District Diary July 2016

district diary 5 Baring Square West, Ashburton | PO Box 94, Ashburton, New Zealand 7740 | Telephone (03) 307 7700 | Facsimile (03) 308 1836

District Diary 3

Research your House

Schools, speed and safety

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28 July 2016 / ISSUE 100

Local Government Elections

Council’s rate increase lower than expected

What’s on

Ashburton District Council has adopted its 2016/17 Annual Plan which includes a lower than projected rate increase for the coming financial year.

Landrover Mt Hutt Masters Ski Racing

The overall rate requirement Council needs to fund its work programme will increase by 3.3 percent, which is lower than the projected rate increase of 4.5 percent for the year in the 2015-25 Long Term Plan.

this year showed that people were happy overall with the performance of Council, and we intend to improve this level of satisfaction even further over the coming year,” he said.

Mr McKay said consultation on the Annual Plan 2016/17 occurred between 15 April – 15 May 2016 and a total of 56 submissions were received. He added the work programme and budget outlined in the plan reflect what is

needed to cater to Ashburton District’s changing community.

The Annual Plan 2016/17 covers year two of Council’s Long Term Plan 2015-25, and includes detailed and final budget information, work programmes and the fees and charges schedule for the 2016/17 financial year. The Annual Plan also provides explanations for any significant variances to the information provided in the Long Term Plan for the 2016/17 year.

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29 - 31 July 2016

The Marvellous Mayfield Mid-Winter Market July 30

6 Artists respond to the poetry of Joanna Margaret Paul - Exhibition 31 July- 11 September

Ashburton District Council Mayor Angus McKay says he is pleased Council was able to lower the rate increase, and that it remains committed to providing a high level of service to ratepayers.

Methven Craft Fair

“The results from our Annual Residents’ Survey released earier

‘Drain the Swamp, Cut the Wood. Put up the Flagpole’ 10 August, 6pm - Opening and Artist talks, 11 August25 September - Exhibition

6 - 7 August 2016

Canterbury Secondary School Ski Champs Mt Hutt August 9

Research uncovers answers for local couple Lucas Cawte with Archer and Rachel Cawte with Austen outside their Middle Street home.

‘Revisit the Magic’ Word Witch by David Elliot Exhibition 11 August- 25 September Ultimate Bowie Thu 18 Aug, 7.30pm Scared Scriptless Fri 19 Aug, 8.30pm Secondary School Girls Hockey Tournament 29 August - 02 September midcanterburynz.com/ newzealand/events/

When Lucas and Rachel Cawte bought their 1901 character home on Middle Road in Ashburton last year, they knew that discovering its history was going to be important to them.

inside their new home, getting started on this had to be put on the back burner. In May this year, however, they spotted a notice advertising the Ashburton Museum’s workshop ‘Research Your House’ and quickly signed up.

But, with two young children under foot and renovation work to be done

“The workshop was a great idea because it was exactly what we

ashburtondc.govt.nz

needed to get started on our research,” Rachel said looking out over the sunny backyard of their Allenton home.

“We always loved the idea of living in a historic house and the workshop really kick-started the research we knew we would end up doing,” she added.

Continued on page 3

Read this online ashburtondc.govt.nz ISSUE 100 | 28 JULY 2016

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CCTV / Dog park / CBD Parking / Mobility parking

district diary

CCTV cameras working well Ashburton District Council staff got an opportunity to check out the operation of the closed circuit television (CCTV) system operating in the central business district and were impressed with the clarity of images the system is able to capture.

The CCTV system aims to make Ashburton a safer place through prevention activities that target crime and public disorder, increase public safety and ensure efficient responses. Monitoring and use of images are carried out in accordance with the Privacy Act

Rick Catchpowle, Craig Osborne and Jane Donaldson check out footage from Ashburton CBD security cameras.

and Ashburton District Council CCTV Policy which was adopted in April 2016.

