Two last minute tries in the semi-final against Mid Canterbury have put Steelform Wanganui in the running for the AA Rewards Heartland Championship Meads Cup. The 18-12 win at Ashburton has meant that our boys play North Otago in the final this weekend at Centennial Park in Oamaru.

Mayor Michael Laws, Mayoress Leonie and the family will be at the game on Saturday to cheer on our team and they urge other Wanganui people to join them if they can.

"Let's show the Wanganui colours this week. Let the team know that all of Wanganui is backing them!" said Mayor Laws.

The plight of Wanganui's Virginia Lake was the main topic on the agenda of the Council meeting held last Friday.

As well as trying to cope with the familiar, but worsening, algal bloom, the lake has also recently undergone a major upheaval which has seen nutrients from the lake floor dispersed throughout the water. This latest event has meant that the Council has imposed restrictions on access to the lake until test results are known.

To assess the lake's condition and – hopefully – find solutions, a workshop has been scheduled for October 24. The Council resolved that representatives and interested parties from the Council, Iwi, Horizons Regional Council, Friends of the Lake, DoC and Fish and Game be invited to the workshop, which will be addressed by two leading NIWA scientists, Mr Max Gibbs and Dr Chris Hickey.

At the Council meeting it was also resolved to give Council Chief Executive, Dr David Warburton, in consultation with Mayor Michael Laws, the power to take emergency action at the lake if required.

In the meantime, please keep away from the water at Virginia Lake as it is potentially very toxic.

Heads Road Cemetery Open Day
Saturday, October 20 - 2-5pm

This is an opportunity to learn more about our historic cemetery, recently registered as a Category I Historic Place.

There will be a guided walk at 2pm, led by Wendy Pettigrew of the Whanganui Branch of the NZ Historic Places Trust, followed by a working bee to help tidy up the cemetery and remove weeds and small shrubs. Bring your gloves, secateurs, loppers or hand pruning saws (no power equipment please) and refreshments will be provided.

Heritage Conference

National Heritage Conference now a Wanganui showcase. Read more here.

Vacancy

Details about the following vacancy are available on this page:

Policy Analyst - Sport & Recreation
Applications close 28 October 2007

Pursuant to section 86 of the Local Electoral Act 2001, I hereby declare the result of the elections taken on 13 October 2007 for the Wanganui District Council to be

ELECTION OF MAYOR FOR THE WANGANUI DISTRICT

I therefore declare the said Michael Brian Laws to be elected.

ELECTION OF TWELVE MEMBERS
FOR THE WANGANUI DISTRICT – ELECTED BY THE ELECTORS OF
THE DISTRICT AS A WHOLE (AT LARGE)

I therefore declare the said Dorothy Margaret McKinnon, Raymond Mark Stevens, James Roland McGregor, Randhir Dahya, Barbara Lynn Bullock, Philippa Baker-Hogan, Martin Graeme Lindsay, Nicole Andree Higgie, Susan Moya Westwood, Danny Ronald Jonas, Rangi Marehua Wills, and Rana Waitai to be elected.

ELECTION OF TWO MEMBERS
FOR THE WANGANUI RURAL COMMUNITY BOARD
WHANGANUI SUBDIVISION

I therefore declare the said Andrew Arthur Todd Collins and David Earle Robins Matthews to be elected.

Kaitoke subdivision – (two vacancies)

Lourie, Mark Digby

There was one candidate for this election. I therefore declare the said Mark Digby Lourie to be elected. Accordingly, a by-election is now required to be held to fill the remaining vacancy.

Kai-Iwi subdivision – (three vacancies)

Forlong, Shaun Graham
Molan, Peter John
Taylor, Alan Richard

The number of candidates did not exceed the number of vacancies to be filled for this election. I therefore declare the said Shaun Graham Forlong, Peter John Molan, and Alan Richard Taylor to be elected unopposed.

Dated at Wanganui 17 October 2007
Noeline Moosman
Electoral Officer
Wanganui District Council
Ph: (06) 349 0001

Municipal Services
Labour Day – 22 October 2007

The following arrangements will be observed by the Wanganui District Council on Labour Day 2007. You can contact us at any time on (06) 349 0001.

Municipal Office Building
Closed Labour Day

Information Centre
Open 9.00am to 3.00pm

Davis Library
Closed Labour Day

Alexander Library
Closed Labour Day

Sarjeant Gallery
Open 10.30am to 4.30pm

Whanganui Regional Museum
Open 10.00am to 4.30pm

Recycling
The 'SaveMart' Wanganui Recycling Centre in Peat Street, opposite the netball courts, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to take your cardboard, newspapers, plastic bottles, aluminium cans, steel cans, plastic bags and textiles. Free drop-off.

After hours services are listed in the telephone directory under 'Wanganui District Council'.

Impact Fund

Applications are now being accepted for activities occurring between July 2007 and June 2008.

Wanganui Incorporated Impact Fund grant applications will be assessed and allocated to projects, events and initiatives that deliver significant economic benefits to Wanganui City and Region.

Enquiries can be made to: Wanganui Inc, phone (06) 349 0380, email info@wanganuiinc.com or application forms are available online at www.wanganuiinc.com.

Applications close at 5pm on Friday, 9 November 2007.

2007 Triennial Meeting

Notice is hereby given that the Triennial Meeting of the Wanganui District Council will be convened in the Council Chamber, 1st Floor, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, at 4.00pm on Monday, 29 October 2007, for the purpose of transacting the following business:

• To receive from the Electoral Officer the results of the elections for the Mayor of the Wanganui District and 12 District Councillors, and six elected members of the Wanganui Rural Community Board
• To invest the Mayor
• To take statutory declarations from the Mayor and Councillors, and members of the Wanganui Rural Community Board
• To appoint the Deputy Mayor
• To provide a general explanation of legislative matters which affect elected members
• To adopt the Council's Standing Orders
• To fix a date and time for the first Ordinary meeting of the Wanganui District Council and the Wanganui Rural Community Board.