14 September 2023

Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: Burials

Enquiry

I had some questions relating to what was said about the cemetery reserve in [13 September 2023 community and District Development Committee] meeting. Would appreciate if someone can please help with some answers.

Development and partnerships manager Stephanie Kelly said it was her understanding there had been “multiple attempts” at burials in the reserve. However, the water table had always been too high.

Sport, recreation and environment manager Rob Pitkethley said the site had some historical burials.

“Those need to be re-interred and taken up to Kauae [Cemetery]. Those were shallow burials at the time.”

• When were the burials? How many "attempts" have there been?
• When was the last attempt?
• Who were the people buried? Do their families know they will/have been uninterred and will be moved?
• Have they already been uninterred? If no, when will this happen? If yes, when?
• How many were there?
• How was/is this done?
• What challenges are there associated with this?
• Have the burials been documented? I do not believe there are markers?
• How long have these attempts been known about? (Is it a recent discovery? and if so, when and how?)
• Are there any chances of unknown burials there?

Any other info or comment?

Response

We provided the following information:

Re historical burials and re-interments: we have checked and that related to elsewhere, not the site that is to be returned to Ngati Whakaue, (and happened in the late 1950s), so that was an error on Mr Pitkethley’s part.

To clarify re previous “attempts” at burials: there have been no actual burials at the site and “attempts” referred to digging or testing done. The site has never been found to be suitable for burials.

Recent checks of the site, as you will have heard from the meeting, found the water table to be too high for burials.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

Media: Local Democracy Reporter

Topic: New trolley collection initiative

Enquiry

Reporter following up on RLC news release re new trolley collection initiative with local businesses had the following questions:

Can I ask how this process is different from the one before? I was told by both Foodstuffs and Countdown in April people should call them to report abandoned trolleys - so that message is the same as below.

Has this initiative changed any process?

How can the council be sure this removes the burden from the ratepayers?

Will it be enforced or monitored?

What happens if a trolley is not collected within that 48-hour window?

If the discussions were in June, how has it taken until September for this to be implemented?

The cost and collection number below was provided to me in April - can I please have updated figures?

Any other comment/info?

Response

We provided the following in response:

Re how this initiative is different from previous:

In the past the council has carried most of the burden – and cost – of collecting and returning abandoned trolleys. We now have four businesses where trolleys are taken from that have formally committed to sharing the burden which will reduce the cost to council and thereby ratepayers. We will continue discussions with other businesses to encourage others to follow suit.

Has this initiative changed any process?

As above

How can the council be sure this removes the burden from the ratepayers?

The businesses collecting their own trolleys reduces the need for council to collect and return them and thereby reduces the cost of this.

Will it be enforced or monitored?

There is no enforcement, the businesses have agreed to this new process and we will continue to work with them and other businesses to further reduce the issue.

What happens if a trolley is not collected within that 48-hour window?

Sometimes it may take longer. The businesses have committed to doing their best to collect trolleys within 48 hours.

If the discussions were in June, how has it taken until September for this to be implemented?

This work has been done alongside other work and required logistics and implementation to be worked through.

The cost and collection number below was provided to me in April - can I please have updated figures?

The approximate cost and collection figures now are as outlined in the release – these have not changed from previously.