Election results 2025

Your two Ward Councillors, Mike Keir and Crystal Beavis, wish to thank you all for your votes and for the confidence you have once again placed in us to represent you on the Council. We will continue to attend the Matangi Community Committee meetings regularly to hear what the community is saying, and to keep you updated on Council matters via Matangilink.

We both look forward to working under the leadership of our new Mayor Aksel Bech, a former Tamahere Ward Councillor for six years and former Deputy Mayor (working with former Mayor Allan Sanson) for three years.

The new Council will be sworn in on Tuesday 28 October and, at the first Council meeting of the new triennium on Monday 10 November, will adopt the governance structure under which the Council will work for the next three years. In line with the election results there is an expectation that the new Mayor will bring some changes to the way the council conducts business.

Reserves and Beaches Bylaw review – opportunity for early feedback

You are invited to provide early input to help shape consideration and preparation for a review of the Reserves and Beaches Bylaw. The Council wants your feedback on the way beaches and reserves are used – particularly about vehicle/motorbike access and horse-riding. These are popular activities but can also cause damage or safety issues – so your thoughts on how and where these activities should be allowed or restricted is important. The purpose of this Bylaw is to emake sure public natural spaces, such as reserves, parks and coastal areas remain safe and enjoyable for everyone. Please find out more, and make your views known, at www.waikatodistrict.govt.nz/say-it before consultation closes on Friday 14 November.

NZ Transport Agency – SH26A Morrinsville Rd speed review

NZTA invites your views on a proposal to change the speed limit on a short section of SH26A (formerly SH26), Morrinsville Rd, from the Matangi/Silverdale/Morrinsville Rd intersection to the Ruakura Rd roundabout (LIC corner). The changes are planned to support the “revocation” process to change this section into a “local road” and transfer ownership to Hamilton City and Waikato District. NZTA plan to extend the 50kph zone from the current city limit through a new “peanut-shaped” roundabout planned for the Matangi/Silverdale Rd intersecton to 170m northeast of Silverdale Rd, and to reduce the 80kph zone that currently extends from there to the LIC corner down to 70kph. Please find out more, and make your views known, on NZTA’s website here before consultation closes on Friday 28 November.

Hamilton City Council – proposed changes to Morrinsville Rd (“Section 2”)

As part of the revocation process to transfer SH26A Morrinsville Rd (from Hillcrest to the LIC corner) into a local road, Hamilton City has been consulting with the community on proposed changes to the road to make it safer for walking and biking – especially for school children and the local community. (These proposed roading changes are 100% funded by NZTA Waka Kotahi.)

The first part of these changes, a peanut-shaped roundabout at the Silverdale/Matangi Rd intersecton (“Section 1”), was open for community consultation earlier this year. 

Hamilton City has now opened a new consultation on some proposed changes to Morrinsville Rd between Cambridge Rd and Matangi Rd (“Section 2”), including the introduction of paths and cycle lanes on both sides of the road, and some new crossings on side roads (Mullane St, Morris Rd and Berkley Ave).  To accommodate the changes the Morrinsville Rd traffic lanes would narrow and, for example, the right turning lane into Morris Rd would reduce to a smaller ‘hatched’ area.

Find out more at public drop-in sessions at Berkley Normal School Performing Arts Centre on Tuesday 28 October, 5-7pm, and Saturday 1 November 11am-1pm. You can also read about it on the Hamilton City Council website here and have your say on the website here.  The consultation closes on Sunday 9 November.

Construction of the “peanut roundabout” and pedestrian crossing at the Silverdale/Matangi Rd intersecton is expected to start in early January 2026. Hamilton City Council will be interested in local views as to whether construction should be expedited over 4 months with full closure of the the intersection and traffic detours in place (but allowing pedestrians and cyclists through the intersection), or whether construction should be spread over 8-9 months with only partial closure of the intersection. Partial closure would allow traffic through the intersection under stop/go control but would still involve significant delay and disruption.

Tamahere-Woodlands Heritage Group

Members of this group met recently at Cambridge Museum to find out more about website and software solutions for storing historic photos, documents and narratives in an accessible way.  The group has gathered heritage information about villages in the Ward – Eureka, Gordonton, Matangi, Newstead, Puketaha, Tamahere and Tauwhare and would welcome help with building on what they have. Please contact us if you’re interested to find out more.

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