Environmental Services Group Manager Jane Donaldson said a visit to the Ashburton Police station in July gave staff a chance to see how the system is operating and she is impressed with the quality of footage being captured.

“The level of detail that can be captured from these images is really quite extraordinary and should be reassuring to the public should an image ever need to be accessed to solve a crime,” Ms Donaldson said.

Ms Donaldson said if the public want to request images regarding

a crime, the first step is to logde a complaint with the Police. The Police can request the images directly from Council (if there is any information held on the incident). Council will

Ashburton dog park now has water access Dog owners using the Ashburton Dog Park will have constant access to water for their thirsty pets following the recent installation of a new self-filling water trough.

Environmental Services Group Manager Jane Donaldson says the new addition was made in response to community concerns about the park’s lack of water.

“Council received feedback from the community about water availability in the dog park. With the help of locals, we were able to locate the water pipe and have since built a concrete trough at the far end of the park.”

not release images directly to the public or private organisations. The process for requesting CCTV images is available on the Council website. ashburtondc.govt.nz

Working group formed to investigate CBD parking

“This project has been possible thanks largely to neighbouring company Tricroft Properties who have allowed the Dog Park water to be sourced from their own water supply. We are very grateful for their generosity.”

The Ashburton District Council has formed a working party to investigate parking issues in the central Ashburton business area.

The decision to form the group was made at the July 7 Service Delivery Committee meeting and a report and recommendations will be prepared for Council’s August meeting.

Water access at the Ashburton Dog Park was one of the main issues commented on during a review of Ashburton District Council’s Dog Control Policy and Bylaw.

Community Relations Manager Vincie Billante said the working party will include Councillors Neil Brown (Chair), Russell Ellis and Donna Favel. The working group will include up to four members of the Ashburton CBD retailers’ group.

Ashburton District Council’s Human Resources Manager Sarah Mosley and her dog Star.

“We understand there are a number of concerns from members of the Ashburton CBD retailers group and hope that this working group can bring together the ideas, concerns and considerations of all parties involved,” Ms Billante said.

Council had previously resolved that car parking rates would move to 50 cents per hour and would commence in July. That decision has been put on hold until this working party makes their recommendations to Council in August.

A petition about parking concerns was also presented by the Ashburton CBD retailers’ group at the July 7 meeting.

A reminder about concessions for Mobility Permit holders The Ashburton District Council is reminding Mobility Permit holders that they have access to free parking at all 30 and 60-minute metered spaces.

This means Mobility Permit holders do not have to pay or use the machines/meters at these spaces when displaying a valid mobility permit in their car.

Community Relations Manager Vincie Billante says these concessions are comprehensive and ensure that those with mobility

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ISSUE 100 | 28 JULY 2016

issues have good access to services and amenities throughout the district.

“The commitment by the Council through its Mobility Parking Policyadopted in 2014 - is to ensure holders of mobility permits have access to appropriate vehicle parking,” Ms Billante said.

The full list of concessions for people with a valid mobility permit are: • P30 parking space: 30 minutes extra time, up to 60 minutes total • P60 parking space: 60 minutes extra time, up to 120 minutes total • P30 metered parking space: free of charge with 30 minutes extra

•

time, up to 60 minutes total.

P60 metered parking space: free of charge with 60 minutes extra time, up to 120 minutes total.

There are no concessions for time restrictions under 30 minutes and over 60 minutes (such as ten minute loading zones). This means the time limit for these parking spots are as displayed on the signs. There are also no concessions for parking in a designated mobility car park where time restrictions already apply.

Concessions apply to anyone displaying a valid mobility permit clearly on the inside of the vehicle’s windscreen. ashburtondc.govt.nz

district diary

Continued from Page 1

The sold-out workshop was held in June and Museum Director Tanya Robinson said she was thrilled with the response and will be looking at perhaps holding another one in the future.

“Residents got the chance to sharpen their research skills and learn about the resources available to them,” Ms Robinson said.

“There’s a story to tell in every house, no matter how grand or modest”, she added.

