power of prayer

You may have noticed the new regulations for silt control. Nothing effective there. [We know how to establish effective silt control but do not have the courage needed.]

The main method of silt control in Porirua City is prayer.

First, the developer prays that it does not rain.

Then the developer prays that the mud running down the hill is not noticed.

Then the developer prays that any complainant is dismissed as a nutter by the Council.

Then the developer prays that the inspector is helpful (the developer will use the word "reasonable").

Then the developer prays that his inaction does not precipitate legal action.

Finally, the developer prays that he finishes the job and defuses the issue before any legal action comes to fruition.

So far as I know, having been 15 years on the Council, prayer always works.

r

april fools

Incredible the letters to the editor about the April Fools Day joke. The whole thing was about but one thing: Nick was raising his profile. Deliberately and cleverly. Notice how he also promoted his friends. He used the same technique used by his colleague Chris Gollins some years ago. The joke had nothing to do with humour. Nor did it have anything to do with Whitby. It was a very well executed move: in real estate and as a councllor you need to promote yourself. Nick is very skilled. Credit where credit is due. Part of his skill is that he gets everyone writing about him and his joke, and that is exactly what they did. He made them all work for him.

Incidentally, it is not actually in the Council's power to change names, there is a thing called the Geographic Board (established by Act of Parliament in 1946 if I remember rightly).
r
May 7, 2008

conflicts of interest

I am aware that there is considerable discussion in the community about conflicts of interest at Council.
r
May 6, 2008

wra focus - legal case

Dear Mayor Jenny Brash,

Duck Creek Esplanade Reserves

On Friday last, representing WRA as an interested party, I attended the Environment Court hearing of the WCE v PCC case seeking clarification of the method of measurement of rivers in relation to Duck Creek and determining the banks for esplanade reserves.

As you know Robin Gunston has taken over as WRA Chairperson but committee members are heading up certain specific issues. I am responsible for coordinating on Duck Creek, amongst other matters. It is in that capacity I write to you.

I believe the PCC case put by Peter Winchester and the council’s experts was compelling, although it was difficult to be sure of the position that the Judge and two commissioners may take.

My reason for writing is really related to some statements made by Peter Winchester and others during the hearing suggesting limiting the amount of reserve and I seek your assurance that, while they may represent initial opinions of some officers, they do not represent Council’s policy. Those statements had no bearing on the actual determination being sort from the Court and I made no comment at the time but I was inwardly concerned.

Mr Todd, representing WCE, stated that Council intended taking 5m and 15m esplanade reserve from the banks as a “land grab”. I hope no such intent to limit esplanade reserve to those amounts has been conveyed to WCE and I wish to confirm that this council policy represent the minimum amounts required for the management of Duck Creek. It presumably has no bearing on the amount taken, as of public legal right, to fulfil the other stated reasons in the RMA for esplanade reserves. The Act actually states it shall be 20m unless there are reasons for taking less. It is assumed those reasons must be good and in the interests of the community and the environment. Giving up such a public right to maximise the profit for the developer would not presumably be a valid reason.

A comment made by Peter Winchester and later by Stuart Kinnear was that Council was not intending to seek the full esplanade reserve because of the cost involved (or words similar). I must ask if this is Council’s policy or is an emerging position. If it is, then we wish to discuss matter with you. It is not appropriate that the public’s legal right to reserves should be given away without consultation.

We have always taken the position that we would be flexible about reserve areas providing WCE is prepared to negotiate in good faith. On that basis WCE and PCC might agree to a lesser width of reserve in one area if a greater width was provided elsewhere so that the total reserve area remained unchanged. On that basis we might establish that 20m from each bank equates to 4ha per kilometre of river. Over the 3km length of Duck Creek this is about 12ha. This is esplanade reserve taken for the purposes stated within the Act and does not include road reserve or drainage control ponds or facilities. Neither would it include the river itself as defined by the banks at MAF levels that would also become publicly (council) owned. It could reasonably include land required to provide east/west pedestrian linkages. None of the above would absolve WCE from paying reserve contributions.

Officers are about to start discussion and negotiations with WCE. I assume they have no authority at this stage to negotiate away rights to reserve land but rather to discuss how that reserve land might be distributed to the advantage of both sides.

This should be made clear to WCE. If they are not prepared to negotiate on that basis, the council should merely follow the RMA provisions and take the 20m from each bank as specified. That is not a tenable position for WCE as it would make sensible development of the remaining area difficult and expensive. It is therefore in their interest to reach a fair and reasonable settlement (fair to the community) for a comprehensive development plan that leaves a green backbone to Whitby as intended in the original Whitby Plan. This is not a “hard ball” position but realistic in view of WCE’s continuing disregard for the residents of Whitby and Porirua and history of unwillingness to negotiate as demonstrated by their attitude following the charette.

Any park that is created from the esplanade reserves acquired would be a huge asset to the whole of our city and the region. We wish the council well in trying to get WCE to see reason and obtain the best outcome for our city.

I would appreciate your response to the specific matters raised above.

