ON DEMAND - Local Government Contributions to Contaminated Land – Update

This webinar is now ON DEMAND, presented by members of the ALGA Local Government Specialist Interest Group (LG SIG).

The presentations focus on the purpose and role of local government in managing the development of contaminated sites and why our contribution and regulation is important.

We reflect on the results of the Local Government survey carried out by ALGA in 2021, demonstrating what difficulties are faced by Local Government and Councils in the delivery of Contaminated Land Services, particularly relating to training and development of staff in responding to the technical challenges of dealing with assessment and remediation of sites.

Local Government has a direct relationship with the management of Contaminated Land, in such diverse roles as regulator, contaminated sites asset owners and consenting planners. Often contaminated land projects have the involvement of councils in one or more of these roles.

Local Government face challenges in finding a balance between encouraging development and ensuring safe, high-quality development. The understanding and value of contaminated land services varies greatly even between comparable councils, and when the variation between council in relation to size, resources and attitudes towards the subject is considered, the level and consistency of services may be significantly variable.

The supply of experienced and qualified staff willing to work in councils and their retention is identified as a significant risk as well as training and development of staff. This webinar will provide an understanding of the challenges faced by councils both sides of the Tasman Sea and we will explain what we can do about it.

This will provide an insight into our role within the system and help you when dealing with councils in the future.

If you have any issues during the registration process, please contact events@landandgroundwater.com for assistance.

About the Presenters

Anna Lundmark
Director and Principal Consultant
StellaNord Consulting

Anna Lundmark is the Director and Principal Consultant at StellaNord Consulting, a consultancy focusing on environmental services, in the areas of contaminated sites, emerging contaminants, climate change, and resilience.

She is a Certified Site Contamination Specialist under the CEnvP scheme and has a Master’s degree in Environmental Science / Limnology from the University of Lund, Sweden.

Anna has close to twenty years’ experience in contaminated land from various industries. Prior to starting her own business, she was the Manager for Science and Innovation at a water utility, Regional Program Manager for Contaminated Land at a joint Organisation of Councils, and Principal Environmental Consultant at AECOM.

Joel Little
Former Senior Environmental Officer
Bathurst Council NSW

Joel Little is a Certified Environmental Practitioner and worked at Bathurst Regional Council for nearly 15 years, most recently as the Senior Environmental Officer. Joel helped to implement new policies and procedures to better protect environmental values from inappropriate development and improve the development processes for land with complex environmental constraints.

Graham Aveyard
Principal Advisor – Contaminated Land, Haz Sub & Waste
Environment Canterbury Regional Council NZ & Chair of the LG SIG

Graham is a Principal Science Advisor (Contaminated Land, Hazardous Substances and Waste) at Environment Canterbury Regional Council following a career in Environmental Protection spanning 30 years.

Prior to leaving the UK he held roles specialising in regulation and managing a range of functions including Noise, Contaminated Land and Air Quality Management and has a particular interest in Human Health risks and communication.

Since moving to New Zealand he has contributed to a series of Specialist Interest Groups, including the ALGA Local Government SIG of which he has been chair, as well as ALGA Auckland and Christchurch Branch committees, NZ Conference committees and presented on a range of contaminated land subjects including at EcoForum and the World Environmental Health Congress.