Oct 27: Raglan Community Board meeting by Zoom

This summary of the Raglan Community Board agenda was prepared by John Lawson, 51 Cliff St, Raglan 07 825 7866 email johnragla@gmail.com, secretary of Whāingaroa Environmental Defence Inc.:

The next Board meeting is Wed 27 October at 5.30pm on Zoom. The public forum should give the usual opportunity to discuss issues, but again there’s secrecy; I think the link to join the public forum is this Zoom. If you want to be more certain, let me know and if I get a different link I’ll send it to you. I think it’ll also be on You Tube. You might prefer to contact the Community Board members:- Chris Rayner, Dennis Amoore, Gabrielle Parson, Lisa Thomson, Satnam Bains and Tony Oosten.

Wednesday’s agenda also continues to lack information, which I’ve highlighted in orange, but does include –

1. Closure of path across the airfield – “a discussion with Councillors on Friday 24/09/2021. As a result of these conversations, Council determined that the operational improvements recommended in the report should be implemented to address safety concerns as a priority. Although further discussion with the Community Board, mana whenua and other key stakeholders [I’ve asked who] will occur during the planning required to implement the recommendations, no formal consultation on whether or not to implement the recommendations is planned due to Council’s direction on this matter and Council’s obligation to take all practicable steps to keep people safe.” RCB is being asked to focus on “the extent of the operational area, fence alignment and pedestrian access”. The report says “If the airfield was to be closed, then the CAA needs to be advised under Civil Aviation Rule Part 157. . . in writing at least 30 days before”. I’ve asked why that option was rejected. “Staff are formalising this work program including costing options with a view to complete these improvements in the month of November. This work program may be impacted by COVID”.
2. By-Election “Great to see we have two community members standing for the Community Board in this By-Election” [listen to interviews – election closes 9 Dec]
3. Representation Review appeal closes 5 Nov. RCB boundary extended by 2 mesh blocks to add some of Te Mata and 1 mesh block to add Okete and part of Te Uku. The current 6 RCB seats to be 4 urban and 2 rural, with Raglan 5.8% under-represented and the rural area 11.6% over-represented. Also under-representation of electors on the Māori roll.
4. Soundsplash – last month’s report said, “We are currently processing the application for the 2022 Sound Splash event and anticipate that we will be able to present to the Community Board the recommendations we will be putting forward at its October meeting.” This month the “Community Venues and Events Team Leader has requested the list of outstanding items the Community Board would like addressed in relation to the processing of the 2022 Sound Splash event and informed the Community Board Chair she will attend the October meeting to discuss any items they raise.” The events list shows set up and take down for the whole of January and attendance increased from 8,000 to 10,000.
5. Coastal erosion and work to remove Surf Life Saving Tower “Temporary Portacom on site for now.”
6. Local bus – no current update
7. Papahua Footpath – “path alignment east of the camp taking on board the Boat Club’s feedback. This has been shared with the Community Board Chair to disseminate across the Raglan Community Board. Physical works will begin Monday, 11 October and be complete by Friday, 03 Dec. . . Stakeholder engagement is ongoing around the boat parking and the soccer field layout, and campground replacement fencing.” [the boat club’s been consulted, it’s not clear if soccer club has agreed. Have any cyclists been consulted?]
8. Other Projects – RCB has asked for a full list, “how ‘big picture’ strategic thinking for Raglan can be done” and wants to agree with WDC on “criteria used to trigger” consultation, but in next year work planned on “Wharf Structural Repairs, Pontoons and Walkways. Greenslade Road Neighbourhood Park. Raglan Walkway from the Jetty to the Coastguard building” – Lisa to check with Medical Centre about accidents there and feedback to Council staff.“RCB to finalise a stakeholder list” and “organise a yearly stakeholder/user group meeting (before end of the year)” no detail
9. Harbour – Resolution RCB2109/07, about Wharf Structural Repairs, Pontoons and walkways, is only in the public excluded section of the minutes, yet there’s no excluded section to confirm those minutes. Wharf “The areas requiring repair work in the near future have been prioritised and specialist structural advice from BECA suggests that prolonging the priority repairs to 2022 will not cause any adverse effects or pose further risk. We’ll be looking for contractors to undertake these repairs in a combined contract as soon as we can go to market for all the remaining works”. Pontoon “WDC will separately source the underwater mapping, and geotechnical work plus procure the resource consent before appointing a contractor.” Walkways “BECA have been awarded a contract to do the design and are presently preparing some concept designs to share with the community and get your feedback.” Whāingaroa Infrastructure Study “led by WDC planners and BECA.  . . a first meeting with initial stakeholders has been held. . . start community discussion and gather your thoughts in November. . . public open days . .. . design work and studies plus community discussion will be completed over summer with construction works starting in autumn.” [request WIS updates]
10. Sewage – Sep video on youTube – “focus on theoretical operational changes and upgrades that could occur to support sub-surface drip irrigation”.
11. Gilmour St “Final tasks are underway with construction of the road pavement and beautification of berm areas” [same report as last month – no mention of truck hitting wires, or thefts].
12. Manu Bay Breakwater – workshop delayed by lockdown.
13. Manu Bay planting – “has been postponed until the Reserve Management Plan has been completed and adopted” [it was last month].
14. Raglan Naturally – verbal report.
15. Councillor – verbal report.
16. Civil Defence Emergency Management meeting on 23 Sep agreed “on approach currently being taken” [no detail]. Workshops to be held with emergency services in Nov/Dec.
17. Service Requests – Jun-Sep 88.47% overall (up on previous quarter of 83.55%) and 4 of 5 Wastewater Overflows, 1 of 4 reserves urgent toilet issues and 1 of 3 Environmental Health Complaints were dealt with on time.
18. Raglan Holiday Park Papahua Board – RCB to appoint one of their members to it.
19. Discretionary fund has $20,397. WEC wants $5,000 for Maui Dolphin Day. Applications for the next round close on a date yet to be announced.

