Latest news with #WhanganuiChronicle
NZ Herald
18-05-2025
- Business
- NZ Herald
CBD parking: Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe supports Mainstreet's proposal to extend parking stay
'We want to promote the ParkMate app much more, but there are so many different tiers of parking that it's difficult to promote.' The ParkMate app, introduced in 2018, was designed to make it more convenient for customers to pay for parking without carrying cash. Mainstreet believed modifying the time limits would encourage more use of the CBD and make it easier for visitors wanting to shop or eat. Mayor Andrew Tripe told the Whanganui Chronicle he supported the proposal. 'A busy and vibrant town centre is a healthy town centre,' he said. 'If we can have people in town spending a bit of money and creating a sense of community, I am all for that. 'I am very supportive. Three hours is not that much different from two - I think three hours is very reasonable.' Meyerhoff, in her presentation to the council, said beautician and hairdresser clients were often caught by the two-hour limit, as were cinemagoers. Vivo Hair & Beauty manager Selina Hill said parking could be a hassle for clients of her Victoria Ave business because appointments often extended past two hours. She was in favour of the proposed changes. 'I think it's a great idea because it ends up costing clients more on top of their service, and quite often they get tickets. 'We lose clients because they can't be parked for long enough. It's a nightmare, so we're all for it.' Tripe said there were 'multiple reasons why you'd need a car parked for three hours more than two, and it's not going to have an effect in causing issues for others'. It has been a busy start to Mainstreet's year with internal changes at the organisation. 'Up until now, we have been a bit quiet and that is because we have been relooking at our foundations, cementing them and looking at the strategy to see how we can implement that,' Meyerhoff said. In November 2024, Nikki Oesterle became chairwoman, while Meyerhoff began as general manager in February. Addressing earthquake-prone buildings in collaboration with the council was another goal. Meyerhoff said Mainstreet had created a database of all the earthquake-prone buildings within the CBD and roughly when they would need renovations. The council, in its 2025-26 Annual Plan, proposes to reintroduce funding of $100,000 for the town centre regeneration project that was removed in the 2024-2034 Long-Term Plan. Mainstreet is advocating that it be made the gatekeeper of the funds, with two focus areas being the enhancement of Majestic Square and better use of alleyways. The organisation wants to develop the square to have more of a multi-cultural and multi-generational use. Meyerhoff hopes to 'activate' alleyways connecting Victoria Ave to neighbouring streets so the area can be more fun and accessible. The council will make decisions on the Annual Plan submissions on May 28-29.
NZ Herald
18-05-2025
- NZ Herald
Whanganui council increases frontline staffing after mock Molotov cocktail threat
'That's to make sure we don't have vulnerable staff exposed while working on their own, which is always an aggravating factor to those kinds of incidents,' he said. His report to the committee said there had been increased safety and de-escalation training for staff and a redesign of the customer services area. 'One additional thing we're about to start looking at is some kind of persona work around the types of customers we receive,' he told councillors. 'Putting the fence at the top of the cliff rather than the training at the bottom of the cliff.' Earlier this year, Langford received an email demanding he leave his office immediately and place himself under house arrest. If he did not comply, he 'would be taken to an undisclosed location'. Whanganui Mayor Andrew Tripe told the Chronicle the person behind the mock Molotov cocktail was also responsible for a series of threatening notes. 'There was one particular individual who spiked the numbers, but I would say the majority of our community is pretty happy with where things are at,' he said. 'But any person who harasses our frontline staff is one too many. 'I pop down personally to see how they are doing, and they seem to be in a much better place than they were when those incidents happened a few weeks ago.' Langford's report said following a period of escalation over two weeks, the perpetrator was arrested by police. He told the committee he hoped the low rates increase for 2025/26 (an average of 2.2%) would 'take the vitriol out of some people's sails'. 'I'm sure there is more we can do to be a friendlier, easier organisation to do business with so people don't get quite so cross in the first place.' Advertise with NZME. McQuillan told the committee that de-escalation training was being rolled out across all the council's facilities, including the Splash Centre and iSite building. There were two incidents at the Splash Centre in February and one at a library in March. She said it was easy for staff to access the training, which required a discussion with a manager or putting in a request. Councillor Peter Oskam asked if elected members would be included in it and, if so, 'when will the invite go out?'. Langford said something would be put in place. Tripe said the vast majority of interactions with the council were positive, but some were more stressful than others. 'Coming to get a library book wouldn't have too many issues, but then there is having to pay a fine or something like that. 'Councils across the country have experienced the same issues that we have.' Mike Tweed is a multimedia journalist at the Whanganui Chronicle. Since starting in March 2020, he has dabbled in everything from sport to music. At present his focus is local government, primarily the Whanganui District Council.
NZ Herald
09-05-2025
- Health
- NZ Herald
Hospital staff deserve our gratitude
Everybody's need is urgent when they are in hospital, writes Nicky Rennie. Whanganui-based Nicky Rennie returned to her home town in 2018 while celebrating three decades in broadcasting. She has written a column for the Whanganui Chronicle since 2021. OPINION A couple of weeks ago, if you asked me about an ideal way to spend an interesting day learning about
NZ Herald
25-04-2025
- Lifestyle
- NZ Herald
Taking selfies with Pope Francis in his casket crosses a line
The "bad and ugly" of cellphone use has shocked Nicky Rennie this week. Photo / 123rf Opinion by Nicky Rennie Whanganui-based Nicky Rennie returned to her home town in 2018 while celebrating three decades in broadcasting. She has written a column for the Whanganui Chronicle since 2021. Learn more I am a fan of manners. Thanks to my parents, they are, quite simply, woven into my DNA and, as a result, they are now woven into my daughter's. My opinion is that, if children have manners, people will think more highly of them and they will springboard into life
NZ Herald
24-04-2025
- NZ Herald
Stabbing of Department of Corrections staff member at Whanganui office prompts security review
A former probation officer at the Wilson St offices, who the Whanganui Chronicle has agreed not to name, said it was 'an incident waiting to happen'. She said she felt unsafe due to a lack of security at the office site. Unlike courts, there were no metal detectors or security guards where staff regularly met offenders. The ex-officer hoped a formal review could bring additional security measures. Morrison said they could confirm that the Whanganui Community Corrections site had CCTV, but for security reasons, could not detail all the security measures in place. 'We have robust processes in place which include extensive training for our staff on keeping safe at work, physical security features, and technological security features which enable staff to quickly activate a call for urgent assistance,' Morrison said. Morrison said Corrections took the safety and wellbeing of all staff extremely seriously. 'The reality of our environments and the people we manage means the risk of violence is something we cannot eliminate. 'However, we are committed to learning from the incident last week to identify additional steps we should take to keep our Community Corrections staff safe. 'Every single one of our staff deserves to feel safe and to go home to their loved ones each day.' Home visit safety concerns Probation officers work with people serving community-based sentences and help to rehabilitate recently released prisoners. The ex-officer said she was concerned about inadequate protection when making home visits to offenders. Morrison said community staff completed on-the-job training around how to keep themselves safe, which included strategies around de-escalation and environmental risks to consider. He said all sites had a process to account for all staff on home visits, including technological security features which enable them to quickly activate a call for urgent assistance. 'Two staff attend home visits, so there is an additional person to support the environmental assessment while the other is engaging with the person. 'If there are risks or safety concerns, the staff shouldn't conduct the home visit.' Man charged with stabbing A 25-year-old man appeared in Whanganui District Court on April 10 charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. The defendant was granted interim name suppression and remanded without plea until his next appearance. The duty lawyer said psychiatric reports were 'likely to be ordered' under the Mentally Impaired Persons Act.
