Our Council: e-newsletter

At yesterday's Council meeting on 22 February, Council approved a range of polices, strategies and documents relating to the Long Term Plan 2018/28, for auditing purposes. Council will be carrying out public consultation about the Long Term Plan from 11 April to 11 May, so please keep your eye out for consultation material and remember to have your say about key issues affecting our district. In the meantime, more information can be found on the Plans page of Council's website.

Council also agreed to amend the scope of two projects within the Our Place Milton Community Plan. The scope of the Milton library and service centre project has been broadened to include the consideration of a swimming pool facility as an option. The consequence of this is an amendment to the swimming pool project scope to ensure a linkage occurs with the library and service centre project. Broadening the scopes will provide greater flexibility when making the final choices for these two projects.

As part of our annual bridge inspections, Council's provider of professional roading services, Stantec, has recommended posting weight and speed limits on bridges identified as being susceptible to damage or increased deterioration if they were subject to 'normal' open road loads and speeds. As is usual, a  public notification process will now be initiated for the bridges in question. 

Council has approved two new fee categories as part of the Resource Management Act to accommodate changes made to the legislation last year. The new fees are the boundary activity resource consent (sections 87AAB-87BA, $280) and the resource consent exemption (section 87BB, $210). A consultation process was undertaken with one submission received. The new fees are required to cover the costs of administering these new processes.

Clutha District youth councillors for 2018 were sworn in at their first meeting of the year earlier this month. Members are Kurtis Barlow, Bronson Blackbourn (chair), Hannah Clarke, Steve-Dan Currie, Roy Devereux, Jack Johnston, Ella-Rose Lawrence, Annabelle Philps, Alicia Staniford, Keegan Tunnage, Kane Whitehead, Nicole Young and two Telford representatives yet to be named. One of the highlights for youth councillors this year will be helping to organise and take part in the Clutha Youth Panel “Be Motivated Be You” event being held on the 5th and 6th April. We wish them all the best for 2018.

Contracts have been awarded to the following projects:

McKay Reservoir Pipeline Replacement was awarded to Andrew Haulage for $491,000. The contract also includes the construction of urban submains and some new domestic service connections.

The Pavement Rehabilitation Contract 2017/18 was awarded to Southroads Ltd for $923,195.

Replacement of Bridge 465, Lismore St, Lawrence was awarded to Fulton Hogan for $410,000.

Tapanui Urban Water Reticulation Upgrades 2017 was awarded to Whitestone Contracting for $224,075.

A citizenship ceremony was held during the meeting to welcome the following new citizens Dexter and Jacquelyn De Guzman, Marigje Ponsonby, Senara Puni, Ainul and Abdul Shamim, Abdul Kalim, Abdul Aalameen, Theresa Wilson and Jennel Mckenzie.  The group is pictured below with Mayor Bryan Cadogan.

Lastly, water restrictions for the entire district are no longer in force, due to the onset of cooler temperatures and recent rain. Thanks to all those that made the effort to follow this year's restrictions, especially during the prolonged dry periods. Council will look at re-establishing the applicable seasonal restrictions next summer. In the meantime, Council asks customers to avoid wasting water at all times, as there is a cost involved to treat and supply this water even when there is no shortage. Unfortunately, it is also the case in some areas that too much water (rain) can be a bad thing with our water treatment plants being unable to cope at times.

Remember that Council's website is a great place to find out the latest information on water restrictions and you can also sign up to receive emails about water notices in your area.