At a Citizenship Ceremony on Friday, September 4, Mayor Michael Laws, local MP Chester Borrows and Councillors welcomed 22 new citizens to Wanganui.

The Mayor presented the new citizens with their certificate of New Zealand Citizenship and gifts to commemorate the occasion. The ceremony was followed by afternoon tea for the new citizens and their guests. Click on the photo (right) for a full-size image.

The new citizens and their original nationalities are:

Ms Judith Burgess (British), Rev Richard Gregory Evans (British), Mrs Gail Christine Evans (British), Mr Elisha Hungwe (Zimbabwean), Mrs Netiwe Hungwe (Zimbabwean), Miss Primrose Hungwe (Zimbabwean), Miss Precious Vimbainashe Hungwe (Zimbabwean), Ms Qunying Liu (Chinese), Mr Martin Dominic (Indian), Dr Rose Mathew (Indian), Master Chris Dominic Martin (Indian), Mrs Archielyn Cuyos Valentine (Filipino), Mrs Katharina Wilson (German), Mrs Sushila Craig (Fijian), Ms Barbara Anne Curtis (British), Mr Andrew Dillworth Lang Jones (British), Mr Neville Donald Daniel (Barbadian), Mrs Diane Charmian Daniel (Barbadian South African), Ms Jamnian Dawson (Thai), Mr Billy Graham Kleinsmith (South African), Mr Mohammed Rafiq (Fijian), Mrs Sahra Bibi Rafiq (Fijian).

Since 2006, 176 people have become New Zealand citizens at public ceremonies in Wanganui hosted by Mayor Laws.

Audit New Zealand is producing an external publication of good practice in asset management and wants to include Wanganui District Council as a case study of notable practice within local government.

As part of the audit of the Council's 10-Year Plan 2009-20019, the specialist Asset Management Auditor identified that Council clearly set out its strategic linkages to its vision and mission. In particular, the Parks Facilities Asset Management Plan was singled out for being particularly innovative.

Inclusion in the publication is recognition by Audit New Zealand of the quality and hard work of all Council staff who have been involved in this process.

The Council has approved more than $130,000 of event funding from the Impact Fund for the 2009/10 financial year.

The Impact Fund gives grants for projects, events and initiatives occurring between 1 July 2009 and 30 June 2010, that deliver significant economic benefits to the Wanganui city and district.

Applications were assessed in accordance with the following key considerations:

• Ability to attract visitors and their economic impact
• The projected dollars spent within the city and district
• The organisation's ability to deliver
• Sustainability and repeatability of the event/project
• The national profile/exposure the project will give Wanganui

At its meeting on August 31, the council approved the following applications:

Wanganui District Council currently spends $120,000 per year on graffiti eradication. The Council graffiti team works across the city to remove graffiti from targeted and highly visible areas.

Graffiti is not just a Police or Council problem; it's a community issue that needs to be tackled by working together. Reporting graffiti is essential because the sooner it is reported, the sooner it can be removed. Rapid removal is one of the best ways to prevent future graffiti.

The Council removes graffiti dependent on the priority given to the area in which it has occurred. Targeted areas include:

• Arterial routes
• Suburban shopping centres
• City entranceways
• Central Business District
• Public walkways
• Tourist locations
• Infrastructure assets, such as bus stops, telephones, power boxes etc (in accordance with the Customer Service Charter between the Council and the companies)
• Parks and Council owned property

To report graffiti you can email the Council at wdc@wanganui.govt.nz or phone the graffiti hotline on (06) 349 0500.

The Council also removes graffiti from private property in highly visible areas. Property owners can fill out a Permission to Remove form which gives the Council graffiti team permission to remove graffiti from private property.

Completed forms can be hand delivered to the Customer Service Desk, Municipal Building, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, or emailed with a digital signature to wdc@wanganui.govt.nz.

Wot do Wgi yth hv 2 say? Wanganui District Council wants to know, and it wants to know by text.

The Council is trialling Communitxt - an innovative system pioneered by former Wanganui resident and now Fried Marketing director Adam Hutchinson - in an effort to better engage its community, particularly younger residents.

The challenge for Wanganui's young people, then, is to put their texting fingers to use and text in their perceptions of Wanganui.

Young people between the ages of 12 and 24 are encouraged to text their views on Wanganui – their likes, dislikes and ideas for improvement – to 4882 right now.

Text 'Wanganui' then leave a space, include your age and then your comment.

Standard text messaging rates will apply.

Youth Committee information

Youth Wanganui website

Public notice is hereby given in accordance with Sections 78, 82, 83 and 89 of the Local Government Act 2002, that the Wanganui District Council is proposing to rename Airport Road and Landguard Road to Chas Poynter Drive.

The Council has, by resolution, determined that renaming Airport Road and Landguard Road to Chas Poynter Drive is an appropriate way to recognise the contribution made to the Wanganui District by the late Chas Poynter, Mayor of Wanganui from 1986 to 2004.

Submissions are now invited on the proposed name change. Submission forms are available:

• from the Wanganui District Council offices at 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui
• from the Wanganui District Library, Queens Park
• by phoning the Council offices on (06) 349 0001
• and on this page

Submissions relating to any aspect of the proposed renaming should be made in writing, and addressed to:
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
101 Guyton Street
Wanganui
or
faxed to (06) 349 0000

Submissions close on Monday, 28 September 2009, at 5.00pm.

At the close of the submission period Council will prepare a summary of submissions and will notify the availability of that summary and where the summary can be inspected. If necessary the Council will then hold a public hearing to provide the opportunity for submitters to address the Council. Persons who have made a submission and who have requested to be heard will be advised of the date, time and place of the hearing. Following the hearing Council will make its decision on whether the proposed name change of Airport Road and Landguard Road to Chas Poynter Drive will proceed.

Enquiries about the proposed name change can be directed to Dave Wan, phone (06) 349 0001 ext 8016.

Details of the following vacancy are available on this page:

Senior Wastewater Engineer
Applications close 1 October 2009

A meeting is being held for current and prospective consumers to elect a new water committee and discuss any other matters.

Location: Fordell Hall
Time: 7.00pm
Date: Tuesday, 15 September 2009

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Wanganui Rural Community Board – Wednesday, September 16 (Committee Room 2, 4.00pm)

Community Development – Tuesday, September 22

Finance and Infrastructure – Tuesday, September 29

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.