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Local Democracy Reporting
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Local Democracy Reporting - Latest News [Page 21]
Shock Discovery Of Tuatara At Demolition Site
Friday, 31 May 2024, 5:28 pm | Matthew Rosenberg - Local Democracy Reporter
The chances of discovering baby tuatara in an abandoned enclosure this week are being described as similar to “finding a needle in a haystack”. More >>
Lobby Group Wants Kaipara Incinerator Plant Facts, Not Sales Pitch
Friday, 31 May 2024, 4:13 pm | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
National lobbyists against Kaipara’s proposed $730m refuse incinerator are calling for facts rather than a sales pitch on the project. New Zealand’s Zero Waste Network (ZWN) spokesperson Sue Coutts said decision makers needed to know about the incinerator's ... More >>
West Coast To Review Who Pays For Flood Protection
Thursday, 30 May 2024, 3:36 pm | Brendon McMahon - Local Democracy Reporter
West Coasters could pay a universal rate for flood protection assets in future -- regardless of where they live. Currently, 23 special rating districts pay targeted rates to maintain river stop banks or coastal protection walls in their area. More >>
Northland Regional Council Chair Survives Coup
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 5:30 pm | Susan Botting - Local Democracy Reporter
Northland Regional Council has been told to sort its 'dysfunctionality' as chair Geoff Crawford survives the organisation's second leadership coup in six months. More >>
No ‘nice-to-haves’, Masterton Ratepayer Group Urges Council
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 5:29 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter
The Masterton Ratepayers and Residents Association [MRRA] has asked the council to stick to its knitting for the Long-Term Plan [LTP] and to invest in core services and basic infrastructure instead of “nice-to-haves”. More >>
Carterton Councillors Reach Stalemate Over Plan
Wednesday, 29 May 2024, 5:28 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter
The stalemate brings the Long-Term Plan [LTP] process to a temporary halt. Councillors had previously indicated a desire to reallocate $520k of Better Off funding from trails and instead put the money towards three waters projects. More >>
Commuter Ferry Could Set Sail In Tauranga
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 5:09 pm | Alisha Evans - Local Democracy Reporter
A ferry service between Mount Maunganui and Tauranga could be on the way in 2025. Auckland water taxi company Hauraki Express is prepared to build two ferries for the service if local councils will subsidise the fares. More >>
Canterbury Ratepayers Face 17.9% Rates Hike
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 5:08 pm | David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter
Canterbury households are facing a lower than expected rates rise after the regional council found savings, including delaying some transport projects. After two days of deliberations last week, Environment Canterbury pulled back its proposed average ... More >>
Masterton Playground ‘past Its Use-by Date’
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 5:06 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter
Masterton’s Kids Own Playground is “past its use-by date” and needs replacing, according to the Rotary club that was involved in its build 25 years ago. The actual replacement of the playground would likely cost between $3million-$4.5m with a majority ... More >>
New Deputy Incoming For Carterton Council
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 5:05 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter
Carterton District Council will have a new deputy mayor after tomorrow’s council meeting. Former deputy mayor Dale Williams, who was appointed to the role in October 2022, stepped down last week. More >>
Neurodiversity In Schools: ‘It’s Not New, But Our Understanding Has Increased’
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 8:59 am | David Hill - Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury schools say supporting children with conditions like autism, ADHD, dyslexia and anxiety is ‘‘not new’’, but there is greater understanding of neurodiversity. A recent report from the Education Hub, an organisation which connects ... More >>
‘More Harm Than Good’: Council Calls For Government Rethink On Māori Wards
Tuesday, 28 May 2024, 8:56 am | Moana Ellis - Local Democracy Reporter
Forcing councils to hold a referendum on their decisions to introduce Māori wards will create division and needless cost for ratepayers, says a district mayor. More >>
No ‘Defendable Basis’ For Proposed West Coast Mining Zones
Monday, 27 May 2024, 6:13 pm | Brendon McMahon - Local Democracy Reporter
Large areas of West Coast land have been tagged in its proposed new district plan for mining despite not holding current mining licences or permits. More >>
Final Plans For New Whanganui Police Hub Due By Year End
Monday, 27 May 2024, 5:37 pm | Moana Ellis - Local Democracy Reporter
The design of a new police station as part of a “justice precinct” in Whanganui should be finalised by the end of 2024. The Police Hub is being built alongside a $100 million courthouse on the former Ucol polytechnic campus site in the west of ... More >>
Former Mayors Weigh In On Masterton Plan
Monday, 27 May 2024, 5:35 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter
Local government heavyweight Bob Francis has confirmed his commitment to bolstering fundraising efforts for a new town hall in Masterton. Another former Masterton mayor, Garry Daniell, also made a submission to the plan. More >>
Wilding Pine Work ‘at Risk’ As Funds Dwindle
Monday, 27 May 2024, 5:33 pm | Matthew Rosenberg - Local Democracy Reporter
A Southland pest control group fears 18 years of work could be in jeopardy amid difficult conditions. Since 2006, Mid Dome Wilding Trees Charitable Trust has worked to cull rogue pines from over 40,000 ha of land east of the Mataura River. More >>
Why Wairarapa Can’t Emulate Auckland’s Watercare
Monday, 27 May 2024, 4:39 pm | Emily Ireland - Local Democracy Reporter
Councils will be “in for a rocky road in terms of risk” under the government’s new policy for the management of water assets, according to the independent audit and risk chair of two Wairarapa councils. More >>
Ruapehu Civil Defence Controller Calls For More Resources
Sunday, 26 May 2024, 7:29 pm | Moana Ellis - Local Democracy Reporter
A civil defence controller in the Ruapehu district is calling for more resources to help local communities manage emergencies for as long as they need to. Ruapehu District Council chief executive Clive Manley says locals are first responders and ... More >>
Internal Investigations At Coast Council Continue
Sunday, 26 May 2024, 7:27 pm | Brendon McMahon - Local Democracy Reporter
A forensic examination begun in mid-2022 at West Coast Regional Council is continuing after it refused to pay a $90,000 bill from the Westland District Council. More >>
Heavy Rain Triggers Anxiety For Isolated Gisborne Residents
Sunday, 26 May 2024, 7:25 pm | Zita Campbell - Local Democracy Reporter
"Bridging Tairāwhiti" members feel anxious and disrupted due to destroyed bridges since Cyclone Gabrielle. They formed a group last month to lobby for funding and reconnect their properties to roads. Gisborne District Council is working to support ... More >>
