News at Gisborne District Council

New council logo

Mon, 09 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

An adapted sun and squiggle design has been adopted by Gisborne District Council as its new logo. The logo needed some work as over the last 13 years inconsistency in colour, form and font had crept in. As a result the logo had lost value; ownership of it had become confused due to it being regularly modified.

A survey of 600 people last year identified strong support for the sun logo subject to three provisos – that it be made more contemporary, that the colours be changed and that cultural elements be included.

Chief Executive Lindsay McKenzie said that there was a real need to create a consistent mark for the council. “It should connect with all of our communities. We knew these exercises can be hugely expensive. Right from the start we were determined keep costs to a minimum. This was helped by the assistance of local design agencies who submitted outstanding design proposals knowing there was to be no pitch or rejection fee. The effort that designers from these agencies put in was outstanding. We were humbled by that and the quality of the offerings.”

The successful logo chosen for further development was submitted by Rees Morley from Gisborne design agency URBAN-i. Mr Morley then worked with council staff to finalise the design adopted by council.

The logo has been released to staff and survey respondents whose feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. “I believe we have truly modernised the logo while bringing in more appropriate colours and a strong connection to the culture of the region” said Mr McKenzie.

“There will be costs associated with the roll out of the brand which will be launched in mid March. Updating signage, stationery and the like will be funded from normal operating budgets. That means integration of the new logo will take some time. Stationery will only be updated when it has run out; signs redesigned when they need replacing or repairing and so on”.

The brand standards manual will ensure consistent use of the refreshed sun and squiggle logo. A consistent, professional look will help to build pride and efficiency within the organisation. Using standard templates will cut down the time staff spend redesigning a ‘new version’ for each document, brochure or new items of stationery. The council crest will still be used but more in a ceremonial capacity rather than to identify the council and its business.

“The image and brand of an organisation are important because people give more when they are proud of the entity they work for, what its values are, and how it presents itself. Being visible – which is something that a strong brand ensures – is a driver of performance and accountability. There is a risk to the brand when people don’t live up to its values or promise” Mr McKenzie said said.

Hirini Street closed for pipeline replacement

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:00:00 +1300

The Gisborne District Council will be closing Hirini Street to all traffic between Crawford Road and Wainui Road starting next week for approximately a fortnight (weather dependent).

Due to the deteriorating condition of the main wastewater pipeline from Kaiti, part of the pipeline is in need of replacement. In order to achieve this, excavation around the Wainui Road / Hirini Street intersection is required.

A diversion will be in place for all traffic along Crawford Road. Residents are to expect an increased volume of traffic, including logging trucks.

Improve safety for cyclists

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

A Cycling Advisory Group is being established by council to work together with the community on cycling issues in the city.

The idea for the group followed a request by the Critical Mass Cycling Group for council to improve safety and grow the numbers of cyclists in Gisborne. The terms of reference for the group will be established at its first meeting. The first meeting will be held on 25 March at 12 noon at the Council offices in Fitzherbert Street. Organisers hope it will include representatives from a range of cycling interests including schools and the police.

The overall purpose of the group will be to provide advice on how to make cycling safer and encourage more people to use the facilities of the walking and cycling network being created by council. They will also have input into the Walking and Cycling Strategy.

The group will work closely with the Road Safety Officer from council and the Traffic and Education Officers from the police. One of the first tasks will be to look at cyclist safety at roundabouts.

Council's Engineering Manager Peter Higgs says "this is a great opportunity to work together with the community. As with many issues, the solutions are likely to be a combination of actions including the three "Es" - engineering, education and enforcement. The safety of cyclists is a matter for which all road users have a responsibility"

Manu Caddie, one of the Critical Mass organisers, says he is pleased to see council willing to establish a mechanism for ongoing dialogue with the cycling community.

"Beyond making the streets safer for cycling we are keen to see proactive measures in place to encourage more people to move around by bicycle."

"One of our older members only had to fill up his car twice last year because he cycles most places. Cycling has environmental, health and economic benefits that council and other organisations need to promote."

"We encourage all cyclists to come along to this meeting." says Mr Caddie.

Councils battle it out

Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

The annual inter-council sports tournament held in Gisborne last weekend was a complete success according to regular attendees who dubbed it "the best tournament ever". The weather was perfect, the competition intense and the 650 competitors fired up and ready to have a great time. The final result was a clean sweep by the Auckland based council's on the field.

Waitakere City Council took overall honours and also won hosting rights for the 2010 tournament. They defeated Auckland City Council in the final of the touch rugby competition and went down to North Shore City Council in the final of the soccer tournament. They also won the tournament in 2008 and awarded their hosting rights to us.

The only event they did not dominate in was the novelty event. This was held at Midway Beach and involved sand, water, buckets and lots of laughter. The well-oiled organised committee are to be congratulated on the tournament which involved hundreds of voluntary hours and went off with out a hitch.

Gisborne link to the origins of the inter- council sports tournament

In 1995 the idea of the inter-council sports tournament originated from Gisborne. It was organised by Les Thomas, Senior Accountant who was the Chairman of the Social Club way back then. The tournament was organised between Rotorua District Council and Gisborne District Council and the games were all indoors. The games played were pool, darts, indoor cricket and indoor netball.

The tournament was held in the industrial subdivision in Rotorua. The bus driver at that time was the late John Dwight (Senior Building Inspector cum Gisborne Town Cryer). It was a 45 seater bus and current staff members Maurice Affleck, Dion Lund, Dave Hadfield, Ra Leach and Joy Marden were involved. Gisborne had 2 teams. After the games a BBQ lunch and dinner was held at the Rotorua Citizens Club.

In 1996 other Councils including Tauranga, Whakatane and Opotiki heard about the tournament and wanted to be part of the competition. Tauranga hosted the second tournament. The venue was Mt Maunganui and softball, soccer and netball goalshooting, indoor netball and indoor cricket were the played. In 1997 the tournament went national as more councils heard about this fun filled annual event. It had grown from 5 Councils to 13 with all Bay of Plenty councils taking part it has continued to grow with 24 councils participating in 2009.

Sand for new timber mill foundations

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Sand to be extracted for the foundation of new timber processing mill.

The extraction of 10,000 cubic metres of beach sand from an area near the Waipaoa river mouth will start next week. The sand is required for ground preparation prior to construction of the new Hikurangi Forest Farms timber processing plant in Dunstan Road.

Resource consent for the extraction has been obtained and the motor scrapers will start operating on Monday. They are likely to be on the beach between tides from 7am, five days a week. There will be no week-end work.

The work involves motor scrapers operating between the low and high tide area, skimming a thin layer of sand for transport to the new mill site. The hours of work limit the time of operating so that recreational fishers and users of the beach in that area will not be unduly inconvenienced.

The sand excavation is likely to continue for 2-3 weeks. It is part of a programme that will prepare the Dunstan Road site and will include the transport of river shingle and silt to the site from various access points on the Waipaoa River.

Council staff will be monitoring the extraction to ensure that any environmental effects are minimised.

Water restrictions still necessary

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Water restrictions for city residents are still required but we have eased the degree of restriction back to level 2. This means sprinklers can now be used daily between 6am and 8am in the mornings and 6pm and 8pm in the evenings.

The recent rain combined with reduced consumption has made a difference and the result is that dam levels have stopped dropping. Food processing businesses are still are still consuming large quantities of water but now at a slightly reduced capacity than in the previous weeks.

The dams, which supply water to Gisborne city, have had levels below the 50 year drought curve since late January as a result of extremely high water consumption during November and December 2008. The dam levels have now recuperated enough to be above the 50 year drought curve

Marcus Koll, Utilities Engineer says the 50 year drought curve describes the minimum level of water that should be in our dams to cope with one in 50 year drought like conditions. "The graph is based on past records that show if you are right on the line then you should be able to cope with such dry weather and soil conditions. When you are under, as we had been for some time, you potentially run the risk of running out water".

First Cycling Advisory Group meeting

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +1300

The first meeting of a new advisory group for cycling is being described as 'constructive' by local cyclists and council staff.

Thirty people representing diverse sectors of the Gisborne community attended the Cycling Advisory Group meeting hosted by Gisborne District Council. Mayor Meng Foon and councillor Kathy Sheldrake were present along with commuter and recreational cyclists, Gisborne Cycle Club representatives, staff from local schools and Trustees of the Gisborne Cycle and Walkway Trust.

The meeting discussed and refined a draft Terms of Reference which describes the purpose of the group, clarifies that the group has no authority over Council decisions and activities and outlines the frequency and format of meetings. It was agreed that the group would meet at the council offices over lunchtime initially once a month.

Kathy Sheldrake nominated Manu Caddie to Chair the group, this was supported by Muriel Jones from the Gisborne Cycle and Walkway Trust and endorsed by those present. It was agreed that subcommittees will be established to work on particular issues such as promoting cycling, cycle ways and road safety - and that a lot of good work had already been undertaken by council and groups like the Trust.

The group agreed that roundabouts will be an initial focus. Organisations involved with the new group will provide short presentations on their current activities and priorities for cycling in Gisborne at the April meeting.

Tree removal will close tracks on Kaiti Hill

Wed, 01 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1300

Walking tracks on Titirangi Reserve (Kaiti Hill) are closed this week while exotic trees are removed. These will be replaced with native trees as part of the Titirangi Reserve Management plan. Walking tracks and the car park will close on Wednesday 1 April from 8am till 5pm and weather permitting will reopen on Wednesday April 8.

Initially the site will be prepared and the trees felled. The trees will be removed by helicopter to the first car park as you drive up the hill. There they will be cut & the firewood left for the public to remove at the end of each work day. Removal by helicopter is the most economical way to transport the trees because of the terrain on the south-western side of the hill (facing the port) and the need to meet conditions in the resource consent.

Once felling is completed the invasive weeds will be tackled & the area replanted in native trees. "People are advised to keep well clear of the work site' said Parks & Reserves Supervisor Jenny Allen. 'The best place to watch the removal by helicopter will be the new walkway opposite the hill. This is expected to take place on 6 to 8 April. At the end of each work day, public are welcome to help themselves to an estimated 150 tonnes of firewood. It will be available for collection at the Titirangi car park.

Consultation on Ten Year Plan begins

Mon, 06 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Council wants to know what the district thinks about its Draft Ten Year Plan and is going into 22 communities to seek feedback. Attending all meetings will be Mayor Meng Foon or Deputy Mayor Nona Aston. They will be accompanied by senior staff all prepared to answer any questions community members may have about council's draft plan and how it will affect rating levels.

The first meeting will be held at Waikirikiri School on Monday evening at 6.30pm this will be followed by a meeting at Te Wananga o Aotearoa campus in Elgin starting at 5.30pm on Tuesday evening. Key issues at these meetings will be how council can improve their relationship with the Elgin and Kaiti communities to guide any future development.

East Coast, Te Karaka and Whatatutu residents will get an opportunity to be heard later in the week as meetings continue in the townships of the district. Issues for these communities are likely to be flood protection, implementing township plans and the proposed mobile library service.

The Draft Ten Year Plan 2009-19 was formally adopted for consultation by the council last week. A summary of the plan will be in all district letter boxes this week. The draft plan reflects council's commitment to core projects like the $45 million wastewater treatment plant and maintaining the district's roading infrastructure. It also proposes that over the next 3 years further investigation will occur on several major projects that will enhance our district. Whether or not these projects eventuate depends on the support of the community and a willingness to pay.

Council genuinely wants to know what communities think of the draft plan. According to chief executive Lindsay McKenzie "The consultation process gives people a chance to comment on the affordability of what we are proposing, as well as on the priority that the community places on our services. Following the public consultation period we will make a final decision on the level of rates in late June."

"Staff are committed to saving over $1million in 2009/2010 through efficiency savings. We will continue to look for areas of potential savings and will also carefully consider any cost-cutting suggestions from other submitters as part of that process" said Mr McKenzie.

The draft plan requires council to collect an extra 7 per cent in rates revenue in 2009-10, 6.64 per cent in 2010-11 and 4.06 per cent in 2011-12. The figures were arrived at after considerable debate and deliberations by council management and councillors. Rates revenue will increase from $41.35M in 2009 to $44.25M in 2010. The proposed rate increases to be collected will vary across the district. To find out what rates you are paying now and what rates you will pay if the draft plan is adopted go to Check out your rates.

Freedom camping extended to Easter

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Staff have responded to concerns that there would be no freedom camping this Easter. The approved freedom camping period coincides with daylight savings hours. Council agreed to those dates in response to submissions on the annual plan in 2007. Traditionally freedom camping runs through until Easter, but with daylight saving finishing last weekend the freedom camping season officially closed.

With the promise of a fine weekend chief executive Lindsay McKenzie said that staff would not be enforcing the freedom camping hours contained in the bylaw. All freedom camping sites, except for Turihaua which was closed in February, will be serviced and available for camping. Freedom camping is available at beaches from Turihaua Point to Waipiro Bay and at Donneraille Park.

Permits will be available at the usual outlets and all the other obligations on campers will apply. Council will be asked to revisit the dates so that the freedom camping starts with the commencement of daylight saving and ends at Easter in the future years" Mr McKenzie added. For more information on freedom camping locations and where to get a permit

Bus terminal on the move

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Council's main city bus terminus in Bright Street is moving 20 metres down the road towards McDonalds.
After recent earthquakes, strengthening and safety modifications are now required to be carried out on the Rosies building at the corner of Bright Street and Gladstone Road.

Currently the bus terminus backs on to this building. The shelter will be moved over the next week prior to building work beginning. The move will not affect the bus service and there will be no changes to the bus timetable or routes.

Step closer to wastewater hearing

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Ten submissions have been received by council's regulatory department in response to council's application to vary its wastewater consents.

Council senior water conservator Dennis Crone said three submitters opposed the applications, one on the grounds of cost and two with regard to protecting Gisborne's bay from wastewater discharge.

"Seven submissions were generally in support of the application but with some provisos," he said. "Most have particular parts of the proposal they either oppose or would like changes to. Eight submitters wish to present their views at the hearing."

Late last year council's engineering and works department applied to vary the conditions of its existing 35-year wastewater resource consents to build a wastewater treatment plant, using the biological trickling filter process, and to discharge the treated wastewater to sea via the existing 1.8km marine outfall pipe.

To help make the scheme more affordable for the community, the scheme was reduced in scope to have one biological trickling filter tank instead of two - subject to intensive monitoring -- and the location changed from the designated Aerodrome Road site to a council-owned site in Banks Street. This effectively halved the proposed cost to $45m.

Submissions on the application to vary the conditions of the coastal permits, designation for the new site and discharge to air permits closed last Friday.

Five commissioners have been appointed to hear the applications over three days from 19 May. They are Alan Watson, chair, Wira Gardiner, Richard Heerdegen - all of whom were on the committee that heard the 2007 application - Nigel Mark-Brown, and council's representative, Councillor Pat Seymour.

Stay away from the Taruheru River down from Lytton Road

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

A crack in the main trunk sewer line under the Lytton Road Bridge has been found. The crack is discharging a small amount of sewage into the Taruheru River.

People should not swim or come into direct contact with the Taruheru River water as there is a possibility of bacterial contamination.

"Stemming the flow of sewage is the first priority and that will be completed later today' said engineering and works manager Peter Higgs. "Further repairs are being organised and are likely to carry on next week.

At this we are unsure as to when this started and how much sewage has been discharged into the river but it appears to be very recent. The crack may have been caused by the earthquake on Wednesday 8 April. There is little evidence of sewage in the toitois under the bridge but the public are advised to keep well away. The actual crack is on Lytton Road by the houses opposite Nelson park.

New fire truck for Hicks Bay

Sat, 18 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

A fire truck with a special meaning will be presented to the Hicks Bay community this month. It will be handed over at Hicks Bay on April 28 in a ceremony that will be attended by local and national dignitaries.

The new vehicle replaces the one in which firefighter and community leader Ray Barrett lost his life on December 27, 2008 and his son Tahi was seriously injured. To read the full Gisborne Hearld story

Does Gisborne need a new pool?

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Redevelopment of the Olympic Pool complex and the establishment of a multi-purpose aquatic & recreation centre are major projects that council is considering as part of its Draft Ten Year Plan.

A design concept has been developed by local architects Nicoll Blackburne in conjunction with Ashley Cox architects in Wellington. The projects are currently planned for 2014 and 2018 respectively and are included in the Draft Ten Year Plan. Council is keen to hear from the community about whether they should continue to progress these projects

The Olympic Pool complex is now 35 years old. Over time, various alterations and additions have been made to accommodate changing trends. According to the pool manager Hendrik Geyer the time has come to ask whether the pool will still be around for our children and grandchildren.

"The complex has experienced record visitor numbers this summer with the pools and activities popular with both locals and visitors to the region. But the pool faces a number of major issues. It is old, inefficient and increasingly difficult and costly to maintain. Independent reports have estimated the life expectancy to be as low as 5 years from now. The complex lacks important facilities that could increase visitor numbers and revenue, in particular over the winter months.

"While community facilities like pools, libraries, parks and playgrounds do not generate a profit, we could not enjoy a vibrant, prosperous and healthy Tairawhiti without them. The non-monetary benefits in areas like health, well-being and quality of life are considerable.

"It is a reality that, if Gisborne wants to enjoy a pool complex in 20 years time, significant investment will be required. The option of 'doing nothing' will lead us to closure of the pool within the next 10 years. If the community does not want to accept that, then the issue is whether to carry on with the existing facility and its limitations, or future-proof the complex. This can be done by making it more efficient and maximising how and when it can be used. Council is proposing to do the latter" said My Geyer.

"Estimates for the capital cost of stage one (Aquatic Centre) are $24m, with another $38m for stage two (Multi-purpose Indoor Stadium). This is clearly beyond what our community can afford on its own and Council intends to secure grant funding of 75% for stage one and 90% for stage two.

The inclusion of the project in the Ten Year Plan will give Council a mandate to continue feasibility studies and design options, while preparing a business case and negotiating with potential funders. The Eastland Community Trust has already indicated that it is interested in the project, as part of its commitment to transformational community investment. Submissions to the Draft Ten Year Plan can be made online , by filling in the submission form at the back of the brochure sent to all households in the district, or by contacting customer services. Check our meetings schedule to attend a meeting near you. Submissions close at 4pm Friday 1 May.

Proposed new look for pool complex

Fine for skateboarder withdrawn

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

A $750 fine Reuben Baker received when he broke a council bylaw regarding skateboarding in the city has been withdrawn.

In a decision made by council and the Gisborne Police, it was agreed the fine was excessive and although legal it was significantly more than advised in the bylaw.

Council's chief environmental health officer Sarwan Kumar says that the council's intention was that skateboard offences against the Public Places Bylaw attract a fine of $55 for the first offence, and $100 for any subsequent offences.

"Unfortunately the police were not aware of the recommended fine at the time the infringement notice was issued. They (police) were legally correct in issuing the standard $750 fine under the Transport Act."

Mr Kumar says that he is pleased that police enforce the skating provisions of the bylaw. "Some skaters are capable of creating a nuisance, especially to older people, children and people in wheelchairs. Such nuisances are the very reason why council included skateboarding offences in its bylaw."

Council keen to do what it can to help

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

People should not be too distracted by the forecasters of gloom - a lot of the wealth lost had never existed, Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie told people at a job summit here on Friday.

To read the full Gisborne Herald story

Proposed book bus would provide more books to rural residents

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Thousands of dollars worth of books disappear each year in Gisborne's rural hinterlands. Nine community libraries are provided by Gisborne District Council for rural residents but they are largely unmonitored and entirely dependent on the goodwill of able volunteers and space available in rural schools. Originally there were 15 libraries but lack of support in townships, residential exodus and lack of stock control have led to the closure of libraries located in Ruatoria, Tikitiki, Te Araroa, Waingake, Tauwhareparae and Waipiro Bay.

"Rural people often remind council staff of the great days when a bus came from National Library and everyone could get the book they wanted," says District Librarian Pene Walsh. "In today's technological world people still want access to books and the mobile library has come full circle with on-board internet and enough space to provide children's and young adult books as well as good reading for adults."

Most local people agree that a mobile library service is a good idea. 90% of library users surveyed late last year supported a book bus replacing the existing nine community libraries dotted throughout the district.

At an estimated cost of $448,000 to build the Council may contribute 5% of that cost with the remaining funds being sought from grants.

Replacing the existing rural library service with a mobile library is planned for 2013 to:

Improve equality of access to library services for people who live some distance from town
More frequent visits, changes of books, internet and library staff to assist
Opportunity to take the library to more destinations
Opportunity to provide other Council Services in the field
Reduce stock losses
Provide 'live' service for all residents

Currently all ratepayers contribute a uniform annual charge toward library services that equates to $1.26 per week. Some might argue that the further away from the library in town one lives then value for money is reduced. It is recognised that the current service for rural residents could be a lot better and Council wants to know if the public thinks a book bus would be a worthwhile service.

The book bus is included in the Draft Ten Year Plan view on our website . Make a submission to the proposal online , or by contacting Customer Services. Submissions close Friday 1 May at 4pm.

Posthumous award, and new fire truck

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

People yesterday packed the lawn outside Tuwhakairiora Marae in Hicks Bay to see a posthumous service award presented to Ray Barrett - the firefighter who died when his fire truck rolled on the way to an emergency in December.

To read the full Gisborne Herald news item

Swine flu status update

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +1200

While there have been no suspected cases in the district to date, Chief Medical Advisor Dr Bruce Duncan said there had been further developments around the country and TDH was taking the issue very seriously.

Read the full media release on Tairawhiti District Health's website

Appointment of trustees on Eastland Community Trust

Thu, 07 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Applications are invited from persons interested in being appointed as a Trustee. The Gisborne District Council holds the right of appointment under the Trust Deed.

In accordance with Clause 11 of the Trust Deed, two Trustees are to retire by rotation.

The Eastland Community Trust holds the shareholding in Eastland Infrastructure Ltd, Eastland Network Ltd and Eastland Port Ltd. The Trust also has an independent investment company (Eastland Development Fund). Under its Trust Deed, it is charged with various responsibilities relating broadly to the preservation of the value of that investment, and the use of income from it to the benefit of the district's residents as beneficiaries of the Trust.

A fact sheet including further information as to the attributes required of Trustees is available from the Mayor's Personal Assistant Audrey Coomber, Gisborne District Council, PO Box 747, Fitzherbert Street, Gisborne Phone: 06 867 2049 with whom applications close on Friday, 29 May at 4.00pm. Applications should be by way of full Curriculum Vitae and should be labelled "Eastland Community Trust Appointment".

Two vacancies are available with both retiring Trustees advising their availability for re-appointment.

Read the Eastland Community Trust Fact Sheet

Our website wins best redevelopment award

Mon, 11 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Efforts to develop a user-friendly website paid off for council last week when we won the people's choice award for 'Best Redeveloped Website' at the Association of Local Government Information Management web awards.

The win was particularly satisfying according to council website administrator Karen Hadfield. "We were up against some large district councils with far more resources at their disposal than us. At least one council had a budget 12 times the size of ours. We won the 'people's choice' award which was voted for by our peers from 38 different councils.

"Because we are one of only 4 unitary authorities in New Zealand we had the additional challenge of combining both district council information about things like rubbish, dogs, parks and cemeteries, with regional council information that includes transport, environmental issues and civil defence. We kept costs low by bringing in groups of users to identify the best way to order and display information and by manually transferring all the information from the old site to the new site ourselves" Mrs Hadfield added.

The website was designed by Wellington based company Silverstripe who are known for their award winning content management system. It is an open source system that is available free and has been downloaded by developers around the world.

The previous website was 5 years old and was no longer supported by the developers. It was expensive to make changes. The search function did not work well, information was often hard to find and didn't provide interaction with our customers. The aim of the new website was to be easy to load due to the fact that many of our district still accesses the internet through a dial-up connection. It also needed to be easy to navigate and have a crisp modern appearance reflecting Council's refreshed branding. The site now meets both W3C worldwide web standards and New Zealand's e-govt web standards on all criteria. These standards have been developed to ensure government websites are easy to navigate and are accessible by all.

The site was launched to coincide with the beginning of consultation on council's Ten Year Plan. For the first time people had the option of completing a submission online. 150 were received this way. Other new features include the popular rates look-up tool with which current rates can be compared with the proposed increases in dollar figures per property. An online cemetery search is also proving popular although some information is incomplete and will be updated in the next few months.

Web project team (L-R) Matt Feisst, Karen Hadfield,
Toni Lexmond, Douglas Birt, Simon Jeune.
Absent Leanne Williams & Maurice Affleck.

Contractors can register for wastewater job

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Registrations of interest are being called for the construction of a new wastewater treatment plant at Banks Street and the separation of industrial wastewater. These include a major pipe laying contract and the installation of new sewers.

Project manager Peter McConnell says contractors can register for both or either of the work packages, which could see some sub-contracting work for local companies.

The registrations of interest will enable Gisborne District Council to shortlist preferred contractors to bid on the 2 major contracts - the industrial separation scheme and major pipelines, and the Banks Street wastewater treatment plant.

"The registrations will show the level of interest and competence of the applicants, and will enable council to pre-qualify suitable contractors to tender for the project. We want the best possible result for the community, which means the best possible price and the ability to deliver the job by December 2010 as set out in the existing consents, Mr McConnell said."

"Council wants to have a strong collaborative relationship with the selected contractors for the project which will create a culture of innovation during the construction of the works."

While the scale of the work is likely to see interest from New Zealand's main contractors, Mr McConnell advises Gisborne-based sub-contractors to inform council and major contracting companies what resources they have available.

Designed by CH2M Beca, the total wastewater project is estimated to be completed within a $45M budget, including escalation and risk costs.

Tender documents are expected to be issued to pre-qualified tenderers in early August 2009.

Construction on both contracts is programmed to start in November 2009 and finish by October 2010, with commissioning and handover of the works before the end of 2010.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday 19 May commissioners will begin hearing council's applications to vary the conditions of its existing 35-year wastewater resource consents to build a wastewater treatment plant, using the biological trickling filter process, and to discharge the treated wastewater to sea via the existing 1.8km marine outfall pipe.

The 5 commissioners are chair Alan Watson, Wira Gardiner, Richard Heerdegen - all of whom were on the committee that heard the 2007 application - Nigel Mark-Brown, and council's representative, councillor Pat Seymour. The hearing is scheduled for 3 days.

Identification sought for third ant variety

Mon, 18 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Another ant species, Darwin's ant - a close relative of the Argentine ant - has been identified in this district.

Read the full Gisborne Hearld news item

Waimata/Hokoroa road closed for works

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

The Waimata Valley Road / Hokoroa Road - RP31, will be closed to all traffic for up to 3 days from 8am on Wednesday 20 May. Alternative access is available through Tolaga Bay.

The closure will allow contractors to carry out blasting and drop-out reconstruction.

Important to find right balance

Wed, 20 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

And that is the biggest thing that has struck me about the submissions I've read so far. (Up to Sub, No. 341) There is a very strong feeling around the council table that we have got to control rate increases better. That we are in a "whoa, gloom, despair, depression", and our sole focus should be cost reductions, controlling rate increases...

To read the full story this links to the Gisborne Herald website

Saturday bus service to cease

Thu, 21 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

The Saturday morning bus service will stop after 30 May 2009. The Saturday morning service started in December 2007 and over its 18 month trial the number of passengers using the bus has been disappointingly low. On average of 66 passengers per month used the buses on a Saturday.

A number of initiatives to promote the service and boost patronage were trialed but did not result in more passengers. This included advertising, adjustments to bus routes and to the bus timetable to better suit the most popular Saturday morning shopping times. A partnership with the Farmers Market meant that bus passengers could get their ticket price reimbursed if they purchased anything at the market. This had little effect on passenger numbers.

The weekday commuter service will not be affected by this change. There has been a slight increase in older passengers using the week-day service. This has occurred in the last 8 months since the government introduced free off-peak bus transport for SuperGold Card holders. If you are over 65 you can travel on city buses between 9am and 3pm for free.

The scheme is partially funded by central government.

View Ten Year Plan submissions online

Fri, 22 May 2009 00:00:00 +1200

For the first time the public can view all submissions made to the draft Ten Year Plan online. Public will be able to view the same information that councillors receive prior to the Ten Year Plan hearings.

It is important that people can find out what submitters have told us and what information will be used to contribute to the councillors' decision-making process says manager of community planning and development Nedine Thatcher. "Our values are about working together and focusing on solutions. Being open and transparent is the best way to empower the community to work with us. Making all the submissions and staff reports available on our website is a cost efficient and effective way to do this."

"The submissions make interesting reading. They cover a wide range of opinions although inevitably trends emerge. These are covered in the staff reports and include recommendations.

These recommendations are not binding. Decisions are not made until after the hearings. These start on Tuesday 26 May and 61 people will speak about their submission over 3 days" Ms Thatcher added.

Submissions were made on the Ten Year Plan by 409 individuals and groups. Many of these submissions covered several topics.
Read the submissions and staff reports

Community Outcomes seeking TDH endorsement not Ten Year Plan

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Tairawhiti District Health (TDH) was not asked to endorse the Draft Ten Year (LTCCP) plan at its May meeting. The document they were being asked to endorse was 'Tairawhiti by Choice'. The Local Government Act requires council to support the community to identify its outcomes every 6 years. In 2008 community groups were asked what they wanted for this community though a process facilitated by council.

"TDH participated in the process of revising our district's community outcomes in the document now branded 'Tairawhiti by Choice. At least 67 community groups and businesses participated in the planning process. Seven organisations were asked to collectively endorse the final document and TDH was one of these organisations" said manager of Community Planning and Development Nedine Thatcher.

The other co-signatories were:

Te Puni Kokiri
Tairawhiti Polytechnic
Ministry of Social Development
Department of Conservation - East Coast/Hawkes Bay conservancy
Gisborne Police

Council has a role facilitating the outcomes but does not own them. However, the activities of council and the projects outlined in the Ten Year Plan are expected to contribute towards the outcomes community has identified. Council endorsed 'Tairawhiti by Choice' at their meeting on 28 May.

Tyres messing up our place

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Council was dismayed to discover around 250 tyres dumped down the bank on Kaiti Hill. The cost for disposal alone will cost ratepayers $1000 but on top of this is the difficulty in retrieving them from the dumped site.

Turanga Ararau's conservation corp has volunteered to haul them out. Fortunately the job ticks the box as far as fitness training and environmental enhancement are concerned. This will save the ratepayers many thousands of dollars.

'What is really upsetting about this' said Louise Bennett, senior environmental health officer 'is we believe they were dumped by a commercial operator due to the large number. The cost of disposal is usually built into charges when tyres are replaced. Often the tyre company will contract someone else to get rid of the tyres and this is where the problem is likely to have occurred. But ultimately, the tyre company has to take responsibility for the dumping. They must be able to prove that they were disposed of appropriately. All operators have been questioned and the investigation is continuing.'

These tyres have been accumulating over a period of time. People who regularly walk the Endcliffe Road side of Kaiti Hill must have noticed this unsightly dumping but no one has reported it until a few weeks ago. For council to make effective prosecutions and therefore deter future dumping we need to be onto the culprit as soon as possible after the event.

"While council has fines up to $400 for illegal dumping in a case like this, a district court judge can impose fines up to $200,000 or imprisonment for a up to 2 years under the Resource Management Act 1991. We hope that the public will supply us with information so that the offender can be identified and court action taken" Mrs Bennett added.

250 fewer rates rebate applications received

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Tuesday 30 June is the last day ratepayers have to apply for a rebate on their rates account. Despite tough economic times we have processed about 250 fewer applications for rebates than last year. In the 2007/2008 year 1871 properties received a rates rebate totalling $878,269.

"We are very keen for anyone who is eligible, to apply for the rebate" said Senior Rates Advisor Fiona Scragg. "I know many people are struggling to pay their rates. This is the best way to substantially reduce the amount that must be paid. I am concerned that people who have applied in the past think they don't have to apply each year. This is not the case. We have sent out 400 reminder letters to all who applied last year and haven't reapplied this year. We hope this will encourage people to bring in their application before 30 June."

The rates rebate is paid by the Department of Internal Affairs and gives low income ratepayers a reduction off their annual rates of up to $530. The rebate must be claimed during the current rating year so after 30 June anyone who hasn't applied will miss out for this year.

Anyone on a low income or government benefit can apply if they are living at the property. The actual amount received depends on your income, rates and number of dependants.

"This rating year (2008/2009) we have granted rate rebates totalling $807,992. We are still down 250 rebates. All ratepayers need to do is bring in accurate details of their income to customer services in Fitzherbert St or Te Puia Springs. Customer service staff can help applicants complete the form" Mrs Scragg added.

Likely delay for learn-to-swim pool

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Council is committed to providing a learn-to-swim pool as part of the wider Olympic Pool complex. However, issues raised after the submissions hearing to the council's Draft Ten Year Plan may delay the start of this project.

The draft plan proposes that the building of a learn-to-swim pool commence in the next financial year. This was included after consultation with Comet Swimming Club highlighted their preference for an 'all in one' facility. However further discussions with the club's officials highlighted the need to further investigate the options, cost and funding, to ensure the most suitable pool is built.

The Finance and Monitoring Committee considered the developments informally last week. It has asked staff to put options to council for consideration at their June 25 meeting. The likely outcome of this will be that the learn-to-swim pool will be rolled into the complete pool complex redevelopment.

Chief Executive Lindsay McKenzie confirms council is committed to a learn-to-swim pool. 'We are not backing away from building this pool but it makes sense to delay this decision until the swimming complex as a whole is scoped and developed. Council is reliant on working with funding partners to make this happen. It is best to only make one, comprehensive approach to funders".

"Developing the pool complex as a whole will ensure that all pool facilities are well integrated and that economies of scale are achieved. It will also minimise the amount of disruption regular pool users will face when development starts" Mr McKenzie added.

The pool redevelopment is planned for 2014. The delay will mean that Comet continue to use the Elgin School pool for its learn-to-swim programme.

It will allow time for the relationship between the club and the council to be formalised it that is the best way forward.

Cost estimates for the learn-to-swim pool development vary widely and need to be refined. Council budgeted $100, 000 to be spent in the next year. The balance would need to be fundraised and this would need full support from the swimming community.

Use for recycled wastewater will be economic in time

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Using recycled wastewater for uses such as producing concrete, irrigating sports fields and flushing public toilets may be economical at some stage in the future if demand for drinking quality water continues to rise.

Project manager for the Gisborne Wastewater Project Peter McConnell says the cost of treating recycled wastewater to a higher level for use in industry and public sports fields and toilets may decrease as technology improves. The cost of producing water of drinking standard will increase, he says, if more water is required and treatment standards are increased.

"A tipping point will see it more economical to use the treated wastewater in some processes, and for that reason, the Alternative Use and Disposal research being undertaken as a wastewater resource consent condition has to be a continuous process." Mr McConnell told the Wastewater Management Committee today (Thursday).

Research to date shows that potential volumes required are just a small portion of the total output of the biological trickling filter plant. If the effluent was drawn off after the ultraviolet disinfection, it would require some form of filtration.

"Very preliminary capital costs for the additional treatment and reticulation to the users could be up to $2.5m. Preliminary operating costs could be up to $120,000 a year which for the volume identified is a production cost of $2 a cubic metre. At this stage, this does not compete with potable water at $0.80 a cubic metre."

Mr McConnell said that once the treatment plant was operating, council would be in a position to undertake filtration trials alongside the biotransformation study.

"This will help us determine more accurately the type of filtration equipment needed and likely costs for recycled effluent from the biological trickling filter plant.

"The basic work to date, undertaken over summer by an engineering student, will be refined over time and we will learn more as we proceed.

Already achieving wastewater reduction

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Great progress has been made in reducing the amount of ground and surface water getting into Gisborne city's wastewater system.

Wastewater project manager Peter McConnell told the Wastewater Management Committee today that the inflow and infiltration project run by council's utilities division will reduce flows to the new wastewater treatment plant into the future.

Developing appropriate educational information to encourage reductions in household and industry wastewater is a function of the Wastewater Management Committee as part of council's wastewater consents.

Mr McConnell said that while the committee had not undertaken any specific publicity work on the issue, the utilities division had actively reduced domestic wastewater through its infiltration reduction programme.

"In the near future, the Wastewater Management Committee will be more actively involved in developing educational information aimed at reducing inflows to the wastewater treatment plant with the long-term aim of reducing energy consumption.

"The inflow and infiltration programme is making good progress in reducing ground and surface water getting into the sewer network. Although there is no active programme yet to reduce water use in domestic dwellings, the building code promotes water saving devices, now mandatory in all new dwellings.

"Council's utilities division also has a project which is expected to reduce use of water over time by reducing pressure in areas where water pressure is higher than necessary."

The trade waste consent compliance process encourages industry to reduce its wastewater.

"Industrial users now have to produce a water and wastewater management plan with the aim of reducing trade waste flows over time. The proposed increase in trade waste charges from $0.011 to $0.30 has given industry a strong incentive to reduce water usage."

He expected the utilities division to become more active in promoting the wise use of water over time, given the cost involved in increasing water storage in the collection catchment.

"The wastewater treatment plant will consume a lot of electricity so will become more important to have the wise use of water and reduce the volume of wastewater entering the system. The less wastewater to be treated, the less electricity needed and the lower the running cost."

"Yes" to city's wastewater treatment plans

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council has gained resource consent approval to build the city's wastewater treatment plant on land it owns in Banks Street. The discharge consents remain for a period of 35 years from 2007, when the existing consent was granted.

Consents have been granted to vary the conditions of existing consents, enable the treatment plant to be built on the Banks Street site and to discharge contaminants from the proposed plant to air.

In a decision released Thursday 18 June, the panel of independent commissioners chaired by Alan Watson granted all applications. The decision was made after a 2 day hearing in mid-May that included hearing evidence from a variety of experts and considering the 10 submissions received.

Both the applicant, the council's engineering and works department, and the submitters have 15 days in which to appeal the decision to the Environment Court.

Included in the comprehensive suite of conditions are the requirements to form a wastewater technical advisory group; prepare and implement an environmental management plan and construction management plan; provide landscaping in the first season after construction; and restrict noise to defined levels.

The commissioners found that the applications were consistent with the purpose of the Resource Management Act 1991. Potential adverse effects of operating a wastewater plant at Banks Street had been considered and addressed.

"There are also notable beneficial effects because the treatment plant will substantially improve the wastewater discharge, provide a resource for future generations and function as part of the overall wastewater treatment scheme that is acting to address the wide-level, community concern with the discharge of milliscreened wastewater into Poverty Bay.

"These proposals will enable people to provide for their social, economic, and cultural wellbeing, and for their health and safety by the provision of a wastewater treatment scheme designed to service the community and future population and economic growth of Gisborne.

"The applicant has sought to recognise and provide for the interests of Māori in these respects through the consultation process and a process that sees it committed to on-going investigations and technological improvements with a view to the eventual cessation of the discharge to sea."

Environment and planning manager Hans van Kregten, says the result was an excellent example of the community and the unitary authority working together to achieve a pragmatic, considered outcome.

Refining detailed design of wastewater treatment plant

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

It's getting down to the nitty gritty as the detailed design of Gisborne city's wastewater treatment plant and industrial separation scheme nears completion.

Project director Peter McConnell reported to council's Wastewater Management Committee this week that the detailed design needed to be finished by early next month in time for tender documents to be released late July or early August.

He said a workshop with CH2M Beca staff in Auckland was extremely valuable as a team of engineers and others went step-by-step through the design and each part of the operational process from pump stations and the treatment plant through to the outfall pump.

"We discussed if we could do things in a different way, and what would happen if something broke. You never get the first-cut design 100 percent correct, so what came out of the workshop was very valuable."

The workshop considered questions such as what would happen in the unlikely event of a total systems failure affecting the outfall pump station. This would be addressed by installing a coupling for hooking up to a mobile pump and bypassing the main pump until it was fixed.

"This approach hopefully eliminates any surprises at the construction and commissioning stages. However, contractors will often look at things from a different angle than the design engineers, and may suggest different options."

Meanwhile, the Registrations of Interest closed this week with 13 companies expressing an interest in the 2 work packages - construction of a new wastewater treatment plant at Banks Street and the separation of industrial wastewater.

"The companies are all very good - all the major players are there, and minor companies are also good and specialists in their field."

The new plant will use a biological trickling filter system to screen and treat Gisborne's wastewater to a higher standard before being discharged through an existing outfall pipe reaching 1.8km out to sea.

Fair Go accolades for our mobility car parks

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Painting our mobility car parks a very noticeable vivid blue has proved a deterrent to able-bodied motorists. The initiative is receiving national accolades.

The number of infringement fines issued to people parking in mobility car parks is nearly 40% down on the 6 months before the parks were painted. Parking wardens are reporting less abuse of the parks and this is resulting in less tickets being issued.

An item on television programme Fair Go earlier this month highlighted the extent of mobility car park abuse. Peter Wilson from CCS Disability Action says their research shows New Zealanders are the worst in the world at poaching the disability parks. The story prompted a lot of feedback and photos from viewers complaining about the problem. The only exception was the proactive approach in Gisborne. "Gisborne District Council has painted its spaces a spectacular blue colour. So far it's the only council in the country to have done so, and it's had a dramatic effect. We think that's brilliant, and we challenge all other councils in the country to do the same, and go blue" Fair Go's Gordon Harcourt reported.

Council worked with a Disability Reference group in Gisborne to assist in the drafting their Disability Strategy. Feedback from users highlighted the need to stem the abuse of mobility car parks. Consequently a programme to paint all mobility car parks blue was completed in 2008. This initiative was recognised late last year by CCS Disability Action. They presented council with an award for their 'outstanding commitment to making mobility parking spaces highly visible across the city'. Since then other council's have expressed an interest in 'painting their town blue' and the colour is now recognised as a New Zealand standard colour for mobility car parks.

Heavy rain damages road at Anaura Bay

Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Heavy rain earlier this month has caused major damage to the road above Anaura Bay that leads to Nuhiti (Shark Bay).

A 40 metre section of the road has dropped by 1.5 metres. Road users are advised that the road is restricted to light vehicles with a maximum weight of 1.5 tonnes only. Extreme care is needed when using this section of road.

Council contractors are using a lightweight digger to reinstate single-lane access to the settlement. Repair works are expected to cost $3000 and will restore access to Nuhiti Station and the baches which rely on the road for access to the settlement.

This is not the first time the road has been adversely affected by a weather event. Heavy rainfall and flooding last June caused severe damage to the road making it inaccessible for several months. The road was repaired by retreating, or digging into, the neighbouring hill at a cost of $50,000. Fortunately this work is currently holding and some rock protection works will be undertaken in summer.

An update of the situation was presented to the Engineering and Works Committee last week. It considered what options are available should the road be damaged further.

These included retreating or digging further into the hill. However there is limited capacity to continue to do this. Alternatively the road could be abandoned or a complete realignment undertaken which could cost $600k. Due to low traffic volumes, this last option would not meet the economic criteria for subsidy assistance. Costs of any realignment, if considered, will have to be met by council.

Rate increase down to 3% after listening to our community

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Council finalised its road-map for the next 10 years today. After listening to community concerns about rating levels, and mindful of the economic downturn, council has looked for further reductions.

The Draft Ten Year Plan required a $2.9M million or 7% increase in overall rates for the 2010 year. Changes made to the plan after community consultation, receiving submissions and the hearing process has resulted in a final plan that requires a $1.4M or 3.3% increase in overall rates.

Feedback formally and informally at the various community and stakeholder meetings has genuinely influenced the priorities and projects in the adopted plan. The reduction in rate increase has been achieved by removing some projects, halving the wastewater capital rate and reducing operating costs.

Major projects that were not well supported include the reticulation of Makaraka, universal water metering and a mobile library service. These projects have been removed. The Waipaoa river flood protection scheme upgrade has been included in the final plan even though it was not in the draft and the variation of rates between different types of properties and locations has been smoothed.

Some major projects that received good community support will be fast tracked including walking and cycleway extensions, the redevelopment of the inner harbour and the War Memorial Theatre upgrade. The multipurpose recreational facility and Olympic Pool was also well supported but the learn-to-swim pool development will be delayed until 2015 and included with the upgrade of the complex as a whole.

Despite the economic constraints, the Ten Year Plan retains Council's commitment to achieving a positive vision for the district. There are no major reductions in the levels of service that the council provides to the community and in a number of areas significant enhancements are programmed.

Council's financial strategy reflects its awareness of the economic downturn and rates affordability whilst being poised to respond to any upturn in the economy. This balance has been achieved by prioritising capital expenditure that is essential to the functioning of the community, and that council is committed to. Capital projects that attract external funding have also been given a higher priority. Projects which improve community infrastructure have been pushed back until the community is better placed to fund them. Council staff have committed to reducing operating costs by $1M and employee benefits will not be indexed to inflation in the next year.

A further 180mm of rain predicted

Mon, 29 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

A severe weather warning is in place for the Gisborne district. 100mm of rain has already fallen in the district. From 9am Monday morning till midnight Tuesday a further 180mm is predicted to fall on the Gisborne ranges with heavy falls from midnight tonight. This rain is likely to remain on the surface as the district is already sodden. Some downfalls of between 15-20 mls per hour are expected.

Rivers peaked at midday today and will recede until high tide at midnight tonight. If the heavy rain continues as predicted rivers are likely to rise further before peaking at around midday on Wednesday. At this stage they are expected to cope with this quantity of rain although residents in low lying areas should expect surface flooding.

Council and Emergency Services have been briefed and will be monitoring the situation closely. Flood wardens will be used to ensure affected people are kept informed should the situation deteriorate.

Several road closures have been reported including part of Pehiri Road at Tahunga which is completely under water. Monck Road in the Waimata Valley is impassable due to slips and caution is needed on Mata Road and Kaiaua Beach Road due to slips. Manders Road and Atkinson Street are closed and caution is required on Oswald Street, upper Riverside Road, Waimata Valley Road and Chichester Street. Road closure information is being updated on the road conditions webpage.

Customer services have been kept busy with service requests relating to stormwater and surface flooding. They have taken 108 requests since 8am today (Monday). These are currently being worked through. Te Wharau, Central and Tolaga Bay Area School closed today after surface flooding.

Our consultation impressed the audit office

Fri, 26 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Council was congratulated on their robust consultation process at Thursday's council meeting. Ernst and Young partner Grant Taylor was appointed by Office of the Auditor General to audit council's Ten Year Plan at each stage from drafting to adoption.

Mr Taylor congratulated council on the processes it put in place and acknowledged the hard work of many staff members. "The plan has received a completely unqualified opinion at a time when expectations on councils and their planning processes have increased substantially. Not all councils have achieved this. It was pleasing to see that in the areas where there were problems last time you have made substantial improvements."

He believed that consulting with the community on the content of the Draft Ten Year Plan was a particularly robust process. "It was clear throughout that there was no predetermination of eventual outcomes. There was a genuine openness to change the plan based on feedback from the community and balanced by the need to control rating levels. This has been born out in the council debate and the final document."

"The level of openness was commendable. This was demonstrated by putting summaries of feedback onto the website along with a collation of all the submissions received. Your communities had access to much of the information that councilors had to make their decisions."

"The community appears to be in the know about the processes. On my way from the airport today I was impressed to learn that my taxi driver was particularly well informed. He had been involved in the submission process, had attended a hearing and knew a decision on the plan was being made today." Mr Taylor recounted.

Mayor Meng Foon replied to Mr Taylor's comments "This has been a good process. Our staff have done a tremendous job on all aspects of the Ten Year Plan and are to be congratulated for their efforts, The bit I really enjoy is the consultation. Going out into all our townships and communities and attending meetings of so many groups has been a valuable opportunity to really listen to our peoples concerns. It was important to see those concerns reflected in our final plan"

There were 2 other aspects of the process that Mr Taylor found particularly pleasing; implementation of the corporate plan software and the clarity of the council documents and papers.

"Implementation of the corporate plan module software was effective because the process was started early and bedding in of this new system was professionally managed. Many councils I deal with have tried to implement this system but have not been so successful."

Mr Taylor found the documents prepared by council staff and presented to both the community and council clearly articulated the issues facing the community, what options were available and what the cost to ratepayers would be.

Many new initiatives were trialed to encourage community engagement with the draft plan. This resulted in over 400 submissions of which more than 60 spoke in front of council. The new initiatives included:

Pre-consultation with affected parties on major projects.
Booklet style summary of the plan and its major projects delivered to every home in the district and to out-of-district ratepayers.
The draft plan, a summary of the plan and copies of all submissions available on our website.
An online submission form which generated 150 submissions.
Regular media releases informing communities about major issues and projects.
Taking the information to the people - not just the 21 formal public meetings but attending the farmer's market and attending over 17 stakeholder meetings.

Flood situation update at 12.30pm

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

About 500 people at Te Karaka north-west of Gisborne are expected to be isolated tonight. The rising Waipaoa River at Te Karaka, which is expected to reach 9.5 metres by this evening, is expected to cut off the 2 access roads into Te Karaka.

Gisborne Police, which is working with Civil Defence and Fire Service personnel, stresses that there is currently no danger to houses or people in the area. However, the advice for residents is that if they wish to get out of the area, they should do so before 4pm.

North of Tolaga Bay, the Mangatuna village, comprising 9 people, was expected to be evacuated before midday. The Hikuwai River reached 10m by mid-morning and was rising.

School children on the Te Karaka side of the Waipaoa River were being bussed back home this morning after a short stint at school. There is no threat to the Waipaoa Bridge.

Civil Defence controller Jon Davies advises people not to drive around the city looking at the flooding.

"This weather system is expected to continue until Wednesday afternoon with further rainfall predicted of 150 - 200mm in that time. Emergency services and Civil Defence are closely monitoring river levels and road closures.

"The expected road closures on either side of Te Karaka could isolate the area tonight and leave it isolated for up to at least 12 hours. As a precautionary measure, we have also evacuated the people from Mangatuna."

Mangatuna has been the victim of past flooding in 2005 and is also where 3 people died in floodwaters during Cyclone Bola.

"The rain is expected to create a number of road closures through slips and flooding and areas of surface flooding over the next few days.

"For Te Karaka workers in town, they may only have until late afternoon to get back to Te Karaka or arrange alternative accommodation."

In the city, while the Taruheru and Waimata rivers continue to remain high, there are no concerns about flooding,

Slips and flooding have closed several roads in the area.

A Civil Defence emergency has not been declared at this stage.

For information on road closures

For information on river levels

Situation update at 2.30pm

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

River levels throughout the district are running at a high level. High tide was at 12.30pm in Gisborne. The Taruheru River, which runs through the city, has recently overflowed its banks. This poses no threat to the city at this stage.

North of Gisborne the road into Anarua Bay is closed and at Kaiaua part of the road has fallen away. Two households are cut off. Civil Defence is in contact with the occupants.
At Te Puia Springs, where flood waters have come across the road at Fairlies Bridge, caution is required.
North of Tolaga Bay, 9 residents of the Mangatuna village have been evacuated.
A warning has been issued to residents at Te Karaka. They may be isolated overnight, however there is no threat to residents or homes.

Heavy rain continues to fall as forecast by the MetService. Rivers are running high and are being closely monitored; in particular the Waipaoa and the Hikawai.

Low lying areas are likely to experiencing flooding and most rural and some city schools have been closed. District flood wardens are maintaining contact with those affected by flood waters.

We are updating the river levels Check river level information

Please drive with caution on the roads Check road condition information

Residents leave home as floodwaters rise

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Update at 5.15pm. Several settlements in the Gisborne district were expected to be isolated by this evening as river levels continued to rise in the district. Up to 80 people are expected to be evacuated from small settlements north of Tolaga Bay as the Hikuwai River is close to overflowing its banks.

Several dozen Te Karaka residents have opted to leave their homes tonight but most of the 500 residents were likely to stay at home in the knowledge that their township could be isolated. The rising Waipaoa River was expected to cut off the 2 access roads into the township later this evening.

State Highway 35 between Te Araroa and Gisborne is open only to urgent travel, but is closed between Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay.
State Highway 2 at Te Karaka currently remains open.

North of Tolaga Bay, the Hikuwai River had reached 11.4 metres by mid-afternoon and about 100 residents at Wharekaka, Paroa and the Mangaheia Flats were in the process of being evacuated.

The Hikuwai overflows its banks at about 12 metres. The area had received about 90mm of rain in the 12 hours to 3pm, and rain continues to fall heavily throughout the district.

Earlier in the day 9 residents from Mangatuna, north of Tolaga Bay were evacuated.

The settlements of Anaura Bay, Nuhiti and Kaiaua - all north of Tolaga Bay - were cut-off due to flooding this afternoon. North of Tokomaru Bay, floodwaters came close to closing State Highway 35.

A warning was issued to residents at Te Karaka this morning but there is no current threat to residents or homes. The river was predicted to reach 9.5 metres by this evening.

Gisborne Police, which is working with Civil Defence and Fire Service personnel, stresses that there is currently no danger to houses or people in the area.

River levels throughout the district were also running at a high level around high tide at 12.30pm. The Taruheru River, which runs through the city, overflowed its banks but this poses no threat to the city at this stage. However, one family was evacuated from a city residence next to the Taruheru River and will spend the night in a motel.

Residents living beside the Waimata and Taruheru rivers, who have historically been affected by flooding, were being notified of rising floodwaters this evening. The Waimata River was sitting at just under 7m tonight. If it reaches 10m, about 40 houses could be affected.

Gisborne Police area commander Inspector Sam Aberahama said the situation is under control. However, he urged people to stay at home and not to go sightseeing.

Emergency services and Civil Defence are closely monitoring river levels and road closures. A Civil Defence emergency has not been declared at this stage.

Residents free to go home

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

The several dozen people evacuated from Tolaga Bay late yesterday in the wake of the rising Hikuwai River are expected to return to their homes today.

The Hikuwai came close to overflowing its banks, peaking at close to 12 metres last night but had reduced to under 8.45 metres by 7am this morning.

Rivers have receded around the district with less than the expected rainfall received over night. The highest rainfall in the few days since midnight Saturday was received In the Te Puia area where 420mm fell.

At Te Karaka, about 30 people chose to stay away from their homes last night. The Waipaoa River peaked at Kanakanaia at just under 7 metres last night but had receded by this morning to 6.25 metres.

Civil Defence controller Jon Davies said that nearly 300mm of rain had fallen on the Gisborne Flats, and probably more than 260mm in the city since midnight Saturday.

"This is a high total for the city considering which in Cyclone Bola in 1988 received between 300-400mm."

Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie said this morning that he was generally pleased with the way the city's infrastructure had coped with the rainfall event.

"We don't design for these events. It's not cost effective. What you're seeing is what you would expect to see in such an event. We have had at least 260mm in the city, which I understand from the records is a high total for the city for a relatively short duration."

Residents of Anaura Bay and Nuhiti are expected to remain isolated this morning as a result of floodwaters, and two families at Kaiaua are unable to get out due to a slip.

State Highway 35 remains physically closed due to slips.

Jon Davies praised the good work put in by the Civil Defence teams at Tolaga Bay and Te Karaka particularly, as well as the Police, Fire Service and volunteers. "Road contractors have also done a tremendous job keeping the highways open. The region has held up well. But extreme care still needs to be taken on the roads."

Further information on road closures and river levels is available here

State Highway 35 restricted access

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

SH 35 is expected to remain physically closed for the rest of the day.

The highway is closed due to subsidence on Busbys Hill, just south of Tokomaru Bay, and at Gudgeons Hill between Tikitiki and Tokomaru Bay.

Gisborne Police advise that once the Gudgeons Hill subsidence is repaired, possibly later today, anyone needing to travel to Tokomaru Bay and townships north will need to take the alternative route via Opotiki.

Check road conditon updates

Sports grounds remain closed

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

All city and Wainui sports grounds are closed for training and play until further notice. A reassessment of all sports grounds will be made on Friday morning. The sports fields include:

Anzac Park
Awapuni Sports Stadium
Barry Park
Childers Road Reserve
Harry Barker Reserve
Heath Johnston Park
Nelson Park
Oval
Waikirikiri Reserve
Wainui Reserve
Watson Park
Patutahi soccer field

"Ground Closed" means that no access is permitted onto the sports fields on that ground. There can be no sports games, matches, practice or training. This also includes other recreational activities such as running, walking your dog, hitting a golf ball etc.

Roads will take some time to repair

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

Our district's roads have been hard hit by this week's rain. A large number of potholes have appeared throughout the city where water has got through the road surface onto already saturated ground. Roading contractors are busy making temporary repairs to the potholes, clearing culverts and removing slip materials. Permanent repairs will only be possible when the weather improves.

Extra caution is required on all district roads while repairs are made and road surfaces are slippery. This may take some time.

The district's rural community is hardest hit with slips reducing some roads to one lane. The slips will take several weeks to clear. It is important that drivers take notice of temporary road signs and instructions given by the on-site traffic controllers.

It is unclear at this stage how many of the district's 350 bridges have been affected by rising flood waters. All will require a visual inspection to ensure the bridge approaches are not damaged. This will only be possible once the waters recede. Council may restrict heavy vehicles or speeds on some bridges until the inspections are completed.

Council roading engineers are still inspecting the 1800 km roading network. At this stage the initial repair bill is estimated to be $650,000k. Council will be applying for an emergency work subsidy from New Zealand Transport Agency.

Gisborne District Council's land transport manager Dave Hadfield is pleased how well the roading network has held up. "We have received a significant amount of rain and rivers have been at capacity. Considering this, damage to our roading network could have been significantly worse."

Detour offered to get around Busby's Hill

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

An alternative route between Gisborne and Tokomaru Bay north has been opened up for road users. State Highway 35 remains closed after significant road subsidence at Busby's Hill. Council staff have prioritised clearing slips on Mata, Tuakau and Ihungia roads to provide a loop around the hill. The loop is now open to light vehicles and small commercial trucks. It will add one hour to a journey up the coast but the only other alternative is via Opotiki.

Council land transport manager Dave Hadfield has only praise for the council contractors working on these roads. "They have been working hard to clear slips and provide access to our East Coast communities. We know how important it is that emergency vehicles and supplies can get through. The contractors are continuing to work on the loop so that it is open to all traffic by Friday afternoon"

Council has advised forestry companies that there may be an increase in road users who are not familiar with the area. The unsealed road has been signposted. Drivers must take care and drive to the conditions.

Some sports grounds remain closed

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

The following grounds remain closed over the weekend:

Anzac Park soccer field
Nelson Park - No.1 & No.2 soccer fields
Oval No.1 rugby field
Waikirikiri Reserve No.1 rugby field
Wainui Reserve soccer field.

All other sports fields are open:

Awapuni Sports Stadium
Barry Park
Childers Road Reserve
Harry Barker Reserve
Heath Johnston Park
Oval No.2
Watson Park
Patutahi soccer field

When a ground is closed it means that no access is permitted onto the sports fields on that ground. There can be no sports games, matches, practice or training. This also includes other recreational activities such as running, walking your dog, hitting a golf ball etc.

Waikereru Bridge on Riverside Road has a speed restriction

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +1200

There is a major slump of the riverbank under the Waikereru Bridge, 10.4 km along Riverside Road.
A 10 km/h speed restriction is in place for light vehicles crossing the bridge.
Heavy vehicles greater than 3500kg gross are banned from using the bridge until further notice.
We will have contractors on-site as soon as possible to restore support to the bank under the bridge.

See a photo of the riverbank slump

SH35 at Busby's hill open to all vehicles

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:30:00 +1200

NZTA has opened SH35 at Busby's Hill to all vehicles from this morning, allowing heavy vehicles to now use the highway.

The NZTA opened one lane of the highway at Busby's Hill on Monday to light vehicles, ending a closure of nearly three weeks. All heavy vehicles are now able to use SH35, which remains open to one lane.

"This will be welcome news for the truckies who have been very patient over the last 3 weeks," says Acting State Highways Manager Mark Owen. "We appreciate the impact this closure has had on commercial vehicles and local industry, and this news will certainly bring them well-earned relief." "We'd like to thank our contractors and geotechnical engineers, who have worked tirelessly and made fantastic progress over the last few days to get Busby's Hill open to everyone."

Mr Owen says the opening of Busby's Hill to heavy vehicles was dependant on the ongoing condition of the highway, and heavy vehicles would be diverted back to the alternative route if the highway showed signs of deterioration. He says the NZTA is confident that the new temporary single lane road, with the extensive drainage installed, will reduce the short term risk of further closure, but are continuing to investigate long term solutions.

The NZTA reminds motorists to check www.highwayinfo.govt.nz for up-to-date information on highway conditions and closures.

The NZTA will continue to issue updates as developments arise.

2 sports grounds remain closed

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +1200

Nelson Park No.1 and No.2 soccer fields are closed. All other GDC sports fields are open.

A reassessment of the grounds will be made on Friday morning.

Tairawhiti great rides proposal

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +1200

A proposal to include Tairawhiti routes in the National Cycleway Project, and tap into the $50M that the government has allocated, has been presented to the Ministry of Tourism.

Put together by the Opotiki District Council and Gisborne District Council, the proposal seeks to develop two long distance bicycle routes including a sealed coastal route with relatively low traffic and an inland route over mainly unsealed roads. Both routes link Opotiki and Gisborne. The routes are very scenic and already used by cyclists. Because the area enjoys a mild climate both routes have the advantage that they can be used throughout the year.

The proposal has been developed in partnership between the two councils and input was provided by Tourism Eastland, the Gisborne based community Cycling Advisory Group and Wairoa District Council. Informal support for the proposals has also been received from the Department of Conservation, marae and Maori tourism operators.

The Councils are proposing that any National Cycleway Project Funds be used promote the routes by providing information boards, bike storage facilities and making them safer by undertaking safety works. An optional upgrade of the Pakihi Track in the Raukumara Ranges is also included.

According to Gisborne District Council environment and planning manager Hans van Kregten investment will better enable the routes link into New Zealand's emerging cycling networks and provide opportunities for tourism development in an area that has significant economic challenges. "We see the development opportunities particularly in areas of accommodation providers, restaurants, retail, bike hire and repairs and tour operators as well as the development of unique Tairawhiti cultural tourism products".

The coastal route has already received international recognition. Lonely Planet described the East Cape as offering the best coastal cycling the world in its book Cycling in NZ. It stated 'while there are many worthy contenders for that crown, this is a ride that unquestionably offers an abundance of outstanding coastal scenery'. The route follows the 330km of State Highway 35, around the East Cape. It takes in a wild coastline of rugged little bays, coves and backdrops of Mount Hikurangi and the Raukumara Ranges. The area is alive and rich in culture: riders pass about forty marae and will hear Maori spoken on the streets of the small coastal settlements.

The Eastland Traverse is an inland mountain bike route on mainly gravel roads through remote Eastland hill country farms and the historic bush-clad Old Motu Road. It provides an experience of New Zealand off the beaten track, as well as an insight to what New Zealand was once like. It takes advantage of existing back country roads with little traffic and brings visitors to less frequented corners of New Zealand's conservation estate.

Read our Great Rides Proposal

Last week to get a discount

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 09:00:00 +1200

All dogs must be registered from 12 weeks of age. If you haven't registered your dog or received an invoice, please contact customer service.

For a form and more information about dog registration

Stories of Tairāwhiti with Mayor Meng Foon

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 16:30:00 +1200

To celebrate Te wiki o te Reo (Māori Language Week) we are inviting the public to hear the stories of our region as told by Mayor Meng Foon. Using Google earth maps as a prompt, Meng will take participants on a flying visit throughout our diverse region recalling the stories he has heard during his time as Mayor. He will talk about the origins of Māori place names particular to the kaunihera a rohe.

"Born and bred in Gisborne I have heard a few stories. Over the last 9 years I have traveled extensively throughout our rohe listening to the whaikorero (speeches) of our people and our kaumatua (leaders). I have asked questions and like to remember the answers. Māori language is very descriptive and is based in storytelling. Many everyday aspects of life are described as metaphors. This makes for a good yarn.

"One story is about the rohe of Turaki. Captain Cook landed there and misheard the locals. He thought they were saying 'Tolaga' and hence Tolaga Bay was named. Many Māori now refer to the area as Uawa - the joining of 2 rivers.

"Another name that is very pertinent to the council at the moment, and all those who rely on State Highway 35, is Waiomatatini. Literally translated it means 'the place of many springs'. Perhaps if the engineers who originally mapped out the state highway through this area were aware of the translation they would have rethought where they put the road."

The one hour story tour will be held in te ruma kaunihera (council chambers) on Friday 31 July starting at 12 noon. All are welcome.

World tour to deter graffiti in Gisborne

Thu, 06 Aug 2009 14:30:00 +1200

German mural artist Marcus Berndt is taking Gisbornites on a tour of the world to beautify our city and deter graffiti. He is painting a mural on the toilet block in Churchill Park that depicts scenes from around the world. He is volunteering his time and talent because he has a 'crush on this medium'. "Spray cans are what I like to work with best. I enjoy bringing a bit of colour to functional grey areas' Mr Berndt said.

Council's community facilities manager Terry McMillian said Marcus's work is of a high standard and makes our open spaces more interesting. He is happy to volunteer his time and council is just providing the spray cans."

Originally from Dresden in Germany, Mr Berndt has been in New Zealand 4 years and Gisborne 12 months. "I used to do these murals at home but after my friend died a few years ago I stopped painting completely. I have only just recently started again and have now completed a mural on the train shed at the Adventure Playground and another couple at Sessions Bar. There are heaps of murals around my home town. Tagging and graffiti are reduced because of respect for the artists creating the murals.

The idea for this mural which wraps around the toilet block came from a song by a hip hop band back home called Massive Tones. Their lyrics say 'turn the globe and point your finger. Let your dreams inspire you'. Hopefully this mural will inspire people even if they can't afford a round-the-world airline ticket." Mr Berndt added

Appeal withdrawal clears way for wastewater treatment plant

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 15:00:00 +1200

Another hurdle on the path to building the city's new wastewater treatment plant has been resolved. The sole appeal against the Hearing Commissioners' go-ahead has been withdrawn.

Gisborne District Council engineering and works manager Peter Higgs said this morning that the outstanding appeal against the consent variations granted in May was resolved without having to be decided by the Environment Court.

"Council and the appellant have been able to negotiate and settle the issues raised. The result is that all parties, including those others involved in the consent process, will be able to work together in ensuring that the proposed treatment plant will produce an outcome that benefits all and meets the aspirations of everyone."

A key component of the project is to establish a technical advisory group to monitor the performance of the process and treatment of Gisborne's wastewater, including developing options for alternative use and disposal, and improving the water quality of Turanganui-a-Kiwa.

"This next milestone again shows how the community can work together and arrive at consensus. We all want a result that is Best for Gisborne," Mr Higgs said.

Tenders for the building of the wastewater treatment plant in Banks Street, and the industrial wastewater separation scheme are expected to be called for by the end of the month. The first physical work on the treatment plant is expected to start before the end of the year with a late 2010 date for its commissioning.

Website survey online

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:30:00 +1200

How can we improve our website? We want to make it easier to you to do business with us online. Please tell us what services, information or features we could include on our website to help you.

We're interested to know if you would pay your rates or any other services online by credit card - would that be helpful? What other services would help you if you could do them online?

We would really appreciate you taking a few minutes to fill in the survey form. Thank you.

Flooding in Inner Kaiti will be minimised

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:30:00 +1200

The streets of Inner Kaiti are less likely to flood when an upgrade of the stormwater pipes in this area is completed before Christmas. Council contractors are upgrading the stormwater system in Harris Street, Coleman Road, Tukura Road, Gardner Place and parts of Iranui Road. Open drains will be upsized or upgraded to piped drains and the pipes that currently cut through private property will be rerouted through council road reserve.

The need for this work was highlighted by a catchment study in 2006 by Opus consultants which included a survey of residents. After the upgrade is completed, the flooding and ponding that these streets have experienced after a period of heavy rain, will be minimised. Mayor Meng Foon is very supportive of this work. "It is core to improving water flows around this area that has had problems in the past."

Most of the street trees in the area will be unaffected and protected during the project works. The location of power, gas phone lines and street trees were taken into account when deciding where to put the stormwater pipes. However, because of costs and the inability to move some stormwater pipes, four of the fifty street trees will need to be removed. Some of these trees are getting close to the end of their life expectancy due to old age. All trees removed will be replaced.

Other trees are at risk because of their close proximity to the construction works. These trees will be pruned back and fenced off and contractors will make every effort to protect them.

Mark Randall, Director of ArborCare Tree Company has been through the area with council staff to advise on which trees should be removed. "The trees to be removed cannot be saved due to the requirements of the stormwater design. Irreparable damage would occur to their root systems that would also leave them unstable and a threat to public safety and property".

"The involvement of council's community facilities department and arborists well before the project starts has enabled alterations to the design of the pipeline route and protection of most of the trees. A number of trees that would have been scheduled for removal can now be retained. The actual tree work will commence this week and only take a couple of days. The erection and moving of the protective fencing will take place throughout the 3 month duration of the project."

Potential contractors briefed on wastewater project

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:00:00 +1200

More than 30 people representing 13 national and local companies took a first-hand look this week at the site of Gisborne's new wastewater treatment plant.

