Council meeting highlights, Bylaw updates and Funding opportunities

Council meeting highlights – Tuesday 6 August   

The meeting agenda is on our website, where you can also find a link to the recording of the meeting. 

Our Council approved setting aside a portion of the Council-owned property at 101 Lindsay Road in Whangamatā so that it can be used for the site of a community marae and community hub.

There was a report to add the Kōpū Marine Servicing and Business Precinct to the Maritime Facilities Bylaw. Generally, access to commercial wharves is limited to manage risks over conflict of use and health and safety. The Kōpū facility was designed, consented and built for commercial purposes, not recreational. Funding also was largely intended to promote the facility’s economic development benefits. It’s important to keep the users of the new recreational boat ramp, plus pedestrians and cyclists passing by on the Hauraki Rail Trail, separate from the commercial activities at the new wharf area so there are no conflicts of use and that both commercial and recreational users are kept safe. 

Our Council submission to the government’s proposals on making it easier to build ‘granny flats’ (better described as 60m² secondary dwellings) was approved.  

Stormwater flood modelling maps for Whangamatā are being prepared and will soon join the Smart Maps suite of maps available to the public. The modelling will support a multi-year capital project to mitigate stormwater flooding in Whangamatā through improving stormwater flows and outlets. A communications campaign is planned to help property owners understand the stormwater flood model mapping and what it means for their property. We’ll have lot of information available, plus public drop-in sessions, through September and October.

Whangamatā Stormwater

We’re seeking public feedback on our proposals for a new Parking Bylaw and for changes to our Traffic Bylaw. Follow the links below to find out what’s proposed and how to give your feedback. 

Find out more about the proposed Bylaw and how to give your feedback.

Have your say

Find out more about the proposed changes to the Bylaw and how to give your feedback below.

Have your say

Last entries for Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards

Be in to win! You’ve got until Friday 16 August to enter the Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards. 

There are two awards for public nomination:  

• People's Choice – for an outstanding business 
• Service to Business – for an individual who goes above and beyond for our business community.  

Make sure you get in and nominate a business you admire.  

Full information on the award categories and how to enter and nominate is available here.  

Find out from past winners about the benefits they received from entering here. 

For more information

Our Council’s Long Term Plan recognised for user-friendliness

We’re pleased to share that our Council’s 2024-2034 Long Term Plan (LTP) has been recognised as being the most user-friendly in the Waikato Region.

The Waikato Herald scrutinised the LTPs of all the councils in the Waikato and concluded that the Thames-Coromandel District Council LTP document was the most accessible for the ordinary person.

An LTP is a key document that details our Council’s projects, services and how they will be funded for the next decade and beyond. Producing an accessible LTP didn’t happen by accident. A cross-council team worked for many months to balance what was essential to deliver and what was affordable, and considered the constructive feedback we received from the community and stakeholders.

See our Long Term Plan
Read the article here

Know a local hero? Nominate them for our Community Service Awards  

Our Community Service Awards is a way of giving some well-deserved recognition to local unsung heroes of our communities.

Now is your chance to celebrate the countless individuals who work behind the scenes to make our communities thrive.

Download the form here

District Event Fund is open for applications

Got an event that could become an iconic attraction for the Coromandel? If your event can draw domestic and international tourists, as well as our holiday homeowners, and can be held outside of peak summer, you might be eligible for support through our District Event Fund.

The fund aims to boost economic wellbeing by encouraging visitor spend and increasing the number of off-peak events. To qualify, your event must align with our Economic Development Strategy and demonstrate your capability to deliver it successfully.

Key criteria:

• Economic impact: Potential to boost visitor spending and attract at least 2,000 visitor days.
• Vibrancy: Should add energy and enjoyment to the district.
• Community connection: Contribute to a positive sense of place.
• Safety: High standards of health and safety are essential.
• Local profile: Ability to showcase the diverse localities of the Thames-Coromandel area.

For a detailed application form, download it here. If you need assistance, reach out to Kirstin Scarrott, our District Events and Experiences Coordinator, at 07 868 0200 or email Kirstin.scarrott@tcdc.govt.nz.

