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By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A "record increase" in funds for West Coast roads and the region's state highway network is being welcomed by local government leaders.
The Government on Thursday announced an 'indicative allocation' for the West Coast of … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
A "record increase" in funds for West Coast roads and the region's state highway network is being welcomed by local government leaders.
The Government on Thursday announced an 'indicative allocation' for the West Coast of $23.5 million for basic pothole maintenance on local district roads.
The money is being provided under the National Land Transport Plan 2024-27 total pool of $1.9 billion.
The new budget is a bump from the West Coast's 2021-24 allocation of $15.2m for local roads.
Greymouth mayor Tania Gibson welcomed the new money as her council had been bracing for a road funding cut this year.
"It's good news," she said.
The Grey District Council had already deferred its 2024 long-term plan due to the forecast impact on squeezed ratepayers having to pay more to continue the current level of service in 2024-25.
"It was a 22% rates rise alone to keep the current service levels on roading," Gibson said.
No-one wanted to see decreased road maintenance so it would be interesting to see what the council actually got once the pothole funding figures were finalised, Gibson said.
Buller mayor Jamie Cleine said the funding announcement was "brilliant" for the sparsely populated district.
However, the "indicative funding" meant the real detail was yet to unfold, he said.
"It's reassuring that it's not a wholesale slash which is positive for our rural communities."
Of particular interest was how the council administered Karamea 'special purpose road', formerly a state highway, would be treated in the new funding mix.
Cleine feared it may actually decrease although he could not quote the figures.
"We just need to tee up what. It looks like a reasonable reduction from what we asked for," he said.
Westland mayor Helen Lash welcomed the Government's refreshed approach to address these needs so councils could focus on their core business.
"It's exceptionally good - better than what we could have paid for - we were expecting really significant cuts."
But until the firm figures came through, it was hard to say yet how much her district might benefit.
Many annual plans have already factored in less road funding, she said.
"We will have to go back and revisit that."
Lash said they chosen to develop a 2024-25 annual plan, after deferring their long-term plan, on the basis "we would get considerably less".
"There's certainly more work to do (but) now we know where we are."
It was good to see the new money was ringfenced so it did not get soaked up in fixing road damage from the natural events in the region, she said.
They continued to advocate to the NZ Transport Agency over basic resilience for the region – namely the all-important State Highway 6 tourist route from Otago to Westland, Lash said.
This included "shoring things up" at Knights Point north of Haast.
The local funding is separate from a 91% increase for State highways to just over $2 billion. The West Coast breakdown for that has yet to emerge.
Transport Minister Simeon Brown said the Pothole Prevention Fund has been ring fenced to include resealing, rehabilitation, and drainage maintenance works.
He said the indicative funding would provide councils with "much needed certainty" as they finalise their long-term plans.
Big news in our community!
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The next stage in a $7.5 million flood protection scheme for Hokitika - now delayed by 10 months - should get under way soon.
But the West Coast Regional Council will need to beat the all important West Coast whitebaiting season if it is to complete a new floodwall along Hokitika's Gibson … View moreThe next stage in a $7.5 million flood protection scheme for Hokitika - now delayed by 10 months - should get under way soon.
But the West Coast Regional Council will need to beat the all important West Coast whitebaiting season if it is to complete a new floodwall along Hokitika's Gibson Quay, before the season starts on September 1.
The new flood work, from Westland Milk Products factory down to the Hokitika Bridge, is dubbed '1b' in the scheme.
It will link to the first stage completed behind the factory late last winter.
To date council has spent $2.3million of the total current budget of $7,505,226.
In the past 10 months council consultants have been working with Kiwi Rail to gain affected party consent for the 1b stage, given the rail corridor to Westland Milk Products is affected.
The council's Infrastructure Reference Group programme manager, Scott Hoare, said they finally had a green light.
"I have some really good news: we have written approval from KiwiRail," he said.
This earned a "wohoo" from Infrastructure Governance Committee chairperson Frank Dooley.
"Well done," he said.
Hoare said they had been negotiating with the State rail operator since last August.
The matter of extending a small drain in conjunction with the district council was all that had to be covered off now for the final sign-off.
Hoare said the appointed contractor had previously been stood down due to the delay so getting them to remobilise immediately was being negotiated.
The biggest challenge for that was "the start of whitebaiting".
This would be crucial to give an adequate window for the work, Hoare said.
Meanwhile, preparatory work for the third stage, the section to protect the Hokitika town centre, was progressing as well.
Dooley said it was good to read that Kiwi Rail had finally given its blessing.
Hoare said KiwiRail gave verbal advice on April 24 its queries were now resolved.
He subsequently received draft conditions from the rail operator on May 24.
