October Council Updates

15 October 2020

October / November 2020

Council and Committee Meetings

15 October 2020

Council and committee meetings are held in the Council Chambers of Westland District Council unless otherwise noted. Meetings can also be viewed through livestream on the Council website and on Council’s Youtube channel following meetings.

Meeting	Date	Time
Ordinary Council	Thursday, 22 October	1.00pm
Economic Development Committee	Thursday, 29 October	3.00pm
Extraordinary Council Meeting to Adopt the Annual Report 2019/2020	Monday 2 November 2020	8.00am
Audit and Risk Committee	Thursday, 5 November 2020	1.00pm
Capital Projects and Tenders Committee	Tuesday, 10 November	3.00pm
Planning and Regulatory Committee	Thursday, 12 November	3.00pm
Extraordinary Meeting to Hear Submissions on the Speed Limit Register review	Monday, 16 November	9.00am
Parks, Reserves and Environment Committee	Wednesday, 18 November	3.00pm
Ordinary Council	Thursday, 26 November	1.00pm

Photo © Westland District Council

October / November 2020

Events and Programmes at the Library

15 October 2020

Some events have limited spaces. To avoid disappointment, register for events and activities by visiting the library, email library@westlib.co.nz or call 03 755 6208.

Click the links or check out the library’s website and Facebook page for more information.

Special Events	Date	Time
Children’s Author Event – Papatuanuku has a tummy ache! Launch of local author Annet Copping’s new book. Registrations required.	Saturday, 31 October	10am-12pm
Regular Events
Café Books	Saturday mornings	10.30am
Tea and Tales Dementia friendly reading group	Monday mornings	10.30 – 11.30am
Wriggle and Rhyme Active movement for babies and toddlers.	Tuesdays during school term	10.30am – 11.00am
Wellbeing group Join us on our wellbeing journey with an opportunity to share tips and experiences to help you make positive changes in your life.	Tuesday mornings	10.30am – 11.30am
STEAM Club STEAM Club is a six-week science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics programme for children 8 years and upwards. Registration required	Tuesday, 20 October, 27 October, 3 November, 10 November, 17 November and 24 November	3.30pm – 4.30pm
Better Digital Futures: Digital Skills for Seniors An introduction for seniors who want to start to use digital technologies to pursue hobbies, find the right digital device, communicate with family and friends, and become more independent online. Registration required.	Thursday, 15 October, 22 October, 29 October and 5 November	9.30am – 11.30am
Justice of the Peace Service Desk	1^st and 3^rd Thursday of the month	11am – 1pm
Children’s Book Club Fortnightly in term-time. Registration required.	Thursday, 15 October	3.30pm – 4.30pm
Children’s French Club Fortnightly in term-time. Registration required.	Thursday, 22 October	3.30pm – 4.30pm
Play with Words Adult writing group meeting monthly. Registration required.	Friday, 30 October	10.00am – 12.00pm

To keep up to date with what’s on, visit the library website www.westlib.co.nz, follow on Facebook or pop into the library, we’re always happy to see you.

Photo © Westland District Library

Provincial Growth Funding project

Jackson Bay Wharf Progress

15 October 2020

Contractors GT Liddell Contracting Ltd will soon begin construction to repair and improve safety at Jackson Bay Wharf. Hardwood timber has arrived from Australia and is ready to be installed at the wharf. The contractors are in the process of designing equipment modifications, such as for the piling rig, to suit the project. Council has received $1 million from the Provincial Growth Fund for this project.

The Operations will be based at the Talleys depot at the Bay.

© Photos Westland District Council

Provincial Growth Funding project

Kokatahi Hall Refurbishment

15 October 2020

In September Council received $1 million to upgrade community halls and war memorials around the district, with $68,000 allocated to the Kokotahi Hall. Contractors are off to a flying start with work well under way.

A local builder and their staff have been engaged to complete the reframing and recladding. The team are starting with the rear wall. The photo inset shows the extent of the rot in the wood from water damage and borer that was discovered when the cladding was removed. Project staff and the Kokatahi Hall Board will consider other work after the initial work is completed.

© Photos Westland District Council

Have your say!

Speed Limit Register Review

15 October 2020

There is still time to make your submission on Council’s Speed Limit Register Review. Submissions close at 5pm on Friday 30 October 20

20. No late submissions will be accepted.

Visit our website to view the consultation document and make your submission. Hard copies of the consultation document and submission form are available from Council reception.

Update – Arahura Water Treatment Plant

15 October 2020

Planning for this project is going well. The contractor is now procuring the materials to build the Water Treatment Plant.

