307 School Bus Service To Stop
Local families whose children catch the 307 school bus to Long Bay College, may need to find an alternative means of transport from 2 August onwards.
Until now, the 307 bus service has been funded by the Ministry of Education with the service provided by Ritchies Transport as the MOE's contractor. The bus has carried students in the Coatesville area to Northcross Intermediate and Long Bay College for a number of years. However, in June, Ritchies communicated to the parents of Long Bay College students taking the bus that the service would end on 5 July after the Ministry of Education had withdrawn funding.
Gavin McLeod, Manager of Ritchies Transport's Albany depot said in a letter to school families affected that, "The Ministry of Education had removed funding for the service and unfortunately the service is not viable for Ritchies without their support."
A second letter sent to parents extended that deadline until 2 August.
Coatesville local Ben Wolmarans was one of the parents who received the letter and immediately tried to find out more by writing to Minister of Education, Erica Stanford. Ben also contacted The Chronicle
"Without the 307 bus service, working families will need to drop off children at school and pick them up afterwards because there is no suitable public transport available as an alternative," he says.
However, according to the Ministry, the decision to stop funding the 307 service was based on a lack of student eligibility criteria.
Their spokesman on the matter, Scott Evans, Leader (Hautū) Infrastructure and Digital says,"One of the eligibility criteria for Ministryfunded transport assistance is that students must be enrolled at their closest state or state-integrated school.
"Route D020307 is a Ministry school bus service for eligible Northcross Intermediate School students travelling from Coatesville. The
operator of this service is using extra capacity on this service to also transport ineligible students from Coatesville to Long Bay College and is charging these students a fare. Long Bay College students are ineligible for school transport assistance as they are not attending their closest school," he says.
The Chronicle understands that the Ministry began transporting the seven eligible Northcross students who used the 307 service on a different bus in May. So Long Bay College and local families of students who take the bus, now have less than a month to find an alternative solution. One option is for the school to keep the service running by finding a way to fund it, otherwise after 2 August, school drop-offs and pick-ups will again become part of the work day for parents.
24Wednesday, July, 6.15pm more info page 3!
The 307 School bus may stop transporting Long Bay College students from 2 August.
The CRRA AGM is on againWednesday, 24 July at 6.15pm for a 6.30pm start, at the Settlers Hall. Don't miss this chance to hear from local business owners of Lavender Hill and learn more about the Dairy Flat Surf Park that recently got the green light from the Environmental Protection Agency. Just think, in 2026 when the 43-hectare facility opens, we'll be able to ski in the morning (at Snow Planet) and surf in the afternoon in the balmy waters of Dairy Flat, thanks to the cooling system planned for the data storage farm at the park. It's going to be huge!
In the meantime, Coatesville School has a quiz night planned for Saturday, 3 August. Check out their flyer on page 4. Get your tickets online via the link on the Friends of The School Facebook page. Stay cosy Coatesie.
Your editor, Vanessa Johnson
Email: coatesvillechronicle@gmail.com, Phone: 021 724 001
The Coatesville Chronicle is distributed free to homes in the RD3 postal area. Deadline for content is 20th of the month prior to publication. The opinions published herein are not necessarily those of the publisher, Cradle Publications Limited. © 2024 All rights reserved.
'Bird Lady' book now in Paperback
Local author Johanna Emeney's children's book based on the life of the iconic "Bird Lady" of Rothesay Bay, is called Sylvia & The Birds. It blends comics, biography and activities to inspire a reverence for the natural world and is a timely call to action for for all young ecologists, conservationists and environmental activists.
The book was originally launched in hardback in 2022 and quickly became a hit. Owing to demand, this month it's been released in paperback, RRP$39.95.
You can pick up a copy at all good bookstores and online from the publisher, Massey University Press.
Diary Dates
∞ 22 July, Monday, Term 3 starts today at Coatesville School.
∞ 24 July, Wednesday, 6.15pm, CRRA AGM, at the Settlers Hall. All welcome. For more information, see the flyer on page 3.
∞ 27 July, Saturday, 9am-12 noon. Public Drop-In session about the Dairy Flat Surf Park, Dairy Flat Hall beside the tennis courts on the corner of Blackbridge and Postman Rds. Come along and ask your questions.
∞ 3 August, Saturday, 7pm Coatesville School Quiz Night at the Settlers Hall. Get your best 80's look together for this fundraiser, brought to you by Coatesville's supreme event organisers, the Friends of The School. Tickets cost $30 per person and tables of 10 are $300. Cash/eftpos bar and BYO food. Get in early because tickets are selling fast!
