The Whakatāne District Council’s Annual Report for the 2015/16 financial year has now been adopted and shows that Council had finished the year with a rating surplus of $140,000. 

The inaugural Kiwi Junior Rugby League Festival kicks off in Whakatāne tomorrow with an opening ceremony at Rugby Park at 2 pm.

As a part of its school holiday programme, the Whakatāne District library is inviting young musicians aged 11-16 years to come up with a song about the library and what it means to them. 

Whakatāne District residents can expect to see a new recycling bin with a bright yellow lid arrive at their properties between 15 September and 3 October. The new bin allows a ‘glass out’ recycling system to be introduced, as part of the enhanced recycling service which will be rolled out across the District from 1 October. 

A parade to honour local Olympic gold medal heroine Lisa Carrington will be held through the Whakatāne CBD on Monday, 19 September. 

The Whakatāne District Council’s Policy committee has agreed to initiate a variation to the Proposed District Plan, which will seek to have the existing residential zoning for the area impacted by the 2005 debris flow from the Awatarariki Stream at Matatā replaced with a more appropriate zoning.

Volunteers are being sought to help enrich the visitor experience provided by the Museum and art gallery spaces at Te Kōputu a te whanga a Toi.  

A more holistic approach to managing drinking water has been proposed for the Whakatāne District, to ensure that an integrated approach is taken to future investment and upgrading priorities.

The economic benefits of using White Island/Whakaari as a key promotional tool for Whakatāne are to be assessed through a project incorporating the region’s major tourism stakeholders.