5. Board functions under Section 6M of the Conservation Act
The board has maintained its role of monitoring the department of Conservation's implementation of the Conservation Management Strategy (CMS).
At least two months before each board meeting, members select a section of the CMS and a small changing group of board members put a list of written questions to the department. These are designed to identify what has been achieved since the CMS was approved in 1995, what has changed, barriers to progress and lessons learned.
The department prepares detailed reports in response to the questions and circulates these with board papers. The reports provide assessments on whether or not performance indicators have been met, details about any difficulties being encountered and other factors impacting on performance such as other DOC work priorities. Relevant DOC staff present the reports at each board meeting and answer any supplementary questions from the board.
The board believes that the process it has developed to monitor the Wellington Conservancy CMS is an effective way of performing one of its important statutory functions. Board members also consider that the reports and discussions play important roles in increasing members' understanding of the management challenges faced by the conservancy.
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