Jo Emeney with Sylvia Durant
Flood warnings
Local Board News
By Louise Johnston
Sunnyside Road's automated electronic flood warning system has been installed, and AT is currently testing it. This pilot scheme uses some exciting new technology. The Chronicle will have an update about this next month, but it should be up and running in the next few weeks. I have been very impressed with the AT team on this job and their commitment to finding a good, reliable solution and working with the local community. I am keeping my fingers crossed that once this system is operating, highrisk rescues by local volunteers during flood events will no longer be needed.
Also, if the flood events severely impacted you on the Anniversary weekend of 2023, you only have until 30 September to opt in to the Council buy-out scheme. The Council is very concerned that many high-risk property owners have not opted in to this scheme and if there is another extreme weather event, they will be at risk. Also, going forward there is no guarantee that the insurance companies will continue to cover high risk properties, and this is a chance to ensure you are not in this situation. Property owners can opt-in to the voluntary categorisation programme via the online registration form at property.flooded.co.nz, or email propertycategory@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Changes to Dairy Flat
The new future surf park at 1350 Dairy Flat Highway has now been consented. The 43 hectare Suft Park is an exciting development for the area and will be quite transformational. The surf park land had been earmarked as part of the future industrial zone of Dairy Flat. The surf park development includes a data centre, solar farm, extensive landscaping, restaurant, surf pool, visitor accommodation, walking, and cycling. The heat from the data centre warms the surf pool, making it suitable for year-round use and is the first heated wave pool in the world. Aventuurr, the company behind the surf park development, and Spark, are hosting a community drop-in event at the Dairy Flat Hall, on Postman Road next to the tennis courts, on Saturday, July 27, from 9am to noon. If you can get along to this engagement event it would be great.
Changes to Local Board representation
Every six years, Auckland Council must conduct a review of representation arrangements to ensure they are fair and effective. As part of this review, Council are seeking feedback on the proposal for the Rodney Local board to have two new rural subdivisions. This will not impact the Dairy Flat
Subdivsion. However, Local Boards now have greater powers and can sell and buy community assets such as parks and defer maintenance etc. So it is important that any changes in subdivisions result in good candidates standing for local elections. This is the only workplace where you don’t have to have qualifications or experience, can behave with or without integrity, say what you like etc and not get fired! In summary, it is a unique working environment, but now Local Board elected members are far more empowered than they used to be.
You can have your say until Thursday, 8 August, 2024. Please use the link below.
https://akhaveyoursay.aucklandcouncil.govt.nz/aucklandcouncil-representation-project
Proposed reversal of speed limit reductions across NZ Central government are currently consulting on the draft Land Transport Plan: Setting of speed limit rule 2024. The draft Rule proposes amongst other things to require speed limits reduced since 1 January 2020 to be reversed on the following roads:
∞ Local streets with widespread 30km/h speed limits surrounding a school;
∞ Arterial roads (urban connectors), and
∞ Rural State highways (interregional connectors).
At this stage we are not 100% certain if all the rural speed limits reduced since 1 January 2020 will be covered by this proposal if this plan is implemented without changes. But there is a campaign to increase the speed limits on the following rural roads back to 100km/hr. including Dairy Flat Highway, Coatesville-Riverhead highway, Kahikatea Flat Road. I don’t know if this will be successful but it is important that locals provide feedback on this plan.
Public consultation on the draft Rule closes on 11 July. Please use the link below to provide feedback.
https://consult.transport.govt.nz/policy/setting-ofspeed-limits-2024-consultation/ or you can email your submission to speedrule@transport.govt.nz
Please get in contact if you have any comments louise.johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz
Complex Family Dynamics
Sarah’s parents held a family trust, which had their family home, bach and various commercial property and managed fund investments. Her Mum died just before the covid pandemic and her dad, earlier this year. While Sarah had a rough idea of what the assets were, she didn’t know what the total value of the trust was.
Sarah attended a meeting with her parent’s lawyers, along with her two older brothers. The three children mostly got on, but there was sometimes friction between the three, Sarah’s parents hadn’t known their children’s relationship was strained.
At the meeting, Sarah was shocked to discover that Matt and her other brother, John, were appointed as trustees of the trust together with her parent’s accountant. Sarah didn’t feature at all. All three children were to receive an income from the trust assets and the family bach was to be retained in the trust for the use of all three children and their families.
