New payment dates for property rates

Change to rates processes

From 1 July 2023, rates for the 2023/2024 year will be due on the 20^th of the middle month of each quarter. Rates are invoiced in four equal instalments with invoices due for payment on the 20^th.

Please check your invoice to confirm the due date. You must pay your rates before 4:30 pm on the last day for payment to avoid the 10% penalty. This means Council needs to have received your payment by that time.

Allow Processing time – Be sure to allow time before your instalment due date for processing the transaction.

2023/2024 key dates

Rather than paying the full amount by 20^th of the month due, you can spread the cost over the year by setting up a weekly, fortnightly, or monthly direct debit. This means that you have until 30 June 2024 to clear your 2023/2024 balance.

For more information, contact Petro Klopper, Rates Officer on 03 756 9036

Dog registration – renew online

Make sure to register your dog before 1 August to avoid any late penalties! All dogs three months and older must be registered with your local council.

If you are re-registering your dog, and your details have not changed, you can use the online form on our website to make it even easier – no printing or postage costs.

Registration fees for the 2023/2024 year

*Contact Dog Control on 0800 474 834 to discuss becoming a responsible owner.

Progress update – Hokitika Swimming Pool and Carnegie Building

Hokitika Swimming Pool

The Hokitika Pool stage 2 redevelopment project is moving ahead well with contractors from Henry Adams working on the demolition, Evan Jones doing the building and construction work and Coombes Aquatics Limited doing pool and filtration works. Current progress includes:

• Installation of the new pool liner.
• Pipework between the pool and the new plantroom is nearing completion.
• The new first aid room structure has been completed.
• Earthworks where the new entry and change area will be built.
• Foundations for the new plantroom.

Carnegie Building

Work on the exterior of the Carnegie building is nearing completion. You may have noticed that Trademark Construction have been removing the scaffolding.

• The parapet poly detailing has been installed and completed.
• Plastering and painting of the parapet area has been completed.
• Scaffolds have been removed on two sides of the building, some minor painting touch-ups are being done and once completed the rest of the scaffolding will be removed.
• The new accessible entrance is currently being built.

Photos: Westland District Council

Replica Tunnellers Hut created for Otira Tunnel Centennial

When the tunnel was being built from 1908 to 1923, hundreds of workers lived in primitive conditions at the Arthur’s Pass and Otira ends of the tunnel.

To show what those conditions were like, a replica of a single man’s hut has been built to display at the centennial celebrations on Friday 4^th of August.

The hut will be at the Western tunnel mouth where visitors at the celebrations will be taken by bus to the site of one of the construction camps.

Photo and Text: Simon Williams, Otira Centennial Committee

West Coast Wilderness Trail Kaniere Water Race upgrades

The upgrades to the bridges on the Kaniere Water Race section of the West Coast Wilderness Trail are going well. The project includes the replacement of three narrow bridges.

Weather and supply chain disruptions have caused some delays with both fabrication and on-site safety issues. Two of the three bridges are essentially completed, and this section of trail is expected to be open to walkers and riders by the end of July.

At the beginning of July work on the three bridges had progressed:

• Foundations, gabions and slabs for the long steel bridge were completed and poured. The main structure on the largest bridge was helicoptered in by Anderson Helicopters and the deck grating was fitted. Contractors completed the cross-bracing and importing approach backfill.
• At bridge 2 the existing structure was removed and, footings were excavated and poured onsite in preparation to assemble the new bridge structure.
• The existing structure at bridge 3 was disconnected from piles and new footings were excavated and poured. A new beam and handrail were carted to the site for attachment after the initial set of footings, and old components were removed from the site.

The final stages of backfilling and track reinstatement will be completed soon.

Photos – Liddell Contracting & WDC

Starlink satellite internet rollout

This month, Westland District Council with the assistance of West Coast Emergency Management are rolling Starlink satellite internet kits to 19 communities throughout Westland.

Each kit contains Starlink, small petrol generator, battery pack and vehicle inverter capable of powering the kit and enabling communications back to the Emergency Operations Centre. The multiple ways to power the communications kit means that in the event of an emergency, there is a range of power sources if mains power is unavailable. The kit can be set up in any location as long as the Starlink dish has a clear line of sight to the sky.

In an emergency such as the Alpine fault earthquake, power and communications are likely to be cut off. Starlink kits will provide vital communications support for each community. They will have contact with the Westland Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) and help staff prioritise resources. The EOC will have the ability to share information and support morale.

The kits are Westland District Council assets and, where needed, they can be deployed to other parts of the West Coast and further afield to support disaster management.

The first kit was delivered and tested in the Otira community, and the remaining kits will be distributed across the district this month. The project team have worked closely with the IT team at Westland District Council, Rick McCobb from Honda Farm, Trail and Road in Greymouth, HB21 and Jason Sommerville from J Tech in Christchurch.

Photo – West Coast Emergency Management