For Lucas and Rachel, the day of the workshop revealed some interesting tidbits of information about when the land was first subdivided, who the first owner of the house was, and what happened to him.

Turns out their home used to belong to well-known Ashburton nurseryman James Porter who owned Clifton Nursery.

“We have found out that apparently the soil around our house is really good. From reading some of the articles about his nursery, Mr Porter claimed to have the best soil in the county,” Lucas said.

Another newspaper article they unearthed proclaims that a giant sunflower worthy of notice had been grown at Mr Porter’s property.

“We were totally ignorant of all the

research your house / Microchip scanners / Paper Scissors Rock

resources available at the museum and heritage centre and encourage people to find out more about what they have,” Lucas said.

The June workshop was developed with support from Ashburton Museum, Heritage New Zealand and Archives New Zealand and featured a number of presentations on how to find information in the district archives.

Lucas and Rachel say the “holy grail” for them would be to find a photo of James Porter outside his home on Middle Road, although they would settle for a photo of just him, perhaps in Wanganui where he settled after leaving Ashburton in 1906.

The sales docket for the Cawte’s house published in 1906 when Mr Porter moved to Wanganui.

As a nod to Mr Porter’s role creating the home they now enjoy with their young family, Lucas and Rachel are seriously thinking of incorporating the name ‘Clifton’ into some element of the entranceway to their home.

“It’s really wonderful to think that this house has stood for so long and it’s great we now know at least a little bit more about its history,” Rachel said. She finishes the interview saying that where time permits, they will continue to not just dig around the house as their landscaping work progresses, but to keep digging into its historical past.

“Its fun!”

Ashburton around the time when the Cawte’s house was built.

Microchip scanners help identify pets The Ashburton District Council has bought two microchip scanners to help identify pets that may accidently get killed on our roads.

The Council’s Waste Recovery Manager Craig Goodwin said the purchase is a proactive move on the

part of his team to ensure a deceased loved pet can be reunited with its family.

animal that looks like it belongs to someone,” Mr Goodwin said.

“The Council has to deal with dead animals found on the road as part of its work and we thought it would be a good idea to have this device on hand should we be in the position of not being able to identify the owner of an

“If a dead animal appears to be a pet and is reported to us, we will in the first instance check the animal for any obvious forms of identification, collar and name tag, phone number or council registration tag and make enquires with nearby residents before

removing the animal. If nobody claims the animal we then remove it before it becomes a health hazard,” he said.

“These instances thankfully don’t happen often, but we do want to be prepared,” he added.

Council has had the devices on hand since March this year.

‘Paper, Scissors, Rock!’ Exhibition The Ashburton Museum proved to be the place to go to during the school holidays thanks to its new ‘Paper, Scissors, Rock!’ exhibition.

The trail exhibition offers kids the chance to play and interact with vintage toys, puzzles and crafts their parents and grandparents also enjoyed. Talking-can telephones, wobbly mirrors and spinning tops are just some of the delights on display.

Museum Director Tanya Robinson says the exhibit has been a hit with ashburtondc.govt.nz

local and visiting families and is a great way for kids to use their “super-power imaginations”.

Kids start at reception creating a ‘chatterbox’ before following the trail through the Museum to find vintage toys, crafts and games.

‘Paper, Scissors, Rock!’ is a free exhibition and a fantastic way to keep the community entertained out of the cold weather. The exhibition opened on 9 July and will run until 10 October.

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Grants open / exhibit space

district diary

Biodiversity & Heritage Grants funding open Ashburton District Council is now accepting applications for the second round of Biodiversity and Heritage Grant Funding for 2016/17.

Changes to the structure and processes for Council’s grants and

funding has meant there is now two funding rounds for the Biodiversity and Heritage Grants. The second round of funding has been added in recognition that the nature of biodiversity and heritage projects is often seasonal. Applicants can apply for funding now for spring/ summer based projects.

