Local Government News
Media releases should be sent to news@localgovt.co.nz
Free Ranger Walk and Talk tours Manukau City Council Parks is offering residents the chance to experience some of the city’s most beautiful autumn landscapes with free Ranger Walk and Talk tours. There are two tours in April. (Manukau City Council, 11 March 2010)
Town Hall Organ returns to full glory It took two years and 27,000 hours to build, weighs an impressive 40 tonnes, and travelled to the other side of the world and back again. Now the time has come for the restored Auckland Town Hall organ to be heard in its full glory. (Auckland City Council, 11 March 2010)
Research and Monitoring Charge Proposed for Water Environment Southland proposes to introduce a new annual charge onto resource consents for taking water, which will reduce the amount that the general ratepayer pays towards scientific investigations and monitoring the use of the region’s aquifers and waterways. (Environment Southland, 11 March 2010)
Canterbury sharemilker fined for effluent discharge. An Ashburton sharemilker, Richard Neil Spicer, has been fined a total of $12,000 after pleading guilty to two charges, discharging effluent from an irrigator onto land causing ponding (which may have resulted in contaminants entering groundwater) and contravening an abatement notice. (Environment Canterbury, 11 March)
Mayors read into future Northlanders are about to be asked what form of local government they would like for the future. (Northern News, 11 March 2010)
Discoloured river water worries resident A greeny-brown sludge in the Waitaki River is causing concern about possible contamination. (The Timaru Herald, 11 March 2010)
ECan councillor likens review to Nazi action A key moment in Nazi Germany history is the inspiration for the "hatchet job" on Environment Canterbury (ECan), says regional councillor Rik Tindall. (The Press, 11 March 2010)
Minister hints at middle way on ECan The Government is unlikely to fully implement a report which recommends sacking the elected Environment Canterbury regional council, replacing it with commissioners and splitting water management from the other functions of the regional council. (Otago Daily Times, 11 March 2010)
Wellywood sign faces obstacles Wellington could be breaching trademark laws if a Wellywood sign is erected at Miramar, Hollywood executives say. (NZPA, 11 March 2010)
ORC toughens consents stance Stephen Woodhead A new tougher enforcement stance should give consent holders who fail to meet basic requirements a "little prod" to do better, Otago Regional Council deputy chairman Stephen Woodhead says. (Otago Daily Times, 11 March 2010)
Kopu-Thames structure plan open day planned Interested parties will be able to see what Thames-Coromandel District Council is proposing for the area between Kopu and Thames when an open day is held in Thames on Tuesday, March 30. (Thames Coromandel District Council, 11 March 2010)
Hutt City Council's Conflict Of Interest Over Pokie Machines The decision by Hutt City Council's Strategy and Policy Committee to allow the maximum possible number of pokie machines in the city has been sharply criticized by a gambling issues lobby group. (Voxy, 11 March 2010)
Annual planning process balances rates with affordability We have not made any dramatic changes to the 10-Year Plan as we just don’t have the funds for large capital works and we need to peg rates to affordability. (Wanganui District Council, 11 March 2010)
Bus transport improvements will target Dunedin’s youth The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is playing a key role in trying to best meet the transport needs of Dunedin’s young people. (PDF, Otago Regional Council, 11 March 2010)
$30 billion reform kicks off with huge PC tender All-of-government PC tender is part of a major government procurement reform (Computerworld, 11 March 2010)
Bus Transport Improvements Will Target Dunedin's Youth The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is playing a key role in trying to best meet the transport needs of Dunedin's young people. (Voxy, 10 March 2010)
Have Your Say on Swimming Pools in Hastings District Hastings District Council is preparing an Aquatic Facilities Strategy to plan for the future provision of public swimming pools in the District. Council is looking for your feedback through a questionnaire and series of public workshops. (Hastings District Council, 10 March 2010)
Hutt City rates increase 2% Hutt City Council is proposing the average ratepayer will see their rates increase by just two percent in the coming financial year. (Hutt City Council, 10 March 2010)
Unauthorised Tree Removal Costly The unauthorised removal of community trees is actively pursued by the Queenstown Lakes District Council,” QLDC parks manager Gordon Bailey said. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 10 March 2010)
‘Your Choice’ Stormwater Workshops at Whakatu Businesses A programme to encourage more Hawke’s Bay businesses to protect streams and rivers is coming to Whakatu businesses this month. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 10 March 2010)
Text system passes tsunami test Last month's tsunami may not have had much of an impact in Taranaki - but Civil Defence says the event certainly proved the worth of the region's text alert system. (Taranaki Regional Council, 10 March 2010)
Overweight permit system remains for Clydevale Bridge An overweight permit system remains in place to assist qualifying vehicles to continue to use the Clydevale Bridge, which spans the Clutha River about 22km north-west of Balclutha. (Clutha District Council, 10 March 2010)
