Selwyn Times: September 15, 2021

Selwyn Times Wednesday September 15 2021
6
NEWS
• By Fiona Ellis
TRACTOR TYRES, a microwave
and a car seat are among the
items abandoned by the road in
a spate of illegal dumping in the
West Melton area.
A Selwyn Times reader, who
declined to be identified, was
irritated by the ongoing use of
Kettlewell Drive as a dumping
ground.
“It happens all the time,” she
said.
“It was four nights in a row the
people dumped rubbish.”
She said this was an increase
on the usual average of about
once per week, which she would
observe while walking the dog in
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Illegal dumping upsets resident
In Brief
DRIVERS FAIL TO STOP
Motorists at the intersection of
Shands and Selwyn Rds are slow
to stop, and slow to learn. Police
at the intersection issued 33
infringement notices in one hour
on Sunday afternoon. Senior
Sergeant Dean Harker said the
notices were for failing to stop.
He said police provided “a lot of
education” to the motorists on
the need to obey stop signs. It
follows police apprehending 36
drivers in one hour on a Sunday
afternoon one month earlier at
the same spot.
ROAD SIGNS FOUND
Police found a booty of road signs
after executing a search warrant.
Senior Sergeant Dean Harker said
they were responding to reports
of males breaking and stealing a
number of signs around Darfield
and Kirwee. Three males and one
youth from the district admitted
to the offending, after a number
of signs from various areas were
located.
MAORI LANGUAGE WEEK
While many events have fallen
by the wayside due to Covid level
2 restrictions, there are online
events for Te Wiki o te Reo
Māori, that is Maori Language
Week. Today 4-5pm residents are
invited to join Tia from Selwyn
Libraries for a discovery time
session. It will teach basic reo and
the mornings.
“It’s a country road, they wait
till it’s dark and go dump it . . . it’s
pretty sad really.”
She was not sure whether the
recent rise was related to the
Covid-19 restrictions, under
which transfer stations and recycling
centres were closed in level
4 and open by appointment only
at level 3.
She reported the rubbish to
the Christchurch City Council
using its Snap, Send, Solve app,
she said.
play familiar games such
as Simon Says, and test
participants’ knowledge in a
Māori-themed quiz. Bookings
are required for the free
workshop at selwynlibraries.
co.nz. Tomorrow there is a
free community waiata
session 6–7.30pm. Residents are
invited for an enjoyable night
of singing with others from
the community. It will include
learning the waiata Te Taukaea
Aroha, so participants will be
able to join in at the opening
of Te Ara Ātea. All ages and
abilities are welcome. Bookings
are not required, but you can
sign up for a reminder email at
selwynlibraries.co.nz
Processing times under
pressure due to numbers
Tim Harris
• From page 1
Since March 2021 the district
council’s consent team has been
processing between 150 and
250 building consents a month,
reaching over 300 in July this
year.
Last year the district council
averaged 1549 building inspections
per month,
whereas this year the
average has been 1938
– an increase of over 20
per cent.
The record number
of building consent
applications the district
council has been receiving
this year, together
with the national shortage
of trained building
control officers, has put pressure
on processing times.
However, the district council
has put a number of proactive
measures in place which
have seen the average consent
processing time falling from an
average of 34 working days in
July down to 29 days in August.
Environmental and regulatory
services group manager Tim
Harris said a range of district
council initiatives were helping
to ease the situation.
These included an industry
partnership programme fostering
fast-tracking parts of the
consent process, hiring additional
staff, working proactively
with the industry to manage
emerging issues such as supply
chain product delays.
“The whole country is facing
challenges and, being the fastest
growing place per head of
population, we’ve seen
the positives and negatives,”
Harris said.
“It’s heartening
though to see that
along with the number
of new consent applications
easing, what
we’re doing is working
to shorten processing
times. If we keep
working together and
proactively as we have done,
this shows we can manage those
challenges.”
Fletcher Living senior
development manager Mike
Davison applauded the district
council’s industry partnership
programme.
“While it’s early days we’re
already seeing how this
programme developed by the
council could save us time
and money. By being able to
fast track certain consents,
we can better deliver for our
customers,” Davison said.
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