As we close another year we should all look back and celebrate what we have achieved and look to learn from what we haven’t. As expected in Tasman, there is more of the former than the latter.

The recent announcement from Keep New Zealand Beautiful confirmed what we all knew already, but congratulations are still in order for New Zealand’s top town, Motueka. The town looks great, the main street is attractive with well presented shops, matched with a very good service culture, and that is just one street. Motueka is a town of many parts from its parks, waterfront, through to its community and the work that is so often selflessly done to make Motueka the best town in New Zealand.

This is not the first award Motueka has won and they all have been won by one of the many groups within the town, such as the Jack Inglis Friendship Hospital winning the TrustPower national award as the best community project. I would like to convey my personal congratulations and those of the Council, to the Keep Motueka Beautiful team, without who this achievement would not have been possible.

Being one of the places New Zealanders come to enjoy summer has a downside. While the majority of people look forward to a long hot summer the seriousness of drought in our District is never far from the minds of our horticultural and agricultural sectors. As a District we are already on water restrictions with a real likelihood of those becoming stricter as the summer progresses. The most productive land in the region, the Waimea Plains, are usually the worst hit and it looks like this year will be no different, however, there is a silver lining. The proposed Lee Valley Dam has been the focus of discussion for most of the year with the community led asset moving from concept to reality. While the Council will play a role in its future its scope has yet to be determined – one thing that is agreed is that a consistent water source for the area will benefit the whole District.

After a year of making decisions on behalf of the community, my councillor colleagues and I are often reminded of the subjective nature of many of those decisions. It is accepted that we won’t always please everyone, however, that does not mean we do not take into account the widest possible viewpoint. We make the decisions we believe are in the best interests of the local and wider community with the best information we have at hand. This year we have been shown that we could do things a little better and we take those lessons on board every time we are asked to make a decision, which is nearly every day.

On the matter of decision-making, we are entering one of the key decision-making periods for Council, the drafting of the Annual Plan. Every year the council has to balance the wishes of residents and the development and maintenance of essential infrastructure with the need to minimise costs and our ability to manage rate increases downwards. While confident that residents are aware of the conflict, we are equally aware that the decisions we make are sometimes not popular – the building site in Hope, the pumping station in Mapua, the water main in Takaka. In making these decisions the affordability of rates is a key issue not just for those directly affected but the also the wider District.

For most of last week the Local Government Commission was hearing the many verbal submissions on the amalgamation proposal put forward by Nelson Mayor Aldo Miccio, and I thank those who took the time to make a submission. As a Council we produced what we believed was relevant information, driven by requests from constituents, and a submission reflecting our position on what we believe are the real issues at the centre of the proposal. Regardless of the view you take this is an important decision-making process which will have a lasting effect on the region. People need to take part.

However, while the Local Government Commission makes its decision we as a Council will continue delivering Council services and the agreed work programme for our community.

On behalf of the Council I would like to wish everyone an enjoyable Christmas and New Year and hope you are able to enjoy a well earned break with family and friends in our beautiful District.

As we begin to enjoy the climate the region is famous for we need to acknowledge it comes at a cost and this cost is coming a little early this year. The first water restriction notice has been issued by this Council with a particular emphasis on the Waimea plains. Stage one, in force from Monday 6 December 2010, is a cut in use by 20 per cent of consented water take levels in the Upper Catchment, Reservoir, Waimea West, Delta, Golden Hills, and both the Lower and Upper Confined Aquifer zones on the Waimea Plains.

This may not seem a great deal, but it is of concern as it is very early in what is going to be a long hot summer to have such restrictions put in place. There is no doubt, if the current trend continues, further restrictions will be initiated before Christmas, and these restrictions will affect other settlements within the region.

This is not just an issue for the horticulture and agricultural sectors, it will affect many of us throughout Tasman. As a result we need to think about we can conserve water now, not when the restrictions are put in place.

Last week I attended the memorial service in Greymouth for the 29 people who lost their lives in the Pike River tragedy. It was an opportunity for me as Mayor to pass on the heartfelt condolences from Tasman to a community not dissimilar to ours.

This week has shown the importance of primary industry to our local economy. On one hand we had the Minister of Aquaculture and the Prime Minister reaffirm their support for industry to resolve the current issues to enable the development of aquaculture in Tasman, and then we hear of the incidence of PSA in local Kiwifruit orchards.

