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By local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
A Hokitika pensioner is staging a one-woman rate strike in protest at the amount she is being asked to pay to the West Coast Regional Council.
Liz Whiteside, 71, has written to all seven regional councillors and chief executive Darryl Lew, taking … View moreBy local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
A Hokitika pensioner is staging a one-woman rate strike in protest at the amount she is being asked to pay to the West Coast Regional Council.
Liz Whiteside, 71, has written to all seven regional councillors and chief executive Darryl Lew, taking them to task over soaring rate bills.
Whiteside said she stopped paying her WCRC rates three years ago when they went up 30%.
“You should all be ashamed of yourselves for giving ratepayers a horrendous increase,” she wrote.
This year’s 27% average increase would make the regional rates even less affordable for superannuitants, she said.
“I’m an elderly pensioner nearing the end of my life who has worked hard despite a permanent disability and I don’t agree with throwing money away on a service I am not receiving."
Superannuitants living alone are paid about $1000 a fortnight.
Whiteside said she was already paying $125 a fortnight for Grey District rates, which had risen 18 per cent this year.
“This alone takes a big chunk out of my fortnightly superannuation. But I don’t begrudge paying this due to receiving services from the District Council such as water and sewerage."
The Regional Council, on the other hand, was not providing any services she considered useful or relevant to her property, she said.
A floodwall being built by the council along the Hokitika River, to future proof the area, was in part unnecessary, Whiteside claimed.
“I have lived in my property for 44 years and the highest I’ve seen the river in flood was the water entering the gravel pit … it’s never come over the top.”
The river would have to rise another four metres to endanger surrounding homes, Whiteside claims.
The council has referred her unpaid rates to debt collection and she was receiving letters demanding payment, Whiteside said.
But she was refusing to open the envelope.
“I’m in no doubt the amount showing is now $1194.12 … money I don’t have and can’t pay.”
She had offered to drip-feed the council $20 a fortnight, for three years, which was all she could afford, she said.
Whiteside said she would fiercely resist any attempt by the council to sell her property to recover the debt.
“I will not be forced out of my own home, ever.”
Regional Council chairperson Peter Haddock said he had rung Whiteside after hearing about her concerns.
“We don’t want to put people out of their homes - we have a hardship policy and if they can’t afford their rates, they need to get in touch with our rates team and we can work out a payment plan they can afford."
He did not expect Whiteside would see a 27% increase on her rates bill, because she was not in a special rating district where landowners were paying for flood protection work.
“I would say she’s probably going to have about a 15 percent increase, and I’ve put her in touch with the right person at the council to help her out with a payment plan she can afford."
Councillor Allan Birchfield, who raised the pensioner’s rates complaint with LDR, said many West Coast superannuitants would be in the same position.
“People are doing it bloody hard out there, and the old people especially – they can’t afford these rates, and they can’t see what they’re getting for their money.”
The council had turned into a bloated monster, with more than 80 staff, Birchfield said.
“A lot of those people would be on more than $100,000 - that’s where all the money’s going,” Birchfield said.
Haddock said the council had been forced to use contractors in recent years, but under a new chief executive they had been able to recruit staff to fill long-standing vacancies.
The regional council has had to borrow and rate to cover the multi-million dollar cost of the coast’s new Te Tai o Poutini District Plan – a job imposed on it by the Local Government Commission.
It also borrows to cover the cost of river works and flood protection schemes, but landowners in special rating districts up and down the coast repay the loans over time through additional rates.
By local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
Responding to official information requests is costing the West Coast Regional Council more than $100,000 a year, councillors have been told.
The council’s Risk and Assurance committee discussed a staff report on Tuesday (August 27) showing that … View moreBy local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
Responding to official information requests is costing the West Coast Regional Council more than $100,000 a year, councillors have been told.
The council’s Risk and Assurance committee discussed a staff report on Tuesday (August 27) showing that in the three months to the end of June, the council had 26 requests for official information, including one that asked for all current resource consents and their GIS locations.
Under the Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act, councils must respond as promptly as they can to requests, within 20 days.
All but one had been provided within the statutory timeframe, staffer Jo Field told councillors.
A request filed on 29 December last year had been the subject of a complaint to the Ombudsman after it was lost in the system during the council’s holiday period.
The LGOIMA requests came from members of the public as well as media, and while some were simple enough, others were complex.
An unusual query, asking what contracts the council had with former Cabinet Minister Steven Joyce, was easily disposed of: the answer was none.
Others, relating to reports on the Westport floods and coastal hazard mapping, were more complicated.
Requests refused by the council included one asking for Civil Defence community contacts (declined on privacy grounds) and one asking for correspondence about the Taylorville Resource Park (on grounds of legal privilege).
Chief executive Darryl Lew said OIA requests were on the increase right across central and local government and were also becoming more complex.
Responding to them was creating more work for staff.
