Dec 6: Raglan Community Board meeting

1. Raglan-Hamilton bus – from April an extra weekday bus, Sunday and public holiday buses, Manu Bay summer buses, the 15-seat Whatawhata bus probably to be 39-seat and go further, surfboard and bike racks. Regional Council will be at the meeting and says it wants feedback from passengers and others on the timetable and route, yet has not consulted since RCB asked it to do so in February.

2. Sewage – no spills in Oct. “Recruitment continues to be an issue with vacancies in the Asset, Treatment and Operations teams” – urgent fault response time up from 50 mins in Sep to 91 mins in Oct. Public education planned to start in Oct, but still to be done.

3. Storm water daylighting – looking at pipes and how they could be converted to planted areas.

4. RCB Engagement Plan – use radio, FB, Chronicle, Raglan 23, create email database (would you like them to take over this one?), quarterly newsletter, informal evening workshops (probably 4^th Tue 7pm Supper Room), etc to increase feedback and people at meetings and on-line. This new Board is showing a serious intent to engage everyone and has a good plan to achieve it.

5. Long Term Plan – Boards asked for 2017-20 projects and “to engage with their communities” by 31 March. No mention (except in RCB plan above) of RCB’s October 2014 LTP survey with these results: 

237  Continued development of footpaths in Raglan

185  A heated swimming pool

158  Additional areas for parking in the CBD

143  A new footpath from Whale Bay to Manu Bay

135  Public transport – increase bus services to & from Hamilton

6. Raglan Naturally – Interim Steering Group inviting Economic Development Manager to “ensure the Raglan Plan fits with and complements the broad direction and requirements of Council strategies”.

7. Tourism Destination Action Plan Raglan – integrate with RN to identify priority strategies and actions – walk or ride between town locations (eg: water, bikes, walks, boats, etc), increase length of stay and visitors during shoulder periods, grow local iwi participation, bilingual signs, train local people, parking out of town, Uber, whitebait, Classic car events, music, Spring & Harvest festivals, Mt Karioi hut, voluntourism at Toreparu Wetland,

8. “Staff are currently gathering information on the District’s natural reserves to inform production of a management plan”.

9. Boat Ramps – for LTP “A study is underway to assess use . . .. Part of this work has been a public survey process.”

10. Wharf – not clear which of these seemingly contradictory statements are true – “Maintenance work to Raglan Wharf Completed. . . Working with stakeholders on look and feel of replacement fencing and handrails . . . currently working through costs . . . currently under design . . . Structural Report”

11. T-Bar Swings – “No availability of swings due to national recall.” Herald article

12. Grass Verge Policy “The General Manager Service Delivery can attend meeting, if required.”

13. Summer policing – Snr Sgt Mike Henwood to speak.

14. Sub committees – Cr Lisa Thomson & RCB Chair now on Coastal Reserves Committee, Kopua Holiday Park Board (minutes don’t go to RCB because RCB chair is on committee. [Town Hall Committee minutes don’t go to RCB either]), Lisa on W Coast Liaison, Waikato-Tainui / WDC Joint Committee.

15. Raglan Coastal Reserves Minutes – 12 Sep, 10 Oct and 14 Nov – Manu Bay boat ramp, Soundsplash, mountain bike track Te Ara Kakariki, Wainui Reserve traffic calming, surf school tender process

16. Placemaking – memorial seating at jetty.

17. Councillor induction projects list includes Wi Neera St link to footbridge, Otonga Valley Rd temporary bridge, Lorenzen Bay sea wall

18. Earthquake water supply the only mention is a thank you to community, staff and Civil Defence and RCB Chair “delivering Boil Water Notices with Cr Thomson”.

19. Service Requests 1/7-31/10 works not dealt with in set time – 2 of 4 urgent public toilet issues, 1 of 4 urgent roadworks, 1 of 4 sewage pump alarms, 1 of 5 sewage overflow or blocked pipe.

20. Electric car charging point – only markings between Town Hall and Plunket to be for 2 electric spaces.

21. Rugby Ground Lighting – “awaiting favourable ground conditions to undertake this work.”

22. Decorative street lights – no budget for replacement.

23. Road reseals – 5.7 km to be completed by March on Greenslade Rd, Main Rd, Marine Pde, Marine Pde Reserve – underway, Maungatawhiri Rd, Plateau Rd, Te Mata Rd, Wainui Rd.

24. Discretionary fund has $3,789. Next deadline for applications 3 Feb.

Not included in the RCB agenda are these items from WDC meetings on 22 Nov –

Infrastructure Committee

An external contractor being brought in to carry out the freedom camping patrols. This is being partially funded from the existing parking warden budget and partially from the revenue generated from infringements issued. The use of the parking budget and an external contractor to facilitate this work is not however an appropriate long term solution and LTP funding for a specialist position may be requested. With regard to the development and installation of new signs, this will cost approximately $30,000. Although this has not specifically been budgeted for, the majority of it will be covered from the existing signage budget and additional revenue generated from infringements issued.

Finance Committee

Karioi track (3.4km walking/biking track from Wainui Rd) – Before work can commence consultation is required with neighbouring land owners. Discussions with RCB on the best way forward due to commence in Sep/Oct.

Raglan Water Meters installation – In progress.

Concept drawings are complete for the Wi Neera reserve project. Feedback has been received from the Project Group and Iwi have advised that they will withdraw from the process until such time as they and WDC have resolved an earlier consenting issue within that space.

A new MBIE Regional Mid-sized Tourism Facilities Grant Fund of $12m over 4 years was in Budget 2016 – applied for $300,000 of $420,000 walkways / cycleways from Wainui Rd to Wainui Reserve and Improve pedestrian linkage between Rugby carpark and the coastal road route to CBD – unsuccessful, but will benefit future funding rounds

Waikato Innovation Park Business Advisory team to work with Raglan Council office to establish WIP service in Raglan.

Walkway signs – $25,650 to be spent on Wainui Reserve signs, $9,000 for 6 to complete track signs on Wainui Reserver, $3.500 for 6 on Kaitoke Walkway, $1,400 on 4 Norrie Ave-Kaitoke, $1,800 for 1 on Pipiwharauroa track, $650 on 2 at Lily St, $650 on 2 at Rose St, $350 1 at Smith St, $1,300 on 2 at Whale Bay, $1,086 on 4 at Lorenzen Bay, $1,087 0n 1 at AroAro, $7,800 on 16 beach access signs.

Should WED be taking up these, or any other issues missing from the agenda, such as Community Response Plan, glyphosate, Trails Strategy, volunteer worker safety, or SH23 safety plans?

Friends of Wainui’s Panorama of Raglan calendar 2017 is still on sale for $15 in the Bookshop, Whaingaroa Organic Kai, Bow St Gallery, Trade Aid and Raglan and Te Uku 4Squares.

Monday 12 Dec 5pm is the new deadline for Sand Mining submissions – have you done one?

Merry Christmas