October 2023

THE C O ATESVILL E C H R O N I CL E

If that’s not enough nourishment, there’s plenty to buy at the Co-op. The school’s parents and friends have baked up a storm and there are delicious cakes, slices, and biscuits to take home,as well as jams and other preserves, fresh eggs, and homegrown produce.

Ag Day promises to be a fun family day out, with loads to entertain the children – not just rides, but games with prizes up for grabs, too. For the adults, the silent auction has a great range of fabulous items to bid on, from luxury hampers to digger hire, tutoring to holiday lets, a photoshoot and a robotic lawn mower, and so much more.

This year, the silent auction has gone online, and you can view and bid on items right now at www.32auctions. com/CoatesvilleSchoolAgDay23.

There is, of course, the serious side to Ag Day too. On the Friday, children entered in the Rural Traditions categories with either Arts and Crafts, Kitchen, or Handyperson projects, will have their work judged. First thing on Saturday, entries in the plants and animal categories will be judged. But by 10.30, the competition will be over, the ribbons awarded, and the fun will begin. Let’s all hope the sun decides to join us on the day!

By Mary Searle Bell

Ag Day this Saturday!

Ahuge amount of work has gone in to ensuring that this year’s Ag Day is one of the best ever. The Friends of the School team have booked a vertical bungy for the thrill seekers, pony rides for the traditionalists, bouncy castles and face painting for the smaller ones, and loads of delicious food options for everyone.

There will be an international food court selling ham rolls, nachos, tacos, Korean noodles, dumplings, sushi, salads, burgers and chips, and crepes, as well as the perennial favourite, bacon and egg rolls, and the classic scones with jam and cream. There are also sweet treats, including candy floss and ice cream sundaes, and the all-important coffee.

The people at Chooks Crossing give away their eggs and need more egg cartons to keep up with demand. Jane says the half-dozen size are best, so if you have any empties, please drop them off at the Chooks Crossing stand, 317 Glenmore Road.

Our latest specials will ensure you look and feel your best this season.

A winter blues facial will bring back your glow and our companion laser hair removal offer means you pay for one area and get another free! Call and book today!

Diary Dates

∞ 11 October, Wednesday, Coatesville Pony Club Season 23/24 Kick-Off. 5.30-7pm at Coatesville Settlers Hall.

∞ 14 October, Saturday, From 10am till 2pm AG Day at Coatesville School. Come along and enjoy the fun!

∞ 14 October, Saturday, General Election You can vote at the Coatesville Settlers Hall in between visiting Ag Day.

∞ 21 October, Saturday, Coatesville Scouts Quiz Night fund raiser. Support Coatesville Scouts getting to Jamboree. Details on the left left.

∞ 22 October, Sunday, 11am-12pm. Sanders House Paremoremo. Coatesville's Sew 'n' Sews welcome new members, join them today.

∞ 23 October, Monday, Labour Day, the last public holiday before Christmas! Dig out your togs ready for the first swim of the season.

∞ 25 October, Wednesday, 6pm CRRA meets at the Settlers Hall. All Welcome.

∞ 31 October, Tuesday, Take the kids along to Barfoot and Thompson's haunted cottage for some Halloween spookery from 4pm-7pm. $2 per child, funds raised go to Starship.

∞ 8 November, Wednesday, 7pm to 9pm, Emma Wright speaks about Raising Body Confident Kids at the Coatesville Settlers Hall. Tickets are $35 per person, available on Eventbrite. This is an adults-only event. See the column on page 3 for the Eventbrite address.

Raising Body Confident Kids

Emma Wright (shown above) regularly talks to parents who say they're losing sleep worrying about their kids' eating, size and exercise. They're also worried about the influence of social media on their child’s health and well-being.

In general, Emma says parents are more concerned about their child being too big than too thin. Despite their best efforts, many feel powerless over their child’s size and eating choices. But, Emma says, ultimately, long-term health is not about controlling our kids. What parents need is a fresh approach and to change how and when they connect with their child's eating.

