Our wrap-up: Prime Minister visit, funding for the arts and more
Published on 10 March 2023
Latest from Mayor Len
Yesterday I met with Prime Minister Chris Hipkins and we looked at some properties on the Thames Coast damaged in Cyclone Gabrielle and went up the Tapu-Coroglen Road where a major slip has closed that important cross-Coromandel link.
I asked the Prime Minister for support on two levels: immediate help with the emergency situation and for help with the longer-term rebuilding of the Coromandel, in particular our roading network, to make the district more resilient in the face of climate change and extreme weather.
Prime Minister Hipkins wasn’t able to be specific in terms of timeframes and dollar figures because the work on the costings around options to restore roads, including SH25A, is still being done. But he gave me his assurance that his government was committed to the resilience of our transportation links so that communities aren’t at such risk of isolation in extreme weather as they have been recently.
We all understand there’s going to be significant levels of investment needed into particularly our roading network. It’s not going to be an easy or quick fix – but there is willingness and collaboration to build back – and build back better with more resilience.
We need to make smart decisions because we’re in an era of climate change, with increasing frequency and severity of weather events. We’ve seen that hit our district very hard.
I know there is a level of anxiety around the district about our vulnerability on a daily basis to weather events and the sustainability of our business community. We’ve put a lot of effort into immediate support for our business community. We’re not just repairing our damaged roads and State Highway, we’re looking at a Transport Plan which includes what air and sea links can be put into place to keep supply lines open. We’ve got a business support package underway that includes our Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund and the portion of the government’s $1.4 million Business Recovery Grant that our Council is administering under the Business Disaster Relief Fund (see more below).
Applications to the Mayoral Fund close today and so far we’ve had a good number of applications. I’m also encouraged by the support from members of the community. We’ve had significant donations from the government as well as media company Stuff. We’ve also had many smaller donations, like the $3,237 donated by people in Waiheke Island who have a Coromandel connection. They held a fundraising music festival they called Dirtstock. Thank all of you for your support.
These two funds aren’t the end. We’re not finished yet, there’s still a lot of work to do. If people need help we are here with support from other agencies and central government.
Business Cyclone Recovery Grant
Send if your applications for the Business Recovery Grants for businesses that have experienced significant and sustained disruption because of Cyclone Hale and Cyclone Gabrielle.
The central government is funding $25 million in recovery support to businesses in seven North Island regions.
“Our district is administering $1.42m of this fund, which will enable us to further support local business operators who have been suffering in the wake of these storms,” says our Mayor Len Salt.
“We know it has been a really tough time for many of our industries, and we encourage any business that meets the criteria to take advantage of this opportunity for help.”
To be eligible applicants must be experiencing significant cashflow issues due to continued challenges with customer access, ability to source stock, supply chain issues, inability to operate as usual due to the physical damage to equipment or premises, or delays in insurance assessment and repairs.
The grants are to help businesses cover operating expenses and position themselves for a successful recovery.
The $1.42 million our district has been charged with administering is for businesses across the Waikato region who fit the criteria for funding. Applications will be assessed by an independent advisory panel.
You can apply using our easy online form or download a PDF form to fill out online or by hand.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Applications close Friday 31 March.
Questions?
Our Economic Development team are holding drop-in sessions across the district next week so you can find out more and ask any questions.
DETAILS HERE
Elizabeth ‘Anne’ Stewart Ball
Former Tairua-Pāunaui Community Board Anne Stewart-Ball passed away this week. Anne was known as a passionate and active resident of Tairua, also a Justice of the Peace with more than 60 years involvement across the South Eastern Ward.
“It’s a sad loss for our community. Anne was a fantastic historian who also had deep connections with whakapapa and whānau around the district. She will be sorely missed,” says our Mayor Len.
Anne often spoke of her family background of the ‘Tairua Valley’ – Hikuai, Pāuanui and Tairua, which gave her a sound understanding of the rich history and diverse communities living in this area. Anne was also an education coordinator in the forestry and waste industries and had extensive volunteer organisation involvement including St John, rugby and heritage.
As a member of our Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board (2019-2021), Anne found this role an interesting challenge with COVID-19 resulting in new ways of meeting online. Anne said she was pleased to see the drinking water treatment plants in Tairua and Pāuanui open and appreciated the road-trimming vegetation project for Puketui Rd, Hikuai. The inaugural Tairua boat show was also a highlight during this period, drawing a large crowd and providing an opportunity for local businesses to showcase what their special place offered. Anne also enjoyed visiting all three ratepayer groups – Tairua, Pāuanui and Hikuai, as she found like-minded community people who were also passionate about their areas.
A celebration of Anne's life was held at the Whangamatā RSA today, Friday 10 March. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Anne to the KidsCan Charitable Trust would be appreciated and may be donated online to www.kidscan.org.nz.
Tough calls for 2023/24 budgets
With four severe weather events in the first six weeks of 2023, and costs for Cyclones Hale and Gabrielle likely to be around $40 million just to repair and rebuild our local roading alone, we’re having to make some tough calls in our upcoming Annual Plan about delaying, deferring or amending our planned infrastructure projects and cutting operational costs.
That’s why we’d like your feedback on our proposed budget for this coming financial year (1 July 2023 - 30 June 2024).
“A major focus is on repairing the extensive damage to our roading network to help keep our communities connected and accessible,” says our Mayor Len Salt.
“The government knows that the closure of SH25A (for up to a year at least) and disruptions to our local roading networks, are a significant blow. It’s aware of the impact of increasing driving times and fuel costs for many of us, along with the additional pressure on our roads. Financial support and assistance are starting to be committed to our district – but it won’t pay for everything we need to get fixed,” says Mayor Len.
“We’re also coming out of a two-year COVID-19 period of lockdowns, all of which has exacerbated supply chain disruptions, labour market shortages and inflation increases, which has impacted Council costs.
“So now we have the challenge of trying to balance rates, while we rebuild and make our district resilient to the more frequent extreme weather and effects of climate change,” says Mayor Len.
“Together we’re going to have to make some tough decisions about where and what we spend on, in the next 12 months. Please get involved and have your say.”
We'd like your feedback from Tuesday 14 March to Monday 10 April.
READ MORE
Rates relief in stormy times
We're is doing all it can to help property owners whose homes have been badly damaged by Cyclone Gabrielle.
Properties that have been deemed uninhabitable (red-stickered) are being granted a rates remission.
From today, Friday 10 March, some of the yellow-stickered properties may also be eligible for a remission under our Natural Calamity Rates Remission Policy. These will need to be assessed on a case by case basis, therefore these property owners will need to apply.
SEE MORE
Funding available for local arts groups and projects
If you are part of a local art group or creative project within the Coromandel, you could qualify for a helping hand with funding from the Creative Communities Scheme.
Applications open Monday 13 March and close on 5pm, Friday 7 April 2023.
Nearly $18,000 is available in this funding round for projects and activities that will take place between 1 May 2023 and 1 May 2024.
The scheme, backed by Creative New Zealand, aims to increase participation in the arts, broaden the range and diversity of the arts available to communities, and enhance and strengthen the local arts sector.
Funding is awarded to projects rather than people undertaking the project and applications must meet one or more of the scheme’s criteria:
- Broad community involvement - The project will create opportunities for local communities to engage with and participate in arts activities.
- Diversity - The project will support the diverse arts and cultural traditions of local communities, enriching and promoting their uniqueness and cultural diversity.
- Young people - The project will enable and encourage young people (under 18 years) to engage with and actively participate in the arts.
Our Council administers the funding based on decisions made by the He Mana Toi Moehau Trust/Creative Coromandel Board, made up of representatives from across our district. They will assess the applications on Thursday 27 April 2023.
APPLY HERE
Moanataiari Sea Wall public information meeting
The long-term challenges faced by Moanataiari were a feature of our Council’s Shoreline Management Pathway project.
Community meetings discussed the options and feedback was taken onboard. Managed retreat was identified as the long-term solution, but raising the wall was an option “to buy more time”.
Come and find out:
- how well the sea wall’s protecting the area
- how sea-level rise will affect the wall’s performance
- options for the future.
When: 5.30pm Wednesday 29 March
Where: The Civic Centre, 200 Mary Street, Thames 3500
Light snacks will be provided before the meeting.
Stay safe and take care of our beaches
Our Council has received reports of people congregating on the edge, jumping off, digging at the sides and sliding down on boogie boards on erosion scarps at various beaches across our district.
We’d like to remind our communities of the danger involved in a coastal environment, where erosion scarps can be unstable and collapse easily if undermined. In the event of a collapse, there is a high risk of people suffocating.
The erosion scarps area a natural, dynamic process that is caused by stormy weather and strong wave action, which act to reshape the coastline and push it inland.
For more information on the natural forces at work shaping our coastline, please watch the video here.
Stay safe at our beaches everyone.
