Kia manawanui
This page contains information on providing assistance to residents and businesses affected by the April 2017 flooding and severe weather events.
How to get help: Navigators
We know how much you want to get back on your feet. Whakatāne District Council’s Recovery Team has put in place a team of Navigators to help.
What Navigators are
If you’ve been affected by the April 2017 floods, Navigators can help you with the challenges of getting back on your feet. The service is free – and confidential.
How Navigators can help you
Navigators can:
- Support your recovery
- Offer a personalised service
- Help you access a range of available information, services and resources
Navigators also provide you with wraparound services:
- One-on-one support and assistance
- Up-to-date information while connecting you to other support agencies, such as Work and Income, MBIE, etc
- Help in gaining access to specialist services such as legal advice, budget advice, etc
- Housing / tenancy issues / temporary accommodation / storage / pets
- Access to other social and health services, such as counselling services and GP services
How you can access Navigator services
To opt into the service or find out more, contact us:
- Email: navigatorservices@whakatane.govt.nz
- Phone: 07 306 0500 and ask for Navigators
Navigators can also be found at Te Tari Āwhina – Community Hub at Edgecumbe Library from 10 am to noon, Tuesday to Friday.
Draft Community Plan
Interested groups and organisations are being asked to think about representation on an oversight committee to implement the Edgecumbe Community Action Plan.
Rangitāiki Community Board Chair Charelle Stevenson will shortly be writing to interested parties to invite them to send a representative to a meeting in late October. Items for discussion would include the commitment required of the committee to govern the plan, which groups could take ownership of various aspects, and where there might be opportunities for collaboration between volunteer groups.
The Community Action Plan seeks to lay out a vision and provide direction for action in Edgecumbe that restores community confidence, connections, pride and economic vitality. A copy of the draft plan, developed following a Peter Kenyon-led workshop, is available below.
Draft Community Plan - (PDF, 283 KB)
Returning home – what you need to know
Building repairs
We recommend that for any works requiring a builder, plumber or electrician that homeowners make contact with Whakatāne District Council to request a building consent for these works. We are offering free building consents for works undertaken to repair flood damage. This means that property owners have the opportunity to ensure repairs are undertaken correctly and formally signed off.
Archaeology - wāhi tapu and kōiwi
The 2017 flooding resulted in many changes to the land. All repair and maintenance work and shifting of earth may uncover or come across archaeology. If you come across any item that you think may be an archaeological item, or the site of repair work is a known wāhi tapu, please report this.
Below is a checklist BRANZ (Building Research Association New Zealand) has produced for restoring and returning to a house after flood damage that may be useful:
Findings of the independent review into Rangitāiki River Scheme
Sir Michael Cullen has presented the findings of the independent review of the Rangitāiki River Scheme to the Bay of Plenty Regional Council. A summary of the review and a link to the full report are both available on Bay of Plenty Regional Council's website via the link below.
Contact us
Call 0800 306 0500 at any time between 8 am and 5 pm for information, to record your personal details, or to ask for help or a callback.
