The following arrangements will be observed by the Council during the 2008 Easter holiday weekend. For urgent matters, you can contact us at any time on (06) 349 0001.

Municipal Office Building
Closed from Good Friday, 21 March to Easter Monday, 24 March 2008, inclusive.

i-SITE Visitor Centre
Open 9.00am - 3.00pm on Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Sarjeant Gallery
Closed Good Friday.
Open 10.30am - 4.30pm on Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday.

Whanganui Regional Museum
Closed Good Friday.
Open 10.00am - 4.30pm on Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Easter Monday.

Davis Central City Library
Closed Good Friday.
Open 10.00am - 5.00pm on Easter Saturday.
10.00am - 3.00pm on Easter Sunday.
Closed Easter Monday.
Resume normal opening hours on Tuesday, 25 March 2008.

Royal Wanganui Opera House
Closed Good Friday.
Open 10am - 12pm Easter Saturday.
Closed Easter Sunday and Easter Monday.

Wanganui Incorporated
Closed Good Friday through to Easter Monday.

Recycling
The 'SaveMart' Wanganui Recycling Centre in Peat Street, opposite the netball courts, is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to take your cardboard, newspapers, plastic bottles, aluminium cans, steel cans and textiles. Free drop-off.

The Wanganui District Council has received an application from Good Earth Matters Consulting Limited acting on behalf of the Universal College of Learning (UCOL) for a Resource Consent as described below.

Description of Application:
To demolish the former Maori Land Court and ancillary building in order to establish and maintain a recreational green space within the UCOL campus.

Location of the Proposed Activity:
11 Rutland Street, Wanganui, legally described as Pt Sec 86 DP 5111 located on the corner of Rutland Street and Market Place.

The application includes an assessment of environmental effects.

The application may be inspected at the Wanganui District Council offices during normal office hours. Please contact Kathryn Barnes (06) 349 0001 ext 8400 if you have any questions about the application.

Any person may make a submission on the application. You may do so by sending a written submission to the Chief Executive, Wanganui District Council, PO Box 637, Wanganui. The submission must be in form 13. Copies of this form are available from the Wanganui District Council Administration Building (Customer Services).

Submissions close on Monday, 14 April 2008, at 4.00pm.

You must also serve a copy of your submission on UCOL (the applicant), whose address for service is C/- Good Earth Matters Consulting Limited, PO Box 1268, Palmerston North, as soon as practicable after serving your submission on the Wanganui District Council.

Tenders

Contract No. 1351: Shakespeare Road Bulk Services

The Council is installing new sewer, stormwater and water services for existing residences on Shakespeare Road in Wanganui. Tenders are now invited from suitably qualified contractors for the following contract.

Contract 1361 includes: 880m of 100mm water main, 75m of 63mm water main, 907m of 150mm sewer main, 140m of 225mm stormwater main, 344m of 300mm stormwater main, 219m of 375mm stormwater main, 21m of 450mm stormwater main, 5 fire hydrants, 3 water main valves, 18 sewer manholes, 9 stormwater manholes, 3 wingwalls and some roading improvements (Council approval pending).

Tenders close at 4.00pm on Tuesday, 25 March 2008, at the Tenders Box, at the Council Offices, 101 Guyton Street, Wanganui.

Tender documents are available from:

Wanganui District Council
101 Guyton Street
Wanganui

Phone: (06) 349 0001
Fax: (06) 349 0000

Work is continuing on Carlton Avenue between Heads Road and Koromiko Road but the road is now open to all traffic.

Work will continue in Koromiko Road. The road is open to traffic.

Smithfield Road remains closed from No.23 Smithfield Road to Moore Avenue. Access for residents is still available.

Works will continue on Kawatiri Avenue (at the Carlton Avenue end) but the road will be open to traffic.

Works continue on Heads Road between Liffiton Street and Sarjeant Street. The road will remain open to traffic.

There will be no road works on Friday, March 21, or Monday, March 24, due to Easter weekend.

Wanganui Wastewater Separation Project
(Contractor B Bullock & Co Ltd)

Smithfield Road between No.23 Smithfield Road and Moore Avenue will continue to be closed until 7.00pm Saturday, 5 April 2008, for the purpose of constructing a new sanitary sewer drain.

This closure does not affect Smithfield Road from Carlton Avenue to No.23 Smithfield Road.

Vehicle access to properties along the closed section will be available at all times.

A signposted detour will not be provided.

Pursuant to Section 22(2) of the Forest and Rural Fires Act 1977 notice is hereby given that the Prohibited Fire Season imposed on 27 January 2008 for the Wanganui District, on 29 January 2008 for the Rangitikei District and on 30 January 2008 for the Ruapehu District is downgraded to a Restricted Fire Season as from midnight Friday, 7 March 2008.

All persons wishing to light fires in the open must obtain a permit.

The issuing of permits will be according to each of the above Councils' previous individual arrangements.

Sufficient time should be allowed for any investigation or inspection to be made prior to the issuing of a permit.

Exemptions:

• Barbecues lit in properly constructed containers and fuelled with gas.

Failure to comply with this order constitutes an offence under Section 61 of the above-mentioned Act.

For all fire emergencies phone 111 and give your name, address, telephone number and rural number (if applicable).

Annie Petersen
Principal Rural Fire Officer
Ruapehu District Council

Kevin Smith
Principal Rural Fire Officer
Wanganui District Council

Stan Dulieu
Principal Rural Fire Officer
Rangitikei District Council

The income threshold for rates rebate is now $20,000 and the maximum allowable rebate is $500.

Eligibility for a rates rebate is determined by:

• the ratepayer's income for the previous tax year (year ended 31 March 2007)
• the amount of rates (both Wanganui District Council & Horizons Regional Council)
• the number of dependents.

To assist you with your application, please bring in the following:

• evidence of all gross income for the tax year ended 31 March 2007 (this includes income from interest)
• your Wanganui District Council rates assessment for 2007/08
• your Horizons Regional Council rates assessment for 2007/08

Ratepayers need to apply to the Wanganui District Council for a rates rebate. Those who are eligible will then either have their rates reduced by the amount of the rebate, or receive a refund if the rates have been paid in full for the year. The Department of Internal Affairs reimburses the Council from Crown funds.