Food bank demand is increasing in North Canterbury
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury’s food banks are struggling to meet demand as Christmas approaches.
Food banks across the Hurunui and Waimakariri districts have seen a significant increase in food parcel requests over the last few months, as the realities of high inflation and the housing crisis kick in.
‘‘The cost of living, in particular food and rent, are the main problems facing our clients,’’ Social Services Waimakariri facilitator Nicki Carter said.
She said the biggest increase was coming from middle income earners struggling with high rents and house prices.
The demand is putting pressure on food banks, which rely on the support of Satisfy Food Rescue and donations from the public and local businesses.
Food Secure North Canterbury was established during the 2020 Covid lockdown, as a collaboration between the Hurunui and Waimakariri councils, food banks and Satisfy Food Rescue.
Satisfy Food Rescue distribution co-ordinator Michelle Campbell said the Oxford and Districts Lions Club played a valuable role in supplying fresh produce to distribute as part of the Food Secure North Canterbury network.
Oxford Community Trust co-ordinator Jo Ealam said the support from individuals, local businesses and Satisfy Food Rescue had been invaluable.
‘‘I am grateful for each food bank that can help families in need, no-one should go hungry.’’
The Hurunui district’s three food banks are distributing about 175 boxes of food out to families each month.
This rose to more than 250 during this year’s Covid outbreak.
Satisfy Food Rescue recently established a food hub in Waipara to serve the Hurunui district and reduce the pressure on its Kaiapoi base, thanks to funding sourced from the Ministry of Social Development.
‘‘Our foodbank people are unsung heroes in our community,’’ Hurunui District Council community activator Roger Hornblow said.
Community Wellbeing North Canterbury’s Kaiapoi food bank has distributed more than 1500 food parcels so far this year, compared to 548 last year.
Satisfy Food Rescue processes an average of 22.6 tonnes of food each month or about 1 tonne a day.
It supports 37 organisations throughout North Canterbury and Christchurch, including food banks, education facilities, community meal providers and community organisations.
The food banks are hoping the Property Brokers ‘Toot for Tucker’ Christmas Food Drive on Tuesday, December 6, in Rangiora, Kaiapoi, Oxford, Woodend and Amberley, will give them the boost they need before the festive season.
■ Anyone with surplus produce or wanting to donate food to food banks, can contact Krysten at Food Secure North Canterbury on email:
foodsecurenorthcanterbury@gmail.com.
■ Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ On Air
Waimakariri district plan faces more delays amid changing rules
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Changing Government legislation is causing headaches for council staff, as Waimakariri’s new District Plan is set to be delayed again.
Waimakariri District Council development planning manager Matt Bacon said he was relieved when the last of the public hearings ended last week.
But with final council reports due on December 13, staff will have just two working days to present the final District Plan on December 17. A district plan helps to control and manage the development of the district or city.
‘‘We are working through what it looks like and we will update the council at its meeting on December 3,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘But we will likely seek another extension from the environment minister and the Resource Management Act (RMA) minister.’’
The council first notified its draft District Plan in September 2021, but within months legislation was introduced with new medium density residential housing standards (MDRS).
‘‘We needed to call for further submissions and we had to create a separate hearing panel to consider the plan variations to allow for the MDRS,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘We have tried to merge the process as much as possible, as well as looking at re-zoning and incorporating other new legislation.’’
When the draft plan was first notified there was no National Policy Statement (NPS) for Indigenous Biodiversity, but an NPS was introduced - and then replaced.
The Natural and Built Environment Act came into being last year and then repealed, and then there is the NPS on Urban Development and the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan.
The Government is now working on more RMA reforms and Environment Canterbury is working on the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement.
And then there is the Fast-Track Approvals Bill, which includes three proposed housing developments in Waimakariri - two of them outside of the future urban development areas identified in the Greater Christchurch Spatial Plan.
All three housing developments in the Bill have been included in submissions to the District Plan, including a proposed 850-home development at Ohoka, near Rangiora, which is also subject to an Environment Court appeal.
‘‘We haven’t seen the detail, so whether it is the same proposals, we don’t know, but they are different processes so we have to just keep doing what we are doing, until we are told otherwise,’’ Bacon said.
‘‘It might just be a timing thing, but we just don’t know.’’
Bacon said delaying the District Plan until new legislation is in place is not an option.
‘‘We are looking at what we can control and having a watching brief, and we will look at transitional timings because we don’t always have to immediately change planning documents when new legislation comes in.’’
Planning manager Wendy Harris said navigating changing Government legislation is a normal part of council planning work.
‘‘If we waited we wouldn’t do anything and we would go nowhere.’’
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
The tiger who came to tea
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