Latest news with #LauraSmith
Daily Mirror
16 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
'Sunbed wars at our Cape Verde hotel were actually quite comical - and here's proof'
Laura Smith and her fiancé Eric Whittaker, from Coventry, West Midlands, encountered sunbed wars at the five-star RIU Funana resort in Sal, Cape Verde this month An engaged couple were forced to queue for over an hour with hotel guests rushing to grab the best spots by pool. Laura Smith and her fiancé Eric Whittaker have labelled their holiday morning routine "chaotic" due to the so-called 'sunbed wars' taking over. Laura, 30, revealed that guests armed with towels start queuing an hour before the pool opened at 9am. Lines of more than 100 holidaymakers would stand around waiting for hotel workers to open up the pool. The couple, who got engaged last September, were staying at the five-star RIU Funana resort in Sal, Cape Verde. The hotel, which costs upwards of £1,000 per person a week implemented a one-hour bed reserve policy to help stop the chaos. This involved pool workers placing a ticket on an unoccupied sun lounger and coming back an hour later to remove the towel if it was still unused. The couple, from Coventry, West Midlands, were forced to take part in the morning rush in order to grab beds for their week long trip in the sun. Laura said: "The whole morning routine became both chaotic but comical. There were four entries to the pool and I'd say there were up to 40 people in each of those queues. "People did run for the beds however most people opted for a quick walk to the area they wanted. Queuing started from 8am as long as you were in the queue by 9am when it opened, you were normally OK to find a sunbed. "The umbrellas are fixed so if you needed shade you'd want to be in the queue before 8:30am. The hotel would place a card on the bed and an hour later remove the towels." Laura, who shared footage of the encounters on her social media page, continued: "It wasn't consistent though and beds could have been left a while before they had a ticket put on them. I think there should be enough sunbeds for how many guests are in the hotel. "The hotel brought this in to stop the 5am bed reservers and was only put in place after I'd booked my holiday. If I had been staying for two weeks, I would have gotten really fed up with the mornings." The experience mirrors similar drama on the island of Majorca where Clare Wright, from Nottingham, filmed dozens of tourists race for sunbeds yet she insisted she got one every morning without trouble. The 44-year-old woman said she "had a little giggle" at the holidaymakers who she watched scramble for loungers each morning. The battle for prime spots at Protur Playa Cala Millor Hotel in Majorca, Spain, was "like something out of The Hunger Games," she added in her TikTok.
Scoop
30-06-2025
- General
- Scoop
80,000 Books: Library Service Reaches Schools, Rest Homes And Young Offenders
Article – Laura Smith – Local Democracy Reporter In the five years to April, it issued 81,906 books, eight DVDs, 1018 magazines, 257 memory aids and 1234 talking books for a total of 84,423. A mobile Rotorua library service has delivered more than 80,000 books to housebound residents, schoolchildren and youth offenders over the past five years. Rotorua Lakes Council's Library to You service – previously the housebound delivery service and onsite outreach van selection service – has operated for more than 25 years. It was among the 92 percent of libraries offering a similar service. Council organisational performance and innovation group manager Thomas Collé said, in response to a Local Democracy Reporting official information request, that the service was about equity. It provided equitable access for the Rotorua community to enjoy reading resources regardless of their physical ability to visit the library. Library to You services were for people housebound because of age, disability, illness or injury, stress, wellness, caregiving responsibilities, social or economic issues, and who have a lack of available support. This could be at home or in a rest home. 'We deliver books, magazines and memory aid resources from our dementia collection,' Collé said. It also delivered to preschools and primary schools, including the School for Young Parents and the Youth Detention Facility. 'Many schools no longer have libraries, and both schools and preschools have limited budgets to offer students books for recreational reading to supplement curriculum-based reading. The purpose is to encourage a love of reading and improve literacy.' Anonymised examples of service users' feedback included the daughter of a Redwood Village resident who said how much her mum loved the books. Another was a 92-year-old from Lake View Villas who said receiving the books was the highlight of her day. How it worked was every individual or school filled in a profile for book selection; Western was 'consistently' the favourite for those who were housebound. Staff chose fitting books and delivered to a schedule. The dedicated library vehicle is driven by the Library to You co-ordinator and customer support staff on a rostered basis. The vehicle is also used to provide literacy outreach programmes to preschools and schools. The service is funded through the library annual operating budget, received from rates, and costs about $40,000 a year. The vehicle cost $45,000 and was funded by Rotorua Friends of the Library. In the last five years, it serviced 26 preschools and 22 classrooms in six primary schools, reaching an estimated 1800 children over the past year. On average, the housebound delivery service supported 28-50 adults each year. In the five years to April, it issued 81,906 books, eight DVDs, 1018 magazines, 257 memory aids and 1234 talking books for a total of 84,423. Housebound deliveries were fortnightly and covered about 72.4 kilometres of driving each time. Monthly primary school deliveries covered about 135km each time, excluding the Christmas holidays, while preschool deliveries were about 96.2km each month. 'Our longest-serving customer has been receiving housebound deliveries for 20-plus years. Most of the individual housebound customers would receive service for several years,' Collé said.
