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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The man behind the new freight hub in Mid Canterbury says he's not concerned by plans to build another hub 58km up the road in Rolleston.
Wareing Group director Mark Wareing said a second hub would have a positive impact on the Fairton site as … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The man behind the new freight hub in Mid Canterbury says he's not concerned by plans to build another hub 58km up the road in Rolleston.
Wareing Group director Mark Wareing said a second hub would have a positive impact on the Fairton site as it would be “complimentary” and increase the traffic volume along the rail line.
“It will strengthen it over time as more local freight moves interisland,” he said.
The Fairfield Freight Hub opened in April, in an $18 million development led by the Waring Group with funding from the Government and the Ashburton District Council.
Now a similar hub could be established up the road after the Selwyn District Council signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with KiwiRail.
KiwiRail future state freight general manager Mark Heissenbuttel said Kiwirail and the council, along with other interested parties, are in early discussions on the establishment of a freight hub in Rolleston.
Location and costs are still to be discussed, he said.
“Inter-modal hubs use both road and rail transport, enabling trucks to complete the first and last mile of collections and delivery, and for rail to do the heavy longer-distance movements.
“KiwiRail runs some 30 services a day through the Selwyn District, including the crown jewel of our tourism offerings, the TranzAlpine.
“It’s an exciting time for rail in the South Island with the imminent arrival of the brand new low-emissions locomotives will boost KiwiRail in the South Island.”
With plenty to still work out around establishing a new hub in Rolleston, it was too early to speculate on any potential impacts on the Fairfield Hub, Heissenbuttel said.
Selwyn mayor Sam Broughton said the MOU marked a significant milestone for the district.
“This partnership will help enhance the flow of freight through Selwyn, strengthening our local economy and connecting us more effectively with the wider region."
The MOU includes closer cooperation between the two organisations to align the rail network development with the objective of Waikirikiri Te Kua Future Selwyn strategy.
Broughton said the strategy was a roadmap for the district for the next 50-100 years.
"We must plan our transport systems to accommodate future generations well”.
While it is a fun occasion, fireworks on Guy Fawkes Night has caused much conflict over the years, upsetting our pets and disrupting the sleep of neighbours.
How should we celebrate Guy Fawkes Night? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
International members of the Mongols MC are expected in Canterbury for an event marking five years since the gang established itself in New Zealand.
What you need to know:
-The gang has three chapters in the South Island. Wainoni-based Ōtautahi East, Ashburton-based Mid-South and SH1, Burnham.… View moreInternational members of the Mongols MC are expected in Canterbury for an event marking five years since the gang established itself in New Zealand.
What you need to know:
-The gang has three chapters in the South Island. Wainoni-based Ōtautahi East, Ashburton-based Mid-South and SH1, Burnham.
- Police say they will have ‘considerable resource’ in the region during the event from November 7-10.
- Police in Canterbury have planned a major operation around the event - thought to coincide with a national meeting - from November 7 to 10, and have drafted in staff from two other districts to help.
- Mongols members from across the country are expected to meet at the gang’s original South Island headquarters - a fortified property on SH1, Burnham, on the outskirts of Christchurch.
- Canterbury district commander Superintendent Tony Hill says:
“We’re prepared for multiple contingencies. We will be monitoring their behaviour very closely over the period, if they’re not behaving appropriately then we will be taking appropriate action quite swiftly.”
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Almost double the amount of road resealing will now take place in Mid Canterbury this summer – although the council isn't sure if it's possible.
Councillors voted to spend $2.46 million of ratepayer money on additional road seals after … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Almost double the amount of road resealing will now take place in Mid Canterbury this summer – although the council isn't sure if it's possible.
Councillors voted to spend $2.46 million of ratepayer money on additional road seals after failing to get the funding from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi.
The council isn't sure if it’s possible to achieve more than 100km of road resealing - double the previous financial year. If it doesn't reach the target, the council may have to revisit the decision.
The difference between the council’s long-term plan budget and NZTA funding for 2024-27 is $15m.
That funding gap meant the council had $2.46m of ratepayer money unmatched by NZTA and needed to decide where to allocate that money.
Road manager Mark Chamberlain suggested a list of priority projects, spreading some money across areas that were underfunded by NZTA to the council last week.
Mayor Neil Brown thought differently.
He suggested putting the full $2.46m into reseals to “get back our reseals to where they should be”.
