Tough choices rates feedback, Council decisions and Anzac weekend
Published on 24 April 2026
Last call: Tough choices for lower rates
We’re asking for your feedback on proposed changes to help keep next year’s rates increases down. Thank you to everyone who’s already shared their views.
We've got one last community engagement event, if you'd like to talk face-to-face with elected officials and staff:
- Sunday 26 April: Whiti Citi Market, Soldiers Memorial Reserve, 10am-1pm. We'd love to see you there.
If you haven’t told us what you think yet, there’s still time. Head to www.tcdc.govt.nz/AP2627 and tell us what matters to you by Tuesday 28 April. Following this, there’s still one more chance to share your thoughts at our Feedback Forum on Thursday 7 May. Fill out the form at the link below and we’ll get in touch to book you in.
We’ve put several trade‑offs on the table to lower the rates increase, including:
- reducing mowing and garden maintenance
- changing opening hours at some Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations
- increasing fees and introducing new charges
- reducing selected rates remissions
What happens next?
- Council will review all the feedback we receive and make the final decisions on the four proposals at our 26 May Council meeting.
Read the proposals and have your say
Council decisions enable progress on key issues
Decisions enabling progress on some key issues for our Thames-Coromandel District Council were made at yesterday’s Council meeting.
Local Water Done Well
Our Council reconfirmed our approach to Local Water Done Well of pursuing an in-house business unit to manage future water delivery services, while continuing to explore the potential partnership with Tauranga City Council and Western Bay of Plenty District Council.
The latter was our Council’s preferred option, reflecting feedback from consultation on this matter in 2025.
However, Tauranga and Western Bay councils have since agreed to a joint Water Services Organisation together while considering Thames-Coromandel as a potential partner in the future.
Our Council is working towards a goal of joining this sub-regional joint Water Services Organisation by 1 July 2028.
January storm recovery update
Council was updatedon our January storm recovery plan and progress made to date. The recovery operating budget of $3.99 million for this current financial year was approved as was $1.98 million in capital expenditure, mostly for roading but also for solid waste, water services for Paku Hill in Tairua and parks and reserves. Council also heard that our roading Funding Assistance Rate from NZTA would likely be71%, not the 90% requested. The Infrastructure and Finance Committee will consider funding options available for recovery works, including those expected for 26/27 and 27/29.
Thames aquatic provision
Thames-Coromandel District Council has confirmed its support for the continuation of aquatic provision in Thames, and acknowledged Council’s intention to vacate the current pool site of Taipari Park.
The Council also acknowledged the Richmond Street site within Thames High School grounds as the preferred site for any new pool, as recommended by Thames Community Board last year, and formally received a business case on the pool replacement, which is the culmination of several years of investigation and community engagement.
The Council directed the work to be led by its Infrastructure and Finance Committee to oversee a programme of work to enable timely progression of the aquatic facility. Part of the committee’s work will be to explore funding options to make continued aquatic provision viable.
More information on the Thames replacement pool project, including the business case containing an outline of the history of Taipari Park, can be found on our website here.
The current round of Community Board meetings wraps up next week on Tuesday with the Coromandel-Colville Community Board gathering. We’ll publish a roundup of key meeting reports and decisions after that.
Stay up to date by signing up to our e-newsletter here.
All our Council and Community Board meetings and most workshops are available for people to attend either in person or online. Go to www.tcdc.govt.nz/meetings for agendas, minutes, and to watch meeting livestreams or recordings.
Questions about decisions and issues are welcome. Use our Request for Service system at www.tcdc.govt.nz/RFS.
Anzac parades and services
We will be commemorating fallen service personnel and all those who served our country in times of war at parades and services around the district this Anzac Day.
See details of local events here
Kerbside collections are a day later due to the public holiday on Monday 27 April. Check out your rubbish and recycling services over the Anzac period at tcdc.govt.nz/bindays.
Our refuse and recycling stations (RTS) are closed in the morning of Saturday 25 April, and reopen at 1pm on that day. They will be open, to normal hours, for the rest of the week, including on the official public Anzac holiday on Monday 27 April. See more at www.tcdc.govt.nz/rts
Whangamatā Community Library update
We appreciate the closure of the Whangamatā Community Library has left a real gap for the community. Our team has been working closely with the library committee and Community Library staff to provide support and help identify a suitable alternative space in Whangamatā, so services can get back up and running as soon as possible.
To clarify, the Whangamatā Library is a community library rather than a district library. This means our Council supports the library and provides partial funding, but it does not own, manage or operate the library.