Emma is speaking at the Coatesville Settlers Hall on Wednesday, 8 November from 7pm to 9pm and will share her strategies and methods to help those dealing with this complex issue.

Tickets to Raising Body Confident Kids are $35 per person and can be purchased online at Evenbrite. https:// raisingbodyconfidentkids. eventbrite.com

Needles and Pins

Many of you will remember Val Troust from her strawberry fields in Sunnyside Road, Coatesville. Val was a great horticulturalist, but also a wonderful needlewoman. Some years before her death she invited a hand-picked group of friends who sewed to meet at her house monthly for a sewing time together. It was great fun with lots of sewing and sharing ideas and materials, and of course quilts hung on washing lines in Val's garden to make money for Harbour Hospice in a summer show. These ladies called themselves Sew ‘n’ Sews and are still going to this day.

After Val’s death we found a lovely venue at Sanders House on Sanders Reserve and meet there once a month on the fourth Sunday from 10am till 3.30pm with no meeting in December. We are a small number as most ladies bring their sewing machines and that takes up a lot of space, but we also have hand sewers. Our work covers applique to patchwork to embroidery, there is sometimes a knitter or tatter or crochet-worker, but the aim is the same; to enjoy doing our handwork together, and helping and sharing with each other. Sadly over the years, some members have moved away and now is the time to find a few more

people. We take a packed lunch. We sometimes make quilts for various charities and in the last year have made over 56 really stunning quilts for Harbour Hospice. But we each do what suits us, within reason.

So, if you would like to meet us on Sunday, 22 October between 11 and 12 noon with a view to joining us, we would love to see you.

Christine

Miller of Sew ‘n’ sews.

Pest Free Coatesville's 2023 Junior Award winners have been chosen and will soon be on their way to Wellington to visit Zealandia, the country's most impressive pestfree sanctuary.

According to PFC leader, Gary Langridge, both Will Spong and Alex Taylor, high school students, showed great commitment to pest animal eradication and conservation and will be excellent ambassdors to their peers. Well done lads!

Garden Club Visit a Local Bee Farm

ASeptember meeting at the beginning of spring ideally would be a trip around some gardens to check on the season’s arrival, but no garden owner likes their lawns made puggy by hundreds of footsteps.

Instead, the Coatesville Country Garden Club had a hall meeting and were entertained by photos of the tropical gardens of Singapore - By the Bay, up high rise buildings as green walls and Changi Airport Jewel Terminal. As Singapore is known as a ” city in a garden”, it is an ideal destination for garden lovers and a lot of the garden designers have been trained in NZ at Massey University.

Graeme Milne of begonia fame from Birkenhead, took us on an excursion through the Singapore locations, amid fabulous colours and varieties of blooms- mainly begonias, his passion, but plenty of others too. The domes and structures housing a lot of these magnificent flowers, are heavily dependent on water features as well, to provide the humid conditions needed for plant growth and blooming. Rare specimens are behind glass to deter plant propagators from taking cuttings – so we all have to wait till they are introduced into our country, when they know there is plenty of worldwide stock available. Most would have to be grown indoors here as well.

As we had a few moments after the tour of Singapore gardens, we were taken to the USA (on screen) to a begonia festival where we revelled in the festivities and busy scenes of flower decorating of floats to be displayed on a water setting. Many watercraft with eager spectators on board made it truly memorable and colourful as the floating flotilla paraded along

an estuary and under a bridge to be judged. Sadly, it was the last time this event took place after 65 years of history.Thank you Graeme for your time and photo tour and to Pat Hosking and Tony Peek for the arrangements. Singapore Gardens will be a definite stop over for some of the viewers’ travels in the future.

Blokes Sheds are a feature of our monthly gatherings – this time we didn’t have far to go. Eric Haslam was joined by Richard Bampton in organising a visit to SJA Honey in Waitoki which for many was an eye opener, as they didn’t realise ’bee farming’ was in their back yard. ‘A million bees a month’ are produced and that is just the drones. Jason of AJS Honey talks in millions of bees as he speaks about his business which he has developed selling bees in working hives here in NZ and overseas.