Gisborne District Council engineering and works manager Peter Higgs and wastewater project manager Peter McConnell briefed the group on the project, with support from CH2M engineering consultants Garry Macdonald and Roddy Copeland. The group was then taken by bus and a convoy of cars to view the Stanley Street milliscreening plant, the council-owned Banks Street site where the treatment plant is to be built, and the various industries that will form part of the industrial separation scheme.

Eleven companies had earlier registered an interest in building the wastewater treatment plant; 8 registered an interest in the industrial separation scheme.

Council staff had initially produced a shortlist of preferred contractors to be invited to submit tenders. But with the view to giving local contractors a chance to tender directly, council decided to let all registrations of interest go forward to the tender process.

Wastewater project director Garry Macdonald said the information day drew a good response with all interested parties attending.

"Each party was given a full set of 20 design drawings to help get them thinking about the methodology involved in the various parts of the project, and to help them line up the various subcontractors and suppliers that may be required." Mr Macdonald said.

Designed by CH2M Beca, the total wastewater project is estimated to be completed within a $45M budget, including escalation and risk costs.

Tender documents are expected to be issued by the end of August after which contractors will have 6 weeks to prepare tenders. Staff will then recommend one or 2 preferred tenderers to the full Council for a final decision either in late October or at a special meeting in early November.

The successful tenderer is expected to be notified by mid-November with work beginning before Christmas.

"We expect that the contractors will want to work through the Christmas period to get the project under way. We are still hopeful that the treatment plant will be commissioned by the end of 2010 as planned," Mr Macdonald said.

"The project is now fully consented to go ahead after the outstanding appeal against the consent variations granted in May was resolved earlier this month.

Mata Road closed to heavy vehicles

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:00 +1200

Only light vehicles can use Mata Road due to a drop out at RP16. Please check road conditions updates.

Keeping safe workshop for senior citizens

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 08:30:00 +1200

Gisborne's senior citizens learnt how to keep safe around the home at a workshop held at the Lawson Field Theatre on Thursday 20 August. Keeping safe emotionally was also covered in a presentation by Gisborne District Councillor Nona Gaskin. She discussed tools seniors can use to avoid family abuse or general bullying.

Other organisations that presented include Gisborne Police, NZ Fire Service, St Johns and Homeplus - who demonstrated their range of security doors and awnings to physically protect homes.

More than 125 people attended and with 90 registered prior to the day. Groups came from both Tokomaru and Tolaga Bay. According to council community development team leader Judy Livingston the workshop went really well. "Attendees asked a lot of questions of the various presenters challenging misconceptions around what services they offer. There was very positive feedback about the calibre of speakers and the way the day was arranged. The light lunch provided by the Country Womens Institute went down a treat.

All who attended went home with a booklet produced by council with the support of emergency services and other community agencies. The booklet includes additional information about preventing falls, civil defence and internet safety for seniors.

Community planting day at Wainui 'schools' beach access

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 09:00:00 +1200

Room 3 at Wainui Beach School will be out in force on Sunday 30 August helping to beautify their community. Working with council they will help plant a range of natives and beach hardy plants. They will be planted next to the beach access on Wairere Road commonly referred to as 'schools'. Members of the Wainui Beach community are invited to come and help them.

Wainui Beach School principal Nolian Andrew is supportive of the project. "Room 3 pupils have learnt a lot this year about how important it is to look after their environment and are very passionate about preserving habitats for future generations to enjoy. They are especially keen to help keep the beach a safe haven for native birds and animals. This is a great opportunity for the children to get involved and do something positive that will really benefit the community. They will help plant the trees and will carry through with the project watering and weeding until the plants are established'.

The plan is to plant a low natural barrier on both sides of the ponds using flaxes and salt resistant plants. A temporary fence has been erected to allow plants to establish and keep people away from the water. Towards the sea, spinafex and pingao (sand dune grasses) will be planted. Council will install picnic tables and rubbish bins before summer. The planting plan and plants have been supplied by Gisborne's Native Garden Nursery and funded by council.

There has been considerable interest in this area since work was carried out earlier this year. Council installed 2 retention areas with the aim of minimising beach erosion. "We are keen to manage stormwater naturally" said council stormwater engineer Joss Ruifrok. "When it rains heavily the car park and beach in this area is eroded. We installed the 2 retention areas to slow the run-off of stormwater using natural processes. We think this is a better option than installing large pipes on the beach. The retention areas are designed to collect and hold stormwater when it rains heavily. During summer or dry periods the retention areas will remain empty. When the areas are at capacity the water that overflows will be wide, shallow, sheet-like and less likely to cause erosion."

"The ponds are a work in progress" Mr Ruifrok added. "While the retention areas were designed to drain quickly, the heavy rain event in June occurred before the work was finished. Council is still developing the areas to ensure they drain efficiently with the least amount of damage to the beach. Installing the retention areas has provided an opportunity to landscape this area."

The community planting day is on Sunday 30 August 1pm at 'schools' beach access on Wairere Road. If it is wet the day will be postponed until the following Sunday 6 September.

Parking restricted around The Great Race

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:30:00 +1200

There will parking restrictions this weekend as Gisborne prepares for 'The Great Race". The course takes in the Marina and the 3 bridges - Peel St, Gladstone Road and William Petty. The course needs to be kept clear of all vehicles to ensure the safety of competitors. The race starts at 1pm on Saturday but the area will be coned-off to the public from early on Saturday morning with marshals ensuring that no one moves the cones to take up a park.

The only exception to the parking restriction will be outside the Gisborne District Council buildings in Fitzherbert Street. This is to enable people to attend the Farmers Market at the Army Hall car park. As 12 noon approaches cones will be placed to stop any further parking in the area as people leave.

Council parking team Leader Paul Stuart requests public cooperation to support this event. "The Great Race is a fund raising event to raise money to equip the rescue helicopter with night vision goggles. It can run safely with the support of the people of Gisborne. This includes patience when facing disruptions to Saturday morning parking. People should try and plan ahead now and be prepared to park a bit further away from their preferred parking spots."

Roads will remain open during the event with cones placed to provide lanes for vehicles and competitors over the route.

Download a map of The Great Race parking restrictions

World Parks Day

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +1200

World Parks Day will take place on Saturday 19 September. Activities and events will be happening around the globe to celebrate the importance of parks, and encourage people to get out there and enjoy their local park.

Locally, we hope to see large numbers of the community using parks on Saturday. De-Arne Sutherland, senior reserves planner says "in Gisborne we are fortunate to have neighbourhood parks within 400 metres of most homes in the city. Our community are frequent users of reserves and public open spaces, whether its to watch kids soccer in the weekends, walking their dog on the beach, or sitting by the river to eat your lunch. Parks and open space are great for our mental and physical well being. I'm planning on taking my family to the park on Saturday".

There are a number of parks and activities Gisborne people can enjoy if you want to contribute to World Parks Day. The Botanical Gardens is always a great place to visit, especially with the kids, walk or cycle along the new section of the river walkway, head up to Eastwoodhill Arboretum to see beautiful spring flowers, spend the afternoon at the Skate Park, or just hang out on your favourite patch of grass".

"World Parks Day is a good opportunity to get out in to the fresh air and enjoy some leisure time with family and friends, and just think, there will be millions of others around the globe doing exactly the same thing on Saturday 19 September for World Parks Day".

Rainfall and river level information online soon

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:30:00 +1200

From Wednesday you will be able to monitor rainfall levels, river levels and wind and air temperature on the website. The information will be updated automatically every hour so you can track the levels.

Since the launch of our redeveloped website in April, it has enabled us to add new features to our site. Next week the economic development website will be integrated with our website - look out for the business training calendar.

The next new feature to be added next month is the council and committee meetings calendar, this will include the full staff reports and minutes.

"Working with wetlands" guide available

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 10:00:00 +1200

Landowners responsible for areas of wetland can now pick up or download a guide written specifically for this region. It outlines how to develop and restore these environments and identifies what plants will grow well in this region and where they should be planted.

Wetlands are some of New Zealand's most diverse habitats. They're home to an amazing range of plants and animals, many of which are not found anywhere else in the world. They are also some of our most rare and at risk ecosystems.

In general terms any land that is permanently or frequently wet and supports a natural ecosystem of plants and animals adapted to wetland living is called a wetland.

Damp land without wetland plants, such as temporary ponds, low-lying land with patches of rushes, or temporary watercourses, are wetlands, that can be good places to restore or convert into a permanent wetland.

Conservation and restoration projects make a big difference. It's not difficult to create the right conditions for our intriguing wetland wildlife.

Gisborne District Council along with Hawke's Bay Regional Council, the Department of Conservation and Fish & Game NZ has produced a guide to help landowners create, develop or restore wetlands.

The guide contains useful information regarding wetlands and covers:

landscape values
cultural resources
increasing habitats for wildlife
hunting
problem, wet farm land
stabilising banks, store water and improving downstream water quality
community, school or farm projects.

For more information or to download a copy of "Working with wetlands"

Inner city resident's parking problem addressed

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +1200

People who live in the central business district can now apply for a parking permit. With the permit residents can park their vehicle in 60 or 120 minute time restricted parks at any time of the day or night.

The permit does not cover parking in pay and display parks, metered areas or any 5, 10 and 30 minute time restricted parking areas. It applies to the area bounded by the Taruheru River, Turanganui River, Carnarvon Street and the Waikanae Stream.

Residents can apply for an annual permit for one vehicle. The permit will be issued against the registration number of that vehicle and must be displayed at all times.

Parking team leader Paul Stuart said this initiative is the result of a request from some inner city residents. "Where inner city residents can park has been a growing problem. We want to ensure there are adequate parking spaces for city businesses and their customers. Resident's permits are common in other cities. The scheme, which was developed in consultation with Heart of Gisborne, will mean that residents have options of where they can park without fear of getting a ticket. It also directs them away from the prime parking spaces favoured by retail customers".

For more information about the parking scheme and how to apply.

Rainfall and river levels now online

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 16:00:00 +1200

You can now check rainfall and river levels online. A summary report is available for all monitoring stations, or you can check sites individually using the map.

Here's the link for Environmental Monitoring

Register now for secondhand Sunday

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:00 +1200

If you have any household items you no longer want, then register for secondhand Sunday. Secondhand Sunday is on Sunday 11 October 9am - 12noon. It's also an opportunity to pick up some items for free.

For more information and how to register

Tsunami warning issued for New Zealand

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 08:30:00 +1300

As a result of a 7.9 earthquake in Samoa, civil defence are closely monitoring the situation but do not expect any dramatic effect resulting from any wave that may be generated.

For updates please check civil defence status

Civil defence team happy tsumani threat taken seriously

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:30:00 +1300

Gisborne civil defence is happy with the response from local and East Coast residents to today's tsunami threat. While it never looked like there was a significant risk to local communities it was important that residents avoided beaches and took the threat seriously.

Gisborne District Council's group controller Jon Davies was initially informed of a tsunami warning at 7.40am by the Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management (MCDEM). The emergency response team were called together by 8.15am. Once the situation was clarified civil defence coordinators in coastal townships were activated and local radio stations informed of the situation.

Warnings were given to people in low lying coastal areas for self evacuation as a further precaution. These people were contacted manually by police, fire and civil defence personnel and many choose to move to higher ground. Initial reports indicated a one metre wave was expected at East Cape from approximately 9.20am. Radio stations directed their listeners to stay off the beaches and avoid using small boats. At no stage was a significant risk identified.

Feedback from the radio stations and volunteers was that people were confused about what they were hearing on national television and radio. Mr Davies said it is important that people listen to local radio stations as their primary source of information. "In situations like this there will always be different messages flying around. Official civil defence messages are sent to our local radio stations. This can take a little time as we need to clarify our information and ensure it matches what is coming through from official agencies. This was an international event and so information on the status of the event is notified by MCDEM. Information from GeoNet, who use seismic sensors to track tsunami waves, is also taken into account.

"Residents who took preventative action by going to higher ground is commendable but people should become aware of whether they are in potential hazard area or not. Those that are not in hazard areas do not need to move," Mr Davies added. Evacuation plans and potential hazard areas are available on our website www.gdc.govt.nz/tsunami-evacuation-maps/

The Potential Threat Advisory remains in place. MCDEM is assessing information further with the assistance of scientific advisors. Tsunami wave activity is still being recorded at East Cape, with smaller wave activity is also being recorded at Gisborne. There is now a low possibility of waves higher than those recorded up to now. There is still an ongoing threat of strong currents affecting coastal areas. People should remain clear of beaches and refrain from boating activities.

Read updates

No parking at night on Peel Street blue lines

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +1300

Look out for the broken bright blue lines painted on the road in Peel Street. They indicate the clearway that is now in place in Peel Street between Gladstone Road and Childers Road. Any vehicle parked in the clearway between 11pm and 5am Monday to Sunday, will get a $60 fine. Any unoccupied vehicle will be issued a ticket and then towed from the area and placed in storage. The owner of the vehicle then has to make arrangements with the towage firm to get their car back. This is over and above the $60 fine. Signs have been erected and police will be reminding drivers about the clearway. After a short trial period, police will be issuing infringement fines from Sunday 18 October.

A joint initiative between Gisborne police, council and Heart of Gisborne, the clearway will help police deal with late night fighting and other disorderly behavior in this area. "Over the last few months police have been cordoning off both sides of Peel Street at night and this has been effective," said Sergeant Isaac Ngatai. "The rate of disorder offences and breaches of the liquor ban has dropped significantly. Cordoning off the street involves erecting bollards and using police security tape which is time consuming for busy police officers and makes the street look like a crime scene. Restricting cars in the area means people can't hide alcohol, stops loitering long after closing time and restricts the number of "hiding places" for trouble makers."

"There is strong support for the initiative from Heart of Gisborne, nearby retailers and businesses that are open at night in the area," said council engineering and works manager Peter Higgs. "The clearway system was chosen as it is a low impact, low cost approach that is flexible should the problem behavior move to another area. Council wants to work with the police to ensure the city is safe for residents and visitors at all times of the day and night. The clearway system makes it easier for police to do their job and keeps our city centre looking attractive and welcoming."

The clearway will be in place over the busy summer period and be reviewed in 6 months.

Read the public notice

Second-Hand Sunday this weekend

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 11:00:00 +1300

If you have been spring cleaning, now is the perfect opportunity to get rid of your unwanted goods for free.

To be involved you just need to register with us before 5pm on Thursday 8 October and then put any unwanted goods out by your letterbox by 9am on Sunday morning, 11 October. To register, email your address

By registering, your address will go on the list that is advertised in the Gisborne Herald on Saturday night and on our website on the Second-Hand Sunday webpage. Treasure hunters use this list to find the participating addresses where they can sort through your rubbish. As Mayor Meng Foon says, "Second-Hand Sunday turns one mans junk into another man's treasure. If you don't want it, put it out by the letterbox so that someone else can use it. I am fully supportive of Second-Hand Sunday".

Environmental educator Anne Lister says that this is part of Gisborne's waste minimisation programme. "Reusing is so much better than landfilling. The twice yearly Second-Hand Sundays have become an institution in the city. Each time the day is held about 75 tonnes of potential waste is diverted from landfill".

Everyone in Gisborne can participate - either by putting out things they no longer want which are given away or by going around and collecting items from others. Some families choose to do both.

Dawn Smith-Martyn of Stout Street thinks Second-Hand Sunday is an absolutely brilliant idea! "We managed to dispose of heaps of stuff we had been trying to get rid of for ages! My children picked up some useful things including a dilapidated chest that my step-son spent ages sanding and fixing rather than watching TV or playing Playstation! We had lots of fun driving around; my daughter navigated us from one address to another. We had the excitement of not knowing what would be found from one place to another and we all gained a better knowledge of the streets of Gisborne."

To register email us your address

List of addresses for Second-Hand Sunday

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 09:30:00 +1300

Here is a list of addresses that registered for Second-Hand Sunday this Sunday between 9am to 12noon.

For the list and information on Second-Hand Sunday

Council in a strong financial position but affordability still the biggest issue

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:30:00 +1300

Staff reported to the finance and monitoring committee on council's performance measures in a new look Annual Report. "Council takes measuring its performance very seriously," said finance and monitoring chair Craig Bauld. "Every year we set targets and then do our very best to achieve those targets. How well we do is measured in a variety of ways including ticket sales, resident satisfaction surveys, customer feedback and environmental testing. Last year council met or almost met (within 5%) 78 of its 107 performance targets. Areas we did well in include reducing the amount of waste going to landfill, managing our water supply despite a dry summer and responding to animal complaints, hazardous spills and rural fire calls. We are happy with this result but will strive to improve things like the time taken to resolve service requests, time to process building consents and to improve the return to council from our business units," Mr Bauld said.

The annual report shows that council is in a strong financial position but rates affordability continues to be an issue. Net assets have increased slightly to $1.73 billion and debt has reduced to $18 million down from $24 million in 2008. The debt per person has fallen from $540 in 2008 to $408 this year. However debt is forecast to increase to $37.5 million in 2010 as council builds and pays for the wastewater treatment plant.

Capital expenditure for the year was $33.7 million including expenditure on roading of $17 million, water, wastewater and storm water of $4.4 million, a land purchase for the wastewater treatment plant of $2.5 million and other council buildings of $2.2 million. Rates are not the only way council was funded. Last year. More than half council's income came from other sources including grants and subsidies, interest, dividends and vested assets.

"Council should have collected about $1million more in rates last year to cover the wear and tear on council assets," said chief financial officer Mike Drummond. "However after taking into consideration additional income received, council shows an underlying operating deficit of $544,000."

The Annual Report also shows a significant accounting surplus of $18.2 million for the year compared with a budgeted accounting surplus of $8.19 million. Unfortunately this surplus can not be used to reduce rates. The main contributors to this increase are:

$11.63 million in grants and subsidies that were received for capital works but can not be used to pay for the day-to-day operation of Council.
The high number of subdivisions completed last year that resulted in $8.44 million worth of assets being transferred to Council ownership. These are recorded as Council income. These assets include roading, water, stormwater and wastewater networks.

The Annual Report is expected to receive an unqualified audit report and be available free from our website following adoption by council on Thursday 29 October.

Botanical Gardens playground upgrade

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +1300

Families who enjoy using the Botanical Gardens playground will notice some changes taking place. Gisborne District Council is upgrading the play equipment, starting with an old set of swings that was removed last week. This two-seater swing has been replaced with a modern set that will have 3 seats.

As this playground is designed mainly for the under 12 year-olds, the new swings are not as high as the old set. A second set of swings will be installed next week. In total there will be 6 swing seats available replacing the previous 4.

A new 'Dippy Disc' and see-saw will also be installed soon. Other new equipment will be added over the next 2 years and some older items may be refurbished. Material from the old swings will be recycled and used elsewhere on reserves for fencing and gates. A sign has been erected at the entrance to the playground telling visitors about the upgrade.

This playground upgrade is following recommendations from the recently approved Botanical Gardens Management Plan. Feedback on the plan was requested in 2008 through a public submission process. A record 300 submissions were received. After considering this feedback, council approved the management plan in June this year.

Both the Waikanae Beach playground and the Adventure Playground are also having an upgrade with 2 new 5.5 metre high 'Vertigo Cone' climbing towers being installed. The under-surfacing for these is being installed this week and children will be able to play on them next week.

These and other council playgrounds are being upgraded to meet the New Zealand Playground Standard (NZS 5828:2004 Playground Equipment and Surfacing). Recent publicity suggested that splinters were the reason some play equipment was being replaced. In fact it is because there are safety issues with the old equipment. In many cases they do not conform to the current standard, some have unacceptable fall heights and some would no longer conform to building standards. Much of the old play equipment is around 40 years old and made from timber and metal components that are gradually deteriorating. This makes it hard and expensive for council to keep playgrounds safe. The upgrade programme is guided by the results of an independent 2006 audit carried out on all the district's council playgrounds.

Our district's under siege from pink flowers

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 15:00:00 +1300

Every spring our district's hillsides, roadsides and reserves turn pink as the invasive "holly leaved senecio" sometimes known as pink, or purple, ragwort takes hold on any spare land it can find. Holly leaved senecio is an aggressive garden escapee that forms a dense cover, reducing the productivity of land as it competes with pasture and other plants. The downy, parachute-like seeds are mostly wind dispersed but can also spread by people and contaminated machinery.

To help reduce or stop the spread of this plant, residents are asked to hand-pull individual plants on their property. According to Gisborne District Council pests and plants controller Phil Karaitiana it is preferable to get to the plants before they come into flower and while the ground is soft. The ideal time is after it has rained. "Deal with it before it flowers. If plants are in flower then remove flower heads and get rid of them. Don't add them to your compost heap. If you have a larger area of this plant then you will need to control it by using an approved herbicide."

The plants are highly visible at present in various parts of the Gisborne urban and some outlying rural areas. They are easily recognised from a distance by their brightly pink coloured flowers. It is an erect herbaceous plant with oval leaves that is coarsely toothed. It grows up to 1.5 metres tall and has purple, mauve or pink flowers in clusters with yellow centres. It flowers from September to December and gets established very quickly in its preferred habitats. They like waste land situations, hillsides, poor pasture areas, scrubland, and also along roadsides.

Council is not immune from the invasion. "Holly leaved senecio is growing on several council reserves," Mr Karaitiana said. "This was raised at October's Environment and Planning Committee meeting. A contractor has been engaged to spray the plants on council reserves however unfavourable weather conditions have delayed the programme. Spraying will start as weather permits."

Holly leaved senecio has been identified as a containment category plant pest in council's Regional Pest Management Strategy for the Gisborne region. Land occupiers with infestations are required to maintain a 20 metre boundary clearance from adjacent land that is free of this plant.

Tsunami risk public meetings

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:30:00 +1300

City and Wainui residents can find out about the tsunami risk. To find out where and when the meetings will be held, read the public notice.

Whataupoko trails a tribute to volunteers

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:30:00 +1300

Without the enthusiasm of Bernie Vette the popular Whataupoko park trails, used by hundreds of mountain bikers, walkers and runners each month, may not have been developed. Bernie has volunteered thousands of hours over the last 7 years to develop this area and has been the driving force behind getting other volunteers on board. "I saw an opportunity to create a great asset for the Gisborne community on this unused land. This was a project I could really get my teeth into and it has been very rewarding," said Mr Vette.

"The commitment of Murray and Trish Aitkens from Dirtworx has been an important part of getting things moving. They originally got involved cutting the Village Trail. This trail was sponsored by the Ballance Village shops and the Gisborne District Council," Mr Vette acknowledged. "Murray and Trish remained enthusiastic about the project and have worked on it for the past 6 years volunteering their time and machinery. We have also been ably assisted by Walter Gorza who has been my legs and Jenny Allen from the Council who has been very supportive getting our plans approved and sorting out any issues we have had. Council has also funded the more difficult work," Mr Vette added.

Whataupoko park (Langford Fallon reserve) was purchased by Gisborne District Council in 1991 and 1992, as the hillside had been unstable and threatened to slip onto the houses below in Seddon Crescent and Fox Street. The reserve was then planted in exotic trees which are now well established. When Council consulted with the community on what should happen with this new park in 2001, there was considerable support from the mountain biking community to establish mountain bike trials. Despite a group forming to make this happen, no work was started until 2003 when Mr Vette, along with a handful of volunteers, came on board.

"Bernie made a plan of the overall reserve and worked out where the trails would go," said Jenny Allen council reserves supervisor. "Working collaboratively with council, the first trails were developed. The trails have been made as interesting as the terrain will allow but managing water run off has been a big issue in this area. The trails had to be planned to meet the conditions set under the resource consent. Bernie has been aware of the requirements and worked to ensure they are met. Along with Murray, Trish and Walter countless man and machinery hours and have been volunteered to bring the trails to where they are today. It has been a real partnership. Council has grassed the surface of the trails to keep the park looking natural and so the trails can be mowed regularly. Waterproofing the trails and improving the drainage still continues. We are at a stage now where the tracks are dry 12 months of the year and the ponding that was an issue is largely resolved. We need the public's help to keep it that way,' said Mrs Allen.

It has been a satisfying project for the team of volunteers involved. "We get a lot of satisfaction seeing an area that was once farmland now transformed into a great community asset. There are lots of options for people to use the trails to get active. From the original one kilometre farm track, there are now 7 kilometres of trails. They are well known as mountain bike trails but in fact 90% of users walk the trails. Best of all it's right on our back door step, close to the central city," said Mr Vette.

"It has taken approximately one year to develop each trail. That puts into context just how much work is involved. What we ask from park users now is that they respect the work done and take care of the place. There have been instances where people have cut down trees and dug their own trails especially down the gully area. Apart from the fact that any further trails are not consented, what they don't understand is that the tracks have been designed to direct the flow of water away from the park. Digging other trails puts this in jeopardy and chopping down trees destabilises the hill. Our current work is planting 100 flaxes donated by council to stop the land slipping," Mr Vette added.

Here's a map of the trails

Annual Report highlights a busy year

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:00:00 +1300

Forty two million dollars was collected in rates last year in the Gisborne district. The Annual Report, which goes to Council this Thursday, outlines how residents benefitted from that investment. "Last year was about asking residents how they saw this district in 10 years time and what council should be working on," said Mayor Meng Foon. "After listening to feedback from many parts of the community we produced a Ten Year Plan and worked with organisations to decide what community outcomes we should all be working towards. These outcomes are a useful barometer of how council is performing. "A highlight for council was the progress made on the new wastewater treatment plant. In July 2008 we were looking at an $85M plant at the airport. Now we have consents to build a $45M plant in Banks Street. Building is expected to start in 2010 and the current milliscreening site near Midway Beach will soon be cleared" Mayor Foon added.

As a unitary authority Gisborne District Council is responsible for protecting the environment and building infrastructure for future generations. This must be balanced with providing for the needs of the district's current residents.

Protecting the environment involves working closely with landowners said environment and planning manager Hans van Kregten. "We have been working together to stabilise our hill country as part of the Sustainable Hill Country project. Council has provided advice on tree establishment plans and funding options. We also worked with the Tokomaru Bay community placing restrictions on coastal land use. We don't want landowners to build a house on "at risk' land only for it to be lost to sea. Other initiatives included producing a "Working with Wetlands" booklet to help landowners restore the ecology of their waterways and preventing rooks (crows) from establishing in the district. This will save our valuable seed crops and topsoil," Mr van Kregten added.

"The district's townships benefitted from council initiatives in the last year" said engineering and works manager Peter Higgs. "A key project has been working with 2 Ruatoria based trusts and government agencies to develop a whole of catchment plan for the Waiapu River. The initial focus is protecting Ruatoria from a major flood and the effects of erosion. We also built a new grandstand at Tokomaru Bay and installed a skate ramp at Patutahi Park as part of a community-led plan to develop the area. Te Araroa got its long awaited main street upgrade and the burn pit at Tikitiki was replaced with an environmentally-friendly transfer station."

"Keeping our roads open and accessible is always one of council's big expenditure items each year. We have more roads per head of population than any other district and 60% of them are unsealed. Despite challenges from heavy rain, 74 kilometres of roads were resealed, 16 kilometres improved and approximately 500 slips cleared including 150 major ones. Waimata Valley residents were pleased that 6 kilometres of the notoriously unstable Waimata Valley road was sealed. The inner harbour was cleared of logging trucks after the new Rakaiatane Road was built, opening up opportunities for further development in this area" Mr Higgs said.

"One of council's most popular projects last year was extending the city walkway along the Turanganui riverbank. The path was designed to accommodate cyclists and walkers together. Down by the Waikanae creek a large koru pattern has been incorporated into the paving and at Watties wharf, which is always popular for fishing, wooden decking and seating were installed. Further walkway developments are dependant on external funding Mr Higgs added.

Kerbside recycling tidy up

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:30:00 +1300

Our rubbish and recycling contractor AllBrites have been tightening up what they will accept in recycling bins. They are doing more sorting kerbside and only taking the items that council has contracted them to accept for recycling.

"In the past other items have been accepted to encourage Gisborne people to keep up the good work reducing the amount of rubbish going to landfill," said council environmental educator Anne Lister. "The amount Gisborne people recycle has continued to increase over the last couple of years but now the recycling collections are having a tidy up. Council has been alerted to some cases where the contractor has been overzealous with their sorting and leaving acceptable recycling behind. This is being rectified."

"However if residents put containers contaminated with food or items such as polystyrene, chippy packets, planter bags, shrink wrap and plastic toys they will be left in the bin. If a whole bin has been contaminated with broken glass, cigarette ash, disposable nappies and the like, AllBrites can leave behind all the contents," Mrs Lister added.

"It has always been a requirement that paper and cardboard are kept together, usually by putting it all in a plastic bag. It is difficult to sort if paper is scattered throughout the bin and sticking to things such as wet bottles. It is also timely to remind people in the lead up to Guy Fawkes that used fireworks are not recyclable even though they are made of cardboard. They all must be put in the rubbish."

There has been no change in the recycling contract council has with AllBrites. All paper, cardboard, milk cartons, plastic bottles and other clean food containers and bags can be put in the black bin. Clean glass jars, bottles, aluminium and tin cans will also be collected.

If you're not sure about what to put in the recycling bin, check our recycling webpage.
A fridge magnet will be delivered to all households in a couple of weeks so that people can use it as a checklist before putting their bin out.

Gisborne's marine oil spill team well prepared

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +1300

A marine oil spill exercise planned by council took place by the Marina car park at the junction of the 3 rivers on Friday 30 October. Council's oil spill response team tested their capability and refined strategies to contain oil spills within the city's rivers.

The priority of the exercise was to stop any oil escaping into the Waimata or Taruheru River. Today's practical exercise follows a very successful desktop response scenario held on Thursday. This involved council staff, trained volunteers and Department of Conservation. The response was overseen by Maritime New Zealand staff who commended the group on their cohesive team work, quick thinking and leadership.

It was the first exercise lead by Louise Bennett. A senior environmental health officer with council, Louise is the second woman to be appointed as a Regional On Scene Commander in New Zealand but is the only woman to hold this position currently. Louise has been involved with council's pollution response team for the past 10 years, and was responsible for storage, collection and disposal of waste and sourcing temporary waste sites during the oil spill resulting from the grounding of the Jody F Millennium in 2002.

Mrs Bennett has completed practical exercises and exams critiqued by National On Scene Commanders (NOSC) from New Zealand and Australia. She will be responsible for controlling exercises and incidents here in Gisborne. Mrs Bennett appreciates the community support for these exercises. "Gisborne is lucky in that it has a very dedicated team. There are people here from the Rural Fire Service, NZ Police, Eastland Port Company and the Gisborne District Council. All have attended Maritime NZ training courses in Auckland. We are grateful to Ray Dever and the Department of Conservation for the use of their boats. We can also use the surf life saving IRBs and crew when they are available."

Bruce Anderson, General Manager Monitoring and Response from Maritime New Zealand congratulated the team on well run exercises. 'The team motivation and focus is commendable. Exercises are important to keep teams skilled and ready for the next oil spill. The Gisborne District Council is responsible for dealing with small and medium sized spills for which MaritimeNZ provides the equipment and training to support the Council. The Gisborne team responds to about six spills each year mainly in the inner harbour area. Training of staff and any cleanup costs are met by the Oil Pollution Fund however where possible costs of any spill response are met by the spiller."

Whales tidy up for summer

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:00:00 +1300

The "Whales' area at Okitu is to have a tidy up in time for summer. As part of the reserve management plan for this area council will be carrying out some work over the next month. This includes removing plant pests and exotic plants. They will be replaced with low-growing native plants such as flax.

The norfolk pines, which were the subject of a protest by some residents last year, will have some of their lower branches pruned to improve Moana Road sea views. The trees will not be removed during the life of the current 10 year reserve management plan.

Other changes include replacing the existing fence with bollards to exclude vehicles from parking on the graves. The heritage sign will be shifted from its current location alongside the highway where it poses a risk to traffic when cars stop on the verge to read it. The sign will be moved to face the northern car park area.

Council adopted a management plan for Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves in 2008. The community had an opportunity to make submissions on this plan before it was adopted. One of the areas identified as needing work was the iconic whales grave. Local hapu, Ngati Rakaiatane - Ngati Oneone, who were involved in the management plan process will also have the opportunity to plant and commemorate this site.

"Whales" is situated at the northern end of Wainui Beach, and was the site of a large sperm whale stranding in 1970. Tragically, 59 whales died. Those who lived at the beach at that time will vividly remember the day the whales became beached and unable to be saved. It was a significant day for the Wainui community.

For a copy of the Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves Management Plan.

Plan for Rere falls and rockslide

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +1300

Council recently gave approval to the preparation of a management plan for Rere falls and Rere rockslide.

We invite the public to make written suggestions, over the next month, about any concerns or issues you may have, or how you might like to see these places looked after in the future. "This phase of the management plan process is a great opportunity for me to find out who is interested in these reserves, what they consider important, as well as any concerns they may have about this process" says De-Arne Sutherland, senior reserves planner. These popular destinations are natural treasures. We need to look after these special places, as well as keeping them accessible for everyone to enjoy!

"Some of the issues I imagine council will be looking at through this process will be about how we provide car parking and other park facilities, such as toilets and picnic tables. The most important aspect will be providing for visitors while retaining the 'natural countryside aspect that is intrinsic to the appreciation of Rere falls and rockslide".

If you would like to make comments on the management of these areas please send them to council by 7 December 2009, or email service@gdc.govt.nz. Any questions please contact our Reserves Planner.

Successful tenderer has wide infrastructure experience

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 08:30:00 +1300

HEB Construction, the successful tenderer for the Gisborne Wastewater Project, is an award-winning, privately owned New Zealand civil engineering construction company.

Founded nearly 30 years ago in South Auckland, HEB operates from 9 regional branches undertaking wastewater infrastructure as well as roading, bridgeworks and intricate concrete structures.

It was responsible for the $4.7m upgrade to the Te Maunga wastewater treatment plant in Tauranga and for the Waikato Water pipeline, taking treated drinking water from the Waikato River to Auckland.

HEB chief executive Derrick Adams said this week that many of HEB’s resources would be redeployed from Napier to Gisborne once a major wharf development project for the Port of Napier was completed. “We expect most of the project management team to come from outside the region but intend to maximise our use of local suppliers and subcontractors.”

All go for $39.5 millon wastewater project

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:00:00 +1300

The upgrade of Gisborne’s wastewater system is about to begin, at a cost of $39.5m.

Council last week let more than $26m in tenders, the largest – $21m – to Auckland-based HEB Construction Ltd to build the new wastewater treatment plant at Banks Street and associated industrial separation scheme.

The total cost of the upgrade includes land, UV disinfection, equipment including the media for the biological trickling filter, and consultancy fees.

The project will be led out of Tauranga and use local suppliers and contractors where possible.

A separate contract of $1.1m was let to Downer EDI Works for the construction of the western industrial pipeline.

Mayor Meng Foon is delighted with the result and the robust process throughout.

“The prices are excellent. I thank all the tenderers, our staff, wastewater committee and CH2M Beca for coming up with such a wonderful result.

“We still plan to approach the Government for assistance, mainly for the industrial scheme components, expected to cost $6.5m.”

Engineering and works manager Peter Higgs was also pleased to see the project come in well under estimate.

“This great achievement, at half the original price of close to $84m, reflects the hard work put in by council and its advisers especially CH2M Beca. It also reflects how much work had gone into getting the detail right in the first place – the design and consultation with tangata whenua and interest groups – to reduce the risk to contractors as much as possible.”

The staff recommendation for HEB was based on price and specified attributes – financial backing, relevant experience, track record, technical resources and management skills.

“We appreciate the effort put in by all the tenderers and thank them for the high quality of tenders submitted.”

Banks Street site makes good sense financially

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:30:00 +1300

A ceremony will be held on Monday to mark the beginning of the Banks Street development where our largest project of recent time – the Gisborne city's wastewater treatment plant – will be built.

The site will house more than just the new plant. Existing buildings, including a large one used as a logging truck workshop, have been converted into space for council departments and 5 areas of warehouse and office space that will be leased commercially. The Banks Street site was occupied by Pacific Haulage until council purchased it in 2007.

Development of the site will result in significant cost savings for council. Council departments currently housed in leased premises in Awapuni Road will be moved to Banks Street saving $60,000 per year in rent and 5 other premises will be leased commercially.

Council’s pests and plants, and rivers and drainage departments will operate from Banks Street and the archive facility has already moved. It was quickly running out of space in Awapuni Road and was not compliant with new government regulations on the storage of records.

Two commercial areas on site have already been leased out long term to Bridgestone Tyres and Vehicle Testing New Zealand who will relocate in the new year. A further 3 commercial areas - 2 at 140sqm and one at 250sqm - are now available to lease.

The back of the site will be taken up with the new wastewater treatment plant. Ground strengthening work will start in December. The Banks Street site was chosen for the wastewater treatment plant after problems were identified with the initially proposed sites. Building near the airport proved expensive due to its 2.5km distance from the outfall pipe. The other site was near the existing milliscreening plant in the Adventure playground. Mayor Meng Foon and staff consulted aerial maps to look for suitable sites to build on that were large enough to house the new plant and were close to the existing outfall pipe. The 3 options were widely consulted on with Gisborne residents and the Banks Street site was clearly preferred. The fact it is within 500m of the outfall pipe has helped to bring costs down.

Banks Street site blessed on Monday

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +1300

A spade won’t be big enough for the official sod-turning ceremony taking place on Monday for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant. Instead Mayor Meng Foon, a former market gardener accustomed to such work, will man a digger to clear a small section of soil on the Banks Street site.

The ceremony will be held at 3pm on Monday 23 November. A ribbon will also be cut to open council’s new archive facility also on the Banks Street site. The archives will be blessed by kaumatua John Pomana before the proceedings move to where the treatment plant will be built.

The historic occasion, regarded as the official start to the $39.5m Gisborne Wastewater Project, will be attended by a wide cross-section of people involved in the process to date. This includes individuals and groups with widely divergent views, who came together to form the Wastewater Adjournment Review Group (WARG). The group included iwi and hapu representatives, health professionals and council staff. All were an integral part of the planning process.

“Many of the Treaty of Waitangi Claimants have been party to the cooperative Tangata Whenua and council approach to wastewater. Their input marks a promising beginning for the post Treaty of Waitangi claim settlement relationship between Tūranga Whiriwhiri, (Turanga Waitangi Claimants Group) and council. Alongside the other Tūranga Claimants, council is hopeful that this spirit of cooperative progression for the community as a whole may become stronger,” said council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie.

Council earlier this month let the main tender of $21m to Auckland-based HEB Construction, which is now responsible for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant and the industrial separation scheme. Council project manager Peter McConnell and CH2M Beca staff will continue to oversee the project as it works toward its December 2010 commissioning. By then the city’s wastewater will be treated to a far higher standard than currently. Wastewater will be processed through a new biological trickling filter system before being discharged through the existing 1.8km outfall to the sea.

Engineering and works manager Peter Higgs says the sod-turning ceremony is an important milestone for the project. “A massive amount of work has gone into getting to this point. CH2M Beca initially designed a scheme to meet the consents we were granted in September 2007. But the community could not afford the $84m cost. We went back to the drawing board and, with the commitment and collaboration of the wastewater working group, reduced the scope of the scheme and shifted the site to Banks Street, thereby shaving $40m off the project cost. “Getting the detail right in the first place enabled us to achieve an excellent tender price which reduced the total cost to $39.5m. “We look forward to progressing the project in this same positive vein over the next 12 months.” A tour of the buildings on the Banks Street site will be available after the blessings. Council’s rivers and drainage and pests and plants departments are moving to the site and a new archives facility is already installed. Five on site areas will be leased commercially.

Preserving records of our district's history

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +1300

Much of the district’s history is on the move. Records documenting decisions made by borough, city and more recently district councils in this area are stored in council’s archive facility. The archives have now moved into a building in Banks Street that has been adapted to meet Archives New Zealand standards.

Under the Public Records Act 2005 Archives New Zealand set out the standards by which public records should be stored. This includes a climate controlled facility that can house a range of different archive media. The renovated facility in Banks Street is fully complaint with these standards, one of the few council facilities in New Zealand that is. The area is not only climate controlled, but light in the room is kept to a minimum and the doors are all sealed to avoid dust entering the room.

Previously the archives were stored in a leased building in Awapuni Road. To bring it up to the required standard would have been an expensive operation in someone else’s building. “Purchasing the Banks Street site to build the wastewater treatment plant offered an opportunity to give our records the attention they deserve,” according to council property manager Matt Feisst.

“Records stored in the facility include minute books from meetings dating back to the first Borough Council in 1877 and correspondence books back to 1882. Some of the most interesting records for researchers include the rate books which show who paid rates, on what property and how much they paid. Records from all the county councils and the boards - from the East Coast Catchment Board to the Patutahi Domain Board - are stored in the facility along with photos, paintings, silverware and gifts to the city. Anything relevant with enduring, evidential, administrative or historical value comes to me,” said council archivist Mahea Tupara.

Archives staff have been pushing for a climate controlled facility for the last 15 years “Dust, dampness and temperature extremes are a major killer of records. Already many of our older records are too fragile to be handled. Photos and microfiche are the most affected. To preserve all our old microfiche building consents we have sent them away to be digitised. Eventually it is envisaged that electronic data will take over, replacing much of the paper to be stored, however, there is no evidence of this happening at the moment,” Mrs Tupara added.

“The records held in the facility are public records. If public want to access the information they make a request to council’s customer services. People can visit the archives to do their own research or if they need staff to do it for them there will be a charge. Just recently we had a request from England about a particular property. After letting the woman know what was available she included Gisborne on her itinerary when she came to New Zealand. She was amazed at how much information on the property she could find in our records.”

Annual Report now publically available

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 12:30:00 +1300

Council’s 2008-09 Annual Report is now available from our website, customer service centres and the HB Williams Library. The new look report, which was adopted by council at the end of October, reports on council’s performance over the last 12 months.

In an effort to ensure these results are available to all ratepayers a brochure outlining key results was included in this month’s rates demand. “We wanted to change from a statutory compliance chore to telling a story. This is a story of success, challenges and failure that the community can relate to. We want to show that what the council delivers does touch peoples lives everyday and hopefully provides good value for their rates investment,” says chief executive Lindsay McKenzie.

The changes to the report include emphasising council’s highlights and results. The main financial analysis has been moved to the back of the document. Clearer graphs are included to show how the $42M collected in rates was spent and what council’s debt levels are.

According to chief financial officer Mike Drummond a lot of effort has gone into making the financial reports more understandable by including more explanatory notes. “Previous reports, while meeting minimum statutory requirements were poorly presented and didn’t clearly outline what we had achieved or not achieved over the last year. We have looked at the best examples of Annual Reports from other councils and made a lot of changes. This year’s report has focussed on how council performed and provides an analysis of the major factors that influenced that performance.”

The document is substantial at 163 pages. A more accessible 16 page summary has also been produced. This focuses on the key points of interest for the past year including what council is doing to protect the district’s environment and keep residents safe, work in the townships, improvements to the district’s outdoor spaces and facilities and what council is doing to keep future rate increases to a minimum.

The Annual Report is available to download.

Contractors move on to wastewater treatment plant

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:30:00 +1300

Physical works for the new wastewater treatment plant are about to begin, little more than a fortnight after tenders for the city’s biggest infrastructure project in 40 years were approved.

From today, when HEB Construction takes possession of the Banks Street site, work will start on clearing and fencing off the construction site and adjacent lay-down area where equipment and materials will be stored.

Project manager for the Gisborne Wastewater Project, Peter McConnell, said HEB Construction had a tight but achievable timeframe to have the treatment plant built and commissioned by 31 December 2010. A building consent has just been granted.

“The initial key to meeting this date will be to ensure the contract progresses quickly in the first 3 months. Between now and January, HEB will be preparing the site, fencing off the area, establishing site offices and water, sewerage, power and telephone services, and demolishing the concrete base of the old truck servicing building. This will prepare for foundation improvements due to start on 11 January.”

The site will become HEB Construction’s base for the next 12 months or more. The Auckland-based company won the combined tender to build the city’s new wastewater treatment plant and the main industrial separation scheme, which takes wastewater from separate industries’ on-site schemes to the outfall pipe. These schemes will run concurrently with the western industrial separation scheme, to be constructed by Downer EDI Works.

Earlier this month, council approved tenders totalling more than $3m for the supply of mechanical equipment essential to the wastewater upgrade including screens, pumps, standby generator and plastic media for the biological trickling filter.

“Council and CH2M Beca will continue working together with 3 engineers providing day-to-day supervision and observation of the contractors and physical works. Beca specialists, who prepared the original designs and specifications, will provide technical assistance, often remotely using advanced technology from the Banks Street site.” Special attention will be paid to issues including vibration, dust suppression, noise and discharges to Waikanae Creek and road channels resulting from stormwater and water used in site excavation, Mr McConnell said.

“We have informed nearby industries and residents about what will be happening. As well, council and HEB Construction will monitor noise and vibration levels to ensure they do not exceed the levels detailed in the work plans. Together with HEB, we will work to minimise disruption to industry and ensure public safety.”

Gisborne city water supply is safe

Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council says the Gisborne city drinking water supply is safe and free from faecal contamination. Data reported by the Ministry of Health does not mean the Gisborne city water supply is contaminated. There is no health risk to people using the water supplied within Gisborne city.

A Ministry of Health report released this week has stated that only 3% of the people in the Gisborne city area drink water fully complies with the national drinking water standards.

Council’s chief environmental health officer Sarwan Kumar says that Gisborne city treated water comes predominantly from Waingake treatment plant. This water is supplemented in dry summers from the Waipaoa treatment plant. “These plants were not considered compliant for the reporting period of July 2008 and June 2009. Technical issues about verification of chlorination processes required under revised standards have caused this reported result. Additional verification data has since been provided to the Ministry of Health drinking water assessor. We are satisfied that the chlorination processes at the treatment plants fully meet compliance for control of bacterial water quality”, Mr Kumar says.

Water quality supplied within Gisborne city is monitored frequently to ensure the water is safe to drink. 140 samples were tested for faecal related contamination between July 2008 and June 2009. No sample had bacterial contamination. The city supply has tested free of bacterial contaminants for a number of years.

The Ministry of Health has also reported that 91 percent of people in the Gisborne district receive water that meets compliance with bacterial quality set out in the New Zealand Drinking Water Standards. The Gisborne city supply is the largest of these compliant supplies.

Dr Geoff Cramp medical officer of health for Tairawhiti added that the report published by the Ministry of Health is really talking about technical issues not the quality of the water itself. “It is very reassuring for our whole community to know that Gisborne District Council does over 140 water sample tests every year looking for contamination of the water supply; the council cannot recall a single failure in this testing for the last 10 years. We can all be assured that our Gisborne drinking water is safe”.

Please don't swim with Moko in the harbour

Mon, 07 Dec 2009 16:30:00 +1300

Moko Gisborne’s resident dolphin is spending considerable time in the harbour basin which is risking the safety of boat operators, the public and Moko himself.

Council will clamp down on people joining him in the water. Anyone caught swimming in the harbour may find themselves being fined $100.

The Department of Conservation, Gisborne District Council and Eastland Group will jointly enforce a local bylaw which forbids swimming in and around the wharves. That covers the inner harbour, the turning basin and channel areas.

Gisborne District Council chief environmental health officer Sarwan Kumar says the bylaw is there to prevent accidents and keep everyone safe. The council’s enforcement officers and the harbour master can enforce it.

“At the moment we are asking people to be considerate . . . we just don’t want anyone to get hurt,” he said. “If Moko does stay for the summer, then we will have to think very seriously about how we are going to manage it. No fines have been imposed yet and Mr Kumar says the council isn’t keen to take a heavy hand, but at the end of the day, safety is paramount.

“Gisborne has a busy working port with tugs, fishing boats, log ships and recreational boats coming and going all the time. Although it is tempting to jump in and swim with Moko, it is not a good idea. The volume of boats will only increase over the summer holiday period so this practice needs to stop now.” Mr Kumar said. “I encourage people to watch from the wharves, and take photos — just don’t jump in.”

Department of Conservation staff have concerns about risks posed to Moko should he stay in this area over the busy Christmas and New Year period. They fear he will be among large crowds of people, some of whom might not be as considerate as local people have been so far.

Gisborne's central city is being watched

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:00:00 +1300

Cary Walker, Matt Matenga and Kevin Barrett are the new eyes and ears of Gisborne’s central business district. As council’s new City Watch team they will be watching over the central city to improve safety. They will be assisting retailers with shoplifters, keeping footpaths free of skateboarders and liaising with groups that use the central city. Part of their job is to provide information to visitors and resident’s ensuring they make the most of their time in the central city and stay safe.

They will be visible in the city centre during the peak hours retailers are open and for some special events. Last weekend they were on the streets during Saturday’s Christmas parade. When not on the streets they can be found in the city watch office, opposite McDonalds in Bright Street.

Between them Cary, Matt and Kevin have many years experience in the police, security and the community. All are actively involved in sports with Matt recently achieving a second place in the NZ national bodybuilding competition. Helping keep Gisborne city safe and our visitors happy is what the city watchers are looking forward to the most.

Council’s city watch team leader Paul Stuart says the main objective of the project is to assist retailers and add to community safety. “Council collects a targeted rate from commercial buildings in the central business district which funds the patrols. There is an expectation that an effective service is provided that benefits central city businesses and users. The team members are good communicators and well informed. They will be able to provide information about our city; whether it’s answering questions on where to find a city map or giving directions to the nearest public toilet. Locals and visitors can have confidence that the city watch team will steer them in the right direction.”

Council has provided patrols in the central city since 1998. Previously they were called the 101 patrols they were staffed by people who met Work and Income New Zealand (WINZ) Task Force Green subsidy criteria. The service has not been provided for the last 12 months and after a review of the service, Heart of Gisborne committee expressed a preference for the roles to be performed by council staff. They supported the idea that council employees could bring a reliable, recognisable service with permanent staff performing a wider range of services.

Meeting agendas and reports online

Thu, 17 Dec 2009 14:00:00 +1300

Our website now features a meetings calendar that includes all the topics and associated documents that will be discussed at each council and committee meeting. All agendas, minutes and staff reports can now be accessed online.

Launched this month – this latest addition to our website has already received over 600 page views. Prior to this only the agenda order paper was published online. “Making the workings of council more accessible to the public is the main reason the documents are now online. Anything we can do to get more people participating in council’s decision making the better informed our decisions will be,” said corporate affairs manager Douglas Birt.

“Meeting agendas are public documents. The agenda order paper will be available online up to 5 working days before a meeting. This will give anyone that has an interest in a topic, enough time to let us know if they would like to attend and speak at a meeting. Anyone can attend any council or committee meeting and listen, but if they wish to speak they need to contact us at least 3 working days before that meeting,” Mr Birt added.

All agendas and staff reports are available on the website in PDF format. Staff reports will be available online 2 working days before a meeting - this is the same timeframe other interested parties currently receive a paper copy of the reports.

Minutes of each meeting will be published on the website, after they are confirmed at the following month’s meeting.

Another feature of the meetings calendar is the ability to search agendas, reports and minutes by dates or keyword.

Having the reports online will eventually save council money. Up untill ow at least 50 copies of each full agenda is copied for staff, media and other interested parties.

Here's the meetings calendar and search

Motu Coach Road proposed "Great Ride"

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 09:30:00 +1300

A bid to have Eastland included in a national cycleway network has been launched by Gisborne District Council, the Department of Conservation and Opotiki District Council. The bid builds on Prime Minister and Tourism Minister John Key’s plans to develop cycling facilities as a national tourist attraction. The proposed route will follow stock routes, old coach roads and military tracks that were developed in the mid-1880s to open up the valleys of the Raukumara ranges to settlement and farming.

It is a beautiful and fascinating corner of the country according to cuncil's district policy team leader, Kim Smith. “As far a cycling routes go, this one will rival anything in terms of sights and scenery. It is more adventurous than some of the other concepts emerging in other regions, but it is still accessible to a wide range of fitness levels.” She added “If accepted as part of the cycle trail network it could help increase the profile of the Eastland. It could help encourage visitors to explore, not only the cycle trail, but the other wonders of Eastland such as sun, surf and vineyards.”

The concept has been developed in conjunction with the Department of Conservation and Opotiki District Council. To progress it there is an extensive process to go through at local and national level. In February the government will decide whether it considers the proposal worth further consideration. If it does, then an extensive feasibility study will be required. Once this is completed discussions and consultation will start initially focussing on tangata whenua and landowners.

“Council is keen to involve people and organisations who are interested in this project or may be affected by it. To attract Government funding from the $50M put aside to develop the country’s Great Rides any cycle trail must have strong backing from local people and businesses. We have already spoken with a number potential accommodation and tourism operators in Matawai, Motu and Toatoa.”

Mayor Meng Foon loves the idea of the Motu Coach Trail becoming one of New Zealand’s Great Rides. “I will do everything in my influence to help move this project along. It will be good for us as a community of keen outdoor people and importantly it will help stimulate more tourist activities in the settlements along the trail and in Gisborne and Opotiki. I have driven over this track, and the scenery is to die for,” said Mayor Foon.

The cycle trails being developed throughout New Zealand will be promoted as Great Rides, in much the same way as the Great Walks are promoted to both domestic and international visitors. Tourism New Zealand will be the key organisation promoting them.

Restricted fire season declared

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 12:00:00 +1300

A restricted fire season for the whole of the Gisborne District was declared on Saturday 19 December 2009 because of the potential for significant fires.

Principal Rural Fire Officer René Londeman said increasing high temperatures and reduced moisture levels in the soil had reached a point where larger fires were more likely to happen.

“Even though we are getting little bits of rain, it’s not a lot and the vegetation is quickly drying out. The moisture in the soil is currently disappearing at a rate of 5-6mm per day. This means that unless we have a significant amount of steady rain over at least a week, the drying out will continue,” Mr Londeman said.

A restricted fire season means a permit from the Gisborne District Council is needed before any fires can be lit in the open. This applies to hangis and umus. Only gas barbecues and gas cookers are exempt.

“Those who light fires in the open are responsible for making sure the fires are safe and do not spread. Even if you light a fire with a permit or use a gas barbecue, it’s still your responsibility if it gets out of hand. If the fire has to be extinguished by the fire service or rural fire crew, you will be charged. Fires should never be lit when conditions are windy, or strong winds are forecast,” he said.

Issuing a permit is not automatic it depends whether the fire can burn safely. The Gisborne District Council acting as a Rural Fire Authority issues permits. It can take up to three days to check applications, particularly if a site inspection is required. Mr Londeman urges people to think ahead if they plan to have a fire, hangi or umu. You can apply for a permit here or from Customer Service in Fitzherbert Street or Te Puia Springs.

“With the Christmas holiday period upon us and lots of visitors coming into the district many families and marae will want to cater for guests with hangi. Permits for these should be applied for as soon as possible. Plan ahead as permits cannot be issued over the holiday period.”

Here is more information on rural fire seasons.

Council committed to keeping didymo out of the Gisborne region

Thu, 24 Dec 2009 10:00:00 +1300

“The Gisborne District is free from Didymo (didymospenia geminate) and we need to keep it that way,” says Didymo Awareness Advocate Charlotte Tietjen. The invasive algae - commonly known as “rock snot” – have devastated many South Island rivers. “Thankfully it has not been found in the North Island yet as it could change the ecology of our regions’ fresh waterways. This affects native fish, trout, plants and insects. Didymo turns rivers brown and looks dreadful. It makes it unpleasant to swim in rivers, streams and lakes or use them for fishing and boating."

Charlotte Teitjen - didymo awareness advocate

“During the summer I will be talking to people using our freshwater rivers, streams and lakes about the importance of checking equipment, cleaning it and drying it properly before leaving the water. This is a habit all of us now need to adopt for all freshwater activity. I will have information packs with me that show what Didymo could do to our region, what it looks like and what people should keep an eye out for.”

The job has been funded by MAF Biosecurity New Zealand and Charlotte will work jointly with Gisborne District Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, the Department of Conservation, and Fish and Game New Zealand.Didymo is a microscopic algae that favours cold, clear, shallow running water. It forms massive blooms on river, stream and lake beds. It attaches itself to the stream bed by stalks, and can form a thick brown layer that smothers rocks, submerged plants and other materials. It forms flowing 'rats tails' that can turn white at their ends and look similar to tissue paper.

“Gisborne District Council is committed to working with our partners to keep these algae out of our region. It is great to have Charlotte available for the summer because many of our fresh water users have never seen Didymo and wouldn’t know what to look for,” said Council District Conservator Trevor Freeman. “Because the algae are so small, the only way to control them is to ask every fresh water user to take responsibility. Gear needs to be checked for signs of it then cleaned with detergent or bleaching and dried thoroughly. This is especially important if you have returned from fishing or tramping in South Island rivers as the algae can hitchhike on clothing and equipment.”

Didymo - rock snot from a South Island stream

An suspected sightings of the algae in the Gisborne region should be reported to Council on 06 867 2049 or MAF Biosecurity New Zealand on 0800 809 966.

Freedom camping a unique East Coast experience

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 12:30:00 +1300

Absolute beach front summer holidays are still accessible to all in the Gisborne district. Freedom camping is alive and well and most camping spots are metres away from spectacular views and gorgeous beaches.

Tina Appleby and her granddaughter Sarah at Pouawa Beach

East Coast people value the experience of packing up their camping gear and heading to the beach. Overwhelmingly families want to preserve the opportunity to freedom camp and they want the Gisborne District Council to ensure this opportunity survives.“Local communities have had plenty of opportunities to tell us what they think about freedom camping and whether it should continue,” said Community Facilities Manager Terry McMillan. “Each time they have overwhelmingly supported it. They see it as a chance for people from all walks of life to take the family to the beach for a true East Coast experience. Around New Zealand the opportunity to freedom camp is fast disappearing. We are now offering a unique experience that is part of many family’s heritage as they come back year after year to their favourite spot.

The Henry family have been freedom camping for 70 years. Five generations of the family have camped originally at Kaiaua Beach and now at the Blue Waters area in Tolaga Bay. Ruby, Bert, Henry, Eddie and Clarrie Henry first took their families camping. Now their great-great grandchildren are continuing the tradition including 3 week old Theo Kent. They will spend their two week summer holiday in a true home away from home including gas cooker and gas hot shower all set up in a huge army tent picked up on Trademe for $150.00.

From left: Andy Marshall, Ruby Henry, Brianna Sutton, Ethan Henry, Finlay Henry, Keegan Lima, Daniel Henry, Logan Sutton, Ben Henry with Chas Henry who is visiting from Australia in front.

“This year seems busier than ever with many campers hitting the beach early to enjoy the first rays of sunshine,” said Mr McMillan. “The best spots at Turihaua, Pouawa and Tolaga Bay filled fast. One of the pleasures of freedom camping is that no one will be turned away. Everyone will find a spot and make the most of it. As usual about 50% of campers are local and 50% come from out of the district. Many “out of towners” consider themselves local as they have bought their families back for so many years.”

Gisborne District Council does not charge a fee for freedom camping itself as there are no sites to charge for. Camping is on land that has no title. Land that freedom campers call their bit of summer paradise is road or amenity reserves. A permit fee is required which covers the cost of removing rubbish and toilet waste. Permits can be applied for online get one from customer service counters at Fitzherbert Street or Te Puia Springs.

Other outlets are:

Visitor Information Centre in Grey Street Gisborne
Opotiki, Whakatane, and Wairoa i-site
Uawa Foodmarket at Tolaga Bay and Waerenga-o-Kuri Store (for Donneraille Park)
Freedom camping rubbish collection contractor

People can freedom camp in the Gisborne District at Turihaua Beach till 1 February, and Turihaua Point, Pouawa Beach, Waihau Bay - Loisels Beach, Tolaga Bay at Blue Waters, Kaiaua Beach, Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay, Donneraille Park till 5 April 2010.

Freedom camping permit fees and a brochure about freedom camping in the Gisborne district is also available.

Community caretakers wanted

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:30:00 +1300

Rural people who take a lot of pride in where they live could be appointed caretaker of their community. Council is looking to improve facilities in rural areas and need people who are passionate about their township and who want to make sure it is clean, tidy and functions well.

Through this innovative initiative many of council’s existing contracts will be packaged into 9 community caretaker roles. “Many of our existing rural township contracts are about to be expire so this is a good time to do this,” said Mayor Meng Foon. “This is a wonderful opportunity for individuals living in these areas to step up and help us make a difference. So many Gisborne people are passionate about their communities – this is their chance to take care of where they live and get paid for doing it.”

Community caretakers are needed for Matawai, Whatatutu, Te Karaka, Patutahi, Tolaga Bay, Tokomaru Bay, Te Puia Springs, Ruatoria and Te Araroa.

The newly created positions will cover duties such as litter control, opening and closing of transfer stations, graffiti control, landscaping, parks and reserve mowing and weed control. On ANZAC Day this person would be tidying up the reserves, cleaning any grafftti and picking up loose litter. At the moment council coordinates several contractors to do this across the district.

Many capable people are "put off" by formal council tender processes which are necessary to be awarded a council contract. The creation of the caretaker roles means capable people will not have to tender to get this work.

The 9 community caretakers will have a huge impact on their communities, said Mr Foon. “Council is committed to finding the best way to take care of facilities in rural townships. By looking after these places, more tourist will come and spend their money and resident’s will feel proud of where they live.”

Applications are open for the community caretaker positions. If you think you’ve got what it takes, all you have to do is fill in the form and get it back to council by Wednesday 10 February 2010. Here's the community caretaker application form

Tell us about your favourite public tree

Tue, 19 Jan 2010 11:00:00 +1300

On Prince William's first trip to New Zealand while he was crawling after buzzy bees, his mother, the the late Princess Diana planted a pohutukawa tree near the Cook Plaza on Gisborne's Titirangi Reserve. The Prince and Princess of Wales were on a royal tour of New Zealand and the tree was planted in a group of 3 other pohutukawa trees. A plaque now indicates which tree Diana planted and is considered one of Gisborne's notable trees.

Council is putting together a list of all trees planted on council land in Gisborne and Wainui that may be considered “notable”. Council owned land includes parks, reserves, road edges, and riverbanks. If you know about a special or historical tree planted in one of council’s many parks and reserves let us know about it. The list of possible notable trees has been put together based on existing research and staff knowledge. This is the list of notable trees on council land

“We need residents to let us know what trees we have missed off the list or tell us the stories associated with a particular tree. If anyone has documents to support a tree and its history that’s even better,” said Kim Smith district policy team leader. “Gisborne people are very passionate about their trees. We want to be better informed about what trees we have now so we can make better decisions about their wellbeing in the future.”

“The better the information we have on these trees the more accurately we can assess them. The tree Princess Diana planted is no different to several trees in the area but the person who planted it makes it special,” Ms Smith added.

Once the list is finalised the trees will be rated on a number of factors. This includes how healthy the tree is, is it rare or particularly beautiful, does it attract birds or provide essential shade, is it very old or large and prominent? An important aspect of the assessment will be the history of the tree. Who planted it and was it planted for a particular reason?

The list will only document notable trees on council owned land. The project does not cover notable trees on privately owned land.

Putting plant on firm foundation

Thu, 21 Jan 2010 14:00:00 +1300

Gisborne’s largest infrastructure project for more than 40 years is under way. The once-quiet Banks Street site is now bustling with people, machinery and materials as physical work begins for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant.

A massive 120 tonne, 80 metre crane dominates the skyline in the vicinity. The year-old crane owned by HEB Structures is fresh out of the Port of Napier where it was used in the construction of a new wharf. The crane is the site’s big brother to a 55 tonne, 30m crane being used by Hauraki Piling Ltd for ground improvement work, designed to put the new Banks Street buildings on a firm foundation.

Works to improve the predominantly sandy soil base began last week and are expected to take about 10 weeks. The work involves creating 1335 stone columns using more than 5000 cubic metres of stones. The 10 metre columns measure 60cm in diameter and are 1.5m apart, centre to centre. About half of the columns will support the pre-treatment and control building; the other half, the biological trickling filter tank.

It takes a crane and 2 diggers about 25 minutes to form each column, and so far about 20 are being created each day. The crane uses a metal drilling head, assisted by a water jet and vibration, to force the ground apart down to a depth of 10 metres. Once the hole is created and the silty sand displaced, about 4 cubic metres of gravel is progressively put in and compacted from the bottom up. The displaced water and sand is treated on site - collected in a specially created pond from where it is gradually reabsorbed into the ground water.

CH2M Beca geotech engineer Dave Green says the process is being trialled and proven for the first 80 columns. “We want to make sure everything is going to plan. We tested the density of the sandy ground before the work and once a trial area of 80 columns has been created, we will repeat the tests to gauge the difference. We have a target density we are looking for and we expect to reach that.

“These columns will not only support the buildings, they will also – together with the compaction of the sand around them - prevent liquefaction during earthquakes.”

About 15 people, including several local labourers, are now working on site, says HEB Structures project engineer Sheridan Peckett, who was also involved in the building of Port of Napier’s new port. HEB Structures is part of HEB Construction, which was awarded the contract to build the treatment plant and the main industrial separation scheme. Council and CH2M Beca site engineers are co-located with HEB at the Banks Street site to provide ongoing inspection and supervision.

She says the 120 tonne crane will be on site for the duration of the year-long project to assist with various lifting required including 18mm thick sheet metal pilings for the three pump stations and 11 tonne pre-cast concrete panels for the biological trickling filter tank.

HEB Construction has a tight but achievable timeframe to have the treatment plant built and commissioned by 31 December 2010. Within the past month, the site has been cleared and fenced, old tanks removed, site offices established and water, sewerage, power and telephone services installed.

Gisborne - the best host region in the world

Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +1300

People with ideas on how Gisborne and the East Coast can become the ‘best host region in the world’ are invited to a public meeting on Friday 29 January 2010 at 12 noon in the Gisborne District Council Chambers.

“We already have a culture of manaakitanga (looking after our guests) in this region. We now need to transfer people’s ability to be great hosts in their home or marae to the wider region. We need people’s ideas on how we can define the concept of manaakitanga and deliver it in a coordinated way,” said Mayor Meng Foon.

“Every year many events are held in this region and now it is time to look at what we are doing to welcome and look after our guests and what we could be doing better. We can make this happen without consultants and within current ratepayer funded budgets. All the ideas we need are already in our region. We just need to share them.”

“Its about working smarter together; not in isolation. All those involved need to communicate and share the common vision of making this place a great region to host visitors. We need visitors to return home with great memories that they want to share with their friends, families and work colleagues.”

“The benefit for our communities is more events, creating more jobs and more income to help local businesses to grow. Individuals can also benefit from increased visitor numbers by renting their homes to guests for up to $1,000 per night. This helps with the shortage of beds when large events are staged.”

“The Gisborne region has a number of very large events planned for the next couple of years. We will be hosting a rugby world cup team, are expecting 15,000 visitors to the to the Manuel Jose reunion in January 2011 and 30,000 the Te Matatini National Kapa Haka Festival in 2011. An ongoing array of equestrian, powerboat, speedway, surfing, surf lifesaving and musical events continue to draw visitors from throughout New Zealand.”

“I am hoping a range of people will attend. I am particularly keen to hear from event organisers, people that have hosted events before, local business people, marae representatives, transport and security companies, Maori wardens, tourism and accommodation operators,” Mayor Foon added.

Township plans are about communities taking ownership of their future

Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:00:00 +1300

Having communities take ownership of planning for the future of their own township is the goal of the 2 staff members. Natural resources team leader Yvette Kinsella will be responsible for helping Manutuke and Matawai-Motu prepare a township plan and Keriana Wilcox (senior planner) will oversee the preparation of plans for Te Puia Springs-Waipiro Bay and Tikitiki-Rangitukia.

They will start work next month notifying community members through posters, iwi radio stations and mail, of their intention before holding meetings in the townships. They will also make use of the consultation meetings that will be held as part of the annual plan process to get feedback from the communities on what they want.

“It is important that the communities take ownership of any plans produced because they will drive how townships will look in 20 years time. We also want to get young people involved because they will be the community leaders in the future. The key thing is that the community wants the plan, supports it, owns it and has input into the process,” said Ms Kinsella.

The community plans would then became part of the Council’s ten year plan and council would consider implementing them over time. Not all the projects identified would be council ones; the community could do some of them such as setting up a community committee if they wished. The council will also work with other agencies.

“These plans are quite important documents, said Ms Wilcox. “When it is clear that the community have considered what they want to see happen in their own town and agreed to some actions, it carries more weight with councillors. Rural townships are unique. They are different from urban areas with different needs,” Ms Wilcox added.

Although there would be a combined plan for the coast townships, separate meetings would be held. Mayor Meng Foon would attend the Rangitukia meeting on February 2 and council staff would be there to discuss community issues.

“It’s about high level goals, not fixing the potholes in the street. We get quite excited about working with a community because it is a really positive experience,” said Ms Kinsella. “It is a chance for people to shape their own community.”

All residents are invited to the Tikitiki-Rangitukia community workshop on 2 February from 2pm-5pm. The Te Puia Spring - Waipiro Bay Plan will kick off on 10 February 10am – 12pm at Iritekura Marae followed by a community workshop at 5.30pm at the council’s office in Te Puia Springs. Dates for Manutuke and Matawai-Motu are being finalised.

When these 4 are finished the council will have prepared 10 community plans.

