Anti-bullying programme faces closure

A programme that has been turning around the lives of troubled primary school pupils on the Coast for 10 years will be discontinued at the end of this term if no funding can be found.

Council plans its final ARST funding round

Artists who live in Rodney’s Hibiscus Coast Ward may be invited to apply soon for a grant from the Auckland Regional Services Trust (ARST) fund.

The cost of keeping a mayor

Rodney Mayor Penny Webster’s credit card expenses reveal that socialising and attending meetings is not only a major part of the job description, but the major expense.

Other stories

• St Stephen’s celebrates rebuild
• Jed’s jetski adventure begins
• Fish climb the ladder of success
• Hibiscus Coast’s recreational plan released
• Local Board candidates slow to come forward
• Main road needs daily monitoring
• Taking a winter plunge for good cause
• Cosy night’s sleep guaranteed
• Grease is the word in Orewa
• Duck event refloated
• Inspiration for successful dressing at fundraiser
• Atrium opera
• Animal shelter earns its keep
• Coast swimmer breaks national record
• Whangaparaoa dominates netball champs
• Rugby World Cup spending questioned

August 18 feature - Hibiscus Matters turns 3!

Learning frontiers

• Trash becomes teaching tool
• The quickest steppers in town
• New moves for chess club
• Books in a league of their own

News briefs

Heritage money allocated
Sixteen heritage projects in Rodney have been allocated just under $50,000 from the annual Heritage Assistance Fund. In total, 21 applications were received totalling just over $70,000. The only project funded on the Hibiscus Coast is the former Wade School, at Silverdale, which receives $5000 to replace the exterior of the building and provide fencing.

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Highway handover hoped for
A new target date has been set for the handing over of sections of State Highway through Dairy Flat, Silverdale, Orewa and Waiwera to Rodney District Council by the NZ Transport Agency. At Council’s Infrastructure and Environment Committee meeting on July 22, a resolution was passed that negotiations would continue with the Transport Agency, in an attempt to achieve revocation of the highway no later than October 31 so that the matter could be handed over to Auckland Council. The original date proposed for revocation was July 1 last year, when it lost its State Highway designation. Infrastructure director Murray Noone says negotiations have focused on the need for repairs to be undertaken on significant portions of the road, before Council is prepared to take it over. Implementation of improvements on the road, including the Silverdale intersection, will fall to Auckland Council, which Mr Noone says will spread the rates burden that would have otherwise fallen on Rodney ratepayers.

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Stanmore swing stolen
The basket swing that was part of Rodney District Council’s makeover of Stanmore Bay playground was stolen in April and replaced with a new one last month. The swing cost $7000 to replace. In addition, two big swings were removed from the playground around six weeks ago. These have also been replaced. Anyone with information contact local police.

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iSite goes to CCO
Orewa’s i-Site, currently operated by Rodney District Council, will become part of Auckland’s Tourism, Events and Economic Development Council Controlled Organisation after November 1. Council’s assistant chief executive Warren Maclennan says the iSite is likely to provide the same level of service at least until July next year.

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