Thank you for using Neighbourly
Tickets now on sale through www.humanitix.co.nz... for our upcoming wearable arts show on Saturday 9 September in the Rangiora Baptist Church Auditorium - 7 pm
Combine Resene paint colours to transform a dull garden corner into an oasis.
Find out how with these easy step by step instructions.
Win one of three $5,000 grants to support your community's love of dance!
Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we want to hear … View moreWin one of three $5,000 grants to support your community's love of dance!
Whether it’s pre-schoolers or seniors, Scottish dancing or salsa, kapa haka or Kathak, breakdance or ballet – if you’re encouraging people of all ages and abilities to keep moving through dance, we want to hear from you!
Know someone who could use our support? Apply now!
From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The rollout of 30kph school speed zones is complete, but one Ashburton District councillor hopes there isn’t a rise in speed infringements as a result.
There has been some frustration with the introduction of the reduced speed around schools, … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The rollout of 30kph school speed zones is complete, but one Ashburton District councillor hopes there isn’t a rise in speed infringements as a result.
There has been some frustration with the introduction of the reduced speed around schools, and councillor Richard Wilson is concerned about a potential increase in motorists being fined for exceeding the 30kph limits the council has introduced.
Wilson was worried that because the permanent speed variation was implemented before the council could roll out variable speed signage to all schools immediately, it would be catching out motorists.
“Someone caught doing 42kph at 10pm past a school is not the spirit of why were are going to 30kph,” Wilson said.
The speed limit was now legally set at 30kph and motorists needed to adapt to the change, chief executive Hamish Riach said.
The speed zones were introduced to increase safety for school children.
Council data last year showed that the median speed on the district's urban streets was around 35kph.
The limits will be reviewed in future, with a view to potentially adding variable signs to the urban zones as funds become available.
Variable speed signs cost about $10,000 each, road manager Mark Chamberlain said.
A minor delay with the urban rollout was down to having nothing to hold them up as across the country there had been a lack of aluminium poles for the signs, Chamberlain said.
The signs are now all in place at urban schools, as well as at Lauriston and Dorie as the two rural schools have low traffic volumes outside of school drop-off and pick up and the average speed data showed it was close to 30kph anyway.
At the rural schools, the variable signs are in place at Longbeach School, Lagmhor School, Carew Peel Forest School, and Wakanui School.
The only two sites yet to have the 30kph zones implemented are under Waka Kotahi jurisdiction - with 30kph variable speed limits planned for the front of the three Methven schools and Ashburton Borough on SH77.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
With changes to Australia's citizenship process, many are moving to Oz for better wages and lower taxes. Have you considered moving down under or are you fiercely kiwi?
Share your thoughts by commenting below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the… View moreWith changes to Australia's citizenship process, many are moving to Oz for better wages and lower taxes. Have you considered moving down under or are you fiercely kiwi?
Share your thoughts by commenting below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the We Say You Say column of your local paper.
On the 25th - 27th of August 2023 more than 70 Arts Canterbury members will be exhibiting at the second Arts Canterbury Art Show at The Cashmere Club.
This event is a fundraiser for Arts Canterbury so that they may continue to provide support to local artists.
At the ticketed opening night … View moreOn the 25th - 27th of August 2023 more than 70 Arts Canterbury members will be exhibiting at the second Arts Canterbury Art Show at The Cashmere Club.
This event is a fundraiser for Arts Canterbury so that they may continue to provide support to local artists.
At the ticketed opening night you can enjoy a complimentary drink, nibbles and music while enjoying all of the art and mingling with the artists.
The show will then be open to the public Saturday and Sunday 10am-4pm, and is just a gold coin donation on the door.
Lottery closing soon! Buy your tickets today for a chance to win this fully furnished home in South Island’s stunning Wānaka!
Worth over $1.5 million this Jennian Homes build features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and boasts a stylish open-plan kitchen, living and dining area for year-round … View moreLottery closing soon! Buy your tickets today for a chance to win this fully furnished home in South Island’s stunning Wānaka!
Worth over $1.5 million this Jennian Homes build features four bedrooms, two bathrooms and boasts a stylish open-plan kitchen, living and dining area for year-round entertainment.
Make this property your permanent residence, a holiday home, rent it or even sell it – it could be all yours for only $15! Be in to win by purchasing your tickets today.
Spoil the TV connoisseur in your life with a subscription to NZ’s most popular entertainment magazine. The TV Guide contains TV listings, entertainment, gossip, competitions, puzzles, and more!
