Further secrecy surrounds the Otago Regional Council (ORC) following its closed meeting on Thursday to discuss a response to Minister for the Environment, Penny Simmonds regarding a breakdown of costs on the Land and Water Regional Plan.

Dunstan ward councillor Michael Laws tried his best to have the meeting open to the public in an hour-long debate, but the ORC’s legal advice was to keep it behind closed doors.

CEO Richard Saunders said after the meeting, he would release a portion of the response to Minister Simmonds publicly on the council website, “in coming days.”

The ORC has responded to Environment Minister Penny Simmonds’ requests for more information on its Land and Water Regional Plan. PHOTO: Supplied

Cr Laws has named the seven councillors that are in support of the Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP) the ‘secret seven,’ and are the same ones who voted for the meeting to be held in private.

Cr Gary Kelliher said it was disappointing the 7-5 vote that continuously happens with council decisions, particularly around the LWRP issue, were always portrayed to the media in press releases as if they were won by a strong majority.

“I just hope that when the minister is wading through 39 pages of waffle trying to interpret if there’s any answers to her six questions hidden amongst it, that she calls time.”

Chair Gretchen Robertson also noted that in the letter received from the minister on August 8 requesting a breakdown of costs, an offer was made to present information in person.

“ORC welcomes this opportunity and is seeking to find a suitable date for this to happen.”

She said Minister Simmonds understood that ORC was still preparing the Section 32 report, which will contain a significant amount of information related to the minister’s request.

“ORC will provide an initial response to the minister’s letters and will provide further information later in September,” she said.