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Pressure brings public toilet relief to Featherston
Local Government

Pressure brings public toilet relief to Featherston

Frustration over a lack of facilities has forced South Wairarapa District Council to install temporary loos in Featherston during an upgrade worth $308,000.

By Emily Ireland • 2 min read • Today
Auckland houses are cheap but should you invest in them?
Real estate

Auckland houses are cheap but should you invest in them?

Lower prices are drawing investors back to Auckland, but weak rents, higher costs and modest capital growth are limiting the appeal.

By Susan Edmunds • 4 min read • Today
Don't expect new projects in Waimakariri's 10-year blueprint
Local Government

Don't expect new projects in Waimakariri's 10-year blueprint

Uncertainty over local government reform means the council is prioritising existing commitments, while a new road project carries $65.6 million in costs.

By David Hill • 3 min read • 2 days ago
Canterbury's regional council continuing to support Chathams, for now
Local Government

Canterbury's regional council continuing to support Chathams, for now

Support for the Chatham Islands' core regional services will continue during a planned transition as a 22-year arrangement winds down next June.

By David Hill • 2 min read • 2 days ago
Marine Precinct sale: Audit review finds process okay but communication lacking
Public Sector

Marine Precinct sale: Audit review finds process okay but communication lacking

Ratepayers faced a split verdict after a review upheld Tauranga Council's Marine Precinct sale process but said the public case for $13.987m was poorly explained.

By Ayla Yeoman • 4 min read • 2 days ago
Palmerston North City Council's average daily fuel bill rises by $820
Inflation

Palmerston North City Council's average daily fuel bill rises by $820

Rising pump prices are forcing the council to trim roading work, after fuel spending climbed by $200,000 in eight months.

By Rebecca Hogan • 3 min read • 2 days ago
Rotorua Airport forces delay of Māori immersion school plans on safety grounds
Aviation safety

Rotorua Airport forces delay of Māori immersion school plans on safety grounds

The expansion of a 281-pupil Māori-language school near Rotorua Airport now faces an independent hearing, with safety objections delaying the build.

By Mathew Nash • 4 min read • 3 days ago
Council eyes $1.5m footpath for Ashburton road
Local Government

Council eyes $1.5m footpath for Ashburton road

Safety fears on a 500-metre stretch of Allens Road could be eased if NZTA backs the council's $1.5m bid for a footpath.

By Jonathan Leask • 5 min read • 3 days ago
Hundreds of builders call for slashing of red-tape, quicker consents
New Zealand Labour Party

Hundreds of builders call for slashing of red-tape, quicker consents

A survey of 250 tradespeople found 56% want council fees and slow consenting tackled, as costs and delays are squeezing small builders.

By Claire Taylor • 3 min read • 3 days ago
Council drags feet on key plan to safeguard West Coast tourist hotspo
Local Government

Council drags feet on key plan to safeguard West Coast tourist hotspo

Government funding for Franz Josef is still on hold as Westland District Council begins work on a compulsory master plan three years late.

By Vihan Dalal • 4 min read • Last week
Featherston water race bylaw lapse leaks through policy cracks
Local Government

Featherston water race bylaw lapse leaks through policy cracks

Residents and farmers face weaker protection for a 40-kilometre rural water supply after Featherston's bylaw expired two years ago.

By Emily Ireland • 3 min read • Last week
$30 vape sparks $2.5m headache: Recycling mistakes cost ratepayers
Local Government

$30 vape sparks $2.5m headache: Recycling mistakes cost ratepayers

Recycling failures have left ratepayers covering $2.5 million in damage and months of costly detours after a vape battery ignited a fire.

By Kira Carrington • 3 min read • Last week
Waikato District Council records a $26.7m operating surplus for 2025/26
Inflation

Waikato District Council records a $26.7m operating surplus for 2025/26

Revenue ran well ahead of budget as Waikato District Council turned a forecast $5.8 million deficit into a $26.7 million operating surplus in 2025/26.

By Jordan Smith • 3 min read • Last week
Whakatāne hits pause on joint water service consultation
Local Government

Whakatāne hits pause on joint water service consultation

Residents will wait longer for a say on whether Whakatāne should join a four-council water body, after neighbouring councils paused their own plans.

By Diane McCarthy • 3 min read • Last week

Global Stories

Local Government stories

Australia needs more skilled workers. It also needs to stop wasting their time
Construction

Australia needs more skilled workers. It also needs to stop wasting their time

Technicians are losing up to two hours a day to admin, squeezing capacity and worsening delays as labour shortages bite across essential industries.

By Andrew Wiltshire • 5 min read • Yesterday
Mastek wins Staffordshire council Oracle Cloud deal
Digital Transformation

Mastek wins Staffordshire council Oracle Cloud deal

The contract will replace Staffordshire County Council's legacy back-office systems, aiming to cut manual work and improve oversight for 875,000 residents.

By Joseph Gabriel Lagonsin • 3 min read • Last week

Stories from Other Regions

Local Government stories

Zoho Canada expands vertical approach in municipal government
Customer Relationship Management

Zoho Canada expands vertical approach in municipal government

Zoho Canada's Gary Yorke says municipalities need departments to share a directory and data infrastructure to make AI work for residents.

By Jake MacAndrew • 4 min read • Last week