BOP Council Update

The Bay of Plenty region is facing a number of transport challenges including rapid population growth and associated traffic congestion.

One of the areas affected by this is Ōmokoroa.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council is hoping to reduce the number of cars on State Highway 2 between Ōmokoroa and Tauranga by providing better options for public transport, including more frequent bus trips.

Regional Council will be asking for feedback on the current bus timetable (three return trips per day on week days), and suggestions for other times that would be useful for residents. Public input into bus stop locations will also be asked for.

BOPRC is hoping to gather more information about how our network is performing for customers and we will look at minor improvements that can be made in the next 6-12 months. This could include changing some routes, adding more services or changing the times of services.

We would also like to hear if it’s a good option for the local primary schools and whether or not the service would be used to access schools in Tauranga.

Feedback can be provided in a number of ways
· Social Pinpoint interactive map : http://bit.ly/2XB8aFC
· Email transport@boprc.govt.nz
· Call and leave a message Freephone 0508 688 266

For more information visit www.baybus.co.nz.

If you own property in the Western Bay you may be visited by a professional valuer who will be assessing the current land and capital value of your place for rating purposes.

Revaluations are done every two to three years by Western Bay of Plenty District Council to gain a district-wide appraisal of property values to accurately assess the value of a property at a given time.

Valuers will be travelling around the District until the end of October 2019 – visiting addresses and driving the streets looking at properties across all rural and urban categories.

If no one is home when the valuer calls, a calling card will be left explaining the process to the property owner. Valuers will carry identification and their vehicles will be sign-written.

The valuers are not employees of Council, they work for the independent valuation firm Opteon. Opteon is contracted by Council to carry out this service and is an approved valuation service provider by the Office of the Valuer-General.

Opteon’s rating valuers have the legal right to enter properties and owners are required to answer any questions to enable a correct valuation to be made. Please help the valuers do their job.

These valuations will provide a snapshot of our District as at 21 July 2019 and are used for the sole purpose of rating. They do not reflect the value of your property on the open market, nor do they reflect the sale price of any property.

A change in valuation does not necessarily relate to a change in rates for a property. This will only happen if the new value has increased or decreased more than the average for the District. Some valuations will go up, others will go down – some won’t change. The new valuations will be used for rating purposes from 1 July 2020.

The valuation results will be advised by mail from 9 December 2019. All property owners will receive notice of their new valuation plus a brochure with all the necessary information about the revaluation process and how to make an objection. Anyone who does not agree with their valuation is welcome to lodge an objection up until 31 January 2020.

Well done to all those from Omokoroa who lodged a submission to Council on this proposal. We have the result we wanted!
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No new gambling venues or gambling machines will be allowed in the Western Bay of Plenty under a new policy.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council this week unanimously approved changes to the Class 4 Gambling Venues Policy and TAB Venues Policy. The changes aim to minimise the social harm caused by gambling, particularly in more at risk communities and reflect the community’s views.

Following public consultation, the most notable changes to the policy will see Council introduce a ‘Sinking Lid’ approach that means no new gambling venues would be able to set up in the District, and no increases in the number of gaming machines in current venues would be allowed. Relocating a gaming machine venue is also prohibited and clubs that merge are no longer able to hold gaming machines. Standalone TAB venues will also not be allowed to operate in the district.

Council received 157 submissions of which the adopted options gained the majority of community support – between 82% and 66% support, depending on the issue.

“The community has spoken and we think on balance that this reflects what the community wants,” says Mayor Garry Webber.

No new gambling venues or gambling machines will be allowed in the Western Bay of Plenty under a new policy.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council this week unanimously approved changes to the Class 4 Gambling Venues Policy and TAB Venues Policy. The changes aim to minimise the social harm caused by gambling, particularly in more at risk communities and reflect the community’s views.

Following public consultation, the most notable changes to the policy will see Council introduce a ‘Sinking Lid’ approach that means no new gambling venues would be able to set up in the District, and no increases in the number of gaming machines in current venues would be allowed. Relocating a gaming machine venue is also prohibited and clubs that merge are no longer able to hold gaming machines. Standalone TAB venues will also not be allowed to operate in the district.

Council received 157 submissions of which the adopted options gained the majority of community support – between 82% and 66% support, depending on the issue.

Over time, the number of venues and machines may slowly decline as venues shut down or operators give up some of their machines.

“The community has spoken and we think on balance that this reflects what the community wants,” says Mayor Garry Webber.

