Plenty of highlights for Kawerau annual report

Diane McCarthy

An increased district boundary, the introduction of Māori wards, progression of the Stoneham Park Residential Development and the long-awaited completion and reopening of the Rangi Delamere Centre are just a few of the significant events of the past year highlighted in Kawerau District Council’s Annual Report 2023-2024.

The council adopted the report for the year ended June 30, at its meeting on Wednesday.

Financially, the report shows an operating deficit of just over $1.1 million. This is $318,214 more than the deficit predicted in the annual plan budget for the year.

The main reason for the increased deficit was increased depreciation expenditure due to revaluation of assets.

However, the report states the council remains in a reasonably strong financial position, with overall debt very low in comparison to total assets.

The appointment of Kawerau-born Victoria University senior lecturer and columnist Morgan Godfery as chief executive is also highlighted in the report.

Agreement from landowner and kaitiaki of Umukaraka Spring, Māori Investments, that the spring become the secondary drinking water supply for the district was also critical. The council was upgrading the metering and infrastructure and applying to Bay of Plenty Regional Council for resource consent to utilise the spring.

The boundary reorganisation resulted in about 546 hectares of land moving from Whakatāne to Kawerau district council. It was endorsed by the landowners and granted approval by the Local Government Commission in April.

Housing development has been an important part of the council’s activities and the creation and sale of 29 retirement units at the Porritt Glade Lifestyle Village and the progress of a residential development at Stoneham Park have also been heralded in tha report.

Changing the land status from reserve to residential and enactment of the operative Kawerau District Plan Change 4 ‘Residential Growth Precinct’ have been major milestones in the Stoneham Park development freeing up 5.42 hectares of flat land close to schools for housing.

The rebuilding of the Rangi Delamere Centre was a highlight of the year for the council. The netball pavillion named for a Kawerau sportswoman renowned for her accomplishments in netball and tennis was destroyed by arson in 2020.

The council contributed a further $450,000 to the $550,000 insurance payout to rebuild the pavillion.

Signs of progress: Kawerau Mayor Faylene Tunui unveils the new sign with the help of Rangi Delamere’s brother Kauri Thornton at reopening of the Rangi Delamere Centre in April. Photo supplied

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