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Please follow our top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft:
✉️ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
✉️ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
✉️ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
… View morePlease follow our top tips to reduce the risk of mail theft:
✉️ Clear your letterbox in a timely manner
✉️ Put a hold on your mail delivery if you’re going away
✉️ Provide clear delivery instructions for couriers to leave a package safely hidden or secured within your property
✉️ Install security cameras and/or security camera messaging near your letterbox or front of property
✉️ Where practical, consider click and collect over delivery
✉️ Send parcels to a work address or ensuring you're home when they arrive
✉️ Contact Police (111 for immediate issues or 105 if it is after the fact) if you see people loitering around vehicles or looking into car windows
✉️ Engage in neighbourhood groups so more people can keep an eye out for suspicious activity
These tips are being shared after a 44-year-old woman will appear in Pukekohe District Court on 28 March charged with theft.
An alleged mail thief in the Pukekohe area has hand-delivered herself into Police, following assistance from the community.
Counties Manukau South Senior Sergeant MJ Riddle says Police were aware of locals discussing a mail theft on social media. A report was made to Police at the time in January and had included enough detail including CCTV footage and a vehicle of interest. Following Police enquiries, the woman has brought herself into the Pukekohe Police Station a few days later.
“This is a great result for the community and a timely reminder to the public to continue reporting any thefts from letterboxes.”
Senior Sergeant Riddle says
“Our community should be able to receive parcels and mail without concern of interference but unfortunately there are people in our communities who take advantage of opportunities to commit thefts from mail boxes and front porches."
“We encourage anyone who has been the victim of dishonesty offending to report it as soon as possible,” she says."
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Kaikōura is on the brink of significant growth as several projects come to fruition for the tourist town.
The Kaikōura District Council is awaiting a decision on a proposed business park, a housing development is about to take off and planning is … View moreBy David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
Kaikōura is on the brink of significant growth as several projects come to fruition for the tourist town.
The Kaikōura District Council is awaiting a decision on a proposed business park, a housing development is about to take off and planning is continuing on a commercial development at Wakatu Quay.
Council chief executive Will Doughty said a decision from a council-appointed commissioner was due soon on a private plan change to develop the Kaikōura Business Park to the south of the town.
More than 100 submissions were received, but no hearing was required, leaving Doughty optimistic of a positive outcome.
‘‘It will be great to see that operational. It has been a long time in the making, as the seed of an idea was first conceived of about 10 or 15 years ago.’’
Kaikōura Business Park Ltd is proposing to build a business park on a 21.6 hectare site on the corner of Inland Kaikōura Rd and State Highway 1.
The proposed development would bring light industrial businesses together in one location, taking some pressure off Beach Rd.
Doughty said the council has made progress on the infrastructure to allow for housing in the Vicarage Views subdivision, off Ludstone Rd, which received a resource consent last year.
The seven hectare, 83-home development is part of a $7.8 million funding agreement for Kaikōura from Kāinga Ora’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund.
It is expected to provide homes qualifying for the Government’s First Home Grant House Price Cap ($700,000) and provide some much needed older person’s housing units.
The council has been working on roading, footpaths and a cycleway to connect Vicarage Views with local schools, the town centre and the Ocean Ridge sub-division, to the south of Kaikōura.
Stage two of the proposed project was the rezoning of parts of the Ocean Ridge subdivision, to the south of the town, to allow for more housing.
The council has also received interest from another developer interested in providing older person’s accommodation in the town.
Kaikōura has an ageing population with 33% of the town’s population expected to be over the age of 65 within 10 years.
‘‘There is definitely a need for older person’s housing or an aged care facility,’’ Doughty said.
Work is under way on the detailed design for the proposed Wakatu Quay commercial development, and is expected to be completed in June, he said.
The project has been made possible thanks to a $9.8m grant from the Provincial Growth Fund awarded in 2019.
As the lead developer, the council will make provision to borrow up to $800,000 in this year’s 2024-34 Long-Term Plan.
The development is expected to have a seafood theme, with a mix of hospitality, local artists, fishing and tourism businesses.
