Young leaders share ideas, Tairua Skatepark opening and kerbside info

Published on 28 March 2024

A note from Councillor Robyn Sinclair

Without a doubt the most uplifting project of which I have been a part this term has been our Advanced Learner sessions with Year 7 and Year 8 students of Matatoki, Pūriri and Pārāwai Schools in Thames.

Initially the brainchild of Lisa Barnett (Thames High School Learning Support Coordinator), it has involved myself, Cllr Martin Rodley and Thames Community Board Member Holly Mackenzie. Our Advanced Learners are students who have space to learn outside of the curriculum, who have joined us for sessions at council.

One of the other joys is seeing some of our Year 8 students from last year returning to us as Year 9s from Thames, Paeroa and Hauraki Plains high schools. We met the students in September last year, and initially introduced them to some of the bigger things that our Council does, specifically the Long Term Plan (more on that immediately below). We let them loose on large sheets of paper to collect their ideas of what is important to include.

I was amazed at the quality of what came back to us – water infrastructure was present, as well as bigger social issues such as access for the disabled community and funding for hospitals. Perhaps given the calibre of that work, I shouldn’t have been surprised that the majority of issues they raised had also been identified by councillors as issues for the district.

The next step was to analyse which of the ideas were council activities (such as upgrading the Thames South water supply), and which are for our central government partners (reduced speeds and provision of pedestrian crossings on SH26 at Matatoki). Some projects need local advocacy and we reluctantly created a parking lot for a couple of ideas that we just couldn’t fit in this time.

We hope to work with them in the coming year to get some of the projects happening and their ideas into reality. In our session last week the students divided themselves into groups of self-identified interests: water, arts, transport pathways and local business. Our next session in Term 2 will match up some mentors with each group to work alongside them. The Advanced Learners couldn’t have happened without the passion of Lisa, the practical help of several of our Council staff and the support of the parents and principals of our schools for allowing their children to join us. My thanks to all of you, and I look forward to working with you this year. With these students, our future already looks brighter.

Give us your take on our future plans

We'd like to get your feedback on the projects and facilities we’re proposing to deliver to our communities over the next 10 years and beyond. There are some big challenges ahead for our district and we want to hear what our communities think.  

Feedback for our draft Long Term Plan 2024-2034 will be closing on Monday 8 April, so if you haven’t already, head to tcdc.govt.nz/LTP-2024-2034 to read our consultation document and supporting information. The consultation document is your roadmap to our proposals for the Long Term Plan (LTP). Your feedback will help inform our Councillors as they make decisions for our final LTP, which we’ll be adopting in late June. 

Here are some of the issues we’re asking you about: 
• How to manage the rates increase proposed for 2024/25, to lessen the impact on our ratepayers. 
• Options for investing more in future planning so that our towns can grow and develop in a strategic way. 
• Investing in connected communities so they can better respond to challenges such as severe weather events.  

This time around, we’re proposing an average district-wide rates increase of 12.9% for the 2024/25 financial year, which will equate to a proposed weekly cost of $83.74: 

How to share feedback
Proposed median rates examples for each Community board
Check your proposed 24/25 rates online

You're invited to the opening of Tairua Skatepark

The finishing touches are being put on Tairua's new skatepark and an opening event has been planned for the school holidays. 

We'd love for you to join us to celebrate the opening of this new community space on 15 April, from 1pm. Rain or shine, the facility will be opened. 

Visit the project page

Final chance to have your say on our Representation Review

Our Council is reviewing how our local communities are represented, in terms of the ward and community board structure and the number of Councillors and Community Board members. This is called a Representation Review and it will come into effect for our October 2025 local body elections. We are keen to hear from our communities to understand how you feel about some key parts of Council’s structure.

At its 31 October 2023 meeting, our Council unanimously voted to establish one or more Māori Wards for the 2025 Local Elections. This is what has triggered the representation review process, to make sure our communities are fairly and effectively represented at Council. The review does not revisit the decision to establish Māori Wards.

This survey will help us to understand how our communities feel about key aspects of our current representation structure. Your feedback will help to inform our proposal, which will go out for formal consultation later this year. The survey will be open until Sunday March 31 2024. Everyone who completes the survey will go in the draw to win one of two $100 Prezzy Cards.

Next week, you will also be able to pick up a hard copy from our Council offices, District Libraries, or download one here. If you have any questions, feel free to email repreview@tcdc.govt.nz.  

Take care on the roads this weekend

For many of us, Easter is the final summertime break before winter chills descend.

This is also the case for hundreds of road workers who continue with the massive repair job from the storms a year ago. While many will not be on site at the six main construction sites across the Coromandel’s state highway network, some will be, ensuring travellers are informed and aware of the of the changes and dangers.

Please extend some courtesy if you do come across them, frustration and delays are part and parcel of our huge recovery programme, and these road workers are giving up their time to keep us safe.

NZTA Waka Kotahi is determined to complete $15 million of repair works before winter sets in. Weather wise, the Easter long weekend looks ok. A bit of everything across the four days with Sunday being more of an indoors day. If you are out and about, check the weather forecast and coastal marine conditions before you go.

Check the weather this weekend
Coromandel State Highway recovery programme
The latest on our Council roads

Easter rubbish and recycling news 

There are no recycling collections on Good Friday, 29 March. Instead Pāuanui’s collections (recycling, glass and food scraps) will be on Saturday 30 March. 

Next week, is red week – for your red-lidded rubbish bin and food scraps. There are no collections on Easter Monday, 1 April. Instead, all collections that week will be a day later.  

• Tuesday 2 April: Whangamatā South, Mercury Bay South 
• Wednesday 3 April: Whangamatā South, Mercury Bay South 
• Thursday 4 April: Coromandel Town and Te Kōuma, Coromandel Rural North, Thames Coast and Manāia, Mercury Bay North 
• Friday 5 April: Thames & Surrounds, Thames Rural South, Tairua
• Saturday 6 April: Pāuanui 

Check out your calendars at www.tcdc.govt.nz/bindays or pick up a printed calendar from a Council office or library. 

Don’t forget to add your Pay As You Throw Tag through your rubbish bin lid and handle. 

All our Refuse and Recycling Transfer Stations are closed on Friday 29 March. They’ll reopen on Saturday 30 March and stay open the rest of Easter weekend – from 8.30am-5.30pm.  

With the end of daylight saving the weekend after Easter, all our transfer stations will move to winter hours of 8.30am to 4.30pm on Sunday 7 April. 

Find out more about our kerbside services

Ngākau Carving Symposium

The Ngākau Carving Symposium is being held during the upcoming school holidays from 18-27 April 2024, in Thames. It’s a two-week public event that welcomes the community across generations and cultures, from mokopuna to kuia and kaumātua. 

The symposium attracts professional and emerging artists from throughout Aotearoa who share a deep passion for whakairo (carving), working with kōhatu (stone) and rākau (wood). It’s proudly hosted and supported by Te Kura o te Kauaeranga, Thames South School. 

This event is made possible by the support of the Thames community. Organisers warmly invite your participation. Volunteers are currently being sought to help prepare meals for the artists or to have a presence on the grounds during the course of the event. Alternatively donations of kai (food) for the artists' meals would also be highly valued. 

Sponsorship is also being sought. For more information please contact ngakaucommittee@gmail.com

Follow updates and live feeds during the Symposium on Facebook

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: 
• Environmental Health Team Leader
• Contract Manager for Waste & Recycling
• Assistant Accountant
• Senior Business Intelligence and Data Engineer
• Community Librarian, Tairua

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

Adoptable dogs