Central Otago’s new rural liaison police team is starting to crack down on drink drivers across the area.In late 2023, five officers were appointed to the Central Otago rural team who have been actively canvassing the district and building up a database of information.Alexandra Senior Constable Graham Perkins said the team was out on the roads seven days a week stopping drivers, and in some cases tracing back information to the source, such as licensed premises that last served the intoxicated drivers.“There are still repercussions for where they are drinking the alcohol, and if it’s on licensed premises then they will go and speak to the owners.”A police checkpoint near Alexandra on June 9 stopped 250 drivers, and only one 32-year-old man was found over the limit with a reading of 460mcg.On the same night, a 40-year-old Cromwell man had his licence suspended after recording an excess breath alcohol reading of 837mcg.Snr Const Perkins said a friend then went and picked up his car keys, but they found their way back to the driver, who decided to head to Wanaka, where he crashed his vehicle and then sped off without reporting it.He now faces a driving while suspended charge, failing to stop to ascertain injury, and breaching both a police safety order and a protection order.On June 7, another drink driver was stopped on the Alexandra-Clyde road and a 22-year-old man was processed and returned a reading of 783mcg. On the same day in Millers Flat a driver was stopped by the rural team after swerving all over the road and then throwing a glass bottle out the window.On June 5 a woman in her late 40s was stopped for speeding near Omakau. She had an excess breath alcohol reading of 727mcg.A 47-year-old man was stopped in the Gibbston Valley on June 2 and had an excess breath alcohol reading of 1589mcg - almost four times over the legal limit. Snr Const Perkins said a member of the public alerted police to the driver who was swerving all over the road. He was also charged with dangerous driving.

Alexandra Police were called to a bb gun incident at Dunstan High School last Friday, which resulted in a Year 11 student being stood down for a day.Senior Constable Graham Perkins said the student turned up at school after purchasing a $5 toy gun from the Giant Department store, and when he showed it to a friend, the incident escalated.“The friend grabbed it out of his bag and started firing it at other kids.  He said ‘let’s go out into the field and pretend it’s a real gun’.”  The gun came with plastic pellets that can still hurt people when shot at close range, he said.Snr Const Perkins said that was the part that police were concerned about, because it could have sparked an Armed Offenders callout, as well as causing the school to go into a lockdown, and wasting a lot of time and resources.The students were sent to the acting principal’s office and the toy gun seized and confiscated, before police were called and three officers turned up to talk to them.“It’s just those comments that caused us some concern. It could have been quite a different outcome,” Snr Const Perkins said.The 15-year-old student who used the gun, not the student who bought it to school, was the one stood down, he said.Acting principal Bryce Clapham said while it was a low level incident, which had the potential to become a significant event, he was pleased with the way in which his staff responded.“The police were involved as I inquired about the legalities of the gun being used. As always, we took this opportunity to speak with the rangatahi involved and their whānau, about making positive choices and looked at what learning could be taken from the experience.”