Heavy rain fall

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 10:30:00 +1300

Gisborne emergency services are keeping a watching brief on the region’s rivers and streams this morning after a deluge of rain overnight caused minor slips and road closures.

Rainfall, reaching more than 200mm in some areas over the past day, had eased this morning but more rain was predicted for the next 15 hours.

Civil Defence controller Jon Davies says the emergency team met early this morning to assess the situation and confirms there is no call for concern at the moment. However, with further rain expected, river levels and surface flooding could increase.

We have no significant issues currently. It looks like the rivers will go down but there more rain is forecast.”

He advised people to keep listening to their local radio and to drive with care and to the conditions.

The rain has been heaviest in the area north of Tolaga Bay to inland of Tikitiki on the East Coast. Poroporo recorded 35mm in one hour between 4am and 5am this morning. The Anaura Bay road was closed this morning due to flooding. The Hikuwai River north of Tolaga Bay reached 11m this morning, 1.5m short of the highway flooding.

The main concern is if the rain forecast for the next 15 hours increases river levels and already saturated areas.”

Bridge closure isolates more than 30

Sun, 31 Jan 2010 19:00:00 +1300

More than 30 people are isolated this evening north-west of Gisborne after heavy rain, rising floodwaters and a log jam caused a bridge to buckle inland from Te Karaka. Another 15 people trapped by two areas of floodwaters on State Highway 2 near Te Karaka were lifted out to Gisborne by helicopter late this afternoon where three have been put up in a motel.

About 40 cars en route to Gisborne from the Bay of Plenty were unable to complete their journey due to floodwaters near Whatatutu Bridge, north of Te Karaka. They were sent back to Matawai where some will stay the night. Others may need to take the longer alternative route to Gisborne around the East Coast.

Meanwhile, half a dozen people at a community north of Tolaga Bay have been evacuated again from their homes this afternoon. The residents were evacuated earlier today to have the all-clear a few hours later.

Emergency Management officer Richard Steele says they were re-evacuated as a safety precaution because of the uncertainty of the weather forecast for the next 12 hours.

“Contractors are working to relieve the potential threat to the Uawa River Bridge at Tolaga Bay because of debris build-up. Rivers have stopped rising at this stage but we are still expecting that they could rise overnight with new rainfall.

“More than 280mm of rain has fallen in some areas north of Tolaga Bay6 in the past 36 hours. Waipaoa River levels have dropped after reaching a height of 8.5m but we expect a lot more rain to fall in the catchment yet.”

The bridge at Waipaoa Station is not expected to be assessed until Tuesday as the road remains inaccessible to Gisborne District Council staff. ENDS

Lots of interest in community caretaker roles

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:30:00 +1300

People who live in small townships surrounding Gisborne are passionate about their place if the response to a call for community caretakers is anything to go by. Gisborne District Council has had interest from people living in all of the nine townships that are looking for caretakers. “We have had 11 applications so far but many more phone calls from people who have said they will be applying,” said Dwayne Pomana who is handling the process.

“There are no applications yet from Tokomaru Bay, Ruatoria, and Te Puia Springs although there is plenty of interest. The closing date is February 10 and I encourage all those who have expressed an interest to take the next step and get their applications in on time. We have tried to make the process easy so they even people who have no experience with contracts will feel comfortable applying.”

“Some people have expressed a concern that they will need a lot of their own machinery. People don’t in the first instance. We will be contacting all applicants and discussing the specific requirements of their community, what skills they offer and what is needed to do the job,” Mr Pomana confirmed.

The idea of community caretakers came up when Council was looking at ways to support local employment in our townships according to Engineering and Works Manager Peter Higgs. “We realised that we could be offering at least nine local people a regular income and that those with a passion and pride for their place are likely to do the best job.”

“It makes sense to amalgamate some of our smaller contracts especially those that require very little outlay of equipment. We believe this will be a more efficient way of operating and will help Council improve on our contract delivery.”

The successful applicants will be contracted to do a range of jobs for council. They may be looking after their transfer station and public toilets, controlling litter, mowing reserves, painting out graffiti or landscaping parks. Initially the requirements of each community will differ as some communities still have contracts that are not due to finish for some time.

Complete this application form or pick one up from Customer Service in Fitzherbert St or Te Puia Spings.

Your place for vehicle testing

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 15:30:00 +1300

Gisborne Vehicle Testing has not only had a name change, we can now offer you new customer friendly hours. Take some of the hassle out of getting your vehicle warrant of fitness. Our longer hours are:

Monday – Friday 7am to 5.20pm
Saturday – 8am – 2pm

Ratepayers can redeem their $5 discount voucher and we also accept all other testing station vouchers - only one voucher per visit.

Our one-stop shop offers full motor vehicle registration services and driver licencing.

Along with our refreshed colour scheme, we also have a new comfortable waiting area. Our friendly team are ready and waiting to assist you with your on-road needs.

Dog destroyed after attack on woman

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 08:30:00 +1300

A Gisborne woman who spent a week in hospital after being attacked by a neighbour's dog has welcomed the decision to have the dog destroyed. The 2-year-old Great Dane/Bull Mastiff cross was put down on Monday morning after a meeting with its owners. The dog attacked the 39-year-old woman in Parau Street in the Gisborne suburb of Kaiti on Saturday 30 January. She was left with wounds to her face, neck and arm. Her injuries required surgery and she spent 7 days in Gisborne Hospital.

The owners of the dog that attacked the woman have relinquished control of the animal to council, and the dog has now been destroyed. The woman sustained serious injuries in the attack, which became subject to a police investigation. “There were conflicting explanations as to the start of the attack and where and how it took place”, said council’s environment and planning manager Hans van Kregten.

“What’s not at issue is that a person was seriously injured in the attack. Council was considering its legal options, because of the fears that after this initial attack, the dog could attack again in the future. Now that the dog’s owners have decided to give up their ownership rights, the situation became relatively straightforward to council. No further actions against the owners will be taken by council”, Mr van Kregten said.

Rate increase less than predicted

Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:30:00 +1300

Council is finalising its draft Annual Plan for 2011 and will be asking for feedback on it throughout the month of March. The financial estimates and a summary of the plan went to council today (Tuesday). The full draft plan goes to council later this month to be approved for consultation.

The plan is budgeted to cost $71M. Council will collect over half of the cost - $45.3M - from rates. This will require an increase in total rates income of $2.6M, a 6.1% proposed increase from last year.

“This is less than the 6.4% increase for 2011 predicted in council’s Ten Year Plan. It is pleasing to see that the 5% efficiency gains council staff have been working hard to realise have been successful in minimising rate increases for next year,” said chief financial officer, Mike Drummond.

Outside Gisborne our estimates show that rates will decrease in Ruatoria and that most other areas will have an increase of up 4.0%. The exception is Gisborne city. Rates on a residential city property, valued at $280K, will increase by about $170 or 7%. Of this $100 or 4% of the proposed increase relates to the operating costs of the city’s new wastewater treatment plant. Without the wastewater treatment plant, city ratepayers would be facing a 3% increase which is in line with increases across the district.

From 2 March ratepayers will be able to come to council’s website to see how next years proposed rate increase will impact on their property. The rates lookup tool compares rates charged this year, with next years proposed rates. This is one of the most popular services on our website.

“Council is aware that the economic downturn is being felt by many of the district’s residents and has tried hard to minimise increases. The plan reflects a business as usual year. We are focused on maintaining all services and prioritising capital expenditure that is essential to the functioning of the community,” said Mayor Meng Foon.

Work will continue on realigning the Waiapu River to protect the Ruatoria township from floods and repairs to the Waipaoa River Protection scheme will be made ahead of a more comprehensive upgrade after 2011.

The War Memorial Theatre upgrade will begin soon subject to all funding being in place. Council is seeking 75% of the $3.5M required from external funding sources. Council is still committed to extending the network of cycle lanes, footpaths and walkways but New Zealand Transport Agency’s decision to reprioritise their spending in this region has affected how much progress can be made. Other major projects like the multipurpose recreational facility and redevelopment of the Olympic Pool and inner harbour are still in the council’s Ten Year plan but have been pushed back until the community is better placed to fund them.

Mata Road reopens

Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:00:00 +1300

Mata Road will be open to all traffic from tomorrow morning (Tuesday 16 February). The closure was to allow for urgent reinstatement works to be carried out.

Alternative routes were available on Ihungia/Tuakau Road or Tauwharepare/Fernside Roads.

You can download a map

Foundation works progressing well

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +1300

Ground works for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant in Banks Street shifted up a gear this week with a third crane joining the other 2 on site. 2 cranes are now being used for ground improvement work that includes the creation of more than 1300 stone columns to ensure the new buildings are set on a firm foundation. The third crane, a massive 120 tonne, 80 metre machine that dominates the skyline, is involved in sheet piling for the 3 pump stations being built on site.

More than 300 stone columns – each measuring 10m long and 60cm in diameter -- have been built since the ground improvement work started in mid-January. About half the columns will support the pre-treatment and control building; the other half, the biological trickling filter tank. With about 25 on average being constructed a day with the use of one crane, the second crane will soon see up to 56 being built daily. The results from the first trial area are just in and currently being analysed.

HEB Structures project engineer Sheridan Peckett says work is also progressing well on preparation for the three pump stations being built on site – one for the biological trickling filter tank itself, one for the wastewater coming into the site, and the third for the treated wastewater going to the outfall, then to the existing outfall pipe 1.8km to sea.

Each below-ground pump station is being lined with 18mm thick sheet metal piles, which interlock to create an impenetrable barrier. These piles, which range in weight between 1T and 1.37T are slowly driven into the ground using a combination of mainly vibration and weight. The largest crane and a 5 -8 tonne vibro hammer are employed to do the job. The outfall pump station, the largest of the 3, has 13m piles driven 11m into the ground. The biological trickling filter piles are 10m long and driven into the ground to a depth of 8m. Council projects engineer Michael Yukich says the alignment of the first sheet pile is critical as this becomes the ‘cornerstone’ that the other sheet piles will be set to. “Driving in the piles is time-consuming with each pile being stopped and checked for vertical alignment several times on its way down. As the pile gets closer to its final resting place, greater friction slows the speed of entry,” he says.

Once the piles are in place, a massive 1700 cubic metres of soil needs to be excavated –1000 cubic metres for the outfall pump station alone – before a concrete lining can be poured. The excavated material will be stockpiled on site, potentially for future use. HEB Structures is part of HEB Construction, which was awarded the contract to build the treatment plant and the main industrial separation scheme, initial works for which are due to start within the next 2 weeks. Council and CH2M Beca site engineers are also located on site to provide ongoing inspection and supervision.

Old Motu Coach Trail one of 13 new cycle routes planned

Fri, 12 Feb 2010 10:00:00 +1300

A joint proposal to have the old Motu Coach Trail developed as a part of the New Zealand Cycle Trail project has been approved for feasibility studies. It was one of 13 “stand-out winners” from the 54 applications that applied for funding in December. A grant towards the feasibility study will be paid for by the New Zealand Cycle Trail fund and involves costing out concept plans to ensure they can be built and will deliver what they promise.

John Dunn, Programme Manager, says the calibre of all the applications was very high which made the Technical Assessment Group’s job of short-listing incredibly difficult. “I want to congratulate all the applicants on the excellent work they put into the concepts,” says Mr Dunn. “Their applications were outstanding and demonstrated a level of commitment to their regions that show how a community can be galvanised into that great Kiwi tradition of ‘getting in behind’ a great idea.”

The Motu Coach Trail proposal was put together by Gisborne District Council, the Department of Conservation and Opotiki District Council. The route will follow stock routes, old coach roads and military tracks that were developed in the mid-1880s to open up the valleys of the Raukumara ranges to settlement and farming.

Mike Houghton, Opotiki District Council’s parks and reserve manager, says that most of the country knows Eastland for the fantastic coastal views between Opotiki and Gisborne. “The cycleway will introduce the rugged inland scenery and bring the unique history of the area to the fore as it follows the historic tracks through the heart of the Raukumaras. I understand one member of the assessment group had ridden through the Motu previously and found the area spectacular. I am sure this would have helped our bid.”

“We must ensure we get the feasibility study right so we can move to the next stage,” according to Councillor Graeme Thomson who was involved in drafting the original proposal. ‘Having said that, this is a fantastic result for the Eastland region. “I have been quietly confident we would get the nod to proceed. The old Motu Coach Trail meets all the objectives the Ministry of Tourism were looking for. It will generate economic benefits, has the support of local communities, provides a world class cycling experience and offers the region many complementary benefits.”

“The trail will attract a completely new tourist market. This will be the springboard many of our tourism operators need to develop their businesses. There are so many opportunities for other adventure activities before, during and after the trail including outstanding bush walks, trout fishing, and white water rafting.”

“It has been a rewarding experience working with Department of Conservation and Opotiki District Council to develop a proposal that benefits us all. The breathtaking beauty of the area will sell the trail for those who do it but first we must get people here. We must all work together to market the experience as a total tourism package. Gisborne with the closest airport to the trail will act as a gateway and so has a significant role to play. We need to develop the infrastructure to ensure that cyclists have opportunities to come together while on the trail or in the evenings and build camaraderie. This is what they will remember long after they return home,” Councillor Thomson added.

People and organisations that are interested in this project, or may be affected by it, should get involved. The trail must have strong backing from local people and businesses. Discussions and consultation will start soon with all affected stakeholders and those that can contribute to the project. The feasibility study is expected to be completed by 31 May 2010 and it is hoped that construction could begin by the end of the year.

Hirini Street closure extended

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 08:30:00 +1300

Due to unforeseen technical difficulties, Hirini Street will remain closed to traffic until Friday 26 February.

The deteriorating condition of the main wastewater pipeline from Kaiti means that part of the pipeline needs replacing. In order to do this, excavation around the Wainui Road / Hirini Street intersection has been required.

A diversion is in place for all traffic along Crawford Road.

Where should "Evolution" be installed

Fri, 19 Feb 2010 09:00:00 +1300

Evolution, the statue that was gifted to Gisborne city after the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, has arrived in Gisborne and now needs a place to live. Four possible sites have been identified and we want to know where the community would like to see the statue installed.

After Gisborne city hosted the Beijing Olympic Sculpture Exhibition in 2007, sculpture No. 121 by Guangdong Sculptor Mr. Lu ZenKang was gifted to the city. Evolution is a 4 tonne bronze sculpture which shows the evolution of one of the world’s oldest sports, archery, from Roman times, through the imperial era to today.

The statue is currently stored at Gisborne Engineering where the bows that were removed in China for shipping are being welded back on. The colour matching of the work is being undertaken by a local artist who works in bronze.

The gifting agreement is that Evolution will be mounted prominently in Gisborne and light the legacy of 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Evolution will also be a symbol of the everlasting friendship and good-will between the people of Gisborne and China.

The sculpture is symbolic of the Olympic Games and also a significant art work in its own right. Gisborne’s strong connection with the Olympic Games has been focused around the river while New Zealand had success in Beijing in the rowing/paddling arena.

4 possible sites have been identified:-

1. Taruheru Riverbank walkway downstream of Wi Pere Monument

2. Marina Park near the riverbank

3. Gladstone Road circle between Grey Street and Bright Street

4. Esplanade riverbank upstream of the Cenotaph.

Other sites downstream of the Gladstone Road Bridge were discounted as those areas have historic and cultural significance that has been identified for development. The community are asked to provide feedback as to where they think “Evolution” should be sited. All feedback will be provided to the Art in Public Places Trust who will make the final decision.

Evolutions journey has been made possible by the generosity of the Williams trust and Councillor Brian Wilson, who are also paying to have it installed here. “It’s a very impressive piece of work,” according to Councillor Wilson, “much bigger than I expected. I can’t wait to see it installed.”

Evolution was gifted to the city by the Beijing Olympic Sculpture committee and China’s Ministry of Culture, who also chose Gisborne as one of only 12 cities around the world outside China to host the collection of much smaller templates for sculptures submitted to commemorate the Beijing Olympic Games.

Tell us where you would like to see Evolution sited

End of an era for Adventure Playground train

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:30:00 +1300

The train tracks in Gisborne's Adventure playground will be removed soon. This will be the end of an era for the Adventure Playground train that was introduced into the park by Lions clubs in 1981.

The train has been a popular addition to the playground for many years and has run with the help of a loyal bunch of volunteers. Difficulties in maintaining and operating the train and track began to emerge in the late 1990’s. Together with the need to comply with requirements to safely operate a public amusement the train stopped operation in early 2000’s.

“The train was operated briefly during the summer of 2008/09 by an experienced commercial operator. The cost of reinstating the track and refurbishing or replacing the train itself, saw the venture fail after a short trial,” said Council’s community facilities manager Terry McMillan.

Rex Eastham behind the wheel of train at the Adventure Playground that he drove for many years.

Efforts to raise interest in the restoration of the track and train have also been unsuccessful. The Lions Club believes that the train is now not economically viable at this location and have taken steps to sell the useable plant and equipment.

Wainui Lions and the Adventure Playground Management Trust President Ken Huberts remembers the early days when operating the train was a good source of fundraising for Wainui Lions. “Much of the money raised was channelled back into playground. We worked with the Gisborne District Council and most years we could contribute new or updated pieces of play equipment."

“The train and operating equipment was second hand when we first set up so a lot of upkeep was needed to keep operating. Now large sections of the track are rusted and maintenance costs are too high. We have run the numbers past a few people and looked at some other options, but the bottom line is the train is not a viable operation. It has been a hard call as the train is a part of many Gisborne children’s history,” Mr Huberts added.

The Adventure Playground Reserve is partially situated on an old landfill site. It was developed as an adventure park with the help of the Gisborne Jaycees in 1974 and was officially opened in 1976. The present train station was built in 1992. In 1983 the Lions Club introduced bumper boats onto the lake.

The track will shortly be removed and will likely form a junior walking/cycling/fitness track around the park.

Tell us about trees blocking Wainui sea views

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:00:00 +1300

Wainui residents with concerns about trees that block their views have until Wednesday 10 March to tell council about them. A committee is to be established which will consider requests made about beachfront trees.

The Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves Management Plan, which council adopted in 2008, called for the establishment of a Tree Advisory Committee. The committee will consider requests made from Wainui residents to have trees which block their sea views pruned or removed. The committee is to be made up of council staff, a Department of Conservation representative and an arborist.

The community has until Wednesday 10 March 2010 to inform council of their concerns. A number of requests have already been made and these will all be assessed by the committee in March. Those not received by this date will be assessed when the group reconvenes in 2012.

“Obviously trees are an emotive topic,” says reserves planner, De-Arne Sutherland. “A number of submissions to the management plan from the Wainui community were about trees. Although the community at Wainui and Okitu are largely ‘beach’ people at heart, and recognise the importance of stabilising and regenerating the beach’s dunes. If their sea views are blocked by trees on council reserves, they generally want them gone, or at least pruned. Views are important too”.

Council understands this, and recommended a Tree Advisory Committee meet every 2 years to consider public requests. Where possible the group will look for reasonable ways to reinstate views. Decisions will be based on the impact the tree has on views, its health, its importance to dune stability and whether anything else impedes views. “We must balance the need to protect our dunes with the desire for views. The group may decide to remove exotic trees, lift or thin natives or leave the tree as it is,” Mrs Sutherland added.

Residents should advise us in writing or fill in an online form on our website. You should include your address, what tree(s) are blocking your view and what you want to happen.

Since 2008 reserves staff have been busy implementing the Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves Management Plan. New steps and picnic tables, signs and bins have been installed, landscaping has occurred at ‘schools’ and the ‘whales’ area has been tidied up.

Have your say on our plan for next year

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:30:00 +1300

Tell us your views on council's plans for 2010-2011. To ensure residents and ratepayers have a chance to give feedback, a brochure about what is in the plan will be in resident’s letterboxes this week (1-5 March). Ratepayers who live outside of the district will be mailed a copy or can access it from our website.

A series of 22 community update meetings begin on Tuesday 2 March 2010 in Elgin at Te Wananga o Aotearoa at 5.30pm. This will be followed by a meeting at Waikirikiri School for the Kaiti community on Wednesday 3 March at 6.30pm. From there Waipiro Bay and Tokomaru Bay communities will be updated followed by the rural communities of Tiniroto, Patutahi, Manutuke, Whatatutu and Te Karaka.

Council staff will be attending the Flea Market and Farmers Market on Saturday 13 March. Copies of the plan will be available and staff will be able to outline what is in the plan, and take service requests.

Attending all meetings will be Mayor Meng Foon or Deputy Mayor Nona Aston. They will be accompanied by your local councillors and senior staff members, all prepared to answer any questions community members may have about council’s draft plan and how it will affect rating levels.

At all community update meetings those attending will get a progress report about any issues that were raised at the meeting last year and also any projects council is planning that will affect their community.

“The plan reflects a business-as-usual year for council. It is year 2 of our Ten Year Plan and there are few major projects due to be implemented. Most have been pushed out to later in the 10-year cycle as council concentrates on completing it’s largest ever project, the city’s new wastewater treatment plant. The draft plan is budgeted to cost $71M. Council will collect over half of the cost - $45.3M - from rates. This will require an increase in total rates income of $2.6M, a 6.1% proposed increase from last year. This is less than the 6.4% increase for 2011 predicted in council’s Ten Year Plan. Some tight budgeting and a competitive contracting market, as well as the efforts of staff have helped to minimise rate increases for next year,” says chief executive Lindsay McKenzie.

“Council genuinely wants to know what communities think of council’s plan. The consultation process gives people a chance to highlight anything missing. They can also comment on the affordability of what we are proposing, and let us know what priority they place on our services. Importantly it is also an opportunity to report back on the work communities asked for when we last met. Following the public consultation period we will make a final decision on the level of rates in late June,” Mr McKenzie added.

How to have your say?

Before 4pm on Friday 26 March you can…

Attend one of the community update meetings in March

Fill in a submission form online

Complete the submission form that is on the back of the brochure, which will be in your letterbox next week.

Phone customer service on 06 867 2049 (or 0800 653 800) for East Coast resident and they will complete a submission for you.

Place a comment on any news story or in the “have your say” section of our website

Speak to council during the hearings process. You need to indicate this on the submission form.

Why make a submission?

It is important that those who pay for and benefit from council services, have some input into what they get for their money.

All submissions are forwarded to the appropriate council manager who summarises them by topic into a staff report. All submissions and staffs reports will be available on our website from 23 April 2010.

All staff reports go to councillors prior to meeting for the hearings process.

The hearings process is held on 5 and 6 May 2010. This is when people can speak to council about what they have put in their submission.

Council considers and debates all feedback they have received. Changes are made to the draft plan based on the outcome of these debates.

The Annual Plan is adopted on 24 June 2010.

Anyone who makes a submission on the Annual Plan will be informed in writing about any decision made that related to their submission.

Tsunami Warning for Gisborne

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +1300

6.00am Gisborne and East Coast residents are warned this morning to stay off all the district beaches and out of the sea. This warning from Gisborne Civil Defence is the result of an 8.8 earthquake that struck Chile at 7pm last night. A wave of less than 1 metre is expected to reach East Cape at 7.54am and just before 8am in Gisborne.

Waves are expected to continue for between 6 and 12 hours. Civil Defence controller Jon Davies says there is no need for panic.

"Any one required to be moved from low lying land will be contacted by emergency services or civil defence."

This warning will stay in place until at least 4pm unless other wise advised.

Tsunami Update 2

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 07:30:00 +1300

CIVIL DEFENCE NOTICE TO ALL RESIDENTS IN TSUNAMI-RISK ZONE

You are advised of the possibility of your area being affected by a seawater surge following the earthquake in Chile last night.

We recommend voluntary evacuation for all residents on Salisbury Road for 12 hours unless otherwise advised.

Please take all that you require for that time.

Other residents should monitor local radio for further developments concerning them.

Go to family and friends where possible. Otherwise, go to Te Poho o Rawiri Marae.

A wave of 0.2 and 1m is expected to reach Gisborne just before 8am and more surges are expected to continue for most of the day.

People are advised to stay off the beaches and out of the sea.

Do not go sightseeing.

Tsunami Update 3

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 08:00:00 +1300

TSUNAMI-RISK for Gisborne

Beach side Gisborne residents at Midway and Waikanae beaches and those in low-lying areas in Tokomaru Bay are this morning being advised to leave their homes following an earthquake in Chile last night.

The areas may be affected by seawater surges for most of the day.

Gisborne Civil Defence controller Jon Davies says voluntary evacuation of people in the Salisbury Road and other tsunami-risk areas are advised to stay away for at least 12 hours or until otherwise advised.

Homes at Wainui Beach are not threatened.

“If you are not contacted, you do not need to leave. People should stay off the beaches and out of the sea. Do not go sightseeing.”

Other residents should monitor local radio for further developments.

Mr Davies advised people to go to family and friends where possible, otherwise they should go to Te Poho o Rawiri Marae.

A wave of 0.2 and 1m is expected to reach Gisborne just before 8am and more surges are expected to continue for most of the day.

People are advised to stay off the beaches and out of the sea.

Tsunami Update 4

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:30:00 +1300

Warning remains in place to keep off beaches

Gisborne residents are advised to continue staying off city beaches this morning as further wave surges are expected from the Chile-generated tsunami.

Police, Fire Service and Civil Defence people returned to the Waikanae-Midway areas to request beachfront residents, who had not already left, to leave their homes. The areas affected were the beach end of Grey Street, Salisbury Road and Centennial Marine Drive.

A third wave of more than a metre at the Chatham Islands was expected to cause surges in Gisborne within the hour.

Gisborne Civil Defence controller Jon Davies said the advice remains not to go to the beach, not to go in the water or on boats and not to go sightseeing.

The areas may be affected by seawater surges for most of the day.

Homes at Wainui Beach are not threatened.

Mr Davies advised people to continue to monitor local radio for further developments.

Surges were first noticed at the harbour and beaches from 8.20am, about two and a half hours after the high tide. Eastland Port marine operations manager and harbourmaster Rob Mitchell said the tide was dropping normally and then rose slightly before dropping again.

“Then at 9am, it dropped a whole metre within about 10 minutes. Its lowest point was 0.45m above chart datum.”

Tsunami Update 5

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 12:00:00 +1300

Warning remains in place to keep off beaches

Gisborne Civil Defence was keeping a watching brief on the city’s harbour port and beaches late this morning after several significant drops in the tide resulting from the Chile-generated tsunami.

The water level dropped a metre three times since 8.30am but these drops were not accompanied by observable surges or waves.

The national Civil Defence tsunami warning remains in place with residents advised to stay off city beaches and away from river mouths and the harbour.

Harbourmaster Captain Charlie Jamieson said the tide drops had exposed seabed rocks by the training wall that he had never seen before.

Civil Defence controller Jon Davies said the rises and falls in the harbour and bay would continue to be monitored for the next few hours.

“We expect to see similar rises and falls over the next few hours. If this continues, we should have confidence about what we are dealing with. There are still concerns that these could convert into surges.

“We are being cautious because we haven’t seen this situation before. We want to have confidence before advising people they can return to their homes.”

Mr Davies advised people to continue to monitor local radio for further developments.

Tsunami Update 6

Sun, 28 Feb 2010 14:00:00 +1300

Beach side residents can return. People who left their homes earlier this morning may now return home.

Gisborne Civil Defence controller Jon Davies says there is no longer expected to be any threat to property from the Chile-generated tsunami.

The national tsunami warning was downgraded but Gisborne's Civil Defence remains on alert and continues to monitor the effects of the tsunami.

“The port is now open but we still advise people not to go to the beach, not to go in the water or on boats and not to go sightseeing until the national warning is lifted.

Please listen to local and national radio for updates.

“Gisborne Civil Defence and emergency services appreciate residents' cooperation today.”

Jon Davies
Civil Defence Controller

Try the rates calculator

Mon, 01 Mar 2010 08:30:00 +1300

Check what the proposed rates are for your property. The rates tool will show the current rates and the proposed rates for the next rating year 1 July 2010 to 30 June 2011.

Rates calculator

Draft liquor policy out for review

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:00:00 +1300

Creating a safe drinking environment for Gisborne district residents and visitors is what council’s draft Sale of Liquor Policy is all about. Adopted in 2002, it is now up for review. The draft policy highlights a number of changes including the hours licensed premises can open, aligning club trading hours to the activities of the club and ensuring at least 3 choices of food are available when liquor is served.

The draft also formalises the one-way-door policy for any licensed business that wants to operate later than 2am. Seven businesses that were licensed to open till 3am have agreed to participate in a trial. From 1.30am any patron who left the bar was not able to re-enter. After some initial difficulties this was extended to 2am, a time agreed upon by all parties in February 2009. The 2am one-way-door policy now includes ten licensed premises in the city area and extends from the harbour area, Childers Road, Gladstone Road (to the Turanga Hotel) and Derby Street.

The Gisborne District Licensing Agency, which is administered by council, is responsible under the Sale of Liquor Act to minimise alcohol related incidents. Council chief environmental health officer Sarwan Kumar says that the key to achieving this is promotion of responsible attitudes of both licensees and the public. “Council will take a ‘proactive approach’ to liquor licensing. We want to work with the industry to promote responsible drinking and behaviour so that people out in town can have a great night and make it home safe and sound. There is no one easy solution and we need to look at the options together and agree on the best strategy to make this a reality. Reviewing trading hours for bars is part of this. All businesses, groups and members of the community with a view on this matter should let council know what they think by making a submission. There are a wide range of views in the community about what the closing times should be. Council will consider all submissions received before making a final decision,” he said.

The significant changes proposed in the draft policy are:

Closing times moved from 3am to 2am, with a one-way-door condition for businesses operating after 2am
Licensed restaurants to stop selling liquor at 1am (from 3am)
Simplify the categories of clubs and ensure the hours clubs can sell liquor reflect the activities of the club
Remove some restrictions on special licences for statutory holidays
Ensure at least three varieties of food are always available when liquor is sold
Interview all applicants for new and renewed managers certificates
All premises to have a host responsibility policy

The draft policy is now out for consultation. Get a copy of the policy and make a submission online or pick up a copy from HB Williams Memorial Library or customer services in Fitzherbert Street and Te Puia Springs.

Drivers risk collision with logging trucks

Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:00:00 +1300

The Road Safety Action Group is concerned by reports of drivers pulling out in front of logging trucks at Wainui’s Oneroa Road and State Highway 35 intersection. Failure to give way to logging trucks at this intersection is putting drivers and their passengers at risk of having a serious accident, says road safety coordinator Lenora McDonald.

“Some drivers are putting themselves in harm’s way at this intersection all because they don’t want to be stuck behind a logging truck for the short trip into town.” Fully laden logging trucks can weigh up to 44 tonnes and travel at speeds of up to 90km/hr along State Highway 35.

“If a logging truck was to collide with a car the result would be disastrous for the occupants of both vehicles,” Ms McDonald said. “Drivers need to exercise caution when they turn out of Oneroa Road and give way to logging trucks travelling along the highway.”

The Road Safety Action Group, which is made up of the Gisborne District Council, ACC, the New Zealand Police and the NZ Transport Agency, will be distributing this flyer to Wainui residents about this issue.

Harold Williams' outfall pipe part of new plant

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:30:00 +1300

The architect of Gisborne’s innovative 1960s wastewater system gained a hint of the future this week during a visit to the city’s new wastewater treatment plant site.

Former city engineer Harold Williams, who designed the submarine outfall system still in use today, had a glint in his eye as he surveyed the bustling physical works now under way at Banks Street. His system, the final part of which was launched in December 1964, was light years ahead of anything that preceded it. The 1.8km submarine outfall pipe he designed will remain part of the new system but wastewater will first be treated in a biological trickling filter plant to be built on the Banks Street site.

Gisborne District Council engineering and environmental staff hosted Mr Williams and his former deputy engineer Ernie Sinton to the site.

Engineering and works manager Peter Higgs said it was an historic occasion, with the developers and guardians of Gisborne’s former system rubbing shoulders with the new scheme’s guardians and engineers.

Peter Higgs and Harold Williams

“It was like kaitiakitanga in action with the former guardians handing over to today’s guardians or kaitiaki. We are the ones looking after their baby now.

“I have met Mr Williams on several occasions as fellow engineers discussing our city’s wastewater. He was a leading light in wastewater engineering and deserves respect. I thought he and Mr Sinton would like to see it for themselves, and they certainly did. They were quite chuffed and we plan to take them again to watch the project as it progresses.”

Mr Higgs said it was great to see the pair still demonstrating their engineering knowledge, studying the detailed drawings and asking pertinent questions about the construction methods.

Last chance to have your say on council's annual plan

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 08:30:00 +1300

There is still time for people to have a say on council’s plan for the next financial year. Consultation on the plan ends at 4pm on Friday 26 March. A draft plan for 2010/2011 was approved by council in February for consultation. Since then Mayor Meng Foon, councillors and staff have attended over 30 meetings with community and business groups and in the city and townships of our district. The last meeting will be at the HB Williams Memorial Library in Peel Street at 6pm Thursday night.

Mayor Meng Foon has been most impressed with the number of people who have attended the community meetings this year. “We had a record turn out in Tolaga Bay and most other meetings have had the best attendance I have seen since I became Mayor. I want to thank everyone who has made the effort to come along and share their point of view.”

“We have had many good discussions on a broad range of topics. I look forward to helping communities with the issues they have bought up. Unlike other years no particular issue has dominated feedback. However, people have shown a lot of interest in the navigational project. People from many of the district’s marae are keen to support the project and present their stories to the navigational project committee. They can see huge benefits from the project in terms of instilling pride in the community, education, keeping our history alive and encouraging tourism. We look forward to joining with countries from around the world to form a “footsteps of Cook” trail that will tell our stories and those of other indigenous peoples.”

Planning and performance team leader Harley Dibble said we are consulting on the second year of our Ten Year Plan and so really it is a business as usual year. “Feedback from the meetings has mostly been about local issues and services to communities. Roading is always topical and for those areas that have township plans in place there was interest in council assisting communities to put their plan into action.”

Copies of the full draft plan and a brochure summarising the key issues are available on our website, HB Williams Memorial Library, customer service in Fitzherbert Street and Te Puia Springs and in local communities. Submissions can be made by completing the online submission form or the submission form in the brochure delivered to letterboxes 3 weeks ago. Alternatively call customer service on 06 867 2049 (or 0800 653 800 for East Coast residents) and they will complete a submission for you. People can also comment on any news story.

A summary of all submissions will be available on our website from 23 April and hearings will be held on 5 and 6 May. Anyone who makes a submission on the Annual Plan will be informed in writing about any decision made that related to their submission.

A copy of the plan and to make a submission online

Town & Country Matters delivery is late

Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:30:00 +1300

Council has been let down by its contractor Reach Media who deliver our quarterly newsletter Town & Country Matters. The March edition was due to be delivered on 15 - 16 March but due to an administrative error it only left the Auckland depot on Wednesday. It should be in letterboxes on Friday or Monday. Unfortunately some of the information in the document will be out of date by the time it reaches the public. Consultation on council’s annual plan finishes on Friday at 4pm and all the public meetings have now been held.

Chief executive Lindsay McKenzie said that while it was extremely disappointing that Town & Country Matters had been delayed it has not compromised the consultation process as the annual plan summary had been delivered to households and box holders earlier and a series of community meetings had been held.

Town & Country Matters is printed locally by Te Rau Herald Print but since unaddressed mail distribution moved from NZ Post to Reach Media all deliveries are now trucked to an Auckland mail centre to be sorted before being trucked back to Gisborne for delivery by posties, and rural mail services.

Current and back issues of Town & Country are available on our website.

New recycling opportunity for Gisborne

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 16:30:00 +1300

You can take your unwanted paint and paint containers into the Resene Colourshop on Gladstone Road for recycling.
Resene are part of the nationwide network of Paintwise collection centres. The paint gets offered back to community groups for reuse. This is the grey paint Gisborne's given for painting out tagging and graffiti.

For more information you can contact 0800 RESENE or email advice@resene.co.nz.

The paint packaging is also recycled. A small charge applies to returns of non-Resene branded products to offset costs ($1 per 4L, or $2.50 per 10L).

If you have an ongoing problem with tagging on your property and would like some grey paint, contact us.

Free presentation on caring for sand dunes

Thu, 08 Apr 2010 11:00:00 +1200

A presentation on how to plant and maintain sand dunes will be held at the Wainui Beach School Hall on Tuesday 13 April at 6pm. All are welcome to this free presentation by Wayne O’Keefe from Indigenous Landscapes in Opotiki. He has been invited by council to discuss his experience being responsible for beach care in the Bay of Plenty.

Council reserves planner De-Arne Sutherland says that it will be worthwhile to hear from someone with a lot of ‘tried and true’ experience in this area. “A number of Wainui residents have approached council for dune care and planting advice. The Wainui community are highly motivated and eager to get involved with any form of beach care programme, which is why Wainui Beach is a good place to start conservation work.”

“A lot of erosion of the sand dunes occurred at Wainui Beach last winter. Wayne will give us planting and dune care advice specific to the Wainui area which can be challenging. The advice however will be relevant to planting and maintaining healthy sand dunes throughout our district. From this community meeting we hope residents will have the knowledge and confidence to plant their own properties, and together with council, our reserve's sand dunes.”

“Grasses with their sand binding attributes are the biggest contributor to sand stability. They are a natural way to control sand erosion. To help residents protect their beaches they need to know what are the right grasses to plant, when and where they should plant and what sort of maintenance is required,” Mrs Sutherland added.

Wainui tree work will improve some residents' views

Fri, 09 Apr 2010 11:30:00 +1200

Some exotic trees along the Wainui beachfront will be removed over the next 2 months. Affected trees include willows, Norfolk Island hibiscus, Moreton Bay fig, palm trees and pampas grasses. Dead or dying trees will also be removed and some native trees will be thinned or removed in the case of over-crowding. A few Norfolk Pines will have their lower branches removed.

The work will restore views for many Wainui Beach residents especially those along Moana Road south of the “Chalet” and north and south of the “Whales Grave”. Some of these residents have gradually seen their sea views disappear over the last 20 years as planted and self sown trees have grown unimpeded.

Terry McMillan, community facilities manager at Gisborne District Council says that long term the exotics and plant pests will be removed from the reserve. Specimen Pohutukawa trees will be maintained and nurtured and sand-binding grasses will be planted along the fore dunes. “We will be removing self-sown trees and shrubs. Where practicable they will be replanted on the Makorori headland. Along with the pruning and tree removal this will give room for the many native trees and Norfolk pines to grow and develop.”

Over the past 2 years a number of requests have been made to Council to remove or prune trees at Wainui. The WD Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves Management Plan, which Council adopted in 2008, called for the establishment of a tree advisory committee. The committee which is made up of Council staff, a Department of Conservation representative and an arborist, met in March to review these requests. The requests were assessed in accordance with the management plan criteria. Most of the requests were agreed to by the committee who also recommended better control and management of vegetation for the long-term benefit of the reserve and all users.

Locals trained to weld plastic media

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +1200

When toilets begin to be flushed at year’s end, spare a thought for the Gisborne tradesmen who put together a vital component in the new wastewater treatment system.

The four workers from Electrinet have embarked on the massive and somewhat mind-numbing task of building 11,000 haybale-like, black plastic blocks to occupy nearly 5000 cubic metres. By the end of September, this structured plastic media will begin to be fitted into the new biological trickling filter tank on council’s Banks Street wastewater treatment plant. That process alone will take about a month.

The creation of the blocks is a significant milestone in the history of Gisborne’s wastewater system. Once the plant is commissioned at the end of the year, the city’s wastewater will flow through these blocks and undergo a biotransformation process before being discharged through the existing outfall 1.8km to sea. This will provide a much higher level of treatment than provided by the simple milliscreening process introduced 20 years ago.

Superchill Australia, which won the contract to supply and build the plastic media bales, wanted local people to create the bales and electricians to oversee the work. Electrinet was identified through a mutual acquaintance with Superchill’s New Zealand agent in Auckland.

Electrinet’s Jack Brass and Darren McKinley are operating the German-made welding machines brought in from Melbourne for the job, while managing director Barry Atkinson and general manager Stu Blair will oversee the electrical side.

Using heat and electrical current, each block is created by welding together 12 polypropylene sheets. The finished 300mm wide blocks measure 2.2m by 600mm and will consume more than 130,000 sheets. A third of these are on site, with the rest en route from Germany. Completed blocks will be stored either in or outdoors.

Superchill Australia managing director Bruno Saner has been on site for a week to help install the machines and train the Electrinet workers and Gisborne District Council project engineer Mike Yukich, as part of council’s quality assurance of the project.

Mr Saner said that with one man on each machine, about 120 bales will be produced each eight-hour day, with an estimated 100 days to complete the job. Four grades of plastic are being used. The heavier grade plastic bales are destined for the bottom of the tank, building to the lightest plastic bales at the top.

About two thirds of the bales need to be ready by the end of September for the start of the tank filling. When complete, the 10 layers of media blocks – each layer placed at right angles to the previous – will stand 6.1 metres high inside the 8m by 32m diameter tank.

Mr Saner will be back on site later in the year to oversee the installation of the media and the huge arms that distribute the wastewater over the media in the tank.

Council project manager Peter McConnell said structured rather than random media was chosen because it provided 25 percent more surface area with better distribution of water and airflow.

“Another advantage is that sections can be lifted out to see exactly how much biofilm is growing on the media. The information gained from this can be used to fine tune the operation of the biological trickling filter.”

The media material was initially developed for water cooling, in which Superchill Australia specialises, and has longevity of at least 30 years.

Napier piggybacked on Gisborne’s order to trial the structured media for its own treatment plant. The council will share its results with Gisborne.

Electrinet's Jack Brass takes a completed bale of structured plastic media from the machine ready for storage.

New recreational space up for grabs

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:30:00 +1200

If you’re after a flat surface to shoot some hoops, race remote control cars or practice your roller skating moves, we would like to hear from you.

As part of a series of proposed improvements to the Roebuck and Childers Road intersection, council is looking at constructing a 50m x 40m car park at the former St Mary’s Catholic School site.

There is potential to use this car park for other outdoor recreational activities during off-peak times and council is asking the public for ideas on how to best utilise this space. “The car park will be used extensively when the netball courts are in use. At other times it will be empty. There is a great opportunity for other groups to make use of this large flat surface,” said Mayor Meng Foon. “The idea is to make the most of the space in a way that benefits the community. All suggested uses for the car park during the off-peak times will be given careful consideration.”

If you’re interested in using this car park, please complete the expression of interest form and return it to us by 7 May 2010.

The car park has been developed to ease congestion at busy times on a relatively dangerous corner. With the YMCA, netball, tennis, squash, soccer and badminton all situated in the vicinity, parking at busy time is at a premium. The new car park will provide parks for 70 cars and take vehicles away from the intersection.

Expression of interest form

New campaign to assist cyclists on roundabouts

Wed, 21 Apr 2010 16:30:00 +1200

A campaign to help make our roads safer for cyclists gets underway next week. A critical concern for many cyclists is negotiating roundabouts safely. There have been a number of accidents locally where cyclists have been hit at roundabouts including one fatality. Council believes that by reminding motorists they share the road with cyclists and by educating cyclists on how to use roundabouts correctly, accidents will be avoided.

Council will also be trialling new road markings at the roundabout on the corner of Lytton and Gladstone Road. The new markings are based on a combination of international best practice and local expertise from cyclists and engineers. If successful the markings will be used on other roundabouts throughout the district. Both cyclists and motorists will need to familiarise themselves with the new road markings.

A series of bright billboards will be erected encouraging motorists to ‘share the road’. These will go up in Gladstone Road on the corners of Lytton, Stanley and Roebuck Roads and in Ormond Road on the corners of WiPere and Fitzherbert Streets. Signs on school buses have been installed and advertisements will be placed in The Gisborne Herald with diagrams showing how cyclists should navigate roundabouts and providing simple tips.

According to council’s road safety coordinator Lenora McDonald cycling in Gisborne should be a safe and enjoyable experience and learning how to negotiate a roundabout is essential. “It is important that cyclists and drivers are both aware of what to expect when sharing a roundabout. Drivers need to recognise that cyclists have equal rights to use the road, and cyclists need to abide by the road rules, and show their intentions clearly.”

“The safest way for a cyclist to approach a roundabout is be aware of vehicles moving towards the roundabout, and to signal clearly before moving into the centre of the correct lane. Cyclists should use the centre of the roundabout, not the inner or outer edge. This ensures cars can see them and they will not be cut off by a vehicle leaving the roundabout ahead of them. Cyclists and drivers both need to indicate before they leave the roundabout, and drivers should be patient of any apparent delays,” Mrs McDonald explained.

The project has come out of the work the Cycling Advisory Group (CAG) has been doing with staff to find solutions to cycling hazards in the district. The Cycling Advisory Group was established by council last year and provides council with an effective way to work with a cross section of the community who have a common interest in cycling. As well as promoting safe cycling, the group has been working on proactive measures to encourage more people to move around by bicycle. The group meets on the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 12noon in the council chambers Fitzherbert Street. All are welcome.

Eliminating graffiti as part of Paint NZ Beautiful Week

Thu, 22 Apr 2010 14:30:00 +1200

Get rid of unwanted paint and paint cans this week as part of Paint New Zealand Beautiful Week. The paint recycling truck is in town at the Resene Colourshop on Gladstone Road. The paint collected is recycled and then returned to the community in the form of grey paint. This paint is provided free to groups to paint out graffiti and tagging. The opportunity for the public to recycle their old paint and containers is sponsored by council as part of their commitment to waste minimisation.

Paint New Zealand Beautiful Week is a celebration highlighting what each community across New Zealand is doing to eradicate illegal graffiti, and deter its negative effects in our public and business spaces.

Another initiative that is helping deter graffiti in Gisborne is the murals that Marcus Berndt has painted around Gisborne. Recently he completed a mural featuring basketballers by the Stanley Rd/Childers Rd roundabout. He also did the mural at Churchill Park. Council donates the spray paint and Mr Berndt donates his time.

This week Mr Berndt was presented a Keep Gisborne Beautiful Award from committee member Graham Morris.

Murals have proven to be an effective way to deter graffiti vandalism. A pamphlet on murals is available at Tourism Eastland’s i-site in Grey Street. Although the newer murals are not yet listed, the pamphlet can lead to an interesting trail around Gisborne.

Resene is running a nationwide murals competition, Mural Masterpieces, to help beautify towns, schools and neighbourhoods all over the country. There is a range of categories from schools to other community groups. Past Gisborne winners have included Gisborne Girls High School, Te Hapara School, Te Wharau School, Touchstone Garden Centre, Robins Nest childcare, and Gisborne Youth Sports.

Massive concrete pour at wastewater site

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 10:00:00 +1200

More than 60 truck loads of concrete were carted to Banks Street yesterday in what was the biggest concrete pour on the wastewater treatment plant site to date.

The pour, comprising 270 cubic metres of concrete from 61 truckloads, was the first of 3 concrete pours to form walls for the treatment plant’s outfall pump station. About a dozen people were involved in the pour that continued in brilliant autumn weather from 6.30am until mid-afternoon. Gisborne’s Aitkens Concrete provided the concrete itself and McLeods Concreting Contractors ensured the concrete was distributed and compacted correctly. The concrete is reinforced by 40 tonnes of steel.

HEB Structures project manager Colin Newbold said yesterday’s pour was the largest of 3 pours to be made in the pump station. “The second pour will take place in about a fortnight with the final lift, reaching 2 metres above the sheet piling in place, to be poured about 3 weeks later. The base of the tank has a 600mm slab of concrete comprising 94 cubic metres. 2 of the walls are about 3 metres thick, and the other 2 are just under a metre wide.”

The concrete is compacted as it is poured. The wooden shutters holding the concrete in place were expected to come off today. The top surface of the concrete was to be water blasted to expose the aggregate, enabling a better join for the next layer of concrete. The mass weight of concrete is necessary to stop the pump station floating like a boat due to high groundwater levels.

Several months’ work has gone into the pump station to date. Thick sheet metal piles were driven in to form the pump station’s external walls, and 1000 cubic metres of soil excavated. A network of wood panels and steel bracing was built as the formwork for the concrete. The inside surfaces of the pump station walls have a thick layer of plastic attached to the concrete to protect the surface from corrosion by hydrogen sulphide gas released from the raw sewage. Treated wastewater from the biological trickling filter tank will be held in this tank before being pumped through the existing outfall 1.8km to sea.

Mr Newbold said the good weather had been a boost for site progress. All 1300 stone columns built to strengthen the ground under the various buildings are now complete. Work has begun on foundations for the pre-treatment and control buildings, and the biological trickling filter tank. Precast panels for the buildings and BTF tank are being produced off site. About a quarter of the 20 or so workers on site are local. Gisborne’s Currie Construction has been sub-contracted to build the above-ground structures.

Riverside Road traffic disruptions while pipeline replaced

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +1200

Riverside Road traffic will be disrupted next week as contractors replace stormwater pipes around the Stafford Street and Whitaker Street intersection. Traffic will be restricted to one lane at times. The replacements are likely to take 2 weeks depending on the weather.

The stormwater infrastructure in this area is near the end of its life and has been budgeted as part of the Whataupoko renewals programme says stormwater engineer Joss Ruifrok. “There is a risk of flooding if the pipe collapsed during heavy rain.”

“This area of Riverside Road is relatively high above the Waimata River. A 1.8 meter manhole has been made so that floodwater can be controlled before being released into the river. If it was allowed to flow down the steep gradient to the river, the bank would be eroded and the fast water flow could be a danger to river uses,” Mr Ruifrok added. Council apologises for any inconvenience this work causes road users.

Compost workshops for international compost week

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 11:30:00 +1200

To encourage more people to use their kitchen scraps productively, and to celebrate International Compost Awareness Week, council is running free composting demonstrations. “Anyone who would like to know more about composting, worm farming or using Bokashi buckets should attend. Composting doesn't just reduce waste, adding it to the garden improves soil and plant growth. Autumn is a great time to start composting. Fallen leaves and fresh grass are perfect for composting,” Ms Lister added.

The workshops will be held at the community garden established by SuperGrans in Mildura Place, opposite Kaiti Mall. There are 2 sessions available. One on Friday 30 April and the other on Saturday 1 May both from 9am – 10am.

Children staying at Te Kainga Whaiora Childrens Health Camp are actively involved in transforming their food scraps into tasty home grown vegetables. “Now the children stay in individual houses they are involved in preparing their own meals,” according to health camp gardener Brian Bowden. “All food scraps are put into a bucket and taken daily to the camp’s large bokashi drum which sits in the raised vegetable garden. This bin is moved around so all areas of the garden get the benefit of composted food. Council staff helped us come up with the best way to use our food scraps easily and effectively. This system works well. The children use the raised gardens to plant vegetables that eventually end up on their dinner plate.” Mr Bowden has attended Gisborne District Council’s composting workshops. He has now qualified as a Master Composter and is passing his skills on to others interested in learning about this process.

This is just one of many initiatives that organisations are undertaking to use food scraps productively. For the last 6 years council staff have been diligently separating their food waste from their recyclable waste. Keen staff take the waste to the worm bin for the worms to devour and turn into rich vermi-compost that eventually enriches the council gardens.

The worm bin is built on a shower base picked up from the building recycler. According to our environmental educator Anne Lister over the years around 1 tonne of waste has been diverted this way.

Changes for some rural communites' refuse collection

Wed, 28 Apr 2010 15:30:00 +1200

People wanting to get rid of refuse and recycling may need to get up a little earlier as operating hours in some areas of the district will change at the beginning of May.

Council's solid waste engineer Dwayne Pomana said minor changes to refuse collection methods in Ruatoria, Matawai and Te Araroa were a result of local residents and contractors wanting to change.

“There was a request from the Ruatoria kerbside collection contractor to change the collection time to align with the Waiapu Landfill operating hours. As a result residents in Ruatoria have an extra half hour on Wednesday mornings to get household refuse and recycling out as collection starts at 8.30am on May 12,” he said.

Refuse transfer stations in Matawai and Te Araroa will also bring their operating hours forward.

“Residents at a recent community meeting in Te Araroa asked if the local refuse transfer station could be open on Saturday mornings. It will now operate on Saturdays at 10am-12pm beginning May 15,” said Mr Pomana.

Local residents in Matawai petitioned for a change to the local refuse transfer station. As a result, beginning May 12 it will be open on Wednesdays from 12pm – 2pm.

For a full list of rural transfer station hours

Keeping sports grounds in top condition challenging

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:00:00 +1200

A very dry autumn has meant that getting the district’s sports grounds ready for the busy winter sports season has been challenging.

“Quite a lot of work has been done at the various sports fields to get them in top condition. Lack of rain has meant that some parks are dryer than we would like for this time of year and the results of the work done are not so obvious,” said community facilities manager Terry McMillan.

“The Oval has been relevelled and is looking good. To achieve this we have had to irrigate the grounds. It is not possible to irrigate all sports grounds due to the costs involved.”

Sports fields that sit on a clay base are particularly firm at the moment. This has forced the rugby union to move junior rugby to an alternative venue. The grounds are still being used for practice.

Over the last 12 months Council has installed new drainage in Nelson Park and some patching of grass has taken place at Awapuni Stadium. Apart from the normal mowing and fertilising, new grass has been sown at several grounds including Tolaga Bay.

“Lack of rain has been a real issue in Tolaga where the ground has been closed since the beginning of the season. The new grass has not grown as fast as anticipated due to the lack of rain and at times the park has been a dust-bowl. The ground has now been mown for the first time and will be in use this weekend.

Weed control has also been a focus for sports grounds with herbicides used to control Cape Daisy prickles in Kelvin Park. Nelson Park has been sprayed for paspalum. This lumpy tufty grass is a menace for any ball-on-the-ground sport like cricket and soccer; both which are played at Nelson Park. If the ball hits a tuft of paspalum it will tend to go awry. The spraying programme has been effective at controlling this grass and has helped to improve the surface of the ground.

Next season however the spray used to control paspalum will be revisited. AGPRO MSMA 600 is the industry standard for controlling paspalum and has been used by council contractor Peter Barron. The Environmental Risk Management Agency (ERMA) has withdrawn this product from May 31 this year due to its potential to accumulate in the environment. Nelson Park has been sprayed with this product twice in the last 10 years. “Accumulation of harmful chemicals is highly unlikely at this rate of application," said Mr McMillan. “However we're currently getting the soil tested to ensure that this is the case.

Parking to be monitored at Barry Park after complaints

Tue, 04 May 2010 08:30:00 +1200

Council is asking players and supporters who use Barry Park to park legally even though this may mean parking further away. Council has received complaints from neighbours of Barry Park about the number of vehicles that are parked in front of their driveway when Barry Park is being used for games or practice. “Property owners must be able to enter and exit their property as they need without the ongoing issue of vehicles blocking their access,” said council parking team leader Paul Stuart.

“Illegal parking around sports grounds has been an issue for decades. Council wants to work with users of sports grounds encouraging them to park considerately. However Barry Park residents have had enough and enforcement measures are now required.”

Areas where parking is not permitted have recently been repainted with broken yellow lines and a tow away sign has been installed. As from Tuesday 3 May anyone parking in front of an entrance driveway or over broken yellow lines will receive a warning notice informing drivers that they have parked illegally. Digital photos of the offending vehicles will be kept by council.

“We believe it is appropriate to issue warning notices for the first week as Illegal parking at sports grounds has not been policed for some time. After that full infringement notices will be issued with a zero tolerance policy,” Mr Stuart added.

Offending vehicles found to be parked illegally the following week will be issued with a $40 infringement notice if parked over a driveway or $60 if parked on the broken yellow lines. Vehicles also risk being towed away if they continue to park illegally.

“The problem area council is initially looking at is the park end of Palmerston Road and Barry Avenue. There are a limited number of parking spaces available close to the grounds so people need to be prepared to park within a reasonable walking distance.”

69 submissions received to draft Annual Plan

Wed, 05 May 2010 08:30:00 +1200

Council received 69 submissions to the draft Annual Plan 2010-2011. 26 submitters will present their submission at the 2 day hearing to be held on 5 and 6 May.

A summary of the all the submissions received can be viewed online.

Workshops on Wainui's environmental issues

Fri, 07 May 2010 11:00:00 +1200

Council has organised 2 workshops to be held in Wainui/Okitu next week. These will provide an opportunity for residents to find out what council is doing to manage and protect the Wainui/Okitu environment and provide input into some of the decisions needed around future polices.

Council is keen to continue working alongside the Wainui/Okitu community on environmental issues that are important to this area. “We know this is a motivated community and we want to provide opportunities for residents to get involved in looking after their environment. At the Wainui community update meeting in March there was support for such an initiative,” said environment and planning manager Hans van Kregten. “It is also an opportunity to help interested people understand the constraints council works within. We are keen for a cross-section of the community to participate.”

The first meeting will be ‘after work’ on Tuesday 11 May between 6 – 8pm at the Wainui School Hall. For families and older residents who prefer not to come out at night, a morning workshop will be held on Friday 14May at the Wainui tennis club in Cleary Road between 10am and midday.

Staff from various council departments will be attending and setting up stalls. This will be a chance for residents to talk with staff on the matters that they are interested in.

“An issue that came through in previous consultations was that residents believe there is a ‘special character’ to Wainui that should be acknowledged in council’s urban design and planning documents,” says senior planner Kim Smith. She will be at the workshop and is keen to hear from people on what they think is special about Wainui and worth protecting. “When we know the details that residents value as ‘special character’ we can help protect them. This could relate to height rules, street design or appropriate section sizes. It is important that those interested come and have a chat to me as these discussions could result in changes to rules and policies that affect new development in the area.”

A proposal to reticulate Wainui in 2008 was rejected. The onus remains on property owners to keep their septic tank operating to a reasonable standard. How residents maintain and monitor their own system needs to be formalised and a ‘warrant of fitness’ scheme is one proposal according to environmental health officer Judith Robertson. She will present a range of septic tank monitoring systems that council is investigating. “When the Wainui reticulation scheme was rejected residents committed to a higher level of self-monitoring to protect the area’s ground water. We are keen to hear about which option is preferred and the level of regulation and cost residents are comfortable with. If residents prefer little or no regulation, then the risks to the environment are higher. Community feedback is essential for council to make a decision. I will have models available for people to look at that will hopefully help people understand what the issues are.”

Environmental health officer Tracey Panton will also be attending with information on how council monitors water at Wainui. “Currently council takes regular water samples from the Hamanatua and Wainui Streams to monitor for faecal levels. We also monitor groundwater to gauge the impact of septic tanks and to monitor changes in water quality over time. This is done so we can warn people when there is a risk to their health. We are currently looking at updating our environmental monitoring options. We need feedback on what residents would like monitored, how they would use this information and how they would like to access it. This will help us provide a better service to the community.”

Over the last couple of years Wainui residents have been very interested how growth in the area will be controlled especially around new subdivisions. Council has to work within the Resource Management Act (RMA) when making decisions on this matter. Hans van Kregten will be at the workshops to answer questions about the RMA and how residents with concerns can have these considered as part of the decision making process.

Chief Executive reponds to criticism of Annual Plan process

Wed, 12 May 2010 08:30:00 +1200

“Suggestions by some commentators that Council’s 2010-11 Draft Annual Plan submission process ignored the increasingly fast changing world we live in, abdicated on key principles of democracy and took little notice of submitters are untrue. In support of these propositions much has been made of the fact, which is true, that only 2 staff responses to submitters recommended a change to the 2010-11 Draft Annual Plan.

What has been overlooked, among other things, was that the fact that many of the 69 submitters were supportive and sought no change to the Plan. Several other submissions sought changes to the Plan that could not be lawfully made. About a third of all the issues raised by submitters related to matters outside the scope of the Plan and most actions sought were agreed to. The matters agreed to included a commitment to review pedestrian crossings in the city, to install new culverts under Mangatuna Road, to sort out parking in Ballance Street Village, to consider the District Plan rules for the Matawhero Industrial Area, to support ‘Swim for Life’, to support Federated Farmers’ representations to Government on funding, and so on.

Other people made simple statements, asked questions or put propositions, for example, ‘can I speak for 20 minutes’ or 'what are you doing about water quality' or 'why put the Footrot Flats sculpture here? They required nothing more than a genuine acknowledgement, which is what they will get.

I believe that these are the responses of a Council that engages listens and acts. It is better to ‘just do it’ than to fob off a submitter with a promise of a change to the Annual Plan when all they want is action, preferably yesterday. But the Council’s efforts do not end there. In addition to the submissions generated following the Annual Plan consultation round, the community meetings resulted in 26 requests for service, and 12 matters that have been referred directly to Committees. Some of these matters have already been dealt with and others are under action.

Council is continually improving its Annual Plan and 10 Year Plan processes, so it should not be a surprise with all the pre-consultation, that relatively few changes to the Plan are needed in the end. It is year 2 of a ten-year plan after all.

I do admit that words like ‘no change to the Draft Annual Plan’, while correct, make it appear we are unresponsive.

However, any objective review of the staff responses, as well as of the 24 activity level reports that supported them, will show respect for and thorough treatment of the submissions received – at least for the vast majority of them. Consideration by Councillors was also thorough. This is something that submitters will be able to judge for themselves when they get their decision letters.

For those who are interested, here are the numbers -

About 160 individual issues were raised by the 69 people who submitted and there was a staff response to each of them.
People raised 38 issues in support of the provisions in the Plan.
People raised 30 issues where a change to the Plan was requested or warranted. The Council said yes to 4 of those, referred 2 to a Committee for action, and said no to 24. Most related to requests for more or less spending, to a change in the rating system – which cannot be done as part of the Annual Plan – or asked Council to do something that was unlawful.
58 requests to take actions outside the Annual Plan were received. 45 of those were agreed to.
36 simple statements were made, questions asked or propositions put.
Because some matters were responded to in more than one way, these numbers add up to more than the total number of topics raised.

And finally, yes, it is Election year and I should know better, but I could not let such a false impression about the organisation that I take pride in, go unchallenged.”

Lindsay McKenzie
Chief Executive

Web experts rank our website up with the best

Wed, 12 May 2010 16:00:00 +1200

The quality of information and services available on Gisborne District Council’s website has earned it 6th place out of 85 district and regional council websites in New Zealand. The Association of Local Government Information Management (ALGIM) last week ranked all local authority websites in the country. ALGIM commissioned independent web experts to do a technical and content survey of all the websites.

Council online communications coordinator Karen Hadfield, says it was pleasing to see all the improvements that have been made to the website recognised. “Last year we ranked 30th. Since then we have had a complete redevelopment and added a lot of functionality. This has been achieved with no extra staffing and within already tight budgets. Four of the 5 websites ranked above us are from large metropolitan councils with much larger development budgets than ours.”

New services and features recently added include:

· environmental data - hourly updates of rainfall, river levels and wind speeds

· council and committee meeting agendas - includes all staff reports and appendices

· public notices - all council notices including tenders and notified resource consents

· business training calendar

· online submissions and request for service

· you can post comments on media releases and 'have your say' items

· a search of funding and trust providers

“In the next few months our cemetery records will include photos of headstones and inscriptions. And within the next year we are looking at including more online services such as rates, LIM applications, building consents, dog registrations etc,” Mrs Hadfield added.

Community planning and development manager Nedine Thatcher-Swann says Council's website is an important part of customer service delivery. "It is becoming a virtual customer service centre for our organisation and is increasingly the way people prefer to find out information or conduct business. Since the major revamp of the site last year, new visits have increased by 46%”

The technical and content survey of all local authority websites in the country provides councils with feedback on the quality of their websites and ways in which they could improve them. The following 5 major categories were assessed:

· Basic council features - ease of navigation, keyword search and overview of services

· Planning and general council information - Council meeting agendas and minutes, events calendar and council plans

· Information on job vacancies, liquor licensing, noise control, local libraries, building consents, rubbish and recycling collection, property rates and property maps

· Paying of rates online, posting consultation submissions, sending feedback and reporting problems and issues in a request for service system

· The speed of the response to a straightforward email enquiry sent to service@gdc.govt.nz.

Applications invited for ECT trustees

Thu, 13 May 2010 13:00:00 +1200

Applications are invited from persons interested in being appointed as a Trustee of Eastland Community Trust. Gisborne District Council holds the right of appointment under the Trust Deed. In accordance with Clause 11 of the Trust Deed, 2 trustees are to retire by rotation. Both retiring trustees have advised that it is their intention to not seek reappointment.

Under its Trust Deed, it is charged with various responsibilities relating broadly to the preservation of the value of that investment, and the use of income from it to the benefit of the district’s residents as beneficiaries of the trust.

For more information and application details.

Keep warm but safe this winter

Fri, 14 May 2010 15:00:00 +1200

That is the message behind an education campaign launched this week which aims to raise awareness about the possible harmful effects of using unflued gas heaters. Tairawhiti District Health, Gisborne District Council and energy efficiency organisation Energy Options have joined forces to get the message out that using an unflued gas heater the wrong way can be hazardous to your health.

Staff from each of the 3 groups will be out and about over the next month educating the community and encouraging people to take part in a survey which aims to identify the extent to which unflued gas heaters are used in the Tairawhiti district. And there's a $3000 prize up for grabs just for taking part.

Tairawhiti District health protection officer Cathy Walker said it was important people knew of the health risks associated with indoor air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide that unflued gas heaters produced. They also produced water vapour that could affect people’s health by increasing the spread of mould and dust mites.

Mrs Walker said an Australian study found that the air pollutants pose a significant health risk to children, pregnant women, elderly people and those with asthma or heart disease if they build up in a room. “High levels can be dangerous for everyone,” she said. "The warning should not be taken lightly. Carbon monoxide and nitrogen dioxide are both difficult to detect through smell or taste, but exposure to high levels of these pollutants can be harmful."

"People with asthma are particularly susceptible to the effects of nitrogen dioxide and should minimise exposure to this type of heater. Exposure to high levels of carbon monoxide can affect anyone, resulting in tiredness, shortness of breath, headaches, dizziness, nausea, weakness, confusion and in extreme cases death," she said. To reduce exposure to the air pollutants, people who use unflued gas heaters should take the following steps:

ensure the room that the heater is in, is well ventilated by having internal doors open and at least one window to allow fresh air to enter the room;
don't use an unflued gas heater in a room where people sleep, in a bathroom, caravan or tent;
only use an unflued gas heater for short periods of time;
for fixed appliances, make sure your heater is installed by a licensed gas fitter;
read and follow any instructions for the use of the appliance;
don't do any maintenance on an unflued gas heater yourself;
make sure your unflued gas heater is serviced by a qualified person at least once a year. Heaters that are not in good working order can release higher amounts of pollutants into the home.

Mrs Walker said people wanting to know more about using unflued gas heaters safely could attend one of the public displays this month.

The displays will be outside The Warehouse on May 11, 25 and 29; Pak ‘n Save on May 12, 26 and 27, Bunnings on May 15, 22 and 29; at Kaiti Mall on May 13 and 20; and at the Heartlands day in Ruatoria on May 19. There would be information pamphlets available as well as the chance to fill in the survey and go into the draw to win a $3000 heating or insulation package from Energy Options.

For more information about unflued gas heaters

Walls rise-up on Banks Street site

Thu, 20 May 2010 15:00:00 +1200

Gisborne’s new wastewater treatment plant is beginning to make its presence known on the landscape.

The first of about 100 massive pre-cast concrete panels were erected this week to form the walls of the control room building. And within the next 6 weeks, Gisborne will rival Stonehenge as 32 panels – 8.8m tall and weighing 8.5 tonnes – are placed in a colossal circle to form the exterior wall of the biological trickling filter tank.

The control room building comprises 39 panels, the largest of them 5.7m and weighing about 6 tonnes. Another 21 panels will be erected for the pre-treatment building. Some of these panels facing Banks Street will be embossed with a design used as branding for the wastewater project since its inception.

Unlike the stone used in Britain’s famous standing stones, the panels are made of concrete, pre-cast in Auckland by Preco Ltd. CH2M Beca environmental engineer Peter Brown said the panels are being trucked to Gisborne, 4 or 6 at a time. “Work is progressing on several of the treatment plant buildings at the same time. The largest pump station – which will hold treated wastewater before it is discharged through the outfall – is close to having its second concrete pour, to finally bring it above ground.” The completed outfall pump station will be 9.5m deep.

Construction is well under way for the pre-treatment building, where the city’s wastewater will be screened and the solids extracted before being pumped to the top of the biological trickling filter tank for further treatment. Footings are being poured for the base of the 32.5m diameter biological trickling filter tank. “Two walls for the pre-treatment building are being poured in situ. These will hold the floor on which the screens sit.”

The project’s main contractor HEB Structures has sub-contracted Gisborne’s Currie Construction to build the above-ground structures. HEB project manager Colin Newbold expected all of the control room walls to be in place within the next few weeks. “We will start on the walls for the pre-treatment building in two to three weeks and on the biological trickling filter tank walls about late June. We use our 80 metre crane to rotate the panels to the right orientation before they are lifted into position and threaded over the starter bars that protrude from the footings. Temporary steel props hold the panels in place until the roof goes on and ties the structure together.”

Oval No.1 ground closed

Wed, 26 May 2010 11:30:00 +1200

Oval reserve No.1 field is closed for all training and matches due to surface flooding. The field will be reassessed again on Friday.