The national aquaculture conference held last week firmly identified the District has one of the areas the Government sees great promise in with the release of the latest Aquaculture legislative amendments. As an example of sustainable industry aquaculture has few peers and the District is lucky enough to have the perfect natural environment for its development. It is an industry I will certainly continue to support for its ability to attract investment, talent and secondary industries with little impact on the environment.

While celebrating that news, however, we heard that the disease PSA had been found in Kiwifruit orchards in Riwaka and Golden Bay. I appreciate the resilience we have amongst our local Kiwifruit growers, who I know will be actively implementing an agreed response to this significant challenge. We will be working with MAF Biosecurity and the industry to identify any support we can provide to this important part of the Tasman economy.

By the time you read this the closing date for submissions to the Local Government Commission on the proposed union of the Tasman District with Nelson City will have passed.

As you will see on this page the Tasman District Council finalised its submission on the proposed union of the Tasman District and Nelson City. The submission was approved unanimously, subject to a few minor additions and changes, at the 28 October Council meeting.

Our rationale for putting together the submission early was to provide those interested with a source of facts and impartial information to assist in the formation of individual submissions to the Local Government Commission and to provide the Commission with an objective view of the implications of amalgamation for ratepayers in Tasman.

Depending on the outcome of the submission process after the public hearings set down for 15-17 December, the Commission, in conjunction with the representative of electors Aldo Miccio, will decide whether or not to proceed with the process. Whatever the outcome the Council will be providing information on the next steps and how you may play a role.

In providing information about the process the Council has published a page on our website that includes the Council submission, the recent newsletters and correspondence from and to the Local Government Commission.

www.tasman.govt.nz/council/amalgamation

I strongly encourage ratepayers in Tasman to engage with the Local Government Commission and give them your view.

To be voted back into the position of Mayor in the recent election was a very proud and humbling moment for me. I am incredibly passionate about Tasman District, its environment, economy and the people who live here and to receive your vote of confidence in me and the Council for another term is a real honour.

I take this opportunity to thank Gordon Currie, Stuart Borlase and Michael Higgins for their contribution to Council over many years, and welcome new Councillors Bouillir, Maling and Mirfin.

Initial top priorities will be working with both Motueka and Golden Bay Community Boards to establish a strong working relationship with Council. The Community Boards and Residents Associations/Community Councils are essential for a healthy connection with the various communities within our district. I also support the Waimea Water Augmentation Committee as they conclude the feasibility study for the Lee Valley dam, likely the largest project for our district in the foreseeable future.

Another key focus will be keeping rates increases as low as possible while delivering core services (roading, drinking water, wastewater, stormwater etc.) to an acceptable standard. I realise this is a difficult time for our community in the current financial climate.

It is a privilege to serve our community and you are welcome to contact Councillors or me with any issues you would like us to address.

I would like to thank the voters of the Tasman District for the support shown to me in the election just completed. It is humbling to receive this level of support. We have a diverse community spread over a large geographical area. I am committed to working in the best interests of the whole district and the various communities of interest within the district. Feel free to contact me if you need my assistance. Once again a huge thank you.

Residents and ratepayers are currently being surveyed regarding the services provided to them by the Council. This is an important survey as it informs how we plan and deliver services to the people of the Tasman District. If you have been called and have participated I thank you for your time and feedback. For those who have not been called, your feedback is just as important anytime of the year and you are literally a phone call, or e-mail, away from any of your elected representatives.

As we are about to enter the pre-election period of October's Local Government elections the Auditor General's advice to elected representatives is to withdraw from all political comments in all of Council's communication vehicles, such as Newsline, to remove any suggestion of electioneering. This, however, does not mean I will stop performing my role as your Mayor, nor will the Councillors as your elected representatives. As I said above, we are still available to discuss any issues with you.

On behalf of the Council I would like to take this opportunity to thank residents and ratepayers in the District for your support of us all. It is a challenging role at times, but we recognise it is also a privilege to serve you.

Tasman District offers a multitude of benefits to those of us who live here. We have the weather, the beaches and the mountains. We have fertile plains and untouched native forest. We have passionate proud communities and we also have some of the very best community facilities in the country.

I can’t think of many areas in New Zealand that can boast community facilities as good as those we have in Tasman. The ASB Aquatic Centre, soon to have its millionth visitor in less than six years, is a prime example. This excellent, and constantly improving, facility is a testimony to those who invested so much time, effort and energy into getting the funds together to make its construction a reality.

