Consultation comes to an end
South Wairarapa District Council received 205 submissions from the community on proposals to change aspects of its rating policy. Proposals include introducing a targeted charge for owners of short-term accommodation providers like Airbnb, changing the general rate charged from one based on land value to capital value, adding a targeted footpath rate levied on urban-zoned properties, and adding a targeted roading rate, levied across the district. SWDC finance committee chair councillor Colin Olds was pleased with the response. “We’re really excited about the number of people who have taken time to make a submission, and council looks forward to reading the submissions from the community to understand their preferred options and thoughts on the review,” he said. Hearings on the proposals are scheduled for October 26. SWDC will deliberate on the issues on November 9 and 16, taking into consideration community feedback. SWDC is expected to make final decisions on the policies on November 22.
Hotspot watch
As the weather warms up, NIWA is keeping a close eye on soil moisture conditions. Regions that experience significant soil moisture deficits are considered ‘hotspots’, and persistent hotspots have the potential to develop into drought. Recent rainfall means there are currently no hotspots in the North Island and predictions for the week ahead indicate that no hotspots are expected. NIWA will continue monitoring and updates are expected if the anticipated rainfall early next week doesn’t eventuate.
Rail rebuild
Buses will be replacing some train services on the Wairarapa line and in Wellington this Labour Weekend as KiwiRail expect to make significant progress on major rail maintenance. Track work and signal improvements are being undertaken around the approach to Wellington Railway Station on Sunday and Monday and work continues on the Wairarapa line. Commuters are asked to plan their journeys accordingly.
Library hours
The Greytown Library will be closed on Saturday, due to staff shortages. Online services and book drops will remain available and other Wairarapa Library Service libraries will be open.