At this time of the year, he is ramping up activity in readiness for our spring which is all about pollination of orchards with various fruit trees , ( avocado, pip and stone fruit). In August they are planting the queens out and readying the hives for the intense

months ahead.

The specialised manpower return from overseas (after a break of 3-4 months) to assist. The Philippine workers are housed on site in Waitoki, have a gym to keep them fit and able to work long hours with arm strength to lift and carry. Local workers are on hand most of the year.

Overseas air freighting of hives for the international market takes years to develop after negotiating through the red tape. Canada is an established market, with USA being worked on, along with Europe. For travelling, the bees are housed in specially meshed boxes for ventilation (made on site), with sugar syrup in good quantities to fuel the workers. All are kept cool by spraying water on the specially spaced pellets, and treating them with dry ice.

Jason has smaller specialised companies operating along side the international trading function- eg. Good and Gooey which sells honey but not to the public.(only special visitors).

So, from a two-hive hobby in a Glenfield back yard, Jason has become a sole operator in NZ and may be only one of four around the world marketing and selling bees.

It’s all happening in our backyard. Thanks Eric and Richard for organising and the opportunity to visit such an interesting local success story!

By Jenny Hunter

CCGC members visit SJA Honey

Coatesville on a misty spring morning

Photo by Owen Sprosen

We are your local dedicated specialists for water tank cleaning, filtration installation and servicing, water tank repairs, water deliveries and advice. Talk to us, we love to help!

Call Garry on 09 428 0448 or 027 84 77 000 e: help@healthywatertanks.co.nz w: healthywatertanks.co.nz

Riders Earn Certificates

Horsemanship is a lot more than just riding – it’s about knowing how to care for your equine companion, building a connection and having a blast along the way.

A few of our riders have been studying hard over the winter months and have been awarded their C+ and B Horse Management Certificates. Well done to those riders. This is one of the many benefits of being part of our Pony Club – you get to develop and grow as a rider with your friends in tow.

Our club has already been busy, hosting a mini dressage series. This was a great opportunity for PC members to practice the new ESNZ rules, get direct feedback from a top-notch judge as well as get some results they can use to apply for a place in the PC Champs team.

Jo Lynch, the organiser of the day said, “the feedback from the judge was very positive, commenting on a pleasing standard of performance with both riders and horses showing great resilience in challenging conditions”.

Thankfully the club's investment in an improved arena surface ‘Treadlite’ (rubber chip) has helped us run events in the wet Daylight savings is finally here! Longer days mean more opportunities for our riders to use our facilities. With rallies starting this month on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings, we have quite a few riders who ride their ponies to and from the club. A reminder to riders to wear their hi–vis gear while on the roads. This is also a reminder to our community to drive slowly and give our riders plenty of space when passing.

If you are interested in joining the Coatesville Pony Club this season, there are still a few spaces across all age groups– email: coatesvillepc@gmail.com

By Tarryn Bellingham

CLOCKWORK visa services

Cherie Baird

All aspects of tree work, stump grinding, land clearance. Qualified arborists. Chipper. Free Quotes. Full Insurance. Call Stu 09 446 1258 or 021 175 8660.

All aspects of tree work, stump grinding, land clearance. Qualified arborists. Chipper. Free Quotes. Full insurance. Call Stu 09 446 1258 or 021 175 8660.

Skilled Migrant Specialist

Licensed Immigration Adviser IAA # 200900880

+64 21 533 687

cherie@clockworkvisa.co.nz

Cherie Baird

Skilled Migrant Specialist

Licensed Immigration Adviser IAA # 200900880

+64 21 533 687

cherie@clockworkvisa.co.nz

www.clockworkvisa.co.nz

From left: Mary Dawkins (Head Coach), Renee Menzies, Luke Jones, Paige Farquhar, Laura Haynes, Adison Hall, Lili-May Chamel, Gail Seeley (Judge) and Pam Farrer (Judge).