Yours sincerely

Jim Dearsly

comment sent to me - someone might usefully reply

If you have been wondering why our local iwi haven’t publicly voiced an opinion over the Pautahanui wind farm proposal, it’s probably because they have one planned for themselves. Published by Porirua City Council as part of the plan Change 7 (Windfarms) submissions, the Ngati Toa people through The Hongoeka Development Trust have at ‘considerable expense’ identified and researched a block of their land between Plimmerton and Pukerua Bay for a wind farm development. Accordingly they are ‘totally opposed’ to Porirua City Council’s attempt through this plan change to put some controls in place so that that natural environment and coastal views that we currently enjoy are not jeopardised by these commercial developments. Ngati Toa’s support of windfarms would seem at odds with Maori culture and their role as guardians of New Zealand’s natural heritage, and in doing so could find themselves caste in a role they are so frequently critical of.

ROBERT COMMENTS

This was unsigned. It does give a pont-of-view, but I have no view on it as yet.
r
May 6, 2008

wra submisision on draft annual plan

PO Box 58134
Whitby
Porirua 5245

Dear Sir/Madam

Submission Annual Plan 2008/9

Thank you for the opportunity to comment on the Annual Plan. WRA continues to support any moves by Council to reduce the rates burden on household ratepayers and to improve the long term sustainability of our Village and the City.

We support the following additional activities of the Plan:

We do not support any of the other areas of proposed additional expenditure , especially any that leads to more people being employed, in order to have long term sustainability staff numbers need to be reducing drastically over the next 10 years or the rates burden will get dependent on such personnel numbers and their associated costs.

We do not believe there is sufficient detailed information to make a call on investments in ICT, if further information in the form of a robust business case(s) were to be submitted to us we have experienced ICT business owners and consultants on our team to examine it further.

We wish to see the following projects adopted in this Plan:

We will, as always be carefully watching the Council’s response to this. As a Committee we also put many precious, unpaid hours into the evaluation of these plans in the vainglorious hope that the wisdom of many will one day prevail !

We do not have the time to be heard on these submissions on this occasion as the Village Plan takes our top priority at present.

Please feel free to contact me if you wish to know more.

Yours sincerely

Robin Gunston
Chair.

visit to learn about wind farms

Porirua City Council and Greater Wellington Regional Council

Combined Site Visit to Manawatu Wind Farms

Friday 2nd May 2008

Trip Itinerary
(Approx. Times)

8:00 am           Mana Coach Services Bus Departs from Greater Wellington Regional Council, Wakefield Street, Wellington

8:45 am           Bus departs from Porirua City Council, Hagley Street, Porirua

11:15 am         Arrive in Ashurst for Morning Tea (Morning Tea provided)

11:45 am         Depart from Ashurst for Te Apiti wind farm - meet with Mike Goldsworthy (Meridian Asset Manager for Te Apiti), at 12:00 for a talk about the Te Apiti wind farm

12:30 pm         Lunch at Herb Farm Café, Grove Road, Ashurst (Lunch provided)

1:30 pm           Presentation from Virginia Shaw (Principal Planner: Palmerston North City Council) and Tom Shannon (Ashurst farmer) on experiences with regulatory processes for Manawatu wind farms (at the Herb Farm Café)

2:00 pm           Depart for Tararua wind farm (Trust Power 3 site)

2:15 pm           Discussion with Colin Farrington (Vestas Manager at Tararua), on the turbines operating at Trust Power 3 site, and a brief tour of Trust Power 3 site with Afternoon Tea (provided)

3:30 pm           Depart for Porirua City Council

5:30 pm           Arrive back in Porirua

6:00 pm           Arrive back at Greater Wellington Regional Council

Information handouts will be provided on the day.

Please direct any enquiries to:

Peter Matich
Senior Policy Analyst (Environment)
Porirua City Council
(04) 237 1498

how to fix the proposed dp rules

Wind Farm Policy

I am asked what I would regard as important provisions in the District Plan for wind farms.

Here are five suggestions, and I would appreciate discussion about them and alternative ideas:

1) Any wind farm should have its own rates differential. Otherwise wind farms will pay to the Council the same rates as are paid by rural landowners. This would be grossly unfair on everyone because the effects of a wind farm on the community, and the services they use, will be far greater than those of farming operations. As different wind farms will have different degrees of ongoing dis-benefits for the community, and different levels of profit for their owners, some sort of policy formula will need to be established.

2) The development levy for any wind farm applicant must take into account the wide range of impacts of the turbines and associated works. It is the development levy that is going to off-set the cost to ratepayers of road works, and the loss of amenity value. It would not be adequate to apply the same development levies that apply to the developers of subdivisions.

3) Any wind farm application should trigger an independent social impact report.

4) In the case where the wind farm is on public land, some of the royalties should be returned to the territorial authority. At present the plan is that the regional council benefits from the income, but the dis- benefits all fall upon the Porirua City ratepayers. It is possible this mechanism will need to be established outside the District Plan, although it would be better if it could be a part of a single comprehensive set of rules.

5) When Council amends the District Plan there needs to be a specific definition of areas where wind farms will not be allowed. This could be placed in the District Plan under the new "Wind Farms" heading or it could be a part of the new first chapter that is being written for the District Plan and which we currently know as the Porirua Development Framework project.

Robert Shaw
Porirua City Councillor

wind farm issues

The level of misleading information is of concern to myself and council officers. Watch for corrective measures in newspapers.
r
April 19, 2008

april fool

Interesting to note that when Nick Leggett plants an April Fools joke with the support of the editor of the Kapi Mana News, quite a few people are unable to tell the difference between himself and his jokes.

