cost Taupō District Council $127,000 per annum. The total cost of this project would be funded 50% by Taupō District Council and 50% by Waikato Regional Council. This option would have no impact on Council debt. |
| Levels of service | This option would see no change in levels of service. |
