Wanganui District Council has set a new policy for earthquake-prone buildings.

Heritage Committee chair Marty Lindsay is extremely happy with the new requirements, which give owners of heritage buildings till 2040 to get their buildings up to government standard.

"The end result is an excellent example of how the public can have a profound effect on policy," Cr Lindsay said.

"There should be no more talk about heritage owners having to consider pulling their buildings down because they couldn't meet the strengthening timeframe."

Key features of the new Earthquake-Prone Buildings Policy include:

• Focus on the most important post-quake buildings
• Setting of indicative timeframes for other classes of buildings
• Confirmation of timeframes following review, beginning in December 2007
• Provision for the special status of heritage buildings if full compliance is not possible
• Direction to actively seek external funding

Council's next step is to consider buildings with special post-disaster functions at the Infrastructure Committee meeting on June 20.

These buildings could include hospitals, Police and other emergency services' buildings and civil defence buildings.

Contemporary New Zealand photographers' work now on show at Sarjeant Gallery

The exhibition of new and classic work by 20 of New Zealand's greatest photographers is the first wide-ranging survey of New Zealand photography for 30 years and is accompanied by a full colour publication including essays by 20 leading New Zealand writers.

The exhibition runs till Jun 25 and is open to the public daily between 10.30am and 4.30pm.

Photo: Neil Pardington, Tunnel

The Council is seeking public submissions on its proposal to change representation for the 2007 election by:

• Reducing the number of Councillors to 10 (ten).
• Abolishing the urban and rural wards and having all Councillors elected at large.
• Retaining the Wanganui Rural Community Board with its geographical boundaries unchanged, with 6 (six) elected members, elected at large. Councillors will no longer be appointed to the Board.

Background Information

The Council is required to review its representation arrangements at least once every six years.

Existing Representation

The Council currently consists of the Mayor and 12 Councillors. The Councillors are elected by two wards, urban and rural, electing nine and three Councillors respectively. The rural ward also elects the Wanganui Rural Community Board of six members, to which the three rural ward Councillors are also appointed.

Maori Wards
The Council has previously determined (8 August 2005) not to resolve to establish Maori ward/s in the district. No electoral petition on the matter was received by the due date of 28 February 2006.

Voting System
The Council has resolved (8 August 2005) to use the First Past the Post voting system.

Reducing Council Numbers
Reducing Council numbers was supported by 60% of those who voted in Referendum '06. A reduced number of Councillors will still be able to effectively represent the community. Some internal Council costs may also be reduced.

Abolishing the urban and rural wards
Under new electoral rules, the present rural ward would be able to have only one Councillor, rather than the current three. A case for increased representation based on isolation, area or capital value can not be made. It is considered that it is better for the rural community to have some input to electing all Councillors, rather than electing just one for the rural ward.

The complying option of having one rural ward Councillor, six urban ward Councillors and three Councillors elected at large was considered and rejected due to its complexity.

Wanganui Rural Community Board
The rural community is distinct due to its environment, economic focus, infrastructural demands and access to facilities. With the loss of directly elected ward Councillors, the Wanganui Rural Community Board will be more important than in the past. The Wanganui Rural Community Board will continue to report directly to the Council. The Council will not appoint Councillors to the Wanganui Rural Community Board, although they may attend meetings if they wish.

Submissions
Copies of the representation review resolutions may be inspected at the Council Chambers, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui, during normal business hours. Submissions on the proposals may be made in writing. The period for making submissions closes at 5pm on Friday, 7 July 2006.

Submissions should include your name and address and whether you wish to speak about your submission at the hearing. Submissions can be made in the following ways:

Post to: Representation Review Submissions, Wanganui District Council, PO Box 637, Wanganui
Fax to: (06) 349 0000
Deliver to: Customer Services Desk, Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui
Email us
Online

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Wanganui Rural Community Board - Thursday, June 8

Heritage Committee - Monday, June 12
- Tram Trust - Wanganui Tram, Path Forward; Agency Responsibilities - Heritage Strategy; Heritage Building Inventory 2005; Earthquake-Prone Buildings Policy; Heritage Strategy Task One Inventory One; John Ballance Statue; Alternate Anniversary Day.

Finance and Administration Committee - Tuesday, June 13
- Stormwater Separation Update; Finance Team Action Plan; Debtors; Quarterly Report; Audit Management Report for the Year Ending 30 June 2005; Statement of Intent; Information Technology (IT) Report; Waterfront Project; Splash Extension Project - Management; Additional List of Properties to be Considered for Sale; Schedule of Sealed Documents; Financial Commitments.

Community Development Committee - Wednesday, June 14 (3.30pm)
- Baxter Plan Change

Sport and Recreation Committee - Thursday, June 15 (1.00pm)

Community Development Committee - Thursday, June 15

Youth Committee - Monday, June 19 (Council Chamber)

Infrastructure Committee - Tuesday, June 20

Strategy Committee - Thursday, June 22 (Council Chamber)

Council Meeting - Thursday, June 29 (Council Chamber)
- To adopt 2006-26 Long-Term Council Community Plan.

Unless otherwise noted, all meetings are held at 4.00pm 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.