Some of GDC’s July updates

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Opinion

The chief executive’s July report for councillors prior to their meeting tomorrow naturally begins with the impressive national recognition achieved for the What’s The Future Tairawhiti? campaign for early Long-Term Plan consultation engagement, and the WTF consultation document.

“Being recognised as finalists and winners is an outstanding achievement for council, especially considering our overall expenditure in comparison to previous Long Term Plan rounds was less.”

Interim year-end results were back in the black after last year’s $5.1m deficit, with a draft estimated $3.9m net surplus. Over 80 percent of the council’s capital works programme (excluding major projects) had been achieved.

GDC financial statements would be audited in September, with the final 2017/18 annual report to be adopted on October 25.

The Civil Defence Emergency Management team continued to be busy with flood-related issues since the two events in early June, and was still working with five displaced Tolaga Bay families.

“Investigations on the woody debris are continuing and we expect this to be completed in early September . . . while we can’t comment on the details in relation to forestry company compliance, staff have already inspected three-quarters of the sites in the Tolaga Bay area and compliance visits are being undertaken in other catchments across our region.”

On the recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding with Eastland Community Trust, the two CEOs “have been progressing refining the scope of work and identifying suitable external providers to assist us”.

Negotiations towards an amalgamation of Heart of Gisborne with Activate Tairawhiti had seen agreement around draft principles and set in place a timeline that all parties were working towards. Councillors could expect further reporting on this in September.

Council staff were looking to engage a consultant to develop a network operating plan, in response to increasing demand for land transport services across Gisborne.

Gisborne Holdings Ltd reports that the upgrade of the council’s Te Puia customer service centre is on track for completion later this month.