The changes are part of Council’s work to make the community grants and funding processes clearer, and enable the community funding to be included in planning processes, particularly the Annual Plan and Long Term Plan.

criteria can be found on Council’s website www.ashburtondc.govt.nz or from Councils office. Applications close on Monday 22 August 2016 at 9am.

Further information about the grant and funding application forms and

Community Grants and Funding for 2016/17 announced The Ashburton District Council has announced the recipients of this year’s community grants and funding which totals $1,017,741 for the 2016/17 financial year. A full list can be found on our website - ashburtondc.govt.nz Community Agency Funding 2016/17

Biodiversity Funding – Round 1: 2016/17

Ashburton Town Watch Society

Operational Funding

$5,000

Ashburton Youth Centre- BASE

Rental Funding

$10,400

Staveley Campsite Committee

Funding towards controlling pests and weed removal.

$5,000

Mid Canterbury Newcomers Network

Operational Funding

$10,000

Upper Rangitata Gorge Landcare Group

Funding towards controlling/ eradicating weeds.

$5,000

Neighbourhood Support

Operational Funding

$15,000

Riverbridge Native Species Trust

$2,150

HYPE Youth Health Centre

Rental Funding

$7,540

Funding towards planting native species.

Presbyterian Support

Emergency Housing Funding

$2,000

Community Safety Ambassadors Operational Funding

$25,000

Community Projects Funding 2016/17

Community Infrastructure Funding –2016/17 Dorie School

Funding towards swimming pool cover

$2,500

Mt Somers Reserve Board

Funding towards access ramp

$5,000

Alford Forest Reserve Board

Funding towards hall maintenance

$3,655

Rakaia Reserve Board

Funding towards reserve maintenance

$5,000

Wakanui School

Funding towards swimming pool upgrade $2,500

Rakaia Memorial Hall

Funding towards seating upgrades

$4,830

Ashburton Woodworkers Inc.

Purchase screen & belt sander

$1,050

Life Dance Academy

Purchase barre mirrors

$2,233

Mid Canterbury Boxing Academy

Purchase boxing equipment.

$5,000

Methven Toy Library

Purchase display stands and promotional materials

$930

Ashburton Motorcycle Park

Funding towards track upgrades and viewing area

$5,000

Dynamic Gymnastics Sports

Purchase adjustable bars & trampoline

$5,000

Lauriston Hall Committee

Funding towards hall maintenance

$4,800

Methven Croquet Club

Funding towards facility maintenance

$2,500

Hakatere Marae Komiti

Funding towards facility insurance

$7,388

Methven Cricket Club

Purchase mower

$254

Ashburton Aviation Museum

Purchase signage stands

$4,750

Ashburton Menz Shed

Committee member training HSWA

$5,000

Ashburton Ostomy Society

Project costs with attracting new members.

$1,000

Longbeach Guides & Scouts

Purchase and install water tank

$3,560

Ashburton Railway & Preservation Society

Purchase boiler tubes for repairs to JA1260 locomotive.

$2,875

Economic Development Funding 2016/17 Christmas in the Park

Event Costs

$4,950

Multi-Cultural Bite

Event Costs

$5,000

Ashburton Santa Parade

Traffic Management Plan

$2,000

RSA – ANZAC Day 2017

Event Costs

$3,200

Ashburton Wheels Week

2017 Event Costs

$2,000

Heritage Funding – Round 1: 2016/17 Property at 63 Buckleys Terrace

Repairs to historic building

$7,000

Savage Club

Repairs to historic building

$7,000

School Holiday Programme Funding – 2016/17 BASE Youth Centre

Funding towards school holiday programme costs

$1,000

South Rakaia Bach Owners Assn. Funding towards summer holiday programme $500

Sport Canterbury

Funding towards school holiday programme costs

$1,000

St David’s Union Church

Funding towards school holiday programme costs

$1,500

MC Rural Women NZ

Funding towards school holiday programme costs

$720

Museum granted access to more exhibit space The Ashburton Museum will have access to additional space for exhibitions after Council decided to allocate unused café space for Museum activities.

