Local Government News

Media releases should be sent to news@localgovt.co.nz

Protest at pay rise in Kapiti  Three hundred Kapiti residents protested in Paraparaumu on Tuesday against a $44,000 pay rise for the chief executive of the Kapiti Coast District Council.  (Radio New Zealand, 07 February 2012)

Council procurement policies impact on regional parks  Council procurement policies are in the spotlight as changes to Auckland’s security contracts raise concerns about consultation, ranger safety and local access to public contracts.  (Local Matters, 07 February 2012)

Rotorua rates: Where your money goes  The Daily Post's council and city issues reporter Matthew Martin has put together a series of articles about how your rates are spent and the services they pay for. (The Daily Post, 07 February 2012)

May St Reserve to stay city-owned  The future of a little-known but valuable reserve at Mount Maunganui is safe after a confidential council debate last week lifted the threat that it could be sold.  (Bay of Plenty Times, 07 February 2012)

New Fordlands youth space grand opening on Saturday  Netball, touch rugby, and rippa rugby competitions are just some of the events taking place at this week’s grand opening of the new Fordlands’ youth space on Wrigley Road Reserve. (Rotorua District Council, 07 February 2012)

Neighbourly consideration  A Dunedin city councillor subdividing his Mosgiel property has drawn on his local-body experience to try to reduce neighbourly tensions among residents.  (Otago Daily Times, 07 February 2012)

Pond hazard identified  Local Government New Zealand should investigate making ponds lined in black plastic safer, Otago Southland coroner David Crerar says.  (Otago Daily Times, 07 February 2012)

Museum reveals post office plans  Plans for a $1.5 million redevelopment of the former Dunedin North Post Office have been revealed by the Otago Museum.  (Otago Daily Times, 07 February 2012)

Review of liquor ban area  A proposal to extend Dunedin's central-city liquor ban to permanently include the North Dunedin student area will be considered once again by the Dunedin City Council this week, for at least the fourth time since 2006.  (Otago Daily Times, 07 February 2012)

Public forces council to rethink toilet near plaque  Public opposition has forced authorities to rethink plans for a public toilet and dog drinking-fountain in a prominent spot in Hamilton's Days Park.  (The New Zealand Herald, 07 February 2012)

Debate over $100m quake-repair bills  Government officials face months of haggling with the Christchurch City Council over more than $100 million in emergency repair bills racked up in haste after last February's earthquake.  (The Press, 07 February 2012)

'Persuasion' plan for prostitutes  Public toilets, better street lighting and "gentle persuasion" could help solve prostitution issues in residential areas, a Christchurch City Council report says.  (The Press, 06 February 2012)

Residents urged to keep up the fight  The organiser of a mass protest against the Christchurch City Council has promised to "keep the pot boiling" at the troubled organisation, despite returning to his fulltime job.  (The Press, 06 February 2012)

Auckland transport woes here to stay: Brian Rudman  Wading through the idiot's guide to Auckland's transport woes, prepared for new Transport Minister Gerry Brownlee by his bureaucratic advisers, I wondered if he'd had that awful Eureka moment when it suddenly dawned on him that the billions of dollars poured into upgrading the region's road network in the 15 or so years up to 2017 will have been in vain.  (The New Zealand Herald, 06 February 2012)

Joint effort on jetty praised  The Portobello Jetty was a reminder of what can be achieved when a community and council work together, Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said at the official opening on Saturday.  (Otago Daily Times, 06 February 2012)

Venue subsidy plan  It will cost the Dunedin City Council at least $20,000 to provide community groups with a similar level of access to facilities, such as the Skeggs Gallery, as they had before the recent change of management.  (Otago Daily Times, 06 February 2012)

'Room for doubt' over council's response to quake risk  The Christchurch City Council and Environment Canterbury (ECan) have generally recognised the region's seismic risk in their planning documents, a special review for the Canterbury earthquakes royal commission says.  (The Press, 06 February 2012)

Mayor may back split from WRC  If enough heat goes on Thames-Coromandel mayor Glenn Leach he could back a split from the Waikato Regional Council.  (Waikato Times, 06 February 2012)

Claudelands' shortfall 'not for ratepayers'  Hamilton ratepayers will not be asked to cover the shortfall for a botch-up in which incorrect figures were used to calculate the financial viability of Hamilton's Claudelands Events Centre, the mayor says.  (Waikato Times, 06 February 2012)

DCC 'not mucking about' on erosion Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has said he will not be "mucking around" after holding talks with the head of a residents' group claiming homes are threatened by erosion at Te Rauone Beach, on the Otago Peninsula. (Otago Daily Times, 05 February 2012)

Museum assembles city's lost icons The 135-year-old Lyttelton timeball arrived at the Canterbury Museum yesterday, the first of several landmark pieces to be exhibited in Canterbury Quakes. (The Press, 04 February 2012)

ORC to hold talks in private The Otago Regional Council will meet in private on Wednesday to discuss a confidential report on plans and likely costs to overcome overcrowding in its Stafford St office block. (Otago Daily Times, 04 February 2012)

Dunedin 'on cusp' of digital progress Work to bring ultrafast broadband (UFB) to Dunedin is about to begin, at the same time as the city's new "digital office" gets ready to open for business. (Otago Daily Times, 04 February 2012)

Sex in the city too noisy for neighbours Auckland Council environmental control team manager Mervyn Chetty told the Herald on Sunday his officers were being called to noisy swinger parties by neighbours unaware of what was going on inside. (The New Zealand Herald, 05 February 2012)

Editorial: Clock ticking on Christchurch mayor OPINION: It is time for Bob Parker to realise that there's more to being mayor of Christchurch than donning a bright orange jacket and standing in front of the television cameras.In the immediate aftermath of the September 4 and February 22 earthquakes Mr Parker was a tower of strength for the South Island's biggest city. (The Dominion Post, 04 February 2012)

Tickets offered on a sticky wicket Councillors still unhappy with a decision to pay for cricket nets at New Plymouth's Pukekura Park have been further riled by an offer of free tickets to tomorrow's game. (Taranaki Daily News, 04 February 2012)

Grey water recycling an option for keen gardeners An engineer who moved to Christchurch for the earthquake rebuild is hoping household water recycling will become a fixture of the recovery. (The Press, 04 February 2012)

Maori ward for Nelson City Council uncertain The chance of the Nelson City Council becoming the first unitary authority in New Zealand to have a Maori ward, is far from certain. (Radio New Zealand, 03 February 2012)

Roxburgh a step closer to water that makes the grade Residents in Roxburgh are a step closer to better drinking water with work on a new Roxburgh Water Treatment Plant set to start within the month (Otago District Council, 03 February 2012)

Council online with rates enquiries Waitaki District Council has introduced an online service for property rates enquiries that is available through its website - www.waitaki.govt.nz. (PDF, Waitaki District Council, 05 February 2012)

Porirua mayor upset DHB doesn't keep own child health records Porirua mayor Nick Leggett is dismayed the Capital and Coast District Health Board does not keep its own set of statistics on births and child health in the region. (Radio New Zealand, 03 February 2012)

More regional services to boost environmental and economic bottom line  Waikato Regional Council yesterday finalised the budget for the Draft 2012-2022 Long Term Plan, with a particular focus on improving water quality, marine planning, improving civil defence capability, and increasing river catchment and drainage services.  (Waikato Regional Council, 03 February 2012)

Candidates battle for place on Christchurch council Nine people are campaigning for a seat on the Christchurch City Council despite protests this week calling for the council to be dumped and fresh elections held. (Radio New Zealand, 03 February 2012)

Council unveils aggressive plan to cut costs Rates rises will be on average less than 5% across the Kapiti district over the next 20 years under an aggressive cost cutting plan being considered by Council. (Voxy, 03 February 2012)

School bus removal puts pressure on Bayhopper city buses The removal of Ministry of Education-funded bus transport for Pāpāmoa school students is putting pressure on Bayhopper city bus services into the city. (Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 03 February 2012)

Nelson-Tasman flood recovery to cost $40m The road to Totaranui was hit by massive slips in December and no date has been set for its re-opening. The Nelson and Tasman councils will decide soon on priorities for recovery work following December's record floods. (Radio New Zealand, 03 February 2012)

Work underway to develop Eat Streat into Rotorua landmark Rotorua District Council (RDC) wants the city’s popular Eat Streat precinct to become a permanent CBD feature and is working with local designers to develop it into an iconic Rotorua landmark. (Rotorua District Council, 03 February 2012)

GNS Science Presentation to Council Released Today Information contained in the GNS Science presentation delivered to Waimakariri District Council late yesterday by GNS scientist Kelvin Berryman has been made public today by Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Minister Gerry Brownlee. (Waimakariri District Council, 03 February 2012)

New fortnightly kerbside recycling and rubbish collection starts April A new fortnightly recycling and rubbish collection for the Clutha District starts in April, with new recycling wheelie bins being delivered from next week. (Clutha District Council, 03 February 2012)

Mayor Respects Dual Heritage by Flying Two Flags The national Maori flag, Tino Rangatiratanga, will be flown from Wellington's Town Hall on Waitangi Day for the first time. (Wellington City Council, 03 February 2012)

Council backing UIM Jet Sprint World Series Wanganui Mayor Annette Main says the wanganui.com UIM Jet Sprint World Series this month is another fantastic opportunity to showcase Wanganui. (Wanganui District Council, 03 February 2012)

Supercity merger not forced Kapiti will be coaxed - not forced - into Supercity amalgamation with the Wellington region, according to Local Government Minister Nick Smith. (Kapitit Observer, 03 February 2012)

Council backing UIM Jet Sprint World Series Wanganui Mayor Annette Main says the wanganui.com UIM Jet Sprint World Series this month is another fantastic opportunity to showcase Wanganui. (Wanganui District Council, 03 February 2012)

Mayor Respects Dual Heritage by Flying Two Flags The national Maori flag, Tino Rangatiratanga, will be flown from Wellington's Town Hall on Waitangi Day for the first time. (Wellington City Council, 03 February 2012)

Supercity merger not forced Kapiti will be coaxed - not forced - into Supercity amalgamation with the Wellington region, according to Local Government Minister Nick Smith. (Kapiti Observer, 03 February 2012)

Council streamlines consent process Christchurch City Council is introducing a raft of new measures to streamline its consent process ahead of an expected increase in earthquake-related applications – predicted to be an additional 10,000 a year for at least three years. (Christchurch City Council, 03 February 2012)

Acting CEO appointed Nelson City Council is not to proceed with recruiting a new Chief Executive until after the result of the Local Government Commission poll on the proposed merger of Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council is known. (Nelson City Council, 03 February 2012)

Taggers cause commuter train delays Early morning vandalism caused delays for Plimmerton commuters this morning, putting a train out of action while it was cleaned up. (The Dominion Post, 03 February 2012)

Kaipara District Council seeking Applications for Biodiversity Funds The Kaipara District Council’s Biodiversity Fund for 2012 is now open to receive application. (Kaiprara District Council, 03 February 2012)

SCIRT Media Release: Slow down around roadworks Roadworks around the city is increasing significantly as works to repair our city’s roads, water, wastewater and storm water networks moves into top gear. (Christchurch City Council, 03 February 2012)

Hearing told of post-quake chaos till systems in place A Christchurch city council team leader has told a hearing there was an element of chaos after the September 2010 earthquake, until systems were put in place. (Radio New Zealand, 03 February 2012)

Marryatt unsuitable for city recovery, says MP Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt is not the right man to lead the city's earthquake recovery, Christchurch East Labour MP Lianne Dalziel says. (The Press, 03 Fabruary 2012)

Need seen for workable tree removal process A need for a more workable mechanism to allow for the removal of "dead, dying or unsafe" heritage trees has been identified by the Queenstown Lakes District Council. (Otago Daily Times, 03 February 2012)

Education officer settling in A new education officer has arrived at the Lakes District Museum, and with eight years of teaching experience she is ready for the challenge. (Otago Daily Times, 03 February 2012)

Councillors not moved by campaign A marketing campaign promoting active lifestyles in Dunedin appears to be a flop with city councillors, despite the civic leaders voting to spend more than $100,000 funding it. (Otago Daily Times, 03 February 2012)

Council denies red tape left killer buildings standing Christchurch City Council staff have defended claims that paperwork held up the demolition of buildings which later collapsed in the February 22 earthquake, killing 12 people. (The New Zealand Herald, 03 February 2012)

Carter says water charges not on agenda for now Primary Industries Minister David Carter says the Government may consider charges for water at some later stage, but that's not on the agenda right now. (Radio New Zealand, 03 February 2012)

Should Makaraka connect to Gisborne wastewater system? Makaraka residents are being asked to attend a public meeting next week about whether their township should be reticulated. A petition received last year called for reticulation of Makaraka to be included in Gisborne District Council's 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan. (Voxy, 03 February 2012)

CODC to undertake dye tests in Lake Dunstan Central Otago residents should not be alarmed if they see red in the water of Lake Dunstan this month. (Otago District Council, 02 February 2012)

Southland effluent spill under investigation Environment Southland is investigating the cause of a substantial effluent spill from the South Pacific Meats processing plant today. (Voxy, 02 February 2012)

Christchurch council given weeks to sort itself out Local Government Minister Nick Smith says the Government is giving Christchurch City Council weeks, not months, to address the concerns over governance. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

Waikato Regional Council to look at new building Waikato ratepayers are to be given the option of whether the regional council should lease or own a new purpose-built office block on prime Hamilton East land. (Voxy, 02 February 2012)

Benching hillside best solution for Manawatu Gorge The Transport Agency says the best long term solution for permanently re-opening the Manawatu Gorge road is benching the hillside where a massive landslip came down in August 2011. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

New crematorium not wanted A number of Sydenham residents are demanding that Christchurch City Council move a newly-built crematorium out of the area. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

American water expert laments the waste Get international water expert Robert Glennon started on toilets and you're in for a flush of ideas. New Zealand's polluted rivers and lakes also get him going – it "should horrify every New Zealander, right?" (Waikato Times, 02 February 2012)

Council Committed to Public Safety Following engineering inspections funded by the Waimakariri District Council, approximately 30 buildings in the District have been identified as “earthquake-prone” as they are less than 33 percent of the new building standards as required by the Building Code. (Waimakariri District Council, 02 February 2012)

Transitional process planned for air rules enforcement Residents of polluted parts of Central Otago are being reminded of their obligation to install clean heating appliances as new Otago Air Plan rules start to operate. (Otago Regional Council, 02 February 2012)

Council to Smooth Rates Increases to Lessen Impact of Earthquake Expense As part of its Ten Year Plan budget deliberations, the Waimakariri District Council proposes to alleviate the impact on ratepayers of the costs of earthquake recovery in the District by limiting rate rises to an average five per cent, after taking projected growth into account, for the first three years. (Waimakariri District Council, 02 February 2012)

Comments on Selwyn Street Shops and Linwood Village draft Master Plans close 17 February Residents, property owners and business people have two weeks left to tell the Christchurch City Council what they think about the vision, goals and actions proposed in the draft Master Plans for Selwyn Street Shops and Linwood Village (Stanmore Road /Worchester Street shops). (Christchurch City Council, 02 February 2012)

One week left for Burwood/Pegasus Ward By-election Residents in the Burwood/Pegasus Ward have one week left to get their votes in for a new Ward Councillor following last year’s resignation of Christchurch City Councillor Chrissie Williams. (Christchurch City Council, 02 February 2012)

One week left for Burwood/Pegasus Ward By-election Residents in the Burwood/Pegasus Ward have one week left to get their votes in for a new Ward Councillor following last year’s resignation of Christchurch City Councillor Chrissie Williams. (Christchurch City Council, 02 February 2012)

Council considering rates remission for flood affected property owners Council is looking at ways to give those homeowners affected by December’s floods some rates relief. (Nelson City Council, 02 February 2012)

Countdown to popular swimming event The State NZ Ocean Swim Series returns to Canterbury on Sunday 19 February with the State La Grande Swim in Akaroa, and Christchurch residents have been offered a special incentive to enter. (Christchurch City Council, 02 February 2012)

Hamilton Zoo awaits red panda cub's first public appearance Hamilton Zoo is awaiting the first public appearance of a red panda cub born at the facility in December. (Hamilton City Council, 02 February 2012)

Coastlands Aquatic Centre underway Contractors, Mainzeal, are putting a fence around the site, off Kapiti Road and will shortly begin constructing stormwater, sewage and other services. (Voxy, 02 February 2012)

Tree planting a win-win for environment Hundreds of native trees are being raised for planting on the Kapiti Coast as a result of residents investing in making their homes warmer and healthier last year. (Voxy, 02 February 2012)

