Oamaru photographer Emma Paton has had quite the year.

A rural hall will be demolished, as a southern council wrestles with the future of the declining community assets.

Santana Minerals has been asked to consider building larger fenced pest exclusion areas to keep lizards alive and to bring back a document it rubbished at a hearing earlier this month.

Some native plants are in short supply in inland Otago as people seem to think purchasing plants was like buying a bag of nails.