Sorting out the sewerage

South Wairarapa District Council is assessing short-term solutions to the major sewerage problems which Martinborough town faces after it was served formal notice to cease-and-desist with any new sewerage connections to its “Martinborough Ponds” treatment plant for up to two years.

The Greater Wellington Regional Council notice warned SWDC that additional connections to the sewerage system “would further compromise the plant’s performance, increasing the risk to the environment, public health and safety.”   

SWDC said up to 20 planned new built premises could be affected, while 30 which already had building and other consents could proceed unhindered.

Mayor Martin Connelly said the abatement notice means “the council is obliged to pause applications for new connections to the plant, effective immediately.”  … Continue Reading

Urban rates may go higher

With the local council between a financial rock and hard place, Mayor Martin Connelly is hinting urban ratepayers may be facing much steeper rates bills come end of June decision-time.

“The (rates) consultation feedback is that urban rates should go up to closer to 29 percent,” he told The Martinborough Star.  “Most respondents don’t want to go with the least expensive option.”

Already commercial rates are proposed to rise 9.2 percent, urban 10.9 percent and rural rates 29.0 percent, plans which have been consulted on for the past month. 

That 29.0 percent figure is the amount of increase earlier signalled by SWDC that only rural ratepayers face from July 1. … Continue Reading

  Featherston Amateur Wrestling Club May notes

A busy month at the Wrestling Club with the AGM, followed by an ambrose golf day and the local tournament where our juniors got the chance to test themselves versus the Tawa and Waikanae clubs – many for the first time.

The golf fundraiser was a great day out with a tonne of generous prizes, the pick of them being a chainsaw for closest to the pin donated by Martinborough Automotive. 

Other sponsors included The Loft Barbers, Lake Ferry Hotel, the Pukemanu, Martinborough Transport, Circus Cinema, Property Brokers, Ata Rangi and Te Kairanga!  … Continue Reading

Martinborough Health Centre

WHAT’S HAPPENING 

With all the media releases about struggling General Practices and shortage of GP’s, we are aware of how very important it is that we keep not only our patients, but our community informed of what is happening at the Martinborough Health Centre.  

Firstly, I know that patients are having to wait weeks for routine appointments. This is unfortunate but a necessity so we can provide urgent care to those who are extremely unwell. Thank you to all our patients that have been so understanding. We have been diligently trying to entice GP’s and a Nurse Practitioner to our Health Centre and community, with no luck.  This is a nationwide issue. Our plan in the meantime is to get locums to help us get through winter and until we can get the staff we need. 

Unfortunately, we are putting up our prices from June 2023.  We had this approved by Ministry of Health a few months ago but held off implementing the increase, unfortunately with staff wages, supplies etc all going up we can’t put it off any longer.  This will not affect patients with Community Services Cards. … Continue Reading