Personally, I saw the funny side because I did not for a moment believe it. All the councillors who appeared did so with their permission. There were even letters to the papers saying that people agreed with Sue Dow. However, there were many people seriously upset by the joke, and some considered it indicative of something within the Council. Perhaps Nick will have a comment, now the dust has settled some.
r
April 19, 2008

maori party statement about porirua

ROBERT COMMENTS

This statement is an address to the Porirua Maori Providers Association;
Maraeroa Marae Health Clinic
He aha nga moemoea? He aha nga wawata?

The address is by Tariana Turia Member of Parliament for Te Tai Hauauru
Friday 11 April 2008; 10am

It is nice to know Mrs Turia reads the Porirua Wellington Web Blog so carefully. Members of Parliament from the National and Labour parties are also regular readers.

Here is Mrs Turia's statement from the Maori Party web site.
r
April 18, 2008

TARIANA TURIA:

Last December, TV3’s Campbell Live featured a Maori family from the Creek.

The camera zoomed in on the whanau jamming on the back lawn, washing line full, everyone singing, content, happy.

Was it a dream? A fluke? A one-off miracle?

Was it indeed possible that mainstream media could take the cameras to Cannons Creek and show a story of love, of faith, of passion?

The focus of the interview was young Paiheretia Aperahama –finalist in the North City Shooting Star Talent Quest, and at eleven years of age, the youngest talent to ever reach the semi-finals of Maorioke – Maori TV’s popular karaoke competition show.

In another interview, Mum Dianne, talked about her son, saying

"there’s such joy in the House when he’s humming away. This is just a wonderful opportunity for a child to catch a wave as it comes".

The story about the young Te Kura Maori o Porirua celebrity made an impact on many levels.

Of course, the sheer talent and musicality of the boy they nicknamed ‘Maori Jackson’ was impressive, but so too, was the pride of his parents in the strength that all of their children possessed in te reo Maori, in tikanga Morehu.

It was such a wonderful contrast to usual bad news tales, to watch a story about an everyday whanau, who were passionate about music, who were devoted to their spiritual growth.

I am greatly inspired by Paiheretia and the opportunities he took up, to catch the wave of well-being.

What could the wave of well-being look like for Porirua?

For Maraeroa, for Horoauta, for Takapuwahia?

For the whanau supported by Te Whare Tiaki Wahine Refuge?

For Ngati Toa? Nga Tangata whenua o te taurahere?

Far be it from me, from Ngati Apa, Tuwharetoa, Whanganui and Nga Rauru, to come into your rohe and define your solutions.

I want to be listening to your voices, to hear your views on the bright ideas that you have about things we must do as a political party, to support your mahi– and just as importantly to support this community.

I have always been impressed by the passion so many of your people hold for Porirua – there are just so many wonderful advocates here whom I have learnt so much from – and I thank you for your incredible generosity in sharing with me.

But if I could focus on one thing – it would be the connection that you all celebrate through your association with PaMPA – the Porirua Maori Providers Association.

As social justice advocates I know you are frequently hamstrung by the hand that feeds you – the contracts that stipulate what you must do and when.

So often your funding is tied to addressing the deficits, targeting the problems with no regard for anything positive that may happen along the way.

We in the Maori Party stand for a commitment to a vision of a fair and just community.

How do you grow your community? What can you do to bring out the best of all of your people? What will your organization do to keep the community spirit high?

This is a community with a strong and intense history.

A history in which the Crown has accepted responsibility for the way it had acted in breach of the Treaty of Waitangi, by kidnapping Te Rauparaha and forcing Te Rangihaeata into permanent exile.

It is a tortured history in which the Crown has failed to ensure that Ngati Toa were left with sufficient land holdings, leaving them in a state of virtual landlessness.

The Waitangi Tribunal has found that the Crown failed to protect the customary interests of Ngäti Toa, and that it took steps to undermine the rangatiratanga of Ngati Toa.

On top of a concentrated policy of military action and coercion, Ngati Toa has taken steps to submit a Waitangi claim, to pursue full restoration of the mana and the dignity belonging to the people.

But there have been other events and circumstances which have shaped the landscape.

The name of Porirua, for many New Zealanders, has been associated with the Porirua Lunatic Asylum which at its peak, cared for some 2000 people.

There is the lasting legacy of the influx of state houses which were constructed from the early 1950s on, but which have been grossly neglected by the state in the decades which followed.

I have been appalled at the way in which whole streets of houses continue to remain in various states of disrepair; housing conditions which have impacted adversely on the health of your community.

There is the fusion of tangata whenua with the pride of the Pacific, as the pressure of the labour market has brought the peoples of Polynesia to Porirua.

There are the effects of the urbanisation of our people, as Todd Motors and other industries have drawn us here.

Porirua is associated also with a particular gang culture.

I was reading a biography from Hone Davis in Robert Shaw’s web-blog. Hone recalled his childhood days, remembering

The gangs used to walk as a whole gang along the street. They were all leathered out, the boys and the girls. When I went to Corinna School, in 1970, we had to affiliate to a gang so we were safe in the field during lunchtime and playtime. Otherwise you ran the risk of getting caught in the middle.

