Evans Aims for Top ECan Job

Former Christchurch deputy mayor Carole Evans wants to lead Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) biggest committee.

Evans was one of four contenders in the battle for the ECan chairmanship last month.

She now is keen to oversee the public passenger transport committee.

It is ECan’s largest committee, with an annual budget of about $35 million. About half of that amount comes from passenger fares, while about a quarter is funded by the Government. The rest is from a targeted rate on parts of the region served by public transport.

Sweeping changes to ECan council membership at the recent elections left large gaps in the public passenger transport committee.

Four members of the committee had since vacated their seats. Chairwoman Nicky Wagner and deputy chairwoman Judy Waters stood down, while Anne Carroll and Bill Woods both lost their constituencies.

Evans stood as an Experienced Independent candidate in the Christchurch North ECan constituency after relinquishing her Christchurch City Council Burwood-Pegasus ward seat.

Evans said she was interested in several ECan committees, but the public passenger transport committee was the one she wanted to chair.

“That’s the one I’d really, really want to be on. I think I’ve had enough experience in this area. I’m a reasonably good chairperson and I like to work with others,” she said.

“If I don’t get the chairmanship, I hope to get on it at least. I’m happy to serve on the committee.”

ECan chairman Sir Kerry Burke said he and deputy chairwoman Jo Kane had asked councillors to state their committee preferences, and whether they were interested in chairmanship roles by yesterday. Memberships would be decided at Wednesday’s council meeting.

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