Activity Group: Environmental Management The Council monitors the effect of implementing regulatory and non-regulatory methods by monitoring compliance with the conditions of permitted activity rules and resource consents, and by monitoring the state of the Marlborough environment. This monitoring is undertaken by the Environmental Protection and the Environmental Science & Monitoring Activities respectively. The results of the monitoring allow conclusions to be drawn about the efficiency and effectiveness of the resource management framework. This is the “Review” part of the cycle. If the objectives established in the planning documents are not being achieved, then this signals the need to adjust or change the planning provisions through further planning, completing the Plan-Do-Monitor-Review cycle. It is important to note that as a unitary authority, the Council has the functions of both a regional council and a territorial authority. This influences the way in which the Environmental Management Activity group delivers its services. It means that the full suite of planning documents required under the RMA must be prepared and that all resource consents required under the planning documents are processed by one consent authority. This allows the Group to integrate the management of land use (for which territorial authorities are generally responsible) with the management of other natural resources (for which regional councils are responsible), leading to reduced costs to resource users and improved environmental outcomes. Measuring Success The role of the Environmental Policy Activity is to develop, maintain and review a Monitoring the state of the Marlborough environment and monitoring the resource management framework consisting of a Regional Policy Statement effectiveness and efficiency of the policies and methods included in the Council’s (RPS), a Regional Coastal Plan, Regional Plans and a District Plan. The Council resource management documents is a statutory requirement under the RMA. has combined these plans into a single, integrated Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan. This plan has an important role in strategically guiding the use, development and protection of natural and physical resources by enabling The State of the Environment Report data will be used to assess whether the appropriate resource use (through the use of permitted activity rules and through outcomes specified in the existing resource management plans and the Proposed the allocation of public resources) and by identifying the circumstances under MEP have been achieved and, as a result, whether the provisions are effective or which resource consent is required. efficient in resolving or managing the environmental issue they are addressing. The results of this monitoring must be reported at intervals of not more than five The resource management framework is implemented by the Resource Consent years. Activity through the processing of resource consents and certificate of compliance applications, and through the provision of planning information. The processing of A comprehensive set of anticipated environmental results has been included in the resource consent applications utilises the guidance provided by the operative Proposed MEP. Given this process, which is a statutory requirement, it is not resource management plans and the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan to necessary to set environmental performance indicators in the Long Term Plan. ensure that any adverse effects of resource use are appropriately managed. Non regulatory methods specified in the planning documents are also being Changes to the Environmental Management Activity Group implemented by various parts of the Council. This is the “Do” part of the cycle. from the 2017–18 Annual Plan There are no changes to this Activity Group. 2018-2028 Long Term Plan Page 106