May 2024

Coatesville comemorated ANZAC Day on 25 April with a service hosted by our Residents and Ratepayers' Association, the CRRA. Although a host of people help to make the event a favourite for manyincluding MP Mark Mitchell and his wife, Sarah Mattson - one person deserves special credit. The CRRA's Tertia Wildy is the event's key organiser. Many thanks to Tertia for another great community event. In turn, Tertia is assisted by other CRRA committee members and the wider the community. Groups like the Coatesville Scouts, Coatesville School, the CV Pony Club, CCGC (garden club), CHARAC, and many more, all of whom placed wreaths in honour of those who served in wartime.

Thanks must also go to Scout Master Phil

Smith who read the ANZAC Dedication; Reverend Robin Palmer from Browns Bay Presbyterian Church who delivered the prayers and led the service and hymn singing; the RNZAF Base Auckland Band who provided the music and the poignant bugle solo for The Last Post and The Reveille. Students from Kristin and Pinehurst schools who gave the reading and the prayer; MP Mark Mitchell who gave the address and, as always, Commander Martin Doolan's recitation of The Ode which made everyone stand a little straighter.

The MC of the event was once again Louise Johnston from the Rodney Local Board who was easily heard thanks to a robust sound system this year. In her column on the opposite page, Louise has updates about loads of Local Board matters, including her own plans to hand over the baton in 2025.

Soon, it's 1 June, meaning the seasons are about to change gears. Speaking of gears, if cars made before 1980 are your thing, check out the Coatesville Classic Car Club flyer on p4.

And, if you're looking for a product or service this month, check out the advertisers in this issue and give them a call. They deserve the community's support.

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.

Diary Dates

∞ 22 May, Wednesday, 6pm The CRRA monthly meeting at the Settlers Hall. All welcome.

∞ 25 May, Saturday, Coatesville Pony Club celebrates its 50-year anniversary. Tickets are $75 per person and can be purchased online at Eventbrite. See the flyer left for the web address or visit their Facebook page for the link.

∞ 26 May, Sunday, 9.30am Coatesville Classic Car Group meets at Black Cottage before hitting the open road. See p4.

∞ 30 May World Multiple Sclerosis Day.

∞ 3 June, Monday, King's Birthday Weekend.

∞ 20 June, 4pm-6pm Bayleys Coatesville invite you to attend their annual drinks and nibbles event at the Coatesville office. Join them for a relaxed get together with the community and hear from market experts about how real estate is tracking in 2024. See the flyer on p8 for more information.

Local Board News

By Louise Johnston

Thank you to everyone who submitted on Auckland Council’s Long-Term plan. As a Local Board, we have formally resolved our feedback, which will be presented to the Mayor and Councillors. It will not be an easy budget to balance, and there will be several tough decisions, including the fate of the North Harbour stadium. Local Board representative review Firstly, this is my last political term as Local Board member so if you have ever thought about standing, please get in contact. Don’t worry, the election is not until 2025 so there's plenty of time. Moving forward, I believe it will be more important than ever to know your Local Board members as they will be more ‘empowered’ with the ability to sell community assets and decide which assets get maintained/renewed while facing major budget cuts.

While Local Boards are becoming more ‘empowered’, they are also being reorganised with the Mayor wanting to reduce the number of Local Boards and members. For the Rodney Local board, given that we are 46% of the land mass of Auckland there is no change proposed in the geographical area or number of members. However, subdivision boundaries may change within Rodney and splitting the board into rural and urban areas is a possibility. At this stage, the Dairy Flat subdivision is due to stay the same, with the possibility of including the developments North of Milldale. However, it has been mooted that the Dairy Flat subdivision has more in common with the Upper Harbour and Hibiscus Bays Local Board areas than the north and western areas of Rodney, such as Wellsford and Helensville. Do you think Dairy Flat subdivision should be part of Upper Harbour/Hibiscus Bays local boards? Email me if you want to share your view.

Transport

If you would like to be part of the pilot for the Electronic Flood Alert system for Sunnyside and Robinson Road and receive the flood alert texts towards the end of May, you can email the project manager directly at Karin.Turnage@at.govt.nz with your email and/or mobile phone numbers.

The pilot electronic flood alert system includes: Large VMS at either end of Sunnyside Road; A smaller alert sign 50m or so up Robinson Road; A water sensor within the stream area set with 4 levels – waters rising initial warning, another warning of increasing waters, road level height, 150ml over road level and road closed; A camera with digital ruler AI technology to verify the levels and enable an image to be sent to show floods and then when the water levels decrease, to assist in confirming the road is clear and can be opened or whether there is debris, such as a tree, which requires a contractor to come to site to clear before the road can be opened.