Clover Root Weevil Discovery in Gore Clover Root Weevils have been found at several sites around Gore, confirming fears that the tiny pest would migrate to Southland and attack the region’s pastures. (Environment Southland, 10 March 2010)
Day of Discovery Planned at Orari River Mouth Animal life of all kinds, native flora and ever-popular riverside pursuits will be celebrated at a community event at the Orari River mouth on Saturday, March 27. (Environment Canterbury, 10 March 2010)
Leaders In Field To Speak At Social Policy Forum On Monday 15 March the first of a series of regional seminars on the proposed Auckland Social Policy Forum will be held on the North Shore. (North Shore City Council, 10 March 2010)
Council helpless as algae clogs Wanaka water Residents look set to continue cleaning their water filters as algae infiltrates the Wanaka reservoir and creates havoc for homeowners. (The Southland Times, 10 March 2010)
Kaipara takes a stand The Kaipara District Council has rejected a report’s recommendations that it join with Whangarei district as a governance option. (Dargaville News, 10 March 2010)
ECan receives damning water report A high-powered review group has recommended Environment Canterbury (ECan) lose control of water management in the region. (The Marlborough Express, 10 March 2010)
Spend up on North Shore The North Shore City Council is splashing out on public facilities before the region is sucked into the Auckland super city. (Newstalk ZB, 10 March 2010)
Kapiti council 'want to get Maori pronunciation right' A Maori language expert says the addition of a macron in the new Kapiti Coast District Council logo is part of push from all councils to get Maori pronunciation right. (3 News, 10 March 2010)
Howick community houses Houses recognised The Howick and Pakuranga Community Houses achieved third place at the recent Auckland Regional Council Sustainability Awards. (Eastern Courier, 10 March 2010)
Far North may declare drought emergency The Far North District Council is warning an emergency could be declared within a week, as the drought becomes more widespread. (3 News, 10 March 2010)
Smith to discuss critical ECan report Environment Minister Nick Smith will visit Timaru next week to discuss a damning report on Environment Canterbury (ECan), as he contemplates his decision on the regional council's future. (The Timaru Herald, 10 March 2010)
Dirty sea water 'not result of outfall tests' Brown, smelly water at a popular Christchurch surfing beach is not related to the nearby ocean outfall, a council investigation has found. (The Press, 10 March 2010)
Ferry operator says safety bylaw may boost ticket prices Ferry operator Interislander says ticket prices could rise if the Marlborough District Council passes a controversial navigational bylaw. (The Press, 10 March 2010)
Sleepless may take revenge on noisy car cruisers At the council's community well-being meeting yesterday, councillors agreed to ask chief executive Paddy Clifford to consider drafting an anti-cruising bylaw. (The Manawatu Standard, 10 March 2010)
Kapiti Coast man upset by macron The incorporation of a macron in the new Kapiti Coast District Council logo has upset a ratepayer who says Kapiti is in danger of being the new Whanganui. (3 News, 10 March 2010)
Rabbit numbers on the rise in Central Otago Otago Regional Council aims to get landholders focusing more attention on rabbit control, as numbers of the pest build again in parts of Central Otago. (Radio New Zealand, 10 March 2010)
KiwiRail calls bylaw 'revenue gathering' KiwiRail has slammed a proposed navigation bylaw as a money spinner and promised to challenge it in court. (The Marlborough Express, 09 March 2010)
Fire on McLeans Island contained Firefighters have contained a scrub fire covering 19 hectares on McLeans Island, northwest of Christchurch. (Otago Daily Times, 09 March 2010)
Construction of Coastal Walkway Extension Starts Next Week Construction of the Coastal Walkway’s pathway from Waiwhakaiho to Bell Block will begin next week. (New Plymouth District Council, 09 March 2010)
Mayor Welcomes News Of Jobs For Kumeu Rodney Mayor Penny Webster has welcomed news that Winstone Aggregates is to develop a resource recovery centre at the former Laminex particle board factory site at Kumeu. (Rodney District Council, 09 March 2010)
Landfill to be re-grassed What was once the Whakatane landfill will soon be green pastures and lush with native plantings (Whakatane District Council, 09 March 2010)
Waikato CDEM Group looking to step up public education The chairman of the Waikato Civil Defence Emergency Management Group says new national statistics on natural disaster preparedness underline the need for more public education in the Waikato region. (Environment Waikato, 09 March 2010)
Work almost complete on Flat Bush stage two draft masterplan Amongst the detailed work now being done is the development of a street pattern for the area that includes a mix of streets along the edges of the green finger park network and a traditional grid street pattern. (Manukau City Council, 09 March 2010)
Effluent contractors operating blind Most agricultural contractors tasked with spreading effluent on Waikato farms are doing so with no detailed instructions from dairy farmers. (Waikato Times, 09 March 2010)
MPs beat city rivals to a pulp The aim was to "smash em", but instead Hamilton city councillors got stewed during a game of pumpkin bowling yesterday. (Waikato Times, 09 March 2010)
100 per cent registration for known dogs Auckland City's high levels of dog registration contribute to lower levels of dog attacks, evidence suggests. (Auckland City Council, 09 March 2010)
Three councillors take closer look at late-night city Three Dunedin city councillors took to the streets on Saturday night to familiarise themselves with what goes on in the central city in the wee hours. (Otago Daily Times, 09 March 2010)