As Sarah didn’t use the bach, she was hoping for some funds to relieve financial pressures. Sarah approached her brothers to explain her circumstances and to work through a result which would be more helpful
to her current financial position. However, both were adamant that their parents' wishes would be abided by, and no additional support for Sarah beyond the income from the trust assets.
Sarah sourced her own lawyer who advised that she was able to ask for extensive financial information relating to the trust and that while her parents’ wishes were legally persuasive, they were not legally binding, and the trustees had an over riding obligation to consider the needs of the beneficiaries of the trust. After months of communication between Sarah’s lawyer and her brothers' lawyers, and Sarah’s lawyer threatening to make an application to remove both of her brothers as trustees, the family agreed to go to mediation.
This situation is sadly typical of families of who set up structures and don’t consider what those structures might look like in the future. It’s important not to have a “set and forget” approach to asset planning. Asset values increase all the time and have done so over the last few years with property prices increasing. Unless there are vast sums of money, it’s not always a good idea
McLeod, Trust Law specialist, Managing Director, Davenports Law
to try and retain assets in the same trust beyond your death.
Children have varying needs. Ultimately, Sarah and her brothers reached a compromise, but the process took a emotional toll on everyone involved. It’s important to put thought into who will be managing your affairs if you die (or if you lose capacity). In this case, there may have been good reasons why Sarah was not included, but families should strive for transparency and communication around the trust arrangements, so they remain fair and relevant. That way they can help mitigate potential conflicts and ensure that assets are managed in a way that respects any wishes, while addressing the evolving needs of all beneficiaries.
The protection of assets that we have worked so hard to acquire is an important consideration for most people. Trusts provide protection of those invaluable assets, which allow a person to hold property and assets on behalf of another - for the good of the beneficiaries.
It is just as important to ensure that other forms of asset structuring are up to date and considered in relation to your trusts structure. These include your will and enduring powers of attorney.
Contact our Trusts and Wealth Protection Team for specialist asset structuring and planning advice.
Tammy
By Jenny Hunter
Garden Club Photographers Get Snapping!
For the past five years, the CCGC's June meeting has been all about the annual Photographic Competition and this was again the case. Plenty of photos came in, in the seven categories, and hands-up voting was decisive. Photos could be taken anywhere in the last 12 months, but to qualify they had to be taken by members’ cameras (phones mainly). Eric Haslam won the Overall award with a fine shot of a Kingfisher sitting in a yellow leafy background – stunning!
Christine Peek showed her prowess in several categories with stern competition from Eva Sapwell, Mary Logan, Ngaire Glass, Richard Bampton and Peter Hughes.
Our BYO lunch was augmented by a slice of a divine Lemon Syrup cake made by Kathy Lambert, for the occasion of the Club’s 27th birthday. Two original male members - Tony Peek and Peter Evans cut the cake helped by Maggie MacIntyre, one of the more senior members in attendance. Following through with the Male Theme for this year – the existence of male members in the club has surprised some interested parties. It was noted in Hurunui during our visit down there in 2023, that there were a lot of males in the party (mostly husbands) but members too – about 25/26 which is a quarter. The NZ Gardener (May 2024) featured an article about the successful club atmosphere that encouraged their presence and interest. President Owen Sprosen, along with Tony Peek and Paul Arundel on the committee, greatly assist with all aspects of the club’s functioning and find camaraderie in the atmosphere.
More Bloke activities! Helping with Shed/Barn visits, Eric Haslam has been working and excels at arranging interesting excursions and talks. Recently with a retired pilot club
member Alan Roberts, a visit to the North Shore Aero Club was organised. Many members, male and female, who live in the district were fascinated to see inside the hangars, workshops, helicopter area, and listen to the officials who gave us their time. No doubt with the expansion expected in the district in the future (surf pool, light industrial development) the airport will be considering its options.
July means the Bumper Trade Table for the club is scheduled. As members break up annuals and perennials in their gardens – and pot them up, they find they have surplus to sell and often room in their borders to purchase other members' plants and seedlings. It all helps the major fundraiser for the garden club so that we can subsidise trips, dinners, speakers and prizes for everyone’s benefit. To complete the day, a warming mug of soup and a roll is provided by the committee to spread the goodwill. A good turnout is expected which provides lots of opportunity for a catchup. A great start to the winter programme in the hall has been made and we look forward to two interesting speakers in August and September.
