Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan Most planning matters and resource consents are unlikely to have cross boundary effects. However, where an activity within the Plan area has effects outside the Plan area, the Council will: • co-ordinate notification of the request or application with other statutory bodies; • promote and facilitate pre hearing meetings; • promote and facilitate joint and combined hearings, unless the Councils and the applicant agree the applications are sufficiently unrelated that joint hearing is unnecessary (section 102 of the Act); and • monitor, and if necessary submit on other Councils plans, to promote consistency across regional boundaries. Where an activity requires plan changes or resource consents near the Plan boundary and there is the potential for effects to be felt beyond the Plan area, the Council will: • serve copies of applications and requests on adjoining Councils; • promote and facilitate pre hearing meetings; • promote and facilitate joint and combined hearings to involve the adjoining Council in the decision making process; and • in terms of consultation under the First Schedule of the Act the affected community of interest will be notified even if this extends beyond the boundaries of the Plan. 1.10 Monitoring and Review The process of monitoring and review are integral to Council’s responsibilities under the Act. Section 30(1)(a) of the Act requires the Council to: “…review [the] objectives, policies and methods to achieve the integrated management of the natural and physical resources…” Section 31(a) of the Act requires the Council to: “… review [the] objectives, policies and methods to achieve integrated management of the effects of the use, development, or protection of land and associated natural and physical resources…” Section 35(2) of the Act requires the Council to undertake research and gather information necessary to effectively carry out its functions under the Act. It also requires Council to monitor: “(a) The state of the whole or any part of the environment .... to the extent that is appropriate to enable [it] to effectively carry out its functions under [the] Act; and (b) The suitability and effectiveness of any ... plan…; and (c) The exercise of any functions, powers, or duties delegated or transferred by it; and 1 - 10