After more than 600,000 kms and 12 years on the road, Central Otago Health Services greatly welcomes the upgrade of its Mercedes Sprinter patient transfer vehicle.Numerous community groups, too many to name, have generously donated towards the new replacement vehicle - a Mercedes Sprinter 315 MWB, at a total cost of $104,603, plus fit-out.Central Otago Health Services has been operating its own patient transport service (PTS) since June 2012.The vehicle gives the hospital a seven day a week capability to transport patients between Dunstan Hospital, Clyde and Dunedin Public Hospital.It is staffed by a team of five drivers and registered nurses from the Vincent Ward who transport between 20 and 35 patients per month.These patients require additional care that cannot be provided at Dunstan Hospital, including surgery or specialist diagnostic equipment and procedures. It is also used to transport recovering patients undergoing rehabilitation back from Dunedin Hospital to Dunstan Hospital so they can be close to home with friends and family.As well as this, there is occasional transportation of patients to aged residential care.  Nursing director Tina Gilbertson explained that this is in addition to the emergency St John Ambulance and the air rescue helicopter service that is used for patients that require time critical care, including ICU or urgent surgery. Planning for the transition from ‘Benzo’ the old Mercedes to the yet ‘unnamed’ new vehicle is underway and work continues to raise the balance of the remaining $50,000 funding to enable the final fit-out to be completed.The new hospital patient transfer service vehicle will need to be fitted out with medical equipment and stretchers. PHOTO: The Central AppThe Mercedes Sprinter will need a new floor, installation of overhead lockers, under bed storage for patients’ belongings, plus retro fitting of rear jump seats, light bar sirens, medical equipment and stretchers.An extra comfortable mattress ensures patients are well looked after on the 200km trip.“Our drivers are hugely committed, and they will go the extra mile, literally, under quite challenging circumstances,” Tina said.For people needing to attend appointments in Dunedin, there was another separate community health shuttle service run by Hato Hone – St John.“The hospital wishes to sincerely thank the many generous donors, contributing to this wonderful new vehicle, without their support we would not be able to provide this highly valuable service.” The donors and public will be invited to an open day to view the new transfer vehicle when work is complete. To keep up to date with what medical centre is on each weekend, click on our On Call this Weekend button.Read more: Book lovers stock up for good cause 

Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery in Alexandra has had a strong year with increasing numbers of visitors coming through the door each month.A report from staff to the Vincent Community Board presented yesterday showed that average monthly numbers each month had increased from 2340 back in 2021/22 to 3127 people over the past year.As well as regular art exhibitions and six school holiday programmes, Central Stories also hosted several events during the year including science expos and an astro-tourism conference, as well as completing the redesign and refurbishment of the foyer and shop.Children enjoying one of the school holiday programmes offered at Central Stories. PHOTO: FileCr Martin McPherson noted the substantial growth and said staff were doing a great job.Central Stories made a profit of $27,000 over the past year, compared to just $11,000 and $13,000 in previous years, but still relies on funding from the Vincent Community Board each year.Alexandra District Museum Inc (ADMI), operating as Central Stories Museum and Art Gallery, received $108,667 from the Vincent Community Board for the 2022/23 financial year. Of that funding, $82,000 was its annual grant, which contributes to operational costs of the museum and art gallery. A one-off payment of $26,667 was also made, to align the organisation’s funding cycle to the board’s annual grant round (November 1).In the financial manager’s report, it was noted that at the start of the 2023/24 year they only had one fulltime employee and a part-time contractor, and to operate efficiently, and not be reliant on excessive volunteer time, the organisation required at least two full time equivalent staff.  There are currently 18 volunteers involved with the organisation.Central Stories has now secured funding from Lotteries for another part-time staff member and the team was planning for a sustainable future.The report said although the museum would prefer $167,000 in annual funding, it had been told to only budget for $82,000 in the next funding round.“Where we are at the moment is not sustainable in the long term,” administration and collections manager Andy Davey told the board.“It’s not just a museum, but more than that with the relationships we have been building up around Central Otago.”The Museum 100 project with the Central Otago Museum Trust and five other museums around the district coincided with its multi-year project to digitise the collection, with help from the volunteers.

Avid book enthusiasts have collectively contributed $20,000 towards Cromwell Rotary Club’s latest fundraising project.The money was raised during the club’s King’s Birthday Book Sale, with proceeds going towards a stretcher for the new patient transfer vehicle available through Central Otago Health Services.Book sale committee member Neroli McRae said while the club had a target of $25,000, the end result was “not a bad effort”.She thanked everyone who donated books and made a purchase throughout the five day event, which started on Thursday, May 30 and finished on Monday, June 3.The committee was still working through the figures to determine how many books were sold.While the committee felt there were less people in attendance than previous years, those who did make the most of it got a chance to buy some old classics, as well as more recent titles, magazines, children’s books and puzzles.Neroli said the money raised will be well spent, for the benefit of the wider community.The book sale is one of two the club hosts each year.The first on the calendar is the annual Summer Book Sale, which usually raises about $10,000.Money raised from the summer event goes towards local and international projects.Among the local initiatives the club supports are breakfasts in schools and distribution of illustrated dictionaries to children in classrooms.The club also supports ShelterBox, an initiative which provides emergency shelter and essential supplies to help communities devastated by disaster and conflict.