The Motueka Recreation Centre, undergoing a $2m revamp, will soon be brought up to the high standard of the Murchison Sport, Recreation and Cultural Centre and the Moutere Hills Sport and Recreation Centre.

Saxton Field, though early in its life, is already showing its promise, bringing international level sport to our region and enabling our local athletes to train and compete in the best of facilities.

All of these facilities have a common link – they were brought into reality by the dreams, aspirations and hard work of the residents of Tasman, with Council support.

The result is a legacy of facilities that will serve our District’s communities admirably for many years to come.

The week began in Tapawera somewhat earlier than expected. It was only an hour’s difference between a standard rainy weekend and one of the worst floods in 70 years. What the community did in response to ‘Mother Nature’s’ deluge provided me with as much awe as did the natural forces at play.

In response a small settlement that at 8.00am was getting on with their own thing on a rainy Sunday was suddenly galvanised into one community dealing with the threat to life and property that was often not their own. People and resources came from everywhere, those that could help helped those that wore the brunt of the flood. The emergency services, Police, Civil Defence, Paramedics and the Red Cross, we all hope will turn up did, and as usual, managed the situation extremely well.

There was no greater evidence of a community that looks after its own than the welfare centre was closed within hours as all those affected by the flood had been taken in and cared for by their neighbours, relatives and friends.

When the community gets back to some semblance of normal life, the roads are cleared and the immediate risks are taken care of the Council will be leading a review of the lessons learnt from this flood to ensure the risks and dangers are minimised in the future.

The landscape will be scarred for sometime but Tapawera and the people within will recover and move on secure in the knowledge they live in a ‘real’ community.

The Draft Annual Plan submission period drew to a close last week with the receipt of approximately 250 submissions on a variety of subjects throughout the District. I can assure you these will all be read and deliberated on by me, your Councillors and the management of Council. The Annual Planning process is probably one of the most important functions a council and the residents and ratepayers of a district can undertake and I sincerely thank those who took the time and contributed.

Going through the Annual Plan process has highlighted to me that there are a wide variety of interests and many people who wish to make a difference in their community. The planning process is one of the more formal interactions we have with the communities we represent and serve, however, I recognise it occurs only once a year and may not coincide with your issue. It may be a cliché but if you want or need to discuss an issue or idea with me, or your Councillors, the door is always open and the phone will always be answered throughout the year. Your Councillors and I are your representatives and we are here to listen and help where we can.

We have been blessed with a really good summer this year with very few events or weekends disrupted by rain. While we have pride in the weather our District enjoys and gloat over other regions and towns about the sunny days we experience there is a cost. That cost, the lack of rain and the resultant water restrictions, has a direct effect on our local economy and the way we live.

Water and its management has certainly been in the news recently with droughts being declared and the demise of elected members of Environment Canterbury triggered by its perceived lack of management of the resource. There has, however, been a positive story about water management amongst our own water restriction notices and that is the story of the Lee Dam project. While a sod has yet to be turned the importance of this project is only amplified by the current situation throughout the region and the events throughout the country.

It is certainly one I support, not only for its importance to the District’s future but as a community-driven project it is one all Tasman residents should support.

In the recent round of Annual Plan discussion forums and presentations, where we have gone out to the community and visited various settlements, we have witnessed a mixture of responses and attendance. What has been pleasing and significant to me is the thorough investigation residents and ratepayers have undertaken into their subject of interest. A number of submissions have recognised we cannot afford to do everything and a level of prioritisation must govern our decisions around where we focus our efforts over the next year with many providing alternatives as opposed to additions to the already long list.

This is a key time for the Council and its relationship with you the ratepayers and residents, the success of which is driven by the level of interaction we share. I encourage anyone interested to make a submission to the Annual Plan before the 26 of April 2010.

In addition to the recent Annual Plan meetings I have had the opportunity to witness recent work completed by the Council and the local communities within Tasman. Of note this week was the great occasion of the official opening of the reclamation work at Collingwood. This project has provided not only greater access to an amenity and provided a greater level of hazard protection for the main street, it also displayed what can be achieved through a real partnership between the Council and the community. A very big thank you to all involved.

This issue of Newsline is rightly introduced by the acknowledgement of the dedicated and committed hard work of the Friends of Motueka Hospital Trust very ably led by Councillor Jack Inglis.

