From the CEO

By Harry Wilson

Season’s greetings, everyone. We enter this Christmas season with a new Council in place, and an annual report for the 2021/22 year that is to be tabled at Council soon. 

Annual reports give a detailed rundown on how the Council’s financials are tracking, and how it delivered against its plans from the Long Term Plan. It’s well worth a read. We’re hopeful it can be adopted at the next Council meeting on December 14, subject to Audit New Zealand sign off.

Our thoughts this Christmas are with the residents at Hinekura and all the other residents this year who were affected by damage to our roads. We estimate about $2 million worth of damage has been done and we hope to claim about 72 per cent of it from Waka Kotahi. 

This year has certainly had its challenges. However, there have also been a lot of reasons for cheer. 

For a start, it’s been great to see Toast and Martinborough Fair return to the town this November, a happy reminder that while Covid-19’s tentacles are still out there, the community’s desire to get back to near-normality is very strong. 

While Martinborough’s Christmas parade isn’t going ahead this year, there will be Carols in the Square on December 10 and I hope, like me, you will all relish afresh the opportunity to come together. 

Over the year at Council, we have made considerable progress in our water infrastructure, having upgraded the Waiohine Water Treatment Plant, and completed the first stage of the Papawai wastewater upgrade. Meeting the Government’s higher drinking water standards is high on our agenda. 

In the planning department, the ongoing detailed work arising from last year’s South Wairarapa Spatial Plan continues, to ensure we are planning for our growth areas for future housing, infrastructure and amenities for the next three decades.  This work, which has begun with the Featherston Masterplan, will also help inform the review of the Wairarapa Combined District Plan.

In the amenities space, we are working in partnership with community projects like Martinborough Pump Park. Our pools are open all summer and free, our libraries are the most advanced they’ve ever been, and soon we will be the caretaker of the amazing Tauherenikau suspension bridge, stage 1 of the Five Towns cycle and walking trails network

With all that in mind, I wish you and all in our community a happy, safe and restful time over Christmas. Have a wonderful break.

Ngā mihi Harry Wilson

Summer at the Libraries.

All public libraries across the Wairarapa will be closed midday Friday 23 December and reopening Monday 9 January. 

Stuck for a book? We have a huge selection for ebooks, emagazines and audio books available online for free via Libby, our online book catalogue (check). If you’re unsure how, just ask any librarian, – all you need is your library card, and a digital device (eg. phone, computer, laptop). 

We have also installed BYOD printers for all your printing needs.

Not got a library card yet?   Signup online at www.wls.org.nz or just visit your closest library.