Spare change

An online petition urging Palmerston North City Council to keep paid parking hours as they are has reached its initial goal of 5000 signatures.

Petition organiser Gerry Keating says he will present the petition to the council, along with other business groups and networks who are also unhappy with the decision. Keating says the decision was made with little or no public/ business consultation.

With the onset of winter, Fire and Emergency encourages everyone to be fire safe during these cooler months. National adviser fire risk management Pete Gallagher says last month, before winter even started, six people died in house fires, making it one of the worst months for fatal fires on record. “Keep anything flammable at least one metre from the heater — any closer and you risk it catching fire,” he says. “Don’t over-plug your multi-board. Make sure there is no more than one heater plugged in so it doesn’t overload. Dispose of ash carefully and make sure that your chimney has been cleaned. Ashes stay hot for up to five days so make sure they are fully out and in a metal bucket.”