The constraints regional councils face in responding promptly to emerging environmental issues has been highlighted by a new central Government report issued this week.

The Waikato Regional Council says the Environment Aotearoa 2015 report outlines a range of environmental problems and challenges faced both nationally and within the Waikato region.

The Environment Aotearoa 2015 report released recently outlines a range of environmental problems and challenges faced nationally and within the Waikato region. Photo: Thinkstock

Chief executive Vaughan Payne says the results underline how hard it can be for organisations like the regional council to respond quickly and effectively to newly identified challenges or issues.

'It's not always easy to do something quickly with a new policy or rule – we have very little plan agility,” says Vaughan. 'It means that when we see a trend we can't act promptly to address it.

'Under our current Resource Management Act regime it takes us six or seven years to get a new rule in place.”

A recent example of the types of issues involved was in the Upper Waikato River catchment recently.

In this instance, council had little power to quickly address the emerging spate of pine to pasture conversions and their actual and potential impact on the health of the river.

Vaughan says council would like to work with the local government sector, central government, iwi partners and stakeholders to develop tools allowing for greater flexibility to change plans and rules promptly where required.

'We don't want to circumvent democratic processes or undermine public participation in making major changes.

'But we also believe it's essential we have the right tools to act quickly when our precious environment is under threat.”