WHANGAPARAOA CANDIDATES

Craig Laybourn

Craig has worked in the extractive industries for 27 years, specifically in roading aggregate quarries. He has also been a volunteer for Fire and Emergency New Zealand for 14 years, with the last three years working as a career airport firefighter.

Craig believes that people should have the right to choose body autonomy as a basic human right. This is what led him to choose DemocracyNZ, and subsequently decide to put his name forward as a candidate.

With Craig's experience in the extractive industries, he will work with other members of the team to develop roading and infrastructure policies. Pushing for improved infrastructure to connect and unlock the potential of Northland, will be a key priority for DemocracyNZ.

Craig is married with five children. He is dedicated to his family and wants his family to continually grow up with the freedoms that we have experienced in previous years. “I am doing this for my kids and my future grandkids - I want them to have a country that is fair and equal, and where politicians have the courage to stand up for what’s right.”

The all new

Lorraine Newman

For the first years of my life, my heart was in the world of farming and the community. While studying for a Masters degree, I became a tutor/ lecturer in communication and management. My favourite topics to teach were those involving learning to get along with others as a family or in a community, building rapport, understanding people from different backgrounds/cultures, ensuring others needs are met, and resolving conflicts. Next came time as a head of a private business school. I wrote an orientation programme for Auckland Regional Migrant Service to help new migrants to settle. More recently I coached PhD students, walking alongside them in their journey.

In 2015 after reading about the effects of climate change I knew I must take action. I joined the Green Party and became an active member. The last few years have been spent learning more about the future we can have if we take the actions we must to make the planet a healthy place, and what the future could look like for our children and grandchildren if we don’t care enough.

I dedicate my life to improving the future lives of our children by making the world a better place.

I am a true Whangaparāoa local and have been heavily involved in the community since my schooling. I hold a Bachelor of Science from Victoria University, Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award and Level 6 Māori language certificate with Te Herenga Waka o Orewa Marae. Through my small business, I work with several community and environmental organisations doing research, and planning community engagement and business strategies as well as sitting on the Herenga Waka o Orewa marae committee and being involved in other community projects.

Being of both pākehā/Norwegian heritage and Catalan heritage, I understand the value of cultural diversity and aim to be multicultural and multilingual. What I stand for: I have been a strong advocate for increasing youth voter turnout over the past three elections, talking to students and creating online resources to help mobilise young people to learn about politics and to get out and vote. Young people care about political issues but many do not know how to interact or engage with politics.

I will also continue to champion climate change mitigation and support for conservation efforts, support for schools, a proactive approach to safe and inclusive communities, affordable housing and fair pay.

Estefania Muller Pallares

Who'll get your vote in 2023?

I was raised in a family where public service was very important and encouraged.

After leaving school I went farming, which taught me what long hours of physical work and hard graft were all about. When I ventured overseas, our Kiwi No. 8 wire and common sense approach to problem solving, and 'failure is not an option' attitude, helped me get ahead.

I enjoyed a 14-year policing career, most of it as a member of the Police Dog Section and Armed Offenders Squad. Our community’s safety and security is a priority for me.

Recently, I hosted a public meeting at the Silverdale School with Police, Auckland Transport, the local board and councillors to address the violence and disorder at the Silverdale bus station. As a result we have seen an increased Police presence and a big reduction in incidents.

I am very proud of our community and the privilege I have to serve you. During my time as your MP I have served in the National Party Cabinet as the Minister of Defence. This year, should we be successful in returning to Government, I will be serving you as the Minister of Police with a focus on getting us back on track to be one of the safest countries in the world that we can all be proud of.

I grew up in Taranaki surrounded by farmland and freedom. I started my first business at 16 and bought my first shares on the NZX shortly after. I’ve owned several different businesses and spent years trading the financial markets, working in Europe and New Zealand. I manage global share portfolios for wholesale investors and am a popular contributor to the daily investment news site, Wealth Morning. I’m happily married with two children (11 and 15) and live on Auckland’s North Shore.

Outside of investing and politics, I love the great outdoors, reading/ podcasts and am currently learning Italian. I’m a fourth-generation Kiwi with Italian, English and Scottish ancestry.

Sadly, I see less opportunity now than when I was in my twenties and thirties. New Zealand’s No. 8 wire mentality is rusting away with overregulation and the cultural shift that follows that. It would be great to bring back the values I grew up with; personal responsibility, integrity and ingenuity. I see ACT as the party that can best free-up opportunity, deal with the cost of living crisis and unlock the housing deadlock facing younger Kiwis.

Mark Mitchell For Whangaparāoa

I have lived in New Zealand for 24 years, the last 8 years on the coast. I am a former bank manager & am best known as a healer and author. My healing centre at Orewa House had to close when the mandates came. I work internationally helping people with health concerns and life issues. I have become increasing concerned about the legislation passed by government and the way successive governments have spent huge dollars creating massive debts that the working people have to cover through higher and higher taxes. There has to be a better way, a fairer way and NZ Loyal’s 1% transaction tax will benefit workers & pensioners and boost our economy.

Three waters should be repealed – that is the government commercializing water so they can borrow yet more money and leave us, the taxpayers, footing the bill. We need to bring back unvaccinated teachers, nurses & doctors – they should never have been treated in the way that they were. We need to give the power back to the people of New Zealand rather than kow tow to the demands of the UN, the WHO & the WEF who are unelected and not accountable to anyone.

Simon Angelo

Jeanette Wilson

Mark Mitchell

Coatesville Scouts Make the Most of the Weather

oatesville Scout group has been very active this term despite the wet weather getting the better of our major camp; causing first a postponement and finally its cancellation.

Our Scouts, who are going to Jamboree at the end of the year have had a couple of get togethers with the scouts and leaders from the other groups forming our Jamboree Troop. One of these was an overnighter at Awatuna (Torbay) den with catapult building, fish and chips and a movie followed by raft building and racing on Sunday morning. Luckily, the weather held for this event and some even took the chance for a winter swim.

Scouts have also been doing a lot of work with knives this term, learning how to sharpen them and to whittle pegs then carving out and making flax-stick outrigger canoes. They also used their knives to peel vegetables and prepare ingredients before cooking a fabulous threecourse dinner consisting of garlic bread and soup followed by savoury mince, steamed green vegetables and mashed potatoes, rounded off with apple crumble and whipped cream.

Fantastic effort guys, it was delicious!

The scouts finished the term building nesting boxes for Ruru Owls (Morepork) and joined the Keas on a visit to the fire station.

Jacky and Darren are doing great things with our Cubs which have been growing in numbers; with another six invested this term. They have had lots of fun activities and games both indoors and out. One of their highlights was an evening of small fires, cooking sausages and roasting marshmallows, always a favourite activity.

Our Keas held a movie night and

Thinking of selling

sleepover which was very well attended and great fun for everyone.

Janine and Linneah look after our youngest members, the Keas (6 to 8 year olds) and they too, have been doing some really fun activities this term. They have learnt about CPR and First Aid , looking after bees, made Father's Day cards, done scientific experiments and ended the term with a visit to the East Coast Bays Fire Station, where they all got to climb aboard the fire engine.

Next term the Jamboree Scouts will be holding a major fundraiser to help get them to Jamboree. This will be a Quiz Night with auctions, games and raffles to be held on Saturday, 21 October at Coatesville Hall, 6.30pm for 7pm start.

Please see the flyer on page 2 and get behind our scouts, they need your support to get to Jamboree.

If you would like buy tickets and form a table to attend, or can offer goods or services for our auctions and prizes, please contact Phil at coatesville@group.scouts.nz

By Phil Smith

A highlight of term three for Coatesville Keas, Cubs and Scouts was the visit to East Coast Bays Fire Station

The Effects of Diminishing Capacity

Jenny, Dan and Tania’s father had died five years ago. Their mother, Iris, who is in her late 70’s was physically well but was slowly losing mental capacity. Iris and her late husband had owned their home and investment portfolio in a trust they had set up in the 1990s. Iris’ daughters thought now was the time for her to move into a retirement village. Iris agreed, although her son, Dan, was reluctant. After many weeks of looking with her daughters, Iris paid a deposit on a unit within a friendly and suitable village. They booked an appointment to see Iris’ lawyer.

Iris’ lawyer explained how the occupation license worked and that it was something that the trust couldn’t purchase. It had to be purchased in Iris’ name. The trust could lend the money to Iris for the purchase, but she would need the consent of the trustees of the trust to do that. The trustees were Iris and Dan, who had been appointed as a trustee after the death of his father. The girls were concerned. Dan wasn’t keen for Iris to go into a retirement village because he thought she was well enough to continue in her own home and

wanted the trust assets for the next generation.

The lawyer also explained that under the new trust laws, people could not be trustees once they no longer had mental capacity. As Iris’ trust deed was an old one, if she lost capacity, then Dan would be the remaining trustee with the power to appoint new trustees. Because of the way the trusts had been set up, Jenny and Tania now had no say in how they could help their mother move into the care she needed.

The lawyer then talked about enduring powers of attorney and how important they were at all stages of life. Iris had fortunately put those in place years ago. Jenny and Dan were jointly attorney for property and Tania was attorney for personal care and welfare. Jenny then became concerned that she may not be able to work with Dan given his position in relation to the trust and his mother’s care going forward.

Iris and her husband did not consider the different view Dan might hold to his sisters. They had done everything right with having powers of attorney in place as well, but there may have

been no thought given as to how that might impact the trust.

This scenario highlights the need to understand all the aspects of your asset planning. Sometimes the decisions you make around your powers of attorney will have an impact on who has the power to say who the trustees of your trust are if you lose capacity. In some trusts, that has no impact at all. In other cases, if you die, then the make up of the trustees may be different again.

Diminishing capacity is becoming more of a talking point with an aging population. It is so important to continually review your affairs and take specialist advice to ensure that you have a plan which works cohesively with all family members in all events – whether you are alive and functioning, alive with diminished capacity or deceased.

Local Board Report By Louise Johnston

You may have seen the headlines this week from Mayor Wayne Brown stating that ‘rate increases will be nasty unless we are prepared to cut services and sell assets’. This message will be repeated over the next few months as the Council and elected members prepare the longterm plan, aka the 10-year budget. However, a significant part of the inefficiencies and cost of running the Council machine is the Cost of Democracy.

For Auckland Council, there are 21 individual local board offices located across Auckland, with 21 local boards, totalling 149 elected local board members. Each local board has incredibly supportive local board advisors, democracy and financial advisors; we hold weekly meetings and prepare and consult on annual budgets and Local Board plans (3-year plan) and long-term plans (10-year budget), AT plans and budgets. Specialist Council staff must brief and provide quality written advice to 21 local boards. Hundreds of pages of this quality advice are prepared for each of the 21 local boards before each weekly meeting for elected members to read. Then there is another layer of democracy with the Governing body with 20 elected Councillors, the Mayor, and all their support staff. So, in summary, without providing any core services, a large portion of your rates are funding the cost of democracy, and that is why the Council will never be able to deliver the same value and output as the private sector. The Mayor is currently looking at ways to streamline ‘the cost of democracy’, and this possibly means fewer local boards and Councillors, I imagine there will be fierce debate about how much democratic representation the Auckland Council needs, so please watch this space. For the record, the Rodney Local Board has nine elected

Local Board members, and we cover 45% of the land mass of Auckland. We have a new local board office in Warkworth, a new meeting room in Kumeu, and five support staff.

On a more local level, in last month’s article, I discussed the upcoming town centre improvement project funded by the Rodney Local Board that was to be delivered with the car parking at the bottom of Glenmore Road and the pedestrian crossing on Coatesville Riverhead Highway by the dairy. Thank you to everybody who provided feedback on the shell vs. concrete path question. I was surprised by the feedback, in that concrete was often the preferred option based on durability, maintenance and accessibility. I have passed these comments on to Auckland Transport (AT) for the pathway alongside the parking at Glenmore Road.

The pedestrian crossing part of the project was funded by Auckland Transport’s Local Board transport capital fund, and $40K has been spent on the detailed design. Unfortunately, AT has cut all the Local Board capitalfunded projects from the previous

financial term that had not been contracted out. The good news is that AT has allocated new funding for this financial year, but this does mean that the Rodney Local Board members will need to vote on continuing the pedestrian crossing project. This is hugely frustrating, we were initially told that the carried-forward funding was safe. These decisions make it difficult to deliver anything in a timely manner.

Louise.Johnston@ aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

Helpful Hints from the CRRA Clean

& Green Civil Defence

Louise Johnston

Time

for a new

A1 Sure Services Tree Care All aspects of tree work, stump grinding and land clearance. Qualified arborists. Full Insurance. Free quotes. 446 1258 or 021 175 8660

Accomodation Boutique homestay in Coatesville. Self-contained peaceful private suite in our sunny north-facing country garden for up to 4 people. Perfect stay for local weddings or functions, 2 minutes to Coatesville Hall. Contact : Pat 021 316 781 pat@maddisons.nz www.maddisons. nz/homestay

Agricultural contractor mulching/ gorse clearing, mowing (& lawns), rotary hoeing/seeding, stump grinding, Graeme 027 533 3114 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 021 191 4195

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.

Haven Hair Design Need a completely 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 LAWN MOWING, You Grow & Joe will mow. Lifestyle, commercial and residential. Ph Joe 021 624 494 / joseph@propertyfit.co.nz

Local Shearer, Kevin Abel, 021 223 5033 Odd Job Company For building and landscaping projects, contact Peter 027 453 0570

Painters & Decorators Marshall Painters can help with all your painting needs; interiors, exteriors, even

aquarium and pond specialists

Professional Oven Cleaning

All size ovens, local references and great service from an experienced professional. Text Kiri 021 233 6028 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.

Zumba at the Coatesville Settlers Hall on Mondays at 10am. $15 per session or $12 each if you buy five. For more information, call Hana 021 02212714.

Consent Issues:

any lifestyle properties over the years have had buildings constructed without building consent or with consent but without final council sign off. Moving forward, the biggest ramification of this is bank lending. Banks are being tight with lending, particularly over the last 18 months, and the people they are choosing to lend to are the ones with a property that has no snags. Therefore, even if a buyer is happy to forego a consent or final sign off on buildings, in many cases they will find their lending not approved because banks will often only lend on the land and the buildings that do have consent. This includes outbuildings and swimming pools (remember Council does a three-yearly check on pool fencing, barriers and gates – this is noted in the LIM). In fact, issues around consent can mean the difference between a buyer being able to purchase the property or a lost sale.

If you're trying to sell a property with consent issues, there are some options that can help a purchaser to get their lending over the line. A Safe and Sanitary report is an independent report from a third party (i.e. a registered building surveyor, registered architect or engineer) that verifies the condition of a building or building work carried out before 1 July 1992. The work may have been done with or without a building permit. Alternatively, a Certificate of Acceptance (CoA) letter can be applied for, however only if building work was carried out without a building consent from 1 July 1992 onwards, or in specific circumstances when a building consent authority is unable or refuses to issue a Code Compliance Certificate (CCC) for work carried out under a building consent.*

These documents give a level of assurance that the property the bank is lending against will withstand the years ahead. If neither of the above options are open to you, sometimes a building inspection and building report can help. Any additional documents given to the bank, along with the signed sale and purchase contract, will give weight to the mortgage application. In each case, for the owner of the property, money will need to be spent to obtain a report, but it's better to spend it before you sell and be going into the process fully informed, because the money lost at the other end may be considerable. If there is a way to overcome any issues, it is worth it!

When looking to purchase property, a great mortgage broker can also play an integral role in helping to get a mortgage application approved especially if not straight forward. If looking to sell in the future, call me to discuss so that you are best prepared, this will ensure you get the best money possible.

*The information above was sourced from the Auckland Council website.