Peter Scott will resume his role as chairperson of Environment Canterbury after receiving “strong support” to do so.

The regional council met on Wednesday, a week after Scott was issued a formal warning for illegal farming practices following an independent investigation.

Scott was cleared to resume his role as chairperson, having stepped down in May pending the investigation, but he had wanted to talk to his fellow councillors first.

It is understood councillors are yet to see a full unredacted report from the investigation.

The discussion occurred in the public excluded part of the meeting and resulted in Scott resuming the role.

Scott’s only comment following the meeting was to confirm that he was resuming as chair.

Mid Canterbury councillor Ian Mackenzie said there was no reason why he shouldn’t be reinstated as chair.

Despite “some councillors searching for excuses not to”, Scott was welcomed back, he said.

“He had strong support, especially from acting chair Craig Pauling who welcomed Peter back as chair.”

Before the meeting, Councillor Paul Dietsche (Christchurch South/Ōwhanga) suggested that Scott step down.

Following the meeting, Dietsche said that there was no vote, just a discussion, and as the report had cleared Scott to resume, he would be.

The situation had started after comments from Scott in a radio interview in April, where he detailed how two of his consent applications for irrigation had been delayed by another government agency for six years to highlight the consent issues in Canterbury.

Scott was right to highlight the consenting issues but unwisely aired his situation, Mackenzie said.

That situation is a complex consent issue on what was the Scott family farm for 68 years until it was sold in 2023.

In 2018, Scott was advised by ECan that they would need permission from LINZ to irrigate a 3-hectare area the government entity owns by obtaining a license to occupy, which delayed the land use consent application being processed.

Since the investigation was launched, action has been taken to resolve the delay in the consent process.

In a statement issued following the investigation decision, Scott said ECan had made some huge progress this term.

“Our team of councillors works well together and it’s regrettable this issue has caused some distraction.

“It’s a privilege to chair such a focused and talented group of people and I’m looking forward to getting back into the role – we have a lot to do.”

By Jonathan Leask