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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton’s second bridge remains in the Government’s priorities, but the details for its delivery remain vague.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Transport Minister Simeon Brown released the revised draft of the Government Policy Statement on … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton’s second bridge remains in the Government’s priorities, but the details for its delivery remain vague.
Prime Minister Chris Luxon and Transport Minister Simeon Brown released the revised draft of the Government Policy Statement on transport on Monday. The document provides direction for NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to develop its next National Land Transport Plan.
The second Ashburton/Hakatere River Bridge is in the draft, but it is light on the details of when it will be built and how it will funded.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown said he was happy to see the bridge retained in the plans as expected, and is eagerly awaiting the next step in the process.
“Ashburton’s second bridge is still in there, the details are not there, as in who is paying, which is the big one.”
Rangitata MP James Meager said the draft document doesn’t commit funding or timeframes as that comes in the National Land Transport Plan from NZTA in September.
“The campaign commitment to begin construction of the bridge in the first term remains on track.
“We’re all itching to get cracking.”
Mayor Brown is too:
“It’s ready to go. All it needs are detailed designs and to go out tender so it can start.”
While the announcement was light on details around Ashburton’s second bridge, a "project of regional significance”, it delivered on a number of the Government’s promises as part of its 100-day plan - the deadline for which ends on Friday.
Roads of National Significance are back with 15 new four-lane roading projects across the country – including the Woodend Bypass but not the stretch of SH1 between Ashburton and Rolleston.
The plans also include the promised $500m pothole fund, which Minister Brown said would be “ring-fenced to resealing, rehabilitation, and drainage maintenance works”.
The government also intends to set up a Road Efficiency Group to focus on road maintenance, standardising maintenance protocols, and reducing spending on temporary traffic management.
There is also $2.3b for public transport services and $2.1b for public transport infrastructure over the next three years.
Mayor Brown also noted the Government is looking at shifting to a 10-year National Land Transport Programme, rather than three years, which would be better timing for council planning.
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Road users to foot the bill
The coalition Government’s revised transport plans have about $20b being spent in the next three years.
To help pay for it all, Minister Brown announced several hikes “to balance the transport budget”.
It has proposed to increase vehicle registration fees by a total of $50 - with increases of $25 per year for the next two years, a fee that hasn’t been increased since 1994.
He is also proposing a fuel tax increase of 12 cents in 2027 - the same amount Labour suggested through gradual increases by mid-2026.
That would be followed by further increases of 6 cents per litre and 4 cents per litre in subsequent years.
Fuel Excise Duty and Road User Charges will not be raised this term but face a similar increase from 2027.
NZTA is also being asked to consider different ways of funding and delivering major transport investments, ensuring they make efficient use of every dollar spent, Minister Brown said.
Please follow our top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft:
✉️ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
✉️ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
✉️ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
… View morePlease follow our top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft:
✉️ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
✉️ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
✉️ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
✉️ Install security cameras and/or security camera messaging near your letterbox or front of property
✉️ Where practical, consider click and collect over delivery
✉️ Send parcels to a work address or ensuring you're home when they arrive
✉️ Contact Police (111 for immediate issues or 105 if it is after the fact) if you see people loitering around vehicles or looking into car windows
✉️ Engage in neighbourhood groups so more people can keep an eye out for suspicious activity
These tips are being shared after a 44-year-old woman will appear in Pukekohe District Court on 28 March charged with theft.
An alleged mail thief in the Pukekohe area has hand-delivered herself into Police, following assistance from the community.
Counties Manukau South Senior Sergeant MJ Riddle says Police were aware of locals discussing a mail theft on social media. A report was made to Police at the time in January and had included enough detail including CCTV footage and a vehicle of interest. Following Police enquiries, the woman has brought herself into the Pukekohe Police Station a few days later.
“This is a great result for the community and a timely reminder to the public to continue reporting any thefts from letterboxes.”
Senior Sergeant Riddle says
“Our community should be able to receive parcels and mail without concern of interference but unfortunately there are people in our communities who take advantage of opportunities to commit thefts from mail boxes and front porches."
“We encourage anyone who has been the victim of dishonesty offending to report it as soon as possible,” she says."
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Wear and tear is starting to show at the Ashburton Events Centre after 16 years in operation, and plans are in place for its revitalisation.
The problem is, the money isn’t.
The event centre opened in 2008 and now needs significant renovations to… View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Wear and tear is starting to show at the Ashburton Events Centre after 16 years in operation, and plans are in place for its revitalisation.
The problem is, the money isn’t.
The event centre opened in 2008 and now needs significant renovations to ensure it remains a state-of-the-art facility for local, national, and international performances.
