Waipā tops
Waipā District is the hospitality capital of the Waikato and the third most hospitable district in New Zealand, according to Airbnb. The online accommodation marketplace has released a list of the towns and areas of regional New Zealand based on the highest density of five-star reviews. The only two districts ahead of Waipā were Carterton and South Taranaki.
Too noisy
Nine noisy residents have been issued with written complaints and seven with verbal directions to “turn the noise down”. Waipā District Council’s Environmental Health staff seized one piece of equipment from a resident for failing to adhere to their instructions. Just over 100 noise complaints – among 511 total enquiries regarding food, noise, contamination land, licensing and public health matters – were received from July 1 to September 30.
Dog bites
Waipā’s animal control team had 22 reports of dog bites in three months – 13 on other animals and four on children under 16. Most were relatively minor in terms of injury. The team received 996 calls with 593 being for more information and the rest on animal control issues, including lost dogs. There are 9594 registered dogs in the district.
Hearing ahead
Waipā District Council will hold a resource consent hearing later this month to consider an application for the construction and establishment of a purpose-built Wattyl Ltd paint storage and distribution facility, and three warehouses and ancillary offices in the Rural Zone at 16A Wickham Street, Hamilton. The application was limited notified to six parties with four submissions received and three wishing
to be heard at the hearing.
Consents up
Resource consent applications are on the up again with 122 consents processed in the quarter ended September 30, up from 84 the previous quarter. All were processed at Waipā within the allowable statutory timeframe. Land Information Memorandums (Lims) were also up, from 237 to 247.
Police sting
Environmental health inspectors from Waipā council assisted police with a controller liquor purchase operation recently with no sales to minors picked up.
Doggy bins
A new contract to empty dog doo bins around the Waipā district has seen a dramatic decrease in complaints about over-flowing bins. Meanwhile 54 dogs were impounded in the three months from July 1 to September 30 with 38 claimed, three euthanised and 11 rehomed. Of the rehomed were six puppies from unplanned litters taken into care by Pound Hounds Rescue.
Name release
Police have yet to release the name of an 81-year-old woman who died after being hit by a truck on Alexandra St two weeks ago. The woman – a pedestrian – died at the scene.
Website visits
Teawamutunews.nz home page was again the most popular in last month’s website statistics. Our news briefly column was second followed by pdf versions of the newspaper. The rural post issue involving Dani and Ian Kennedy vs NZ Post came in fourth with the account of Te Awamutu and Kihikihi Community Board listening to both sides of the Paewira debate rounding out the top five
Planting day
Clare St Pierre planting. Photo: Bexie Towle
A planting session to help restore the Mangapiko Stream is to be held next Saturday, November 19. The project is part of the Taiea te Taiao ecological corridor project, chaired by Clare St Pierre, from Maungatautari to Pirongia. Planting was completed in Daphne St Reserve in Te Awamutu in August and next week’s planting day runs from 1pm-3pm
Tiny homes
Waipā landowners are being urged to do their homework before moving tiny homes on to land across the district. Waipā District Council has seen a massive increase in interest around tiny homes, receiving between five and 10 enquiries per week. “We don’t want to put people off. We just want to ensure people know what they are getting into before taking the plunge,” council’s district plan and growth manager Wendy Robinson said.
Let’s get crafty
Over 100 stalls will feature at Te Awamutu’s annual craft fair this Saturday in Selwyn Park. There will be live music, food and face
painting for the kids, with the fair running between 9am and 2pm.
Business survey
Te Awamutu business owners are being asked to take part in the Waikato Business Sentiment Survey being run by Te Waka. Te Waka, Waikato’s economic development agency, will use the responses to help shape economic performance across the Waikato region.
Volleyball selection
Te Awamutu College’s Alex Grobbelaar has been selected in Volleyball Waikato’s Waikato U15 boy’s squad. The team will compete in
the U15 IPC tournament in Hamilton in December.
Costs increase
Additional costs for the painting and refurbishment of the historic Victoria Bridge in Cambridge are being covered by a subsidy from Waka Kotahi. The extra $269,022 covers increased project management costs primarily aimed at keeping the bridge open to traffic during the work. The expected final cost for the whole project is now $4.25 million, up from the $2.65 million estimated four years ago.
Plant decision
A decision on whether a waste incineration plant can be built in Te Awamutu will not be made until early to mid-2024 at the earliest. The application to build the plant in Racecourse Road has been filed by Global Contracting Solutions. The company wants to incinerate 150,000 tonnes of rubbish annually, burning the rubbish to generate steam to turn into electric power. To fuel the plant, rubbish would be trucked from outside the district. Waipā District Council and Waikato Regional Council will hold a joint hearing next year to assess the application.
Government help
Waikato Regional Council says in its submission to the Environment Select Committee’s inquiry into options for community-led managed retreat and adaptation funding that the government should be prepared to stump up funding to support local authorities in community
adaptation planning and implementation. Recommendations from the inquiry will support the development of the Climate Change Adaptation Bill which is anticipated to provide guidance on funding models. The council’s submission points out the need to have in legislation mechanisms that provide reliable access to central government funding.
