Changes mooted for citizens’ award
A youth category is likely to be introduced to the New Plymouth Citizens’ Awards.
The New Plymouth District Council will meet today, with changes likely to be made to the annual awards which were first established in 1979.
The awards recognise the contributions of 12 residents in our district. Nominated by members of the public, recipients are then selected by the mayor and councillors.
Two options are in front of the council, including the introduction of a youth category and allowing family members to nominate potential award winners.
Council could opt to not review the policy and keep the current rules in place.
However, staff have recommended a youth policy, which would cover young people aged between 12 and 24, be introduced, as well as opening up nominations from family members.
The motivation behind the changes was to broaden the number of number of nominations council received.
In a report, council staff said potential younger nominees were often overlooked because they often did not have the same longevity of service as other candidates.
Allowing nominations from family members was also expected to increase the number of candidates being put forward.
The planned changed had already been endorsed by council given they had already found favour with the strategy and operations committee, as well as other community boards.
Meanwhile, council was also expected to green light a number of speed reduction changes in the district, including the introduction of a variable speed limit to streets around Waitara’s Owae Marae.
There was also likely to be a reduction to the speed limit on parts of Brixton’s Raleigh St and Tate Rd to 50kph and bring the speed limit down to 30kph at Everett Park Reserve and Lucy’s Gully.
The speed reductions in Brixton were a result of a request from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi to align with the planned roundabout in the area.
Permanent speed reductions are also proposed on stretches of roads leading to beaches and bushland on Lower Ahu Ahu Rd, Egmont Rd and Mangorei Rd.
The final proposed changes were for permanent 50kph speed limits around the Ridgewood residential area from Eva Rd to Veale Rd.