Scoop
28-05-2025
- Business
- Scoop
Regional Ratepayers To Fund $3.58m Loan For Tarawera Sewerage Scheme
Wednesday, 28 May 2025, 8:05 pm Article: Laura Smith - Local Democracy Reporter Bay of Plenty regional ratepayers are set to fund a $3.58 million loan towards Rotorua's controversial Tarawera Sewerage Scheme. The decision comes as Rotorua Lakes Council prepares to deliberate today on how to split costs of the $32.3m scheme between general Rotorua ratepayers, Tarawera property owners and other funders. Tarawera households currently face a lump sum cost of $50,315 each to connect to the reticulation scheme, which replaces septic tanks. The cost would rise to $55,601 for those who do not agree to on-site work on their properties by June 1. Bay of Plenty regional ratepayers are set to fund a $3.58 million loan towards Rotorua's controversial Tarawera Sewerage Scheme. The decision comes as Rotorua Lakes Council prepares to deliberate today on how to split costs of the $32.3m scheme between general Rotorua ratepayers, Tarawera property owners and other funders. Tarawera households currently face a lump sum cost of $50,315 each to connect to the reticulation scheme, which replaces septic tanks. The cost would rise to $55,601 for those who do not agree to on-site work on their properties by June 1. A report in the meeting's agenda said the loan would not necessarily reduce Lake Tarawera residents' lump sum contribution, but could 'give RLC an opportunity to reduce its interest costs and the targeted rate payable'. Making the loan interest-free would result in BOPRC forgoing about $150,000 per annum, or about $1.30 per ratepayer. Regional councillor Kevin Winters said the decision showed the council was helping Tarawera residents, while also signalling it wanted them to sign off work on their properties so stage two of the scheme could be implemented 'en masse'. He acknowledged it was not a grant as had been requested by RLC. BOPRC's chief executive could potentially further negotiate conditions, such as capping Tarawera households' costs. Councillor Jane Nees supported this cap being the $36,600 some Tarawera residents sought. Councillor Lyall Thurston said BOPRC wanted to see 'some finality to this ongoing saga at Tarawera', and hoped the decision would be well received by RLC. He said he understood some colleagues held concerns and apprehensions. Councillor Ken Shirley said spreading the cost among regional ratepayers was a 'slippery slope' in what other councils might expect in future, but he believed schemes should be considered on their own merits. The regional council also voted to have an independent review of the scheme funding and project management completed by the councils prior to loan drawdown. It came after Tarawera resident Tracey McLeod raised potential issues with the stated costs and funding of this and other sewerage schemes. She presented at a prior regional council meeting and emailed both councils the results of her investigation on Friday. Thurston said in Monday's meeting that McLeod had gone to 'great lengths to emphasise that costs have been overstated in the scheme' and there were calls for an inquiry and audit. He believed there could be pushback from both councils on that, but believed some of the 'figures bandied around need to be analysed very closely'. 'I'm starting to get totally confused with the size and the quantum of the figures that members of the community say are grossly inflated, overstated and quite frankly, I want to know what the real story is.' He said the figures in question had been circulating in the public domain for a long time and needed to be challenged, acknowledged and this issue 'put to rest once and for all'. BOPRC chairman Doug Leeder agreed some 'forensic analysis' was needed to either validate or reject what was claimed. RLC infrastructure and assets group manager Stavros Michael told Local Democracy Reporting the council was aware BOPRC was working on a response to McLeod's claims about the Rotorua Te Arawa Lakes programmes deed funding, which BOPRC administered. He said the Tarawera Sewerage Scheme is not part of those programmes and had its own funding plan. RLC would be considering the scheme's costs and funding as part of the 2025/26 Annual Plan. RLC councillors will meet today to begin Annual Plan deliberations. Funding options for Tarawera the council consulted the community about included retaining the status quo, or reducing Tarawera households' contribution by $1m or $4m and splitting it among general Rotorua ratepayers instead. Of 344 public submissions on the matter, 232 wanted the $4m taken off Tarawera households. © Scoop Media
Scoop
26-05-2025
- Scoop
Controversial Plan To Move Prisoner Reintegration Facility Takes Next Step
