Half-Year Report, Thames Protection, New Trustees, MTFJ success & more
Published on 21 February 2025
Our Half-Year Report: How are we tracking against our goals?
We report annually on our services and operations to keep things transparent for our residents and ratepayers, and ensure we’re delivering services the way we said we would—it’s an important (and required) part of what we do. To stay accountable for delivering on our commitments, we use a set of performance measures and targets established in our 2024-34 Long Term Plan.
We check in midway through each financial year with our Half-Year Report. The 2024-25 Half-Year Report looks at the first two quarters of this financial year (1 July–31 December 2024) and reports on goals around service delivery, customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. This report helps us assess our progress, identify any issues and make corrections before the full 2024-25 Annual Report is released later this year.
What’s our progress so far?
Some new performance targets were added in the 2024-34 LTP process, especially related to our new quarterly Customer Satisfaction Survey, and this is the first year we’re reporting on them. Your feedback will be essential in helping us stay on track and ensure we're meeting your expectations.
Here’s a snapshot of our progress:
This is one time it’s been positive to use an existing budget elsewhere.
Read the Full Half-Year Report
The Thames Protection and Resilience governance group met this week to receive updates on project work to respond to the risks to Thames from both coastal and river flooding.
The governance group includes iwi, Thames-Coromandel District Council and Waikato Regional Council representatives. Members met on Wednesday 19 February to discuss current coastal protection design, new modelling work on river flood risks, and the need for an integrated response to both coastal and fluvial flooding.
“The ongoing work to plan for Thames protection has identified quite clearly that it’s not just coastal inundation we need to look at, there are also river flooding threats that need to be integrated into the project,” governance group chair Len Salt told the meeting. “We now need to work through how these components work together, the impact on expected costs, and how we share the responsibility appropriately with other authorities, including Waikato Regional Council.”
The protection of Thames is a high priority for our district and is one of the outcomes of the Shoreline Management Project (SMP) pathways. The SMP project showed that $1billion in assets in the township are at risk over the long-term from hazards associated with coastal storms and flooding caused by climate change and sea-level rise.
The project’s current design approach is to use barriers to prevent coastal flooding over the next 100+ years, adapting in stages to a potential sea-level rise of one metre.
“We’ve significantly progressed the coastal protection design and our understanding of what’s required for the foreshore,” said project lead Amon Martin. “But that’s only one piece of the puzzle. The river modelling work raises a number of challenges which means we’re still some way from being able to give certainty about the total cost of protection, and which agency or authority is best placed to take the lead on different parts of the plan.”
A public meeting will be held on Monday 24 March. It will cover:
- Why coastal inundation is not the only issue the project needs to address. River flooding threats are also a concern and must be incorporated into the project.
- An overview of the challenges associated with fluvial flooding, including recent modelling work assessing the risks associated with flooding from streams.
- More detailed information on the varying risk profiles for different areas of Thames.
- An update on challenges of cost estimations. Expected total costs remain uncertain, largely due to the challenges in managing river flooding. However, we will discuss the scale of investment required specifically for coastal protection.
- A discussion on how coastal protection might be integrated with fluvial protection. There will be an opportunity for feedback on this topic.
“We’re all committed to working together on this,” Len Salt told the governance meeting. “Our partners around the table are working with goodwill to share information and plan together on this difficult and complex challenge.”
He said any funding implications would need to progress through thorough consultation processes, but it is too early in the process to make any of these decisions.
Thames Protection and Resilience Update Meeting: Monday 24 March, Thames Civic Centre, 5.30pm – 7pm.
New trustees appointed to Destination Hauraki Coromandel
Destination Hauraki Coromandel incoming Trustees with outgoing Trustees. From left to right: John Sandford (outgoing), Kristine Dunne (incoming), Ella Zhang (incoming), Jo Malcom (incoming) Jason Hill (incoming), Scott Lee (outgoing) and Tony Coombe (outgoing). Not pictured Clare Bradley (incoming).
Destination Hauraki Coromandel has welcomed five new trustees to its board, bringing expertise in governance, tourism, sustainability and regional development. Jason Hill has been appointed Chair, with Ella Zhang as Deputy Chair.
Thames-Coromandel and Hauraki District Council thank outgoing trustees John Sandford, Scott Lee and Tony Coombe for their decade of service in strengthening the region’s tourism sector.
