Latest news with #communityasset
RNZ News
4 days ago
- Business
- RNZ News
Napier City Council backtracks on proposed library closure
Napier Library will remain open for at least five days a week. Photo: Tom Kitchin After facing public backlash over a proposal to close Napier Library, the council has decided to keep it open. In a bid to save ratepayers, the council proposed shutting Napier Library for two years until the new library was built. However, after widespread push back from residents , the council has backtracked and will keep the library open at least five days a week. "The submissions were clear that people think the library is an important community asset, and they were willing to pay slightly more rates as a result. Reducing its days of opening will still help keep the rates increase low," Napier Mayor Kirsten Wise said. Local independent bookstore owner Gareth Wardini is one of many who wanted to see the library stay open, and told RNZ he was thrilled with the outcome. "I'm delighted it is going to stay open because I think it's a core resource and a place for many people to teach themselves to read, teach kids to read and enjoy books," he said. Gareth and Louise Wardini. Photo: Supplied / Florence Charvin Napier City Council received 1007 submissions on its annual plan, the highest feedback in 10 years, and 67 percent of respondents wanted the library kept open for as long as possible. Wardini said it was evident the council had listened. "A lot of the community signed petitions and made it clear they wanted to keep the library - fair play to the council as they've listened and done what people wanted," Wardini said. The proposed interim closure of Napier Library would have meant a saving of $620,730 for 2025/26 rates. But the future of the National Aquarium is not so clear - the council's preferred option is to demolish the old aquarium and build a new one to the tune of about $28 million. The council said this facility would be cheaper to operate, however, only 17 percent of submissions supported this move. An alternative option is for the council to hand the aquarium's operation to a third party, and the council will now develop a business case for another round of public consulation. Decisions will be final when the council adopts its 2025/26 annual plan in late June. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
BBC News
29-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Council rejects residents' bid to own Netherton Village Hall
A plan by Huddersfield residents to take over a local "eyesore" and turn it into a community asset looks set to fail, after the council said it was "preparing to sell" Netherton Village boarded-up hall, on Meltham Road, has been out of use for several years, and was previously earmarked for disposal when Kirklees Council was grappling with a £47m black hole in its budget in 2023/ the time, the council had indicated, for some sites, it was open to the idea of a Community Asset Transfer - effectively handing a building over to local have raised a petition calling for the hall to be transferred to the community, but the council say it will be sold later this year. A petition, currently being circulated, calls on the council to restore the derelict hall and hand its ownership and management over to the community, so it can become a place "to be proud of".The petition outlines how the hall could "empower" residents, setting out eight benefits of a community-owned village hall, including increased usage and providing an economic boost to the wider area, by attracting the petition receives 3,000 signatures, it will be debated by full council, according to the Local Democracy Reporting signatory wrote: "The place is currently an eyesore. "It is slap-bang in the middle of the shops and right next to the bus stop, drawing people's attention to it. "I remember the days when it was used by various groups based in the community."I hope those days return before the building gets any worse." Future reinvestment However, asked whether the council would be open to the idea of a Community Asset Transfer in the case of Netherton Village Hall, the local authority made it clear its intention is to auction the property. Joanne Bartholomew, service director for development at Kirklees Council, said: "While a Community Asset Transfer has been explored for Netherton Village Hall in the past, this was not taken forward - and we are now preparing to sell the building later this year. "We hope that this auction will be successful, and this money can be reinvested into positive schemes for Kirklees' future." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