So for my father's generation and for mine, there's been that kind of culture present in Porirua. But I've heard some really good things lately about fathers getting out of the gangs and trying to keep their kids out.

This quick browse through the history and experiences of this place, by its very nature can only skim the surface of the depth of association and links that you as individuals, as members of whanau, hapu and iwi hold.

We have a whakatauki which reminds of the need for caution as we plan to set sail for the horizons, to aspire to our future.

Titiro ki muri kia whakatika a mua

Those who ignore the lessons of the past

are doomed to repeat them.

The pursuit of wellbeing for our people in this rohe, must encompass reconciliation and healing, the restoration of spirit.

It is about facing our histories, understanding the savage impact of land alienation, of discrimination and racism, of military violence, the psychiatric abuse of power, the tensions and dynamics involved in creating communities without town planners and city architects devoting any space to cultural respect.

It’s about facing this past – not ignoring it – understanding therefore how important the process of cultural revitalisation and restoration is to the journey onwards.

What should be our moemoea, our wawata for the wellbeing of tangata whenua?

The panui for this hui today, summed it all up –

He aha te mea nui? Ko koe ko au, ko au ko koe.

Maaku e ki, he tangata, he tangata, he tangata.

For the women and children in the care of Te Whare Tiaki Wahine, it is about reconnecting with those who can best restore their whanau with a strong sense of identity, the safety and protection of those who care.

For Te Kowhao, Te Roopu Pokai Taaniwhaniwha, it’s about reconnecting and linking in to kaupapa, to tikanga, as the foundation for spiritual and mental health.

For Te Roopu Awhina it may be about drawing on the wisdom of whakawhanaungatanga as a vital resource for social service developments in Porirua.

There’s the progress that Streets Ahead 237 has made with the support of the Maraeroa Marae health clinic, in supporting youth at risk.

You’re probably very familiar with the work that Fa’amatuainu Wayne Poutoa and his team are doing, the work that got him recognised with a ‘World of Difference’ Award.

I liked what he had to say, about why he had committed his life to supporting young people – many of these rangatahi who have been influenced adversely by the impact of marijuana, alcohol, methamphetamine (P), violence.

For us it’s also largely about connecting people to their culture, which is currently replaced by the American lifestyles and rap music and all that kind of rubbish.

We connect our people back and say, ‘You’re an extension of your ancestors’ journey and therefore you have a legacy to fulfil’ – when we bring you to the marae under an indigenous umbrella, you’re able to understand ‘Who am I? Where do I fit?’ and therefore you become complete.

That’s a key component in helping people come out of gang life into better things.

You are an extension of your ancestors journey. You have a legacy to fulfill.

What better encouragement could there be than to make that ultimate connection with our tupuna, our kaupapa, the dreams and aspirations our ancestors had for the generations to follow.

Paiheretia feels the value of te reo Maori, of tikanga Morehu, in every aspect of his life. It is the cloak that keeps him warm against the winds of change; it is the korowai that gives him confidence to make it in the world.

The wellbeing of tangata whenua is worth working for.

It is worth putting the effort in to create a time of renewal and hope for the future.

It is worth making the commitment to celebrate our continual growth as a nation, a nation of cultural diversity and richness where our unity is underpinned by the expression of tangata whenua-tanga, Te käkano i ruia mai i Rangiätea.

It is worth doing what we can to maintain a clean natural environment for all New Zealanders to benefit from.

It is worth seeing the world with our unique perspective, restoring the philosophies, practices and world views encompassed within the tangata whenua reality.

I think that Paiheretia knew all of that, when he chose to sing on Maorioke, the classic love song, I’ll be there.

And perhaps that is the most significant challenge yet, we’ll be there with a love so strong, we’ll be there to face the future together, we’ll be there to share the collective responsibility of caring for each other.

Why Oppose Wadlow Wind Farm?

This is thirteen turbines of 75 meters height. Some of them are within two kilometers of a village.

Because:

prediction - hospital land

Watch for two things to happen over the hospital land. First, there will be a major treaty claim lodged by the Ngati Toa. Second, most of the land will turn into a housing estate a bit like Whitby, Aotea, Papakowhai etc.

No vision ... but I have said it all before.
r
April 6, 2008

completion of performing arts centre

Discussions now are being held about a completion date of 2013 for the performing arts centre. This is far slower than was earlier envisaged.

aotea developments

There is much discussion again about the development of a major business park on the Aotea Block. Now the first raft of houses are sold the plan is to extract more value (read "profits") from the land which is all owned by one developer.

The dramatic drop in house sales and the prospect of sales is causing the focus to come again onto industry for Aotea.

The Aotea Block already as its own zone, and it looks as if the business zone within the zone will need to be altered to allow for the industrial / commercial area.

The area will be about 15 hectare's and empathise the "new economy", which means no unskilled jobs.

I would be much more impressed if the link road to Cannons Creek could be established. This was a major and vital part of the overall concept. The Aotea Block right now is an island in our City with but one access road. That is woefully inadequate if the sales targets are reached and significantly inadequate even in the current situation.

The plan was for the Council and the developer to pay for the second road into Aotea. It now looks as if the poor ratepayer is going to have to pay the lot.
r
April 6, 2008

elsdon industrial developments

Plans to rapidly develop the industrial / commercial area of Elsdon seem to have been forgotten. This might well be associated with the departure of Cr Douglas from his chairs position.