The decision to give the Museum access to the space, as well as apprval to seek external funding for fit-out costs, was made at the 7 July Service Delivery meeting.

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Group Manager - Service Delivery Neil McCann said the original design of the building included a small designated café area located at the West Street road frontage although no viable offers to operate a café have been received by the Council to date.

Mr McCann said allowing the Museum to use the space will provide additional opportunities to

host traveling exhibitions as well as curate exhibitions using collections material that is currently in storage.

“The extra space will have multiple benefits for the district that include repeat visits by people to see new exhibits as well as the opportunity for staff to put together exhibits featuring material from our own extensive collections,” Mr McCann said.

“If, however, a café operator that meets all the conditions in the resource comes forward and wants to operate from the museum building, then we will need to make the space available to them,” he added. ashburtondc.govt.nz

district diary

Domain Rose garden / dogsmart / speeding / hinds toilets

Rose garden getting a makeover The rose gardens at the Ashburton Domain are getting a massive makeover and staff say the changes will create a truly special place for romantics and flower lovers alike.

Supervisor Gardens and Health and Safety Michael Power said a lot of work has already been done this winter digging up the old garden, turning over the soil, fertilising, putting in irrigation, as well as preparing the new borders for the re-configured gardens.

those who want to go and enjoy this special part of our domain,” he added.

Mr Power said the project will take up to two years to be fully completed, but in the meantime encourages visitors to the Ashburton Domain to come over and check on progress from time to time.

“It would be great to hear from people who might have a special memory or photo from the old rose garden to share with us.”

“We want to make it all a bit grander with a big splash of colour, lots of varieties and a decorative hedge around the whole space,” Mr Power said. The new rose garden will have three entrances and the pathways will be wide enough to have two people walking side by side.

“We know that the garden is often used by wedding parties and hope that by the time we finish, the new space will bring a lot of joy to

Dave Askin and Michael Power in front of the garden developments

DogSmart Presentation On average, two people every day in New Zealand are bitten by a dog, and many of these incidents are preventable. With the help of District Dog Control Officer Andrea McMurray and her canine friend, local children will hopefully avoid becoming Control Officers - delivers the part of this statistic.

On Wednesday 13 July, about 40 youngsters learned about the importance of staying safe around dogs at a DogSmart presentation at the Ashburton Library.

DogSmart programme to schools around the district, and was pleased with the wonderful turnout at her July school holiday presentation.

Children went away from the presentation learning a few key things that everyone should be aware of:

Ms McMurray says the purpose of DogSmart is to teach kids how to behave around dogs and what to do 1. Don’t run away from dogs. They if they feel unsafe around a dog. will think it’s a game and they Kids were given the chance to will beat you – dogs are eight interact with Ms McMurray’s helper, times faster than people.

Roxy the Labrador-cross and were entertained with a short video about 2. Pat a dog’s chest, not their head and keep your hand in how not to approach dogs they a fist – fingers can look like don’t know. Ms McMurray – who sausages to canines. has just been elected secretary of the New Zealand Institute of Animal 3. If a dog’s on its own, leave it alone.

Schools, speed and safety District Diary sat down with Ashburton District Council Road Safety Coordinator Jeremy Lambert to talk about some of the things Council is doing this year to make things safer when it comes to traffic near schools.

How many schools are there in the district?

There are 24 schools How many of them currently have the flashing speed signs?

Six schools have flashing school signs • • • • • •

Mt Hutt college Our Lady of Snows Methven Primary School Long Beach School Laghmor School Mt Somers Springburn School

review and prioritisation of school signage for the schools in the Ashburton District. This resulted in a number of suggestions for school signage and marking improvements where active speed signs were proposed for the above six schools.

These signs are funded by both the Council and NZTA. You recently spent time surveying schools, what did that involve?

During the two-day survey period we visited 20 schools and did assessments. During the site visits a number of specific road safety problems were assessed to see if improvements can be made.

