From the creators of Troopz 2006 another show is about to hit the stage…

Be part of the Underground Youth Fashion Show!

This is a major 'Make It. Take It.' event to be held Saturday, October 13, at the Memorial Hall as a key feature of Mainstreet Wanganui's Avestyle fashion week.

Are you aged 15-25? If you have an interest in fashion we are looking for students to be part of this amazing event to showcase your designs and talent to Wanganui. Categories include glamour, opshop, street cred, creative and underground. Prizes up for grabs!

Pick up entry forms from Cheapskates. Entries close Saturday, September 1.

Plus, if you think you've got what it takes on the runway, we are having model auditions this Saturday, September 1, at the Motown building on the corner of Wicksteed and London Streets. Kicks off at 11am. Be in to win the photographer's choice award, kindly donated by James Price Photographer, that last year got three Wanganui models recognised and one signed with a national modelling agency.

This is a great opportunity to be professionally choreographed and show us what you've got!

For further information see Kirsty at Cheapskates or call 348 4504 or 027 350 3931.

You can view a larger version of the poster here.

While Council may not take the initiative and progress a New Year's Eve event this year, it may well look at assisting with something that's already in the pipeline.

At Monday's Council meeting, Policy Analyst Stephanie Rose outlined the possibilities open to Council, including supporting the work of an existing community initiative. This would recognise the number of events already planned as well as the difficulty experienced by smaller agencies in acquiring funding and staffing resources.

Ms Rose said that by assisting with an existing community event we may be looking at a more family focussed event later in the summer, rather than a New Year's Eve celebration as such.

The Council, therefore, agreed in principle to support the work of an existing community initiative and to investigate the cost implications.

If you are planning such an event and would benefit from Council assistance, contact Stephanie Rose on 349 0001.

What Now?

Wanganui District Youth Councillor Amber-Rose Edwardson is reaching out to young people the length and breadth of the country by vying for a recently vacated presenter's role on the television show 'What Now?'

With hundreds of applications received, Amber-Rose is absolutely thrilled to have made the top eight. Her audition clip was played on last week's episode of the popular Sunday morning show and viewers have been asked to vote for the 'top three'. She is competing against candidates from Auckland, Christchurch, Wellington and Dunedin and is seeking Wanganui's support to take it all the way.

To vote for Amber-Rose please go to the 'What Now?' website.

Votes close this Sunday, 2 September 2007.

Council hits building consent bottleneck

Building work in Wanganui is continuing to boom, meaning the Council's building control officers are having to juggle large and complex building consent applications with new legislative requirements.

"It's great to see Wanganui continuing to go ahead and it's excellent for the building industry," Chief Executive David Warburton said.

"However, the ongoing high demand for building consents is putting our building services team under considerable pressure. The Building Act's new accreditation requirements mean the building control officers are taking more time to process consents because considerably more attention to detail is required.

"Unfortunately, the current pressures mean that despite increased working hours and use of external building control officers on short-term contracts, we are unable to accept urgent building consents. In some cases, consent processing may go over the 20 working days mark – a problem being faced by councils throughout New Zealand at present.

"We acknowledge that delays in processing are frustrating for applicants, and it is a last resort position for Council, but I can assure all applicants that we will deal with their consents as quickly as we are able."

As there were now greater demands for accuracy and detail, applicants would benefit by ensuring all information was supplied with the application rather than experiencing further delays if additional data had to be requested, Dr Warburton said.

Wanganui District Council
Notice of Day of Election

I hereby give notice under section 65 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 that the following persons have been duly nominated as candidates for:

Mayor of the Wanganui District (one vacancy)

Members for the Wanganui District (twelve vacancies)

There being in each case more candidates than there are vacancies to be filled, elections will be held between the listed candidates, under the First Past the Post electoral system by postal vote, concluding on Saturday, 13 October 2007.

Whanganui subdivision (two vacancies)

There being in this case more candidates than there are vacancies to be filled, an election will be held between the listed candidates, under the First Past the Post electoral system by postal vote, concluding on Saturday, 13 October 2007.

Kaitoke subdivision (two vacancies)

There is no election required as there are insufficient candidates for this election. Therefore Mark Digby Lourie has been elected unopposed. Accordingly, a by-election is now required to be held to fill the remaining vacancy.

Kai-Iwi subdivision (three vacancies)

There is no election required as the number of candidates did not exceed the number of vacancies to be filled for this election. Therefore Shaun Graham Forlong, Peter John Molan, and Alan Richard Taylor have been elected unopposed.

