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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Illegal dumping continues to hit ratepayers in the pocket, with volunteers sending a message to the culprits: "Don't be a tosser."
Ashburton District Council paid $13,000 to clean up illegal dumping in 2022-23, and from June to … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Illegal dumping continues to hit ratepayers in the pocket, with volunteers sending a message to the culprits: "Don't be a tosser."
Ashburton District Council paid $13,000 to clean up illegal dumping in 2022-23, and from June to September the bill has tallied $1700, infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said.
“The first three months are trending slightly lower than usual. Annually the cost usually falls somewhere between $10,000 and $15,000."
The cost of disposal and council staff investigation time is not included in the price.
One offender was found and issued a fine of $400, he said.
The cost for the council did not take into account the work of Litter-Free Ashburton, McCann said.
The local volunteering group did monthly litter pickups around Ashburton, and most of what they picked up was illegally dumped material, McCann said.
The volunteers, a group of about 16 mostly retired people, meet on the second Thursday of every month and target trouble spots around Ashburton.
Litter-Free Ashburton spokesperson Bev Skates said the group usually collected about 20 bags of rubbish, ranging from common household rubbish to the bedding, tyres, pallets, carpet, furniture and other large items.
“People are just too lazy to go to the dump,” Skates said.
Once the litter is bagged and piled up at a location, the council organises its collection.
The council supplied hi-vis vests and tools to help the group, Skates said, and it also cut back tree branches to reduce illegal dumping.
One of the worst hit areas was North Park Reserve, the strip of land along State Highway 1 at the northern end of town, Skates said.
Rubbish was found all along the stretch of the highway from people throwing items out of their vehicles on their way out of town, she said.
“We don’t want tossers.”
Rather than adding more rubbish bins, people needed to use the available one and have some social responsibility, she said.
A recent council report highlighted that illegal dumping is prevalent around Melrose Rd, which leads to the Ashburton/Hakatere River, and Alford Forest Rd on the western edge of Ashburton.
Elizabeth Ave is the trouble spot in Rakaia, with illegal dumping occurring at the edge of town near the Rakaia Domain.
Methven had no reports of illegal dumping in September, but the report stated there had been an increase in dumping at the Methven recycling facility.
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Glow in the Park will move to a bigger venue from next year, raising concerns it will come with a heftier price tag.
The decision was made on Tuesday to shift the free admission light festival from the Tinwald Domain to the Ashburton Domain from … View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
Glow in the Park will move to a bigger venue from next year, raising concerns it will come with a heftier price tag.
The decision was made on Tuesday to shift the free admission light festival from the Tinwald Domain to the Ashburton Domain from 2024.
But that move could come with a $100,000 price tag.
The move was aimed at allowing the event to expand, and alleviating the congestion issues created by its popularity.
More than 17,000 attended across two nights this year, with the third night rained off. That was a 70% increase in attendance, which caused gridlock traffic in town.
The cost was also a key talking point around shifting the Ashburton District Council-run event.
In her report to council, events advisor Sarah Davidson said the event required funding well over the council’s budget of $15,000 to be successful.
The event cost a minimum of $60,000 and could “go as high as $100,000 depending on the design and offering of the event”.
The original event was funded by EA Networks to celebrate its centenary, but the council was left to foot the bill this year. It was helped by local business sponsorship funding of $47,000.
As admission is free, mayor Neil Brown and councillor Tony Todd supported the possibility of creating a temporary car parking area in the domain.
The carpark could charge a fee to create revenue while also encouraging more people to walk, Brown said.
Councillor Russell Ellis suggested going a step further by introducing an admission fee for the council’s “flagship event”.
“[If] this event is going to cost over $100,000 to run, maybe there needs to be an admission fee. It doesn’t have to be high.
“How you then police that in the domain becomes very difficult as well.”
Councillor Richard Wilson wanted it made clear it was not a free event.
“We call it a free event but it’s paid for by the ratepayers.
“To put it in context, the grading of the district's shingle roads costs $377,000 a year and we could end up spending $100,000 on this.”
Wilson and councillors Phill Hooper and Rob Mackle opposed the event's move, believing it should remain in Tinwald.
The first Glow event planned for 2021 was to be held at the Ashburton Domain but was cancelled due to covid restrictions.
The event was held in 2022 at the Tinwald Domain as it offered easier control of entry points to ensure compliance with covid rules, which were eased before the event.
