Whangārei District Councillors at the last meeting of their three-year term. A new council and mayor will be voted in on October 8. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Whangārei District Councillors at the last meeting of their three-year term. A new council and mayor will be voted in on October 8. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Whangārei District Council has moved a step closer to a potential rescue helicopter shift to Onerahi as opponents lodge High Court legal proceedings.
On Thursday, the council confirmed its support, in principle, for the shift of Northland Emergency Services Trust (NEST)'s rescue helicopter base from Kensington to Whangārei Airport at Onerahi. This was done in an 11-3 majority vote in favour of 20 noise mitigation and other recommendations to council from its Airport Noise Management Committee.
Whangārei District Council's final current-term council meeting was held on Thursday.
On Monday, lawyers for helicopter shift opponents Save Onerahi From Undue Noise Disturbance (SOUND) lodged proceedings in the Whangārei High Court, seeking a Judicial Review of some of the process involving WDC and NEST.
SOUND opponents addressed the meeting, asking councillors not to support the meeting agenda's Airport Noise Management Committee recommendations item - in particular objecting to the recommendation component where council confirmed its relocation support.
SOUND spokesperson Paul Doherty, with the support of about 20 opponents, said: "SOUND remains extremely concerned with the council decision to grant a lease to NEST at Whangārei Airport."
Local Democracy Reporting Northland asked the council and NEST what its next steps would be in the wake of the High Court challenge, and whether it would defend the claim.
WDC general manager planning and development Dominic Kula said the council would now consider how it addressed the legal challenge.
NEST chief executive Craig Gibbons said the trust would also be considering the legal challenge.
"NEST is an essential medical service that is here in Whangārei to protect the lives of the people in Northland. I'm really disappointed that a small part of our community has decided to take this step; a step that we will have to better understand to consider our position going forward," Gibbons said.
Retiring Whangārei Mayor Sheryl Mai at her last council meeting after nine years at the helm of Whangārei District Council. Photo / Michael Cunningham
The meeting decision voted to accept noise mitigation recommendations including removing helicopter training from the site, complying with prescribed noise abatement procedures 'wherever practicable' and updating the airport noise management plan.
NEST's board will now need to vote on whether to accept the recommendations. The 45-minute debate was among several topics covered at the meeting,
Valedictory speeches closed the meeting.
These were from three-term Mayor Sheryl Mai, Deputy Mayor Greg Innes and councillors Tricia Cutforth, Shelley Deeming and Anna Murphy.
Flowers, tears, laughter and young native trees as gifts for departing elected representatives marked the meeting.
Mai described her valedictory presentation as her last hurrah as Mayor.
Mai was acknowledged as a rangatira and given a waka huia - a wooden container carved by Whangārei-based master carver Te Warahi Hetaraka – by the council. Rangatira used waka huia to store prized huia feathers between using them for special occasions.
Innes was acknowledged for his strategic perspective and contribution to WDC planning, Deeming for her 18 years spanning six consecutive council terms and four Mayors, Cutforth for her fairness and forthrightness and strong social conscience during three terms as a councillor and Murphy for her contribution to environmental sustainability during her two terms as a councillor.