Significant amounts of rescued food from local supermarkets are helping the Combined Ministries Foodbank in Alexandra to stay well replenished.As the cost of living continues to rise, volunteers are noticing an increase in families in need, and it’s particularly those ‘every day people’ who often finding themselves short.Co-ordinator Diane Barbara said with the opening of a second supermarket in Alexandra in late 2022, the food bank receives plenty of meat, dairy, bakery items and fresh produce up to three times a week.The Alexandra-based foodbank has always operated out of a small space at the back at the Salvation Army, but now there are big freezers and pantries full of excess stock. “The community - their support is phenomenal in this area. Particularly over the past two years, they are recognising the need is there,” Diane said.When there is excess, Alexandra has been able to assist the other food banks in the area, including Cromwell, and a new one in Roxburgh attached to the Baptist Church.“To me the most important thing that if people are suffering hardship, they can call an agency in Alexandra and have access to the foodbank.”Families are given allocated ‘points’ by one of the social agencies, and depending on their size and need, can then use them in any which way they want.There’s also personal hygiene products, nappies, and other important items for families in need, “it’s about empowering the person to pick what they need,” she said.Open Monday to Thursday from 9-12pm, the foodbank never turns anyone away, and has eight volunteers helping out with parcels on a regular basis.

Local Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is working to improve voter participation, a move Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan welcomes.LGNZ has established a new group focused on local electoral system reforms that drive greater voter participation and implement four-year terms.It’s a move Mayor Tim hopes will make a difference across Central, after the district experienced a voter turnout drop of 46.8 per cent at the last election.He said the previous election had a 56.7 per cent turnout and the national average was 40.4 per cent.“When there is not a mayoral election, as was the case in Central last time, voter turn-out does tend to drop away. For instance, in the Clutha District there was no mayoral election in 2019 and there was a 45.8% turnout, then in 2022 with a mayoral election there was a 53.4% turnout.”He said he does not understand why people do not vote in as great a number as general elections, “as what local councils do has a far greater impact on their day-to-day lives”. The LGNZ Electoral Reform Group will be chaired by Nelson Mayor Nick Smith.LGNZ president Sam Broughton said serious reform of the nation’s local electoral system was needed.“Currently, local elections are cumbersome and inefficient compared with the general election. We also feel there is too much time and money wasted by having short three-year terms. “Local government does important work and makes long-term decisions on behalf of our communities. It’s important we have a strong local democracy backing that, but we need to get the settings right,” he said.Four key areas of reform being considered are: increasing voter turnout, implementation and transition to four-year terms, considering the ways people can vote, who should administer local elections and how they are best run.“The decline in voter participation over the last three decades is a threat to the mandate mayors and councils have to speak up for their communities,” Nick said. “There are also questions over the viability of postal voting with the decline in postal services and most people doing their business online. “It is more important than ever, with democratic values being challenged internationally and growing disinformation on social media, that we refresh our approach to local elections. “This is difficult work as changes to our electoral law are best made by broad agreement. “I will be working directly in this new role with mayors, chairs, councils, and communities around New Zealand on how improvements in our local democracy can best be achieved,” he said.“I also look forward to engaging with the Government and opposition political parties on building support for positive reform.”

