A local Crissis; NPDC rate demands in Arrears.
As the silence now from the NPDC is deafening, on the question of a rate freeze/reduction, or God help us, a rate rise, i made enquirers to ascertain, as I do most years, how many of the districts 36000 rate payers have fallen behind with their payments. 3 years ago, it was only 8 properties. Last year it was approx. 110. But this year for the end of May, it has increased to a unbelievable , just on, 11000, nearly 1/3rd of the district rate payers. Nothing has been said about this situation in any newspaper that I have seen, not consternation has been mentioned anywhere i have read, from the NPDC. Yet they carry on as if nothing is amiss, Covid-19 is behind us, they appear to believe, so lets all sail onward to some sort of mythical well being! Well the real news for them is that most Business is in acute financial distress, on average, and property owners and business tenants are in a death type struggle to survive, at current costs/rate demands. The NPDC answer was that that average rate INCREASE for next is will be absorbed by increasing commercial property rates, more that residential rates. This is supposed to be a great equalizer, yet most small business is now hanging onto life by their fingernails. I read nothing from the NP Chamber of Commerce on this situation, its all as if we close our eyes, the problem will go away. The solution is so obvious what has to be done? Will it happen? I will try and attach a letter written by our present Mayor a few years back, only for enlightenment!
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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43.1% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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56.3% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.7% Other - I'll share below
Neighbourly challenge: Who can solve the daily riddle?
I have a crown but am not a king.
I'm prickly on the outside but sweet within.
What am I?
Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.
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Hato Hone St John - Shocktober
Did you know that each year over 2000 people in Aotearoa / New Zealand will have a cardiac arrest outside hospital care, and 1 person in 10 survives. The chance of surviving is much higher when they receive immediate help.
St John as most of us know are responsible for our ambulance service, however they are so much more than that; and today we are focusing on a service that some of us are aware of, but it is not as widely known as we would like and that there is a very important training which is FREE – This is a 1-hour session called 3 Steps for Life skills to save lives. It is very important that we all learn how we can be of help to those who we consider our community.
This month of October Hato Hone St John, for the third year in a row, are dedicating the entire month to educating as many kiwis as possible, across the motu, how to respond to someone having a cardiac arrest. They now name October Shocktober and will be out and about in the community offering education on 3 Steps for Life
You will find them at:
16th October at Mitre 10 Mega from 12 noon – 1pm
20th October at Seaside Market between 9am – 2pm
22nd October at St John Hall Hawera from 5.30pm
3 Steps for Life is designed to give all New Zealanders the confidence and awareness to take action when somebody suffers a cardiac arrest by:
1) Calling 111 – what to expect
2) Starting CPR - what to do and how you can start
3) Using an AED- (Automated External Defibrillator) -
This training session is so helpful and takes the mystery and uncertainty out of what needs to happen.
Justin, one of our Taranaki Community Educators talks with Marie and Graham on their Volly Voices show on Access Radio about how he works predominantly works in schools and how students are taught how to respond in an emergency. He works with year 1 – year 13; and from year 7 and up the CPR component is added. It is also interesting to learn from Justin about the other programmes that are available for our young ones – in total there are four different programmes delivered in schools.
Hato Hone St John New Plymouth offers full first Aid training locally too and if you are interested in joining one, Volunteering New Plymouth will be organising one in the near future so you can check with them about joining of one of their sessions or check St John online for their next available training.
Where can you learn more? If you are interested to learn more about Hato Hone St John, you can listen to:
Volly Voices live on Access Radio Taranaki 104.4fm on Sunday 13th October at 2pm when Justin chats about what is happening at St John and how they support the community and the training sessions they offer
This can also be listened to on the Monday 14th October on:
Spotify open.spotify.com...
Apple Podcast podcasts.apple.com...
Access Radio website www.accessradiotaranaki.com...
Volunteering New Plymouth website www.volunteeringnewplymouth.org.nz...
Who can you contact? If you are curious to learn more about the 3 Steps for Life programme and how you can join a session being offered near you, or how you could join St John and / or how you could become a trained trainer to deliver the programme then contact Wendy (Monday to Thursday) at Volunteering New Plymouth on 06 758 8986, Ph/Text: 022 571 4228 or Email: admin@vnp.nz.
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