Waimakariri Water Zone Committee welcomes two new community members

The Waimakariri Water Zone Committee is delighted to welcome two new community members to the committee, Ms. Wendy Main and Ms. Erin Harvie.

Dr. Judith Roper-Lindsay and Ms. Carolyne Latham have been re-appointed to the committee.

Twelve applications were received for the community representation and the committee is thrilled with the outcome.

“The four candidates demonstrated comprehensive collaborative or and water management skills that would align well with the committee’s focus on implementation over the next three years,” says David Ashby, Zone Committee Chair.

Find out more about the new committee members

Wendy Main

Ms. Wendy Main is a farmer and resident of View Hill. Wendy’s background as a registered nurse brings health considerations into the mix and being a family orientated person, she has a sense of generational expectations and considerations.

Wendy has a strong understanding of working within the collaborative process, this ability is critical for this implementation phase of the ZIP over the next three years.

Erin Harvie

Ms. Erin Harvie is an environmental consultant and resident of Kaiapoi. Erin has worked within the Waimakariri District for most of her professional career. As an environmental consultant, Erin is familiar with planning requirements and has a comprehensive understanding of CWMS targets.

Ms. Wendy Main and Ms. Erin Harvie, demonstrate a balanced mix of skills required for the committee in its implementation stage.

How does the refresh process work?

The membership changes are part of the refresh process that applies to all Zone Committees. The commitment required from Zone Committee members is significant and the refresh is important, so members don’t get “burn out”. It also ensures we receive fresh input and new ideas as well as enabling a wider range of community representation.

A selection panel to appoint the members is made up of staff representatives from Environment Canterbury, Waimakariri District Council and Rūnanga. The selection panel went through an interview and workshop process with applicants.

Strong collaborative skills and a consideration of their ‘fit’ with the committee in terms of their experience and interests were important criteria for the panel. The panel also considered the shift in the collective skill set of the committee required with the current transition from ZIP Addendum preparation, that has been the committee’s focus for the last three years, to implementation.