Broad focus for Westland District byelection candidates
From local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A $600,000 spend on a Hokitika playground and a lack of realism are common concerns among the six candidates vying for election to the Westland District Council's Northern Ward.
Voting is now open in the byelection, which comes just months after the three-yearly local body elections.
Asked what the issue of concern for voters was, most candidates preferred to talk more broadly about what the council should be focused on.
First timer Charley Cowie, of Stafford, noted the ward had about 50% of the rateable value for the whole district and it was clearly ''going ahead''.
A vote for him would help him ''represent everyone'' in the district and he was reluctant to pin down a common concern.
He cited the collective effort to restore the historic Stafford Cemetery as an example of what could be achieved by ''getting the community working better together''.
''At the end of the day, I'm not there to represent [only] the Northern Ward. At the end of the day, I don't need this job - if people think I will make a good councillor, good on them.''
Another first time candidate Patrick Phelps, a former journalist and now champion of the West Coast mineral industry, said council management and governance had got out of step with ratepayer expectations, while the rating burden burgeoned.
With a shortage of housing stock in Westland, relative to population size, the council seemed to be inhibiting supply rather than being an enabler.
Freeing up the council to get back to its core business would be his focus, including the council ''exiting a lot of the commercial enterprises it is involved in''.
''How long are you waiting for council to process a consent or whatever?'' Phelps asked.
While direct accountability for northern concerns was needed, ''I'm not a particularly parochial person''.
''I do think there is a case for wards - you could easily be forgiven if you are in Otira to think the council does not take account,'' he said.
Flow Ir Inn said they were looking at the macro picture and how the council operated for everyone, including the rates strike.
''To be honest, my main focus is to get costs down . . . We can't really spend more money until we get costs down.
''Anyone who lives on the Coast knows our council is spending lots of money on things that they don't need to be spending on.''
The $600,000 playground was a case in point, Flow Ir Inn said.
New Kaniere resident and first time candidate Euan Mackenzie said voter feedback suggested widespread worry about the council accessing funds for projects which were then ''frittered away''.
He preferred to see the council act as a positive facilitator of the local economy.
Its key responsibility was for citizens to access employment and the basic need for housing, education, health and youth services so they could get on with life, Mackenzie said.
Perennial candidate Jacquie Grant said a lot was at stake for the Northern Ward.
''As I've said on my election stuff, I'm there to represent the ward first and foremost,'' Grant said.
She cited community issues at both Ross and Kumara which had been festering and neglected by the council - and''Hokitika-centric'' spending.
Again, the $600,000 proposed spending on a new playground in Hokitika when the town was already rich with accessible facilities needed to be brought into line.
''We've got to get real,'' Grant said.
She also claimed some Northern Ward voters were ''incensed'' at a system where the next highest polling candidate last October - herself -was not brought up the list when the seat was vacated.
Nelson Lakes resident and Money Free Party advocate Richard Osmaston said after running for six mayoralties inthe South Island in October, as well as in the Hamilton West byelection, he did not have much in reserve this time.
However, the cost of living was probably the main issue in the Northern Ward ''keeping most people awake at night - the fact they are going backwards''.
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...You can see right through them.
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Controversial West Coast landfill granted extension to fix issues
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A controversial West Coast private landfill under Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) watch is being given more time to fix water issues following "adverse weather".
The EPA has granted Taylorville Resource Park (TRP) an extension of a few weeks to meet the requirements of a three month abatement notice slapped on the site in March.
It came after the West Coast Regional Council asked the authority in February to take over its environmental compliance investigation of the Coal Creek landfill, 5km east of Greymouth.
The council was plagued with complaints about the landfill site throughout 2023.
These ranged from an overwhelming stench forcing neighbours to stay indoors, alleged asbestos generated dust, and water leaching from the site into a roadside drain.
After the authority took over investigations in February, it found leachate from the landfill had been allowed to spill from the site via an adjoining waterway.
Under the subsequent abatement, TRP were given three months to comply, ending June 14.
Investigations manager Jackie Adams said compliance officers have since visited the site and found TRP have made "significant progress".