Instead, it is the Aotea Block that is to industrialise.

Papakowhai Reserve

Extract from the Paremata Residents' Association minutes:

Paul mentioned that an area adjacent to Papakowhai School, which as far as he is aware was previously designated as a 'reserve', has been sold for development. He will canvass nearby residents for their comments.

ROBERT COMMENTS

I made some enquiries about this.

The Porirua Council did not sell any land in this location.

The rumours may be in regard to Transit's work in rationalising property boundaries now that Station Road Plimmerton is closed.

The piece of land that they are possibly referring to is the East side Station Road Car Park. The Regional Council may purchase that off Transit but currently the land records show that Transit still owns it.
r
April 6, 2008

the draft budget

Council will spend 10.7% more this year than last. This is made up of a 5.8% rise in rates income and a 17.7% rise in fees and charges. There is also a tiny increase in investment income.

Our ratepayers probably pay more than any other group of ratepayers in the country. We are keeping well ahead of the pack.
r
April 5, 2008

PS: If the numbers are not those you found in the draft annual plan it is because mine are based on the undated "Addendum" sent to the councillors after the process.

Cr Tim Shepherd provides these notes distributed by the Plimmerton Residents' Association.

[Tim's items are mainly the "discretionary" projects, for a more full picture see the "basics" list below on this page of the Porirua Wellington Web Blog. Tim refers to the 90% left out. Council has entirely given up on the quest to bring the budget under control.]

PORIRUA DRAFT ANNUAL PLAN

The following is a brief synopsis of what is in the D.A.P.for 2008/2009. If any or the issues are of interest to you, you can read more on www.pcc.govt.nz Consultation ends 9 May 2008..

You may also care to email the Plimmerton Residents' Association plimmertonra@gmail.com

with your views so we can incorporate them into our submission. Issues below are numbered for easy reference.

We need people in our community to raise their concerns and also give support where appropriate please.

Overview

The LTCCP had forecast average rates increases of 6.1% for next year, but the Draft Annual Plan has reduced these to 4.5%. This reflects major savings (over $1 million a year), particularly since the Council's inflationary costs for construction, maintenance and energy have been substantially greater than general consumer inflation. Nevertheless 4.5% remains higher than the increase in pensions and most wages.

The LTCCP is intended to propose the Council's strategic projects for the decade ahead. While it is inevitable that some new projects will have to be added along the way, the Draft Annual Plan is proposing more than a dozen new projects for next year – and an increase of eight new staff members. What do you think of that? What changes if any, you would wish to recommend?

Some variations to existing projects:

And some projects considered but not included in 2008/09 budget:

All this on an "E&OE" basis….with 90+% of Council business left out because this is business as usual. All the unchanged items includes water supply, stormwater drainage, sewage, rubbish & recycling, roading, libraries and Pataka, swimming pools and sportsfields, parks, reserves & community facilities, building permits & inspections, resource consents, dog & stock control, environmental health, gaming & sale of liquor regulation, emergency management & civil defence, public toilets, coastal management, public landscaping, cemetories & crematorium, District Plan management and development, etc etc etc….You may like to comment on this.

As well as the Draft Annual Plan, Council also has out for (obligatory) consultation proposed increases in administrative charges under the RMA and Building Act. Essentially these seek increases of around 10% to cover higher costs. If they are not approved the recovery of operational costs would drop from 70% to about 55%; ie the general ratepayer would be subsidising private property builders/renovators to about 40-45% - What are your thoughts here?

List thoughtfully provided by Cr Tim Sheppard

GW's windfarm

Tony,

Thanks for replying. What you refer to as ‘overwhelming support’ support for the Puketiro development was gauged at a time when the proposal was presented as 27 turbines of a much smaller size and largely hidden behind the ridgelines – and even the picture in the Kapi-Mana News reflected this. Deliberately or otherwise this project has been escalated to a point where should a similar survey be done today the opposition from the northern Porirua region would be considerable. Residents are now much more aware of how intrusive this is likely to be, and are more knowledgeable of how unreliable turbines are as power generators.

Your comment that Puketiro is a ‘world class’ site is interesting as the company that GWRC have chosen to spearhead Puketiro have called it difficult, turbulent and prone to shear, and they have applied for consent to install five more measuring towers as more information is required. The figures I have heard put the average wind speed measured only just above the minimum considered viable in Europe and if the last four months are a guide, it is far from world class.

I agree that for some wind turbines in the Manawatu are a novelty, but these are nowhere near major housing areas. Ask the same tourists if they would tolerate fifty of them, significantly larger, and only a few kilometers from their houses?

 There are hundreds of houses in the Whitby, Camborne, Golden Gate, Papakowhai, Pauatahanui, Moonshine and Upper Hutt that would be exposed visually and to the noise and vibration generated by the turbines proposed at Puketiro. When you add Makara, Ohariu Valley, Belmont and Mount Climie sites Wellingtonians have every right to be concerned at the way our city could look in the future – not to mention the effect on property values. Do we really want to be known as the ‘Windmill City’ and have tourists visit for that reason?

