Latest news with #WhakatāneDistrictCouncil
Scoop
27-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Eastern Bay Councils Adopt 30-Year Plan For Growth And Development
Councils across the Eastern Bay have officially adopted the Our Places – Eastern Bay Spatial Plan (Spatial Plan), marking the beginning of a long-term, coordinated approach to managing growth, infrastructure, and development across the sub-region. The plan has been jointly developed by Whakatāne, Ōpōtiki, and Kawerau District Councils, along with Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council, in partnership with iwi and central government. It sets out a shared vision for how the Eastern Bay could grow and change over the next 30 years, focusing on housing, infrastructure, employment, land use, and climate resilience, while protecting the qualities that make the region unique. Independent Chair of the Project Governance Group, Vaughan Payne, says the adoption is a major milestone built on collaboration, community input and shared commitment. 'This Spatial Plan is the result of strong partnerships across councils, iwi, government agencies, and local communities,' says Mr Payne. 'Throughout 2024, we listened carefully to the feedback of more than 550 individuals, groups and community organisations. Another strong feature of this plan is capturing the future aspirations of our iwi partners. That input helped us refine our direction, including shaping an alternative growth scenario for Whakatāne to reflect the community's aspirations for where and how development should occur.' 'Councils have worked together every step of the way. The plan's adoption now sets the stage for the next phase – local implementation that reflects each district's needs and future potential.' Each council will now lead the next phase of work to reflect their district's priorities, starting with growth strategies and master planning, and continuing engagement with communities, iwi and stakeholders. Whakatāne District Council will lead the development of a Local Growth Strategy to guide where and how growth will be supported. The strategy will focus on greenfield areas, housing and the infrastructure needed to support new communities. Whakatāne District Council Mayor, Victor Luca, says it's time to put plans into action. 'We're now moving from the big picture to the local detail - creating a Local Growth Strategy that clarifies where growth will happen and how we'll support it. 'We'll continue working closely with our community to understand their vision, especially on matters like climate resilience, housing supply and infrastructure. We want to protect what we value while also creating new, connected, future-ready communities. 'It is also important to emphasise that as we move forward, this spatial plan, like any plan, may evolve as new information, data and evidence come to light.' In Ōpōtiki, the focus will be on advancing the Hukutaia Growth Area and unlocking opportunities created by the Ōpōtiki Harbour Development. Ōpōtiki District Council Mayor, David Moore, says the joint approach has strengthened planning across the region. 'I think the process of building the Spatial Plan together through community engagement, feedback and workshops has helped us make more consistent decisions across the sub-region. The plan can be used to advocate for central government funding and provision of services such as health, education, and policing. 'By approaching our challenges together, we've created a stronger, more joined-up plan for the future.' Kawerau District Council will continue its work on a local housing and economic development strategy, focusing on Stoneham Park and enabling more business activity. Kawerau District Mayor, Faylene Tunui, says the plan helps ensure the town remains people-centred, now and into the future. 'Those who call the Eastern Bay home see it as that – their home. This is where we choose to live and raise our families, work and earn a living, either working for someone else or by starting a business, and contribute and volunteer our skills to help our community thrive. 'The Spatial Plan helps us honour the experience of our past while laying a strong foundation for those who come next. Implementation will focus on making sure our people have real opportunities to get ahead, with housing, jobs, and investment that meet their needs.' Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council Chair, Doug Leeder, says the adoption of the plan is an important turning point. 'The Spatial Plan is an essential tool that will help us coordinate development and optimise resources in a way that will have intergenerational benefit,' says Mr Leeder. 'Its adoption is the first step in a 30-year journey to collectively shape a vibrant future and create a cohesive sub-region, with community input guiding us every step of the way.' While the Spatial Plan provides a blueprint, each council will continue to carry out further engagement through upcoming projects such as District Plan changes, Long Term Plans, and master planning at the local level. 'We want to thank everyone who has contributed to the development of this plan,' says Mr Payne. 'Your voice has helped shape it and will continue to guide what happens next.'
NZ Herald
27-06-2025
- Politics
- NZ Herald
Former MP Brendan Horan eyes Whakatāne council role in elections
Former Tauranga-based MP, TVNZ weather presenter and New Zealand Iron Man champion Brendan Horan says he plans to stand for a seat on Whakatāne District Council in this year's local body elections. Horan was a list MP for NZ First and was stood down in 2012 he took large sums of money from his late mother's account. He was cleared of any wrongdoing in 2016 following a two-year police investigation.
Scoop
13-06-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Whakatāne Operators At War With Council Over Tourism Funding Cuts
Tourism operators across the district are boycotting Whakatāne District Council for cutting funding to Tourism Bay of Plenty. The Whakatāne council has previously contributed $85,000 annually to the council controlled organisation of Tauranga City and Western Bay District councils. In response, a group of tourism operators across the district are boycotting all council-led tourism activity. This includes directing that all of their businesses be removed from council websites, that brochures and experiences be removed from the Whakatane i-Site, refusing to participate in promotional campaigns, event partnerships, and famils (familiarisation trips for agents) and calling for a full independent audit of the Whakatāne i-site and council tourism department. Among the tourism operators supporting the boycott are Tio Ohiwa Harbour Cruises and Oyster Experience owner Wini Geddes, Kohutapu Lodge and Whirinaki Footsteps Nadine Toe Toe, Larni Hepi from Whaitaki, KG Kayaks' Kenny McCracken, Beachpoint Apartments' Alison Stern, One 88 On Commerce's Malcolm Glen, Awakeri Rail Adventures Paul Francis and Takutai Adventure Company's Ollie Dobbin. Geddes said that more than 44 tourism operators and accommodation providers from around the Eastern Bay of Plenty would be hurt by Whakatāne council withdrawing this funding. The contribution linked them to domestic and international tourism promotion through Tourism New Zealand and New Zealand Māori Tourism. The boycotters said the $85,000 amounted to 2.8 percent of the council's annual $3 million tourism budget and a mere 0.14 percent of its $59 million total annual operating budget. Quoting Stats NZ, they said the region received $166 million in visitor spend annually, with approximately $20 million of that from international visitors. More than 10 percent of the workforce in Eastern Bay was through tourism. Geddes said the decision had been made in public-excluded meetings with no consultation or communication with local tourist operators. "We've only known about it for a month and the decision was made before Christmas with no consultation with the tourist operators at all." She said all of Tio Ohiwa's business came through either Tourism Bay of Plenty or support from other Regional Tourism Operators around the country, in particular RotoruaNZ, a CCO of Rotorua Lakes District Council, which Whakatāne council did not pay into. "In two weeks' time our connection to Tourism New Zealand will be cancelled and [the council] are trying to take it over by themselves." A response from council chief executive Steven Perdia to a Local Goverment Official Information and Meetings Act request sent by two of the operators, Toe Toe and Hepi, said Whakatāne council had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and funding agreement with Tourism Bay of Plenty in 2014, but since this had expired in 2019 no further MOU had been developed. The organisations had operated under a Letter of Intent to develop a revised MOU but "since the Whakaari eruption and Covid 19 and the catastrophic effects on the community and visitor economy with several business closures, both organisations have continued to work together in good faith". He said the council had a strong desire to reduce rates' increases and during last year's long-term plan budget funding was stopped to both economic development agency Toi EDA and Tourism Bay of Plenty. In a public-excluded section of its living together committee on 6 March this year, the council discussed reviewing the MOU with Tourism Bay of Plenty but to make cost savings decided to bring all tourism-related support in-house. Perdia told Local Democracy Reporting the matters were discussed in a public-excluded forum because the debate involved commercially sensitive matters, including contracts and funding agreements with third parties. "Council is trying to make itself a regional transport operator," Geddes said. "It has got no strategic plan, nothing, and they're expecting us to teach them how to get into the industry." Among the benefits of being part of Tourism Bay of Plenty was being included in the Bay of Plenty section of the Trenz Expo, New Zealand's biggest tourism trade show. "We are now taking bookings from China, India and the rest of Asia, Europe and the United States from those expos. Even our accomodation providers. We fill our hotels with tourists coming in. "[Whakatāne council] can't even get tickets to it." The council did not respond to questions from the Beacon around how it intended to promote the district to international tourists. Geddes said some tourism operators had already removed their brochures from the i-site. Toe Toe said the council shouldn't be making critical decisions in a field they didn't understand. "Tourism operators were completely left out in the cold around a decision that directly affects our businesses and survival." Stern, from Beachpoint Apartments, said she felt the decision was very shortsighted and would end up costing the council more in the long run. "If they don't want to focus on international tourism, then why are they planning to do exactly that - just without the professionals?" she said. "And how do they think they'll do it better for less than $85,000? This is going to end up costing the ratepayers more, not less."
