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Local Democracy Reporting
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Local Democracy Reporting - Latest News [Page 171]
Coronavirus: Rotorua Rates Freeze On The Table
Wednesday, 13 May 2020, 10:52 am | Felix Desmarais - Local Democracy Reporter
1. Rotorua Lakes Council building. (File) Photo / Andrew Warner / Rotorua Daily Post [via LDR: single use only] A rates freeze will be considered by Rotorua Lakes Council as part of its “focus on continuing to cushion the impact of Covid-19”. ... More >>
Big Day For West Coast As New Hospital Blessed
Tuesday, 12 May 2020, 10:45 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Today is a big day for the West Coast DHB, with the start of the transition process from the old Grey Base hospital to the gleaming new Te Nikau building next door. Board chairman Rick Barker told members on Friday that Fletchers started not long ... More >>
Lockdown Not The Cause Of Water Clarity
Monday, 11 May 2020, 2:44 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
The Rangitaiki River may be flowing crystal clear, but the regional council says this is due to the lack of rain rather than lockdown restrictions. People living alongside the river have noticed the "significantly improved" water clarity ... More >>
Counties Manukau DHB seeks $11.2m from ACC for Whakaari
Friday, 8 May 2020, 1:57 pm | Steve Forbes - Local Democracy Reporter
Counties Manukau District Health Board is in talks with ACC to recover costs associated with treating the victims of the 2019 Whakaari/White Island volcanic eruption. More >>
Renwick Was All Set For Kerbside Recycling – Then Coronavirus Happened
Thursday, 7 May 2020, 11:23 am | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
Rolling out kerbside recycling to Renwick would increase the collection bill for Picton and Blenheim residents. CREDIT: CHLOE RANFORD/LDR Kerbside collection in a rural Marlborough town could still happen this year after a flood of annual plan ... More >>
Covid-19: Wairarapa Could Lead Way Out Of Level 3 – Expert
Thursday, 7 May 2020, 11:18 am | Marcus Anselm - Local Democracy Reporter
Epidemiologist Roger Morris was asked about covid-19 in Wairarapa during the Masterton District Council's online annual plan hearings. PHOTO/WAIRARAPA TIMES-AGE World-renowned epidemiologist Roger Morris has said Wairarapa could be in a position to move to ... More >>
Kaikoura Council Gears Up To Tackle Unemployment
Wednesday, 6 May 2020, 10:21 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Kaikoura's unemployment rate could soar to 15% or higher, in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis. That's the estimate of Kaikoura District Council chief executive Angela Oosthuizen, based on official stats relating to the town's economy. In her ... More >>
DOC Admits Blasting Blunder On Truman Track
Tuesday, 5 May 2020, 1:23 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
The Department of Conservation has admitted it got it wrong when it allowed contractors to blast a rock overhang on the Truman Track at Punakaiki last year. DOC came under fire from conservation groups after using explosives to blast away a sandstone overhang ... More >>
Gisborne Train Link Not Justified: KiwiRail
Monday, 4 May 2020, 1:21 pm | Aaron van Delden - Local Democracy Reporter
The figures don’t stack up for reinstating the train line between Gisborne and Wairoa, KiwiRail boss Greg Miller says. Gisborne District Council has identified the line’s refurbishment as a shovel-ready project that, with Crown funding, could ... More >>
Murupara Checkpoints At Centre Of “vigilante” Stoush
Friday, 1 May 2020, 12:21 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Lobby group Hobson's Pledge has started a nationwide petition calling for the end of iwi-led "vigilante" checkpoints and has chosen a photo of the Murupara team to illustrate every social media post related to the topic. The photo shows ... More >>
PGF Funding Signed Off For The Coast
Thursday, 30 April 2020, 4:10 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Whanau returning home to their ancestral lands will be supported through the economic turmoil of Covid-19 as promised money from the Provincial Growth Fund is finalised. Loans from the PGF up the Coast and in Whakatane were finalised yesterday representing ... More >>
Conservation Board Begins Fence-mending With Iwi
Thursday, 30 April 2020, 3:56 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
The West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board has made a start on mending the rift between the board and its Maori members. Chairman Keith Morfett says a workshop with a facilitator last Friday, held by video conference, brought all members together ... More >>
Chlorination “inevitable” For Reefton – Buller Mayor
Thursday, 30 April 2020, 3:52 pm | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
The chlorination of Reefton's water supply is now inevitable, Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine says. The Buller District Council last night approved a package of work worth $1.2 million, to upgrade the town's water system, and make it capable of handling ... More >>
Council Considers Waiving Late Fees For Residents Stung By Coronavirus
Thursday, 30 April 2020, 3:50 pm | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
Marlborough residents and businesses struggling from the economic impacts of coronavirus could get some relief on their rates bills, as the region records a steep jump in late payments. The Marlborough District Council agreed on Thursday to waive late ... More >>
Kawerau Approves $934,211 In Three Waters Spending
Wednesday, 29 April 2020, 4:57 pm | Charlotte Jones - Local Democracy Reporter
Kawerau District Council has approved a $934,211 spend on its three waters infrastructure. In a council meeting livestreamed to Facebook on Tuesday, the council approved the spending to refurbish three bores which provide drinking water to the town and to ... More >>
Wairarapa Council Staffers Back On The Job
Wednesday, 29 April 2020, 4:44 pm | Marcus Anselm - Local Democracy Reporter
Masterton District Council's Alastair McDonald, left, and Kevin Pilbrow of Westwood Property, at a site inspection at The Plains, Masterton. PHOTO/SUPPLIED Wairarapa council staffers have returned to a busy backlog of work with the introduction of ... More >>
Works Chair Urges Council To Freeze Rates, Cut Spending And Wages
Wednesday, 29 April 2020, 11:09 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
The Kaikoura Council should not be even thinking about a rate increase this year - unless it is prepared to cut spending and wages, according to the council's Works and Services chairman, Derrick Millton. Councillor Millton who runs farming and limeworks ... More >>
Kaikoura Council Running On Empty, ECCO Secretary Warns
Tuesday, 28 April 2020, 10:14 am | Lois Williams - Local Democracy Reporter
Lois Williams Local democracy reporter Kaikoura ratepayers who want to join Marlborough say the impact of Covid-19 will show the Kaikoura District Council is running on empty. The East Coast Community Organisation (ECCO) has lobbied for the KDC to be ... More >>
‘No Show’ Rotorua Lakes Council Fails To Submit On SNAs
Friday, 24 April 2020, 9:50 am | Felix Desmarais - Local Democracy Reporter
Farmers are “disappointed” after Rotorua Lakes Council failed to independently submit on a piece of government policy they say could result in a six per cent increase in rates. But the council says Local Government NZ submitted on its behalf and it ... More >>
Coronavirus: New Zealand’s First Ocean Salmon Farm Sees Hearing Postponed
Thursday, 23 April 2020, 4:07 pm | Chloe Ranford - Local Democracy Reporter
A fish boss is concerned more salmon will die after a hearing on the country's first "open ocean" salmon farm was delayed by coronavirus. New Zealand King Salmon was met with mixed responses earlier this year when it asked to set up a farm in ... More >>