All other council sports fields are open.

Survey to find out how we're doing

Thu, 27 May 2010 12:00:00 +1200

As part of its on-going commitment to actively seek public opinion and involvement, council is to conduct a survey of its residents.
“We have a responsibility to track how well our efforts are carrying through to our residents. The best way to do this is to interview a representative cross-section of people, and to have this done by an independent group to ensure impartiality,” said council’s community planning and development manager Nedine Thatcher-Swann.

People living in all 7 wards of the district will be telephoned, using a randomised selection method. They will be asked their opinions on a wide ranging list about the council, and the services it delivers to the residents of the district. “People are busy but council really appreciates those that take the time to complete the survey. Without their responses we would not be able to track what services residents are happy with or where we need to focus on improvements. This initiative is in the spirit of changes in local government, whereby councils are urged to take a proactive stance in understanding and meeting residents’ wishes.”

Interviewing for the survey commences on Friday 28 May, and is expected to be completed on Wednesday 9 June.

National Research Bureau, an independent market research company offering specialised services to local authorities throughout New Zealand, has been commissioned to undertake the survey and report to council.

Submitter's concerns addressed during Annual Plan process

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:00:00 +1200

Few changes were made to the draft Annual Plan as a result of consultation with residents in March. This does not mean council is not responding to the issues raised according to community planning and development manager Nedine Thatcher-Swann.

“The nature of most of the issues bought up during consultation on council’s draft Annual Plan for the 2010/2011 year meant they could be addressed as part of normal council business. They did not require a change to the draft plan.”

Community update meetings were held in 21 locations in March. As a result of these meetings a large number of requests for service and issues that required a follow-up from staff were generated. “These are all being actioned within the existing plan and its budgets. Few changes were made to the draft Annual Plan as a result of consultation. This does not mean council is not responding to the issues raised.”

“Council’s approach to consulting on our 2010/2011 Annual Plan was to go beyond the need to meet our statutory obligation and take the opportunity to listen to our communities and update on what council is doing for them,” said Mayor Meng Foon. “For some communities there is not a lot in the draft Annual Plan that they are directly interested in. However all our communities have issues that they want council to pay attention to. The meetings were opportunities for communities to hold council accountable.”

“I attended all of the meetings and was joined by councillors and senior managers. We wanted to let communities know what was happening with the issues they had bought up previously, what progress was being made and where no progress had been made why not.”

“We had record numbers attending some of the meetings and very good feedback from communities about this approach. Attendance was up 30% on last year’s Ten Year Plan meetings. We felt it went really well. This is not to say that there is not room to improve. It highlighted the importance of feeding back directly to communities about the issues they have raised with us. Now the Annual Plan has been adopted we will be letting communities and individual submitters know what decisions have been made and what action council is taking,” Mayor Foon added.

“Council wants to thank those that took the time to attend a meeting and who read our documents. Council is always interested in your feedback. For the 69 people who made submissions and the 21 submitters who spoke at the hearings you play an important role in our democratic process. The 160 issues raised have all been considered by staff and councillors. The people who raised issues will get a personal response. Posters are going into communities responding to their issues.”

Some of the changes that council agreed to but did not require a plan change, include reviewing pedestrian crossings in the city, installing new culverts under Mangatuna Road and sorting out parking issues in Ballance Street village.

Wastewater treatment plant major influence on rates

Thu, 27 May 2010 16:30:00 +1200

Council will plan for the development of the inner harbour, protect Ruatoria from flooding, build a new dog pound facility and is likely to start work on an upgrade to the War Memorial Theatre in the next financial year. This is on top of building the district’s biggest ever infrastructure project; the $39M wastewater treatment plant. Council adopted its 2010/2011 Annual Plan today agreeing to a 6.3% increase in rates income from across the district.

“The 6.3% increase is slightly less than was forecast in council’s Ten Year Plan and represents good value when we consider what council is planning to deliver,” said Mayor Meng Foon.

“During an extensive consultation process submissions were received about the level of rate increase. These submissions were seriously considered but in the end we could not have cut the rate increase back further without reducing the services we offer.”

“Council is on target to make $1M worth of efficiency savings this year and a further $500,000 next year. We have had to absorb a lot of additional costs including increases in GST, ACC and a decrease in contributions from Gisborne Holdings Ltd. Considering this is the year we start paying for the wastewater treatment plant, I am happy with this result.”

In Gisborne city residential ratepayers will see their rates increase by an average of 6.7%. Most of this increase is due to the new wastewater treatment project. Rates will decrease in Ruatoria and most other rural areas will have increases of up to 4.5%.

Council is in strong financial position according to chief financial officer Mike Drummond. “Our level of rate increase for the coming financial year is well within national levels. Over the last 2 years our increases have been significantly lower. Nationally territorial council’s rates have increased, in relation to household income, by an average of 5-8% in the last 2 years. Our increases were 3.8%.”

“It is also pleasing to see that last year’s forecast as to the amount of rates we would need to collect this year was very close. This indicates that the work done preparing a Ten Year Plan was robust and accurate. The plan approved today covers year 2 and is really a business as usual year.”

Register now for the graffiti cover up

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:00:00 +1200

Volunteers will be out with their paint cans and brushes at the end of June for the Great Graffiti Cover Up. Recent graffiti attacks in Kaiti have highlighted the need for residents and building owners to get rid of the tags as soon as possible after they appear.

Those who have been tagged can register to get the tags painted out on Sunday 27 June. Registering a tagged property with the council will enable volunteers to cover the tagging with grey paint. If residents do not want grey paint used they are welcome to supply their preferred colour. Residents must register as permission is required before volunteers can go onto a private property to paint.

The Gisborne Volunteer Centre is coordinating volunteers to paint. Anyone keen to help out is asked to contact Jenny Greaves or phone 868 4522. If wet the alternative date is Sunday 4 July.

Graffiti vandalism or tagging is an ongoing problem in Gisborne that is best attacked community wide said Mayor Meng Foon. He is very keen to get rid of all tagging from our place. “Taggers get away with graffiti because people are reluctant to get involved. The key is to report it and remove it. If you see someone tagging call the police as soon as possible. Try to get as many facts including a description of the tagger and the colours or words used in the tag. If possible take a photo.”

“Tagging left intact attracts more tagging so it is important to paint it out as soon as possible. If you have a solid painted fence keep any unused fence paint to do this. Unpainted walls or fences can be cleaned by sanding or waterblasting. Tags are best removed when they are fresh. Methylated spirits, turps, paint-stripper, dish washing liquid, branded graffiti removal products or oven cleaner can work,” he added.

Council is committed to painting out any graffiti on its property as soon as it is reported. Residents are asked to report any tagging on bus shelters, litterbins, parking meters, street furniture, public toilets, road signs, street lights, traffic barriers, bridges, council buildings, monuments or statues by filling in an eFix form or contacting customer services.

A ‘How to Stop Graffiti Guide’ produced by the Crime Prevention Unit of the Ministry of Justice is also available from the council’s website. It suggests that to avoid tagging on your property you should use transparent fencing or railings rather than high solid fences that provide an attractive canvas for taggers. If you must have a solid surface, rough and textured surfaces are less attractive to taggers. Enamel panels, glazed ceramic tiles and plastic laminates make for easier cleaning.

If you already have a solid fence or wall plant a hedge or shrubs in front of it - preferably one with prickles or thorns. When you are painting a wall or fence use dark colours – green or brown and use a graffiti protection product. Increasing visibility at night will also deter taggers. Lights with a motion sensor are a popular choice as they only activate when a person approaches. Remove rubbish bins and other props that could be used to gain access to upper floors and roofs.

For more information on graffiti tagging

Council's submission to the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 08:30:00 +1200

Read council's submission to the Environment and Local Government Select Committee for the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill.

At its meeting on 27 May 2010, Council agreed to delegate approval of the submission to the Finance & Monitoring Committee given the timing constraints related to the submission due date.

Submission on the Local Government Act 2002 Amendment Bill

Future of Tokomaru and Hicks Bay wharves to be consulted on

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 08:30:00 +1200

The wharves at Tokomaru and Hicks Bay are in a bad condition and pose a risk to the public who continue to use the structures. However at the moment council will not be closing them until the public and affected communities have been consulted on their future.

The deteriorating condition of the wharves was discussed at council’s Operations Committee meeting on Thursday. It was decided to include a proposal on the future of the wharves in next year's Annual Plan so that the wider public can have their say during consultation. Details of the proposal will be worked out in consultation with local hapu and community groups. Options are likely to include closing all or part of the wharves to the public permanently or restoring them so they are safe for people to walk on. Estimated costs for this are likely to be $2.5M for both wharves.

Tokomaru Bay resident Grant Dargie asked the committee to ensure local hapu Te Aotawarirangi are consulted before any decisions are made. Mr Dargie was assured that council was committed to working with affected communities to find the best solution. A Tokomaru Bay Wharf working party has recently been formed and has its next meeting at Te Ariuru Marae at the end of the month. “Our community needs the chance to get a full understanding of what is happening with the wharf before we can start contributing our thoughts on its future,” said Mr Dargie.

Council has reserved the right to close the wharves if there is an emergency such as an earthquake, tsunami or major storm. The wharves or parts of them will also be closed if erosion of the structure makes them unsafe for use.

Currently council has no funding allocated for repairs and so has no plans to do anything other than let the wharves fall in to the sea. Warning signs have been installed but these are largely ignored. Council will update the current signs on the wharves to ensure they have adequate information so the public can make informed decision on whether to walk on the wharf or not.

“Doing nothing is an increasingly high risk option for council. The rate of deterioration is increasing If we don’t close the wharves until they start to fall in to the sea the chance of someone getting hurt is high,” said land transport manager Dave Hadfield.

New pipes to separate city's industrial waste

Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:30:00 +1200

As buildings make their presence known in Banks Street as part of the city’s wastewater upgrade, a vital link in the new system has been less obviously getting on with business.

Since late March, half a dozen Downer EDI Works staff and their assorted machinery have been beavering away laying the first pipes for a network reaching from the Bernard Matthews-Juken NZ mill area into the Banks Street plant. This will enable industrial and domestic wastewater to be separated and pumped to the city’s new treatment plant.

The work is part of the $1.1m contract for the western industrial pipeline awarded to Downer EDI Works, which is included in the total $39.5m wastewater project. Separating industry wastewater halves the cost and size of the treatment plant that would otherwise be needed to treat combined human and industrial waste.

Gisborne District Council projects engineer Michael Yukich says that trade waste and domestic wastewater from the western industrial area are currently discharged through the same pipe and pumped back to the Stanley Road milliscreening plant.

By the end of the year, these wastewater streams will be separated into two pipes before being pumped to the new Bank Street Wastewater Treatment Plant. The domestic sewage will be treated in the new biological trickling filter plant and the trade wastewater will go to the pre-treatment building for milliscreening before both are then discharged through the existing outfall pipe to the sea.

Mr Yukich says the contract involves building a new pump station near Bernard Matthews in Dunstan Road, upgrading the existing McDonald Road pump station and installing 8km of pipeline. The main PVC pipeline being laid has the capacity for other industries to join as required, thus catering for the greater volumes of wastewater predicted as part of future development.

“To date, a section of pipe has been laid from the location of the new pump station at Dunstan Road to the existing pump station in McDonald Road. Work has now started on laying pipes along the state highway to Banks Street.

“The first section of pipe will receive waste from Bernard Matthews, the council’s new dog pound facility and eventually Hikurangi Forest Farms mill. All this waste will be collected in the new Dunstan Road pump station which will be installed next month, weather permitting. The whole project will be completed in time for the commissioning of the new Banks Street facility.”

Meanwhile, Connell Contractors have made a good start on the main wastewater conveyance pipelines from outside the on-site outfall pump station to Banks Street itself. These pipelines -- which will take screened and treated wastewater to the existing outfall – will be installed down Banks Street and around the existing Stanley Road treatment site.

Nearby in Banks Street, the pipe bridge across Waikanae Stream, which takes wastewater from the Awapuni industrial area, has been upgraded and is now ready to have the new larger carrier pipe attached.

Council's wastewater project manager Peter McConnell praised businesses in the Banks Street area for their cooperation as pipe-laying work squeezed their working areas.

He said local contractors were picking up a lot of subcontracting work including laying pipes for the Awapuni industrial separation and minor pipelines serving the grape processing industries.

“Extensive use is also being made of local subcontractors on the Banks Street building site for precast panel erection, internal structural steel fabrication and erection, fabrication and installation of steel pipework, fabrication and erection of light steel components and general machinery hire.”

Plan fine-tuned for oil spills at "The Cut"

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 08:30:00 +1200

Council conducted an oil spill exercise at ‘The Cut’ Waikanae Beach on Wednesday 22 June. How the Marine Oil Spill response team would respond to an oil spill in this area and where the equipment would be placed, was fine tuned.

No oil was put into the sea during the exercise, and the team used oil recovery equipment in the form of booms (floating fences) during the training session to make it as authentic as possible. Testing included configuring the booms so they made a passage up Waikanae Stream to an oil containment area on the railway side of the stream.

Exercise Controller Louise Bennett said the exercise was about ensuring the team was ready to respond to protect people and the environment. "No 2 spill responses are the same but now we have a generic action plan for The Cut and Waikanae Stream that can be fine tuned in an emergency. The plan would be adapted to consider the weather, tides and how fast the oil was moving.”

“Two exercises are carried out each year and are funded by Maritime New Zealand. Without a trained, committed team it would be extremely difficult to react.” Council’s marine oil spill response team includes council staff, and representatives from Eastland Port, Rural Fire, Police, and Ministry of Fisheries. The team has been having exercises since the late 1990s and deals with around 10 spills per year in the area.

Jim Tetlow from Hawkes Bay Regional Council’s Spill Response team was an observer for this exercise and felt the Gisborne team worked very well together. “Each person knows their job which is important in an emergency situation. Health and safety aspects were well considered by taping off the area from the public and ensuring staff signed in and out. I will be taking these ideas back to my team,” Mr Tetlow said.

“The massive oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has highlighted the catastrophic impact a real oil spill can have on an environment. Even though any events here will probably have a much more localised impact, serious environmental damage could occur. Our first priority will be to ensure the health and safety of the public, stop any further oil leaks, recover spilt oil and protect wildlife and other environmental resources” Mrs Bennett added.

The last time booms were deployed in this area was in February 2002 when the Jody F Millennium beached in a similar area and lost over 20 tonnes of heavy bunker oil into the sea. An incoming tide carried the oil into The Cut area.

Final reminder for a rates rebate

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 13:00:00 +1200

Depending on your income, you may qualify for a rates rebate of up to $550, but time is running out, it must be claimed by 30 June 2010.

If you haven’t already applied in this rates year (1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010) you will need to do so before the cut-off date on Wednesday 30 June 2010.

All you need to do is bring in your income details for the year ended 31 March 2009. Customer service staff will work out the rebate for you. If you can’t make it in to us, contact us and we can come out to you.

Development ideas wanted

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 15:30:00 +1200

The coastal area between the port and Pacific Street has the potential to be developed in a way that could really put Gisborne on the map. Mayor Meng Foon is calling a public meeting to ask the public for their ideas on how this potential could be realised. The meeting will be held in the Lawson Field Theatre Rose Room at 4pm on Monday 28 June.

The intention to develop the area was signalled in council’s Urban Development Strategy. The focus is on attracting high amenity activities to the area that will transform it. The Urban Development Strategy suggests the area needs more sports and recreation activities, things for tourist to do and high quality residential developments. All would benefit from being situated close together in such a high profile position.

Council has owns a significant amount of land in the area including reserves. The proposed beachfront walkway, hockey turf on Churchill Park and navigational project will provide further impetus. Council is talking to key stakeholders such as iwi leaders, the Eastland Community Trust and land owners in the area. Mayor Foon says that it is important to give all people in the district a chance to come up with ideas.

Pay rates bill early to save GST

Fri, 25 Jun 2010 16:00:00 +1200

Gisborne district ratepayers are being urged to beat the 2.5% GST increase by paying their whole rates bill before the tax hike applies from 1 October. Gisborne District Council will continue to send out rate demands 4 times a year in August, November, February and May. With GST going up from 12.5% to 15% rates will be affected as rates have a component of GST in it. By paying their whole rate account before the 1 October ratepayers will avoid the extra GST payments. The increase in GST primarily affects residential ratepayers as business can claim back the GST from the IRD.

Council considered a number of options to reduce the impact of GST increase on ratepayers. The report also dealt with changes to systems needed to cope with a mid-year GST rate change. Discussions with council’s tax advisers indicated that changing the method of invoicing to keep GST at 12.5% for the year was possible although there was some risk of a challenge.

“The majority of councillors felt the decision to stay with the current arrangement was prudent and demonstrated sound financial management without risking ratepayer’s money,” said Mayor Foon.

Other councils including Auckland have taken a cautious approach to this matter and have not changed their current rates arrangements. A successful challenge by the Inland Revenue Department could result in additional costs to ratepayers to defend the councils position.

Potential savings from the options considered ranged from $16–$46 per residential ratepayer depending on the option. On balance council decided that the risks, additional education costs and possible confusion did not justify a change.

Action taken to stop the smell

Fri, 02 Jul 2010 09:00:00 +1200

A bad smell hanging over Gisborne city today has been attributed to corn waste. Council issued a consent in 2000 for Cedenco to dispose of vegetable waste from their production processes onto land they lease outside of the city boundary near the airport.

This food waste is generally plowed back into the land it comes from effectively composting the waste. This practice rarely causes odour problems. The cause of the smell which was first noticed in the city on Tuesday is corn waste that was piled onto the leased land in April. The land has been used to store pumpkins and these have been left on the land to dry so they can be processed later.

The corn waste had not been spread or ploughed in because the pumpkins were still drying. Chief environmental health officer Sarwan Kumar said that food waste like this should never be left in piles. “The fact that we have had a lot of cool wet weather has meant that the waste has been relatively odour free considering the length of time it has been sitting. The change to warmer dry weather this week and the southerly wind change on Wednesday is why the smell has been apparent in the city.”

When council staff were notified of the bad smell Cedenco was asked to find a solution. A contractor was called in to disc the waste material which effectively turns it over with the soil. An inspection at 3pm on Thursday 1 July showed that this had been done and that the smell should improve. Council staff will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend. The real test as to how effective these measures have been will be around mid-morning Friday when the sun is up and warming the land.

Follow-up actions are likely to occur including an agreement from Cedenco not to use this area of land for food waste disposal in the future. One of the conditions of the consent is that there should be no offensive or objectionable smells beyond the boundary of the property. The calibrated noses of council’s environmental health staff were not needed to confirm that the consent had indeed been breached.

Local elections candidates' workshop

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 10:30:00 +1200

If you want to have a say in the future of your region find out more about how you can stand to become a councillor or mayor?

Gisborne District Council is holding a workshop for prospective candidates in this year’s local government elections on Thursday 15 July at 6.30pm in the Council Chambers in Fitzherbert Street.

“This is an opportunity for people interested in standing in the 2010 elections to learn more about the nomination and election processes and the roles of councils and elected members. It’s also a chance to have any questions answered,” says Simon Jeune electoral officer of the Gisborne District Council.

“Local government is local democracy. This is fundamental to giving the opportunity for everyone’s voice to be heard. The mayor and councillors take on a leadership role in the district representing the views of the community.

“We need a range of people of different ages, ethnicities and backgrounds to represent the diversity of our community.

“Anyone over the age of 18 can stand for election as long as they are a New Zealand citizen and enrolled on the electoral roll.”

Nominations for candidates open 23 July 2010 and close 20 August 2010. Voting papers will be sent out from 17 September 2010 and must be mailed back to council by election day on 9 October 2010.

For further information on standing as a candidate.

or visit the elections portal www.elections2010.co.nz

Read the public notice

Gisborne youth get $35K government funding

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:30:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council has been successful in its joint application with Tairāwhiti Youth Voice for $35,000 of the Government’s Youth Development Fund.

Council’s community development team leader, Judy Livingston, has welcomed the funding. “In January Tairāwhiti Youth Voice (TYV) agreed take on the role of representing the views of Tairāwhiti youth and advising council on matters that affect our young people. To do this effectively council needs to partner with TYV to help them grow the skills of its members and its capacity to be effective.”

TYV Chairperson Rory McCourt thanked the council for its support in acquiring the funding. “This will assist the on-going development of TYV so that we can better represent and advocate for the youth of this region.”

A project called Rangatahi Unite has been put together which aims to develop young leaders that can bring local youth together to actively work on the issues that affect them. This may be within individual communities or on a regional level. The Youth Development funding will be used to support this project and contribute towards employing a part time coordinator.

“We need to help young people develop their skills to advocate effectively with decision makers in this region. To represent all youth in the region they need to learn how to consult effectively with their peers and make relevant submissions. This funding will help this to happen,” Ms Livingston added.

Minister of Youth Affairs Paula Bennett congratulated the council and TYV on being chosen to receive funding to support youth development in the region. “I am excited the Ministry can support initiatives like this that involve, challenge and encourage young people. It’s fantastic to see these projects benefiting young people from communities around the country. They offer a huge range of opportunities, through activities that support enterprise, research, team challenges, participation, and development of youth resources.”

The Youth Development fund itself is aimed at improving outcomes for young people aged 12-24 through effective youth development practice in communities. Round six focuses on projects that support training, education, employment outcomes through developing youth community leadership and celebrating the achievements of young people. Rangitahi Unite aligns well with those priorities. In the first year of funding a project group will be established and training and development workshops organised. TYV plan to facilitate a number of consultation events and develop a programme of work.

Mayor Meng Foon believes that developing role models and future leaders will benefit both council and the wider community. “Our region is youthful. We have the highest proportion of under 15s in the country. My participation in youth forums and events continue to reaffirm that we have a great future here in Tairāwhiti. Encouraging our young people to participate positively in Council’s decision-making processes has to be good for our future. Governance training and appointing a coordinator to help TYV drive through changes that will make a difference to youth is a good start. The government funding means that this can happen without any costs to ratepayers.”

TYV is a group of young people who got together to make a positive difference in our community by working with council and being part of the solution. TYV has youth councils in Uawa and Ruatoria, as well as Gisborne and they are keen to work with more young people throughout the Tairāwhiti region. If anyone wants to join the Youth Council contact Ngarimu Simpkins

Motu cycle trail funding approved

Wed, 07 Jul 2010 16:30:00 +1200

News that a bid for government funding to develop the Old Motu Coach Road has been successful is exciting for the Gisborne and Opotiki districts. It is one of 8 cycle trails announced yesterday to be included in a series of “Great Rides” under Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail project.

An initial proposal went to the Department of Tourism and in February was one of 13 cycle trails funded to develop a feasibility study. An inter-agency partnership between Department of Conservation (DOC), Opotiki and Gisborne District Councils commissioned Tourism Resource Consultants and Frame Group Limited to assist in developing this.

The New Zealand Cycle fund has approved $1.7M, in addition to this amount, DOC will be contributing approximately $360,000 to the construction works. Work is scheduled to start in October 2010 on the Pakihi Track and will involve working with the Ministry of Social Development to increase job opportunities within the region. Andy Bassett, DOC Gisborne/Whakatane Area Manager said today “it is great news to hear we have been successful and look forward to getting on with the work”

The Motu Cycle Trails will take cyclists from Matawai through the Old Motu Coach Road with an option of detouring through the Pakihi Track or continuing through the Pacific Coast Highway to the Tirohanga Conservation Area. The cycleway introduces the rugged inland scenery and the unique history of the area as it follows the historic tracks through the heart of the Urutawa Conservation Area. It is expected that the partnership will work with regional tourism operators to market the overall route.

Councillor Graeme Thomson supported the Motu cycleway from the start and was always keen to see the more challenging Pakihi Track extension included in the project. “In the longer term there are also some old military tracks near the Motu area that would make wonderful biking options. Once cyclists start coming to this rugged part of the Gisborne district there can be further opportunities to be explored”, he says.

Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon can see real benefits for the region as a result of this announcement. “This is an exciting opportunity for our rural communities to realise some economic advantage. This could be through providing accommodation, meals, cycle supplies or using local knowledge to guide tourist trails.”

“Kim Smith from Gisborne District Council and Mike Houghton from Opotiki District Council have led teams that worked hard on this project. They all deserve to be commended for their efforts. The support we have received from our communities and DOC have all come together to make this happen.”

According to council’s environment and planning manager and keen cyclist Hans van Kregten this is a worthwhile regional development opportunity that the makes the most of our district’s natural attractions. “It is a good start to attracting increasing numbers of cycle tourists to the district. We will be able to take advantage of the Ministry of Tourism’s efforts to market the “Great Rides” nationally and internationally. It may also lead to the realisation of other opportunities in the future. We have an active cycling community in this region and lots of support from the Cycling Advisory group that meets with council staff once a month.”

The Opotiki District Council is also delighted that the Motu Cycle Trail will become a reality. “It’s a fantastic trail that cuts through the heart of East Cape scenery taking in remote hill country farms, rugged bush and, of course, our beautiful beaches. It will create new jobs during its construction and when the first stage is complete, more consolidated benefits for café’s, diners, retailers and tourism operators,” said Mike Houghton, parks and reserves manager at Opotiki District Council.

Massive slip at Anaura Bay

Fri, 09 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

A massive slip has come down at Anaura Bay cutting off all vehicle access and isolating 20 dwellings.

The side of the hill has slipped bringing down 20-30,000 cubic metres of soil. This now covers the road just after the beachfront houses. There is no way vehicles can get through the slip and the land it has slipped on to is private. Six houses further up the road are effected as well as another 12 houses at Nuiti Beach which can only be accessed from Anaura Bay Road.

It is likely the saturated soils after the recent heavy rain has caused the hill to move. Most of the dwellings are holiday accomodation and those who were trapped by the slip have been leaving the area along the beach at low tide.

Contractors are now working at the site and are attempting to put an access track across the top of the slip where the existing road was. If this is successful the track will be open on Sunday. If this doesn’t work a track will be put in around the slip over private land while a longer term solution is found.

Anaura Bay is situated 85 kilometres north of Gisborne on the East Coast.

Further up the East Coast inland from Ruatoria Matahiia Road is still closed although residents can leave the area on foot or by 4WD vehicle. Caution is advised.

Slip on Tiniroto Road

Tue, 13 Jul 2010 08:30:00 +1200

A slip came down on Tiniroto Road at Hangaroa bluffs early Monday morning. One lane of the road is now open.
Trucks and excavators have been working on the slip. But it will some time before 2 lanes will be open.
Some very large boulders have come down the hill; a few the size of cars. There is still a lot of loose rock, soil and trees on the side of the road and still some movement on the hill face.
Motorists are advised to take extreme caution on this road.
The slip was triggered by a 5.3 earthquake at 1.20am Monday morning, 10 km north-west of Wairoa.

First panels up on trickling filter tank

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +1200

Gisborne’s new biological trickling filter tank began to take shape late last week with the first 7 pre-cast concrete panels crane-lifted into place around the 32.5m circumference.

In total, 40 panels – each of them 8.8m tall and 8.5 tonnes – will be erected before concrete is poured in the vertical gaps and the structure tied together by tensioning steel cables in ducts within the wall panels. The tank will be covered, bringing the finished apex height to 15m above ground level.

All panels are expected to be erected by the end of the month. Some are on site with others still being trucked to Gisborne, 2 at a time, from their Auckland manufacturers, Preco Ltd.

The panels feature the Best For Gisborne project logo, which has been stamped into the concrete and reversed every second panel to create a continuous, undulating pattern.

Colin Newbold, project manager for main contractor HEB Structures Ltd, says work is progressing well on several of the structures at the same time despite three days lost to wet weather last week.

“The control room building is expected to be closed in by the end of August, after which the mechanical and electrical work can begin inside. An internal concrete roof was cast a few weeks ago and framework is being built in preparation for the laying of long-run roofing.

“Within the next few weeks, work will begin on erecting pre-cast concrete panels to form three walls of the pre-treatment building. Each 6m panel weighs about 6 tonnes, and all are now on site. This building will be roofed using pre-insulated roofing panels being imported from Ireland.”

The final concrete pours for the outfall pump station will take place in the next few weeks. Once complete, the pump station -- measuring 10.6m by 11.1m with a depth of 9.5m – will be covered with a mix of pre-cast concrete and removable steel covers.

Meanwhile, Connell Contractors have been laying large conveyance pipes from outside the on-site outfall pump station and down Banks Street. This week pipes will cross under Awapuni Road and head for the existing Stanley Road wastewater milliscreening and treatment site. The new pipelines will take screened and treated wastewater to the existing outfall.

About 20 people are working on site, a third of them from Gisborne.

Gisborne District Council project engineer Mike Yukich (left) discusses finer details of the construction of the biological trickling filter tank with HEB structures engineer Drew Griffin. The first 7 of 40 panels forming the tank's external walls can be seen behind them. Each 8.8m panel is supported by 2 temporary steel props.

Arts and culture workshop

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

Many creative and talented people make Tairāwhiti their home. Their contribution to the community makes our place more vibrant and colourful. There is an opportunity to harness this creativity and turn our district into a real Mecca for arts and culture according to Gisborne District Council strategy advisor Pania Ruakere. “For this to happen Council needs direction from our creative people so we can support, promote and fund arts and culture more effectively..”

As a funder and provider of resources Gisborne District Council plays a key role harnessing creative activities. To make sure this is done in a coordinated way Council is calling for interested people to come together at one of two workshops being held later this month. The purpose of the workshops is to hear people’s big ideas as to what an arts and culture Mecca might be like in our unique area. “Discussion will focus on what makes this place special and how we can make the most of any opportunities. We also need to know what the creative people need from Council for this to happen.

“A clear direction from those most affected is needed. This will guide Council’s decisions in the future about what to invest in, new opportunities to pursue, how to collaborate with creative groups most effectively. We also need to understand what support and promotion is needed,” said Ms Ruakere.

Mayor Meng Foon who chairs the Arts in Public Places committee is committed to supporting art in all its forms in our region. “I support the collaborative nature of this strategy.”

Councillor Andy Cranston is a member of the Arts and Culture Advisory Group and sees the workshops as a great opportunity for us all to appreciate just how important art is in articulating our regional identity. “Working with those directly involved will help us put in place shared ways to enhance and grow that identity. There are a large variety of mediums we recognise as art and they all contribute.”

“Culture is hugely important to us all in Tairāwhiti and the workshops offer an opportunity to focus on our uniqueness and authenticity. This will help to build on our existing arts base and further enrich the arts and culture sector. This authenticity must come from within, so we are really keen to see and hear from anyone at all - artists or those with a strong interest,” councillor Cranston added.

The first workshop will be held at Tawera Studio Gallery (opposite Pak’n’ Save) on Wednesday 21 July at 5.30pm. This workshop will have a focus on how Council can better recognise and value the indigenous arts and culture of this region and is keen to hear from the Māori arts community.

The second workshop will be held at in the Rose Room, Lawson Field Theatre on Wednesday 28 July at 5.30pm. Those interested in attending should register with Council (06) 867 2049

Max Hales from Tawera Studio Gallery, Councillor Andy Cranston and Pania Ruakere discuss the workshop that will be held at the gallery next Wednesday.

Kanakanaia Road closed to heavy vehicles

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +1200

A drop out on Kanakanaia Road approximately 5km from the intersection with Main Road, Te Karaka has closed the road to heavy vehicles. All other vehicles are urged to take extreme care. The drop out has been developing since heavy rain fell on the district last week. The subsidence has worsened over the last 24 hours. Contractors have been working at the site over the last couple of days to make the road safe.

A pond above the road has been lubricating the drop out. It was drained today and some excavation work was carried out to lower the ground water in the area. This will help to dry out the soil and prevent further subsidence. Barriers have been put up either side of the drop out but those travelling on the road should approach the area with caution.

More rain is expected over the weekend. The condition of the road will be reassessed on Monday. Contractors will continue to work on the road to make it assessable to all traffic; however the road will remain closed to heavy vehicles until further notice.

Anaura Bay slip update

The Anaura Bay road remains closed after a major slip bought down at least 20,000 cubic metres of soil last week. The road is expected to open to 4WD vehicles later next week. Access to 20 dwellings is possible via the beach at low tide.

Road condition updates

Fri, 23 Jul 2010 10:00:00 +1200

Contractors have been working hard to restore road access throughout the district after the heavy rain earlier this month.

A road has been built across the top of a large slip at Anaura Bay and this is now open to light vehicles only. Heavy vehicles are asked to stay off the road as they are likely to cause rutting. Work will continue and it is hoped the road can be opened to all vehicles by the end of next week.

The large drop out on Kanakanaia Road 8km from the intersection with Main Road, Te Karaka is passable for smaller vehicles but closed to heavy truck and trailer vehicles. All vehicles are urged to take extreme care.

The saturated ground in many parts of the district continues to make conditions hazardous. A dropout on Wharekopae Road has worsened over the week. The dropout has now reached the centreline. The road is open but caution is needed.

Bushy Knoll Road is now open to 4WD vehicles and rock falls at Makaretu Road have been cleared but caution is needed as rocks continue to fall.

Full details and some photos of the district's road conditions are regularly updated on our website.

3 economic development projects funded by NZTE

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:30:00 +1200

3 projects identified in the Regional Economic Development Plan have secured $323,600 from New Zealand Trade & Enterprise. Tairāwhiti Development Partnership (TDP) applied to the Regional Strategy Fund, (RSF) for funding for 4 projects, 3 of which were successful. The Tairāwhiti Navigational Project, Gisborne Winegrowers initiatives and the development of an Entrepreneurial Forum were the successful projects. The funding will be used for project development and assessment assistance. The total cost of all three projects is $404,500.

A Regional Economic Development Strategy (REDS) was completed in 2009 after extensive consultation with stakeholders from this region. The action plan was prepared by BDO consultants and the 3 projects were endorsed by the TDP in February 2010. They were seen as having the potential to contribute the greatest benefit to the economic development of the region - both in the short and the medium term.

The Tairāwhiti Navigational Project will coordinate the development of walkways, bridges and signage with the telling of our regions unique stories. A prefeasibility study has been completed which indicates that there will be positive economic benefits for the region by focusing our navigational and voyaging history into a unique tourist initiative. Initially a business concept and infrastructure design for the Gisborne inner harbour precinct and Wairoa’s Pilots Hill will be developed. This is expected to cost $197,000 and the NZTE grant will cover $157,600. The balance will be met by Eastland Infrastructure, Eastland Community Trust and the Gisborne District Council.

The need to market the local wine industry more effectively has long been recognised. This is seen as an industry with great potential for growth. Gisborne is New Zealand’s third largest grower of grapes and has been a supplier to major wine producers for many years. However the development of the region’s wine industry doesn’t match the level of grape production and is yet to capitalise on New Zealand’s significant wine tourism market.

Investing in how the local wine industry brands and markets itself is seen as critical. A number of initiatives are proposed to lift the profile of viticulture and wine production businesses. The Gisborne wine industry will undergo a full redevelopment of its branding and communication and in coordination with this will be establishing a Regional Wine Visitor Centre to facilitate and promote wine tourism. The aim is a sustainable and vibrant wine industry within the region. The cost of this is expected to be $195,000. NZTE will fund $156,000 with the shortfall being picked up by Gisborne Winegrowers Inc.

Tairāwhiti has many successful and innovative businesses that have grown from the development of an idea by locally based entrepreneurs. Many of these successful entrepreneurs recognise that funding and mentoring play a critical role in turning an idea into a viable business. Currently no organisation locally is capable of doing this. Ten thousand dollars of NZTE funding will be used to investigate, design and provide an operating plan to set up an Entrepreneurs Forum. The forum will help create and grow commercially sustainable businesses within the region. A fourth project to develop a region-wide brand was rejected by NZTE. Tourism Eastland is currently considering how to progress this work.

Steven Nayda (BDO consultants) David Butt (Tairawhiti Museum) Simon Gardiner (Wine Gisborne)

Big pipes cross playground

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 08:30:00 +1200

Gisborne’s Adventure Playground has become a big-boys’ playground over the past few weeks as Connell Contractors’ workers lay pipes to take screened and treated wastewater to the existing Stanley Road treatment site.

Connells are subcontracted to HEB Structures, lead contractor for the $39.5 million Gisborne Wastewater Project.

HEB Structures project engineer Simon Davies says that with initial works around the existing milliscreening plant completed on Saturday, works have now switched to the outfall line.

“Pipes will be laid down the side of the Stanley Street plant to the existing outfall, ready for connection later in the year. We will soon start pressure testing the pipes and also building major pump stations at Lytton Road, and Innes, Parkinson and Banks streets.

“We expect to see the pipework across the Adventure Playground completed this week.”

The 700mm diameter pipes have already been laid from outside the outfall pump station in Banks Street – the new site of the wastewater treatment plant --down Banks Street and under Awapuni Road to the Adventure Playground.

Before the Connells’ team digs trenches and places pipes, ground water is pumped out of the area by “wellpoint dewatering”. A series of pipes is thrust vertically several metres into the ground, connected to another horizontal pipe and then to a pump.

Meanwhile, work on the Banks Street site is moving ahead at pace with 3 main buildings being erected and 3 pump stations in progress.

About two thirds of the 40 pre-cast concrete panels – each of them 8.8m tall and 8.5 tonnes -- have been erected to form the external wall of the biological trickling filter tank. A bed of concrete columns have been poured in situ to form the foundations for the tank floor. These will support the 11,000 haybale-like black plastic blocks (called structured plastic media) with which the tank will be filled. Pre-treated wastewater will be pumped up through the tank’s central column to a height of 8m from where it will be distributed via rotating arms to trickle slowly through the plastic media. The resulting biotransformation process will see human waste transformed into plant-like matter before it is discharged through the existing outfall pipe 1.8km into the sea.

Work is also progressing on the western industrial separation scheme where a 200mm rising main has been installed to cross the railway, next to where it crosses SH35 Awapuni Road near McDonalds Road. In the Aerodrome Road area, pipes are being laid towards the airport runway and eventually to town.

Community planting day for Waikanae Stream

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 16:00:00 +1200

The Waikanae Stream will get a makeover this week. A community planting day is to be held on Saturday 21 July along the streamside behind Awapuni School. Council and Department of Conservation (DOC) are asking the local community to support the day by volunteering 2 hours to start beautifying the banks of the stream. Awapuni School is already on board. Council staff have been talking to classes about keeping streams healthy and helping them to prepare for their own streamside planting day on Friday.

Council water conservator Paul Murphy says the water quality in the Waikanae Stream is poor. “The planting will improve the look of the area and highlight the challenges faced restoring the stream.”

“Planting with native species helps filter sediment and pollutants, and helps regulate the water temperature down. This improves water quality and improves the habitat for native fish, insects and birds. It is not an instant fix but long-term will make a difference. This work is seen as the start of a larger long term project for urban waterways throughout Gisborne.”

A Streamside Planting Guide that has an easy to follow step-by-step guide to native planting on urban streamsides has been produced. Free copies of the booklet will be available at the planting day and are available on our website.
Specific to Gisborne conditions, it advises what, when and where to plant, how to prepare the site and how to keep the plants alive.

The healthiest of our urban streams are those which have been looked after and planted. Gisborne is fortunate to have networks of streams, rivers and wetlands connecting the city to the wilderness according to Trudi Ngawhare, DOC’s community relations ranger. “Where once they would have been filled with native fish, insects, birds and plants, today many of these urban streams are degraded and overrun by weeds. As a community we can help to turn this around by encouraging native plantings along our streamsides. Native plantings not only look beautiful but also help to restore the health of our waterways. The sites we are focussing on are easily accessible to the general public and ideal locations to achieve this.”

The community streamside planting day will be held on Saturday 31 July from 10am – 12 noon. All are welcome and are asked to meet at the corner of Stanley Road and Innes Street with a spade.

The water quality in Waikanae Stream has been affected by historical rubbish dumped along its banks. Low lying land either side of the stream was previously used as a landfill. This has leached into the stream. The mix of industrial and residential neighbours means that when it rains there is always a risk of contaminants entering the stream from runoff. Council monitors the water quality every month at Stanley Road and Grey Street and follows up any problems. Businesses close to the stream reserve have been asked to support the conservation efforts by sponsoring plants, topsoil and fertiliser or asking their staff to help out at the event.

Council's Paul Murphy gives Elise Sadlier from Room 2 at Awapuni School some tips on how to plant on the side of streams while teacher Cheryl Gomm and her class mates look on. Room 2 are preparing for a school planting day at 9am on Friday and a community planting day at 10am on Saturday alongside Waikanae Stream.

Streamside planting day a success

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 10:30:00 +1200

Waikanae Stream is looking more attractive after 320 native trees and shrubs were planted on its banks last week. Two successful planting days were held on Friday 30 and Saturday 31 July. The result is a stunning selection of plants on along the stream each side of Stanley Road. The planting days were a partnership between Gisborne District Council, Department of Conservation (DOC), Awapuni School and the community. Council’s water conservator Paul Murphy said it was a great example of what can be achieved with minimal budgets when groups work together.

Friday was a busy day for Mrs Gomm’s class at Awapuni School. Armed with spades they planted 160 flax and toitoi plants along the side of the stream between Awapuni Schools and Stanley Road. The class was given a demonstration by Lana Hope from Native Garden Nursery on planting techniques, the importance of fertiliser and water and how to care for the plants once they are in the ground. They also heard about how the plants will improve the habitat encouraging fish, insects and birds to thrive in the area. The class will help council to look after the plants in the area to improve the survival rate.

On Saturday it was the turn of the community to help plant the side of Waikanae Stream between Stanley Road and Innes Street. This is a wider strip of DOC land which enabled a larger range of plants to be used. Another 160 native trees and shrubs were planted after a discussion about what thrives streamside and how to choose plants for different areas. About 20 people turned up to help with the planting including volunteers from a local scout group.

Mr Murphy said the plantings will help to filter sediment and regulate the temperature of the stream. “Long term this will help improve the quality of water in the stream. Those interested in planting along the side of streams should get a copy of the Streamside Planting Guide that was produced last year. It has an easy to follow step-by-step guide to native planting on urban streamsides. Free copies of the booklet are available from Council offices or on our website. Specific to Gisborne conditions, it advises what, when and where to plant, how to prepare the site and how to keep the plants alive.

The community planting days were enhanced by sponsorship from Downer EDI, and Arborcare Tree Company and Trevor Jukes who provided materials and transport.

Customers rate our service as excellent

Tue, 03 Aug 2010 11:00:00 +1200

Satisfaction with the service provided by council has increased significantly over the last couple of months. Council surveys 10% of all people who request a service from council to identify how satisfied they were with what was provided. ‘Excellent’ was how 80% of those surveyed said the response time, quality of service and feedback received in June this year was.

Council aims for 50% of those surveyed to say the service they receive was excellent. “A 60% excellent rating is considered a great result by industry standards. To achieve 80% is an exceptional result that illustrates staff commitment to serving our customers,” said chief executive Lindsay McKenzie. “In June last year 60% of customers surveyed rated us as excellent.”

Results have been increasing since a commitment was made to provide feedback to customers if the service they requested cannot be delivered immediately. “We already have systems in place to let customers know when an issue they have reported has been resolved but sometimes the solutions take time. In the case of some requests, such as noise control, they are dealt with quickly. Other requests can take much longer. A request for a new drain outside your property may be reasonable but if there is no budget allocated the request will have to go through the annual planning process. It may still not get prioritised. In such cases keeping customers updated on where the request is at seems to be really appreciated. In February it was decided to ask customers about the feedback they had received. By April 70% of customers thought we were excellent, by May it was 75%,” says Douglas Birt, Corporate Affairs manager.

“The number of customers rating our service as poor or only fair has had a corresponding drop. The average over the last 6 months was about 2% who rated their service in this way but in both March and June no one did. This is an extremely pleasing result that staff should be congratulated on.”

Council received 17,786 requests for service between 1July 2009 and 30 June 2010. Of those customers surveyed 96% rated council’s overall performance as excellent or good. The busiest month was December and the quietest month was January.

The table below shows which services were most requested from 1 July 2009 - 30 June 2010.

Department	Type of service	Number of requests received
Animal Control	Roaming dogs	837
	Barking dogs	404
	Lost dogs	479
	Found dogs	372
Environmental Health	Noise	1881
	Air quality (smoke/dust)	214
Roading	Potholes / surface defects	265
	Streetlights	316
Community Facilities	Parks and Beaches	314
	Cemetery records search	224
	Public toilets	153
Solid Waste	Illegal dumping	461
	Kerbside collection	256
	Dead animals	103

The questions asked are:

How would you rate the response time to your request for service?
How would you rate the quality of service you received?
How would you rate the feedback you received?

Hall Street footbridge closed for repairs

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +1200

From 8am on Monday 9 August any one that normally uses the footbridge at the end of Hall Street to get to and from the city will have to find an alternative. The deck and rails on the footbridge are in need of repair. The bridge will be closed for 4 weeks from Monday 9 August.

The footbridge is 30 years old and the wooden deck has become worn. There have been reports of people slipping on the deck.

To ensure public safety the Hall Street footbridge, will be fenced off so no one will be permitted on the bridge. Pedestrians and cyclists are advised to use the Derby Street footbridge or the Roebuck Road bridge during this time.

Paddlers and river users are also advised to take care during daytime hours while contractors are working on the bridge.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause users.

Olympic pool heated by local wood chips

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 14:00:00 +1200

A wood chip boiler installed at the Olympic Pool in June has started to pay dividends. The old gas heater was 30 years old and cost $150,000 per year in energy costs. From 1 July the new emissions trading scheme on all fossil burning fuels would have added $7000 to that cost this year.

It has been replaced by an Austrian made wood boiler that is fuelled by up to 12 cubic metres of wood chips every winter day. The wood chips are supplied by local firewood contractor Kevin McBreen who sources locally-grown timber off-cuts that might otherwise go to waste. It is estimated that fuel costs will be $110,000 each year, saving ratepayers $47,000. Also that money will stay in the local economy instead of going out of the district to a large national gas company.

The last 6 weeks have been spent installing and testing the new wood chip boiler which is only one of 3 in the country. The 400 kilowatt boiler is a carbon neutral heating option that after 2 weeks of full operation is exceeding all the Olympic Pool Manager, Hendrik Geyer’s, expectations. “The boiler burns wood in a highly efficient way. Unlike a normal woodburner there is very little ash or smoke because it burns to 92% efficiency. It burns nearly as cleanly as natural gas; there is no air pollution and the only noticeable emission is the occasional puff of water vapour.”

After several years of researching pool heating options council choose the wood boiler. The contract was awarded Spark Energy Ltd the New Zealand supplier of KOB wood boilers which have been made and perfected for 25 years. On 12 August a technician from Austria will be in Gisborne to look over the installation and talk with staff about its operation. Spark Energy has contracted Mr Mc Breen to supply the wood chips for the next 5 years.

The total cost of the wood boiler was $540,000 including installation. Because the boiler makes the pools nearly carbon neutral, a $150,000 grant and a $319,000 interest-free loan from the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) was received, along with $61,000 in loan funding from council.

Andy Marchant, an independent engineering consultant commissioned by EECA to assess the new boiler and installation was very impressed when he visited the pool. “Council has made a wise investment. It has future-proofed the operation of the pool complex. The technology is sound; in fact for this type of operation the chosen boiler is one of the best on the market. I was impressed with the overall design and the quality of the installation and how the pool team has embraced the new technology. They are continuing to optimise the performance of the system and to achieve maximum efficiency."

“The installation and testing has gone really well; there have been very few glitches,” says Mr Geyer. “We are still ironing out the fuel delivery process but some testing and refining was to be expected. On the whole installation has surpassed my best case scenario. It feels good to be delivering a sustainable solution to heating the pool complex that keeps money in the district and reduces our reliance on ratepayers. I invite all large heat users to come and have a look at what we have achieved. A system like this could benefit schools, resthomes, sawmills and hospitals.”

30 cubic metres of wood chip is delivered to the fuel store 3 times a week. It's a very visual sense of energy consumption. With gas and electricity that consumption is invisible.

Dog control policy and bylaw review

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 08:30:00 +1200

Read the proposed changes to the current dog control policy and bylaw.
You can give feedback online before 4pm Friday 24 September 2010.

For more information read the dog control policy and bylaw

Challenge yourself to swim to Mahia

Fri, 06 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +1200

Gisborne’s Olympic Pool often has people coming in saying they would like to swim more often but just need a little “kick in the bum” to get in the pool. The first ever ‘Swim to Mahia’ challenge is just that. August and September is a time when many people start thinking about their personal fitness so this is about challenging participants to swim the 45.5 kilometres to Mahia.

Forget about rough, cold seas and dark shapes lurking under the waves; this challenge will be held in the warmth and safety of the Olympic Pool’s comfortable 27.4 degree pool. Pool staff and participants will work together, tracking progress. A leader-board and map will be on display so participants can check their overall progress and compare with friends or family.

Swimming 45.5 kilometres - the equivalent distance of swimming from Midway Beach to Mahia Beach – is a challenging but achievable goal for most people says Olympic Pool receptionist Shannon Friday. “It provides motivation at a time of year when motivation can be hard to find. Rather than forcing a direct competition, the ‘Swim to Mahia’ challenge allows each participant to choose their level of commitment. It's about personal motivation, slowly working towards a goal and accomplishing something extraordinary.

“The idea came from a walk that my mum did back home in the USA. Mum and her friends did a virtual walk from my hometown of Atlantic to a nearby city. The format was the same: every day my mum and her friends would walk at the gym and total up their daily distance. At the end, they all went on a shopping trip to the city. The Swim to Mahia challenge is really taken from that; it is a virtual distance challenge with local landmarks as reference points. I think it helps people really put in mind how much they’ve done. They can say, ‘Wow, I’ve already swum to Young Nick’s Head, and it takes me 20 minutes to even drive there!’ It just makes the accomplishment that much more real.”

“It makes a great workplace or sports team challenge. Four staff members at the pools have signed up and it will be exciting to see if we all make it. It’s also great for people who are learning to swim or want to get back into it after a break. That's why I’m doing it. We’ve also had a lot of swimmers coming in who want to up-their-game and just get a little more serious about their swimming and maybe be a little more consistent with their time in the pool.”

We've had a great response from local businesses. On the Beach will host the prize giving, where we’ll be giving out spot prizes from Outline Health Studios, YMCA, Bikey’s, and iSite which anyone can win. The grand prize is 2 nights’ stay in a Mahia Peninsula holiday home.

For an entry fee of $50, each entrant gets 2 months unlimited personal entry to the Olympic Pool, a Swim to Mahia Challenge cap, and a chance to win the grand prize. As swimmers work their way to Mahia, they can earn additional entries into the prize pool.

Sue "The Turtle" Kahu-Kauika (on the right) punches the air as she learns she's beating her Olympic Pool work colleagues in the Swim to Mahia challenge. Although it's the brain-child of receptionist Shannon Friday (left), Sue is ahead of Shannon, Hendrik Geyer and Rama Robertson.

Motu Trails Cycleway agreement signed

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 17:00:00 +1200

The Department of Conservation, Gisborne District Council and Opotiki District Council signed off the $1.74 million funding agreement to develop the Motu Trails Cycleway in the Opotiki-Motu-Matawai area. This signals the start of a major investment in the East Cape region’s tourism development.

The funding covers both infrastructural works and resources for marketing the route. Part of it is already well formed but needs signage and light infrastructure for cyclists. New tracks will include a coastal dune track near Tirohanga, east of Opotiki, and an upgrade of the Pakihi Track between the Motu Coach Road and Opotiki.

The agreement was signed at an event in Opotiki on Wednesday attended by the Mayors and staff from both councils, the Department of Conservation and representatives of the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board. Over 100 hundred members of the public also attended.

Richard Balm, the national project manager for Nga Haerenga - the New Zealand Cycle Trail. Mr Balm signed the $1.74 million funding agreement on behalf of the Ministry of Tourism. He praised the enthusiasm of Opotiki and Gisborne District Council staff at initial meetings, which he said hade made a difference.

Motu Trails project manager Mike Houghton says that the event was an opportunity for the community to celebrate what is the largest-ever Government investment ever made in the Opotiki District.

“We really do have cause to celebrate,” he says. “This is a major project for our districts, not only in terms of the jobs that will be created during the construction phase, but for the potential it provides in terms of attracting a regular flow of high-value visitors here. On the back of that will be opportunities for establishing a range of new businesses and further utilising the services provided by those that already operate in our region. We’re all excited by the opportunities and this week’s signing ceremony is another major step forward in the development of the Motu Trails.”

Mayor Meng Foon said that he hoped that the Motu Trails would eventually be extended to link Matawai and Gisborne along Rere Falls and Eastwoodhill Arboretum. He invited Prime Minister John key to open the new trail, and suggested he might want to do this on a bamboo bike built and designed in Gisborne by Bikeys Bike Shop owner Freddie Salgado.

Funding applications wanted for local creative projects

Thu, 12 Aug 2010 16:30:00 +1200

Do you have a creative project that just needs some funding to get off the ground? Applications are invited from all arts based individuals and groups for funding from the Creative Communities scheme. A Creative New Zealand initiative administered by Gisborne District Council, the scheme encourages art focused projects that have broad community involvement.

Applications are considered by local people with knowledge and experience of the arts in the Gisborne region. The assessment group looks for opportunities to support the diverse arts and cultural traditions of our region and projects that encourage young people to get involved in a creative activity.

There are only a couple of weeks left to get applications in. Council must receive the application by 4pm on Friday 27 August. “It is a significant contributor to local arts with about $13000 available twice a year. Council’s website has information about the types of activities or projects that might be funded and also what can’t be funded,” says community development officer Barbara Dockley. “If someone has a good idea but wants to run it pass someone; I am here to help. I can also assist people to complete the application form if they contact me before the closing date. At the moment we have not received any applications.”

For further details and an application form.

One successful recipient of Creative Communities funding was Gisborne’s Palpung Kagyu Samten Choling Tibetan Buddhist Centre. They will use the money to hold workshops about traditional Tibetan arts. This includes making prayer flags, commonly seen on Mount Everest and Tsa Tsa and Torma workshops which are small clay moulds of traditional Tibetan Buddhist Deities.

This is the first opportunity for our community to experience traditional Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, art and culture. These workshops will be held on Saturday 21 August and are free to attend.
Numbers are limited so please call Meikle McNab 868 3836 to book a space.

Only one week to get nominations in

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:30:00 +1200

The local elections 2010 are getting closer and the first key date for both voters and candidates will be 20 August.

Candidates for Gisborne District Council and the Tairāwhiti District Health board have to get their nominations into the electoral officer by noon on this date. Candidate nominations opened on Friday 23 July.

Voter registration also closes on this date and voters are reminded to return their registration documents if any changes to their details are needed. Voting documents will then be sent out from 17 – 22 September.

An elections website has been launched this year so that voters can find out more about candidates. www.elections2010.co.nz is a local government website being used for the first time to make it easier for voters to know who and what they can vote for.

It is voluntary for candidates to use but offers them a useful opportunity to increase their profile to voters by outlining their campaign and which issues they consider to be of particular concern in their electorates.

Currently 19 nominations have been received.

Expert to help save our dunes

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 17:30:00 +1200

Sand dune expert Wayne O’Keefe is heading back to Gisborne next week to help stop the erosion of our dunes. He will spend 3 days in the area looking specifically at the Makorori and Wainui sand dunes which are subject to a lot of sand movement. He will be working with students at Wainui Beach School as well as holding a public workshop at the school on Friday 20 August.

“I understand that several properties in the Wainui area have been affected by eroding sand dunes and some owners are resorting to hard landscaping to try and stop this,” says Mr O’Keefe. Planting sand binding plants along the dunes is an effective alternative to tyres, rocks and wood. The whole beach from Makorori Headland to the Wainui Stream would benefit from extensive planting because this is where the sea takes the sand away from.”

A number of councils around the country are actively engaged in dune restoration programmes with most, if not all, being very much community driven says council's community facilities manager Terry McMillan. “Coast Care Bay of Plenty is one good example of community driven dune restoration. Approximately 70,000 native sand binding plants are planted throughout the Bay of Plenty each winter with the planting done entirely by volunteer groups from every corner of the community including school groups, pre-schools, marae and corporations.”

“Community groups can apply for funding and help push through a consistent approach to beach front planting. Currently each property owner tends to try their own thing; some that is effective in binding sand and some that isn’t. Aesthetically a beach wide approach looks better and tends to be more effective in the long term.”

“If people are interested in forming a beach care group council staff would be more than happy to help facilitate this. To get people started we will be giving away sand binding grasses at Friday’s workshop.”

Mr O’Keefe has had a lot of experience restoring sand dunes in the Bay of Plenty. He says that healthy sand dunes are much more important than people realise. “We need them to act as a natural buffer between the sea and the land in times of stormy weather and big seas.”

“Not so long ago much of the coastline of New Zealand would have been edged with expansive sand dunes full of native plants that were perfectly adapted to cope with the harsh and mobile environment that is a sand dune. During periods of calm weather these plants would trap and hold sand that was washed on to the beach through wave action which would allow the sand dune to grow seaward, in turn making it better able to withstand the pounding of waves during a storm. Sand that was washed away during a storm would eventually come back on to the beach during the return of calm weather, and once again get trapped by the native sand binding plants thus completing the cycle of erosion and accretion.”

“Unfortunately, through our love of being as close to the coast as possible, we have lost most of our sand dunes to housing and infrastructure development, farming, competition from introduced plants and vehicle damage. This loss has led to some seriously eroded stretches of coastline that have little or no natural barrier between the sea and the land, with thousands of homes standing perilously close to the sea. It is only in recent years that we have realised what has been lost.”

“Coastal erosion is an issue that should concern everyone. Whether or not you believe in the climatologists’ claims about global warming and sea level rise, there is no denying that weather patterns are changing. We need a coastline that is better able to withstand the forces it will face in the future. The workshop on Friday 20 August 6.30pm at the Wainui School hall, is open to all residents who are interested in learning more about dune restoration and the challenges that we face in rebuilding our sand dunes.

Image shows a young, but resilient foredune of Kowhangatara (Spinifex) at Waiotahi Beach in Opotiki. Note the long runners that trap sand.

Wastewater project brings benefits

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 08:30:00 +1200

The $39.5 million Gisborne Wastewater Project is bringing benefits to the community through jobs, goods and services and, by early next year, cleaner wastewater going into the bay.

Gisborne District Council project manager Peter McConnell says local people are getting a good chunk of the project pie.

“While difficult to quantify in dollar terms, the project has contributed to winter earnings for more than half a dozen local businesses and provided jobs on various sites involved in the project. Apart from that, there have been beneficial spin-offs for owners of rental accommodation, whose houses have been filled by out-of-town contractors, and food and beverage retailers.”

About half of the 40 workers now working on the Banks Street site are from Gisborne.

Colin Newbold, project manager for lead contractor HEB Structures, says out-of-town contractors are contributing to the local economy, with most living in Gisborne and making occasional trips home at weekends.

“Gisborne subcontractors are involved in concrete supply, construction, pipe laying and mechanical installation works.”

They include Currie Construction, which is responsible for the above-ground construction of the pre-treatment and control buildings; Electrinet, responsible for welding 5000 cubic metres of plastic media blocks that fill the biological trickling filter tank; McLeods Concrete Contractors, Aitkens Concrete and Ritchies, which together have provided and poured the 3500 tonnes of concrete delivered to the site to date; Lloyd Contractors, involved in drainage work for HEB and Downers; Eastland Scaffolding; and engineering firms Eastland Engineering and Universal Engineering.

Universal Engineering has a significant subcontract fabricating and installing pipework and fittings in the pre treatment building and the three major pump stations on site. Gisborne-based Downer EDI Works won the $1.1M contract to build the western industrial pipeline, which is on track to finish in October.

Mr Newbold said work was progressing well on the four main concrete structures on the Banks Street site – the biological trickling filter tank, the pre-treatment and control buildings, and the outfall pump station – a massive engineering feat that alone has 2000 tonnes of concrete and about 120 tonnes of steel reinforcement. The structures are expected to be ready for mechanical and electrical fitout by the beginning of September.

All bar a few of the 40 pre-cast concrete panels – each of them 8.8m tall and 8.5 tonnes -- have been erected to form the external wall of the biological trickling filter tank. Concrete has been poured in the vertical gaps between the panels and the structure will shortly be tied together by tensioning steel cables in ducts within the wall panels. The tank will be covered with an aluminium dome roof, the apex of which will be 15m above ground level.

Mr McConnell said the layers of plastic media within the tank would sit on a raised concrete grid floor.

“A grid of fibreglass pipes is being laid under the floor section. This air extractor system draws out the odour from the bottom of the tank, recycles three quarters of it, and pushes the remaining quarter out into specially designed odour beds – bark beds that are kept watered.

“The walls of the biological trickling filter tank are held together by a series of steel wires, in conduit within the walls, that are held in permanent tension.”

The biotransformation process achieved through the biological trickling filter tank will see human waste transformed into plant-like matter before being discharged through the existing outfall 1.8km into the sea.

“Despite a late start, the Awapuni industrial separation programme is progressing better than expected thanks to the skill of Connell Contractors and the use of glass reinforced plastic pipes and manholes.”

Mr McConnell says the Banks Street site was running slightly behind the tight programme and had been hampered by seven working days lost to wet weather.

“Council, consultant and contractors are all working well with the same common objective of working in a partnership to complete the works to a high standard and under forecast budget.”

Friday could be a busy day at council

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:00:00 +1200

Nominations for the 2010 local government elections close this Friday 20 August. It also happens to be the last day to pay the first rates instalment before penalties are added. With many people choosing to pay their rates in person on the last day, council’s customer services is likely to be busy.

Nominations for the local government elections close at 12 noon sharp and often take some time to process. If nominees are paying by eftpos they will be lining up to see one of council’s 2 cashiers along with other residents.

Considering the low number of nominations we have had so far it is likely we could have a rush of nominees coming in on Friday says electoral officer Simon Jeune. “In the 2007 elections, 52 nominations were received, 33 for Mayor and Council, and 19 for the District Health Board. So far we have only had 31 nominations in total: 22 for Mayor and Council, 9 for Tairawhiti District Health Board.”

“Candidates are encouraged to get their nomination forms in as soon as possible. It would be a shame to see a keen candidate miss out because they are caught in the cashier queue waiting to pay their nomination fee. The easy answer is to come in as soon as possible.”

Confirmed nominations at 5pm Wednesday 18 August

Last chance to win heating and insulation package

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 11:30:00 +1200

Time is running out for people to have their chance to win a $3000 heating and insulation package in a campaign aimed at raising awareness about the possible harmful effects of using unflued gas heaters.

Tairawhiti District Health, Gisborne District Council and energy efficiency organisation Energy Options joined forces in May to get the message out that using an unflued gas heater incorrectly can be hazardous to your health.

As part of the promotion, people have been asked to take part in a survey which aims to identify the extent of unflued gas heater use in the Tairawhiti district.

People who have not already done so can take part in the survey up until August 31. Winners will be announced on Tuesday 14 September.

Tairawhiti District Health health protection officer Cathy Walker said the surveys completed to date have provided some good information to work from. “About 50 percent of those who have responded use an unflued gas heater and for 41.8 percent of those people it is their main source of heating,” said Mrs Walker.

“The majority of use is in the main living areas such as the lounge and kitchen and most people use them as they heat a room quickly and can be moved around the house easily,” she said.

It was important people knew of the health risks associated with indoor air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide that unflued gas heaters produced. Mrs Walker said an Australian study found that the air pollutants pose a significant health risk to children, pregnant women, elderly people and those with asthma or heart disease if the pollutants build up in a room. They also produce water vapour that could affect people’s health by increasing the spread of mould and dust mites.

To reduce exposure to the air pollutants, people who use unflued gas heaters should take the following steps:

• ensure the room that the heater is in is well ventilated by having internal doors open and at least one window to allow fresh air to enter the room;

• don't use an unflued gas heater in a room where people sleep, in a bathroom, caravan or tent;

• only use an unflued gas heater for short periods of time;

• For fixed appliances, make sure your heater is installed by a licensed gas fitter;

• read and follow any instructions for the use of the appliance;

• don't do any maintenance on an unflued gas heater yourself

• make sure your unflued gas heater is serviced by a qualified person at least once a year. Heaters that are not in good working order can release higher amounts of pollutants into the home.

Survey forms are available at a number of retailers including hardware stores, cafes and pharmacies.

Keen to care for dunes

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:00:00 +1200

Lots of people are keen to care for sand dunes in this district if the turn-out at a meeting last Friday (20 August 2010) night is anything to go by. More than 50 people attended a dune care workshop organised by Gisborne District Council at Wainui Beach School. Dune care expert Wayne O’Keefe from Bay of Plenty spoke about the role of sand binding plants in preventing the erosion of sand dunes. This issue is particularly relevant along the stretch of beach from Makorori headland to the Wainui Stream where the sea regularly takes the sand away.

Many of the people who turned up to hear Wayne were from Wainui and Makorori but there were also small groups from Mahia and Tokomaru Bay. It was a great to see so many interested people there says Terry McMillan Council’s community facilities manager. “A lot of people have approached me about forming Beach Care groups and doing some planting. One group was so keen that they took the plants we gave them on Friday night and got stuck in planting the dunes on Sunday morning. Another came up to me and said the workshop had been a real epiphany to them. The penny dropped and they realised they can make a difference with a bit of effort. What made an impact were the before and after photos shown.”

“Many of the people attending the meeting had a lifetime of knowledge about the dunes and the beach that they were passionate about. Others had done a lot of individual research about dune care and were keen to make some recommendations. It would be silly not to harness this expertise to improve the health of our dunes.”

Beach care groups are becoming common in other areas. Coast Care Bay of Plenty has had a lot of success with community driven dune restoration. They plant 70,000 native sand binding plants each winter. The groups typically take responsibility for looking after specific areas of dunes and Council supports them by supplying plants, fertiliser, expertise and co-ordination.

Long time Wainui Beach resident Virginia Gunness attended the dune care workshop and said Wayne was just wonderful. “He had a wealth of knowledge and gave a very logical explanation of how sand dunes work and what can be done to rejuvenate them. He said that Wainui Beach is at turning point and now is a good time to get stuck in. We will always have sand movement here, plants will always get washed away, but Wayne showed us that it is worth persevering. This is something the Wainui/Okitu Residents and Ratepayers Association would be keen to support. I am going to go through to Papamoa in the next couple of weeks to have a look at what has been done there. Other residents are keen to join me.”

“Living by the Wainui Stream it was interesting to hear what Wayne had to say about stormwater draining onto a beach and how this always lowers sand levels. Although planting can slow down water flows the water flow down the Wainui stream may need redirecting if planting along here is going to be successful.”

After a visit to Wainui Beach earlier this year Mr O’Keefe is pleased with how things are progressing. He is keen to come back to the district in summer to look at progress and make some plans for inter planting. “The best thing about this is it won’t break the bank and has the potential to make a real difference.”

Read previous story

Teaching kids about rubbish

Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +1200

Thousands of school age children have learnt about living sustainably through drama in schools. An 11-year relationship between local schools, Keep Gisborne Beautiful and Gisborne District Council, has seen students writing, directing and acting in productions with an environmental theme. Anne Lister, council’s environmental health educator initially worked with the Invisible Theatre Company, then Gisborne Girls High School. For the last 8 years she has worked with Ilminster Intermediate’s ‘Green Team’. The theatre performances are toured around the districts schools. This year’s play ‘Want it, Have it’ was performed at the end of May for 17 schools in the region. It is about shopping wisely; asking do I really need this and what will happen to it when I don’t need it anymore. The play was written and directed by Ilminster’s drama teacher, Sharon Start-Walter with the help of her students who make up the “Green Team”.

They researched the affects our disposable society is having on the environment to add their special touch to the project says Mrs Lister. “Theatre has been an effective way to raise awareness and encourage behaviour change from an early age. Having students perform to their peers gives the performance a special quality. They deliver humour and a message that connects with other students.”

“We try to integrate a programme of activities so that the children get the message in more than one way. A few weeks after they have seen the play we take year 4 and year 6 classes from schools throughout Gisborne to visit the Rethink Centre, located next to AllBrites. The students discuss where ‘stuff’ comes from and what happens to it when it becomes litter. Will it go to landfill or can it be recycled. They also get the opportunity to practise reducing, reusing and recycling when shopping in the Rethink centre own mini supermarket. All activities at the Rethink Centre are designed to get children discovering the solutions to issues relating to the environment.”

Rory McCourt, chairman of Tairāwhiti Youth Voice was an early ‘Green Team’ member. He is trying to getting previous ‘Green Team’ members together to create a skit that can be performed at next months (17-19 September’s) National Keep New Zealand Beautiful Conference in Gisborne.

Keep Gisborne Beautiful colouring competition winners

Keep Gisborne Beautiful run a colouring competition in conjunction with the other activities. This year the picture to be coloured was drawn by Jonathan Layton from Ilminster Intermediate. Willy the Worm, Keep Gisborne Beautiful’s mascot, handed out a colouring competition and welcomed children off the buses as they arrived at Ilminster to see the play.

The winners were announced recently with one child from each of the 10 schools winning a book token. The tokens were presented by Graham Morris, president of Keep Gisborne Beautiful, at their school assemblies.

