On Thursday, March 24, Mayor Annette Main welcomed 26 new citizens to Wanganui.

The ceremony was held in the Council Chamber where the new citizens were presented with their certificate of New Zealand Citizenship and gifts to commemorate the occasion.

"Welcoming new citizens who have chosen to make their homes in our district is one of my favourite duties as Mayor," says Mayor Main. "It is wonderful to meet people from all over the world who have chosen to become New Zealanders, and in particular to settle in Wanganui. They have made an excellent choice!"

The ceremony was followed by afternoon tea for the new citizens and their families and guests.

Citizenship applicants and their original nationalities are:

Dr Ying-Ta Huang, Taiwanese
Mr Nirbhendra Lal, Fijian
Mrs Sarit Devi, Fijian
Miss Kirty Kristima Lal, Fijian
Mr Mohammed Majubil Rehiman, Fijian
Mrs Asma Beevi Rehiman, Fijian
Ms Tanya Roberson, American
Mr Aleniasomaliu Solomona, Samoan
Mrs Catherine Stewart, British
Mrs Johanna Van Der Ley, German
Mr Roy Reyes Villaceran, Filipino
Mrs Shevy Araneta Villaceran, Filipino
Mrs Mamatha Vithayathil Devasya, Indian
Master Samuel Oluwaseyi Abiodun Adesanya, Nigerian
Mr Simon Carr, British
Ms Alison Carr, British
Mr Dale Carr, British
Mrs Silvia Hicks, Swiss
Dr Terence Johnson, British
Dr Chester Onato Penaflor, Filipino
Mrs Kristine Dela Cruz Penaflor, Filipino
Mrs Patricia Saray Torres De Riddell, Colombian
Mr Esava Vakabulaikoyanaturagakojisu, Fijian
Mr Johan Van Der Vyver-Ras, South African

Wanganui's Computer Clubhouse will be running a school holiday programme with a great range of fun activities planned. The programme will run from 9am to 12 noon from Monday, April 18 to Thursday, April 21 and from Tuesday, April 26 to Friday, April 29 for participants aged between 11 and 18 years old.

Each session will offer the usual Clubhouse activities with a different mystery challenge set each day that members can participate in, if they wish. Participants can spend their time working on their own individual or group projects including recording a song, making a digital scrapbook of all your favorite pictures, making robots with the robotics, creating a game, designing their own house, animations, movies and more!

The sessions are free to attend but bookings are essential as places are limited and filling up fast.

To register for the holiday programme, or to become a Clubhouse member, go to the Computer Clubhouse at 7 Park Place between 3pm and 7pm weekdays.

In association with the recently opened exhibition Song of the Woods, which includes a diverse array of works exploring the subject matter of trees in art, Wanganui-based composer and sound artist Susan Frykberg has invited musicians to respond to the show by translating the visual art works into sound and music.

Musicians include Susan Frykberg; Sam Hagmann - trumpet, alphorn, didgeridoo, bells; Ingrid Culliford - flute; Urs Signer - clarinet; Diantha Hillenbrand - voice, small sound-making objects, Malcolm Alders - bass; Nadia Muggeridge - percussion.

The event runs from 2.00pm to 3.15pm on Saturday, April 2 at the Sarjeant Gallery. Entry is by Koha.
 
Chairs will be available during the performance; however, the musicians will be moving through the gallery space.

Have your say on the
Draft Annual Plan 2011/12

The Wanganui District Council has prepared its draft Annual Plan 2011/12 – and now it’s time for you to have your say.

The draft Annual Plan is now open for public submissions until 2 May 2011.

A draft Annual Plan Summary will soon be delivered to all households. This document outlines the key information in the draft Annual Plan. It will also tell you how to make a submission.

If you want more detailed information, copies of the draft plan are available:

• From the Customer Services Counter at the Council building, 101 Guyton Street, or by phoning Customer Services on 06 349 0001.
• From the Wanganui District Library.
• By downloading here
• By emailing us

Submissions can be made in the following ways:

Post to: Draft Annual Plan Submissions, Wanganui District Council, PO Box 637, Wanganui 4540
Fax to: 06 349 0000
Deliver to: Customer Services Counter, Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui
Email: wdc@wanganui.govt.nz

Please remember to include your name, contact details and whether you want to speak about your submission at the hearing on May 19.

