PAENGA-WHĀWHĀ 2023

April 2023

Annual Plan – the time to have your say is now!

There’s still time to have your say on Masterton District Council’s plans for the next financial year –and the rates that come with them – but the clock is ticking towards the 1 May closing date.

The Annual Plan consultation is about: y the 2023/24 Annual Plan that will determine rates for the 2023/24 year y options for the 2024-34 Long-Term Plan that will be consulted on next year.

The Annual Plan consultation document outlines Council’s proposed approach to reducing the rates impact in 2023/24. This includes:

Road ahead for speed

Seeking external funding to deliver projects, activities and events for our community –this could include Waitangi Day and Christmas celebrations.

The consultation is also inviting comment on whether Masterton should apply to become a Dark Sky Reserve and contribute to the Five Towns Cycle Trail Project, which would build a network of cycle trails across the Wairarapa connecting the five towns in our region. Costs are outlined in the consultation document.

Consultation is also underway for on the Council’s draft Speed Management Plan – aimed at reducing speeds around schools, marae, and on high-risk roads that the Council is responsible for.

Road Controlling Agencies, of which Masterton District Council is one, are now required by the Government to take a whole-of-network approach to speed management. This includes developing speed management plans that outline a 10-year vision and a three-year implementation plan for their networks.

To keep up-to-date and report issues, download Antenno from your Apple App Store or Google Play store.

Our elected members are taking part in pop-ups around the community – including having a table at Charlie’s Lane on Queen Street each Wednesday lunchtime until the end of the month.

We can’t guess what you’re thinking, so please take a few minutes to say what you feel before Monday 1 May!

Equipment failure forces temporary closure of pools

The five-lane pool at the Trust House Recreation Centre has been temporarily closed after problems with the ageing compressor that heats, and cools, water and air at the centre.

The 20-old-compressor has failed, and must be replaced, with a smaller back-up compressor unable to fully replace the machine. This has resulted in issues with the temperature in the five-lane and spa pools.

To prevent the back-up unit itself failing, the five-lane pool is now closed to reduce the load on the back-up unit.

The Council hopes to install the new unit next week.

The old compressor received regular visual inspections and an annual service.

Councillors fine-tune CPR skills

y Increasing user pays funding for some services –increasing fees and charges would mean less rates funding is required for these services. New fees for disposing of e-waste are also proposed.

y Helping community groups to identify alternative funding opportunities – this would mean the Council could reduce community funding for the year.

You can also help shape the 2024-34 Long-Term Plan (LTP), which will be put together over the coming 12 months and will be consulted on in early 2024.

For the LTP, people can share their thoughts on a reduced scope for the Civic Facility project, and give their views on services where savings could be made, and any services where they would be willing to pay more to see improvements.

The Speed Management Plan for the Masterton District will help us transition from the way we have set speed limits in the past to a more flexible approach that better takes into account local conditions and the surrounding environment.

You can comment on the approach being proposed, as well as suggesting other roads where speeds should be reduced.

Consultation closes 1 May 2023.

Council Meetings

The meetings of the Council and its committees for the coming month are listed below.

Unless specified, all meetings will be held in the Kiwi Room at Waiata House, 27 Lincoln Road, Masterton. Members of the public are welcome to attend these meetings. The meetings will also be accessible to the public via the livestream on the Masterton District Council Facebook page. Agendas will be available on the Council website (www. mstn.govt.nz) and copies will be available for inspection at the main Council o ce, 161 Queen Street, and at the Library, 54 Queen Street, two working days prior to the meeting.

Opportunity for Public Comment

At the beginning of some meetings, a period is available for those who wish to speak or comment on any matter relevant to the meeting in question. Requests to speak at a meeting should be made to Harriet Kennedy, Governance Advisor, phone 370 6300 or email mdc@mstn.govt.nz at least one clear day before the meeting.

What’s On

Tuesday 25 April - ANZAC Day

Wednesday 26 April 3pm Infrastructure and Services Committee Meeting

Monday 1 May 4pm Annual Plan and Speed Management Plan consultations close

Wednesday 3 May 3pm Council meeting (to adopt the 2021/2022 Annual Report)

Wednesday 18 May 9am A nnual Plan Hearing 3pm Council meeting

Thursday 19 May 9am Annual Plan Hearing continued TBC

Wednesday 24 May 3pm Audit and Risk Committee meeting

Have you ever wished the ground would open up and swallow you whole?

