19 people from Robinsons Bay and Takamatua Valley travelled over the hills to Lyttelton as a deputation to the new Banks Peninsula Community Board. Lee Robinson presented a further 53 apologies before outlining the history of the Akaroa Wastewater issue and asking the Community Board to endorse our Community Strategy toward an acceptable solution.

The Board resolved to receive and acknowledge the Strategy and to set up a Working Party to identify some acceptable solutions to land disposal and to delay the formal consultation until April to enable this work.

This is significant progress. We have now achieved our initial goal of moving consultation from the original date of December with its unacceptable options of irrigating close to homes in Robinsons Bay or Takamatua. Now we have the opportunity to work closely with other stakeholders and the Council as it investigates alternatives to harbour disposal and some time to do this.

The next step to which we will have input is setting the Terms of Reference of the Working Party and its composition.