Three councillors take closer look at late-night city Michael Guest Three Dunedin city councillors took to the streets on Saturday night to familiarise themselves with what goes on in the central city in the wee hours. (Otago Daily Times, 09 March 2010)
People will get a say on local body reform plans – at last Whangarei residents are finally getting a chance to have their say on local government reforms. (Whangarei Leader, 09 March 2010)
Who wants regional govt? A call to scrap the Northland Regional Council and set up unitary authorities has been met with hesitation from Whangarei ratepayers' groups. (Whangarei Leader, 09 March 2010)
Nominal date for dairy farm challenge A nominal date next month has been set for the High Court at Timaru to consider a challenge against the Waitaki District Council approving resource consents and compliance certificates for 16 new dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas. (Otago Daily Times, 09 March 2010)
ORC opts for zero rates rise No general rate increase is planned by the Otago Regional Council in the coming financial year. (Otago Daily Times, 09 March 2010)
Create your own Eden at your place Franklin District Council is promoting a variety of composting systems this month, with free composting and worm farming demonstrations at two local venues. (Franklin District Council, 09 March 2010)
New alligator weed outbreak Environment Waikato is working with landowners at a new subdivision in north Hamilton to deal with one of the largest infestations of alligator weed the city has seen. (Environment Waikato, 09 March 2010)
Kumeu-based Resource Recovery Plant Gets Approval Rodney District Council has approved an application by Winstone Aggregates to develop a resource recovery centre at the former Laminex particle board factory site at Kumeu. (Rodney District Council, 08 March 2010)
Blaming 'Wellington' a smoke screen says North Shore Mayor Blaming ‘Wellington’ for the Super City fiasco is a smoke screen to divert attention from the real culprits, North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said today. (North Shore City Council, 08 March 2010)
Tainui out to protect its base Waikato-Tainui is taking Hamilton City Council to court over its controversial plan to try to restrict commercial development outside the city's CBD. (Waikato Times, 08 March 2010)
Tourism operators worried Some Marlborough Sounds tourism operators fear they could be driven out of business if a proposed navigation bylaw goes ahead. (The Nelson Mail, 08 March 2010)
Swells Hitting Haumoana Worst in 12 Years Swells hitting the beachfront houses are between three and 5.5m and locals have reported one wave was higher than a house. (Hastings District Council, 08 March 2010)
New Zealand First for Queenstown New Zealand’s first public biodiesel consortium and refuelling facility was launched today (8 March) in Queenstown, a move that’s been welcomed by political, industry and environmental leaders. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 08 March 2010)
Insulating your home through your rates The cost of insulating cold Wellington homes can now be charged to the house. (The Dominion Post, 08 March 2010)
Council keeps most consents ruling quiet Less than 6 per cent of Christchurch City Council resource-consent decisions in the first half of the financial year were fully disclosed publicly. (Christchurch City Council, 08 March 2010)
Council deals with plan changes Four district plan changes were made operative by the Queenstown Lakes District Council at its meeting in Queenstown last week. Reporter Joanne Carroll takes a look at the plan changes, and others under way in the district. (Otago Daily Times, 08 March 2010)
ORC Appoints new director of Port Otago Group The Otago Regional Council has announced the appointment of David Faulkner as a Director of the Port Otago Group. (Otago Regional Council, 08 March 2010)
Kapiti Island no barrier to tsunami Large sections of the Kapiti Coast are at risk during a tsunami, according to new maps made public days after New Zealand was put on high alert. (Kapiti Observer, 08 March 2010)
Haumoana Houses Evacuated as Swell Builds Police are currently evacuating 21 houses along the coast at Haumoana that may be vulnerable to high swells. (Hastings District Council, 08 March 2010)
More improvements for Tahunanui Reserve Nelson City Council has appointed local contractor Oldfields to continue work on improving the road layout and pedestrian access at the Tahunanui Reserve. (Nelson City Council, 08 March 2010)
Latest Tsumai highlights need for personal and family emergenccy plans Figures released last week show that 15 per cent of New Zealanders have an emergency plan or enough food and water to survive for three days. (PDF, Papakura District Council, 08 March 2010)
Councils shoot for mid-2011 IRIS release There are “green lights everywhere” on the Integrated Regional Information System (IRIS) joint regional council information services project, says project director Derek Postlewaight. (Computerworld, 08 March 2010)
01 - 07 March 2010
Bus fares, rates may go higher if GST rises The proposed GST increase may raise charges for Wellington bus passengers and ratepayers. (The Dominion Post, 06 March 2010)
Waitohi water draws protests Waitohi residents are fed up with the poor taste and discolouration of their water. (The Timaru Herald, 06 March 2010)
Rubbish loads to be weighed Disposing of waste will soon be cheaper for some, with the installation of weighbridges at transfer stations in Timaru, Temuka and Geraldine. (The Timaru Herald, 06 March 2010)
