Federated Farmers Submission on the Rangitikei Growth Strategy
Summary of recommendations
- That the Strategy more directly outlines the specific role Council will play in respect to delivering the outcomes sought through the strategy, and the roles of other parties.
- That Council primarily focusses on acting as a conduit of information flow from central government to the private sector, an advocate for the District, and identifying resource management and infrastructural constraints to the outcomes sought.
- That clarification is provided as to whether key stakeholders and partners to the strategy have agreed with and committed to the actions, or whether they were only identified as possible drivers by other individuals.
- That Council’s roles in respect to these areas need to be carefully considered and defined.
- That the strategy is amended to read Council to play a facilitative role, listening to and addressing the concerns of primary producers and rural communities and developing solutions to address these concerns, particularly in respect to potential resource management issues and/or regulatory costs imposed on the sector.
- That Council has a key role to play in explaining the options for and benefits of irrigation to the local communities and water users.
- That the facilitation of sector groups on primary production and intensification, diversification of rural production as appropriate and identified within the Regional Growth Strategy be amended to be led by the private sector.
- That investigation of realistic opportunities for further developing these sectors in the district, including a detailed investigation of the additional rural production potential of the district be led by the private sector.
- That the facilitation of skills clusters around processing of regional products is amended to be led by the private sector. Council can support these initiatives through their core activities.
- That Council is identified as a key driver into the investigation into the potential of stock and irrigation water schemes through advocacy for co-funded programs from central government. That Council is also identified for their role in advocacy of water storage.
- That small business training for innovation and excellence is offered by those with small business expertise.
- That the Lion’s Den concept is deleted from the strategy, and focus is made on other areas of business support services.
For more, please see the full submission