NZTA applauds Vodafone's road safety texting initiative The NZ Transport Agency welcomes and applauds Vodafone's texting innovation to improve safety on the country's roads. (Voxy, 02 February 2012)

'Bucket list' wish for functional council A terminal cancer patient and a professional firefighter were among those calling for change at a mass protest against the Christchurch City Council. (The Press, 02 February 2012)

Waimakariri red-zone explanation sought Waimakariri District Mayor David Ayers is seeking an explanation from the Government on why part of Kaiapoi has been red-zoned. (The Press, 02 February 2012)

Super-city lessons 'must be applied' for Nelson-Tasman merger Applying the lessons from the Auckland local government transition process is vital if voters give the go ahead for a merger between Nelson and Tasman councils, says the PSA. (Voxy, 02 February 2012)

Airport noise boundary decision reserved The Environment Court has reserved its decision until May on a hearing considering noise from Queenstown Airport and surrounding future developments. (Otago Daily Times, 02 February 2012)

DCC ditches plan for sausage sizzle fee Sausages, bread and onions are back on the menu - sans red tape - after the Dunedin City Council ditched plans to slap a $16 fee on charitable sausage sizzles. (Otago Daily Times, 02 February 2012)

Staff to study erosion Dunedin City Council staff will conduct a fact-finding mission at Te Rauone Beach, on Otago Peninsula, after claims urgent action is needed to address erosion in the area. (Otago Daily Times, 02 February 2012)

Agency to consider Manawatu Gorge future The Transport Agency is to look at the long term future of the state highway network around the Manawatu Gorge when the road through the gorge is open again. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

Council urged to backtrack on theatre funding plan A business group is demanding Auckland Council backtrack on plans to lend the Auckland Theatre Company $10 million towards a waterfront theatre. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

New elections seen as not enough the Canterbury Communities Earthquake Recovery Network doubts new council elections would bring changes at Christchurch City Council. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

Trust pressures council over funding for indoor recreation centre The trust dedicated to building a new $21 million "much-needed" indoor recreation centre in Hamilton is putting pressure on the city council to reconsider funding half of it. (The New Zealand Herald, 02 February 2012)

Wetland restoration planned for the Lower Taieri in Otago The Otago Fish & Game Council has announced plans to restore a wetland on an 80 hectare site that had been unsuccessfully drained for farming. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

Anarchy and good humour at Marryatt protest The anarchy started well before the council protest. Protesters first had to get to the central city, and their cars hit gridlock in Hagley Park as they snaked in to find a scarce parking spot near the footbridge to the Botanic Gardens. (The Press, 02 February 2012)

Mayor to go on trip to Asia Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker is going on a promotional trip to Asia next week. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

Nick Smith says early Chch election 'last resort' Local Government Minister Nick Smith says holding early elections for the troubled Christchurch City Council would be an absolute last resort. (Otago Daily Times, 02 February 2012)

Canterbury irrigation project moving forward Canterbury farmers are set to benefit from a long-awaited boost to irrigation and water storage in the region. (Radio New Zealand, 02 February 2012)

Strong local partnerships will not benefit from an elected mayor New city mayors will add little to local governance – and may prove a costly extravagance (UK, The Guardian, 01 February 2012)

Head to head: regenerating Britain's town centres Do big supermarkets do more harm than good? Two local government experts debate the future of the town centre (UK, The Guardian, 01 February 2012)

Giving residents internet access grants us better access to them Local government should welcome the free-WiFi deal between O2 and Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea councils (UK, The Guardian, 01 February 2012)

Council welcomes amalgamation poll Nelson City Council has welcomed the Local Government’s decision to go forward with a poll to decide whether amalgamation between Nelson City and Tasman District Councils will go ahead. (Nelson City Council, 01 February 2012)

Rates revolt threat at Christchurch protest Around a thousand Christchurch residents have turned out to picket outside the city council headquarters today. (TVNZ, 01 February 2012)

Waitangi Day Dawn Service at Hopukiore (Mount Dury) A special dawn service at Hopukiore (Mount Drury) commemorating the signing of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi, is one of the key events planned for the region’s Waitangi Day celebration on Monday, February 6 2012. (Tauranga City Council, 01 February 2012)

Governor-General and Prime Minister to attend commemorative events on 22 February 2012 Christchurch City Council confirmed today that the Governor-General and the Prime Minister will attend commemorative events to mark the first anniversary of the earthquake on Wednesday 22 February 2012 in Christchurch. (Christchurch City Council, 01 February 2012)

Finding a fairer rating system Rotorua District Council is conscious of the need to ensure we have a fair and equitable rating system, especially for businesses in our district which we hope will help drive future economic growth for Rotorua. (Rotorua District Council, 01 February 2012)

Community To Come Together For Waitangi Day Waitangi Day will have a new focus in Queenstown with a special community celebration being held in the Queenstown Gardens. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 01 February 2012)

Mayor in the Chair in Wellsford Len Brown is heading to Wellsford for his first Mayor in the Chair event of 2012, on Monday 13 February. (Auckland Council, 01 February 2012)

Reducing council’s carbon footprint Statistics have revealed that Angus Council is the fifth best performing authority in Scotland in reducing its carbon footprint. (UK, Guide & Gazette, 01 February 2012)

Rubbish fines are costing councils millions of pounds It is, in effect, a system of punitive fines on local authorities using landfill sites: no matter that they put yet more pressure on councils already struggling with the squeeze on their budgets because of the public spending cuts imposed by the self-same government. (UK, BBC News, 01 February 2012)

Legal stoush over fluoride in Hastings water Campaigners are considering legal action against Port Macquarie-Hastings Council as the introduction of fluoride into our water supply moves closer to inevitability. (AUS, Port Macquire News, 01 February 2012)

Occupiers stay overnight in Civic Square The defiant protestors were on the site in their sleeping bags this morning, the day after Wellington City Council evicted about 20 remaining campers from the City to Sea Bridge. (The Dominion Post, 01 February 2012)

Whangerei mayor welcomes wildlife park deal Whangarei Mayor Morris Cutforth says he is relieved a deal has been made that will ensure the welfare of the Zion wildlife park's big cats. (Radio New Zealand, 01 February 2012)

Motels bemoan compliance costs The Motel Association says many councils are taking advantage of motels, bombarding them with compliance costs. (Radio New Zealand, 01 February 2012)

Nelson Tasman District Reorganisation Scheme The Commission has issued a reorganisation scheme for the union of Nelson City and Tasman District into a Nelson Tasman District with a Nelson Tasman District Council. (Local Government Commission, 01 February 2012)

Two charged following jet boats collision The skippers of two jet boats involved in a collision which injured three people have both been charged with operating a vessel in a dangerous manner on a Waihou River tributary. (Waikato Regional Council, 01 February 2012)

Nelson/Tasman council merger approved The Local Government Commission has approved the amalgamation of Nelson City and neighbouring Tasman District Councils. (Radio New Zealand, 01 February 2012)

Timing 'not ideal' for mayor's tour of Asia Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker will take part in a two-week tour of Asia less than a fortnight after a Crown observer was appointed to monitor the city council. (The Press, 01 February 2012)

Councils' $100k club 'excessive' The number of Waikato local government workers pocketing six-figure salaries has skyrocketed in the past five years – with numbers doubling at two councils. (Waikato Times, 01 February 2012)

Speed limit bylaw must be revisited Arrowtown residents will have to wait a while longer before the future of the town's speed limit is revealed after "technicalities" in the original proposal need correcting. (Otago Daily Times, 01 February 2012)

ORC legal action The Otago Regional Council has issued five infringement notices in four months and has four pending legal proceedings. (Otago Daily Times, 01 February 2012)

Good response to nappy initiative More than 150 packs of nappies have been sold and more have been ordered to meet demand for the "Happy Nappy" scheme run by the Queenstown Lakes District Council. (Otago Daily Times, 01 February 2012)

Museum rejects latest grievance allegations Claims of "bullying" have been levelled at Otago Museum managers, a group of disgruntled ex-staff having banded together to lobby for change. (Otago Daily Times, 01 February 2012)

Oakland city leaders regroup after Occupy protest OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- Oakland city leaders are picking up the pieces following the violent, destructive Occupy protests over the weekend. Many are questioning how that mayhem advances the movement, but demonstrators see things differently. (USA, East Bay News, 31 January 2012)

Changes proposed to how septic tanks are managed The rules around how septic tanks and other on-site wastewater systems are managed may be changing. The changes will affect about 30 percent of property owners in the district who are not connected to the city’s or Te Karaka’s sewer system and are responsible for getting rid of their own wastewater. (Gisborne District Council, 31 January 2012)

Council Approves Funding for Ashley Bridge at Cones Road As part of its Ten Year Plan budget deliberations this week, Council gave approval to funding for the replacement of the Ashley Bridge at Cones Road in Rangiora subject to contributory funding from the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). (Waimakariri District Council, 31 January 2012)

Local Government Commission announces scheme for amalgamation The decision whether or not to amalgamate the Nelson City and Tasman District Councils is to be made by their resident electors. (Nelson City Council, 31 January 2012)

New shelters complement bus service improvements Dozens of new bus shelters will spring up all over Dunedin during the next few months under a partnership between the Otago Regional Council (ORC) and the Dunedin City Council. (Otago Regional Council, 31 January 2012)

Media advisory: Ebooks @ your library! Ebooks have arrived at your library, with over 1300 titles available to borrow on the new online ebook catalogue. Ebooks are electronic books which can be downloaded onto smartphones, tablets and electronic readers. (Tauranga City Council, 31 January 2012)

Art Exchange to Help Mangere Children An artists’ collective is running an inspiring exhibition that aims to help Mangere children this winter. (Auckland Council, 31 January 2012)

22 February 2012 commemorative services update Christchurch City Council confirmed today that there will be an additional commemorative event that the public can attend to mark the 1st anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. (Christchurch City Council, 31 January 2012)

Free refresher workshop for older drivers Older drivers in Waitaki will have an opportunity to refresh their driving skills and update their knowledge of the road rules this year through free workshops offered as part of a local road safety initiative. (Waitaki Regional Council, 31 January 2012)

Northland to host national dune conference Organisers are expecting more than 80 people from as far as Southland to attend the Dune Restoration Trust of New Zealand’s fifth annual national conference in the Far North. (Northland Regional Council, 31 January 2012)

Christchurch's Parker-Marryatt stoush sparks along Council Watch has requested the investigation of Local Government Minister Nick Smith’s appointment of a Crown Observer to Christchurch City Council. (The National Business Review, 31 January 2012)

Tree Trust has autumn funds for winter projects Landowners with planting projects planned for winter may be eligible for assistance from the Taranaki Tree Trust – but they need to act now to secure funding. (Taranaki Regional Council, 31 January 2012)

Hop on your bike for Bikewise month Bikewise month is about to hit the streets! During February, people across the nation will be jumping on their bikes to have some fun and take part in active transport. Hop on your bike too and get involved in some of the events and activities being held across the Bay of Plenty. (Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 31 January 2012)

Occupy Wellington protest is shut down Wellington City Council staff spent two weeks planning the operation to evict protesters from the city's Civic Square, which went ahead quietly this morning. (Stuff, 31 January 2012)

Kiwis encouraged to leave the car at home tomorrow Tomorrow is the first day of Bike Wise Month, the annual cycling extravaganza that sees hundreds of cycling events take place around New Zealand, all with the goal of getting Kiwis onto their bicycles. (NZTA, 31 January 2012)

Would you like some red tape with your sausage? Dunedin City Council is considering charging schools, clubs and other not-for-profit groups $16 register their sausage sizzles. (The New Zealand Herald, 31 January 2012)

Central fire station may be unstable Wellington Central fire station, at the Kent Tce end of Oriental Pde, has already been labelled a high-priority earthquake-risk building by Wellington City Council. (The Dominion Post, 31 January 2012)

Volunteers required to enhance Rotorua Museum experience Since its inception 11 years ago more than 200 volunteer guides (docents) have been trained and gone on to provide free tours to Rotorua Museum’s visitors. (Rotorua District Council, 31 January 2012)

Haronga Road branches sacrificed for improved wastewater services It’s the branches or the pipes in Haronga Road. Wastewater pipes that were installed at the beginning of last century are being upgraded. To do this some trees in this leafy street need a trim. (Gisborne District Council, 31 January 2012)

Council Removes Equipment of 'Occupy' campers The Council had been negotiating since 16 October last year with the campers to vacate the site. Written and verbal requests have repeatedly been ignored. (Wellington City Council, 31 January 2012)

Council review might be under threat An $80,000 review of communication problems at the Christchurch City Council may be under threat after councillors voted to investigate the cost of terminating the agreement. (The Press, 31 January 2012)

Lobby group challenges observer's appointment The Office of the Ombudsmen and the solicitor-general may be dragged into a row over the appointment of a Christchurch City Council official observer. (The Press, 31 January 2012)

ORC defends measures to enforce coal ban Otago regional councillors deny suggestions their proposed enforcement process for those who continue to burn coal is too lax. (Otago Regional Council, 31 January 2012)

No Maori flag for Rotorua this year A member of the Maori advisory group at Rotorua District Council says there will be no Maori flag flying alongside the New Zealand flag this Waitangi Day. (Radio New Zealand, 31 January 2012)

Port supporter slams harbour expansion plans One of Ports of Auckland's strongest supporters, Auckland councillor Mike Lee, is vehemently opposed to filling in more of the Waitemata Harbour for port use. (The New Zealand Herald, 31 January 2012)

Occupy Wellington protesters evicted Evictions are underway at the site of the Occupy Wellington protest in Civic Square. Police, Wellington City Council and security staff are moving in and the Square has been cordoned off. (The New Zealand Herald, 31 January 2012)

Dog-friendly Maupuia Walkway Now's the time to get out and enjoy our walkways, and dog owners will be pleased to know they can take their favourite companion off-leash on the Maupuia Walkway. (Wellington City Council, 30 January 2012)

Corporate communications: British local governments enlist digital out-of-home Battered by cutbacks, the public sector in the UK is finding digital out-of-home media a cost-effective way of communicating with the public. (UK, Screen Media, 30 January 2012)

Reminder to recycle responsibly Staff at the Rakiura Resource Recovery Centre on Stewart Island would like to remind people about the importance of responsible recycling after two isolated incidents in recent times have resulted in health and safety being compromised. (Southland District Council, 30 January 2012)

No change to CE's salary Kapiti Mayor Jenny Rowan said there is no comparison between the situation in Christchurch and her Council’s Chief Executive’s salary package. (Kapiti Coast District Council, 30 January 2012)

Intersections to change ahead of new give way rules A number of intersections around Wellington will have changes made before the new give way road rules come into force on 25 March. Wellington City Council will be doing this work over the next two months. (Voxy, 30 January 2012)

Smaller Wellington cities could 'wither away' Wellington's smaller cities could "wither away and die" if councils in the region are not restructured. The warning comes from a group who have launched a website encouraging debate on local government amalgamation in the Wellington region. (The Dominion Post, 30 January 2012)

Public input sought into flood protection management bylaw review The Otago Regional Council (ORC) is reviewing its 2008 flood protection management bylaw and wants public input into the process. (Otago Regional Council, 30 January 2012)

Popularity of public transport continues to rise in Hawke’s Bay The popularity of public transport in Hawke’s Bay is continuing to increase according to a report to last Wednesday’s Hawke’s Bay Regional Council Corporate and Strategic Committee meeting. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 30 January 2012)

Plan for harbour breakwater A finger of rock stretching 100m into Otago Harbour is the key to holding back erosion at Te Rauone Beach, on Otago Peninsula, a resource consent application says. (Otago Daily Times, 30 January 2012)

Len Brown: Business time for rates, transport Imminent population milestone accents urgency, says Len Brown, Mayor of Auckland. Auckland celebrates a major milestone this week - the arrival of our 1.5 millionth citizen. (The New Zealand Herald, 30 January 2012)

Council to discuss internal problems Christchurch City Council will hold an extraordinary meeting on Monday afternoon to discuss some of the issues which have caused conflict in recent weeks, leading the Government to install a Crown Observer to oversee the council. (Radio New Zealand, 30 January 2012)

Sympathy expressed for council chief executives A leading pay consultant says he sympathises with council chief executives of whose pay rises are coming under scrutiny. (Radio New Zealand, 30 January 2012)

Bring your own device and staff cuts: Two key trends for local authorities Socitm report finds change in attitude about local public service staff using own technology to undertake business tasks and largest cut in staffing levels in 25 years (UK, The Guardian, 30 January 2012)

Waitohi water storage options assessed The values people place on water have guided a new report on three water storage options for the Waitohi River in the Hurunui district of North Canterbury. (Environment Canterbury, 30 January 2012)

Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee reaches major milestone The Canterbury Water Orari-Opihi-Pareora Zone Committee will release its draft Zone Implementation Programme (ZIP) for public feedback on 30 January. (Environment Canterbury, 30 January 2012)

Milford plans come under scrutiny The Department of Conservation is receiving submissions regarding concession applications for the Milford Dart and monorail proposals. (The Southland Times, 30 January 2012)

Rainforest secrets revealed Pukeiti is offering families an opportunity to discover the magic of the rainforest over the holiday weekend. (Taranaki Regional Council, 30 January 2012)

Flowering talents at Tupare on Waitangi Day Classy performers of both the musical and botanical variety will take centre stage at Tupare on Waitangi Day. (Taranaki Regional Council, 30 January 2012)

Kapiti CEO under pressure on pay rise Pressure is mounting on Kapiti Coast District Council chief executive Pat Dougherty to turn down his $44,000 pay rise, with mayor Jenny Rowan acknowledging public opinion is strongly against the increase. (The Dominion Post, 30 January 2012)

Smith misses chance to right ECan wrong OPINION: Nick Smith has missed an opportunity to redeem himself for the hatchet job he did on the Environment Canterbury (ECan) council two years ago. (The Press, 30 January 2012)

Council use of Red Bus faulted Christchurch bus companies are accusing the city council of anti-competitive behaviour after forcing schools to use its own bus company to get to free swimming lessons. (The Press, 30 January 2012)

Council observer to meet councillors A Nelson marriage counsellor will meet Christchurch City councillors today in an attempt to mend relationships around the council table. (The Press, 30 January 2012)

Bus ticket changes make travel difficult for disabled A disabled Hamilton man says changes to the city's bus ticketing mean he can no longer get his shopping done and people will be discouraged from using public transport. (Waikato Times, 30 January 2012)

Dissenting planner kicked off 130-year-old cottage case A council planner was dumped from a hotly debated heritage case after refusing to sign his name to approve demolition of a 130-year-old cottage in Freemans Bay, new evidence shows. (The New Zealand Herald, 30 January 2012)

More mobile sirens ready for coastal emergencies Hastings District Council now has three mobile Public Alert Systems for use in the event of a Civil Defence emergency, with more being delivered in the next few weeks. (Voxy, 30 January 2012)

Quake-damaged roads create headaches Christchurch's potholed and wonky roads are taking a toll on the city's vehicles. Garages and workshops have seen a big influx of motorists needing suspension fixed and wheels realigned as a result of navigating their way through quake-damaged streets. (The Press, 29 January 2012)

Fast-tracked oil consents bypass mayor, public Gisborne Council officials have already granted exploration consents to Canadian oil companies without seeking public approval – or consulting their own mayor. (Stuff, 29 January 2012)

A third of local superfast broadband projects ready to begin Four local authority partnerships - in Kent and Medway, Shropshire, Lincolnshire, and Hampshire - are the latest to receive the green light from the Department for Culture, Media and Sports. This takes the total of approved projects to 15 out of a total 47 across the country. (Computerworld, 29 January 2012)

Council may drop 'restrictive' rules on rural housing The Tasman deputy mayor says the council could consider a change of rules allowing new zoning for people who want to live in rural communities. (Radio New Zealand, 29 January 2012)

CEO got big pay rise despite doing poorly in job Newly-released information shows Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt received a $68,000 pay rise despite his performance being anything but stellar. (Radio New Zealand, 29 January 2012)

Southern Motorway lanes on track to re-open tomorrow The New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) says four key areas of work are now underway to get the new northbound Newmarket Viaduct on Auckland's Southern Motorway ready to open for traffic. (The New Zealand Herald, 29 January 2012)

Bylaw extends scope of flood schemes Floodbank and works on the lower Waitaki River and at Henley could soon be protected by an Otago Regional Council bylaw. (Otago Daily Times, 28 January 2012)

Steampunk outfits arrive More new costumes have arrived at the North Otago Museum to be featured in the "Steampunk: Fabulous Fashions, Original Inspiration" exhibition. (Otago Daily Times, 28 January 2012)

Council woes no surprise to ex-ECan chief Troubles at the Christchurch City Council have come as no surprise to former Environment Canterbury (ECan) chairman Sir Kerry Burke. (The Press, 28 January 2012)

Smoke-free parks idea gains favour Cigarettes could be stubbed out of Hamilton playgrounds and parks under a new smoke-free policy to be considered by the council in August. (Otago Daily Times, 28 January 2012)

DCC will be watching for returning Occupiers: Cull Occupiers may have been absent from the Octagon yesterday, but it is expected they will return, and when they do the Dunedin City Council will be watching, Mayor Dave Cull says. (Otago Daily Times, 28 January 2012)

Conservator unjustifiably dismissed A senior Otago Settlers Museum conservator who was sacked last year for serious misconduct has successfully taken a personal grievance against the Dunedin City Council, which has been ordered to pay him $34,446. (Otago Daily Times, 28 January 2012)

Review backs demolition decision A review of Auckland Council's decision to approve the demolition of a 19th century cottage has found the council acted properly. (Radio New Zealand, 28 January 2012)

Northumberland County Council has submitted a local broadband plan to the government The time is not far when Northumberland county also can hit the joyful days of browsing faster broadband networks. The county authorities have submitted the final bid to the government promising to improve the broadband speeds in the region. (UK, Broadband Expert, 28 January 2012)

Draft Speed Limit Bylaw to be re-notified The Draft Speed Limit bylaw will be presented again to the Queenstown Lakes District Council following a technical oversight. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 27 January 2012)

New Chief Executive for Local Government New Zealand Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is delighted to announce the appointment of Malcolm Alexander as its new chief executive. (PDF, Local Government New Zealand, 27 January 2012)

Construction of City’s Next Roundabout Starting Soon Another New Plymouth intersection is about to be improved with the installation of a roundabout. (New Plymouth District Council, 27 January 2012)

Christchurch to host good practice expo on farm dairy effluent management The latest in dairy farming good practice and technology will be showcased at the inaugural Canterbury Effluent Expo to be held on Monday February 20 in Christchurch. (Environment Canterbury, 27 January 2012)

Access limited while Penguin Colony development underway Public access to Graves Track via the Oamaru Blue Penguin Colony will be restricted until 31 March while a long-planned development of the Colony is underway (Waitaki District Council, 27 January 2012)

Council to review parking enforcement camera car Wellington City Council is to review the operation of its parking enforcement camera car. Mayor Celia Wade-Brown asked for the review which will be undertaken by Council staff and completed by the end of March. (Wellington City Council, 27 January 2012)

Grave visitors responding to bylaw People visiting Selwyn District cemeteries have responded positively to requests that adornments fit the Cemetery Bylaw 2011.
Selwyn Asset Administrator Reserves Annette Orchard says people have been very positive about the guidelines for the district’s 19 cemeteries. (Scoop, 27 January 2012)

Council warned as Marryatt rejects pay rise The Government has appointed a Crown observer to oversee work at the Christchurch City Council and get the troubled organisation back on track. (The Press, 27 January 2012)

Council Approves Ten Year Plan Budget for Community Facilities A major focus of the budget discussions has been the provision of funding for projects occurring as a direct result of the Canterbury earthquakes. (Waimakariri District Council, PDF, 27 January 2012)

Urban growth scaremongers ignore lessons from the past Auckland's early white settlers used to frighten themselves silly with rumours that Maori invaders were coming over the hills to take over their fair city. These days, the hysteria being drummed up is over the impact on the existing landscape of housing 1.3 million new citizens over the next 30 years. (New Zealand Herald, 27 January 2012)

Landowners invited to apply for biodiversity funding Environment Canterbury is inviting landowners and community groups to apply for a share of $2 million in annual funding to protect and restore Canterbury's unique native biodiversity. (Voxy, 27 January 2012)

Come Join our Waitangi Day Events Te Kaunihera-ā-Rohe o Ngāmotu is going big for this year’s Waitangi Day celebrations. There will be big questions, big names, big community input and a gigantic tablecloth for New Plymouth District Council’s communal picnic on Puke Ariki Landing. (New Plymouth District Council, 27 January 2012)

City Garden on Council’s doorstep Wellington’s second ‘pop-up garden’ sprouts into life in Civic Square tomorrow, Friday (27 January) – a collaboration between Wellington City Council and Massey University.
The project is a response to the City Council’s ‘Towards 2040: Smart Capital’ strategy, which defines the key directions for Wellington’s future. (Scoop, 27 January 2012)

Traffic delays on Crown Range Motorists can expect major delays on the Crown Range on Tuesday 31 January as upgrade work on the road continues. Queenstown Lakes District Council project manager Rob Darby said the delays would take place between 10am and 2pm and were expected to last up to an hour. (Voxy, 27 January 2012)

Last days for residential silt removal Residents who have liquefaction on their property have until Tuesday, 31 January to place the silt on the road for collection. The Christchurch City Council is advising residents throughout Christchurch to place silt on the roadside so that it can be collected by the 31 January closing date, after which, the disposal of silt becomes the responsibility of the resident. (Scoop, 27 January 2012)

CHB wastewater consents to be publically notified The public now has an opportunity to comment on proposed plans by the Central Hawke's Bay District Council (CHBDC) for a new wastewater treatment scheme. CHBDC has recently lodged resource consent applications for construction of the new scheme which, if consents are granted, will be built over the next two and a half years. (Voxy, 27 January 2012)

ORC developing joint approach to Lower Waitaki River management The Otago Regional Council (ORC) has resolved to work with Environment Canterbury (ECan) to take a joint strategic approach to the future management of riparian margins on the Lower Waitaki River. (Otago Regional Council, PDF, 27 January 2012)

Aucklanders urged to explore our precious wetlands Aucklanders are being encouraged to explore Auckland's precious remaining wetlands with World Wetlands Day coming up next month, themed 'wetlands and tourism'. (Voxy, 27 January 2012)

Public meeting to seek new ideas on celebrating 2012 Children's Day Rotorua District Council (RDC) is asking local people and organisations to share ideas and contributions for this year’s Children’s Day, at a meeting next month. (Rotorua District Council, 27 January 2012)

Work together or quit, business group head tells councillors The head of the Canterbury Employers' Chamber of Commerce says Christchurch city councillors should resign if they can't work together in rebuilding the city. (Radio New Zealand News, 27 January 2012)

District plan overhaul mooted by council The Queenstown Lakes District Council is eyeing improving the management of residential subdivision on rural land – a subject steeped in controversy and contentiousness in the Wakatipu.
It is seen as one of several potential linchpins that could lead to a district plan overhaul, and the council is seeking public feedback on how to proceed with the issue. (The Southland Times, 27 January 2012)

Communal rural living puts pressure on council rules A property owner in dispute with the Tasman District Council over rural planning rules says there are many people living illegally on farms in fear of being discovered by their local council. (Radio New Zealand News, 27 January 2012)

Carfit aims to help older drivers A new programme aimed at helping mature Selwyn drivers "fit" their vehicles starts in March. Selwyn District Road Safety Co-ordinator Ngaire Tinning says there are increasing numbers of older drivers on our roads.
(Voxy, 27 January 2012)

Highlights from council meeting A summary of 3 reports for decision at the Council meeting. (Gisborne District Council, 27 January 2012)

Occupy Wellington going to High Court Occupy protesters are vowing to fight Wellington City Council's threats of eviction and are calling on the High Court to prevent their tents being removed. (The Dominion Post, 27 January 2012)

Christchurch Art Gallery to re-open mid-2013 Christchurch Art Gallery expects to re-open in mid-2013 – but in the meantime it will continue to offer art and art-related programmes beyond its walls. Engineers are still investigating a number of options for repairs and working through these with Christchurch City Council’s insurers. Recommendations are expected to go to the Council for consideration and approval in June. (Christchurch City Council, PDF, 27 January 2012)

Kapiti council faces community's wrath Kapiti Coast District Council has been berated for budget blowouts and a $44,000 pay rise for its chief executive. Local businessman Murray Cooper, who addressed the council's first meeting of the year yesterday, criticised the debt blowout and 18 per cent pay increase for chief executive Pat Dougherty. (The Dominion Post, 27 January 2012)

Regional council close to signing off $34m HQ Plans for a new $34 million Waikato Regional Council headquarters in Hamilton East could be signed off next week. (New Zealand Herald, 27 January 2012)

Review backs demolition decision A review of Auckland Council's decision to approve the demolition of an 19th century cottage has found the council acted properly. (Radio New Zealand News, 27 January 2012)

Aerial study finds water in Ida Valley The Otago Regional Council's $1 million investment in Glass Earth's aerial geophysical survey has been justified by the discovery of water sources in one of the region's driest spots, the Ida Valley, councillors say. (Otago Daily Times, 27 January 2012)

Rethink by Marryatt 'a clever thing' Embattled Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt should reconsider taking his $68,000 pay rise, according to Prime Minister John Key. (The Press, 27 January 2012)

Council sets new rates increase limit for future Tauranga City Councillors yesterday agreed to put a limit on future rates increases from 2013/14 to no more than the CPI plus growth in rating base plus 2%. (Tauranga City Council, 27 January 2012)

'Ground rules' for council wanted A crisis meeting between Christchurch City councillors and Local Government Minister Nick Smith is a chance to set "ground rules" for the organisation, Mayor Bob Parker says. (The Press, 27 January 2012)

Fears TB will rise if funding stops The Animal Health Board is opposing a move by the Waikato Regional Council to scrap funding a long-running TB control programme, saying it could jeopardise the region's cattle. (New Zealand Herald, 27 January 2012)

City CEO's 'discount' pay defended Criticism of large pay rises for council chief executives is based on a "misunderstanding" of the work they put in, says a local government representative. (The Press, 27 January 2012)

ORC pleased with water quality policyThe Otago Regional Council has put forward a policy it claims will clean up and preserve Otago's waterways. (Otago Daily Times, 27 January 2012)

Annual Community Survey underway next week This year’s annual community survey will begin on Friday, 3 February 2012. The survey, which is initiated by Upper Hutt City Council, will be conducted over two weeks.The National Research Bureau has been contracted to undertake the telephone survey on behalf of the Council. (Upper Hutt City Council, PDF, 26 January 2012)

Reminder to microchip your dog Southland District Council is reminding dog owners to microchip their dogs after it has had to send out 50 infringement notices to dog owners throughout the district who have failed to do so, despite the written requests they have received. (Southland District Council, PDF, 26 January 2012)

Water meters for Wellington? Water meters could become mandatory for commercial users if a proposed Wellington City Council bylaw is passed. (The Wellingtonian, 26 January 2012)

Kapiti Expressway design revealed The price tag for the Kapiti expressway has shot up by $115 million as the New Zealand Transport Agency announces updated cost estimates and "design improvements". (The Dominion Post, 26 January 2012)

Council warning to Occupy camp An Occupy Wellington protester is looking at legal action to fight a Wellington City Council threat to oust the group from Civic Square. (The Dominion Post, 26 January 2012)

Environmental Recovery plan for Rena launched Environment Minister Nick Smith today launched the environmental recovery plan, to address the long term effects of the Rena disaster on the wider Bay of Plenty region. (Beehive, 26 January 2012)

Reminder to microchip your dog Southland District Council is reminding dog owners to microchip their dogs after it has had to send out 50 infringement notices to dog owners throughout the district... (Southland District Council, 26 January 2012)

Hazard Lights A Road Rule Reminder Drivers are being reminded to watch their speed around school buses as children go back to school over the next two weeks. (Hastings District Council, 26 January 2012)

Landscaping At The Library Improvements are being made to open up the entrance to the Blenheim Public Library. (Marlborough District Council, 26 January 2012)

Taylor River Floodway Reserve Recreation And Amenity Plan The Marlborough District Council is preparing a management plan for the Taylor River Reserve and is keen to hear your ideas, comments and suggestions. (Marlborough District Council, 26 January 2012)

New Events & Economic Development GM for Council Hamilton City Council has appointed Sean Murray as its new Events and Economic Development General Manager. (Hamilton City Council, 26 January 2012)

Keeping Gisborne didymo free An awareness campaign to combat the threat of didymo or ‘rock snot’ in Gisborne waterways is underway over summer. (Gisborne District Council, 26 January 2012)

City Garden on Council's Doorstep Wellington's second 'pop-up garden' sprouts into life in Civic Square tomorrow, Friday (27 January) - a collaboration between Wellington City Council and Massey University. (Wellington City Council, 26 January 2012)

Dangerous building notices for two Winton properties Two buildings in Winton have been issued with dangerous building notices by the Southland District Council. (Southland District Council, 26 January 2012)

Major Road Works About to Begin Work begins this Sunday (29 January) to rebuild the road surface of a section of Devon Street East. (New Plymouth District Council, 26 January 2012)