Kingfisher by Eric Haslam
Fibonacci Sequence Veg by Christine Peek
Pink Lady by Mary Logan
Zambezi Croc by Peter Hughes
Hurunui Garden by Christine Peek
Broken driveways graded and rebuilt with triple layer construction system.
Water tabling, side drains, culverts, french drains in gabion rock and driveway dust suppression treatments.
House hard stands, car parks and horse arenas. Call for an on-site chat and a quote.
Call or text Nic 021 538 539
AUTO GATES LTD
Classified Advertising
Agricultural contractor mulching/ gorse clearing, mowing (& lawns), rotary hoeing/seeding, stump grinding, Graeme 027 533 3114
Born To Build Ltd - Outdoor building specialists - We are here to help you create your outdoor vision, call Leon with all your deck, fence, retaining, pergola and horse & yard works! We are a small local quality business, been in the area for 10 years, helping our customers create their outdoor living dreams! Leon 022 0431443 borntobuild@hotmail.co.nz
Clean Queen I'll have your house looking like a castle. References supplied. Ph Angela 021 0832 9352 Coatesville Mulch Mowing 1 to 50 acres, local contractor, affordable rates. Phone Warren and Brenda Mills on 415 6503 or 022 315 1953
Connect Electrics For all your electrical solutions, Phone Kris 022 332 6663 or 412 6066
GET IN SHAPE Local private gym for one-on-one training or small group sessions, specialising in weight loss, general fitness and rehabilitation. Call Debbie 027 441 8769.
Gardener Are you looking for a gardener who will nurture and take care of your garden on a regular basis; someone who is conscientious, diligent & creative? If this sounds interesting, please don’t hesitate to email, call or text me for a noobligation chat. Phill M: 021 928 469 E: phillpriestley1@ gmail.com
Haven Hair Design
Need a new look or just a trim? Senior hair stylist and salon owner Lisa Cross will help you look and feel your best. Phone 09 415 4424 or book online, www. havenhairdesign. co.nz
Local Shearer, Kevin Abel, 021 223 5033
Mister Sharp Mobile Knife, Scissor & Garden Tool Sharpening Service. Onsite at your home or business, priced per item with no call-out charges - just a minimum spend please of $50. Ph 027 444 3348
Odd Job Company For building & landscaping projects, call Peter 027 453 0570
Painters & Decorators Marshall Painters can help with all your painting needs; interiors, exteriors, even waterblasting to make sure you get the top quality finish we're famous for. Call Marcus on 021 024 86516 or email marshallpainters@gmail.com.
Pilates in Coatesville Hall, Thursday @ 6pm. Special – 2 free lessons for new clients. $12 school term, $15 concession card and $20 casual class. Contact Abraham on 021 122 1530 or abrahampardo@gmail.com
Scout Marquee for hire, 6m x 8m, $250 per day. Call Garth 447 1863
The Blooming Beekeeper fully maintained beehive service. The ideal eco-friendly gift. Bee packages; beekeeping lessons; artisan bee products; swarm catching. Coatesville based. Call Val 021 755 833.
Who’s your caterer? Beautifully presented, great tasting food, at competitive prices. Phone Helen Cato 415 7771 or 021 211 8223.
Top, the Bayleys Coatesville team ready with a warm welcome; above, plenty of platters and excellent speakers helped make it a great event.
Bright-line Rules To Change
Abig thank you to everyone that joined us at our pinot and platters event in June. Although it wasn't the warmest of nights, we had an excellent turnout from the community. This is an annual event and we welcome anyone from our community to join us, so put it in your diary for next year.
Keeping with the theme of the speakers around the market and finance, there are some announcements from the Government to be aware of. From 1 July, two bright-line rule changes have been made, the bright-line has gone back from 10 years to 2 years, so the capital gains tax will only apply to property sold within two years of purchase. This will allow investors to let go of property particularly with the higher interest rates. This will mean potentially more properties coming to market as investors release them. Also, the reintroduction of interest deductibility is from 1 April 2024 to 31 March 2025, taxpayers will be allowed to claim 80% of interest deductions. Subsequently, from 1 April 2025, onwards, 100% deduction of interest will be permitted. Importantly, this phased approach applies to all taxpayers. On another front there are new rules out mid-next year around Granny Flats not needing a building consent to add a small dwelling to your property up to 60sqm to help accommodate extended family. You will still be required to adhere to the build code. I love being entrenched in our Coatesville community, so call me for any real estate discussion or questions you have!