The new board will continue to drive sustainable tourism growth, benefiting local communities, businesses and visitors.
Read the full press release
Rates reminder
Just a gentle reminder to our ratepayers that payment for the second instalment of your rates was due Monday 17 February. You'll need to pay by Monday 24 February to avoid the 10% penalty for late payments.
If you'd like to set up a payment arrangement with us, contact our customer service team on 07 868 0200.
Council MTFJ Cadet programme a success
Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) Community Employment Programme is a nationwide partnership between MTFJ and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD).
The programme has a strong focus on getting young people into sustainable employment in their local area and promoting community-led solutions for youth employment, education and training.
Seven local jobseekers took a chance with our Council’s cadet programme—and it paid off.
Thanks to the MTFJ Community Employment Programme, Ministry of Social Development employer support packages and Recovery funding, their roles were funded to enable them to gain hands-on experience, training and career opportunities, while helping our district recover from the 2023 storms.
Mayor Len describes the MTFJ Community Employment Programme as “a great opportunity for us to back our young people and grow our local workforce. With support from the Government, this programme is a win-win for our youth, our community and the work we do here at Council.”
Where are our Council’s cadets now?
Three Coastal Kaitiaki 12-month cadetships played a key role in a dune-care project aimed at rehabilitating the coastline. With this recovery project concluding, two have landed jobs with Green-by-Nature.
One Parks Administration cadet continues to support the team, while the second has moved on to pursue a career with the NZ Police. Meanwhile, the Community Outcomes Administration cadet, who contributes to social recovery initiatives and supports the communications team, is now halfway through a Diploma in Communications at Massey University.
Our Customer Services cadet, although thoroughly enjoying her time in customer services, recognised her greater potential in information technology. Onisha Juhl has now secured a further six-month contract with Council as a Project Analyst. Reflecting on her experience, she shares:
“I am immensely grateful for the opportunity that the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs provided me to work in the Council. Through MTFJ, I received guidance and support that prepared me for my new role as a Project Analyst in IT.”
She adds: “The skills I developed in my initial role, combined with the new expertise I am gaining in technology, allow me to see new potential in myself and set even higher yet attainable goals."
Mayor Len reflects: “Looking back at the MTFJ Cadet programme, which we kicked off to help with our recovery efforts, it’s been so rewarding to see these cadets grow in confidence and really believe in themselves.
"They’ve set their sights higher, achieved so much, and contributed a huge amount to Council’s recovery efforts.”
About Mayors Taskforce for Jobs
MTFJ is a movement of mayors around Aotearoa who advocate for a bottom-up approach to employment solutions to deliver the Community Employment Programme (CEP) along with broader initiatives.
In particular, CEP is a nationwide partnership between MTFJ and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) that’s delivering great outcomes in our rural and provincial communities. It’s championed by mayors who are working together towards the vision of all young people 16-25 engaged in employment, education or training in their communities.
Final week to apply: Funding for local creative projects
Are you working on a creative project that could inspire our community? Applications for the Creative Communities Scheme close next week.
Backed by Creative New Zealand, this scheme supports projects that boost community participation in the arts, celebrate cultural diversity and engage young people. It’s designed for groups and organisations bringing creative ideas to life.
Applications close Friday 28 February 2025.
Find out more and apply
District Events Fund closes next week
How to apply
If you’re sure your event fits the criteria of this fund, you can find all information here.
Applications close Friday 28 February 2025.
Need help?
Reach out to our District Events and Experiences Coordinator, Kirstin Scarrott, at 07 868 0200 or via email at Kirstin.scarrott@tcdc.govt.nz.
Final week to have your say: Hauraki Opportunity Survey
If you live, work, or play in the Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki or Matamata-Piako areas, this is your last chance to share what matters most to you. Your feedback will help shape decisions that support our community groups and Council.
Plus, the first 2,000 people to complete the survey go into the draw to win one of 80 gift cards valued at $25 each—one in every 25 wins.
Survey closes Friday 28 February.
Complete the survey Find out more
Meet at the market
Come and talk to your Thames Community Board members at Thames market on 8 March and every second Saturday after that. They’re keen to hear your views.
Waiomu Boat ramp reopened
Just in time for the weekend ... Waiomu Boat Ramp’s now open again after being closed for repairs this week. An area of concrete at the start of the ramp was replaced to remove a build-up of stones. Cracks and holes were also grouted.
Real Life Super Hero Day
