Objection to exclusion from committees
West Coast regional councillor Allan Birchfield has been given the cold shoulder in a restructure of council committees.
Regions
Baby winched free from trapped tractor
Police question decision to cross flooded river
A newborn baby and three adults were winched one by one from a tractor stuck in a flooded West Coast river in a dramatic rescue led by police.
Warning from mayor
Warning from mayor
Dumping the "nice to haves" from council budgets could mean cutting things that keep a community together in hard times, Buller Mayor Jamie Cleine is warning.
Mayors hopeful water rules will be relaxed
Mayors hopeful water rules will be relaxed
West Coast mayors are optimistic that some of the more stringent rules proposed for their water services might be relaxed, after a meeting in Greymouth with the government’s water regulator.
Barge refloated after West Coast stranding
Barge refloated after stranding on West Coast beach
A stranded barge has been dragged off a West Coast beach with the help of a tug and a helicopter, six days after it ran aground in stormy weather.
Mayors air Three Waters woes with Taumata Arowai boss
Mayors air Three Waters woes with Taumata Arowai boss
West Coast mayors are optimistic that some of the more stringent rules proposed for their water services might be relaxed, after a meeting in Greymouth with the government’s water regulator.
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Hopes stricken barge will be floated soon
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Hopes stricken barge will be floated soon
The cavalry has arrived in Westport, boosting hopes that a powerful tug now offshore can pull the stricken barge off Carters Beach around midday tomorrow.
Pensioner on strike over rates hike
Pensioner on strike over rates hike
A Hokitika pensioner is staging a one-woman rate strike in protest at the amount she is being asked to pay to the West Coast Regional Council.
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Barge could remain stranded for days
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Barge could remain stranded for days
Hopes of refloating the mineral sands barge Manahau stuck on a Westport beach after a weekend storm, rest with a tug expected from the North Island later this week.
Crew concerns raised before barge grounding
Crew concerns raised before barge grounding
Concerns had been raised by New Zealand seafarers about the foreign crew and flag of a barge that ran aground near Westport overnight.
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Rain warning thresholds changed
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Rain warning thresholds changed
The MetService has changed its rain warning thresholds for the West Coast, which should result in fewer orange alerts being issued.
Blackball residents told to boil water
Blackball residents told to boil water
Residents in the Grey district town of Blackball are being asked to boil their drinking water until further notice.
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Time ticking to strengthen town clock
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Time ticking to strengthen town clock
Time is ticking to seismically strengthen Hokitika's iconic town clock, or risk it being taken down or fenced off.
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Rain warning criteria for West Coast changed
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Rain warning criteria for West Coast changed
MetService has changed its rain warning thresholds for the West Coast, which should see fewer 'orange' alerts issued.
West Coast weekend, after-hours GP clinics could close
West Coast weekend, after-hours GP clinics could close
Leaked documents show West Coast Health has proposed closing its weekend and after-hours GP clinics and using a telehealth service instead.
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Suburb still isolated after landslide
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Greymouth suburb still isolated after landslide
Contractors have been working hard to restore road access in a Greymouth suburb after a landslide, but residents are warned the hill remains unstable.
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Trail of car pieces leads to driver's arrest
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Trail of car pieces leads to driver's arrest
In the tradition of Hansel and Gretel, police followed a trail of debris from a stolen vehicle to apprehend a Motueka man near Inangahua.
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Slips shut road in Greymouth suburb
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Slips shut road in Greymouth suburb
A huge clap of thunder and the wailing of a car alarm were the first signs residents in a Greymouth suburb got that something was wrong.
Behind on farm checks but it’s OK
Behind on farm checks but it’s OK
The West Coast Regional Council is cutting back on the number of visits it makes to dairy farms to check if farmers are doing the right thing by the region’s rivers.
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Cafe signs covered after breaching council rules
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Cafe signs covered after breaching council rules
The Empire Cafe in Kumara has only been open six weeks, but business has been slow after the Westland District Council ordered the removal of signwork.