A major upgrading of Edgecumbe’s wastewater reticulation system is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

The $1.2 million upgrade will significantly lift sewerage pumping and piping capacity in the western sectors of the town and should bring an end to longstanding sewer overflow issues.

Expressions of interest are invited from suitable persons for consideration for appointment as the Commissioner and/or List Members of the Shared Eastern Bay of Plenty District Licensing Committee. Applications close 26 July 2013.

The Eastern Bay Shared District Licensing Committee will have responsibility for all local decisions on applications made under the Sale and Supply of Alcohol Act 2012, including:

Landslide risk assessment studies for the Whakatāne, Ōhope and Matatā escarpments will be considered by the Whakatāne District Council on Thursday.

Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi is delighted to have Pacific Curls with us on Wednesday, 24th July. They will be presenting an exciting and interactive experience for children aged 5–12 years old. Several performances are planned to take place throughout the day, each lasting for about 30 minutes. The sessions are filled with music, dance and stories.

Plans for a multi-million dollar, integrated coastal residential, retirement and marine precinct development in Whakatāne will take shape over the next six months, following the signing of a heads of agreement between the Whakatāne District Council and developers.

The agreement signals a commitment to investigate a ‘masterplan’ approach utilising the Council’s large Piripai and adjoining Bennett’s Block landholdings for a major new lifestyle development. Signatories to the agreement are the Council (WDC), Hopper Developments Limited (HDL) and Whakatāne Marina Limited (WML).

Contractors are nearing completion on needed work to the Nga Tapuwae o Toi track. However, poor weather and other site complications have delayed completion of work on the site.

The originally intended completion date for work on the track was approximately 30 June. With the weather-induced delays, main structural completion is expected by the end of next week, with site tidy-ups to follow the next week.

At this time, contractors estimate the track work should be fully completed by mid-July. Signs on the track will be updated accordingly today.

On 10 April 2013, Bay of Plenty Regional Council, as both an applicant and a consenting authority, and the Whakatāne District Council as a joint consenting authority, sought submissions on the Kopeopeo Canal Remediation Project. Submissions closed on 17 May 2013.

A total of 139 submissions have been received on the resource consent applications:

The Whakatāne District Council has appointed Inka Krawczyk, an engineer with more than 20 years of international experience in major infrastructure projects, to manage the development, construction and start-up of the Matatā Sewerage Scheme.

The selection panel which assessed the short-listed candidates included the Chief Executive of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council, Mary-Anne MacLeod and the chairperson of the Whakatāne District Council’s Matatā Projects Governance Group, Councillor Russell Orr.

Applications are being called for annual grant funding to groups providing a social service to the residents of the Whakatāne District. Preference will be given to groups with a voluntary component. There is a balance of $20,000 to allocate.

Application forms can be obtained from any Council Office, or you may access application forms on the District Council's website. Multi-year funding can be sought for the next two years, in line with the Council’s Long Term Plan.

For further information, contact Janie Storey: