We provide a refuse service
For the health and cleanliness of the District, to enable efficient and hygienic disposal of solid wastes, and to reduce waste through recycling.

How this service is provided
Recyclables are collected at the roadside under contract. A network of rural refuse transfer bins for domestic waste and recyclables, which are collected under contract.
Some education and minor subsidy to waste minimisation programmes is provided.

Services provided

Collection

1. Refuse is collected in the rural area, either by a bin system (currently at 12 sites) or a rural bag collection.

Disposal

1. A co-ordination service for special wastes, including low toxicity hazardous wastes.
2. Balgownie Landfill (now closed) is monitored regularly for gas and leachates.
3. Rehabilitation of the former landfill will continue to resource consent and end use plan requirements.
4. Kerbside recycling is maintained to help promote waste reduction. Recycled material is collected at the same time and place as the private bag or rural bin collection in the rural, peri-urban and urban areas. The following items are collected and must be clean and packaged separately:
   - Newspaper and cardboard securely packaged.
   - Aluminium cans, flattened milk and soft drink plastic bottles.

Monitoring the service
Audits of operations, including recycling participation levels.
Resource consents for Balgownie Landfill.

Cost
Recycling, health, monitoring and disposal cost the ratepayer an average of $36 per year.

Further information is available from Ian McGowan, phone 349 0001, email Ian McGowan.

Time is running out to meet with the Council to discuss your priorities for Wanganui's future.

The Council is holding meetings with groups so we can identify what the community wants. This information will become part of the Community Outcomes Plan.

Since mid-February we have been meeting as many groups as possible, usually at their own venue. Small groups (say 10-15 people) mean that all participants can contribute more easily. However, we will meet with any sized group. We will be holding meetings until April 13; however, the last day to make a meeting booking is March 30.

If your organisation or people in your neighbourhood would like to participate, you can contact us this weekend via:

Website: www.wanganui.govt.nz/ourfuture
Email: ourfuture@wanganui.govt.nz

We will meet you at a time and venue that suits you. Remember - you need to book your meeting by March 30.

What will we talk about?

Some of the issues discussed and ideas for priorities for Wanganui from meetings held during the past week were (in no particular order):

• Better utilisation of community skills and knowledge.
• Review Parks and Reserves Management Plans.
• Participation - Council have greater intersectorial participation, enhance other groups not work solo, use each others' strengths, community ownership of schemes, bring disenfranchised people on board.
• Youth - focus on participation through whole life cycle - from youth to old age. Develop more facilities and services for 5-18 year olds and over 65s. Need outlets for young people to keep them out of mischief.
• Treaty claims settled and a good working relationship between Local Government, local Iwi and Maori providers of services and groups. Equal power situation, not just consultation - true partnership groups.
• Maori Wards if that is what Maori decide is needed in this area - will give more realistic options for Maori to be able to participate.
• Challenge to get a balance of community together for consultation leading to positive outcomes.
• Overnight stays on Wanganui reserves legally and close to town without going to a motor camp e.g. Castlecliff, Taupo Quay, Kowhai Park - use of concession cards.
• Rallies/events which cater for NZMCA members and vans. Council to provide 'sites'.
• Great opportunities for NZMCA members to have access to overnight destination points - like Nelson.
• Security - major public places/tourist attractions where it is safe to leave vans for 2-3 hours.
• Age Concern to work with Council to develop a focus group to develop a strategy for elderly people - Age Concern become the umbrella, positive aging. Wanganui is a good place to be growing older positively.
• Community organisations - support needs, expertise (e.g. legal, compliance, computers), fundraising is a major issue, changes in requisites for applying, documentation, ongoing employment - contracts only for one year, how do you get good staff without job security, must value volunteers.
• Public toilets in Wanganui few and far between.
• Raising Wanganui's image nationally - retirement, set up business, city for all ages, promoting our beach suburb, importance of arts and culture (Glasgow used this to build their image - can Wanganui also?), leadership/selling Wanganui, need quality accommodation, good service in restaurants, ensuring interaction with people make visits 'good' all round, get NIWA to move thermometer from Airport to somewhere more central for realistic temperatures on TV e.g. greyhound track, cemetery circuit.
• Employment/education - responsibility of us all. Realistic work experiences for young people with training.
• Keep rates down, especially for beneficiaries.
• Spend rates on visionary things e.g. roof velodrome, tourism. (Seeding funds not maintaining).
• More leadership and vision. Council leadership in moral standards (in Council's buildings).
• Attract more population - employment/business to create employment, share rates, future for young people, sustainability.
• Tourism - vision, co-ordination theme, use natural assets.
• Promotion of Wanganui through housing, parks, sports facilities, education, culture, climate, location, river, sea.
• Gallery extension - not Wanganui's top priority unless it could be funded from sources other than rates.
• Reconsider rubbish collection and bring in recycling.
• Rural roads planning.
• Education needs analysis to lift Wanganui.
• Suburban shopping areas.
• Dublin Street - eliminate traffic congestion.
• Link Trafalgar Square to the Avenue.
• Development and consolidation of recreation and active facilities and environment - including entertainment.
• Develop riverbank accessibility to the Whanganui River and co-ordination of river events.
• Population growth - retain the people we have.
• Develop neighbourhood and community networking to include walking school bus, culture and artists, vintage house parties.
• Economic development - need to have a vibrant business community that provides jobs for younger people, middle sized business support, continue Ohakea hub.
• Tourism - promote of good climate, promotion of Castlecliff (beautiful coastline). Beach needs to be made more appealing.
• Retain existing assets - library (view to Ruapehu) - cultural facilities heritage/arts/culture.
• Reinforce the 'specialness' of Wanganui.
• Encourage small businesses - disused premises used as communal business.
• We have best provincial museum.
• Older buildings need to be treasured and looked after but limited resources. We need another benefactor. Division between cultural and sporting activities.
• Peace - promote Wanganui as a 'safe haven', vision of security with the uncertainty prevailing, friendly people, friendly local government and accessible.
• Promoting facilities and proximity of them - sports (roof velodrome - could be used for multi purposes. Walking tunnel not needed - forget it - velodrome needs roof first).
• We can control provision of sports facilities but cannot control what businesses come here.
• Encourage pride in the community and city - ownership.
• Visitors' image of Wanganui is a city of trees and gardens - very important factor in image - pretty city (gardens used to be prettier when Council maintained them).