Voting Period

Voting documents will be sent out to all qualified electors between Friday, 21 September 2007, and Wednesday, 26 September 2007. All returned voting documents must be received by the Electoral Officer no later than 12 noon Saturday, 13 October 2007.

Early Processing of Returned Voting Documents

The Wanganui District Council has resolved pursuant to section 79 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 that the completed voting documents will be processed progressively on return throughout the three week voting period and that candidates' names will be in alphabetical order on the voting document.

Electoral Roll

Any person can apply to the Electoral Officer to enrol as an elector right up to and including Friday, 12 October 2007 – the day before close of voting.

Special Voting Facilities

Special voting facilities will be available during the period Friday, 21 September, to Friday, 12 October 2007 (between 8:30am and 4:30pm Monday to Friday) and from 9:00am to 12 noon Saturday, 13 October 2007, at the Council Office, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

Special votes may be claimed by:

• electors who have lost, spoilt or destroyed their ordinary voting documents which they have received in the post.
• persons who have applied to be enrolled but who have not received their ordinary voting documents in the post.

For further information regarding special voting please contact the Electoral Officer on (06) 349 0001.

Dated at Wanganui this 29th day of August 2007.
Noeline Moosman
Electoral Officer
Wanganui District Council
101 Guyton Street, Wanganui

Further Notice of Election for the
Whanganui District Health Board 2007 Elections

I hereby give notice under Section 65 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 that the following persons have been duly nominated as candidates for the:
Whanganui District Health Board

Seven (7) Members to be elected

There being more candidates than there are vacancies to be filled, elections will be held between the listed candidates, under the Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral system by postal vote, conducted over the period commencing 8.00am on Friday, 21 September 2007, and closing at 12.00 noon on Saturday, 13 October 2007.

Voting Period

Early Processing of Returned Voting Documents

The Whanganui District Health Board has resolved pursuant to section 79 of the Local Electoral Act 2001 that the completed voting documents will be processed progressively on return throughout the three week voting period and that candidates' names will be in alphabetical order on the voting document.

Special Voting Facilities

Special voting facilities will be available during the period Friday, 21 September, to Saturday, 13 October 2007 (both dates inclusive) from the Wanganui District Council offices, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, between 8.30am and 4.30pm Monday to Friday. On Election Day, Saturday 13 October 2007, the booth will be open from 9.00am to 12.00 noon.

Special votes may be claimed by electors who:

• Have lost or spoilt their ordinary voting documents or did not receive them in the post.
• Satisfy the Electoral Officer that it will not be possible or practicable to vote by casting an ordinary vote without incurring hardship or undue inconvenience.
• Are enrolled or have applied to be enrolled but whose names do not appear on the copy of the roll being used for the Election or have been wrongly deleted from it.

For further information regarding special voting please contact the Electoral Officer on (06) 349 0001.

Enrolment

Any person can apply to enrol as a residential elector or as ratepayer elector right up to and including Friday, 12 October 2007, the day before the close of voting.

Dated at Wanganui this 29th day of August 2007
Noeline Moosman
Electoral Officer
Whanganui District Health Board
Wanganui District Council
101 Guyton Street, Wanganui

Vacancies

Details of the following vacancy are available on this page:

Executive Assistant (Fixed Term)
Applications close 2 September 2007

Casual Rural Firefighters required for the 2007/08 season

The Wanganui District Council's Rural Fire Service requires enthusiastic people for the position of Casual Rural Firefighters.

Training to NZQA Unit Standards will be provided to all firefighters.

Applicants should have the following attributes:

• Be mentally and physically fit.
• Be able to be on 24-hour call and work rostered weekends.
• The ability to work under pressure.
• The ability to work in a team.
• A current driver's license or HT license would be an advantage.
• Previous experience in firefighting would be an advantage.

All applicants will be required to undergo a fitness test and security screening. Interested persons may leave their contact details or direct enquiries to:

Gwenda Prouse
NZ Fire Service
Wanganui
Phone 348 0103
Email Gwenda Prouse

or

Richard Terrey
Deputy Principal Rural Fire Officer
Wanganui District Council
101 Guyton Street
Wanganui
Phone 349 0543 Extension 8070
Email Richard Terrey

Applications close at 4.00pm on Friday, 21 September 2007.

Council meetings

Meeting cancellation
As there is no business to transact, the Hearings Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday, September 5, is cancelled.