Deputy mayor Liz McMillan said it was time to move to a bigger venue due to the growing attendance.
Councillor Carolyn Cameron said the move to central Ashburton would provide more walking opportunities for Glow-goers.
“The traffic presumably would be more manageable in town even though the car parking may be more difficult to get.
“I’m sure people will be tolerant of streets clogged up for a few hours a day.”
Councillor Lynette Lovett suggested putting on buses to ease the congestion.
Chief executive Hamish Riach said a bus service could be an option, but it could “need an entire fleet” to take the pressure off.
“We have been very mindful of the costs for this event.
“Putting on buses requires cost and you have got 17,000 [people]. Even a big bus carrying 40 people has to make an awful lot of trips to make a difference.”
Ashburton Domain celebrates 160 years next year and the event would be held at King's Birthday weekend. This factor was also considered in the move.
By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
They have the views and now just need the loos.
A Matariki observation deck has been installed next to what will be a new toilet block at the Rakaia Gorge Campground, with the $450,000 project on track to be completed by the end of the year.
… View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
They have the views and now just need the loos.
A Matariki observation deck has been installed next to what will be a new toilet block at the Rakaia Gorge Campground, with the $450,000 project on track to be completed by the end of the year.
Council infrastructure and open spaces group manager Neil McCann said while the platform has been constructed, it is “not ready for opening as it still requires some finishing work and signoff”.
“There is no public access at this stage and is still a secured work site.”
The old public toilets at the Rakaia Gorge Campground, which were built in the 1970s, are being demolished and replaced with a new prefabricated dry-vault toilet block.
“The new toilets are arriving at the end of November and will be operational a couple of weeks later.”
For the Matariki viewing platform, there will be interpretive signage and a Matariki narrative, which the council is working with Te Rūnanga o Arowhenua, McCann said.
There is also some lighting, deck and picnic furniture, new carparks and path, and landscaping to complete around the area.
The site is tracking towards being open to the public in December, with the details of an official opening and site blessing still to be confirmed.
The project is running under budget, McCann said, with the $451,000 project receiving $277,000 from the Government’s Tourism Infrastructure Fund (TIF).
Council open spaces manager Ian Soper explained in March that round six of TIF applications last year had a directive to incorporate a focus on the Matariki public holiday, which was why the council’s toilet replacement had included the star viewing deck.
------------------------------
TIF fund finished
The Tourism Infrastructure Fund has come to an end.
MBIE manager of investment management performance David Talbot said budget allocations for the fund have now been exhausted, with round seven the final planned round.
“Decisions for the future of a TIF is for the incoming government.”
It was introduced in 2017 to provide up to $25 million annually to develop tourism-related infrastructure in regions facing pressure from tourism growth.
Over the seven rounds since 2017, the Ashburton District Council received $1,175,273 for three projects.
It received $739,945 for the upgrade of the Rakaia Salmon site in 2019, $158,328 for enhancing the rest areas at Taylors Stream and Awa Awa Rata Reserve in 2021, and then $277,000 for the redevelopment of Rakaia Gorge toilets and Matariki observation deck in 2022.
Neighbouring Selwyn District Council has cashed in almost $2m of funding across all seven rounds of the TIF to upgrade its public toilet network.
They have received a total of $1,954,450 with the majority of the projects related to upgrades or installation of new public toilets.
The Southland District Council received the most from the TIF, receiving $10,518,535 – which included $6.5m towards the Te Anau wastewater project.
The Westland District Council received $6,828,115, followed by Thames-Coromandel ($6,554,857), Queenstown Lakes ($5,336,781) and the Far North District Council $5,002,371.
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From local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A roading expert has explained why Ashburton district's potholes are repeatedly patched up rather than properly fixed.
It all comes down to funding.
During a recent meeting, councillor Lynette Lovett questioned why the process was to … View moreFrom local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A roading expert has explained why Ashburton district's potholes are repeatedly patched up rather than properly fixed.
It all comes down to funding.
During a recent meeting, councillor Lynette Lovett questioned why the process was to repeatedly patch up potholes rather than just fix the section of road.
Lovett asked if any analysis was done on the cost of repeat pothole patches.
“Is it cheaper to do the darn things properly and clear them, than coming back each week and putting up jolly signs and putting black stuff in the potholes?