However, the regional council had now requested seepage modelling for the new build, plus closed circuit television of the existing Westland District Council storm water pipes in the area.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council has a population to councillor ratio "significantly more favourable" than other regions around the country.
But with a growing population in the 650km-long region, it is being recommended the regional … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council has a population to councillor ratio "significantly more favourable" than other regions around the country.
But with a growing population in the 650km-long region, it is being recommended the regional council keep its current representation of seven councillors.
The West Coast has a whopping 37 councillors for 33,000 people once you combine the regional council and
the territorial authorities of Buller, Grey, and Westland, which have 30 representatives including mayors.
The regional council this week adopted a recommendation to undertake the required six yearly statutory review of its representation, via public consultation. Public submissions open from June 18.
The matter was workshopped by council in May where the vexed question of the number of councils and the need for amalgamation was raised.
It was also suggested the regional council could drop to six representatives but the question was deferred to staff to check on the legal requirement.
A staff report presented to council this week recommended accepting the 'status quo' of seven and council accepted that be put to the public, with no debate.
West Coast iwi had previously indicated they were not interested in canvassing a Māori ward this time.
Council principal planning and reporting analyst Stewart Genery said previous consultation reviews in 2012 and 2018 resulted in the status quo - both in number and distribution of councillors.
Keeping that would best met the legislative requirements, Genery said.
However, council could consult on the number of constituencies, the name and proposed boundary of each, and the number of members for each.
Genary said considerations could include if communities were appropriately represented across the three district/constituency boundaries - Buller (two councillors), Grey (3), Westland (2).
"No information has surfaced to suggest that communities in the region are not appropriately represented."
The latest census data has revealed the West Coast population has swelled by nearly 2000. The population is now 33,390 - up 1815 from 31,575 in 2018.
Each district has seen an increase on 2018.
* Buller has risen to 10,446 (2018: 9591),
* Grey: 14,043 (13,344),
* Westland: 8901 (8640).
Genary said based on the Stats NZ forecast data for 2023, the population to representative ratio for the regional council would be 4694, an increase of 61 people per councillor on 2018.
"The population to councillor ratio for the West Coast region is significantly more favourable than any other regional council nationally," he said.
An option to reduce the number of councillors to the legal minimum of six was not recommended as "it will unbalance representation" across the region.
At the same time increasing representation was discounted given the ratio was already significantly more favourable.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Fresh resource consent applications by a controversial private landfill near Greymouth could now go to a public hearing.
West Coast Regional Council staff on June 4 advised the council's Resource Management Committee fresh applications for … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Fresh resource consent applications by a controversial private landfill near Greymouth could now go to a public hearing.
West Coast Regional Council staff on June 4 advised the council's Resource Management Committee fresh applications for Taylorville Resource Park should be referred to an independent panel.
They include an application to vary an existing consent and two new discharge consents relating to odour and water leachate, which is the runoff that filters through landfill waste.
Council planning consultant Selva Selvarajah said they had reviewed the fresh applications and engaged an expert consultant for an assessment.
The new report was in train but it was awaiting fresh information from the applicant, "who have been asked to provide answers," he said.
"We will be recommending to publicly notify the resource consent applications," Selvarajah said.
In line with this, the application should be heard by an independent commissioner panel, he said.
Chief executive Darryl Lew said an independent commissioner could be appointed on behalf of Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae.
However, given various comments at the council table previously about the Taylorville site, the two current regional councillors accredited as hearing commissioners were "probably conflicted" about appointment to an independent panel, he said.
Whether the Grey District Council, as an interested party, would follow a similar panel process was not yet known, Lew said.
The landfill site was first granted consents on a non-notified basis by council for what is now Taylorville Resource Park, in 2021 and 2022.
But the site has been dogged with controversy, including the district council flagging its unhappiness at not being considered an affected party in the first place - despite its Greymouth town water supply being adjacent to the proposed landfill.
There have also been multiple neighbour complaints to the regional council including odour, dust, and water leachate from the site resulting in several previous abatements.
The council itself commissioned an independent audit of its role in giving consent - with damning findings in mid-2023.
The site is currently under an abatement notice from the Environmental Protection Authority after the regional council asked it to take over its ongoing investigation of the site early this year.
A WorkSafe investigation has yet to formally conclude after two workers were overcome by gas within the site on August 3, 2023.
Councillor Allan Birchfield, who has a relationship to the consultant used for the site's original applications, questioned the evidence of "ongoing odour discharges".
Lew said there had been several "verified breaches".
"That's been well documented and recorded. They have also released discharge from water at the site onto adjacent property and that water has had a degree of contamination," he said.
