Enhancing public safety and existing assets and facilities is the focus of capital project items added to the Council's budget for 2008/09.

During the recent Annual Plan deliberations, the Council emphasised its stance against anti-social behaviour with an increase in operational expenditure as well as the addition of some capital expenditure.

The Council added $100,000 to the CCTV budget, bringing the total budget for 2008/09 to $160,000. It is intended to install more cameras in public places to improve public safety. The Council is also investigating the use of mobile cameras that can be used in "hot spots". This increase in the budget will be loan funded.

The Sarjeant Gallery is to get a facelift, with $150,000 allocated for repairs in 2008/09. This work, which will be loan funded, will include capping of parapets ($100,000) to make the walls watertight and interim cosmetic work ($50,000) to the front façade to improve its appearance. It will cover work such as repairs to the stairs, minor stonework repairs and an increased cleaning and maintenance regime around the entrance. Funding of $250,000 for the roof lights will be carried over from the 2007/08 budget.

The Council has included $41,000 for improving drainage at the Laird Park netball courts. Netball Wanganui is resurfacing the courts ($150,000) from its own funds. However, as landlord, the Council has decided to fund the drainage improvements as it appears that the playing surfaces are being affected by water pressure from sub-surface water moving under Peat Street from higher ground.

Information management is regarded as the number one risk to the Council organisation. Therefore, the Council has approved $100,000 for upgrading data systems with specialist hardware and software. This project will be funded by loan.

Time is running out to vote in the by-election to elect a new District Councillor.

Voting closes at midday on Saturday, June 21. If you are eligible to vote, you should have received your voting papers in the mail.

To be sure your vote is received on time, please deliver it to the ballot box at Customer Services in our Guyton Street building.

More information is available on this page.

In this small exhibition of recent works, Seraphine Pick's complex paintings bring together a rich cast of figures, animals and objects. The exhibition is co-ordinated by Janet Bayly, Mahara Gallery.

The photo shows Pick's work Closing in, 2008.

The exhibition is on at the Sarjeant Gallery until July 6.

The Wanganui District Council is working with the Wanganui Resene PaintWise Programme. Wanganui residents can return unwanted paint (no solvents accepted) and paint packaging to the Resene Colour Shop. It is then mixed into varying shades of grey paint. Resene donates the resulting good quality waterborne Resene paint to community groups in Wanganui.

Residents can return up to 10 packs of any brand of paint free of charge.

Where: Resene Colour Shop, 17 Wilson Street, Wanganui; phone 348 0048
When: Deliver it on the last Friday of every month
Time: Between 2.00pm and 4.00pm

Diary these dates
Friday 27 June 2008
Friday 25 July 2008
Friday 29 August 2008
Friday 26 September 2008
Friday 31 October 2008

You can also help by reporting graffiti as and when it happens!

Three ways you can help
1. Prevention: By dropping off your unused paint at the Wanganui Resene Colour Shop. The unused paint will be recycled and used to paint over the graffiti in Wanganui.
2. Eradication: Have graffiti removed. Telephone the Graffiti Hotline 349 0500 for removal of graffiti in highly visible areas of Wanganui.
3. Enforcement: If you see graffiti vandalism happening, it is considered a crime in progress and can be reported to the Wanganui Police.

The best way to reduce the spread of graffiti is to remove it quickly.
Don't let graffiti spread in our community!

We want to find out about your vision for Wanganui's future.

You can have your say by answering a few simple questions on this page (submissions closed on 30 June 2008).

On 19 May 2008, the Wanganui District Council approved the Draft Sarjeant Gallery Collections Policy 2008–2011.

The Council now invites the public to provide feedback on the draft policy.

Consultation
Copies of the Sarjeant Gallery Collections Policy 2008–2011 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, the District Library, Queens Park, and the Sarjeant Gallery, Queens Park, and are available on this page.

The consultation period will be from 12 June to 1 August 2008.

Submissions are welcomed and should be addressed to:
Sarjeant Gallery Collections Policy
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 5pm on Friday, 1 August 2008.

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact Pete Gray, Deputy Community & Cultural Manager, at the District Council, telephone (06) 349 0001 or email Pete Gray.

On 19 May 2008, the Council approved the Wanganui District Council Draft Arts Policy 2008 for public consultation.

The Council invites the public to provide feedback on the draft policy.

The objectives of the Wanganui District Council Arts Policy are:

1. To build Wanganui's profile as a centre of excellence for the arts through improved management, marketing and promotion of the arts.
2. To build creative capacity.
3. To maximise the tourism and economic potential that can be derived from the arts sector.
4. To improve access to and participation in arts activities.
5. Our built environment reflects our culture through the use of public art.

Consultation
Copies of the Wanganui District Council Draft Arts Policy and submission form are available for public inspection, during normal working hours, at the Customer Service Desk at the Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street; District Library, Queens Park; Community Arts Centre, Taupo Quay, Wanganui. The consultation period will be from 5 June 2008 to 18 July 2008.

Submissions are welcomed and should be addressed to:

Wanganui District Council Draft Arts Policy
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 Friday, 18 July 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.

Road Asset Engineer/Performance Analyst/Design Surveyor
Wanganui Alliance

The Wanganui District Council and Downer EDi Works have entered into an Alliance Contract to proactively manage the district's roading network to meet the expectations of the Council's stakeholders within the budgets set by the Council and in compliance with Land Transport NZ strategies and requirements. The Alliance will be required to adopt long term asset management principles in all respects of its work and provide advice and planning to assist the Alliance team members in preparation of its long term plans.

With the commencement of the Wanganui Alliance we have current openings for a suitably qualified and experienced Road Asset Engineer, a Performance Analyst, and a Design Surveyor to join this exciting new opportunity to work in a collaborative environment. The successful applicants will be responsible for providing asset management and surfacing services to the Alliance whilst enhancing the services we provide our clients and developing outstanding and innovative maintenance outcomes for the Alliance.

The primary focus of the role will be to assess the maximum value for Wanganui District Council and the Alliance in the management of infrastructure assets with a view to long term sustainability of both the assets and the client relationships.

If this sounds like you and if you are interested in being part of our future whilst building your own then please contact Rui Leitao on (06) 349 0531 or Andrew Wallace on (06) 344 7259; or e-mail your CV to Rui Leitao or Andrew Wallace by Friday, 20 June 2008.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Harbour – Monday, June 30 (2.30pm, Committee Room 2)

Council – Monday, June 30
- The Council will consider reports from all Committee meetings held in May/June.

Community Development – Thursday, July 10
- Bad Neighbour Bylaw Issues.

Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held at 3.00pm 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.