Complaints about the state of the road in recent years have been well documented.
Brown called it “preventative maintenance” to avoid the roads cracking and forming potholes.
The council resealed 49.5km of road in 2023-24 but Brown said the council used to reseal over 100km per year until budget restraints had drastically reduced that figure.
It could again this year after the councillors voted 6-4 to allocate the money to additional reseal work.
Deputy mayor Liz McMillan, councillors Leen Braam, Russell Ellis, and Carolyn Cameron voted against the motion.
The council is already underway with work on 60km of subsidised reseals this summer.
Infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said the roading team was working out how to best fit the extra reseal funding into the work programme.
Any section of road to be resealed needs pre-seal work completed first he said.
“We are looking at what areas that need resealing need the least amount of pre-seal work to maximise the number of kilometres in the time we have got.”
The aim is to convert the money into 50km of resealed road, but they won’t know how much is possible until they complete the analysis, he said.
Once they have worked it out it will go back to the council for sign-off off, he said.
Any left over funding, or if timing issues arise to complete the work in the financial year, the council could then direct some funding to other roading projects.
The $2.45m equates to about 4.6% of the district’s total rates bill ($52.5m).
The council will face the same dilemma in the next two years but could amend the annual plan to remove the unmatched funding.
The road programme also includes $500,000 of unsubsidised funding towards unsealed road metalling
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton’s representation review has been signed off without any appeals and now the attention turns to Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) contentious review.
The only changes for local body elections next year in the Ashburton District are some … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Ashburton’s representation review has been signed off without any appeals and now the attention turns to Environment Canterbury’s (ECan) contentious review.
The only changes for local body elections next year in the Ashburton District are some minor boundary changes.
There is an extension of the Ashburton Ward boundary to include the Trevors Rd area and the Methven Community Board boundary was also extended to include recent developments. The board will also retain five members after initially proposing a reduction to four.
The proposal had no appeals or objections so locks in the arrangements for the next triennial election, to be held on October 11.
ECan's final representation review is open to appeals or objections until November 25.
ECan ended up only making some minor boundary adjustments to the Christchurch City constituencies in its representation review, having previously proposed merging the Ashburton District with the South Canterbury councils and leaving Selwyn District as a stand-alone constituency.
Status quo was a preferred outcome for the Ashburton District Council, which had submitted against being moved into the South Canterbury constituency.
Democracy and engagement group manager Toni Durham said the council will consider if it would make any appeal or objection at the November 20 council meeting.
Selwyn District Council remains joined with the Ashburton District for the next election cycle, but several ECan councillors noted the continued population growth of Selwyn will have to be addressed when the next council considers representation review.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The contents of a little brown envelope could hold the future of the old Tinwald Pool site.
The Tinwald Reserve Board asked the community for creative and innovative ideas about what the site could be used for in the future.
About 40 ideas have … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
The contents of a little brown envelope could hold the future of the old Tinwald Pool site.
The Tinwald Reserve Board asked the community for creative and innovative ideas about what the site could be used for in the future.
About 40 ideas have been delivered inside an envelope to the board chairperson, district councillor Leen Braam.
Those ideas will be discussed at the next board meeting, he said.
Braam doesn't expect any decision on what ideas to consider or progress to be a hasty one.
“We might end up discussing this for a while before deciding.”
The Ashburton District Council decided to permanently close the Tinwald Pool in May because it needed an estimated $3m of repair and upgrade work in addition to the $400,000 annual operating costs.
The decision in the long-term plan was not to invest $3m on any water-based project, which also included hydroslides or a new outdoor pool at EA Networks Centre as options.
The site has been handed back to the Tinwald Reserve Board to consider its future and the board sought suggestions from the public to begin coming up with a concept plan.
Then it will need to go to the council to seek funding, likely at the next long-term plan, as the council has no money budgeted in the current long-term plan for any redevelopment of the site, Braam said.
In October, the fine for parking in a designated mobility car park without a permit has jumped from $150 to $750—a 400% increase!
The goal is to keep these spaces open for those who truly need them. Do you think this big increase in the fine is fair? Share your thoughts below.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Health experts are calling on councils to set tougher restrictions on alcohol sales to reduce potential harm, including cutting the hours that booze can be sold.
But Ashburton District’s recently updated restrictions are “fair and firm”, the … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Health experts are calling on councils to set tougher restrictions on alcohol sales to reduce potential harm, including cutting the hours that booze can be sold.