GWRC’s interest in renewable energy is laudible but as I am sure you are aware any energy generated by wind turbines in the area goes into the national grid for the benefit of all of New Zealand – not just to our region. One could presume then from your comments, that the most positive outcome GWRC sees is the revenue (you call it royalties) that can be generated from land under its control currently either under-utilized or covered in trees which drain rather than generate revenue.

If this is so then GWRC needs to re-examine its priorities (and possibly Charter) to this region because they seem prepared to sacrifice the natural beauty of the Wellington ridgelines and intrusion into ratepayers lives to the benefit of commercial enterprise.

Sincerely,

Pete & Sue Jenkins

- Original Message -----

your rates rise

The best I can make out is that your rates rise will probably be over $100 this year. That is of course if you are an average Porirua City ratepayer. Some people will suffer a far greater increase and some will actually benefit from a decrease. The average is of course about the same as last year in dollar terms, and the year before, and the year before.

The confusing sysem regarding alterations in house valuations lulls people into a false sense of security where rates are concerned. Over time, however, you will suffer your 10%.

When we talk about a rates rise of 1% in Poriura City that is a greater sum of money than 1% anywhere else in the country. This is because our rates are probably the highest in the whole land.
r
March 28, 2008

at the request of Greater Wellington

An item for the blog...

Greater Wellington is holding a public transport forum in Porirua on Tuesday 1 April.

The forum will include a presentation by Cr Peter Glensor, chair of the council's transport and access committee, about current public transport services in Wellington, what's planned and how these services are funded.

There is then an interactive session where people are encouraged to suggest a 'wishlist' of public transport services, learn what the likely costs are and how these can be paid for.

There'll also be plenty of  opportunity for people to raise issues and share ideas about our public transport network.
Details are as follows:
Tuesday 1 April, 6.30pm, Helen Smith Community Room, Pataka Museum, cnr Parumoana & Norrie Streets.

Everyone is most welcome and if you know of anyone else who may be interested in attending, please let them know!

windfarm comment

Robert,

I have re-read your letter regarding Wind Farms to Kapi-Mana News a number of times and still find it obscure. Exactly what message are you trying to convey?

Personally I cannot image why any P.C.C councillor’s would be supportive of the Puketiro proposal given how much visual pollution would result for ratepayers in the Whitby, Cambourne, Golden Gate, Pauatahanui and Moonshine areas – not to mention anyone using the Gray’s Road or SH58 to access the Hutt Valley.

Does P.C.C really want to see the Pauatahanui Inlet framed by fifty 135 metre ( 430 feet) high turbines?

When all is said and done, wind turbines are industrial structures installed as a commercial venture to unreliably supply energy to the National Grid.

They don’t have to be in our back yards or spoiling the ridgelines, forests and farms of our region – this option is simply the most convenient (read cost-effective) for the developers who probably aren’t ratepayers anyway!

Pete Jenkins 12 Leeward Drive Whitby

our hospitals

As a public service I post here this extract from a book. It is currently been much discussed by those who work in our hospitals. It is considered good advice.

According to the book How To Get Out of Hospital Alive, the 10 things you can do are:

1. Make sure all your known allergies are clearly marked on your chart, wrist band, or on a piece of paper taped above your bed.

2. Mark the area of your body to be operated on with a felt-tip pen.

3. Never eat or drink anything before surgery, even if the nurse brings you a food tray.

4. Tell your anaesthesiologist if you’re on any type of medication.

5. Have a reliable advocate with you as often as possible throughout your hospital stay.

6. Write your name prominently on a piece of paper and tape it to the wall above your bed.

7. Always ask the nurse to check the name and dosage of any medication he or she is about to give you.

8. Don’t let anyone bully you.

9. Don’t hesitate to get a second — or third — opinion.

10. Trust your instincts.

FINAL COMMENT

It should not be too much work for someone to now analyse the data on serious incidents from our hospitals and produce a New Zealand "Advice to Patients" based on data.

ceo enters political debate?

Below is an email that I sent to Cr Robert Shaw in answer to his request for information on the 2008/09 Annual Plan budget.

Cr Shaw asked if this information could be put on his blog. It is public information and there is no reason to withhold it.

I am copying this to the Mayor and all Councillors because you have a right to see the information also. Also, I am advising you that the staff time involved in preparing this information in response to Cr Shaw's request was as follows:

Management Accountant-4 hours

Financial Controller- 2 hours

General Manager, Corporate Services-1 hour

I am providing this information on staff time in the interests of transparency because it is important that the governance body and management are acutely aware of the opportunity costs of time of staff involved in answering requests for information. Regards, Roger Blakeley Chief Executive

ROBERT COMMENTS

Actually, I asked the quetions I did for the purposes of the debate on the budget. These were the things I wanted to ask at the council table, and in the interests of good communications I sent the list by email to the ceo.

Subsequently, he provided the information and I thanked him. Then I asked if he would mind it being on the blog. I asked as a courtesy to the ceo.

I believe these issues to be important and if it is necessary for staff time to be spent finding out the facts, so be it. They should have been included in earlier materials. Several councillors have already contacted me saying they want to follow up on some of the issues. Different councillors have different interests.

