Browsed by
Tag: local government

The Rising Tide – Natural Hazards

The Rising Tide – Natural Hazards

Comments 0 Comment

On a very wet and wild night I recently attended a joint presentation on the Natural Hazards section of the City Council’s 2nd Generation District Plan. With the pot belly stove blazing away in the hall the presentation was a very useful and thought-provoking one.  The preferred options for this section of the coming District Plan has been a joint approach by the Otago Regional Council and the Dunedin City Council and has covered, flooding from rivers, and the sea,…

Read More Read More

For whom the Road Tolls

For whom the Road Tolls

Comments 0 Comment

Its been an interesting last few weeks locally as the City Council deliberates over the Annual Plan. I managed to catch a couple of submissions from Peninsula residents on the Portobello Road widening schedule. Most speakers spoke well and passionately about the road issues, but one question that was raised regularly by Councillors was whether Peninsula residents would support a targeted rate. It’s not the first time that the financial issues around the use and development of Portobello Road have caused consternation…

Read More Read More

Getting Onboard

Getting Onboard

Comments 0 Comment

People often ask me what the Community Board actually does. In some regards it acts as a conduit between the City Council and other agencies and the community. Given that Board members come from the community they are able to have a good understanding of what some of the issues and provide “local knowledge” about problems, plans or ways to improve issues for local residents. Perhaps the main role of the Board is in consultation and acting as a sounding…

Read More Read More

Trial by Bylaw

Trial by Bylaw

Comments 6 comments

I’m just not convinced that city councillors fully understand the freedom camping issue on the Peninsula (ODT). Undertaking “Bylaw by trial” is not what’s required here and its a poor alternative to appropriate policy based on real evidence and research. The other issue is the fallacy that “there must be a demand” because of the people using Macandrew Bay as a camping site. That’s like saying all students are drunks because of the broken glass in the street. By creating the site at…

Read More Read More

Is the Annual Plan like Christmas?

Is the Annual Plan like Christmas?

Comments 1 comment

  It’s Local Government Annual Plan  season again, and regional and district councils across the country are preparing their annual plans for public consultation. Unlike Christmas the annual plan season is not something  that communities count down to with anticipation of lavish celebrations or expensive gifts. In fact local government annual planning is more akin to looking at the credit card bill after Christmas. Reading through the pages of charges and sighing that buying grandma a set of pearl handled revolvers instead of a…

Read More Read More