Handsome council paydays risk investigation The Government has signalled changes to rein in rising local government labour costs after two council chief executives received huge pay rises. (The Dominion Post, 26 January 2012)

More Smartphone Apps From NPDC Even more information from New Plymouth District Council is now available via Smartphone applications. Following the release of a TSB Bank Festival of Lights Smartphone app in December, the Council has now made available apps about the district’s parks, and to enable the public to report any issues quickly. (New Plymouth District Council, 26 January 2012)

Massey University and HBRC formalise partnership A growing relationship between Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Massey University has been formalised today with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 26 January 2012)

Ward should be before 'political agendas' Candidates vying to join the Christchurch City Council have urged councillors to put their political agendas aside for the good of the earthquake-hit Burwood-Pegasus ward. (The Press, 26 January 2012)

Beck wins Williams' backing Aspiring Christchurch City councillor and outgoing Christ Church Cathedral dean Peter Beck has won the endorsement of the woman he is seeking to replace in a by-election next month. (The Press, 26 January 2012)

Tributes flow for Bellringer Former New Plymouth deputy mayor Brian Bellringer, who died yesterday, has "well and truly done his community service", says a former colleague. (Taranaki Daily News, 26 January 2012)

Marryatt may yet refuse $68,000 rise Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt says he could "change my mind" on whether to keep his $68,000 pay rise, depending on the outcome of a meeting between councillors and a Cabinet minister. (Stuff, 26 January 2012)

San Francisco's Plan: Open Government, Open Data, Open Doors to New Business and Better Services San Francisco’s a town with a lot of mobile apps that can help its residents to navigate everyday life in the city. Routesy provides real-time transit information; Mom Maps helps both residents and tourist parents alike quickly locate kid-friendly places to hang out; Zonability helps make local zoning rules more accessible. (USA, Techpresident, 26 January 2012)

Twitter temporarily banned by Cornwall Council leader after "inappropriate" tweets A row has broken out in Cornwall after a council leader banned councillors from tweeting. (UK, BBC News, 26 January 2012)

5000 visit museum The Waihemo museum at Palmerston has attracted more than 5000 visitors since it opened in January 2009. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Date set for Kakanui camp ground hearing The legality of the Kakanui Camping Ground is going back to a resource consent hearing with the Waitaki District Council early next month - the latest round in a dispute going back more than 15 years. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

New rate to fund strengthening The Dunedin City Council gave approval for a second "targeted rate" system to improve city buildings yesterday when it voted for a scheme to help fund earthquake-strengthening for heritage building owners. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Seal extension funding reinstated Funding for the Dunedin City Council's seal extension programme has been partially reinstated to the council's pre-draft budget, despite the move being labelled "suicidal". (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Artificial turf stays in plan by one vote An artificial turf, seen by Dunedin City Council staff as the future of sports fields in Dunedin, stayed in the city's annual plan by a single vote yesterday. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Cost of dying increases by 10% A 10% rise in the cost of dying would cost the deceased, but have lesser effect on living ratepayers, the Dunedin City Council heard yesterday. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Councillors spar over stadium debt There were emotive arguments as Dunedin city councillors split into camps over the restructuring of Forsyth Barr Stadium debt repayments to a 40-year term yesterday. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Support for legal action over sea wall A fight for compensation by the Dunedin City Council over flaws in the design of the St Clair sea wall could end up as a courtroom battle. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Hawke's Bay scheme first to benefit from irrigation fund A water storage project in Central Hawke's Bay will get the first boost from a new government irrigation fund. (Radio New Zealand, 26 January 2012)

Taranaki hapu to meet with Historic Places Trust over artefacts A north Taranaki hapu meets with the New Plymouth District Council, and the Historic Places Trust on Friday after Maori artefacts were found close to an urupa or burial site in Waitara. (Radio New Zealand, 26 January 2012)

City survey shows support for ban on smoking in parks Cigarettes could be stubbed out of Hamilton playgrounds and parks under a new smokefree policy to be considered by the council in August. (The New Zealand Herald, 26 January 2012)

More arrests in Auckland Occupy raid At least four people have been arrested this morning during a council operation to evict the last of Occupy Auckland protestors in the city's Aotea Square. (Otago Daily Times, 26 January 2012)

Port expansion 'threat to waterfront development' Auckland Council is being urged to halt the long-term expansion plans of its port company, or risk the undermining of a revamped public waterfront. (Radio New Zealand, 26 January 2012)

Two new Rotorua youth spaces almost complete The first two park upgrades in Rotorua District Council’s (RDC) Youth Spaces project will be completed at the end of the month. (Rotorua District Council, 25 January 2012)

Plea for Canty fracking moratorium The Christchurch City Council has called on the Government for a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing in Canterbury. (The Press, 25 January 2012)

Water restrictions introduced in Waikato Residents in Hamilton and the Waikato district are permitted to use domestic sprinkler and irrigation systems between 6am-8am and 6pm-8pm only, following the introduction of water alert level 1 today. (Voxy, 25 January 2012)

Museum board defends director's salary Otago Museum Board says its director's salary of $310,000 is fair, despite questions from some city councillors. (Radio New Zealand, 25 January 2012)

Councillors back crackdown on protestors Several Auckland Council members say they support council staff who ordered the tents belonging to protestors in Aotea Square to be seized. (Radio New Zealand, 25 January 2012)

Mayor calls meeting to heal rifts The Mayor of Christchurch says he has called an informal meeting of all councillors and the Local Government Minister in order to attempt to heal the divisive rifts that have developed within the city council. (Radio New Zealand, 25 January 2012)

Dogs lead the way on bylaw review Aucklanders are invited to have their say on Auckland Council’s proposal to introduce a new dog policy and bylaw for the region. (Auckland Council, 25 January 2012)

Te Roto Road shares winnings Te Roto Road of Ōtaki, winner of the Kāpiti Coast’s Greenest Street Competition 2010/11, has decided to donate its winnings to twelve community organisations. (Kapiti Coast District Council, 25 January 2012)

By-election gathers momentum TWO “Meet the Candidates” meetings have already been arranged by community organisations as the Manawatu District Council’s Mayoral By-election begins to gather momentum. (Manawatu District Council, 25 January 2012)

Government funding boost for dam feasibility study The feasibility study into the Ruataniwha water storage dam in Central Hawke’s Bay has been given a major funding boost as the first project in the country to receive funding from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s Irrigation Acceleration Fund. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 25 January 2012)

CEO's pay rise a 'PR disaster' - mayor Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker admits Tony Marryatt's $68,000 pay rise was a ''PR disaster'' as councillors prepare for a last-ditch attempt to save the troubled council. (The Press, 25 January 2012)

Hands-on Help for Youth Health Agency New Plymouth District Council is about to lend some expertise to youth health agency Waves. (New Plymouth District Council, 25 January 2012)

Bike Pods Are On Their Way One more barrier is about to be removed for cyclists in New Plymouth with the installation of a central-city bike pod. (New Plymouth District Council, 25 January 2012)

Kaipara District Council Seeks Public Feedback As part of its on-going commitment to seek public opinion and involvement, the Kaipara District Council is to conduct a survey of its residents (Kaipara District Council, 25 January 2012)

Charges ruled out as Porirua attack dog put down The pitbull-staffordshire cross dog that mauled its Porirua owner's 18-month-old daughter has been put down and police will not be laying charges. (The Dominion Post, 25 January 2012)

Another council boss pockets huge pay rise Kapiti Coast District Council chief executive Pat Dougherty has quietly pocketed a $44,000 pay rise. (The Dominion Post, 25 January 2012)

Brian Rudman: Magic bullet? A lead one will do Ducking for cover after three vicious dog attacks on young children in quick succession, Local Government Minister Nick Smith offered the time-honoured kick for touch solution of "a fresh look at the laws". (The New Zealand Herald, 25 January 2012)

Meeting is last-ditch attempt to save council Christchurch City councillors will meet Local Government Minister Nick Smith behind closed doors on Friday in a last-ditch attempt to save the troubled council, Mayor Bob Parker says. (The Press, 25 January 2012)

'Leakers to blame' for city's woes Expose the "leakers" and the Christchurch City Council will start to heal, Deputy Mayor Ngaire Button says. (The Press, 25 January 2012)

Airport noise dispute could end this week Queenstown Airport Corporation chief executive Steve Sanderson is confident the year-long dispute over airport noise will be settled by the end of the week, as involved parties head back to the Environment Court today. (Otago Daily Times, 25 January 2012)

Scheme to help insulate, heat homes favoured A project to help homeowners insulate and install "clean" heating systems was included in Dunedin's annual plan yesterday, and described as "a great initiative" by Mayor Dave Cull, after an almost unanimous vote. (Otago Daily Times, 25 January 2012)

Surprise over stadium debt repayment The revelation last week the Dunedin City Council's stadium debt is being paid off over a 40-year, rather than a 20-year, period has surprised some councillors. (Otago Daily Times, 25 January 2012)

Tent pitched on Octagon's damaged grass The Dunedin City Council is having an easier time controlling daisies than it is tents that randomly pop up on an area of lawn it is trying to repair. (Otago Daily Times, 25 January 2012)

Communities will have to help pay: Cull Communities across Dunedin will need to do more to help pay for projects, as the Dunedin City Council grapples with tight finances threatening to curtail spending on key ventures, Mayor Dave Cull says. (Otago Daily Times, 25 January 2012)

Council stands by ruling to demolish 130-yr-old cottage Auckland Council is standing by its decision to allow demolition of a 130-year-old cottage in Freemans Bay but will no longer use the consultant planner who sealed its fate. (The New Zealand Herald, 25 January 2012)

Aotea Square crackdown attracts more protesters About 40 Occupy protesters remain at Aotea Square on Tuesday night despite the Auckland Council's attempt to move them on. (Radio New Zealand, 24 January 2012)

Dogs lead the way on bylaw review Aucklanders are invited to have their say on Auckland Council’s proposal to introduce a new dog policy and bylaw for the region. (Auckland City Council, 24 January 2012)

Diversity key to Hastings International Cultures Day Organisers are again seeking a diverse range of performers and stall holders to enhance International Cultures day. (Hastings District Council, 24 January 2012)

Council's chief executive appointed to lead Tasman Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie has been appointed into the same position at Tasman District Council. (Gisborne District Council, 24 January 2012)

HBRC staff member on fact finding mission to Canada A Hawke’s Bay Regional Council staff member is heading to Canada next Friday (Feb 3) to find out more about oil exploration from regulatory authorities who have dealt with it. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 24 January 2012)

Museum forced to reveal salary Remuneration details of the director of cash-strapped, ratepayer-funded Otago Museum have finally been made public and show he is likely to be the highest-paid museum CEO in New Zealand. (The Southland Times, 24 January 2012)

Glenorchy says no to tunnel Glenorchy residents have voted unanimously against a tunnel that could turn the town into a pipeline for tens of thousands of tourists each year. Their opposition joins the chorus of that from Te Anau residents, with a vehement Southland District Mayor Frana Cardno leading the way. (The Southland Times, 24 January 2012)

Gorge clearing increasingly difficult Crews working 14 hours a day on the face of the Manawatu Gorge slip are finding the task increasingly difficult. (The Dominion Post, 24 January 2012)

Preserving our district's natural features and character Hastings District has many outstanding natural features which need special protection to ensure they’re preserved for the future. Council is seeking feedback from the community on which features require ongoing protection and how we can do this. (Hastings District Council, 24 January 2012)

Council seeking nominations of people who help Keep Rotorua Beautiful Rotorua District Council (RDC) is encouraging local people to nominate those in the community who could potentially be recipients of one of this year’s Keep Rotorua Beautiful Awards. (Rotorua District Council, 24 January 2012)

Aotea Square crackdown draws more protestors Auckland Council's crackdown on protestors camping in Aotea Square has resulted in more protestors there. (Radio New Zealand, 24 January 2012)

How to stop your dog becoming violent Local Government Minister Nick Smith is horrified by the spike in attacks and says it is time to review laws controlling dogs. (3 News, 24 January 2012)

Smart app to help defuse fire danger As shocking statistics show that half of all accidental house fires were caused by faulty or misused electrical equipment in 2010/11, the Fire Kills campaign is highlighting a smartphone app from the Electrical Safety Council which will help people defuse the danger in their homes. (UK, Communities and Local Government, 24 January 2012)

Reviving Regional Partnership policy Hundreads of millions of dollars could be doled out to regional councils under a Coalition plan to revive its controversial Regional Partnerships policy, which was dogged by allegations of rorting and pork-barrelling. (AUS, North Queensland Register, 24 January 2012)

Divided views on way forward Christchurch city councillors want more involvement in decision-making at the beleaguered organisation, but disagree with Cr Sue Wells over the future of the elected council. (The Press, 24 January 2012)

Sign of the times A Waitara man's dogged persistence has prompted the New Plymouth District Council to provide a new warning sign for an unstable tunnel at Urenui Beach Camp. (Taranaki Daily News, 24 January 2012)

Council will continue to move protesters Auckland Council says it will continue to move Occupy protesters on if they re-establish their camps. (Radio New Zealand, 24 January 2012)

Council to change order of flood works A change in the order of flood protection works to be completed along the Water of Leith during the next seven years could affect rates. (Otago Daily Times, 24 January 2012)

Council staff US trip to up-skill on oil exploration An article in the Sunday Star Times this weekend (22 January) suggested that oil companies were trying to 'woo' East Coast Council councillors and staff with an all-expenses paid trip to North America. (Voxy, 24 January 2012)

Pay rise 'looks inept', mayor admits Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has this morning admitted the highly-criticised pay rise of council chief executive Tony Marryatt ''looks inept''. (The Press, 24 January 2012)

Joint statement from Mayor Bob Parker and Tony Marryatt, Chief Executive of Christchurch City Council In recent times there’s been a lot of negative feedback from the community about Tony Marryatt’s role as Chief Executive and the performance of the Christchurch City Council. We have listened to and read the criticism that’s been made and recognise and agree that what many people are saying is justified. (Christchurch City Council, 23 January 2012)

Council will continue to move protesters Auckland Council says it will continue to move Occupy protesters on if they re-establish their camps. (Radio New Zealand, 23 January 2012)

Dawn Creek Fencing Fencing of the northern side of Dawn Creek to protect biodiversity values has been completed thanks to the efforts of multiple organisations and the landowner. (Environment Canterbury, 23 January 2012)

HCC to be prosecuted over Pukete sewage spill Hamilton City Council and one of its staff are being prosecuted over a sewage sludge spill at the Pukete wastewater treatment plant last July. (Waikato Regional Council, 23 January 2012)

Over a tonne of bottles is collected from public place recycling bins Hastings’ public place recycling bins have diverted more than a tonne of waste from the Omaranui landfill. (Hastings District Council, 23 January 2012)

Marryatt must go - Carter Outspoken Christchurch City councillor Tim Carter wants council boss Tony Marryatt sacked, prompting Mayor Bob Parker to accuse Carter of playing "a destructive game". (The Press, 23 January 2012)

No allegiance to Mayor - reviewer Felicity Price, the woman charged with getting to the bottom of Christchurch City Council's communication problems, has hit back at people questioning her independence. (The Press, 23 January 2012)

Museum upgrades reported Improvements to the fire control system and brighter lights in the cafe are among a series of recent upgrades at Otago Museum. (Otago Daily Times, 23 January 2012)

Auckland Council removes occupation camp gear Auckland Council has today removed equipment and vehicles from public spaces being used as campsites under the Occupy Auckland banner. (Voxy, 23 January 2012)

Powhiri for new Northland Regional Council CEO Northland Regional Council’s new chief executive has been formally welcomed to his new position with a powhiri by local kaumatua and kuia in Whangarei today. (Northland Regional Council, 23 January 2012)

Occupy Auckland evictions 'piggish', 'bulls**t' - Minto Protestors are preparing to march on Mayor Len Brown's office after labelling moves to evict Occupy Auckland campsites "piggish" and "bulls**t". (The New Zealand Herald, 23 January 2012)

HCC to be prosecuted over Pukete sewage spill Hamilton City Council and one of its staff are being prosecuted over a sewage sludge spill at the Pukete wastewater treatment plant last July. (Voxy, 23 January 2012)

New stadium unable to pay rates The new Forsyth Barr stadium in Dunedin is facing a $2 million rates bill, which it cannot pay. (Radio New Zealand, 23 January 2012)

Help for quake residents with hazardous waste Christchurch red zone homeowners will receive government funding for their hazardous household waste disposal. (The New Zealand Herald, 23 January 2012)

