Kōpū update, Council's Māori cultural app, draft Biking Strategy
Published on 04 August 2023
This week I was at the opening of the Whangamatā banking hub, which is being piloted for the next 12 months. These hubs are an important means of providing rural and isolated communities access to the six big retail banks. This is a win for those who need face-to-face customer service, something increasingly difficult with more banks closing branches in the regions and the difficulties we’re facing with roading issues. Read more on the banking hub below.
I’m also very pleased to say that our Council is about to establish a new standing committee on Sustainability and Community Resilience. Once formally adopted at next week’s Council meeting, the committee will be responsible for the development and overview of strategic policy and plans essential to fostering resilient, empowered and safe communities, which fulfils an election promise I made last year.
It’s a broad remit – but an essential one - covering assessing housing need, youth development, employment and education, positive ageing, community safety, and creative and cultural support. It joins our existing Risk and Assurance standing committee, which provides an overview of our Council’s governance, risk management and internal control.
Those of you who follow local government in Aotearoa New Zealand will be aware of the independent Review into the Future for Local Government, which published its final report recently, and included 17 recommendations on how councils are elected, funded and operate. Now stay with me, because this is important stuff. Local government in New Zealand delivers the lion’s share of public infrastructure and many services (excluding some big-ticket items like education, health, defence) but does so with a very small share of overall taxation revenue. Think of your local roads, water services, recreational facilities, parks and reserves, restaurant and alcohol licensing, building and resource consents. These are funded almost entirely by rates – tax on property. This financing model is becoming increasingly untenable across the country.
Councils across the country face the same challenges - how to provide the services and facilities that the community wants on the current funding model. We have to continually look outside our usual revenue stream. Providing certainty in our future funding streams is part of an ongoing nationwide discussion, and our Council is actively involved in working to find solutions.
Local Government Minister Kieran McAnulty has said the government will take no action on the review’s recommendations until after the October election and that he wants councils to tell the government what they want.
We could see some changes to the way local government activities and services are funded, and possibly a shift in the areas of responsibility. It is well worth studying the review’s recommendations and asking your local election candidates what they make of them.
Meanwhile, at our Council’s meeting next week we’ll be looking at our vision for the coming Long Term Plan 2024-2034 period and our key priorities. These aren’t empty statements, they describe the community outcomes we want for our district and provide a long-term focus for our decisions and allocation of resources.
The Long Term Plan (LTP) is a document that helps us answer questions like what should our living spaces look like? What facilities and amenities should we be providing? What can we afford? We want your ideas and vision, and then as a Council we have to figure out how to prioritise and fund them.
Staff and elected members have started on the LTP journey; we’ll be asking for your involvement in the coming months, most particularly around March-April next year when we’ll invite formal public feedback on our main proposals.
The final LTP is adopted by Council at the end of June 2024 to take effect at the beginning of the financial year on 1 July. There are exciting opportunities ahead if we open our hearts and minds to what is possible.
Our Council is inviting feedback on a draft Biking Strategy that has been created to improve mountain biking experiences and drive tourism to the Coromandel.
The draft Strategy has been developed by our regional destination management organisation, Destination Hauraki Coromandel, to understand how mountain biking (and cycling) experiences in the Coromandel can be improved and developed.
The draft Strategy has a vision of creating a regionally significant, collaborative, sustainable cycling destination. It provides a set of ideas and actions to increase the amount of off-road cycling opportunities in our region. It aims to drive collaboration to achieve the following vision: "The Coromandel is explored more sustainably by connecting communities and showcasing our environment to become a nationally significant mountain bike destination by 2032. Collaboratively, our goal is to create a world-class trail network and experience that preserves and enhances the environment for our residents, visitors and all who experience them.”
Before we begin planning next steps, we are interested in hearing our community’s feedback on:
· the vision and key goals of the Strategy;
· any specific outcomes or concerns related to specific areas of our region;
· whether you would like to be involved in giving further feedback or future projects.
