Council leaders met Ms Simmonds and Agriculture Minister Todd McClay after she called for further information on the costs the council’s forthcoming land and water plan would place on the region.
When the council replied, it took up the minister’s offer to meet and discuss the response.
Chairwoman Cr Gretchen Robertson said she, along with deputy chairman Cr Lloyd McCall, iwi representative Edward Ellison, chief executive Richard Saunders and policy and planning manager Fleur Mathews, had a "short meeting" with the ministers.
"They [the ministers] emphasised the government’s preference for a pause in council plan processes across New Zealand and Otago", Cr Robertson said.
"They also discussed the ongoing development of a new national policy statement for freshwater management (NPSFM), which is expected to be available by mid-next year."
Since December Ms Simmonds has urged the council to pause work towards notifying its plan and await the new national policy statement "to avoid unnecessary costs and compliance duplication for councils and ratepayers".
When her advice was rejected earlier this year, Ms Simmonds called on the council to detail the costs its plan would impose.
Then, this winter the minister questioned whether the council’s initial report on the matter, submitted on May 15, had omitted important financial information.
After last week’s meetings the Otago Daily Times asked the minister if she was satisfied with the council’s response to her concerns.
Ms Simmonds’ response did not directly answer the question.
"The government and ORC will continue engaging on how we can work together", she said.
Cr Gary Kelliher said Cr Robertson’s debriefing for councillors "took a day to write" and advised that the ministers did not discuss the council’s "woefully inadequate" response.
Cr Michael Laws said he would be "amazed" if the minister had been satisfied with the council’s response.
Cr Andrew Noone said the minister was not satisfied.
"The government has made it crystal clear with their direction of travel to rebalance national policies, particularly with RMA provisions.
"Like it or not we need to genuinely attempt to get on a similar page and take up their offer of assistance so we can negotiate a way forward for the betterment of Otago."
Cr Kate Wilson the government realised environmental concerns in Otago were not as dire as the previous Labour environment minister had suggested.
"Regrettably, we seem to have a majority that do not want to exercise local democratic responses but to go with faulty national processes that won’t exist by the time the plan is operative.
"And worse, as most provisions will take effect immediately, [it will] stymie good progress until all expensive legal arguments have been resolved."
Cr Alan Somerville said he was "very disappointed" to learn that at the meeting the ministers declined the council’s offer to present and discuss the information provided in response to Ms Simmonds’ request for information.
"This was the purpose the minister had stated in her August 8 invitation and the reason ORC councillors and staff travelled to Wellington.
"I hope the minister can yet show that she genuinely wishes to engage with ORC on this issue."
Cr McCall said the meeting with ministers had involved discussions about whether the council’s section 32 evaluation of the plan might influence the council’s direction on the parts of the plan the ministers found concerning.
"It is important we continue to follow the process and take time while we work with the government to find the best solution for Otago", Cr McCall said.
"Restoring and sustaining our environment is a journey", Cr Bryan Scott said.
"Ideally central government recognises this and enables the ORC to get to the start line by notifying the land and water plan.
"All parties will then need to work together to implement and improve standards over time."
