Proudly Napier September 2023

Word from our Mayor Kirsten Wise

Kia ora koutou.

When we rededicated the Napier War Memorial in August, for me one of the very special moments of the day was looking out and seeing so many of our community present to witness the important occasion. It has been a wonderful accomplishment for everyone involved, and particularly for those in the community who had a hands-on role in helping make it happen. Throughout the journey, people shared their views, their ideas, their energy and their commitment to see it through and together we made sure the War Memorial was reinstated with the care and attention it deserved.

Having input from the community is an essential element in the work of all councils. We represent our community and we can do that best if we have dialogue with you in as many ways, and as often, as possible. Public participation is a fundamental part of local government. In many instances it is mandated, but as elected representatives it is also an essential and useful tool to help make sure we are able to do our job to the best of our ability.

We are currently focused on some significant programmes of work that require community voice to be at the heart of our decision making. One of these is the work we have been

doing with the four other Hawke’s Bay councils on voluntary residential property purchases and the Crown’s funding offer. If we accept the offer, we will need to make a change to our Long Term Plan. The property purchases will affect our Revenue and Finance Policy and, and whatever decision we make must be made as a united region with all councils on-board. We have been through discussions with the Crown to settle on a support package and now we need to hear from you, our community. It may seem complex but it is important, primarily because it affects all of us across the region.

There are lots of ways we ask for your opinions in the work that happens at council. Often, it’s through surveys on our Say It Napier website, but we also hold public meetings, online Facebook Live chats and drop-in sessions. Depending on the project, we may do phone surveys or talk to people in the street. We run focus groups and work directly with organisations who serve special interest groups in the community. We participate in hui and wānanga in marae across Napier. We also receive phone calls, emails and social media messages from residents every day. These are all valid and valuable ways for you to share your thoughts.

Everything we do at council affects community and so it is vital that community voice is heard in as many ways as possible. I encourage all of you to get involved in our current consultations, and to keep an eye on opportunities to have your say in the future.

NAPIER WAR MEMORIAL OPENING

Pigs in pipes

We are doing our annual water pipe cleaning throughout the city. Foam swabs called pigs are pulled through pipes to give them a thorough clean. The work takes place after 9am from Tuesday to Friday.

Safer cycling & walking

The linear park on Pandora Road is almost complete. It has been landscaped and space has been created for safe cycling and walking. We have also added new parking bays and traffic safety features.

Upgrade in progress

We are replacing components on the Latham Street Reserve pipeline. There may be some night work involving sucker trucks and lights. This will be kept to a minimum with most of the work happening between 7am and 5pm.

Steps and ramps

We still have Onslow and Faraday Steps closed for repairs. These are requiring significant reconstruction. We are working hard to get them reopened but it is a complex project, which means it will take some time.

Trees coming down

We are removing trees near Tamatea ahead of new homes being built. Hundreds of Old Man Pine and macrocarpa are being felled on 21.3 hectares of vacant land along the back boundary of Park Island Reserve.

Be waste wise

Paper and cardboard are recyclable. At the transfer station don’t dump them in the general waste, put them in the recycling bay. With curbside recycling, put something heavy on top to stop them flying away in the winds.

Have your say on Crown funding offer for Cyclone recovery

Napier residents are being asked to have their say on the Crown’s conditional funding proposal to assist Hawke’s Bay’s recovery and Council’s involvement in the voluntary purchasing of Category 3 properties.

Napier City Council, along with Hawke’s Bay’s four other councils, recently agreed, in principle, to a proposal from the Crown, which includes:

• $92.5m towards Category 3 voluntary residential property purchases.

• Funding of $260m towards transport recovery. For Napier, this means $32m toward full replacement of the Redclyffe Bridge

• $203m towards flood mitigation for the region To access the funding, all Hawke’s Bay councils must agree to all portions of the package, including voluntary residential property purchases in Category 3 areas.

In order to accept the offer, Napier City Council will need to make a change to our Long Term Plan, allowing us to take on the new activity to deliver a residential property rights compensation scheme for Category 3 residents.

What would the Crown’s regional offer mean for Napier?

• $32m toward full replacement of the Redclyffe Bridge. Hastings District Council will receive the same amount for their 50% share of the bridge.

• $3.5m (50%) to allow Napier City Council to administer voluntary residential property purchases in Category 3 areas.

• Region-wide connectivity and resilience including road repairs and flood mitigation.

• Broader economic benefits to the region that will flow through Napier. This includes:

- Commerce and tourism businesses will benefit from having roads and bridges reinstated

- Pan Pac will benefit from the flood mitigation package

- The rural sector will be able to recover and export through Napier Port again.

What do you think?

To find out more and to have your say visit sayitnapier.nz before 5pm, Tuesday 5 September 2023

Which waddler will win?

Excitement is brewing in the burrows at the National Aquarium of New Zealand as the community of kororā and their keepers get ready for the event of the year.

Eric, the swift fish snatcher; Squishy, the socialite; and Pipi the princess, will all battle it out for the prized Penguin of the Year title. They’ll be joined by long-time favourites including Dave, Martin and Mr Mac. Penguin of the Year is a lot of fun and is followed by fans all over the world, but it also has a serious message: raising the profile of the care and protection of Little Penguins. The National Aquarium’s Penguin Cove is a rehabilitation centre for kororā, assisting with recovery of sick or injured birds and returning them to the wild. Some penguins are not strong enough to return to their natural habitats, so they find a permanent home at the Cove. Penguin of the Year voting opens in early September.

Business looking bright

We recently carried out a business confidence survey to find out how our business community is feeling post-cyclone. Although 73% reported a negative impact from the February cyclone, 43% expected to return to pre-cyclone trading levels within six months, and 25% anticipated trading at even higher levels. Around 14% of businesses reported a positive impact following the cyclone. The survey identified a high rate of business retention, with 83% of Napier businesses foreseeing continued operation in the city for the next five years.

Fishy footpath in Westshore

There’s a new pavement mural being painted at Westshore. Orca and octopus are coming to life at the Charles Street shops thanks to local artist Brandon Blair. The mural is inspired by regular sightings of orca off the coast at Westshore. A small orca is also one of the new features of the recently reopened Westshore Playground. The mural isn’t quite finished yet and we can’t wait to see it when it’s done. Look out for the creatures when you’re next on Charles Street!

Cr Keith Price Ahuriri Ward

Cr Greg Mawson Nelson Park Ward

Cr Nigel Simpson Taradale Ward

Cr Graeme Taylor Taradale Ward

Cr Maxine Boag Nelson Park Ward

Cr Sally Crown Nelson Park Ward

Cr Juliet Greig Nelson Park Ward

Cr Chad Tareha Taradale Ward

Cr Ronda Chrystal Taradale Ward

Cr Hayley Browne Ahuriri Ward

Cr Richard McGrath Onekawa-Tamatea Ward

Deputy Mayor Annette Brosnan Onekawa-Tamatea Ward

Mayor Kirsten Wise