Photo 1: Marion and Charles Fletcher, Crystal Beavis and John Sheat.  Photo 2: Gail and Lionel Orr from Eureka

Tamahere-Woodlands Councillors’ update July 2025

Community volunteers honoured with Mayoral Awards

Congratulations to all Waikato District Mayoral Award recipients, and thank you for your outstanding voluntary contributons over many years to your community.

Tamahere-Woodlands Ward recipients this year are:

• Charles Fletcher, chair of Tamahere Community Committee (and a committee member for 15 years). Charles has brought up a family in Tamahere and been a strong community advocate for 40+ years, lobbying on key local issues to ensure Tamahere continues to thrive.
• John Sheat, a founding trustee of Tamahere-Mangaone Restoration Trust, which was established in 2012. John has been actively involved in conservation work for more than 20 years, volunteering at Maungatautari and in the Tamahere gully system, undertaking environmental restoration and creating opportunities to lift awareness and  connect the community through walkways.
• Gayle and Lionel Orr who have volunteered in the Eureka community for nearly 20 years. They have both served on the hall committee and worked together to lead the annual ANZAC service at Eureka.  Gail has also served on the Eureka Express community newspaper over that time.

The awards were presented at a ceremony in the Council chambers last month.

Long Term Plan (LTP) adopted 30 June

The Council adopted the Long Term Plan 2025-34 last week. After further work on the plan, the increase in the general rate will fall from 4.25% in 2025/26 to 3.0% in Year 2, 2.5% in Year 3 and to 1.5% from Year 4. Targeted rate increases for water services will continue to be significant until the new Waters CCO, IAWAI Flowing Waters, established with Hamilton City Council, introduces price harmonisation across the two Council areas over a 5-year transition period. You can check the effect on your rates for the new financial year by going to our rating information database on www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/rid.

New Waters CCO incorporated, Establishment Board appointed

The establishment board for the new Waikato District and Hamilton City waters services CCO has been named as Kevin Lavery (Executive Chair) with Tim Manukau (Tainui) and Dave Chambers as directors. Kevin Lavery is an experienced local government CEO in both the UK and NZ; Tim Manukau is an independent hearing commissioner, former resource management consultant and former environmental research director;  and  Dave Chambers is an experienced company director who has just finished a term as CEO of Watercare. The name chosen for the company is IAWAI Flowing Waters. Iawai means flowing waters and also incorporates the word ‘awa’ or river in a palindrome. At a council meeting last week (30 June) Waikato District Council approved the Company Constitution, Shareholders’ Agreement and Water Services Delivery Plan ahead of the company’s incorporation on July 1. The Plan includes a combined water and wastewater capital investment programme of $3.66 billion to 2033/34, two thirds of which is responding to growth.

New model for delivering roading and transport services

The Council’s roading contract with Downer operating through the Waikato District Alliance has now been replaced with new roading and lighting contracts for maintaining and upgrading our roads across the Waikato District.

Core transport functions have been brought in-house to give Council greater oversight of network activity and future capability, and new contracts established for the north and south of the District.  The new model is designed to deliver better value for money and more efficient planning and delivery. 

From July our new providers are Higgins (northern contract) and Fulton Hogan (southern contract – including Tamahere-Woodlands Ward.)

Lighting services throughout the district will be provided by Horizons and Odyssey.

Remember to use two blue stickers on rubbish bags

Remember to put two blue stickers on rubbish bags that you put out for collection in July and August. Rubbish bag sticker charges rise from $1.50 to $3.00 from 1 July as part of the Council’s Long Term Plan changes to fees and charges. You can keep using two blue stickers on bags until the end of August. After that please swap any leftover blue stickers for the equivalent value in new pink stickers at any Council office. New pink stickers will be on sale from mid-August.

Rubbish stickers haven’t increased in price since they were first introduced in July 2016, but landfill fees have more than doubled over that time, and so the Council has to ensure those costs are covered. Early public consultation on the LTP in October last year determined that most people wanted to keep a reasonable proportion of rubbish costs on user pays rather than targeted rates, so that people pay for what they use and will benefit from keeping their rubbish down.

Reminder to have your say on neighbourhood parks and sports parks

Check out the draft management plans for Neighbourhood Parks and Sports Parks and let Council know if changes are needed. Consultation is open until Monday 14 July. For more info, go to www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/say-it.

In Tamahere-Woodlands Ward the Neighbourhood Parks covered by these plans are: Good Street Reserve and Jack Foster Reserve in Matangi, Hukanui Park in Gordonton, and Te Awa Reserve in Tamahere. The Sports Parks in the Ward are: Gordonton Reserve on College Dr, Matangi Recreation Reserve at the Sports Club on Tauwhare Rd, and Tamahere Park which runs between Devine Rd and Wiremu Tamihana Dr. Any other open spaces are categorised differently and managed under different plans.

Tamahere Reserve

Tamahere Reserve (off Tauwhare Rd) is not currently categorised as a neighbourhood or sports park and will be managed separately. Council plans to appoint Boffa Miskel to establish a concept plan for the reserve including safe vehicle access, in consultation with the community. Meanwhile, following the recent tree felling, the track into the reserve will be cleared of debris and boardwalks fixed if repairs are required.

SH1B Telephone Rd rail crossing re-opening end of July

The Telephone Rd rail crossing is expected to open at the end of July. Watch: www.nzta.govt.nz/projects.

Dog registration fees due by 31 July

Remember to pay your annual dog registration by 31 July. Penalty fees apply after that date.  Discounts are available for ‘approved’ owners. To learn more – and to pay your dog registration online – please go to www.waikatodistrict.co.nz/dogs

Contact your Tamahere-Woodlands Councillors:

Crystal Beavis, mob 0275 957 927, email crystal.beavis@waidc.govt.nz  

Mike Keir, mob 027 449 3012, email mike.keir@waidc.govt.nz