Response to dairy farms appeal not yet decided The Waitaki District Council has not yet decided what it will do about High Court action opposing its decision to grant approval for 16 new dairy farms in the Omarama and Ohau areas. (Otago Daily Times, 06 March 2010)
ORC eyes merger decision Port Otago's 100% owner, the Otago Regional Council, favours discussion continuing over a proposed merger with rival Lyttelton Port of Christchurch - preferably with a decision made by the end of 2010. (Otago Daily Times, 06 March 2010)
Kaipara District Council is considering drafting a local bill to try and amend part of the Auckland super-city legislation. The council wants the northern boundary of the Rodney district included in the Kaipara district. (Radio New Zealand, 06 March 2010)
Rezoning could lead to brand new town A whole new town could be created in west Auckland with the rezoning of rural land to urban. (Newstalk ZB, 06 March 2010)
Shipley linked to ECan job Former prime minister Jenny Shipley has been linked to an Environment Canterbury (ECan) commissioner role. (The Press, 06 March 2010)
New kerbside recycling bins encourage significant volumes The first week of kerbside recycling with new blue kerbside recycling bins was a huge success with the only hiccup being the collection of some recycling and rubbish occurring later than usual due to a huge increase in the volume of recycling material put out for collection. (PDF, Ruapehu District Council, 05 March 2010)
Making South Taranaki roads safer The South Taranaki District Council is sending out a clear community message about the safety of the district’s roads. (South Taranaki District Council, 05 March 2010)
Lake Hayes scheme restriction eased Responsible water use by residents connected to the Lake Hayes Scheme water supply means restrictions can ease from today, Queenstown Lakes District Council 3 waters operations engineer Martin Ellis said. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 05 March 2010)
Transfer station weighbridges fairer Weighbridges are being installed and recycling drop-off areas enhanced at transfer stations in Geraldine, Temuka and Timaru as the Timaru District Council moves to more fairly spread the costs of waste disposal. (Timaru District Council, 05 March 2010)
Marine interests raise hearing storm No holds were barred during the second day of hearings on a Marlborough District Council draft navigational bylaw for the Marlborough Sounds yesterday. (The Marlborough Express, 05 March 2010)
MUL shift will boost development potential Waitakere City Council today welcomed the Auckland Regional Council’s decision to make the Metropolitan Urban Limit shift in the north west of its city operative – a move that will create around 30,000 jobs in the area. (Waitakere City Council, 05 March City Council, 05 March 2010)
Hide Should Stop Misleading Aucklanders, Says Labour Local Government Minister Rodney Hide is blatantly misleading Aucklanders in an increasingly desperate bid to sell the super city to a sceptical public, says Labour's Auckland Issues spokesperson Phil Twyford. (Voxy, 05 March 2010)
Local views needed on expressway design Local voices need to be in the room when design decisions on the proposed Kapiti expressway are being made, Labour MP Darren Hughes says. (The Dominion Post, 05 March 2010)
Transfer station weighbridges fairer Weighbridges are being installed and recycling drop-off areas enhanced at transfer stations in Geraldine, Temuka and Timaru as the Timaru District Council moves to more fairly spread the costs of waste disposal. (Timaru District Council, 05 March 2010)
Marine interests raise hearing storm No holds were barred during the second day of hearings on a Marlborough District Council draft navigational bylaw for the Marlborough Sounds yesterday. (The Marlborough Express, 05 March 2010)
EW considers stakeholder questions on hydrology report Environment Waikato says it will consider carefully points and questions raised by stakeholders about its new draft report looking at the potential impacts of pine-to-pasture conversions in the Upper Waikato River catchment. (Environment Waikato, 05 March 2010)
RTC chair welcomes Expressway progress The chair of the multi-agency Waikato Regional Transport Committee says the Government’s announcement today of the contract for the Te Rapa section of the Waikato Expressway is great news for the regional economy and road safety. (Environment Waikato, 05 March 2010)
Measurable progress made against graffiti in Auckland Another sign that Auckland City Council is winning the battle against graffiti, is a survey result finding the city is 95 per cent graffiti free - up from 88 per cent a year ago. (Auckland City Council, 05 March 2010)
Wellington heading for its lowest rates rise in years Wellington City Council’s Strategy and Policy Committee this week agreed to a range of proposed new initiatives and changes that, if approved, will result in an overall average real rates increase of 2.85 percent for the coming financial year – the lowest commercial and residential rise for seven years. (Wellington City Council, 05 March 2010)
Lake Hayes Scheme Restriction Eased Responsible water use by residents connected to the Lake Hayes Scheme water supply means restrictions can ease from today, Queenstown Lakes District Council 3 waters operations engineer Martin Ellis said. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 05 March 2010)
Leaky home claims 'insured' Almost all the unsettled leaky home claims against the Christchurch City Council are covered by its insurer, councillors have been told. (The Press, 05 March 2010)
Rationale for hydro split unclear The Mackenzie District Council says it is uncertain of the benefits of the Government's plan to split the Upper Waitaki hydro scheme. (The Timaru Herald, 05 March 2010)
