Environmental watchdog for Te Puke? Meeting to test water

Karen Summerhays, with Tui Atkinson, is wanting to gauge the interest in an environment-focused group for Te Puke.

Six years after Te Puke Environment Forum was wound up, moves are being made to create a new environment-focused group for the town.

The forum’s former chairwoman, Karen Summerhays, along with Tui Atkinson, has called a public meeting for next week.

“The idea is that we try to test the water to see if there are people out there who have got interest in the environment who would like to come along to a public meeting.”

She says while environmental groups and care groups are looking after areas around Te Puke, no one is keeping an eye on what is happening in the town.

“We’ve got no one looking at things like cleaner production - the impact industries have and what impact any future industries might have - and we’ve got litter and fly-tipping issues.”

She says industries are coming to the Rangiuru Business Park and more industrial land is possible through the Te Puke Spatial Plan.

“We need someone keeping an eye on what’s happening.”

There may be projects a new group could get behind and there is also likely to be an element of lobbying and making representations.

“[We need] someone to keep an eye on our trees as we intensify and there’s no one standing up and making submissions around the environment stuff.”

There is no intention to duplicate the work of other groups, but she and Tui have identified a gap.

If a group is formed, a trust already exists that a new group could be built on.

“We want to present an opportunity to the community under an existing trust, which means it would not be starting from scratch. It’s got charitable status and comes with funds.”

The new group could also provide a vehicle for securing funding for projects that might otherwise miss out.

“It would be for people who are concerned about the environment and want a platform to be able to discuss their concerns.”

The meeting will be held at The Orchard Church at 5.30pm on August 14.