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Highlights from the Waikouaiti Coast Community Board
The Waikouaiti Coast Community Board heard presentations on an array of local, city-wide and regional projects at its meeting last week in Dunedin.
Funding Applications
At the public forum, Blueskin A&P Society committee member Katie Peppercorn addressed the board on a funding request for new toilets at Bland Park, Waitati.
As members of the A&P society committee, board chairman Alasdair Morrison and member Danny Hailes stepped back from the discussion.The board granted the project $1500.
Waitati Volunteer Fire Brigade deputy chief Charles Abraham spoke to a funding request for $1500 towards the $5000 cost of buying a specialist training mannequin to use in realistic training scenarios.
After discussion, the board granted the $1500 with Mr Hailes voting against.
At Mr Hailes’ urging, the board resolved to write to Fire and Emergency NZ highlighting that the organisation itself should be funding such equipment for its volunteer firefighters.
Climate Adaptation
South Dunedin Future programme manager Jonathan Rowe and senior adviser with the Dunedin City Council Climate Adaptation and Resilience team Brandy Saxton gave a presentation on their work.
This focused on adaptation and preparation for dealing with climate change across Dunedin to protect people, places, environment and services.
There were five work streams for the programme, including natural hazard, climate risk assessment, and three adaptation streams.
"Fundamentally, this work is about building the right things in the right places,” Mr Rowe said.
Catchment Action Plan
Otago Regional Council Catchment Action planner Sophie Fern also gave a presentation to the board reporting on the Dunedin and Coast Catchment Action Plan.
Ms Fern told the board this broad-based plan that covered from freshwater catchments to 12 nautical miles offshore aimed to work with the best available knowledge.
Board Updates
In his report, Waikouaiti Coast Community Board chairman Alasdair Morrison shared concerns about the patchy NZ Post delivery service in the area — especially with the general election coming up.
A town hall meeting was suggested to discuss the issue with the community.
Dunedin City Council representative Cr John Chambers told the board the council had been able to reduce the rates rise somewhat from 10.9% to 8.9%.
Board deputy chair Anna Knight highlighted that the Keep Dunedin Beautiful Awards are coming up on August 21.