Photo by Daniele Levis Pelusi on Unsplash

Recycling Week 2020

15 October 2020

Recycling Week takes place over the 19^th – 25^th of October. The aim is to encourage New Zealander’s to be conscious about what we buy and to adopt effective disposal and recycling practices.

There are tips and education resources for each day of the week to help get you started forming new habits.

Did you know? Recycling one tonne of paper saves approximately 25,000 litres of water. That helps to save trees, power and water sources.

You can find out more about recycling week on the Recycle website and download resources to help remind you about different things you can do each day. Follow the Facebook page and be in to win prizes all week.

Questions about Waste and Recycling?

If you have any questions about waste and recycling in Westland you can now send an email directly to our Solid Waste team using waste.matters@westlanddc.govt.nz.

Grant Recipients

15 October 2020

Council is pleased to announce that these groups have successfully applied for funding.

Sport NZ Rural Travel Fund

Eleven sporting groups received a total of $9,500 in funding for the 2020/2021 year:

South Westland Netball Association

Lake Mahinapua Aquatic Club

Kokatahi Kowhitirangi Pony Club

Westland United Football Club

WESTS Sport Club

Hokitika Hockey Club

Westland High School

Hokitika Amateur Swimming Club

Hokitika Rugby League

South Westland Bowhunters

Hokitika Tennis Club

Westland Creative Communities – Funding Local Arts

The Westland Creative Community Committee received nine applications to Round 1 funding of $10,614.50 for 2020-2021.

Funding was allocated to eight projects:

Town Clock Art Design at Guy Menzies Park

Driftwood & Sand Beach Festival 2021

Annual Children’s Day Festival – Craft Tent

Rarangi Workshop for Beginners

Hangi Workshop

Freedom Singing Workshop

Art Workshops for Adults

Wahine – West Coast

Hokitika Driftwood and Sands 2020

Photo by Cristina Anne Costello on Unsplash

From the Rates Office

15 October 2020

Rates Rebate

Residential ratepayers on low incomes may be eligible for a rates rebate of up to $655 for the current rating year. You can apply for a rebate for the current rating year only.

What is a rates rebate?

A rates rebate is a partial refund against your rates for people who pay rates to the council.

You must be:

the person who pays the rates on the property that’s your home
living in your home
listed as the ratepayer in the council’s Rating Information Database (RID). This database has all the information about rates and ratepayers for every property in your council’s area.

You can’t apply if:

your property is mainly used for commercial activities, for example farming or business
your property is a rental property or holiday home.

See here for more information and how to apply.

Making payments

You can set up a direct debit to make your rates payments directly from your bank account. Council can offer a payment plan by weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or annual direct debits. Payments by this method allows us to deduct the exact amount required on your preferred payment cycle to ensure rates paid in full by 30 June.

If you are having difficulty paying your rates and have rates arrears, we may be able to enter into a payment arrangement with you. Please contact the rates officer for all payment arrangements. If your request for a payment arrangement is successful and the payments do not default, you will avoid incurring future penalties and may be eligible for a remission of some penalties recently incurred.

Multiple properties

If you own more than one property, please make a separate payment for each property using the individual valuation number shown on your rates invoice. This will ensure payments are allocated correctly and avoid penalties for non-payment of rates.

Photo by Tierra Mallorca on Unsplash

How to make a service request online

Reporting issues to Council

15 October 2020

Spotted a street light that isn’t working? Did you find some fly-tipping that needs to be cleaned up? You can make a service request online for issues that aren’t urgent.

Making a service request ensures that Council knows about the problem and can take appropriate steps to fix it. If you make the request online, you can attach photos and video to show exactly what the problem is. We’ve even made a short video to demonstrate how easy it is!

If the issue is urgent, for example a water leak, it is best to report it over the phone on 03 756 9010.

South Westland Freshwater Management Unit

15 October 2020

The West Coast Regional Council is looking for interested residents in Westland to join the South Westland Freshwater Management Group. A community meeting will be held on 3 November 2020 at the Fox Glacier Community Hall to provide information about the NPSFM, science information about the South Westland freshwater resources and the FMU, the purpose and structure of the FMU Group and how you can get involved.

Purpose of the Hokitika FMU group

The purpose of the Group is to engage with the community to identify their values for, and understand the issues with, freshwater quality and quantity in the Hokitika Freshwater Management Unit (FMU).

The Group will then make recommendations to the Council Resource Management Committee (RMC) for future plan provisions and work programmes to manage the land and water resources within the FMU.

For more information visit the West Coast Regional Council Website.

South Westland Freshwater Management Unit