The Wanganui District Council is seeking your input into its capital project priorities over the next three years. It is doing this through Referendum '08 - with voting papers being delivered to every registered voter in mid-November.

Those results will then be fed into the draft 10-Year Plan 2009-19, which will be published for public discussion and input in March 2009. Council will then make final decisions about council activities and capital projects in June 2009.

Three years ago, Council held 'Referendum '05' - and the results around Wanganui have been spectacular. A revamped Splash Centre, the stunning riverfront walkway, a substantial upgrade of the city's footpaths and the airport terminal makeover.

All five 'Referendum '08' options have been fully costed, the ongoing operational costs considered, external funding estimated, and the effects upon your household or business rates calculated. They will be published, in detail, over the coming weeks.

Mayoress Leonie Brookhammer gave birth to a baby boy - Theo(dore) Frederick Brookhammer Laws - at Auckland hospital last Wednesday morning.

Theo is the third child to be born during this mayoralty, after Lucy and Zoe. He weighed 8lbs 9oz and both Mum and Theo are happily back home in Wanganui with their family.

Mayor Michael is currently on paternity leave - Cr Dot McKinnon is acting mayor and Cr Ray Stevens is acting deputy mayor.

Pictured are Mayoress Leonie, Zoe and Lucy with Theo. Further details (and photos) can be viewed on www.mayormichael.co.nz.

If a disaster happened now, would you be ready? The Civil Defence Emergency Management office would like you to prepare the emergency survival items you will need so you can cope on your own for up to three days, or more.

If you keep your emergency survival items in the house for everyday use, make sure you know where to find them when an emergency occurs.

A Household Emergency Checklist is available from the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, or on the internet at www.getthru.govt.nz. A limited number of survival buckets are also available from the Customer Services Desk at a cost of $30.00.

If you have any queries or would like further information please contact Alan Perfect at the Civil Defence Emergency Management Office, Wanganui District Council, on (06) 349 0001.

Mangamahu residents are invited to attend a meeting with Wanganui Rural Community Board representatives to discuss a range of matters.

When: 7.00pm Thursday, 9 October 2008
Where: Mangamahu Hall

Items for discussion include:

• New roading maintenance contract & rural roading
• Rural security
• Bus shelters on school routes
• Rural rubbish bins
• Digitisation strategy (broadband provision)
• Stock grazing on roadsides
• Community Outcomes for Wanganui

The Board looks forward to meeting the community and hearing its views.

Nominations are being sought for the Wanganui Sports Hall of Fame.

The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognise sporting achievements by athletes and coaches who have made a significant impact on Wanganui's sporting heritage. The first inductees into the Wanganui Sports Hall of Fame were announced in February 2008.

Nomination forms and eligibility criteria are available at the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui. All previous nominations received will be considered.

Nominations close on 31 October 2008.

Wanganui District Council is proposing to introduce a Water Supply Bylaw.

Council has determined that the most appropriate way to address the management of water supplies, owned and operated by the Council, is by way of Bylaw in the proposed form.

Submissions may be made on the proposal.

Copies of the Proposed Water Supply Bylaw Statement of Proposal, the Draft Water Supply Bylaw and also submission forms, are available from the Customer Services Counter, Municipal Office Building, 101 Guyton Street, and at the District Library, Queens Park, during normal opening hours. The documents are also available by emailing us or by telephoning Customer Services on (06) 349 0001.

Submissions should be addressed to:

The Chief Executive
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
101 Guyton Street
Wanganui

Submissions close at 5.00pm on Friday, 14 November 2008.

Notice is given under Section 28 (1) of the Local Electoral Act 2001 that electors of the Wanganui District Council have the right to demand a poll on the electoral system to be used for the 2010 triennial elections of the Wanganui District Council.

The Wanganui District Council resolved on 2 September 2008 to continue with the First Past the Post (FPP) electoral system for the 2010 election, unless a poll determines otherwise. The Local Electoral Act 2001 provides for the choice between the First Past the Post (FPP) and Single Transferable Vote (STV) electoral systems.

A valid demand for a poll must be:

• Made in writing.
• Signed by at least 5 percent of the number of electors enrolled as eligible to vote at the 2007 triennial election of the Wanganui District Council. This will require 1536 signatures of current electors.
• Delivered to the principal office of the Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, by Saturday, 28 February 2009, but note that under section 35(6) of the Interpretation Act 1999, the final day on which poll demands can be received is 2 March 2009.

Section 30 (3) of the Local Electoral Act states that every elector who signs a demand must also set out their name and the address for which they are qualified as an elector of the Wanganui District Council.

Details of the following vacancy are available on this page:

Airport Operations Officer
Applications close 27 October 2008

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Community Development Committee – Tuesday, October 14
- Community and Cultural Portfolio Activity Report; Strategy and Development Activity Report; Property Group Activity Report; Iwi Liaison; Carson Street, Wanganui – Naming of Park; District Plan Change: Central City Heritage Buildings Protection; Urban Design Action Plan; Wanganui District Council Cemetery Monument Policy; Wanganui District Council Draft Arts Policy; Sarjeant Gallery Collections Policy 2008-2011; Extension of Liquor Ban Area; Draft New Zealand Ambulance Service Strategy Submission; Adopt the Special Consultative Procedure for the Review of Parts 8, 9, 20, 21 and 22 of the WDC Consolidated Bylaw 1995; Waste Management.

Council – Tuesday, October 21 (3pm)
- To adopt the Annual Report for year ended 30 June 2008

Finance and Infrastructure – Tuesday, October 21 (3.15pm)

Unless otherwise noted, meetings are held 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.