Councillors have an important role in questioning the council, and particularly about the budget.
r
March 26, 2008

basic projects list

This list does not include another $1.4 million worth of projects. But, here is the first $6.5 million. Note this is basic projects, not basic costs, which was a mistake I made recently. r

The blog effect - anger at council surfaces

The blog has been back but a few days and emails are flying around, questions being asked, phone calls, and issued raised. Thinking people on our city are fired with frustration. Here is a letter from a resident that reflects the frustration and the common desire for the Council to do much better:

Dear Robert,
Sometime ago when aotea block was being proposed to the council and we had public submissions I and a lady Syvia Jenkins went to bat for our local veiws.

For my side was no damage be made to the small inlets just pass the logoon going south to the ramp of turn off one. Also in that meeting we were given assurance that the developer would not use the inlet which is a crock for it is full of disease grot and no more fabulous bird life.

We also had an agreement inside that meeting that the top of the hill side would be used for recreation purposes not and the land down to the motorway by the police barracks would not be used.

I at that time was fighting to perserve some greenery of Porirua. Inside that meeting with the developer it was agreed.

I have also gone back to local councillors with my veiws of disappointment they in turn saying they will look into it not. I have heard nothing back yet they without even a term in office generously have given themselves a wage rise which in our block of woods would never receive from any employerfor a substantial if ever term of employment.

Now if you look to the horizon from Kokiri Cresent you will see the biggest blight of a building being erected destroying my night sky morning sky dawn sky.It interfers with everything but the present councillors say it is development. So we really ought not bother to care.

I also said that instead of many humps on the road being built could they not devise a solar camera which in turn names the rego of car that is then taken to council because of a few a lot suffer.

The road as well for aotea block was dicussed and per any developers dream of action their motto is do not care on the infrastructure needed to support the additional homes water sewage increased dangerous traffic total we are we a few ramblings from a old goot what is your veiws. I AM NOT REALLY EXPECTING A REPLY but some rambles are better out.
yours
Rose Kalolo
March 25, 2008

debt info

key budget decisions

Here are some of the key considerations that I would need to know about to approve the budget:

most critical decisions

The most critical council meeting of the year - the adoption of the budget for consultation - takes place at 4.30 pm this Thursday. Nicely placed after two other long and probably confused meetings, when we all want to go home. Actually, given record rates level based on officers' advice about our financial needs, and the very few new projects we have listed, it is probably the meeting will be a ten minute job. Well I remember the days when Jenny Brash had an interest in rates, and she and I took the same debate to 11 hours, as we battled John Burke through item after item.
r
25-Mar-2008

nice invite?

Below is a statement to cers from the ceo which refers to an initiative taken by Maureen Gillon well over a year ago. At that time I supported her and the officers refused to do anything to support the clinic idea. It was strongly opposed by Jenny. Maureen lost her council seat and now her interesting idea is being brought forward again. The ceo has cleverly directed the crs attention at the small and minor, and made them work for the officers. This was not the essence of the original plan that I supported. The governance management divide is broken in a most interesting way.

The result may be Crs Shepherd and Murrel spend hours sitting in front of shops or in libraries.
r

2. Proposal for Councillor clinics with residents  ( Some of you  will recall that prior to the last election  there was a proposal for Councillors to make themselves available to residents for clinics. It did not seem appropriate for the Council organisation to be supporting this in a pre election period. However, now that we are past that,  it is proposed as a means of Councillor engagement with ,  and listening to ,  the community. The suggestion  is that they be held on a Saturday morning at a specified time, and at a venue in each of the 3 wards, like one of the libraries. I do not think it would be fair to expect Council staff to be available in the weekend for support, but neither has that been proposed. I envisage staff input would be to assist to organise venues and public notices on advice from groups of ward Crs as to where and when you want these held. We could also provide you with  standard  "Request for  Service" forms so that any  complaints or requests relating to Council services can be written down by you with the resident concerned and passed straight onto our Customer Services manager to arrange for follow up. I would like to discuss this approach with you,  how frequently, times and venues,  and how you would like to get it going..

monitoring reports

Last week I asked for copies of the monitoring reports on the resource consented work at James Cook and Seascape. Several people have contacted me about the developers actions and the environmental effects. See the Kapi Mana News letters section in a week or two for more on the second one.
r

bylaw review

I was the only councllor who spoke at the full council meeting when we decided in a rush to consult on a raft of bylaws that have to be reviewed by law. The paper came to us directly at the full council meeting, and not the committee where it should have appeared and where it would have invited more thought and comment. Our chairpersons let us down in allowing this to happen. If you want any of the rules changed, now is your moment - but it is already a disaster because there is no leadership. (A waste of an opportunity and the expense of officers' time, advertising etc.)
r
March 25, 2008

symbols of our city

that obama speech

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWe7wTVbLUU

for those who ask about the philosopher i study

He looks like a Nazi, and he was! Along with Wittgenstein he is the greatest thinker of our age.

U tube pictures of Heidegger

some do not pay rates

I had a response to the blog item below on the rest home. In Porirua City, rest homes do not pay rates. Hence, those people at Sumerset who are embarrassed to be associated with our City actually do not pay full rates to us.

