Heavy demand
Waipā District Council’s Service Delivery committee has been presented with a 127-signature petition calling for heavy vehicles to be excluded from using Te Awamutu’s main street. The petition was presented to the committee on Tuesday. In a statement to The News, council transportation manager Bryan Hudson said there were longer term plans to provide alternate routes for traffic.
Hitting the button
Arthur Uden, camera back in hand. Photo: Jeremy Smith
Te Awamutu News readers know where to go to get the latest local news and information – teawamutunews.nz.
Our home page was again the most visited page on our website last month. Visitor numbers were up nine percent on the previous month.
Most viewed news items were Arthur Uden’s cancer warning followed by Liquidation on the cards about Te Awamutu College student Jacob Chetwin’s company – Liquidation – which was the Waikato Young Enterprise Scheme’s company of the year. The story about Stephen Burrows’ journey from a schoolboy in Paterangi looking skyward and dreaming of getting into aviation and then becoming chief executive
of a world-leading company was fourth while our News in brief was fifth.
Mind that water
Martin Mould
Predictions of a long dry summer have prompted early calls from councils to conserve water. Three – Waipā and Waitomo districts and Hamilton city councils – put the call out yesterday. (Tuesday).
“We need to be mindful of our water use as it is not an unlimited resource,” Hamilton City Council’s Three Waters Unit Director Maire Porter said. She said water use was already on the rise in the city. Waipā District Council’s water services manager Martin Mould said Waipā was unlikely to have water alerts in place this summer, but “being smart with water use should still be a daily habit”.
“While we may not have to worry about water alerts, many of our regional neighbours and holiday destinations will have restrictions in place over the summer period that you need to be conscious of,” he said.
Scholars named
Three Waipā based students have won $6000 scholarships towards their 2024 tertiary studies in the latest round of grants from the David Johnstone Charitable Trust. They are Billy Barclay (Te Awamutu College) Ayla Montgomerie (Cambridge High) and Samual Smyth (St Peters). The trust supports science, engineering, teaching and tech students, most of whom come from rural communities and want to apply their skills in rural settings.
The David Johnstone Charitable Trust, administered by Perpetual Guardian, has been operating since 1991, the year after the death of the Waikato farmer and philanthropist has provided another $168,000 to help students fund the start of their tertiary education next year.
The latest list of recipients of an education scholarship with a rural focus were celebrating last week. They each received $6000 from the David Johnstone Charitable Trust, administered by Perpetual Guardian, to help fund the start of their tertiary education next year.
Market all go
The Kaipaki Community Market Christmas Festival is all set for this Sunday. Featuring about 40 stalls and food trucks, there are pony rides for the kids and students from Ohaupō and Kaipaki schools will also perform musical items. Santa will also pay a visit. The market starts at 3pm.
Mayoral fund
Susan O’Regan
Mayor Susan O’Regan spent $902.82 from her Mayoral Discretionary Fund in the financial year ended June 30 this year.
The fund – which had $17,647.20 available – enabled her to respond “spontaneously” and at her discretion to funding requests.
She spent $125 on laminating notices for an “Adopt a Council” response post Cyclone Gabrielle and $777.82 on rental of the Don Rowlands Centre for the Cambridge Music Festival in December last year.
Official information
There were 148 Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act (LGOIMAs) requests made to Waipā District Council in the four months from July 1, council’s Audit and Risk committee was told this week. All bar one met the 20 working days statutory timeframe for a response. The council did not capture one correctly as a request but once it was, a reply was provided within 11 days. Meanwhile in the same period, one investigation was initiated by the Ombudsman following a complaint by a member of the public.
Noise calendar
Noisy days at Mystery Creek comply with Waipā’s District Plan again with only six major events, 12 day-night activities and 49 go kart racing days considered to be noise activities. The calendar has to be filed with the council every year. The first big event at Mystery Creek next year will be a Scout Jamboree from January 1-5.
Housing vision
Waipā’s housing subcommittee has approved a draft Housing Implementation Plan for presentation to the Strategic Planning and Policy committee next year. The plan contains a vision for how council can, with partners and key stakeholders, increase stocks of affordable housing in the district and boost housing for the elderly.
Kihikihi plan
A conceptual master plan for a medium density residential development on Waipā council land at Stockade Reserve in Kihikihi is being prepared by Paua Architects.
The council is working with Maniapoto Ki Te Raki to prepare a relationship agreement which will keep mana whenua informed of progress.
Appeal fails
The High Court at Hamilton has dismissed an appeal by Ōtorohanga farmer John Walling who argued fines issued for polluting the Matapara Stream were manifestly excessive’. In June Walling and his company Cazjal Farm Limited were fined $96,000 each.
