Latest news with #RotoruaLakesCouncil
NZ Herald
a day ago
- General
- NZ Herald
Rotorua charity plans ‘Adopt A Streetie' initiative to aid homeless
Love Soup's Julie King said the Adopt A Streetie idea had been on her mind for a while and was a natural progression from the Village of Hope. She said the streeties could be put into a home once they were ready. King said they used coming together to eat and prepare food as a way of finding those who genuinely wanted to change and improve their lives. The five people being housed in the village were now helping to prepare and cook the meals for other homeless at the weekend. Love Soup Rotorua's Julie King. Photo / Supplied Love Soup provides between 25 and 30 meals every Saturday and Sunday night, as well as giving food for others to do breakfasts in the morning. 'I know people don't want us feeding them but it is our way of bonding and coming together,' King said. They had heard of similar hosting projects overseas where those given free rent repaid the favour by offering to do jobs and chores. 'If we plan it right, it can work.' King said the sleeping pods idea 'had not really panned out' on the large scale it had originally aimed for, because of compliance issues with Rotorua Lakes Council. It was set up as an emergency response in a secret location on land near Rotorua, but the council advised Love Soup would face enforcement actions if it didn't stop what it was doing and apply for consent. New sleeping pods to be used by streeties at a secret location. Photo / Supplied King said the village was replacing some of the pods with caravans and campervans, which they believed would gain council approval more easily. King said they would sell six of their eight pods – asking about $2500 each. The pods are made from hard plastic and each has ventilation, insulation and sleeps two or three people side-by-side. King said Love Soup set up the Village of Hope for those willing to abide by their rules and there were strict criteria and screening for those they allowed in. The set-up was 'working wonders' for the five people currently using it because they had somewhere warm, dry and safe to sleep. Two were sleeping in pods and the other three in a donated campervan, caravan and a car. Love Soup volunteers transported them to the two secret locations and supervised them from nearby before returning them to Rotorua in the morning. Homeless gather on Pukuatua St for free breakfast. Photo / Kelly Makiha King said the original long-term vision of having several pods on iwi land was no longer going to work. 'We still think the pods are amazing and they work really well. It's just the iwi land has fallen through.' Gaining compliance was also going to be too difficult, although King said once they had their caravans set up properly, she would invite the council to check on their operation in case it needed consent. Jean-Paul Gaston, council district development group manager, told the Rotorua Daily Post last week the council had a legal responsibility but Love Soup had not shared any information about what they planned or what they were doing and where. Gaston said the council advised that any type of accommodation required consent before starting operations and encouraged them to get this process under way. King said Love Soup, as part of wider efforts to find solutions to homelessness in Rotorua, had stopped having regular meetings with other local organisations as they had a clear database now of what everyone was doing. 'It was just starting to be chitty chat but now we are in the movement side to get things done.' Kelly Makiha is a senior journalist who has reported for the Rotorua Daily Post for more than 25 years, covering mainly police, court, human interest and social issues.
NZ Herald
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- NZ Herald
New Zealand's longest-serving councillor Trevor Maxwell seeks one more term in Rotorua
The subsequent three-year term put him level with Doug Truman, who served on Grey District Council from 1968 to 2016, for the national record. Asked about plans to take the record outright after the 2025 election, he had a simple statement: 'One more term.' Rotorua councillor Trevor Maxwell. Photo / Andrew Warner First elected as a councillor in 1977, Maxwell also served 11 years as Rotorua Deputy Mayor and fell just short of the mayoralty in 2004. Maxwell said he has 'thoroughly enjoyed' his time on Rotorua Lakes Council and would like one final term serving the Māori ward before stepping away. Rawiri Waru will also seek re-election to the Māori ward, while Maxwell's niece Lani Kereopa previously announced she would not. General ward councillors Conan O'Brien, Robert Lee, Don Paterson and Fisher Wang indicated they would seek to keep their seats, as would Karen Barker in the Rural ward. Lee would challenge Mayor Tania Tapsell for the top job. Councillor Robert Lee is running for Rotorua Mayor in October. Photo / Laura Smith Rotorua Mayor Tania Tapsell is standing again. Photo / Laura Smith Councillor Gregg Brown was not seeking re-election to the general ward. Deputy Mayor Sandra Kai Fong did not respond to requests to confirm her stance. Meanwhile, the first two community challengers have confirmed their candidacies for the general ward. Mariana Morrison is the granddaughter of late Rotorua great Sir Howard Morrison and was also a contestant on the 2017 edition of The Bachelor NZ. Reynold Macpherson, chairman of Rotorua District Residents and Ratepayers, is a former councillor and mayoral contender. MacPherson was voted on to the council in 2019 and served one term, in which he locked horns with then Mayor Steve Chadwick. In 2022, he was removed from two council committees after failing to apologise for code-of-conduct breaches. He lost his seat after falling short in a 2022 bid for mayor, with Tapsell taking the top job. MacPherson also stood for the mayoralty unsuccessfully in 2013, 2016 and 2019, but said he was just seeking a councillor seat in 2025. Rotorua Residents and Ratepayers' Association chairman Reynold Macpherson. Photo / Andrew Warner Macpherson told Local Democracy Reporting he was largely supportive of the current mayor. He believed the current council had 'changed' compared with three years ago. 'Rotorua has great potential,' he said. 'Let's build a better council, one that listens respectfully, debates thoughtfully and acts decisively, with integrity, not political theatre.' Macpherson said his priorities would be focusing on the council's core responsibilities, capping rates and cutting waste. Morrison is standing for the council for the first time. She has a background in the military, corrections and health. Mariana Morrison. Photo / Andrew Warner In 2022, she spearheaded a first-of-its-kind kaupapa Māori strategy in aged care at Rotorua's Cantabria Lifecare and Village. 