FAQs

The Fees and Charges Schedule describes the fees and charges we have set under legislation such as the Resource Management Act 1991, Local Government Act 2002 and Building Act 2004. These Acts allow us to recover all reasonable costs incurred in respect of the activity to which the charges relate.

The fees and charges covered in the schedule include:

• changes to policy statements and regional plans
• resource consent applications (including transfers of resource consents and reviews of resource consents)
• annual consent holder charges and compliance charges
• incident cost recovery
• charges under the Biosecurity Act 1993
• charges under the Maritime Transport Act 1994
• spatial information data
• river and catchment services
• Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987
• charges under the Building Act 2004.

As a regional council, Environment Southland delivers a range of services to the community. Where individuals, rather than the community are the ones who mainly benefit from services, fees and charges are set on a cost recovery basis. This is also known as a ‘user pays’ approach, so that individuals pay for the services they themselves receive, rather than other ratepayers covering the full cost.

With a view to fairness, the Council carefully considers who the users are, and who benefits from natural resource use. Where appropriate, costs incurred for council activities that are carried out mainly to benefit consent holders are largely apportioned to them rather than the general ratepayer. Similarly, where only a part of the Council’s work benefits consent holders, a corresponding proportion of the costs are charged back to them.

You can read the proposed Fees and Charges Schedule in the supporting documents on this page. 

In the supporting documents you will also find a Statement of Proposal detailing the changes.

These documents are available in paper form from our customer service team at the Environment Southland offices, Cnr North Rd & Price St, Waikiwi, Invercargill 9810

Simply submit your views through the survey on this page.

If you prefer, you can send your feedback by email to consultation@es.govt.nz

Alternatively, you can deliver your written feedback to our customer service team at the Environment Southland offices, Cnr North Rd & Price St, Waikiwi, Invercargill 9810, or post it to Freepost Authority No. 247418, Environment Southland, Private Bag 90116, Invercargill 9840.