Building community resilience, plus local project and event news
Published on 24 April 2024
Photo: Thames Coast, Brent Courtney/Explore Thames
A message from Councillor Rekha Giri-Percival
Tomorrow is Anzac Day, a public holiday, and I hope you’ll be able to find a moment to spare a thought for those who have served in the name of our country both overseas and at home.
It’s not a day off for everybody, and I’m grateful for those who are ‘keeping the lights on’ in our community: whether it’s serving customers in hospitality or responding to emergency call outs. Thank you.
Our Council’s Sustainability and Community Resilience Committee met recently – I’m the Deputy Chair of the committee. A key message from the meeting was that recovery from the extreme weather of early 2023 is still ongoing in our district. For example, two properties on the Thames Coast were ‘yellow stickered’ a few weeks ago due to the risk of land instability, more than a year after the storms. We have 20 yellow-stickered homes in the district, which means access is restricted because of damage. Seventeen properties remain red-stickered, which means entry is prohibited. Fortunately, after the storms our Council hired two Social Navigators who have been helping these households access support.
The Social Navigators are fully funded until June 2025 with government cyclone recovery funding from the Department of Internal Affairs. They’ve also been supporting initiatives by community organisations to build resilience and prepare for future weather events. Along with our Emergency Management Team and Ministry of Social Development partners they’ve helped set up 24 sites with equipment to help small, more remote communities get through emergencies. Eleven more are being set up. The team has procured Red Cross funding to set up four Civil Defence Centre resource hubs in Thames, Whangamatā, Whitianga and Coromandel Town and organised first aid training for Community Response Groups. Thanks to this work our district is much more prepared for future emergencies.
The Sustainability and Community Resilience Committee also heard updates on work to reduce our Council’s greenhouse gas emissions, the district economy, work to streamline how information centres operate and report to Council and the reestablishment of a physical information centre in Thames. I’m keen to explore what our Council can do in the space of housing development, we do have some levers we can pull.
There’s a lot going on in this space. Check out the committee’s full 18 April meeting agenda for more information.
Visit Council's meeting calendar
Click here to read our SARC meeting highlights
Dozens of young people placed in local jobs
Our Council has now placed 28 young people who were not in employment or education into local roles in our community through the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs Community Employment Programme.
The programme is a nationwide partnership between Local Government New Zealand and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD) that has a strong focus on getting young people into sustainable employment.
Our Council has a two-year contract with MTFJ worth $585,000 to support a minimum of 68 young people aged 16-24 into long-term work. Council partners with Ngāti Maru ki Hauraki and Valley Education and Training Enterprises Ltd to achieve positive outcomes for young people.
Since July 2023, MTFJ and our partners have helped 14 local businesses to employ 22 youth who were not in employment or education. Council has also established six recovery-related fixed-term roles, making a total of 28 placements achieved.
An Administrator Cadet has joined our Council's Community Outcomes team, focusing on supporting recovery initiatives. Council’s Parks and Open Spaces Team are being supported by MTFJ roles: one undertaking a condition survey of park assets and another supporting the team’s increased workload due to the demands of recovery work.
The Coastal Kaitaki and Coastcare team with Mayor Len Salt.
Three Coastal Kaitiaki cadets employed by Council have been undertaking a lot of upskilling. The Mayor’s Taskforce for Jobs is covering their training costs, including help with attaining driver licences, first aid courses and Growsafe certification which enables them to use agri-chemicals safely. These roles have real potential to help these young persons into applying for future permanent entry-level roles within Council or with other local employers.
Read about MTFJ supporting local storm recovery
Cadets caring for our coastlines
Coastcare working to protect native coastal fauna
Protecting the habitat for some of Aotearoa New Zealand’s most threatened coastal native flora and fauna will be driving a new approach to Coastcare’s restoration work, ensuring that fauna is not unintentionally harmed by restoration efforts.
Monitoring in 2023 and early 2024 found large populations of native lizards at many Coastcare sites, which are fully protected by the Wildlife Act (1953). This means certain types of work will need to be done with permits from the Department of Conservation (DOC).
“At many sites we can continue working without a permit by using hand tools (instead of heavy machinery) and avoiding negative impacts on native wildlife,” says Andrea Whitehead, Council’s Coastal Restoration Coordinator. “However, Coastcare is putting some larger-scale restoration projects on hold to seek the proper permits before starting earthworks.”