Cull pushes for harbourside rethink A rift is developing in the Dunedin City Council over its "50-year vision" of turning the industrial harbourside area into a locality of apartments, bars and cafes. (Otago Daily Times, 05 March 2010)
Wells to be sampled About 40 wells in the Waitaki Valley between Duntroon and Otematata are being surveyed this month by Environment Canterbury (ECan) as part of a groundwater study aimed at providing information on the state of Canterbury's water resources. (Otago Daily Times, 05 March 2010)
Protect voting rights, improve water management performance In the wake of the Government review of Environment Canterbury’s functions, councillors have proposed a split governance system which would protect people’s right to vote for regional councillors and also lift the council’s water management performance. (Info News, 05 March 2010)
Seven route planning proposals Seven companies want to create a transport options and route-planning internet tool for the Queenstown Lakes District Council. (Otago Daily Times, 05 March 2010)
Recycling scheme at Milford Milford Sound has introduced recycling in a bid to cut rubbish heading to the landfill by 75%. (Otago Daily Times, 05 March 2010)
Waste Less of an Event After Major Shows A new way to manage rubbish and recycling at major events has proved so successful that rugby fans will be the next to benefit. (New Plymouth District Council, 05 March 2010)
Excellent public support for Ruapehu Cycle Trail consultation meetins The public meetings held around the Ruapehu district and in Whanganui last week to discuss the development progress and commercial opportunities from the Mountain to Sea (M2S) and Central North Island Rail Trail (CNIRT) cycleways were extremely well supported by the local communities, business owners, entrepreneurs and others interested in their potential impact. (PDF, Ruapehu District Council, 04 March 2010)
Election-sign limit proposed Candidates for Palmerston North City Council are likely to be restricted to one election sign each per property. (The Manawatu Standard, 04 March 2010)
Transponder fittings urged for all boats Controversial plans to force Marlborough Sounds commercial boat operators to install movement-tracking transponders should also be extended to recreational users, a marine risk expert conceded on the first day of a hearing into the Marlborough District Council's proposed navigation bylaws yesterday. (The Marlborough Express, 04 March 2010)
Concern over rise in black swan numbers An increase in the number of black swans stopping over in Nelson has raised questions over whether they will become a problem. (The Nelson Mail, 04 March 2010)
Owhiro Bay Beach Still Officially Closed Owhiro Bay beach remains closed while investigations continue to determine the cause of contamination in the water. (Wellington City Council, 04 March 2010)
EDS files proceedings in the Timaru High Court today challenging Mackenzie country cubicle farming consents "The proceedings relate to three sets of land use consents granted to Williamson Holdings Ltd, Southdown Holdings Ltd and Five Rivers Ltd by Waitaki District Council," said EDS Chairman Gary Taylor. (Environmental Defence Society, 04 March 2010)
Port of Napier Share Purchase On 23 December 2009, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council completed its purchase of the 8.3 percent share holding in the Port of Napier Ltd from Horizons (Manawatu-Whanganui) Regional Council. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 04 March 2010)
Hood aerodrome to get connections to town sewerage and water supply The growing value of Hood Aerodrome has been underlined with the decision made by Masterton District Council this week to immediately begin work to hook it up to the town’s sewer and water networks. (PDF, Masterton District Council, 04 March 2010)
Local input and ideas wanted for restoration of Pakuranga Stream Ideas are needed from the community about ways to restore the Pakuranga Stream at a meeting which will be hosted by Manukau City Council’s Wai Care programme at the Pakuranga College Library. (Manukau City Council, 04 March 2010)
Minister supports work of the Maori Wardens Community and Voluntary Sector Minister Tariana Turia is praising the work of the Maori Wardens at this year's Golden Shears. (Masterton District Council, 04 March 2010)
Draft liquor policy out for review Creating a safe drinking environment for Gisborne district residents and visitors is what council’s draft Sale of Liquor Policy is all about. Adopted in 2002, it is now up for review. (Gisborne District Council, 04 March 2010)
North Shore Community Projects To Be Accelerated Numerous community projects are in line to be accelerated after agreement was reached between the Auckland Transition Agency and the North Shore City Council to allow the disposal of the former council works department in Albany and apply the funds to legacy community projects across the Shore, North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said today. (Voxy, 04 March 2010)
ECan offers deal to avert sacking Environment Canterbury's council has offered a compromise deal in an effort to keep their jobs after a government review recommended sacking the council and replacing it with independent commissioners. (The Timaru Herald, 04 March 2010)
Overnight booze ban on the cards At its recent meeting the board endorsed an overnight liquor ban at the North Shore City Council-owned carpark adjacent to the Takapuna Golf Club and Poenamo Hotel. (North Shore Times, 04 March 2010)
Councillor tests water restrictor Queenstown Lakes District councillor John Mann has volunteered to be a guinea pig to help solve Lake Hayes' water shortage problems. (The Southland Times, 04 March 2010)
GDC gets advice on register The Gore District Council is to test the right of councillors to keep their property and shareholding interests private after a councillor refused to buy into a register of elected members' interests. (The Southland Times, 04 March 2010)
World Cup spending spree over the top, says councillor A Wellington city councillor has questioned the council's spending spree for next year's Rugby World Cup, saying the event should not be a priority. (The Dominion Post, 04 March 2010)
Protect voting rights, improve water management performance In the wake of the Government review of Environment Canterbury’s functions, councillors have proposed a split governance system which would protect people’s right to vote for regional councillors and also lift the council’s water management performance. (PDF, Environment Canterbury, 03 March 2010)
Learn how to help protect the environment Environment Waikato, Waipa District Council and the Ngaroto Lake Care Group are joining forces to run a field day for people interested in, or already involved in, improving the environment in their local community. (Environment Waikato, 04 March 2010)
Mine granted resource consents The Takitimu coal mine at Nightcaps has been granted resource consent for its expansion. (PDF, Environment Southland, 03 March 2010)
Independent Report Recommends Rationalising Four Northland Councils An independent report commissioned by the three mayors of Far North, Kaipara and Whangarei District Councils to review the best options for local governance for the Northland region, has recommended the existing four-council structure be rationalised as it is not considered to be 'fit for purpose' for Northland into the future. (Whangarei District Council, 03 March 2010)
Canterbury Park Management Plan consultation opens A vision for one of Christchurch’s most prominent parks is outlined in a draft management plan for Canterbury Park that opens for consultation on Monday, 8 March. (Christchurch City Council, 03 March 2010)
Council release draft Annual Plan Auckland City Council has released its draft Annual Plan balancing a commitment to affordable progress while continuing to develop the city. (Auckland City Council, 03 March 2010)
Kaipara Harbour Key to Kaipara’s Future At a special meeting of Kaipara District Council held on Wednesday 3 March 2010, Councillors unanimously voted to actively pursue the prospect of an enlarged district based around the Kaipara Harbour, possibly to include parts of Northern Rodney. (PDF, Kaipara District Council, 03 March 2010)
Town Vision Board members appointed Whakatane’s town centre vision is one step closer to reality with the appointment of the Town Vision Advisory Board. (Whakatane District Council, 03 March 2010)
Have your say about the future of public transport A review of the Metro Strategy has just begun with the aim of improving public transport in the Greater Christchurch area. Residents are encouraged to have their say about the future of public transport through a brochure which is being delivered to all mailboxes from this week. (Environment Canterbury, 03 March 2010)
Councillors Agree to Negotiate Purchase of Bus Turning Area Wellington City Councillors today approved the possible purchase of a small piece of land that will secure access to the bus turnaround area at the Lambton Quay Interchange. (Wellington City Council, 03 March 2010)
Weather Stations Will Enhance Coverage for Rural Fire Tararua’s rural fire information coverage will be enhanced by the addition of two new stations in the district. (Tararua District Council, 03 March 2010)
RTC chair welcomes new national road safety strategy The chairman of the multi-agency Waikato Regional Transport Committee has today strongly welcomed a new ten-year Government Safer Journeys strategy aimed at reducing fatalities and serious injuries on New Zealand roads. (Environment Waikato, 03 March 2010)
Councillors Agree to Negotiate Purchase of Bus Turning Area Wellington City Councillors today approved the possible purchase of a small piece of land that will secure access to the bus turnaround area at the Lambton Quay Interchange. (Wellington City Council, 03 March 2010)
Auckland 'Super City' Legislation Needs Fixing The Public Service Association is warning the government that it risks losing skilled and experienced workers needed to run Auckland's new 'super city'. (Voxy, 03 March 2010)
Mayor uses casting vote on pokies issue Mayor Peter Tennent yesterday used his casting vote to break a deadlock on what New Plymouth's policy on gambling machine numbers should be. (Taranaki Daily News, 03 March 2010)
Tsunami alert prompts scramble for the internet Forget the hills – Wellingtonians headed for the internet when a tsunami threatened. (The Dominion Post, 03 March 2010)
ECan councillors to respond to review ECan councillors are expected to submit their views on the organisation's future to the Government by a noon deadline. (The Press, 03 March 2010)
Benson-Pope at council table: as commissioner David Benson-Pope Former Labour Cabinet minister David Benson-Pope returns to a public role today. (Otago Daily Times, 03 March 2010)
Mayor decides to run again Wellington's mayor is running for a fourth term and one of her focuses will be to keep Auckland in its place (Radio New Zealand, 03 March 2010)
Mid- Waitaki Valley groundwater quality survey Environment Canterbury in March is surveying groundwater quality in the mid-Waitaki Valley in the area between Duntroon and Otematata. (Info News, 03 March 2010)
Zone 3 Councils Visit Tararua Day to day functions of the offices of the Ombudsman and Auditor-General and strategies to improve voter turnout for local body elections are among the subjects for discussion this week at a Tararua District Council hosted Zone 3 meeting. (Info News, 03 March 2010)
Scathing ECan report sparks fiery debate A damning review of Environment Canterbury (ECan) which recommends replacing the Council with a Commission for Water Management could prompt Government to investigate other regional authorities, says Federated Farmers. (Rural News, 03 March 2010)
New Auckland Council’s Structure Too Complicated – Rodney Mayor “The Auckland region will end up going to the dogs with residents of the new super city possibly having to adhere to 19 different dog bylaws unless changes are made to its proposed structure,” Rodney District Mayor Penny Webster has warned. (Rodney District Council, 02 March 2010)
Council Controlled Organisation Document Vague and Uncertain The Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) released its discussion document on Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) in Auckland’s local governance arrangements yesterday. (Infonews, 02 March 2010)
City's sustainability costs 'unclear' If Palmerston North embraces sustainability as the right course for the city, the costs will be unclear. (The Manawatu Standard, 02 March 2010)
Marine operators have their say A hearing on changes to the Marlborough District Council Navigation By-Law starts tomorrow in Blenheim. (The Marlborough Express, 02 March 2010)
Council may face legal challenge over plan Wanganui District Council may face a legal challenge over plans to alter its communication strategy. (Wanganui Chronicle, 02 March 2010)
Road safety education ideas sought by council Upper Hutt City Council invites people to express their views on what road safety education campaigns they would like to see run in conjunction with the community and other organisations in Upper Hutt. (PDF, Upper Hutt City Council, 02 March 2010)
Consents granted for sand mining Environment Waikato and Waipa District Council have granted resource consents to a Ngahinapouri dairy farmer to extend an existing sand mining operation and undertake associated earthworks. (Environment Waikato, 02 March 2010)
Proposed NZTA rule changes may impact on ETA Proposed new transport authority rules to accommodate larger sized trucks and heavier loads, which is due to go before cabinet this year, is raising questions about current design specifications in Taupo. (Taupo District Council, 02 March 2010)
Earth Hour Action Wellington households, cafes, hotels, businesses and schools got into the spirit of Earth Hour last year and we're hoping even more will support this year's World Wide Fund for Nature's (WWF's) global climate change initiative. (Wellington City Council, 02 March 2010)
Project on Track The single largest project currently being delivered by the Queenstown Lakes District Council was given a further green light today, QLDC Mayor Clive Geddes said. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 02 March 2010)
'Fed up' Kane exits meeting Environment Canterbury (ECan) deputy chairwoman Jo Kane walked out of a Hurunui District Council meeting yesterday. (The Press, 02 March 2010)
Sunk vessel's 500 litres of diesel hopefully contained A diesel spill from a recreational fishing vessel which sank at its berth at the Riverton wharf on Sunday night has dispersed. (Otago Daily Times, 02 March 2010)
`Hectic' day meeting staff Newly appointed Queenstown Lakes District Council chief executive Debra Lawson had her first day at work yesterday and wasted no time getting to know her new staff. (Otago Daily Times. 02 March 2010)
Civil defence boss admits 'dropping ball' over website alert Dunedin City Council Civil Defence manager Neil Brown yesterday owned up to "dropping the ball" over one aspect of Sunday's tsunami alert. (Otago Daily Times. 02 March 2010)
Tsunami alert error Some Shore residents got the wrong message from North Shore City Council as the country braced for a possible tsunami, says councillor Chris Darby. (North Shore Times, 02 March 2010)
A Track of Two Halves for Paritutu Rock Paritutu Rock’s summit track is about to get an extreme makeover. (New Plymouth District Council, 02 March 2010)
Contract awarded for first stage of Rangiora’s water supply upgrade The Waimakariri District Council has announced that the contract for the first stage of the planned water supply upgrade for Rangiora has been awarded to two companies, who will mount a joint venture for the project. (PDF, Waimakariri District Council, 02 March 2010)
Council Controlled Organistions will be transparent and accountable Local Government Minister Hon Rodney Hide, welcomes the release today by the Auckland Transition Agency of the Discussion Document: Council Controlled Organisations (CCOs) of Auckland Council. (Beehive, 01 March 2010)
Insufficient thought put into CCO establishment Today’s Auckland Transition Agency (ATA) discussion document on council-controlled organisations of Auckland Council takes a ‘one size fits all’ approach, Manukau Mayor Len Brown says. (Manukau City Council, 01 March 2010)
Akaroa water restrictions increased from level one to level two The recent warm weather has increased water restrictions in the Akaroa from level one to level two, affective from 1 March 2010. (01 March 2010)
Mayor Harvey praises Auckland tsunami response management and volunteers Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey says he is "overwhelmingly pleased" with how yesterday's tsunami response has been handled. (Waitakere City Council, 01 March 2010)
