Tauranga candidates' signs breach bylaw

This election sign for Tauranga MP Simon Bridges on Waihi Rd is within the council bylaws. However, some of his signs have been removed for breaching city rules. Photo / George Novak

Eight election hoardings have been removed from various locations in Tauranga after they were found to be in breach of city rules.

Tauranga City Council bylaws officer Paul Mason asked the political parties at fault to remove the signs because they had been put up in locations where the signs were not allowed.

Council officers had been alerted to the breaches through complaints from opposing political parties, members of the public and the council's own monitoring.

One area signs were removed from was Cameron Rd, between 7th Ave and 9th Ave.

Tauranga MP Simon Bridges said a "small number" of his signs, including one on Cameron Rd, had to be moved to a different location because they were in breach of the bylaw.

He said in previous general elections there had been a manual handed out to candidates stipulating the rules.

"I don't think we got anything like that this time ... It is not quite as simple as previous elections."

Mr Bridges said he had a team of volunteers in charge of putting up and maintaining his election hoardings.

"They have established a really good relationship with the council officers."

Labour party Tauranga Candidate Rachel Jones said she had not been asked to move any of her election signs.

"We drew up a list of sites and went to the council and found out where we were allowed to put them before we put any up."

In addition to the Cameron Rd sites a council spokeswoman said several candidate signs were accidentally put on residents' fences and candidates were asked to remove them.

Signs have to be moved or removed at the cost of the candidate.

The spokeswoman said this year two locations were being trialled on Cameron Rd for election hoardings to establish whether they were suitable places for the signs to be.

"Those locations are between Pak'N Save and The Warehouse, and opposite Boys' College."

She said the key objective for rules around election signage was to ensure signs did not present a traffic hazard or danger to public safety.

The Conservative Party's leader Colin Craig. Photo/file

City limits

• The following rules from Tauranga City Council's Street Use and Public Places Bylaw (clauses 7 and 8) apply to general election signs:

• No sign shall be placed within 6m of an intersection or roundabout as measured from intersecting road boundaries.

• Signs attached beneath street verandas shall have a minimum of 2.5m clearance from the
footpath below.

• Temporary signs shall not be attached in any way to poles, fences, street furniture or other public utilities or on any public place without the written permission of council.

• Council may require the owner or user of any non-complying, unsafe sign to remove the offending sign from any public place.

- Tauranga City Council