As you can see, there is the potential to discuss a wide range of topics - the items for discussion are up to you.

March 29-30: Whanganui Artists Open Their Doors
Venue: Start tour at 38 Taupo Quay for maps. 10am-4pm. Carving, ceramics, bookbinding, digital imagery, drawing, glass, film, installation, jewellery, letterpress, painting, photography, printmaking, woodwork. Contact: Catherine Macdonald 345 5505 or Sue Cooke 345 0156.

March 29-30: Wanganui Water Skiing Championships
Venue: Lake Wiritoa.

March 29: Schola Sacra Choir presents Sacred Music
Venue: St Paul's Church, Guyton Street. 7.30pm.

March 29: Wanganui Harrier Club Opening Day
Venue: Clubrooms, Parsons Street. 1.30pm.

March 29: Rivercity Markets
Venue: Wanganui Racecourse. 8am-1pm.

March 29: Oceanview Speedway
7pm. West Coast Sidecar Champs, Standard Stock Champs, Standard Saloon Champs.

March 30: International Motor Stunt Show
Venue: Westpac Stadium, Cooks Gardens. 3pm.

Throughout March and April:
A wide range of exhibitions at the Sarjeant Gallery, Whanganui Regional Museum and other galleries.

More information about things to do in the Wanganui District is available from the i-Site Wanganui Visitor Centre, 101 Guyton Street.

New Zealand Post Children's Book Festival

March 31 - April 8

Join the fun and take part in the activities as we celebrate the best of our country's children's authors in 2003.

Pick up your programme from the Wanganui District Library (Queens Park) or Books & More (Trafalgar Square).

We warmly invite you to the launch of the Festival at the Wanganui District Library in the Children's area on Monday, March 31, at 3.30pm.

Lake Wiritoa will be closed to the public on Saturday, 29 March, and Sunday, 30 March 2003, for the Wanganui Water Ski Club Champs.

The beach area of the lake will remain open for passive recreation.

The Council apologises for any inconvenience this may cause the public.

The Backyard Series

The Council supports The Backyard Series, a practical four week series on recycling and organics in your own backyard.

The series, which began on March 23, is being held at Mount St Joseph Conference Centre on consecutive Sundays from 2pm to 4pm. The remaining workshops on the programme are:

The cost is $5 per workshop/per family. For further information contact Jenny or Jan, phone 345 5047, fax 345 8981, or by e-mail

Senior Emergency Management Officer
Applications close: 11 April 2003

Maori Educator (Part Time), Museum
Applications close: 4 April 2003

Pursuant to the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977 Section 22, and the District Bylaws, notice is given that the lighting of fires in the open air in the Wanganui District is prohibited as from midnight Wednesday, 19 March 2003.

This ban applies in all areas of the Wanganui Fire District.

The ban also includes all urban areas.

AND FURTHER this Fire Ban remains in force until further notice:

Exceptions - the following activities are permitted -

Barbecues lit in properly constructed containers and fuelled with gas.

Provided:

That no such fires shall be lit when strong or gusty winds are prevailing.

In all cases a person lighting a fire within the bounds of these exceptions shall remain in attendance at the fire until it is fully extinguished.

It shall be no legal defence against claims for damage caused by any fire that such fire was of the type or lit at the time permitted by this notice.

All inquiries to NZ Fire Service, phone (06) 348 0103.

Water Services thanks the people of Wanganui for the conservation effort made to date that has ensured sufficient water supplies for all water users.

Everyone is reminded that sprinklers can only be used on even numbered days for even numbered houses and odd numbered days for odd numbered houses, between the hours of 6pm and 10pm. Hand held hoses can be used at any time.

The best water results for the garden are achieved from watering in the early evening.

Hearings
Tuesday, April 1

Council - Ordinary
Monday, April 7

Strategy (1pm)
Tuesday, April 8

Strategy (9am)
Wednesday, April 9

Unless otherwise noted, the meetings commence at 2.00pm in Committee Room 2, 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.

The Council welcomes members of the public to attend its meetings.

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