The biggest changes Central Otago communities will notice as a result of Plan Change 19 is more infill of inner residential towns.Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie, who also led the hearings panel over the past two years, said this was particularly the case for his hometown Cromwell, which has a large number of thousand square metre sections, that will now have the ability to be subdivided.The message from submitters throughout the process had been to not go and intensify small towns like Bannockburn, Lowburn and Tarras.“Keep the town within its nominal town boundary . . . and intensify that and start there first. And, it makes sense because we're trying hard as a country to decarbonise and a whole lot of things to be better use of our fuels and stop burning carbon. So, if you have people living in walking distance to things or cycling distance then that's going to be a bit easier.”Cr Gillepsie, who features on this week's edition of The Outlet podcast, said the plan change process was about making sure that the district had a plan for residential land being available for the next 30 years. “So, we worked hard with our community to try and understand where they wanted the growth to happen and worked through that process.”When asked who the real winners in all of this were, Cr Gillespie said some developers might think they're going to be the winners because there's some land that they can now subdivide to different sizes to have different housing topologies.“And, hopefully, I guess you'd like to think that it means that people trying to get into a house of their own, or rental or whatever, have different choices and options available that they could be the winners if you like. But, I don't really look at it being winners and losers - it's about doing the right thing for your community to try and enable people to come back to and, in some cases, come back here.”Enabling smaller sized sections provided more people with certainty, and much of this spare land was privately owned, with council as just the ‘enabler’ of the plan.Cr Gillespie said the panel worked really hard to try and understand what the community wants to look like in the next 30 years, but admitted the reality was it would never be perfect.“We've done the best we can. Some people say that we should do this and do that, but you know we've been charged with having to balance all of those different views and work that through, and the expectation is that we are on the right track.”Tune in to this week's The Outlet podcast to hear more from Cr Gillespie.Read more: Plan Change 19 sets future direction

Pensioners will be forced out of their homes and young families will sell up and move elsewhere.  Rates increases are front and centre in many people’s minds, and those were just some of the comments amongst the 149 submissions that the Central Otago District Council (CODC) had to consider as part of its Annual Plan yesterday.Retired farmer and former Otago Regional Council Gerry Eckhoff started the day’s proceedings by stating that local government appeared to have taken on a life of its own, “with its own perception of what the public really needs.”Believing the council had become increasingly independent of its community, he asked the CODC to  “reflect the problems of society, not add to them in financial terms.”Gerry said rates affordability was at the stage where people could no longer afford either the CODC or local government as it exists - something he had taken up further with ministers.Asking for an independent review of council expenditure, “to give us some confidence about what is happening out there,” he was questioned by Cr Tamah Alley about who should pay for that? “I don’t want to see marches in the street or mortgagee sales but where does it end?” he said.Cr Alley pointed out that council was already independently audited and when Mayor Tim Cadogan asked him to guess how much that audit cost, Gerry started to talk about life being full of trade-offs.Chief executive Peter Kelly confirmed the amount was $180,000.Grey Power Central Otago president Stan Randle spoke about the struggles that elderly had with understanding all of the business administration that came from council - including the plans for consultation that were often hundreds of pages long.“You are not looking at your audience with who you are communicating with,” he said, further adding that was why voter turnout was also low at election time.With regard to housing, he outlined how Central Otago historically had a basic standard that everyone could afford, but that was no longer the case.Over 50 comments in the Annual Plan process related to rates increases, but Mayor Cadogan said unless anyone had a great idea on how they could cut costs better, the increase would remain around 18.5 per cent.He said they could look at the option of staggering the rates increase, as some other councils had done, but as costs continued to rise, it wasn’t going to change anything next year.“We could underfund depreciation and kick the can down the road,” but as Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie said, that was pushing the responsibility onto others down the road “and that’s not how we do things in this council.”The Annual Plan and final decision on rates will be made at the council’s next meeting on June 26.