The council is also continuing to work on its Spatial Plan to make provision for future growth, as part of its District Plan review, with a draft plan expected to be ready for consultation later this year.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
By reporter Keiller MacDuff:
Environment Canterbury (ECan) floated one of the largest proposed average rates rises in the country on Wednesday - more than 24% - a day after the Christchurch City Council adopted a draft proposal for a 13% rates rise.
Councils nationwide are proposing … View moreBy reporter Keiller MacDuff:
Environment Canterbury (ECan) floated one of the largest proposed average rates rises in the country on Wednesday - more than 24% - a day after the Christchurch City Council adopted a draft proposal for a 13% rates rise.
Councils nationwide are proposing significant rises as interest rates bite and increasing severe weather calls for more resilience work.
ECan councillors voted 14:2 to adopt the consultation document for its long-term plan (LTP), which outlines the council's activities, services and finances for the next decade, with councillors Clair McKay and Deon Swiggs voting against the recommendation.
The plan will see ECan spend more than $340 million in the first year, a 26% increase on the $270m programme carried out in 2023-24.
The draft says the council gave “strong consideration“ to the financial pressures the community is facing, but previous decisions on flood management and public transport combined with high inflation meant just maintaining current work required a double digit increase.
The actual rating impact will differ depending on location and targeted rates, meaning the increase will be between 13% and 27%.
If the regional council’s preferred options are adopted, a Christchurch city ratepayer with a $820,000 property would pay $750 in the first year of the plan, while a $1.9m rural property in Hurunui faced a $1030 rates bill for 2024-25, and a $4.76m rural Ashburton property would pay $2681 in rates.
Of ECan's three core services - environmental regulation and protection, hazard preparedness and response, and public transport - the latter has the biggest cost.
The council’s preferred public transport option has a $160m price tag for the first year (a total of $542m over three years) and would see the Public Transport Futures programme improvements delivered within seven years, including upping core bus routes to ten minute frequencies or better by 2028, with average wait times of five minutes.
It also includes:
- More direct services to parts of Waimakariri and Selwyn, starting in 2026-27.
- A review of connector and local services by mid-2026, with improvements implemented by 2031.
- An additional Diamond Harbour ferry and refurbishment of the existing ferry.
- Improvements to the network, such as increasing capacity on crowded buses and small tweaks to routes or frequency
- Enhanced safety improvements, increased investment in reliability and the continued replacement of end-of-life diesel buses with new electric buses.
The option also includes funding to “explore opportunities” to improve transport to and from Te Kaha, on demand services in Greater Christchurch, and - long term - looking at asset ownership.
The document notes the region has “historically under-invested in public transport,” leading to low usage, and proposes “considerable investment.” But both the regional council and the auditor, whose report was also tabled, drew attention to the “high level of uncertainty” surrounding the government’s contribution.
The council’s preferred option for environmental regulation and protection would cost $135m for the LTP’s first year, and could sit alongside a targeted rate for additional biodiversity work in Christchurch and Banks Peninsula.
The separate biodiversity rate works out at 72 cents per $100,000 capital value of rateable properties.
ECan’s preferred option for community preparedness and hazard response - $50.5m - includes a targeted rate for Selwyn residents for district-wide flood and river resilience work.
The targeted rate would cost $7.08 per rate paying property in the first year, $10.62 in the second year, and $14.16 in the third year, raising $400,000 in 2026-27.
Most councillors expressed misgivings about the scale of the proposed rise, but backed the document through the consultation process.
McKay accused her fellow councillors of being “tone deaf”, and asked what right the council had “to treat our ratepayers as an ATM machine?”
She criticised the amount of borrowing and said she was “embarrassed to be associated” with the amount council sought.
Swiggs also expressed misgivings about debt funding, and criticised the local government funding model in general.
“Imagine if Wellington had to budget the way we have to,” Swiggs said, commenting on the discrepency in tax take between central and local government,.
On Tuesday, the Christchurch City Council voted 13 to 4 in favour of a draft long-term plan that proposes an average rates increase of 13.24% from June, followed by 7.76% in the following financial year, and 4.67% the year after.
Consultation on ECan’s draft LTP will run from mid-March to mid-April, with hearings scheduled for the end of April and early May. The council is scheduled to deliberate at the end of May with a view to adopt the plan and set rates in late June.