Everyone who fills in our survey will go in the draw to win:
· 1 x weekend family pass to Whangamatā Ridges Mountain Bike Park
· 1 x $200 voucher to Jolly Bikes
Click here to view the draft Strategy Click here to fill in the survey
Click here to visit the project webpage.
There’s been major progress in building the recreational boat ramp as part of the Kōpū Marine and Business Precinct. Concreting took place last week - thanks to Ian Howe Concrete Pumps and Compass Concrete. Quality inspections have been completed. Contractors Land + Sea Civil are now adding the finishing touches including placing the last of the rock around the edges of the ramp to set it in place with the rest of the sea wall.
There’s also been substantial work done on the commercial wharf. Piling is well underway with 16 piles driven to height. Heron is continuing to install the concrete deck panels.
The next steps are to relocate the crane to the recreational boat ramp in order to install pontoon piles. The cofferdam will be relocated to the commercial slipway to enable Land + Sea Civil to commence works on that. The remaining 50m of rock revetment will be completed next week, and the commercial wharf piling will be done from a barge in late August.
Find out more
The Whangamatā Banking Hub opened on Monday in a ceremony attended by many of our Councillors and Community Board members, as well as our Mayor Len Salt.
The hub is located in Shop B, 608 Port Rd, Whangamatā and is available to both individuals and businesses. It's part of a trial lead by New Zealand Banking Association – Te Rangapū Pēke to test community and customer demand for multi-bank services in towns that are not big enough for several bank branches.
NZBA CEO Roger Beaumont said the hub will provide a range of services and provide facilities for customers from New Zealand’s six biggest banks - ASB, ANZ, BNZ, Kiwibank, TSB and Westpac.
“We’re excited about bringing a banking hub to Whangamatā,” Beaumont says. “I know the last few months have been difficult and I’m sure the hub will be welcomed.”
The new hub is located in a stand-alone location and has a multi-bank smart ATM and a coin and note change service. A concierge is available to assist customers to access the services, which includes an ATM, tablet for online banking, and phone. These services are available in private areas to help ensure confidentiality.
A daily banker service is also in place, where a banker from each participating bank will be available for meetings one day a week.
The daily banker schedule is:
- Monday, 10am-2pm: Kiwibank
- Tuesday, 10am-2pm: ASB
- Wednesday, 10am-2pm: BNZ
- Thursday, 10am-2pm: Westpac
- Friday, 10am-2pm: ANZ
The Smart ATM and change machines are in a secure lobby that can be accessed 24 hours a day.
A full list of services can be found here.
Image: Mayor Len Salt shakes hands with Miles Erwin, Engagement Director of New Zealand Banking Association | Te Rangapū Pēke
A brand-new Māori cultural app, Te Kete o Te Tara, is now available for download from the Google Play and the Apple Store.
Our Council has worked with Hauraki District Council and Matamata-Piako District Council to create an effective kete (resource) for you as you begin your journey to learn some important aspects of Te Ao Māori under the mantle of Councils located within the traditional Māori rohe known as Te Tara-o-te-ika-a-Māui.
In the app, you’ll find information on te reo Māori, tikanga (customs), mihimihi (introductions), whakataukī (proverbs) and waiata (songs) to help you learn about Te Ao Māori.
This great resource is free to download for everyone.
Click here to download from the Apple store.
Click here to download it from Google Play.
Activity ramps up on SH25A
The crane and piling rig (each weighing 100-tonnes) are set up and ready for main bridge construction to begin
Over the past week a 100-tonne crane and 100-tonne piling rig have been set up on the eastern side of the site, ready for the main bridge construction to begin at the eastern bridge abutment.
The first step will be to wind in the seismic casings for the piles – the large tubular metal sleeve that provides unrestricted movement of the top portion of the pile under earthquake loading. These casings are being cut to length in New Zealand and stored at Kōpū, ready for use.
Test drilling to determine the depth of the piles has already been completed.