'I want to bring strategic leadership to the Rotorua community from a ground-up approach,' Morrison said. 'There are gaps in our socioeconomic system that are impacting the governance of our council. I think there's room for more leadership centred on a whānau-centric voice – more community leaders, as opposed to purely operational.' Candidate nominations close on August 1, with confirmed candidates to be announced by August 6. Voting runs from September 9 to October 11. Councillors running in 2025 Local Democracy Reporting asked the mayor and councillors who would seek re-election. Mayor Tania Tapsell – Yes Robert Lee – Yes (and for mayor) Karen Barker – Yes Don Paterson – Yes Fisher Wang – Yes Trevor Maxwell – Yes Conan O'Brien – Yes Rawiri Waru – Yes Lani Kereopa – No Gregg Brown – No Sandra Kai Fong – No response Mathew Nash is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. He has previously written for SunLive, been a regular contributor to RNZ and was a football reporter in the UK for eight years. – LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
15-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Rotorua dog owner successfully appeals dangerous dog classification
A Rotorua dog owner has successfully appealed her dog's 'dangerous' classification. Katie Paul spoke at a Rotorua Lakes Council dog control panel on July 7 objecting to the council classifying her registered Staffordshire bull terrier cross Dolly as dangerous after multiple incidents. She feared if the original decision went unchanged
NZ Herald
13-07-2025
- NZ Herald
Rotorua dog owner objects to dangerous classification, will have to move or rehome dog
A Rotorua dog owner says she will have to move house or rehome her pet if the council does not remove its 'dangerous' dog classification. Katie Paul objected to Rotorua Lakes Council classifying her registered Staffordshire bull/cross terrier Dolly as dangerous at a Dog Control Panel last Monday.
RNZ News
10-07-2025
- Automotive
- RNZ News
Rotorua Lakes Council takes back control of parking services
The current parking system has had its detractors among users. Photo: LDR / Mathew Nash One-hour-free parking everywhere and a three-hour limit in the core CBD are among ideas on the table as Rotorua begins a parking overhaul. Rotorua Lakes Council has begun the process of bringing many of the city's parking services in-house by July 2026. This after a decision not to renew its contract with current provider i-Park. It marks the end of the fully outsourced parking model introduced in mid-2018, which has been a source of frustration for some residents, business owners and community leaders. On Wednesday, the council's Community and District Development Committee adopted a hybrid service delivery model. This followed a public-excluded decision on 28 May not to extend the existing arrangement. From next year, the council will directly employ parking wardens and take over responsibility for customer service and financial administration. The council's Community and District Development Committee adopted a new hybrid model of service delivery in Wednesday's meeting. Photo: LDR / Mathew Nash Meanwhile, infrastructure and technology, such as pay machines and software, will remain outsourced after procurement by tender. The adopted report highlights the desire for a "simplified" approach to parking. This could potentially include one-hour-free parking citywide, fewer meters and maximum three-hour parking limits in the core CBD, with longer stays allowed in the off-street parking building and CBD fringe. The operational details of the new model would be mapped out over the next 12 months, including as part of Annual Plan consultations. The move brings Rotorua in line with other councils, including six visited as part of a review into best-practice approaches to parking. Concerns were raised by some councillors around the validity of the comparison of the six sites in question - Auckland, Hamilton, Napier, New Plymouth, Tauranga and Wellington - to Rotorua. Councillor Gregg Brown wanted to ensure the new parking system served to improve "CBD vibrancy". "We don't want this to be a handbrake to that and there are potentially other models out there that need to be taken on board." One such model he alluded to was Taupō's. Councillor Robert Lee sought and was given assurance Taupō's system and model would be evaluated as part of any ongoing process. Councillor Fisher Wang acknowledged that this decision was a matter of process but insisted on the importance of taking this step now. "From my perspective it's to make sure we do things right now so that later on, when it comes to any following decisions, we have a smooth process of transfer," Wang said. "Clearly, we see that the current system has its issues, and we want to make sure we do a good job in finding the best system that works for our unique requirements." The sun is setting on the current Rotorua CBD parking model. Photo: LDR / Mathew Nash Rotorua's current parking system has been managed entirely by private provider i-Park for the past seven years. The technology-driven approach, including app-based payments and automated enforcement, has drawn complaints over usability, unfair fines and a lack of transparency. In early 2020, CBD business leaders met with the council to discuss their concerns, while locals were left frustrated later in the year with the cost of implementing the new model. As recently as May, issues with the i-Park app delayed charges and led to some drivers being charged a month's worth of fees at one time. A spokesperson for i-Park said its partnership with Rotorua Lakes Council had been "broadly positive" but they respected the move and remained open to future involvement. "When we began, Rotorua had parking infrastructure that no longer reflected modern standards or community expectations. We're proud to have delivered a significant transformation, introducing up-to-date technology and professional operations in line with the scope and direction provided by [the] council." A transition plan is being worked on to ensure continuity of service and to minimise disruption for the public. "Our contract includes clear provisions for an orderly transition, and we are fully committed to supporting this process. We'll work closely with [the] council and our priority is a seamless and professional handover that serves the best interests of Rotorua's residents, businesses, and visitors." The council aims to go live with the new system from 1 July, 2026. The election in October meant the new council would be responsible for final decisions around contract awards, parking fees and bylaw updates. Community consultation will take place, while wider public engagement will occur through the 2026/27 Annual Plan process, where final fees and layout decisions will be confirmed. LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
