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Chair’s Report August 2023
Community Engagement Fund
There were six successful applicants for the May 2023 round of funding ($2,015):
- Point Howard Residents’ Association: $348 to purchase two gorilla carts
- Point Howard Residents’ Association: $300 to purchase hi-vis vests
- Muritai Yacht Club: $351.33 towards the purchase of safety uniforms
- Muritai School: $351.33 towards the purchase of materials to build an air filter
- Eastbourne Scout Group: $313.00 towards the purchase of cooking rings and gas bottles
- Endo Warriors Aotearoa: $351.33 towards the purchase of items for their sanitary baskets in the library.
We will invite applications for the next funding round in September.
Historic police cell building
The Board has submitted a proposal to Council for the historic police prison building currently stored near the Williams Park duck pond, to be refurbished and moved to the village. I acknowledge Murray Gibbons’ mahi behind this project and the valued support of the Eastbourne Historical Society.
Battery disposal
The battery disposal bin Board Member Bruce Spedding placed at the library has been very popular. Bruce has taken two loads of batteries for safe disposal so far.
Submissions and presentations for Eastbourne
Draft indigenous biodiversity strategy
The Board encourages residents to provide feedback on the current Council consultation about indigenous biodiversity strategy by 20 August: https://www.huttcity.govt.nz/council/our-projects/indigenous-biodiversity-strategy
Bus capacity
The Board presented to the June Regional Council Transport Committee meeting to ask for larger capacity buses to be put on motorway routes so passengers aren’t standing on vehicles travelling up to 90km/hour. Our presentation received media coverage but so far no result. We will continue to campaign for this. We continue to monitor the reliability and capacity of the Eastbourne bus service, including the reinstatement of the 85x service.
Speed limits in Eastern Bays’ roads
The Board presented to Council’s Infrastructure and Regulatory Committee meeting in July to support a presentation by York Bay Residents Association requesting the speed limit in roads off Marine Drive to be reduced to 30km/hour – as is proposed for some other narrow, windy roads in Lower Hutt. The proposal was supported by several Councillors but has been deferred to the next speed review in 2024-2027.
Pedestrian crossing
Council is proposing to convert the existing zebra crossing on Muritai Road near Rimu Street into a raised pedestrian crossing to address critical safety and accessibility concerns. You can have your say by emailing TRSubmission@huttcity.govt.nz or calling 04 570 6666.
Bus stop in Muratai Rd
The ECB has formally supported a proposal for a new bus shelter opposite the kindergarten. The request was driven by kindergarten parents and teachers and is now being considered by Council officers.
Tupua Horo Nuku
The shared path and resilience project continues to make visible progress. The project team will update the ECB at the meeting on 22 August.
Bird protection areas
We look forward to seeing new plans for the proposed Bishops Park bird protection area and revised plans for Whiorau Reserve. The bird protection areas are required as part of the consent conditions for the Tupua Horo Nuku shared path and resilience project.
Point Howard slip
Point Howard residents, especially those at the top of Howard Road, continue to be impacted by the slip that has reduced the road to one lane. The ECB has asked for an update on the proposed solution and the timeline at the next public meeting on 22 August.
Other
- Bike skills park: The ECB has requested Council approval that will allow the community to install a basic bike skills park near the Wahine memorial.
- MIRO bait storage: Board member Frank Vickers is working with Council and MIRO to find a new location for bait storage.
- Destination Eastbourne: The ECB will support Eastbourne businesses where possible to promote Eastbourne as a destination.
- Bowls: The Board has met with the Eastbourne Bowls Club and other parties to help retain a bowls club in Eastbourne.
Communication
One of the Board’s roles is communicating relevant matters, proposals, consultations, and issues with residents. We do this through our Facebook page (714 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. I acknowledge Bruce Spedding’s tireless mahi on the Board’s digital communications.
Belinda Moss
12 August 2023 |