Greater Safety Coming for Bell Block Crash Black Spot The Bell Block bypass will bring with it a new layout for a dangerous intersection with the state highway. (New Plymouth District Council, 01 March 2010)
River water use rules challenged The Marlborough District Council's argument that its water use rules do not apply to TrustPower's application to divert water from the Wairau River to generate electricity has been challenged in the Environment Court. (The Marlborough Express, 01 March 2010)
Council Warns Against Illegal Water-Tapping People tapping into the district’s water reticulation illegally are potentially putting residents’ drinking water at risk. (New Plymouth District Council, 01 March 2010)
ECan hung out to dry? Last week a bombshell report recommended that Environment Canterbury's councillors be sacked, and water responsibilities go to a new authority. (The Timaru Herald, 01 March 2010)
Unitary authorities push driven by self - not public - interest, NRC claims Self – not public – interest is behind a looming push by Northland’s District Councils for a restructure of the region’s local government, Regional Councillors claim. (Northland Regional Council, 01 March 2010)
Groundwater levels below average in late summer settled weather Canterbury groundwater levels fell in February as a result of settled weather combined with average-to-dry conditions, according to monitoring by Environment Canterbury scientists. (Environment Canterbury, 01 March 2010)
Super city model fundamentally broken says Mayor The super city governance model is fundamentally broken and is pretty much beyond repair, North Shore Mayor Andrew Williams said today when presenting the Council submission on the Local Government (North Shore City Council, 01 March 2010)
Water restrictions ease in Hamilton A sustained decrease in the amount of water being consumed throughout Hamilton has seen the city’s water alert levels reduced to alert level 1 today. (Hamilton City Council, 01 March 2010)
Manukau City Council wins top HR Award Manukau City Council’s HR Group Manager Craig Morris has won the top award at the recent 2009/10 Human Resources Institute of NZ industry awards. (Manukau City Council, 01 March 2010)
Pacific people helping keep our community safer Another Pacific community safety patrol will be launched this week in Mangere. (Manukau City Council, 01 March 2010)
Mayor Ogden praises tsunami response Mayor David Ogden is praising the efforts of those involved in Hutt City's civil defence response to yesterday’s tsunami threat. (Hutt City Council, 01 March 2010)
Oil Spill Response Underway in Riverton Work is underway to contain diesel spilling from a vessel which sank at its berth at the Riverton wharf overnight. (Environment Southland, 01 March 2010)
It was 20 years ago today Sergeant Pepper and the Beatles may not have lasted the distance but the Waimakariri District Council commemorated its twentieth year earlier this month and it’s still going strong. (PDF, Waimakariri District Council, 01 February 2010)
Wellington Region Unveils Cup Website The focus on the Wellington region's readiness for Rugby World Cup 2011 was given a high-profile boost today, with the launch of WellingtonNZ2011.com, a new online portal or one-stop-shop for anyone wanting to know anything about RWC 2011 in the region. (Wellington City Council, 01 March 2010)
Farewell to the godwits Christchurch’s iconic global travellers, the Bar-tailed godwits, will have their annual send-off at 5.30pm on Wednesday afternoon (Christchurch City Council, 01 March 2010)
First Council Meeting Gets 2010 off to a Flying Start At the first full council meeting of the year, Franklin District’s Mayor and Councillors made a number of decisions that are important to the community now, and in the future. (Franklin District Council, 01 March 2010)
ECan goes looking for someone to blame Canterbury mayors are being unfairly blamed for the investigation into Environment Canterbury, says Ashburton Mayor Bede O’Malley. (Ashburton Guardian, 01 March 2010)
Mayors coy on single authority South Canterbury's mayors continue to shy away from suggestions that they want a single authority to replace the regional council. (The Timaru Herald, 01 March 2010)
Monitoring CCTV would be expensive, Geddes warns The cost of monitoring a CCTV system in Queenstown was the only barrier to its establishment, Queenstown Lakes District Council Mayor Clive Geddes told retailers and business owners last week. (Otago Daily Times, 01 March 2010)
Tree list fingers roots of despair The South Wairarapa District Council has approved a list of trees for street planting that will supply suitable shade, filter the wind and add oxygen to the atmosphere. (Wairarapa Times Age, 01 March 2010)
What do you think about the Council? Over the coming weeks the Waimakariri District Council will be carrying out its Council Survey 2010 – a re-named version of the Council’s Customer Satisfaction Survey of previous years. (PDF, Waimakariri District Council, 01 March 2010)
Auckland City Council open retail bond offer Auckland City Council today opened its second retail bond offer, with a 6.25% p.a. minimum interest rate. (Auckland City Council, 01 March 2010)
Imposed water restrictions needed in Kaitaia, Omapere and Opononi Kaitaia, Opononi and Omapere residents will notice they have reduced water pressure from early next week as the Far North District Council moves to avert a water crisis in the communities. (PDF, Far North District Council, 01 March 2010)
Auckland Zoo cracks it for 200th kiwi An eight-day-old kiwi egg pulled from a Northland nest in early December will today become the 200th chick Auckland Zoo has successfully incubated, hatched, reared, and released for the BNZ Operation Nest Egg (O.N.E.) programme. (Auckland City Council, 01 March 2010)
