Raglan News Bulletin Wednesday 3rd May 2023

The Raglan Community Board is meeting today in the Te Uku hall for the first time since Te Uku was included in the Community Board area after the last election.  


The meeting starts with the open forum at 1:30 before getting into business at 2. The meeting will include a presentation from WEL Energy about putting more EV chargers in Raglan as the chargers beside the town hall are proving to be increasingly popular despite the fact they are no longer free to use. Council will present their Connectivity Strategy - which is council speak for a plan for trails for walking, biking or horsing around our district. 


There will be updates about progress on our Civil Defence plan, work at the Wharf, the Wi Neera walkway and the never ending Manu Bay Breakwall situation, where we are still waiting for consultants to do work that was promised several months ago.


We might also be hearing back about issues raised at the last meeting including potholes, the condition of rural roads, the danger of the Greenslade Rd intersection on SH23  and speeding on the main road. 


There’s not much chance of speeding on the Main Rd this week though because motorists should in fact be on the alert for council work crews around  the Main Road and Upper Bow St area where they are installing bigger better faster and more reliable pipes to our critical water mains.


Still with council, they’ve received a final report on last year’s election which shows the vote for the Waikato District dropped from 34.4% at the 2019 election to a disappointing 32.3% last year. This compares to a nationwide rise from 41.7% in 2019 to 45.58% in 2022. 


In actual numbers this means only 17,572 of the 54,380 electors in our district voted. The council has until September to  consider the possibility of STV for our next election in case that might entice voters back. 


In local sport the Raglan Roosters lost their game last Sunday at POTFC, although Marty got a brace of goals but it wasn't enough and they went down 5-3.