Summer is coming!

November/December 2019

Introducing the new Council

Following the Local Government Elections on Saturday 12 October 2019 the members of the Council for 2019 – 22 are:

Mayor: Bruce Smith
Northern Ward: Anna Hart, Jenny Keogan and Jane Neale
Hokitika Ward: David Carruthers, Paul (Tanka) Davidson and Latham Martin
Southern Ward: Ian Hartshorne and Ryan Kennedy

The new Council was sworn in on 24 October 2019 at the Inaugural Council meeting.

They will be attending a joint Local Government New Zealand training session in Hokitika with their colleagues from Buller and Grey District Councils on 12 November. The new Council will be fully supported to undertake their governance role on behalf of the community.

Photo Credit: Katrina Thornley Photography

Westland Library News

Digital Banking Skills

During November and December, Library and WestREAP staff will be travelling up and down the West Coast facilitating Stepping Up Digital Banking Skills sessions on the Digital On-Road Access (DORA) bus.

Participants can hop aboard DORA and settle into the relaxed environment where they can learn about keeping their financial information safe and secure, how to protect themselves from online scams, and address any other online concerns they may have. No personal financial information is needed to participate. Keep an eye out for more information for when DORA will be in your area.

Summer Reading challenge

The Summer Reading Challenge is back! Our Youth Librarian will be visiting schools to promote this year’s Summer Reading Challenge. Remember to look out for the information from schools and help your children to develop a love of reading.

Events

Christmas Community Morning Tea will be on Thursday 19th December, all are welcome, we would love to see you at the Library.

Keep an eye on our website or Facebook page or call us on 03 755 6208 to find out about other events we have planned.

Consent and LGOIMA request processing over the Christmas period

The Building Act 2004, Resource Management Act 1991 and Local Government Official Information and Meetings Act 1987 all allow for extended timeframes to process or respond over the Christmas period. The weekdays between 20 December to 10 January are excluded from processing timeframes.

We will do our best to process any complete requests received after 20 November 2019 in line with statutory timeframes but it cannot be guaranteed.

LIM applications

LIM applications need to be received by the Planning Department on or before 10 December 2019 to be processed before Christmas.

Liquor Licences

For events being held over the Christmas and New Year period that require a Special Licence, you must have applications lodged with Council by Tuesday 12 November.

Consent and LGOIMA request processing over the Christmas period

What’s going on at Council

Upcoming Council Meetings

Thursday 28 November 2019, 1.00 pm
Thursday 12 December 2019, 1.00 pm

Annual Report 2018/19 – Adopted

The 2019/20 Westland District Annual was adopted by Council at the Extraordinary Council Meeting on 31 October 2019.

You can read the Annual Report or Summary Annual Report here.

West Coast and Buller Roading Survey

Westland, Grey and Buller District Councils have jointly launched a West Coast roading survey aimed at getting a more detailed understanding of how you experience Council-owned roads, bridges and footpaths.

Find out more and connect to the survey on our Public Consultations page.

PressReader™

PressReader™ is available through Westland District Library and provides unlimited access to thousands of quality magazines and newspapers from all over the world.

With over 7,000 publications from over 100 countries in 60+ languages, PressReader™ is the leading digital newspaper and magazine provider for premium content. You can access PressReader™ from the library website. Just use your library membership details to sign in.

Not a library member? Sign up for a Digital Only membership here and get started with PressReader™ and e-books straight away.

Rates Reminder

Rates assessment notices or invoices have been sent out for the October to December quarter. Rates payments are due to Council by 30 November 2019. We appreciate prompt payment to avoid late fees or penalties. Please contact the Rates Officer to discuss alternative payment options.

Rates Rebates
To find out if you are eligible for a rates rebate from the Department of Internal Affairs visit our website. Rates rebates for the 2019/20 year will be available from 1 July 2019 and you must apply by 30 June 2020. You could receive up to a $640 reduction on your rates.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our Rates Officer for more information on 03 756 9010, or email council@westlanddc.govt.nz

Dog control facebook page

If you are a dog owner, or have friends who own dogs, have a look at and ‘like’ our Dog Control Facebook Page.

The page is primarily to advertise any dogs where Council’s Dog Control Officer has not been able to identify the owner through a microchip or registration tag. Any dog that does not find their owner within the seven-day timeframe may also be advertised here for adoption.

Help us to reunite impounded dogs with their owners by sharing our Dog Control Facebook page.