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Eastbourne Community Board Chair’s report August 2025
Congratulations and thank you to the current and new Board members who are standing unopposed ahead of the local government elections in October. The new Eastbourne Community Board (ECB) will be Emily Keddell, Bruce Spedding, Murray Gibbons, Jeremy Chaston, and Ben Hainsworth, supported by Tui Lewis, who is standing unopposed as Harbour Ward Councillor.
It has been a privilege to represent Eastbourne and the Eastern Bays and to work with Frank Vickers, Emily, Murray, Bruce and Tui. Residents are fortunate to be represented by such a hard-working and engaged community board. And the ECB is fortunate to be part of an active, engaged community. One of the highlights of the last term has been the support received to successfully appeal a decision to disestablish the Community Board.
We have also appreciated the terrific support from Council’s Democracy Advisor, Judy Randall, who has shared her knowledge of standing orders and Council procedures, and who will be greatly missed when she retires in October.
The ECB over the last three years
Here is a summary, in no particular order, of the Chair’s Reports over the last triennium to highlight the Board's activities and achievements, and some of the challenges the next Board might face.
• Tupua Horo Nuku: There is no doubt this resilience project will be fantastic for Eastbourne residents when it is completed early next year. The ECB has had a significant role in liaising between Council and residents and resident associations about issues, challenges and opportunities during construction, including consent conditions, speed reviews, urban design concepts, bird protection areas, beach access and bus stops.
o What’s next? We need a safe transition for path users, including children, through Days Bay between the shared paths at Sunshine Bay and Windy Point. We also need improved access from the south end of the path at Windy Point, along the Eastbourne waterfront to Burdan's Gate.
• Gollan’s Valley:
The purchase of the Gollan’s Valley Station by GWRC is an exciting opportunity for Eastbourne. The ECB has hosted presentations about the potential, the process and about John Nankervis, whose Trust helped make the purchase possible. The ECB and many residents made submissions to support the purchase.
• Public transport:
The ECB successfully lobbied for a double-decker bus for the 81 bus service that takes students home after school.
o What’s next? We have made several submissions to Regional Council requesting that the 85X bus service be reinstated and that the ferry and bus timetables be better coordinated. We have also suggested investigating an additional ferry wharf at Point Howard or in the marina.
• Speed limits:
Together with many residents and Eastern Bays resident associations, we successfully submitted to reduce the speed between Lowry Bay and Days Bay to 50km/hour, and again, more recently, for it to be maintained at that level when the Government reversed many speed reductions.
o What’s next? The ECB has supported the Eastern Bays resident associations, which want to see speeds lowered to 30km/hour on many of the bay roads off Marine Drive. Council has said it will consider this in the 2024-27 plan.
• Representation Review:
Councils must review representation every six years. In the 2024 review, Council voted to disestablish all three Hutt City community boards. The ECB, with terrific support from residents, successfully appealed this decision to the Local Government Commission. (Unfortunately, the Petone Community Board will be disestablished).
o What’s next? The next representation review will be in 2030, and the ECB will need to be prepared and supported.
• Resilience:
Eastbourne and the Bays are vulnerable to weather and seismic events. The ECB, led by Bruce Spedding, ran a resilience expo in March 2024, inviting residents to plan for emergencies. Bruce also runs a radio network that will be vital if Eastbourne and the Bays are isolated.
• Pencarrow Road:
As part of the 2024 representation review, the ECB successfully submitted that Pencarrow Road be moved from Wainuiomata to Harbour Ward. We have asked Council to ensure that Horokiwi Quarries maintain and grade the road, so it is suitable for the many cyclists who use it.
• Eastbourne Awards:
We have continued the ECB tradition of recognising individuals and organisations who have made a significant contribution to Eastbourne. Nine Awards were presented in the last three years. (eastbourne.nz/about/eastbournes).
• Eastbourne Pool:
The ECB, and especially Emily Keddell, has supported residents who want the Eastbourne Summer Pool to be open for as long as the city’s other pools. We have worked with Council to establish a volunteer programme, which will help keep the pool open longer at the end of summer.
o What’s next: The programme depends on residents volunteering and being prepared to give their time to be trained.
• Dogs:
The ECB submitted on the Council’s recent Dog Control Bylaw and Dog Control Policy, supporting residents who said there are few off-lead areas in Eastbourne now. We supported MIRO’s request for improved dog control around the banded dotterel nesting area and requested education for all users of the shared path, including cyclists and dog walkers.
• Cats:
The ECB, led by Frank Vickers, submitted to Council in support of a bylaw to help reduce feral cat populations and harm to wildlife. The new Keeping of Cats section of the Control of Animals Bylaw came into effect in March 2024.
• Bike skills pump track:
We have received positive feedback from young people and their parents about the informal bike skills track built by Frank Vickers and Bruce Spedding near the Wahini Memorial. o What’s next: There is more work to do here, and support from parents is appreciated.
• Recycling:
The recycling options established by the ECB, led by Bruce Spedding, and based at the Eastbourne Library and Rona Church, have proved popular. We are pleased to see that Council plans to formalise the ECB’s battery recycling. Eastbourne is now well served for recycling options, with the soft plastic and lid collections at 4 Square.
• Planting and pest control:
The ECB, particularly Frank Vickers, has liaised with Council, Regional Council and MIRO to support pest control, bird protection, and planting to stabilise Eastbourne’s beaches.
• Eastern Bays:
We have worked closely with the five Eastern Bays resident associations on issues and projects, including the March 2023 slip at Point Howard, managing the Williams Park crossing on busy summer days, the redesign work at Williams Park, and many actions associated with the Tupua Horo Nuku project. The annual walk around to all Bays is a highlight of the ECB year and is an efficient way for Council to list and action residents’ concerns.
• Community Engagement and Climate Action Funds:
Council allocates funds to communities via its Climate Action Fund (previously the Community Engagement Fund). The ECB is responsible for letting organisations know about the funds allocated to Eastbourne, assessing the nominations, and agreeing on the distribution of the funds.
• Historic police cell:
The ECB supports Board member Murray Gibbon’s efforts to install the historic jail near Rona Wharf as part of the Eastbourne Historic Society’s historic walk.
• ATM:
When Westpac withdrew its ATM from Eastbourne, the ECB arranged for a new one to be installed.
• Youth Forum:
Emily Keddell has recently initiated a Youth Forum with support from the ECB, to help Eastbourne’s young people have a voice in decisions that affect them.
• Communication:
The ECB engages with Eastbourne and Eastern Bays residents via social media (840+ Facebook followers), its Eastbourne.nz website, monthly advertisement in the Eastbourne Herald and regular emails to our 250+ email list. We use these channels to share relevant Council notices and other information. Thanks to Bruce Spedding for maintaining the website and email lists, and for his technical support.
Nga mihi nui
Belinda Moss
11 August 2025 |