Preserving our districts natural features and character Hastings District has many outstanding natural features which need special protection to ensure they're preserved for the future. Council is seeking feedback from the community on which features require ongoing protection and how we can do this? (Voxy, 23 January 2012)

Council is tearing itself apart - Sue Wells The Government will not "interfere" in the troubled Christchurch City Council, says Local Government Minister Nick Smith. (The Press, 23 January 2012)

Council being torn apart says Christchurch mayor Christchurch mayor Bob Parker says the city council is being torn apart by a group of councillors intent on waging a campaign against its chief executive and the Government may be forced to replace the council with independent commissioners. (Radio New Zealand, 23 January 2012)

Sacred pounamu centrepiece for Ngai Tahu visitors' centre A sacred pounamu which spent almost two years on show at Te Papa museum is now the centre piece at Ngai Tahu Tourism's visitors centre at the northern end of Lake Wakatipu. (Radio New Zealand, 23 January 2012)

Fran Wilde: Council merger plan merits further discussion Greater Wellington Regional Council chair, former MP and Wellington mayor, Fran Wilde, says a Herald on Sunday columnist needs to rethink her view of local government amalgamation. (The New Zealand Herald, 22 January 2012)

Christchurch council to audit communications team Christchurch City Council has announced an independent audit of its communications team after a series of negative stories focusing on its chief executive and the performance of the council. (Radio New Zealand, 22 January 2012)

Communications review defended by mayor Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker is defending an $80,000 review of how the council communicates, saying it has not been up to scratch lately and needs improving. (Radio New Zealand, 22 January 2012)

Boost for weekend bus routes Bus travel into Dunedin's city centre at weekends will become more direct and frequent with the introduction of new Saturday bus services, the Otago Regional Council says. (Otago Daily Times, 21 January 2012)

Council staff push for central city improvements Details of a $13 million plan to upgrade the middle of Dunedin, with improvements to the Octagon, George St and other parts of the central city, will run the gauntlet of city councillors in cost-cutting mode next week. (Otago Daily Times, 21 January 2012)

Beach ramp, stairs may be demolished A $250,000 plan to fix battered pieces of the St Clair sea wall ramp and stairs has been unveiled, as the Dunedin City Council confirmed concerns were raised when the beach access walkways were built. (Otago Daily Times, 21 January 2012)

Sex workers want better amenities Christchurch prostitutes have told city councillors at a late-night meeting in Manchester St they need better lighting, toilets and drug-disposal facilities. (The Press, 21 January 2012)

Work unlikely to cause disruption Minor remedial work is being carried out on two Waitaki District Council buildings, but is not expected to cause major disruption. (Otago Daily Times, 21 January 2012)

Hydroslide meeting closed to public All parties involved in the ongoing arbitration surrounding Lakes Leisure's closed hydroslide appeared to have taken a vow of silence yesterday after an extraordinary meeting was held by the Queenstown Lakes District Council behind closed doors. (Otago Daily Times, 21 January 2012)

Council working hard to protect our environment Council Bylaw Officers are working hard, often in the early hours of the morning, to protect our environment from the problems associated with illegal freedom camping in our district. (Thames-Coromandel District Council, 20 January 2012)

102-Year-Old Community Library Branches Out Booklovers in Doubtless Bay will soon have access to a wider range of library books thanks to a joint initiative between the Far North District Council and Mangonui Community Library. (Far North District Council, 20 January 2012)

Sewage risk at $5m city beach Celebrations to mark the completion of a $5 million upgrade to a central Auckland beach might not go ahead this weekend after it was closed due to a possible sewage contamination in the water. (Auckland Now, 20 January 2012)

Hawke's Bay oil exploration up for discussion Oil Exploration in Hawke's Bay will be up for discussion at Wednesday's (25 January 2012) Hawke's Bay Regional Council Corporate and Strategic Committee meeting. (Voxy, 20 January 2012)

Porirua Harbour dredging ruled out Dredging the degraded Porirua Harbour would be a waste of $5 million, according to a new report. Research group DHI Water and Environment Ltd have investigated whether localised dredging of Pauatahanui Inlet would improve the flushing of the estuary's mud and sand. (Dominion Post, 20 January 2012)

Christchurch Earthquake Awards nominations close Christchurch City Council has received 170 nominations for the Christchurch Earthquake Awards.The Christchurch Earthquake Awards were established late last year to recognise people who undertook acts of kindness, service and heroism during the earthquakes of September 2010 and February 2011. This was a change to the Christchurch annual Civic Awards. (Voxy, 20 January 2012)

International Kai Festival ready to run on Waitangi Day Kai Fest will be held for the fourth year this Waitangi Day, Monday 6 February, with Founders Heritage Park and Whakatū Marae working closely together to present a range of traditional and international flavours cooked by the wider Nelson community. (Nelson City Council, 20 January 2012)

SH25 closed due to subsidence Thames District Council roading engineers will this morning assess land subsidence on a section of State Highway 25. The road was yesterday closed between Burke and Dickson Sts with detours put in place via Tararu Rd. (Waikato Times, 20 January 2012)

Grand reopening for Christchurch library Upper Riccarton Community and School Library will reopen on Monday 23 January, for the first time since the 22 February earthquake. (Voxy, 20 January 2012)

102-year-old community library branches out Booklovers in Doubtless Bay will soon have access to a wider range of library books thanks to a joint initiative between the Far North District Council and Mangonui Community Library. (Far North District Council (PDF), 20 January 2012)

Hawke’s Bay study terms should advance Next Wednesday the Regional Council will consider Terms of Reference for the study our five councils have agreed to conduct regarding the region’s economic, social and governance performance. (Scoop, 20 January 2012)

New paving another Making Places milestone New paving outside the Tutukiwi Living Gallery is set to improve the area's connection with the soon to be completed Civic Square and the Hutt Arts Society. (Voxy, 20 January 2012)

Cities discuss prostitute legislation A Christchurch city councillor says a meeting with an Auckland council official has highlighted that both communities are dealing with the same street prostitute problems. (Radio New Zealand News, 20 January 2012)

Support needed for water project Backers of the proposed Waihemo water conservation scheme in East Otago say more support is needed. (Otago daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Backing for public smoking ban Auckland councillors are divided over a proposed smoking ban in public outdoor areas, but the majority of New Zealanders say the idea is either sensible or good in theory. (New Zealand Hearald, 20 January 2012)

Promoter has hard acts to follow The Australian promoter who signed a deal with New Plymouth District Council to put on six concerts at the Bowl of Brooklands admits it will be difficult to deliver. (Taranaki Daily News, 20 January 2012)

Lobbyists down but not out at library deferral South Dunedin identities are disappointed, but far from disheartened, by a proposal to defer the construction of the South Dunedin library by three years. (Otago Daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Neighbours quick to dob in tree choppers Auckland residents with ears cocked for the sounds of chainsaws have put a stop to the chopping of dozens of Auckland's trees since a general protection law was wiped on New Year's Day. (New Zealand Hearald, 20 January 2012)

Debate heating up The debate has already started, and more major issues are on the horizon, as Dunedin city councillors begin considering the financial future of the city. (Otago Daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Tenants for new wharf building hard to get Construction of a $1.73 million replacement for a building destroyed by fire at Raglan's wharf will begin next week but its landlord, the Waikato District Council has only one confirmed tenant. (New Zealand Hearld, 20 January 2012)

Councillors at odds over spending cuts A push to slash spending on Logan Park and other Dunedin projects has been criticised and Dunedin City Council spending cuts have emerged as an early battleground for budget debates beginning next week. (Otago Daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Pressure on to find 3 sports grounds Hamilton Rugby Union is putting pressure on Hamilton City Council to provide three playing fields so it can sell the union-owned Stan Heather Park. (New Zealand Hearald, 20 January 2012)

Fears library funding could be lost A community group that has raised 90% of its share of money for a new library at Waitati says it could lose that funding if the project is delayed until 2015. (Otago Daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Post unfilled A change of circumstances has caused the Queenstown Lakes District Council to restart its search for a general manager of infrastructure. (Otago Daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Church plans given approval The Central Otago District Council has granted consent for a 114-year-old Ophir church to be used as a shop and later as travellers' accommodation. (Otago Daily Times, 20 January 2012)

Ramp launch fees 'pretty well accepted' by boat owners Boat owners seem to have accepted new ramp launch fees introduced by the Waitaki District Council this season for facilities it administers at Waitaki lakes. (Otago Daiy Times, 20 January 2012)

Pedestrian Safety: How Innovative Tech Could Save Your Life When it comes to pedestrian traffic, safety should be the number one concern, but transportation infrastructure in the United States is built to accommodate cars, not people. (Mashable, 19 January 2012)

Napier Leaseholders urged to take up discount offer Time is running out for Napier leasehold land owners to take up the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council’s substantial discount to freehold their properties. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 19 January 2012)

BUSIT free for a day on 8 Frankton route Passengers on the 8 Frankton bus will travel for free one day next month to celebrate service improvements to the route. (Waikato Regional Council, 19 January 2012)

Island experiment aims for cleaner water A murky pond beside Auckland's busy Northern Motorway is the centre of groundbreaking environmental trial led by the NZ Transport Agency's Auckland Motorway Alliance to produce cleaner water with the help of a garden growing on a floating island. (Voxy, 19 January 2012)

Changes to banned plant list proposed Possible changes to which plants are included on the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's pest plant accord has environmentalists concerned about an increase in noxious weeds. (Radio New Zealand, 19 January 2012)

Health boards back Auckland smoking ban idea Some Auckland health boards are urging the region's council to introduce a city-wide smoking ban in all public outdoor spaces. (Radio New Zealand, 19 January 2012)

Wind-bashing media is 'out of step' with Australian public Negative media reporting of wind farm development in Australia is out of step with public opinion, a new government study claims. (AUS, Recharge News, 19 January 2012)

Service marks 81 years since big quake The massive earthquake which struck Hawke?s Bay on February 3rd 1931 is the single greatest natural disaster in the region?s recorded history. (Voxy, 19 January 2012)

Why Timaru smells Another potential source of Timaru's mystery smell has been found after 11 complaints yesterday, Environment Canterbury says. (The Press, 19 January 2012)

Fed-up landlord evicts capital's noisiest tenants Only an eviction notice could silence Wellington's noisiest house. After rowdy parties virtually every week, the fed-up landlord of the Hataitai house kicked out the tenants, documents show. (The Dominion Post, 19 January 2012)

By-election papers in the post Voting papers go out to residents in the Burwood/Pegasus Ward this week for a new Ward Councillor following last year’s resignation of Christchurch City Councillor Chrissie Williams. (Christchurch City Council, 19 January 2012)

Mayor Sponsors ‘Green Paper for Vulnerable Children’ Seminars His Worship the Mayor of Dunedin, Dave Cull, is sponsoring free public attendance at the Dunedin seminar about the ‘Green Paper for Vulnerable Children’. (Dunedin City Council, 19 January 2012)

Councillors object to call centre relocation The Christchurch City Council's decision to move its call centre to the North Island shows a lack of faith in the city's recovery, a group of councillors says. (The Press, 19 January 2012)

Quake damage viewed by elder A Mormon elder has met Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker and Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority (Cera) representatives. (The Press, 19 January 2012)

Councils meet over street prostitution An Auckland Council official is visiting Christchurch to discuss plans for a new law to combat street prostitution. (The Press, 19 January 2012)

ECan counts cost of rebuilding Environment Canterbury will dip into reserves to meet an earthquake-imposed shortfall for accommodating its staff. (The Press, 19 January 2012)

Authorities to review bloody ending to steer escape Police and Hamilton City Council animal control are reviewing their handling of a "wild west" scenario on a busy city road this week which saw one runaway cattle beast endure a drawn-out shooting death, and two steers butchered on the roadside. (Waikato Times, 19 January 2012)

Grievance claim against council A Southern local government chief executive has filed a personal grievance claim against his council after a decision was made not to reappoint him. (Otago Daily Times, 19 January 2012)

Village concept becomes subdivision The Central Otago District Council has granted resource consent for a section of Molyneux Estate to be changed from the intended retirement or lifestyle village concept into a conventional subdivision with 40 sections. (Otago Daily Times, 19 January 2012)

Budget cuts only a start, says Orders Dunedin's new chief executive, Paul Orders, arrived promising changes and his first budget shows those promises have been delivered, councillors say. (Otago Daily Times, 19 January 2012)

Scaled-back plans proposed to save DCC millions over 10 years Multimillion-dollar spending cuts to stem runaway rates increases could result in the end of new road sealing, and the end of plans to upgrade the city's sports fields for at least the next decade. (Otago Daily Times, 19 January 2012)

Cuts trim rates rise to 4.7% Dunedin ratepayers burdened by a decade of hefty rate increases could finally be in for some relief, with the city council's budget heralding a softening of the annual increases in homeowners' pockets. (Otago Daily Times, 19 January 2012)

Open-fire ban urged to curb health problems The age-old crackle and glow of a fireplace in Auckland homes could be consigned to history - the council has been advised to ban open fires to solve the city's $700 million air-pollution problem. (The New Zealand Herald, 19 January 2012)

Voices raised against city brothel Church and heritage campaigners are urging the Auckland Council to reject plans for New Zealand's first high-rise brothel complex. (The New Zealand Herald, 19 January 2012)

Smoking ban proposed for Auckland Health bosses want the Auckland Council to ban smoking in all public outdoor areas in the city in a bid to stop children picking up the habit. (The New Zealand Herald, 19 January 2012)

Council Finds Homes for More Stray Dogs Stray dogs impounded by the Far North District Council are going to new homes in greater numbers thanks to an Okaihau animal lover. (Far North District Council, 18 January 2012)

Work on Strengthening Library Chamber Gallery Gets Under Way Work on strengthening and restoring the Rangiora Public Library’s Chamber Gallery began yesterday. (Waimakariri District Council, 18 January 2012)

Sister city Mayoral delegation visits Hutt City A Japanese sister city delegation from Minoh, Osaka, led by Mayor Tetsuro Kurata, will visit Lower Hutt on Friday, 27 January, the Mayor of Lower Hutt Ray Wallace said today. (Hutt City Council, 18 January 2012)

Ten years of Enviroschools a milestone to celebrate Associate Education Minister and Maori Party Co-leader Dr Pita Sharples says the ten-year anniversary of the Enviroschools Foundation is a milestone that’s really worth celebrating. (Beehive, 18 January 2012)

Major improvements imminent for Dunedin bus services The latest GoBus improvements to city bus services in Dunedin take effect in just over a week. (Otago Regional Council, 18 January 2012)

Little Lake Mason fencing project protects biodiversity values A fence around the southern and eastern shores of Little Lake Mason has been installed thanks to support from Environment Canterbury’s Immediate Steps Programme and Fish and Game. (Environment Canterbury, 18 January 2012)

Numbers down but freedom camping still a family favourite Absolute beach front summer holidays are still accessible to all in the Gisborne district. Numbers of freedom campers are down this year but East Coast people still value the experience of packing up their camping gear and heading to the beach. (Gisborne District Council, 18 January 2012)

Wow – What a Difference The project started with a plan to get young people involved and to make this area a pleasure to use. For the past six years the Dargaville High School and Kaipara District Council have been working together to beautify the Gordon Street Reserve which connects Gordon and Tirarau Streets. (Kaipara District Council, 18 January 2012)

Council Issues Recycling Challenge Data on the amount of recyclables collected from the kerbside and NPDC-operated transfer stations show that residents recycled nine per cent less material in 2011 than in the previous year. (New Plymouth District Council, 18 January 2012)

Bags of debris heli-lifted from Rena Bags of debris were heli-lifted to a barge off Motiti Island today as the Rena clean-up continues. (Maritime New Zealand, 18 January 2012)

Your bike is in for a treat at the Big Bike Fixup It’s time to get your bike out of the shed and make sure it is in good condition for summer cycling. (Hastings District Council, 18 January 2012)

Summer Revamp for New Plymouth Airport Visitors to New Plymouth Airport in the next few weeks will see a lot of work taking place above and below ground. (New Plymouth District Council, 18 January 2012)

Call for residents to have say on hydrants A Doon St resident says the Invercargill City Council should consult residents if it plans to open another water hydrant on the street. (The Southland Times, 18 January 2012)

Masterton sewerage budgets defended Masterton District Council has squashed rumours that major sewerage projects are over budget. (Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 January 2012)

Art competition to celebrate police and emergency services ‘heroes’ Hutt City Libraries and the Australasian Police and Emergency Services Games (AP&ES) have teamed up to hold a children’s art competition to celebrate our police and emergency services ‘heroes’. (Hutt City Council, 18 January 2012)

Council's catering bill $1000 a day Wellington City Council is spending more than $1000 of ratepayers' money a day on food and booze. (The Dominion Post, 18 January 2012)

