Big year navigating impacts of Covid
Western Bay has shown great resilience in the face of pandemic challenges Community boards talk about funding at their first meetings
It’s fantastic to see the festive spirit well and truly alive . . .
As mayor of the Western Bay, it is a great privilege to be delivering this Christmas message to everyone right across our district. It’s fantastic to see the festive spirit well and truly alive, and I enjoyed sharing in the fun and excitement of both the Katikati and Te Puke Santa Parades earlier this month.
This year has been a big year for everyone, dealing with the ongoing impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the volatile economic environment (increasing inflation and interest rates).
As a council we faced these same challenges, navigating the pressure on our operations and finances to
Te Puke Community Board
Two out of three grant applications considered at Te Puke Community Board’s meeting last week were approved.
The board decided to award a grant of $850 to the Te Puke Citizens Club for costs relating to the Anzac Day parade and service and the Armistice keep our district thriving and enhancing it for future generations.
The Western Bay has shown great resilience in the face of such challenges, and I am proud of the way that our people have adapted and are moving forward in the new environment.
We’ve achieved some key wins for the district too.
Some highlights for me are:
■ securing $38 million from the Infrastructure Acceleration Fund to upgrade the State Highway 2 / O¯ mokoroa Rd intersection.
■ going ‘fines free’ on overdue library books at all our libraries — joining a nationwide movement aiming to see increased library
Day service.
Blue Light ventures were awarded a grant of $560 towards printing costs for 60 Street Smart handbooks for Year 13 Te Puke High School students.
An application for a grant of $5000 made by Tauranga and Western Bay Indian Association for children’s and women’s swimming classes and children’s Punjabi exercise dance classes was turned down due to insufficient information being submitted to allow the board to make a decision.
The community board grants fund totals $11,000.
Chairwoman Kassie Ellis said while she had some background knowledge, the application itself did membership and better literacy outcomes.
■ launching two mobile recycling trailers that go to rural communities, who don’t have access to our Kerbside Collective service — delivering on a commitment to help our rural communities with their waste minimisation efforts.
■ awarding 36 community groups and organisations funding through our annual $140k Community Matching Fund for community and environmental projects that make a positive difference in our district as well as $74k awarded to five community groups upgrading community facilities not on public land.
Christmas is an important time of year to switch off, relax and recharge while enjoying some quality time with friends and wha¯ nau.
Whether that’s chilling out at one of our pristine beaches, checking out not include any documentation to support such a large amount.
Board member Karen Summerhays suggested applications might be screened before they were presented to the board to ensure they included enough information to enable the board to make a decision, rather than be turned down for that reason.
The board is represented on a number of outside bodies and, as last week’s meeting was the first business meeting of the new board following October’s local body elections, decisions were needed on who would sit on which body.
It was decided that: Councillor the sights along any one of our incredible cycleways or just relaxing at home, I encourage you all to fill this time with happiness.
Meri Kirihimete me nga¯ mihi i te wa¯ . I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a Happy New Year and a relaxing break.
And I look forward to connecting and working with you all in 2023.
— Mayor James Denyer
Grand Dally would be the board representative on Te Ara Kahikatea Pathway Society, Dale Snell on COLAB and Te Puke War Memorial Committee, councillor Andy Wickers at EPIC Te Puke, chairwoman Kassie Ellis on Creative Te Puke Forum, Friends of the Te Puke Memorial Pool and Te Puke Emergency Response Group and Anish Paudel on Te Puke Economic Development Group. Maketu¯ Community Board
At last week’s meeting of Maketu¯ Community Board, the board agreed to a grant of $700 towards the organisation of the township’s Anzac Day commemorations.
Anzac Day committee member
Clester Eru spoke at the meeting and said the commemoration, followed by a breakfast, was run with whatever funding the committee could secure each year. She said there is no national funding and the application was specifically for money to help with providing the post commemoration breakfast.