The third annual Mayoral Mile takes place at Cooks Gardens this Saturday – and you're invited to be part of the action.

The Energy Direct NZ Mayoral Mile 2008 will follow a similar format to previous years, with mass participation events throughout the day for people of all ages and abilities. Everyone will be invited to run, jog or walk a mile at the venue where Peter Snell broke the world mile record in 1962.

The evening programme will include celebrity and schools races, with the highlight being the events for elite athletes. The prize for the winner of the elite men's race is $10,000 so the pace will be on! Previous winners are New Zealand's leading middle distance runner Nick Willis (2006) and Englishman Andrew Baddeley (2007).

People who wish to participate in the Mayoral Mile need to register on the day at the registration area near the Maria Place Extension entrance. Registration opens at 12.30pm, with the first mile kicking off at 1.00pm. Please arrive at least half an hour before you would like to participate to obtain your race number.

Entry fee is adults $5.00, children school-aged and below $2.00, senior citizen card holders $2.00, spectators free. The entry fee includes all events, entertainment and entry into the evening session.

Race details

12.30pm - 5.00pm

• Entry opens for all individual miles. First race 1.00pm.
• The final race of each hour will be for all participants wishing to run or walk a competitive race.
• All races are self-timed via track-side clocks.
• Track will be split for runners (lanes 1-4) and walkers (lanes 5-8).

2.00pm - 3.00pm

• Fastest Kid on the Block heats (60m).
• Participants from Year 7 & 8 around Wanganui.
• Final run as part of evening programme.

3.00pm - 4.00pm

• Tough Kid Challenge (1 mile obstacle course).
• Registrations from 2.30pm.
• Open to 5-10 year olds.

5.00pm - 6.00pm

• Novelty 4 x 400m relays.
• Open to businesses, sports clubs or organisations, anyone wishing to enter a team.

7.00pm onward

• Celebrity and Mayoral mile races.
• Amateur and Elite Athlete mile races.

Come along and take part in your own mile event, then stay on to watch some of Australasia's top athletes competing in the evening events.

Wanganui's great sporting weekend continues on Sunday, February 17, with the Pub Charity New Zealand Madison Cycling Championship at the Cooks Gardens velodrome.

A madison is an event for teams of two riders who compete in a relay-style race, with all the cyclists on the track at the same time. The pace is hot and there are plenty of thrills as riders sling their partners into the fray. Many of New Zealand's top cyclists, including most of those vying for a place in the pursuit team for the Olympics, will be in Wanganui to compete for the title.

The programme starts at 4.00pm with a cycling carnival, including the Trek Bicycles 60th Anniversary River City Wheel Race at approximately 5.30pm. This annual event is always hotly contested. The madison will start at about 6.30pm.

There will be a trike/bike race for children under nine years. There is free entry on the night but children must bring their own helmet.

The programme will also feature the Undies 500, a two-lap running race sponsored by Undies Laundromat and with good prize money up for grabs. Entry forms are available from Sport Wanganui and Cycle Sport New Zealand.

Gate entry is $5.00, primary school children free.

Another feature of the coming weekend is the annual river swim, starting at 3.00pm on Saturday. There is a 2km swim plus the 3km Bridge to Bridge event.

Registration forms are available from the Splash Centre, i-SITE Visitor Centre or email bridge2bridge@hotmail.com.

Work is continuing on the urban footpath renewal programme for 2007/08, with a number of footpaths already completed.

The programme is scheduled to continue through until June 2008 and may vary during that time. Regular updates will be published in Community Link.

Footpaths

Work is programmed to be carried out on the following sections of footpath:

Kerb and channel renewal programme

Subsoil drains renewals

A reminder to all ratepayers that the due date for payment of Instalment 3 is Wednesday, 20 February 2008. Please ensure payments reach our office by close of business on this day.

Council offers direct debit as a method of payment. Frequency of payments can be weekly, fortnightly, monthly, quarterly or yearly. Please contact the rates department for further information, phone 349 0519.

The income threshold for rates rebate is now $20,000 and the maximum allowable rebate is $500.

Eligibility for a rates rebate is determined by:

• the ratepayer's income for the previous tax year (year ended 31 March 2007)
• the amount of rates (both Wanganui District Council & Horizons Regional Council)
• the number of dependents.

To assist you with your application, please bring in the following:

• evidence of all gross income for the tax year ended 31 March 2007 (this includes income from interest)
• your Wanganui District Council rates assessment for 2007/08
• your Horizons Regional Council rates assessment for 2007/08

Ratepayers need to apply to the Wanganui District Council for a rates rebate. Those who are eligible will then either have their rates reduced by the amount of the rebate, or receive a refund if the rates have been paid in full for the year. The Department of Internal Affairs reimburses the Council from Crown funds.

Youth Committee applications invited

Information on how to apply to be part of the 2008 Youth Committee is available here (PDF, 95KB). Applications close on 7 March 2008.

Thanks everyone for your help with using less water during the past few weeks.

The sprinkler ban remains in place until further notice. Recent spot checks in four suburbs (approximately 4600 properties) have found 100% compliance with the ban – an outstanding effort. Hand-held hoses can still be used. People who have their own bore supply can of course use their sprinklers.

With no significant rain forecast, we need you to continue your efforts to use less water so we can keep the reservoirs at a reasonable level.

On 17 December 2007, the Wanganui District Council approved the Draft Graffiti Management Strategy and Policy for public consultation.

The Council invites the public to provide feedback on the Draft Strategy and Policy. The Council is particularly interested in the community's view on whether education, as a preventative method, should form part of the Strategy and/or Council policy. Education methods may include talking to offenders, working in schools, art/mural programmes, working with youth networks etc.

The objective of the Draft Strategy is to remove graffiti from public and private property, particularly in highly visible areas.

The Draft Strategy is based on a three tier approach:

1. Eradication – to ensure graffiti is removed as quickly as possible
2. Enforcement – to increase penalties, reporting and notifications
3. Prevention – to prevent the likelihood of graffiti occurring

Consultation
Copies of the Draft Graffiti Management Strategy and Policy and submission forms are available for public inspection, during normal working hours, at the Customer Service Desk at the Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, and at the District Library, Queens Park, Wanganui. The consultation period will be from 23 January 2008 to 25 February 2008.

Submissions are welcomed and should be addressed to:

Draft Graffiti Management Strategy
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
Wanganui 4540

or delivered to our Customer Services Desk at 101 Guyton Street, faxed to (06) 349 0000, or emailed to us.

Submissions close at 5.00pm on Monday, 25 February 2008.

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact Marie Gorinski at the District Council, telephone (06) 349 0001 extension 8066 or email Marie Gorinski.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Strategy – Thursday, February 14 (Council Chamber)
- The Re-organisation of Council Committees: 'Super Committees'; Remuneration Authority; Local Authority Triennial Election 2007: Election Officer's Report to Council; Policy Project Priorities 2008; Surplus Government Buildings and Rating Responsibilities. Confidential items: Actions Arising from Previous Minutes; Energy Direct NZ Activity in the Wanganui Energy Market.

Hearings – Tuesday, February 19 (1pm)
- Dog Classifications.

Council – Monday, February 25 (Council Chamber)
- The Council will consider reports from all Committee meetings held in February.

Wanganui Rural Community Board – Wednesday, March 5

Unless otherwise noted, these meetings are held at 4.00pm in the Council Chamber, 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.

Meeting cancellation
The Strategy Committee's meeting scheduled for Monday, February 18, has been cancelled.