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Eastbourne Community Board Chair’s report February 2025
February meeting and change of venue
The Eastbourne Community Board’s (ECB) next public meeting is at 7.15pm on Tuesday 11 February. Please note we are moving back to the East Harbour Woman’s Club for the February meeting.
The Eastbourne library has been a convenient venue but unfortunately the acoustics aren’t good. We hope to move back there later in the year. We are making another change to the usual meeting schedule.
Community board members, and possibly some Council officials will be available from 6.45pm before the formal meeting to discuss any issues. Our standing orders don’t allow for general discussion and questions from the floor during a meeting. If you have a question about any of the presentations on the agenda, please let a member of the ECB know before the meeting and we can ask it for you. If we can ask questions ahead of the meeting, presenters are more likely to be able to prepare an answer.
The meeting agenda will be posted on the Hutt City Council website and our eastbourne.nz website about a week before the meeting. Residents are always welcome at Board meetings. At the start of the meeting, anyone may speak (for up to three minutes) under public comment on any community topic.
The presentations at the meeting on 11 February (at the time of writing) are:
- A verbal update by Mayor Barry
- Residents’ satisfaction survey: Update by Council’s Principal Advisor Research and Evaluation
- Tupua Horo Nuku and bird protection areas update: A verbal presentation by Council’s Project Delivery Manager - Transport
- Sustainable growth strategy: A verbal presentation by Council’s Spatial Plan Lead
- Low Carbon Acceleration Fund: A verbal update by Council’s Senior Advisor, Climate and Sustainability
- Presentation by Local Councillor from Greater Wellington Regional Council: A verbal update by Cr Quentin Duthie Activity
Here is a list of issues and activities addressed by members of the Eastbourne Community Board (ECB) since the previous meeting and Chair’s Report in October 2024:
Local Government Commission decision to retain the ECB
The ECB was delighted to learn in January that the Local Government Commission had overturned Council’s decision to disestablish the Eastbourne Community Board, following an appeal on that decision. The ECB will continue after the local body elections in October this year, along with the Wainuiomata Community Board. We are disappointed that the Petone Community Board will be disestablished. You can read the Local Government Commission decision at lgc.govt.nz. Councils must review representation every six years.
This review, our submissions and subsequent appeal has represented a significant amount of work for ECB members, and we look forward to being able to focus now on representing and advocating for Eastbourne residents for the remainder of this triennium. I am grateful for the terrific support and hard work by all members of the Eastbourne Community Board. We all appreciate the wonderful support and submissions from Eastbourne residents, resident associations and the Eastbourne Herald throughout the review process.
Now that we know the community board will continue past the election in October, we encourage residents who are interested in local government (for example, those who take the time to read this report), to consider standing for election in October. Contact me or any member of the ECB if you’d like to know more about the election process and representation.
The ECB will work with Council to explore alternative engagement models for other parts of the city.
Westpac ATM
Residents contacted the ECB when Westpac advised it is removing Eastbourne’s only ATM at the end of February. We have contacted Westpac to ask if the decision can be reconsidered given our location and distance from the nearest ATM in Moerā. The ECB is also looking at other options, for example a private ATM like those replacing bank ATMs throughout the country. We are talking to a local provider.
Days Bay crossing at Williams Park
The ECB together with the Days Bay Residents Association has established a volunteer group to trial managing the pedestrian flow at the crossing at Williams Park on busy days. Contant flows of pedestrians can cause significant traffic holdups. The group is self-managing via a WhatsApp group. This summer has been cooler than usual, and the group has only operated a few times so far, but the results have been encouraging. We are grateful to the Days Bay Residents Association and many Days Bay residents who have volunteered. The trial was initiated when government funding that Council planned to use to improve the crossing, was withdrawn.
Bishops Park fence and bird protection area
We have had ongoing discussions with residents and Council about the fence that protects the Bishop Park bird protection area. We asked Council to review the height of the fence. The specification in the consent condition is that the fence be 120cm high. The Bishop Park fence is slightly higher is some areas due to the undulating ground, but this will not be altered because it will be expensive and will impact the overall appearance of the fence. There were concerns about the condition of the ground at the south end of the fence, behind the Eastbourne summer pool. This is an access way from the park to the yacht club car park but was overgrown with wire and other hazards buried in the grass. Many thanks to ECB member Frank Vickers who has tidied the area and made a temporary path. The area seaward of the fence was sprayed with a herbicide and the ECB fielded several questions about this. Council has advised the herbicide is glyphosate, which is approved by the Environment Protection Agency. 6000 plants have been planted to support habitat restoration following the spraying and there will be further planting in winter.
Eastbourne summer pool
We are grateful to Council for extending the pool hours by two weeks at the end of this season and to the volunteers who have made this possible by making themselves available for training and assisting at the pool. Thanks to Emily Keddell who has liaised with residents and Council on this.
Sand at Kauri Street
The ECB continues to monitor the sand over the road at Kauri Street and liaises with the contractors who manage this.
Eastbourne Bowls Club
The ECB continues to liaise with Council and the Eastbourne Bowls Club about the possibility of the club moving to the ECCS area. We are supportive of the club remaining in Eastbourne if it decides to move from its current location and will support community consultation when and if a final proposal is finalised.
Pencarrow Road
Council agreed to move the Pencarrow Road from Wainuiomata to Harbour Ward as part of the representation review in response to suggestions from the ECB and residents. The ECB has complained to Council about the grade of gravel regularly used on the road because this is unsafe for the many cyclists who use it.
Parking in Marine Parade near Maire Street
The ECB has asked Council to review parking access on Marine Parade where parked vehicles obstruct the Parade for users.
Recycling
Residents continued to save more recycling from landfill by using the tetra pack collection bin in the Eastbourne Library foyer and the new battery collection bin that has been moved to St Ronan’s Church. Thanks to Bruce Spedding’s efforts. Read more about other recycling in Eastbourne at eastbourne.nz.
Communication
One of the Board’s roles is communicating relevant matters, proposals, consultations, and issues with residents. We do this through our Facebook page (820 followers), the eastbourne.nz website, our email list (220+ subscribers), our regular column in the Eastbourne Herald, and the digital display board at the library. Residents can also contact Board members directly:
- Belinda Moss (Chair) belinda.moss@huttcity.govt.nz 029 494 1615
- Murray Gibbons (Deputy Chair) murray.gibbons@huttcity.govt.nz 04 562 8567 (The ECB rotates the Deputy Chair position during the three-year term. Murray will be the Deputy Chair for the remainder of this triennium).
- Emily Keddell emily.keddell@huttcity.govt.nz 021 188 5106
- Bruce Spedding bruce.spedding@huttcity.govt.nz 021 029 74741
- Frank Vickers frank.vickers@huttcity.govt.nz 027 406 1419
- Tui Lewis (Ward Councillor) tui.lewis@huttcity.govt.nz 021 271 6249
Belinda Moss 2 February 2025 |
The next public Eastbourne Community Board 
