Jonathan Harker

Web secretary, Pukrerua Bay Residents' Association

Minutes from the garden planning meeting

Thanks to those who attended the meeting last Thursday! I’m sorry I’ve left it so late but here are the minutes from the meeting.

There was a lot of lively discussion, and some of the ideas and suggestions follow:

  • A Pukerua Bay garden tour fundraiser event
  • Learn from the Island Bay Community Garden – watch the NZ documentary, Gardening With Soul (see below for the trailer)
  • Allotments produce vegetables quickly, while the food-forest take a few years to establish.
  • Allotments also provide social opportunities
  • All sorts of opportunities to involve the school
  • Start the orchard trees off in the school shade-house and get the kids involved early
  • A school trip to learn from Raumati School’s garden project
  • Use produce from the food forest in school lunches
  • Beehives
  • Heritage varieties – educational opportunities
  • Growing mushrooms in sawdust, logs, compost
  • Erosion and sediment control plan, if we do any earthworks (e.g. building swales)
  • Use the PKB Traders Facebook page

Expertise

Amongst the group here we have: gardening, beekeeping, manual labour, web and graphic design, signwriting, building, and a structural engineer, and probably all sorts of other skills I’m not aware of…!

Actions

  1. There is a “field trip” this Sunday 11 May for anyone keen – we’re going to look at Pauline’s excellent garden at 10am and then go and have a look at the proposed site in Muri Reserve (see map). I’m hoping we can get Richard and/or Tim from Innermost Gardens (Majoribanks Street, Wellington) to come along and help us with ideas.
  2. It’s great to have the RA behind the garden scheme, and it’s part of the village plan. Iain is going to follow up with getting the required official permission from Porirua City Council. This will probably involve some paperwork – some of which will come under the RA banner.
  3. Iain is also going to set up the gardens email list – more about that soon.
  4. Create an A4 poster for the dairy & school notice boards, school shade house, and something to go in the school newsletter.
  5. If we wanted to we could set about getting the long grass on the site under control with a team of mowers and weed-trimmers at any time, without the council’s permission.
  6. Also worth noting there is a Residents Association meeting on Tuesday 13 May for those interested.

Minutes from the garden planning meeting Read More »

2008 Residents’ Association AGM minutes

Annual General Meeting

Thursday, 20 November 2008, 7.30 pm
Pukerua Bay School Hall

Approximately 40 people attended the Residents’ Association AGM. It was particularly pleasing to see a significant number of new residents in attendance.

The AGM was also attended by Councillors Leggett, Murrell and Sheppard as well as Ian Barlow of the PCC staff. The Residents’ Association expressed its appreciation for the interest shown by the councillors who regularly attend our meeting throughout the year. The excellent work undertaken in support of our community by Ian Barlow was also noted. …

2008 Residents’ Association AGM minutes Read More »

October 2008 Residents’ Association meeting minutes

Tuesday, 14 October 2008, 7.30 pm

Present: Graham McLaughlin, Jack Fry, Pat Hanley, Tim Sheppard, Dagmar Pesendorfer, Gill England, Euon Murrell, Nick Leggett, Robyn Moore, Dene Wade, Stu Farrant, Kate Dreaver
Residents: Karen Apperley, Anne Johnston
Porirua City Council: Clive Amsty, Linda Kerkmeester, Peter Mattich
Apologies: Graham McLaughlin …

October 2008 Residents’ Association meeting minutes Read More »

September 2008 Residents’ Association meeting minutes

Tuesday, 9 September 2008, 7.30 pm

Present: Jack Fry (chair), Tim Bright, Graham McLaughlin, June Penhey, Gill England, Robyn Moore, Kate Dreaver, Stu Farrant, Tim Sheppard, Ian Barlow, Euon Murrell, Trevor Farmer, manager of the Emergency Management Office
Apologies: Pat Hanley, Dagmar Pesendorfer. …

September 2008 Residents’ Association meeting minutes Read More »

Report from the Chair, September 2008

Report from the Chair of the Pukerua Bay Residents’ Association, Jack Fry.

Skateboard bowl tenders and funding applications

A sub-committee reviewed the 6 tenders received and made recommendations in respect of two preferred tenders. The final decision on the selection of the company to carry out the work is now over to the Council.

Meeting with Fisheries

A meeting was held on 25 August at the Tennis Club to discuss long-term protection measures at Pukerua Bay Beach. The meeting was attended by Randall Bess, Spatial Allocations manager, Ministry of Fisheries, Graeme Hastilow of Ngati Toa, and Residents’ Association members Tim, Pat, Stu, Robyn, June, Graham and Gill.

It was an excellent meeting with a great deal of very useful information provided.

There were no decisions taken as this was an opportunity to gain more information before further action is taken.

However, it appears that there is an immediate need to apply for another Rahui to cover the period 2009 – 2011. Further, Ngati Toa will progress work on establishing a Mataitai. However, as an added protection measure, consideration needs to be given to seeking to have a specific regulation put in place before 2011 so that if the Mataitai is not operative at that date the area will continue to be protected by way of regulation under Section 297 of the Fisheries.

It would appear that the next step would be to establish a strategic plan with Ngati Toa, setting out the work that needs to be done both immediately (the Rahui extension), interim (Regulation) and long-term (Mataitai).

Residents’ Association application for funding from PCC

I made an application to PCC on behalf of the Residents’ Association for funding for the regular work of the Residents’ Association. This application was rejected on the grounds “under the terms of the policies now in force you are not eligible for the grants requested as the only evidence of any meetings held by Council since your last request are minutes of a meeting held on Tuesday, 14 August 2007” (letter from LJ Skinner, 11 August, 2008). I will be writing to LJ Skinner, informing this person that all monthly minutes are sent to Ian Barlow and to the Northern Ward Councillors. Further we have never to my mind been informed directly of “the policies now in force”. I will also re-apply for funding.

NAP – Telephone discussion with Roy Hitchcock of Transit

I spoke to Roy Hitchcock at Transit last week. I asked when the NAP would go to the Board of Transit. I wanted to request the opportunity for the Residents’ Association to attend and speak on the matter. Roy advised me that the matter was now with Porirua City Council and as Transit will not fully fund the work, it is up to PCC to advise as to which of the projects it will contribute to. No further action will be taken until PCC provides the required information. I told him this was not the process as I understood it and then outlined our expectations and his response was “Who told you that?”.

I have concluded that we have a long way to go before any action is forthcoming and I think it is time we considered taking the matter up with our MP and others at the political level.

Report from the Chair, September 2008 Read More »