WWU: Take care with fireworks and get behind Gumboot Friday

Welcome to the weekly wrap-up of our latest Council project news, important dates and information about what's happening in our district.

len.salt@tcdc.govt.nz

“It’s a real privilege to be getting out around the communities and meeting some really special people. Over the weekend I got to celebrate the 83rd birthday of one of our most famous living artists, Michael Smither. This week we had our inaugural meeting (read more here), I attended a powhiri at Matai Whetu marae and Mercury Bay Area School prizegiving, and I also met with Minister Nanaia Mahuta MP - Hauraki-Waikato to kōrero about the Future of Local Government, Three Waters and RMA reforms, and what this means for our Coromandel communities.

I am ending the week at a Zone 2 meeting, where all the Mayors and Chief Executives in Zone 2 (which spans from Taupō, Whakatane, Rotorua up to our district) all get together to talk about our shared issues, networking, put up representatives on working groups to lobby central government on, and to hear more on national developments.”

Image on right: Mayor Len celebrating Michael Smither's 83rd birthday with friends.

Take care with fireworks

With Guy Fawkes day upon us (Saturday 5 November) and the weather heating up, please be extra careful about setting off fireworks as reckless use of fireworks has caused major fires in our district.

“In our communities we have a high number of dog owners, and there’s working farms with cattle, sheep and horses – so just be mindful of your neighbours,” says our Mayor Len. “There’s also a lot of rural land and forest which need to be protected for its environmental values, and which we don’t want to see destroyed by someone’s inattention with fireworks.”

Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) have said windy conditions are expected across the motu (country). If it is windy, do the math and don’t light fireworks.

Three Waters TCDC position

We know that Three Waters reform is needed – however in the current state it has not garnered widespread support from councils, or communities around the country.

Our Council welcomes the fact that a plausible alternative raised by the Mayors of Christchurch, Auckland and Waimakari can be considered - which keeps the idea of having a water regulator, but leaves ownership, control and accountability in local hands.

Flooding on the Thames Coast Road in 2018.

Thames acknowledged as risk area for flooding and limited ways to pay for mitigation measures by central government

We’re pleased to see the Thames ward in our district acknowledged as an area highly vulnerable to flood risk and limited means to pay for any mitigation measures in a report released by the Department of Internal Affairs, to Associate Minister for Local Government Kieran McAnulty this week.

Kōpū Marine Precinct update

Contractor Fulton Hogan has started on site and are progressing with vegetation clearance and site preparation works. 

King Street, which will provide the main access to the commercial wharf, commercial slipway and recreational boat ramp, has now been formed and drainage culverts are being put in place. Heron Construction are currently preparing the design for a pad to support their 200T crane which will be needed for when construction on the wharf starts in March 2023.

One of our regular wildlife survey sweeps through the area found that a pair of banded rail had nested with three eggs on the Labour Day long weekend. The project’s banded rail management plan was put into place and a 30-metre exclusion zone has been established to protect the birds and the nest. This will not affect overall timeframes for project completion.

Construction of the commercial wharf, commercial boat slipway and recreational boat ramp is scheduled to begin in March 2023 and be completed by the end of the year. Then, trailer boat car parking can be put in place and King Street finalised with an expected public opening of the new marine precinct targeted for May 2024.