News briefs from Northland: church reopens after restoration and charity fundraiser

Maungatapere Inter-denominational Memorial Church, seen here lit up at night, will reopen on November 11 after a major restoration.

Maungatapere Inter-denominational Memorial Church set to reopen

The Maungatapere Inter-denominational Memorial Church will reopen after a major restoration project on an appropriate day — Armistice Day, November 11. The event is taking place on Armistice Day at the appropriate hour, 11am, given that the day it is the centenary of the ending of The Great War. This day is appropriate for this function as the church was built by the folk of Maungatapere to recognise those from their community who served in this war, and especially those who never returned. The church belongs to the community. Over the last year, the church has undergone a comprehensive restoration managed by the Lions Club of Mangakahia and funded by the club, local business and residents, and charitable organisations.

Apply to council early

Anyone needing consent, permission or licences from Whangārei District Council for events or activities over the summer holidays has until November 22 to get their applications in. Several government acts have statutory close-down periods in summer and during these, processing goes on hold. Applications must be lodged in time to be processed before they close down. The council is urging people to get their applications in for events happening in or shortly after this period to ensure their project stays on track. Contact the council on 430 4200 to discuss anything you might be applying for and to check the timeframes that apply to you.

Variety show for quake victims

A charity event in Whangārei next week will raise funds for the victims of the Indonesian earthquake. A Variety Show by Friends of Indonesia at Onerahi Community Hall will be a fundraiser for earthquake and tsunami victims in Sulawesi, Indonesia. The event will be held on November 10, from 5.30pm to 9.30pm. The death toll from last month's quake has reached at least 1763 people, with 2632 seriously injured and more than 70,000 homes destroyed, according to the Indonesian National Board for Disaster Management.

FNDC adopts new process

Getting building consents in the Far North should be simpler and faster following the Far North District Council's adoption of a new electronic application process. The council has begun the transition to a new electronic building consent system called Simpli. It is one of more than 20 local authorities joining the award-winning programme, which aims to improve the consistency and delivery of building consents across New Zealand, and is supported by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment. A major change for Far North building consent applicants will be replacing paper forms with Simpli electronic applications. These can be filled in on-screen and emailed directly to the council. Plans and other documents will also be accepted electronically as PDFs.