Range of issues heard for Timaru District Council draft annual plan public consultation
Tuesday, 30 May 2023
A maritime museum, a plea to consider the “silent majority’’, and a call to bring back in-house work crews were some of the submissions presented to the Timaru District Council’s public hearings as part of consultation for the draft annual plan.
Councillors heard 10 submitters, of 78 presented, as part of deliberations on submissions to the draft annual plan 2023/24 consultation on Tuesday morning.
David Fraser, of The Alexandra Group, was first up, and said he represented a group of people interested in preserving and displaying items from the town’s maritime history.
Speaking in the afternoon, Timaru mayor Nigel Bowen requested three-monthly updates on the relocation of the boat.
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The Alexandra was Canterbury’s first purpose-built lifeboat, and has been tucked away in a shed at the council's service centre in the Botanic Gardens since 2010.
Records show the Alexandra was built for Timaru in 1864.
Its first use as a lifeboat was on 'Black Sunday', May 14, 1882, when the City of Perth and the Benvenue were wrecked on the Benvenue Cliffs.
He said Timaru had a “unique opportunity’’ to showcase the district’s maritime history.
Councillor Stu Piddington pointed out The Alexandra Group had not managed to do any fundraising.
“I’m closer to 80 than 50, I’m active in Probus – leave the fundraising to the young people, thank you,’’ Fraser replied.
Piddington agreed the lifeboat needed to be on display, but doubted a maritime museum would be a reality.
“We’re struggling to get our museum up before we get a maritime museum.’’
Also speaking was resident Gerrie Ligtenberg who said she represented the “silent majority’’.
While she agreed the council needed to increase rates as “we really need to go forward as a region’’, she wanted the council to think about those who would have trouble with that.
She suggested the district’s libraries needed to offer residents the opportunity to come in and learn about rates rebates over a few weeks.
“As a council and all of us as residents – we need to help each other as well.’’
She encouraged councillors to not forget about people with low incomes and would like to see the council not increase rents for its flats.
Meanwhile, resident and public servant Jono Halkett proposed bringing back in-house work crews for maintenance work – including parks maintenance, three waters reticulation service people, electricians, builders, and waster operators.
“One significant advantage is improved quality control, as the council can directly manage and oversee the work of its own staff,’’ he said.
“In the event of an urgent issue, such as a burst water main, the council can respond quickly and effectively, without having to rely on external contractors.’’
Speaking the matter in the afternoon, Bowen said the issue was complex and not something to be fixed overnight.
Meanwhile, representing CCS Disability Action, Mary O’Brien said street accessibility audits were an efficient way to identify priorities for renewals or minor works to improve accessibility with a focus on improvements for disabled people.
She said while she recognised Environment Canterbury offered the town’s on-demand bus service, she said it does make a difference to disabled services.
“Just imagine what it would be like with that service and improved footpath access.’’
Nadine Pirake, a resident of Rolling Ridges Rd, represented 10 other residents from that road and Cliffs Rd, about ongoing concerns on the road, asking the council to consider sealing their section of unsealed of road, about 2.2 kilometres.
“The unsealed section of road is a serious safety hazard for motorists,’’ she said.
In the past 10 months there has been eight car crashes/incidents on the road, including two serious near miss incidents that have been reported to the council, and in some incidents the police, she said.
The council has identified that the road has a high volume of traffic, and during ag season a significant proportion of this traffic is Class 5 heavy truck and trailers.
In the afternoon, Bowen said the council’s seal extension policy had a budget per year of $330,000/
Timaru District Council group manager infrastructure Andrew Dixon said funding available was $660 per km, per year for unsealed roads.
“Waka Kotahi won’t fund unless there is over 500 vehicles a day on the road,’’ he said.
Any seal extension of roads would have to be funded by rate payers, he said.
Senior advisor environmental policy and projects at Rooney Group, Nathan Hole, also spoke to the company’s submission on proposed changes to RMA fees and charges.
He said Rooney Group was concerned at the significant increases proposed, the information used to justify the changes, the lack of transparency in how the charges will be applied, and the implications to itself and the public that will result.
In a thorough submission, that councillor Stacey Scott praised in the meeting, the company “strongly submits that more investigation is required before any increases to fixed RMA charges are finalised’’.
*An earlier version of this story incorrectly said funding available was $660,000 per km, per year for unsealed roads. It should have said $660 per km, per year.