Message from the Mayor
Published on June 16, 2023
Kia ora koutou,
There has been a lot to celebrate since the last Community Connection.
On Sunday 4 June the doors opened to a new-look Youth Space at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō after a short four-week closure while renovations took place. It has had a fresh paint job, new carpet has been installed and exciting new technology, games and furniture have been added to take our already popular dedicated Youth Space to the next level. This special and versatile spot for rangatahi aged between 12 and 24 years is a safe and exciting place to hang out at after school, in the weekends and in the holidays. It houses youth development programmes to help our young people gain resilience, feel connected and acquire real life capabilities, all while having fun.
As a Council, we are committed to investing in Community Facilities like the Youth Space, and we are excited to have received $300,000 from the Lottery Community Facilities Fund towards the $4.5M Waitārere Beach Surf Life Saving Community Facility which is currently under construction and coming along nicely.
There are a lot of future focused people in our community, and I am delighted that we have also secured funding to continue our Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) initiative for another two years.
A nationwide programme with Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) and the Ministry of Social Development (MSD), MTFJ focuses on connecting young people with suitable training, employment and mentoring opportunities. It helps to remove barriers to employment or training while providing a platform for job creation. Our district is leading the way in matching employers with employees, with more than 100 people finding new job opportunities through MTFJ in the 2022/2023 financial year. If you’d like to learn more about MTFJ or connect with the team to see how they can help you, visit the Mayors Taskforce For Jobs page.
On Friday 9 June I was humbled to attend the 10th Volunteer Central Volunteer Recognition Event in Palmerston North, cheering on 19 people from Horowhenua who were honoured alongside other community heroes from Manawatū. Volunteers play a very important role in ensuring our communities thrive, and it was fantastic to see their selfless mahi and personalities celebrated in this way. They prove that age is no barrier to selfless deeds – the youngest volunteer recognised was 12 years old and the eldest 97. On behalf of our community, I thank you all for what you do and for the example you set.
I am pleased to announce that after months of hard work from our dedicated team and engagement with our community, the Long Term Plan 2021-2041 Amendment (LTPA) and Annual Plan 2023/2024 (AP) will be adopted on 28 June, paving the way for future projects.
Until next time,
Bernie Wanden