Gully work in Tamahere will get more funding.
Waikato District Council will introduce a targeted rate to continue restoring and preserving the Tamahere gully network.
Councillors voted last week to levy Tamahere ward ratepayers $1 a week per property over the next five years to accelerate restoration works in the Mangaone, Mangaharakeke and Mangaonui gullies.
The rate will provide resources to the trust behind the work to continue restoration works on council land as well as private land with public accessibility.
It is introduced after a public consultation process drew an almost evenly divided response for and against.
The Tamahere Mangaone Restoration Trust has been at the forefront of restoration efforts in the Tamahere area for the past decade.
Waikato mayor Jacqui Church said the decision marked a significant milestone in the commitment to preserving the Tamahere gullies.
“The inclusion of this rate in the Annual Plan demonstrates our dedication to funding and expediting restoration works needed to protect our natural environment, as well as the importance of partnering with community groups in meaningful ways to achieve bold aspirations within the district,” she said.
The public consultation process attracted 231 submissions -113 in support, 117 opposed and one neutral. It stimulated a lengthy council debate on the feedback received, the timing and cost of the initiative, and the framework for managing the project.
“We are grateful for the engagement and feedback received from the Tamahere community. Their involvement has played a vital role in shaping this decision,” Church said.
“It aligns with several council strategies including the Trails Strategy and the Taiao (Nature) in the Waikato Strategy, as well as the Tamahere Community Blueprint which has identified gully restoration as a community priority.”