Birchfield asked if the landfill was so bad, why was the Environmental Protection Authority allowing the site to still operate under its current abatement?
Lew said Birchfield would need to ask the authority.
Selvarajah said the main issue at hand was the fresh consent process rather than the compliance issues.
Councillor Peter Ewen said when it came to complaints under the Resource Management Act, "it's never a numbers game: it's about the complaint".
From the outset the implications of allowing the site consent in a high rainfall area without measures to handle run off from the site had been problematic, he said.
"That's why we have ended up where we have ended up - just another end game."
Lew said at this point there was little more council could do.
"There is nothing we can do to fully shutdown the site at all, as long as they are abiding by their existing consents."
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council has agreed to consider rejoining Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), but only to represent the entire local government sector in the region.
In mid-2023, the council kicked to touch its membership to the body which … View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
The West Coast Regional Council has agreed to consider rejoining Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ), but only to represent the entire local government sector in the region.
In mid-2023, the council kicked to touch its membership to the body which represents New Zealand councils.
The year before, in 2022, it put LGNZ on notice after querying the collective cost and benefit to West Coast ratepayers.
LGNZ charged fees for each of the region's three district councils and its regional council.
LGNZ president and Selwyn mayor Sam Broughton fronted council in April, talking up the benefits of membership, while noting membership was based on an individual council, not the number of ratepayers.
He received a cool reception but a staff report back to council this week suggested council should reconsider now, or defer it again until 2025.
In recent months the Westland and Grey district councils have decided not to renew their LGNZ membership, although Buller last month confirmed it will remain a member.
Regional council acting chairman Brett Cummings said it would make sense to have at least one council in the region as an LGNZ member.
Councillor Frank Dooley, the sole voice in 2023 to keep LGNZ membership, said he wanted clarity about the council's benefit in the past year of being part of the alternative regional councils' sector group Te Uru Kahika.
Council chief executive Darryl Lew said the question of LGNZ membership was for council, not management. However, the council would "not survive" without the input of Te Uru Kahika.
It provided crucial tools such as a shared compliance framework template for example which were invaluable for the regional sector, Lew said.
The main benefit for the council from Te Uru Kahika was at an operational level and "to a degree, politically, so we don't have to reinvent the wheel".
Lew said LGNZ membership could be "a political vehicle" for councillors.
At the same time, there was "very little operational benefit" by returning to LGNZ whereas Te Uru Kahika had successfully elevated to a national level in recent years a collective approach to the likes of flood infrastructure, he said.
Councillor Mark McIntyre asked if the council would get $41,000 of value by re-joining LGNZ.
Lew replied "that's up to you", but Westland and Grey councils deemed their membership was not good value.
Te Runanga o Ngāti Waewae representative Francois Tumahai said he saw some value in the region being collectively represented by LGNZ.
That could be via one council and he suggested this be canvassed at an upcoming mayors, chairs, and iwi leaders' forum.
"It's definitely useful to be in there, but not at an astronomical sum," Tumahai said.
Dooley agreed, saying representation for one council was important at a national level.
He called on council to give its chair and the chief executive discretion to confirm membership.
However, councillor Peter Ewen said he was still opposed to LGNZ but would go with one voice for the four councils.
Ewen said "giving away $41,000" to LGNZ was still questionable in his mind.
He would be happy for the LGNZ matter to be an "action point" rather than a recommendation, he said.
This was supported five votes to one.
Respite care is a great short break option for a family member or loved one that also helps give carers some time out to recharge the batteries. There are a range of circumstances which might require respite overnight or support for day care.
It could be needed after a hospital stay or just as a… View moreRespite care is a great short break option for a family member or loved one that also helps give carers some time out to recharge the batteries. There are a range of circumstances which might require respite overnight or support for day care.
It could be needed after a hospital stay or just as a little extra support for caregivers. Respite care ranges from a few days and even up to a few weeks. A loved one, who lives in their own home, will have their short respite stay in one of our village centres.
Click read more for the full article.
Create a mini glasshouse environment finished in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Pitch Black to extend your growing season – perfect for early spring planting, hardening off seedlings and making the most of small growing spaces. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step … View moreCreate a mini glasshouse environment finished in Resene Waterborne Woodsman Pitch Black to extend your growing season – perfect for early spring planting, hardening off seedlings and making the most of small growing spaces. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.
These members have been drawn as our winners of the $150 Farmers vouchers:
Melissa Mary from Motueka
Devangi Patel from Blockhouse Bay
Olive White from Ilam
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Winners can get in touch here or by emailing helpdesk@neighbourly.co.nz before 11th June.
