Rodney Live final

Rodney Live 2010 has been a series of twelve live performance evenings throughout the Rodney district, featuring our incredible local talent. All Rodney residents have been invited to take part in these great local events, which have enlivened the community halls of the district - from Kaukapakapa to Whangateau. Performances have included contemporary dance, singer songwriters, drama, folk music, comedy, rock, cultural dance and performance.

The finals are on this Saturday 12 June at the Orewa Community Centre. Come and see the best talent from across Rodney take to the stage. Show begins at 7pm and entry is free of charge.
For more information tune into Times FM or email realmusictrust@gmail.com

Community Grants Information Evenings

A series of information evenings will be held in late May and early June for community groups wanting to find out more about funding available for existing and potential social services, recreational and community organisations. This year, the Council adopted a new Community Support Grants Policy which will guide the distribution of over $460,000. The new policy includes several new grants available to community groups.

The Community Grants scheme, which has been operating for a number of years, will also be available once again this year with another $164,000 available for distribution.

Applications for the funds will open on 7 June and close on 30 July 2010.

The information evenings will also provide information on the council’s Environmental Education Fund and Creative Communities Scheme.

The information evenings will be held at the following locations:
Helensville (Monday 31 May, Helensville War Memorial Hall)
Warkworth (Tuesday 1 June, New Masonic Hall, Warkworth)
Silverdale (Wednesday 2 June, St Johns Hall, Silverdale)

All sessions will commence at 6.30pm, with people asked to arrive at 6.15pm.
For more information on grants and funding, please visit the Rodney District Council website

Back To School Road Safety Colouring Competition

Rodney District Council, Times FM and the New Zealand Police are running a back to school colouring competition for 5 to 11-year-olds promoting road safety and there are some great prizes up for grabs!

How to enter:

It's easy, just pick up an entry form for your age group at any RDC Library or download it below:

Age 5-7 entry form (PDF)

Age 8-11 entry form (PDF)

Do your best colouring in job, fill in the entry form and post it to:
Times FM
PO Box 755
Orewa

Or drop them in to:

Times FM Reception
Suite 8, 292 Hibiscus Coast HighwayOrewa

Entries close 26 February 2010

Swine Flu - What you can do to Prepare

Rodney District Council is encouraging people to think about what they can do to prepare for a Swine Flu outbreak, in case the flu spreads.
A few simple steps can help you to be prepared in the event of a flu outbreak or any other kind of emergency.
Paul Green, who oversees the Council’s Emergency Services Team says that if the flu spreads and people have to be quarantined in their homes for a number of days, they should have plans in place so they can stay warm and well fed.
“It’d be wise for people to make sure they have enough food to last at least a week – this is important not just for Swine Flu but will assist you to get through any kind of emergency.”
“People should also be thinking about how they can assist their family, friends and neighbours – and check up on whether they have enough food stored also.”
Mr Green says if people contract the flu then they will need to stay at home for at least seven days and they will need to consider how they can take care of themselves and anyone else who depends on them.
The Council has also been making preparations in light of the global situation. For the past month Council staff have been putting in place preparations to ensure the Council continues to provide essential services in the event of swine flu spreading and to provide welfare assistance to health authorities if required.
“We have been working on ensuring that essential services – such as the water supply and rubbish collections – will not be disrupted if staff are sick or need to look after sick family members.”
He says that public facilities, such as libraries or the Leisure Centre will remain open unless health authorities consider it necessary to close these to help prevent the spread of the flu virus.
Mr Green says that Council managers have been reviewing their business continuity plans and making sure these are up to date.
More information after the article on the RDC website "Swine Flu - What you can do to Prepare"

Have your say about Rodney

Rodney District Council invites you to have your say on a number of consultations. Included in these is the Diamond survey which is also running in the Rodney Times. The survey is intended to help RDC understand Rodney's communities. It takes around 5-10 minutes to do and gives people the opportunity to talk about the strengths, weaknesses and opportunities of an area as well as to rate it according to its liveability, visitability, workability and investability. There's only one week left before this survey closes so get in and have your say.

Youth Day Out 14 March @ Hibiscus Coast Youth Centre

One awesome day is ahead. Make sure you check out this HUGE Youth day put on by YMCA Raise Up and Represent at the Hibiscus Coast Youth Centre. It's all FREE!

The Underground Skate team will be at the park doing their thing too. There's a mini skate comp for non sponsored skaters which will be run and judged by the Us team. Loads of prizes up for grabs with under 14 and under 18 divisions. You can register on the day.

Kicks off midday with:

Skate comps, bball, volleyball, open dance floor, live graff art display, DJ CXL plus more...

Music and Dance workshops 2-4pm

Later in the day, BBQ and performances by:

Nameless Dance Crew

Soul N Coutoure and Shine Forum

Lady Sheeq

DJ CXL

Wrapping up with an outdoor movie @ 8:30pm

All FREE! At the Hibiscus Coast Youth Centre, 214 Hibiscus Coast Highway.

