Poll: Would you prefer costs for services and public facilities (like libraries and pools) to go up, or rates bills to go up?
Pursuing a 0 per cent rates increase will have an "enormous impact" on the Christchurch community, city councillors warn.
A planned $34 million swimming pool and library development in Hornby could be delayed, the cost of a swim could go up and so could library charges, community grants could get the chop, and the New Brighton hot salt water pools could remain closed — everything is being considered to save money, but nothing is likely to be decided without another round of community consultation.
So what do you think? Would you want to pay more for services and public facilities, or would you prefer to have a higher rates bill? Or do you think there's any other way the council should save money? Read more here and tell us what you think in the comments below.
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69.7% Services and public facility costs should go up
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15.3% Rates have to go up
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15% There's another way to save (tell us your thoughts in the comments)
Addictive Eaters Anonymous
I was spiralling out of control
I don't have many memories from my childhood, but the memories I do have relate to food - picnics with bacon and egg pie, my mother’s home cooking, Sunday bread. I was never much of a sweet tooth, but instead I preferred savouries, pastries, breads and the like. I grew up on a farm and food was plentiful and was never restricted and I lived a pretty healthy, active lifestyle.
Once I hit my teenage years, however, I remember starting to get worried about my weight. (I'll just mention here that I don't think I have ever been overweight and I certainly wasn't overweight as a teenager).
Poll: How should Guy Fawkes be celebrated?
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.
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28.9% With a city-wide public fireworks display
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19.5% Small fireworks displays in each community
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7.6% Keep it as is
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33% We shouldn't celebrate it!
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10.6% Anything but fireworks
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0.4% Other - I'll share below
Gang presence this weekend
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.
- 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.”