“If I totaled up the cost it would be about $120,000 in staff time. It’s a cost of doing business and we don’t have any latitude to opt out.”
The council did not have an in-house specialist to deal with LGOIMA requests and needed to think about the best way of delivering the service, Lew said.
The council had the option of charging for some of the work involved in responses, he confirmed.
Chair Frank Dooley said the council needed to weigh up its options.
“The media is very important on the West Coast – it’s important to the community; we have to balance the need to provide information in an open and transparent manner, as opposed to cost.”
Lew agreed to come up with a paper analysing the issues involved, for councillors to consider at their next meeting.
Our village is open and you’re invited to explore it. Discover our living and care options, tour our show homes, and see the amenities on offer.
Come along and experience why New Zealanders have voted us most trusted brand, for the tenth time.
We look forward to seeing you.
The meaning of retirement is changing. It’s no longer just about saying goodbye to work - it’s now an opportunity to try something new or keep doing what you love. Rather than hanging up their hats, many of today’s retirees are redefining this phase by staying active through part-time jobs, … View moreThe meaning of retirement is changing. It’s no longer just about saying goodbye to work - it’s now an opportunity to try something new or keep doing what you love. Rather than hanging up their hats, many of today’s retirees are redefining this phase by staying active through part-time jobs, volunteering, or even launching new careers.
Living in a retirement village doesn’t necessarily mean you’re done with work either; rather, it offers the opportunity to explore different activities, pursue long-held passions, and discover new interests. In fact, many people find the lifestyle gives them more freedom to stay engaged and active through work they enjoy.
Click read more for the full story.
Cleaners etc which are surplus to requirements. Offers. Cash or bank deposit. Pick-up can be Richmond, Motueka, or near Tapawera. Containers full, unless stated.
Shotz 25-wash fabric softener
Janola 2.5L approx half full
Value eucalyptus disinfectant 2L approx 1/2 full
Crisp spray starch 2 x… View moreCleaners etc which are surplus to requirements. Offers. Cash or bank deposit. Pick-up can be Richmond, Motueka, or near Tapawera. Containers full, unless stated.
Shotz 25-wash fabric softener
Janola 2.5L approx half full
Value eucalyptus disinfectant 2L approx 1/2 full
Crisp spray starch 2 x 400g cans
Vanish oxiaction colour safe 375ml
Vanish oxiaction 375ml refill almost full
Vanish oxiaction 375ml approx inch full
Easy off bam goodbye soapscum 500ml feels almost full
Dettol bathroom 500ml
Handy Andy 750ml 1 full and 1 approx 1/2 full
Just for a little bit of fun, we'd love to know whether Kiwis believe in ghosts. What goes on in our communities that we don't know about!
Perhaps you've seen a ghost or lived in a haunted home in New Zealand. We'd love to know, so vote in our poll and share your experiences … View moreJust for a little bit of fun, we'd love to know whether Kiwis believe in ghosts. What goes on in our communities that we don't know about!
Perhaps you've seen a ghost or lived in a haunted home in New Zealand. We'd love to know, so vote in our poll and share your experiences in the comments below.
For only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home located in picturesque Cooks Beach, worth over $1.2 million dollars.
Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting to be loved by its new … View moreFor only $15 a ticket, you could be in to win this brand-new, fully furnished Jennian home located in picturesque Cooks Beach, worth over $1.2 million dollars.
Featuring three bedrooms, two bathrooms and an open-plan kitchen, living and dining area, this home is waiting to be loved by its new owner.
Make this coastal property your permanent residence, a holiday home, a rental, or you can simply sell it!
Get your tickets today at heartlottery.org.nz.
Father’s Day is just one week away! This year, give him a gift that truly keeps on giving: a magazine subscription. We've curated a special collection just for Father’s Day that he's bound to love. Plus, enjoy the added bonus of free shipping throughout New Zealand.
… View moreFather’s Day is just one week away! This year, give him a gift that truly keeps on giving: a magazine subscription. We've curated a special collection just for Father’s Day that he's bound to love. Plus, enjoy the added bonus of free shipping throughout New Zealand.
Visit mags4gifts.co.nz before 1 September to enjoy generous savings of up to 29%* on magazine subscriptions. Don’t forget to include a personalised message with our free e-card service. *T&Cs apply.
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Many of us are sentimental about our childhoods and lives, and some even collect things to remember moments or people.
Share what you've held on to over the years and whether you still have it today. Feel free to share photos too, we'd love to see.
By local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
The West Coast Regional Council is cutting back on the number of visits it makes to dairy farms to check if farmers are doing the right thing by the region’s rivers.
And it says that is because by and large, they are.
The council marks its own … View moreBy local democracy reporter Lois Williams:
The West Coast Regional Council is cutting back on the number of visits it makes to dairy farms to check if farmers are doing the right thing by the region’s rivers.
And it says that is because by and large, they are.
The council marks its own card annually against the performance targets it set for the year in areas including environmental monitoring.