That moment you realise you have said or done something that’s just not quite right.

Many years ago, we were having dinner in a restaurant when a couple walked in and the woman looked at me and said in a loud voice “ooh look, it’s Father Des” and came striding over to greet her favourite chef, Des Britten. She was very embarrassed when she arrived at our table and discovered it was only me. “Oh, no it’s not” she said as she walked off.

I’ve put my foot in it many times and dug the hole deeper as I have tried to climb out.

I worked with a woman in my Air New Zealand days who was always immaculately dressed and groomed. She was also rather intimidating with a reputation of speaking her mind and we seldom ever saw a smile on her face.

I used to keep well away from her but one afternoon in the staff room I thought I would compliment her on her appearance. What I was trying to say was, that despite it being afternoon she still looked like she had just been done up [if you get my drift].

“You look like you have just got out of bed,” I blurted out. Well, it took a month for the kettle to stop boiling but even after that, we rarely made eye contact.

Imagine how this man felt. He went to kiss a baby being held by its mother and when it was too late, he realised it was attached to its mother’s breast. In his panic, he ended up kissing the breast instead of the baby. One poor lady fled from a clothing store with embarrassment after stroking a coat on a mannequin, only to discover it was another ‘live’ customer waiting to be served.

Spare a thought for the poor woman who couldn’t start her car in a supermarket car park. She tried, a policeman tried and two passersby tried. In the end she called a tow truck to tow her home. When they got to her house, there was her car, parked in the drive way. She had forgotten she had gone to the supermarket with a friend. She asked the tow truck driver to take the “stolen “ car back to the car park as quickly as possible.

When I was living in Wellington, I went to Foxton for the day with a group of friends to watch a race horse we owned have its first trial. On the way home we stopped at Otaki to get some fish and chips. I got the job of going in and ordering them.

When I came out, I and enhance your home for years to come.

Support your family to give your children and grandchildren a helping hand.

Day-today expenses to supplement your income and cover daily expenses with ease.

Visit family and friends to take a trip to see your children/grandchildren.

Car purchase to maintain or upgrade your car.

Medical and healthcare - to cover healthcare costs and aged care.

Travel and holidays - to tick off dream destinations from your bucket list.

[1] Lifetime occupancy - you can live in your home for as long as you choose.

[2] No negative equity guarantee - the amount required to repay the loan may not exceed the net sale proceeds of the property.

[3] Loan repayment there is no requirement to make any loan repayment until the end of the loan, although you are free to do so at any time.

[4] The security for the reverse mortgage is a rst mortgage over your property.

It is important that you are completely happy with the reverse mortgage. To ensure this, you must receive independent legal advice from a solicitor of our choice, who will represent your interests and make sure you understand every aspect of the reverse mortgage.

What you need to know

Who can apply? homeowners but subject to you satisfying any age conditions

Property criteria - your property must be residential, of conventional construction and in good repair. It must also meet minimum property criteria, including a valuation, if required.

You may be able to take out a reverse mortgage on an investment property or holiday home. Loans cannot be secured against Occupations Rights Agreements in retirement villages.

Interest - interest will be charged on your loan balance at the current reverse mortgage variable rate and will be added to your loan monthly.

The interest rate is variable, which provides you with exibility to make repayments at any time, without penalty.

The interest rate will change from time to time which depends on what is happening in the funding market and economy both in New Zealand and overseas, as well as changes to our own borrowing costs.

As a valuation of the property may or may not be required. Before you enter into a reverse mortgage you are required to obtain independent legal advice which can give to you.

If you with to obtain any further information about reverse mortgages, wills and enduring powers of attorney or any other legal matter please contact me.

The rst appointment to discuss the above matters, wills & enduring powers of attorneys is free

Freephone: 0800 249 529 Email: simon@thepropertylawyer.co.nz

222 Chapel St, Kuripuni, Masterton | www.thepropertylawyer.co.nz

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