Last week’s West Harbour Community Board meeting, held at the alternate venue of Ravensbourne Hall, was a quiet affair.
The Star caught up with West Harbour Community Board chairman Jarrod Hodson after the meeting.
He said no-one in the community attended the public forum, leaving the board to get on with general business.
The board’s community plan was discussed and updated, and it was noted the board would trial an arts award from its 2026-27 discretionary fund.
Board members provided updates on a broad range of community initiatives, including reduced noise levels at Port Chalmers; concerns about overhanging vegetation near the monument on Blueskin Rd; interest in wetlands near Long beach; vegetation and roading issues in Aramoana; and policing matters.
In his chairman’s report, Mr Hodson covered a broad range of topics. These included discussing the board’s submission to the Otago Mayoral Forum regarding the Local Government Reforms mandated by the coalition government.
The submission stated the local voice in local democracy must be protected.
"Any new local government structure must deliver more decision-making into local communities via empowered local boards, as per the Auckland Supercity."
The board expressed concern about the ownership and assets of Port Otago under the proposed reforms, and asked Dunedin City Council not to be part of any reorganisation proposal using the voluntary Head Start pathway.
"If these disruptive and costly reforms are going to be carried out, we want West Harbour to be part of a robust governance structure that will last for generations, not a ‘rush job’," the submission said.
Mr Hodson also spoke about attending the final Ravensdown Community Liaison Group meeting, now that manufacturing at Ravensdown has ceased, and acknowledged the work of the group.
As last week’s meeting was the final one of the financial year, the board voted to allocate the remaining balance of its discretionary fund, about $2200, to the Ravensbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade for equipment.
