Upcoming Council meetings –November/December 2024

Photo: Fox Glacier Paint and Sip – from Fox Glacier Community Development Officer

Introducing Kathryn Ogilvie

A day in the life of a Planning Department BSO

Kathryn Ogilvie is a Planning Department Business Support Officer. She has a varied and busy role providing administrative support to the Planning Team. This includes entering new consent applications, generating invoices, and issuing letters, decision documents and certificates.

“I also have projects centred around improving the productivity and efficiency of the planning team. This varies from digitising of paper records for ease of access, to ensuring our processes are up to date and keeping the website updated.

My favourite part of my job is working with others who share the same vision, goals and love for our region and its environment. It is great being part of a supportive team and in a positive work environment. The role is not without its challenges – each application for a Resource Consent can vary immensely and we often spend time finding and implementing solutions to complex or unusual applications that we receive.

On a day-to-day basis, I will often spend time answering common calls about when resource consent is required. This is most commonly in relation to vegetation clearance, additions to or new dwellings, subdivisions or other such activities.

I feel this career path chose me. Being a stay-at-home mum kicked my confidence. I thought I would never have a career as I was raising a family. When the Business Support Officer role was advertised, I loved the idea of supporting the planning team working under the district plan to do what is best for the development of our beautiful Westland District and community. While no formal tertiary qualification is required to fill a business support officer role within the planning department, proven administration or assistant experience and knowledge of office management systems and procedures is preferred.

A common misconception is that I just answer phones and do data entry. This is just the tip of the iceberg of what my role encompasses. Providing administrative and business support to the department requires a basic understanding of planning rules and answering questions from the public; the ability to work under statutory timeframes required by the RMA – so excellent time management skills are essential; multitasking, attention to detail and problem-solving skills. The Administration officers are held to a high standard and work with strict time frames to issue documents, letters, and invoices on behalf of the Planners. It is a demanding job and not for the faint-hearted!”

Text and photo: Westland District Council and Kathryn Ogilvie

Public toilet works nearing completion

Tancred Street Toilets:

The Tancred Street toilet refurbishments are nearing completion. The new wall linings have been completed, and the tiling of the walls and floors is almost complete. Contractors are currently focussing on replacing damaged roof sheets. Installation of hand dryers and reinstallation of the sanitary fittings have been done this week. The toilets are expected to reopen soon.

Ōtira Toilets:

The toilet installation is virtually complete, with the toilets being installed and plumbed in. The septic tank, electrical installation and accessible carpark still need to be completed. The toilets and carpark are expected to be completed by mid-November.

Text and photos: Westland District Council

Fox Glacier Paint and Sip

Fox Glacier Community Centre was transformed into an Art Studio for a night on Saturday, 12 October for a community Paint and Sip event. Hosted by the Fox Glacier Community Development Officer with Maggie McCulloch as the amazing MC, the event was hugely successful. Participants created some brilliant pieces of art as seen in the photos below.

Congratulations to the prize winners, Jayde Warren, Jake Sullivan, Lisa Bron and Flavia Lara.

Photos: Fox Glacier Community Development Officer

Fox Glacier Paint and Sip

Franz Josef shares the Spooky Spirit

Franz Josef celebrated this past Halloween with a kid’s “Trunk or Treat” event. Organised by two locals who both enjoy the tomfoolery of the holiday, this is a version of trick-or-treat where the boot of a vehicle is decorated, and kids move from one ‘trunk’ to the next. Some of the vehicles were scary, some were interactive, some were silly, and some made the kids earn their lollies!

The weather thankfully held off and families from Franz Josef, Whataroa, Fox, and beyond attended. It was special to see so many families out together, the many creative, varied costumes, and the wider community help kids enjoy this fun experience. This type of Halloween event works really well in an area where houses and “neighbourhoods” are spread out, and many people don’t participate in Halloween activities.

We’re already looking forward to hosting a similar event again next year! Many thanks to the Glacier Guides for the use of the car park and covered areas, as well as the individuals and businesses that hosted vehicles.

Text and photos: Rhianna Hughes Eddy

Westland Industrial Heritage Park volunteers making a difference

Every year, the Westland Industrial Heritage Park (WIHP) donates the profits from its operation on the day nearest to Daffodil Day to the Cancer Society. We recently presented a $1,000 donation to the Cancer Society. This substantial donation was made possible by a particularly successful day followed by a night run on the Mud Bush Railway and sausage sizzle to celebrate the beginning of daylight saving. The railway was closed to the public for track maintenance for much of October and re-opened in time for a night run on 31 October for Halloween. The track and station were decorated by the Hokitika Community Trust with Spiders and webs, all sorts of Ghost and Ghouls and the Grim Reaper. The weather was kind, and the crowds turned out in their hundreds – a very successful evening!