Our Council and Coastcare are still planning many coastal planting events across eastern Coromandel, and these will have the additional support of the Coastal Tiaki team. Coastcare is also working with DOC to determine the best course of action across all its restoration sites, and a five-year coastal restoration plan will be put in place to map out future planting events.
Anzac Day events
On the eve of Anzac Day, we honour those, past and present, who have sacrificed so much in the pursuit of peace. With conflict continuing to affect so many people around the world, we wish everyone peace and security, wherever community they belong to.
Ka maumahara tonu tātou ki a rātou. | We will remember them.
Here are the range of parades and services around the district. Please note that the timing of Pāuanui’s service has been corrected to assembling at 5.45am for a 6am Dawn Service.
Tell us what matters most —Tukua tō reo kia rere
The Hauraki Opportunity is on a mission to listen deeply to you and your thoughts around what matters to you, your wellbeing, and the wellbeing of your whānau. The responses will help decision-makers at all levels to account for what is most important for communities across Thames-Coromandel, Hauraki and Matamata-Piako.
Simply answer two questions about what matters to you.
They will use the responses you share to develop a more in-depth survey that will be sent out later
this year.
The Hauraki Opportunity is an initiative of the Waikato Wellbeing project with lead partner Te Tara o te Whai, supporting partners include Hauraki District Council, Matamata Piako District Council, and Thames-Coromandel District Council.
Take the two-minute survey
Find out more
Government report on 2023 storm response
Emergency Management and Recovery Minister Mark Mitchell yesterday released the Report of the Government Inquiry into the response to the North Island Severe Weather Events.
“The report shows that New Zealand’s emergency management system is not fit-for-purpose and there are some significant gaps we need to address,” Mr Mitchell says.
“This is not about individuals – who do an incredible job in emergency events – but the system as a whole.
Council staff are reading the report and assessing the findings. The storms of early 2023 put a huge strain on everyone in the Coromandel, and our Council has been clear that our recovery is ongoing and we’re working to build up community resilience to future extreme weather events.
The report is available on the Government’s website:
Find out more
Read the report
Opportunities at our Council
At our Council we ensure work-life balance is not just a dream but a reality. We offer an array of staff benefits including flexible work arrangements, relocation allowance, sick leave on commencement of employment and more.
Our current job vacancies are:
• Compliance Officer (Whangamata)
• Programme Manager
• Senior Resource Consent Planner
• Environmental Health Team Leader
• Property & Facilities Manager
• Senior Development Engineer
If you're interested in working for us, and there are currently no vacancies that fit your skillset and knowledge, please complete the expression of interest application via the link below.
Click here for more information or to apply
Join Hato Hone St John as a volunteer
On Saturday 4 May, join the friendly team at Hato Hone St John in Coromandel Town, to find out what it's like to be a local volunteer. Hato Hone St John are looking to recruit people who want to make a difference and support their local community.
Drop in between 9am and 2pm at 60 Kapanga Road to find out more.
Visit Hato Hone St John on Facebook
Find out more about volunteering with St John
Event application for Whangamatā
Ollie Events Limited has applied for a restricted discretionary resource consent for a two-day outdoor youth festival/event to be held on 30 and 31 December, with alternative dates on either 1 and 2 January or 2 and 3 January, for up to 6,000 people at Aickin Road Sports Reserve in Whangamatā for a term of five years.
Submissions close at 5pm Friday 17 May 2024.
Click the link below for more information on the application and how to make a submission:
Find out more
Drop-in session to discuss potential relocation of Mercury Bay Boating Club
At its latest meeting on Wednesday 17 April, the Mercury Bay Community Board decided to invite the Whitianga community to chat to them about the Mercury Bay Boating Club’s proposal to relocate their boat house/sailing school.
The Boating Club has applied to the Department of Conservation (DOC) to lease land on the local reserve at the foot of Dundas Street in order to relocate their boat house from its current location on Buffalo Beach/Taputapuatea. The Dundas St reserve is Crown land managed by DOC. The surrounding area towards Lyon Park is also Crown land leased to the Whitianga Marina with an easement to the boat ramp. Our Council doesn't own the land in this area but owns and maintains the boat ramp and mows the grass and picks up litter on the reserve.
DOC has publicly notified the Boating Club’s application and anyone interested may lodge a submission. Details are on DOC's website. The Boating Club has asked the Mercury Bay Community Board for a letter of support, by way of a submission, for their application.