Teviot Valley residents will cut their power usage, medical care and food intake, and also opt for cheaper, less healthy grocery items.That was the message Gill Booth presented to the Central Otago District Council (CODC) during its Annual Plan hearing yesterday, in response to the cost increases being imposed on people within the ward.“The property tax increase will cause untold stress, especially on Roxburgh’s older and more vulnerable residents,” she said.Gill, who is a member of the Teviot Valley Community Board, but spoke to her submission yesterday as an individual resident, also expressed concern at the community’s proposed rates increase of 33 per cent.She, along with many other submitters from the Teviot Valley, requested a town hall meeting so people in the community could hear “what’s going on”.Gill said the drop-in session offered as part of the Annual Plan process in Roxburgh between 4pm and 6pm one Wednesday was not practical for many people, therefore was not the best form of consultation.Stephen Darling (bottom, right) presenting his submission at the CODC Annual Plan hearing yesterday. PHOTO: SuppliedCouncil, via its submissions document, acknowledged her feedback about the timing and length of the drop-in session.Councillor Stu Duncan, of the Maniototo, said during his time in council the feedback had been that people often thought consultation happened too much.“You had four submissions come in from the Maniototo - we had 59,” Gill said.“They aren’t happy in Roxburgh. You’re guys aren’t facing a 33 per cent rates increase.”Central Otago is facing a proposed average increase of 21.4 per cent.Stephen Darling, who spoke on behalf of Ettrick Fruitgrowers Association, also raised the issue of rates, explaining how cost increases had affected business.“Members are strongly opposed to the extent and timing of the proposed increases for our ward and across the district, causing considerable anxiety to some residents.”He recommended the rates increase be reduced.“In my view, it’s the wrong time for this extent and level of rate increase.”He also talked about the need to maintain essential services and core infrastructure, facilitating growth and enabling communities.Read more: Teviot Valley residents make most of Annual PlanRead more: Central Otago Mayor warns of rates increase

Ongoing funding for the Alexandra Blossom Festival should come through the Long Term Plan process rather than the Annual Plan, to give the committee more certainty moving forward.The Vincent Community Board (VCB) recommended yesterday that the Central Otago District Council (CODC) revisit its grants policy, and this would give the blossom festival committee more surety with its annual event.The discussion came about after a submission to the Annual Plan from Andrew Clark, who suggested the festival committee needed guidance on how to become more resilient, and not so reliant on major funders.Event organiser and VCB member Martin McPherson said having to come back to the council every year for funding was not ideal, but he also invited Andrew to have a chat with him and see whether he might like to join the committee.“At our AGM we failed to fill all the vacant positions,” he said.Eleven out of the 149 submissions from the council’s Annual Plan process came from the Vincent ward, but the majority who want to speak will be at the hearing in council chambers today.Martin also pointed out that in order for the festival to be affordable to the public, it received funding to be able to offer early bird discounts on tickets to the Alexandra community.“We also distribute free tickets to various community support groups around the town. Last year we gave away between 2500-3000 tickets.”Submitter Grant Campbell was the only one who addressed the VCB meeting, and his concerns were about the Riverside Park Trust project in lower Alexandra.He encouraged the board to “push pause” on the project until other avenues of funding were found for the $3.2 million project.The CODC has $650,000 approved in its Long Term Plan for this, and has secured an additional $625,000 in funding from the Tourism Infrastructure Fund, Central Lakes Trust and Lotteries.Sixty submitters from across the district will speak at the Annual Plan hearing at council chambers in Alexandra today.Read more: Blossom Festival hits back over comments of self-sustainabilityRead more: 'Bring 'em to Blossy' to bring relief for flood victims

Cromwell police are investigating a spate of burglaries over the past few months, including the most recent activity at the aerodrome.A man biking around the hangars on Sunday morning at 3:45am was caught on camera and Cromwell Police have recovered his gloves that he dropped, and taken fingerprints off doors.Sergeant Regan Price said they were reviewing CCTV footage and analysing forensic evidence gathered from the different scenes.Cromwell has become the scene of a few burglaries recently, and police would welcome any information from the public to help with their enquiries.  A commercial property in Ripponvale Rd was also broken into several weeks ago, and a gun safe and electric bike stolen from a business workshop.While the gun safe was recovered leaning up against a tree in a shelter belt the following day, a Trek e-bike was taken without its battery.Police said at the time it appeared the offenders had gained entry through the back of the property, and said break-ins like these didn’t happen very often in Central Otago. Read more: Central police investigate burglary

