Amalgamation - Has UH Gone Past It
I have been a strong advocate for amalgamating local Government in the Wellington region. So much so that I was part of a small team of advocates some years ago under the chairmanship of Kerry Prendergast.
But pipes for water and sewerage are now such a huge issue for Wellington and Lower Hutt in particular and somewhat in Porirua. So much so that Upper Hutt would be foolish to want to amalgamate and help carry the burden of the billions of dollars required to bring the piping up to the reasonable standard enjoyed by Upper Hutt residents.
Perhaps there is a way around it. Central Government might want to step in and provide taxation dollars to fix the problem that sees a wastage of upwards of 50% of water from burst and leaking water pipes and sewerage piping also leaking and contaminating streams which flow into the sea. And thus "pave the way" for a level playing field for ratepayers and the local councils in the region to join forces under one umbrella, one city.
Live Q&A: Garden maintenance with Crewcut
This Wednesday, we're having another Neighbourly Q&A session. This time with John Bracewell from Crewcut.
John Bracewell, former Black Caps coach turned Franchisee Development Manager and currently the face of Crewcut’s #Movember campaign, knows a thing or two about keeping the grass looking sharp—whether it’s on a cricket pitch or in your backyard!
As a seasoned Crewcut franchisee, John is excited to answer your lawn and gardening questions. After years of perfecting the greens on the field, he's ready to share tips on how to knock your garden out of the park. Let's just say he’s as passionate about lush lawns as he is about a good game of cricket!
John is happy to answer questions about lawn mowing, tree/hedge trimming, tidying your garden, ride on mowing, you name it! He'll be online on Wednesday, 27th of November to answer them all.
Share your question below now ⬇️
Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄
From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.
What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?
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4.6% Second half of November
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43.6% 1st December
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17.5% A week before Christmas
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33.2% Whenever you wish
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.