Elsewhere on site, work continues laying more drainage on the hill above and below the bridge site, and stabilising access tracks with lime and cement so the machinery and rigs can be moved into position to drill the next set of piles.
Off-site, 15 prefabricated bridge beams are being manufactured by Hawkes Bay company Eastbridge at their factory, with the team working around the clock, 24/7.
Find out more: Watch the video
Government funds urgent State Highway works
The Government has pledged to spend another $567 million for immediate works on weather impacted State Highways in Thames-Coromandel, Northland, Tairāwhiti, Wairoa and Hawke's Bay.
The funding, which will go to Waka Kotahi NZTA for the work, comes from the $6 billion National Resilience Plan announced in May's Budget.
This week, Cyclone Recovery Minister Grant Robertson said the Plan was established in Budget 2023 to build more resilient infrastructure in the face of climate change, and in the wake of the effects of Cyclone Gabrielle.
"Over time, the Plan will also address the severe infrastructure deficits that have held New Zealand back," says Minister Robertson.
"We need to ensure that transport infrastructure is rebuilt quickly post weather events, but also in a resilient way, as increasingly severe weather events will continue to hit New Zealand."
More on our Road to Recovery
This week in our Road to Recovery from Cyclone Gabrielle we share how work is starting to ramp up on the slip site at SH25A, what’s happening at the Tapu-Coroglen Rd site, and what funds are available to support recovery efforts.
Our Local Governance Statement is available for you to read online here.
A local governance statement sets out the processes through which our Council engages with our communities, how we make decisions, and how the public can influence those processes. It helps us to promote and support local democracy, by making sure you are aware of the channels you can use to play a part in local democratic process and decision making.
Download now
Creative Coromandel | He Mana Toi Moehau have announced a brand new festival, which aims to bring more visitors to the Coromandel interested in experiencing local art. The Coromandel Artbeat Spring Festival is an umbrella festival promoting arts events, workshops, exhibitions, and performances happening across the peninsula and Hauraki rohe between 1 September and 12 December 2023.
The programme includes the Colville Festival, ‘Steampunk The Thames’, the Whangamatā Arts Collective’s ‘Art After Dark’ exhibition, the Thames Heritage Festival and the Coromandel Open Studio Arts Tour. Festival organisers are calling on local creatives to get in touch with information about any events planned over the festival period, which will be promoted free of charge. Creative Coromandel chairperson Fiona Cameron says the festival will "connect and celebrate the creative people in our communities".
"By creating this ‘umbrella festival’ - a one stop shop for arts events in the region - we’re making it easy for anyone, anywhere to plan a day, weekend, week or all three months exploring the Coromandel Peninsula and Hauraki rohe," says Fiona.
If you have an event you would like promoted as part of the festival, free of charge, please email: info@creativecoromandel.co.nz
Find updates and more information at the Artbeat Spring Festival website.
Get ready for your new rubbish and recycling services starting this September.
Take a look at your new collection calendar. Household rubbish and food scraps will be collected on red weeks. Mixed recycling, glass and food scraps will be collected on alternate yellow weeks. New services start from Monday 4 September.
Watch out for your new bin deliveries – check out the schedule for when you’ll get yours. Wheel your bins (the food scraps bin will be inside your rubbish wheelie bin) inside your property. Open your food scraps bin to get your leaflet explaining the whole service. Alternatively, you can read the leaflet here(PDF, 2MB).
Find out more about the extended open hours of our seven Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations, and how you can use these to drop off rubbish and recycling if you are not at home on your collections day, visit our new RTS page. Please note that all seven RTS will be closed on Thursday 31 August while the changeover is organised.
If you have any queries, please feel contact our friendly Customer Services team.
The 2023 funding round for the Office for Seniors Age friendly Fund is now open.
The Fund supports projects that promote inclusion and the contribution of older people in preparing their community for an ageing population and makes one-off grants of between $5,000 - $15,000 to projects that demonstrate innovative approaches to age friendly communities or support intergenerational connection and participation.
