Selwyn Times: February 27, 2019

10 Wednesday February 27 2019
Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
News
Decrease in
organic waste
going to landfill
ORGANIC WASTE is on the
rise.
The district council said more
Selwyn residents than ever
before now have organic bins and
existing residents are using their
organic bins a lot more than this
time last year, resulting in a decrease
in waste going to landfill.
The district is seeing strong
growth in organic waste tonnes,
with nearly 1200 tonnes or 22 per
cent more organic waste received
than at this time last year while
total waste to landfill is tracking
towards a four per cent decrease
on a per capita basis.
Council solid waste manager
Andrew Boyd said he is pleased
with the reduction and wants to
continue to encourage less waste
going to landfill, by greater use of
recycling and organic bins.
“We’ve got a number of waste
minimisation projects in the
pipeline. We’ll be looking to
expand access to recycling
services for off-route properties,
expanding the range of materials
accepted at community recycling
days, and also a number of improvements
at the Pines Resource
Recovery Park,” he said.
Updates will be available on
Council Call and the district
council Facebook page.
• By Anan Zaki
A DARFIELD farmer has put
the district council “on notice”
for shoddy road repairs.
Bill Bradley said he is sick of
seeing uneven roads and potholes
on district council roads.
Mr Bradley, who has 25 years
experience in roadwork, said
more heaves and potholes are
appearing due to poor roadwork.
He voiced his concerns to the
district council at their February
13 meeting.
Mr Bradley said the main
reason for his council deputation
was to put the council “on
notice.”
“They’re going to have to be
answerable to any deaths or
injuries because my concerns
are now on public record,” Mr
Bradley said.
“You can’t grade roads properly
quickly, and the roads have
deteriorated because they’re not
being done properly.”
Mr Bradley highlighted a
motor-cycle crash on Old West
Coast Rd in January last year as
an example of poor roadwork
causing danger. He said the issue
of dangerous road surfaces
wasn’t raised publicly at the time
of the crash.
A police report said the rider
of one bike hit a pothole on Old
West Coast Rd and crashed, and
a second rider crashed trying to
avoid the first machine. The two
riders had serious and moderate
injuries.
No charges were laid after the
crash, police said.
The district council said it followed
up Mr Bradley’s concerns
about quality of road repairs last
week.
“No issues of concern in relation
to roading maintenance
have been identified,” council
assets manager Murray Washington
said.
However, Mr Washington
confirmed cost is a big factor
in evaluating tenders for road
maintenance.
“Price is a significant factor
in tenders, but a number of
other factors are also considered.
Under the council’s tender
Local
News
Now
Call for action over shoddy roadwork
DANGER: Darfield farmer Bill Bradley measures the depth of
a road heave on Old West Coast Rd. The council disputes Mr
Bradley’s view the district’s roads are in poor condition.
PHOTO: MARTIN HUNTER
SELWYN TIMES
Fire rages, homes at risk
process, price makes up 70 per
cent of the total evaluation with
the other 30 per cent being nonprice
attributes such as relevant
experience and track record,
relevant skills and resources and
methodology,” Mr Washington
said.
He said the district council
has two supervisors checking
the roading network every day,
checking work that is done.
“There is daily contact
between council staff and
contractor staff with any issues
discussed and resolved as part
of that contact. The contract
has performance measures in
relation to response times, cyclic
work and meeting agreed time
frames for approved work,” Mr
Washington said.
Mr Bradley was angry with
the council’s response to his
deputation.
“It’s shoddy workmanship and
yet they’re turning around and
saying this [there are no issues].”
“It’s just bulls***t,” Mr Bradley
said.
He said there are heaves on
roads across the district at
present, even one outside his Old
West Coast Rd farm.
It was only a matter of time
before a car or a truck hit the
heave, causing a crash, Mr
Bradley said.
Work & Income NZ
Work & Income NZ Superannuation
is coming to Selwyn
Work Superannuation & Income NZ Superannuation is coming
is coming to Selwyn
to Selwyn
Ken Stevens, a case manager from the Ministry of Social Development, will be
visiting Selwyn to answer questions on payments, entitlement, and any other
is coming to Selwyn
matters regarding superannuation.
Ken
Ken
Stevens,
Stevens, a
case
case
manager
manager
from
from
the
the
Ministry
Ministry
of
of
Social
Social
Development,
Development,
will
will
be
be
visiting
visiting
Selwyn
Selwyn
to
to
answer
answer
questions
questions
on
on
payments,
payments,
entitlement,
entitlement,
and
and
any
any
other
other
matters
matters
regarding
regarding
superannuation.
superannuation.
Visits are by PRIOR appointment – to book an appointment
please phone (03) 961 9170. Ken will be visiting these locations:
Wednesday 20 March, 10am-2pm - Leeston Library
Tuesday 26 March, 10am-2pm - Darfield Library