Local Government Press Releases

The Auckland Mayor has launched an investigation into the feasibility of providing free admission to council-owned swimming pools across Auckland.

The Christchurch City Council update residents on whether or not the traditional New Year’s Eve celebration in Cathedral Square will go ahead.

Telecom has teamed up with the Christchurch City Council, City Mission and Christchurch Cathedral to bring some festive cheer to the city centre with plans to unveil dedicated Santaline phone boxes at a public ceremony on the evening of Thursday 9 December.

Wellington City Council and local bus companies are to keep a close watch on pedestrian safety along the new two-way section of the Golden Mile – mainly in Manners Street – via a joint ‘taskforce’ of representatives from the organisations.

A request for support from local BMX champion Jed Mildon, to look at building a new jump track at Spa Park, has received a very favourable response from Council. Jed Mildon, a local BMX champion is keen to get a BMX dirt track established to promote the sport to young people in the district.

Council waste water staff are urging Christchurch householders to check their properties for possible storm water and waste water pipe damage that may have been caused by the earthquake.

From Monday (6 December) until September next year, the Terrace Tunnel will be closed most nights between 8.00pm and 6.00am. The New Zealand Transport Agency is upgrading the tunnel’s operating systems to the latest standards, and will work overnight to minimise disruption to traffic.

Forty people won prizes in the Ngaruawahia and Huntly Best Garden Competitions for 2010. Lianne van den Bemd, Waikato District Council’s Safer Communities Co-ordinator and one of the judges for the Ngaruawahia Garden Competition, said the quality of this year’s entries was very high.

Visitors to next year’s Ellerslie International Flower Show (EIFS) will be able to enjoy more gardens than have ever been on display before in Christchurch. Exhibition Manager Kate Hillier says there will be a record 45 gardens at next year’s Show – the biggest turnout since the Show moved to Christchurch. At this year’s EIFS, there were 34 gardens while in 2009, the first year the Show was in Christchurch, there were 26 gardens.

The Christchurch City Council is increasing free parking in the central city in a move to attract shoppers into the area over the Christmas-New Year holiday period.

Mangere’s new arts centre is alive with performing arts this week, with workshops and performances throughout the week as part of Showtime Mangere.

The first 4340 of 45,000 yellow-lidded DCC wheelie bins, to be used in the city’s new recycling service, were unpacked yesterday.

Ron Mueck has become the most popular paid-entry exhibition ever to be shown at Christchurch Art Gallery, with a total of 36,000 people visiting in its first six weeks.

Mayor Len Brown has announced three new initiatives to better prepare Auckland for civil emergencies. The initiatives include the development of neighbourhood and community emergency preparedness plans, a plan to give social media a key role in emergency preparedness and the announcement of a major regional civil defence exercise early next year.

If you’re wondering how to keep the kids entertained over the long summer break, wonder no longer as the Papakura Art Gallery is coming to the rescue with free children’s art classes.

Auckland Mayor Len Brown has taken the first steps towards making Auckland one of the world’s leading events cities.

Council is systematically working to clear the remaining rubble from Christchurch streets.

To keep beaches and parks safe for everyone this Guy Fawkes, Auckland City Council and New Zealand Police will once again be implementing a fireworks ban on public spaces.

Cup and Show week gets underway next Saturday 6 November and to ensure it’s an exciting and glamorous affair there will be a number of VIP celebrities to be spotted at the various events.

Mayor-elect Celia Wade-Brown today sent a strong message that ‘The Hobbit’ should stay where it belongs – in Wellington and New Zealand.