Winners of are:

• Paul Ritahia, Waikirikiri School

• Akelah Herniman, Kaiti School

• Waihinemoa Ehu-Kilburn, Cobham School

• Conner Siemonek, Te Wharau School

• Maggie Preston, Te Hapara School

• Luke Caswell, St Mary’s School

• Salem Evans, Awapuni School

• Penny Lynch, Central School

• Keilah Dalbeth, Mangapapa School

• Ruby Trafford, Wainui Beach School

Hall Street footbridge now open

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:00:00 +1200

Hall Street footbridge users who have been taking the long way home will be pleased to know the footbridge was opened today. The footbridge has been widened to improve access for walkers and cyclists and strengthened with extra bracing.

The 30-year-old timber deck has been replaced with timber planks laid on the edge. This creates a rougher surface that users are less likely to slip on. The rails on the footbridge have also been replaced. Despite losing a couple of days to bad weather the repairs have been completed on time.

An official opening will be held on Thursday 16 September at 1.15pm. Members of council's operations committee will be among those attending the opening.

Council thanks users for their patience while these repairs were carried out.

Council building inspectors to help-out in Christchurch

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 17:30:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council has sent 4 building inspectors who worked in the December 2007 Gisborne earthquake to Christchurch today to help with the enormous job of assessing buildings for earthquake damage.

Ian Petty who heads council’s building services team has been requested specifically by his Christchurch City Council counterpart for assistance. Mr Petty and his team were the first in New Zealand to use the New Zealand Society for Earthquake Engineering (NZSEE) building safety evaluation guidelines. The red - unsafe do not enter, yellow – no entry except on essential business, and green - no restriction notices were first trialled in Gisborne and are being widely used in the Christchurch response.

Building inspectors - Bruce Smith, Greig Morley and Mike White - will join Mr Petty as part of a national request for 60 additional inspectors to work for the next 3 days to help get through the current backlog of inspections and re-inspections.

The inspectors will be able to draw on their experience as the response to the Christchurch earthquake has many similarities with the response to the Gisborne earthquake. Both had a significant affect on the Central Business District resulting in the areas being cordoned off. Gisborne also used teams of Urban Search and Research members, building inspectors and engineers to go through every city centre building. Fortunately after 2 days the Gisborne CBD was able to open for business with barricades in place around the 23 red-tagged buildings

The remaining Gisborne construction inspectorate staff will maintain business as usual during their absence.

New milliscreen units fitted at Banks Street plant

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 08:30:00 +1200

The first major mechanical componentry for the Banks Street wastewater treatment plant was fitted this week, marking another significant milestone for the $39.5 million project.

Four sparkling new stainless steel milliscreen units and their individual covers, weighing a total of 10 tonnes, arrived on 2 truck and trailer units on Wednesday, having been loaded in Dunedin on Monday.

Dunedin’s Farra Stainless Ltd was awarded the $1.26 million contract to provide the milliscreens and screening handling equipment. Farra designed and built the milliscreens in Dunedin, and the special Kuhn screenings presses were imported from Germany.

The units were craned into position within the pre-treatment building, the roof of which is yet to be installed. They were lined up with 4 large pipes that will in time convey untreated domestic and industrial wastewater to them. Two units are specifically for domestic wastewater, the other 2 for industrial. The milliscreening units currently used at Stanley Road are 20 years old and have been due for replacement for some time.

Gisborne District Council project manager Peter McConnell said only one domestic and one industrial milliscreening unit would operate at a time, with the other unit always on standby. “The units will be operated by a pre-determined programme with each screen operating alternatively, week about. This will enable both to be well-maintained and kept in good working order.”

A stainless steel drum rotates within the milliscreen unit. Solids are sieved out as the screened wastewater passes through very fine 1mm stainless mesh and into a pipe to be conveyed through to a grit chamber, where sand and fine grit less than 1mm in size is removed via a vortex system, dewatered and bagged for landfill disposal.

“The screened and de-gritted wastewater is then pumped up through the biological trickling filter tank’s central column to a height of 8m. From here it will be distributed via 6 rotating arms to trickle slowly through 10 layers of plastic media, standing 6.1m high, as part of the biotransformation process which transforms the remaining fine solids into plant-like matter.

“The treated wastewater will be collected at the bottom of the trickling filter tank and combined with 1mm milliscreened industrial effluent in the new outfall pumping station, then pumped through to connect into the existing outfall, and discharged 1.8km into the sea.”

The solids removed in the milliscreening process are collected, the water squeezed out of them and the dewatered solids are loaded out into bins before being trucked to the Paeroa landfill.

HEB Structures project manager Colin Newbold said there were now 51 people working on the Banks Street site, 26 of them from Gisborne. Gisborne’s Universal Engineering has a significant subcontract fabricating and installing pipework and fittings in the pre treatment building and the 3 major pump stations on site. The company fabricated and supplied the stainless steel componentry that fits between the main inlet channel and the 4 milliscreens.

Sidebar on liquefaction

The new Banks Street wastewater treatment plant has been designed to cope with potential liquefaction of the site from a severe earthquake such as occurred in Canterbury.

Gisborne Wastewater Project director Garry Macdonald, of CH2M Beca, said this week that it had been interesting to see the damage to all sorts of structures in Christchurch caused by the liquefaction of sandy, silty soils in combination with high groundwater levels.

“That’s one of the big seismic risks at the Banks Street site and the reason for the hundreds of stone columns constructed to strengthen the ground, and for the heavily-reinforced concrete structures.”

Motu Trails moves into promotion mode

Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:30:00 +1200

A community-based charitable trust is to be established to promote and market the $2.12 million Motu Trails cycleway and the business opportunities it will create.

While the construction phase of the project - funded to $1.74 million under the government’s Nga Haerenga New Zealand Cycle Trail initiative and $380,000 by the Department of Conservation - is expected to take 12 months, the task of promoting the new visitor attraction for the Eastern Bay of Plenty-Gisborne region is being seen as a priority also.

The establishment of a charitable trust to undertake the promotion and marketing and to work with potential accommodation, transport and tourism services operators, has been unanimously backed by the Motu Trails Governance Group.

This represents the 4 partner agencies in the Motu Trails project - Opotiki District Council, Gisborne District Council, the Department of Conservation and Whakatohea Maori Trust Board.

The support for a trust came at the Governance Group’s inaugural meeting in Opotiki last week. It reflects the operation of a number of other effective cycle trails, such as the Otago Rail Trail and the Waikato River Trail.

Gisborne District Council’s representative on the governance group is Hans van Kregten, council's Environment and Planning Manager. He said that charitable trusts were being established for most of the 18 new cycle trails approved under the $50 million New Zealand Cycle Trail initiative. “This structure for operating and promoting cycle trails is favoured because of the need to attract significant funding to promote these public facilities to cycle tourists from throughout New Zealand and around the world.

It recognises that the 2 councils involved do not have budgets to undertake these tasks. Hans van Kregten said that whilst most of the Motu Trails are within Opotiki there will be opportunities for Gisborne to leverage off the project and bring people into our district. Representation from Gisborne on the new trust is therefore paramount.

It is expected that trustees will come from the Opotiki and Gisborne communities, with iwi and the cycling fraternity also being represented. Similar Trusts around New Zealand have also co-opted representatives of corporate entities and other organisations able to assist in providing funding as the government’s contribution is dedicated to construction of the physical facilities. It is hoped the new Trust will be up and running within the next few months.
Meanwhile, project manager Mike Houghton from the Opotiki District Council says that the message that has come through loud and clear is that there is no point having a cycle trail in our region without attracting people to use it.

“There will be significant business opportunities and job creation benefits from having the Motu Trails, but we need visitors to come here and there must be an appropriate organisation in place to undertake the work required to encourage them to do so.”

The Opotiki Community Development Trust has offered to assist in the establishment of a Motu Trails Charitable Trust and has begun seeking potential trustees with proven business skills, enthusiasm and passion for the Eastern Bay of Plenty-Gisborne region, time to dedicate to the voluntary role and a willingness to work as a team to realise the full potential of what is being seen as one of the biggest economic development initiatives ever seen here.

For a map of the routes all the previous media releases

Farmers and horticulturists invited to enter awards

Wed, 22 Sep 2010 10:30:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council and Hawkes Bay Regional Council join farm environment awards. Farmers and horticulturists on the East Coast of the North Island now have the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Ballance Farm Environment Awards.

The New Zealand Farm Environment Award (NZFEA) Trust has formed a partnership with the Gisborne District Council and the Hawkes Bay Regional Council to bring the competition to the east Coast Region as of 1 July 2010. “We welcome the East Coast to the awards and we are looking forward to seeing some magnificent examples of East Coast farmers doing what they do best,” says NZFEA chairman Jim Cotman.

The annual Ballance Farm Environment awards recognise farmers who are farming in a way that is environmentally, socially and economically sustainable. The addition of the East Coast brings the number of regions involved in the awards to 9.

Larry Bilodeau, chief executive of naming rights sponsor of the awards, Ballance Agri-Nutrients, says the company is delighted at the news of a ninth region participating in the Awards. “We are particularly pleased to have the East Coast region on board as we are certain that their diverse mix of agriculture, viticulture and horticulture will enrich the awards experience for all involved.”

“Variety is what makes the Ballance Farm Environment Awards so inspiring and rewarding, and we need farmers from all different backgrounds to participate in these awards in order to make them a true success. “

“That way most farmers can relate, and will learn something about their own farming practices.”

Jim Cotman says the awards continue to grow in strength and recognition. The addition of the East Coast region gives further momentum and means wide regional coverage across the country. He says the interest in the 2010 competition was evidenced by exceptional attendances at field days on Supreme award-winning farms across the country.

A Gisborne District Rural Environment award was run annually for a number of years as a co-operative amongst a number of organisations, which was a great success. Participation in this national award structure offers enhanced prestige and a chance for local farming businesses to showcase themselves among the nation’s best.

The 2010/11 Ballance Farm Environment awards, along with seven sponsored awards contain a specific regional award for applicants from the Gisborne and Hawkes Bay regions; the “East Coast Farming for the Future” award. This award will recognise sustainable farming systems that include provisions for the future impacts of climate change.

Gisborne District Council wishes to encourage and support local farmers who are both top producers and top environmental managers.

For more information and where to apply

First step to sustainable water management

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 12:30:00 +1200

Increasing pressure on the nation’s water resources makes a comprehensive approach to fresh water management a critical priority, says Local Government New Zealand. These comments follow the release of the Land and Water Forum Report which sets the direction for an integrated and full water management plan for New Zealand.

Gisborne District Council staff have welcomed the Land and Water Forum report. It endorses the role of regional and unitary councils (such as Gisborne District Council) in water management.

Council's Environment and Planning Manager Hans van Kregten says that he is happy with the aspirations of the Forum to apply whole of catchment and community approaches. "We have been fortunate in this district to have water resources that can be managed to meet community needs without acute shortages as a result of water demands. There has not been Environment Court litigation in Gisborne either, which has been positive for everyone. This means that water allocation issues in the Gisborne district are less pressing than in other areas where there is more demand, and there are periods of extended drought."

"The report recommends Water Plans be mandatory. For our district this is particularly relevant in terms of water quality, rather than quantity. Council has been proactive in this area and is well underway with consultation, collaboration and data collation towards such a plan.”

“National standards, which the Forum report promotes, could be helpful. In this context it is pleasing to note the report recognises the natural variability of the communities, landscapes and water bodies around New Zealand. There must be specific local solutions for water issues. The soft rock hill country that predominates in Tairawhiti poses unique sediment and riparian challenges and makes our limited high quality inland waterways quite special,” said Mr Van Kregten.

LGNZ spokesperson Stephen Cairns says Councils have long sought a strategy that articulates national interests and priorities for water management.

Regional and Unitary councils have a Strategic Position Paper on water identifying a number of initiatives to improve freshwater management. As well as a national strategy, regional councils support greater focus on rural water infrastructure, the application of good practice including audited self management, setting limits for water quality and allocation, and improvements to the RMA so that communities are able to set local water policy without a lengthy litigious process.

“Challenges also come from land use intensification such as agricultural change or urban growth, while Treaty settlements and co-governance are new issues which need tackling,” said Mr Cairns.

The Land and Water Forum report endorses the role regional and unitary councils play in water management but has identified some areas for improvement in governance processes. “Regional and Unitary councils take an objective view of managing competing demands for our precious water. They consider and reflect the environmental, economic, cultural and social needs of the communities they serve.”

Mr Cairns says councils have made good progress in improving water quality in New Zealand over the last two decades but there are many ongoing challenges.

“Organic wastes and toxic pollutants have been removed and bacterial levels in recreational waters have improved. There have also been improvements to the management of treatment and disposal systems through major capital investments and new, or alternative, technologies.”

However, Mr Cairns says that, while recommendations in the report to investigate possible changes to the way water services are managed are supported, there should be no expectation of quick fixes without first engaging with appropriate representatives to investigate options.

Regional councils have been responsible for water quality and other natural resource management since the 1989 local government reforms.

Plastic media fitted inside filter tank

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 14:00:00 +1300

Eleven thousand black plastic blocks are quickly filling the giant biological trickling filter tank at the city’s new wastewater treatment plant in Banks Street.

The plastic media blocks – like big hay bales – will play an integral part in the process that transforms the city’s wastewater into plant-like matter.

From January 2011, screened and de-gritted wastewater will be pumped up through the tank’s central column to a height of 8 metres. From here it will be distributed via 6 rotating arms to trickle slowly through many different channels of 10 layers of plastic media blocks. The layers of blocks run at right angles to each other and when fully installed will stand 6.1m high and occupy about 5000 cubic metres.

As the wastewater trickles through the channels, the fine solids remaining after the screening and de-gritting are converted into a non-offensive biomass in a process known as biotransformation.

Council project manager Peter McConnell said this would provide a much higher level of treatment than provided by the simple milliscreening process introduced 20 years ago.

“Treated wastewater will collect at the bottom of the trickling filter tank and be combined with industrial effluent, also milliscreened through 1mm mesh, in the new outfall pumping station. It will then be pumped through to connect into the existing outfall, and discharged 1.8km into the sea.”

Superchill Australia provided the plastic media sheets and Gisborne’s Electrinet welded these into bales. Each 300mm wide block, comprising 12 polypropylene sheets, measures 2.2m by 600mm.

Peter McConnell said one of the many advantages of this structured media was that sections could be lifted out to see exactly how much biofilm was growing on the media surface. "The information gained from this can be used to fine tune the operation of the biological trickling filter."

Biological trickling filter process

Gisborne District Council project engineer Michael Yukich looks down the shaft which enables sections of plastic media to be removed for inspection within the biological trickling filter tank. Screened wastewater will be pumped up the central column being being trickled over the blocks of plastic media.

We end the year in a strong financial position

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council made a moderate surplus last financial year which will be carried forward to fund expenditure in the current year and repay past deficits. The 2009/2010 Annual Report goes to Council on Thursday to be adopted and highlights what was achieved in the last financial year (1 July 2009 – 31 June 2010) and how it was paid for.

The result is particularly pleasing considering the challenging economic times Mayor Meng Foon and chief executive Lindsay McKenzie comment in the introduction to the report. They acknowledge that affordability is a major issue for many in our district but note that Council has a continual focus on containing costs while thinking about the future needs of the district.

Management made a commitment to spend $1M less than was budgeted last year. Thanks to the efforts of staff and some improvements to our processes this has been achieved. We have committed to shave another $500K off our expenditure this financial year.”

Operational savings were just one of the factors that contributed to Council’s surplus. Deferring some capital expenditure, additional income from grants and interest costs lower that budgeted all helped.

The Gisborne district has more roads per head of population than any other area. Roading costs continue to be the biggest expenditure item. The cost of the damage to roads and bridges from flooding was around $3M last year. This was partially offset by an increase in funding from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA).

“Finishing the year with a surplus will help ease the burden of what are predicted to be 2 expensive years ahead” says chief financial officer Mike Drummond. “Our goal always is to collect the right amount of rates to fund the programme of work we consult with communities on each year in March. Residents can be sure that that the money collected is effectively managed with an eye on the future as demonstrated in the Annual Report.”

Council debt has trended downwards from a high of $30M in 2006 to $19M this year. Paying for the construction of the new wastewater treatment plant will push debt back up with $12.2M spent to-date. The true effect of this development on debt won’t be seen until the end of the current year. The general reduction in debt levels up to this point is thanks to the foresight of Council 6 years ago to start saving for this major project. $9M was saved over the last 6 years to pay for this project. This is made up of $7.8M in capital rates and $1.2M in interest earned.

Many households have been assisted by the government’s rate rebate scheme which offers up to $570 off the rates bill to those ratepayers that qualify. More than 1800 applications were approved last year saving ratepayers $950K. For others we offer the Easy Pay direct debit scheme that spreads the payments of rates evenly throughout the year and ensures no penalties are added to the rates.

For more information on:-

Focusing on core infrastructure

Wed, 29 Sep 2010 15:00:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council’s 2009/2010 Annual Report, which goes to Council this Thursday for adoption, shows a focus on key infrastructure and working with the community to meet other objectives. The Annual Report is Council’s key accountability document which reports back to communities on whether or not it did what it said it would do. It highlights what Council achieved in the past year as well as financial reports and how Council performed in 21 activity areas.

Mayor Meng Foon and chief executive Lindsay McKenzie comment in the introduction to the Annual Report that Council’s core business is building first class infrastructure as a spring board for future growth that ultimately means more employment opportunities.

Last year Council replaced bridges, including building the first new bridge in 10 years at Wharekahika. They worked with New Zealand Transport Agency to enhance SH35 through Busby and Kemps Hills and aligned roads at Tiniroto. Flood control work began on the Waiapu River which will bring community and economic benefits to the Ruatoria area. Consultation started on the proposal to upgrade the Waipaoa River flood protection works to protect jobs and income generated from the valuable Poverty Bay flats.

Huge progress has been made building the new wastewater treatment plant which is due to be finished in December this year $5.5M under budget. The Banks Street development has been combined with some commercial opportunities. In addition to providing much needed revenue this development means large trucks can get their certificates of fitness in the Industrial Subdivision rather than in the busy Childers Road.

The introduction to the report refers to Council’s awareness that the district’s social well-being is just as important as infrastructure. Council has been working with other organisations to realise some of those aspirations. The upgrade of the War Memorial Theatre is being investigated. The RSA has offered to incorporate their facilities into the project. The resulting development would offer a major boost to the entertainment and conference scene in Tairawhiti. However this will only proceed when an external funding partner is found.

The step up in terms of working collaboratively with other organisations is highlighted. The youth employment opportunities boosted by the Community Max scheme is referred to. Council received $325.000 of government funding to coordinate 12 projects. 40 young people were employed on the scheme and did a lot of work the community needed but was not in the Council work programme. This included clean-ups in cemeteries, parks and reserves in Gisborne, Ruatoria, Te Araroa, Tokomaru Bay and Te Puia. The workers also improved some of the district’s playgrounds, built steps on Titirangi (Kaiti) Hill, planted some of our most erosion prone sand dunes and photographed headstones which can now been found on Council’s website. This facility will be particularly helpful for genealogists.

Also highlighted is Council’s relationship with Eastland Community Trust to strategically invest in the region. Together they hope to work with the community to develop facilities in the beachfront area between Waikanae Beach and Pacific Street. Council is also supporting the trust to achieve charitable, tax-free status after Council opposed proposed changes to the trust earlier this year.

Council continues to work with townships on planning for their future. Matawai/Motu, Manutuke, Rangitukia/Tikitiki and TePuia/Waipiro communities were the focus last year. Council is also working with youth through Tairawhiti Youth Voice who were appointed as the new Gisborne District Youth Council. Other groups Council has collaborated with in the last year include the cycling advisory group, those interested in healthy housing through the Housing Advisory Group and the Tairawhiti arts community developing an Arts and Culture strategy.

Copies of the Annual Report will be available at Council offices or on the website next week. A summary of the report will go into all resident‘s letterboxes mid-October after the election results are announced.

Licence for waka shed to be notified

Mon, 04 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +1300

A proposal to assemble a waka on Gisborne District Council land behind the Sound Shell on Centennial Marine Parade will require a Licence to Occupy under the Reserves Act 1977. This will be publicly notified next week.

The double hulled sailing waka named Hawaikinui II has been built in Tahiti by Matahi Brightwell. In February this year Cyclone Oli hit Tahiti and destroyed the shed the waka was being built in and damaged part of the hull. The waka is now in 5 sections and will be shipped to Auckland. The sections will be freighted to Gisborne to be reassembled and finished in an open sided shed. The proposed location behind the Sound Shell means the public could see carvers and craftsman at work.

The proposed licence is for 2 years with two one-year rights of renewal. The shed would be located behind a mound and a stand of trees. Mr Brightwell is currently seeking sponsors to build the shed and would remove it when the project is finished. Construction noise will be minimal as chisels and adzes are the main tools to be used. A petrol generator will be used at times to power tools such as skill saws and electric planes.

Mr Brightwell plans on working on the project Monday – Saturday 9am–5pm with a small team of local and national carvers.

Along with the Licence to Occupy, the shed requires a building consent and land use consent.

The Hawaikinui II has been built using ancestral methods and materials and is a replica of the Hawaikinui I which sailed from Tahiti to Hicks Bay in 1985. A replica model of this waka is on permanent loan to the Tairawhiti Museum. When finished Mr Brightwell plans to train a crew and sail the waka to Chile and back.
More information including the history of the project is available on www.hawaikinui.org

Cemetery database improved

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 13:30:00 +1300

Our online cemetery database has been updated to include 23,000 burial records at the Taruheru Cemetery and they include headstone photographs and inscriptions.

The project to update our online cemetery database began after 5000 burial records were left off in the original transfer. The recent upgrade project has taken about 8 months to complete. It started off as a project to find the missing records but morphed into headstone photographing which was done by a Community Max programme. The Genealogical Society provided headstone inscriptions which were able to be incorporated into the records at the same time.

Our cemetery record search is always in our top 5 pages on our website.

Search our online cemetery database

Time to attack pretty Senecio

Tue, 05 Oct 2010 11:00:00 +1300

Landowners are asked to be on the look out for an invasive weed that is making its showy presence known around the district’s hillsides and pull it out.

Holly Leaved Senecio sometimes known as Pink or Purple Ragwort takes hold on any spare land it can find. It is an aggressive weed that forms a dense cover, reducing the productivity of land as it competes with pasture and other plants.

The erect plant with oval holly-like leaves grows up to 1.5 metres tall and is covered in clusters of purple, mauve or pink flowers with yellow centres. The plants are just starting come into flower now and will carpet any spare land they can find until December. It grows and establishes rapidly and unlike many other plants is quite happy on amongst scrub, waste land, barren hillsides, pasture and along roadsides.

Gisborne District Council’s biosecurity team leader Phil Karaitiana says the plant produces downy, parachute-like seeds which are mainly spread by wind but can also be spread by people and contaminated machinery. “We really need people to help us stop the spread of this plant. The best way is to remove individual plants by hand preferably before the plant comes into flower.”

“If there are lots of plants then focus on the outliers on the edge of the main group or use an approved herbicide before the plants flower. The herbicide must only be applied by someone who has completed a Growsafe training course and has a current certificate to prove it.”

“If the plants are in flower then remove flower heads and get rid of them ideally by burning. Don’t add them to your compost heap,” Mr Karaitiana warned.

Senecio has been identified as a containment plant pest in the Regional Pest Management Strategy for the Gisborne region. It is the responsibility of land owners to control this plant. If neighbours are free from this plant pest a 20 metre strip along an adjoining landowners boundary must be kept free of the plant.

As one of the district’s larger land owners Council faces a challenge every spring trying to contain this attractive but invasive plant. Many of Council’s reserves have been sprayed recently in an effort to keep its spread under control. Favourable weather this has meant that the spraying programme is on track.

Report reveals the truth about Council's finances

Wed, 06 Oct 2010 10:00:00 +1300

Positive trends in all of Gisborne District Council’s key financial figures last year show that public money is being managed with care. The audited figures in Council’s Annual Report show that public debt has steadily decreased since 2006 from $682 per person to $437 per person.

At the same time interest costs as a percentage of rates income has dropped from 5.32% to 3.72%.

At $19.4M Council’s debt levels are well below the budgeted figure of $37M and the $30M in 2006. In 2006 Council's net debt was 45% of its income. It is now down to 23%. This is forecast to increase to $48M next year as the cost of the new wastewater treatment plant kicks-in before reducing to $37M in 2012.

The report shows that Council has been mindful of costs. Staff and management focused on the costs of operating Council and saved $1M. Overall staff costs came in slightly under budget even though ACC payments increased.

Despite the positive financial results Council’s Annual Report acknowledges that rates affordability continues to be a major issue for this district illustrated by the increased number of bad debts. The high cost of running a geographically large district combined with the number of ratepayers on low or very low incomes is a challenge. This makes Council’s role in prudently managing public money all the more important.

Official election results

Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +1300

The official results for the Gisborne District Council and Tairawhiti District Health Board elections. The following are declared elected.

Mayor - Meng Foon

Gisborne councillors
Brian Wilson
Nona Aston
Manu Caddie
Craig Bauld
Rehette Stoltz
Alan Davidson
Allan Hall
Andy Cranston
Matakaoa - Patrick Tangaere
Taruheru-Patutahi - Roger Haisman
Waiapu - Bill Burdett
Waikohu - Pamela Murphy
Cook - Graham Thomson
Uawa - Pat Seymour

Tairawhiti District Health Board

Craig Bauld
Atareta Poananga
Brian Wilson
Kathy McVey
Ray Vasan
Barbara Clarke
Kathy Sheldrake

Check the official result figures

Rain eases but big mop-up ahead

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 10:00:00 +1300

Rain has eased this morning in Gisborne but remaining surface flooding has again prompted calls for extreme caution on the roads as the big clean-up begins.

Extensive flooding on the Gisborne Flats, in some instances a metre deep, is likely to be causing headaches for horticulturists and grapegrowers.

State Highway 2 remains closed at Te Karaka near the Whatatutu turnoff due to flooding from the Waipaoa River. A large slip on Hospital Hill, Te Araroa has reduced State Highway 35 to one lane but Opus advises that this may yet be closed.

Several other places on SH35 are reduced to one lane and extreme caution is advised north of Te Puia and south of Tokomaru Bay at Waihau Bluff where a slip has come across the road.

Slips have also closed State Highway 2 south between Napier and Wairoa at Tangoio. This is expected to open by midday. Surface flooding remains an issue on the Gisborne Flats around Hexton and Makaraka.

Gisborne Civil Defence controller Jon Davies said that within the city, floodwaters came across Thomson Street near the Botanical Gardens next to the Taruheru River, and also into Ferguson Drive properties.

“This is the first time we have seen water across Thomson Street probably since Cyclone Bola. Waters from the Waimata River also broached Anzac Park. Properties in Ferguson Drive had water in their back yards.”

The Hikuwai River at Willow Flat reached 12.4m to lap the State Highway but, with a close eye on the river receding to the road’s edge, contractors managed traffic to pass through.

Waerenga o kuri received the highest rainfall with 306mm in the past 30 hours. Areas north and inland of Tolaga Bay and Tokomaru Bay received more than 250mm, and area close to the city had more than 200mm.

Mr Davies said that even though the rain had eased, surface flooding would continue to cause roads and drainage issues for some time.

“Drivers will still need to take extra care. We have extensive surface flooding, the drains are full, the water table high and thunderstorms are predicted for this afternoon. In some cases, there may not be signs notifying people of hazards.

“We urge drivers to be particularly cautious but also thank them for their behaviour over night.”

More than 40 people were evacuated from north of Tolaga Bay yesterday but they were expected to return home today.

Information about rainfall, river levels and road closures are available on the council website www.gdc.govt.nz

Contract to progress Tairawhiti Navigations project is signed

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:30:00 +1300

The Tairāwhiti Navigations Project is making good progress after receiving a grant from New Zealand Trade & Enterprise in June this year. A contract was signed this week with APR Consultants Ltd and Te Puia - New Zealand Māori Arts and Crafts Institute - to come up with a sustainable business model for the project. The aim of the project is to deliver a quality visitor experience throughout Tairāwhiti.

APR Consultants and Te Puia and will be developing a framework that takes into account the many themes linked to the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project so that local people and groups can tell their own stories in a coordinated way. This will include branding and communication strategies.

The themes include the voyaging and arrival of waka, overland trails and ara hikoi, Captain Cook’s voyage, landing sites, first meetings with Māori, the navigational methods used by the different cultures and the importance of lighthouses and prominent navigational sites like Pilots Hill to ensure voyaging safety.

The framework or regional interpretation plan will enable Tairāwhiti’s stories to be shared in a way that guides, inspires and educates visitors through a living museum or natural and cultural heritage. Creating a common identity will tie these stories together to make a memorable experience for visitors. The initial focus of the project is on Gisborne’s inner harbour area, Titirangi (Kaiti) Hill, Tairāwhiti Museum and Wairoa’s Rangihoua Pā and Pilot Hill. The framework and processes developed would be rolled out to other sites as the project is expanded.

The development of a sustainable business concept model geared to the tourist market is key to pulling the whole project together. It will include branding that focuses on this district’s unique points of difference.

The contract was signed by Lindsay McKenzie from Gisborne District Council – representing the Tairāwhiti Development Partnership Management Trust, Deryck Shaw of APR Consultants and Karl Johnstone of Te Puia, New Zealand Māori Arts and Craft Institute. The contracted work is scheduled to be completed at the end of November 2010. Representatives from APR and Te Puia will be meeting with stakeholders over the next few weeks.

Once this stage of the project is complete the business model, framework and branding will be used to present the concept to funding organisations.

Background: The Tairāwhiti Traditions Project brings together the rich voyaging, arrival and settlement history from the meeting of the two cultures (Māori and Pakeha) to the settlement of Māori, European and other peoples in this district. The project supports economic development through connecting businesses, developing recreational facilities and interpretation of the district’s rich history. The project includes the wider Tairāwhiti area from Wairoa through Gisborne to the East Coast.

Signing a contract to come up with a sustainable business model for the Tairawhiti Navigations project is business analyst Duncan McIntosh and director Deryck Shaw from APR Consultants (rear) council's chief executive Lindsay McKenzie and Karl Johnstone acting chief executive of Te Puia Maori Arts and Crafts Institute.

Job application form now online

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +1300

We have just made it easier for people to apply for our job vacancies online. Our job vacancies page receives a high number of page views, so it prompted us to look at making it easier for people to apply for our vacancies.

You can now follow us on Twitter for job vacancies and soon to be added will be road condition updates.

See job vacancies online

Repairs to main sewer line

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 12:30:00 +1300

Residents in the Lytton Road, Nelson Road, Taruheru are asked to minimise wastewater discharge for the next 7 hours while repairs are made to the main sewer line from this area to the treatment plant. This means avoiding flushing the toilet, doing the washing and having baths and showers.

A sink-hole has appeared near the roundabout which contractors are currently working on. The roundabout has been dug up to make the repairs.

One lane is closed along Lytton Road from Ormond Road. Traffic is being diverted into Emily Street. Cyclists and motorists are urged use the roads with caution. A number of trucks are in the area sucking out manholes to keep sewer levels down.

Contractors will be working till dark tonight and may return tomorrow to complete the repairs.

Dome roof will help control odour

Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:30:00 +1300

A 5 metre high aluminium geodesic dome will next week become a shining beacon for a new way of treating the city’s wastewater.

Weather permitting, the 32.5 metre diameter dome will be fitted on top of the new biological trickling filter tank next Wednesday at the Banks Street wastewater treatment plant. This will bring the tank’s height at the apex to 15 metres.

By January next year, fine screened and degritted wastewater solids will be transformed into plant-like matter through the biological trickling filter process within the tank.

Colin Newbold, project manager for main contractor HEB Structures, said construction of the dome had been plain sailing, and completed within a few days. The challenge would be lifting the dome into position – a job that demanded no or very little wind.

“We are bringing in a 220 tonne truck-mounted crane from Tauranga to do this. Odour control ducting will be suspended from inside the roof before the dome is then lifted up and bolted down on to the tank through 24 ‘feet’.”

The roof, which comes from the United States with a $500,000 price tag, is a vital part in controlling odour and aerosols from the trickling filter process.

A network of odour control pipes built into the tank includes a grid of fibreglass pipes under the floor section. An air extractor system draws out odour from the bottom of the tank, recycles three-quarters of it and pushes the remaining quarter out into three specially designed bark and gravel odour beds.

The dome’s components were manufactured in Savannah, Georgia and supplied by United States company Temcor. Comprising 426 beams and 142 panels, the dome was assembled within a few days on site by three staff from Gisborne’s Universal Engineering and one from HEB Structures. By the end of the week, each set of bolts will be sealed with silicon rubber and covered by an aluminium disc. The bolts, known as Huck bolts, are similar to those used in aircraft technology.

Temcor consultant Raymond Stout, who has been involved with the company for 20 years, said the Gisborne dome was small in the scheme of Temcor creations.

“I have recently been involved in a couple of domes being built in Korea as covers for iron ore. Several had a diameter of 135 metres, and 3 were 120 metres.”

The domes have good longevity, only needing maintenance work on their silicon sealant parts after 20 years.

Temcor domes have been used for more than 40 years to cover water, wastewater and petroleum tanks, and for bulk storage and coal storage. One was even built to house Howard Hughes’ Spruce Goose plane in Los Angeles.

Once the roof is in place, the 11,000 black plastic media blocks with which the tank is now filled, will no longer be open for viewing. However, the roof provides two access points allowing what is expected to be six-monthly inspections of the media.

From January 2011, screened and de-gritted wastewater will be pumped up through the tank’s central column to a height of 8m, then distributed through six rotating arms to trickle slowly through many different channels in 10 layers of plastic media blocks.

Construction works have progressed steadily, despite days lost through high winds and torrential rainfall in recent months. More staff have been employed with about 60 now on site – 40 percent of them from Gisborne.

Ready for lift off. The geodesic dome roof will see all its bolt joins sealed with silicon rubber and covered with aluminium discs before being lifted on to the biological trickling filter tank (left) at the Banks Street wastewater treatment plant site next week. The pre-treatment building can be seen centre back.

Nelson Road sewer pipe repaired

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 09:00:00 +1300

Repairs have been made to a sewer pipe near the Lytton Road/Nelson Road intersection after a manhole blew out on Wednesday. A section of the pipeline was replaced last night with PVC pipe. The roundabout was dug up to make the repair and this is being restored today.

One lane is still closed along Lytton Road from Ormond Road and traffic is being diverted into Emily Street. This is likely to remain in place until mid-afternoon Friday. Cyclists and motorists are urged use the roads with caution.

“The pvc pipe replacement is a medium term repair,” says council's utilities manager Kevin Strongman. “A CCTV camera will be put into the pipe to look at the state of that whole section of pipe. We suspect that much of the pipe is in a poor condition. The repairs this week have fixed the worst. Some of the concrete pipe is corroded which is what caused the blowout. This section of main trunk sewer line was programmed for replacement in the next 12 months. This will be investigated further over the next few weeks with any further repairs likely to be early in the new year.”

Local arts organisations get Creative Communities funding

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:00:00 +1300

16 community organisations have received Grants from the Creative Communities Scheme worth $14,250. The organisations will use the grants to deliver a wide range of art and cultural activities including harakeke workshops, DJ workshops at the skate park and a visual arts competition for local teens at Paul Nache Gallery.

The allocation committee sat on Thursday 7 October to look at 24 applications who requested $79,892. Organisations applying for funding had the opportunity to seek advice from funding administrator Barbara Dockley and Tania Short, Creative Tairawhiti’s creative facilitator who encouraged correct completion of applications. Unfortunately, there were still applicants who did not heed the advice. The allocation committee suggested that funding workshops occur in Gisborne and the East Coast to assist the public with future applications.

This was the last meeting of the allocation committee for Gisborne District Council. A new committee will be chosen now that the local body elections have been held and council representation can be decided. Interested members of the arts community are also required on this committee.

Creative Communities Nomination form

Grants were allocated to the following applicants:

Gisborne Floral Festival Inc - to deliver the National Floral Festival held in Gisborne - $750

Gisborne Rotary Charitable Trust* - to present the Gisborne Young Musicians Competition in Gisborne - $600

Gisborne Unity Theatre* - to present the play “ secret Bridesmaids’ Business” - $1,400

The Cancer Society Youth Ambassador* - to present a stage challenge for youth on smoking cessation and smokefree issues - $500

Tribal Studios - to record, engineer and produce CD recordings of 8 East Coast bands - $1,000

178 Degrees East Ltd - to promote, record and distribute CDs of Lytton High School Kapa Haka group, Ritana - $1,000

Daniel Strange - to mentor, promote and up skill East Coast musicians - $500

Stringlets - to present public performances by a string instrument ensemble - $700

Creative Tairawhiti* - marketing costs to run the Artmart - $1,250

Art in Public Places - to facilitate the public art piece “Guardian” by two local artists - $1,500

Canteen Eastcape Branch - to hold art workshops for local Canteen members to produce artwork for National Christmas Card selection - $500

Tairawhiti Community Arts Trust - to run workshops and studio activities utilising Harakeke – Weaving our Past, Present and Future - $1,500

Anaura Associates Trust - a two day Wananga covering three art disciplines – Polynesian Textile printing, Oku and Whakairo - $500

Nikki O’Connor - arts therapy for children who have experienced trauma - $500

DJ Hat Jeremy Derbyshire - DJ workshops at Skate Parks on the East Coast - $700

Teen Art Awards - to present a visual art competition for local and East Coast teens at Paul Nache Gallery - $400

* Notes organisations GST registered

Book sale at the library

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 14:00:00 +1300

Last year over 2000 people shimmied in Peel Street during the Friday / Saturday book sale. It is going to be bigger and better this year as Peel Street retailers get on board with a Street party on Friday 29 October hosted by Heart of Gisborne and in association with October Arts Month.

This is going to be our most humungous sale yet – we’ve simply got to make space for people in the library to do their own thing man.

Over 5000 people a week visit the library these days – a 30% increase in the past 2 years. Many reference materials have been replaced with e-directories and whilst books are still a main attraction, people are grooving in different ways in the library these days. It is not like the 70’s when you could read a book and smoke a cigarette in the library. No way, now people are researching better ways for healthy living, literacy and lifelong learning. Access is through a variety of medium including loaning mp3 stories, social networking and serious research using our EPIC e-library.

It is still important for people of all ages to meet and hang-out at the library too. In 2010 the purpose of the library is the same but way we do things is different, and oh yeah, it is a smoke-free zone – the smokes have disappear along with bell-bottom pants (thank goodness)

For more information contact the library

Beach driftwood clean-up

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 08:30:00 +1300

Trucks and diggers are hitting city beaches over the next week removing the annual build up of driftwood in time for summer. The stretch of beach between Waikanae's Cut and 200m past Midway Surf Club will be cleaned up. The driftwood along the rest of the beach will be left to get washed out to sea naturally. The amount of wood on the beach is particularly large for this time year after prolonged bad weather in August. The clean up started a couple of weeks ago and the intention was to have the clean-up completed and the beach groomed by Labour Weekend. This was set back by the recent storms which washed a lot more debris down the rivers. Now the driftwood that needs to be cleared from the beach has just about doubled.

Kevin McBreen, firewood contractor, will be carting as much usable timber off the beach as possible for recycling as firewood. This helps to bring the cost of the clean-up work down. Once this has been completed a grooming machine will be used once a week over summer to keep the beaches looking their best for locals and visitors to enjoy.

Driftwood on Waikanae Beach

More are satisfied with Council's services

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 09:00:00 +1300

The newly elected Gisborne District Council will be governing an organisation that residents are increasingly satisfied with. The bar has been set high for councillors performance. A recent survey found that 66% of residents rated the performance of the Mayor and councillors as very good or fairly good. This is up 5% from results in 2008 and above national averages. For those that have had contact with the Mayor or councillors, 80% of residents rate their performance positively.

The independent survey of residents found that more people are satisfied with most of council’s services and facilities. The survey also found that the district’s residents are increasingly satisfied with the performance of council staff which was up 9% to 65%.

Earlier this year the National Research Bureau undertook a Communitrak™ resident satisfaction survey to gain a better understanding of the community’s view of council services, facilities and representation. They contacted a representative sample of 402 Gisborne district residents by phone asking a series of questions.

The survey asks residents for their levels of satisfaction with council’s services and facilities, policy and direction, performance, levels of contact, information provision and representation. The findings are then used to trace trends over time to determine which aspects of council activity or performance residents feel are improving and which are not.

Mayor Meng Foon is very pleased with community responses and appreciates people taking time to respond to the survey. “I am pleased that most of the facilities that council provides - from roads and playgrounds to drains and water - are appreciated by our community. I thank our staff and contractors for a job well done. It is great to see the customer service desk working well. I am a great fan of people ringing, emailing or using council's website to put in their request for service. I encourage all the councillors to use this method; it is very accountable and effective.

Across the board outcomes were generally very positive. Lower levels of dissatisfaction were noted in 14 out of 16 of council’s services and facilities compared to the 2008 survey results. Over 80% of those surveyed were very or fairly satisfied with council’s recycling collection and facilities, parks and sports fields, parking wardens and library services.

The only facilities not seen to have improved were the Olympic Pool and the public toilets. Twenty five percent of respondents were dissatisfied with the district’s public toilets. This was an increase on the 2008 figure of 17 percent. People in rural areas were dissatisfied with the number of public toilets, but in the city there was concern that toilets were dirty or not cleaned enough.

A further positive was the increase in the levels of satisfaction with council consultation and community involvement. The way council involves the public in the decisions it makes satisfied 65% of respondents (up from 56% in 2008). Overall, there were far fewer council actions or decisions disapproved of. This figure fell from 52% of people being able to recall an action they disapproved of in 2008, to 38% this year.

One area that did show a decreased level of satisfaction was in the way rates are spent on services and facilities. This year 62% of those surveyed were satisfied or very satisfied with the way their rates were spent, down from 68% in 2008.

The results of the Communitrak™ survey are used to assess whether or not council is meeting its performance measures. These are reported in council’s audited Annual Report.

A summary of the report outlining what Council provided for its residents in the last 12 months will be distributed to all letterboxes in the district from Monday. Its Councils way of reporting back to it communities about whether it did what it said it was going to do in the last year.

Read the full 2009/10 Annual Report

Read the Communitrak™ Survey 2010

Geodesic dome roof now in place

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:00:00 +1300

The biological trickling filter tank at the Banks Street wastewater treatment plant is inching closer to completion with its geodesic dome roof now in place.

The 32.5 metre diameter, 12 tonne geodesic dome cover was lifted into position today with the aid of a 220 tonne truck-mounted crane brought down from Tauranga for the job. The well-organised mission took less than 15 minutes. By January next year, fine screened and degritted wastewater solids will be transformed into plant-like matter through the biological trickling filter process within the tank.

Experienced workers from main contractor HEB Structures helped manoeuvre the aluminium roof, using guy ropes attached from the crane to 6 large bolts. The dome will be bolted down on to the tank through 24 ‘feet’ and an aluminium flashing fitted to ensure the whole structure is airtight. The $500,000 roof is a vital part in controlling odour and aerosols from the trickling filter process.

The roof’s 426 beams and 142 panels were manufactured in Savannah, Georgia and supplied by United States company Temcor.

The roof hovering near the biological trickling filter tank

It's nearly there, just needs bolting down

Young tairawhiti workers preserving our history

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 15:00:00 +1300

Genealogists and those with loved ones buried at one of council’s cemeteries can now search an online cemetery database, view headstone photographs and inscriptions. The database is on our website and includes 23,000 burial records at the Taruheru Cemetery.

This has been an 8 month project that would never have happened with out the assistance of a dedicated group of young people employed through the Government’s Community Max Scheme. They photographed most headstones in the district and associated each picture with the correct cemetery record. This information was then merged with the headstone inscriptions which have been provided by the Genealogical Society. The feature is one of the most used on our website.

This is just one of 12 Community Max projects council coordinated last in the last financial year. Forty young people have been employed. As well as photographing headstones they have been involved in cemetery clean–ups, sand dune clearance and planting, reserve and playground improvements in Patutahi and Te Karaka and beautifying our townships of Ruatoria, Te Araroa, Tokomaru Bay and Te Puia Springs.

The Community Max scheme was introduced in 2009 and offers unskilled 16 to 24-year olds with low or no qualifications work experience and the chance to get some training. It is a positive approach to addressing youth unemployment while helping fund useful community projects. Community Max subsidises a young person's wage at the minimum wage for 30 hours a week for 26 weeks. There is also a training component of up to $1250 for each young person. The programme also provides funding for a project supervisor for every 4 workers.

Gisborne’s Cook Plaza, overlooking the area where Captain Cook first came ashore in New Zealand, is another area that has benefited from the hard work of local young people. 4 youth have been working on Titirangi (Kaiti) Hill building steps, clearing vegetation and protecting the ‘crook Cook’ statue. The bronze statue, that was thought to be of Captain Cook, was erected for the bicentennial of Cook’s landing in 1969. It is in fact an unknown Italian admiral.

The curved walls of the plaza have been cut down to about one metre high to open up the enclosed area and the view. Council's community facilities manager Terry McMillan says there has been a feeling the curved walls have been too high and a deterrent for visitors to the site, who felt they were hidden from view.

“By lowering the height of the walls, it has opened the site up to let in more light. People can see over the walls making visitors feel more comfortable. We also hope this will act as a deterrent to vandals and taggers who have targeted this area in the past.” Mr McMillan says.

The efforts of Community Max workers is one of many highlights covered in a summary of council’s Annual Report.

A brochure highlighting what Council provided for its residents over the previous 12 months will be distributed to all letterboxes in the district this week. It is Councils way of reporting back to it communities about whether it did what it said it was going to do in the last year.

Read the Annual Report 2009-10

Julz Hovell and Matt Brown

Grundy Street footbridge removed for repairs

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +1300

From Monday 1 November all those who normally use the footbridge that links Grundy Street and Oak Street will have to find an alternative for the next couple of weeks. The footbridge will be temporarily removed for repairs.

The footbridge is used extensively by cyclists and pedestrians to link up with the footbridge between Oak Street and Aberdeen Road. This provides access to the secondary and intermediate schools in the area. Access will be from Stout Street.

The repairs are likely to take 2 weeks. The maintenance work will include painting and replacing the deck on the bridge. The footbridge will be unbolted and removed so that the steel can be sandblasted safely without any risk of polluting the Mangapapa Stream.

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause users.

Free computer recycling on Saturday

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +1300

Tairawhiti residents can dispose of their old PCs, computer peripherals and mobile phones at eDay this Saturday. eDay is being held at over 50 drop-off locations throughout New Zealand, including Gisborne, and is expected to divert 1,000 tonnes of electronic waste (e-waste) from landfills.

The community drive-through event is an opportunity for households, schools, community groups and small businesses to clear out their garages and cupboards of computer equipment and old mobile phones, to be recycled for free.

Last year’s eDay in Gisborne diverted 27 tonnes of e-waste from local landfills, with 412 cars dropping off unwanted computer equipment.

This year, the local event is being held at the Railway Yard, Grey Street between 9am and 3pm on Saturday 6 November.

Council's environmental educator Anne Lister said eDay is giving locals the chance to dispose of their e-waste in an environmentally sound way. “This is just another way people of Gisborne can reduce the amount of waste they send to landfill. This is followed the next day by Secondhand Sunday. Registrations for this are open until Thursday. Also this year the Paintwise programme has started up in Gisborne offering the ability to recycle old paint and containers.”

This year eDay organisers are encouraging communities to work together to collect their neighbourhood e-waste. Collecting it in one place and taking one trip to the drop-off locations saves time and reduces vehicle emissions.

The Government estimates that there are 80,000 tonnes of electronic waste disposed of into landfills in New Zealand per year. eDay national organiser, Laurence Zwimpfer of the eDay New Zealand Trust, said eDay is aimed at raising awareness about the dangers of dumping e-waste in landfills and the benefits of recycling computer equipment.

“With that many computers being sent to landfill, and the options to dispose of them very limited, it is important that equipment is recycled wherever possible. Landfilling e-waste is a danger to our environment due to its toxic nature and does not allow for the recovery and reuse of precious material such as gold,” said Mr Zwimpfer.

Since eDay’s inception in 2007, approximately 40,000 cars have dropped off 196,000 items of computer and computer-related waste for safe recycling, diverting 2,337 tonnes of e-waste from landfills. Despite these results, as a long term solution, eDay New Zealand advocates for compulsory product stewardship and still says eDay is just an interim measure until this is in place. “Until legislation is in place, eDay is helping to buy New Zealand a little more time without generating new problems in our landfills,” Mr Zwimpfer continued.

eDay is a community event organised by the eDay New Zealand Trust, and is supported by nearly 100 organisations throughout the country. eDay 2010 is funded through the Ministry for the Environment’s Waste Minimisation Fund. eDay 2010 is supported nationally by the 2020 Communications Trust, KiwiRail, More FM, the Blue Star Group, Trade Me and industry partners, The Laptop Company and Invo.

Material that can be disposed of at eDay 2010 includes all computer-related equipment, game consoles, fax machines and digital cameras. The Trust also accepts mobile phones although this year is encouraging people to donate them to Starship’s Mobile Phone Recycling Appeal. Other electronic equipment including televisions will not be accepted.

eDay New Zealand Trust advises people to wipe all data from computer hard drives as well as removable media such as floppy disks and PC cards before handing them over for recycling.

The recycling of the computer equipment to be collected this year will be managed under an agreement between the Ministry for the Environment and an external recycler, who is still to be appointed.

For more details visit www.eday.org.nz Volunteers wishing to help out at eDay are invited to sign-up online at the eDay website or contact Gisborne District Council.

For more information about eDay

Sod turning marks start of construction

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +1300

The traditional turning of the sod ceremony has taken place high in the Raukumara Forest Park, marking the start of construction on the $1.74 million Motu Trails cycleway project.

Low cloud shrouded the hill tops on the Motu Road at the head of the Pakihi valley yesterday, but the weather gods smiled on the gathering of 45 who attended a blessing by Ngai Tai and Whakatohea kaumatua mid morning yesterday.

The turning of the first sod was carried out by a four-man crew engaged to undertake the physical construction work in the lower Pakihi valley, a key focus of Prime Minister John Key’s $50 million New Zealand Cycle Trial project.

Job creation and economic development are the primary objectives of the national project and speakers at yesterday’s formal ceremony noted that it was good to see the first of the construction workforce now engaged and beginning the upgrade of the Pakihi valley track, which is being described as the jewel in the crown of the route which will link Matawai and Motu with Opotiki.

Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon and his Opotiki counterpart, John Forbes, spoke about their hopes for an economic boost for the region, as had been seen in other areas of New Zealand where cycle trails have already been established.

Gisborne’s Mayor said yesterday was a very significant occasion for all of those who had travelled up the Motu Road for the ceremony, and for the future of the Opotiki and Gisborne districts.

The Mayor quoted a 1911 report from the Poverty Bay Herald which told of an approach from a Mr F J Foster, who had approached the Opotiki County Council to complain about the Pakihi track.

That report told of attempts by several groups of men who were unacquainted with the terrain. One group became bushed and suffered great privation. Another group went into the area and was never seen again.

Others returned after unsuccessful attempts to reach Motu from Opotiki “their equilibrium upset.” The council responded by saying that there was no money in the budget for an upgrading at that time.

“I think that after 99 years, we have finally got the budget, thanks to the Ministry of Economic Development and I think that in a year’s time, people will not be getting lost and they will have much better experience than those recorded by Mr F J Foster.

“We are grateful to everyone’s contribution to this project and I wish the workmen well in their endeavours over the coming months. This project is all about job creation, but is not just a job for them. They have a connection to the whenua here and I know they have a passion for the job that lies ahead of them.

“Because of that they will do a fantastic job and we will end up with a facility that many people for generations to come will enjoy.”

Opotiki’s Mayor said that to have special places like the Motu area and the Pakihi valley more accessible to more people will be good for them, as well as being good for the region as a whole.

“I want to offer a special thanks to the tangata whenua for providing this ceremony, because it is important that we mark a major development like this with the appropriate blessings and karakia.”

Following the ceremony at Pakihi, a morning tea was hosted by the Motu community.

The Governance Group charged with overseeing the Motu Trails cycleway project – this involves representatives of the two councils, Whakatohea Maori Trust Board and Department of Conservation - then met at the local school for its monthly update of progress.

Gisborne link to wastewater building design

Wed, 10 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +1300

The son of an architect who left a lasting impression on the city will soon leave his own architectural legacy. Gisborne-born Rod Glengarry, architect with Beca Architects in Auckland, has designed the buildings for the city’s new wastewater treatment plant under construction in Banks Street. He is quietly chuffed to be putting a Glengarry stamp on a Gisborne public building with an expected long life. This is his first major Gisborne project.

His father Monty Glengarry and uncle Bruce were founding members of Glengarry, Glengarry and Corson architectural practice formed in the early 1950s. It was his father’s enthusiasm that helped Rod become hooked on architecture as a career from an early age.

“The fifties and sixties were when Gisborne was growing. The company was responsible for many of Gisborne’s public buildings built during that time. My father was at his busiest when I was growing up.”

Included in Monty’s personal portfolio were the War Memorial Theatre, Edmund Campion College and the Poverty Bay Electric Power Board building in Peel Street. He also designed houses including, in the late 1950s, three at the top of Barker’s Hill – the Glengarry family home and houses for two generations of Tyermans.

Colin Pilbrow – lead architect for the H B Williams Memorial Library – joined the firm in the mid-1960s to form Glengarry, Corson and Pilbrow.

After the death of his father in 1981, Rod Glengarry put his year-old Auckland University architecture degree to use, working for 18 months with his uncle Bruce in the Gisborne practice. He later worked for some years in London, Sydney and Auckland.

He is the only family member to follow in the family’s architecture tradition but younger brother Angus followed his uncle Bruce in also gaining a property valuation degree, which he uses in his role as assets administrator at Gisborne District Council. Rod Glengarry says the wastewater treatment plant buildings are of a utilitarian design made of materials appropriate to their function. “The concept is driven by what’s happening inside the buildings – the screening hall and control buildings are tall, for instance, to deal with the processes inside.

“The buildings are designed to have a longer life than a ‘normal’ industrial building. Because of that, the materials too have a longer life. They are functional buildings made to look more interesting through a choice of several types of concrete work including exposed aggregate precast concrete panels, in situ concrete and smooth pre-cast concrete drainage fittings. These are durable and provide good weather-proofing.”

The Best for Gisborne logo has been included as a design feature in several of the buildings including the biological trickling filter tank.

Architect Rod Glengarry outside Gisborne's War Memorial Theatre, designed by his father Monty Glengarry.

Grundy Street footbridge will open 26 November

Thu, 11 Nov 2010 16:00:00 +1300

The footbridge that links Grundy Street and Oak Street will be unavailable for another week.

The footbridge was temporarily removed at the beginning of the month for repairs. The bridge is being painted and the deck on the bridge replaced. This work was estimated to take 2 weeks but corrosion has been found on the girder ends. These are now being removed and repaired which will take another 2 week.

The footbridge is now due to open on Friday 26 November.

The footbridge is used extensively by cyclists and pedestrians to link up with the footbridge between Oak Street and Aberdeen Road. While the repairs are being carried out access is via Stout Street

We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause users.

New Wharekahika Bridge to be opened

Thu, 18 Nov 2010 15:00:00 +1300

The first new traffic bridge to be built by Gisborne District Council in 10 years will be opened on Sunday at Wharekahika. Three kilometres from the Hicks Bay store, the 4 metre wide bridge replaces a narrow concrete bridge built in the early 1930s. The previous bridge was 2.5 metres wide and had a 10 tonne gross weight limit which made it inaccessible for most trucks and heavy vehicles.

The opening and dedication will be a community event held on site at 11am on Sunday 21 November. Reverend Rose Stainton will bless the bridge and Olive Houkamau will cut the ribbon before Matilda Ruha breaks the champagne and officially opens the bridge. Hicks Bay stalwart Lance Roberts will then lead attendees over the bridge on his ride-on mower.

Mayor Meng Foon congratulates the Wharekahika and Matakaoa communities on the opening of this bridge which they have asked for over many years. “I am pleased that we are able to deliver this important link that allows all types of vehicles to cross and opens up the Hicks Bay wharf to possible commercial uses in the future.”

Designed by Holmes Consultants from Wellington the new bridge features three 20-metre steel spans and hollowed concrete deck units precast in Bay of Plenty. An 85 tonne crane was used to assemble the units as they arrived.

The new bridge was designed as a 2 span steel and concrete structure. Concrete Structures from Hastings won the contract to build the bridge and submitted an alternative 3 span concrete design. This was accepted and means that future maintenance costs will be reduced.

Henare Green’s East coast Company Greenwood Contractors were contracted to demolish the old bridge, complete the approaches and build rock protection for the abutments. The large wooden railings retrieved from the demolition have been left at Hicks Bay for the community to use as they see fit.

Local contractors Hicks Bay Drainage, run by Mark Caldwell, were used to do the site works and drainage. Those working on the construction camped on-site and were well catered for by Mr Caldwell’s wife Edna. The construction also employed ex-council chief executive and bridge engineer Bob Elliott as quality controller.

The old bridge was one of the last bridges designed by the government’s Public Works department in the early 1930’s. It opened up the area to the Hicks Bay wharf which had been developed for use by the freezing works, commercial fishermen and farmers. Council engineer Dennis Malone suspects it was built by C.H. McCracken as it looks like other bridges he built. Reinforced concrete was used with Australian hardwood rails.

Unfortunately the old bridge was too narrow for modern trucks or fire engines. This meant that fire was a serious risk to all homes in the area. The narrow width also meant that the Wharekahika Bridge has been the scene of several accidents over the years where vehicles have gone through the rails and ended up in the river. In the 1960’s one span of the bridge sagged and had to be propped up. This work has kept it alive for the last 40 years.

The age and condition of the bridge gave it a good cost/benefit rating from New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA). They funded 69% of the $733,000 cost. Even though there was an obvious need for the bridge, uncertainty of funding had meant that the development was on hold. “An opportunity came up from NZTA to secure the funding but only if we could get the job finished by the end of the last financial year (June 31, 2010),” says land transport manager Dave Hadfield. “However we had already done quite a lot of the preliminary work and we were determined to find a solution for the residents of Wharekahika sooner rather than later. The construction was completed well within NZTA time-lines.”

“While we will be opening a totally functioning bridge on Sunday, it is very much a ‘no-frills’ design. Over the next few years we will look to extend the guard rails. Seal extension will also be considered up to and beyond the bridge in the next round of annual planning. Anyone with a particular interest should attend Council’s community update meetings in March next year,” Mr Hadfield added.

Fine weather boosts progress on wastewater site

Mon, 22 Nov 2010 11:00:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council is going to great lengths to ensure no odour arises from the new Banks Street wastewater treatment plant once it is commissioned by year’s end.

The latest are lengths of fibreglass pipe – about 60 metres in total – placed at the base of 3 “odour beds”, each of which is dug out to a depth of 1.8 metres.

The 20m by 8m beds are lined with geotextile cloth and 1mm thick polyethylene, the joins of which are double welded, to prevent leakage. The 20m pipes sit on and are surrounded by a layer of gravel and then covered with just under a metre of bark mixed with five percent shell. Each pipe has a series of diffusers – short pipes with perforations through which odour is released and contained within the gravel and bark.

The pipes are connected to another network of about 300 metres of odour control pipes within the biological trickling filter tank which itself is covered by an aluminium geodesic dome roof, a key part of controlling odour and aerosols from the trickling filter process.

Colin Newbold, project manager for main contractor HEB Structures, says an air extractor system draws out odour from the bottom of the tank, recycles three quarters and pushes the remaining quarter out into the 3 odour beds.

“This involves 5 large fans placed outside at the base of the trickling filter tank, and another 2 fans within the control building. The last 3 fans for the tank will be installed early next week.”

He says the project is progressing well, thanks in no small part to the recent fine weather but also to the 60 people – half of them Gisborne people – working on site from 7am until 6.30pm and Saturday mornings.

Work is virtually complete on the outfall pump station, where treated wastewater is contained until being pumped out through the outfall and 1.8km to sea. The trickling filter pump station is expected to be finished next week and the influent pump station, where the wastewater arrives on site before being treated, by the end of the month.

The pre-treatment building, where wastewater is screened and large solids removed, is close to being weathertight with the roof completed this week and windows and doors installed.

“The roof is aluminium Kingspan, an insulated composite panel made in Ireland. The travelling crane inside the building will be operating once electricity is connected to the site next week, and lastly the concrete floor needs to be painted to provide a non-slip surface. Then we can wire up the machinery and get it commissioned.”

Hastings firm Kinetic is responsible for the electrical installation and Gisborne’s Electrinet for providing the high voltage supply and transformers on site.

“Once we have electricity to the site early next week, we can hook up to the main panel and start testing.”

Banks Street businesses will be pleased to see their road sealed again from next week after several months of roadworks required for installing new pipes and other services.

Mr Newbold said the whole project was coming together with the tie-in of the western interceptor this week, which brings industrial wastewater from the industrial area including Cedenco across the Waikanae Stream pipe bridge at the bottom of Banks Street, and the eastern interceptor by the existing Stanley Road facility next week. In the western industrial area that includes Ovation (formerly Bernard Matthews) and Juken NZ, new pipework and pump stations will soon be tested, commissioned and linked in.

Business side of Motu Trails project begins to take shape

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:00:00 +1300

A range of new business opportunities are expected to flow from the establishment of the $1.74 million Motu Trails cycleway in the Gisborne and Eastern Bay of Plenty region.

But many of those wanting to get in on the action are unsure of who to approach for advice and guidance for their potential future business enterprises.

A business development workshop to be held in Opotiki next Tuesday aims to steer these budding entrepreneurs in the right direction. Set up by the economic development unit of the Gisborne District Council and its Eastern Bay of Plenty counterpart Toi-EDA, the workshop is being held at the Opotiki RSA between 3pm and 6pm. Pre-registration is essential.

Toi-EDA manager Mary Hermanson says over recent months a lot of interest has been generated in the business opportunities the Motu Trails project will generate in future. “The Gisborne and Opotiki District Councils have been fielding quite a number of calls from people interested in setting up new businesses to service the expected influx of tourists on bikes,” she says.

“There’s also been interest from those with existing businesses who have recognised an opportunity to expand to provide more, or different services.”

Mrs Hermanson says construction work on the Pakihi valley section of the Motu Trails cycleway has already begun and the entire project is expected to be completed by the beginning of next summer, late next year.

“People are wanting to know how they can get involved in the business of servicing those who will be coming it our region from around New Zealand and around the world,” she says. “Next week’s workshop is in response to that.”

The workshop will be facilitated by Craig Wilson, who is on the technical panel for the $50 million New Zealand Cycleways project, Nga Haerenga.

Mrs Hermanson says Craig is a great presenter and knows the pitfalls of creating tourism businesses from the ground-up, so the advice he dispenses will be of value to many of those expected to attend next week’s workshop. “We’ve commissioned Craig to present this workshop because we know he will deliver sound advice to those considering new business enterprises based on his many years of doing the work at the coalface.”

Opotiki will host the workshop, but a number of potential future operators are also expected to attend from the settlements of Matawai and Motu, and from the Gisborne district itself.

For further information about the workshop
Anyone wishing to register to attend, should contact Mrs Hermanson at Toi-EDA on 07 306 2031 or by email to maryh@whakatane.govt.nz.

Moko to delight at Olympic pool

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 15:30:00 +1300

Moko the much loved dolphin has made a repeat appearance in Gisborne, and this time he is here to stay. A sculpture of the cheeky dolphin was unveiled last week at Gisborne’s Olympic Pool Complex.

The project of Olympic Pool staff member Owen Williams, the sculpture of Moko is the first memorial to the much loved dolphin that lived in Mahia and Gisborne for 3 years. Owen started designing the sculpture shortly after Moko’s death in July. “I had already been thinking about making a new sculpture to join Ollie the Elephant (which Williams sculpted 8 years ago) in the toddlers’ pool,” says Owen. “When I heard about Moko’s passing, it just seemed like this would be the perfect thing to create.”

The sculpture of the city’s favourite visitor will provide lots of fun for the crowds who flock to the beachside pool complex throughout the year. Moko will be safe for kids to play on as they enjoy the outdoor toddlers’ pool. The dolphin is depicted on his belly with his tail in the air.

“Moko gave so much joy to so many people,” says Owen, “and I’d like to see that same happiness continued. I wanted to do something that would be interactive, because the experience people had with Moko was so interactive. So many people came and swam with him and just felt his joy that way. Now kids can come and play on him at the pool, swim with him in the water, and it just feels good that this is how you continue his memory.”

Aitkens Concrete donated the materials to make Moko, and Brian Shepherd from BCS Signs contributed a plaque to commemorate the dolphin. After the summer, Moko will be painted with materials provided by Resene.

Brave rescue at Muriwai recognised

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:30:00 +1300

The bravery of 3 members of the public will be recognised when Mayor Meng Foon presents them with Royal Humane Society of New Zealand awards next Thursday.

Late Sunday afternoon on December 6 last year a young boy lost his footing while setting a net near the estuary on Muriwai Beach. He was caught in a strong rip and swept out to sea. His father swam out to rescue him and although exhausted he ultimately returned his son to shore.

In the meantime the boy’s grandfather Moana Paratene went to the assistance of his son and grandson but also succumbed to the rip and swept past them further out to sea.

The Brown family who were also on the beach heard shouts for help. Parekura Leo Te Tauri Brown who was 16 at the time swam 100 metres out through the rip and one metre surf to reach the grandfather and give him support and encouragement. His father Parekura Laurence Brown ran to a nearby bach to get a surfboard which he used to paddle out to Mr Paratene and his son.

All 3 made a safe return to shore using the board to support them. Mr Paratene was exhausted and was helped from the water into a waiting ambulance. The swift action of the Brown family saved his life. He would have undoubtedly drowned without their help.

“They ask not to be heroes, but they are,’ says Mayor Meng Foon. “Thanks to all those involved. The brave deeds of brave men needs to be acknowledged and recognised and Council is proud to present these awards on behalf of the Royal Humane Society.

Parekura Leo Te Tauri Brown will receive a Bronze Medal while his father Parekura Laurence Brown will receive a Certificate of Merit. Moana Paratene will receive a Letter of Commendation for his initial intentions of going to save his son and grandson.

The ceremony is at 12 noon on Thursday 16 December in the Council Chambers, Fitzherbert Street.

The Royal Humane Society of New Zealand bestows awards for acts of bravery where the rescuers have put their own lives at risk to assist others whose lives were in peril. Since its inception in 1898, the Society has made 2057 such awards to New Zealanders, of all ages and from all regions of the country, whose actions have been brought to its attention.

Control of Argentine ants to be coordinated

Wed, 08 Dec 2010 10:00:00 +1300

A coordinator has been employed to help the district get on top of Argentine ants that are causing problems in parts of the district.

William Dobbie has been appointed by to talk to residents. He will be making people aware of the issues with Argentine ants, providing advice and coordinating neighbours to put bait down at the same time.

“This is a 6 month project to encourage neighbouring properties to act together to control the ants. The control is not so effective if only one property lays bait to rid themselves of the ants and they all scurry next door. The best results are when all neighbours work together,” says biosecurity team leader Phil Karaitiana.

“These ants are more difficult to get rid of than the ants we are all used to. If residents suspect they do have Argentine ants on their property the first step is to get this confirmed. Council can help with this. Residents should either contact William or bring a sample in to Council’s Customer Services. Council does not fund the cost of controlling ants on private property. However we do supply ant bait at cost price. A 325 gram tube of bait costs around $47. When people are paying that sort of money to get rid of the ants it is important that it is effective. That is a why a coordinated approach is so important.”

Mr Dobbie will be carrying out surveys of areas where there is known to be an Argentine ant problem to gauge the extent of spread. Argentine, and a similar species known as Darwin’s ants are a problem because of their huge numbers and appetite. They are now well established throughout New Zealand. Eradication is no longer realistic.

They form distinctive trails that may be 5 or more ants wide travelling along footpaths, up and along sides of buildings, up tree trunks, along branches and along wooden or concrete fence lines. Multiple queens are produced that form huge colonies with several or more nests on a property. All colonies are genetically related so there is no in fighting between individual groups and they can quickly blanket an area. Where combined colonies are present they can impact on many out door activities.

The ants eat a wide range of foods such as sweets, and buds of some plants especially the tender honeydew producing species and will forage for foods in homes. They are a problem in gardens and orchards where they protect honeydew producing insects such as aphids and scale insects. The “farming” of these insects by ants allows populations to increase to damaging levels. Native insects and many of our native bird species are also at risk from these ants either through direct attack or by competing with them for resources like nectar or honeydew.

Council is part of a collective of regional councils that are looking at alternative baits and baiting strategies. As new information and baiting options comes to hand the public will be kept informed.

For more information on Argentine ants

Down to the wire at Banks Street treatment plant

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 08:30:00 +1300

A lot of checking and rechecking is going on this week in preparation for the “clean water” testing of the Banks Street Wastewater Treatment Plant this weekend.