These council items are not on RCB’s agenda –

Infrastructure Committee 19/10

The Roading Team have been successful in attracting NZTA funding share in many categories, however there is considerable work still going on in the background re-negotiating the format of the programme with NZTA to optimise the Council share against the overall reduced NZTA funding approved. Gilmour St 76% complete – budget $366k year to date $331,627. After battling our way through a wet winter and dealing with the added complication of a Covid-19 lockdown, works are nearing completion. Wharf budget $189,354, spent $190,613.85. 2022 Parking machines. Erosion at Ngarunui Beach removal of the Public Toilet from Ngarunui Beach to Sunset Beach $40,000 in Oct / Nov, funds to construct a toilet at Sunset, be reallocated to a new toilet block at Ngarunui (no date). Citycare $59.3m contract being extended. A Fulvic Acid and Glyphosate trial has been carried out to understand the efficacy of different concentrations of both chemicals to help reduce the glyphosate requirements while still maintaining the same results. During Level 4, normal maintenance rounds were halted, but Raglan Airfield was maintained to ensure landing was possible if necessary.

Finance 18/10 – YouTube – there’s a long discussion on LED lights at the start of the video, but only brief approval of the Annual Report with all these items –

400 lights have not been converted to LED (including a number of decorative lights). The cost is around $800,000. There is no budget within the LTP to cover this cost and NZTA have advised there is no subsidy. Annual Report – Our biggest event in the district – Sound Splash – completed its consented event allowance and is intending to apply for another multi-year consent. We also received interest from other high impact commercial events to run a one-day festival in Raglan and we will work with the Raglan Community Board to enable the best outcome. Parking warden still regularly patrols, however recently more time has been diverted to deal with illegal waste dumping. Enhanced shared walking-cycling paths were completed in Raglan, connecting isolated parts of the community, and connecting the town with the beach, to reduce vehicle use impacts. Local feedback has been very positive. A new water safety plan for the Te Akau Water Treatment Plant . . . It reflects the change in water source from bore water to water from the Raglan Treatment Plant delivered by a tanker carrier. Holiday Park reserve $1,395m in credit.

WRC Connections 17/9

Bus use up from 17k in 2019 to 19k, “likely due to the significantly lower interim fares on these services since July 2020.” On time buses down from 43.4% to 41.8%. Public Transport Network Overview & Improvements – “WDC have aspirations regarding new PT services within the district. Scope and NZTA funding TBC.”

Other issues missing from the agenda are Places for People, unsealed roading, freedom camping, Main Rd splitter islands, Park Dr/Long St crossing, Rose St parking, Climate Response Plan, Cliff St, Wainui Rd wooden footbridge, parking & Government Rd/ Bayview stop signs, Energy Project, WRAP, stormwater, Town Hall Warrant of Fitness, Calvert Rd parking, Te Uku Recycling, Whāingaroa Catchment Management Plan, dog issues, Hills Rd water tower, volunteer worker safety, Puriri Park, weedbusters, Joyce Petchell and Puriri Park toilets to be wrapped with environment messaging. Should WED be taking up these or other issues?

Ngā mihi

John (he/him)