But since it opened, the Ashburton Performing Arts Theatre Trust has not been setting aside money to fund future purchases of assets - an accounting procedure known as 'funding depreciation'.
The latest audited accounts show an annual depreciation of $143,991, and an accumulated depreciation figure of $2.17m.
Ashburton mayor Neil Brown raised concerns that if the centre’s 15-year-old air conditioning unit failed they wouldn’t have the funds to replace it.
“No-one has been funding the depreciation which has been alerted to over all the time I’ve been on council.
“Council is aware of it but we have still not funded it.”
It will be a consideration in the long-term plan process, he said.
Revitalisation plans, costing an estimated $900,000, include upgrading the speaker system, lighting, technology, and accessibility in the venue.
The trust is requesting the establishment of a capital expenditure account, which will be considered as a long-term plan submission.
The idea is the council would contribute a set amount annually as part of the operational grant to be used for the estimated $182,000 of refurbishments –painting and furnishings.
Outgoing trust chairperson George Brown said the refurbishments would be the most difficult thing to raise money for.
“We felt that maybe we could be asking the council to be helping us with that part of it.
“In effect, it's depreciation. [Depreciation] has never been funded by a council grant and we accepted that, but it does get to the point where we will have to do something over the next five years to get that upgraded.”
The trust, a registered charity, will also be going to the public at large for funding as well as looking at fundraising and grant opportunities, he said.
The upgrades are about future-proofing the centre to maintain it as a modern facility and compete with other venues, centre manager Roger Farr said.
One example is the sound system that “at the moment certainly still works”.
“The issue I see with it is it was second hand when it went in 15-years ago.”
The council grant is $298,860 in the 2023-24 year and the event centre is also asking for a 5% increase to $324,800 in 2024-25, which will also be considered in the long-term plan process.
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Busy six months
The Ashburton Event Centre's six-month report highlighted a continuing trend of increasing use post-Covid, centre manager Roger Farr said.
It had more than 16,500 people through the venue in the July-December 2023 period.
“We are sitting around 75% bums on seats,” Farr said.
Community events made up 62% of the bookings, with 88 in the six months.
By reporter Keiller MacDuff:
Environment Canterbury (ECan) floated one of the largest proposed average rates rises in the country on Wednesday - more than 24% - a day after the Christchurch City Council adopted a draft proposal for a 13% rates rise.
Councils nationwide are proposing … View moreBy reporter Keiller MacDuff:
Environment Canterbury (ECan) floated one of the largest proposed average rates rises in the country on Wednesday - more than 24% - a day after the Christchurch City Council adopted a draft proposal for a 13% rates rise.
Councils nationwide are proposing significant rises as interest rates bite and increasing severe weather calls for more resilience work.
ECan councillors voted 14:2 to adopt the consultation document for its long-term plan (LTP), which outlines the council's activities, services and finances for the next decade, with councillors Clair McKay and Deon Swiggs voting against the recommendation.
The plan will see ECan spend more than $340 million in the first year, a 26% increase on the $270m programme carried out in 2023-24.
The draft says the council gave “strong consideration“ to the financial pressures the community is facing, but previous decisions on flood management and public transport combined with high inflation meant just maintaining current work required a double digit increase.
The actual rating impact will differ depending on location and targeted rates, meaning the increase will be between 13% and 27%.
If the regional council’s preferred options are adopted, a Christchurch city ratepayer with a $820,000 property would pay $750 in the first year of the plan, while a $1.9m rural property in Hurunui faced a $1030 rates bill for 2024-25, and a $4.76m rural Ashburton property would pay $2681 in rates.
Of ECan's three core services - environmental regulation and protection, hazard preparedness and response, and public transport - the latter has the biggest cost.
The council’s preferred public transport option has a $160m price tag for the first year (a total of $542m over three years) and would see the Public Transport Futures programme improvements delivered within seven years, including upping core bus routes to ten minute frequencies or better by 2028, with average wait times of five minutes.
It also includes:
- More direct services to parts of Waimakariri and Selwyn, starting in 2026-27.
- A review of connector and local services by mid-2026, with improvements implemented by 2031.
- An additional Diamond Harbour ferry and refurbishment of the existing ferry.
- Improvements to the network, such as increasing capacity on crowded buses and small tweaks to routes or frequency
- Enhanced safety improvements, increased investment in reliability and the continued replacement of end-of-life diesel buses with new electric buses.
The option also includes funding to “explore opportunities” to improve transport to and from Te Kaha, on demand services in Greater Christchurch, and - long term - looking at asset ownership.
