MAKETU¯ -TE PUKE WARD FORUM. JUNE 23, HELD AT MAKETU¯ FIRE STATION
Te Puke Police Sergeant Mike Owens is advising rural landowners to be vigilant. Speaking at last week’s Te Puke-maketu¯ Ward Forum he said one of the biggest issues for local police at the moment was rural burglaries.
He said implement sheds and orchard sheds were likely targets with items such as electric fence units, trailers and quad bikes being stolen.
While patrols visit the rural areas as often as possible, prevention was the best way of combating the thefts, he said.
“The biggest help rural people can give us is to take preventive action, lock things up and keep them secure.”
He said cameras at gates that will alert the landowner to activity were worth considering.
“It’s good for people to do what they can to prevent people coming onto their property and the cameras are also great for the apprehension side of it, as well.”
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Police now have a regular presence in Maketu¯ .
From last week, each Thursday a police officer will be based at Maketu¯ Community Centre.
“We will be here for any questions, queries or complaints — hopefully not about us,” said Mike.
The initiative came out of the police involvement in the community checkpoints set up during lockdown.
Mike says the checkpoints fostered a “brilliant” relationship with the community as they brought police and community members together.
“It was a chance for the police to show the community and the community to show the police that we are all people — it was really good.
“There were some in the community who didn’t agree with it, and some in the police who didn’t agree with it, but everybody just got on.”
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Andrea Marsh spoke about the naming of the Old Te Puke Cemetery, saying she felt it could have a more appropriate name.
She suggested the First Te Puke Cemetery or the Settlers’ Cemetery.
“Old is a little bit disrespectful to the settlers of the area,” she said.
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Andrea also said she felt something could be done to reduce the visual impact the white netting
Te Puke Police Sergeant Mike Owen.
of kiwifruit orchards had on the appearance of the area.
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Alan Beaver spoke to the meeting about vegetation around Te Puke town centre, saying in places it was dangerous as it restricted vision for motorists.
He highlighted the intersections of No 3 Rd and Atuaroa Ave and Jellicoe St as examples.
He said he was also against the one-laning of Jellicoe St through the town centre.
“I think it was designed by a panel beater who was a bit short of work,” he said.
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Pukehina Surf Rescue president Boyd Harris and building committee chairman Andrew Mcdowell gave a presentation on the club’s plans for a new building.
The club has 90 junior surf members and 60 volunteer lifeguards and last summer undertook 1937 preventive actions.
The club’s existing building was built in the early 1990s.
“The [building] we have at the moment is certainly not fit for purpose,” said Andrew. “We are constantly trying to repair it but it is
Pukehina Surf Rescue building is to be replaced, with working drawings just a few weeks away.
well beyond its life expectancy.”
The building project began six years ago.
A year and a half ago a major milestone was reached when resource consent for the new building was granted.
“We are now just weeks away from having working drawings and we will then be able to go for building consent.”
The new building would be three storeys high — the top floor used as an operations area that will look out across the beach and out to the Little Waih¯ı bar.
The middle storey will be multifunctional and the ground floor will be used to house equipment, jet skis and the IRB.
The new building would be on the site of the existing club, meaning the club would need to have a temporary home while construction took place.
Boyd said now is the time for fundraising to step up and funding applications to be made.
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The forum also heard presentations from Te Maru o Kaituna River Authority chairman Dean Flavell on work relating to Kaituna River and wetland development, from Geoff Oliver on a project to secure a new headquarters for Maketu¯ Coastguard and from Ian Hurlock on the recently completed feasibility study for a community hub in Maketu¯ .
Te Puke EDG managing director Mark Boyle gave a progress report on the organisation’s Lets Keep it Local campaign, highlighting the importance of the local economy to that of not only the Bay of Plenty, but also to the country.