Welcome to another edition of Newsline.
It was wonderful to see the community out on Anzac Day to remember all those affected by World War I and II. I was particularly impressed by the RSA’s installation of white crosses on Queen Street which commemorated 80 years since the end of World War II and featured the names of the 91 men of Waimate who never came home. Such a moving display.
I would like to thank everyone who made a submission on our Long Term Plan 2025-2034 so that we can map the future of our district together. Your feedback has great value and will be taken into consideration as Council finalises its decisions.
Council is now facing its biggest and most important decision for decades! It’s called Local Water Done Well. All councils in the country are required by the Government to come up with a plan to manage and fund their water supply, stormwater and wastewater. At a Council meeting on 29 April, several options were considered and two have been chosen for consultation. Option 1: An in-house delivery of water services, with changes to meet new legislative requirements (Council’s preference). Option 2: A joint multi-council Water Services Council Controlled Organisation with Mackenzie and Timaru District Council.
This choice will shape the future of our water services, and it is vital our community is heard on the matter. Public consultation opens on 15 May so please look out for it and let us know your opinion on this important matter.
Finally, as we look forward to the local body elections in September, please check you are enrolled to vote (go to vote.nz to check or register). I’d like to encourage people who are active within the community and passionate about our district’s future to think about standing for Council. A good first step would be to come along to Council meetings and see what we do. It’s an opportunity to make a real difference.
Until next time, take care.
