Kāpiti boards shine at Local Government NZ Community Board Awards

Raumati Community Board chairman Bede Laracy, left, Paekākāriki-Raumati councillor Sophie Handford, and president of Local Government New Zealand Sam Broughton.

There were nine nominations for Local Government New Zealand’s Community Board Awards – and a third of them were from Kāpiti.

The Ōtaki, Waikanae, and Raumati community boards were all finalists in the awards – with Raumati winning an award and Waikanae receiving highly commended for another.

There were three awards available at the ceremony which was held as a part of Local Government New Zealand’s annual conference. Award categories were Partnering with the Council, Enhancing Communities, and Engaging with Communities.

The Raumati Community Board was named the winner of Engaging with Communities for its “Our Vision for Raumati” project, which focuses on improving Raumati Beach and Raumati South. Judges described it as a shining example of “bringing community voice to the table – by the people, for the people,” for its innovative approach to developing a long-term vision and identity for Raumati.

The vision project was started by board chairman Bede Laracy and Paekākāriki-Raumati ward councillor Sophie Handford as a way to engage with the community and make what they want happen.

Since the project started, the pair have established an annual night market and gathered lots of ideas around what the community wants to see happen in Raumati – with many of those ideas around the old pool building.

The vision project was so successful that all four of the other community boards in Kāpiti have started their own vision projects, and the Kāpiti Coast District Council is creating a wider vision for the whole district.

Laracy said if he had to pick one category to win, Engaging with Communities would have been it, but both he and Handford agreed that the award didn’t change how they felt about the vision project.

President of Local Government New Zealand Sam Broughton, left, with Waikanae Community Board's Te Horo representative Michael Moore.

“I didn’t think it validated the work we’ve done because I already felt quite proud of what we’ve done. But it was just a nice cherry on top to get that acknowledgement,” Laracy said.

The Waikanae Community Board received highly commended in the Enhancing Communities category for their work to reverse environmental neglect in Te Horo.

Deputy chairman of the board Michael Moore, who represents Te Horo, started the project following years of coastal rubbish dumping and vehicle damage to the dunes, beach and Mangaone Lagoon.

He said the project was kicked off with two large wrap-around murals on the 1960s toilets at Te Horo Beach.

The murals were complemented with surrounding infrastructure improvements like a new macrocarpa picnic table, an outside beach shower and an all-weather access path with a rope boundary fence. That work was followed by the establishment of Predator Free Te Horo Beach.

Chairman of the Ōtaki Community Board Cam Butler said that while the board didn’t win an award, he was still proud of what the board had accomplished and couldn’t be happier for the sibling community boards that did win awards.

“While the Ōtaki Community Board didn’t win an award on the night I am still so proud of the efforts of the board, and I know that we are making a difference to our community.”