The campaign has accomplished a great achievement for the people of Motueka and the District as a whole, and for that, the Trust rightly has the thanks of the communities the hospital serves.

Inside you will also find the ’17 settlements’ document, a snapshot of what the Council is proposing to achieve within each of the unique settlements that make up the Tasman District.

Behind much of this work is the opportunity for, and invitation to, the residents of Tasman to play an important and substantive role in our district’s future, a role I urge you all to take up.

All this work, as well as the accolades and events recorded here reinforce to me that Tasman is a district with vitality with much to do to maintain and enhance the reasons why we call this magnificent place home.

I look forward to seeing and talking with you at many of the meetings identified within this edition of Newsline.

Tasman District is a wonderful place to live and work. We have fantastic people making up a range of diverse communities that add vibrancy to our beautiful district.

The well-being of our communities and environment are at the heart of what Council does, which is why Council’s planning documents are so important to the future of Tasman District.

The Draft Annual Plan 2010/2011 is particularly important, as it outlines the activities Council is proposing to do and the services it is planning to provide Tasman residents and visitors, along with their associated costs. Now is your opportunity to put in a submission on the Draft Annual Plan. I ask that you read the Summary document and the Draft Annual Plan and send us your comments on them.

This has been a good Draft Annual Plan to produce. It is the second year of the Ten Year Plan. Having undertaken an extensive consultation process last year to produce the Ten Year Plan, we wanted to stay as close to it as we could for this Draft Annual Plan.

Council, however, wants to keep rates increases down as much as possible, particularly considering that people and businesses are still trying to deal with the effects of the recession. We asked staff to find savings, without impacting on the services we currently provide. As a result we have moved the expected General Rate down from the 5.12 percent increase projected in Year 2 of the Ten Year Plan to a 3.97 percent increase in the Draft Annual Plan. We have also reduced some of the proposed increases for Targeted Rates for specific services Council provides. As the Targeted Rates apply to properties depending on the services being provided, the rates increase will not be the same for all properties. For most properties, however, the total rates increase will be around 5 percent, including an allowance of three percent for inflation.

We have achieved these lower increases while continuing to provide much needed infrastructure within Tasman’s growing communities, providing community facilities and looking after our natural environment.

The section “Key Changes from the Ten Year Plan and Major Issues” is a particularly important one for you to look at (refer to pages 4-7 of the Summary and pages 15-19 of the Draft Annual Plan). We would welcome receiving your comments on the matters raised in this section.

We have also produced the “17 Settlements” document which outlines the key things happening in each ward and settlement. It may be easier for you to find the specific projects planned for your area in the 17 Settlements document.

The Draft Annual Plan and 17 Settlements document are available from Council offices and on the website www.tasman.govt.nz

I trust you find the Summary and the Draft Annual Plan an informative read. I hope to see you at the various consultation sessions we are planning around the Tasman District.

Tasman is a very diverse district – each community with its own priorities and desires. A key challenge that Council faces is identifying, evaluating and prioritising the requirements of our district as a whole and then allocating funding to ensure that the work gets done at the right time, and where it will have the greatest benefit.

There is always pressure on budgets and we need to prioritise work with a view on district wide benefit as well as local community desires.

This balance is something that the Council and I are very conscious to get right. The decisions Council makes as it strives to provide this service might not always be the most popular but, as tough as the decisions may be, they are always taken with the view of ensuring that Council provides the right services for our district, at the right time and within budget.

It’s always satisfying to see big projects with district-wide implications move close to completion. The years of discussion, consultation and planning are all forgotten and our focus can move on to the benefits that we will reap as a result of all the hard work by the Council, authorities, consultants, contractors and the community.

The Ruby Bay Bypass is a perfect example of this. The rationale behind the new road was to decrease travel time and distance and improve safety between Richmond and Motueka, and beyond to Golden Bay, for both personal and business traffic; create a simplified route that would decrease fuel consumption and as a result reduce carbon emissions, and to divert heavy traffic flows away from the beauty and tourist appeal that Mapua, Ruby Bay and Tasman undoubtedly have.

On Saturday 20 February everyone is invited to come along to the Ruby Bay Bypass open day where you can walk, cycle or even roller-skate along the length of the new road. I’ll be there and am looking forward to seeing both the scale of the project and the amount of work which has been done is such a relatively short space of time, as well as enjoying the new vistas across Ruby Bay that the bypass will provide.