However, the work required has not been completed due to "adverse weather conditions" during the abatement period, Adams said.
Because of this, the authority had yet to determine the final outcome of its investigation.
"Our officers will be returning to the site again in the coming weeks," Adams said.
"Once this inspection has been completed, we will determine if all the conditions of the notice have been met before considering any next steps."
LDR has asked the authority what type of weather factor was at play.
"We understand that there were poor weather conditions in April that affected TRP's ability to install the waterproof lining of the new storage pond," Adams said.
The authority recognised the future of the site as "an important issue for people in the region".
It continued to work with TRP to ensure compliance with the abatement, he said.
"Under the Resource Management Act, the EPA has specific enforcement functions to assist and intervene in an enforcement action of a council."
Adams said they will provide a further update when they have completed their follow-up inspection and confirmed any next step.
West Coast Regional Council Regulatory and Policy group manager Jocelyne Allen said they were keeping a watch on the site to ensure an "appropriate level of enforcement" in line with "the level of environmental effects".
Allen was asked to expand in what was meant by an appropriate level of enforcement.
She said the council was "using its discretion" while working through its enforcement strategy.
This was to ensure relevant treatment of the site from a compliance perspective, she said.
Allen said they expected an update from the EPA by mid-July.
The council had several options to consider, under the Resource Management Act, beyond the EPA's findings.
Those could include anything "from a warning right up to prosecution," Allen said.
The council also had the power to issue notices with conditions plus interim and enforcement orders.
Allen said they were constantly evaluating the best options, but the council had not yet taken action to say "it can't operate".
"We wouldn't just be able to shut the site down at this stage."
Allen said more recent consent applications from TRP may yet go to a public hearing, but council had to assess if the impacts were "more than a minor environmental effect" before making a hearing decision.
Allen said that could also be circumvented if the applicant themselves requested a public hearing.
TRP has been approached by LDR. Questions included if it anticipates meeting the extended abatement period, and if it would be happy for a public hearing.
Pressure on council to protect Hokitika from flooding
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Earthworks should begin along Hokitika's Gibson Quay next week on a delayed flood bank build.
The clock has been ticking on the Hokitika River protection project since last December when West Coast Regional Council awarded a contract but then had to wait on KiwiRail to sign the project off.
Council, in an extraordinary meeting on Thursday (July 4), approved extra costs in response to KiwiRail requirements above the original tender price.
Contractor Henry Adams was awarded the tender at the end of 2023 after last winter completing the first stage of the project, behind Westland Milk Products, and adjoining the river.
The new section runs along the railway line and Gibson Quay from Westland Milk Products down to the Hokitika Bridge.
It also adjoins the Wadeson Island and Hokitika River bank whitebaiting area.
Council chairperson Peter Haddock said the pressure is now on to finish the new flood bank within two months - with the local whitebaiting season due to start on September 1.
"It's been delayed and once again it's been a concern of council in getting through the project … I do understand that Kiwi Rail have to look after their asset," Haddock said.
In the meantime the community remained "vulnerable" to the river.
"The bulk of the works have got to be done before the whitebait season … that project will be underway immediately next week - that will be a good bit of protection works for Hokitika," Haddock said.
Dubbed '1B,' the project is the second of a suite of staged Kanoa approved flood resilience works costing several million dollars.
These will eventually improve protection to the entire Hokitika residential and business area from Kaniere to the CBD.
Haddock said KiwiRail had sought adjustment to the original contract scope.
"It had been let to Henry Adams Contracting subject to approval from KiwiRail, which has taken over nine months - because it was let before Christmas," Haddock said.
"They've finally come back and there's more work to do to protect their network."
The extraordinary meeting was required to tick off the cost of "more earthworks" and drainage in response to KiwiRail.
"There was a significant cost but it was below the budget that was allowed for the project," Haddock said.
This amounted to about $200,000 below their original budget contingencies.
"The contract is still under budget."
Haddock said the adjusted costs "were still competitive" and the council was satisfied with a staff recommendation on that basis.
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