14 days ago

‘Healthy’ response to Waimakariri’s Long Term Plan

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter

Waimakariri residents have had their say on the long-term plan (LTP) and given councillors plenty to consider.

A council spokesperson said ‘‘a healthy’’ 336 submissions have been received to the 2024-34 LTP, making 1670 submission points.

The council is due to hold hearings on the submissions on May 8, from 9.30am, in the Ruataniwha Kaiapoi Civic Centre and then in the Oxford Town Hall from 3pm.

A second day of hearings will be held in the council chambers in Rangiora the following day from 1pm.

The council has signalled a rates hike of 8.94% this year, which is thought to be the lowest proposed rates rise in Canterbury.

Mayor Dan Gordon said the council was feeling the effects of the cost of living crisis, while continuing to pay off its earthquake recovery and Mainpower Stadium loans.

The district’s population is projected to grow from about 70,000 to 82,075 by 2034, based on Stats NZ’s high growth scenario.

To support that growth, the council is proposing to spend around $693 million over the next 10 years.

Managing the natural environment, flood resilience, community facilities and transport infrastructure were being consulted on.

Key projects include the proposed Rangiora eastern link road, a draft natural environment strategy, the Rangiora Library extension and expansion plans for Mainpower Oval.

Once the hearings have concluded, the council will resume its LLT deliberations on May 21 and 22, before the final adoption in June.

■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.

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More messages from your neighbours
3 days ago

Poll: Have you ever been bullied?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

People associate bullying with children in schools, but it can actually stretch beyond childhood to workplaces or neighbourhoods.

This Friday is Pink Shirt Day, which began in Canada in 2007 when two students took a stand against homophobic bullying after a new student was harassed for wearing pink. People across the globe are now encouraged to wear pink on this day to take a stand against bullying and promote inclusivity.

Have you or your whānau ever experienced bullying? Share your thoughts on Pink Shirt Day below.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

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Have you ever been bullied?
  • 81.8% Yes
    81.8% Complete
  • 17.9% No
    17.9% Complete
  • 0.3% Other - I'll share below
    0.3% Complete
1061 votes
6 days ago

Neighbourly Q&A: Renting rights with CAB's Sacha Green

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

We are continuing our Q&A sessions on Neighbourly. This week we have the amazing Sacha Green from Citizens Advice Bureau New Zealand (CABNZ) who will be answering your questions about your renting rights.

A little bit about Sacha:
She has been working for CABNZ for 10 years and is passionate about empowering people with knowledge of their rights as well as ensuring access to justice.

She helps support the team of over 2,000 trained volunteers who deliver the CAB service in 80 neighbourhoods around Aotearoa by providing advice and support at a national level on a wide range of issues. One of Sacha’s work areas is leading the CAB’s social justice work on housing and tenancy issues.

Whether you're a flatmate, landlord, boarder or flatmate, you can leave a comment below and Sacha will share an answer on Wednesday from 9.30am. You may want to ask about notice periods, bond fulfillment, reasonable rent increases, or even whose responsibility it is to deal with mould in the home.

Join Sacha here on Wednesday at 9.30am. See you then!.

⇩ Share your question below ⇩

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20 hours ago

Where do you find the best bargains in Canterbury?

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from The Press

The first South Island edition of the Reduced to Clear outlet store opened in Christchurch’s South City mall this month. It sells end-of-the-line products, cancelled exports or short-dated items - similar to other discount grocers in the city such as Save More and BargainMe.

We're keen to hear from you - where do you find the best bargains in Canterbury? Who has the cheapest veges, the best deals on spices and nuts, the lowest price for petrol etc? What are your tips for dealing with cost of living increases? Comment below or email reporters@press.co.nz

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