Article – Laura Smith – Local Democracy Reporter It comes as the council investigates the facility's activities at its current site. The public will have a say on a controversial plan to move a prisoner reintegration facility to a rural Rotorua valley. Rotorua Lakes Council has publicly notified a resource consent application for Pūwhakamua to operate in Waikite. A notice in today's Rotorua Daily Post said submissions would close at 5pm on June 25. It comes as the council investigates the existing Pūwhakamua facility, based near Rotorua Airport, after issuing, then cancelling, a notice ordering it to cease operations because of consent matters. Pūwhakamua is a tikanga Māori live-in reintegration service supporting men on parole to return and readapt into the community. It was the brainchild of reformed drug lord Billy Macfarlane, who works as general manager, and is run by Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust, with a contract from the Department of Corrections. Pūwhakamua has been operating on the leased site since 2018 and Corrections has funded it at least $4.6 million since November 2022. The trust aimed to develop a new site on nearby Māori land behind Rotokawa Baths, but landowners successfully sought an injunction through the Māori Land Court, meaning it had to find another new home. The trust applied for resource consent in October to relocate to Waikite, about 40km south of Rotorua. It had requested limited notification be carried out for immediate neighbours and that submissions be invited through a formal process. Community members told councillors last year they opposed the facility relocation, fearing the rural setting increased safety and security risks. They called for full public notification, allowing wider submissions. The Rotorua Rural Community Board was advised in a meeting on Tuesday the application would be publicly notified. The trust's application said the rural environment meant a 'focus on cultural values can be fostered away from the distractions of an urban environment'. 'Full support and care are provided through the programme via on-site resident staff and external agencies. Residents commit to pursuing lasting change through support with daily life tasks, upskilling programmes, vocational education, personal development and employment.' The trust hit consent issues at its current site this year. On March 5, the council sent an abatement notice ordering the 'unconsented' facility to cease operations and take steps to gain consent. Rehabilitation centres could be considered community housing under the District Plan, but must only have up to eight residents, whose movements could not be legally restricted – including by parole conditions. Pūwhakamua was hosting 14 parolees in February when the council inspected after neighbours raised concerns. The abatement notice was cancelled on March 24. Council destination development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston told Local Democracy Reporting an investigation into activities on the site was ongoing. He declined to comment further, saying the council did not intend to conduct the investigation through the media. Trust chairman Doug Macredie said the abatement notice was a 'non-event based on incorrect information' and was quickly cancelled. 'That said, we've taken the opportunity to review our land use in accordance with tikanga, and will continue in humility and thankfulness.' Macredie said the Waikite Valley consent notification was for the council to decide. 'We are progressing with the full support of our network and observing improved accuracy of information resulting in greater public support.' He previously said no one who could not be safely managed in the community could live at Pūwhakamua and everyone referred was assessed while still in custody. Active gang members were not considered, community safety was the 'No 1 priority' and Pūwhakamua staff were on-site at all times. A Corrections spokesperson said finding safe accommodation for people lawfully required to be released from prison was one of its 'most significant challenges'. 'Without supported accommodation, they could be homeless and living on the streets or in cars. This would present an unacceptable safety risk to communities.' According to Corrections statements, the number of men living on site at Pūwhakamua had fluctuated from eight when the notice was cancelled to nine about two weeks ago and six as of Wednesday. Eight other participants in the programme lived off-site. Corrections' communities, partnerships and pathways deputy chief executive Sean Mason told Local Democracy Reporting last month that it met with trust and council after the abatement notice. He understood the trust sought independent advice to ensure Pūwhakamua was compliant and was keeping Corrections informed. The department had developed a contingency plan in place to safely house the residents if they had needed to leave Pūwhakamua. Mason said reintegration services were important in reducing the risk of reoffending. A communication from the council to the trust, sent to Local Democracy Reporting by Corrections, said the abatement notice was cancelled to allow time for an independent planning consultant to consider an assessment undertaken on behalf of the trust.
