Latest news with #KapitiCoastDistrictCouncil
Scoop
30-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Building A Resilient Future For Kāpiti: Annual Plan Adopted And Rates Set For 2025/26 Year
Press Release – Kapiti Coast District Council Work included in the Annual Plan includes important capital projects to upgrade the Paraparaumu wastewater treatment plant and the Waikanae water treatment plant, and building Te Ara Whet, the new library and community hub in Waikanae. Kāpiti Coast District Council has adopted its annual plan and set rates for the coming year, with a focus on sticking to the long-term objective of building a resilient future for the Kāpiti Coast. The Annual Plan 2025/26 is an update to year two of the Long-term Plan 2024/34 (LTP), which outlines the projects and services to be delivered over 10 years. It was adopted by Council at its meeting on 29 May. Work included in the Annual Plan includes important capital projects to upgrade the Paraparaumu wastewater treatment plant and the Waikanae water treatment plant, and building Te Ara Whetū, the new library and community hub in Waikanae. Council is also progressing its financial strategy to reduce debt by a total of $153 million by 2034, building capacity to respond to natural disasters and maximise growth opportunities. To do the mahi (work) outlined in the plan and reduce Council's debt levels, rates revenue will rise by 6.9 percent after growth for the year – within the 7 percent limit set in the LTP. Kāpiti Coast District Mayor Janet Holborow says the Annual Plan sets Kāpiti up for future challenges. 'We've stuck to what we agreed with the community last year, with some minor amendments made to accommodate rising costs,' Mayor Holborow says. 'Everything we're doing is about making sure Kāpiti is well-placed for whatever the future brings, because based on our recent experience and the predictions we can draw from we know there will be unexpected challenges ahead. 'This is why we're continuing to invest in our core water infrastructure, which is among the best in New Zealand, and our other essential services. 'It's why we're reducing our debt, so that we can respond to potential natural disasters and growth opportunities strongly. 'We're also balancing this future focus with the current pressures we all face – no one wants to see high rates rises. 'We have worked hard to find significant operational savings, so we can keep rates as affordable as we can.' Mayor Holborow says the bulk of Council's rates-funded operational spending for the year ($114m) will be on core services like water management, roading and transport, and pools, parks and playgrounds. 'We'll be spending $34.1m of ratepayer money on our wastewater, storm water and drinking water services, $17m on our transport network, and $10.1m on our parks and open spaces. 'These and our other services all play important parts in making Kāpiti such a great place to live and do business in, and it's important we make sure we continue to invest in what we've got.' The final 2025/26 Annual Plan will be available to read at in the coming days. Fees and charges adopted At the same meeting Council also adopted the fees and charges used to cover some of the costs of facilities and services for the 2025/26 year. Most fees and charges increases have been held at the 3.2 percent inflation factor used by local government. There are some exceptions where fees and charges have risen. These include: Building Consent Fees: Fees for code compliance certificates and some LIMs will go up. Online consent application fees will also increase due to changes by our online system vendor. Domestic Food Business Levy: A new levy set by MPI will be introduced. The Council will charge a small fee to cover the cost of collecting this revenue for the Government. Hall Hire Fees: These will increase by 10% to cover higher costs. Learn to Swim Programme: Minor changes include more convenient payment options, flexibility for school participation, and a small regular charge for students to access the pool outside of lessons. Access and Transport: Corridor access request fees for project works will increase beyond inflation to cover higher costs. Wastewater Fees: Septage disposal and trade waste discharge fees will rise beyond inflation. A new fee for wastewater connection inspections will be introduced. Potable Water Fees: Adjustments will be made to fees for water meter special readings, filling point access cards, and water volume charges at Council filling points. Waikanae Pop-up Fees: New fees will be established to help cover the costs of the Waikanae Pop-up for start-up businesses in the short term. The full register of proposed fees and charges can be found at
Scoop
27-05-2025
- General
- Scoop
Latest Kapiti Sea Level Predictions
Press Release – Coastal Ratepayers United The Kapiti Coast District Council has uploaded the Waikato University De Lange research and accompanying maps onto its website, which recognise the unique and dynamic environment of the various beaches along the Kapiti Coast. Kapiti residents are now able to view the most up-to-date research on coastal erosion predictions on their beach. The research identifies about 40 homes in danger of sea rise, compared to thousands of homes identified in previous reports. The Kapiti Coast District Council has uploaded the Waikato University De Lange research and accompanying maps onto its website, which recognise the unique and dynamic environment of the various beaches along the Kapiti Coast. Coastal Ratepayers United (CRU) filed a judicial review to urge the council to accept De Lange's updated coastal predictions and make the notification available on LIMs. CRU stated that previous reports were alarmist and failed to recognise the significant variations in soil stratigraphy and vertical beach movement along the Kapiti coast. That judicial review has been withdrawn following the council's publication of the latest research: The De Lange report is now included on the LIMs, assigning it the same weighting as the Council's information. CRU chair Salima Padamsey says climate change research is being updated constantly, with new and different predictions. 'It's hard for councils to keep up with new research, but it is crucial that they do so when it affects their people's lives,' she says. 'Climate change is a real issue facing almost everyone on our coast, since most live within a few kilometres of the shoreline.' She states that one example of outdated reports is predictions relying on formulas like the Bruun Rule, which was developed more than 60 years ago. 'Another problem is reports that predict sea rise based on global averages. Many highly reputable climate experts say sea rise and precipitation changes will affect different areas differently, requiring local knowledge and assessment,' she adds. Dr. de Lange's report urged the KCDC to establish monitoring stations along various beaches to accurately predict trends.
Scoop
27-05-2025
- Science
- Scoop
Latest Kapiti Sea Level Predictions
Kapiti residents are now able to view the most up-to-date research on coastal erosion predictions on their beach. The research identifies about 40 homes in danger of sea rise, compared to thousands of homes identified in previous reports. The Kapiti Coast District Council has uploaded the Waikato University De Lange research and accompanying maps onto its website, which recognise the unique and dynamic environment of the various beaches along the Kapiti Coast. Coastal Ratepayers United (CRU) filed a judicial review to urge the council to accept De Lange's updated coastal predictions and make the notification available on LIMs. CRU stated that previous reports were alarmist and failed to recognise the significant variations in soil stratigraphy and vertical beach movement along the Kapiti coast. That judicial review has been withdrawn following the council's publication of the latest research: The De Lange report is now included on the LIMs, assigning it the same weighting as the Council's information. CRU chair Salima Padamsey says climate change research is being updated constantly, with new and different predictions. 'It's hard for councils to keep up with new research, but it is crucial that they do so when it affects their people's lives,' she says. 'Climate change is a real issue facing almost everyone on our coast, since most live within a few kilometres of the shoreline.' She states that one example of outdated reports is predictions relying on formulas like the Bruun Rule, which was developed more than 60 years ago. 'Another problem is reports that predict sea rise based on global averages. Many highly reputable climate experts say sea rise and precipitation changes will affect different areas differently, requiring local knowledge and assessment,' she adds. Dr. de Lange's report urged the KCDC to establish monitoring stations along various beaches to accurately predict trends. Maps of each beach are available under 'community-commissioned information:
Scoop
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Māoriland's Cannes Film Festival Win Takes Ōtaki To The World
Press Release – Kapiti Coast District Council Recognised in the Economic and Social Impact category, Morilands win is a testament to the kaupapa-driven work the organisation champions from its homebase in taki. One of Kāpiti Coast's most celebrated cultural organisations won a prestigious award at the Cannes World Film Festival earlier this week. Recognised in the Economic and Social Impact category, Māoriland's win is a testament to the kaupapa-driven work the organisation champions from its homebase in Ōtaki. Supported by Kāpiti Coast District Council's Major Events Fund, the Māoriland Film Festival has grown into Aotearoa New Zealand's premier international indigenous film festival, attracting thousands of attendees to the district every year. Kāpiti Coast Deputy Mayor Lawrence Kirby says the Council is thrilled for Māoriland and their head of content Libby Hakaraia. 'Māoriland's kaupapa is very much about the mana (essence) and manawa (heart) of its community, connecting indigenous creativity in our district, across the country, and globally,' says Cr Kirby. 'Beyond its annual film festival, Māoriland also host events, exhibitions and year-round educational programmes that foster youth creativity, supports Māori screen practitioners, and strengthens our local creative economy. 'What we already knew about Māoriland the rest of the world does now too.' Kāpiti Coast Economic Kotahitanga Board Chair Neil MacKay says Libby Hakaraia has shone a light on the creativity at Māoriland Hub on the global stage. 'This well-deserved award is true recognition of Libby's vision and perseverance and what has been built at Māoriland,' says Mr MacKay. 'Kāpiti has been listed in the Top 5 nationally on the Infometrics Creativity index, dubbing us as one of New Zealand's creative centres. There is no mistaking that we have an abundance of creatives in our district and should take pride on this global achievement.'
Scoop
08-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Council's Corporate Emissions Reduction On Target
Press Release – Kapiti Coast District Council Mayor Janet Holborow says that these latest figures prove that Council is on the right track, and that the commitment is already paying off. Kāpiti Coast District Council has been a forerunner on reporting its corporate greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) and have released the latest emissions inventory report. The Council committed to measuring and independently auditing its organisational emissions in 2010, and was the first local authority in New Zealand to certified under Enviro-Mark's Carbon Emissions Measurement and Reduction Scheme in 2012 (now known as Toitū Carbon Reduce). The 2023-24 greenhouse gas emissions inventory and management report is now available on the website, and the figures show some impressive progress: the Council has reduced its corporate emissions by 72% since 2010. The Council has an aspirational goal to be 'net zero' by 2040. Mayor Janet Holborow says that these latest figures prove that Council is on the right track, and that the commitment is already paying off. 'We've come a long way since we have started on our emissions reduction journey. But what is good to know is that progress doesn't always need big changes,' Mayor Holborow said. 'It's the small steps that make a difference over time, whether that's phasing in LED streetlights, retrofitting low-flow shower heads into the pools, or finding better waste management practices, it all adds up. 'But it's important we measure these outcomes, so we can see how we're doing and track trends and improvements – so we can see what is working, and where we can still do better,' Mayor Holborow said. 'The latest audit shows that we're making good progress year on year, with our 2023/24 emissions down by 11% from the previous year. That's 446 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions that we've managed to keep out of the atmosphere over the year. To put that into context, that's equivalent to the emissions of 23 average households over the same period.' 'The positive thing about reducing emissions is that it typically leads to improved energy efficiency, which lowers costs for Council, so we're able to deliver multiple benefits to our community. Mayor Holborow said that Council have embedded this thinking across the organisation, so taking action on climate change is not just about the big projects, it's about taking steps, no matter how small. 'Making decisions that prioritise energy efficiency or sustainability means that we're intentional about our resources – how we use power or dispose of waste, and being more efficient over time. 'These increased efficiencies have helped us reduce our carbon footprint as well as reducing operational costs, so it's delivering benefits in more ways than one. 'I'm incredibly proud of the role that Council has played, but it's important to note that it's a cumulative result, and we are already the beneficiaries of decisions that have been made by successive Councils over the years. This shows that climate action is a team effort, and what we plan today will have impacts for the future. 'This also shows us that success isn't reliant on big changes and investment, but can also be achieved through smaller adjustments. 'Setting goals and targets means that we can align ourselves on the same path and collectively make those wins. 'Looking back shows us how far we have come since we started this journey in 2010, and I am proud of our progress, but recognise there is still more to do,' Mayor Holborow said.
