Beach patrols a ‘must-have’ for North Canterbury – councillors
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury's beaches will have more patrols this summer after the local council deemed water safety a "must-have" for the region.
Waimakariri District councillors voted to increase its lifesaving budget by 23%, approving an additional $22,597 for the 2024-25 summer season — $1.84 per ratepayer.
However, one councillor voted against the funding boost, saying Surf Lifesaving could look at user-pay options - an idea flatly rejected by the deputy mayor.
The extra funding will allow Life Saving New Zealand to increase its patrol days over the summer and provide wage increases.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon last month called on councils to focus on essential services and "rein in the fantasies" on spending.
Councillors queried whether funding Surf Lifesaving was a ‘‘nice-to-have’’ or a ‘‘must-have’’.
Councillor Paul Williams voted against the funding increase and suggested the Waikuku Beach Surf Life Saving Club look at alternative funding options like user-pays, such as a collection at the beach.
But Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson said the council had a responsibility.
‘‘If not us, who? Who is responsible? I’m not sure rattling a box at the beach is a viable option, if you are relying on people to keep loose change in their budgie smugglers.
‘‘You cannot put a value on saving a life at sea. It is horrific in any event.’’
Councillor Robbie Brine said it was ‘‘absolutely essential’’ the region’s beaches were patrolled by professional lifeguards, while councillor Al Blackie said he would find it ‘‘bizarre’’ if anyone suggested saving a life was ‘‘a nice-to-have’’.
Mayor Dan Gordon said he did have concerns about funding requests being received after the long-term plan has been adopted, but he supported the extra funding.
‘‘This is about ensuring people on our beaches are safe.’’
Councillors Brent Cairns and Philip Redmond said the Woodend-Sefton Community Board has been asking for increased funding for beach patrols for several years.
Redmond said Woodend-Sefton Community Board chairperson Shona Powell had indicated funding the beach patrols was ‘‘a big bang for buck’’, given population increases and the beaches served the whole district.
Surf Life Saving New Zealand has paid patrols at the Waikuku, Pegasus and Woodend beaches on weekdays during the school holidays.
It is planning to increase paid patrol days from 85 to 99 days, including 39 days at Waikuku Beach and 30 days at both Pegasus and Woodend beaches, with 10 life guards employed during December and January.
Council staff will liaise with Surf Life Saving New Zealand, the Woodend-Sefton Community Board and other stakeholders to confirm the patrol dates.
A budget of $118,090 was approved for the 2024-25 season in the long-term plan.
The Waikuku Beach Surf Life Saving Club also provides volunteer patrols at Waikuku Beach during weekends from Show Weekend until March.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Waimakariri district plan faces more delays amid changing rules
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Changing Government legislation is causing headaches for council staff, as Waimakariri’s new District Plan is set to be delayed again.
Waimakariri District Council development planning manager Matt Bacon said he was relieved when the last of the public hearings ended last week.
But with final council reports due on December 13, staff will have just two working days to present the final District Plan on December 17. A district plan helps to control and manage the development of the district or city.
‘‘We are working through what it looks like and we will update the council at its meeting on December 3,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘But we will likely seek another extension from the environment minister and the Resource Management Act (RMA) minister.’’
The council first notified its draft District Plan in September 2021, but within months legislation was introduced with new medium density residential housing standards (MDRS).
‘‘We needed to call for further submissions and we had to create a separate hearing panel to consider the plan variations to allow for the MDRS,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘We have tried to merge the process as much as possible, as well as looking at re-zoning and incorporating other new legislation.’’
When the draft plan was first notified there was no National Policy Statement (NPS) for Indigenous Biodiversity, but an NPS was introduced - and then replaced.
The Natural and Built Environment Act came into being last year and then repealed, and then there is the NPS on Urban Development and the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan.
The Government is now working on more RMA reforms and Environment Canterbury is working on the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement.
And then there is the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, which includes three proposed housing developments in Waimakariri - two of them outside of the future urban development areas identified in the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan.
All three housing developments in the Bill have been included in submissions to the District Plan, including a proposed 850-home development at Ohoka, near Rangiora, which is also subject to an Environment Court appeal.
‘‘We haven’t seen the detail, so whether it is the same proposals, we don’t know, but they are different processes so we have to just keep doing what we are doing, until we are told otherwise,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘It might just be a timing thing, but we just don’t know.’’
Bacon said delaying the District Plan until new legislation is in place is not an option.
‘‘We are looking at what we can control and having a watching brief, and we will look at transitional timings because we don’t always have to immediately change planning documents when new legislation comes in.’’
Planning manager Wendy Harris said navigating changing Government legislation is a normal part of council planning work.
‘‘If we waited we wouldn’t do anything and we would go nowhere.’’
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
The tiger who came to tea
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