In late October the WIHP received a visit from about 20 big trucks that were part of a South Island Trucker’s Rally. The rally participants really enjoyed our displays of trucks and big machines.

Some of the Park’s trucks and tractors have been moved into the shed for the new Tracks and Wheels display.

Tidying up and dealing with surface drainage is in progress around the new Maritime Centre. In the meantime, the Livery crew await the removal of the boats to finalise some of their displays. The Lean-to on the eastern end of the Livery has been completed.

The new surfacing and drainage improvements have worked very well with no damage following some of the wet spells with very heavy falls of rain.

Call for volunteers

WIHP has become very big operation and planning for existing and new projects is an ongoing and growing task carried out by our fairly small number of volunteers. In addition, we are an Incorporated Society and with a change in legislation we must comply with the new 2022 Incorporated Societies Act. We have until 2026 to bring our Constitution in line with the new Act. We have been working steadily on this and hope to complete it by the end of the year.

So, as usual with this article I include a plea to anyone who may have some spare time, or want a new challenge, to come and join our gang of volunteer helpers. We don’t just need old men who love machines, we need people with any skills or interests but mostly people who would like to be part of a diverse team of volunteers. Get in touch if you would like more information about volunteering:

Email:wihpark@gmail.com

Web site:http://www.westlandheritage.co.nz  

Text: Westland Industrial Heritage Park, Image: Photo by Yoksel Zok on Unsplash

PLNZ Wellbeing Outcomes – Community Impacts Survey

The Westland District Library invites you to share your thoughts about your Library Service in this survey.

This is a nationwide survey being done on behalf of all public libraries in New Zealand. By sharing your responses, you’ll play an important role in helping to improve public library services across New Zealand. However, for the data to be most useful to Westland, we need more than 320 surveys to be completed by people in the Westland District.

Scan the QR code above or click this link to get started.

Many thanks for your participation in this survey which will provide valuable information on the impact and contribution of public libraries to the wellbeing of their communities across New Zealand.

Have your say on changes to NZ Post’s mail service obligations

MBIE is seeking feedback on how changes to the minimum obligations on NZ Post’s mail service could impact New Zealanders.

There are 5 key proposed changes:

• Reducing minimum delivery frequency from:
  • Minimum 3 days per week in urban areas, to 2 days per week.
  • Minimum 5 days per week in rural areas, to 3 days per week.
• Reducing the minimum number of postal outlets from 880 to 500. Considering a glide down to a minimum of 400 over time.
• Providing for NZ Post to meet its requirement to extend its network in the form of delivering to cluster and community boxes for new addresses.
• Allowing NZ Post to convert existing delivery points into communal points at a rate of up to five percent per year.
• Instead of a 5-year period before the next Deed Review, suggesting the next Review be in 3 years. Including the option for an earlier Review for example if annual mail volumes fall below 120 million.

Consultation is open until 5pm, 10 December 2024. Find the full consultation documents and submission information here.

Text: Ministry of Business, Employment and Innovation

Image: Ingolfson, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:New_Zealand_Post_Oddshaped.jpg

Have your say on the review of the West Coast Te Tai o Poutini Conservation Management Strategy

The Department of Conservation, Poutini Ngāi Tahu (Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Waewae and Te Rūnanga o Makaawhio) and the West Coast Tai Poutini Conservation Board are partnering to develop a new Conservation Management Strategy (CMS).

The CMS is the overarching strategy for managing the natural, cultural, historic, and recreational values of public conservation lands and waters on Te Tai Poutini West Coast.

With 84% of Te Tai Poutini West Coast being public conservation lands and waters, the CMS plays a significant role in shaping the region’s future. Whether you live near, operate on, care about, or visit the area, the new CMS will affect you as it will influence how these lands and waters are managed.

We want to hear how you use and value this place and how you think it should be managed for the next 10 years and beyond.

Take our survey to share your views and help shape how this place is managed over the next decade. You can find it here. The survey will be open from 16 October to 16 December.

Text: Department of Conservation

Photo: Mica Minetops, Albert Nisbet, CC BY 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons