Local glass blower Alice Clutterbuck’s work has gone international.

As part of an exchange programme, Wanganui students headed to Japan’s Nagaizumi-cho on Friday, September 22, and took with them a piece of Miss Clutterbuck’s glass art as a gift from Wanganui to Mr Hideo Endo, the Mayor of our sister city.

Miss Clutterbuck says she is rapt to know her art work was chosen as a gift for an overseas country.

She says it is a piece of art work that was inspired by New Zealand nature so it is great that it has been taken to Nagaizumi-cho for people in our sister city to enjoy.

The Wanganui students will spend two weeks taking part in the daily activities of school life at Mishima and Nagaizumi High School and will also see the sights and experience the culture of Japan.

Pictured are (from left) Warren Potbury, who is leading the trip to Japan, Alice Clutterbuck (glass artist) and Kate Gilpin (Council).

‘It’s your money, your city, your future … your choice.’

That’s the slogan for the public information campaign on the Heart of Wanganui Project.

The Heart of Wanganui Project involves the upgrading of the Queens Park facilities which include the Museum, Sarjeant Gallery, District Library and War Memorial Hall.

You have the chance to join architects Pete Bossley and David Mitchell at the Concert Chamber on Thursday, October 26, for a presentation of the proposed ‘Heart’ Project options. There will be two presentations: one at 12.30pm and another at 7.00pm.

Mr Bossley and Mr Mitchell will give a detailed presentation involving drawings and estimated costs for each of the options.

The ‘Heart’ Project looks holistically at all of the facilities and asks the same questions of each:

Do they fit their duty?
Will they last in their present form?
Can they be better integrated?
Can they be made more attractive, inviting and user-friendly for members of the public?
Will they survive for the next 50-100 years as part of Wanganui’s primary cultural precinct?

The options outlined at the public presentation will be included in a Referendum in mid-2007.

Drilling to find soft water in Wanganui has begun.

Referendum 06 asked the Wanganui public to vote whether or not the Wanganui District Council should investigate water softening options for the city. Following community support for investigations to be carried out, a drilling site has been set up at Westmere Reservoir.

Contractor Wanganui Welldrillers Ltd has drilled more than 400 metres deep so far at the Reservoir site, with progress being between 80 to 100 metres each day.

The investigation process involves taking water samples and analysing the potential volume and quality of water.

Infrastructure Manager Julian Reweti says the programme will help Council assess water source options and also whether or not that water is soft.

Mayor Michael Laws says soft water could save each Wanganui household about $150 a year.

Mayor Laws says the current ‘hard’ water supply is costing Wanganui residents and businesses over $3 million a year because of the additional electricity gas, maintenance, product and repair expenses that Wanganui people pay.

A number of options for softening Wanganui’s water are being investigated. These range from integrating water supplies with soft water from new bores to building a specialised water treatment plant.

Following investigations the Council will present details on options and estimated costs to the Wanganui public in Referendum 07.

Community Contracts for 2006/07 were approved by Council at its meeting on Monday, 25 September.

The term “Community Contracts” describes the process by which Council funds community groups and organisations to provide service initiatives that support the Council’s 10-Year Plan (LTCCP).

A total of $77,354 has been allocated to the following organisations.

On Sunday, 1 October 2006, it's time to change your old batteries, canned food and stored drinking water for fresh supplies in your Civil Defence Survival Bucket.

More information about Civil Defence is available here.

Having received submissions on the Representation Review, and hearing those submitters who wished to be heard and considering all submissions including the results of Referendum ’06, the Council resolved on 24 August 2006 to confirm its resolutions to:

• Abolish the urban and rural wards and have all councillors elected at large.
• Retain the Wanganui Rural Community Board with its geographical boundaries unchanged, with 6 (six) elected members, elected at large.
• Reduce the number of councillors to 10 (ten).

After considering all submissions, Council believes the reduced number of councillors will provide fair and effective representation, lead to stream-lined decision making, reflect community wishes and may lead to administration and representation savings.

Submissions to retain the rural and urban wards were rejected because Council believes enabling rural voters to vote for all councillors will provide fairer and more effective representation than a rural ward with only one councillor likely allowed under legislation.

Appeals
Copies of the representation review resolutions may be inspected at the Council Chambers, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, during normal business hours. As the original advertised representation proposals have not been amended, appeals may only be lodged by those people or organisations who made submissions to the Council on the original proposals. The period for making appeals closes at 5pm on Tuesday, 3 October 2006.

People making appeals must state the matter being appealed and may raise only matters from their original submission. Please include your name and address. Appeals can be made in the following ways:

Post to: Representation Review Appeals, Wanganui District Council, PO Box 637, Wanganui
Fax to: (06) 349 0000
Deliver to: Customer Services Desk, Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui
Email us (put Representation Appeal in the subject line)
Online

The Council will forward appeals to the Local Government Commission which may hold hearings, and then must make and publish a final determination by 11 April 2007 at the latest.

Vacancies

Finance & Administration Technician
Applications close 8 October 2006

Manager Information Services
Applications close 15 October 2006

Principal Planner
Applications close 22 October 2006

Resource Management Planner
Applications close 22 October 2006

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Youth – Monday, October 9 (Council Chamber)

Heritage – Tuesday, October 10

Sport and Activity – Tuesday, October 17 (1pm)

Hearings – Wednesday, October 18

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at 4.00pm in Committee Room 2, 1st Floor, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

Agendas are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, and the Wanganui District Library two working days prior to the meeting.