Council accepts private agreement to seal rural road
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A public/private agreement means more than 3km of a rural Waimakariri road will soon be sealed.
The Waimakariri District Council voted to accept a proposal from Christchurch Ready Mix Concrete Ltd to seal 3.23km of Browns Rd, at Swannanoa near Rangiora, at its council meeting on Tuesday, September 5.
Under the proposal, the company offered to pay the upfront cost of sealing a section of road to its entrance, at 1 Browns Rd, to nine metres width.
Christchurch Ready Mix Concrete Ltd aggregates manager Rob Uffindell said the company was keen to get the road sealed to reduce wear and tear on its trucks.
"We are a major road user of Browns Rd, but there is also a timber processor on the road and Ngāi Tahu farms and a large dairy complex with probably nine houses, so others will benefit from it.
"We are offering to fund the initial construction in one year and are seeking money from the council over three years."
Uffindell said the cost presented to the council was for an 8m wide road, as per the previous agreement.
Christchurch Ready Mix Concrete Ltd would carry the cost of the extra metre of width, he said.
The council agreed to pay off 50% of the cost, or $352,172.50, over three years, in line with its previous cost share agreement to seal 1km of road per year.
Councillor Philip Redmond said it was "a very good deal for the council" and he was happy to support it.
Councillor Tim Fulton, who lives in the area, said it was "a very good accommodation" in addressing residents concerns.
■ Public interest journalism funded through New Zealand on Air.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Best way to use leftovers?
I'm sure you've got some excess ham at home or cold roast potatoes.
What are some of your favourite ways to use leftover food from Christmas day? Share below.