It is open to any New Zealand local council, community organisation, or registered non-profit organisation. All proposals must be supported by their local council.
Applications for the 2023 funding round close on Friday 22 September 2023.
For more information, including eligibility criteria, go to the Office for Seniors website.
Applications for the 2023/24 rates rebate year from Te Tari Taiwhenua | the Department of Internal Affairs are now available for those who are eligible. The maximum rebate this year has increased to $750.
Need help? Drop into a rates rebate clinic
No appointment needed. Drop into our Council offices during office hours any time before 30 June 2024:
- Coromandel Town, 355 Kapanga Rd
- Whangamatā, 620 Port Rd
- Whitianga, 10 Monk St
What do I need to bring?
- If you receive interest from your bank or investments, you will need to get a Resident Withholding Tax (RWT) certificate from your bank or investment company
- Obtain a summary of earnings from Te Tari Taake | Inland Revenue.
If your only source of income is superannuation, no proof is required and Te Tari Taiwhenua | the Department of Internal Affairs will provide this information.
You have until the 30 June 2024 to apply for a rebate in the current rating year.
tcdc.govt.nz/ratesrebate
The Department of Conservation has this information about Cathedral Cove:
- We know there is a lot of interest in Cathedral Cove, the iconic Coromandel location damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle in February.
- We’ve consistently asked the public to keep away from the cove, as there is a health and safety risk caused by ongoing erosion and rockfall. Our main track at the site has also been impassable, and washed or fallen away completely in parts.
- Our staff have received a final geotechnical report on Cathedral Cove from independent specialists.
- We are now assessing that report and determining how it will inform future decisions around management of Cathedral Cove and the wider coastal Hahei area we’re responsible for.
- Decisions about Cathedral Cove and bays and assets around Hahei require DOC to manage a number of complex overlapping issues – we’re working through those at the moment .
- We’re acutely aware of the importance of the area to the local community, tourism and visitor businesses, and mana whenua.
- We expect to be able to make an announcement during the week of 14 August, and want to be able to answer all questions by sharing as much information as possible.
Know a great local sport and recreation coach, youth project, unsung hero or sports or recreation project that deserves an award? Get your nominations in for the 2023 Waikato Sport & Active Recreation Awards
Nominate now
Thames Community Board
Work will start very soon to reopen Thames’ Mary Street to two-way vehicular traffic after a unanimous decision by Thames Community Board on 2 August to remove the Create the Vibe pedestrianised space.
The vote followed community research by consultants WSP which netted nearly 1,500 responses form the public – through an online survey and one-to-one interviews in the street. WSP evaluation the responses and concluded that there was not sufficient community support to keep the space in place.
Create the Vibe opened on 1 March 2021 as a trial 'Street Intervention' with the aim of increasing community vibrancy and to provide a safe and accessible town centre. The project was funded 90 per cent by Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, with the remaining 10 per cent from the Thames Community Board.
Community Board members described how COVID-19 restrictions and the extreme weather events over the last few years meant the space wasn’t as well used or supported as it may have been.
In voting to remove the space, Community Board members also asked our Council to investigate a number of initiatives for the surrounding area including: traffic-calming measures, reduced speed limits and improved crossings for pedestrians over Pollen Street and Mary Street.
Coromandel-Colville Community Board
At its 25 July meeting, the Board considered a request for a Licence to Occupy from Combined Clubs of Coromandel (CCC) relating to land at 190 Woollams Avenue, along with a positive update on progress to improve the safety of Te Kouma Road intersection.
-
Received a request from the CCC propose to compact and shingle a small area at the front of 190 Woollams Avenue, to extend the carparking area and vehicle entranceway. The Board approved the Licence to Occupy, noting that the area in question would remain as a road reserve with public rights of access, and works will not grant exclusive use of the area to the Club or its patrons.