Applications are open until 31 August 2024 and will be reviewed by a panel of Council and Destination Hauraki Coromandel staff before being presented to our Council for a final decision.

Don’t miss the chance to bring your event to life and contribute to our vibrant community.

Read more

Are you a business owner interested in minimising waste and related cost?

Our Council is interested in assisting our business community with waste education support, to help businesses manage waste responsibly, as well as increase waste reduction efforts.

We have engaged the services of waste industry specialists, Waste-Ed with Kate, to help us understand what type of educational support our businesses need, so we can look to develop a programme to suit.

We would appreciate if you could please take a few minutes to complete this brief survey which will help inform this project.

Complete the survey here

Workshops on reducing waste

Food Lovers Masterclass – evening sessions $10 

• Whangamatā, Tuesday 27 August, 6-8pm; Whangamatā Bowling Club, 500 Rutherford Road  
• Whitianga, Wednesday 28 August, 6-8pm; Mercury Bay Bowling Club, 92 Cook Drive 
• Thames, Thursday 29 August, 6-8pm; Thames Civic Centre, 200 Mary Street 

The Food Lovers Masterclass is a hugely popular seminar on food waste reduction that provides great advice on how to reduce food waste in your household. Topics include: shopping smarter, storing food tips and tricks, planning better, best before dates vs use-by dates, what can you freeze? and loads more. After the seminar you will receive a gift to take home to help you with waste minimisation. 

Register here

Cloth Nappies, Parenting and more $10– online course + coffee group catch-up

The topics cover: waste-free Parenting, feeding & baby food, cloth nappies 101, washing cloth nappies and more. This course is available online today. Please register your interest. Collect a free cloth nappies gift pack at an informal coffee group catch-up at the dates/times listed below. Kate will also be available at these times to provide more information about the course and answer any questions you might have.  Once you’ve registered, we’ll be in touch with the coffee group catch-up venue details.

• Whangamatā, Tuesday 27 August, 10–11am 
• Whitianga, Wednesday 28 August, 10–11am 
• Thames, Thursday 29 August, 10–11am 

Register here

Photo competition – Spirit of the Coromandel 

What does Our Coromandel and its people mean to you? Say it in photos. 

Prizes of $100, $50 and $25 Prezzy cards are on offer for the three best photographs submitted of Thames-Coromandel and its people. 

What are we after?  

We want photos of people in our district. We want the photos to show Coromandel’s famous spirit: 

• people’s resilience, their grit, cheerfulness and self-help spirit 
• the idea of ‘community’ 
• people getting on with life despite some tough years
• people working 
• people opening for business 
• young people paving the way for their future
• people loving and caring for the area’s beautiful environment. 

Photos of 3MB or more in jpg or jpeg format are welcome. Make sure you get the permission of the people featured. 

All the submitted photos will be considered for use in our Council’s communications. 

Find out more here

Find out more

Whangamatā scheduled power outages 

Powerco is planning all-day power outages in Whangamatā on 16 August. They’re replacing some poles and installing a fibre network so that they can monitor and remotely control the electricity network. The Whangamatā BESS (battery energy storage system) will provide back up for the commercial/retail area, and backfeeds will supply portions of Whangamatā; however large portions of town will be out. For more information on the outages, updates and power outage tips, visit Powerco’s planned outage web page. 

Pāuanui RTS temporary closure

Pāuanui Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station will be temporarily closed for three days from Tuesday 27 to Thursday 29 August for repairs.

While the site is closed, please use the permanent drop-off area at the entrance to the site, or alternatively travel to Tairua Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station on Red Bridge Road. 

The expected reopening is Friday 30 August. 

Opportunities at our Council

At our Council we ensure work-life balance is not just a dream but a reality. We offer an array of staff benefits including flexible work arrangements, relocation allowance, sick leave on commencement of employment and more. 

Our current job vacancies are: 

• Communications Officer 
• Environmental Health Team Leader 
• Environmental Health Officer 

If you're interested in working for us, and there are currently no vacancies that fit your skillset and knowledge, please complete the expression of interest application via the link below. 

For more information or to apply

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