On 15 April, we shared details of a potential location within a Council-owned building that the library may wish to operate from. Any decision about where or when the library relocates sits with the library committee and library staff. This is not a decision made by us. At this stage, our Council is waiting to hear whether the library committee wishes to take up the option that has been offered.
We’ve heard and understand the community’s feedback about Council’s role as the landlord of the building. We have a responsibility to ensure our buildings meet required safety and compliance standards for staff and the public. Over several years, remedial work has been undertaken to try to address ongoing water ingress, including leaks from the roof. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the leaking could not be permanently resolved. As part of this process, we then completed a building condition assessment which tested positive for mould. While we appreciate it’s frustrating this wasn’t discovered earlier, the extent of the problem was not evident until this detailed review was completed. Once it was confirmed that the building did not meet appropriate safety standards for continued use as a library, closing the space was the responsible and necessary step for us to take. This decision was made to protect the health and safety of library users, staff, and volunteers, and reflects our Council’s obligations as a landlord. As soon as the issues were identified, Council acted promptly and has continued to work closely with the library committee and staff to support them while longer‑term solutions are considered.
While our Council has no formal obligation in this space, we are committed to wrapping our support around the library team to help them re-establish as quickly as possible and restore normal library services for the community. We will continue to support the library team through any relocation process that may be required.
Transfer station one-day closures
The following refuse and recycling transfer stations will be closed for one day to carry out kiosk repairs:
Whangamatā Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station: closed Wednesday 6 May (Alternative weighbridge sites: Tairua, Thames, Whitianga)
Tairua Refuse and Recycling Transfer Station: closed Wednesday 13 May (Alternative weighbridge sites: Thames, Whangamatā, Whitianga)
The after-hours drop off facilities will be available for recycling, rubbish bags and glass.
The work is weather-dependent. Please check our website for any updates.
Work to start on VSL signs
Work begins next month to install Variable Speed Limit (VSL) signs outside local schools as part of efforts to make our communities safer.
VSL signs work by triggering a lower speed limit during busy times outside schools (at the start and end of the school day) then reverting to the road’s standard speed limit when there is minimal student activity such as at nights, weekends and holidays. Schools also provide flexibility to control speed limits during special school events, in coordination with our Council and Council’s Road Operation and Maintenance Contractor.
Most urban schools will have a 30kmh limit during school travel times. Some rural schools may have a 60kmh limit, depending on road context.
Temporary traffic management is expected as the signs are installed. This work is expected to be completed by the end of June.
Please be patient while this work to make our communities safer is carried out.
Click here for other local road closures and works updates
State Highways update
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi has released its latest update on work underway and planned for State Highways 25 and 25A across our Thames–Coromandel District.
Key highlights include the reopening of State Highway 25 at Kereta on the Thames Coast Road to two lanes, with a temporary speed limit in place. In addition, enabling works for the replacement of Tairua’s ageing one-way Pepe Bridge are scheduled to begin in mid‑May.
Read more here
Commercial Operator Licences applications close next week
Applications for our Commercial Operator Licence tender process which grants access to selected operators of food or activity businesses to operate from Council reserves close next week.
A range of sites remain available in areas including 1 in Thames, 4 in Whangamatā, 4 in Pāuanui, 5 in Tairua, 3 in Whitianga, 1 in Matarangi and surrounding coastal reserves. These opportunities are ideal for businesses looking to bring new food offerings or visitor experiences to the Coromandel.
Applications close Thursday 30 April. Submissions will be reviewed in May, applicants notified in June, and licences issued in July.
For more information, visit the Council website
Claymark Hauraki-Coromandel Business Awards
Our Economic Development Team will be attending upcoming Business After 5 events across the district to talk about the awards, answer questions, and encourage nominations for the Claymark Hauraki Coromandel Business Awards.
Join us at the Coromandel–Colville event at 5pm on Wednesday 29 April at the Combined Clubs.
To find out more about this BA5 click here, or visit our website at www.tcdc.govt.nz/HCBA for other locations and further information about the awards.
Get ahead of dog registration
Dog registration is just around the corner and now is a great time to make sure your details are up to date.
If anything has changed, such as ownership of your dog, your address, your contact details, or if your dog has sadly passed away, please let us know. A quick update now will make the registration process smoother when the time comes.
Keeping your information current also helps us reunite lost dogs with their owners faster or get in touch if there is ever an issue.
You can update your details online anytime or contact our Customer Services team on 07 868 0200 or customer.services@tcdc.govt.nz.
A quick check now will help keep things simple later.
Find out more