Once this testing is complete and any refinements are made, the first “dirty water” or wastewater will be put through the plant. This is scheduled for 27 December, all going well, just days before the agreed 31 December deadline.

Representatives from Gisborne District Council, design consultants Beca, construction contractor HEB Structures, and major suppliers and sub-contractors will be on site over the next few weeks to ensure every aspect of the system has been completed to specification and is working as planned. Health and safety issues such as fire extinguishers, padlocks, emergency lighting and lightning protection are just as important as the completion of the plastic welding, electrical installation and software needed to run the plant.

Gisborne District Council project manager Peter McConnell says the testing covers mechanical, electrical and process components and the performance testing of the treatment plant. “All plant and equipment must pass tests to show that each is operating satisfactorily. These tests include pressure testing all pipelines on both the industrial separation works and within the treatment plant, and hydraulic testing of the industrial separation and treatment plant pump stations and structures. The odour control system will also be tested.

“Clean water commissioning comprises filling the system with clean water and operating the equipment.”

As the testing goes on, components of the new system will gradually be married together with the old.

“Wastewater will be diverted from the eastern interceptor to the treatment plant and once the plant is operating satisfactorily, the final switchovers will be made to isolate the Stanley Road facility, by diverting the wastewater through the new eastern interceptor bypass pipeline.”

The final diversion will be the outfall itself. The new pipe – which will convey treated wastewater to the existing outfall and then 1.8km to sea – is already in place. When the new Banks Street plant is fully commissioned, the outlet from the old Stanley Road plant to the outfall pipeline will be blocked off and the Stanley Road plant decommissioned.

The site will be blessed again early next Monday morning by the Reverend John Tomona, who just 13 months ago blessed the site for construction to begin.

Colin Newbold – project manager for main contractor HEB Structures – and his team will be lucky to spend Christmas Day with their families as they work to ensure everything is in place for the first wastewater to go through the plant come the morning of 27 December.

Once building consents have been granted for the completed buildings, Council’s plant operator Dave Viggars will take over the day-to-day running of the plant supported by Fulton Hogan staff.

Colin Newbold said about 70 people are currently working on the site, close to half of whom are from Gisborne.

Representatives from Council, CH2M Beca, HEB Structures and Fulton Hogan inspect the outfall pump station before clean water testing commissioning begins this weekend.

Small start urged for water quality improvement

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 11:30:00 +1300

The water quality of the region should improve over time if a small-scale start is made at the right place and followed by steady improvements.

Gisborne District Council project manager Peter McConnell told the wastewater management committee on Tuesday that given adequate funding, good progress in water quality could be made by the council and community working together.

He said that the nearly-completed Banks Street wastewater treatment plant, with its more-efficient milliscreens and biological trickling filter system, was one part of improving water quality in the bay. In another 18 months, ultraviolet disinfection would be introduced to greatly reduce bacteria levels in the treated wastewater being pumped 1.8km to sea.

He outlined a draft scoping document produced for the Turanganui a Kiwa Water Quality Enhancement (TAKWQE) project – initiated as a condition of the resource consents for wastewater treatment and disposal. This document included an environmental stock-take of the current environment with regard to rivers, inshore coastline and the bay, and the potential sources of contamination.

“This stock-take includes methods for improvement in the various catchments and around the bay. The document also gives reference to other programmes in New Zealand. “This improvement study is not isolated. We have a draft programme of improvements with rough costs. We need to get external funding for the project provided by a number of agencies.”

Mr McConnell referred to improvements achieved as part of the Whaingaroa harbour restoration project in Raglan, which features on the website www.harbourcare.co.nz Within 15 years, more than one and a half million trees have been planted, and the ecology of the harbour and its fishery, and biodiversity habitat have been dramatically restored. “This shows what can be done by starting on a small scale with input from the community. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel. We need to work with others already doing good work including our regional side of council.”

In response to a question by councillor Roger Haisman, he said the TAKWQE project would work in with the newly formed Freshwater Advisory Group. Committee chairman Bill Burdett, although admittedly pessimistic in view of a “raging, uncontrollable ” Waiapu River, was impressed with what was being achieved around the country. “I thought you couldn’t do anything but after reading this report, I can see it could happen.”

Mr McConnell said the project was in everyone’s interest. “The soil type is against you here and it’s ending out in the bay. It needs a change of mindset and the realisation that this is very long-term.”

Full biological transformation will take time

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 12:30:00 +1300

The biological process that will soon be responsible for treating the city’s wastewater will take time to settle down once commissioned.

Peter McConnell, project manager for the Gisborne Wastewater Project, says the biological trickling filter process will run smoothly but it could take up to 3 months for the biofilm – similar to the slime that grows on river stone – to grow within the tank.

“It will, therefore, take at least that time for full biological treatment or biotransformation to occur.”

Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie, who started his career in the laboratory of a wastewater treatment plant, says that the treatment process will take time to reach full potential depending on how fast the biofilm on the media grows.

“The breakdown and transformation of the screened wastewater into plant-like matter will be done by a living biological system that will grow and metabolise the waste on the surface of the black plastic media blocks within the trickling filter tank.

“Development of the biofilm in the short term may be affected by the nature of the waste the plant receives during the holiday period including the large proportion of portaloo waste from events such as the Rhythm and Vines festival.”

Peter McConnell says council staff, with the assistance of Superchill – which supplied the media and the rotating distributor arms – will monitor the trickling filter process. Sections of the black media blocks have been placed within a “sampling tower” that can be lifted out of the tank for visual inspection. Each block in the tower is numbered to provide a record of its position within the tower and how the biofilm is growing at the different levels.

The blocks will initially be checked weekly and then, once the biofilm is well-established, monthly.

“Superchill has provided operating procedures and has staff in Australia and Germany we can call on for advice. We can also talk to council staff in Hastings which is also running a biological trickling filter process.”

How does the biological trickling filter system work?

Screened and degritted wastewater is pumped to the top of the biological trickling filter tank and distributed through six rotating arms.
Wastewater slowly trickles through hundreds of channels created by 10 layers of large black plastic media blocks within the biological trickling filter tank. Each layer of blocks is at right angles to the previous layer. The media is designed to have a large surface area and lots of air space.
Friendly bugs catch and convert waste to food.
Bugs grow on the surface of the media like slime on river stone.
Biological growth (biofilm) eventually falls off the media surface and flows out with the water.
Treated water is pumped to sea via the existing 1.8km outfall.

What will the wastewater look like once it is treated?

Colin Newbold, project manager for main contractor HEB Structures, has also built biological trickling filter tanks in the UK. He says the treated wastewater looks like water with fluff in it. “If a bucket is filled with the treated wastewater, the fluffy component settles to the bottom and the water is clear.”

Within 18 months, a UV process will be added to the treatment plant which will greatly reduce the bacteria levels in the treated wastewater.

The cost of this is included in the total $39.5 million wastewater project budget approved by council.

Concepts for Tairāwhiti Navigations Project on their way

Wed, 15 Dec 2010 15:30:00 +1300

A concept for the pathways and storyboards that will tell the story of this region’s rich navigation history is underway. CPG NZ Ltd has been contracted to provide design concepts for a range of light infrastructure work in the inner harbour, the base of Titrangi (Kaiti) Hill and at Rangihoua (Pilot Hill) in Wairoa as part of the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project.

Once funding has been sourced they will enter into a design and build contract.

The establishment of pathways, a footbridge across the Turanganui River, landscaping, shade areas and consistent signage is seen as a key component of the project. “The first step is to get some design concepts. It will be exciting to see the tangible aspects of this project visualised,” says council's community planning and development group manager Nedine Thatcher-Swann.

CPG will present concepts for the Cook Landing site, a walking path that links the site to the inner harbour, a pathway along the top of the river training wall and a footbridge connecting the pathway to the Waikanae Creek. The Rangihoua (Pilot Hill) work includes upgrading the existing walkway, creating a viewing platform and signage. All will need to be developed with a consistent theme.

CPG have been appointed by the Tairāwhiti Development Partnership. They are a New Zealand wide consultancy company and part of the consulting division of Downer EDI. They will work with Soul Environments to provide a unique and diverse mix of resources. Their team has extensive experience working with tangata whenua and communities to ensure cultural/historic stories are reflected in planning and construction. They are committed to sustainable design and authentic outcomes and look forward to engagement with local hapu.

Alan Wilcox of CPG is originally from Gisborne and has worked with local, regional and central government agencies. Derek Walker is the manager for the Gisborne branch of Downer EDI and will be responsible for ensuring the work is completed. Catherine Hamilton of Soul Environments is a landscape architect. She has experience developing a strong vision and seeing it through to completion.

While the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project covers the whole region the focus currently is on the key sites identified in a prefeasibility study. These are the Gisborne/Turanga inner harbour precinct, Titirangi Reserve, Tairāwhiti Museum and Rangi-houa Pa and Pilots Hill (Wairoa).

The project aims to present the region’s rich navigational history for the enjoyment of locals and visitors. It has the potential to generate significant business opportunities in the tourism market. A sustainable business model and a plan to interpret our region’s stories are being progressed.

Karl Johnstone of Te Puia, New Zealand Māori Arts and Craft Institute, Alan Wilcox and Tony McCartney of CPG NZ LTD and Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie stand in front of the area where a footbridge will link the Waikanae Stream area to the proposed pathway along the top of the river wall as part of the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project.

Fire permits needed for all but gas fires

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +1300

A restricted fire season for the whole of the Gisborne district will be declared from 8am on Monday 20 December 2010 to manage the risk of significant fires.

The district is gearing up for a large influx of visitors over the next few weeks says principal rural fire officer René Londeman and the soil continues to dry out as temperatures increase. “These add up to an extreme fire risk especially in some areas that are very dry. We have had some rain but not enough to stop the underlying drought. It makes sense to declare a restricted fire season now rather than in the middle of statutory holidays when permits can not be issued.”

A restricted fire season means a permit from the Gisborne District Council is needed before any fires can be lit. This applies to hangis and umus. Only gas barbecues and gas cookers are exempt. Families and marae wanting to cater for guests with hangi should apply for a permit now.

If people light a fire without a permit they face fines of up to $2000.

“By issuing a permit we have a record of where fires will be lit and can make sure that the conditions are right so that it can burn safely. This can make all the difference over the busy summer season,” Mr Londeman said.

“Those who light fires in the open are responsible for making sure the fires are safe and do not spread. Even if you light a fire with a permit or use a gas barbecue, it’s still your responsibility if it gets out of hand. If the fire has to be extinguished by the fire service or rural fire crew, you will be charged. This can be up to $20,000 under the Local Government Act.

“Fires should never be lit when conditions are windy, or strong winds are forecast,” he said. “In these conditions a small fire can spread very rapidly. In isolated parts of the district, an awful lot of damage occurs while waiting for help to arrive.”

Issuing a permit is not automatic it depends whether the fire can burn safely. The Gisborne District Council acting as a Rural Fire Authority issues permits. It can take up to 3 days to check applications, particularly if a site inspection is required. Mr Londeman urges people to think ahead if they plan to have a fire, hangi or umu. Permits can be applied for on our website or from Customer Service in Fitzherbert Street or Te Puia Springs.

Minimal rate increase proposed for Gisborne city residents

Fri, 17 Dec 2010 16:30:00 +1300

A 3.5% increase in total rates collected is likely to be proposed by Gisborne District Council to fund it’s 2011/2012 Annual Plan. This is significantly less than the 8.1% increase forecast in Council’s Ten Year Plan. Gisborne city residential properties will have the smallest increase. An average city property valued at $280,000 will go up by less than 1%; well under inflation.

“I hope this will be a relief for the majority of our ratepayers who live in Gisborne city. They have faced some of the highest increases in the district over the last five years especially with the building of the new wastewater treatment plant,” says chief executive Lindsay McKenzie. “We are very aware that the affordability of rates in this district is a major issue for many because of low incomes. We have worked hard to keep costs to a minimum while absorbing increased Kiwisaver and ACC costs.”

Significant savings have been made in the provision of water and dealing with stormwater. The projected costs from the new wastewater treatment plant are $1 million less than estimated. This is due to reductions in depreciation, interest and lower operating costs than earlier predicted.

The rate increase for different properties varies significantly. “A residential property in Ruatoria we looked at will get a rate decrease of 2.57% due to the reduced cost of rubbish collection. This is balanced by a slightly above average increase for a property we looked at in the Te Karaka township.”

In many cases the greatest impact will be felt by high value properties. Original estimates showed the cost of landfill, transfer stations and some corporate expenses would be funded as part of the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) portion of the rates. This would have taken fixed charges to 32% of total rates revenue. By law this must not exceed 30%. Costs of $1.4 million have therefore been transferred to general rates which are spread over the whole district and are based on the capital value of a property.

Many properties that have enjoyed lower rate increases over the last 5 years will be harder hit next year says chief financial officer Mike Drummond. “We looked at some examples of higher priced properties. The Wainui beach home, rural forest and a city retail property all had less than a 5% increase in total over the last five years. Next year the proposed increases for these areas are likely to be above 6%.”

“Owners of commercial buildings in the central business district face one of the largest increases. This comes on the back of negligible increases in rates over the last five years. In the example we looked at there had been no increases at all for that property over the last five years. It would face a 10% increase next year. This is mainly due to the fact that these properties now pay the full costs (7% of the increase) of the much appreciated City Watch Team. Previously 67% of this service was funded by a Work and Income NZ Grant.”

Rural properties are also affected by targeted rates for rural fires and increased roading and pest control costs.

How rates are spread across the district is a result of Council’s revenue and financing policies. These will be reviewed next year and the public will be asked to get involved in this process.

The rating estimates are based on what it will cost to deliver the Council’s 2011/2012 Annual Plan. This plan is year three of a ten year plan and does not include any new major works. Council will be seeking feedback on its plan in March next year with a series of Community Update meetings throughout the district.

The rates comparison tool will be updated in early March so that people can compare the rates they are paying now with the proposed rates for their property. Once all consultation has been considered the amended plan will be adopted. New rating levels will take affect from July 2011.

Peel Street Bridge is now repaired

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:00:00 +1300

Damage to the Peel Street Bridge has now been repaired. A car went into the side of the bridge last Saturday morning.

The footpath and handrail was damaged on the upstream side of the bridge restricting access. Repairs were scheduled between Christmas and New Year but were bought forward without any major disruption to traffic.

Clearway helps keep city safe at night

Wed, 22 Dec 2010 16:30:00 +1300

Broken bright blue lines will be painted on Gladstone Road between Lowe Street and Reads Quay this week. They indicate the clearway zone that is being put in place at the bridge end to keep this part of the city free from problem behaviour.

The clearway prevents cars from parking in this area late at night between 11pm – 5am, Monday to Sunday. A 2 week compliance period, where people will be asked to remove their vehicles from the clearway, starts at 11pm Wednesday 29 December with the compliance period ending at 5am on Sunday 16 January 2011.

At the end of the compliance period, police will enforce the clearway by issuing a $60 parking infringement ticket. Any unoccupied vehicles will be issued a ticket and then towed from the area and placed in storage. The owner of the vehicle then has to make arrangements with the towage firm to get their car back. This is over and above the $60 infringement ticket.

A joint initiative between Gisborne police, Gisborne District Council and Heart of Gisborne, the clearway will help police deal with disorderly behaviour that has become a problem in this area.

“There is strong support for the initiative from Heart of Gisborne, nearby retailers and businesses that are open at night in the area,” says Council engineering and works group manager Peter Higgs. “A clearway system was put in place in Peel Street 12 months ago. Police report that the general behaviour of late night patrons has significantly improved. This has saved police time dealing with incidents in the area. However there is still a problem at the end of Gladstone Road.”

The clearway was confirmed as the best option at Council’s operations committee last week. It has little impact on legitimate users of the area as there is plenty of parking elsewhere in the city at night. It is also a low cost approach. A liquor ban is in place in the CBD and the clearway helps keep the city liquor free because people in the bars cannot conceal drinks in parked cars.

Council is committed to working with police to ensure the city is safe for residents and visitors at all times of the day and night. The clearway system makes it easier for police to do their job and keeps our city centre looking attractive and welcoming.”

The clearway will be in place over the busy summer period and be reviewed in 6 months.

Knowledge about iconic local surf breaks to be collected

Thu, 23 Dec 2010 09:30:00 +1300

Council wants to talk to locals who know the district’s surf breaks best.

A study by Lincoln University student, Bailey Peryman is underway to find out about makes Tairāwhiti’s great surf breaks work. He will be focusing on the 6 breaks that were recently registered as nationally significant as well as others that are particularly well known and loved by the local surfing community.

“I will be meeting informally with surfers who understand how the break works from a surfers point of view,” says Mr Peryman. “I want to understand what influences the quality of the surfing experience at specific breaks and why surfers value those breaks.”

Under the New Zealand Coastal Policy Statement council now needs to protect our best surf breaks when developing regional plans or making decisions on coastal development. This requirement came into effect earlier this month.

Council must ensure that what is done on or near the beach doesn’t have a negative impact on the use or enjoyment of a surf break. Activities that could impact on a particular break may include sand removal, rock protection work, aquaculture, stormwater management or even sand dune planting.

“A well publicised example of development arguably having a negative effect on a surf break is the Whangamata Marina,” says Mr Peryman. “Constructing the marina has involved the removal of thousands of cubic metres of sand one kilometre from the famous ‘Whangamata Bar’ surf break.”

“Waves break along a sand bottom at this spot and it is vulnerable to developments such as the marina. By understanding that the Whanagmata Bar is sand break we can see that sand removal will affect it. If it was a reef break then sand removal may not be such an issue.”

Once Mr Peryman has completed his study, council staff will use the information to consider management options for breaks in conjunction with surfers and the wider community. This is a key part of council ensuring it can meet the requirements of the NZ Coastal Policy Statement related to protecting surfbreaks.

Anyone with in-depth knowledge and experience of any surf break in the Gisborne/ East Coast region who would like to share their knowledge is asked to contact council’s Yvette Kinsella. Email yvette@gdc.govt.nz or ring 867 2049.

3 of the Gisborne surf breaks registered as nationally significant in the National Coastal Policy Statement are at Wainui Beach; Stock Route, Pines and Whales. 2 are at Makorori; the Point and Centres and one at Sponge Bay Island.

Beware of cheap transportable buildings

Fri, 24 Dec 2010 14:00:00 +1300

People looking for cheap housing options should be wary of ‘rent to buy’ schemes offering to put relocatable dwellings on their land. Already a number of these buildings have been put onto East Coast properties.

These schemes do not cover the costs of ensuring the building is on piles or connected to services such as water, sewerage systems and electricity. All these things are necessary to set up a functioning home says council's building services manager Ian Petty. “People see they can get a transportable home for as little as $500 deposit and a basic weekly rental. They think yeah here is an affordable option to house our growing whanau. Unfortunately what is not being considered is that these dwellings, just like any other, need a building consent.”

They must be correctly installed so they don’t flood, are ventilated and avoid damp. They need to be connected to services so that those living in the house enjoy an acceptable standard of living.

“Council understands there is an urgent need for affordable housing options particularly on the East Coast. There are ways of doing this. Council is open to alternative solutions and is looking at its building standards to try and make them as achievable as possible for those on a limited budget while still complying with the requirements of the Building Act.”

“However we will not support any type of housing that exacerbates poor living conditions. In 2011 all residents should be living in homes with access to a ready supply of clean water, an efficient sewerage system, safe electricity and ventilation. You won’t get any of that by plonking a building on a spare piece of land and calling it a home.”

Two companies are offering transportable homes – one with a rent-to-buy scheme and the other with a straight rental. The fee covers the cost of the dwelling and insurance. It does not cover the cost of access to services and site preparation. To do this properly you are looking at tens of thousands of dollars depending on resource consents. If the renter falls behind in payments the house is simply repossessed and moved off site. However there is no comeback on the cost of septic tanks, piles, and electrical connections. There is a risk that people will be left with large bills for connections to services but no house to connect to.

A checklist has been provided to the 2 companies that are offering this type of housing. Floor and site plans must be provided as well as foundation and septic tank designs. “We thought we had come to an understanding on the building consent information they needed to provide,” says Mr Petty.

“This didn’t happen so council issued a Notice to Fix under the Building Act. This means that no more units are to be located in the Gisborne region unless they have a building consent. Despite the apparent agreement and the Notice to Fix, further units have been placed on sections on the coast.”

Council has fined one of the relocation companies for ignoring the Notice to Fix.

“This is not what council wants to be doing. Imposing fines, on the property owner and/or the person doing work is contrary to the concept of supporting low cost consents. It is dead money that would be better spent on properly installed foundations. However council needs to do something to stop the spread of these unconsented buildings. In 5 years time the affects of living in substandard dwellings will come back to haunt us.”

For some people the rent to buy option can be a great idea. They are ideal as a ‘granny flat’ or the like where the dwelling is placed next to an existing house that is already hooked up to electricity, an ample water supply and septic system. For those with the money to install a septic tank, get building consents and have the house properly connected it can also be an attractive option; particularly if it utilises otherwise unused multiple owned land.

Council staff are keen to work in partnership with Te Runanga o Ngati Porou and loan providers to create sustainable affordable housing options for families in need in our region.

History made as wastewater flows through treatment plant

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 10:00:00 +1300

It’s all go. After years of discussion, debate, design and construction, Gisborne city’s new wastewater treatment plant at Banks Street is in action – on time and under budget.

The first wastewater successfully flowed through the plant from about midday today after a week of testing the new system with clean water and connecting the new sewerage system to the old. Commissioning the plant before 31 December 2010 was one of the conditions of the 35-year wastewater resource consents for treatment and disposal granted in late 2007.

Representatives from Gisborne District Council, the wastewater technical advisory group, HEB Structures and CH2M Beca were on hand for the historic occasion. The treatment plant is one part of the $39.5 million Gisborne Wastewater Project, which also includes the separation of industrial wastewater.

Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie today praised the excellent approach to the project and the quality of the consultants, contractors and staff involved. “Given the size of the spend, I am amazed and delighted that few issues have come my way. That is testimony to the quality of the planning, construction and project management team.

“Council has not had a great history of coming in on time and on budget with big capital projects. Let this project be a watershed, a turning point for us, as the hidden cost of not getting these things right is a cost to the ratepayer.”

Mr McKenzie said the original scoping and full costing of the consented project created difficult times. “Many were saying that the project should not proceed because of the cost and global economic crisis, and because it wasn't needed. The prospect of an $80 million plus plant was simply not acceptable; neither was not having a plant at all.

“While the pressure brought out the best in everyone, we were close to meltdown a few times. I hope people now see the value in the work and appreciate the complexity of the project.”

The project cost was reduced to $45M and later to under $40M. Engineering and works manager Peter Higgs said the project had been a great team effort from councillors, council staff, the people involved in the consent process, consultants, contractors, industries and the wider community. “They have all worked together for the common goal of having this treatment plant operational by the date specified.

“It is very pleasing to meet the deadline and to bring the project in under budget.” The plant will be officially opened in March 2011.

How it works

Domestic wastewater is screened by one of 2 rotating drum screens (one is on duty, one on standby) and then passed through a vortex grit removal chamber. Two more drum screens are used for industrial wastewater.

The screenings and grit removed from these stages will have the water pressed from them before being bagged and trucked to a landfill at Paeroa.

The screened and de-gritted wastewater gravitates into a biological trickling filter pump station before being pumped up through the tank’s central column to a height of 8m, then distributed through six rotating arms to trickle slowly through many different channels in 10 layers of large plastic media blocks.

In so doing, very fine screened and degritted wastewater solids are transformed into plant-like matter. The resulting treated wastewater is pumped via a new outfall pump station to the existing marine outfall, 1.8km out to sea.

Timeline

1987 East Cape Catchment Board looks to prosecute Gisborne City Council over a 50 percent increase (over 20 years) in effluent discharge without notification to the board.

1988 Gisborne City Council begins initial consultation about wastewater.

1991 Milliscreening plant commissioned. First upgrade since 1965.

1998 District council begins series of community meetings to identify public aspirations for wastewater. Consents due to expire at end of 1999.

Wastewater Working Party established with council staff and representatives from tourism, health, Department of Conservation, environmental groups and tangata whenua. Tangata whenua appeal to Environment Court on the ground that raw wastewater discharge to the ocean broke their relationship with the sea and kaimoana; call for zero discharge to sea.

2002 Council approves long-term wastewater strategy that includes completion of city stormwater and sewer upgrades, removal of grit and grease, milliscreen replacement, primary sedimentation treatment plant near the airport by 2010 and secondary treatment of activated sludge and ultraviolet disinfection by 2016 with through-land trials in 2017.

2003 Council lodges applications for new resource consents. Existing consents effectively extended to 2005. Council kiboshes idea of disposing all treated wastewater to land as unfeasible.

Sept 05 Engineering and works department applies for suite of resource consents; boulder bed added to address cultural concerns.

April 06 Hearing commissioners adjourn court sitting on first day, praise parties for joint approach, request Wastewater Adjournment Review Group (WARG) be established.

Sept 07 35-year resource consents granted for the treatment and disposal of city wastewater.

Nov 07 Council accepts CH2M Beca Ltd as consultants to design and manage the overhaul and upgrade of the city’s wastewater system

Feb 08 Best for Gisborne logo developed for project. Wastewater Management Committee and Independent Review Panel set up as condition of consents.

April 08 Consented scheme scoped and costed at over $84M. Plant to be sited near airport. Doing nothing not an option because of legal and environmental necessity and poor condition of existing plant. CH2M Beca and Council staff investigate cost-saving options; government assistance sought.

May 08 Suggestion made to relocate treatment plant closer to Stanley Road, initially on existing milliscreening plant site, to help trim $32M from cost.

June 08 Council decide to go to consultation to consider Stanley or Aerodrome road options.

Aug 08 Team presents affordable $40M project.

Oct 08 Council buys Banks Street site as viable alternative for treatment plant away from beachfront; community favour Banks Street site after consultation.

Nov 08 Council endorses Banks Street as site for treatment plant. Variations to existing consents lodged for “reduced scope” scheme – full industrial separation, pre-treatment for both industrial and domestic wastewater and one biological trickling filter tank to treat domestic wastewater, rather than two as originally consented.

Feb 09 New resource consent applications for “reduced scope” scheme publicly notified.

May 09 Council gains resources consent for “reduced scope” scheme. Registrations of interest called for construction of treatment plant and separation of industrial wastewater.

Aug 09 Sole appeal against Hearing Commissioners’ go-ahead withdrawn.

Nov 09 HEB Construction wins $21M tender to build new wastewater treatment plant and associated industrial separation scheme. Downer EDI Works wins $1.1M contract to construct western industrial pipeline. First sod turned on 30 Nov 09 as HEB Structures, part of HEB Construction, takes possession of Banks Street site.

28 Dec10 Banks Street treatment plant commissioned with first wastewater diverted from old system to new.

Boaties must take care near swimmers

Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:30:00 +1300

With summer in full swing Gisborne and East Coast beaches are full of people making the most of the water. Toys have been dusted off and jet skis, water skis, sea biscuits and boats are skimming over the waves. With so many people in the water it is important boats and jet skis take care particularly around beaches popular with swimmers.

A maximum speed of 5 knots (9km/hr) for jet skis or any boat towing water skiers and biscuits within 200 metres of shore or on rivers is stipulated in Gisborne District Council’s Navigation Safety bylaw. This is also the maximum speed within 50 metres of another craft or people in the water. An observer must be on board during towing or water skiing activities.

Council urges all boaties to use common sense especially close to shore and where swimmers are present.

Last year a child swimming at Waikanae beach was nearly decapitated when a boat towing a sea biscuit was travelling in excess of 40km/hr with 50 metres of the shore. The child was standing in the water between the boat and the biscuit and had to duck under the water to avoid being decapitated by the rope. Infringement fines were issued to the driver.

“This incident highlights the need for boaties to take care. Particularly with speed and closeness to the shore," says Sarwan Kumar, regulatory services manager. "It is very hard for drivers to see people in the water when they are travelling at speed."

“Surf lifesavers patrolling our beaches this year are Council’s eyes and ears monitoring boat and jet ski behaviour. Their primary role is to advise and educate beach users. However they will respond to anyone not complying with the bylaw and call the police if needed. If they approach you please listen and do what they say – they are there to help you keep safe.”

Visitors and residents are reminded that to use a jet ski in the Gisborne district it must be registered with Council. Registration is free and enables Council to monitor jet ski activity. Jet skis must display a unique identification number on both sides of the craft. For the jet ski registration form.

There are designated jet ski areas beyond Midway Beach identified by orange posts and signs on the beach. Keep a safe distance from swimmers and surfers and stay 200 metres away from the waters edge.

Tips for staying water safe

Don't drink and boat or jet ski
Wear your lifejacket at all times
Don't overload the boat, it could capsize
Don’t tow anyone on your jet ski
Tell someone what your plans are before heading out on to the water.
If you are water skiing, you must have an observer, not just the driver, on the boat.

Secret Bridesmaids get a boost from creative funding

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +1300

Unity Theatre was able to try something new for their most recent production thanks to a Creative Communities grant.

Secret Bridesmaid’s Business by Australian playwright Elizabeth Coleman was always going to be a bit of a risk says funding applicant and stage manager Shannon Friday. “It was a real pleasure bringing a play like this to life. Unity Theatre is keen to do more work by New Zealand and Australian writers but because they are less well known it can be harder to draw the audiences in.

“The Creative Communities Grant meant we could hire the Lawson Field theatre in November and spread the six performance days over two weeks. As we suspected those that came the first week really enjoyed it and went away to tell all their friends. Consequently we had bigger audiences in the second week enabling us to break even. This is important for a non profit organisation such as ours. We can’t run at a loss.”

Administered by Gisborne District Council, the Creative Communities scheme is a Creative New Zealand initiative. It encourages art focused projects that have broad community involvement. There are 2 funding rounds each year and with approximately $13000 available each round it is a significant contributor to the local arts scene.

Applications are now open. Anyone who has a creative project that needs some funding to get off the ground is invited to apply. Council must receive the application 4pm on Friday 25 February.

“Information about the types of activities or projects that might be funded and also what can’t be funded can be found here,” says community development officer Barbara Dockley. “If someone has a good idea but wants to run it pass someone; I am here to help. I can also assist people to complete the application form if they contact me before the closing date. We are likely to have some extra money available this round and so are hoping for a good number of applications.”

Application forms and further details are available here or from Customer Services in Fitzherbert Street.

Applications are considered by an assessment group of local people with knowledge and experience of the arts in the Gisborne region. The assessment group is made up of seven to nine members. This includes two Councillors, two iwi representatives and three to five members of the creative community. The group looks for opportunities to support the diverse arts and cultural traditions of our region and projects that encourage young people to get involved in a creative activity.

Are you passionate about arts in Tairawhiti?

The assessment team is currently looking for new members. If you have an artistic background, are community minded and passionate about growing the capacity for artistic enterprise in our region contact Barbara Dockley or complete this application form.

Remains removed from Matahiia Cemetery

Wed, 19 Jan 2011 16:30:00 +1300

Due to the threat of bad weather, the remains from 18 graves have been removed from the eroding Matahiia Cemetery inland from Ruatoria this week. After a blessing by Minister Boyce Te Maro, the graves were disinterred and the remains removed to Gisborne district cemeteries in Ruatoria, Te Puia and Taruheru. One family chose to have the remains cremated.

The descendants of all those buried were contacted after heavy rain in May last year eroded a large area of the small Gisborne District Council owned cemetery. The Mata River changed its course by about 100 metres washing away four graves from the catholic section of the cemetery.

The Mata River is situated in a flood plain and has a history of changing its course from side to side. Because of this a decision was made last year to close the cemetery and disinter the remains.

After so much rain in the area we knew we had to wait until the ground dried out before we could go ahead says Council property manager Matt Feisst. “We are very glad we waited. Many of the graves were deep and in some areas the soil was still wet even after a period of dry weather.”

“With the help of the local community we assembled a great team. Tairāwhiti District Health environment health officer Alan Hall was present to record the process and experienced funeral directors from Evans Funeral Service assisted contractors and Council staff to ensure that all remains were disinterred with respect. Members of the Boyce family and the Williams family, whose properties neighbour the cemetery and who had family members buried there, also attended as did new Matakaoa Ward Councillor Patrick Tangaere.”

A member of the Boyce Family was the last recorded burial in the cemetery in 1979.

“We are grateful to these families who have allowed us access to the cemetery through their land. A storm in August also washed away the road cutting off access for Matahiia residents.

Most of the descendants of those buried in the cemetery have been contacted. The relatives of James Percy who died 11 August 1917 aged 70 and Stuart John Wilson who died aged 2 years 3 months have not been found and their remains have now been reinterred in marked graves in Ruatoria.

Headstones will be erected over the next few months after discussions with descendants about unveiling requirements.

New manager for Council's Corporate Services

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 10:30:00 +1300

With 80% of ratepayers facing minimal rate increases in the next financial year it is a great time to be moving into a senior management role at Gisborne District Council says Mike Drummond. He replaces Douglas Birt this week as the new Group Manager Corporate Services.

“Keeping rate increases to the minimum in this district is a challenge I will be focused on. In Douglas’ time our rates came down from being one of the highest in the country to middle of the road. I know this is little comfort for those still struggling to pay the bills but it is worth acknowledging the achievement. With such a large geographic area and a small population on low incomes rates affordability will always be an issue for our Council.

“The predicted rates rise for Gisborne city residents and those with low value properties is really good news. We were predicting a 12% increase and it is now down to 3.5% overall. This is mainly due to last year’s efficiency project and cost cutting in most activities. Significant reductions in the cost of building and running the new wastewater treatment plant will benefit all city ratepayers. This means 81% of ratepayers will have a rates reduction or a rise of less than $2 per week.

“That is why this is such a good time to be starting in this position. My mantra is to provide more service for less cost. By containing expenditure I believe this is realistic.”

Mr Drummond’s background is in general management in the private sector. He started his career in banking eventually training as an accountant while at Westpac’s head office. From there he worked for Tegel Foods and in the competitive meat industry. “All these roles provided opportunities to look for ways to reduce costs while maintaining or improving what we could deliver. I believe this commercial experience will benefit Council particularly overseeing Council’s business units.”

Council has 5 business units including Gisborne Vehicle Testing, Waikanae Holiday Park, Council’s commercial forestry and property and Gisborne Holdings (Tauwharepare Farms). “There are opportunities to increase the return to Council from all these businesses. Any non-rates revenue we can generate takes the pressure off ratepayers. My focus will be to maximise the return from these investments. If between them they could provide an extra $200,000 a year in income that’s $200,000 a year we don’t have to find in rates. It would take a lot of blood and sweat to shave that amount of money off Council spending with out reducing the services we offer.”

Council has identified 10 challenges that need to be addressed if it wants to successfully lead and support the development of our communities. These challenges are about looking into the future and saying these are the big, critical issues that matter. “How to meet these challenges while containing costs, will be focus for all Council’s management team. The only way we can expect to do this is by continually improving our processes.

“I hope I can look back in a few years and see that Council is delivering excellent service to our customers at a cost that is affordable. That certainly is my goal.”

Mr Drummond moved to Gisborne from Hawkes Bay in 2008 with his wife Helen and 4 teenage children Erin, Ben, Faline, Patrick. The family has really taken to the lifestyle here with Ben, Faline and Patrick attending Campion College. Erin, the oldest, has been studying at EIT in Taradale and has just completed his Computer Science degree.

“When I took up the position as chief financial officer my first challenge was to improve how we reported on and managed finances at Council. Councillors can’t make good decisions if they are not presented with thorough, accurate and well presented information. Going from the feedback received from councillors the improvements have been appreciated. In my new role I will be building on Douglas’ work to ensure councillors are provided with quality information so they are fully informed to make the best decisions for our district. ’

Council’s Corporate Services department includes the finance, information, technology, communications, customer services and democracy support teams. Their role is to give other council departments the support they need to deliver what our customers and elected councillors need.

“I am very fortunate to be taking over from Douglas. He made a number of changes to the structure of the department and it is now well positioned for service delivery. My challenge is to keep the momentum going. Our monthly random surveys have been telling us that 80% of our customers say our service is excellent. This is an amazing result that will take a lot of effort from all staff to maintain.

Other staff changes at council

The retirement of Douglas Birt; group manager corporate services has set off a chain of internal appointments within council. Chief financial officer Mike Drummond has been promoted to group manager. Management accountant Marianne Gilles has been promoted to finance manager. Council is currently recruiting for a new management accountant.

Human resources manager Jon Davies says that the high number of positions filled by internal staff in the last year shows that Council’s staff development programme is effective. “It gives staff confidence that there are real opportunities for career progression within Council.”

Plant now treating all household wastewater

Fri, 21 Jan 2011 17:00:00 +1300

All Gisborne’s domestic wastewater is now being treated at the city’s new Banks Street wastewater treatment plant. The eastern side of the city was linked in early this week to join wastewater from the western side of the city, which has been treated in the new plant since late December.

The historic commissioning of the plant on 28 December 2010 – on time and under budget – went under the radar for most of the community in holiday mode. Commissioning the plant before 31 December 2010 was one of the conditions of the 35-year wastewater resource consents for treatment and disposal granted in late 2007.

Engineering and works manager Peter Higgs said the low profile of the historic occasion was more to do with the commissioning having gone according to plan.

“Everything has gone well so far with only some minor, intermittent odour from the plant. Some odour was produced from sludge in the disused inlet channel at the old Stanley Road site, but this should be gone now the channel has been flushed.

“The Banks Street biological trickling filter tank is fully enclosed with a geodesic dome roof and we have an extensive odour control system in place which, in simple terms, sucks out odour and filters it through three large shingle and bark beds.

“We are pleased with the way everything is going to date with biofilm growing well on the plastic media within the tank. The clarity of the wastewater after being treated in the trickling filter tank is noticeably different to that before treatment.”

Mr Higgs said the project had been a great team effort of people working together for the common goal of having this plant operational by the date specified.

Colin Newbold, project manager for HEB Structures – the company responsible for constructing the plant – said just half a dozen people remained on site to complete remaining works. In mid-December, about 70 people were working on site, half of them from Gisborne.

“We probably have another 3 to 4 weeks’ work to go with roadworks and general tidying on site. We are working on pipes in Banks Street so wastewater can be diverted into new sewers. Cedenco’s industrial wastewater will be separated from the main flow within the next few weeks and the rest of the industrial wastewater is expected to be diverted to the new plant by the end of the month.”

The plant will be officially opened on 22 March.

How it works

The screenings and grit removed from these stages will have the water pressed from them before being bagged and trucked to a landfill at Paeroa.

Bronzing Dog and Wal takes a step closer

Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:00:00 +1300

A licence agreement allowing Gisborne District Council to commission a bronze statue of popular Footrot Flats characters was approved by Council on Thursday 27 January 2011.

The licence agreement with Diogenes Designs ltd, the company owned by Footrot Flat creators Pam and Murray Ball, also allows council to produce associated products.

Gisborne is the home of Footrot Flats which was created by local man Murray Ball between 1975 and 1994. The idea to erect a statue of Wal, Dog and their friends was floated by Mayor Meng Foon 2 years ago. Council supported the idea and the Art in Public Places committee has since progressed the project.

Now the licence is approved the committee can go out and source external funding from sponsorship and grants. Council has not budgeted to produce a statue. Once funding is confirmed a process to find the successful sculptor will be agreed upon. This may or may not be through tender.

Although several designs of statues have been mooted nothing has been confirmed. The final decision sits with Diogenes Designs Ltd which owns the intellectual property of the Footrot Flats trademark.

The statue must be cast in bronze and if possible cast in New Zealand.

The original idea was to have our favourite characters dotted around the district’s beaches, parks and walkways, says Mayor Meng Foon. “This would be a fantastic way to promote the district and attract visitors. Murray and Pam have been supportive of the idea right from the beginning. Now we are starting to see some progress. There is s a lot of interest in this project and people have contacted me to pledge their support.”

The right of council to produce and sell approved, associated products could be a windfall for the district or at least help groups like Tourism Eastland, and Keep Gisborne Beautiful to fundraise. The products may include souvenirs or images of the statues used for advertising and promotion of the district. Pursuing this option would require external funding.

The agreement anticipates that the statue should be installed by 30 June 2012.

Riverside Road traffic disruptions while stormwater pipeline replaced

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 08:00:00 +1300

Riverside Road traffic will be disrupted next week as council contractors replace stormwater pipes along Stafford Street and Clifford Street. Traffic will be restricted to one lane at times. The replacements are likely to take around 6 weeks depending on the weather.

The stormwater infrastructure in this area is near the end of its life and has been budgeted as part of the Whataupoko renewal programme says stormwater engineer Joss Ruifrok. “There is a risk of flooding if the pipe collapsed during heavy rain.”

We apologise for any inconvenience this work causes road users.

World first to protect Ruatoria

Fri, 04 Feb 2011 14:30:00 +1300

The first steps to stop the Waiapu River threatening the Ruatoria Township were put in place last week.

Two groynes were placed downstream from the Rotokautuku Bridge. The purpose of the groynes is to encourage the Waiapu River to veer to the left bank where it used to flow before Cyclone Bola. The groynes are made up of 35–40 large concrete shapes called dolosse. Each weighs 4 and a half tonnes, is 2 and half metres long and nearly 2 metres wide and high. They have been manufactured on site by Ruatoria based contractor Ron Hedley Ltd. Local labour and shingle from the Waiapu River has been used to make the concrete. The shingle has been washed with a specially made cotraflow washer, designed by Mike Ross from local company Waiapu Metal/Rock products.

“We needed to wait until we had a good patch of dry weather so that the river levels were low,” says Gisborne District Council Rivers and Land Drainage Manager Jurgen Komp. “Last week was the perfect opportunity to get the groynes in before the cyclones hit over the weekend. CR Taylor’s crane was bought up from Gisborne to lower the dolosse down the bank. They were put in place by Tolaga Bay based Kimberley Contractors. The placing took 2 days and then a further day to tie the wire rope to each of the dolosse to help keep them in place. This was all finished just before the heavy rain hit.”

“I had a look at the groynes and they have held up well. Normally after that amount rain we would expect further erosion of the right bank. This hasn’t happened and in fact we can already see the groynes making a difference to the way the river is flowing. A small diversion is starting to form.”

“The Waiapu River used to flow quite steadily along the left bank for many years before Cyclone Bola. Cyclone Bola cut a channel on the right bank. This channel has continued to erode valuable land to such an extent that the township of Ruatoria is now threatened.”

A third groyne is planned just upstream from where the Mangakino Stream meets the Waiapu River however at the moment there is no beach on which to place it. It is likely a small beach will form behind the 2 recently installed groynes. “We expect this to happen before winter. The planned third groyne will be the largest. It is expected to extend for 40 metres using about 80 dolosse. When the river level drops we will inspect to see how much beach has formed and make a decision from there.”

After some experimentation building a river groyne from concrete dolosse council decided to the use the dolosse instead of the more commonly used rock. “Using dolosse for river protection is a world first as far as I am aware,” said Mr Komp. Dolosse are traditionally used only for coastal protection work and not in rivers. In this part of the country any rocks would have to be sourced from the upper reaches of the catchment. Taking rocks from there could cause major erosion which is not sustainable.”

Serious concerns about erosion below Ruatoria Township was first bought to the attention of Te Pua Waitanga, a Ruatoria based trust. “I am a member of the trust and we have worked with Council on this project to protect Ruatoria over a number of years,” says Councillor Bill Burdett. “We bought He Oranga Mo Nga Uri Tuku Iho Trust on-board to do some research. They applied for and received a grant from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRST) to investigate solutions.”

“Resource consents were granted in February 2010. Since then favourable weather conditions eluded the placing of the groynes into the river. It has been a long time coming but I am pleased with how the project is progressing. It has bought some employment opportunities to the area and we will see the groynes having an affect on the path of the Waiapu. I have witnessed how this can be a very effective solution at other sites.”

Dolosse lifted into place

The 2 groynes held up well in heavy rain and increasing river levels soon after they were put in place. Already they are helping to divert the flow of water away from the right bank that is threatening Ruatoria

Watch your children around water

Thu, 10 Feb 2011 16:00:00 +1300

The drowning of a 2-year-old girl in a public swimming pool on Saturday must serve as a reminder to all parents that they have to watch their children around water at all times says Olympic Pool manager Hendrik Geyer. Nylah Faamanu Vau, of Manurewa, was found in 1.6m deep water at Waiwera Thermal Resort north of Auckland. Lifeguards entered the pool but were unable to resuscitate her.

“Water is a fun environment, especially when the Gisborne summer serves up 35 degrees. The Olympic Pool is a popular destination and is a great place for families to spend quality time together. We have a team of 25 staff during summer and every one of them is dedicated to providing an enjoyable and safe environment for our customers and particularly for young children. However, we need the understanding and the support of parents and caregivers when it comes to supervising children.”

The Olympic Pools PoolAlone policy requires all children less than 8 years to be actively supervised by a caregiver 16 years or older.

“Ninety-five percent of parents are good, responsible parents, of course. It is the 5 percent of families that take a casual or at times completely irresponsible approach to the supervision of their children that we struggle with. We see people who allow their 3-year-old to disappear out of sight for 20 minutes, while they are having a BBQ in the shade, with 1,500 people in the pools. We see adults leave the pools to go shopping, while their 4-year-old is left in the care of a 10-year-old cousin. We hear people tell us they thought that aunty is watching their toddler, when aunty is actually doing something else.”

“Lifeguards are an important safety feature at our pool, but they are not intended to replace the close supervision of parents or caregivers. It is a lifeguard’s responsibility to deal with unattended children at the pool and return them to their caregivers. It is our number one job to protect the lives of innocent children and to educate irresponsible parents.”

“If there is anything good that can come out of the death of little Nylah it is that all parents will take it as a reminder that supervision of children around water should be constant and close. Nylah drowned in the few seconds that her mother was distracted,” said Mr Geyer.

The mother is quoted as saying “I turned my back for a moment and she was gone. She’d fallen in the deep end.”

Never under any circumstances leave you children alone!

“Our hearts, our thoughts and prayers should be with the Vau family. It is impossible for most of us to comprehend the scale of such a tragedy. But remember your child – your responsibility. Na tatou nga tamariki, ma tatou hei tiaki.”

Makeover for Cook's Endeavour model revealed

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:30:00 +1300

A model of Captain Cook’s ship Endeavour has been rebuilt and will be put back on display early next week. It was taken down from its birds eye view on Gisborne’s Gladstone Road/Derby Street corner last year. An inspection revealed that the plywood was rotting and that there was a risk someone could get hit if parts of the model came loose and fell to the ground.

Awapuni Joinery has spent 300 hours working on the 42 year old model. The steel frame and the wooden mast posts have been salvaged but everything else has been remade. One of the more complicated parts of the remake is the rigging. Peter Pole, one of the few people in New Zealand endorsed to sail a square rig sailing boat has done all the rigging for free. “I managed to get a copy the original Endeavour drawings from England to use. The 18th century rigging was not the same as the more modern rigging styles we see now. I knew the rigging on the original model was not accurate and so when the opportunity came up I was keen to have a go at it and get the rigging as close as possible to the original.”

Two original models were designed by Derek Phillips of architects Glengarry, Corson and Pilbrow in time for the Cook Bicentenary Celebrations. The models were built by local joiners Storey and Lomas for $300 each. In May 1969 they were erected on top of poles that were placed inside giant tyres along Gladstone Road at the Peel St and Grey St intersections.

The original models were made of marine plywood, were quite lightweight and not expected to last for more than a year. But they did last until 1978 when the two model ships were taken down and completely rebuilt by teachers and students at Gisborne Boys High School. The project was over seen by Peter Pole and cost $700. The new models were installed at the Chalmers Road and Derby Street intersections this time because drivers were using the tyres at the other intersections as a roundabout at the time.

In 1999 prior to the millennium celebrations the models were refurbished and re-rigged by town criers and Council building inspectors John Dwight & John Kibble. Both were previously employed by Storey and Lomas and involved in the original construction.

To protect the model against further damage Awapuni Joinery have used electroplated steel for the framing. Marine grade ply has been used for body of the ship and all wood and ply has been coated with a marine preservative before being painted. Sails have been replicated using ply, which will last longer than the canvas sails of the original.

The refurbished model will be installed at the entrance to the city on the Campion Road and Gladstone Road intersection at 7am on Monday with the help of CR Taylor’s Crane. The second model that currently sits there will be removed and taken back to Awapuni Joinery for its turn at being made as good as new.

“I am looking forward to working on the other model, says Mr Pole. Endeavour was a square rig sailing ship and they have always been a bit of a passion for me. I sailed with the Spirit of Adventure Trust and most recently on the barque James Craig in Sydney. Previously I was on the replica Endeavour when it came to New Zealand for the first time, sailing on it from Tauranga to Gisborne. I learnt a lot from doing the rigging on the first model and am looking forward to applying that to the second model.

Significant improvement in treatment

Thu, 17 Feb 2011 08:30:00 +1300

The city’s Banks Street wastewater treatment plant project is all but complete and already operating above expectations. The plant is now operated by Gisborne District Council staff and the utilities maintenance contractor.

Project manager Peter McConnell told February's Wastewater Management Committee that even after just a month of full operation, with all the city’s wastewater being treated through the plant, the improvement in the quality of the discharge compared with the old Stanley Road plant had been significant. The reduction in total oil and grease, total suspended solids, biological oxygen demand and enterococci levels were better than thought possible at the design stage. This could be attributed to the greater surface area of the structured (rather than random) plastic media with which the biological trickling filter tank was filled.

The lack of a visible plume in the bay since the plant was commissioned was also hailed as a positive sign of improvement.

Councillor Roger Haisman said the results were encouraging considering the plant had been going for such a short time.

Mr McConnell said the data was still preliminary.

“One would need a data set of at least six months to definitely quantify plant performance. But so far so good.”

Enterococci levels were being greatly reduced to date which meant that when UV disinfection is commissioned in mid-2012, the UV plant may be smaller than originally thought with potential savings in energy costs. Installing a UV plant is a condition of the wastewater discharge resource consent.

Mr McConnell said the Banks Street plant was commissioned on 28 December 2010, days before the 31 December 2010 deadline set out as one of the conditions of the 35-year wastewater resource consents for treatment and disposal granted in late 2007.

“The decision to put 30 percent of the city’s wastewater flow through the plant to begin with was good because of the little issues that arose during commissioning. It was much easier to deal with a smaller volume than the total city’s flow. Some changes were made to the process control procedures after observations by council staff, consultants and contractors.”

A problem with odour several weeks ago, which promoted some complaints, was traced to a minor construction error in the biofilter. This had now been rectified.

“Now it is down to good maintenance practices. The new screens are vastly superior to the old Stanley Road screens. We are probably removing a lot of the BOD [biological oxygen demand] at that stage and the grit separation system is very efficient. We are taking a lot of the grit out which in the past would have gone out into the bay and settled at the end of the diffuser pipe. About 400 kilograms of grit is being removed every fortnight or so.”

Industrial wastewater from Bernard Matthews and the Awapuni industrial area were now going through the industrial milliscreen before discharge through the outfall pump station.

HEB Structures, main contractor for the project, is completing minor mechanical and civil works and is expected to leave the site by the end of February.

The plant will be officially opened on 22 March.

Council services for Te Matatini vistors

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Liquor Ban

We hope you enjoy Tairawhiti's great restaurants and bars. Please remember that there is a liquor ban in Gisborne city, Ruatoria, Te Araroa and Tolaga Bay. The only place you can carry an open drink of alcohol is in a licensed place or building. Have a look at a map of the liquor ban areas.

Rubbish

Please help keep our city clean and free from rubbish. Council contractors will be emptying public rubbish bins more often during Te Matatini. The AllBrite recycling and transfer station is open every day. Here is a map and the hours AllBrites are open.

To report any issues with rubbish - please contact us.

Parking

Gisborne city has about 1000 free all–day car parking spaces available within easy walking distance of Gladstone Road. Car parks in the CBD use a pay and display system with a 2 hour maximum unless otherwise stated. Here is where all the parks are.

Public Toilets and Showers

Council provides public toilets throughout the district. Those located in the city will all be getting an extra clean over the Te Matatini weekend to cater for the extra visitors to Gisborne. Showers are located in the city centre at the Bright Street Toilet Block. See here for hours and locations. If you want to report maintenance issues with any of these toilets - please contact us.

Olympic Pool

Council operates a 7 lane, 50m swimming pool, hot spa/therapy pool, diving pool, outdoor recreation pool, toddler’s pool and hydro slide on the Midway Beachfront in the city. Here are the opening hours and prices.

Library

Gisborne’s public library is situated in Peel Street in the centre of the city. The HB Williams Memorial Library is part of the Aotearoa Peoples Network Kaharoa that provides free internet access in public places. Visitors are welcome to bring their laptop to the library, use one of our computers or sit outside the building and use the free APNK WiFi hotspot.

Online Cemetery records

For those with whanau buried in the Gisborne district have a look at Council’s online cemetery records. All records and photographs of headstones are now available through the Council’s online cemetery record search.

Parks and reserves

We have 116 reserves in our district covering approximately 1500 hectares. Two of the more popular in the city area are Whataupoko Reserve which offers 7km of walking and mountain bike trails and Titirangi (Kaiti) Hill which overlooks the inner harbour and city area.Here is more information.

Tairawhiti Navigations Project

We are working with Wairoa District Council and local iwi on the Tairawhiti Navigations Project to celebrate the meeting of two cultures and their proud voyaging histories. The project will enhance Gisborne's historic inner harbour.

Other discharges affect area’s water quality

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 07:30:00 +1300

The quality of wastewater discharge into the bay may have significantly improved but many other factors are degrading the water quality of Turanganui a Kiwa’s rivers and sea.

Dr Amber Dunn yesterday (Feb 17) outlined to Gisborne District Council’s Wastewater Management Committee the main aspects of a scoping report for the Turanganui a Kiwa Water Quality Enhancement Project (TAKWQE). The final draft of the report was prepared in conjunction with Ian Ruru and Murray Palmer.

The TAKWQE project, a condition of the wastewater treatment and discharge consent clause 19, aims to improve the water quality and mauri (life force) throughout the region.

Dr Dunn, a coastal science specialist, said wastewater discharge, rivers flowing into the bay and port activities – such as anti-fouling agents, oil and grease – all played a part in degrading the marine environment. River quality was affected by sewer overflows, high sediment loads containing contaminants, land uses and practices and urban stormwater flows.

“Sewer overflows into the rivers are still one of the biggest problems we face, which Council is addressing. The system is old and there is major infiltration into sewer pipes. We are not sure of the impact of industrial stormwater on the Waikanae Stream, for instance.”

The scoping report looked at the four main rivers and smaller streams within the area including feeder streams such as the Te Arai.

She said the scope of issues affecting water quality stretched as far inland as the headwater region of the Waipaoa River. Each river system was hampered by specific localised problems. Waipaoa River’s water quality, for instance, was mostly affected by high sediment loads linked to high erosion rates in the headwater regions.

She recommended an integrated catchment management-type plan taking into account existing conservation projects as the way towards improving water quality and mauri. This would be the vehicle for research, monitoring, planning and specific projects. Community and tangata whenua participation would be vital, she said.

Priorities would be to assess practices along river margins, reduce the use of chemicals on the flats, and revegetate 20 percent of riparian margins.

Committee member Stan Pardoe highlighted the importance of ensuring port activities did not adversely affect the settlement of crayfish puerulus, the largest between the Gisborne district and Castlepoint and a nursery for rock lobster between the Bay of Plenty and Wellington.

“No one can give quantifiable evidence how what happens at the port might affect puerulus. What impact is that having? From an export perspective, this industry is of huge economic benefit to the region.”

Engineering and works manager Peter Higgs assured committee members that the project was not about doing more research that had already been done. It would feed into other ongoing projects, be consistent with other regional planning documents and gather all information happening within and outside of Council.

Artists chance to create significant public art

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Artists only have one week left to register their interest in creating a significant piece of public art. The art piece will be installed on the Turanganui Riverbank walkway near Customhouse Street and the Waikanae Stream. The artist or group of artists would need to be able to design, build and install the piece to reflect the cultural significance of the area.

Installing a piece of art work in this location has been discussed since the Heinz-Wattie building was demolished over 10 years ago. An agreement between Gisborne District Council and hapu Te Whanau A Iwi of Te Aitanga A Mahaki established protocols recognising and protecting wahi tapu throughout the demolition process and other outstanding issues.

These protocols were completed in 2000 and Ngati Oneone, Ngai Tawhiri and Te Runanga O Turanganui A Kiwa were asked to be involved in the process. The art work will permanently recognise the hapu and iwi from this area.

Since the demolition took place Council have been working on the purchase of the riverbank land, the development of the walkway, the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project and an Arts and Culture Strategy. These all influence the site and are at a stage where the art work can proceed with confidence. A budget of $70,000 plus GST and installation costs has been put aside for this project.

The art piece should balance the Cook statue which sits on the opposite bank of the Waikanae Stream and fit in with the aims of the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project. This project celebrates Tairāwhiti’s rich heritage focusing on the meeting of 2 cultures – Māori and Non-Māori - along with voyaging, arrival and settlement. These are all themes pertinent to the Turanganui Riverbank.

Arrival is a theme relevant to the site with its associated welcome and challenge. Powhiri – the Māori welcome involving the Taki or Wero (an aggressive challenge of the visitor), speeches, singing, dancing and finally the hongi (pressing noses) has also been mooted as a starting point.

The proposals will be considered by an evaluation panel with representatives from Council, Te Whanau A Iwi of Te Aitanga A Mahaki, Ngati Oneone, Ngai Tawhiri, Te Runanga O Turanganui A Kiwa and the Tairāwhiti Museum. A shortlist of artists will be decided and asked to present to the panel.

Effectively engaging with tangatu whenua will be an important part of successfully completing this project. The evaluation panel will be looking to choose artists who have worked well with iwi and hapu groups previously and who understand what visitors are looking for. Most importantly the piece must be authentic, made from quality materials and convey the historical significance of the site.

For details of what is required in the Registration of Interest.

Registrations close at 4pm Friday 25 February 2011. The artwork is expected to be completed by mid-July with an official opening held at the end of July 2011.

Minimal rate increase for many ratepayers

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Many of the district’s ratepayers will face no, or very low, rate increases in the next financial year. Gisborne District Council has identified some substantial cost savings in its draft Annual Plan. More than 80 percent of ratepayers will have a rates reduction or a rise of less than $2 per week. Those benefitting tend to be Gisborne city residents and those with low value properties.

A 3.5% increase in total rates collected has been proposed by Council to fund it’s 2011/2012 Annual Plan. This is significantly less than the 8.1% increase that Council was originally forecasting. At its meeting on Thursday 24 February Council approved the draft Annual Plan to go out to the community for consultation.

A number of initiatives have been looked at to reduce Council spending in light of economic pressures and the strain that this may be having on residents. Significant savings have been made in dealing with stormwater and providing water to households. The costs from the new wastewater treatment plant are predicted to be $1 million less than estimated. This is due to reductions in depreciation and interest and lower operating costs.

Council debt is also less than originally forecast for 2011/12. Therefore Council will pay less in interest on this debt. These initiatives add up to less cost than was originally forecast and significant savings for rate payers.

Based on estimates about how rates are distributed 15,538 or 71percent of ratepayers will have an increase of less than $2 per week and 2098 or 10 percent of ratepayers will have either no change or a decrease in their rates.

Higher value properties across the district will face larger increases. Costs usually charged under the Uniform Annual General Charge (UAGC) have been redistributed onto rates based on the capital value of the property says council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie. "The UAGC that council can charge is capped by law. If we hadn't redistributed those rates we would have breached the cap. In addition most of the areas where cost savings were made were on city services. The cost of funding past deficits in the solid waste account for example is also a charge on the capital value rate. All of this will impact on higher value farms and horticultural properties and those in the Central Business District.”

Residents can check how their rates bill will be affected should the draft Annual Plan be adopted. People can compare the rates they are paying now with the proposed rates for their property.

A brochure about the draft Annual Plan will be in all resident’s letterboxes next week. Consultation starts with a community meeting at Te Wananga o Aotearoa in Elgin on Thursday 3 March at 7.30pm. Submissions close on Thursday 31 March 2011.

The brochure highlights Council’s plans for the next year financial year and what it will cost to deliver them. Some of the key decisions to be made are:

Whether to have a stand alone economic development agency?
Who should pay for the protecting Ruatoria township from the movement of the Waiapu River?
What are the options for upgrading the Waipaoa River Flood Protection Scheme?
Should the area around Waikanae Beach be developed into a first class destination for sports, leisure and cultural activity?

“This is the best opportunity for people to have their say on Council’s work programme before the plan is finalised,” says chief executive Lindsay McKenzie. All submissions will be considered. Feedback on some of the major issues may inform our Ten Year Plan which is due to be revised next year.”

Census day cancelled

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 15:00:00 +1300

The 2011 Census that was to be held on Tuesday 8 March has been cancelled as a result of the horrific earthquake. There is currently no revised date for holding the census.

Government statistician Geoff Bascand issued this media release

Council staff helping Christchurch's recovery

Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +1300

Four members of the Gisborne Volunteer Rural Fire Force left this morning for Christchurch to assist with the rescue and recovery operations in the earthquake stricken city. Led by Gisborne District Council's Principal Rural Fire Officer René Londeman the group responded to a call from the National Crisis Centre to provide expertise and equipment with search and recovery operations. The group is completed by builder Glynn Potaka, Eastland Port's engineer Marius Handcock and Council engineer Robert Budd. All have been trained in rescue and recovery operations.

Gisborne's effort is being combined with that of Hawke's Bay and is being co-ordinated by former Gisborne Principal Rural Fire Officer Don Scott, who now works for Hastings District Council. The group joins Council's Regulatory Services Manager Sarwan Kumar, who is already assisting with food safety promotion on behalf of the Food Safety Authority, and journalist Sheridan Gundry, who is helping with the provision of public information.

A nationwide call for building inspectors went out today and Gisborne staff were one of the first to respond. It is intended that up to 200 teams consisting of building specialists, health officers and social welfare staff will fan out across Christchurch city to visit homes, and provide advice and support to residents.

Three Gisborne building inspectors left on Monday; Bruce Smith and Mike White who went to Christchurch after the September quake and David Wales who has family there. They will be assisting with hundreds of thousands of building safety assessments that are needed in the quake zone. They will be back in Gisborne next weekend.

The ‘red, yellow and green sticker’ building assessment system that was first devised after the Gisborne 2007 quake is now a national standard and is being used in Christchurch. The latest figures show that in the Christchurch CBD alone 755 buildings have a red sticker (building severely damaged may need demolishing), 909 have a yellow sticker (limited access needs further evaluation) and 1266 have a green sticker (safe). Gisborne staff will be working in the Eastern suburbs but the same three sticker assessment system will be used.

Council Group Manager Environment and Policy Hans van Kregten says that Council’s remaining building services staff will work together to ensure Council’s high level of service is maintained. “We hope the public will understand if there are any slight delays for those applying for building consents.”

“Council is happy to respond to requests for help. We all remember the assistance from the rest of New Zealand in our own 2007 earthquake. Unfortunately the need for assistance in Christchurch is many times greater than what we required, and the Council is happy to help where it can. Right now the assistance is needed with the initial response, but it is likely that Christchurch will require help for a long time, and our Council will do what it can to contribute. The cost of the assistance is provided by the Government."

Have your say on our proposed Arts & Culture strategy

Tue, 01 Mar 2011 17:00:00 +1300

From today you can have your say on our proposed Arts and Culture Strategy for 2010-2013.

Anyone may make a submission before 4pm Thursday 31 March 2011.

Council wants feedback on draft Annual Plan

Thu, 03 Mar 2011 13:30:00 +1300

Council’s draft Annual Plan for the financial year commencing 1 July 2011 was approved last week for consultation. The community now has the opportunity to provide feedback and comment on the Council’s proposed programme for the year. The plan identifies the estimated costs of Council activities, and provides the basis for setting rates for the year.

"This plan sets out a ‘business as usual’ approach, focussing on providing the core services that our district relies on and which help to make this a great place to live" says Mayor Meng Foon. “The Christchurch earthquake has highlighted how important our core infrastructure services are to our ability to function. You often don’t think about them until they are not there.”

“We will also be investigating the establishment of an Economic Development Agency and what Council’s role in that may be. Council will also be working with iwi and other agencies to progress the exciting Tairāwhiti Navigation Project. Other existing major projects we are planning on making progress on over the next year include the War memorial Theatre, working with the Eastland Community Trust on the Waikanae project and investigating how to pay for the Waiapu and Waipaoa flood control schemes.”

“I am pleased that many ratepayers will face no, or very low, rate increases. More than eighty percent will have a rates reduction or a rise of less than $2 per week. These are mainly Gisborne city residents and those with low value properties.”

“Council is really keen to hear what you think about our plan and so we have summarised the information into a brochure that will be in all of the district’s letterboxes this week. The brochure also has a schedule of when our Community Update meetings will be held. There will be 22 meetings held in March from Hicks Bay to Tiniroto and Matawai.

“I hope all residents with any interest in what Council is up to will come along to one of the meetings and meet with me and tell me what they think. Council genuinely wants to know what communities think of Council’s plan. The consultation process gives people a chance to highlight anything missing. They can also comment on the affordability of what we are proposing, and let us know what priority they place on our services. Importantly it is also an opportunity to report back on the work communities asked for when we last met.”

The first meeting will be held on Thursday 3 March in Elgin at Te Wananga o Aotearoa drama room at 7.30pm.

Residents can also give feedback on the submission form on the back of the Council brochure. Alternatively residents can submit online, and this is an increasingly popular mechanism for providing feedback to Council.

The first online submission has already been received. A copy of the full annual plan is available online or from the library or at customer services. Ratepayers can check to see how the draft Annual Plan 2011/12 will impact upon their rates bill – by using the online rates comparison tool.

Funding available for rural sports teams

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 15:00:00 +1300

Don’t miss out on funding to help get rural kids active in winter sports. That's the plea from council’s community development officer Ngarimu Simpkins. “Getting involved in regular sporting competitions is always a challenge for people living in rural communities. The Rural Travel fund from Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) can make a real difference.”

As head coach of Ngati Porou East Coast Rugby Union this year Ngarimu has a vested interest ensuring rural kids have every opportunity to develop their sporting talents. “This fund has helped hundreds of kids from the coast and other rural areas in the district attend weekly competitons throughout the winter. They have to travel to compete – there is no other option. Without support many families could not afford to send their kids into town each weekend. One of those missing out could be my next star player. So anyone involved in a rural sporting team who competes in a local competition need to get their pens out now.”

The fund is administered by Gisborne District Council and was developed in response to concerns about the lack of participation in sport by young people living in rural communities. Young people aged between 5-19 years who participate in school or club sports teams outside of school hours, are the focus. Gisborne based sports teams are not eligible to apply.

Applications are considered by a local allocations committee made up of council staff and a Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti representative who have an understanding of the challenges rural sports teams face.

The fund is only for travel to local competitions. Funding for travel to training or out of district competitions does not qualify. “If anyone needs help with their application I am happy to help.”

Applications for the winter travel fund are now open and close on Friday 8 April 2011. Here's the application form.

Lights out for earth hour

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Saturday 26 March 8.30pm. Council is promoting Earth Hour and would like as many people as possible to unite and support this world-wide event by turning off their lights for one hour.

School children have been making their commitment to Earth Hour by pasting messages on an "Iceberg". The Marina restaurant will have dining by candlelight.

As a suggestion, get together with your neighbours for the last BBQ before daylight saving ends.

Check out some facts about Earth Hour.

Treatment plant officially opens Tuesday

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +1300

Upgrading the quality of water going into the bay will be a major cause for celebration tomorrow when the Gisborne Wastewater Treatment Plant is officially opened at Banks Street. The opening will mark the successful completion of Gisborne District Council’s $39.5 million project – on time and within budget.

Resource consents were granted for the new treatment plant and industrial separation scheme in September 2007, after years of discussion and debate. Engineering consultancy CH2M Beca was contracted to manage the Gisborne Wastewater Project, and design a scheme that complied with the consents.

Initial costings of a fully compliant scheme ballooned to $84 million, a cost Gisborne District councillors said was unaffordable for the community. The scheme was revised and, with agreement from the Wastewater Options Review Group which included tangata whenua representatives, the scope was reduced and the cost halved. The designated site also changed from near the airport to a new site in Banks Street.

Council, consultants and main contractors HEB Construction worked together to help reduce the cost further to $39.5 million, a figure seen as more affordable for the Gisborne community over several decades.

Years in the making, the wastewater upgrade is the Gisborne District Council’s largest capital project since Gisborne City Council commissioned the submarine sewer outfall in 1965.

This upgrade should be of interest to all ratepayers and residents. Not only do ratepayers contribute to the cost of the scheme, they also benefit from the improved quality of treated wastewater now going into the waters of the bay.

Since July 2003 until the end of June this year, ratepayers will have contributed $8.7 million to the capital cost of the upgrade. They began paying a capital rate of $309,000 annually, a sum spread across the district, and this increased steadily to $1.8 million in 2008/09. The amount was reduced in 2010 to $934,000 and kept at this level for the 2010/11 year. Urban ratepayers paid about 92 percent of this.

