community link - whanganui · community link from outlaw to bylaw ... please be awarethatremovable...

Telephone: 06 349 0001Facsimile: 06 349 0000

Email: wdc@wanganui.govt.nz

WanganuiDistrict Council101 Guyton Street

PO Box 637, Wanganui

www.wanganui.govt.nz

Community Link

From outlaw to bylawFrom outlaw to bylaw Planned worksRoutine infrastructure and roading maintenanceacross our district will not be undertaken inSeptember as we work to reinstate urban and ruralroads affected by the June 2015 flooding. Pleasevisit www.wanganui.govt.nz/mediareleases formore information.

Road closureShakespeare Road

Weather permitting, Shakespeare Road will beclosed between 8.00am and 12.00 noon onTuesday, September 15, to enable Powerco toclear tree branches from power lines. If thework is postponed due to the weather, it will berescheduled for Thursday, September 17.

Parking on War MemorialCentre forecourt

Please be aware that removable bollards have beenerected in the entrance and exit of the War MemorialCentre forecourt. Vehicle access to the forecourtis only available to those who hire the facility orhave obtained prior permission. The bollards will beremoved when events are held at the centre.

Contract No. 1681: Retaining walls at Wairere Roadand Mt View RoadWanganui District Council invites tenders fromsuitably experienced contractors for theconstruction of two retaining walls and associatedminor civil works at two sites within the urbanarea. The scope of work includes, but is notlimited to: traffic control, earthworks, steelsoldier pile wall with precast panels, installationof tie back anchors, pavement works, handrailsand streetlighting.Tender documents are available onwww.lgtenders.co.nz (ref: LGOL-694150).Enquiries regarding any aspect of the contractdocuments should be submitted in writing (emailis acceptable) to Wanganui District Council, markedfor the attention of the Development EngineerDamien Wood at damien.wood@wanganui.govt.nz nolater than three days before the tender closing date.Tenders are to be submitted electronically viawww.lgtenders.co.nz. For any further assistance,please contact Lana Treen, atlana.treen@wanganui.govt.nz or on (06) 349 3105.Tender submissions close at 4.00pm on Monday,21 September 2015.

Request for Tender

Council meetingsWe welcome members of the public to attendour meetings.Wanganui District Councils’ Forestry JointCommittee – 2.00pm, Wednesday, September 16(Committee Room 2)Agendas are available at the Customer ServicesCounter, Municipal Office Building, 101 GuytonStreet, Wanganui and the Wanganui DistrictLibrary two working days prior to the meeting.

Changes to building feesFollowing the adoption of the Council’s 10-Year Plan,a number of fees have been increased for our services.For customers involved in building projects andinformation requests, there are several areas where priceshave increased.

The main changes are:

• Woodburner applications: free standing: $290.00,inbuilt: $350.00

• Land Information Memorandum (LIM): $177.00

• Council Infrastructure connection costs (varies)

• Accreditation levy for commercial projects(now capped at $500.00)

The Building Control Team has removed ‘estimated actualcosts’ from our list of consent fees. Due to the differingnature and complexity of projects, these figures wereproving to be inaccurate and causing confusion.

We work on a user pays system, where actual timeframesare registered and charged accordingly. This allows formore realistic pricing.

The revised fees structure will take effect from14 September 2015. Copies will be available from theCustomer Services Team at the Council building in GuytonStreet and under the ‘Building Services’ pageof www.wanganui.govt.nz.

What’s on at the MuseumWhanganui Literary Festivalchildren’s event - Storybook ExplorerDress up as your favourite storybook character andvisit the Whanganui Regional Museum to enjoy storiesthat nana and grandad read when they were young.Every child will be given a free poem or story copiedfrom children’s books in the Museum collection.1.30pm – 4.30pm Saturday, September 12, at the MuseumAtrium. Bookings aren’t required and admission is free.

The Extinct Birds of New ZealandMoa grab the limelight, but Aotearoa was also home tonumerous species of birds now extinct including ducks,rails, snipe, geese, giant birds of prey, tiny flightlesswrens and the mysterious adzebill. In this publiclecture, Curator of NaturalHistory and expert onextinct birds Dr MikeDickison will recreatethe past environment ofWhanganui and tell thestory about how thesebirds were discovered,wiped out, and discoveredonce more.7.00pm - 8.00pm Tuesday,September 15, at theMuseum’s Davis Theatre.Koha appreciated.

To make sure everyone understands what’s in the new DogControl Bylaw, and to have a bit of fun along the way,

we have enlisted the help of ourdistrict’s most famous dog, Bandit,star of television’s Purina PoundPups to Dog Stars.

The Dog Control Bylaw 2015 wasadopted by the Council in June toreflect the feedback we receivedfrom the community about how dogsshould be managed in our district.The changes we’ve made to the bylawaim to improve community safety byreducing the number of unwanteddogs, roaming dogs and dogs likelyto attack people.

Bandit, who was once a wild dogliving in Cooks Gardens, was pickedup by our Animal Control Team afterwinning the hearts of members ofthe public and Council staff alike. InMarch this year, he was introducedto animal behaviour expert MarkVette who rehabilitated Bandit sohe could be successfully rehomedand trained to star in an advertfor Purina.

He is now working with the Councilto educate dog owners about theirresponsibilities and joining theAnimal Control Team when they talkto school students about safetyaround dogs.

Animal Control Team Leader JoMeiklejohn says Bandit is a great

role model because he proves that with the right supportand education dogs can be taught new behaviours and learnto get on well with people and other animals.

“He is a great success story. After being wild and fearful ofpeople, Bandit is now happy in his new home and respondswell to commands. I am sure people will enjoy seeing himaround, especially because he is a bit famous now.”

Every month in Community Link we will share ‘Bandit’s toptips’, which will provide information what to do when yousee wandering or aggressive dogs, as well as how to be agood dog owner.

Our animal control team will be giving out Banditbookmarks and brochures and we’ve organised acolouring in competition with lots of great prizes,so watch this space.

If you are a dog owner, here’s a few importantthings you need to remember.

• Dogs must be on a leash at all times in public places,except in designated off-leash areas

• A new, designated off-leash area has been createdon the riverbank walkway, from the corner of TaupoQuay and Wilson Street to the northern end ofBedford Avenue

• Only three dogs can be registered per household,unless you have an exemption licence from the Council.(This only applies to urban areas and does not apply tohouseholds where more than three dogs were registeredbefore June 2015)

• The fee for releasing a dog from the pound has beenincreased to $70.00

For more information, please visitwww.wanganui.govt.nz/animalcontrol.