The Whakatāne District is set to benefit from community projects funded by the Department of Internal Affairs Better Off Funding package throughout 2024.

At today’s (29 February) Living Together Committee Meeting, General Manager Strategy and Transformation, Steven Perdia, presented the latest Better Off Funding programme update on the progress of each of the seven projects.

"While adjustments have been made to expected completion dates for some projects, it’s encouraging to see the delivery of the CCTV upgrade and the funding to help accelerate the Eastern Bay of Plenty Spatial Plan now utilised," says Mr Perdia.

The Council was successful in receiving the first tranche ($5.66 million) from the Department of Internal Affairs Better Off Funding package in December 2022, to be used toward projects designed to boost local amenities and outcomes for residents.

Progress updates for each of the seven projects are as follows:

Eastern Bay of Plenty Spatial Plan ($200K)

Better Off Funding has successfully assisted in accelerating progress with investigative work associated with the Eastern Bay of Plenty Spatial Plan (EBOP) Project. Funding toward this portion of the EBOP Spatial Plan is now be completed.

The funding has assisted with:

• The launch of the ‘Our Places – Eastern Bay Spatial Plan’ website, providing information and resources about the project and its outcomes.
• Developing and finalising key maps that show the current and future growth scenarios for the region based on various factors and assumptions.
• Refreshing the project plan to reflect the changes and progress made throughout the project.
• Conducting workshops, briefings, and meetings with the Control Group, Technical Group, and Governance Group, which consisted of representatives from various stakeholders and agencies involved in the project.

CCTV Upgrade and Expansion ($1M)

The delivery and installation of 33 new safety cameras, also known as CCTV, across the Whakatāne District, alongside the upgrade of 11 existing cameras has been delivered and a monitoring contractor appointed and in place.

All work has been completed for the scope of the project as originally agreed and delivered on time and under budget. The underspent budget will be used to deliver additional cameras and software upgrades along with additional radio functionality.

The project team are now working alongside the monitoring contractor and NZ Police ICT team to address minor teething issues with the connectivity of radios.

Natural Hazard Resilience ($1.36M)

This project aims to improve the Civil Defence readiness and community resilience of the Whakatāne District in case of natural disasters.

The project has seen the completion of seismic strengthening to the Waimana-Nukuhou North Memorial Hall in October 2023, with work on the Te Teko War Memorial Hall progressing well and ahead of schedule with a targeted completion date of May 2024.

Work on upgrading an alternative Emergency Operations Centre on higher ground is complete.

The project is developing Community Emergency Hubs across the Whakatāne District, which will provide emergency resources to support the community following a natural hazard emergency or other event.

Engagement with local marae and other community organisations to build awareness and gain support for the hubs continues to be positive.

He Waka Hono Hapori Community Connections and Outreach ($500K)

Two vans have been ordered to deliver Council services and information to rural and isolated communities. The vans will act as multipurpose outreach hubs of engagement and provide information and some Council services to those unable to make the trip to physical Council buildings.

The vans are anticipated to arrive by May 2024, and the project team is currently planning for the graphic design and special internal fit-out of the vans.

The service will be known as Hono Hapori Community Connections, and it is anticipated the vans will be ready to service the communities by June 2024.

Edgecumbe to Thornton Shared Pathway ($900K)

The first stage of the shared pathway is expected to begin in May. The first stage involves resurfacing an existing grass walking track beginning at Edgecumbe Squash and Tennis Club on College Road and ending at Edgecumbe Skatepark.

The shared pathway is part of the broader vision of walking and cycling loops intended for the Whakatāne District. It forms part of the ‘Active Whakatāne’ strategy which aims to develop rural community projects and improve the connections between outlying communities.

Options for the remaining stages are still being researched and include options for riverbank trails or roadside trails. This has seen the project completion date pushed out to December 2025.

The finalised route of the remaining pathway to Thornton is still to be confirmed and staff are working with some property owners on concerns they have.

Collective Iwi Policy Hub ($1M)

This project aims to equitably resource iwi to participate and engage in a range of strategy, policy and legislative proposals that affect the Whakatāne District.

The project is on track, with a Program Manager appointed in December 2023, who has initiated engagement with the 4 iwi CEO’s. The Hub is developing terms of engagement, resourcing needs, support staff recruitment and forward support plans.

The next priority is to ensure perspectives and priorities are included in the EBOP Spatial Plan and Climate Change projects, with planning in progress to define the scope of these projects. The goal is to start this work by March 2024.

The second half of 2024 is expected to see the start of new work and resources for the Hub.

Southern District Towns Regeneration ($700K)

This project supports the strategic visions of Ngāti Manawa and Ngāti Whare, which aim to revitalise Murupara and Minginui. This involves developing masterplans that align with the aspirations of these iwi and communities.

The Minginui Community will be invited to begin Vision and Master Planning with the help of external consultants. The activation project for Minginui will follow after this work is done.

The project has been slightly delayed due to consultant availability. The new completion date is June 2025.