Eye on Clutha District - early September 2026

Council has agreed to write a letter of support for a Catlins Dark Sky Reserve initiative. This will support an application to give International Dark Sky Park status for an area centred around the Purakaunui Recreation Reserve in the Catlins. Dark Sky status protects the night sky from light pollution and conserves an area’s cultural, scientific, natural, or educational values. 

At the meeting on 20 August 2026, Council was briefed on this community-led project and its aims. Providing a letter is a requirement of the application and acknowledges councils’ support and recognition of the potential environmental, community and economic benefits associated with achieving Dark Sky Park status. Photo courtesy of Jo McLeary. Read more.

We're pleased to announce the launch of a six-month colour sorted glass recycling trial at the Milton Transfer Station only. Up until now, people have either put their glass in their red bin or taken it directly to the Mt Cooee Landfill in Balclutha for disposal. 

 “This will give residents a way to help keep glass out of landfill and to help develop and support better recycling processes for the district,” Council's Waste and Greenspace Team Leader Scott Martin says (pictured). “We ask users to bring clean, empty glass bottles and jars to the transfer station and place them into separate bins for clear, brown and green glass.” Read more. See more on our Facebook page.

Key findings: 85% satisfied with district wastewater systems, 92% satisfied with the wheelie bin service, 90% satisfied with Mt Cooee landfill, 93% satisfied with community libraries. Council facilities scored between 81% and 97%, the highest being Clutha iSite Visitor Information Centre. 

Some of the areas residents scored the council lower in included: 37% satisfied with value for money from rates, 50% satisfied with being able to have a say in Council decision-making and planning, 57% satisfied with the overall performance of the Clutha District Council. Read more: The full survey can be found here: 

Under section 27 of the Local Electoral Act 2001, Council has made a decision about which electoral system it intends using for the 2028 Clutha District Council triennial election. The choices were retaining the First Past the Post electoral system or changing to the Single Transferable Voting electoral system.

At the meeting on 20 August 2026, Council resolved to retain the First Past the Post electoral system. However, electors of the Clutha District Council have a right to demand a poll at any time to countermand the use of the First Past the Post electoral system. Should a valid demand for a poll be received by 11 December 2026. Formal notification of this is on the website - for more information click here.  

Annual Plan and rates information

Rates invoices have been sent for the first quarter (Instalment One - 28 August. Instalment Two due 27 November 2026). For key information read more. For rates and property information click here. Please contact us if you have specific questions on charges, for example Rural Water Scheme Funding Changes that were adopted in the Annual Plan. Key decisions are listed on page 6 of the document - click here. Fees and charges are listed here.

In mid-July, we marked a major milestone in providing rural water infrastructure, with the official opening of the Balmoral Tuapeka Rural Water Scheme as a $26.2M investment into providing a secure, reliable, and compliant rural water supply for this part of the Clutha District. Read more.

The project was split into two contracts to construct the pipeline (Contract 850 Southern Trenching Limited) and to construct the pump stations (Contract 865 Cowley Electrical, Dairy and Pumps). At the Risk and Assurance meeting on 3 September, Council noted that these contracts have been issued with practical completion. Now the project team is focused on progressing booster pumps at Waitahuna pump station, to ensure high demand flows can be met. Cost estimates and lead time is being investigated for installation and construction. The remaining budget of $80,910 will be utilised. Pictured: Clutha District Mayor Jason (Jock) Martin and crs Simon McAtamney and Roger Cotton at the RWS opening on 17 July 2026.

The new temporary transfer station bays at Mt Cooee Landfill at Balclutha have been up and running since 19 August. 

Users are encouraged to drop off their green waste and general waste into the bays, which are regularly cleared for ease of access. The new bays are a change from the old drop-area at the top of the current cell - just follow the signs and our staffs' directions for the new layout.

For the latest updates on what is happening in the district's recycling space, go to our Rubbish, recycling and waste minimisation pages here.  

Repairs have begun to Union Street/State Highway 1 Milton as scheduled, from this week

Isaac Construction’s roading subcontractor, Fulton Hogan is carrying out works between Springfield Road and Park Road.

Once the work is complete, the detour via Melville and Centennial avenues can be lifted. In the meantime, some temporary repairs are taking place on Centennial Ave to keep it safe and useable. The road will be repaired once SH1 is able to take traffic once more. (Pictured, repairs to the southbound lane). Read more.

The main pool in the Elsie Stewart Community Library and Pool project is continuing to take shape with the big pre-cast panels and foundation beam installed. The Balance Tank and pool panels are installed with stitch joints completed. Excavations, installation of steel reinforcing, concrete for foundations and footings is ongoing. 

Essential components of the pool are currently in transit from Italy and due in the country around mid-September. The manufacturing of the structural steel is finished with approximately 80% of the pool and hall steel painted with the first delivery of steel on site in early August. Meanwhile the Bruce Community Trust has moved closer to its $2M fundraising goal, having raised $1.7M in grant funding and an additional $240,000 – a total of $1.94M. Council has also lodged the Better off Funding $1.9M application in August. Pictured, elected members on a recent site visit.

Gray Street Plaza: Scheduled works this month include brick pavers placement within the 'three rivers' sections, electrical installation and testing, footpath surfacing works completion, kerbing and channelling at entrance and nib curb finishing, and wall painting to the road-facing side. 

Installing the brick veneer on the feature wall has been deferred until warmer temperatures. For progress photos, go to 3 September 2026 Risk and Assurance Committee agenda page 43.

Weather permitting, the aim is to open this community space by the end of September. 

Start earmarking those household goods that you want to rehome - the annual Second Hand Sunday is coming up on Sunday, 4 October 2026, between 9am and 12pm. Sign up online to participate. You’ll find the registration form and more information on our website: Second Hand Sunday.

You'll need to register by Monday, 28 September for your address to make the list for the print advertisement and Facebook post.

With cases found in New Zealand, we are preparing for the potential arrival of High Pathogenicity Avian Influenza H5N1 (HPAI or bird flu) to the Clutha District. There are no confirmed cases here at this time. We can't stop it coming (mostly spread through migratory birds) but we can play our part in minimising the impacts by working to MPI guidelines. For more information click here.

Meetings in chambers at Rosebank Terrace, Balclutha:

- Workshops: Thursday, 10 September at 1.30pm, and Thursday, 17 September at 8.45am. 

- Next Council meetings: Council: Thursday, 17 September and Thursday, 15 October at 1.30pm. 

- Next Risk & Assurance meeting: Thursday, 3 September and Thursday, 15 October at 9.30am. 

- Meeting dates available here. 

- Agendas available here.

We know we live somewhere special. Keep in the loop with what’s happening across the district in the Our Place Clutha What's On Guide. We'll be moving into the Spring edition soon, but just in case you need some of those winter warmers a bit longer, click here.

We're keen to celebrate Clutha - the past, present and future. If you have a photo, artefact or heirloom with a story attached about our district, send it to:  communications@cluthadc.govt.nz.  Pictured, unidentified Group at the 1928 Warepa School Reunion - do you recognise anyone? PHOTO: Clutha Heritage.

Don't forget to sign up for the Antenno App where you can receive instant notifications on services. You can even send in service requests via the App. For instructions to sign up to the App go to www.cluthadc.govt.nz/council/do-it-online/antenno