Delivered to you by the Rodney District Council, Underground Skate, 89.9 Times FM, YMCA.

Free internet access at your library

You may have noticed some changes happening at your library this week. The Aotearoa People’s Network is being installed in all seven of the Rodney Libraries. The Aotearoa People’s Network is a collaborative programme between public libraries and the National Library of New Zealand to provide free internet access to improve New Zealanders’ access to the internet and the digital world. This means that Rodney Libraries will soon be offering free internet access to all library users.

Along with computers and free internet access the Aotearoa People’s Network provide hardware such as microphones, headphones and webcams. You’ll also be able to bring in your laptop and use wireless internet – all for free.

The 2006 census showed that 34% of Rodney residents do not have access to the internet. “While many people in our community have access to the internet, we can sometimes forget that there are a large number of residents living in Rodney who don’t have access yet.” says Vicki Clarke, Rodney Libraries Acting Manager.

“Free broadband access will particularly benefit those on limited incomes who don’t have the internet at home, people who may not feel comfortable using computers without support and residents in rural areas where high speed broadband is not accessible,” Ms Clarke adds.

RDC is one of 30 local authorities to date who have successfully applied to have computers gifted as part of the Aotearoa People’s Network initiative. Rodney District Council will continue to provide internet and computer access from computers operating in the libraries which will be available for paid usage.

Development Contributions Public Workshops

Rodney District Council is working towards introducing a development contributions policy as part of the Long Term Council Community Plan (LTCCP) 2009-19. The purpose of these workshops is to provide you with more detail of the Council’s proposal and to gain feedback around any major concerns and to answer your questions.

The details of these workshops are as follows:
- Warkworth Masonic Hall, Thursday 29th January 2009 5pm to 7pm
- Helensville Service Centre, Monday 2nd February 2009 5pm to 7pm
- Orewa Office - Council Chambers, Tuesday 3rd February 2009 5pm to 7pm

Orewa Beach Open day

Rodney District Council will be holding a special event at Orewa Beach on Saturday November 8 and encourages everyone to come along and find out what they have in store for this fantastic location. The open day will take place between 10am and 3pm where RDC staff will give details on the Council's management plan for Orewa Beach and explain some of the ideas behind the plans. Staff will also conduct beach walks at 11am, 12 midday, 1pm and 2pm where the public will have the opportunity to see first hand how and why the proposed plans have been developed.

Care advised On Rodney's roads

Last night's heavy rain has made driving on Rodney's road treacherous. The Council's emergency operations team has recommended that you delay all unnecessary travel and some schools in the north of Rodney have closed because of the driving conditions.

If driving, take care because there is wide-spread flooding, slips, debris on the road and there are pot-holes developing on some roads.

The Council contractors are working as swiftly as possible to clear roads and repair damage and regular updates will appear on the Rodney District Council website - check out Storm Watch Update & current road closures.

Other sites that will be monitoring the situation include:
http://www.metservice.co.nz/
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/
http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/

Council's general advice to the community if the weather deteriorates significantly is to:

• Stay indoors and off the roads, particularly at night.
• Stay away from the coastline and beaches.
• Stay well clear of fallen power lines or damaged electrical equipment and treat them as live at all times.
• Watch out for falling tree branches as these can cause damage to power lines.
• Avoid possible damage to electrical appliances (in the unlikely event there is a power surge when the power is restored) by switching off appliances at the wall.
• Keep a torch, portable radio and spare batteries handy and ensure that you have at least one telephone that does not rely on electricity for operation.
• Ensure that an alternate fuel is always available for cooking (e.g. gas for BBQ).
• People using medical equipment that relies on electricity should ensure they are prepared for power disruptions and if there is an immediate health threat, contact their health provider or call 111.
• Report any power outages to your electricity supplier (name and number on your electricity bill) not Vector and not the council.

Review of community outcomes and 'Vision Rodney'

Community outcomes are produced from the voices of many people across our District. During 2002 and 2003, people discussed the future and said what they thought our vision should be. 'Vision Rodney' is the result of that process, which was facilitated by the Council on behalf of local communities. On July 3, 2003 the Council formally adopted 'Vision Rodney'. Even though 'Vision Rodney' is a strategic vision of and for local communities, the Council wants to use it as its own strategic framework. The Council intends to assist communities to achieve their outcomes wherever possible.
Council is required to see that community outcomes are developed and reviewed at least every six years to ensure they still describe the future desired by local communities.
The Council is about to facilitate the first review of community outcomes and of Vision Rodney. If you are interested in being part of this review we welcome your participation.
If you have any suggestions for change why not let us know by emailing your views to communityoutcomes@rodney.govt.nz. We can take comments until the end of July 2008.
You can read and download a copy of the current Vision Rodney below or from Council offices and libraries.
We are proud to live in Rodney – let’s keep it that way!