The Community Board, while supporting the Boating Club in their need to find a new home, are aware of the public interest in this location. The informal public drop-in sessions (one was held yesterday) are an opportunity for the Board to hear from their community if they support or oppose the Boating Club’s application, and why. This feedback will help inform the Board’s submission to DOC. The Community Board is not privy to any views/submissions made to DOC. The Boating Club’s application and the submission process to DOC is not a TCDC process. The next drop-in session is:
- Saturday, 27 April 9.30am-11am – WhitiCiti Markets, Soldiers Memorial Park, Whitianga
Any views you share with the Community Board will only help the Board in considering its own submission to DOC and it is likely the Board will hear a range of views. Individual or group submissions must be completed through the DOC process above if you would like DOC to consider them directly.
Mercury Bay Boating Club relocation map.
Read the meeting agenda and minutes
Neavesville Road – Urgent Drainage Works
Our contractors Ventia NZ, are doing urgent drainage works on Neavesville Road, Puriri, starting on Monday 29th April. The existing culvert will be removed and upgraded with a new, larger diameter culvert across the full width of the road. This will ensure effective water flow and lessen the risk of damage during heavy rainfall.
There will be a full road closure from 8am to 5pm, Monday to Friday (five days). During these times, access up the road will be restricted, and vehicles will not be allowed through the construction zone.
Residents needing access during the closure are asked to park their vehicles below the site and use the temporary pedestrian footbridge provided for access. The road will reopen to vehicles outside the closure hours, and emergency services will be given access as required.
Thank you for your patience and understanding during this essential work.
Neavesville Road Closure
Duration: Monday April 29 to Friday May 3 (weather depending)
Hours: 8am–5pm
Location: Neavesville Road, Pūriri
Central Thames road work
Work is planned to start on the intersection of Thames’ Mackay and Willoughby Streets on Tuesday 30 April, until around Friday 10 May, to improve safety for all users. There will be a road closure in place for Willoughby Street and a two-way stop-go on Mackay Street.
The works are similar to those taking place on Sealey Street. Contractors Ventia NZ and our Council understand that these works are likely to affect the public, nearby residents, school buses, parents’ and students’ movements. Please be assured that every effort will be made to minimise disruption and ensure safety for residents, the public and school operations.
Stage one: April
Clear signage will be displayed around the site to divert pedestrians and traffic safely and efficiently. Provisions are in place to accommodate emergency services with site access and priority movements.
Stage two, May
Visit our roading page
Visit Waka Kotahi NZTA's Journey Planner
Colville Road ongoing repairs
Our Council is carrying out several repair projects in close proximity on Colville Rd over the next 2-3 months. This will cause some disruption with rolling road closures and stop/go traffic light restrictions in place. We apologise for any inconvenience, but the work is necessary to repair storm and cyclone damage from 2023.
Full details of the works, locations and closures are provided on our roads page. We've also provided contact information for the relevant contractors but if you have concerns at any point, please contact the customer service team on 07 868 0200, or email customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz.
We recommend planning ahead to ensure the least amount of disruption to your journey. Thank you for your understanding and patience as the work progresses.
Starting from Monday 29 April, the site at 15.07km will have periodic road closures through the day to allow the work to be done more speedily:
- 7am to 8am - road closed | 8am to 8.30am - road open
- 8.30am to 12.309pm - road closed | 12.30pm to 1pm - road open
- 1pm to 3.30pm - road closed | 3.30pm to 4pm - road open
- 4pm to 5pm - road closed | After 5pm through to 7am the next morning - road open
The other three sites will be under stop-go traffic management.
Visit Tcdc.govt.nz/roads
Anzac rubbish and recycling
A reminder that all of our Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations (RTS) are closed on the morning of Anzac Day, Thursday 25 April, and will open at 1pm and close 4.30pm. Transfer stations are now on shorter hours due to daylight saving finishing. Standard site opening hours are now 8.30am to 4.30pm, seven days a week.
There will be no yellow week kerbside collections on Anzac Day due to the public holiday. For this week only, normal Thursday collections (of yellow week recycling, glass and food scraps) will move to Friday, and Friday collections will move to Saturday.
Areas impacted are:
Check out your calendar
If you’re leaving the area before your collection day, an alternative is to drop recycling off at your nearest Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station.
Find your closest RTS
Portable compactor charges
From Wednesday 1 May 2024, the cost of disposing of a rubbish bag at the portable coin-operated compactors located at the all-hours drop-off at Council’s Matarangi and Pāuanui Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations will be $5 per bag. This is the same charge as disposing of a rubbish bag at a Council Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station.
Find out more about the compactors
