ECan’s Laws…

On this page you’ll find links to the major laws ECan is subject to or operate for the community. We hope you’ll find them useful for understanding issues and upholding your democratic rights

Governance

• The law that sacked our elected councillors, delayed our regional voting rights and gave this governments commissioners sweeping powers:
  • Environment Canterbury Temporary Commissioners and Improved Water Management) Act 2010
• Advice from the Auditor General on the separation of roles between the Councils policy making functions and the CEO / staffs adminstrative function.
• Comment: Following the replacement of the former ECan CEO with the new CEO, in early 2011, there are some signs that the National led governments commissioners are attempting to insert themselves into the councils management functions  in contavention of  s. 39 of the Local Govt Act. The ECan Act does not appear to authorise commissioners to overide the separation of functions between the CEO & Council. The Auditor generals advice is linked below as citizens may wish to be familair with the separation of functions when engaging with or challenging ECans decision making functions.
• Auditor Generals Advice on The Roles of the Chief Executive and the Elected Member: LINK
• Also see ECans standing orders for conducting business: LINK
• The Local Goverment Law – The Local Government Act
  • Local Government Act 2002

Open Government

• The Official Information Act – the laws that helps you find out what councils and government are doing or have done
  • Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
    
  • Official Information Act 1982
    
• The law empowering the ombudsman to be an independent investigator of councils and government
  • Ombudsmen Act 1975
    
• The law empowering official audits into councils and government
  • Public Audit Act 2001
    

Planning & Policy

• The much discussed RMA – the Resource Management Act
  • Resource Management Act 1991
• The law that authorises land transport planning & funding including the Regional Land Transport Strategy
  
  • Land Transport Act 1998 No 110 (as at 01 December 2009), Public Act

• To see ECans plans, strategies and reports go to these ECan website links:

• Annual Plans & Reports

• Regional Plans

• Regional Strategies

• Regional Reports

——————-

Go Back to Help U page>>click HERE