-
Received an update from our Council’s Road Manager on the new design to improve the safety of Te Kouma Road intersection for trucks and other vehicles turning from/to SH25. Waka Kotahi has approved geotechnical findings, and the revised design is now close to final approval.
-
Discussed the need for road improvements at Windy Point and the economic impact on local mussel farmers. While improvements don’t qualify for emergency funding by Waka Kotahi, our Council is working with Waikato Regional Council for funding to put preventative measures in place.
-
Requested an update on our Council’s plans to buy a strip of marginal land to create carparking at Hauraki House. The Board heard that the proposal is waiting on the approval of the Survey Order Plan and advice on the market valuation from the Ministry of Education, and there should be progress over the next few weeks.
Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board meeting
The Board approved the retention of unspent Community Grant funds ($100) to The Central Kids Tairua Kindergarten to be spent in the 2023/2024 financial year.
Holland Close stormwater – The channel works, to regrade and provide a minimum bed width of 2m, has been completed. Works on the left bank (Holland Close side) to lift the overflow level by reconstructing the access to #19 will be complete by early August. Additional works have been deferred in the Annual Plan and further construction will be considered in the Long Term Plan (LTP) scope.
The Board encouraged community groups to come to their informal networking meetings to speak with the Board about their community plans. They reported that these newly introduced networking meetings have resulted in good attendance with positive and constructive participation from attendees.
Staff reported that streetlights at the corner of Tirinui Crescent and Paku Drive cannot be installed as there is no power available at this site.
Whangamatā Community Board meeting
The board recommended to Council that the unspent remainder of the Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool Committee’s 2022/23 grant of $242,000 should be paid from Whangamatā retained earnings in 2023/24 subject to availability by early September 2023. The Pool Committee request that the balance of the funds be made available in 2023/24 to enable work to proceed.
The Whangamatā Community Swimming Pool Committee were approved a $500,000 grant to be paid over two years ($250,000 each year) during the 2021-2031 Long Term Plan discussions. The milestones for the 2022/23 financial year were not met and only $8,000 was paid to the committee leaving a balance of $242,000 unspent for the 2022/23 financial year.
Following the submission of the Whangamatā Community Marae Feasibility Study, the Board approved an amount of $4,500 of the $10,500 requested through the Whangamatā Community Board discretionary budget towards the completion of a business case for a Community Marae at 101 Lindsay Road Whangamatā.
The board also approved the retention of the funds to the Whangamatā Community Library and the Whangamatā Scout Group to be spent in the 2023/2024 financial year and repurpose the $625 underspend from the Whangamatā Community Library.
Martyn Road Dump station – Council staff advised the Board that budget is unavailable, and the project will need to be considered in the next Long Term Plan (LTP). It could however potentially be funded by the Tourism Infrastructure Fund and had been put forward in an application with the outcome pending.
Mercury Bay Community Board
The Board approved installation of a bus shelter for school children at 1140 Purangi Road. The shelter will be built by qualified builders in the school whānau community who are donating their time, and the structure will be paid for by a student's parents. The shelter will then be gifted to our Council and be maintained as a Parks and Reserves department asset at an estimated cost of $100/year plus depreciation of $221.16/year.
The Board endorsed the formation of Community and Stakeholder Engagement Teams consisting of community representatives, elected members and Council staff to work on stormwater improvement projects in Cooks Beach, Matarangi and Austin Drive.
Building, resource and heritage approvals for the relocation landward of the Mercury Bay Boat Club building are progressing.
And, our Chief Executive Aileen Lawrie and Mayor Len Salt are lobbying Waikato Regional Council to support Super Gold Card use for the Whitianga Ferry Service.
Career opportunities at our Council
We currently have several exciting job opportunities to work with Thames-Coromandel District Council. Click through the links below to read more about each role.
Utilities Engineer: 3 Waters: Closes Sunday 6 August.
Senior Geospatial Applications Specialist: Closes Sunday 6 August.
Application Support Analyst: Closes 15 August.