Rodney Writes - Kiwi Culture

Congratulations to the winners of the Rodney Writes competition. The awards ceremony was held last night at Whangaparaoa Library and Service Centre.

The Premier Award was won by Camille Butler with 'Born in a tent' and Elizabeth Farris was the runner up with 'Happy as Larry'.
The winner of the Novice Award was Jo Wood with 'Good on ya mate' and the runner up was Linda Marincas with 'Finding love in an old dunger'.
The Young Writers Award was won by Amy Jackson with 'The Jandal' and Michael Curreen was the runner up with 'Tomato sauce'.

More details including the winning stories can be found on the Rodney District Council Community webpage Rodney Writes Winners 2008.

Winners and stories from "Rodney Writes 2007 - That was then, this is now" can also be found on the Rodney District Council Community webpage Rodney Writes Winners 2007.

Photos from the event will be up on the Rodney Libraries Flickr page in a couple of days.

Libraries more accessible for North Shore and Rodney residents

North Shore City and Rodney residents and ratepayers will now be able to borrow books from each others’ libraries free of charge.

As from Monday April 14, residents and ratepayers from both areas will be able to join libraries in their neighbouring city without having to pay a subscription.

North Shore City’s library services manager, Geoff Chamberlain, says the new borrowing system will make access to libraries much easier.

“People who regularly pop across to Rodney from North Shore City or vice versa will now be able to join a local library without having to pay for it,” he says.

“As our closest neighbour, we already have a large number of subscribers from Rodney. Many people travel from one city to the other for shopping, social activities or work, and it’s often easier to visit a nearby library than travel further afield,” says Geoff.
Prior to this new borrowing system being introduced people who lived outside council boundaries were charged an annual membership fee of $120 in North Shore City and $50 in Rodney to join each others’ libraries.

Rodney’s acting libraries manager, Vicki Clarke welcomes this new co-operative approach.

“We are continuously looking at ways to improve our library services. Now residents from North Shore and Rodney will have access to a wider range of books and library resources,” she says.

“Our shared catalogue enables library users to search for items held at other libraries, and now they will be able to borrow them without having to pay a fee.”

North Shore or Rodney residents wishing to benefit from this new arrangement will need to join a library in the neighbouring council area and will then be given their own library card for use within that area.

The reciprocal borrowing arrangement between North Shore and Rodney is an eLGAR initiative. eLGAR is made up of Auckland, Manukau, North Shore, Rodney and Waitakere libraries. Its members share a library management system and are working together to provide better library services across the region. It is likely that eLGAR will seek to have reciprocal borrowing rights for all citizens across the region but it will be a while before any Auckland-wide agreement is reached.

Anyone wanting more information about reciprocal borrowing between North Shore and Rodney should visit their local library or contact North Shore Libraries on 09 486 8600 or Rodney Libraries on 0800 426 5169.

Rodney Writes - last day to get your entry in

Today is the last day for entires into the "Rodney Writes" Writing competition. This year the theme was for stories to be based on a well known New Zealand word or phrase. There are some fabulous titles submitted. I'm sure the judges are going to have a great time reading them all.

The winners will be announced at the awards evening on 23 April at Whangaparaoa Library.

The stories from last year have been collected into a booklet which is available from your local library.

"Rodney writes writing competition : that was then, this is now : competition successes 2007"

Native plants and the Natural Heritage fund

This weekend is shaping up to be a nice one for gardening. Unfortunately I'm not much of a gardener. I'm the person who wanders along paths admiring the new growth and calculating the amount of time and effort that has gone into a planted area. Gardeners tell me that the results outweigh the effort.

If you're planning to plant natives this planting season then Rodney District Council has a fund that may be able to help you with some of the costs towards this. It's called the Natural Heritage Fund. It seeks "...to support community initiatives to better manage, protect and enhance biodiversity and natural habitats. These initiatives are expected to have clear and enduring environmental benefits. The Fund is not intended to support natural heritage restoration or enhancement activities that will result in private or economic gain. The NHF will complement other Rodney District Council community grant initiatives and will not duplicate other incentives or the responsibilities of other organisations." You can read more from the "Natural Heritage Fund Information and Application Form" which is available as a pdf from the Council website.

Rodney District Council’s natural and coastal environment manager, Maximus Smitheram, says people can apply for funding for any project that protects and enhances the natural environment, but some will be given priority.

“Any project that protects, enhances or restores indigenous vegetation and wildlife habitats will be looked at very favourably, but priority will be given to practical environmental initiatives like fencing and native planting projects and those that involve voluntarily covenanting natural areas,” says Mr Smitheram.

The Natural Heritage Fund was established in December 2006. Applications for funding up to the value of $2000 will be considered by council officers and if approved, will be granted immediately. Applications for larger amounts (up to $5000) are also welcome, and if received by 11 April will be considered by councillors at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on 8 May. Applications submitted after this date will be considered in the next funding round.

The Natural Heritage Fund Information and Application Form booklet is available from Council offices, on request from 0800 426 5169 or on the Council's website.