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Resene and Neighbourly have teamed up this winter to bring you Bright Spots - a celebration of the brightest and most colourful spaces in our neighbourhoods. We want you to snap and share all those spots… View moreThe skies might be grey but there's colour in our communities - and we want to see it!
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This winter, we are celebrating the 2024 Olympics with our TV Guide readers with a chance to win 1 of 4 65” Panasonic 4K TVs worth $3,999 each.
Pick up a copy of the TV Guide each week starting from the June 1 - 7 issue, find the codeword, and follow the directions to be in to win! We’ve put… View moreThis winter, we are celebrating the 2024 Olympics with our TV Guide readers with a chance to win 1 of 4 65” Panasonic 4K TVs worth $3,999 each.
Pick up a copy of the TV Guide each week starting from the June 1 - 7 issue, find the codeword, and follow the directions to be in to win! We’ve put a codeword in each of the following three issues, so find them all for more chances to win. You’ll have until July 3 to enter online or mail in your codeword. T&Cs apply.
By local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Flood-stricken landowners and the West Coast Regional Council are on tenterhooks on the promise of new funding for Franz Josef under $400m of new protection money announced in the Budget.
The council's Waiho River south and north banks project… View moreBy local democracy reporter Brendon McMahon:
Flood-stricken landowners and the West Coast Regional Council are on tenterhooks on the promise of new funding for Franz Josef under $400m of new protection money announced in the Budget.
The council's Waiho River south and north banks project has been named as "ready for" the first tranche of the Regional Infrastructure Fund initial allocation in 2024-25.
However, whether the council gets the $10m it has been seeking in the past year in ongoing discussions with Government officials is not yet clear.
Council chief executive Darryl Lew initially said on Friday a $6m allocation under the new fund was confirmed.
However, staff later contacted LDR and said they "might have jumped the gun".
Minister Shane Jones' office said they did not know the individual project details and were unable to confirm the West Coast project allocation beyond Thursday's sweeping budget statement.
Lew said he understood council was to get $6m from the fund, predicated on a 40% ($4m) contribution from the landowners across the Franz Josef Special Joint Rating District.
He said bolstering the existing protection on the Waiho River south side and installing a flood forecasting and warning system was the primary focus of their $10m scheme.
A portion would also add protection for the north bank Franz Josef sewage ponds site - pending a district council decision to move the ponds, Lew said.
The council assured Waiho River ratepayers in April it was still working to secure the release of $8.7m of money previously allocated for the area's flood protection.
The $8.7m was meant to be spent on fixing stop banks on the south side of the river at Waiho Flat after announcement of a broader $24m scheme for the area in 2020.
Subsequently the council announced its 10-year Waiho River Management Strategy in October last year after the previous Government asked for a more detailed case including retreat from the south bank.
Under the strategy, the council proposes better flood warning and protection initially before a retreat from the area in about 10 years.
Lew said the $8.7m had now "gone" and money under the Regional Infrastructure Fund was "new money".
"It is predicated on a 60/40 split," he said.
"The total budget will be $10m of which 40% has to be recovered locally."
He anticipated a special meeting of the joint committee being called first to test "their commitment" to co-funding.
Waiho Flat ratepayers spokesman Dale Straight said stressed landowners on the south bank were hanging for some good news - particularly in the wake of the October announcement.
"There's people there pretty bloody stressed and worried," he said.
If the new funding "comes to pass" then it would be a major boost.
"It's been a pigs ear in the way it's been handled," he said.
"It's got to be good news for the south side, and certainly some of the farms further down the valley that are not really covered by any protection at all."
However, Straight said ratepayers may not feel able to financially commit to co-funding given the drawn out process they had endured for years.
"We had that nearly $8.7m promised four years ago that then got 'unpromised'. This may go someway to replace that I suppose."
Straight said the promise of "money for nothing" still had a price which might be "a big noose around our necks".
"There's a bit of water to go under the bridge yet."
Lew said the new money was aligned with the first two prongs of the 10-year Waiho River Management Strategy.
That was to immediately bolster civil defence and flood warning for the people living there, and to bolster the existing protection banks.
It would still be to "buy time" before an eventual staged retreat from the river's south bank, as announced in October.
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Every year, thousands of New Zealanders are called up to serve as jurors in the High and District Courts, and it's an important way to contribute to your country.
But for some, jury service can be a huge disruption and a financial burden. Do you think changes could be made to our jury … View moreEvery year, thousands of New Zealanders are called up to serve as jurors in the High and District Courts, and it's an important way to contribute to your country.
But for some, jury service can be a huge disruption and a financial burden. Do you think changes could be made to our jury service system to address these challenges?
Creating an office out of a small room by utilising built-in furniture, floating shelves, a tidy charging station and Resene Atlas makes space-saving sense.
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