Councillors want spy car taken off the road Public ill-will towards Wellington City Council's "spy car" has led to four councillors calling for it to be abandoned. (The Dominion Post, 18 January 2012)

Shared wards on the horizon Mornington Peninsula Shire councillors will be forced to share wards from October if recommendations released last week by the Victorian Electrical Commission are adopted. (AUS, Peninsula Weekly, 18 January 2012)

Councillors' interests made public Toowomomba Regional councillors say they are not worried about amendments to local government regulations which require them to make their financial and other interests, including political donations, available online by January 31. (AUS, The Chronicle, 18 January 2012)

Stay safe on the water this summer With the summer sunshine finally arriving and the busy boating season upon us, Northland’s Deputy Harbourmaster is reminding people of local rules for keeping our waters safe. (Northland Regional ouncil, 18 January 2012)

TA begins environmental trial for Northwest Motorway upgrade The first stage of work to improve the causeway on Auckland's Northwestern Motorway (State Highway 16) is underway with the NZ Transport Agency starting construction today of a trial causeway to test the impact the larger project will have on the immediate environment. (New Zealand Transport Agency, 18 January 2012)

Rope fence proposed for central city bus route A Wellington City Councillor is proposing that a rope fence be set up along a section of road to keep people from being hit by buses. (Radio New Zealand, 18 January 2012)

Mayor warns councillors to stop undermining CEO The mayor of Christchurch says if the city's councillors continue to undermine its chief executive and each other the Government may be forced to intervene and appoint commissioners. (Radio New Zealand, 18 January 2012)

Outrage at Wainui brothel comment The mayor of Lower Hutt is outraged at suggestions a brothel and entertainment centre being built in Auckland would be more at home in Wainuiomata. (Stuff, 18 January 2012)

Council sorry for burst water main The council has apologised to businesses affected by a burst water main on New Plymouth's main street after it emerged contractors waited 24 hours to repair the fault. (Taranaki Daily Times, 18 January 2012)

Hamilton Mayor challenges World Cup critics Critics of Hamilton City Council's decision not to put in a bid to host part of the 2015 Fifa men's under-20 football World Cup are being challenged to put their money where their mouth is. (Waikato Times, 18 January 2012)

No 'major issues' seen in give way rule change The Dunedin City Council has assessed and risk-rated more than 170 intersections in the lead-up to looming changes to the give-way rules in New Zealand. (Otago Daily Times, 18 January 2012)

More than 600 flood-affected homes inspected Council officials say 632 properties affected by December's severe storm in Nelson and Tasman have now been inspected by the Earthquake Commission, with another 162 to go. (Radio New Zealand, 18 January 2012)

Airlie Rd bridge budget blowout The replacement of Airlie Rd bridge in Plimmerton has ballooned to $1.92 million, exceeding the original budget by $800,000, with re- tendering, increased piling costs, a footpath provision, consent requirements from KiwiRail and construction cost inflation contributing to the blowout. (The Dominion Post, 17 January 2012)

Auckland board members weigh in on port dispute The council-controlled owners of Ports of Auckland are standing by the company's efforts to outsource work on the waterfront, despite criticism from local board members representing large chunks of the city. (Stuff, 17 January 2012)

Council Chief Executive resigns Today Nelson City Council Chief Executive Keith Marshall announced his resignation from his role, effective mid-April. (Nelson City Council, 17 January 2012)

There will be an independent inquiry into Rena disaster The Environmental Defence Society has confirmed that contrary to claims by the Green Party, the government has committed itself to an independent inquiry into the Rena disaster. (Environmental Defence Society, 17 January 2012)

Community needs to work together to find solutions Cr Philippa Baker-Hogan, Co-Chair of the Community Taskforce on Youth Wellbeing, today expressed sadness about the death of baby Hinekawa Topia and concern about a serious assault in Wanganui at the weekend. (Wanganui District Council, 17 January 2012)

Log Your Active Travel Online with Let’s Go A new website has been launched just in time to help people with their New Year resolutions to become more active. New Plymouth District Council has launched letsgo.org.nz so that people can log the trips they take by walking, running, jogging, cycling, skating, scootering or bussing. (New Plymouth District Council, 17 January 2012)

Birmingham’s High-Tech Mega-Library Close To Completion A project which is likely to represent at least part of the high-tech future for the UK’s public libraries following a year of smaller branch closures is on time and under budget for delivery in 2013. (E-government Bulletin, 17 January 2012)

Time to look at the big picture with international freight transport Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) says a whole of network perspective needs to be brought to the international freight transport system. (Local Government New Zealand, 17 January 2012)

Council considers Transport Hub options for Taupo CBD Taupo District Council is investigating options to relocate the current transport centre to Tongariro Street to provide a one-stop location for travellers in Taupo's Central Business District. (Voxy, 17 January 2012)

Reversal of call centre decision wanted Seven Christchurch City Councillors have written to their chief executive asking him to urgently reconsider a management decision. (Radio New Zealand, 17 January 2012)

Council staff moved because of office mould Auckland Council says some personnel transferred out of an office affected by black mould, have reported feeling unwell while working there. (Radio New Zealand, 17 January 2012)

Motorcyclists practice safety in numbers It’s easy to spot a safety conscious motorcyclist and Horizons’ road safety coordinator Alane Nilsen hopes to see even more on our roads following the weekend’s Summer Series events at Manfeild. (Horizons District Council, 17 January 2012)

Auckland public transport cards to be replaced New electronic ticketing cards used by Auckland public transport users will have to be replaced this year at a cost of more than $100,000. (Radio New Zealand, 17 January 2012)

Campaign against Marryatt's rise grows A group opposing Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt's pay rise has distributed leaflets to city households before a protest that it hopes will attract thousands of frustrated residents. (The Press, 17 January 2012)

Roofing and insulation upgrades for flats Roofing and insulation contractors have started work on the next stage of a forecast $5 million makeover of Dunedin City Council flats. (Otago Daily Times, 17 January 2012)

As debt peaks, Cull talks of asset sales Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull has raised the prospect of asset sales to deal with the city's debt, as the amount owed hit a historic peak this financial year. (Otago Daily Times, 17 January 2012)

Pressure on council to rethink Cup bid Hamilton City Council is facing growing pressure to reconsider bidding for hosting rights for the soccer's 2015 under-20s World Cup. (The New Zealand Herald, 17 January 2012)

Mould find empties council building A toxin-producing black fungus found in a council building has forced the relocation of more than 150 staff because of concerns about their health. (The New Zealand Herald, 17 January 2012)

Council confident quake rubble will be removed Canterbury Regional Council is confident earthquake rubble stockpiled at an unauthorised dump in Christchurch will be removed. (Radio New Zealand, 17 September 2012)

Planning system: Dame Fiona and Sir Simon pick a fight with Uncle Eric The Government's programme to reform the planning system in England has caused much public debate. (Uk, Builders' Merchants News, 16 January 2012)

England's major cities to decide own mayoral powers Elected city mayors will have their own bespoke powers tailored to local needs, Minister for Cities Greg Clark announced today. (Communities and Local Government, 16 January 2012)

Changes to the Building Act 2004 Come into Effect 1 March From 1 March 2012, critical building work, known as Restricted Building Work, must be done by a Licensed Building Practitioner (LBP). (Dunedin City Council, 16 January 2012)

Hastings iWay cycling projects make finals of CANS awards Three Hastings District Council iWay walking and cycling projects have made the list of finalists in the Cycle Advocates Network, 2012 Cycle Friendly awards. (Hastings District Council, 16 January 2012)

Expo exhibitor numbers well up on last year More than 40 exhibitors will be attending this year’s Effluent Expo at Mystery Creek, organised by Waikato Regional Council and sponsored by DairyNZ. (Waikato Regional Council, 16 January 2012)

Staff make recommendations over proposed regional policy Regional council staff recommendations on submissions over the proposed new Waikato Regional Policy Statement (RPS) are now publicly available. (Waikato Regional Council, 16 January 2012)

Don’t miss chance to have say on waste plan Aucklanders who want their say on how waste is tackled in the region have a fortnight left to make a submission on the draft Auckland Council Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. (Auckland Council, 16 January 2012)

Regional policy recommendations made public Regional council staff recommendations on submissions over the proposed new Waikato Regional Policy Statement (RPS) are now publicly available. (Voxy, 16 January 2012)

Editorial: Wellington up to task of reinvention OPINION: Last week, The Dominion Post set out a list of challenges facing Wellington in the 12 months ahead. Among the most pressing is the need to start reinventing the city's economic base, which is under siege on several fronts. (The Dominion Post, 16 January 2012)

Unease at crossings, poll finds Courtesy crossings in Richmond and Nelson are unlikely to be removed despite public opposition to them. However, the traffic speed limit in Richmond's main street may be reduced. (Nelson Mail, 16 January 2012)

Boatshed repair work to start QLDC Council has signed a lease with the Wakatipu Community Maritime Preservation Society (WCMPS) and a Building Consent has been granted allowing the start of the repair and conservation of the Boatshed and Ticket Office buildings near Frankton. (Yahoo News, 16 January 2012)

Changes to Auckland rubbish and recycling collections Auckland Council is advising residents that, for two weeks commencing Monday 30 January, all its regular kerbside rubbish, recycling and paper collections will be one day later than usual due to the Auckland Anniversary and Waitangi Day public holidays. Rubbish bins and bags should be put out by 7am on the relevant day, along with recycling wheelie bins, if they are due to be emptied. (Voxy, 16 January 2012)

Murray Sherwin: Councils' role key in our vital ports The governance model for the country's freight gateways is leaking profit, writes Murray Sherwin, chairman of the Productivity Commission.Throughout New Zealand's history, we have battled against our geographic isolation and distance from markets. New Zealand's livelihood is deeply enmeshed in the world economy - both as an importer and an exporter - and freight costs are intimately linked with trade. Though freight costs, as a proportion of freight value, fell over the years 1989 to 2009, they are beginning to rise again. (New Zealand Herald, 16 Janaury 2012)

TrustPower Dunedin Community Awards open The annual opportunity for Dunedin residents to recognise the dedication of their local voluntary groups has hit town - with entries for the TrustPower Dunedin Community Awards opening today (16 January). (Voxy, 16 January 2012)

Regional policy recommendations made public Regional council staff recommendations on submissions over the proposed new Waikato Regional Policy Statement (RPS) are now publicly available. (Voxy, 16 January 2012)

Flash Harris cruises in $70,000 leased council car Waikato local government bosses couldn't be blamed for a touch of car envy when Hamilton City Council chief executive Barry Harris rolls up to meetings in his new $70,000 Citroen 5. (New Zealand Herald, 16 January 2012)

Drivers annoyed by 'spy car' tickets Criticism is mounting that Wellington City Council's "spy car" is being used as a cash cow.
"It is not the intention to maintain order, it is the intention to make money," says Wellington chef Raffaele Abbate, who was nabbed by the spy car in November for being double parked in Harris St in the city centre. (Stuff, 16 January 2012)

Regional councils join forces Government red tape is expected to be slashed by an alliance of central and lower North Island regional councils, which have joined forces in a new approach to managing natural resources. (The Dominion Post, 16 January 2012)

City's free Wi-Fi under threat Auckland city's free Wi-Fi service may be in jeopardy if a sponsor can't be found to continue the internet scheme.
Auckland Council Wi-Fi project manager Drew McGuire said it was possible users could pay for the service from early February if no sponsors were found. (Auckland Now, 16 January 2012)

Dog control policy review Up to 300 submissions on proposed dog control bylaws could land on Marlborough District Council's in tray by February 17.
As of Friday afternoon, the council had received just 45 responses but the public submissions on proposed changes to dog control policy and bylaws are expected to rise dramatically before the deadline closes next month, says Marlborough District Council animal control contract administrator Shelley Lines. (The Marlborough Express, 16 January 2012)

Decision on historic home sparks fears for others Protection of Auckland's historic homes is doomed if a decision to demolish a 130-year-old cottage in Freemans Bay is allowed to stand, says Waitemata Local Board chairman Shale Chambers. (New Zealand Herald, 16 January 2012)

Parking officer putting scooter aside Fair and equitable parking opportunities for all. It seems a simple manifesto, but when it comes to enforcing it, Dunedin's parking officers frequently experience public wrath for the job. (Otago Daiy Times, 16 January 2012)

Council fines speedway operator Baypark Speedway has been fined $600 after two race meetings held late last year ran over time.
On December 21 council issued two infringement notices to Tauranga City Ventures Limited (TCVL), the council-owned company which runs Baypark, each worth $300. (Bay of Plenty Times, 16 January 2012)

Ill wind blows hint of more supercity plans Some people would call Hon Fran Wilde a woman - others might call her a force of nature.
As a former Labour MP, now Greater Wellington Regional Council chairwoman, she's incredibly effective at Getting Things Done. (New Zealand Herald, 15 January 2012)

Quakes push up Estuary bed The two big quakes which rocked Christchurch on December 23 have again altered the bed of the Avon-Heathcote Estuary.
Professor David Schiel, who heads Canterbury University's marine ecology research group, said about 30 per cent of the estuary was covered in fresh mounds of liquefaction as a result of the magnitude 5.8 and 6 quakes centred 5-6km off the coast. (The Press, 15 January 2012)

Damien Grant: Slums to replace decent housing
The Productivity Commission has produced its draft report on the housing industry and it is an interesting, if exhausting, read. Many issues are canvassed. Today I will deal with Auckland Council's fetish for high-density housing. (New Zealand Herald, 15 January 2012)

Eastern Bay of Plenty navigational warning On behalf of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council Harbour Master please be advised,
"The debris field from the MV Rena has been sighted in the area around the Volkner Rocks, in the eastern Bay of Plenty. (Voxy, 14 January 2012)

Bike-friendly grates up for awardWellington City Council is up for an award for its cycle friendly storm water grates. Finalists for the CAN Cycle-Friendly Awards 2012 have been announced with Hastings City Council in contention for three of the six awards. (Dominion Post, 14 January 2012)

Nelson City Council defends courtesy crossings The Nelson City Council says courtesy crossings work well and should not be removed, despite the crossings coming under criticism from a former police officer. (Scoop, 14 January 2012)

No easy answer to unpaid Māori land rates Gisborne District Council had $3.4m in rates outstanding on Māori land at 31 October 2011. There are no quick fix solutions to reduce this. The issue of unpaid rates on Maori land is one that Councillors are very concerned about, says Finance and Monitoring Chairman Brian Wilson. “Council is given some tools by central government to raise money to pay for the services it provides. (Gisborne District Council, 13 January 2012)

Hastings iWay cycling projects make finals of CANS awards Three Hastings District Council iWay walking and cycling projects have made the list of finalists in the Cycle Advocates Network, 2012 Cycle Friendly awards.The iWay project began in 2010 when the Council beat off 22 challengers to win $4.1m from the Governments Model Communities project to promote walking and cycling initiatives around Hastings. (Scoop , 13 January 2012)

Sizzling up a Summer Storm of Free Events Summer City brochures - your must-have guide to what's on during Wellington City's sizzling summer events season - hit the streets today.
Wellington Mayor Celia Wade-Brown says the summer ahead is packed full of entertainment and activities to suit all Wellingtonians. (Wellington City Council, 13 January 2012)

Hamilton: Summer in Garden Place set to make a splash It’s all about the kids in Garden Place for the next couple of Saturdays.
Hamilton City Council’s Summer in Garden Place programme of events will see the More FM Kids Water Carnival fill the city square tomorrow (14 January), followed next Saturday (21 January) by a Trade Toy Fair where young entrepreneurs can buy and sell old toys. (Scoop, 13 January 2012)

Flood repairs delay $4m of council work Nelson City Council has temporarily canned about $4 million worth of work as it gets ready to fix vital storm-damaged infrastructure damaged in the December flood, while councillors will have to thrash out what stays and what goes in a hefty wishlist of works this year. (Nelson Mail, 13 January 2012)

Leading economists take Selwyn workshop Two top NZ economists from Lincoln University will provide local, regional and international context for doing business in 2012 in a workshop entitled Navigating the New Normal in Rolleston on Tuesday, 31 January. (Scoop, 13 January 2012)

Changes to the Airport and 10 Harewood/ Cashmere Services Due to the operating environment brought about by the February earthquake, Red Bus Ltd has made the difficult decision to cease its two commercial services, the 29 Airport and 10 Harewood/ Cashmere, from 4 February 2012. (Scoop, 13 January 2012)

Milton swimming pool remains closed Clutha District Council regrets to advise that the Milton swimming pool remains closed at present due to the construction of the new changing rooms falling behind schedule. (Voxy, 13 January 2012)

