After over a decade of debate, the future of Raglan’s Manu Bay breakwall has been decided — and the verdict is simple: it’s staying exactly as it is.
What’s been an ongoing issue since at least 2015 — and one that even predates every member of the current board — has finally reached the end of the line, with Waikato District Council (WDC) confirming no further work will be done on the breakwall itself.
“You have to have consensus among the groups — that's part of the resource consent, and we haven't got consensus from all of the stakeholders,” said Whaingaroa Ward Councillor Lisa Thomson.
Talks around the structure had been simmering for years, with legal action from the Raglan Sport Fishing Club complicating things. At one point an eye-watering $2 million price tag was floated by WDC — a sum Lisa says would have added more than 2% to general rates.
“To put it in perspective, every 1% of rates is about $900,000 — so $2 million was significant,” she said.
Even if the community had come together in support of upgrading the breakwall, Lisa reckons there would have been some serious debate around the council table before committing that kind of spend.
While the breakwall itself won’t change, the council’s not walking away entirely. Attention will now shift to safety improvements and tackling the creeping erosion further down the coast.
“There are definite issues with erosion past the wall, heading towards the bay — that’s where we’ll focus our efforts now,” Lisa said.
The decision draws a line under a legacy issue that’s hung over the district for close to 10 years, leaving Manu Bay — and its famous surf break — unchanged, for now.
Mystery of Raglan’s CCTV Cameras Solved
Locals have been scratching their heads over new CCTV cameras popping up around Raglan — but the source of the mystery eyes in the sky has now been revealed.
It turns out the cameras at spots like Ngaranui Beach and Hills Road aren’t part of the long-promised town-wide CCTV network. Instead, they’re a mix of temporary installations funded through council roading budgets and targeted police operations aimed at tackling boy racers and illegal dumping.
Lisa confirmed the Ngaranui Beach camera had been quietly installed over summer.
“That one’s been up for a while — it came through our roading budgets as a temporary measure for the busy summer period,” she said.
But the camera that’s perched on Hills Road — that’s all police, not council.
“That’s the police working with a security firm. They put it up because of the ongoing burnouts and boy racer activity keeping people awake at night,” Lisa said.
Police say the Hills Road camera has already helped identify offenders caught doing burnouts. The success of the camera follows similar trials elsewhere, where cameras have helped catch fly tippers and push boy racers out of problem areas.
“They’re proving to be really effective tools,” Lisa said. “We’re still looking at CCTV options across the district.”
However, she was quick to clarify that these cameras are not linked to the wider CCTV system the council has been discussing for years.
“That’s still off in the distance,” she said. “We had a bit of a dream list — about seven cameras,”
That wishlist came after a string of break-ins around town, with surf shops like Surf Co. among the targets. But installation of a full system is still a way off.
Waikato District Council’s 700-page Long Term Plan Lands
Raglan locals are being urged to have their say as Waikato District Council rolls out its mammoth 700-page Long Term Plan — and yes, it’s as hefty as it sounds.
Lisa reckons it’s “a good doorstop,” but inside is the detail that’ll shape what gets built, fixed, or upgraded from 2025 through to 2034.
“This is where our big spending decisions sit — wastewater upgrades, road maintenance, parks, footpaths — it’s all in there,” she says. “It sets the direction, especially for the next two or three years.”
Consultation on the LTP runs from 11 April to 11 May, and while feedback is encouraged, Lisa is upfront that a lot of the major projects are already baked in.
“You can’t just drop in new projects at this point — budgets are locked in well ahead,” she said. “But this is still a chance to highlight future priorities or tell us what matters most.”
Engagement events are planned across Raglan — including local markets, library drop-ins, and potentially sessions in Hamilton or Ngaruawahia to reach commuters.
Rates Rise — What’s the Damage?
Top of mind for many locals will be the looming rates hike. General rates are set to climb by 4.25%, but Raglan residents connected to the town’s wastewater system face an even bigger jump — around 13%.
“It’s significant, especially for those of us on the urban reticulated system,” Lisa says. “But it reflects the investment that’s already gone into Three Waters — wastewater plants, pipes, future-proofing — the sort of stuff people don’t see but rely on every day.”
Lisa says if anyone’s concerned about their rates, they should reach out.
“You can challenge your property’s capital value or check if you’re eligible for a rates rebate,” she said. “Our staff are there to help break it all down.”
Three Waters — Raglan Ahead of the Game
Three Waters reform has been a contentious issue nationwide, and while the Government has scrapped Labour’s plan to centralise water services, the financial burden remains with councils.
“Even if the reform had gone ahead, there was always going to be a cost to providing these services — it just would have been paid a different way,” Lisa says. She adds that Raglan is better placed than many parts of the country when it comes to three waters infrastructure.
“We’ve already made big investments — new plants at Meremere and Te Kauwhata are online, and Raglan’s upgrade is well underway,” she said. “While some councils are just starting this work, we’ve been doing it since 2017.”
That head start means Raglan could avoid even bigger hikes being faced elsewhere but Lisa is clear that the ongoing cost of maintaining infrastructure isn’t going anywhere.
Council is also exploring a future partnership with Hamilton City Council for wastewater and potable water services, but that’s still in the works.
“It’s a massive job — and any final costs or changes will come later. For now, we’re continuing the mahi we’ve started.”
Service Requests — Closing the Loop Needs Work
One area Lisa admits needs attention is how Council handles communication, like service requests — from pothole reports to water leaks.
“Even as a councillor, I sometimes don’t hear back properly,” she says.“One case involved a massive water leak on private property that caused a huge blowout in the property owner’s water bill — I got a notice saying it was ‘resolved,’ but no explanation of what the resolution was.”
Council is upgrading its systems by July to improve how service requests are tracked and communicated — but Lisa urges locals to keep reporting issues.
“Logging it doesn’t guarantee it’ll be fixed — sometimes it’s budget, sometimes priority — but it’s how you get on the radar.”
Big Picture — Council’s Job is Massive
Lisa says there’s still a lot of misunderstanding about just how wide Council’s responsibilities stretch.
“It’s not just roads and rubbish — it’s parks, bylaws, policies, big infrastructure and even navigating government legislation,” she says. “No other organisation does this mix of work — and it all gets paid for through rates, development contributions, and user fees.”
“It’s complicated, it’s costly — but it’s our future we’re planning for.”
The Raglan Community Board will meet next Wednesday, 26 March, with a range of topics up for discussion. Lisa says the agenda is expected to be released today, with the public forum scheduled for 1.30pm in the Supper Room at the Raglan Town Hall. The formal meeting will follow at 2pm - come along and have your say.