ROAD CLOSURE: Lees Road, Hahei
Following the heavy rainfall our staff increased inspections of main culverts. The condition of the stream culvert at Lees Road, Hahei, has deteriorated significantly since the last inspection after Cyclone Gabrielle.
Temporary traffic management will be in place to guide traffic onto the centre lane and allow emergency works to begin. Until the works can be completed, heavy vehicles are not permitted to use this section of Lees Road, so please avoid the area until works are completed.
We are aware that Monday is Kerbside rubbish collection, therefore we request that residents take their rubbish to the Cathedral Cove car park located just south of the culvert on Lees Rd. Preferably somewhere near the welcome sign on the grass verge. Please either hang on to your recycling until the next fortnightly scheduled collection or take it to your local Refuse Transfer Station for free disposal.
Permanent repairs which will require a full road closure are planned to start on Monday 13 March at 8:00am and we anticipate this will be completed by the end of the day on Thursday 16 March.
We have delayed the works until Monday to allow residents the opportunity to make arrangements over the weekend as there is no alternative route available for the road closure period. Provisions will be made for emergency services access. If you have any questions, notice any deformation or holes in the road surface, please contact us as soon as possible: customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz or 07 868 0200.
Our Council road and resealing work
Although extensive works are ongoing with the recent storm events, we still need to complete our Council’s road and resurfacing programme to keep up with maintenance on our local roads and ensure the longevity of our network.
VIEW SCHEDULE
Video: Drilling rigs about to enter SH25A slip which, as drone footage shows, is the size of a rugby field.
State Highway update
Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency advise that State Highway 25 between Hikuai and Ōpoutere will re-open under stop/go traffic management to light vehicles from 1:30pm and close at 8pm this evening. Over the weekend it will be largely open under stop/go traffic management, with possible periods of full closure. This information is subject to change, the road may close without warning.
UPDATES HERE
What's on in the Coromandel?
It's the last weekend of Mercury Bay Art Escape Artists Open Studios.
This is a unique opportunity to visit member artists at work, find out what inspires them, what new ideas they are working on and a chance to buy original work from some of the best artists from Tairua to Matarangi, direct from their studios.
The Pāuanui Half Marathon will no longer take place on Saturday 18 March 2023 and has been postponed until Saturday 16 March 2024 due to damage of the State Highway network.
Let's talk rubbish
The consultation on our draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan has been extended to Sunday 12 March.
We want to hear from you about what more we can we be doing to minimise the amount of district waste going to landfill.
We’re developing a proposed action plan over the next six years towards achieving this goal – which is described in the draft Waste Management and Minimisation Plan. We would like your feedback to fine tune the draft plan.
GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK
Economic Development news
Our Economic Development update - Supporting our businesses is available to read now and includes:
- Business Cyclone Recovery Grant
- Business impact survey
- Destination Hauraki Coromandel industry update & marketing support
- Mayoral Disaster Relief Fund
- Kōpū Marine Servicing and Business Precinct
- Invitation to 2023 COGS Hauraki public meetings
- And more
READ HERE
Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy Review
Creative Coromandel continue the last of their hui to discuss the feedback on the Coromandel Arts and Creative Industries Strategy review.
They understand that many have not been able to attend and have made the resources available online.
VIEW HERE
Adult cycle skills
Register now for our free cycle skills courses for both bikes and e-bikes.
- Thames – Thursday 16 March
There are a limited number of spaces available, booking is essential.
DETAILS HERE
Dogs in our pound
We have one male, brown Lab cross breed available for adoption. We estimate him to be about 15 months old and he is full of love and energy.
SEE MORE
Census 2023
Thank you to everyone who has completed the 2023 Census. Tuesday 7 March was Census Day, but if you haven't completed your forms yet, you haven't missed out: you still have time.
SEE MORE
Meetings and Community Board updates
Our Thames, Whangamatā and Tairua-Pāuanui Community Board met this week. Later this month our Mercury Bay Community Board (Thursday 16 March) and Coromandel-Colville Community Board (Tuesday 21 March) will meet to discuss important projects in their wards.
We will have the highlights from these meetings for you next week.
AGENDAS & DETAILS
District Licensing Committee
Great decision-making skills? Former alcohol licensing experience? We are calling for applications from people interested in being part of our Thames-Coromandel District Licensing Committee (DLC). The Committee is responsible for making decisions on all alcohol licences and manager certificates in the Thames-Coromandel area.
APPLY HERE
Work with us
Are you ready to change your scene? Our Council is hiring now and we have opportunities for engineers, planners, administrators and more.
Flexible working, fantastic culture and great lifestyle.
VIEW HERE