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Otago Daily Times
10 hours ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
'We are not a shop': Council hits back at critics
The Waimakariri District Council adopted its 2025/26 plan on Tuesday. Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News Waimakariri councillors have taken aim at online critics, as they locked in an average rates rise of 4.98%. ''We are not a shop,'' councillor Tim Fulton said. ''We can turn down the lights, but the obligation to our community doesn't change.'' The Waimakariri District Council adopted its annual plan at a meeting today, with the backing of Mayor Dan Gordon and nine councillors. During the meeting, councillors took aim at comments online that said the council needed to rein in its spending and be run more like a business. Cr Joan Ward said the council provides a variety of services, including roading, infrastructure, pools and libraries. ''We are not a business. When you compare what we offer with your power bill, so much is received for the community for much the same expense.'' The Waimakariri district is continuing to support growth. Photo: Waimakariri District Council In moving the motion to adopt the annual plan, Deputy Mayor Neville Atkinson said transparency has become ''a buzz word''. Power bills have gone up an average 11% this year and insurance an average 22%, compared to the council's 4.98% rate rise, he said. ''I don't know any business which is as transparent as a government agency like us.'' Councillor Paul Williams, who has been critical of council spending, abstained from the annual plan vote and didn't comment during the debate. The annual plan consultation received 787 submissions, with the bulk on the council's proposed waters services model, designed to meet the requirements of the Government's Local Water Done Well legislation. A water services delivery plan has since been prepared for a beefed-up internal business unit to manage water services, after 97% of submissions backed the proposal. The council plans to spend nearly $90m on capital projects over the next 12 months to support the ongoing growth. During the meeting, Mayor Dan Gordon paid tribute to Mr Atkinson, who plans to retire at the election. ''I could not have asked for a more loyal deputy behind me. I've had someone who gives extraordinary advice and support.'' ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Otago Daily Times
10 hours ago
- Politics
- Otago Daily Times
ECan chair undecided as election looms
Craig Pauling. Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News The chair of Canterbury's regional council is undecided about his future, as the local election looms. Environment Canterbury chairperson Craig Pauling said he is contemplating a tilt at Parliament next year or stepping back from politics. There has been speculation Mr Pauling could run for the Green Party in the Banks Peninsula electorate in next year's general election. But he admits he still has unfinished business around the council table. ''There are things I want to do, so I'm still weighing it all up. ''Becoming an MP is certainly one of the options and I have talked about going to Parliament, but I haven't made my mind up. ''The chair role is an awesome honour. It has been rewarding and it has its challenges too.'' Mr Pauling has served two terms on the council. He was elected chairperson in October, following Peter Scott's resignation the previous month, having served as deputy chair and acting chair. The pair had contested the role in October 2022, with Mr Scott's name being drawn out of a container after an eight-eight split in the vote. Nominations for election candidates open on July 1 and close on August 1, ahead of the October elections, so he doesn't have much time if he wants a seat at the council table. Mr Pauling said if he was to stand for Parliament next year, the selection process would likely begin towards the end of this year. A third option is to step away from politics and go back to his passion for environmental planning and policy making. ''There is always heaps to do, so it is about making the decision which is right for me and my family.'' Mr Pauling is of Ngāi Tahu, Ngāti Mutunga and European descent. He has whakapapa to Taumutu, Rāpaki and Ngāi Tūāhuriri. ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Otago Daily Times
08-05-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Kaiapoi school's creative solution to staffing challenges
Kaiapoi North School students Bonnie (9, left), Alyssa (10) and Indi (10) show principal Jason Miles what they have been learning about wetas. Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News While extra teacher release time has posed a headache for some schools, a Kaiapoi school has found creative ways to manage it. Kaiapoi North School board of trustees presiding member Greg Thompson said a growing school roll and extra funding for classroom release time has allowed the school to employ specialist teachers. Those specialist teachers offer lessons in art, te reo and the environment, rather than the school using relief teachers to fill the gaps. Under the collective employment agreement with the Ministry of Education, primary school teachers are entitled to 2.5 hours of classroom release time per week. The additional classroom release time has meant schools have needed to find more relief teachers, at a time when many schools have been facing teacher shortages. With a growing roll of around 550 students, it allows Kaiapoi North School to employ two extra teachers for four days a week. ''It allows us to offer a more diverse curriculum and it is often those extra-curricula activities which bring kids to school,'' Mr Thompson said. Principal Jason Miles said the teacher release time had increased from one hour a week three years ago. It has allowed the school to employ Nicole Duxfield as a specialist art teacher, while Janine Rust offers lessons in Te Reo Māori and the environment. ''The increase in release time has been gratefully received as it recognises teacher workload, but it has also meant that schools have to work out how this is best managed,'' Mr Miles said. ''For our students, this has become a time they really look forward too because of the dynamic learning which is happening.'' He said the release time allowed teachers time for professional development, planning, marking and observing other classrooms. Ms Duxfield and Ms Rust work in together in an open plan, double classroom, working with two classes in the morning and two in the afternoon. ''It is a good amount of time. It used to be one hour, so we had five different groups in a day,'' Ms Rust said. ''But now we get them for the half day.'' The pair come up with themes, with a focus for term two being fabric and fibre. It will be centred around Kaiapoi, with students learning about the history of the town's woollen mill, harakeke flaxweaving and knitting, with whānau invited to be involved. ''It is wonderful. I'm loving it,'' Ms Duxfield said. ''Some students will have parents or grandparents who have been involved with the mill, so it will make it relevant for them.'' • LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air
Otago Daily Times
23-04-2025
- General
- Otago Daily Times
Six new classrooms to open at Canterbury school
The finishing touches are being put on the new classrooms at Te Kura o Tuahiwi. Photo: David Hill / North Canterbury News Tamariki at a North Canterbury kura (school) will be moving into new classrooms in term two. Te Kura o Tuahiwi, which sits between Kaiapoi and Rangiora, held a blessing on the last day of term one (Friday, April 11) to mark the completion of six new classrooms to support its growing school roll. Board of trustees presiding member Charlie Agi said it was a relief to open the new classrooms after years of planning and delays. ''Tuahiwi has come along way with the build. ''It is awesome to see the classrooms go up and the hall to follow. ''It has taken a while, but there is a process to go through.'' A new school hall is on track to open later in the year, ''which will be awesome for the community of Tuahiwi'', Mr Agi said. ''The hall is under construction and the frame is up. ''The cool thing about that for the kids will be that on a wet day they can migrate into the hall for play and to do school stuff.'' Work had been due to get under way in December 2023, but was put on hold while the Ministry of Education reviewed 352 building projects last year. When the project was put on hold, principal Dot Singh wrote to the Ministry of Education and Education Minister Erica Stanford to plead the school's case. It is the only kura between Christchurch and Kaikōura to offer full Māori immersion and bilingual education. The growing school roll is now hovering around the 200 mark. The new classrooms included four for roll growth and the replacement of two classrooms. They were manufactured off-site. The hall is designed to hold 250 people, meaning the kura will finally be able to hold full school assemblies, prizegivings and indoor sports. The kura regularly supports the Marae across the road by hosting people on site before they are welcomed on to the Marae. Last year the kura supported the Marae with the visit by the Māori Queen. By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter ■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