“This policy is the opportunity for Council and the community to influence gambling in the District and helps contribute to minimising gambling harm.

“The changes aim to better regulate the impact of gambling in the District. By controlling the growth of gambling and minimising the harm caused, we are still enabling people to participate in responsible gambling if they wish to do so,” says Garry.

The policy review meets Council’s role under the Gambling Act 2003 and Racing Act 2003. The previous policies were adopted in 2013.

Key facts
• $6,432,673 was spent on Class 4 gambling in the Western Bay of Plenty District spent in the 12 months to September 2018.
• There are 154 machines and 11 venues in the Western Bay of Plenty District.
• There are no standalone TAB venues in the Western Bay of Plenty District.

Ends

For more information:

Alison Curtis
Western Bay of Plenty District Council Compliance Manager
Alison.Curtis@westernbay.govt.nz
or
Luke Balvert
Western Bay of Plenty District Council Senior Communications Specialist
Luke.Balvert@westernbay.govt.nz

Western Bay of Plenty District Council will introduce a Council-contracted kerbside recycling, glass collection and rubbish collection service across approximately 80 percent of the District, starting in 2021.

Council made the decision alongside the adoption of the 2019/20 Annual Plan today.

Recycling and glass collection will be paid through rates and the rubbish collection will be a pay-per-pick-up service.

In urban areas, Council will collect biodegradable food scraps (paid for in rates).

Staff will start procurement by working with the waste management industry to determine how the service will best serve the community. Council will make a final decision following completion of the procurement process.

Council has included $100,000 in this year’s 2019/20 budget for the procurement process with the aim of starting the service in 2021.

The proposal for a Council-contracted service went out for consultation earlier this year as an amendment to Council’s Long Term Plan 2018-2028.

The proposal adopted today was the most preferred of three options, gaining 63 percent support of the 552 submissions.

Western Bay Mayor Garry Webber says waste management has become a growing concern for councils and their communities and it is the right time to make a change from private contracting of rubbish collection to a Council-contracted service.

“We have no choice but to address the District’s dumping of waste to landfill. The new service aims to increase the amount of material diverted from landfill by about 60 percent – around 1,800 tonnes a year,” says Garry.

“Council has listened to what the community wanted. This decision has resulted from extensive investigations into various options of how to deliver the service to get the best outcomes.”

The new service includes a pay-per-pick-up scheme for rubbish and a fixed rateable charge for recycling of glass, cardboard/paper, cans and plastics (number one and two plastics) and for food scraps (in urban areas only), charged to those households that receive the service.

The indicative cost per household is modelled to be $105 through a targeted rate for urban households (recycling, glass and food scraps collections), a $53 targeted rate for rural households (recycling and glass collections, but no food scraps collection) and for all serviced households $3.50 per pick-up for general rubbish – a pick-up cost is only charged when people choose to put out their bin.

The actual cost to households depends on how often the bin is put out. With increased opportunities to divert waste from landfill for recycling or composting, households may be able to save money by reducing the number of pick-ups.

Full details of the service will be confirmed after the tender process is complete in 2020. The service will start in July 2021.

Other measures Council will progress to improve the District’s approach to rubbish and recycling include:

• Trialling a recycling drop-off site in 2019/20. While the location is yet to be finalised it will be based on providing the greatest opportunity to reduce travel times to recycling facilities

• Exploring the establishment of community-led, self-funding re-use facilities for trade waste and other recyclables to reduce the amount of construction waste going to landfill

• Extending opening hours of the Athenree Community Recycling Centre to provide better access during high demand peaks such as long weekends.

Western Bay of Plenty District Council adopted its 2019/20 Annual Plan today setting an average rates increase of 3.1 percent, slightly less than last year’s increase of 3.6 percent.

The increase, of which inflation accounts for 2.2 percent maintains Council’s Long Term Plan (2018-2028) pledge to keep total rate increases below four percent (excluding population growth) for existing ratepayers over the 10 years from 2018-2028.

Mayor Garry Webber says the 3.1 percent increase will enable Council to continue managing its operational and capital works programme while maintaining its level of services to communities.

“Council has kept ratepayers’ demand for a minimum rate increase top of mind during its deliberations.

“To achieve this we have reviewed our planned capital expenditure programme and reduced the general rate contribution to servicing debt (interest and repayments)
from $1 million to $750,000 for 2019/20. We have also reduced targeted rates for water, wastewater and stormwater from three percent to two percent.

“This careful budget shows a Council in control of its spending but also ensures we have some borrowing headroom for unexpected events.