Cromwell businessman Gary Anderson is urging the Central Otago District Council to not delay upgrading its aging mall any further.Of the 149 submissions on council’s Annual Plan, only six came from Cromwell residents.  Gary spoke to the Cromwell Community Board yesterday, regarding his concerns about the mall being a health and safety hazard.He outlined in his submission how the 37-year-old town centre was in serious need of maintenance, including tree roots growing through pavers causing serious hazards.“It looks terrible and is an embarrassment in its current state. I would like to see the existing trees removed and replaced with deciduous trees . . ., he said.”Gary told the meeting a number of people have fallen flat on their face and needed medical attention after tripping on the pavement.The Cromwell Mall in earlier years. PHOTO: File“Get rid of the trees, just do something,” he said.He urged council to continue along with some form of modernisation of the public areas, and his message was loud and clear.  “This project has been consulted on and advised on over numerous years - please do not delay it further.” Council’s property and facilities team noted in their report to the Cromwell Community Board yesterday, that while it does have a maintenance budget, it was not sufficient to cover extensive repairs and upgrades on a broader scale. To undertake the work detailed, the cost could be in the range of $100,000 – $200,000 and this was not included in the Annual Plan.Board chair Anna Harrison acknowledged his concerns and said “we’re in a moment of frustration ourselves,” at this point, as the upgrade had been included in council’s Long Term Plan (LTP), rather than Annual Plan - which had been pushed out until next year.Council was currently working on a preferred option for the proposed mall upgrade. If approved, the project will be included in the LTP, which will address many of the issues, including the potential replacement of trees and modernisation of public areas.“We will continue to raise the issues and advocate for this project,” she said.

Young Central families are feeling the pinch as the lack of childcare facilities hit home, leaving some calling on the services they never thought they would need.One of those families, who wished to remain anonymous, talked to The Central App about the challenges they have faced and the sacrifices they have been forced to make.With one child now at school and another finally in childcare for just two days a week, the couple have made the heartbreaking decision to sell their home and leave the district so both of them can work, and start saving again.The mother said aspects that had added to their challenges were the fact they didn’t have family nearby and were finding Alexandra too expensive to live on one income.They have made the tough decision to move back to the North Island where a support network of close friends await them. “As soon as our house sells, we’ll be up there.”She said various financial challenges had a “huge” knock on effect, including their latest rates rise, which is now up to about $1000.The couple had dipped into their savings more than they had realised, which had a devastating impact.Due to their hardship the couple has had to call on a local foodbank in recent times, a service she was incredibly grateful for, despite not wanting to use it.Without the service life could have been a lot different for the young family.“We are just ticking along again now,” she said.The couple has also had the support of Central Otago Reap’s Strengthening Families, which is part of a nationally funded programme through Oranga Tamariki Ministry for Children.The programme offers support to families who require assistance from more than one agency or community service.She said the support her family had received had been amazing, but hoped that a move north would mean they could re-establish themselves with two incomes and easier childcare access.Last month Barnardos Early Learning put a call out to the wider community in the hope of expanding its in-home childcare provider service throughout the district.The not-for-profit organisation is recruiting new home-based educators in Roxburgh, Clyde and Alexandra, as well as in Wānaka, Hāwea and Queenstown.Barnardos Early Learning service delivery manager Rebecca Chatwin was hopeful there could eventually be someone in each of those towns.Visit the Barndardos Early Learning website to find out more or phone 0800 227 627.Read more: In-home educators needed across Central

