River City Press Column - by Deputy Mayor Dot McKinnon - 1/10/2009

Soccer (football) has wound up for another successful season. I have to admire the huge number of volunteers not just at Wembley Park but at all sports venues. The coaches, referees and supporters need a big pat on the back for what they do for our community. Their volunteerism is a huge public benefit to our community. Thank you on behalf of our Council.

I have taken some leave from Council over this round of meetings, as I have a number of activities which are taking me out of town. Firstly, I am going to the International Masters Games in Sydney, as Chair of our New Zealand Games Company, to see if they host the games better than we do. I am sure we do it better! I am also going to be a grandmother (first time) and my daughter is now living in the deep south, so I will see if I can remember what babies are all about. Thirdly I am sitting a couple of law exams in Wellington – trying to resurrect some brain cells and learn more about how I can add value to being a councilor and business person.

However, the emails and mail continue, so I am aware of most of what is going on around the council table. Communication at Council has been widened with the advent of our marketing and promotion website – www.wanganui.com. Visitors to the site can now read electronic copies of both the Midweek and River City Press as well as view all of the services and treasures of Wanganui.

The District Plan has been reviewed, a process that takes a considerable amount of time for our planners and Cr Sue Westwood who is the Council ‘Guru’ on such matters. The plan changes include changes to heritage buildings, the riverfront zone, airport zone, Springvale swales, cell phone towers, earthworks, tree registers, coastal hazards and more. It is a very comprehensive and ongoing review that we must carry out. I appreciate the time and effort put into this review and trust that the changes are for the betterment of our community.

Dot McKinnon

Deputy Mayor