What's being done?

If a consented activity is found to be non-compliant, or is operating outside the rules of a regional plan, the council can:

· Make an on-site agreement to fix the problem;

· Issue a warning letter and request remedial action;

· Issue an abatement notice – this will require a person to stop or not start a non-compliant action, or fix a non-compliant action;

· Issue an infringement notice – which carry set levels of fines;

· Serve an enforcement order to fix the problem; and

· In cases of significant non-compliance, the council may also choose to prosecute an offender.

In 2010-2011

· 233 abatement notices and 188 infringement notices were issued by the council;

· Just over 50 percent were issued for a breach of the rules in a regional plan; and

· The remainder were issued as a result of a breach of resource consent.