From July 2011, ratepayers will no longer pay a capital rate but city ratepayers will pay for the plant’s operation, provisionally budgeted in the 2011/12 Annual Plan at $1 million excluding depreciation and interest. The cost of $1 million is not all new. Some treatment costs were previously incurred in the milliscreening plant.

The loan raised to fund the wastewater upgrade is currently spread over 20 years.

A dawn blessing will be held at the Banks Street site tomorrow morning, ahead of the opening ceremony at 2pm. Invited guests include Gisborne District Council staff, councillors, members of the various wastewater working parties, consultants, contractors and subcontractors.

Open days for the general public will be held on the following two Saturdays between 10am and 2pm.

Open days at wastewater treatment plant

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:30:00 +1300

What is inside the new UFO-like dome in the industrial subdivision will be revealed this weekend. Open days at Gisborne’s new wastewater treatment plant are being held this Saturday 26 March and next Saturday 2 April.

“The construction of Gisborne District Council’s largest ever capital project has overcome numerous obstacles to be completed on time and under budget,” says engineering and works group manager Peter Higgs. “Many people in our community have been involved this project. From those who expressed concerns about what was being discharged through the outfall pipe to those involved in the planning and construction. We are keen to those with an interest how the treatment plant works and explain why we are already seeing improvements in the quality of water in the bay.”

Tours of the plant will be run between 10am and 2pm.

People will be able to find out

how the plant works
the difference it is making to our ocean
what it cost and how it is being paid for
what is next for the water in our bay

The tours are more suitable for those over 12 years; anyone attending under that age will need to be very closely supervised. Those attending are asked to wear suitable shoes - sandals, jandals or thin heels are not suitable.

Opou Station wins 2 farm environment awards

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +1300

All care is taken to minimise compaction of the predominantly heavy clay loam soils on David and Libby Clark’s 280ha cropping property at Manutuke. This approach has seen them take out 2 awards at the first East Coast Ballance Farm Awards presented in Hawkes Bay on March 24.

Opou Station took out the nutrients management award and the harvest award in this Gisborne District Council sponsored event.

Aware of the limitations of the clay loam soil type of his land south west of Gisborne, David has an intrepid approach to options out side conventional cultivation practises.

The award judges commended this and noted his results, writing: “He has managed to greatly improve soil structure and increase earthworm numbers since adopting a controlled traffic strip till system. David farms some of the most difficult to manage soils (heavy clay) on the flats, but to look at they have better structure and resilience than some of the best soil types (well drained silt loams) on the Gisborne flats. This is a remarkable example of what can be achieved when we look after the soil in a responsible way.”

David took over farming his family’s property in the mid 1980s. His great-grandfather came to the place in 1882. It was a mixed dry stock and cropping operation until 1992 when David switched to cropping. He grows maize, a range of varieties for different contracts, all pre-sold as it is planted. Specific hybrids of milling maize for food industry consumption and other types for use in food manufacturing and stock feed.

Prior to exploring the strip tillage option David had been working at the other end of the spectrum, with load spreading cultivation options. “The emphasis in the late 1980s and early 1990s was to spread the load to reduce compaction,” he recalls. “We tried to minimise ground pressure with wide tyres and the like, we’d been doing it for 10 years but I didn’t feel we were making much progress.”

The advent of high accuracy Real Time Kinetic (RTK) GPS, allowing placement of wheels to within millimetres of where a vehicle had been last time one was in the paddock, prompted David’s interest in strip tillage as a viable option for his place. He credits the Nuffield Scholarship work of Hugh Ritchie, which investigated minimising cultivation to avoid loss of topsoil in the wind, as helpful. “Having heavy soil we don’t have that problem. We were looking for the same outcome, but for different reasons,” David recalls.

Using machinery imported from the US, pulled by a tractor with a front wheelbase widened to fit the track of the rear wheels, and a Cat Challenger with narrow tracks and wide track spacing, the farm’s full-time employee Matt Shann does all the driving. At harvest time, a jockey bin stays on the strip tillage ‘tram lines’ and is taken to the trucks waiting in loading areas. As well as ensuring optimum soil health, this approach allows savings in fuel, labour and machinery wear and tear. No spring cultivation is undertaken. “Most of the reason people cultivate is to undo all the damage caused by machinery from the previous crop.”

Despite “getting a bit lonely” with being a front-runner of the method, David is optimistic about his chosen approach. “Once you take the pressure off the soil it seems to look after itself,” he says.

The Supreme Title went to a Takapau farming couple who have developed a highly sustainable “picture perfect” farm. Judges described the Central Hawke's Bay farming operation of Steve and Jane Wyn-Harris as “one of the most highly developed and sustainable sheep and cattle farms in New Zealand”.

The also collected the Beef+Lamb NZ Livestock Award and the PGG Wrightson Land and Life Award.

Steve and Jane’s farming business comprises 358ha spread over two properties east of Takapau. Livestock is grazed on the farm’s easy-rolling contour divided into 130 paddocks totalling 320ha. Stock wintered in 2010 included 194 rising-one-year bulls, 57 rising-two-year bulls, 1392 ewes, 522 hoggets and 148 stud ram hoggets. A field day will be held at the property with the date to be advised.

Award-winners in the 2011 East Coast Ballance Farm Environment Awards were:

• Supreme Award Winners; Steve and Jane Wyn-Haris, Marlow Hill, Takapau.
• Beef and Lamb NZ Livestock Award; Steve and Jane Wyn-Haris, Marlow Hill, Takapau.
• PGG Wrightson Land and life Award; Steve and Jane Wyn-Haris, Marlow Hill, Takapau.
• East Coast Farming For The Future Award (sponsored by Gisborne District Council and Hawke's Bay Regional Council); James Hunter, Rangitoto, Porangahau.
• Ballance Agri-Nutrients Habitat Improvement Award; James Hunter, Rangitoto, Porangahau.
• Ballance Agri-Nutrients Nutrient Management Award; David Clark, Opou Station, Manutuke.
• Hill Laboratories Harvest Award; David Clark, Opou Station, Manutuke.
• Massey University Discovery Award; Brittany Thompson, Elephant Hill Winery, Te Awanga.
• LIC Dairy Farm Award; Nick and Nicky Dawson, Great Glen Farms, Patoka.

Shaun Burkett (GDC), David Clark and 2 judges

Footpaths are for people not plants

Wed, 30 Mar 2011 11:30:00 +1300

There has been a significant increase in the number of complaints to council recently about overgrown vegetation onto to city footpaths.

Regular walker and Deputy Mayor Nona Aston says our footpaths can be outright dangerous. “I nearly lost an eye the other morning. It is half dark now when we walk and many properties have trees hanging down over the footpath. I walked straight into one and was poked in the eye.”

“Footpaths are expensive council assets that are supposed to make it easier for all people - including the elderly, the disabled and those with pushchairs - to get around. With petrol prices on the rise it is likely more people will be walking. However many of out footpaths are a hazard. Gardens spilling on to paths, low hanging trees, fallen fruit and green waste left lying around make our footpaths slippery and inconvenient.”

Council’s regulatory services manager Sarwan Kumar is asking people to look at the front of their property and clear any overgrowth so footpaths are safe. “We are getting complaints about entire streets and in some cases whole suburbs with this problem. This can make using footpaths difficult for many people.”

“Trees and flowers are great, but footpaths are for people. Please keep any trees, shrubs and plants on your boundary or overhanging the road clear of the footpath. Walkers need to be able to use the path safely.”

Council staff are currently inspecting footpaths in the city checking for overgrowth from private properties. Brochures are left with residents where vegetation is encroaching on a footpath or verge requesting their assistance to clear it.

“Cuttings and clippings should not be left on the roadside or kerb. They must be removed and disposed of properly. As well as blowing around and making more mess, cuttings and clippings left by the roadside will block drains, which could lead to flooding in the event of rain,” says Mr Kumar.

The public should contact council if they notice any overgrown trees or shrubbery on council-maintained property or road reserves. They can call customer services or use the e-fix form on council’s website.

In extreme cases council can serve notice on offending property owners or remove the vegetation and recover costs.

Treatment plant holds another open day

Thu, 31 Mar 2011 08:30:00 +1300

About 150 people took the opportunity last weekend to see just what their rates are paying for at the city’s new wastewater treatment plant.

Gisborne District Council wastewater team leader Helen Churton hopes that many more will take the same chance at the open day this Saturday 2 April between 10am and 2pm.

“We had a wide range of people tour the Banks Street plant last Saturday. They were interested and curious about what happened to their wastewater, and, in particular, how the biological trickling filter works.”

Visitors are guided by council staff through each part of the facility including the pre-treatment room where the milliscreens screen out the solids from the wastewater, the control room, pump stations, odour beds and the biological trickling filter tank where the remaining fine wastewater solids are converted to plant-like matter in a process known as biotransformation.

“People were generally impressed that there was little odour at all from inside the trickling filter tank compared to within the pre-treatment room. People are interested in the cost of the plant, how it is being paid for and the difference it is already making to our ocean.”

She encouraged people to visit the plant this Saturday and advised of the need to wear sensible, closed-in shoes. The tour is more suitable for over-12 year olds.

The Banks Street treatment plant is one component in the $39.5 million Gisborne Wastewater Project, Gisborne District Council’s largest-ever capital project.

If people are unable to make the open day this week, there will be other opportunities for groups to have guided tours. Please contact customer service for more information.

Speed bumps to be installed by Pauariki Bridge in Mata Road

Thu, 07 Apr 2011 14:00:00 +1200

Drivers using Mata Road are being asked to slow down and take care when approaching Pauariki Bridge. Speed bumps are being installed next week to make sure this happens and damage to the bridge is minimised.

“This is a one-way bridge that is 75-years-old and 3.6m wide,” says roading engineer Dennis Malone. “Many vehicles - particularly heavier trucks - are hitting the bridge at high speeds. This is causing regular damage to joints and rails. Recently river scour has undermined an abutment and this along with damage from high speed impact raises safety concerns.”

Should the bridge continue to deteriorate it will require early replacement or load restrictions. This will be necessary to keep users safe but it will also be an inconvenience. A ford crossing for heavy loads could be formed for use when the river is low.

Weather permitting work will start installing the speed bumps from next Wednesday (13 April 2011). Traffic counters will also be installed to confirm heavy traffic numbers and approach speeds.

“To replace the bridge we are looking at $1M plus. This would be a major project for Council and would be reliant on meeting New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) funding criteria. The last bridge Council built – at Wharekahika – was a 10-year-plus project. It is worth putting some effort in now to extend the life of the Pauariki Bridge,” Mr Malone added.

Pauariki Bridge is on Mata Road approximately 4.5km from the main road south of Tokomaru Bay.

Heavy rain causes closure of some council reserves

Tue, 26 Apr 2011 15:30:00 +1200

Due to the amount of rain so far and the forecast wet weather continuing for the remainder of the week, the following council reserves are closed:

Whataupoko Reserve
Wainui Reserve
Waikirikiri Reserve
Nelson Park
The Oval - until at least Saturday 7 May

These ground closures will be reassessed on Thursday 28 April.
Anzac Park and Barry Park remain open, but will be reviewed tomorrow or after use.
Further updates will be provided on the ground closures webpage.

Rate invoices and rubbish stickers mix up

Wed, 04 May 2011 16:30:00 +1200

Council apologises to ratepayers who had a mix up with their rates invoices this month.

There was an issue with the distribution of rates notices and rubbish stickers which has caused confusion for 639 ratepayers. A problem at the printers saw some ratepayers who pay by EasyPay direct debit system and have more than one property receiving the wrong rates invoices. Some people received invoices addressed to other people and some received no invoice at all. Rubbish stickers which are distributed with the rates invoices to all properties that have a weekly rubbish collection were also affected.

“The issue was to do with a programming error in the software used to merge rates invoices with ratepayer’s details,” said Susan Fisher operations manager at Marathon Visual Media. “We did not adequately test this aspect of the programme. Once we understood there was a problem it was investigated and has now been identified and fixed. In the future the technology involved will be updated and barcodes used to insert the correct number rubbish stickers. This problem is unlikely happen again.”

The invoices have been correctly merged, reprinted and were mailed out to all affected ratepayers on Friday 29 April. If ratepayers haven’t received an invoice or their correct number of rubbish stickers they should contact Council’s Customer Services.

The last day for the final rates instalment for the 2010/2011 year is Friday 20 May. Those affected by the mix up in the distribution of rates are all using our EasyPay direct debit system which means their rates are paid in either manageable monthly instalments or one payment each quarter on the due date. As such they do not have to worry about penalties being added to their rates account. To download the EasyPay application form to pay your rates by direct debit.

Huge leap in Gisborne district's performance

Wed, 11 May 2011 15:00:00 +1200

Growth in full time employment, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and the number of businesses has seen a significant increase in the ranking of the performance of the Gisborne district’s economy.

Business and Economic Research Limited (BERL) measures the performance of each district’s economy each year using a range of indicators including population, employment, gross domestic product (GDP) and number of businesses.

Measured against the 2010 indicators BERL’s latest report shows that Gisborne has taken a huge leap forward. The Gisborne district is now placed twelfth out of 72 districts. This is up from 52nd and 59th in 2009 and 2008 respectively. The report shows that the Gisborne economy is growing faster than most other districts in the country and that the gap between our GDP (per capita) and others is getting smaller. The districts are defined by the area covered by each of New Zealand’s territorial authorities (councils).

“It is really pleasing to see the Gisborne district comparing so well to other areas,” says Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie. “Independent reports like these are one of the few ways we can track how Gisborne is performing. Although there is always room to challenge the assumptions and the data, the report shows that there has been a notable improvement in how the district is doing economically relative to other districts. There is a risk in taking this report at face value and being complacent but there is also a risk in talking down the district’s economic performance and being pessimistic – it could become self fulfilling.”

The report shows that GDP grew by 5.5% in the last year. This figure measures the total value of economic activity. It is the sum of all wages, salaries, profit and operating surplus from all economic activity. Gisborne’s growth in GDP ranked 6th out of all districts in the country.

Full time employment in Gisborne grew by 2.8% last year. According to BERL this equates to about 500 jobs. Only 6 districts had a higher percentage of employment growth than Gisborne and only 7 districts showed an increase in the number of businesses. Gisborne was one of them.

Gisborne’s population has remained steady over the last 5 years. “It is pleasing to see an increase of nearly 1% last year; likely linked to the growth in jobs and GDP.”

BERL is a leading economics consultancy based in Wellington that publishes an annual report ranking New Zealand’s 72 Territorial Local Authority’s (TLA) by 9 key performance indicators. The latest report considers each authority for the year ending March 2010 against short-term and medium-term performance in population growth, employment growth, Gross Domestic Product growth and the number of new businesses in each district.

A full copy of the 2010 BERL Regional Performance Report is on their website

No changes to freedom camping in Gisborne district

Tue, 17 May 2011 09:00:00 +1200

The new Freedom Camping Bill announced by Environment Minister and Acting Conservation Minister Nick Smith at the weekend will not affect people using designated freedom camping areas in the Gisborne district.

Gisborne District Council has 10 freedom camping sites which are well used over the summer months. Council collects a permit fee which covers the cost of removing rubbish and toilet waste from those areas.

Council's group manager Environment and Policy Hans van Kregten says that the new national restrictions for freedom camping are not expected to apply to those areas. "Council approved a small technical change to its Public Places Bylaw in April to make sure that current successful freedom camping practices enjoyed over the summer months can continue."

"Freedom camping is important in Gisborne, both for its own residents and visitors. It is an activity that council is keen to support, so that people can enjoy a remote and simple camping experience in a beautiful environment. Council bylaws give council the powers to make sure that the effects of freedom camping on approved sites are well controlled and that rubbish and effluent disposal take place in a way that is not environmentally damaging or offensive."

Mr van Kregten said that the new legislation will provide additional ways for council to control camping in car parks, reserves and beaches not designated a freedom camping area. "The new rules will also help to make people understand that minimum waste disposal standards for freedom camping will be in place across the country. This is a positive aspect of the Bill.

Freedom camping is starting early in the Gisborne district this year so that visitors to the district during the Rugby World Cup can experience this unique kiwi tradition.

People can freedom camp in the Gisborne District at Turihaua Beach, Turihaua Point, Pouawa Beach, Waihau Bay - Loisels Beach, Tolaga Bay at Blue Waters, Kaiaua Beach, Tokomaru Bay, Waipiro Bay, Donneraille Park between 9 September 2011 and Easter Monday 2012.

For more information on freedom camping

Dumping rubbish? You are being watched

Thu, 19 May 2011 07:30:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council has started using hidden video cameras to combat illegal rubbish dumping. The cameras can identify people 300-400 meters away. They will be moved from site to site so that a range of problem areas can be targeted. Council staff will be monitoring the cameras. Anyone identified illegally dumping rubbish will be fined or prosecuted if the dumping is considered to be an environmental issue.

Regulatory services manager Sarwan Kumar said people were dumping trailer loads of rubbish, including tyres and green waste all over the district. “Sometimes it’s truckloads of stuff that is being picked up and sometimes it’s a few bags. It’s mostly household rubbish and green waste, but we are getting a lot of offal and carcasses at the moment.”

“It’s a huge problem. Council has now allocated staff to continually monitor problem areas to keep our beautiful district free from unsightly piles of rubbish. If the rubbish gets left there it encourages others to dump rubbish as well. All of the local beaches are affected. Some of the worst areas are just past the Olympic Pool and Centennial Marine Drive. The unfortunate bit about it is that ratepayers end up footing the clean up bill”, says Mr Kumar.

“If people see anyone dumping rubbish please dob them in. Ideally we need a license plate number, photos or any information that can help us track down offenders. Please contact council on ph:0800 653 800, 24 hours a day. If you witness the dumping we encourage you to make sworn affidavit so Council can prosecute.”

People caught illegally dumping rubbish can expect a minimum fine of $300 under the litter bylaw.

More places for dogs to run around

Fri, 20 May 2011 15:30:00 +1200

Dogs that like to have a run without their leash will be barking for joy. More parks have been approved for dog owners to exercise their pets without a leash. Gisborne District Council reviewed, and asked for submissions on, its Dog Control Policy and Bylaw last year.

18 submissions were received. A common theme was that Gisborne does not have enough parks and reserves where owners can exercise their pets without a leash. The policy was changed to allow dogs to run unleashed between 6am and 9am daily in 14 parks in the city. This is in addition to the 4 parks where dogs can be exercised unleashed at any time. Unleashed dogs can also be exercised on the district’s beaches at any time except during school and public holidays. At all times dogs must be under the control of their owner.

A dedicated dog park was also requested by some submitters. This has been a successful initiative in other cities. It would require fencing off a public space and installing equipment for dogs to run around, jump over and exercise without a lead. This suggestion was agreed to by the Hearings Committee with Ayton Park by the Aberdeen Road Extension suggested as a possible location. It was decided that this proposal should go back to the general public for feedback when Council consults on its Ten Year Plan in March 2012. The Dog Control Policy and Bylaw have now been adopted.

The aim of the both documents is to create a dog friendly city with responsible owners, well mannered dogs and reasonable citizens said council’s regulatory services manager Sarwan Kumar. “Dog owners are expected to pick up all dropping and dispose of them in a way that does not cause a nuisance. They must register their dogs so council knows who is responsible for the care of the dog and they must keep the dog under control at all times. This is so it is not a threat or nuisance to neighbours or the public.”

The new policy now provides for special purpose dogs such as guide dogs or police dogs. These dogs receive a lot of training and are unlikely to provide a risk to the public. They can enter public buildings and other prohibited areas.

The area where only one dog can be kept has changed. It was ‘within Gisborne city boundaries’. It is now any ‘urban area’ zoned general residential in the Gisborne Regional Land and District Plan. This includes Wainui, Makaraka and all rural townships.

Areas where dogs can be exercised without a leash but under the command of their owners:

Coldstream Road Reserve
All beaches except for school and public holidays
Nelson Park adjacent to footbridge
Heath Johnson Park - strip on Paraone Road side of park
Ayton Park
Wainui, Kaiti, Waikanae and Midway (to Pacific Street) beaches except during school and public holidays

Areas where dogs can be exercised without a leash between 6am – 9am or with a leash at any other time:

Alfred Cox Park - dogs belonging to the Dog Obedience Club only
Awapuni Stadium - exercise areas
any road end reserve
Atkinson Park
Centennial Crescent
beach and foreshore to Waipaoa River
Nelson Park - other than the visual and oral command areas
Kaiti Hill
Reynolds Creek Reserve
Blackpool Street on Childers Road side
London Street Reserve
Waikirikiri Reserve
Grant Road Reserve
Coldstream Road Reserve

Here are the Dog Control Policy 2010 and Dog Control Bylaw 2010

Very tight budget approved

Fri, 27 May 2011 08:30:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council approved a prudent budget when the 2011/2012 Annual Plan was adopted at its meeting this week. “It is going to be very tight for managers to work with,” says chief executive Lindsay McKenzie. “There is no fat and there will be challenges responding to unplanned requests and events over the next twelve months. Significant cut-backs were made across all Council departments.”

“The cuts were made long before the Annual Plan went out for consultation in March. Council staff were asked to look for potential savings when we were first drafting budgets in November. To their credit savings were found across the board including a significant reduction in the cost of dealing with stormwater and providing water to households.”

Across the district Council will collect 3.5% more in rates from July. This is well below the predicted 8.1% increase signalled at the beginning of the annual planning process. The increase is below the expected inflation rate and below the much heralded new Auckland super city rate increase of 3.9%.

How the extra 3.5% in rates is collected will vary across the district.

“Collecting just 3.5% more in rates next year is an incredible result considering this is the first year we are paying for building and operating the new wastewater treatment plant,” says Mayor Meng Foon. “City ratepayers have been saving for the project which has been a big help. Good project management and lower than expected operating costs have saved $1m so we haven’t had to borrow as much. Overall Council debt is down and this reduces the amount we pay in interest.”

A further budgeting challenge was absorbing reduced income from parking and Council owned businesses Gisborne Vehicle Testing and Waikanae Holiday Park. “People should remember that any money spent with these businesses helps to keep rates down.”

Residents who want to see how their rates bill will be affected by this year's Annual Plan should look at the rates comparison tool. People can compare the rates they are paying now with the new rates for their property.

Core services needed to make Gisborne a great place to live

Fri, 27 May 2011 08:30:00 +1200

The earthquake in Christchurch has emphasised how important core services are to keep a district humming. Gisborne District Council’s 2011/2012 Annual Plan, which was adopted this week, is all about living within our means and delivering the water, collecting the rubbish, looking after our environment and all the other services we rely on Councils to provide.

In March Mayor Meng Foon and Council managers attended 21community update meetings to get feedback on the draft Annual Plan. “At those meetings I emphasised that this year was very much ‘business as usual’. The focus was on doing what we need to do to ensure this district continues to be a great place to live and do business,” says Mayor Foon. “Times are tough so we need to work hard to keep rate increases low while listening to what is important for our communities. I think we have achieved this.”

Those attending the meetings made 26 requests for a service to be provided such as fixing potholes, unblocking drains or dealing with noxious weeds. These requests will be resolved as part of Council’s normal programme of work. Extra funding is not needed.

Over one hundred submissions were received on the Annual Plan and hearings were held earlier this month. As a result of those submissions changes were made to the plan including an increase of $5000 in the grant to Surf Lifesaving New Zealand and $5000 to help Kapai Kaiti operate the Ilminster Intermediate pool in summer. Te Kohanga Reo O Ngai Tamanuhiri will receive $2000 towards playground equipment from Council’s existing reserves and open spaces budget.

While no new major projects are signalled for the coming year Council will continue to work on a number of significant initiatives including:

the Tairāwhiti Navigations Project which aims to cement Gisborne as a tourist destination of national, and possibly international, renown
design options and funding opportunities for the upgrade of the War Memorial Theatre
rating options for upgrading the level of protection provided by the Waiapu and Waipaoa Flood Control Schemes
working with the Eastland Community Trust to develop the Waikanae Beach area into a first class destination for sports, leisure, cultural and recreational activity.

New industrial area to be funded from development contributions

Fri, 27 May 2011 09:00:00 +1200

The western industrial area in Awapuni is set to play a key role attracting new business to the district thanks to a change to Gisborne District Council’s development contribution policy. An amendment to council’s current Ten Year Plan increases the amount of development contribution required per development. This affects people and companies developing new residential, commercial, or industrial buildings. The amendment was adopted at Council’s meeting this week.

The change to the policy allows $785,000 of development contribution to contribute to four capital projects worth $901,000 in the industrial area that includes Dunstan, Aerodrome, McDonald’s and part of Awapuni Road. Large parts of this area were rezoned from rural to industrial in 2007. Since then very little industry has been established in the area.

“If we want to attract new business to the region or encourage existing business to grow we must ensure there is land available that is ready to be used,” says Mayor Meng Foon. “If a new business has to wait till the infrastructure is put in or pay significantly to put this in place they will go elsewhere. Providing infrastructure is a very real way Council is investing in the economic development of our region.”

Construction on the four capital projects is likely to start this year and be completed in 2012. The floodgate that drains this area into the Waipaoa River will be enlarged and lifted. A wastewater pump station in Aerodrome Road will be built and connected to the city. Roads will be widened and sealed and a water main installed from Awapuni Road to the bend in Aerodrome Road.

Growth from new development increases the strain on the district’s infrastructure and services. Development contributions must be paid on developments or subdivisions that generate additional demand for Council services. Council uses development contributions to fully, or part, fund the construction of new roads, water supply, wastewater and stormwater systems, reserves and open spaces.

The amount of development contribution required per development is based on an average household or Household Equivalent Unit (HUE). Contributions from developers per HUE will increase from $8387 to $9317 from 1 July 2011 in the urban area. Elsewhere in the district the development contribution will rise by $410 as a result of the change.

Developers who get their completed resource or building consent applications accepted by council before 1 July will be charged the lower rate. Any applicant who wishes to pay the lower rate should approach council now, so that the application can be completed before that date. In many cases it takes some time to get all the necessary information together.

The change to council’s development contributions policy required a formal amendment to the 2009-2019 Ten Year Plan because this was a significant change to funding and financial policies. Consultation on the amendment and on council’s Annual Plan was run simultaneously in March. A total of 6 submissions, all in support of the change, were received.

Pakihi cycle track almost finished

Fri, 27 May 2011 11:30:00 +1200

The formation of the Pakihi Track section of the Motu Cycle Trail is almost complete. A new major swing bridge across the Pakihi River will be finished by the end of August.

"Planning and design for a new bridge across the Otara River in Opotiki township is on track too. If that work progresses well, then an　opening by the Prime Minister just after the election is likely", according to project manager John Galbraith. He was speaking at a public meeting attended by 25 people at Motu. The $2.5M project which will link Opotiki and Motu is being delivered by the Opotiki and Gisborne District Councils, the Department of Conservation and the Whakatohea Maori Trust Board.

The Motu and Matawai community were told by the National Cycle Trails operations manager Richard Balm that research and experience on the successful Central Otago Rail Trail shows that visitors are happy to pay for well organised services, food and accommodation.

"Cyclists love good coffee and want to eat well. It doesn't need to be Cordon Bleu, good hearty Kiwi food will do it too.　And while the accommodation preference is for ensuite bathrooms, the main requirement is for clean and comfortable accommodation.

“Getting the higher end accommodation in place, based on the Otago experience, may take a while. Above all though, the provision of a friendly welcome is key to making the trails a commercial success.

“Visitors want to talk to authentic Kiwis and hang out with them and listen to their stories and history. Given the enthusiasm here tonight and shown at our earlier meeting at Opotiki, the potential to provide all that is certainly there", Mr Balm said.

Motu and Matawai locals Ann Davis and Lilian Sherman suggested that future cycling links between Motu/Matawai and Gisborne through the Whakarau and Te Wera/Wharekopae Roads still be progressed.

Gisborne District Council's environment and policy group manager Hans van Kregten said that a full link between Opotiki and Gisborne was Gisborne District Council's first preference, but central government's criteria that the rides be of shorter links and stay away from standard roads unless they carried very low traffic meant that the longer track would not have qualified for central government funding.

"We had to start somewhere, but if the Trails are a success an extension is possible. And there is nothing to stop operators and accommodation providers from developing products that include routes that complement the Motu Trails."

Wastewater treatment plant wins silver

Tue, 28 Jun 2011 16:30:00 +1200

The Gisborne wastewater project continues to gain recognition with a finalist’s award at the IPANZ-Gen-I Public Sector Excellence Awards in Wellington last week and a silver award in France earlier this month.

Schneider Electric, provided all the electrical requirements for the city’s Banks Street wastewater treatment plant. They won silver at the Solution Tool Box Challenge in France for their submission on the wastewater project out of 86 global entries.

Last week, Gisborne District Council just missed out on winning the Excellence in Working Together category at the IPANZ Awards. They were the only council named as a finalist in any of the 7 award categories.

Group manager engineering and works Peter Higgs said the council was up against mainly government departments. The category was won jointly by New Zealand Police with its 111 Deaf Text Service and Department of Labour with its Recognised Seasonal Employer Policy.

“Our entry focused on the way in which representatives from tangata whenua, health, industry, environmental groups and council had worked together to agree an affordable and acceptable wastewater solution.”

IPANZ – the Institute of Public Administration of New Zealand – promotes improvements in public policy and in administration and management across local and central government.

The Ministry for Culture and Heritage won the Excellence award in Crown-Maori Relationships with its 28th Maori Battalion website project.

Meanwhile, Schneider Electric’s Richard Coulter gave a good plug for Gisborne’s pristine, scenic coastlines during his presentation in France on behalf of the wastewater project.

“I hope this will help attract some international tourists to this beautiful part of our country.”

The Schneider Electric solution used an integrated energy management solution to transport communications to plant and field devices, and future-proof the Banks Street treatment plant, ready for stage 2. For example, UV disinfection will be able to connect into the plant’s fibre communication network. This will allow plant operators to view and control with minimal change or additional capital cost. The plant’s central controller can be accessed remotely from the council offices, mobile phone or internet.

Our annual resident survey

Thu, 30 Jun 2011 09:00:00 +1200

Residents may be getting a phone call this week asking how satisfied they are with Gisborne District Council's services. The annual resident satisfaction survey is currently underway. This is a 25 minute phone survey of 400 residents which asks questions about council’s activities, facilities and performance.

The survey is designed to represent the district’s wards as well as the gender, age and ethnicity of its citizens.

The results are reported in council's annual report and are used to improve services. The survey will be be completed by the end of this weekend.

Māori Language Week 4-10 Hongongoi

Mon, 04 Jul 2011 09:00:00 +1200

A welcome message from our Mayor Meng Foon for Māori Language Week.

E nga mana e nga reo e nga karangaranga maha o te Tairawhiti, kei te mihi ora atu ki a koutou katoa. E pa ana ki wetahi, ko tenei te wiki korero Maori, ki a wau, e hara te wiki anake i te reo Maori, kei te hare tonu a tatau reo korero, kei te ako tonu a tatau reo o te Tairawhiti.

He tauira wau ki a koutou nga kore mohio i tenei taonga ataahua, kia tarai kaha koutou, taku mahi, tutahi, ka whakarongo, me kii, kia parakatihi, mena koe kaore he mohio, pataitia ki nga hunga matatau. Te mea nui, kia tarai, kia korero, kia whakarongo, kia parakatihi ki tetahi ki te tahai, kaua e whakama, kia mauria ora nga reo o tatau Te Tairawhiti.

"My warmest greetings to us all living in the Tairāwhiti.

A significant treasure in our region is our Tairāwhiti Māori Language and Māori Language Week is an excellent opportunity for us to celebrate it by speaking and learning our language.

I with you am a student of the language but by working hard, by listening to speakers of the language, by practising we will all get better. Be assured that there are many who are more than happy to help and support us on this journey. So, don’t be shy but boldly grab onto the language of the Tairāwhiti"

Meng

Overnight rain saturates district

Tue, 05 Jul 2011 12:30:00 +1200

The Gisborne district is experiencing surface flooding after heavy rain overnight and this morning. Council is working through issues in Harper Road, Wheatstone Road, Cameron Road and in Ruatoria. The ground is saturated and so the rain has no where to run to.

There are a number of overflows from the wastewater system. Stormwater is entering the wastewater system and overloading it. The overflows are generally occurring where there have been problems before and are spread throughout the city. Council is making every effort to address the problems as promptly as possible, but in some cases they can not be resolved until the rain has stopped.

Council is aware that the toilets are backing up at Gisborne Girls' High School and the school has been closed. Resolving this is a priority.

There has been quite a lot of work completed trying to prevent overflows in areas that regularly have problems says Helen Churton wastewater team leader. Unfortunately this rain has highlighted that there are still issues that we will continue to work on.

These are our current road closures

The following parks and reserves are closed

Check our rainfall and river levels

Good financial result sets council up for a positive future

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +1200

For the third year in a row Gisborne District Council has finished the financial year in a strong position. Borrowings are relatively low, $19m less than forecast in the 2009-2019 Ten Year Plan. Council is now in a position where it can look at progressing some of the community facility projects that have been around for a while says chief executive Lindsay McKenzie.

“Our current Ten Year Plan includes upgrades to the HB Williams Memorial Library, the War Memorial Theatre and the Olympic Pool. Developing the Tairāwhiti Navigations project and the inner harbour area are also signalled. Since the global economic crisis began to emerge in 2008, we have deliberately pushed out any non-essential capital investment in community facilities like these.”

We can’t keep pushing out these projects, says acting Mayor Nona Gaskin. “People make judgments about Gisborne being a good place to live, work and do business based on what they see. If we don’t keep investing in the sort of facilities communities expect today, we will fall behind. As we start putting together our next Ten Year Plan for 2012–2022 we will be asking people to consider what projects they want to see underway first and how they should be funded.”

Council will look to funding organisations to contribute to these projects. “Feedback I have received from funders is that they would look more favourably at investing in community facilities if Council’s priorities are clear and there is a greater commitment to ratepayer funding,” Mr McKenzie added.

Currently, only 5 percent of ratepayer funding has been committed to major projects such as the War Memorial Theatre.

Corporate services group manager Mike Drummond agrees that Council has reached a position where it could comfortably fund additional capital works through borrowing. “Putting capital projects off indefinitely carries the risk of deferring too much cost to future generations. Borrowing money is a good way of spreading costs over those who would get the long-term benefits; as long as it is affordable.”

“In the 2009-2019 Ten Year Plan borrowings were projected to peak at $52.7M in 2010/11. Our year-end borrowings are $33.7M. This means we are now forecasting to end the year $18M lower.”

Tight financial controls and improved financial management combined with operational efficiencies have resulted in a predicted forecast surplus of $2.9 million this year — instead of the budgeted $595,000 deficit.

Council has improved the way contracts have been managed and obtained sharper supplier pricing. Less was spent than budgeted on capital including building the new wastewater treatment plant. This has contributed to reduced borrowings and interest payments which has made a significant difference to Council’s bottom line.

Various benchmarking surveys, including BERL and Council League tables, show that Gisborne District Council is performing well above average for financial performance. Contrary to common perception, debt per ratepayer at $1808 is half the $3686 national average, and rates increases here are below the average for rural/provincial councils.

Final results for the 2010/2011 financial year will be published in Council’s annual report due out in September.

New Zealand faces an e-waste crisis

Thu, 14 Jul 2011 10:30:00 +1200

The eDay New Zealand Trust has released a report highlighting the spiralling electronic waste (e-waste) problem in New Zealand. The report estimates that 2.2 million televisions and 1.5 million home computer monitors, each containing toxic cathode ray tubes, will be dumped in the next few years.

“Our desire for the latest gadgets has resulted in this huge environmental crisis in New Zealand and the world. Computer sales are on the increase and we are facing a disposal deluge of CRT TVs with the imminent switch to digital television in September 2012,” said Laurence Zwimpfer, Chair of the eDay New Zealand Trust.

“This hunger for electronics must be met with government regulation to ensure thousands of tonnes of toxic ewaste will not be dumped in our landfills,” he continued.

With the release of the report, the eDay Trust is calling on industry and government to work together and permanently solve the increasing problem through a national co-regulatory ewaste product stewardship based recycling scheme.

“We’re not talking about heavy handed government intervention. We’re calling on the Government to give the IT and TV industries a clear commitment to support an industry-managed scheme with the necessary regulations to ensure all suppliers and importers contribute equitably to the costs of a national recycling scheme,” Mr Zwimpfer said.

Anne Lister, of Gisborne District Council, local eDay organisers, agrees there needs to be a central government solution.

The release of this report coincides with the recent passing in Australia of the Product Stewardship Bill by both Houses of Parliament in Australia on 22 June 2011. The first scheme to be established under the new Australian legislation will be a national, industry-led television and computer recycling scheme, to be phased in from the end of 2011.

“These developments in Australia are an example of positive cooperation between industry and government,” said Mr Zwimpfer. “We hope New Zealand can demonstrate the same level of e-responsibility that is being demonstrated in Australia.”

New Zealand is rapidly falling behind Australia and the rest of the world as the voluntary product stewardship approach promoted here is simply not working for computers and TVs. The evidence in our report from other countries strongly suggests that voluntary schemes will never work for waste electronics.”

The report launch also coincides with the news that eDay 2011 has been denied funding through the Government’s Waste Minimisation Fund. The eDay Trust says eDay is still needed to plug the gap until product stewardship schemes are put in place, but without any central government support eDay simply cannot proceed. “This is a huge blow to the 60 communities that participated in eDay last year and have been encouraging their citizens to store their ewaste for this year’s event. That’s unlikely to happen now,” said Mr Zwimpfer.

Locally at the Gisborne site last year, 503 cars disposed of over 2,600 items of computer waste and avoiding over 31 tonnes of waste going to landfill.

Anne Lister agrees that eDay is still needed locally until ewaste drop off facilities are permanently available to rate payers, free of charge.

“This would be possible if the cost of disposal was built into the purchase price of your computer or TV. The cost then seems insignificant. You are less inclined to pay to dispose of your computer or TV when it no longer works.”

The report, titled Ewaste in New Zealand: five years on, follows from e-Waste in New Zealand: taking responsibility for end-of-life computers and TVs, produced in 2006. Both reports can be downloaded from www.eday.org.nz.

New councillors equipped to make good decisions

Tue, 19 Jul 2011 16:00:00 +1200

Councillors Rehette Stoltz and Manu Caddie may be the newest and youngest members of Gisborne District Council but they have proved that they can make good decisions along with the best of them. Both have recently qualified with the ‘Making Good Decisions’ certificate from University of Auckland. Both passed the course with merit.

Making Good Decisions is a programme designed to equip councillors with the skills to make better decisions under the Resource Management Act (RMA). It is designed and promoted by the Ministry for the Environment and Local Government New Zealand.

The RMA requires that the majority of those who hear resource consents - the Hearings Committee - must hold the Making Good Decisions certificate.

What Councillors Stoltz and Caddie achieved was no easy task considering how little experience they have with the Hearing Committee says Chair Councillor Alan Davidson. “The course is intense and requires in-depth knowledge not only of the Resource Management Act, but how to arrive at a decision which stands up to the tests of the Courts.

“It is not cheap to make applications and submissions on resource management and other issues. If you decide to take this step you can have confidence that those making the decisions are well qualified to do so."

Both councillors reiterated that the Resource Management Act is a large, and in places complex, piece of legislation to understand and apply. There was a lot of new learning says Councillor Caddie. "The assignment questions were quite tough given I'd only sat on one short hearing before we did the course.”

“I was surprised at some of the opportunities the RMA seems to afford decision-makers in terms of what can and can't be taken into account. Things like negative impacts on the mauri (life force) of a stream can be a valid reason for not allowing a proposed activity to happen. I think that is pretty progressive legislation in the way it recognises Maori values and relationships with the environment.”

“There are a range of rules designed to ensure the RMA process goes as smoothly as possible. Knowing about the most important sections of the Act, why we have it at all and what it can't do puts me in a much better place to help protect our environment.”

This is an excellent and essential tool for all Hearing Committee members to have says Councillor Stoltz. “Coming from a science background where things are very "black and white" when it comes to decision making, it was a big learning curve for me.”

“In the Hearings scenario, there are so many different aspects to take into account before making the final decision. Even though it might look like a straight-forward decision at the start of the hearings process, your thinking might change a lot once you start taking everything into account that the RMA expects you to do.”

“I learnt to systematically work through the RMA requirements to come to the best decision. Practical tips, like how to ask the right questions in order to clarify important issues, were all helpful aspects we learned. I now feel equipped to make the best decision after taking all the evidence and appropriate legislation into account.”

Other sitting members of the Hearing Committee - Councillors Davidson, Bauld, Haisman and Seymour – also hold current Making Good Decisions certificates. They have all attended further courses to have their certificates endorsed to chair hearings.

The Hearings Committee makes decisions on statutory and regulatory matters Council is charged with managing under legislation. Much of this work involves assessing applications by people to undertake certain activities in the district. For example planning and resource consents, liquor licensing, animal enforcement and objections to building consents.

Last day to pay dog licence is Friday

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 14:00:00 +1200

If you own a dog over 3 months old in the Gisborne district it must be registered. Annual licences were sent out to all dog owners at the beginning of the month and these must be paid by Friday – 29 July 2011 - to get the $20 discount. On payment of the invoice new tags will be issued which are valid for 12 months.

It costs $73.50 to register your family pet. Working dogs are $42.50. Invoices can be paid at customer service in Fitzherbert Street or Te Puia Springs or by post. The owners of any dog not registered by the end of August faces a $300 fine.

“We always seem to get a lot of people who pay their dog licence at the last minute, says regulatory services manager Sarwan Kumar. “Only 55% of the 11,000 licences that are due have been paid. We are expecting a big influx this week and will have extra staff on to cope. Chances are though if you leave it till Friday there will be a queue.”

If your dog is over 3 months and not already registered you can download a dog registration form or pick one up from customer service. Once registered, your dog will receive a dog tag. All dogs except working farm dogs must be microchipped within 2 months. The microchip carries a number unique to your dog. It is like a supermarket bar-code which can be scanned. The microchip is the size of a grain of rice and is implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades. When your dog is microchipped it is much more likely you will get your dog back if it is lost, picked up by animal control or is injured and taken to the vet.

Challenge yourself to 'Swim the Distance' at the Olympic Pool

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 13:00:00 +1200

Gisborne Olympic Pool staff often hear people saying that they would like to swim more often but just need that incentive to get them out of the house. The ‘Swim the Distance’ Challenge could be just that, says pool manager Hendrik Geyer.

For an entry fee of only $50, each participant gets 2 months unlimited entry to the Olympic Pool, including the spa and therapy pool when available. As swimmers swim the distance over the 2 months of August and September, they can earn additional entries into the prize pool, and see if they can claim the grand prize of a weekend stay in a Mahia holiday home. With the fantastic response from local Gisborne businesses and the amount of swimmers that have already signed up for the challenge, Swim The Distance 2011 is shaping up to be a wonderful event with something for every swimmer, no matter what their age or ability.

“August and September is a time when people start to think about getting in shape for summer and this could be the perfect occasion to help achieve that. The swim challenge takes place in the comfortable 27 degree warmth of the Olympic 50m pool. Life guards help track your progress so that all the participants have to worry about is getting in the water and swimming the distance!”

The event was held last year with 65 participants, of which 28 achieved the 45.5km target. The concept is based upon the idea of having a ‘virtual challenge’ where people can track their swimming with visible land marks that they can relate to. To be able to say that they ‘have swum to Young Nicks Head’ will be a great feeling, and it seems to make the achievement more tangible.

“The 45.5km between Midway Beach and Mahia is a challenging yet achievable goal for most people, and it doesn’t have to be done all at once. An average of 750 meters a day or a bit over 5km a week will get you there. ‘Slow and steady wins the race’, so to speak. It’s a personal challenge where everyone can do as little or as much as they have the time for, Mr Geyer adds.

The event is also a great springboard for those that are learning to swim, especially as Water Wekas Survival School are offering free swimming lessons over the months of August and September, to be held every Sunday at 12 noon.”

Water Wekas are also putting up some major spot prizes, along with Resene Gisborne and Captain Cook Motor Lodge. ‘On The Beach’ restaurant is once again putting on a fantastic prize giving at the end of the challenge.

Opportunity for a slice of Gisborne's history

Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:30:00 +1200

Council is looking for Expressions of Interest to either purchase or lease the former The Works Cafe building for commercial use.

The last remaining building of the Kaiti Freezing Works plus around 2000sq m of Port A-zoned land via an Expressions of Interest campaign to gauge demand and vision for the site. Expressions of Interest through Bayleys real estate are being sought from those wishing to either purchase the property or to lease the land and buildings.

Council has identified the building as integral to the future redevelopment and beautification of the city’s inner harbour area and a major structural strengthening programme is currently underway to ensure that that this important piece of Gisborne’s history is retained for future generations.

The striking building was acquired under a land swap agreement with Eastland Port Limited and Council agreed to undertake structural repairs vital to the on-going longevity of the character-filled building which has a special place in the hearts and minds of so many Gisborne folk.

Council's commercial property manager Matt Feisst, says commitment has been made to save the building; a solid plan is now needed to how this landmark building is best used.

“The building is currently vacant. Earthquake strengthening work was necessary so the building complied with building standards. The scheduled work includes new foundations, structural steel strengthening and a new roof which will bring the building to 67 percent compliance under current building codes,” explains Mr Feisst.

“The Council has a contract to purchase the land and buildings under an arrangement with Eastland Port Limited but for now, we are leasing the property whilst strengthening work is carried out.”

“Without Council intervention, the building could have been demolished and part of Gisborne’s industrial heritage would have been lost forever. We do recognise that the building is historically significant to the city,” says Mr Feisst.

Bayleys Gisborne has been appointed to present the building to the public by way of a targeted marketing campaign as Mr Feisst says it is a unique building and the Council wanted to get as much exposure for the property as possible before making a final decision on its future.

Expressions of Interest close Thursday 25 August.

Mr Feisst says the building has plenty of personality and effectively ‘anchors’ the public space around the inner harbour. As such, it is important that Council finds the best owner and or operator for the property.

“The look and feel of the building is central to Council’s plans for the area as a whole to be a destination for people to enjoy. We would like to create a pedestrian-friendly multi-use green space which could be a hub for events and which would ensure that the inner harbour area is a useable space much like the Wellington waterfront and Auckland’s Viaduct Harbour development,” says Mr Feisst.

“We hope that by opening up the land and buildings to the public via this Expressions of Interest marketing campaign, we will find commercially-viable proposals from people who are genuinely interested in the revitalisation of this inner harbour area.

“Under the District Plan’s zoning scheme the history of the building since the closure of the freezing works has been hospitality-based.”

Mr Feisst explains that once the proposals have been received – whether from potential lessees or parties interested in purchasing the land and buildings for a commercial use – Council will weigh up the options to see which ones align with their own vision for the area and which also deliver the best commercial return to the Council.

As the only remaining portion of the original Kaiti Freezing Works, the brick building - which until quite recently housed the Works Winery and Restaurant - was once the sausage making factory and later the dry store, while upstairs was the carpenters’ workshop.

The building is woven into local folklore with almost everyone in Gisborne knowing someone who used to work there and is a slice of Gisborne history preserved for everyone to see and be a part of.

In its heyday, the freezing works was one of 5 operating on the East Coast but by 1952 it was the only one remaining. And then, on 19 August 1994, the imposing wrought iron gates – which still stand today – were closed to 650 workers for good as liquidators came in to wind up the company.

The freezing works used to be famed for having the largest brick facade in the Southern hemisphere. What we see today is the only piece of the structure retained when the works were demolished in 1996.

A memorial stands at the top of Kaiti Hill looking down towards the building commemorating the 22 freezing workers who lost their lives during World War I. The inscription reads: ‘To our boys who in the Great War died or were willing to die for the Empire. This memorial was erected by their comrades, January 1923’.

The Poverty Bay Herald dated 15 June 1920 discusses the proposal for the memorial which was originally planned to be erected on the flat between Niven and Co engineering and the freezing works so that workers would pass it each day on their way to work. The (then) Gisborne Sheepfarmers Frozen Meat Company made a donation towards the memorial with the balance coming from the workers themselves.

Waiteata footbridge removed for repairs

Tue, 09 Aug 2011 08:30:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council will be removing another footbridge for urgent maintenance this week. The footbridge between Waiteata Street and Richardson Avenue will be removed on Wednesday 10 August for approximately two weeks. All those who normally use the footbridge will have to take an alternative route down Russell and Fox Street. The footbridge needs urgent repairs to the deck and will be repainted.

The footbridge is well used as a shortcut to Sunvale Crescent and Forest Park Lane by residents in the area and recreational walkers.

The district’s footbridges are inspected regularly. Recently a number of them have needed urgent repairs. Hall Street footbridge was repaired last year and at the moment Nelson Park and now Waiteata footbridge are having their decks replaced and are being repainted.

The work involves sand blasting the structure to remove old paint that may contain lead. For this reason it is more economic and better for the health of the streams to completely remove the bridge, complete the work and then reinstall.

Gisborne District Council apologies for any inconvenience this may cause users.

Nelson Park footbridge removed for repairs

Wed, 03 Aug 2011 09:00:00 +1200

All those who normally use the footbridge over the Hapara Stream that runs between Nelson Park and Loisels Reserve will have to take an alternative route for the next couple of weeks. The footbridge is in need of urgent repair. The bridge has been removed for repainting and to repair the deck.

To ensure public safety and to keep paint and dust out of the stream, the footbridge has been removed to a workshop where the repairs will be carried out before it is reinstalled in a couple of weeks.

The footbridge is used by recreational walkers as will as those commuting between Enterprise Pool, Campion College, Lytton High School, Nelson Park and homes in the wider Lytton West area.

The alternative route is along Nelson Road via the Campion Road Footbridge. Gisborne District Council apologies for any inconvenience this may cause general users.

Rural sports team can apply for summer funding

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 12:30:00 +1200

Getting involved in regular sporting competitions is always a challenge for people living in rural communities. Sport and Recreation New Zealand (SPARC) can help with the costs of travelling. Those who represent a rural sporting team competing in a local competition need to get their pens out now. Applications are invited from all rural sports teams and groups for funding from SPARC’s Rural Travel Fund.

Applications are considered by a local allocations committee made up of Council staff and a Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti representative who have an understanding of the challenges rural sports teams face.

“We have accommodated the opening of this summer round to coincide with school terms and better knowledge of teams and numbers.” says Council’s funding administrator Ngarimu Simpkins. “It is important for teams to note that the fund is only for travel to local competitions. Funding for travel to training or out of district competitions does not qualify but we have further funding advice for those who do not meet the criteria”.

Applications for the summer travel fund are now open and close on Friday 30 September 2011. Applications for the winter travel fund open in March. Application forms are available at the Council customer services in Te Puia Springs and Fitzherbert Street or from our website.

No rubbish stickers for Housing NZ tenants

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 10:00:00 +1200

Housing New Zealand tenants in Gisborne have not received rubbish stickers this month. Rubbish stickers are issued by Council to all ratepayers with the quarterly rates invoice.

If a property is leased, it is expected that the landlord will forward the stickers to their tenants. Housing New Zealand is the ratepayer for all the properties they own. They have told Council that they are focusing on the tenancy and asset management aspects of their business and will no longer distribute rubbish stickers.

This is a difficult situation for Housing New Zealand tenants and we understand that they must be feeling frustrated says Operations Committee chairman Graeme Thomson. “Council does not send rubbish stickers to tenants because we do not know who is leasing a property or when tenancies change - that is an arrangement between the tenant and property owner. Under the Local Government Rating Act 2002 the legal arrangement is between the ratepayer and Council.”

Rubbish stickers for all Housing New Zealand properties are delivered to their Grey Street office each quarter. When Council tried to deliver the stickers this month Housing New Zealand refused to accept them. Council has continued to attempt to deliver the stickers.

“Housing New Zealand is a community housing organisation that surely should be making it easy for their tenants to get rubbish picked up each week,” says Councillor Thomson. “They charge rent to cover the cost of the tenancies and that includes rates. In effect their tenants have paid their landlord for a solid waste collection. Council’s position is that Housing New Zealand is preventing tenants from accessing a service they have paid for.”

“The last thing anyone – tenants, the public, Council or Housing New Zealand - wants is rubbish to start piling up or worse still be illegally dumped on our beaches or reserves.”

“If we make an exception for Housing New Zealand and apply the same criteria to all ratepayers who have more than one property and are not owner-occupiers, it would cost ratepayers another $10,000 per year. This doesn’t include the cost of setting up new systems to record and monitor who is tenanting which property. Really this is just another example of central government trying to put more costs onto local ratepayers.”

“Council is also a landlord. We take responsibility for ensuring all our tenants receive their rubbish stickers. We want to encourage the regular removal of rubbish from our community housing rather than put barriers in the way.”

Ratepayers on a collection route – Gisborne city, Ruatoria, Poverty Bay flats, Wainui and Makorori – receive 13 stickers with their rates invoice. This is one sticker per 5kg bag. Extra stickers can be purchased from supermarkets, most dairies, service stations and Council's customer service.

Housing New Zealand tenants who wish to receive their free allocated stickers should contact Housing New Zealand direct.

Age-old technique of Aute benefits from Creative Communities funding

Thu, 11 Aug 2011 08:30:00 +1200

The age-old technique of Aute has been brought back to life thanks to a Creative Communities grant. Aute is the cloth made from Mulberry bark and created through beating the bark and scraping the resulting material with shells to thin it out and make pliable. After researching this technique Cherie Te Rore was keen to provide an opportunity for these skills to be experienced by our community. She applied for the grant last year and an Aute workshop has now been held.

The cloth created at the workshop was used to create a series of hats or pōtae that Māori would have historically used for ceremonial purposes. “Aute is a time-consuming but satisfying technique that produces a unique cloth,” says Ms Te Rore. “This is a pilot project which we hope to explore further. Watch this space.”

Applications are invited from all arts based individuals and groups for funding from the Creative Communities scheme. A Creative New Zealand initiative administered by Gisborne District Council, the scheme encourages art focused projects that have broad community involvement.

The funding round is open now and Council must receive the application by 5pm on Friday 30 September. “It is a significant contributor to local arts with about $12,500 available twice a year. Council’s website has information about the types of activities or projects that might be funded and also what can’t be funded,” says community development officer Barbara Dockley. “If someone has a good idea but wants to run it pass someone; I am here to help. I can also assist people to complete the application form if they contact me before the closing date.”

Application forms and further details are available here or from customer service in Fitzherbert Street and Council’s Te Puia Springs office.

Housing NZ tenants to receive rubbish stickers soon

Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:00 +1200

Housing New Zealand tenants will receive their rubbish stickers this month. The stickers were picked up by Housing New Zealand staff yesterday and will be immediately distributed to their tenants.

This is a good result for tenants says Gisborne District Council Chief Executive Lindsay McKenzie. “Nobody wanted to see a build up of rubbish on properties.”

This puts tenants back on a level playing field with other residents on a collection route. With a sticker they can get 5kg of rubbish picked up each week by the Council’s kerbside collection. If a household has more rubbish they must recycle more, buy extra stickers or drop it off to All Brites transfer station for a small fee.

Housing New Zealand had previously refused to accept stickers because they were focusing on tenant and asset management.

“We appreciate the goodwill that Housing New Zealand has shown to resolving this issue and indeed of all landlords to pass on rubbish stickers to their tenants. The sticker system has been very effective at reducing rubbish volumes in the district. It has changed the culture of sending everything to the dump. Most residents understand that if they recycle all their plastic, glass and paper they can easily keep their weekly rubbish volume down to under 5kg.”

Rubbish stickers are issued by Gisborne District Council to all ratepayers with the quarterly rates invoice. Council does not send rubbish stickers to tenants because they do not know who is leasing a property or when tenancies change - that is an arrangement between the tenant and property owner.

Proposed Nelson Park development for hockey

Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:00:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council will consider on Thursday whether to make land on part of Nelson Park available for 2 artificial hockey turfs and a pavilion.

The Poverty Bay Hockey Association has been looking for a site to build first one then ultimately 2 hockey turfs for some time. In 1995 a site on Nelson Park near the Lytton Road end was developed for this purpose but work was never started. Since then many sites have been looked at and rejected for various reasons including sporting code use clashes, tangata whenua interests and funding requirements.

Council staff have helped Poverty Bay Hockey Association re-evaluate all other possible sites.
The report to Council concludes that Nelson Park is the preference. It’s not ideal but rather a compromise.

As you can see on this site plan there are 2 possible locations on Nelson Park that may be suited to the development - one at the Lytton Road end and one at the Enterprise Pool end.

Mussels in place to start testing

Fri, 26 Aug 2011 08:30:00 +1200

Hundreds of juvenile green-lipped mussels attached to various structures within and outside Gisborne harbour have begun an important role in monitoring the quality of water in the bay.

Mussels were chosen to help assess water quality because they are filter feeders and any traces of contamination will show in their gut. Samples will be tested for trace chemicals and the presence of human faecal indicators, bacteria and viruses specific to the human gut. More general indicators of environmental contamination from animals and other sources are expected to be identified.

Several mussel lines, each two metres long with hundreds of mussels on each, have been placed in the harbour and bay since late June and more lines may be placed in the bay over the next six months.

Council’s wastewater technical advisory group has contracted Bill and Ian Ruru of Maumahara Education to undertake a short-term pilot study and develop a monitoring programme that includes using kaimoana as natural biological indicators of health. This will form part of the ongoing monitoring of the Gisborne wastewater treatment plant, required under its resource consent.

Mussels (kutai), tuatua, tuangi (cockles) and pipi will be sampled from between The Cut at the harbour entrance to the Wherowhero Lagoon.

Ian Ruru said the mussel lines were brought in from the west coast of the North Island.

“We made sure to obtain the cleanest mussels available from a farm on the West Coast. This will provide a fair comparison with local kaimoana tested before the treatment plant was commissioned in January.”

John Mackay of Gisborne business dnature diagnostics & research Ltd will test for human and animal DNA. Although ESR had tested mussels and other shellfish for some time, he believed this was the first time that so-called sentinels had been placed to monitor wastewater in New Zealand. The method had been described overseas.

Technical Advisory Group chairman Bevan Turnpenny said mussels were ideal because they could be secured in one place and were easy to collect.

“This ensures consistency over time which can’t be obtained from spatially variable benthic species such as tuatua. We are also looking to this pilot study to help us improve the measurement of water quality indicators without any increase in cost.”

Medical Officer of Health Dr Bruce Duncan said the development was exciting for various reasons.

“Firstly, we are using a part of the biological life of the bay to monitor wastewater treatment effectiveness. While it’s not the first time mussels have been used, their use (as a monitor) links the impact of human waste and the effectiveness of its treatment directly to any impact on kaimoana. The applications are much wider, though, with the possibility that we can use the shellfish to monitor the state of all contamination in the bay including that from surface and stormwater runoff into rivers.

“Linking with DNA testing increases the sophistication of testing. We can now identify the source of contamination much more accurately, for example, whether is it animal or human. There are further exciting opportunities with this work. Shellfish may have an important role to play in improving water quality, indeed, they may have a specific place in wastewater treatment.

“I think this work also reflects the innovative local approach to wastewater management – the whole community including tangata whenua, industry and Council working collaboratively to a common goal of improving the environment we live and play in.”

Bill Ruru of Maumahara Educations with a mussel line. Photograph by Ian Ruru

Link to Wainui Beach School on youtube

Planning for the next 10 years

Mon, 29 Aug 2011 08:30:00 +1200

This week a special issue of Council’s newsletter - Town and Country Matters - will be delivered to every letterbox in the district. It outlines the projects Council has been working on, the big issues facing the district and how our finances are looking.

The newsletter poses a number of questions that Council is looking for feedback on.

Which projects should be a priority for the district?
Is there anything Council should stop doing or do less of?
What should Council do more of?
Are there any new areas Council should get involved in?
Who should pay for what?

In June next year Council will adopt its 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan. This document will outline Council’s work plans, projects and budgets for the next 10 years.

A number of projects to enhance our community facilities are being considered. They include upgrading and enlarging the HB Williams Memorial Library, rebuilding the Cenotaph, developing the Navigations project alongside inner harbour development, redeveloping the Olympic Pool and developing 3 walk and cycleways.

There are also several projects to develop our essential infrastructure. Council thinks the flood control work on the Waipaoa River and the Waiapu River are our first priorities.

“Before we start writing that plan we really need to get an idea of what our community thinks about the big issues we face as a district,” says Chief Executive Lindsay McKenzie.

A feedback form is included in the newsletter and on our website and the information is also available on our website. People can share their ideas online or comment on the facebook page “Gisborne – our future”. Staff and councillors will be at a number of events in September and October so that people can share their ideas in person. Look out for the displays at the Farmers Market, Te Unga Mai Voyaging Festival and the A&P Show.

Mr McKenzie suggests we all need to be thinking smarter about our future. “Council wants to capture the great ideas generated by our people and the issues that are important to them. We are trying to give as many people as possible the chance to feed into planning for Gisborne’s future. The time is now to ‘share an idea’. As an incentive all submissions will go in the draw to win a $100 gift card.”

We will also be speaking with a number of groups and organisations to discuss their priorities. If anyone is part of a group that would like to meet with us to discuss their priorities, contact Council and we will happily attend your next meeting.”

All feedback – completed forms, comments on Council’s website, and posts on facebook - will end up on councillor’s desks. It will be used to help them make decisions about what is in the plan, what is out, what it will cost to deliver and who will pay for what.

By March the draft plan will be written and formal consultation will begin. At that stage the consultation will be more about options and the community’s verdict on the plan. At that point it will be difficult to make wholesale changes which is why ideas are being called for now.

Planning for our 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan

30 families could be clothed with what schools picked up

Thu, 01 Sep 2011 16:30:00 +1200

This week has been Cleanup New Zealand Week and one group in the community has picked up 17,782 pieces of waste from our beaches. That group is our local school children.

Over the last 2 weeks 4,000 local school children from Hicks Bay to Wairoa have worked with the sustainable coastlines charity learning about the problems of litter and the effects on our oceans and our own health. 15 of the schools took the extra step and cleaned up their local beach.

The waste they picked up was all sorted, weighed and counted to get a better picture of the problem.

Enough clothing for 30 families was recovered. This was 779 individual pieces of clothing and shoes.

The big items were the 4557 bottles, both plastic and glass and a similar amount of takeaway food packaging collected. Together these weighed 3 quarters of a tonne.

Plastics do not weigh very much but there were nearly a thousand plastic bags picked up and 3,000 bits of other plastic. Vehicle parts and tyres amounted to a staggering one tonne of waste picked up.

The cleanup recovered over 3 tonnes, equivalent to 21 cubic metres, of waste.

“This waste starts its life at our kerbsides and finds its way, via rain and wind, to our coast and beaches” said Anne Lister, Gisborne District Council’s environmental health educator.

“Council requested this environmental education programme and it was a follow up from the cleanup of our coast organised by sustainable coastlines at New Year 2010. The fact that is coincided with the big cleanup of our district prior to the Rugby World Cup was an added benefit.”

Feedback on traffic and parking bylaw needed by Friday

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 10:00:00 +1200

Gisborne District Council is reviewing the Gisborne District Traffic and Parking Bylaw. A number of changes are proposed as result of issues that have been raised since the bylaw was last updated in 2008.

Freedom camping is a well loved summer activity in designated locations around the district. However when people park overnight in our car parks and along our beach front many residents are not so happy. Complaints have been received but the current bylaw does not give Council an option to fine illegal campers. The proposed change makes it an offence for anyone to park on a road or in a public place with the intention of camping unless they are displaying a current freedom camping permit and are parked within Council’s designated freedom camping areas. The proposed maximum fine is $500.

The bylaw also covers parking of heavy vehicles in residential areas. While trucks need to park somewhere feedback suggests residents don’t want them down their street. The proposed bylaw makes it an offence to park a heavy vehicle for more than one hour in residential areas. The exception is main roads – arterial routes as defined in Council’s District Plan and parking so businesses can load or unload the vehicle.

It is proposed that fines for those skateboarding in the city centre are reduced. In 2009 champion skateboarder Reuben Baker was fined $750 for skating in the CBD. Feedback suggested the fine was excessive and was later revoked. The bylaw proposes reducing the fine from $750 to $55.

People are asked for feedback on these changes. Submissions must be in writing and close at 4pm on Friday 9 September 2011 and can be made online or by mail or email.

Inner harbour pontoon to reopen

Fri, 09 Sep 2011 09:30:00 +1200

Engineers have inspected the pontoon at the boat ramp where 6-year old Oska Smith lost 2 of his toes in a freak accident on Sunday. The area has since been cordoned off.

Engineers confirmed there are no maintenance issues needing attention before the pontoon can be opened up before the weekend. “There are a couple of little things we can do to make it safer,” says Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie, “but generally the pontoon is in good condition.”

“We will be installing a buffer (100mm x 50mm) at the bottom of the pontoon to stop it fully closing against the pole. This will give some protection for feet against pontoon movement. The pontoon will be closed again next week while this is installed and a hinge replaced. This is likely to take 2-3 days. The international hazard signs are on their way and will hopefully be installed before the weekend.”

The pontoon is well used and essential to ensure the safety of boat ramp users. “We believe that there is a risk of people slipping if they can’t use the pontoon so we are keen to get it back in use as soon as possible.”

Council staff have been in regular contact with Oska’s family since hearing of the accident.

Bollards installed to protect Wainui dunes

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 16:30:00 +1200

Bollards have now been installed along the road at Okitu, Wainui. Keeping vehicles off the dunes is their main purpose. We need to care for our dune areas a lot better than we are currently says Council's property services manager Grahame Smail. “Restricting vehicle access is a significant step forward.”

The work has been driven by the Wainui community’s consensus view that installing bollards to protect the dunes is a good thing to do. The bollards that were installed last year further down Wainui beach have been very effective keeping vehicles off the dunes and directing foot traffic to specific access points.

The bollards have only been placed where vehicle access to the dunes area needs to be prevented. They were not installed in areas where there is a steep (non negotiable) drop-off or a recognized pull off area such as in front of the Chalet.

Council has held workshops over the last couple of years educating interested people on how to prevent dune erosion. Several groups have formed to help make this happen. The Wainui Coast Care Group is one of these groups. The bollards will complement the work they are doing.

“There will be significant environmental challenges to restore dune areas in the future if we don't combat overuse of them now,” says Mr Smail.

“There are 2 other considerations. From a public safety perspective if someone is lying in the grass and gets run over by a vehicle then people would be concerned that vehicles were not restricted. This has happened in other places and there is likelihood that this could happen here.”

“Residents have been concerned about people camping overnight on the side of the road at Wainui. Summer freedom camping is only permitted further up the Coast starting at Pouawa. The bollards reinforce the ‘no freedom camping’ in this area message.”

When the land was gifted by Winifred Lysnar in 1921 to the Gisborne Borough the intention was for the reserve to remain "in a natural state". This is unlikely to be achieved if vehicles are not stopped from driving on the dunes.

The work was signalled in the WD Lysnar and Wainui Beach Reserves Management Plan.

This was consulted on in 2006 and 2007 and followed the Reserves Act consultation processes which involve several publically notified opportunities to make submissions and a hearings process. In addition Council did mail drops, held a public meeting and met with several key stakeholders personally. The plan was adopted in March 2008.

Contact Council if you see pesky rooks

Mon, 26 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +1300

Rooks are a pest bird in the Gisborne district and Council wants to get rid of them. It is their breeding season right now which is the best time to put controls in place. If anyone sees rooks in the district please let us know says Council’s biosecurity team leader Phil Karaitiana, “At the moment bird numbers are low but they have the potential to increase if not controlled. They can cause lots of problems for farmers. They congregate in large flocks and can strip cereal crops in days. They forage destructively in paddocks looking for grass grubs and worms and expose the turf to erosion and weed seeds.”

Rooks will be forming breeding groups and once a nesting area has been selected they will start to build new nests or remodel old nests from the previous breeding season. Typical nesting areas are usually in the tops of trees providing unrestricted views of the surrounding countryside.

Rooks have been controlled at Waerenga-o-kuri, Tiniroto and Pehiri over the last couple of years by baiting nests by hand. To do this the baiter is slung underneath a helicopter so they can easily access the nests which tend to be at the top of eucalyptus and pine trees. This work is done in conjunction with the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council in October.

The nearest concentration of rooks is in the Wairoa District. “The Hawkes Bay Regional Council has spent a lot of time and effort trying to keep rooks under control as part of their pest strategy. Low numbers of surviving birds tend to drift north and are seen along our south-western boundary with the Wairoa district,” said Mr Karaitiana.

People should look out for the rook’s glossy black plumage with its slightly purple tint. If anyone spots them coming and going from a stand of eucalyptus trees this will indicate that a nesting site is being established. Once nests are built rooks will stay by the site until young birds leave the nests around mid December.

“It is important that people let Council know if they see any flocks of rooks. If a nest is disturbed by indiscriminate shooting this will only split the group and they will disperse elsewhere. This makes it even more difficult to locate them again let alone carry out any effective control.”

“We are checking sites where rooks have been targeted before and investigating any new sightings.”