“We are always mindful of those on fixed incomes who find their rates difficult to meet. To that end I have been urging other mayors to press Central Government for a higher rates rebate to help people who may struggle to pay their rates.”

In the 2019/20 year (1 July 2019 – 30 June 2020) Council will collect $64.34m in total rates. This comprises District rates ($39.71m); community board rates ($428k); water treatment and supply ($6.52m); wastewater ($10.89m); stormwater ($4.36m) and other targeted rates ($2.44m).

Items included in the 2019/20 budget that reflect the rates increase of 3.1 percent are:

Kerbside rubbish collection service
This year Council will spend $100,000 to procure services in preparation for the implementation of the Council-contracted rubbish collection service due to start in 2021.

Rural drop-off depots
Council will spend $93,000 to set up one trial location in the eastern end of the District to assess people’s interest in using such facilities in more remote locations where there is not a kerbside collection service.

Debt management
Reduce ratepayers’ contribution to Council’s interest/debt repayment to $750,000 from $1 million for 2019/20. This reflects Council’s lower trending debt profile while recognising a certain level of debt is appropriate for ‘intergenerational equity’ in funding key assets. This debt repayment is reviewed annually. Council’s net debt is currently forecast to be below $90m at the end of this financial year.

Targeted rates for wastewater, stormwater and water
The targeted rates increase for wastewater, stormwater and water will be reduced from 3 percent to 2 percent. This results in a reduction in the rates requirement of $208,955 in the 2019/20 Annual Plan and the benefit will be spread across all ratepayers connected to these services.

Targeted Rates
Council is introducing some new targeted rates for wastewater schemes in Ongare Point and Te Puna West and for water supply in Black Road and Woodlands Road where the network has been extended to service properties. These rates will cover the funding and affect only those connected to the scheme.

KiwiCamp
Council will set aside $90,000 for the required consents and connection services for this facility. Council has an agreement with the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Enterprise to install a KiwiCamp facility in Waihi Beach for the 2019/20 summer holiday season.

No 1 Road walkway/cycleway
Council has approved $600,000 funding for a 3.2km gravel walkway up No 1 Road to Trevelyan’s pack house. This is deemed a necessary safety work due to the high number of seasonal workers employed by the pack house. Council will fund $294,000 from the existing district walking and cycling budget and loan fund the project over 10 years at $40,760 a year, with a contribution sought from other sources. NZTA subsidy contributes $306,000.

Freedom camping
Council will add $26,000 to its budget for freedom camping monitoring, taking the total up to $50,000 over the summer period.

For further information please contact:
Garry Webber
Mayor
Western Bay of Plenty District

P: 07 579 6642
M: 027 270 3971
E: garry.webber@westernbay.govt.nz Kumaren Perumal
Group Manager – Finance and Technology Services
Western Bay of Plenty District Council

P: 07 579 6673
M: 027 263 2257
E: Kumaren.perumal@westernbay.govt.nz

Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Representation Review proposal that was formally adopted last month opens for public appeals and objections on Thursday, 4 October.
Council’s final proposal is proposing a mix of community boards and ward councillor committees for the 2019 and 2022 triennial elections.
The appeal/objection period is from today (4 October) to Monday, 5 November 2018.
Appeals and objections can be submitted online on Council’s website at https://haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/finalproposal
The final proposal followed a comprehensive consultation and engagement process to gain better understanding of the Western Bay community’s views on fair and effective representation, and communities of interest.
If a person who made a submission on the initial proposal is not satisfied with Council’s amended proposal they can appeal against it.
However if a person did not make a submission to the initial proposal but does not agree with the outcome, they can make an objection to it.
If Council receives an appeal/objection it must refer the whole representation review to the Local Government Commission no later than 15 January 2019.
The Commission has a quasi-judicial role to determine the best representation arrangements for the Western Bay or any other local authority whose proposal goes to review.
The Commission takes into account Council’s decision, submissions, appeals and objections. It must issue its decision no later than 10 April 2019.
A Commission decision can be appealed to the High Court on a point of law.

Good Morning

I had a laywer that I know and who I had heard was interested in lodging an objection to the Application for the Liquor License to send me something that I could use.

He does work for the “Communities Against Alcohol Harm Inc.” body.

Attached is that document.

If anyone wishes to use it, it will need a few amendments such as name etc.

The objection can be lodged by email to Dougal.Elvin@westernbay.govt.nz

Word document can be downloaded here

Regards

Richard