These were:

How were these installed?

• • • •

The road environment The school environment Road users Bus safety

In 2010 Opus International Consultants Limited performed a

Each of these categories was evaluated at each school to determine whether or

not they are problems. Each problem was then discussed and a number of solutions noted down.

Who did you do the survey with and what did you find?

Richard Scott from Mackie Research & Consulting which is employed

by NZTA. On average the schools in Ashburton are safer than other schools in New Zealand, with lower risk and lower exposure to accidents. In saying that, a number of schools could make small and easy changes that will make significant improvements to the safety of their students.

What will come out of the survey?

Maintaining the high standard of safety at the schools in the Ashburton District. Keeping at pace with the developing road safety technology and standards.

Improvements to the deficiencies in the safe system of schools.

What now? Timeframes?

Starting with commonalities within the schools in the district.

A number of urban schools don’t meet current crossing facility standards.

Improvements include: • • •

Kea patrol crossing Kerb extensions Appropriate markings (diamond, centrelines, hold lines, edge lines, no stopping lines)

This will be the first set of improvements made as a result of the inspections. The lack of visibility of rural schools is a significant safety issue. Following the improvements to urban crossings, rural school visibility will be addressed. This as well as the remaining improvements are currently being programmed into the years’ work.

All of the improvements are expected to be completed within this financial year.

New Hinds toilets proving popular The new modern public toilet block installed at the Hinds Domain near SH 1 is proving popular and providing valuable relief for travellers and locals. ashburtondc.govt.nz

Ashburton Open Spaces Manager Dave Askin said the three unisex cubicles, one of which is wheelchair accessible, were installed by the domain entrance earlier this year and their popularity has even led

to some minor parking congestion from time to time.

“We have strong evidence to show the toilets are being well used and are pleased we were able to open them in time for some of the busy

summer season,” Mr Askin said.

“We are, however, asking the public to remain vigilant and report any vandalism, graffiti or other damage to the toilets to Council so we can keep the facility in good condition,” Mr Askin said.

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Black ice / College road crash day / EANC / winter shelterbelts / getting involed

district diary

Black ice explained

Ashburton Road Crash Day

With winter now here, drivers are being urged to be mindful of black ice on the roads.

drops to 0 degrees Celsius, drivers should expect there could be black ice, Hall said.

Black ice, sometimes called clear ice, refers to a thin coating of glaze ice on a surface, especially on roads. The ice itself is not black, but virtually transparent, allowing the often black road below to be seen through it.

Q: Can anything be done to prevent it?

More than 200 Year 12 Ashburton College students saw first-hand the effects and consequences of a fatal car crash during Road Crash Day on Friday 17 June 2016.

The typically low levels of noticeable ice pellets, snow, or sleet surrounding black ice means that areas of the ice are often practically invisible to drivers or people stepping on it. There is, thus, a risk of skidding and subsequent accident due to the unexpected loss of traction.

Q: During how much of the year is black ice likely?

Bridges and overpasses can be especially dangerous. Black ice forms first on bridges and overpasses because air can circulate both above and below the surface of the elevated roadway, causing the bridge pavement temperature to drop more rapidly.

Q: When should black ice be expected?

A: When there are clear skies and the ground temperature, which could be cooler than the air temperature,

A: Busy roads in particular can be treated with the chemical calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) when conditions are right for ice to form.

A: Black ice can be a problem during the months of the year when there is surface freezing. That’s generally from May through to August but it could also happen in September.

Areas most likely to be affected are Southland, Otago, parts of Canterbury and the central North Island.

Q: Should drivers just stay off the road if there is a risk of black ice?

A: At times when black ice is possible, drivers are advised to stay off the roads if their journey is not necessary. Otherwise, drivers are advised to delay a trip if possible, or at least until the sun was out.

Shading tree removal The Ashburton District Council has sent letters to 76 property owners asking for shelter belts to be trimmed or removed.