All submissions will be acknowledged and considered by the Council. Copies of each submission will be made publicly available when the Council considers submissions.

SuperGold Card parking trial

The Victoria Avenue free parking trial for SuperGold Card holders is due to finish on March 31. The future of the parking scheme is being discussed by Council with a final decision due at Council’s meeting on 18 April 2011.

Until a final decision is made the current scheme will continue, enabling SuperGold Card holders free parking on Victoria Avenue between 8.30am and 10.00am, Monday to Friday.

Our Customer Services and Parking Officers are available to answer any queries you may have.  Please phone 349 0001 to contact the Parking Services Team, Customer Services or approach any Parking Officer when you see them in the street.

The Council is taking part in an innovative trial in community consultation through the Texsys cellphone database system. This is a real-time, any-time method for the public to have its say on a host of key issues and, best of all, it's free!

How does it work?

• When you free text the word "Wanganui" to 5002 you will become a member of our feedback community
• You will receive a confirmation text welcoming you to the Council’s feedback community
• When Council wants feedback on a particular issue it will send a text to all registered users seeking their input – you can pick and choose the topics you respond to based on your interests and your reply texts will always be free
• Every response received will be entered into a regular prize draw

This is an excellent way to ensure that all sectors of the community are represented in the decision-making process in a way that makes best use of modern technology.

This is a six-month trial and is being offered by former Wanganui man, Director of Texsys Adam Hutchinson.

So if you want to join our feedback community text "Wanganui" to 5002 now.

Wastewater discharge to the Whanganui River

Recreational users are advised of potential health risks arising from the discharge of wastewater to the Whanganui River.

Under the coastal permits issued for the wastewater project, the Council is required to regularly inform the public of these potential risks.

At present, the existing combined sewer and stormwater system may overflow and discharge wastewater into the Whanganui River during periods of rain. However, this overflow will be eliminated progressively as sewage is removed from stormwater systems on both private and public property throughout urban Wanganui.

Property owners are reminded that the deadline to comply was 1 July 2007. All sewage must leave their property in a separate pipe that contains no stormwater.

For further information, please contact the Separation Hotline on  349 0001.

Orient toilets upgrade

From April 4 work is taking place to upgrade the flooring in the Orient toilets in Victoria Avenue.

Work will take place on two toilets at a time, which will limit the availability of toilet facilities to two for the duration of the work.

From April 11 the mobility access toilet will not be available meaning mobility scooter users will not have access to the ‘drive-in’ toilet on Victoria Avenue during this period. The work is expected to take up to one week to complete.

Ministry of Health Public Notice

Some plumbing fittings have the potential to allow minute traces of metals to accumulate in water standing in the fittings for several hours.

Although the health risk is small, the Ministry of Health recommends that you flush a mugful of water from your drinking-water tap each morning before use to remove any metals that may have dissolved from the plumbing fittings.

We are recommending this simple precaution for all households, including those on public and private water supplies.

Director-General of Health

Daylight saving reminder

Daylight saving ends this weekend. It’s a good time to change your old batteries, canned food and stored drinking water for fresh supplies in your civil defence survival kit.

For information on what to put in your emergency survival kit visit the civil defence pages of our website.

Water/Wastewater Engineer

Applications close 17 April 2011

Click here for details.

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings.

Community and Environment – Thursday, March 31 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

• Community and Cultural Portfolio Activity Report; Graffiti Update; Natural Burials – Policy Review; Super Gold Card – Parking Exemptions; Customer Services Group Activity Report – January and February 2011; 2011 New Zealand Masters Games – Noise Levels; Wanganui District Council Assistance following the Christchurch Earthquake.

Strategy and Finance – Tuesday, April 5 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

• Finance and Corporate Activity Report; Schedule of Documents Sealed; Financial Commitments; Policy and Planning Activity Report;     Community Outcomes Survey; Waste Minimisation and Environment Working Party Report;  Draft Cruising Bylaw 2011; Traffic Bylaw; Economic Development Activity Report. Confidential: CJ Efstratiou – Former 88 St Hill Street Carpark.

Hearings and Regulatory – Thursday, April 14 (Committee Room 2)
1pm: Objection to Menacing Dog Classification
3pm: Objection to Dangerous Dog Classification

Council – Monday, April 18 (2.00pm, Council Chamber)

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.