This Father’s Day, gift a 1-year subscription to The TV Guide and save $57 off RRP - 52 issues … View moreSpoil the TV connoisseur in your life with a subscription to NZ’s most popular entertainment magazine. The TV Guide contains TV listings, entertainment, gossip, competitions, puzzles, and more!
This Father’s Day, gift a 1-year subscription to The TV Guide and save $57 off RRP - 52 issues delivered weekly straight to their home. Offer available until 2 September 2023.
The team at The TV Guide.
Ōtira was a bustling town with about 650 people when the Ōtira Tunnel first linked the West Coast to the rest of the South Island 100 years ago.
Communities at both ends of the tunnel are celebrating its centenary on Friday.
The rail tunnel travels 8.5km through the Southern Alps and was … View moreŌtira was a bustling town with about 650 people when the Ōtira Tunnel first linked the West Coast to the rest of the South Island 100 years ago.
Communities at both ends of the tunnel are celebrating its centenary on Friday.
The rail tunnel travels 8.5km through the Southern Alps and was once the seventh longest tunnel in the world, and the longest in the British Empire.
Although the rail tunnel is now only the third longest in the country, it remains an engineering marvel.
During its construction, tunnellers contended with harsh conditions, using basic tools to drive through wet shale and rock, and with the steep track required from Ōtira to Arthur’s Pass.
A committee of Ōtira residents was set up two years ago to organise a celebration to commemorate 100 years since the tunnel opened on August 4, 1923.
Read reporter Joanne Naish's full story here (subscription required).
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton's council spent $1,118,973 on consultants in the past financial year.
But while councils can be accused of wasting money on consultants, the question should be around what an acceptable figure is when the work needs to be done, … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton's council spent $1,118,973 on consultants in the past financial year.
But while councils can be accused of wasting money on consultants, the question should be around what an acceptable figure is when the work needs to be done, Ashburton's council chief executive says.
Ashburton District councillor Carolyn Cameron recently questioned how much the council was spending on consultants.
Chief executive Hamish Riach said people should think about the work as opposed to whether staff or consultants were the ones doing it.
"That’s just an input to get the job done.
“It’s just simply a way of getting the work done that council has approved.”
The council spent $1,118,973 on consultants in the 2022-23 financial year, down from the $1,124,084 in 2021-22.
The figures supplied by the council do not include multi-year projects.
The council also tendered a $3.67 million three-year three waters professional services contract that was awarded to Beca last year.
“We did that to try and speed up the delivery of projects,” Riach said.
“When we come to do a project, we know we are using Beca rather than having to tender the professional services [each time].”
Consultants are used throughout many areas of the council business, including engineering design and property services, to provide specific information for the council to make informed decisions.
But it is ultimately the council’s decision as to how any project proceeds, Riach said.
Consultants are used for a set fee and piece of work when the technical expertise sits outside the council’s workforce capability or capacity, Riach said.
“When there are the staff shortages that New Zealand is currently experiencing, or there are specialist skills needed that don’t sit within our staff group, or workload for staff means we cannot deliver outcomes without additional resources, consultants can help plug some of the gaps to ensure work is still delivered in a timely manner."
Tendered projects are made public, due to their higher dollar value or significance, as per the council’s procurement policy.
**Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Audi tt s line sports turban 130,000k great exterior,tidy car runs well ,only issue on board computor not working,selling as brought new car
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A fatal crash that killed a father-of-two happened at a rural intersection that is set to be upgraded over safety concerns.
Vishwam Sankar, 36, was killed when his car collided with a truck at the intersection of Hackthorne and Maronan Valetta roads… View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A fatal crash that killed a father-of-two happened at a rural intersection that is set to be upgraded over safety concerns.
Vishwam Sankar, 36, was killed when his car collided with a truck at the intersection of Hackthorne and Maronan Valetta roads at 9.45am on July 17.
Sankar and his family had moved to New Zealand from the US last year and had celebrated the birth of their second child three weeks before the crash, the New Zealand Herald reported.
The crash has been referred to the coroner.
Ashburton District Council infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said at the start of July, the intersection had been included as part of the 2023-24 annual work programme to have gated 'give way' signs (signs on both sides of the road) and 'give way ahead' warning signs installed.
“On review following the crash, this has been changed to replacing the 'give ways' with stop controls, gating the 'stop' signs and warning signs, and installing a directional sign with road name to provide extra information for drivers approaching from the south,” McCann said.
The intersection was included in the council’s review of 79 rural intersections in March, which was recommended by the coroner following a fatal crash at the intersection of Mitcham and Hepburns roads in 2019.
A budget for the proposed changes is being prepared for the 2024-27 long-term plan, McCann said.
