The census results for Raglan have been released and the urban population has once again risen dramatically, up 500 people between 2018 and 2023. That’s a 13% increase in the space of 5 years. For several decades the population of Raglan was fairly static but with a 500 person increase for this and the previous census there has been an increase of 1000 people in the last ten years - a 28% increase.
We don’t yet have the stats for how many houses have been built but the opening up of a 34 lot lifestyle subdivision in Te Uku is causing a bit of a fright for the community out there. It’s nothing compared to the 1000 odd sections currently being opened up in Raglan but in both cases it’s a sign that much more growth is expected - and that it’s unlikely to provide housing for people on low incomes.
Waikato District Council has announced a contract extension with Watercare to run our 3-waters through to June 2028.
Why does this matter? Because sewerage costs are the largest individual item on our rates bill and Watercare is generally considered to have done a good job - to the point where our mayor was pleading with Minister Simeon Browne to tell Watercare, which is an Auckland Council Controlled organisation, to keep working with us. While he didn’t actually do anything, someone at Watercare has taken pity on our district with the two year extension giving us more leeway in negotiating a deal with Hamilton City to be a part of their new CCO.
Raglan Area School has a givealittle fundraiser underway as they’re looking for $30,000 to upgrade the school pool facility. The pool itself has been upgraded thanks to donors from within the community, but they need to build new fences and shade sails to make it safe and secure for the kids.
Waikato District Council says they’re planning to open up the Raglan Wharf Boatramp for full service on Monday 7th October. One side of the ramp is currently usable after being upgraded a few weeks ago while the other side is closed while the new concrete cures and will hopefully be ready on Monday. The work on the ramp was presumably funded from the general rate as council staff recently turned down a suggestion by the Raglan Community board to fund work on local boat ramps with a boat ramp fee, as is common in other areas.
While Police have yet to formally name the man whose body was found near the footbridge earlier this week, they did say they believed him to be Luke Berwick, a 31-year-old Hamilton man who was reported missing last week. Luke had been staying at the Holiday Park with the intention of going fishing before he went missing. Police say they will continue to make enquiries into the circumstances of the death on behalf of the Coroner.