NZ Herald
25-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Controversial plan to move prisoner reintegration facility takes next step
It was the brainchild of reformed drug lord Billy Macfarlane, who works as general manager, and is run by Tikanga Aroro Charitable Trust, with a contract from the Department of Corrections. Pūwhakamua has been operating on the leased site since 2018 and Corrections has funded it at least $4.6 million since November 2022. The trust aimed to develop a new site on nearby Māori land behind Rotokawa Baths, but landowners successfully sought an injunction through the Māori Land Court, meaning it had to find another new home. The trust applied for resource consent in October to relocate to Waikite, about 40km south of Rotorua. It had requested limited notification be carried out for immediate neighbours and that submissions be invited through a formal process. Community members told councillors last year they opposed the facility relocation, fearing the rural setting increased safety and security risks. They called for full public notification, allowing wider submissions. About 80 people attended a Rotorua Lakes Council meeting in November, most of them for a petition opposing a resource consent application. Photo / Laura Smith The Rotorua Rural Community Board was advised in a meeting on Tuesday the application would be publicly notified. The trust's application said the rural environment meant a 'focus on cultural values can be fostered away from the distractions of an urban environment'. 'Full support and care are provided through the programme via on-site resident staff and external agencies. Residents commit to pursuing lasting change through support with daily life tasks, upskilling programmes, vocational education, personal development and employment.' The trust hit consent issues at its current site this year. On March 5, the council sent an abatement notice ordering the 'unconsented' facility to cease operations and take steps to gain consent. Rehabilitation centres could be considered community housing under the District Plan, but must only have up to eight residents, whose movements could not be legally restricted – including by parole conditions. Pūwhakamua was hosting 14 parolees in February when the council inspected after neighbours raised concerns. The abatement notice was cancelled on March 24. Council destination development group manager Jean-Paul Gaston told Local Democracy Reporting an investigation into activities on the site was ongoing. He declined to comment further, saying the council did not intend to conduct the investigation through the media. Billy Macfarlane, founder of Rotorua-based organisation Pūwhakamua. Photo / Aleyna Martinez Trust chairman Doug Macredie said the abatement notice was a 'non-event based on incorrect information' and was quickly cancelled. 'That said, we've taken the opportunity to review our land use in accordance with tikanga, and will continue in humility and thankfulness.' Macredie said the Waikite Valley consent notification was for the council to decide. 'We are progressing with the full support of our network and observing improved accuracy of information resulting in greater public support.' He previously said no one who could not be safely managed in the community could live at Pūwhakamua and everyone referred was assessed while still in custody. Active gang members were not considered, community safety was the 'No 1 priority' and Pūwhakamua staff were on-site at all times. A Corrections spokesperson said finding safe accommodation for people lawfully required to be released from prison was one of its 'most significant challenges'. 'Without supported accommodation, they could be homeless and living on the streets or in cars. This would present an unacceptable safety risk to communities.' According to Corrections statements, the number of men living on site at Pūwhakamua had fluctuated from eight when the notice was cancelled to nine about two weeks ago and six as of Wednesday. Eight other participants in the programme lived off-site. Corrections' communities, partnerships and pathways deputy chief executive Sean Mason told Local Democracy Reporting last month that it met with trust and council after the abatement notice. He understood the trust sought independent advice to ensure Pūwhakamua was compliant and was keeping Corrections informed. The department had developed a contingency plan in place to safely house the residents if they had needed to leave Pūwhakamua. Mason said reintegration services were important in reducing the risk of reoffending. A communication from the council to the trust, sent to Local Democracy Reporting by Corrections, said the abatement notice was cancelled to allow time for an independent planning consultant to consider an assessment undertaken on behalf of the trust. Laura Smith is a Local Democracy Reporting journalist based at the Rotorua Daily Post. She previously reported general news for the Otago Daily Times and Southland Express, and has been a journalist since 2019. – LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