“There was no priority order but seven intersections have already had minor sign changes completed.”
Councillor Rob Mackle was inspired to pursue a council seat after being first on the scene of that fatal crash in 2019, where he performed CPR on an 8-month-old baby who later died in hospital.
Following the latest fatal crash at a rural intersection, Mackle is demanding more action.
“There just seems to be the repairs or minor details changed just to cover council’s bums, as it looks to the public. We need to be doing a lot more.”
Roading manager Mark Chamberlain said the council has been working on having the appropriate warnings and signs at its rural intersections.
“We just have to spend the time and money upgrading the signage.
“Having bigger signs on rural roads, and the appropriate one as well. My preference is 'stops' rather than 'give ways' at rural intersections.”
The Hackthorne and Maronan Valetta intersections had only had two previous crashes reported, Chamberlain said - one injury and one non-injury in 2012 and 2014.
The council is currently reviewing future budgets for signage to fund the gradual replacement of many 'give way' signs with 'stop' signs at rural intersections.
The change to stop signs had support from councillor Phil Hooper.
A lot of rural intersections were high-speed intersections and “that’s when misjudging happens”, he said.
“A lot of it won’t matter what we do, there is still going to be human error,” Hooper said.
“If you are stopped you can make a better assessment.”
Mackle believed more can be done, and proposed placing rumble strips at rural intersections with main roads as an option.
There was no evidence to prove rumble strips were an effective method of improving driver behaviour, Chamberlain said.
They lost their effectiveness “quite quickly” as they were driven over.
“If they were effective, we would have them everywhere.”
Splitter islands, installing extra signs in the middle of the road, are also options the council is considering at some rural intersections but require widening the road to ensure larger vehicles can still turn safely.
A report updating the work that going into safety upgrades around the district's intersections was requested by Ashburton mayor Neil Brown.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The debris that caused the SH1 Ashburton/Hakatere River bridge to close will be cleared “in the next fortnight”, Waka Kotahi says.
Environment Canterbury has jurisdiction over river management, but as the debris is impacting the bridges it will … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The debris that caused the SH1 Ashburton/Hakatere River bridge to close will be cleared “in the next fortnight”, Waka Kotahi says.
Environment Canterbury has jurisdiction over river management, but as the debris is impacting the bridges it will be Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and KiwiRail’s job to remove it.
Waka Kotahi is responsible for debris up against, or within 50 metres of, a bridge or culvert, senior network manager for Mid and South Canterbury Scott McKenzie said.
The work is planned to occur in the next fortnight “when flows further reduce to allow easy access and safe crossing to get all of the debris off the piers and clear of the structure in one operation”.
“We will also be completing works around the KiwiRail bridge, taking a collaborative approach previously agreed from prior flood events."
It was suggested at a recent Ashburton District Council activity briefing meeting that Waka Kotahi would use a digger from the bridge to clear some debris as a trial for doing preventative clearing during a flood event, but McKenzie said the work will likely occur from the riverbed itself.
Using a digger on the bridge “can’t be ruled out, but wouldn’t typically be the first solution as it could damage the bridge deck and would potentially only have minimal effect when the river was in full flood”.
“Normally, it is easier, safer, and more efficient to monitor, intervening where required then addressing and removing and clearing debris once flood waters recede.”
ECan flood protection – recovery manager Shaun McCracken said an excavator had been working on the Hinds River railway bridge, and it would likely move onto the SH1 road bridge next.
ECan’s responsibility sits with the management of debris in the rest of the river, “which we’ve put huge resources into over the past two years”, McCracken said.
Meanwhile, Waka Kotahi regional relationships director James Caygill, and other key staff involved in Civil Defence emergency events will be asked about the bridge management and processes around its closure by the council at Wednesday’s meeting.
*Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
The St Nicholas, West Melton & New Brighton Scout Groups are fundraising to take a group of scouts to the 2023-2024 Jamboree in Mystery Creek, Hamilton, NZ.
The cost of Jamboree is upwards of $2,400 per youth which is a significant barrier to participation for our youth.
This quiz night … View moreThe St Nicholas, West Melton & New Brighton Scout Groups are fundraising to take a group of scouts to the 2023-2024 Jamboree in Mystery Creek, Hamilton, NZ.
The cost of Jamboree is upwards of $2,400 per youth which is a significant barrier to participation for our youth.
This quiz night will not only be a fun evening, but will also help us send our youth on an experience they won’t soon forget!
Book now on : events.humanitix.com...
$14,500,000
Marketed by Chris Murdoch
© Neighbourly 2024
Loading…
