The Otago Regional Council needed to become "accountable" to the Lakes district community in terms of its response to pollution, Mayor Vanessa van Uden said at a full council meeting in Queenstown on Tuesday.
In a report to the council, chief executive Debra Lawson said a meeting was held in June with the ORC regarding the response to pollution in the Lakes district.
She said several "significant outcomes" were agreed. Those included the ORC being the "lead agent" in pollution response in the district, including water pollution, air pollution and hazardous substance spills.
Pollution calls received by the Queenstown Lakes District Council customer services staff could be transferred to a freephone, staffed by the ORC, with a call transfer log system established so no calls were lost.
"It has been agreed that QLDC staff will be lead agents in investigating any suspected in-pipe stormwater pollution, but Otago Regional Council staff will investigate if the suspected pollution is in water.
"In such a case, the protocol is to try to establish a combined response where possible," Ms Lawson said.
However, Cr Cath Gilmour said she had "various concerns" about the "lack of ORC response ... lack of ability and lack of capability".
"Are we [sure] they have the capability to be the lead agent?"How confident are we that this is going to work?"
Ms Lawson said there had been concerns about the ORC response and while "a lot of the smaller things are dealt with really well", the concern was about larger issues.
Cr Trevor Tattersfield asked why the council couldn't do it.
"Why do we have an external organisation that is incredibly difficult to deal with?"
Ms Lawson said the council's view was the ORC should "pick up the responsibility which is theirs [legally]".
"We pay rates to the regional council to [carry out] certain legal requirements," Cr Lyal Cocks said.
"If they're not going to give us the money, why should we take it on?
"The regional council are legally required [to do it]. They are getting the money; let's make them perform."