But Ashburton District’s recently updated restrictions are “fair and firm”, the council says.
Ashburton's bars, restaurants and taverns can sell alcohol until 2am, while supermarkets and bottle stores can sell booze until 9.30pm.
Health Coalition Aotearoa alcohol expert panel co-chairperson Steve Randerson has called for local leaders to curb the availability of alcohol.
Currently, the combined opening hours of bars, bottle stores and supermarkets allow people to buy alcohol 21 hours a day in some regions.
“If you can reduce the hours, you can then reduce the harm,” Randerson said.
The Ashburton District Council reviewed its local alcohol policy last year, and won’t review it again until 2029.
Compliance and development group manager Ian Hyde said the council went through a robust process to ensure the restrictions were strong enough and met community expectations.
“Given the high level of engagement from the community during consultation in 2023 that fed into the development of the policy, we believe it is fair and firm in addressing local alcohol matters.”
The consultation received 42 submissions and seven submitters spoke at the public hearing in August last year.
The council amended the policy, aligning the cut-off time for licensed footpath areas with the one-way door restriction. A further 32 submissions were received, with three submitters speaking at a hearing in November.
The policy was adopted in December and the new trading hours and the district-wide 1am one-way door restriction came into effect on March 14.
Randerson commended the Ashburton council for having limits shorter than the national trading hours in its policy.
“There is room to do more but it does need to come down to local circumstances.
“It’s important that their policies are consulted upon and reflect what the community is witnessing and calling for.”
Hyde said there are 117 licensed premises in the Ashburton District, and of those, there are 22 in the Ashburton CBD.
The policy sets specific maximum hours of operation for premises.
Taverns, including hotel bars, can sell and supply alcohol from 7am until 2am, but the footpath areas close at 1am, with restaurants and cafes trading hours capped at 1am.
Off-licensed premises, bottle stores and supermarkets, have a cut-off time of 9.30pm.
The policy also states that the District Licensing Committee has the discretion to set more restrictive maximum trading hours than prescribed in the LAP.
The council also adopted an updated alcohol control bylaw last year, which extended the liquor ban areas in Ashburton and Methven.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Plans, plants, and pests.
That’s all the go for the Methven and Foothills Birdsong Initiative Trust's project.
Spokesperson Mac McElwain says they could start working on the new habitat area early next year.
The trust was recently … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Plans, plants, and pests.
That’s all the go for the Methven and Foothills Birdsong Initiative Trust's project.
Spokesperson Mac McElwain says they could start working on the new habitat area early next year.
The trust was recently granted $9200 by the Methven Community Board for the development of a landscape plan to extend the existing Garden of Harmony at the southern end of the town.
That plan will be completed by next month to then consult with the community and the Ashburton District Council, McElwain said.
"Hopefully by around April, we will be in a position to dig the first sod.”
The plan will map out where those plants will go in an extension of the Garden of Harmony on the vacant council-owned land around the Methven Resort.
It aims to increase the native birdsong in Methven, with the enlarged Garden of Harmony the focal point of a bird-friendly, native plant sanctuary for community enjoyment and biodiversity education.
But before that can happen, they need to make the area predator-free.
McElwain said they have started placing traps next to the Methven Walkway, which borders most of the town, and all with the council’s approval.
"The object is to make all of Methven have more birdsong, not just the Garden of Harmony area.”
A trap library will also be established for residents to do their bit in their backyards for "a good coverage of the whole town”.
The need for trapping was highlighted following a recent trial that showed large populations of predators in the Methven area, including possums, rats, mice, hedgehogs and stoats.
The high predator numbers explain why recent counts revealed few native birds in the area.
"We intend to turn that around.”
The traps on public land will be clearly marked and locked with security fastenings that are contained in tunnels or boxes and built to DOC-approved specifications.
"Designed to keep prying paws and fingers away from the trapping mechanisms”.
But there is some concern for furry friends, with dogs needing to be kept on a leash on the walkway, while cats were a little trickier.
McElwain said there was a danger that any domestic cats not micro-chipped could be trapped if stoat traps were put out
But for cats that were micro-chipped, the danger was minimal because the traps were designed and baited for stoats. A microchip would turn off the trap if the cat came near, he said.
