Feedback sought on environment

Public feedback will be sought on new funding for a Dunedin City Council environmental strategy approved last year.

The annual plan meeting was presented with four options from staff for funding the Te Ao Turoa strategy: $90,000; $150,000; $200,000 and no funding at all.

But that was whittled down to two - $150,000 and $200,000 - after Cr Aaron Hawkins argued it was ``critical'' to the city.

The strategy was adopted in May last year.

The three goals of the strategy are that Dunedin is resilient and zero carbon, has a healthy environment and that Dunedin people care for the environment.

Cr Hawkins said it was important the strategy had momentum.

He said only two options of the four staff suggested were acceptable, the funding amounts of $150,000 and $200,000.

Cr Lee Vandervis countered it was not the council's role to limit what was being consulted on.

He argued all four options should be included.

If councillors were going to presume what was acceptable it would be ``leading by the nose''.

Cr David Benson-Pope said the strategy needed to be funded, and ''we should get on with it''.

Mayor Dave Cull said the city could not call itself the wildlife capital of New Zealand if it did not support the strategy with funding.

The meeting voted to consult on just the two options. Only Cr Vandervis voted against.