A mild start to winter is in store for Central Otago as it heads into the new season this long weekend.Recent chilly starts will make way for warmer temperatures across the district, with a predicted high of 19 degrees Celsius today for Alexandra - on what will be the first day of winter.MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said the warmer temperatures will be the result of northwesterly winds.“This rise in temperatures is due to the “foehn” effect where air is forced to rise on the west of the mountains and cools down (often resulting rainfall there), while by the time that air makes it over to the eastern side, it is dry and compresses and warms up as it descends down the mountain.”The weather outlook over the next few days in Alexandra features milder than usual temperatures. IMAGE: MetServiceHowever, she said as the weather system arrives and moves northwards over the South Island, winds behind it switch to a cooler southwesterly during the latter half Saturday and temperatures cool back down to what would typically be expected for June.She said the northwesterly winds associated with the approaching weather system “are expected to have some punch to them”, and a Strong Wind Watch is place from early Saturday until about 1pm.Winds in exposed areas could approach severe gale, with gusts of 90km/h or more.She said in more populated areas, or on stretches of road the winds will be felt quite strongly, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles. Mmathapelo urges people to secure items that can be picked up by strong winds and take extra care on the roads. She said temperatures were expected to return to average June values for the rest of the weekend into the first part of next week. “At this stage there doesn't seem to be any sharp temperature drop on the horizon just yet, and no major snow-makers, apart from next Thursday, which could possibly bring a dip in temperatures and some brief snow.”To keep up to date with the latest weather reports for your town visit The Central App’s Weather & Reports button.And, remember to check the Roads button to check conditions before travelling this long weekend.

Thousands of titles are available at bargain prices this weekend as the Rotary Club of Cromwell opens the doors to its latest fundraising book sale.Not only is it an opportunity to stock up on a good read this long weekend, but proceeds raised will benefit the wider community.Convenor Pam Broadhead said the club aims to raise $25,000 - enough to purchase a stretcher for the new patient transfer vehicle available through Central Otago Health Services.The event, called the King’s Birthday Book Sale, which has seen thousands of titles line the Cromwell Bowling Club, started on Thursday night and runs until Monday at 12pm.On Friday people were already flocking to the bowling club on Alpha St in search of a bargain and titles by their favourite authors, which was keeping the team busy with sales.Thousands of books are displayed for easy viewing. PHOTO: The Central AppHowever, tables were never stripped bare thanks to the many volunteers constantly working hard to replenish them with more books.“It’s been really steady,” Pam said, of sales and the team’s efforts to keep the tables stockpiled.“We’re bringing out more books all the time.”She said the community had supported the cause in the lead up with an “amazing amount of donations” of books and jigsaw puzzles, which had proved popular this time round.So, if it’s a John Grisham title you are after, or something lighter by the likes of Marian Keyes, head along to the King’s Birthday Book Sale and help the crew reach their target for the benefit of the wider community.To find out more, click on the Kings Birthday Weekend Book Sale listing.

Plan Change 19 is one new tool that the Central Otago district now has to help address its housing problems.Signed off by the CODC on Wednesday, Mayor Tim Cadogan said Plan Change 19 (PC19) had been a massive undertaking with a significant outcome, and would allow for further intensification of land in the area.“We have talked about our housing problem in Central Otago for as long as I have been sitting here, and this is a practical move to address these problems.”Plan Change 19 was first publicly notified in July 2022 and attracted 170 submissions. Hearings then began in April 26, 2023 and a decision was made by the panel at the end of March this year.It affects what some Central Otago residents can do with their land in Cromwell, Clyde and Alexandra, and has been driven by the direction set out in the Vincent and Cromwell Spatial Plans. The spatial plans were prepared by council to respond to demand for residential land and housing affordability concerns in the district, and to plan for the anticipated growth over the next 30 years.It sets out the way the district’s residential areas are zoned and managed, including new areas for residential use, identifying some areas for future growth, and includes new provisions for managing land use and subdivisions within the residential zones.PC 19 aligns changes around density and allows for smaller sections in some areas and therefore more houses, and also new residential areas in the Cromwell and Vincent wards (around Alexandra, Clyde and Cromwell).The panel found in the Large Lot Residential Zone (LLRZ) in some of the outer lying areas there were some wider servicing constraints to developing these areas that must be addressed before they were able to be developed. In the Low Density Residential Zone (LDRZ), which currently provides for traditional suburban housing with ample open spaces, some commercial and community facilities are anticipated - where they support the local residential population.Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie who led the panel, said it had been a challenging process to work through, and this was just the tip of the iceberg for further plan changes as they moved ahead as a council. There will be another round of appeals on PC19 that will deal more with legalities “and then we’ll have some certainty,” he said. 

