This summary of the agenda for the March 18th Raglan Community Board meeting has been prepared by John Lawson, Secretary of Whāingaroa Environmental Defence Inc., 51 Cliff St, Raglan 07 825 7866 email johnragla@gmail.com
The next Raglan Community Board meeting is on Wed 10 June at 1.30pm in the Supper Room, Raglan Town Hall. The public forum will be near the start of the formal meeting, giving an opportunity to discuss issues. You might prefer to email/phone the Board.
Wednesday’s RCB agenda includes –
- Stormwater – meeting will be 4pm on Mon 15 June in the supper room. Nihinihi Ave project has resource consent.
- Marine Parade Pump Station – to be replaced due to wet well failure and may be moved to Oram Park.
- Whaingaroa Harbour Care Community Pool report (Raglan Community Pool Charitable Trust registered 2 Oct 2025 with trustees David Egerton Peacocke, Fiona Ann Edwards, John William Latimer, Lauren Jane Mills, Norris Murray Peart) includes “Ministry of Education’s desire to close pools on school property . . . There is sufficient projected population to warrant aquatic service (230m2 minimum pool area).” Possible sites are Oram Park, Wainui Reserve, Golf Club, or Rangitahi. One reason for excluding the rugby ground is “Council appetite” and the school as “school cannot commit”. An architect will propose 2 designs and “the financial sustainability will be assessed”.
- Sports park study for Raglan was initiated in 2025 and draft recommendations align with previous feedback that Rugby and Football participation is growing. Council have a lease agreement with the Rugby Club for Raglan Recreation Reserve. Watercare applied for use of part of the Reserve for stormwater. Further investigation of the lifetime of the sports assets at the Reserve is required to determine if relocation is required. Staff will engage and workshop options following the completion of the Wainui Reserve Development Plan.
- Harbour Board / Surfside “Harbour Board Reserve . . . is used to fund Raglan Harbour related matters and most recently this has been used for the Raglan Wharf, the replacement Harbour Beacon and the western sea wall walkway. The Council is seeking a legal opinion on whether less than commercial rentals can be granted for the endowment leases.”
- Manu Bay boat ramp report says it is the only direct open‑ocean launching point north of New Plymouth. Pre‑WSL work was crack filling, cleaning and signs about slipping and risk of wave surges. Tenders being planned for concrete surface renewal, edge delineation, drainage corrections, bollards to protect pedestrians and gradient refinements, all within existing consents. Hazards will remain wave surge and mixing surfers, swimmers and boats.
- World Surf League update – the Resource Consenting fee included monitoring costs. Economic, social and cultural impact studies may be done.
- Road names RCB is being asked to agree to a road off Greenslade Rd being Waikokowai Lane and a Rangitahi road being Repo Tai Lane.
- Soundsplash “No further update.”
- Discretionary fund has $8,122.
There are no reports from RCB members.
These items are not on RCB’s agenda –
District news 14 May
Work has started on the new Greenslade Road playground – 2 swings, a basket swing, a 25m flying fox, plus seating and a boardwalk connecting to the existing path. We expect to have it finished in early July.
Strategy 18 May
As of 31 Mar 24,862 service requests were completed, of which 87.8% were completed within agreed timeframes.
Rates penalties are $1.7m above budget, reflecting increased non-payment associated with cost-of-living pressure.
fees and charges revenue is $1.9m below budget, because of lower activity in line with the economic downturn.
Employee expenses are $3m below budget, primarily driven by ongoing staff vacancies
Consulting costs are $4.2m below budget, reflecting a deliberate reduction in reliance on contractors
Assets & Infrastructure 19 May
Hamilton Car Club applied to close a section of Ruapuke Rd, to hold the Ruapuke Rally on Sun 7 Jun – 5 positive responses have been received and 3 were negative – The matters in this report have no known impact on climate change or resilience for the Council.
renewal works of targeted unsealed road section Whaanga Rd underway
Policy 26 May
Fast track extension of Rotowaro coal mine – but RNZ 28/5 Plans have paused, because Bathurst do not know if they can sell the coal.
Waters Governance Board 6 May
The pump at Manu Bay toilets has been upgraded in time for the Raglan surf competition, 27 digital water meters in Te Akau.
WRC 30/4
Motion from Noel Smith and Chris Hughes to end Local Government NZ membership lost (Waikato Times – Cr Chris Hughes was one of 2 of the 7 member Rates Control Team to live up to their campaign promise to leave LGNZ. Despite suggestions of eternal damnation, and votes for a “woke, leftist agenda”, WRC decided to continue with its LGNZ membership by 10-3. LGNZ is the body that advocates for regional and district councils nation-wide – at a meeting on Thu. It was the 3rd time WRC had voted on its membership after some councillors had previously claimed it was a waste of ratepayers’ money, and was promoting a liberal, left-leaning agenda.)
Regional Plan changes to allow mining in wetlands – “This change is a statutory requirement and, as such, there are no clear opportunities for Council to demonstrate leadership”. Biodiversity Strategy shows changes made after a WRC workshop – consultation to be for 6 weeks. Offshore Mussel Spat Nursery is in the Fast Track process.
WRC residents’ environmental perceptions survey 2025
Survey participants (1266) were self-selected “continued concern about declining water quality from a large proportion of participants who want sources of declining water quality to be addressed . . . noticeable increase in the numbers of residents who raise the issue of poor-quality drinking water . . . Concern over the impacts of climate change has risen over time . . . growing support for investment to reduce emissions . . . growing acceptance the climate is changing . . . single most important issue – rates 14%, climate change 12%, population growth 9%” , only 38% think the biggest source of greenhouse gases in the region is agriculture and 46% that river and stream pollution comes mainly from agriculture.
WRC Regional Growth and Resilience 12/5
Economic Development Strategy going to stakeholder consultation. Household income $118,000, 87% of the NZ level. 4.5% per year growth over the last 5 years (compared to 4.1% for NZ). Unemployment 5.7% (5% for NZ).
WRC Finance and Performance 13/5
80% accuracy of AI to spot wilding pines. 11.4% 2025 fare increase linked with 1.9% decrease in passengers, but fuel increases in March increased passengers by 3.6%.
Other issues missing from the RCB agenda – IAWAI (taking over water from July), beach bylaw, Wainui Reserve plan, Manu Bay planting, Papahua pump track, Xtreme Zero Waste, service requests, CCTV, freedom camping, Town Hall Committee, outdoor movement hub, signs, Civil defence, 2Degrees tower, new reservoir, Spatial planning/Town plan, street lighting, recreation study, Connectivity Strategy, footpath obstruction by cafes, bus contract, roading contract, road safety at school, transport assessment, speed limits, rubbish on SH23, Greenslade Rd SH23 junction, speeding on Main Rd, cycle counts, Bayview Rd safety, Cliff St, Park Dr/Long St crossing, town square, Calvert Rd parking, RCB’s Facebook page (it’s being used again occasionally), Papahua erosion, Cliff St dying pohutukawas, development next to 4 Square, old Harbour Care site, Raglan Naturally, fluoride, organic waste, Harbour Strategy, Animal Control late responses, Canada geese, WRAP, volunteer worker safety.
Should WED be taking up these or other issues?