In years to come the new bypass will become the accepted route to destinations west, but for now it’s good to be able to celebrate the successful delivery of another milestone in the growth and development of our district.

Welcome to the first Newsline of 2010. I hope that you’ve had an enjoyable summer so far. It seems that we have had our fair share of mixed weather across the district this year – one week hot, one week wet. Hopefully we have many warm and sunny days still to come.

2010 is going to be an important year for Council. We have budget reviews and our annual plan process is already underway, with many challenges to face to ensure our district continues to grow and prosper. This year is also an election year and although important, we will try to keep electioneering until later in the year, ensuring that we remain focused on addressing the key issues facing our district.

We will see the conclusion of some major projects this year. The new Ruby Bay Bypass, for example, is close to completion, with a public open day being held on Saturday 20 February, and we will also see the finalisation of the feasibility study for the Lee Valley Dam project with decisions on some of the difficult questions surrounding who will own and pay for it, along with the many other aspects of this project. Continuing work with the Motueka community regarding stopbanks and water supply is also very important.

I believe that 2010 will be a memorable and productive year for our region and I wish everyone the very best. Council will be working hard, every day, to ensure that it continues to deliver the level of services expected by the community at an affordable price

2009 has been a challenging year for many in our district, be it pipfruit growers, exporters affected by overseas exchange rates, retailers or business operators.

Many of you will have been evaluating your business plans and this is likely to continue into the New Year. We offer our support to all businesses, as your prosperity is fundamental to the health of our district.

Nearly every day in my role as Mayor I have the pleasure of meeting people who make a huge contribution to our district. From the team at Kaiteriteri who built the Kaiteriteri Mountain Bike Park, to the volunteers who help restore our district’s native bird and plant life at the weekends, and a myriad of other volunteers – they all share the ambition and drive to make a difference. No matter where you live, there will be a community group close by helping to shape our neighbourhood for future generations, often just for the love of it, keeping it special.

It is this community spirit and togetherness that brings the people of Tasman together. During the Christmas holidays I look forward to enjoying our beautiful district. I’ll be cycling around the Richmond hills, having a barbecue at Rabbit Island and generally chilling out. I encourage you all to enjoy what we have on our doorstep and help others to do the same.

I hope you have a very happy and safe Christmas and wish you all the best for 2010.

Over recent months there have been a couple of high profile stories that have received considerable coverage in our regional media; namely the proposed performing arts centre in Nelson and the Tasman/Nelson amalgamation petition.

Whilst both of these matters require Council’s consideration and attention it’s also important that we remain focused on our core duty of delivering on the promises that we made to residents in the Ten Year Plan, and delivering our core services at an affordable cost. It’s also extremely important that Tasman District Council and Nelson City Council continue to work co-operatively on the growing number of projects that we collaborate successfully on. These range from roading, recreation facilities and emergency planning right through to the
recently launched urban design panel and Waimea estuary project to name but a few.

Tasman residents can rest assured that I and the Council are working at all times with the best interests of our communities at the forefront of our minds, and doing what Tasman residents tell us they want us to do. We will not allow ourselves to be distracted by other issues from the fundamental role of ensuring that Tasman district continues to thrive and prosper whilst protecting the lifestyle that we all value.

At the recent annual Westpac Nelson Tasman Chamber of Commerce business awards Tasman companies took home the top honours in five categories including the Supreme award, which went to Upper Mouteres Sunrise Cleaning. You can read more about these great achievements on page 2 in the 20 November issue of Newsline. What really stood out to me that evening was how much all of these companies had in common when it came to the fundamental way they approached their business. A strong belief in what they were doing, and where they were going was paramount, as was excellent customer service, valuing staff and a commitment to their training and retention and good old-fashioned hard work.

Council recently announced its 2008/2009 performance results through its Annual Report. It was pleasing to see Council had completed a strong year with a surplus in line with budget expectations, and net assets (or equity) increasing to just over one billion dollars. Lots of attention has been put on delivering on our districts infrastructure needs and ensuring the growth of Tasman is managed and sustainable for generations to come. There has also been a strong focus on delivering on the promises laid out in the Ten Year Plan process. Add to this the positive feedback that came from our annual Residents Survey, which showed Council was doing the right things in terms of communicating with residents and providing excellent customer service, and I think that things are definitely moving in the right direction.

There is always more that can be done but it’s also good to take the time to reflect on the success that has been achieved along the way.