Roxburgh’s Entertainment Centre and hall will be out of action while it undergoes maintenance.The entertainment centre will be closed from Tuesday, June 4, to allow a range of works to take place, including a fire system upgrade.Maintenance issues will also be addressed as part of the work, a Central Otago District Council spokesperson said.Following that work, more attention will be given to the southern wall of the entertainment centre for an additional two months.“The work has been in the pipeline for a few years, and this was the year the team were able to give it priority.”The building is being maintained, which will also help boost capacity. PHOTO: SuppliedOnce completed, the building will be brought up to a required standard to help increase capacity, which is currently limited.Movies have been screened from the same site, on Scotland St, since 1897.All proceeds from those screenings go towards maintaining, improving and updating the facility.The cinema has a main theatre, which seats 258 people, and the Attic theatre, an intimate space for small groups, seats 14.The hall is expected to be closed until about September or October.

An innocent mistake was made back in 1989 by the Maniototo Community Board to misspell its historic name, but Central Otago Mayor Tim Cadogan said the Representation Review was not the place to change it.The Central Otago District Council decided yesterday to keep the spelling the same for now, in line with the community board’s decision on Monday night, and taking into consideration views of submitters.Councillors heard from Maori scholar Emeritus Professor Khyla Russell who said the Maniototo had no meaning for iwi at all, “it’s like having a name that no-one understands.”Māniatoto refers to the tussocks that once grew plentiful across the plain, and Dr Russell said it would be nice to have it corrected.“I know it’s not always easy . . . but it’s important we have consistency with our understanding of the word.”Iwi was successful back in June 2022 when a representative spoke at council and it was agreed to change the spelling of Manuherekia, from Manuherikia. But, Mayor Cadogan said this was different because it affected both the ward and community board names.Deputy Mayor Neil Gillespie also questioned whether this was the right forum to be changing the name, and asked what role the New Zealand Geographic Board had in this.“Does the geographic board have the authority to determine how we should spell the name of a community board . . . as it has the authority to determine the name of a county council?”Mayor Cadogan said the Local Government Commission determined the name “and if we don’t change the name they wouldn’t look at it unless there was an appeal.   If we do change the name then it would automatically be reviewed by the Local Government Commissioner, he said.Maniototo board member Stu Duncan said as an elected member this has been one of the toughest and galvanising decisions he’s ever had to make.He said changing the name had wider implications within the community including all of the different groups from gardening to squash, that used the Maniototo name.“There haven’t been many debates that tried to shut down the bank in Ranfurly,” he said.Cr Gillespie agreed with Mayor Cadogan that the background of the name made perfect sense and said personally it should be changed, “without a doubt.”But, this was not the place to do that, acknowledging the wider implications in the community, he said.  “Either way this is going to be appealed.”He said they also had to listen to the community board, and Cr Tamah Alley agreed the community needed to be part of the journey, and lead the change when they were ready.In concluding, Mayor Tim said iwi’s position should be respected because it’s their language.“A mistake has been made, way back in the day, when the Te Reo name that has been used for a place for generations, was transliterated.”He said the council followed the mistake, “and I don’t think it was even aware of it.”When mistakes are made to names, they needed to be corrected, he said. “Is our mistake more important than a people’s language?”Acknowledging he had learnt a great deal through the process, this was just another step in the discussion that council needed to have.The ongoing debate on whether to change the Maniototo community board and ward names was reflective of the fact that change is coming, “but not this way and not here.”