Marlborough Council’s Assets and Service Committee today approved a review of Marlborough’s Freedom Camping Bylaw.
Councillors also approved the appointment of a Freedom Camping Control Bylaw Review Sub-Committee that will be tasked with considering a report, commissioned to support the bylaw review, which outlines the impacts and issues freedom camping has on the Marlborough community.
The six councillors that will make up the sub-committee are: David Oddie (chair), Brian Dawson (deputy chair), Gerald Hope, Thelma Sowman, David Croad and Jenny Andrews.
Councillor Oddie is the chair of this panel given his experience as a commissioner and previous involvement with the review in 2016 of the Marlborough District Council Freedom Camping Control Bylaw 2012.
Councillor Oddie says freedom camping has been a challenging issue in Marlborough for some time now.
“Following last year’s Annual Plan process, and in consideration of the submissions and presentations received from the community, Council agreed that a review of the Council’s Freedom Camping Control Bylaw 2012 would take place from mid-2020.
“Now the time has come when we can consider all of the issues and listen to feedback, to draft a bylaw that suits the needs of the Marlborough community.
“We have a lot of work ahead of us between now and October when we are aiming to present the proposed bylaw amendments to the Assets and Services Committee. During that time, submissions will be sought from the community, and others, and hearings on the bylaw review will be carried out.
Marlborough District Council’s Freedom Camping Control Bylaw 2012 was last reviewed in 2016 and was developed to provide a regional approach and guidance to the Freedom Camping Act 2011, which sets out the direction on how to manage freedom camping in New Zealand.