The recent Tsunami in Samoa is something that has made many Tasman residents realise that when nature creates a disaster it’s often impossible to predict. What we can do though is ensure that we are as best prepared as we can be for such eventualities and make sure that our families and friends have a plan to fall back on.

In this issue of Newsline you can read a feature on the Tsunami threat for Tasman and also how the news of an emergency would be broadcast to us all. In addition to this it’s important that all residents have a plan of where to go, and what to do, in the event of an emergency. Residents should also ensure that they have an emergency kit all set up and ready, which includes items such as a radio, torch, blankets, water for at least three days and some food. Now is the time to make these plans and provisions.

With regard to the Samoan Tsunami appeal I was really pleased to see how much support was offered from individuals and businesses alike from our region. New Zealand has an international reputation of being one of the most generous and kind-hearted nations whenever there is a crisis and Tasman residents response to this recent tragedy will go a long way to supporting that view.

The annual Residents Survey is a really valuable tool for getting an unbiased view of how residents rate the performance of Council and I’d like to thank everyone who gave up their time to take part this year. The survey gives us a snapshot of how residents in each ward are thinking and we can then compare those results across the entire district and also nationally. The results enable Council to focus on what residents are feeling and experiencing and help us keep our focus on individual ward requirements as well as what is required for the greater benefit of the district.

This year’s results were very positive and we have made some good progress in key areas like recreation facilities, car parking, footpaths and environmental monitoring and information.

Having said that, roads are still a major challenge for Council. We are focusing very hard on addressing the key issues of maintaining, and where possible sealing, gravel roads, ensuring adequate provision of footpaths as well as providing adequate and timely environmental policy planning. It’s a big job but residents can rest assured it’s at the top of our list of priorities.

One thing that pleased me when reading the report was that residents scored Tasman District Council higher, or on par, with the national average in almost every area. This doesn’t mean we can lower our focus, but it does show that we are going in the right direction and have a lot to be pleased about.

To read the report in full click here

During challenging times, it is really nice to see what is being done by people in our community, for our community. This was brought home to me recently when I was honoured to meet two groups of people who reminded me how much great work is being done in our communities, by individuals, for the greater good of all Tasman’s residents.

A few weeks ago I spent an afternoon with the St John ambulance staff in Richmond. St John is made up of both paid staff and volunteers with the whole organisation relying on public donations to fund its work. In our region they were called out to attend nearly 10,000 emergencies or patient deliveries last year. Their dedication would have helped many when they most needed it.

On the 14 August I was privileged to present the 2009 Outstanding Community Awards. You can read more about those awarded in this, and future issues of Newsline. All had spent at least 20 years working for, and supporting, their neighbourhoods, towns and communities. Generations of Tasman residents have benefited from their efforts. These people have contributed to making Tasman a great place for all.

Council is about to survey residents from across Tasman District to hear your thoughts on the services and facilities that we provide.

This feedback process is vital and helps us remain focused on the issues and subjects that matter most to you. It helps us understand what we are doing right and where additional focus is needed.

Tasman District is a diverse community, from the golden beaches of Tasman Bay to the mountains surrounding Nelson Lakes. It's really important that we speak directly with residents from all areas. Each community has its own specific needs and we want to make sure that we are addressing these to the best of our ability.

If you are one of those contacted please take the time to answer the questions – we really appreciate your help. As always I’ll look forward to seeing the results, which will be published in Newsline and on Councils website www.tasman.govt.nz

Compromise is sometimes needed to manage conflicting values. A good example is the issue of outdoor burning. It would be good if we never needed to have outdoor burning because of the smoke pollution caused and reduction in air quality. However, we live in a district that has an economy and lifestyle inextricably linked to our great outdoors. Our fruit industry, for example, often needs to remove redundant parts of an orchard at the end of the fruit season and burn the trees to make room for replacement plantings. Likewise, management of crack willows on riverbanks sometimes necessitates burning to remove a potential flood hazard.
We will always need a balance between an idealistic approach to environmental management and economic profitability. We also call this sustainability.

The amount of feedback we had on our Draft Ten year Plan (over 4500 individual responses) has amazed me. Its very encouraging to see that Tasman District Council really is a council set up to support the needs of the community. That 4500 people took the time to air their views, in the knowledge that they would be read, considered and responded to, is very encouraging indeed – both for me as Major and for the council in general.