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Garage Sale, Saturday 9th March, Cubitt St, 8am - 3pm.
Vinyl records, dog ornaments, antique pencil sharpeners, some garden and shed tools, some sewing and craft accessories, wool sacks, Elton John and Rod Stewart autobiographies and lots more.
"What I have harvested from that greenhouse this year, that’s the cleanest crop I have ever grown. No whitefly at all. It’s pretty exciting,” says Anthony Tringham, who grows heirloom tomatoes commercially under the brand Curious Croppers, in Clevedon, Auckland
This week we are wondering about some neighbour etiquette that can cause conflict. If your neighbour has a tree overflowing with fruit that is visible from the road, is it okay to help yourself? Share your thoughts below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded … View moreThis week we are wondering about some neighbour etiquette that can cause conflict. If your neighbour has a tree overflowing with fruit that is visible from the road, is it okay to help yourself? Share your thoughts below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
WIN ONE of FIVE $50 Gift Cards - It's only a few clicks away! Simply complete our easy Broadband Survey and unlock your chance to WIN! Start Survey now.
Our recent neighbourly poll revealed some challenges with broadband providers, and we're here to help. The survey will help us get a … View moreWIN ONE of FIVE $50 Gift Cards - It's only a few clicks away! Simply complete our easy Broadband Survey and unlock your chance to WIN! Start Survey now.
Our recent neighbourly poll revealed some challenges with broadband providers, and we're here to help. The survey will help us get a better understanding of your experience with your current broadband provider. Let your voice be heard.
Have a pesky power bill from Summer aircon use?
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Have you nominated a small business in your community yet? The Prospa Local Business Hero Awards close this week!
Whether you know a great plumber, supermarket, mechanic, bookstore, hairdresser, gardener, pharmacy, builder, shoe store, cafe or electrician - show some love to a small business and… View moreHave you nominated a small business in your community yet? The Prospa Local Business Hero Awards close this week!
Whether you know a great plumber, supermarket, mechanic, bookstore, hairdresser, gardener, pharmacy, builder, shoe store, cafe or electrician - show some love to a small business and make a nomination today.
You'll not only help drum up some support for them in your community, you could also help them win a $10,000 prize package. Plus if your nomination is a regional finalist you'll win a $100 Prezzy® card too!
The sweetest time of the year is just around the corner, and we’ve put together a great deal that will make it even sweeter.
Bennetto Chocolate has helped us put together an amazing chocolate box that’ll be the perfect addition to an NZ House & Garden subscription this Easter. Simply … View moreThe sweetest time of the year is just around the corner, and we’ve put together a great deal that will make it even sweeter.
Bennetto Chocolate has helped us put together an amazing chocolate box that’ll be the perfect addition to an NZ House & Garden subscription this Easter. Simply purchase a 1 or 2-year subscription to NZ House & Garden and the Easter Bunny will deliver you a Bennetto Chocolate Box worth $50 for FREE! T&Cs Apply.
Enjoy,
The team at NZ House & Garden
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Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting for its new owner.… View moreDon’t miss out! For only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home in Pegasus, Christchurch worth almost $1 million dollars.
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The National Party introduced their policy called 'teaching the basics brilliantly' last year regarding changing school curriculums. They are referring to reading, writing and maths.
However, some people believe school should actually be more practical, teaching kids to change tyres … View moreThe National Party introduced their policy called 'teaching the basics brilliantly' last year regarding changing school curriculums. They are referring to reading, writing and maths.
However, some people believe school should actually be more practical, teaching kids to change tyres and balance their finances. Thinking about all the skills that have benefited you over the years, tell us what would be taught at your School of Life?
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
When you move to a Ryman village, the last thing you need to think about are unexpected costs. We offer financial security with rates, home insurance, exterior maintenance and gardening all covered under one fixed base weekly fee*, meaning once you’ve moved in you can focus on the things you … View moreWhen you move to a Ryman village, the last thing you need to think about are unexpected costs. We offer financial security with rates, home insurance, exterior maintenance and gardening all covered under one fixed base weekly fee*, meaning once you’ve moved in you can focus on the things you enjoy.
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