The document notes the region has “historically under-invested in public transport,” leading to low usage, and proposes “considerable investment.” But both the regional council and the auditor, whose report was also tabled, drew attention to the “high level of uncertainty” surrounding the government’s contribution.
The council’s preferred option for environmental regulation and protection would cost $135m for the LTP’s first year, and could sit alongside a targeted rate for additional biodiversity work in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.
The separate biodiversity rate works out at 72 cents per $100,000 capital value of rateable properties.
ECan’s preferred option for community preparedness and hazard response - $50.5m - includes a targeted rate for Selwyn residents for district-wide flood and river resilience work.
The targeted rate would cost $7.08 per rate paying property in the first year, $10.62 in the second year, and $14.16 in the third year, raising $400,000 in 2026-27.
Most councillors expressed misgivings about the scale of the proposed rise, but backed the document through the consultation process.
McKay accused her fellow councillors of being “tone deaf”, and asked what right the council had “to treat our ratepayers as an ATM machine?”
She criticised the amount of borrowing and said she was “embarrassed to be associated” with the amount council sought.
Swiggs also expressed misgivings about debt funding, and criticised the local government funding model in general.
“Imagine if Wellington had to budget the way we have to,” Swiggs said, commenting on the discrepency in tax take between central and local government,.
On Tuesday, the Christchurch City Council voted 13 to 4 in favour of a draft long-term plan that proposes an average rates increase of 13.24% from June, followed by 7.76% in the following financial year, and 4.67% the year after.
Consultation on ECan’s draft LTP will run from mid-March to mid-April, with hearings scheduled for the end of April and early May. The council is scheduled to deliberate at the end of May with a view to adopt the plan and set rates in late June.
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"What I have harvested from that greenhouse this year, that’s the cleanest crop I have ever grown. No whitefly at all. It’s pretty exciting,” says Anthony Tringham, who grows heirloom tomatoes commercially under the brand Curious Croppers, in Clevedon, Auckland
WIN ONE of FIVE $50 Gift Cards - It's only a few clicks away! Simply complete our easy Broadband Survey and unlock your chance to WIN! Start Survey now.
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3-piece suite
Wood-framed Classic English three piece suite
2 x three seater sofas
1 x armchair
Really comfy
Removable fabric covers are faded / need some attention but ideal for covering with throws or as is for a rumpus room
Wood sliders make the pieces easy to move and don't … View more3-piece suite
Wood-framed Classic English three piece suite
2 x three seater sofas
1 x armchair
Really comfy
Removable fabric covers are faded / need some attention but ideal for covering with throws or as is for a rumpus room
Wood sliders make the pieces easy to move and don't leave carpet-damaging castor-marks
Please collect 25 mins west of Rangiora.
Cheers,
Miles
027 271 5077
Have you nominated a small business in your community yet? The Prospa Local Business Hero Awards close this week!
Whether you know a great plumber, supermarket, mechanic, bookstore, hairdresser, gardener, pharmacy, builder, shoe store, cafe or electrician - show some love to a small business and… View moreHave you nominated a small business in your community yet? The Prospa Local Business Hero Awards close this week!
Whether you know a great plumber, supermarket, mechanic, bookstore, hairdresser, gardener, pharmacy, builder, shoe store, cafe or electrician - show some love to a small business and make a nomination today.
You'll not only help drum up some support for them in your community, you could also help them win a $10,000 prize package. Plus if your nomination is a regional finalist you'll win a $100 Prezzy® card too!
The sweetest time of the year is just around the corner, and we’ve put together a great deal that will make it even sweeter.
Bennetto Chocolate has helped us put together an amazing chocolate box that’ll be the perfect addition to an NZ House & Garden subscription this Easter. Simply … View moreThe sweetest time of the year is just around the corner, and we’ve put together a great deal that will make it even sweeter.
Bennetto Chocolate has helped us put together an amazing chocolate box that’ll be the perfect addition to an NZ House & Garden subscription this Easter. Simply purchase a 1 or 2-year subscription to NZ House & Garden and the Easter Bunny will deliver you a Bennetto Chocolate Box worth $50 for FREE! T&Cs Apply.
Enjoy,
The team at NZ House & Garden
Don’t miss out! For only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home in Pegasus, Christchurch worth almost $1 million dollars.
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If you would like to have an outside stall at the up coming Vintage fair on April 2024, please email northcanterburyvintagefair@gmail.com
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🙋♂️Welcome to the 1st day of Autumn! 🍂 Check out our latest listings in this month's Digimag! From Ashburton to Oamaru and everywhere in between, you're sure to find your next dream property here!🏡
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