The first stage of the pilot is to make sure the trigger levels are set at the correct heights to provide the best alerts, make sure the system is activating as it should.

For the Ridge Road slip repairs, they have had to be delayed as there has been an issue that has required a design change and now 4 to 6 weeks away from starting. I have requested more details about this.

For the raised pedestrian crossing in the Coatesville Village, AT has gone back to the design process and has recently surveyed pedestrian behaviour at the village; however, the local board have not been presented with the results yet.

For the proposed speed limit reductions there has been no decision made as to if these will be implemented or not. This includes speed limits on roads such as Mill Flat Road, Glenmore Road and the Coatesville Village. It is pretty frustrating, and AT do need to make a decision on this, even if it is contentious

Please get in contact if you have any feedback on the above. Louise.Johnston@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Mill Flat Rd Bridge Design In Consultation Phase

By the end of 2024, construction should begin on a permanent bridge to replace the temporary Bailey Bridge on Mill Flat Road, built after the January 2023 flood.

The Coatesville Classic Car Group formed a few months ago and is off on another run this month. Meeting at Black Cottage Cafe 9.30am, Sunday, 26 May, for a coffee and catch up before heading up to Whangaparaoa to look at a collection of cars and then onto Puhoi for lunch. Last month's run stayed local with sixteen cars turning out at Black Cottage for the compulsory coffee before going on to visit two Coatesville sheds with fabulous collections of cars.The Coatesville Classic Car Group is open to any cars built before 1980, see the Facebook page or more information.

The new bridge over the Rangitopuni Stream has been designed (shown left) and is now in the consultation phase.

At a recent drop-in session held at the Coatesville Setters Hall on 1 May, residents had the chance to discuss the design and give feedback to AT and its contractors.

According to one AT representative at the session, the single-lane Bailey Bridge needs to be upgraded because, "it's vulnerable to flooding and there isn't another Bailey Bridge we can access if it was washed away in another flood."

The new bridge design is for two lanes with a pedestrian walkway on the downstream side. It will be specced to withstand a one in 100-year flood and can actually cope with being under water if flood waters should ever rise that high.

The structure will use the footings from the original bridge and will be built one lane at a time, with both lanes being joined together in the final stages. And, unlike its predecessors, it will not have load restrictions.

AT wants to ensure residents have access via the bridge throughout the rebuild phase, which is expected to take 12-18 months once it starts.

Work will take place at night and the heavy machinery required to lift the beams across the stream, including a 350-ton crane, will be trucked in via forest roads. This is because of the Bailey Bridge's load restrictions. It will also minimise inconvenience to motorists on Coatesville-Riverhead Highway.

A number of intersection improvements are also planned, including a right-hand turning bay on Coatesville Riverhead Highway which will help traffic to flow safely around vehicles that are waiting to turn right onto the bridge.

Time for a Legal Checkup?

By Tammy McLeod

Jean and Peter, both in their early 80s, remained in their family home under a trust they established two decades ago. Initially, they believed the trust would safeguard their home should one of them require care. They hadn’t seen their lawyer in years and their wills were the same ones they had done when they set up the trust twenty years earlier. When they first put the home into the trust, gift duty was still applicable. When gift duty was abolished in 2012, they had stopped gifting and were still owed money by the trust.

As Peter's memory declined, Jean attributed it to aging until their daughter, Olivia, recognised the severity. A visit to the GP confirmed Peter's significant loss of cognitive capacity, prompting a referral to a geriatrician. With Peter's health rapidly deteriorating, Jean realised she couldn't provide the necessary care at home, leading to the search for a care facility. Eventually, they found an appropriate care facility for Peter and applied for the residential care subsidy in hopes that Peter would qualify for the subsidy.

They soon learnt that Peter would

not qualify for the subsidy because the family home was owned by a trust. If the family home was owned by them in their personal names, they would qualify for the subsidy as the family home is exempt if only one person goes into care. When the family home is in a trust, then WINZ treats that as being an investment that you have deprived yourself of. Fortunately, WINZ do allow you to restructure your affairs if you can qualify for the subsidy in a different way, and that is what Jean decided to do in this case. The trust was wound up and the family home distributed back to personal names and Peter qualified for the subsidy. This was a great relief for Jean.

The other hurdle was that Peter and Jean hadn’t put in place enduring powers of attorney. With Peter unable to make decisions regarding his property or personal welfare, Jean and Olivia had to navigate a cumbersome and costly legal process to appoint Olivia as Peter's attorney. It was a stressful time and made Jean realise that it is important to go and get legal checkups with your lawyer in the same way that you go and get

a health checkup with your GP. She quickly put in place her own enduring powers of attorney which gave her some peace of mind.