52 property owners are working with Council to address the issue.

The remaining properties will continue to be assessed and if gritting is required then the owners will be invoiced for costs incurred.

To date 15 property owners have trimmed their roadside trees and have as a result been removed from the list.

Ashburton District Council Road Safety Coordinator Jeremy Lambert said the community initiative aims to raise awareness amongst newly-licensed drivers who are most at risk of being involved in accidents. The day started with students witnessing a mockcrash which involved, and was acted out by, four Year 13 drama students from the school.

Mr Lambert said a high proportion of fatal crashes involving young drivers (15–24 years old) occur on the open road. This is due to the typically high speeds on these roads, which results in higher impact crashes.

“Alcohol and speed are the major contributing factors for young drivers involved in fatal crashes.

“We hope that the event was enough to make the students stop and think twice and ultimately, to become more responsible drivers and passengers for life,” said Mr Lambert.

“The mock-crash is a graphic re-enactment designed to encourage students to be responsible drivers and more aware of their surroundings when they are on the road,” said Mr Lambert.

“The whole aim of the forum is to promote safe driving and help young people avoid becoming a road crash statistic,” Mr Lambert added.

EA Networks Centre price changes EA Networks Centre membership prices will increase $1.00 each from Thursday 4 August 2016.

paying the new rates on 4 August 2016 when the changes take effect.

The new prices will be as follows: • Platinum Combination = $22.00 per week ($19.00 for students and seniors) “The price changes were recommended in the draft Annual • Gold Combination = $17.00 per Plan, which Council adopted at week ($15.00 for students its June 30 meeting,” Community and seniors) Relations Manager Vincie Billante said. • Silver Membership = $14.00 per week ($12.00 for students All current EA Networks Centre and seniors) membership holders will start

Getting involved

By Ashburton Youth Councillor Josiah Penno

‘Cenotaph-guard present arms!’ At exactly the same time, four cadets pushed the ceremonial rifle they were holding out from their body, and slammed their right heel into the ground.

This was the sound of the Ashburton Cadet unit getting involved in the ANZAC dawn service earlier this year.

A lot of young people in Ashburton are unaware of the thrill that comes from being involved in the cadet unit. During my involvement, I 6

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have been shooting, climbed Mt Arrowsmith, been involved in ANZAC and Remembrance Day services and even been to Auckland for an inter-unit competition that involves groups from all over the country (there are over 100 units of cadets in New Zealand, made up of Air force, Navy and Army cadets).

The Ashburton Cadets are probably best known for marching or discipline. If you are in year nine, ten or eleven - or you know someone who is - and like the outdoors, cadets would be a great thing to join. I believe that being in cadets helps teenagers develop essential

skills like being able to comfortably converse with adults. This helps establish an image of Ashburton teenagers as being socially adept and open. Importantly as well, cadets are taught the meaning of helping out within the community.

For example, we recently headed out into the district to visit and clean a number of our ANZAC memorials, some of which are not normally visited. Personally, I feel being a cadet sets a good example for all teens out there in the community.

Come and join us!

Check out what Youth Council are up to by visiting their facebook page.

Josiah Penno

ashburtondc.govt.nz

district diary

Citizenship / Local government elections / Bylaw consultations / Wildling pines removal

Citizenship Ceremony ADC proudly welcomed 19 individuals and families into the community as they swore allegiance to New Zealand at our latest Citizenship Ceremony on 28 June.

Coming from South Africa, Samoa, Fiji, Ireland, England, Germany and Ukraine, these citizens bring a wealth of stories and experience to contribute to our culturally diverse community.

The ceremony was conducted

by Mayor Angus McKay and Ashburton District Council Research and Monitoring Advisor Toni Durham.

The candidates took their turn pledging their allegiance, before being presented with their Certificate of Citizenship. Local pharmacist Jane Kelly then welcomed the new citizens on behalf of Te Runganga Arowhenua and Hakatere Marae.

There is one more ceremony left to carry out this year, in August.

Council is eager to include kapa haka performances at future ceremonies, so if you know of a group that would like to be a part of a ceremony, please contact Council and ask to speak with Toni Durham or Meg Rawson.

New citizens were welcomed to the district during the June ceremony

Upcoming Local Government Elections The 2016 local government elections take place in October this year.

If you are interested in running for office, here is the timeline of events.

July 15: Candidate nominations have opened August 12: Candidate nominations will close August 17: Candidate nominations published September 16 - 21: Voting documents are delivered to eligible voters by post October 8: Voters must complete their documents and return them by midday today September 16 - October 8: Early processing and scrutiny is carried out October 8: Preliminary results announced

October 13 – 23: Formal declaration of results Successful candidates take office the day after the official declaration is publicly notified.

For Ashburton, there are elections for positions on Ashburton District Council, Methven Community Board, Ashburton Licensing Trust, Canterbury Regional Council and Canterbury District Health Board.

For Ashburton District Council there are positions for the Mayor and for 12 Councillors (seven for the Ashburton Ward; three for the Eastern Ward; and two for the Western Ward).

In Methven, five members for the Community Board will be elected.

For the Ashburton Licensing Trust, six trustees will be elected.

The Canterbury Regional Council will have seven elected members, one of which will represent Mid Canterbury.

The Canterbury District Health Board has seven members elected across the DHB area.

All positions are for a three-year term that will run until 2019.

Anthony Morton, a specialised contractor has been appointed as the electoral officer to run the elections for Ashburton.

There are specific guidelines that candidates must follow for their nominations to be accepted.

These include; filling out an official nomination paper, having two witnesses that are Ashburton residents to sign the paper, and a making a deposit of $200.

Wilding Pines removal at Lake Clearwater Thirty volunteers, some from as far as Christchurch helped remove wilding trees from the western corner of Lake Camp on Sunday 12 June 2016.

This was despite the weather forecast and initial postponement of the day. Another wilding tree removal day is planned for spring.

Draft bylaw and policy documents open for public consultation The Ashburton District Council is busy reviewing a number of policies and bylaws and is asking the public for input and feedback on these documents.

At its June 30 meeting Council adopted its new draft Dog Control Bylaw and Policy, Brothel Location Bylaw, Open Spaces Bylaw and Smokefree Outdoor Areas Policy, and these documents are now open for public consultation until July 31 2016.

At its July 28 meeting Council adopted its new draft Mobile Shops, Stalls and Hawkers Bylaw, ashburtondc.govt.nz

Water Supply and Water Drainage Bylaws as well as an Explanatory Bylaw, and consultation on these documents is open until 29 August.

Submissions on all of these documents will be reviewed by the Bylaw and Policy Subcommittee during July and August and will be presented to the September 22 Council meeting for formal adoption.

Council staff have made the draft bylaw and policy booklets and submission forms available online (www.ashburtondc.govt.nz), at the Council reception and at various locations throughout the district listed right.

• EA Networks Centre • Ashburton Library • Ashburton Art Gallery and Heritage Museum

• Hinds On The Spot • Mayfield Udder Dairy • Mount Somers Store • Staveley Store • Methven i-SITE Visitor Information Centre

• Rakaia Mobil, 50 Bridge Street, Rakaia

ISSUE 100 | 28 JULY 2016

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annual residents survey results

district diary

Survey Annual Residents

results

98

of residents are satisfied with the Public Library

81%

of residents are satisfied with the overall quality of drinking water provided

%

84

of residents are satisfied with the performance of Council staff

98

of residents are satisfied with Council’s domains overall

%

%

The full results can be found on our website - ashburtondc.govt.nz/our-council/have-your-say

District Diary will now be published on a monthly basis to ensure ongoing effective community engagement and efficiency. This measure will see the Community Noticeboard and District Diary merged. District Diary had previously been published every six weeks.

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ISSUE 100 | 28 JULY 2016

ashburtondc.govt.nz