Holiday reading has Libraries staff at full stretch Holiday reading has Hastings District Libraries staff at full stretch. Hastings District Libraries staff were at full stretch over the holiday period as residents used the break from work to catch up on their reading. (Scoop, 13 January 2012)

Good support for water restrictions to date The support of Christchurch residents in complying with the outdoor watering restrictions that have been in place in the City and Lyttelton Harbour communities since October 2011, has saved around 18,000,000 litres of water per day (equivalent to 7 Olympic swimming pools/day). (Voxy, 13 January 2012)

Tauranga rates well in port productivity report Councils should consider partially privatising their port and airport assets, while inefficient port labour practices would benefit from more competition, says a major new report. (Stuff, 13 January 2012)

Water restrictions no threat to flower show Water restrictions in earthquake-hit Christchurch will not put a dampener on the city's annual Ellerslie International Flower Show, organisers say.
This year's show will be held from March 7 to 11 at Hagley Park. Last year's show was cancelled because of the February 22 quake. (The Press, 13 January 2012)

Southland council holds off declaring drought The Southland Regional Council is to hold off declaring a drought in the province - for now.
December was one of the driest months on record in the region and although some rain was falling in Southland on Thursday and heavier downpours were predicted for the following day, the council remains concerned there will be months more of dry weather. (Radio New Zealand News, 13 January 2012)

Council review of park, reserve lease rules likely The Dunedin City Council is eyeing a review of the way it leases parks and reserves to sports clubs and other groups, despite existing arrangements proving to be a revenue-generator for the council. (Otago Daily Times, 13 January 2012)

Water use rising, despite restrictions Residents connected to the Lake Hayes water scheme are being credited for conserving water over recent weeks but have been reminded water restrictions are still in place. (Otago Daily Times, 13 January 2012)

Farmer fined for illegal discharge into Te Waihora/Lake Ellesmere A Canterbury farm manager who illegally discharged dairy effluent to land on a Springston property in October 2010 has been fined $20,000 and sentenced to 260 hours of community service after mitigation factors were taken into account. (Environment Canterbury, 12 January 2012)

Logging to start in Arapuke Forest Palmerston North City Council would like to advise the public that logging is to begin in Arapuke Forest Park starting the week of Monday 16 January 2012. Logging has commenced in Gordon Kear Forest this week. (Voxy, 12 January 2012)

Cycle Lanes Update Late last year new cycle lanes were introduced to help improve road safety, especially for active road users – cyclists. (Marlborough District Council, 12 January 2012)

Council to pay for plot costs for victims’ families Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker says the Christchurch City Council will pay for both the plot and interment costs of the earthquake victims at the memorial site being developed at the Avonhead Park Cemetery. (Christchurch City Council, 12 January 2012)

Peninsula Press gets it wrong This morning's front page story in the Peninsula Press claiming that new Chief Executive David Hammond's remuneration package is $318,000 per annum is incorrect. (Thames Coromandel District Council, 12 January 2012)

Coastguard to help measure attitudes to water safety If you are launching your boat over the next few weeks, don't be alarmed if you're approached by Coastguard volunteers! All recreational boaties are going to be asked to take part in the Maritime New Zealand annual Boat Ramp Survey. (Voxy, 12 January 2012)

Parker 'extremely sorry' for council mistake The Christchurch City Council has apologised for a mixup over who would pay the burial costs of earthquake victims in a memorial cemetery. (The Press, 12 January 2012)

Drought concern remains despite Southland rain Southland Regional Council is to decide on Thursday whether to declare an official drought. (Radio New Zealand, 12 January 2012)

Council to extend secrecy on inspections The Invercargill City Council's cloak of secrecy over what buildings in the CBD are susceptible to earthquake damage will be extended when it receives engineers' structural reports on the individual buildings. (The Southland Times, 12 January 2012)

Hopes rain will ease Southland drought Environment Southland staff are gambling with mother nature and waiting on forecast rain before they declare an official water shortage in Southland. (The Southland Times, 12 January 2012)

Ellerslie presses ahead despite aftershocks and water restrictions The 2012 Ellerslie International Flower Show is still set to brighten the city from 7 – 11 March, despite the recent aftershocks and water restrictions placed on the city. (Christchurch City Council, 12 January 2012)

Councillor ridicules Southland Museum An Invercargill city councillor has ridiculed the Southland Museum displays, saying he would rather watch paint dry or grass grow. (The Press, 12 January 2012)

Council reneges on quake victims burial offer The Christchurch City Council has reneged on an offer to pay for the burial costs of earthquake victims in a memorial cemetery. (Stuff, 12 January 2012)

Western route closed from tomorrow West Aucklanders will have their main route to the city centre closed for much of the weekend to allow a bridge to be demolished over the Northwestern Motorway, starting at 10pm tomorrow. (The New Zealand Herald, 12 January 2012)

Dunedin water pipes cracking in dry summer Mains water pipes in Dunedin have begun cracking because of the dry weather. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Council delays water plan for parched Southland The Southland Regional Council has delayed moving to the next phase of its water shortage response plan. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Rockfall warning for Sumner landmark The Christchurch City Council has fenced off Sumner landmark Cave Rock, saying there is a danger of rock falls due to cracks caused by recent earthquakes. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Health Warning Issued for Henley Lake Henley Lake dog walkers are being warned not to let their dogs off their leads around the lake until Masterton District Council advises it is safe to do so. (Masterton District Council, 11 January 2012)

Hosing restrictions across Southland District Southland District residents are being asked to conserve water as the ongoing dry weather puts pressure on the district's 12 water schemes. (Southland District Council, 11 January 2012)

Council advising not to climb Cave Rock The distinctive Sumner landmark Cave Rock has been fenced off and the Christchurch City Council is advising people to stay off Cave Rock and not to climb it or enter the cave. (Christchurch City Council, 11 January 2012)

Work progressing well on damaged sewer main Work is progressing well on repairs to the Hawera sewer main pipeline which was washed out after heavy rainfall on 3 January says South Taranaki District Council group manager of engineering services, Neil McCann. (South Taranaki District Council, 11 January 2012)

Lower North Island Regional Councils and DOC unite Lower North Island regional councils and the Department of Conservation are developing an action plan to look at a more collaborative approach to the management of natural resources and hazards. (Greater Wellington Regional Council, 11 January 2012)

Freedom Camping Bylaw working well at keeping the Coromandel clean and green Our Bylaw Officers across the Peninsula are reporting a significant reduction in problems from freedom camping after the introduction of the Freedom Camping Bylaw. (Thames-Coromandel District Council, 11 January 2012)

Concessions allow shopping mall plan to go ahead Part of central Auckland will be rezoned as a town centre after an Environment Court ruling ended a dispute between the city's council and residents. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Dunedin water pipes cracking in dry summer Mains water pipes in Dunedin have begun cracking because of the dry weather. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Gas keeps council trucking Acting Lord Mayor Alderman Ron Christie said the council's latest initiative showed it had taken the lead in local government in Tasmania by reducing its truck fleet greenhouse gas emissions. (AUS, The Mercury, 11 January 2012)

Help stop spread of Manchurian wild rice, landowners urged Landowners are being urged to report any sightings of one of Northland’s worst plant pests – Manchurian wild rice - and help stop its spread by cleaning and checking farm machinery. (Northland Regional Council, 11 January 2012)

Campers keeping it clean Timaru District Council's environmental services manager, Rick Catchpowle, said a monitoring officer employed by the council last year had assessed parks and reserves in the district and had not reported any issues. (The Timaru Herald. 11 January 2012)

Campers shrug off toxic threat Campers near the Pareora River say they have no worries about Environment Canterbury's water quality ratings for the district's swimming spots. (The Timaru Herald. 11 January 2012)

New crossing in Willis St upgrade Work has begun on a $1 million project to upgrade Willis St, including the introduction of a traffic-light controlled pedestrian crossing at Chews Lane. (The Dominion Post, 11 January 2012)

Ministers see first hand damage from containers Three National Party MPs visited Waihi Beach yesterday to view Rena container damage. (Bay of Plenty Times, 11 January 2012)

Earthquake prone buildings in the spotlight Invercargill City Council is to organize a national forum on earthquake prone buildings as councils around New Zealand deal with issues and try to find solutions to the problems highlighted by the Christchurch earthquakes. (Invercargill City Council, 11 January 2012)

New 10-trip CityLink transfer tickets for New Year New 10-trip transfer tickets designed to take some of the hassle out of making longer cross-town trips are now available for Whangarei’s CityLink public bus service. (Northland Regional Council, 11 January 2012)

More moves against Marryatt pay rise A group opposing city council chief executive Tony Marryatt's pay rise is stepping up its campaign with a Christchurch letterbox drop. (The Press, 11 January 2012)

Council seeks university tuition discounts The Christchurch City Council sought discounts for enrolling staff at Canterbury University, citing budget concerns even as it approved a big pay rise for its chief executive. (The Press, 11 January 2012)

Water ban imposed on West Coast town Water restrictions have been imposed in the West Coast town of Franz Josef. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Dust from dumps sparks ECan action Environment Canterbury (ECan) is set to do battle with a demolition contractor responsible for two allegedly illegal dumps in Christchurch and Rolleston. (The Press, 11 January 2012)

Water restrictions start as dry spell continues Dry weather is placing strain on water supplies in the Clutha and Gore districts, prompting councils to introduce water restrictions. (Otago Daily Times, 11 January 2012)

Expert says council is behind wharf strife The industrial strife on the Auckland wharves is the result of pressure on the Ports of Auckland board to make more money for the Auckland Council, says a ports expert. (The New Zealand Herald, 11 January 2012)

Rotorua District Youth Council for 2012 selected Fifteen young people from five local schools have been selected to serve on the 2012 Rotorua District Youth Council (RDYC). (Voxy, 11 January 2012)

Long process for Rena wreck removal The wreck of the cargo ship Rena and all spilled containers will eventually have to be removed from Astrolabe Reef under international maritime law, Environment Minister Nick Smith says. (Radio New Zealand, 11 January 2012)

Whangarei river works starting soon Diggers will be a common sight in the Waiarohia Stream and Hatea River over the next two months as a major river maintenance project to reduce urban Whangarei flooding gets underway. (Northland Regional Council, 10 January 2012)

Overgrown sections cause concern Overgrown sections are beginning to cause concern in the Queenstown Lakes District as the hot, dry summer continues, Queenstown Lakes District Council principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 10 January 2012)

Waikato farmer faces $73,000 fine for “not stopping for anyone” A Piopio farming couple have been convicted of offences under the Resource Management Act and face fines of over $73,000 for draining an internationally recognised wetland to gain further pasture land and increase farm production. (Waikato Regional Council, 10 January 2012)

Monsoonal downpour within museum habitat Otago Museum living environments co-ordinator Murray McGuigan gets a taste of a heavy artificial monsoon at the museum's popular tropical forest yesterday. (Otago Daily Times, 10 January 2012)

Recycling bins to be checked for rubbish The Dunedin City Council is planning more door-to-door checks aimed at lifting the lid on the contents of the city's wheelie bins, as part of a crackdown on recycling contamination. (Otago Daily Times, 10 January 2012)

Otago Museum wins 'green business' award The Otago Museum has received an Enviro Gold Qualmark award, reflecting the museum's efforts to operate as a "green business", emphasising energy efficiency and good waste management. (Otago Daily Times, 10 January 2012)

Young people pick up on Auckland’s waste problems Auckland Council’s draft waste plan was the inspiration behind a competition aimed at getting young people involved in tackling Auckland’s waste issues. (Auckland Council, 10 January 2012)

Stern of Rena slipping under water The stern section of the cargo ship Rena has slipped to the edge of the Astrolabe Reef, off the Bay of Plenty coast, and much of it is now submerged. (Radio New Zealand, 10 January 2012)

New boating exclusion zones in BOP In consultation with the appropriate authorities, Bay of Plenty Regional Council's Harbourmaster has made an additional directive relating to the MV Rena situation off the Bay of Plenty coast from 12noon on Tuesday 10 January 2012. (Voxy, 10 January 2012)

New Year brings exciting new developments for New Lynn Auckland Transport is starting work on transforming the tired and under-utilised back street of McCrae Way into a pedestrian-friendly shared space, while work begins on a large, architecturally-designed, commercial development on Totara Avenue, outside the New Lynn transport interchange. (Auckland Council, 10 January 2012)

Clutha District urges water conservation Clutha District Council is urging all residents to conserve their water usage as the prolonged dry spell places substantial strain on some supplies, particularly in the West Otago area. (Voxy, 10 January 2012)

Premier embraces light rail network Barry O'Farrell has given the clearest sign yet that he will expand Sydney's tram network, saying work should begin on a light rail project in the city or eastern suburbs before the next election. (The Sydney Morning Herald, 10 January 2012)

Train services disrupted for second day As Kiwirail started to tackle its most slip-prone sites, another that barely registered stopped all Johnsonville trains for a second day. (The Dominion Post, 10 January 2012)

ES subcommittee to discuss chief executive's complaint An Environment Southland subcommittee will meet this week to discuss a personal grievance of the chief executive against the council. (The Southland Times, 10 January 2012)

Bluebottle swarm goes Oreti Beach has reopened after becoming a swarm spot for bluebottle jellyfish on Sunday. (The Southland Times, 10 January 2012)

Heedless drivers' beach quest stymied by sand Beach-goers heading to the waves at Oreti Beach are being told to use commonsense to avoid getting stuck at the entrance. (The Southland Times, 10 January 2012)

Rena debris to drift 160km Containers and debris from the wrecked Rena could drift as far north as holiday hotspot Whitianga and beachgoers have been warned to look out for timber and other dangerous material that could be hidden in the surf. (The New Zealand Herald, 10 January 2012)

Orion call centre staff lose jobs as service relocated The Christchurch City Council is moving its after-hours call centre out of Christchurch for earthquake-related "business continuity" reasons, affecting 18 jobs at council-owned lines company Orion. (The Press, 10 January 2012)

Mayor urges port, workers to resolve dispute Auckland mayor Len Brown insists the industrial dispute which is disrupting operations at the country's biggest port can be resolved soon. (Radio New Zealand, 10 January 2012)

Strengthening to continue on Fitzherbert Avenue Palmerston North City Council is to continue the upgrade of Fitzherbert Ave in the New Year. The reconstruction work is scheduled to start 9 January 2012 and finish in February 2012 while traffic numbers are reduced. (Palmerston North City Council, 09 January 2012)

Lastest news from NZTA: Manawatu Gorge 09/01/12 The benching crew swung back into action on January 4, and they have made excellent progress on the second bench. We are working at full capaciity and expect to have it completed over the next week. (Tararua District Council, 09 January 2012)

Work begins on repairs to damaged Parklands roads Work is now underway on temporary repairs to roads in Parklands which sustained significant damage during the December 23 aftershocks. (Christchurch City Council, 09 January 2012)

Work on lower Willis Street starts this week The final phase of Wellington City Council’s upgrade work on Willis Street from Lambton Quay through to Boulcott Street starts this week. (Wellington City Council, 09 January 2012)

Boaties advised to stay off the water Bay of Plenty Regional Council advises boaties to stay off the water due to the large amount of debris and containers in the coastal waters following the Rena breaking up. (Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 09 January 2012)

22 February 2012 commemorative events now confirmed Christchurch City Council has confirmed the commemorative events which will mark the first anniversary of the 22 February 2011 earthquake. (Christchurch City Council, 09 January 2012)

What is green space worth? Recent patterns of residential development in Australian cities are threatening to overwhelm green space in our urban cores. (AUS, The Conversation, 09 January 2012)

Campers wrong over claim of jetty fines, says Ecan Environment Canterbury (Ecan) has hit back at irate Falstone campers who claim to have been threatened with $5000 fines for using portable jetties, saying all lake users deserve a fair go. (The Timaru Herald, 09 January 2012)

Containers wash up at Waihi Beach Containers, milk powder and polystyrene debris have washed ashore at Waihi Beach this morning. (Bay of Plenty Times, 09 January 2012)

Maraetotara playground redevelopment The Ohope Beach Community Board approved a plan to redevelop the popular playground at Maraetotara reserve in Ohope. (Whakatane District Council, 09 January 2012)

Train line closed after slip The Johnsonville rail line is expected to be out of action until at least 2pm after a slip blocked the line. (The Dominion Post, 09 January 2012)

Bluebottle jellyfish cause closure of beach Oreti Beach was closed yesterday and people told to get out of the ocean as a swarm of bluebottle jellyfish hit the shore. (Stuff, 09 January 2012)

CityHeart project enters final phase Work to remove the Garden Place Peace Wall has started, marking the final phase of Hamilton City Council’s CityHeart project. (Hamilton City Council, 09 January 2012)