A report to next Tuesday’s Assurance and Risk committee by principal planning Officer Stewart Genery notes the council failed to meet all the targets it set itself for regular inspections to check if farmers are complying with their effluent discharge consents.
All ‘significant’ discharges – not just from farming - are supposed to be monitored at least once a year and the council met that target, making 498 field visits, the report found.
But over the last three quarters, it failed to achieve its target of inspecting all dairy farms that operate under permitted activity rules at least bi-annually, depending on the farmer’s compliance record.
The report says the council had reprioritised that work programme.
“Dairy farm visits continue … but as a result of maturing relationships with our dairy farming community and continued performance by that sector we have transitioned away from this work to other higher priority work programmes.”
Although that meant a “not achieved" mark, the result still represented a good outcome for the West Coast community, the report said.
Regional Councillor and farmer Andy Campbell says essentially that means farmers are doing a good job of meeting the conditions of their resource consents.
“Everyone’s pretty compliant these days - the Freshwater Farm Plans the council was working on were the carrot that would have replaced our present stick approach - though that’s now on hold."
The former government’s Freshwater Farm Plan regulations came in under the RMA last August and were to be the central tool for farmers to manage water issues, with rules tailored to specific catchments.
The West Coast Regional Council had completed much of that work including consultation with catchment groups and iwi and was about to embark this year on training certifiers and implementing the first Farm Plans.
But it paused the process in May after the government signalled it wanted to simplify the regulations.
“Under the circumstance it is risky for the council to continue … as any farm plan developed and verified may have to be changed substantially or the entire process could even be potentially redundant,” the council said at the time.
*LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Delmaine Fine Foods and Woolworths brand antipasto products are being recalled due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
This includes Delmaine, Woolworths packaged antipasto products and deli antipasto mix.
"The concern with these products is that they may contain… View moreDelmaine Fine Foods and Woolworths brand antipasto products are being recalled due to the possible presence of Listeria monocytogenes bacteria.
This includes Delmaine, Woolworths packaged antipasto products and deli antipasto mix.
"The concern with these products is that they may contain Listeria, which can cause serious illness in pregnant people and their unborn babies, newborns, the elderly, and those with weakened immune systems,” says New Zealand Food Safety deputy director-general Vincent Arbuckle.
These products should not be eaten. You can return them to the place of purchase for a refund or throw them out.
The following products, within the date markings below, are affected by this recall:
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Five Olive Mix (200g) with a use-by between 16/10/24 - 20/11/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Jumbo Olive Selection (200g) with a use-by between 9/10/24 - 27/11/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Pitted Olive Medley (180g) with a use-by between 9/10/24 - 4/12/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Stuffed Olive Mix (160g) with a use-by of 5/12/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Mediterranean Antipasto Mix (215g) with a use-by between 16/10/24-20/11/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Marinated Feta (150g) with a use-by between 10/10/24 - 4/12/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Stuffed Red Peppers (190g) with a use-by between 24/10/24 - 5/12/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Marinated Sundried Tomatoes (200g) with a use-by between 10/10/24 - 4/12/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Marinated Sundried Tomatoes (270g) with a use-by between 7/04/25 - 30/04/25
Woolworths brand Feta and Sundried Tomatoes (200g) with a use-by between 21/11/24 - 25/12/24
Woolworths brand Greek Mix (200g) with a use-by between 20/11/24 - 1/01/25
Woolworths brand Olive Selection (200g) with a use-by between 13/11/24 - 25/12/24
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Mediterranean Mix, sold from Woolworths Deli between 22 July 2024 – 23 August 2024
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Italian Mix, sold from Woolworths Deli between 22 July 2024 – 23 August 2024
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Marinated Sundried Tomatoes, sold from Woolworths Deli between 22 July 2024 – 23 August 2024
Delmaine Fine Foods brand Marinated Feta & Sundried Tomatoes, sold from Woolworths Deli between 22 July 2024 – 23 August 2024
Deirdre loves cooking and enjoys teaching kids about food - something she does three times at week at the Busy Bees Kindergarten in Havelock North. We spoke to her while she whipped up a batch of cheese puffs in her townhouse at James Wattie Village.
Watch her journey of teaching, retirement … View moreDeirdre loves cooking and enjoys teaching kids about food - something she does three times at week at the Busy Bees Kindergarten in Havelock North. We spoke to her while she whipped up a batch of cheese puffs in her townhouse at James Wattie Village.
Watch her journey of teaching, retirement and still working. Plus, we’ve included the recipe to her cheese puffs which were gobbled up by our camera crew because they’re delicious!
Click read more for the full recipe.
Wireless Sensomat for sale. Used only 3 times. In excellent condition. Suitable for an elderly family member or person with dimentia or a disability.
Yes, we love our backyards and think our town is pretty cool but what is there to do?
Imagine you were writing a list for visitors/tourists and want to show them the best that your town can offer in winter. What would you suggest?
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