RNZ News
06-06-2025
- General
- RNZ News
Much loved swimming spot dumped on again
A two-door coupe style vehicle was found in the Tauranga River at Wardlaw Glade. Photo: LDR / supplied A rusting car body found in the Tauranga River at Waimana's Wardlaw Glade, about 20km south of Whakatāne, is just one of many the Bay of Plenty Regional Council is likely to have to pull out of rivers this year. Regional council compliance team leader Trudy Richards said last year, the council received 28 reports through its Pollution Hotline regarding vehicles abandoned in waterways across the region, from Katikati to Waioeka and surrounding areas. The two-door coupe-style car was reported to the hotline on Tuesday afternoon along with an assortment of whiteware and other rubbish dumped in the carpark beside the popular swimming spot. Richards said the council would arrange for a contractor to remove the car body from the river once weather conditions were suitable. "If feasible, we will also retrieve the whiteware." Pollution outside of the river bed typically falls under the responsibility of the territorial authority, which in this case is Whakatāne District Council. However, as Wardlaw Glade is alongside State Highway 2, this is unclear. A variety of whiteware has also been dumped at the Wardlaw Glade carpark. Photo: LDR / supplied The New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi is responsible for rubbish collection on and alongside state highways. "However, where possible, we collaborate with local councils and Waka Kotahi to minimise costs." The cost of removal for the car varies depending on site accessibility, the need for traffic management, and potential fuel or oil discharge but, on average, each removal costs ratepayers about $2000. Richards said the regional council had not been able to assess the environmental impact of the car body on the river because of a lack of information on how long the vehicle has been in the waterway and whether it was fully intact or contained fuel or other fluids when it entered the water. "It is always disheartening to witness such disregard for our environment through the careless dumping of waste," she said. Transport agency system manager Andy Oakley said maintenance contractors were dealing with an "increasingly awful job", cleaning up after illegal rubbish dumping at rest areas along SH2. "It's been a growing problem over the last couple of years at this rest stop and others, and can vary from domestic household rubbish, to large household items, such as beds, chairs, headboards and washing machines, to broken toys and push chairs." "Stopping at rest areas to pick up litter was costly in terms of both money and, more importantly, time, when they could be prioritising other work that is vital to motorists such as fixing potholes. "Littering in public places is illegal. We would love the support of the community to please report any sightings of fly tipping to NZ Police or call NZTA on 0800 4 HIGHWAYS (0800 44 44 49). LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
NZ Herald
05-06-2025
- General
- NZ Herald
Whakatāne council urged to go solo on water services amid partnership doubts
Whakatāne District Council is prepared to look at forming a multi-council CCO to manage water services, but whether any other councils are prepared to join it is unclear. No other councils wanting to partner with Whakatāne District Council is among the most common reasons given by submitters for preferring the council go it alone in its three waters delivery. The council received 84 submissions on options for its Water Service Delivery Plan from individuals