Council again breaks own water rules Water restrictions have again been breached by the Christchurch City Council, this time at a park in Belfast. (The Press, 09 January 2012)

Mayor gives striking port union the message Auckland Mayor Len Brown has issued an ultimatum to the Maritime Union in the bitter industrial dispute on the city's wharves, saying there must be more flexibility in work practices to make the port more productive and profitable for the council. (The New Zealand Herald, 12 January 2012)

No problems on new flyover route No problems are reported on the new four lane Victoria Park flyover on State Highway One in Auckland. It is one of the biggest changes to the city's roads for half a century. (Radio New Zealand, 09 January 2012)

Council ready for debris recovery on south-eastern beaches The Thames-Coromandel District Council has been working with the Rena salvors to establish a container recovery operation from Island View Reserve in Whangamata, in the event containers and debris make it this far north. (Thames-Coromandel District Council, 09 January 2012)

How clean are our beaches? It's just as well constant wet weather has driven Aucklanders from the beach - more than a third of the region's most popular spots have failed water quality tests since monitoring began in November. (The New Zealand Herald, 08 January 2012)

NZTA says Vic Park flyover ready for Monday’s big change One of the most significant changes to Auckland driving conditions for half a century will be made tomorrow morning (Monday 9 January) when the NZ Transport Agency opens the Victoria Park flyover on State Highway 1 in a new layout to carry four lanes of southbound traffic. (NZTA, 08 January 2012)

Councillor demands evidence on the draft Auckland Plan Howick councillor Dick Quax has requested information under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987, which he describes as “crucial evidence” in the ongoing debate about whether Auckland should be the ‘quality compact city” as described by Mayor Len Brown. (Dick Quax, 08 January 2012)

Cautionary area established around the Rena Bay of Plenty Regional Council has established a cautionary area around the Rena, following the release of containers and debris from the vessel. (Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 08 January 2012)

Coast monitored for signs of Rena oil, debris Waikato Regional Council is working closely with Maritime New Zealand (MNZ) to monitor the movement of debris and oil from the broken cargo ship, Rena. (Voxy, 08 January 2012)

Emergency water committee about to be activated Southland Regional Council will decide on Wednesday whether to convene an emergency water committee as record dry weather in the region continues. (Radio New Zealand, 07 January 2012)

Coastal sirens to be installed Christchurch City Council is installing sirens along nearly 11km of the coast to warn of incoming tsunamis. (Radio New Zealand, 07 January 2012)

Farmers warned to conserve water The Otago Regional Council is warning thousands of farmers with consent to take irrigation water from rivers to conserve as much water as possible to reduce the pressure on rapidly dwindling rivers. (Otago Daily Times, 07 January 2012)

Council will need to prioritise work in light of flood event The recent flooding and slips which affected Nelson will have an impact on Council’s work programme for the remainder of this financial year, which ends on 30 June. (Nelson City Council, 06 January 2012)

Minimum flow levels threatening as Otago rivers dry up Most Otago rivers are dropping quickly and some are likely to reach their minimum flow levels in the next week or two, prompting a warning from the Otago Regional Council (ORC) for consent holders to conserve water. (Otago Regional Council, 06 January 2012)

Diesel spills prompt reminder for extra care from boaties Waikato Regional Council is calling for boaties to take extra care when refuelling vessels on or near the water, following small diesel spills detected on the Coromandel Peninsula earlier today. (Waikato Regional Council, 06 January 2012)

Private quake briefing to provide answers The probability of a magnitude 7 quake in Christchurch is "low" but "not zero", says Seismologist Kelvin Berryman. (Stuff, 06 January 2012)

Rain brings minimal relief from dry conditions Environment Southland has initiated the first stage of its water shortage response plan and is closely monitoring river flows, aquifer levels and water takes. (Environment Southland, 06 January 2012)

'Prancing' nudists upset tourists Tourists and visitors to one of Auckland's most popular beach areas say the sight of naked beachgoers there is "gross" and "offensive". (The New Zealand Herald, 06 January 2012)

Wayne Guppy re-elected as Wellington Regional Mayoral Forum Chair Upper Hutt Mayor, Wayne Guppy has been re-elected to serve a fourth term as Chair for the Wellington Region Mayoral Forum (Upper Hutt City Council, 06 January 2012)

Seismology briefing Seismologists are to brief Christchurch City Councillors and MPs on Friday afternoon on the swarm of aftershocks hitting the city. (Radio New Zealand, 06 January 2012)

Council welcomes SH1 safety moves Kapiti Coast District Council is pleased that the national roading authority NZTA is considering making permanent the speed restrictions and lane closure between Otaihanga and Waikanae on SH1 - the site of recent fatal accidents. (Voxy, 06 January 2012)

Council defends dairy link A claim that Horizons Regional Council is overly friendly with dairy farming is unwarranted, chairman Bruce Gordon says. (Wanganui Chronicle, 06 January 2012)

Mayor challenged to back port board Auckland Mayor Len Brown has come under fire from a top-ranking city councillor for not publicly siding with the Ports of Auckland board in its handling of strife on the wharves. (The New Zealand Herald, 06 January 2012)

Earthquake-resilient buldings the target of GNS research Research institute GNS Science expects world-leading research it is carrying out in the lower North Island to lead to building techniques that will allow the construction of houses with maximum resistance to earthquake shaking. (Radio New Zealand, 06 January 2012)

Opposition to Marryatt pay rise mounts A call has been made for Christchurch City Council boss Tony Marryatt to resign and his $68,000 pay rise was labelled "indecent". (The Press, 06 January 2012)

Waipa's 'gentleman' mayor dies Former Waipa mayor and "genuinely wonderful man" John Hewitt died in his sleep on December 30 surrounded by his family. (Waikato Times, 06 January 2012)

120 infringement fines issued over break About 120 freedom camping infringement fines were issued in the Queenstown Lakes district over the Christmas-New Year holiday period from December 24 to January 4, Lakes Environmental regulatory and corporate manager Lee Webster said. (Otago Daily Times, 06 January 2012)

Eager emus, odd dogs all part of the job The Dunedin City Council animal control and education officer enjoyed not only working with animals, but educating people about them as well. (Otago Daily Times, 06 January 2012)

Bridge in business Refurbishment of the once-battered pedestrian footbridge at Ravensbourne will be officially marked with a ceremony next month, following the completion of repairs by Dunedin City Council contractors. (Otago Daily Times, 06 January 2012)

Hands-off policy over port The Government and Auckland Council do not plan to intervene with the Ports of Auckland, despite it losing millions of dollars in business in the past month. (Radio New Zealand, 06 January 2012)

Council could do better - mayor Mayor Aldo Miccio acknowledges Nelson City Council could have done a better job letting people know about fines they could face if they don't fix their houses damaged by floods. (Radio New Zealand, 06 January 2012)

Water restrictions still in place at Lake Hayes Residents on the Lake Hayes Water Scheme are being credited for conserving water over the last few weeks but reminded that water restrictions are still in place. (Voxy, 05 January 2012)

Earthquake-resilient buldings the target of GNS research Research institute GNS Science expects world-leading research it is carrying out in the lower North Island to lead to building techniques that will allow the construction of houses with maximum resistance to earthquake shaking. (Radio New Zealand, 05 January 2012)

Council urged to step in to port conflict As conflict continues at Ports of Auckland with union member workers striking, port owner Auckland Council is being urged to weigh in before more companies move trade away following Fonterra's exit. (Stuff, 05 January 2012)

Fire ban in effect from Friday A fire ban will apply across the Queenstown Lakes District from midnight Friday 6 January 2012, Queenstown Lakes District Council principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 05 January 2012)

Summerdaze off to a great start After launching with a bang on New Year’s Eve, the Summerdaze festival is continuing to heat things up in the entertainment arena. (Queenstown Lakes District Council, 05 January 2012)

Priest calls for 'out of touch' council boss to resign An Anglican priest who works with hundreds of red-zoned residents in Christchurch says the city council's chief executive has no idea what ordinary Cantabrians are experiencing. (Radio New Zealand, 05 January 2012)

Save Water Call As Collection Area Remains Dry Greater Wellington Regional Council is urging people in the region’s four cities to remain careful with their water use over the next few months after a “dry” December in the Hutt water collection area, in spite of the heavy rain at the end of December. (Greater Wellington Regional Council, 05 January 2012)

Public urged to alert Council to new invasive ant infestations Hawke’s Bay Regional Council is calling on locals to alert them to new infestations of the invasive ant species, Argentine ants now found in parts of Hawke’s Bay. (Hawke's Bay Regional Council, 05 January 2012)

Green burials: ticks but no takers Taranaki people say they are keen on "green burials" despite the Awanui Cemetery natural burial site sitting empty eight months after opening. (Taranaki Daily News, 05 January 2012)

Residents flee after Wanaka fire Several Wanaka families were woken early this morning to flames creeping up to their doorsteps after a large bush fire took hold of the Mount Iron area. (The New Zealand Herald, 05 January 2012)

Parking wardens abused and attacked Newly disclosed figures have revealed how commonly parking wardens suffer abuse and assault – with Upper Hutt a sore spot, despite having only two part-time wardens. (The Dominion Post, 05 January 2012)

Overhaul for pedestrian black spots Work has started on a raft of traffic changes aimed at improving pedestrian safety in crash black spots around Wellington city. (The Dominion Post, 05 January 2012)

Queenstown Lakes fire ban in effect from Friday A fire ban will apply across the Queenstown Lakes District from midnight Friday 6 January 2012, Queenstown Lakes District Council principal rural fire officer Gordon Bailey said. (Voxy, 05 January 2012)

Washout leads to sewage discharge Wet weather over the holiday break caused a big road washout which took Hawera's main western sewer with it overnight on Tuesday. (Taranaki Daily News, 05 January 2012)

Marryatt defends $68,000 pay rise The Christchurch City Council's controversial chief executive has defended his $68,000 pay rise, saying it is recognition of his performance during a year in which he has "never worked as hard in my life". (Stuff, 05 January 2012)

Auckland Council urged to act over port move The head of the Citizens and Ratepayers political party on Auckland Council says the council must publicly back the board of the company, Ports of Auckland. (Radio New Zealand, 05 January 2012)

Total fire ban in southern district A total fire ban for all of Southland and parts of the Clutha District covered by the Southern Rural Fire Authority will be in place from 8am today (Thursday 5 January). (Southland District Council, 05 January 2012)

Bridge bits for sale In with the new, out with the old - while a new bridge is being built in one part of Whangarei District, bits and pieces of old bridges lying disused at other locations are being disposed of. (Whangarei District Council, 04 January 2012)

Tour of Flood Affected Areas The Mayor Tony Bonne, the Chief Executive Marty Grenfell, along with Councillor Andrew Iles and staff undertook an inspection of the Waimana and Taneatua areas today, looking at the damage caused by the flooding. (Whakatane District Council, 04 January 2012)

Hosing restrictions in Riverton and Ohai Residents in Riverton and Ohai have hosing restrictions until 14 January or until further notice. (Southland District Council, 04 January 2012)

Hawera Sewer Main Washout Finding a major washout in the Hawera western sewer main was not exactly the start to the New Year the South Taranaki District Council (STDC) was hoping for (South Taranaki District Council, 04 January 2012)

Christchurch City Council facilities update Christchurch City Council is continuing assessments of its facilities following the latest aftershocks. More facilities have re-opened today (Wednesday 4 January). (Christchurch City Council, 04 January 2011)

Applications for urgent access available to Nelson homes Nelson City Council says people whose homes have been red or yellow stickered following December's severe flooding can now apply for urgent access to their homes. (Radio New Zealand, 04 January 2012)

Council buildings checked for quake damage Staff at the Christchurch City Council have been forced out of their buildings while safety checks are being made following strong aftershocks on Monday. (Radio New Zealand, 04 January 2012)

Quake upgrades lift for capital builders A building industry report says that while Canterbury's $20 billion rebuild will be the epicentre for coming work, there is also plenty of work looming in Wellington, where many buildings need earthquake strengthening. (Stuff, 04 January 2012)

Changes afoot for local government This year could see a dramatic shake-up in the structure of local government in New Zealand, says Ashburton Mayor Angus McKay. (Ashburton Guadian, 04 January 2012)

Nelson flood bill may be lower The cost to Nelson for infrastructure repairs after last month's flooding may not be as high as expected, says city Mayor Aldo Miccio. (The Press, 04 December 2011)

New initiative to help disaster affected Queenslanders The Queensland Government will trial a new 'prepaid card' this wet season in the hope of more efficiently assisting disaster affected Queenslanders. (AUS, Sunshinecoast.com, 04 January 2012)

Council buildings and facilities Aftershocks have continued to affect Christchurch residents today. The Council would like to remind the community to look after neighbours, friends and family and take care during this difficult time. (Christchurch City Council, 04 January 2012)

Extra vigilance needed on Waikato waterways Waikato Regional Council's harbourmasters are urging inland and coastal water users to take extra care following a number of incidents over the past two days. (Voxy, 04 January 2012)

Using old quake TV footage 'irresponsible' Footage of past earthquake damage used in overseas media coverage of Christchurch's aftershocks is "irresponsible", Mayor Bob Parker says. (The Press, 04 January 2012)

Call for more median barriers on narrow highways A leading motoring commentator says median barriers are a proven way to reduce road crashes and more are needed on New Zealand's narrow state highways. (Radio New Zealand, 04 January 2012)

Wellington Occupy protesters refusing to leave site Protesters occupying a central Wellington site for nearly three months are refusing to obey a city council eviction notice ordering them to leave by 4pm on Wednesday. (Radio New Zealand, 04 January 2012)

Green Island development gets green light A major multimillion-dollar retail complex should soon be under construction in Green Island, after successful mediation between the Dunedin City Council and the developer. (Otago Daily Times, 04 January 2012)

Alcohol watchdog urges councils to act Alcohol Healthwatch says there is plenty that councils can be doing to prevent alcohol problems while everyone waits for the Alcohol Reform Bill to be passed and acted on. (Radio New Zealand, 03 January 2012)

E-government to return to Ireland New online services are to be offered by the Irish government after a seven-year hiatus, with online voter registration,a national release of fixyourstreet and a central portal of more than 300 public services being rolled out, according to Silicon Republic. (UK, Experian, 03 January 2012)

Extra vigilance needed on Waikato waterways following serious incidents Waikato Regional Council’s harbourmasters are urging inland and coastal water users to take extra care following a number of incidents over the past two days. (Waikato Regional Council, 03 January 2012)

Belfast land rezoning appeals resolved Four appeals against the rezoning of land in northern Christchurch earmarked for housing have been dealt with by the Environment Court. (The Press, 03 January 2012)

Museum abuzz with attractive shows With warmer weather bringing more visitors to the Catlins, the Owaka Museum has been buzzing. (Otago Daily Times, 03 January 2012)

Time to walk the walk on water Changes afoot in regulations governing water use in Otago will influence the region's prosperity for years to come, the Otago Regional Council says. Rebecca Fox looks at the council's sometimes controversial approach to water quality and quantity. (Otago Daily Times, 03 January 2012)

Christchurch Mayor calls for urgent briefing from seismologists Christchurch Mayor Bob Parker has called for an urgent briefing from GNS Science seismologists following the recent spate of aftershocks in the city. (Christchurch City Council, 03 January 2012)

Wellington, Canterbury to become supercities New Zealand is likely to end up with three super councils – one in Wellington, one in Canterbury and the already established Auckland super-city council, a political commentator says. (Stuff, 02 January 2012)

Freedom campers heeding pollution message The Queenstown-Lakes District Council says new restrictions on freedom camping have had a dramatic effect. (Radio New Zealand, 02 January 2012)

More Quakes, No damage The overnight aftershocks in Christchurch, including a 5.5M at 5.45am this morning have not caused any new damage to the City, Christchurch City Council says. (Christchurch City Council, 02 January 2012)

Farmers to use emergency milk disposal option Following road closures, slips and flooding in the eastern Bay of Plenty, emergency disposal of milk by farmers may be required during the coming days. (Bay of Plenty Regional Council, 02 January 2012)

Council 'failed to grasp the magnitude of task' An internal report has blasted the Christchurch City Council's handling of dangerous buildings after the September 2010 earthquake, saying it failed to grasp the magnitude of the task. (The Press, 02 January 2012)

Mayor admits failings over handling of Sept quake The mayor of Christchurch has admitted the city council's handling of the September 2010 earthquake was not good enough. (Radio New Zealand, 02 January 2012)

Mayor confident Maritime NZ handling situation Tauranga Mayor Stuart Crosby is confident Maritime New Zealand is ready to respond if any more oil spills from the Rena. (Radio New Zealand, 01 January 2012)