Understanding the low number of the town’s microchipped pet cats was now part of the project and would likely lead to a more serious conversation with the council, McElwain said.
That’s partly because microchipping cats was not mandatory in the Ashburton District.
The Selwyn District became the first council in the South Island, and the fourth nationally, to introduce mandatory microchipping in 2022.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Retailers want market stalls banned from Ashburton’s CBD streets as they say the road closures are hurting local shops.
Ashburton's central streets are closed on South Canterbury Anniversary Day each year for the market day, which is a … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Retailers want market stalls banned from Ashburton’s CBD streets as they say the road closures are hurting local shops.
Ashburton's central streets are closed on South Canterbury Anniversary Day each year for the market day, which is a normal work day in Mid Canterbury.
Jolene Laxton of retailer Sparrows spoke to the Ashburton District Council on behalf of the CBD retailers this week, asking to end the all-day road closure in the central area.
The local businesses want the council to “consider the impact that closing the central town access roads during business hours has on our local businesses within the area”.
When the CBD is closed off, the majority of businesses suffer financially she said.
“Trading is down between 30% to 50% on these market days.”
She also alleged a spike in shoplifting on the market days.
“A number of businesses are reporting a dramatic increase in theft on these days.”
Businesses didn’t bother reporting it because it wasn’t worth the recovery cost she said.
A police spokesperson said it “isn’t something our local staff were immediately aware of” after this year’s event.
The Ashburton Market Day, which replaced Boulevard Day, is an all-day market on East St.
The road closure of the four blocks of the CBD for the event was advertised 48 days in advance but “not everyone reads the paper” Laxton said.
They were also issued a reminder notice seven days before the event.
The market day events bring people into town but “do not bring customers into our local business that work hard to support our local community”.
“We are closing our roads and limiting our access to run an event that has more out-of-town stall holders than it does local stall holders, and is held on a public holiday for another district.”
“The main street of our town is not the prime position for these activities anymore.”
The retailers are suggesting Baring Square or the Ashburton Domain as better locations to hold the market days.
Originally asking for all road closures to be off the table, making the CBD a no-event zone, the retailers agreed some “community events” were still welcome.
Short-term events held in the evenings or weekends had less of an impact Laxton said.
“Any community event that is for our community, that brings our community together is a positive.”
The market day is a private event and “most of the money on that day goes out of our community”.
Boulevard Day had run on Ashburton’s main street for 45 years before the CBD was a construction zone in 2021 so was held in the Domain.
That event then folded and Carol Johns started her market day to take its place in 2022.
The CBD retailers had opposed the road closure with the council deciding to grant it, with a raft of conditions.
Johns was gutted the retailers were again trying to block her market day going ahead.
“I’ve fought and fought to bring this event that brings thousands of people to our town.
“They are trying to stop anyone from doing anything in the CBD.
“Do the retailers have that right?”
She was swift to denounce some of the claims by the retailers, as he hadn’t heard of any shoplifting or seen any police reports corroborating the claims.
Johns said she had followed all the processes to secure the road closure, which was publically notified without objection.
With the town centre upgrade changing Burnett and Tancred streets into one-way streets, a road closure on East Street effectively closes the whole CBD.
“And that wasn’t my doing.”
The market day is utilised by several Ashburton Community Groups to fundraise and this year about 50 of the 115 sites were run by locals, she said.
If the traditional section of East St is to become a no-go zone then Baring Square just down the road could work she said.
The domain wasn’t an option because part of the event is the “creating the atmosphere and vibe of being in the centre of town”.
The council has requested an issues and options report to be prepared.
Chief executive Hamish Riach said the report will look at what issues and any options around road closures under the legislation and bylaws.
The report is expected to take about a month he said.
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I'm Nadine, a reporter for Stuff and I'm wanting to do a story about the reality of the festive season for some people.
I'm wanting to talk to an older pensioner who will likely be alone at Christmas and finds it hard to get by on the pension.
Is this you? I'd love to … View moreI'm Nadine, a reporter for Stuff and I'm wanting to do a story about the reality of the festive season for some people.
I'm wanting to talk to an older pensioner who will likely be alone at Christmas and finds it hard to get by on the pension.
Is this you? I'd love to talk to you if possible. I'd need to visit prior to Christmas and on Christmas Day, if possible.
You can email me at nadine.roberts@stuff.co.nz or leave a comment below and I can get in touch.
Thanks for reading!
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