For more information on rooks

Mark Fitzgerald hangs below the hovering helicopter to bait rook nests high above a stand of Gum trees

Motu Trails new brand a local affair

Sat, 17 Sep 2011 11:00:00 +1200

The Motu Trails Charitable Trust has reached a significant milestone, with the development of a brand cementing the Motu Trails identity, officially sanctioned under Nga Haerenga, the New Zealand Cycle Trail programme.

Jo Pentreath, Motu Trails Charitable Trust Executive Officer, says the new brand will greatly enhance promotional tourism opportunities for the Eastern Bay of Plenty.

“The branding will help distinguish the Motu Trails product to visitors and businesses.

It provides opportunities to attract new businesses and expand existing businesses by providing a vehicle for attracting visitors to the area - the opportunities are significant.

“The Trails not only provides a new tourism product for the Eastern Bay of Plenty, but it will drive new visitation to the regions and contribute to economic growth, “says Pentreath.

Brand and web development went out for tender to a number of agencies in the Eastern Bay of Plenty and further afield, but the design work of Morley Design Group and Flavour, both Gisborne-based agencies, was outstanding and as such the project has remained a “local affair”.

Morley Design Group was particularly passionate about the opportunity to develop a unique brand identity for Motu Trails. Creative Director, Rees Morley took on the challenge of creating and delivering a creative solution that speaks of authenticity, sincerity and being approachable. The final brand speaks of pioneering ruggedness and gives the impression of being connected closely to the land while honoring the historical heritage and culture of the Motu region.

“As we further develop and roll-out the brand through marketing collateral, signage and online presence, the story of the Motu Trails will continue to build strong brand awareness and encourage visitors to ‘be set free’ through their participation in the Motu Trails story, “ says Morley.

Flavour, the Gisborne-based communications agency responsible for bringing the Motu Trail to life online. Their expertise has seen them create innovative digital solutions for companies all over the globe, but applying that expertise to local business is a particular passion.

Of the Motu Trails project, Managing Director Rome Smith says her team is particularly excited.

“We are looking forward to developing a world class website that combines the East Coast’s reputation for seclusion, natural beauty and rugged authenticity with the spirit and warmth of our communities. The Motu Trail exemplifies the East Coast experience in many ways and we are thrilled to be part of the team building that story and taking this unique story to the world” says Smith.

The new brand will be communicated through a new website, due for completion early November, marketing literature, product brochures, newsletters, and a range of marketing materials and merchandise.

For more information contact info@themotutrails.co.nz

Te Karaka to consider drinking water options

Tue, 27 Sep 2011 10:00:00 +1300

News that the Ministry of Health has granted a $387,780 subsidy to assist improving Te Karaka’s drinking water has been well received but will not be used until Te Karaka residents have considered all the options.

Gisborne District Council has looked into the feasibility of upgrading Te Karaka’s very basic water treatment plant. A risk assessment of the drinking water supply and a plan to mitigate these risks was done as part of the grant application. The costed plan and other options will be discussed with the community first before any decisions are made.

The grant is only approved for the upgrade of water treatment says Council water utilities manager Kevin Strongman. “It will not put any pipes in the ground. That is why it is important we go back to the community and be sure about what they want.”

“We haven’t consulted with Te Karaka people yet as without the grant we couldn’t have a meaningful conversation about realistic options. The community could not afford to do anything without this grant. Affordability is still an issue here. There are 162 households in the area. The grant will cover 79% of the upgrade but there will still be a shortfall in the capital costs and ongoing operational costs. It is up to the community to consider all options and state what their preference is.”

“It is important to remember that the current water quality is not bad. It does not pose any immediate health risks and residents are not complaining about the quality of their water. Water is supplied from a shallow bore adjacent to the Waipaoa River, filtered and chlorinated. This is used to supplement residents own rainwater from their roofs.”

“We are looking at water quality now because the goal posts have moved. What used to be acceptable is no longer okay.” The Drinking Water Amendment Act 2007 put much higher standards in place and recommended timelines when improvements should be completed by.

Upgrading the water treatment would result in higher quality, clearer drinking water for Te Karaka residents. It would also allow for better monitoring of water quality and more efficient operation of this water supply. The Ministry of Health are keen to make sure they are managing any risks to public health. This is not so easy to do with the capability of the current system. The equipment used to filter and chlorinate is inefficient, making monitoring difficult.

Consultation is likely to take place early next year.

Problem ants should be baited now

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 08:30:00 +1300

A coordinated approach is the secret to controlling Argentine or Darwin’s ants. Gisborne District Council has a project underway now to encourage people to bait soon and in conjunction with their neighbours.

William Dobbie will build on the work done last summer. He will provide advice and help coordinate residents to work together when laying ant bait says biosecurity team leader Phil Karaitiana. “The control is not so effective if only one property lays bait to rid themselves of the ants and then they all scurry next door. The best results are when all neighbours work together.”

Argentine and Darwin’s ants are a problem due to their huge numbers and appetite. They form distinctive trails that may be 5 or more ants wide travelling along footpaths, up and along sides of buildings, up tree trunks, along branches and along wooden or concrete fence lines. More than one queen ant is produced and they each form huge colonies. There can be several nests on one property. All colonies are genetically related so there is no in-fighting between individual groups. They can quickly blanket an area making outdoor activities unpleasant.

These ants eat a wide range of foods and will forage for food in homes. They like anything sweet and the buds of some plants. They especially like tender, honeydew producing plants. They are a problem in gardens and orchards where they protect honeydew producing insects such as aphids and scale insects.

The ‘farming’ of these insects by ants allows populations to increase to damaging levels. Native insects and many of our native bird species are also at risk from these ants either through direct attack or by competing with them for resources like nectar or honeydew.

Recent trial work by Tasman District Council, who laid bait last spring, indicated that an excellent result can be achieved by baiting early in October. “We will be encouraging residents who have, or suspect they have, Argentine or Darwin’s ants to bait earlier rather than wait until the ants are a significant nuisance over the summer months,” says Mr Karaitiana.

Land owners or tenants must cover the cost of controlling Argentine or Darwin’s ants on private property. Council will continue to supply 325 gram tubes of Xtinguish ant bait to residents at cost price of $45.

For more information about Argentine or Darwin’s ants

Faster processing of resource consents

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 07:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council has lifted its game in processing resource consents in a timely way. This is confirmed in national survey of local authorities’ resource consenting practices. Whilst the national average of processing resource consents in the 2010-2011 year within the time limits specified in the Resource management Act is 95 per cent, the corresponding figure for Gisborne is 96 per cent, up from 50 per cent two years earlier.

Council's Group Manager Environment and Policy Hans van Kregten says that the increased figure is pleasing, and acknowledges improvements made in the processes used by Council, as well as the hard work by Council staff. "It also reflects the imposition by central government that councils have to refund part of the consent fees to any applicant whose consent is processed over time. It is also fair to say that the improved time performance reflects a downturn in consents received due to the recent difficult economic conditions. Performance across the country has been lifted."

Hans van Kregten says he is comfortable with Council's performance compared to that of other councils. "Whilst being the best performer in this area may seem advantageous, we need to realise that such a position can only be reached by throwing significant financial resources at this problem. The best performing councils need to be able to always meet the time standards, and that really means that their staff and other resources would be too large for most of the time. For Gisborne that would be very costly. We are now processing 24 out of 25 consents on time. That is excellent service. In the rare situations that we cannot meet the time frames, we will consult with the applicant as soon as possible, and provide up to date information about timing. When we are legally obliged to refund part of the consent fee, we will do so without needing to be prompted by the applicant."

The national Resource Management Act survey aims to help the Minister for the Environment monitor how the Act is being put into practice. It highlights trends and provides information for benchmarking and performance improvement.

The full national survey is available on the Ministry for the Environment's website

Dame Kiri to be patron of War Memorial Theatre

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:00:00 +1300

Dame Kiri Te Kanawa has accepted an invitation from Mayor Meng Foon to be patron of Gisborne’s War Memorial Theatre. Plans to upgrade the aging theatre are reliant on a raising $6 million dollars from funders and the community.

It is great news that Dame Kiri has accepted this invitation says Mayor Foon. “I am very keen to see this project come to fruition. To raise the necessary funds we need a high profile patron. I thought why not go for the highest profile artist to come out of this district - arguably out of this country – Dame Kiri Te Kanawa.”

The request was made through her agent Paul Gleeson with the help of London based, soprano Claire Egan who is supported by the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation. In accepting the position Dame Kiri said she was delighted to be invited to be patron of Gisborne’s War Memorial Theatre. “Over the years I have been involved with many organisations all around the world but to be honoured in this way with a wonderful Gisborne based project is very special. I have many happy memories of my early life in Gisborne and then later with the Waihirere Maori Club in London for my 50th birthday at the Millennium Concert.”

“Providing a community asset of this size and complexity will only be possible with considerable effort from the Gisborne community. I have reviewed the plans for the theatre and am sure it will be a catalyst to inspire young talented singers, actors and musicians to seriously consider careers in these art forms. I applaud the efforts of the Gisborne District Council getting the project to this stage and wish everybody my best wishes for a successful campaign to make this a first class theatre for all.”

Mayor Meng Foon believes the redeveloped theatre will be a wonderful asset for our talented community. “We are a place where talent is born and a place where talent thrives. Our theatre is a memorial to the war veterans of this district. It is widely used and loved by lots of different parts of our community – schools, families, dancers, actors, musicians. But it is in dire need of repair. If we have a better theatre with larger capacity we will get bigger and better shows coming to town. We will also have the right facility to develop and showcase the amazing talent we have in this district.”

As owners of the War Memorial Theatre Council will now enter into an agreement with Dame Kiri. Fundraising for the development will be launched at the end on November in conjunction with start of the Gisborne International Music Competition.

Dame Kiri is from Tairawhiti and has received world wide acclaim as an opera singer. In 1981 performed at the wedding of HRH Prince Charles to Lady Diana Spencer in front of the largest television audience any singer has faced in history and became a dame in 1982. In 2004 she launched the Kiri Te Kanawa Foundation to find imaginative and constructive ways to assist outstanding New Zealand singers with their international career development.

Plan for War Memorial Theatre agreed to

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council has agreed to get detailed plans drawn up to redevelop the War Memorial Theatre on its existing site. The building, which was originally a dance hall before being converted into a theatre in 1975, is deteriorating.

Council was presented with a report this week that included five options for the future of the theatre including doing nothing and finding a new site on which to build a completely new theatre.

A design that uses the existing theatre site, increases seating from 420 to 550 and has vastly improved facilities for performers and audiences was chosen to be progressed. The estimated cost of this option is $6.8m.

The design has been scoped and consulted on with theatre users. Feedback has been very positive. However, when the theatre actually gets built will depend on the outcomes of Council’s project prioritisation in October and fundraising efforts.

Council committed $925,000 to the project in the 2009-2019 Ten Year Plan. Grant funding of $6 million is required to complete the project.

“While the amount to be raised is significant we believe this is a realistic target given the passion people have in our community for this facility,” says Mayor Meng Foon. “Having Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on board as patron will give the project a national profile.”

Roger Shand, one of the best specialist theatre architects in the country, has produced the design. Councillor Pat Seymour was instrumental in getting him involved in this project. “His involvement will give funders a lot of confidence. All his other theatre projects have been high profile and very successful.”

An upgrade of the War Memorial Theatre was included in Council’s 2006–2016 Ten Year Plan. In the 2009–2019 Ten Year Plan, Council bought the upgrade forward to 2011.

Council is currently asking communities to ‘share and idea’ and feedback on what should be included in its 2012 – 2022 Ten Year plan. Feedback received so far suggests that while the theatre is not the top priority project - walking and cycling is - Council can still be confident that there is solid support for the proposed upgrade.

Giblin and Associates, who prepared the feasibility study, say a redevelopment of the theatre on the existing site is a viable option and would satisfy the needs of all the local users especially the dance schools and those holding competitions at the venue. The recommended option includes a full upgrade of the stage and backstage areas, a new and larger foyer area, additional seating, and work on the roof of the auditorium and existing front of house. Seating capacity which breaks the 500 seat threshold that some promoters favour, should result in an increased number of shows using the theatre. Early suggestions to turn the theatre 90 degrees and include part of the RSA building have been rejected because of the additional $3 million required.

For more information on the War Memorial Theatre

Third year of positive financial results for Council

Fri, 30 Sep 2011 09:00:00 +1300

Three straight years of positive financial results and $14 million less debt than expected, are the financial highlights in Gisborne District Council’s 2010/2011 Annual Report which was adopted on Thursday (29 September).

This year’s operating surplus of $450,000 follows surpluses in the two years previous. These surpluses - $7 million in total - are being used to offset debt.

Council’s debt is $33.9 million which is $14 million less than predicted when the budget was set. “That’s about half the amount of debt that the 36 similar sized councils we benchmark ourselves against are carrying, says Corporate Services Manager Mike Drummond.

“We have been closely monitoring our cash flow and spending on capital projects. Efficiency gains over the last couple of years are still flowing through and a number of projects that were planned have not yet been completed and paid for. All this is contributing to a positive result.”

Also contributing is completing Council’s largest ever capital project - the new wastewater treatment plant - on time and under budget. The project has won a number of awards and results show it is delivering cleaner water to Poverty Bay.

“The success of the project has given Council the opportunity to develop its project management capacity, says Chief Executive Lindsay McKenzie. “These skills, combined with positive financial results, are the building blocks we need to move forward.”

“Annual report time is an opportunity to share stories about our successes and disappointments. During the year we have welcomed in a new Council after the local body election late last year. Four new Councillors with fresh ideas have been since introduced to the business of Council.”

“The regional roading project has been completed. This $30 million government funded project upgraded many roading networks to enable forest products to be delivered to mills and the port.”

“Innovative work by our rivers people is helping to keep the Waiapu River away from the doorsteps of the Ruatoria township. Groynes have been installed to redirect the flow of the river and the erosion of its banks.

These stories and more are highlighted in a summary of the 2010/11 Annual Report which will be delivered to all residents letterboxes the week before labour weekend.

How Council performed against a number of targets it sets each year are included in the Annual Report. Results show an improvement on last year’s results. Out of 185 performance measures, 128 targets (69%) were achieved which is a 3% increase. Most notable improvements were a 45% increase in the number of resource consents processed with statutory timeframes and an improvement in the number of requests about streetlights and roading defects addressed on time.

Unfortunately fewer people are rating our bus service as excellent and the water supply at Te Karaka did not comply with New Zealand Drinking Water Standards due to the level of Maganese found. A recent grant to upgrade the drinking water supply at Te Karaka may solve this problem in the future.

“Most pleasing is the 10% increase in people who rated the helpfulness of staff as excellent or good. This is one of many targets that are measured through the annual resident satisfaction survey,” Mr McKenzie added.

Council’s website had 200,000 more hits last year as more people use it to source information about Council. The full 2010/2011 Annual Report will be available on Council’s website from Monday 3 October 2011. For those who prefer a paper copy it will also be available from the HB Williams Memorial Library, and Council offices in Fitzherbert Street and Te Puia Springs.

A Whataupoko Reserve track is dangerous

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Part of the Whataupoko Reserve in Fox Street is closed. The Bernie Vette trail is closed from the entrance off Fox Street to the Langford Fallon intersection due to dangerous track conditions.

A sign has been erected advising that the track is closed.

Anyone using the reserve must take note of the signs and tape across the trail.

Earthworks close part of Whataupoko Reserve

Tue, 11 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +1300

Council staff were alerted this week about earthworks on a property on Seddon Crescent in Whataupoko that has affected the safety of a walking track in Whataupoko Reserve off Fox Street. The track has been closed to the pubic because a steep drop immediately adjacent to the track has been created and is potentially dangerous to track users. Council’s environment and policy manager Hans van Kregten says that it appears the earthworks have taken place during the weekend. “Previous works have taken place on the property, and this work complied with the Resource Management Act. It appears the most recent works have not been consented. “

Mr van Kregten said that Council staff are currently assessing the extent of the works and whether or not the area affected includes Council property. “Council staff have met with the owner and outlined their concerns in terms of slope stability, stormwater effects and impacts on the nearby Bernie Vettie mountainbike and walking track. Depending on the outcome of this investigation, Council may look at enforcement options under the Resource Management Act” Mr van Kregten said.

He reminds residents that if they want to use their land in a way that does not comply with the rules of the Gisborne district and/or regional plans they need to get resource consent. The plans set out rules and related information about what are permitted activities. You do not need resource consent for permitted activities. Other activities require resource consent and you should always check the district and regional plans before you make any changes to your property."

Oil-covered debris found along top of East Cape

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council - Response to Rena, Release No.3

Clean up will start this morning along the top of East Cape to pick up blocks of polystyrene contaminated with oil. The polystyrene has come from shipping containers.

There is also part of a container beached at Lottin Point.

Currently debris has been found at Lottin Pont and stretching from the mouth of the Awatere River Mouth right out to the end of East Cape.

The Civil Defence HQ at Te Araroa will be open from 10am this morning to provide a coordination/communication centre and anyone wishing to help should report there. The clean up will start this morning at the Horoera Marae.

The NZ Army and a specialist oil team have been dispatched from Tauranga and should be on site around 10am this morning.

For further information contact Richard Steele 0274460450.

Successful clean up of container debris

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 16:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council Response to Rena - Release No.4

Reports from Te Araroa indicate the clean-up has gone well today with all debris to the east of Te Araroa collected and from off the Te Araroa township beach.
Around 20 locals did the clean-up assisted by the Hicks Bay Rural Fire force and our civil defence volunteers who also coordinated the activity.

Tomorrow the team will concentrate on Lottin Point, it has been reported that another part of a container has washed up there. This bit that was found yesterday was either the roof or a side panel.

There have been unconfirmed reports of some oil smears sighted on the rocks at Matakaoa.

For further information contact Richard Steele 0274460450

Labour weekend services

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:00:00 +1300

Council's services and facilities over Labour weekend.

Rubbish and recycling collection

Monday 24 October - collections as usual

For more information

AllBrites transfer station

Saturday 8am - 4pm
Sunday 9.30am - 3.30pm
Monday 9.30am - 3.30pm

Rural transfer stations - check here for weekend times

Library

Saturday 9.30am - 1pm
Sunday closed
Monday closed

Olympic Pool

Saturday 6am - 8pm
Sunday 6am - 8pm
Monday 8am - 6pm

For prices and information

Gisborne vehicle testing

Warrant of fitness and driver licensing centre

Saturday 8am - 12.50pm
Sunday - closed
Monday - closed

For prices and information

Council offices

Monday 24 October - closed

But if you have an emergency our after-hours providers will take your call 24/7. Here's how to contact us

Dog pound

Located at the end of Dunstan Road, Matawhero. Here's more information

Saturday 9-10am
Sunday 9-10am
Monday 9-10am

Public toilets

Here's where they are

Council offices don't meet building standard

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 16:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council’s original Fitzherbert Street building does not meet new building standards. “The building has recently been assessed as part of Council’s ten year planning and asset management process,” says commercial property manager Matt Feisst. “We were surprised to get results that showed the building only meets 19% of the new building standard and is considered earthquake prone.”

An earthquake prone building is a building that cannot withstand one third of the shaking at the level required for the structural design of a new building.

“When the offices were built in 1954 they met all the building standards of the day,” says building services manager Ian Petty. “Since then we have learnt more about building structures and the regulatory bar has lifted. Two structural engineers have come back saying the building is earthquake prone. If the worst should happen we are confident the building would not collapse in pancake fashion like we saw with the CCTV building Christchurch. The weakness is lateral – side to side – and the danger is that the building could become unusable after a significant shake.”

“I have issued an Earthquake Prone Building notice for the offices. This notice requires that Council take action within 5 years.”

Councillors had an informal briefing on the assessment in September. “We understand that Council has to take a leadership role in our community regarding building strength,” says Mayor Meng Foon. “We live in an earthquake prone area. Our buildings must meet the standards as this is what we expect from other building owners. We are a good employer and care about our staff so we need to ensure staff safety. Staff have been kept in the picture about what is happening with the building. They have been reminded that they should drop, cover and hold if an earthquake happens tomorrow. That said there is no immediate risk to staff or the public using the building. It survived earthquakes in 1966 and 2007 with little or no damage. We would not continue to work here and invite visitors in if we were concerned that the building would fail in anything other than an extreme event.”

“We have requested a report come to Council in November outlining options, costs and recommendations to strengthen the building or to demolish and rebuild. A decision will be made before Christmas as we need to include this work in Council’s 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan.”

Gisborne was one of the few Councils to adopt the level of strengthening recommendation from the New Zealand Society of Earthquake Engineering and the Department of Building and Housing for its Earthquake Prone Building Policy. The policy states that earthquake prone buildings should be at least two-thirds of the strength required for new buildings when strengthened.

Because the Council offices would be used to support a civil defence emergency it has to reach an importance level 4 standard (essential disaster recovery buildings) as do police stations, hospitals etc. Office blocks and retails spaces are importance level 3 and have a different standard. It is important to note that these buildings are not a lower standard but level 4 are built to a higher standard; essentially over code. If the Fitzherbert Street offices were evaluated at the importance level 3 standard the original part would still not get a pass mark.

The affected building is the two story one on the corner of Ormond Road and Fitzherbert Street. In 1982 the single story building was added along Fitzherbert Street that includes Council’s Customer Services, the Council Chamber and committee room. In 2001 another two story building was added along Rose Garden towards the Lawson Field Theatre. Both of the more recent Council buildings meet nearly 100% of the building standards.

Clifford Street disruptions while stormwater pipeline replaced

Wed, 02 Nov 2011 14:00:00 +1300

Clifford Street traffic will be disrupted next week as Council replaces stormwater pipes along Clifford Street between Sheehan and Stafford Streets. Traffic will be restricted to one lane at times and there will be some noise during the day. There may be short periods when nearby residents have restricted access to their properties. Council’s contractor will notify affected residents before this happens. If people can take an alternative route and avoid the area during construction that would be appreciated says stormwater team leader Joss Ruifrok.

“The stormwater infrastructure in this area is near the end of its life and has been budgeted as part of the Whataupoko renewals programme. There is a risk of flooding if the pipe collapsed during heavy rain. The earthenware pipes were originally installed in this area in the 1920s. The pipes will be replaced with concrete pipes and extended a bit further along Clifford Street to address known ponding issues where there is an open drain but no pipes.”

The replacements are likely to take up to 6 weeks depending on the weather.

Council apologises for any inconvenience this work causes road users and residents.

Thoughts with the family of drowned toddler

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 10:00:00 +1300

The drowning of a 2-year-old boy in the Taruheru River on Thursday is an absolute tragedy says Gisborne District Council acting chief executive Nedine Thatcher-Swann. “Our thoughts are with the family and the 3-year-old who has been flown to Starship Hospital in Auckland.”

“Mayor Meng Foon will be meeting with the family to offer Council’s condolences.”

Staff were at the Atkinson Street Reserve and the river first thing this morning to investigate the facts around the tragedy.

Kia Kaha Mangapapa Group spoke to Council last year about fencing the reserve at a meeting where general improvements for the area were discussed. Some money was allocated to the park which has initially been spent on fencing the stormwater culvert, a skatepark and a community garden.

“It’s inconclusive as to whether fencing the reserve would have made a difference in this case until we have done more investigation,” says Mrs Thatcher-Swann. “Around the country and the world it is very unusual to find our natural environments - rivers, lakes or ponds - fenced.”

New car park for Tolaga Bay Wharf

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 17:00:00 +1300

The entrance to the iconic Tolaga Bay Wharf is having a face lift in time for the Transit of Venus celebrations in June 2012. The grassed area in front of the wharf entrance is currently closed to all vehicles while Gisborne District Council contractors install a car park. This is likely to take about 6 weeks and be finished in time for the Christmas holidays. In the meantime visitors to the wharf can park on the grassed area to the right of the wharf.

Stage 2 of the facelift includes landscaping with shade trees and picnic tables. Storyboards will tell the history of the area and a formal entrance that includes a Māori pou will be installed.

The much photographed taonga is the longest concrete wharf in the southern hemisphere and in 2009 was upgraded to a category 1 historic place by the New Zealand Historic Places Trust.

Since 1999 fundraising by the Save the Tolaga Bay Wharf trust and engineering support from the Council has seen much of the wharf restored. Now it is time to enhance the entrance to this popular recreational facility. Previously visitors to wharf have simply parked on the grass verge alongside the beach.

The new car park will tidy up the area and includes parking for 22 cars and buses. Mobility parks have been included and for the first time there will be easy access from the car park to the wharf for those that use wheelchairs.

Tolaga Bay – Uawa will host international celebrations for the Transit of Venus in June 2012. A number of events are planned for the area including the transit of Venus Forum organised by the Royal Society of New Zealand and convened by 2011 New Zealander of the Year, Professor Sir Paul Callaghan.

Successful refloat - vessel back in port

Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +1300

The stranded fishing vessel Philip V was successfully refloated this afternoon and towed to Gisborne. The vessel was stranded on the beach north of the Waiapu River mouth for nearly a week. Several earlier refloat attempts were halted by adverse weather.

Gisborne regional on-scene commander Louise Bennett said the operation had gone to plan, with a few tense moments before it was finally pulled off the beach.

“We are pleased the vessel has been refloated with no oil spills and no environmental damage, as this is an area of significant cultural and conservation value.”

Most of the vessel’s diesel and hydraulic fuel was removed on Friday to ease the way for a salvage attempt and to minimise any environmental risk.

The privately owned fishing boat went aground in the early hours of 16 November about 1 km north of the Waiapu River mouth.

Keeping the buses on time

Thu, 24 Nov 2011 16:30:00 +1300

Hatched, no-parking lines will be painted at the intersection of Gladstone Road and Bright Street to help the Council’s bus service.

The aim is ensure our bus drivers can easily exit Bright Street and keep to the bus schedules, says land transport manager Dave Hadfield. “The amount of traffic in the city centre during the day has been causing problems for our drivers exiting the Bright Street bus terminal. Turning right onto Gladstone Road towards Elgin is especially problematic at peak times of the day. Cars can be backed up from the Peel Street traffic lights and vehicles are blocking the intersection.”

“This is one of the reasons why buses are sometimes struggling to keep to their timetable once they reach the suburbs. After discussion with the bus drivers and investigating what other centres do, we believe helping to keep the intersection free will make a big difference. We are committed to offering a reliable public transport system and this simple measure will help us deliver on that.”

The road painting is likely to be done on Monday 28 November weather permitting. It will be commissioned at night to minimise disruption to traffic. Gisborne District Council apologises for any inconvenience.

Original council building to be strengthened or rebuilt

Fri, 25 Nov 2011 12:00:00 +1300

The ground under Gisborne District Council’s original 2-storey office block will be investigated before a decision is made on whether to strengthen the existing building or replace it.

The 1954 Fitzherbert Street building does not meet new building standards and has been deemed earthquake prone. A notice to repair within 5 years has been issued by Council’s building services section. Because the office block is considered critical to respond to civil defence emergencies, it has to be strengthened to a higher degree than a retail store or private home. Currently it is only 19 percent of the required strength.

Council has agreed to investigate ground conditions on the site and get a geotechnical report. The draft Ten Year Plan budget will include $3.4m to replace or strengthen the building.

There is a lot more investigation to be done, decisions to be made and tenders sought before we decide on a final option says Mayor Meng Foon. “We must lead by example and the first step to getting this done is putting it in the budget as a major capital project. We will consult with the community on the project through our Ten Year Plan process next year.”

There is no immediate risk to customers or staff says building services manager Ian Petty. “Nothing has changed to affect the actual strength of the building but the bar has lifted. We require all building owners to strengthen their buildings if they don’t meet the code so we have to show leadership in this area. In the end it is all about safe guarding the lives of people and their property.”

“I have just returned from speaking to the Canterbury Earthquakes Royal Commission. They are considering how unreinforced masonry buildings performed during their quakes and the legislation that governs councils’ earthquake prone building policies. Gisborne is seen as being proactive in this area and having effective policies.”

A report to Council this week advised replacing the old part of the Fitzherbert Street building at an estimated cost of $3.4m rather than spending $1.7 million strengthening it to modern earthquake standards.

Initial estimates of $1.7m to strengthen the building have been received, says property manager Matt Feisst. “The strengthening required is substantial and would require huge changes to the internal layout. Because of the design of the building, support is required between the beams to stop any lateral or twisting movement during an earthquake. Shear walls would need to be installed between columns to give the support required to the structure. This would significantly reduce office space which would have to be found elsewhere.”

“This is a relatively old building. Normal wear and tear, replacement of the roof, lift and windows, are all included in our maintenance programme. They are likely to cost $254,000 in the medium term.”

The proposed rebuild would be for a 1200 square metre building. The initial estimate of $3.4m includes the cost of demolishing the existing building, building a new one including all services such as a lift and mechanical items, approximate costs of relocation and fit-out for temporary premises.

The original 1954 Gisborne City Council office block is the only part of the complex affected. It is the 2-storey section at the front of the complex on the corner of Ormond Road and Fitzherbert Street. The single story extension which includes customer services and the 2003 2-story extension facing the Taruheru River are not affected.

Gisborne district properties have lost value

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Most Gisborne district properties have reduced in value since the last valuation in mid 2008. This is in line with properties throughout New Zealand. Gisborne district properties were last valued when the market was peaking and just before the start of the global financial crisis.

Council contracted Landmass Technology Limited to reassess the valuations for Gisborne district properties. These revaluations are now being audited. Property owners will be advised of the new value of their property by mail. Notices will be posted on 16 December.

The biggest reductions are in coastal residential properties, says Landmass director Garth Laing. “Wainui, Makorori and beachfront properties have reduced on average by 20%. In 2008 a high premium was being paid for a beach view. That is not so much the case now.”

“The value of hill country farms dropped dramatically soon after the 2008 revaluations by close to 20%. They have stayed at those lower levels due to economic uncertainty and the bank’s tighter lending criteria. Better returns for farmers have not flowed through to property values. Farmers seem to be focusing on paying off, rather than taking on, debt.”

“The district’s 385 cropping properties, mostly on the Poverty Bay and Tolaga Bay flats have reduced on average by 12%. The fall has been more dramatic for the 400 horticulture blocks. Land values have fallen on average by 17% and capital values, which include the value of the crops such as grapes, citrus and kiwifruit, have fallen on average by 25%.”

“Forestry land is bucking the trend and has increased in value by around 25%. It is the only class of land in the district where value has increased. This is mainly being driven by increasing returns for logs and the number of people interested in planting trees for carbon trading. There has been a noticeable trend for conversions from pastoral land to forestry in the last 2 years.”

“Rural townships are ticking along with prices quite stable. In Gisborne city however residential and commercial land values have fallen on average by 14%. The number of properties selling is low and I am surprised values didn’t fall further after the 2008 crash.”

The revaluations may have some affect on a property owner’s rate bill from July next year. Just what that will be is not yet known.

A decrease in the value of your property does not necessarily mean an equivalent movement in rates, says Council’s corporate services manager Mike Drummond. “By February next year Council is likely to know what affect the revaluations will have on rates. People will be able see this for themselves by using the rates calculator. The proposed 2012/2013 rates will be available to compare from March. Rating levels will be consulted on as part of Councils’ Ten Year Plan.”

If you are the owner of the property and you don't agree with your revaluation you can make an objection using the Rating Valuation Objection form. It must be received by Council before 31 January 2012.

Land use on the flats to be surveyed

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:30:00 +1300

How land is being used on the Poverty Bay flats will be surveyed over the next couple of months. Lincoln University student Hagen Telfer has been employed to conduct a survey and report back on trends and observations.

This is the fourth year that the survey has been conducted by Council says water conservation team leader Dennis Crone. “The information gathered is being used to help develop a management plan for freshwater in the district. It is important that a reliable water supply is available if the district is to enjoy the economic benefits the land on the flats can produce. Water supply is managed by issuing permits but we really need to understand future demand. If we know what is being grown and how this is changing we can forecast how much water will be needed to irrigate crops.”

“4 years ago grapes were planted on 15% of the flats. This has since dropped to 12%. Grapes use little or no water for irrigation. We are interested in what the land that was planted in grapes will be used for now and in the future.”

“Other changes include an increase in the percentage of land used for squash - 10% up from 7% 4 years ago – and a decrease in land used for maize and sweetcorn - 25% down from 30% 4 years ago.”

Hagen will be systematically driving through the Poverty Bay flats and manually recording each crop type onto aerial maps obtained from GIS arcmap software.

The study area begins south of Muriwai past Williams Road and extends north as far as Whatatutu including west to Whakarau Road past Te Karaka, Ngatapa and Waingake Road. As much as possible of the Poverty Bay flats will be included in the survey.

“Hagen will start surveying in late December through till mid January. This is when water for irrigation is vulnerable and there is a risk of over allocating the resource. Most of the surveying can be carried out from the road but he will need to cross private land in some areas. Land owners will be contacted by phone, email or in person where possible to gain permission. The cooperation of companies leasing land on the flats and all land owners will be most appreciated.”

Ex Napier Boys High student Hagen has just completed his first year at Lincoln University. He has been studying towards a Bachelor of environmental management and planning, majoring in water science and technology with a minor in spatial planning.

Anyone with questions about this project should contact Dennis Crone at Council on 06 867 2049 or email service@gdc.govt.nz

Martin Street Reserve gets new play equipment

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 15:00:00 +1300

Kaiti’s Martin Street Reserve has had a makeover and will be officially opened at a party organised by Kapai Kaiti on Saturday 10 December 2011. The playground in the reserve has been moved so that it's more visible from busy Tyndall Road and the worn out play equipment has been replaced with less traditional options. “The idea was to encourage imaginative and unstructured play”, says Kapai Kaiti chairman, Josh Wharehinga. “We organised a hui at Whakaruruhau kohanga in March with the nearby communities to get a good idea about what parents and caregivers wanted for their local reserve and to involve them in the process.”

Council responded with the help of a Ministry of Justice grant. Now Martin Street Reserve sports a flying fox, high swings, taniwha bars, rolypoly mounds and a long slide. Huge climbing rocks have been donated by Fulton Hogan and placed to encourage jumping and hopping between them.

“It has been a really positive project and the community now feels a real ownership of the reserve. There are children playing at the park every day after school, sometimes on the way to school. I’ve even seen a few family picnics in the park. It’s great!”

The upgrade is part of a larger project by New Zealand Police that uses a unique approach to crime prevention across the city. The street-by-street project involves a number of agencies including the Gisborne District Council who have been involved with planning and environmental health.

Last year a safety audit was carried out that identified a number of issues around the reserve. Council planners were tasked with coming up with a solution to these issues looking to recreational design to enhance the feeling of safety and reduce crime.

One of the most effective ways to make urban areas safer is to improve views and open up sight lines, says Council's urban design planner Duncan Rothwell. “This creates ‘eyes on the street’ which has an immediate affect on behaviour. People are much less likely to commit crimes or create mischief if there is a good chance somebody will be watching them.”

As a result lighting has been upgraded, and plants and shrubs removed. “Neighbours have been really supportive of the project especially around getting trees trimmed that needed attention and closing off a dodgy accessway that wasn’t used for legitimate purposes. The children think the new playground is awesome and it is always well used. The flying fox is a particular hit. Anyone who wants to use it needs to interact with others and take turns."

The project has already proved successful. Police carried out a survey after the lights were installed and the trees trimmed. The results show that neighbours feel that crime has reduced and that residents have an increased sense of community pride.

Old pipes replaced to keep wastewater flowing

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 10:30:00 +1300

The pipes, pumps and piles of dirt in Childers Road will be there a little longer after Council’s upgrade of wastewater pipes has a hit a few hurdles. “We are replacing the wastewater pipes in Childers Road by the pumping station next to Te Wananga o Aotearoa campus, says wastewater team leader Helen Churton. “The pipes were first installed in 1921 and due to be replaced.”0

“The work is taking a little longer than expected. Groundwater entered the pipe after it fractured. This put extra pressure on the pipe and it has since collapsed affecting the operation of the pumping station. Residents shouldn’t notice any problems with their wastewater but the there will be minor disruption to traffic and our contractors Fulton Hogan will finish laying the pipe within 2 weeks. Any tidy up work should be completed before Christmas.”

“We have also been replacing wastewater pipes in Queens Road, Elgin as part of our spring/summer replacement programme. Contractors were diverted back to help with Childers Road. Queens Road residents can also expect that the work will be finished before Christmas.”

Wastewater pipes in Reads Quay have also been replaced and that work is nearly finished. The last pipes to be replaced this summer are in Haronga Road. This work will start in the new year.

5 knot speed limit for jet skis

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 11:30:00 +1300

A number of complaints have been received by Council about jet skis speeding up and down the city’s rivers in the last few weeks. Skiers are reminded that their toys can be dangerous and they must stick to a five knot speed limit.

City rivers are already busy with waka ama crews, rowers and kayakers so any type of motorised craft must take extra care, says Sarwan Kumar, regulatory services manager. “Our beaches are starting to fill up with locals and holiday makers enjoying a famous Gisborne summer. We urge all boaties to use common sense especially when close to shore and around swimmers. Slow down, it is very hard to see people in the water if you are travelling at speed."

Rowers and kayakers can’t use the bylaw as an excuse to go easy on their training. The maximum speed limit only applies to power driven vessels. Waka and other human powered vessels are exempt.

A $200 instant fine can be issued to anyone breaking the bylaw. These fines will be issued by the harbourmaster and Council’s monitoring and enforcement officers.

“Surf lifesavers patrolling our beaches will be Council’s eyes and ears. They will be keeping an eye on boat and jet ski behaviour close to shore. Their job is to keep beach users safe. If they see anyone not complying with the bylaw they will contact Council or the police. If you are approached by a lifeguard please listen and do what they say – they are there to help you keep safe.”

There is a designated jet ski area beyond Midway Beach at the beacon opposite Pacific Street. The area is identified by orange posts and signs on the beach. Jet skis can easily be launched from the beach here. The area is close to the popular surfing area “The Pipe”. Jet skiers are reminded to keep a safe distance from swimmers and surfers and stay 200 metres away from the waters edge.

Swimmers are reminded that The Cut at the end of Waikanae Beach is a designated access lane for boats and swimming is not permitted.

Staying water safe

don't drink and boat or jet ski
wear your life-jacket at all times
don't overload the boat, it could capsize
don’t tow anyone on your jet ski
tell someone what your plans are before heading out on to the water
if you are water skiing, you must have an observer, not just the driver, on the boat

For more jet ski information

New property valuations out this week

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 08:30:00 +1300

Property owners in the Gisborne district will find out their new rating valuation next week when revaluation notices are posted out. Values have dropped on average by 10% but there are variations throughout the district. Because the last revaluation was in 2008, at the height of the property boom, some decreases are significant. This does not mean rates will go down or that properties will be selling for cheaper prices.

Revaluations are one of the tools Council uses to calculate how 2012/2013 rates will be allocated throughout the district, says corporate services manager Mike Drummond. “Some people think that if the value of their property reduces by 10% their rates will go down by 10%. This is not how it works.”

“If your property’s value has decreased by the average amount - 10% - the valuation will have no affect on your rates. Some properties - farms, horticultural land, beachfront properties - have dropped a lot more than the average so their rates based on property value may go down a bit. The value of forestry land has increased by up to 25% so their rates based on property value will increase.”

“The cost to run the Council and all of the services we provide has increased and Council will need to collect about $50m in rates next year. Property values are just one way Council works out who should pay what portion of that $50M.”

“We are expecting lots of enquires about the revaluations. I encourage people to have a look at the frequently asked questions on our website. These should help people understand how the revaluations could affect them, they can also check out the valuation of any Gisborne district property on the website.”

Property values only affect the ‘undifferentiated capital value’ rates part of the rates bill. High-value properties pay more of these rates than low-value properties but it is only a portion of the rates bill, so the effects are muted.

The rates bill also includes a number of rates that are not affected by property valuations at all. These rates include:

Charges for a service provided — city water, rubbish collection etc. You either get the service and pay for it, or you don’t get the service and don’t pay for it.
The Uniform Annual General charge —every property pays the same regardless of its value. This charge covers library, cost of democracy etc.
Targeted rates, such as flood control, etc, where the major beneficiaries pay the most.

Mr Drummond says we have to bear in mind these values are for rating purposes only and not are not a market value. “The revaluation exercise is mass valuation and unlike private valuations does not include a property's chattels or a site visit to every property. People should not think the revaluations were a true reflection of their property's value. The true value of a property can only be determined by the market," he said. "For that you would need to engage a registered valuer or try and sell the property on the open market.”

How to object to your valuation

If you are the owner of the property and you don't agree with your revaluation you can make an objection using the Rating Valuation Objection form available from customer services or on our website.

lodge your objection with Council before 5pm Tuesday 31 January 2011
your objection will be forwarded to LandMass valuers for review
LandMass staff could contact you to discuss your valuation
the onus of proof on any objection rests with the objector
if you disagree with the review you can have your case heard by the Land Valuation Tribunal. A hearing fee is payable.

Christmas & New Year hours and services 2011/12

Mon, 19 Dec 2011 10:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council's hours and services over the Christmas and New Year holiday period.

Christmas message

Our Mayor, councillors, management and staff wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a safe and happy New Year. Meri Kirihimete.

If you're on holiday in our district - a warm welcome to you. We hope you enjoy your stay and get the opportunity to check out the many highlights of our district.

Office hours

Both our customer service centres will be closed on the statutory holidays.
Te Puia Springs' hours are 8am - 4.30pm.

Day of the week	Opening hours
Friday 23 December	8am - 5pm
Monday 26 December	Closed
Tuesday 27 December	Closed
Wednesday 28 December	8am - 5pm
Thursday 29 December	8am - 5pm
Friday 30 December	8am - 5pm
Monday 2 January 2010	Closed
Tuesday 3 January	Closed

From Wednesday 4 January normal office hours resume.

If your call is urgent and outside business hours, our after-hours service provider will assist you. Only emergency incidents will be actioned after-hours. Phone +64 6 867 2049 or 0800 653 800. Here's our contact details
Or you can fill in our online eFix form

LIM applications - only 10 day LIMs will be accepted and processed between 20 December to 15 January. No 5 day priority LIMs can be accepted.

Freedom camping - a reminder if you're going freedom camping, you need a permit before you set up your camp site. For more freedom camping information and where to get a permit

Fire season

A Restricted fire season is in place over the entire Gisborne district from Wednesday 21 December - this means you must have a permit to light any fire in the open air.

Fire permits take up to 3 days to issue. Permits are not issued outside normal business hours. Please make sure you apply early for your permit. For exemptions and information see fire permit information

For rural fire information

Rubbish and recycling collection

Council contractor AllBrites will collect kerbside recycling and rubbish as normal on the public holidays:

Christmas : Monday 26 December (Boxing Day) and Tuesday 27 December (Boxing Day holiday).

New Year : Monday 3 January and Tuesday 4 January 2011

Please have your rubbish and recycling at the kerbside before 7am.

Rubbish collection information

Recycling collection information

Refuse and recycling transfer stations hours

AllBrites recycling and transfer station hours

Closed - Christmas Day. The recycling drop off centre is open 24/7

Rural transfer stations - closed Christmas Day and New Years Day.

HB Williams Memorial Library

Day of the week	Opening hours
Friday 23 December	9.30am - 5.30pm
Saturday 24 December	9.30am - 1pm
Sunday 25 December	Closed Christmas Day
Monday 26 December	Closed Boxing Day
Tuesday 27 December	Closed
Wednesday 28 December	9.30am - 5.30pm
Thursday 29 December	9.30am - 5.30pm
Friday 30 December	9.30am - 5.30pm
Saturday 31 December	9.30am - 1pm
Sunday 1 January 2012	Closed - New Years Day
Mon 2 and Tue 3 January 2012	Closed

From Wednesday 4 January normal hours will resume

Gisborne vehicle testing

Day of the week	Opening hours
Monday 19 December	7am - 5.20pm
Tuesday 20 December	7am - 5.20pm
Wednesday 21 December	7am - 5.20pm
Thursday 22 December	7am - 5.20pm
Friday 23 December	7am - 4pm
Saturday 24 December	8am - 12.50pm
Monday 26, Tuesday 27 December	Closed
Wednesday 28 - Friday 30 December	7am - 5.20pm
Saturday 31 December	8am - 12.50pm
Sunday 1, Monday 2, Tuesday 3 January	Closed

From Wednesday 4 January normal hours resume - see prices

Olympic pool

Day of the week	Opening hours
Friday 23 December	6am - 8pm
Saturday 24 December	8am - 6pm
Sunday 25 December	Closed
Monday 26 and Tuesday 27 December	8am - 6pm
Wednesday 28 - Friday 30 December	6am - 8pm
Saturday 31 December	8am - 6pm
Sunday 1 January 2012	8am - 6pm
Monday 2 January	8am - 6pm
Tuesday 3 January	8am - 6pm

From Wednesday 4 January normal hours resume - see prices

New Tolaga Bay Wharf car park welcomed by visitors

Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:00:00 +1300

The Tolaga Bay Wharf car park has been enlarged and sealed just in time for the summer influx of visitors to East Coast icon. The area includes parking for buses and up to 22 cars. It is already been well used. Cars parking along the beach side of the park have a much improved view of the beach and the wharf.

This is stage one of a project which will see the area landscaped with shade trees and picnic tables. Storyboards will tell the history of the area and a formal entrance that includes a Māori pou will be installed. For the first time there will be easy access to the wharf for those with limited mobility.

HEB Construction won the contract to develop the car park and it has taken 8 weeks to complete. Fully funded from Gisborne District Council’s roading budget it has cost $222,000 plus design and consents. This is under the original budget of $250,000.

The project is expected to be completed in plenty of time for the Transit of Venus celebrations at Tolaga Bay in June. Tolaga Bay – Uawa will host international celebrations for the Transit of Venus in June 2012. A number of events are planned for the area including the transit of Venus Forum organised by the Royal Society of New Zealand and convened by 2011 New Zealander of the Year, Professor Sir Paul Callaghan.

No easy answer to unpaid Māori land rates

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 16:00:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council had $3.4m in rates outstanding on Māori land at 31 October 2011. There are no quick fix solutions to reduce this. The issue of unpaid rates on Maori land is one that Councillors are very concerned about, says Finance and Monitoring Chairman Brian Wilson. “Council is given some tools by central government to raise money to pay for the services it provides. These are mainly rates and user charges. Rates are a charge on property value or area. Some are based on benefits received and others are like a tax. The fact that many properties in the northern area are non-productive and multiply owned makes it difficult to recover these rates if they are not paid.”

“However Council provides services in these areas - in particular roads - that have to be funded by someone and where possible, from the people in those areas. While Council understands the financial plight of individuals, each unpaid rate has to be picked up by the rest of the district ratepayers. While the Finance and Monitoring Committee may be looking at this problem, realistically there is no obvious answer to this accumulating debt.”

Council follows routine collection processes to collect unpaid rates. Reminder letters are sent monthly to all ratepayers with arrears in the district. The letters ask the ratepayer to contact Council to discuss options about their overdue rates.

The first and second letters are friendly reminders. The third letter advises that the unpaid rates will be referred to Baycorp to recover if no contact is made or action is taken to address the debt.

Eventually unpaid rates on Māori land are referred Baycorp to recover where there are less than six owners and where we have had no response to our earlier letters. If the nominated trustee gets in touch with us as the letter suggests usually this action can be avoided.

Council’s Finance and Monitoring Committee has asked staff to report back on ways to improve the effectiveness of rates collection particularly on Māori land. A number of options are being considered but how these would be resourced or actioned has yet to be put in front of Council. This will happen before the middle of the year. The review will include how we communicate with Maori land owners including the letters we send.

Māori Land owners are legally obligated to pay a portion of rates based on individual shareholdings. Arrears letters are not sent to all the owners of Māori land; there can be 100 or more owners in some instances and Council does not have contact details for all owners. The arrears letters are sent to the person appointed by the Māori Land Court to receive the rates correspondence or sent to an owner who has contacted Council. Therefore although those who receive the arrears letter are only obligated to pay their portion of the rates it is expected that they will act on behalf of all owners to ensure the rates due are paid.

This role could include communicating with all owners, collecting payments or making arrangements for payment. Council understands that this can be a challenging role due to the complexities of multiple ownership. However, it doesn’t remove the obligation on owners to pay rates.

Gisborne District Council’s corporate services group manager Mike Drummond says that Council has a moral and statutory duty to collect all rates owed. “We don’t want to send people to Baycorp. Each letter we send encourages people to contact Council in the first instance to discuss options about their overdue rates.”

We understand that rates affordability is a big issue for many individuals and the district as a whole, says Mr Drummond. "Our credit control team try to help anyone who contacts them. Those on low incomes should make sure they apply for the government’s rate rebate scheme. It saves eligible households up to $550 off their rates bill each year. Anyone can ring Customer Services for more information or look on Council’s website.”

Creative Communities grant supported graffiti exhibition

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 10:00:00 +1300

Every year Creative New Zealand provides money to councils to support local arts activities. Any individual, group or organisation can apply. Applications are now open for a share of the $12,500 funding Gisborne District Council has available.

Last year Tairāwhiti Youth Voice applied for funding to celebrate the skills of our young people. They were successful and in collaboration with the NZ Police used the funding to present a Graffiti Arts Exhibition in the Tairāwhiti Museum. This exhibition showcased how three young people had grown from tagging for fun, to fully fledged and accomplished artists, presenting their artwork in a formal gallery.

The three artists - Bob Henare, Seb Pedrioloi and Kym Nikora raised their profiles and became role models for youth in the community. They also raised the profile of graffiti as a legitimate art form.

The Creative Communities Funding Scheme allocates funding to local activities that are either:

• involve lots of the community in arts activities

• support diverse art and cultural traditions

• enable young people to engage and participate in the arts

Council must receive the applications by 5 pm on Friday 24 February 2012. “We can’t receive late applications as an assessment group of local people with knowledge and experience of the arts in the Gisborne region gets to together and looks at all applications at once. Information about the types of activities or projects that might be funded and also what can’t be funded is available,” says community development officer Barbara Dockley. “If someone has a good idea but wants to run it pass someone; I am here to help. I can also assist people to complete the application form if they contact me before the closing date.”

Application forms and further details are available from Council’s website or Customer Services in Fitzherbert Street and Council’s Te Puia Springs office.

Bob Henare, Seb Pedrioli and Kym Nikora with some of the work they produced for the exhibition.

Numbers down but freedom camping still a family favourite

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:00:00 +1300

Absolute beach front summer holidays are still accessible to all in the Gisborne district. Numbers of freedom campers are down this year but East Coast people still value the experience of packing up their camping gear and heading to the beach.

Families want to preserve the opportunity to freedom camp and they want the Gisborne District Council to ensure this opportunity survives, says Jenny Allen Council's reserves supervisor. “I have just returned from camping at Pouawa beach. I noticed more young families making the most of this unique East Coast experience.”

"A permit costs $10 for 2 nights, $25 for 10 nights or $60 for 28 nights. It is one of the few holidays families on a tight budget can afford. You get given blue rubbish bags when you get your permit. Permits area available from:

• the freedom camping rubbish contractor

• i-Sites in Gisborne, Opotiki, Wairoa and Whakatane

• Uawa Foodmarket, Tolaga Bay

• Waerenga-o-Kuri Store (for Donneraille Park)

• Council offices in Fitzherbert Street, Gisborne or Te Puia.

The permit covers the cost of getting the rubbish bags picked up and effluent disposal at the 'porta potty' tanks on-site in all the freedom camping areas."

“It is too early in the season to tell what our final number of campers will be this year but at the moment numbers are down. A long spell of hot, sunny weather could change that. We issued 623 freedom camping permits at 31 December 2011 compared to 720 issued at 31 December 2010. January numbers are also looking down on last year.”

Overall freedom camping numbers have been growing steadily since 2004. In the summer of 2004/05 Council issued 623 permits to 2790 campers; 1554 of these campers were from out of the district. Last year Council issued 1535 permits to 5365 campers; 2546 who were from out of the district.

"The same issues have come up again this year”, says Ms Allen. “Despite the very regular rubbish collection some campers choose to leave their unwanted or broken camping equipment behind when they go home. A large broken freezer was left at the Blue Waters camp in Tolaga Bay recently. This is considered illegal dumping and fines of up to $400 can be issued. If anyone has information on illegal dumping please contact Council customer services with registration numbers and ideally photos. No camper wants to arrive at their preferred camping spot, looking forward to spectacular views and gorgeous beaches, to find broken chairs, shelters and piles of rubbish bags left behind."

"All rubbish must be put in the blue rubbish bags which get picked up three times a week in the peak season -till 7 February. They must be left by your tent before 8am for the contractor to pick up or taken to All Brights Transfer Station in Innes Street, Gisborne."

"The other ongoing problem is campers not having their own chemical toilet or using the public toilets. One of the conditions of the permit is that campers must provide their own portable chemical toilet. Public toilets are for day visitors only. Council's public toilets, in all the freedom camping areas, use septic systems or holding tanks. They are not designed to cope with the large number of campers in the area during the peak camping season."

Freedom Camping areas and brochure with more infomation.

Council's chief executive appointed to lead Tasman

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:30:00 +1300

Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie has been appointed into the same position at Tasman District Council.

Mr McKenzie had applied to be reappointed for another 5-year term running the Gisborne council but has now withdrawn his application. “I have since been offered the position with Tasman which I have accepted. I have enjoyed my time at Gisborne and genuinely believe that my contribution has significantly benefitted the organisation and the district. My partner Liz, son Hamish and I will miss our new friends, home and all our work colleagues especially.”

Mayor Meng Foon says he has enjoyed working with Lindsay. “He has been a bloody good chief executive to our Council and served our community well. We have tackled some big issues together – a new wastewater treatment plant, the Manders Road landfill proposal, erosion policies and two rounds of Ten Year Plans.

“He worked with councillors to set the vision and mission for the organisation and provided leadership for staff. I love his honesty with me and the councillors. We have enjoyed having his family here in Gisborne. We are richer for his contribution and I wish him all the best in his new role in Tasman.”

“Applications for the position of Gisborne District Council Chief Executive closed yesterday (Monday 23 January) and we will be short listing for this position soon.”

Mr McKenzie has not resigned yet. “My contract requires I give three-months notice. I will continue to ensure that the needs of Gisborne District Council are met and that a smooth transition can occur before my last day at work is decided upon.”

“I had intended to stay and contest my current role but the recruitment process made me realise I needed to take control of my own future. The Tasman role came up in the meantime. It is a fabulous part of the world and it will be a privilege to live and work there. The Tasman District Council is facing its challenges which I am up to. This is an exciting opportunity for me.”

The Local Government Act requires that all local body chief executive positions must be appointed for a fixed term of 5 years with an optional extension of a further 2 years. To reappoint a chief executive the position must be advertised and a robust and transparent process undertaken. The position has been widely advertised by Sheffield recruitment consultants.

Council staff to up skill on oil and gas exploration

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:00:00 +1300

An article in the Sunday Star Times this weekend (22 January) suggested that oil companies were trying to ‘woo’ East Coast Council councillors and staff with an all-expenses paid trip to North America.

The reality is the trip is an opportunity for staff to up skill so they can deal with new approaches to oil and gas exploration, says Gisborne District Council chief executive Lindsay McKenzie.

“Oil and gas exploration is not new for Gisborne District Council but some techniques such as fracking are. Right now we don’t have a lot of knowledge or expertise in this area. We understand that some people may be dubious about a trip for staff to Canada being paid for by an oil company. It is important to remember that under the Resource Management Act when someone wants to do something new with our resources the cost of ensuring Council is well informed is meet by the applicants not ratepayers. This is exactly what is happening here.”

“It will be one of a number of steps Council is taking to up skill ourselves to deal with these new issues. We will also be visiting Taranaki – an area with valuable experience in oil and gas exploration - talking to independent experts and seeking out expert consultants to use.”

“The oil companies have not set the agenda about what staff would see and do on the trip. It is up to the two Councils involved to make sure their learning objectives are meet. It won’t be just about science and technology - although this is important – it will also be about tangata whenua/first people’s perspective on fracking and oil exploration. Staff expect to meet with environmentalists, regulators and indigenous people.”

“The goal is to have staff who can offer impartial, well informed advice to Councillors and commissioners hearing any resource consent applications. This is in the best interest of those with environmental concerns as much as it is those with exploration licences.”

It is proposed that a staff member from Gisborne District Council and Hawkes Bay Regional Council make the trip in February. A report will be going to Gisborne District Council on Thursday recommending that environmental services manager Trevor Freeman visit Canada to collect information on oil and gas exploration activities relating to the Gisborne district.

Keeping Gisborne didymo free

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 09:30:00 +1300

An awareness campaign to combat the threat of didymo or ‘rock snot’ in Gisborne waterways is underway over summer.

Didymo awareness advocate Toni Stirton will be visiting local freshwater spots. She will be talking to people about the importance of checking equipment, cleaning it and drying it properly before leaving the water. ‘This is the best way to prevent didymo and other freshwater pests from spreading into our clean waterways,” says Ms Stirton.

Didymo is a microscopic algae that can be spread through a single drop of water. It can survive a long time in moist conditions out of waterways.

“Even if you cannot see it you could be spreading it that is why it is so important to ‘Check Clean Dry’ every time.”

‘Check Clean Dry’ is a habit all New Zealanders and visitors need to adopt when doing freshwater activities. The didymo algae have already spread throughout some rivers, streams and lakes in the South Island, and there has been a major effort to stop it getting into North Island waters.

Didymo is nicknamed ‘rock snot’ as it forms a thick slime on the rocks and base of a river. It harms native fish, trout, plants and insects. Rivers, streams and lakes become really unpleasant to go swimming, boating or fishing in. It is invisible in water until it gathers to form a smelly, slimy mat. It sticks to river beds by stalks and can form flowing ‘rats tails’ that turn white at the ends and look similar to tissue paper.

Preventative measures for all freshwater pests include checking and removing all obvious debris, cleaning and soaking all gear and equipment in a five percent detergent and water solution for five minutes, drying all gear completely then leaving it to dry for a further 48 hours.

Trevor Freeman, environmental services manager with Gisborne District Council is grateful for the Biosecurity NZ funding that has enabled Toni to spread the message in this district and down to as far as Wairoa. "Aquatic pests are very difficult to eradicate, if not impossible. Every freshwater user needs to take responsibility for keeping them out".

The Gisborne District Council and the Department of Conservation have collaborated to reinforce the ‘Check Clean Dry’ message. Any suspected sightings of the algae in the Gisborne region should be reported to MAF Biosecurity New Zealand on 0800 80 99 66.

Highlights from council meeting

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 08:30:00 +1300

A summary of 3 reports for decision at the Council meeting. Here's the full agenda and staff reports

Cenotaph repairs

The Cenotaph was damaged in the December 2007 earthquake and has yet to be repaired. While Council’s insurers have been deciding on an approach to repairing and strengthening the Cenotaph, some interested parties want a complete rebuild.

Decision

Council decided today that its insurers should urgently start repairing and strengthening the Cenotaph. In the meantime staff will work with those interested in a complete rebuild of the Cenotaph to come up with a proposal to extend its life.

Management of petroleum exploration

TAG Oil owns the rights to explore for petroleum on the East Coast. They have teamed up with Apache Corporation and have resource consents for some basic oil exploration work - drilling shallow shot holes and seismic testing.

Depending on results they may apply for resource consent for more complex mining techniques including the controversial practice of hydrological fracturing.

These techniques are new for Gisborne District Council. Right now we don’t have a lot of knowledge or expertise in this area. A trip to Canada for one staff member has been proposed so they can learn more. The cost will be covered by an increased consent fee to Apache.

Decision

Council decided today that environmental services manager Trevor Freeman should visit Canada to collect information on oil and gas exploration that will assist the Gisborne district. Trevor leaves for 10 days on Friday 3 February.

War Memorial Theatre

Council is planning to upgrade the War Memorial Theatre in Bright Street. A feasibility study, plans and cost – estimated at $7m - have been done. However questions have been raised about the cost of the upgrade and whether a new facility could be developed cheaper somewhere else.

An additional feasibility study was carried out by Gisborne’s Architects 44 to look at putting a new theatre at Lawson Field. Concept drawings and cost – estimated at $11.7m – were presented to Council.

Decision

Council decided to stick with the original proposal to upgrade the War Memorial Theatre in Bright Street. It will be included in the draft 2012-22 Ten Year Plan. Everyone can have their say about this when submissions open in March.

Haronga Road branches sacrificed for improved wastewater services

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 09:00:00 +1300

It’s the branches or the pipes in Haronga Road.

Wastewater pipes that were installed at the beginning of last century are being upgraded. To do this some trees in this leafy street need a trim.

Our priority is to get the pipes replaced and ensure the long term health of the trees, says Council's wastewater team leader Helen Churton. “The pipeline is in the centre of the street. If we hadn’t pruned the trees there was a risk that branches by the road could be torn off. That’s the nature of the machinery we need to use. This would have a huge impact on the entire tree.”

“We are aware that some residents are not happy with the way the trees have been pruned. The reality is they have been pruned to allow the equipment through rather than for good looks. We could prune the trees on the other side to give them a more even appearance but we have been advised that would not be best for the health of the trees.

Meanwhile the replacement of the pipeline is moving ahead according to schedule. It is the last wastewater pipe replacement project of the season and is likely to be finished by mid March.

Council and the contractor are now deciding which service connection pipes need to be replaced and where they are. “These are the pipes that connect homes to the Council system,” says Mrs Churton. “If there are Council trees affected by the replacement of these pipes, property owners will be consulted. Some trees may need to be removed but we are trying to avoid that.”

Changes proposed to how septic tanks are managed

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 10:30:00 +1300

The rules around how septic tanks and other on-site wastewater systems are managed may be changing. The changes will affect about 30 percent of property owners in the district who are not connected to the city’s or Te Karaka’s sewer system and are responsible for getting rid of their own wastewater.

The changes are proposed because the current rules do not protect the environment as well as they could do, says Council's natural resources team leader Yvette Kinsella. “All on-site wastewater systems discharge some wastewater into the soil. These discharges need to be managed so they don’t affect people’s health or the environment. In some parts of the district soils don’t drain very well, there is unstable or steep land and places where the water table is high. These can all cause problems for wastewater systems.”

“There are lots of ageing wastewater systems in the district. We are not proposing that everyone should have a new advanced treatment system. Conventional systems can work well in the right location if they are cared for. Cleaning and maintaining your system helps to prolong its life and makes sure it is working effectively. Although it is encouraged, there is nothing in the current Discharges Plan that formally requires people to clean or maintain their systems.”

For those who live in higher density areas like Wainui, Makaraka, and rural townships where there are higher densities of septic tanks, the proposed change would mean owners would have to clean their septic tanks every 5 years or when it is two thirds full of sludge – whichever happens first.

“There are a lot of systems close together in these areas and a greater risk to the environment and public health,” Ms Kinsella says.

Other changes would affect all septic tank owners. It is proposed that the plan is changed:

to allow different rules for different types of wastewater systems
so a resource consent is not needed for systems that meet certain conditions
so systems are placed away from difficult areas or where there are underground obstructions
to ensure a higher level of treatment if the soil can’t adequately process wastewater
so owners clearly know what a “failing” system is
to make maintenance compulsory for all “advanced” treatment systems.

Information packs were sent out last week outlining proposed changes to Council’s Discharges Plan. The information packs include a summary of the changes, a submission form and the booklet Your Septic System – a User’s Guide to Home Wastewater Systems about how to look after your septic tank. On-going public education about the dealing with wastewater and updated guidelines for designers, installers and people servicing systems are also proposed in the plan.

“We really want people to have a look at these proposed changes and let us know what they think about them. The full Discharges Plan Change (Plan change 1) and submission form are available on Council’s website. People who are unhappy about the proposal should make a submission to Council, and will have the right to be heard in a hearing.

A series of information meetings are being held in townships throughout the district. The first one is at the Matawai Fire Brigade Rooms tonight (Tuesday 31 January) at 5.15pm. The meeting on Wednesday 8 February at Makaraka will also cover options to reticulate properties in this area. All affected property owners are invited to come along and ask any questions they may have about the proposed changes. Here's the meeting schedule.

Should Makaraka connect to the city's wastewater system?

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:30:00 +1300

Makaraka residents are being asked to attend a public meeting next week about whether their township should be reticulated. A petition received last year called for reticulation of Makaraka to be included in Council’s 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan. An accompanying letter by Makaraka resident Nigel Hope felt that high rainfall in the area was causing unsanitary conditions with toilets that won’t flush and wastewater that won’t drain away.

Council staff have since investigated options to connect Makaraka to the city’s wastewater system. An outline of these options has been sent to all Makaraka residents along with the associated costs. We will be presenting 4 options at the meeting in the Makaraka School Hall on Wednesday 8 February starting at 5.30pm, says engineering works group manager Peter Higgs.

“All of the options come with significant costs; even keeping the status quo. If someone’s septic tanks needs to be replaced it will cost anywhere between $9,000 and $30,000 depending on the system chosen, size of the section etc. Proposed changes to Council’s Discharges Plan would require more monitoring and cleaning out of the tank at least every five years which is also a cost for property owners.”

Council’s preferred option is to supply each property with small pump station with a grinder pump in it that feeds into the Council’s network of pipes. Estimated costs for this are about $28,000 per property. Other options, including a conventional gravity system used in the city, are estimated to cost up to $41,000 per property.

“There is no cheap way to do this,” says Mr Higgs. ‘Reticulated systems are better for the environment and public health but if there is no support from residents the project will not be progressed. If there is support to go ahead the project will be included in the draft 2012-2022 Ten Year Plan and consulted on in March throughout the district. Councillors will then make decision whether it stays in or not.”

Council has decided at a meeting in December that all projects like this need to be funded by those who benefit from the work, says Major Meng Foon. “We deemed that it wasn’t fair for all ratepayers to have to contribute to something like this. City residents have contributed the most to the new wastewater treatment plant and will continue to pay for it through the wastewater part of their rates bill. Rural residents don’t have any reticulated wastewater system; they have to maintain there own so why should they pay. This of course doesn’t make it easy for the people of Makaraka. If they do support reticulation going ahead Council will work out payment options for them over 10 or 20 years.”

Reticulation of Makaraka to the city’s wastewater system was included in the Council’s draft 2009-2019 Ten Year Plan. After consultation in March 2009 it was removed from the final plan. It was considered there was a lack of community support for the proposal.

Grand opening of Motu Trails planned

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:30:00 +1300

Motu Trails, the fourth Great Ride due to be completed under Nga Haerenga, The New Zealand Cycle Trail will be officially opened at Memorial Park Reserve, Opotiki on Sunday 11 March.

The Motu Trails consist of 4 cycle networks, taking riders through a diverse range of landscapes, natural beauty and history. The trails boast spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, panoramic views of the greater Eastern Bay of Plenty, beautiful bush-clad country with plenty of native birdlife and the magnificent Pakihi Stream.

The largely intermediate level trail is one of the 18 Great Rides under The New Zealand Cycle Trail and tipped to become a major attraction for visitors to the East Cape.

New Zealand Cycle Trail Programme Manager John Dunn, rode the trail recently with Governance Group members.

“We were blessed with the best day of summer so far. The Dunes Trail is an ideal ride for all ages and abilities - the surface is great. The views of the Pacific Ocean are just spectacular,” Mr Dunn says.

“The Pakihi Track is a true mountain biking trail, suited for more advanced riders who can navigate the 20km downhill track that follows the Pakihi Stream. Even though the lower half of the track is currently under construction, I would rate it as one of the best downhill rides in the North Island,” Mr Dunn says.

Opotiki District Council CEO Alieen Lawrie says the East Cape is an outstanding cycling destination. “The region is cycle-friendly, has fantastic weather enabling businesses to capitalise on a longer cycling season. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.”

The project has been a collaborative effort between local agencies - the Opotiki District Council, Gisborne District Council, Whakatohea Maori Trust Board and the Department of Conservation, and The New Zealand Cycle Trail. Over $2.9 million has been invested into the development of the Motu Trails.

“The official opening acknowledges all of the people who have worked hard over the past 2 years to make the Motu Trails a visitor draw card for the regions,” Aileen Lawrie says.

Event details

A dawn blessing will be held prior to the Grand Opening at the Matawai Bridge, corner of Matawai and Motu Road at 6am.

The Motu Trails will be officially opened at 9.30am at the Pakowhai ki Otutaopuku Bridge, Memorial Park Reserve, Albert Street, Opotiki, on Sunday 11 March.

Key attendees will include local MP Anne Tolley, Green Party MP Kevin Hague, Opotiki Mayor John Forbes and Gisborne Mayor Meng Foon.

This is a public event and members of the public are encouraged to bring their bikes and a picnic for a relaxing day out. After the official proceedings, members of the public are also invited to take part in a 19km return ride or a 5km return walk on the Dunes Trail. Refreshments will be available to purchase.

Registration is advisable. Details are available on www.motutrails.co.nz

For further information or photos, please contact:

Sarah Berry, Senior Communications Advisor
The New Zealand Cycle Trail, Ministry of Economic Development, phone (04) 474 2912 mobile 021 221 3274
Jo Pentreath, Executive Officer
Motu Trails Charitable Trust - mobile 021 564 665