Referendum '08 is your opportunity to have a real influence upon the council and your community, by choosing which projects you would like to be the council's priority over the next few years. Voting closes on Saturday, 6 December 2008. This week, we look in more detail at the project to upgrade Mosston Road and extend Fitzherbert Avenue.

Mosston Road upgrade and Fitzherbert Avenue extension

Mosston Road is a busy route, used by trucks, cars, cyclists and pedestrians. The current road is not wide enough to accommodate the range and volume of use safely.

The project will create a single side footpath linking Buxton Road to Mosston School and continuing on to Springvale Road. The road will be widened between Springvale Road and Titoki Street and cycle lanes installed. An artist's impression is pictured. It is predicted that these developments will increase safety for all users of Mosston Road and lead to an 80% reduction in crashes.

The widened road will also offer improved cross-town access, encourage economic and industrial development in the Mill Road area and divert traffic away from the residential sections of Great North Road.

The project also includes extending Fitzherbert Avenue through to Mosston Road. This will make a further improvement to cross-town access and open up a key link route north/south between Taranaki, via Mosston Road, and south via Fitzherbert Avenue and Carlton Avenue to the Manawatu, Hawkes Bay and Wellington regions. Click on the map to see a larger version.

What will it cost?
Total capital costs: $11.2m
Capital cost to Council: $2.1m (assumes $9.1m in subsidy and income from land sales)
Operational (on-going) costs to Council: nil
Total additional cost to ratepayer per year: $10.35

The cost-per-ratepayer calculations are based upon council borrowing the funding required and paying back both capital and interest over a 25 year period.

Central Area Road Transport Association Manager and project advocate Tom Cloke thinks the project will benefit everyone in Wanganui.

His organisation advocates for the trucking industry, at a local and national level, promoting safe and efficient transport.

"There are two main reasons why I believe the Mosston Road/Fitzherbert Avenue extension is a great project. The first is for pedestrian safety. A large section of Mosston Road is used by children and parents travelling and walking to and from the primary school. Mosston School was recently successful in getting a variable speed limit put in place for the section of road outside the school during the times children will be arriving and leaving. The footpath will enable and encourage more people to travel by foot and experience the benefits of walking. There will also be cycleways, which will be used for both commuting and recreational purposes.

"Secondly, it will have major benefits for the infrastructure of Wanganui, creating another route into and through the centre of town. The widened road, together with the Fitzherbert Avenue extension, will create a safe and effective inter-district route to the industrial areas of lower Mosston Road and Mill Road, which are currently under-developed.

"I think the Wanganui community should vote for the Mosston Road/Fitzherbert Avenue extension as part of Referendum '08 for both the increased road safety it will provide and the opportunity it gives to grow industry in the district."

Contrary to popular belief, there is no magical time of day or night when noise has to be turned down. New Zealand law simply says that nobody can cause 'excessive noise'.

The term 'excessive noise' means noise that is under human control and of such a nature as to unreasonably interfere with the peace, comfort and convenience of a person (other than a person in or at the place from which the noise is being emitted).

If someone complains about a noisy situation, Council Noise Control Officers will investigate and make a judgment as to whether a noise is 'excessive' or not.

With summer approaching, we encourage people to be mindful of their neighbours when undertaking activities which could potentially cause 'excessive noise'.

If you require any further information or are having a problem with a noisy situation then please call the Council on (06) 349 0001, 24 hrs/7 days a week.

The Wanganui District Council is working with the Wanganui Resene PaintWise Programme. Wanganui residents can return unwanted paint (no solvents accepted) and paint packaging to the Resene Colour Shop. It is then mixed into varying shades of grey paint. Resene donates the resulting good quality waterborne Resene paint to community groups in Wanganui.

Residents can return up to 10 packs of any brand of paint free of charge.

Where: Resene Colour Shop, 17 Wilson Street, Wanganui; phone (06) 348 0048
When: Deliver it on the last Friday of every month
Time: Between 2.00pm and 4.00pm

Diary these dates
Friday, 28 November 2008
Friday, 19 December 2008
Friday, 30 January 2009
Friday, 27 February 2009

You can also help by reporting graffiti as and when it happens. Telephone the Graffiti Hotline (06) 349 0500 for removal of graffiti in highly visible areas of Wanganui.

On 3 November 2008, the Wanganui District Council approved the Draft Wanganui District Council Cemetery Monument Policy for public consultation. The Council invites the public to provide feedback on the draft policy. The objective of the Wanganui District Council Cemetery Monument Policy is:

• To provide standards and certainty for all in relation to monuments and adornments at Council owned cemeteries.

Consultation
Copies of the Wanganui District Council Cemetery Monument Policy and submission forms are available for public inspection, during normal working hours, at the Customer Services Counter at Wanganui District Council, 101 Guyton Street, the District Library, Queens Park, Wanganui, and on this page.

The consultation period is from 4 November 2008 to 18 December 2008.

Submissions are welcomed and should be addressed to:
Cemetery Monument Policy
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
Wanganui 4540

Other methods of delivering your submission:

• Deliver to the Customer Services Counter at 101 Guyton Street
• Fax to the Council on (06) 349 0000
• Email us

If you have any queries or require further information, please contact Marie Gorinski at Wanganui District Council, phone (06) 349 0001 extn 8066 or email Marie Gorinski.

Submissions close on Thursday, 18 December 2008, at 5.00pm.

Wanganui District Council is proposing to introduce a Neighbour Responsibility Bylaw.

The proposed Wanganui District Council Neighbour Responsibility Bylaw 2008 ("the Bylaw") seeks to regulate and manage activity on private property that may interfere with a person's right to the beneficial use and ordinary enjoyment of their land.

The Bylaw specifically seeks to provide protection to the community from nuisances caused by noise including intruder alarm systems, graffiti, litter, public health matters and offensive materials.

Submissions may be made on the proposal.

Copies of the Summary of Information, Statement of Proposal, the Neighbour Responsibility Bylaw 2008 and also submission forms, are available from the Customer Services Counter at the Wanganui District Council Municipal Building, 101 Guyton Street and at the District Library, Queens Park during normal opening hours. The documents are also available on this page, by emailing us or by telephoning Customer Services on (06) 349 0001.

Submissions should be addressed to:
The Chief Executive
Wanganui District Council
PO Box 637
Wanganui

Submissions close at 5.00pm on Monday, 1 December 2008.

Details of the following vacancies are available on this page:

Economic Development Co-ordinator
Applications close 30 November 2008

Enforcement Officer
Applications close 9 December 2008

We welcome members of the public to attend our meetings

Council – Friday, November 28 (4.00pm)
- Consideration of 10-Year Plan policy issues. The meeting is expected to be held with the public excluded.

Youth – Monday, December 1 (4.00pm)
- Youth in Local Government Conference; Bus to Big Day Out; Skateboard Ramps; Action Group Updates; Updates on Youth Committee Process; Wanganui District Library Youth Services Review; Youth Service Co-ordinator's Report.

Finance and Infrastructure – Tuesday, December 2
- Finance and Corporate Action Plan; Property Group Activity Report; Wanganui District Councils' Forestry Joint Committee; Temporary Road Closures from Wanganui Road Rodders Club, Nga Tai o te Awa Trust, and Pakaitore/Moutoa Gardens Historic Reserve Board; Review of Part 8 – Streets – Wanganui District Council Consolidated Bylaw 1995; Schedule of Sealed Documents; Financial Commitments; i-SITE Wanganui Visitor Centre – New Premises; Rutland Street Parking Meter Bylaw – Legislation of Locations; Proposed Water Supply Bylaw; Urban Stormwater Review; Infrastructure Projects Update. Confidential – Debtor Write-off; Wanganui Riverfront Development.

Hearings – Tuesday, December 9 (9.00am, Committee Room 2)
- Hearings of Resource Consents – 8 Gilmour Street to establish childcare facility and 55a Heads Road to establish and operate a motel.

Council – Friday, December 5 (4.00pm)
- Consideration of 10-Year Plan policy issues. The meeting is expected to be held with the public excluded.

Council – Monday, December 15
- The Council will consider the reports from Committee meetings held in November and December along with reports direct to Council.

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.