It is important to regularly review your legal document status every five years or if there is a change in circumstances. This can include your will, enduring powers of attorney and trust documents if applicable. Ensuring your assets are appropriately structured and spending a little bit of money to make sure everything relevant is in place regularly, is far preferable than having to spend a lot when you don’t have the right documents in place.

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 McLeod, Trust Law specialist, Managing Director, Davenports Law.

Pony Club Season Sign-Off

This month’s article is about standing in the spotlight and soaking up all the deserved recognition and glory! This is the case for our Coatesville Pony Club riders: Luke Jones on Uno Poco Loco, Phoebe Webster on Ace up your Sleeve and Mia Cadwallader on Xstatic Xtreme.

In some very wet, muddy, and trying conditions some of NZ’s top young riders came together last month to compete in the NZ Pony Club National Eventing Championships in Papatoetoe.

To put this into perspective – there are teams of four to six riders from all around New Zealand representing their ‘area’ and competing for the coveted title. The competition is fierce. The jumping heights are high. Adrenaline is on overdrive.

Our dynamic trio of riders represented our Coatesville Pony Club and their wider Area Waitemata Rodney team and won!

There are 3 phases in the eventing competition:

∞ Dressage – which tests the obedience, accuracy and discipline of both horse and rider

∞ Cross Country – demonstrates the stamina and bravery of both horse and rider as they are faced with a myriad of objects they must jump at speed

∞ Show Jumping – which tests the agility and technicality of both horse and rider

As you can see it’s an amazing accomplishment to win this type of event and once again demonstrates the high calibre of riders we have within the club.

This year’s competition was hosted by us – the Waitemata Rodney area. The planning for this event started 12 months ago. We would like to make a special mention to the incredible Jo Lynch who has lived and breathed this event for the last year. She is an undeniable asset to our Pony Club and we are so lucky to have her on our team. We would also like to thank Sam Cooke and all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make this event a success. The hosting baton has now been passed to Marlborough.

The last competition of the season snuck another resounding success for our club – the Show Hunter event hosted by Warkworth. Our Coatesville riders took home first place on the podium. It’s fantastic to see our younger riders in the spotlight. Special mention goes to Libbi and Yasmin

MARK MITCHELL

MP for Whangaparāoa

who both won Champion in their respective classes.

Last Chance!! Have you purchased your tickets yet? Tickets are still available for our 50th Anniversary. This is going to be such a fabulous night of celebrations, reminiscing and dancing. Coatesville Pony Club is such an integral part of the Coatesville community, and we would love to see old and new faces are our event. This is a milestone not to be missed. Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite and the link is also available on our Coatesville Pony Club Facebook page.

As the season ends, we are always on the lookout for new sponsors. With your support, we can continue to offer our young riders with opportunities to grow and excel. If you can help with financial contributions, building jumps, fixing fences or supplying materials, please email us at: coatesvillepc@gmail.com

Tarryn Bellingham

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.

An Autumn Snapshot?

Wow! What an amazing autumn we're having and long may these gorgeous days be with us. What comes with these vibrant autumn colours, is maintenance. And, it's at this time of year we need to spend time on our properties, ensuring that we have our homes up to date with jobs heading into winter.

The most critical of these in Coatesville is clearing gutters of leaves. If your property has trees, then this could be a recurring job over these weeks. Having cleared gutters not only allows the rainwater to flow freely into our water tanks, but it also stops build up of water becoming stagnant and the risk of water back-filling into the roof cavity, causing possible leaks. Left unmanaged, autumn leaves can also block drains and pipes, so keep these clear of leaves and debris. Whether your property is on the market or not, keep on top of these jobs and save yourself from future issues.

These past few months have seen huge ups and downs in our local real estate market with a record 50 properties on the market in Coatesville. To look further into these numbers; 18 of these properties are bare land blocks and 32 of the 50 properties have come to market since January 2024.

I have found there's a feeling of more confidence in the market over the last two weeks, so I'm looking forward to this momentum continuing. It’s now a good time to turn to the professionals and let's get an overview of the 2024 real estate market. So, with this in mind, SAVE THE DATE, and join me and our team at Bayleys Coatesville for our annual social get together with drinks and nibbles and listen to an update on the financial climate and real estate past and future projections

You are invited to join us at the Bayleys Coatesville Office for a community evening. Enjoy drinks and nibbles while guest speakers talk from 5pm about the local property market and financial climate.