“It must balance out somewhere along the line for coming out and filling them all the time to actually digging it up and fixing it properly.”
Roading manager Mark Chamberlain said it comes down to funding.
“Ideally, if there is a bit of pavement getting potholes in it and needs to be dug out, that we would be able to just go ahead and dig out it out and do the repair.
“It’s to do with funding we have got available.
“Some of them have to keep getting patched to try and hold them until we have that money available.”
It had been noted before that the contractor is only paid for the first pothole patch repair. The contract is for $6000 per year, and any subsequent repatching is at their own expense.
The road funding conversation may have given many in the room déjà vu.
Potholes are the perennial number one complaint the council receives.
Funding, and specifically the lack of it, has been a regular discussion around the table, making it a big gripe for council and ratepayers.
Mayor Neil Brown reminded councillors the district has a sealed network of 1500km in the district.
“Last year we replaced 8 to 10km of new road.
“Do the equation and it's 150 years to go around and renew all our roads.”
The new roads are built to last 25 years and “even if they last 40 years we need to be doing 37km a year, but we are doing 8 to 10km, he said.
“Money is the problem and we are going backwards."
In the lead-up to the election, National announced it would establish a Pothole Repair Fund.
The pledge was to establish a $500m fund for state highway and local roading repairs, set a new directive to Waka Kotahi to double the current rate of roading renewals and halve the standard response rate for pothole repair from 48 to 24 hours.
Incoming Rangitata MP James Meager said the funding would be included in the new Government’s revised draft government policy statement that is in its 100-Day Action Plan.
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It's that spooky time of year and while there are some streets that welcome Halloween and set themselves up for trick or treating, there are other houses where you're more likely to get an earful than Halloween lollies. Do you think there's a place for Halloween in NZ?
Type … View moreIt's that spooky time of year and while there are some streets that welcome Halloween and set themselves up for trick or treating, there are other houses where you're more likely to get an earful than Halloween lollies. Do you think there's a place for Halloween in NZ?
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By local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A Methven resident says his privacy and views will be ruined if a resort's expansion plans go ahead.
Mark Brownlie lives by Methven Resort and is one of the neighbours objecting to the consent application for the hotel's expansion.
… View moreBy local democracy reporter Jonathan Leask:
A Methven resident says his privacy and views will be ruined if a resort's expansion plans go ahead.
Mark Brownlie lives by Methven Resort and is one of the neighbours objecting to the consent application for the hotel's expansion.
Independent commissioner Darryl Millar is deciding on the consent application, with a public hearing held in Methven on Thursday.
During the meeting, Brownlie described the proposed expansion plans as a “brutal privacy intrusion”.
The development plans would deny him “privacy, outlook and daylight”, with the effects “much more than minor”, he said.
Brownlie said he didn't oppose the resort owners developing of the site, but was against the positioning and height of the proposed new accommodation wing.
His view of the mountains – one of the main reasons he bought land and built there - would be ruined by the proposed development, he said.
The resort wants to build two new accommodation wings, one on the north boundary and one on the west.
The application was lodged by The Methven Limited, which is controlled by Ultimate Hospitality Limited. The company is a subsidiary of The Ultimate Global Group, which is run by entrepreneur Levin Da Costa.
The commissioner will determine if the plans are as intrusive as the neighbours say or if the applicant and its panel of experts are correct in their description of the affects as being “less than minor”.
The commissioner is being asked to consider whether the original resource consent granted in 1982 is still applicable.
Legal advice provided to the council in 2007, the last time an expansion of the site was considered, was that the original consent could no longer be implemented without further consent.
The applicant’s solicitor, Gerard Cleary, argued the consent remained valid and that it “does not include a condition requiring development be in accordance with specific plans”.
The 1982 consent granted permission for four three-story wings extending from the central hotel area, but only one wing was originally built to the south.
The commissioner must also weigh up whether the plans are non-compliant with the district plan, as the site is residential zone C.
A series of conditions have been proposed by the applicant to mitigate the effects of the expansion.
There was also discussion of the potential height reduction of the west wing from three storeys (10.4m height) down to two storeys (7.3m).
If the configuration could be changed, Brownlie suggested the entire expansion could be one block along the northern side, which wouldn’t impact any neighbours.
At the conclusion of the hearing, the commissioner said he would issue a minute asking the council to seek legal submissions, with the applicant then able to have a right of reply.
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