This rates decision was a terrible decision taken a few years ago. It was established when the Aotea Block people asked for assistance with establishing a rest home there. What is more it is not a short term (say 3 years is normal) subsidy but an ongoing Christmas present until eternity. As a shareholder in two chains of rest homes in New Zealand (the Macquarie ones), I thank the ratepayers of Porirua for the money they contribute to our dividends. We like your money.
r
March 24, 2008

quaint

Porirua City still insists on the mantra of "growth". Read the recent Annual Plan draft. This is not just dated thinking, it is backward thinking. Perhaps more accurately, it is the absence of thinking.

The other mantra that runs the City is the sardine theory of housing. Pack them in and they will be happy. The only people who benefit are real estate agents and developers. You find they always live somewhere else, and clear out asap. It is with great sadness that we see narrow roads, traffic congestion, people being packed together, minimalist subdivisions, and the shambles that is infill housing.

And what of the Council in all of this? Those in authority have yet to discover that their role is to protect the community and common interest.

Did you notice the way Somerset, the new rest home, advertised themselves. Evidently they are at a place called Aotea, which is to the north of Porirua City and close to Plimmerton, Whitby and the Mana Boating Club. Actually, they are in the middle of Porirua City and bounded by Waitangirua and Cannons Creek.

New congestion problems are emerging in our city. Tweed, Eskdale, and Kahu roads are now problems. The roads are simply too narrow for the volume of parked and moving traffic. We are becomming like the cities of Britain. Drivers have to be curtious and accept that there is only to be one moving lane of traffic.

The Aotea block developer has managed to avoid building the road (with ratepayer subsidy) to Waitangirua. Hence, the disaster I predicted some years ago has come to pass. There is only one way into and out of the Aotea Block. It is an island. A white enclave surrounded by non-white suburbs (not my opinion, check the statistics or simply take a long walk). Meanwhile, the pressure is on make Whitford Brown Avenue safe. It will cost the ratepayers (and taxpayers if we get the subsidy) millions, but the do not expect the developer to assist, his profits are his profits. Well I remember his appearing at Council and giving assurances that there would not be any traffic problems. Indeed, he said that the planners had seen that the volume of traffic from Whitford Brown to the Porirua flyover could be increased incredibly and was more than sufficint to provide for the 1,400 houses on the Aotea Block. I think of this every time I am stuck in traffic trying to get off the motorway into the narrow Parumoana Road. When I arrive there I remember my campaign to have that road made 2 meters wider, which was at the time that Pac-n-Save was established. You want to do something diverting? Make of list of the three people who are responsible for driving our Council and addressing these issues.
r
March 23, 2008

dark sky presentation

The recent presentation to the PCC on the ecological issue of dark skies was appreciated by officers and councillors. I here provide the Power point slides for those interested. Some of the pictures are stunning and directly focused on Porirua. The work becomes relevant in the reform of the District Plan.
Click here for the Porirua City dark sky presentation

Of course there are subdivisions in our City that have lines of street lights now defining what were the darks hills of our land. One day people will be horrified that we could remove ourselves from our own environment. But that day might be a century away.
r
March 23, 2008

PS

I am asked how that dark sky can possibly be an environmental issue. For those in cities with no association to the natural environment, apart from artificial parks and flower pots, the sky is the extent of their genuine association with the natural heritage and being of human beings. Did you see Venus and Mercury together in the early morning sky today? They were an incredible site to the north east. How many of our people even know to look up?
r

our rates to hit a record high

We pay the highest level of rates of any place in New Zealand. Now the plan is to increase rates again and the mayor calls it some sort of success. In fact no effort at all has gone into getting the rates down. It has been put in the "too hard" basket.

I repeat what was said this time last year and will leave at that for the moment:

"I am pleased to announce that the rates rise this year has been reduced by one whole percent (subject to the decision-making of Council). You may not think that is much, but it represents an incredible amount of work from a small group of councillors. The average rates rise for householders this year will be 3.7 percent, and not the 4.7 percent proposed in the Draft Annual Plan. The overall rise will be 5.3 percent, which is reduced from 6.3 percent in the Draft. The only way to deal with the financial pressures on the Council, if your goal is to reduce the rates, is to alter the way we do the budgeting. Much work has been done on this particularly at the councillors retreat. r Tuesday, June 19, 2007

MR WATSON REPLIES Rates Miracle - Come off it Robert! What is so non-miraculous is that this is an election year. Will a one percent rates reduction save some councillors' bacon? Now I'm in favour of elections being held annually. Regards - John Watson

I am forced to use the blog!

I find myself having to say the same thing to many people and hence have concluded that it might be more efficient to keep the blog going. People what to know what is going on and councillors have a responsibility to tell them.

Anyway, blog's have new prominence in our City Council. The mayor and councillors Leggett and Murell are off on media training. Why a 4th term mayor and two real estate agents need training in communication skills is something for us all to ponder. However, modern media training includes the use of the internet and in particular blogs. Presumably, they wish to advance in this direction. What is more, the chief executive has his own blog which is known as "Roger's Rave" - I kid you not. It is only available to council staff and those with exceptional internet skills.
r
22-Mar-2008

Seascape View - misery for some

The picture shows a road that everyone thought was a PCC road and secure. In fact it was private land that looked like a road. Now that the sections around it have been sold and houses built the road is being dug up for more houses to be built. The PCC planning officer in her independent report said this subdivision should not proceed for several different reasons. Somehow the Council managed to approve it. Do not ask me how, I cannot follow their reasoning or intentions.
r
March 22, 2008